The authorities are in talks with zoological parks in Europe for a pair of zebras under an animal exchange programme.
Published Date – 7 April 2024, 11:59 PM
Hyderabad: The solitary existence of Sunny, the young male giraffe at the Nehru Zoological Park, is set to end, with zoo authorities finding a suitable mate in the Alipore Zoological Garden, Kolkata.
Sunny was brought under an animal exchange programme from the Kolkata zoo, along with a female partner, Bubli, in 2019 but the latter passed away after a brief illness in 2021.
Apart from Sunny, the Nehru zoo has another senior male giraffe, Tsunami Basant.
The zoo officials said following their request, the Alipore Zoological Garden has agreed to send a female giraffe to Hyderabad and discussions were on to hammer out the final details.
Additionally, visitors to the city zoo can soon look forward to catching a glimpse of a zebra after almost two decades.
The authorities are in talks with zoological parks in Europe for a pair of zebras under an animal exchange programme.
Also on the cards for the new collection are a chimpanzee and a cheetah. Suzi, the last chimpanzee at the zoo, died in 2020.
As for the cheetah, talks are under way with the Dubai zoo. Earlier, Saudi Prince Bandar Bin MuhammadAlSaud gifted the cheetah, Abdullah, to the city zoo, which died of a heart attack last year.
“We have lost priced collections in the recent past and want to revive it. Talks are on with different zoos for animal exchange. We have also planned for a white rhino from the Singapore zoo and if the talks materialise, the zoo will soon welcome a white rhino as well,” a senior official said.
Meanwhile, four lion cubs and two tiger cubs are expected to join zoo family soon. Also expected are hippopotamus and rhinoceros calves.
“This time, we have intermixed white and yellow Royal Bengal tigers. Except for Gujarat, only the NZP Hyderabad has pure Asiatic lions in the country,” the official added.
Apart from allotting 3 acres of land for a burial ground at Ensanpally in Siddipet town, the BRS government had given a funeral vehicle for the Muslim community.
Updated On – 7 April 2024, 08:17 PM
Former Minister T Harish Rao is participat in Ifthar Party in Siddipet on Sunday.
Siddipet: Former Minister T Harish Rao said the Congress government was denying Ramzan gifts to Muslims this year which the BRS government had presented to poor Muslims every year when the party was in power.
Speaking before an Iftar party in Siddipet town on Sunday, the former Minister said former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had also built Shadikhanas, and khabaristans besides granting funds for restoring mosques and dargahs during his rule.
Apart from allotting 3 acres of land for a burial ground at Ensanpally in Siddipet town, the BRS government had given a funeral vehicle for the Muslim community.
He said he was distributing Ramzan gifts to 4,000 poor Muslim families with the support of RR Masala company every year.
He was also sending 10 poor Muslims for Umrah every year at his own expense, he said adding that Haj House in Siddipet was also built when he was Minister.
BRS Medak Lok Sabha candidate P Venkatrami Reddy, Former MLC Farooq Hussain and others were present.
The vehicle was stopped for a while and the driver was roughed up by the police.
Published Date – 7 April 2024, 11:32 PM
File Photo
Hyderabad: Close on the heels of a protocol controversy at Yadadri temple, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s vehicle was not permitted close to the Congress party’s public meeting at Tukkuguda on Saturday by the police.
Despite the Deputy Chief Minister’s driver pointing out that the vehicle had a stage pass, the Cyberabad police did not permit the vehicle beyond a point.
The vehicle was stopped for a while and the driver was roughed up by the police.
Mobiles of cameramen, who were capturing the visuals, were also snatched by the police, according to reports.
The videos and images of the police intercepting the Deputy Chief Minister’s vehicle and abusing the driver went viral on social media platforms.
Though, it is said that the Deputy Chief Minister was not in the vehicle, police officials denying permission to his vehicle drew many comments from people. Sunkara, an X user said “After Yadadri, now Tukkuguda. What is happening Bhatti garu, you don’t have any respect in Reddy’s Congress government???”
Passengers allege that the MMTS services seen as not profitable were being cancelled often due to various reasons such as track maintenance, and operational factors.
Updated On – 7 April 2024, 11:04 PM
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Multi Modal Transport System, more popular as MMTS, which was once the most preferred and used public transport, is losing its ridership gradually, owing to uncertain timings and frequent cancellations of services.
The MMTS services being more affordable were sought after once despite limited connectivity. While a passenger has to shell out about Rs 30 in RTC buses and Rs 50 in Metro for a distance of 20 km, the fare is below Rs 10 with the MMTS.
However, citizens, mostly students and working professionals, prioritising ‘time’ over ‘money’ are forced to prefer other alternative transport, owing to delays and cancellations regularly.
Though the MMTS network is spread across 140 km with about 40 stations, the ridership has reduced to below 50,000 passengers per day.
Though as per the Railway Board rules, the run of local trains should be on priority, that doesn’t seem to be the practice.
Passengers allege that the MMTS services seen as not profitable were being cancelled often due to various reasons such as track maintenance, and operational factors.
There have been frequent complaints from passengers from rail users at Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Medchal, Lingampalli, Ghatkesar, Falaknuma, Tellapur, etc over delayed and and cancelled services.
While SCR officials cited maintenance activity, and operational losses, to be the reasons for cancelling MMTS services, citizens pointed out the irregular train timings.
About 40 MMTS services were cancelled this year since January, with regular commuters being the worst hit, they allege. “Many commuting employees have switched to other modes of transport due to uncertainty of timings,” rues N Roshan, a private employee from West Marredpally.
However, SCR authorities maintain that their best efforts to increase patronage failed to get positive results. They cite measures like reducing first-class ticket fares and creating awareness that MMTS still was the cheapest public transport in the city.
Officials also say during peak hours MMTS trains are given priority rather than long-distance express trains. Commuters also feel that the MMTS had been affected due to the advent of Metro Rail and the ‘Maha Lakshmi’ free travel for women facility in TSRTC buses.
The eateries selling ‘sheek kebab’, ‘pathar ka ghosth’, ‘kheema and chicken rolls’, and the popular haleem reported brisk business. “On Saturdays tourists drop in to enjoy the weekend here.
Published Date – 7 April 2024, 11:16 PM
Hyderabad: The Ramzan shopping at Charminar reached its crescendo with the Eid ul Fitr scheduled later this week. People from across the country are visiting the old city to get a feel of the Ramzan month ambiance that prevails in and around a 3 km radius of the historic monument.
In the last two days, shoppers and tourists thronged the shops and roadside stalls to buy the merchandise sold coinciding with the Eid ul Fitr and taking breaks, trooped into eateries, restaurants, and food stalls to relish the Ramzan delicacies.
The eateries selling ‘sheek kebab’, ‘pathar ka ghosth’, ‘kheema and chicken rolls’, and the popular haleem reported brisk business. “On Saturdays tourists drop in to enjoy the weekend here.
With Ramzan month, it is like a double bonanza for them as many purchase clothes and articles besides having some lip-smacking food,” said Syed Junaid, a food stall owner at Hussainialam.
The small roadside stalls and hawkers selling imitation jewellery, crockery, watches, kitchenware, bed sheets, apparel, skull caps, handbags etc., have been reporting good business.
“In the last one week, smaller stalls are crowded because people who get Ramzan donations come and make the purchases
. The merchandise is of good quality and sold at a cheaper price,” said Zahed Khan, a hawker.
The police on their part increased the patrolling and deployed plainclothes policemen to curb women harassment instances.
Many passengers who start early from their houses end up reaching late to their workplaces due to the delay in the running of the MMTS services,” said Noor Ahmed Ali.
Published Date – 7 April 2024, 11:04 PM
Hyderabad: The Suburban Train Travellers Association has been constantly putting pressure on the SCR to revise the timings of the MMTS services and also maintain punctuality.
The office goers get late almost every day owing to uncertain timings and frequent cancellations. “Many passengers who start early from their houses end up reaching late to their workplaces due to the delay in the running of the MMTS services,” said Noor Ahmed Ali, general secretary of the Suburban Train Travellers Association.
Their requests to change the timings have also failed to get response.
The association appealed for use of spare MMTS rakes to run two pairs of trains from Cherlapalli to Lingampalli via Malkajgiri or Malkajgiri to Limgampalli during peak hours.
Biodiversity Finance (BIOFIN) is a global programme of UNDP with the BIOFIN methodology currently being implemented in 41 countries across the globe.
Updated On – 7 April 2024, 10:51 PM
Biodiversity Finance (BIOFIN) is a global programme of UNDP with the BIOFIN methodology currently being implemented in 41 countries across the globe.
Hyderabad: A State-level BIOFIN-Finance Solutions on the implementation of BIOFINFinance Solutions in Telangana to be held at Haritha Plaza, Begumpet, on April 8, at 9.30 am.
Biodiversity Finance (BIOFIN) is a global programme of UNDP with the BIOFIN methodology currently being implemented in 41 countries across the globe.
BIOFIN teams are working with governments and the private sector.
Telangana Biodiversity Board is implementing this BIOFIN project ‘Implementation of BIOFIN-Finance Solutions in Telangana: Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Public Finance and others.
He also warned the AAP leaders against inviting contempt of court as the Delhi excise policy case, in connection with which Kejriwal was arrested, is pending in court.
Published Date – 7 April 2024, 10:40 PM
File Photo
Chandigarh: BJP leader SS Channy on Sunday termed the AAP’s day-long hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the arrest of its national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal a “drama”.
He also warned the AAP leaders against inviting contempt of court as the Delhi excise policy case, in connection with which Kejriwal was arrested, is pending in court.
“You (AAP leaders) are going against the person (PM Narendra Modi) who is being worshipped all over the country and the globe that he did so much for the country and standing with the person who is involved in the Delhi Excise Policy scam and the matter is sub-judice,” Channy told ANI.
“Rather, they may invite action under the contempt sort of thing by the court because when a matter is sub-judice, they are not supposed to get involved in all such things. This is a drama. There is a money trail and the people who were involved in the process, they have become approvers,” he added.
Meanwhile, participating in the AAP’s protest at Jantar Mantar, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Sunday that this is not a time to show political strength but to convey a message against the dictatorship.
“This is not a time to show political strength but to convey a message against the dictatorship. Today, we are in the village of Bhagat Singh, who gave us freedom, and that freedom is in danger. BR Ambedkar gave us the constitution, and that constitution is in danger,” Mann said.
Hitting out at the BJP-led central government, the Punjab CM said, “The ruling government is trying to suppress the opposition. Arvind Kejriwal was arrested before the election because they (BJP) know that we do the politics of honesty and transparency. They are scared of us.”Earlier in the day, Bhagwant Mann paid tribute to Bhagat Singh in Khatkar Kalan, the native village of Bhagat Singh.
Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED on March 21, was sent to judicial custody until April 15 and is lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with a money-laundering case linked to a liquor excise policy scam. Meanwhile, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi alleged that the money trail in the liquor policy scam was done by liquor trader Sharat Reddy for the BJP.
“People in Delhi love Arvind Kejriwal. They don’t think of him as a CM but as their son, or brother.
All want bail for Arvind Kejriwal. BJP’s ED and CBI haven’t been able to show a single penny of liquor scam from the leaders of AAP. If there is any money trail in this issue, it’s from liquor trader Sharat Reddy to the BJP,” the AAP leader said.
The AAP leader further questioned the central probe agency to reveal details regarding the action taken against leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in connection with alleged money laundering cases. “Sharat Reddy donated 55 crores to the BJP… Why the BJP has not been raided, or accused, why has the BJP’s National President not been summoned or arrested? ED, CBI act as political weapons of BJP”, Atishi said.
Kejriwal was arrested by the central agency on charges of corruption in relation to the case. It is the first time in independent India that a serving Chief Minister has been arrested. The move came after Kejriwal skipped multiple summons by the investigation agency, nine in total, calling them “illegal.”
The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy 2022, which was later scrapped.
While Kejriwal was not named in the FIRs registered by the ED or the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Delhi excise policy case, his name first found a mention in the ED’s chargesheet, wherein the agency claimed that he allegedly spoke to one of the main accused, Sameer Mahendru, in a video call and asked him to continue working with co-accused and AAP communications-in-charge Vijay Nair.
Nair was among the first people to be arrested by the CBI in the case, in 2022. Subsequently, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were arrested in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on April 2 granted bail to AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who was arrested on October 4, 2023, in a money laundering case related to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.
People across the age spectrum attended the program titled ‘Mujhe Bachao – Save Me’.
Published Date – 7 April 2024, 07:45 PM
Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GHSPCA) on Sunday conducted an awareness program to promote animal welfare at Jain Mandir in DV Colony. People across the age spectrum attended the program titled ‘Mujhe Bachao – Save Me’.
Along with Jain Guru Tirth Sundarji Maharaj, city’s noted personalities Justice M. V. Ramesh, actor Ashok Kumar, East Zone DCP Giridhar, Girish Shah from Samast Mahajan, and others participated in this program.
Volunteers gave presentations and played videos to create awareness and initiated a conversation among participants on the ill consequences of animal cruelty. Further, the team has also sent back 10 camels rescued from Asif Nagar to Sirohi in Rajasthan in two trucks.
Introducing their noted project, a Multi-Specialty Veterinary Hospital in the city, donations were requested to renovate the hospital and shelter which will provide relief to scores of animals in pain.
GHSPCA members Dinesh Anchaliya, Surrender Bhandari, Hitesh Srisrimal, Jasraj Srisrimal, Mahip Jain, Nirmal Singhvi, Vasant Bafna, D. Joshi, and others participated.
According to the police, the man Shiva Mohan Rao was married to the victim Shiva Laxmi and the couple resided at Uppal.
Published Date – 7 April 2024, 10:20 PM
Representational Image
Hyderabad: A husband suspecting his wife’s fidelity murdered her at their house in Uppal on Sunday.
According to the police, the man Shiva Mohan Rao was married to the victim Shiva Laxmi and the couple resided at Uppal.
Mohan frequently quarreled with his wife as he suspected that she was into a relationship with some other man.
“On Sunday, the couple quarreled over the issue during which an agitated Mohan Rao attacked and killed his wife.
He then informed his son over phone about it and escaped from the place,” said Uppal police. On information the police reached the spot and shifted the body to mortuary. A case is registered.
