Top storyA woman died in a road accident at Nandipadu in Duttaluru mandal of Nellore district on Wednesday. Pullamma (55), a resident of Sriram Nagar Colony in Nandipadu, was crossing the road when an unidentified vehicle came at speed and hit her. The impact threw her into trees beside the road and she died on the spot with severe injuries. The vehicle reportedly did not stop. Duttaluru SI Subhashini registered a case and is investigating to trace it.
An Anganwadi felicitation programme was held at Siddhipuram village in Sangam mandal of Nellore district under the leadership of BJP-TDP alliance leaders. Organised as per BJP state unit directions, the event honoured Anganwadi staff CH. Lakshmamma, Subhashini, P. Subbalakshmi and Amulya with shawls. Leaders said the aim was to recognise staff who provide children with education along with nutrition and primary care services. BJP leaders Manohar Reddy, Narendra Yadav, TDP leader Sura Srinivasulu Reddy and Sura Krishna Reddy attended.
Paddy yields in the second-season crop have fallen in Nellore district due to El Nino, farmers said. Water was allocated for 3.5 lakh acres, but farmers sowed only three lakh acres. Cultivation cost per acre rose from Rs 36,000 last year to Rs 41,000 this season. With KNM 1638 and KNM 733 fetching Rs 27,000-29,000 per putti, growers expected four puttis an acre. Farmer P. Ravindra Babu of Tarunavayi lost six to seven bags an acre. District Agriculture Officer Satyavani said intense heat reduced grain quality.
The funeral procession of Dr Prabhakar Naidu, a noted physician and former municipal chairman, was held on Monday in Kavali town of Nellore district. Kavali MLA Kavya Krishna Reddy took part and personally helped carry the bier. MLA Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, MLC Beeda Ravichandra, former minister Ramesh Reddy, former MLA Kambham Vijayarami Reddy and NUDA chairman Kotamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy paid tributes. The procession went from his Rammurthypet residence to Balakrishna Nagar cremation ground. Thousands attended.
A bridge built at a cost of Rs 6.54 crore over the causeway at Pottepalem in Nellore district was inaugurated on Friday by Collector Himanshu Shukla, MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and TDP leader Giridhar Reddy. The Collector said a 50-year-old problem had been resolved and the works were completed in 11 months. The MLA said development works worth Rs 966 crore are under way in the Rural constituency. His daughter Sai Vaishnavi said she would contest for mayor or ZP chairman if the party directs.
A three-year-old girl was taken away on a two-wheeler by two women who lured her with the promise of fruit at Brindavanam Colony in Gangapatnam, Indukurpet mandal of Nellore district, on Sunday. Using CCTV footage and a tower dump, police cracked the case within 15 hours and handed the child back to her parents. Pramila and Swetha, along with Zaheera, who bought the child for Rs 32,000, were arrested. Nellore Rural DSP Y. Harinath Reddy formed six special teams.
Police have arrested four people accused of stealing copper winding wires from electricity transformers within the Atmakur police station limits in Nellore district. Acting on prior information, police mounted surveillance and caught the accused red-handed while they were damaging a transformer and removing wires in farm fields at Nabbinagaram in Atmakur mandal. Police found the group had committed 19 thefts in the Atmakur sub-division. Wires worth Rs 2.31 lakh were seized. Atmakur CI Gangadhar said cases were registered and the accused remanded.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said Palle Panduga 3.0 would further change the face of villages. He took part in the programme at Ramapuram in Varikuntapadu mandal of Nellore district along with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and BJP state president PVN Madhav. He said works worth Rs 520 crore had been taken up in the district and link roads were being built in 161 rural constituencies of the state. He urged people to examine work quality and report doubts to officials.
YSRCP leaders in Nellore district expressed grief over the sudden death of minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy. Floral tributes were placed before his portrait at the district party office. In the Atmakur constituency, government staff paid tributes at all government offices, while leaders and workers put up flexi banners at junctions. Traders voluntarily shut shops. The Andhra Pradesh government declared two days of mourning. He was one of two ministers from the district, where YSRCP won all 10 assembly seats.
Two cement benches were unveiled on Tuesday morning in the premises of the Sri Anjaneyaswamy temple at Tungapalem village, Gudur mandal, Nellore district, for the convenience of devotees. They were arranged under Pragathi Seva Samstha with the support of Hanumantha Rao and Anil Kumar in memory of their late parents Ponkam Nageswara Rao (Tirupalayya) and Seshamma. Organisation president Kadiveti Chandrasekhar called the donation commendable. Local resident Suresh Reddy Ravikumar praised the body's service activities. Members and villagers attended.
Udayagiri MLA Kakarla Suresh conducted a field inspection of arrangements for Palle Panduga 3.0, to be held on the 29th of this month at Ramapuram village in Varikuntapadu mandal of Udayagiri constituency, Nellore district. Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan are to attend. Officials were directed to complete venue, stage, parking, helipad and security arrangements. Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, MLC Beeda Ravichandra, Collector Himanshu Shukla and the district SP took part.
State Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi, along with officials, inspected arrangements and development works for Palle Panduga 3.0 at Ramapuram village in Varikuntapadu mandal of Nellore district. He said foundation stones and inaugurations for development works worth about Rs 12,000 crore are being taken up statewide under the programme, launched from Ramapuram. He alleged the panchayati raj system was disorganised under the previous YSRCP government, with panchayat funds used without giving sarpanches powers, and said the coalition government aims to strengthen panchayati raj and provide rural infrastructure.
TVS Charitable Trust president Thota Venkateswara Rao has adopted the Vengalarao Nagar BC boys' hostel in Kavali town. On Sunday, items needed by the students were handed over to hostel warden Bandi Chalapathi Rao, after which saplings were planted on the premises. Jana Vignana Vedika president Thota Venkateswarlu said efforts would be made to provide basic facilities for students. Vedika general secretary Harinath and Red Cross vice-president Harinarapareddy attended. Welfare officer Bandi Koti Chalapathi Rao thanked participants.
A toddy tapper died of electric shock at Marripadu village in Sangam mandal of Nellore district. Pandi Mahendra, 40, was reportedly repairing electrical wiring at his home when he accidentally received the shock. Family members said they tried to take the seriously injured man to a hospital, but he had already died. Mahendra is survived by his wife and two sons. The death of the family's main earner has cast a pall of gloom over Marripadu village.
A private travels bus overturned on National Highway 565 near Singanapalli in Marripadu mandal of Nellore district. The bus went out of control after the driver fell asleep, according to the report. Five people were injured and shifted to Badvel hospital for treatment. The bus was carrying workers from West Bengal to Sri Sathya Sai district when the accident occurred. There were 46 passengers on board. Police have registered a case and are investigating.
