Telangana has a rich history of 3000 years, and this can be seen in the ruins that dot the districts of Warangal, Hyderabad and Nalgonda. The tourism potential of Telangana is immense, it is bestowed with a bounty of cultural and religious relics and natural landscapes for adventure sports. Alas, none of this has been advertised and publicized till date. For the successive Seemandhra Government’s, tourism ministers the tourist potential in Telangana started with the Charminar and ended with the pearls in Hyderabad, with a minor mentions of the Warangal fort and Salarjung Museum. Contrast, this with the way Vishakapatnam has been touted as a must visit tourist spot in Andhra Pradesh with its Arukku valley and Borra Caves.
In the last few decades the number of tourists visiting Vishakapatnam, Vijayawada, and Chittor has increased at more than double the rate for Warangal and Nalgonda combined. Warangal has a rich tapestry of historical relics, the architectural marvel of the 1000 pillar temple, the Warangal fort, and the beauty of the stone carvings in Ramappa temple, it has the potential to attract both foreign and domestic tourists. How many people in the country know of Nagarjuna Sagar Konda? It is a manifestation of mans efforts to save his history and provide for water security of his progeny. It can with a little effort be integrated into the Buddhist circuit, resulting in attracting the hordes of Buddhist pilgrims. Promoting tourism in Telangana, would have enriched the State and provided a decent standard of living to its citizens. But, this subject has never even been brought up by successive Seemandhra Governments of AP. Forget investing in the tourism potential of the Telangana region, the Andhra Government is hell bent on destroying the very edifices that can earn revenue for the State of Telangana.
The Government in its haste to develop the connectivity to Vijayawada, has gone ahead with starting work on building a 4 lane highway connecting it to Hyderabad. This Highway will wipe out 26 historically significant archeological monuments. Beginning with the ‘kos minars' or milestones from the Qutub Shahi dynasty, Chalukyan and Kakatiya period temples, mosques from the Mughal era, which can be creatively packaged and sold as a “Highway Tourism Project” will be turned to dust. Most important of all, there’s a 13th century Shiva temple from the Kakatiya period, located just before Chityal, in Warangal having a ‘garba gruha', ‘arthamandapa', ‘maha mandapa' and a four-pillared ‘Nandi mandapa', a part of the temple is buried under the existing road, and needs to be excavated. The government instead of saving this monument is intent on burying it still deeper into eternity by running a bull dozer over it.
I have seen places in India and abroad with far less to see but packaged as the ultimate destinations for travelers looking at a flavor of ancient culture. Tourism in Telangana, is never been a subject of debate or interest, but it can bring undreamed of prosperity to a State, witness Rajasthan, Kerala and now Gujarat. However, these states have been promoted by their leaders, none of them have been crushed into the dust like the history and culture of Telangana.
Tourism for Telangana the 29th state of India, will be one of the main sources of revenue, and it is incumbent upon us to safe guard our monuments and heritage, and force the abandonment of this Hyderabad-Vijayawada 4 lane highway.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind
Showing posts with label Krishna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Krishna. Show all posts
Friday, March 26, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Where Have all the Industries of Telangana Gone
The history of Telangana from the period of the Satavahanas, to the Asaf Jahi’s is dotted with the benevolence of its rulers. Each dynasty which ruled over the region enriched its culture and the lives of its citizens. However, since the forcible merger of the Telangana nee Hyderabad state with the Andhra region, there has been a drastic reversal in fortunes of its citizens. Successive Andhra and Rayalseema regimes have reduced a once prosperous people to a pile of bones and skin, who commit suicide at the prospect of facing another year of failed crops.
The people of Telangana have since the merger of the state with Andhra districts of erstwhile Madras state, have been progressively marginalized, their lands have been made barren by diverting their rightful share of waters to the verdant fields of Seema Andhra region. The factories where its workers earned their livelihood have been systematically run down to sickness, sold off and the factory lands converted to sprawling colonies for the settlers.
In 1956, when Telangana state (Hyderabad state) was merged to form Andhra Pradesh, the region was a buzz of activity with several large thriving industries, chief among which were the Azam Jahi Mills, Nizam Sugar Factory, DBR Mills, Sirpur Sir Silk Mills, Deccan Glass factory, Praga Tools, Soda factory, Iron factory , Firangula factory, and the Antargam spinning mills. These factories collectively employed over 1,00,000 workers in Telangana. Save for the lone Praga Tools which is alive today all the others have been meticulously nurtured to sickness and closure. There is a single story that binds the closure of these industries and loss of livelihood of thousands of Telangana workers, it is a story of Government apathy, systematic ruin of a thriving industry, followed by a distress sale to Seemandhra businessmen, who later converted the industrial land into housing colonies.
The Nizam Sugar Factory in Bodhan was at one time Asia’s biggest sugar factory. During the time of Nizam the Sugar Factory's holdings included over 1,600 square kilometres of land, 14 village camps and Hospital. Other services that were provided for the children of employees included a high school, junior and degree colleges. The factory was managed into sickness by the cadre which was primarily deputed from the Andhra region. It was finally sold at a throw away price to Gokaraju Rangaraju from W.Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
The story of the Azam Jahi Mills is similar, this was established in Warangal during Nizams rule and provided livelihood to about 15000 people in Warangal. It was also managed to sickness, closed down and the Mills lands sold as real estate under YSR. A housing colony is being built on this prime land in the heart of Warangal.
Contrast this with the Seemandhra Government’s patronage and wholeheartedness in reviving the sick Vizag Steel Plant at a cost of 1,500 crores. It would have taken this amount to revive all the 8 industries in Telangana, and saved the livelihood of over a lack of people. But, this would not have suited the Seemandhra game plan, whose mission has always been to plunder and deprive the people of Telangana of their right to livelihood. The people of Rayalseema and Andhra have prospered by exploiting the people of Telangana, and the only way ahead for the state of Telangana to prosper is to break free of these Seemandhra clutches.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind
The people of Telangana have since the merger of the state with Andhra districts of erstwhile Madras state, have been progressively marginalized, their lands have been made barren by diverting their rightful share of waters to the verdant fields of Seema Andhra region. The factories where its workers earned their livelihood have been systematically run down to sickness, sold off and the factory lands converted to sprawling colonies for the settlers.
In 1956, when Telangana state (Hyderabad state) was merged to form Andhra Pradesh, the region was a buzz of activity with several large thriving industries, chief among which were the Azam Jahi Mills, Nizam Sugar Factory, DBR Mills, Sirpur Sir Silk Mills, Deccan Glass factory, Praga Tools, Soda factory, Iron factory , Firangula factory, and the Antargam spinning mills. These factories collectively employed over 1,00,000 workers in Telangana. Save for the lone Praga Tools which is alive today all the others have been meticulously nurtured to sickness and closure. There is a single story that binds the closure of these industries and loss of livelihood of thousands of Telangana workers, it is a story of Government apathy, systematic ruin of a thriving industry, followed by a distress sale to Seemandhra businessmen, who later converted the industrial land into housing colonies.
The Nizam Sugar Factory in Bodhan was at one time Asia’s biggest sugar factory. During the time of Nizam the Sugar Factory's holdings included over 1,600 square kilometres of land, 14 village camps and Hospital. Other services that were provided for the children of employees included a high school, junior and degree colleges. The factory was managed into sickness by the cadre which was primarily deputed from the Andhra region. It was finally sold at a throw away price to Gokaraju Rangaraju from W.Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
The story of the Azam Jahi Mills is similar, this was established in Warangal during Nizams rule and provided livelihood to about 15000 people in Warangal. It was also managed to sickness, closed down and the Mills lands sold as real estate under YSR. A housing colony is being built on this prime land in the heart of Warangal.
Contrast this with the Seemandhra Government’s patronage and wholeheartedness in reviving the sick Vizag Steel Plant at a cost of 1,500 crores. It would have taken this amount to revive all the 8 industries in Telangana, and saved the livelihood of over a lack of people. But, this would not have suited the Seemandhra game plan, whose mission has always been to plunder and deprive the people of Telangana of their right to livelihood. The people of Rayalseema and Andhra have prospered by exploiting the people of Telangana, and the only way ahead for the state of Telangana to prosper is to break free of these Seemandhra clutches.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Seemandhra Settlers can Never Belong to Hyderabad
The city of Hyderabad is known for its tolerant attitude and composite culture. This is a culture that is a result of the interactions and amalgamations of many peoples, languages and their ways of living. Hyderabad has a history of more than 400 years, and is popularly referred to as the “ganga-jumna tehzeeb”, whose literal translation means an amalgamation of all cultures.
For nearly 350 years from the time Sultan Muhammad Quli swam across the river Musi to meet his beloved Bhagmati who he later married and named Hyder Mahal, and founded the city of Hyderabad as a token of his love, the city was nurtured by all who came the Hindus and Muslims, Armenians, Anglo-Indians, Parsis, Shias from Uttar Pradesh and Sikhs and Punjab. While it was the administrative skills of the North Indians that made Hyderabad the most well governed of all princely states. It was the genius of Ali Nawaz Jung, an engineer in the Nizam’s Government who prepared a comprehensive water resources development plan under which several medium sized irrigation projects were undertaken, notable among them being Pocharam, Dindi, Palair, Wyra, Manair and anicuts at Ghanpur on Manjira and Khanapur on Godavari. These water reservoirs were till the 1950’s supplying ample amount of water to the Telangana region.
Since the 1950’s, the city of Hyderabad has seen a reversal of fortune, with those coming to the city from the Seema and Andhra regions, coming to pillage and the city and its people of their prosperity and livelihood. From a life of abundance the people of Hyderabad were reduced to paupers in their own home.
For these people, Hyderabad was the proverbial el dorado, they came they pillaged and continue to plunder. Industries set up by the Nizam to fuel the growth of the region were systematically run down by successive Andhra and Rayalseema regimes, and the lands belonging to these industries sold for their real estate value. Prime examples of this are the Azam Jahi Mills and the Nizam Sugar Factory. Not only did this deprive the state of its revenues but also caused the loss of livelihood to families of over 15,000 workers in Azam Jahi Mills and 10,000 workers in Nizam Sugar Factory.
At the root of this are the returns on investment to be got from Real estate. This story is repeated in the development of the Greater Hyderabad region, large tracts of land were acquired from the Natives, under threat of Government acquisition. Fearing their lands will be acquired by the Government for paltry sums, the Natives sold their lands to these settlers at throw away rates, and once this acquisition was completed the Government notice was annulled. This daylight robbery was a well thought out and executed with the collusion of the Seema Andhra led political regime in the State, the Government Officers and the businessmen.
These carpet baggers from Seema and Andhra made their pile of money by grasping and selling Hyderabad’s lands and invested the money in their own districts. Had there not been a slump in the real estate market, these people would have sold off their ill acquired lands and scooted back to their own districts. It is precisely because of this attitude of pillage and run why these Andhra and Seema settlers can never belong to Hyderabad and Telangana.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind
For nearly 350 years from the time Sultan Muhammad Quli swam across the river Musi to meet his beloved Bhagmati who he later married and named Hyder Mahal, and founded the city of Hyderabad as a token of his love, the city was nurtured by all who came the Hindus and Muslims, Armenians, Anglo-Indians, Parsis, Shias from Uttar Pradesh and Sikhs and Punjab. While it was the administrative skills of the North Indians that made Hyderabad the most well governed of all princely states. It was the genius of Ali Nawaz Jung, an engineer in the Nizam’s Government who prepared a comprehensive water resources development plan under which several medium sized irrigation projects were undertaken, notable among them being Pocharam, Dindi, Palair, Wyra, Manair and anicuts at Ghanpur on Manjira and Khanapur on Godavari. These water reservoirs were till the 1950’s supplying ample amount of water to the Telangana region.
Since the 1950’s, the city of Hyderabad has seen a reversal of fortune, with those coming to the city from the Seema and Andhra regions, coming to pillage and the city and its people of their prosperity and livelihood. From a life of abundance the people of Hyderabad were reduced to paupers in their own home.
For these people, Hyderabad was the proverbial el dorado, they came they pillaged and continue to plunder. Industries set up by the Nizam to fuel the growth of the region were systematically run down by successive Andhra and Rayalseema regimes, and the lands belonging to these industries sold for their real estate value. Prime examples of this are the Azam Jahi Mills and the Nizam Sugar Factory. Not only did this deprive the state of its revenues but also caused the loss of livelihood to families of over 15,000 workers in Azam Jahi Mills and 10,000 workers in Nizam Sugar Factory.
At the root of this are the returns on investment to be got from Real estate. This story is repeated in the development of the Greater Hyderabad region, large tracts of land were acquired from the Natives, under threat of Government acquisition. Fearing their lands will be acquired by the Government for paltry sums, the Natives sold their lands to these settlers at throw away rates, and once this acquisition was completed the Government notice was annulled. This daylight robbery was a well thought out and executed with the collusion of the Seema Andhra led political regime in the State, the Government Officers and the businessmen.
These carpet baggers from Seema and Andhra made their pile of money by grasping and selling Hyderabad’s lands and invested the money in their own districts. Had there not been a slump in the real estate market, these people would have sold off their ill acquired lands and scooted back to their own districts. It is precisely because of this attitude of pillage and run why these Andhra and Seema settlers can never belong to Hyderabad and Telangana.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Keep Your Eyes Open to Avoid Being Short Changed by the Dubious Duo D. Prasad Rao and V. Vasanth Kumar
The AP Government has appointed a cabinet sub-committee headed by Revenue Minister D. Prasada Rao to work out the modalities for allotment of government and private land for cultivation to self-help groups of women on lease. The other committee members include Ministers N. Raghuveera Reddy (Agriculture) and V. Vasanth Kumar (Rural Development).
This committee was constituted last week as a follow-up action in tune with the decision taken by the Cabinet at its meeting on March 6 which cleared a draft of a bill for leasing out Government and Private Land to group of women members of the self-help groups for a period five years for developing such lands under government schemes. The period of the lease will be 5 years.
All’s good so far, the intentions are laudable but we know that Telangana women will be the last to benefit from these allotments. We the people of Telangana need to keep a hawk’s eye on the allotment of these land leases and ensure the self help groups from Telangana are awarded their rightful share of the land. If one goes by the origin and history of these members of the committee, there is no way Telangana women can get a just share of the allotment. The antecedents of Raghuveera and V. Vasanth Kumar are indicative of the injustice that will be meted out to our people, if we are not alert. Raghuveera is a die hard Andhrite from Ananthpur while V. Vasanth Kumar, the Ungutur MLA has been quiet vocal on his propagation of anti-Telangana people. Just the other day, Vasanth Kumar, was speaking about launching a signature campaign in favor of the Polavaram project, which if completed will bring desolation and ruin to the Khammam district of Telangana. That these people will brazen out any venture that benefits the Seema Andhra populace at the expense of Telangana is a moot point and has been proven many times over.
We the people of Telangana, right from the people working in the revenue and land records, to the Zilla Parishad and the representatives in the State Assembly, need to keep a tight check on the allotment of these lands, we not only need to ensure the Women of Telangana get an equitable share but also that these allotted lands are viable. If left to these Seemandhra representatives the lion’s share of the allotment will go to women from the Seema Andhra regions, while Telangana women are awarded a minuscule share of the allotments and the type of land allotted to the Telangana women will be arid, non-cultivable and a burden on an already challenged people.
We have to keep our fight alive on all fronts and not give a moments respite to the Seemandhra leaders. For if we relax our vigil by even a few degrees the loss will be immeasurable. We need to remember that Telangana will be a reality once these settlers from Andhra and Rayalseema realize that they can no longer subjugate Telangana at will.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind
This committee was constituted last week as a follow-up action in tune with the decision taken by the Cabinet at its meeting on March 6 which cleared a draft of a bill for leasing out Government and Private Land to group of women members of the self-help groups for a period five years for developing such lands under government schemes. The period of the lease will be 5 years.
All’s good so far, the intentions are laudable but we know that Telangana women will be the last to benefit from these allotments. We the people of Telangana need to keep a hawk’s eye on the allotment of these land leases and ensure the self help groups from Telangana are awarded their rightful share of the land. If one goes by the origin and history of these members of the committee, there is no way Telangana women can get a just share of the allotment. The antecedents of Raghuveera and V. Vasanth Kumar are indicative of the injustice that will be meted out to our people, if we are not alert. Raghuveera is a die hard Andhrite from Ananthpur while V. Vasanth Kumar, the Ungutur MLA has been quiet vocal on his propagation of anti-Telangana people. Just the other day, Vasanth Kumar, was speaking about launching a signature campaign in favor of the Polavaram project, which if completed will bring desolation and ruin to the Khammam district of Telangana. That these people will brazen out any venture that benefits the Seema Andhra populace at the expense of Telangana is a moot point and has been proven many times over.
We the people of Telangana, right from the people working in the revenue and land records, to the Zilla Parishad and the representatives in the State Assembly, need to keep a tight check on the allotment of these lands, we not only need to ensure the Women of Telangana get an equitable share but also that these allotted lands are viable. If left to these Seemandhra representatives the lion’s share of the allotment will go to women from the Seema Andhra regions, while Telangana women are awarded a minuscule share of the allotments and the type of land allotted to the Telangana women will be arid, non-cultivable and a burden on an already challenged people.
We have to keep our fight alive on all fronts and not give a moments respite to the Seemandhra leaders. For if we relax our vigil by even a few degrees the loss will be immeasurable. We need to remember that Telangana will be a reality once these settlers from Andhra and Rayalseema realize that they can no longer subjugate Telangana at will.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind
Friday, March 19, 2010
Polavaram and the Relentless Plunder of Telangana
Even as the state is caught in the throes of separation, and the youth of Telangana commit suicide in desperation at the deafening silence of the Center’s response to the 3.5 crore Indians cry for justice and deliverance, the aggressors and rapists of Telangana continue to plunder at region.
Polavarum, or rather the Indira Sagar project is relentlessly being pushed across by the Andhra leaders. It is the clinching evidence that will nail the lies on why these Andhra’s object to the Telangana state. The Polavarum project will sacrifice over 200 villages of Khammam district to irrigate and enrich the Andhra fields in Godavari, Krishna and Vizag districts and as a bonus provide drinking water to the city of Vizag and a continuous supply of water to the Vizag Steel Plant. This scourge of Telangana, called Polavaram will bring desolation and despair to over 2,00,000 Telangana people by submerging their lands and indirectly affect the livelihood and future of another 10,00,000 people living in the upstream areas.
Polavaram is an example of the impunity and callousness with which Telangana and its people have been systematically stripped of their basic human rights of right to livelihood and right to own property. The Polavarum project will submerge over 200 villages in Khammam and aggravate the misery of the Telangana farmers upstream. The dam created from the Polavaram barrage will reach 145 Kms upstream and prevent Dummugudem hydropower to generate power as planned. Dummugudem provides power for Devadula (Chokka Rao) lift irrigation scheme that will supply water to the drought prone Telangana areas. Polavaram will not only impoverish the fragile livelihood of the people living in the Dams area, but will also snuff out the life of the regions serviced by the Devadula project. That the Andhra Government with the Center blessings plans to go ahead with creating this monster that will make the already obese child, the Andhra farmers still more obese by feeding it with the food of the undernourished child the Tealangana farmers, shows the step motherly treatment the people of Telangana have been receiving for the last 50 years.
The AP Government is trying to sweeten the Polavarum project for Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, each of them will get 1.5 TMC and 5 TMC of water respectively, as well as the right to use the waterways for transportation at lower rates. While these modalities of recompensing the other states are being worked out. No such relief will be available to the Telangana region, as it is still an occupied territory within the Seemandhra grasp. It is a sorry state of affairs that in this Nation of ours not a voice is raised against this planned Government sanctioned rape of a region.
Against this back drop, the congress MLA’s from the coastal region led by the Ungutur MLA, V. Vasanth Kumar have embarked on a public awareness campaign to educate people on the benefits of the project. These people also plan on a signature campaign in Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari and Krishna districts, to mobilize people against the "anti-Polavaram forces". Pray, can anyone tell me how you can raise public awareness and educate people on a project that will annihilate the lives of 3.5 lakh people. Hitler could surely have learnt a few lessons from these Andhra Nazi’s on how to kill an entire region and race in full view of the world, and with the benign blessings of the Central Leadership.
If the Nation does not wake up to the tragedy of Telangana today and see that the region is set free from the Seemandhra clutches, tomorrow it may be too late. Today we plead for a separate state heed our cry for justice, do not let your silence push us to a state confrontation. Decide now whether you want Telangana in peace or with blood on your hands.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind.
Read more at
http://telanganaprajasamithi.blogspot.com
http://telanganaprajasamiti.wordpress.com
Polavarum, or rather the Indira Sagar project is relentlessly being pushed across by the Andhra leaders. It is the clinching evidence that will nail the lies on why these Andhra’s object to the Telangana state. The Polavarum project will sacrifice over 200 villages of Khammam district to irrigate and enrich the Andhra fields in Godavari, Krishna and Vizag districts and as a bonus provide drinking water to the city of Vizag and a continuous supply of water to the Vizag Steel Plant. This scourge of Telangana, called Polavaram will bring desolation and despair to over 2,00,000 Telangana people by submerging their lands and indirectly affect the livelihood and future of another 10,00,000 people living in the upstream areas.
Polavaram is an example of the impunity and callousness with which Telangana and its people have been systematically stripped of their basic human rights of right to livelihood and right to own property. The Polavarum project will submerge over 200 villages in Khammam and aggravate the misery of the Telangana farmers upstream. The dam created from the Polavaram barrage will reach 145 Kms upstream and prevent Dummugudem hydropower to generate power as planned. Dummugudem provides power for Devadula (Chokka Rao) lift irrigation scheme that will supply water to the drought prone Telangana areas. Polavaram will not only impoverish the fragile livelihood of the people living in the Dams area, but will also snuff out the life of the regions serviced by the Devadula project. That the Andhra Government with the Center blessings plans to go ahead with creating this monster that will make the already obese child, the Andhra farmers still more obese by feeding it with the food of the undernourished child the Tealangana farmers, shows the step motherly treatment the people of Telangana have been receiving for the last 50 years.
The AP Government is trying to sweeten the Polavarum project for Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, each of them will get 1.5 TMC and 5 TMC of water respectively, as well as the right to use the waterways for transportation at lower rates. While these modalities of recompensing the other states are being worked out. No such relief will be available to the Telangana region, as it is still an occupied territory within the Seemandhra grasp. It is a sorry state of affairs that in this Nation of ours not a voice is raised against this planned Government sanctioned rape of a region.
Against this back drop, the congress MLA’s from the coastal region led by the Ungutur MLA, V. Vasanth Kumar have embarked on a public awareness campaign to educate people on the benefits of the project. These people also plan on a signature campaign in Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari and Krishna districts, to mobilize people against the "anti-Polavaram forces". Pray, can anyone tell me how you can raise public awareness and educate people on a project that will annihilate the lives of 3.5 lakh people. Hitler could surely have learnt a few lessons from these Andhra Nazi’s on how to kill an entire region and race in full view of the world, and with the benign blessings of the Central Leadership.
If the Nation does not wake up to the tragedy of Telangana today and see that the region is set free from the Seemandhra clutches, tomorrow it may be too late. Today we plead for a separate state heed our cry for justice, do not let your silence push us to a state confrontation. Decide now whether you want Telangana in peace or with blood on your hands.
Jai Telangana. Jai Hind.
Read more at
http://telanganaprajasamithi.blogspot.com
http://telanganaprajasamiti.wordpress.com
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