News Updates - December 30, 2009

Don't travel to AP: US
The US government has issued a fresh travel alert asking its citizens to be cautious and defer their travel to Andhra Pradesh as violence continues there over the issue of a separate Telangana state.

T-stir pushing investors away: CM
The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, on Tuesday presented a gloomy picture of the industrial sector in the state.

He said that several companies were shifting proposed projects to other states or deferring investments because of Telangana troubles.

Mr Rosaiah made these observations after the representatives of the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, besides captains of top pharma and IT companies met him to express concern at the state of affairs.

According to the CM, Bharat Forge Limited dropped investment proposals in the state and decided to shift to Gujarat. Peugeot, Kaparo, Lakshmi Mittal, Brandix, J.P. Morgan and Stanley, United Health Group and leading pharma ESAI have all deferred investments.

“The image of Hyderabad as an investment destination has taken a beating because of the violence,” he said.

Bulk drug industry alone suffered loss of Rs 500 crore in the past 20 days and the hotel industry suffered losses with reservations dropping by 40 per cent, he said.

Meanwhile, the CM is making a last-minute effort to retain the two-day CII summit which was scheduled to be held on January 21 at Hyderabad but is now being shifted to Chennai.

The Union commerce minister, Mr Anand Sharma, categorically told Mr Rosaiah that the event would be held in the city only if the Union home ministry concurred.

The PM, Dr Manmohan Singh, is scheduled to inaugurate the summit.

Power utilities seek tariff hike
The state power utilities have recommended a hike in power tariff for the next financial year that will put an additional burden of Rs 1,000 crore on the consumers.

S.V. Prasad to replace Ramakanth as new CS
The senior bureaucrat, Mr S.V. Prasad, is all set to become the next Chief Secretary of the state.

The Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA), Mr Prasad, will take over from the incumbent Mr P. Ramakanth Reddy. Mr Ramakanth Reddy’s extended term as the Chief Secretary will end on December 31.

T threat ruins New year plans
Just when harried Hyderabadis were gearing up to say ‘good riddance’ to a nasty 2009, and ring in 2010 on the right note, T activists announced, “Not so soon...”

Bandh call in Telangana; normal life hit
Normal life was affected across Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday as the bandh called by Telangana Joint Action Committee in support of a separate state began this morning.

Kannada actor Vishnuvardhan dies
Besides acting in 197 Kannada films, Vishnuvardhan starred in Tamil movies such as “Viduthalai” and “Sri Raghavendra” with Rajnikanth.

Sports

Kotla track was bad: Dhoni
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that match referee Alan Hurst decided to abandon the fifth One-day international against Sri Lanka at Ferozeshah Kotla after consultation with both the teams.
Dhoni said the track at Ferozeshah Kotla was indeed bad.

Entertainmnet

Will Abhay romance Vidya?

Abhay Deol’s film, Basra, is all set to hit the floors soon. The action-packed thriller which will deal with the subject of drug trafficking, will be directed by Navdeep Singh. However, not many know that Abhay Deol was not part of the project earlier. The film was supposed to be produced by Nikhil Advani and had John Abraham, Akshaye Khanna and Vidya Balan in the lead roles. But the project did not take off,” said a source.Abhay Deol’s film, Basra, is all set to hit the floors soon. The action-packed thriller which will deal with the subject of drug trafficking, will be directed by Navdeep Singh. However, not many know that Abhay Deol was not part of the project earlier. The film was supposed to be produced by Nikhil Advani and had John Abraham, Akshaye Khanna and Vidya Balan in the lead roles. But the project did not take off,” said a source.