KADAPA: Through her advocacy, counselling services, and academic contributions, Dr K Lalitha, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Yogi Vemana University (YVU), has been making significant strides in promoting mental health awareness and well-being in Kadapa and beyond. The stalwart counsellor, Dr Lalitha, has been providing counselling for mental health issues for over 15 years. With a robust academic background including an MSc and PhD in Psychology from Sri Venkateswara University, along w

VIJAYAWADA: Amid the scorching summer, numerous families actively gather on the Krisha riverbed in Vijayawada to participate in the weekly Swim Sunday Camp programme. Organised by the NGO AWARA Swim and Rescue Academy since 2014, this camp is committed to nature conservation. What began as a humble cleanup initiative has blossomed into a transformative experience aimed at nurturing eco-awareness among future generations. These camps are thoughtfully crafted by child psychologists and educators,

VISAKHAPATNAM: In an earnest effort to address the often overlooked challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in the built environment, architect Kavya Poornima Balajepalli has emerged as a beacon of change. Apart from confronting personal adversity, Kavyas commitment to foster inclusivity has propelled her to spearhead the initiative Poornamidam, which delves into the intersectionality of architecture, environment, and disability. In simple words, she is working to make public spaces mo

GUNTUR: A butcher brutally murdered a pregnant street dog near Chillies Restaurant at Inner Ring Road on Friday night in Guntur city on Saturday. According to sources, the accused who works at a meat shop stabbed the dog with a knife multiple times. When a passer-by, Sumanth, tried to intervene, the butcher ignored him and continued his cruel act. Based on a complaint, Nallapadu police registered a case and launched an investigation. Meanwhile, a video of the incident went viral and several anim

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakhapatnam Cyber Crime Police have busted a criminal network led by consultancy agents who exploited unemployed youth by promising lucrative data entry jobs and big overseas opportunities. These agents, operating from the Gajuwaka area, deceitfully recruited around 150 individuals for supposed computer system operator roles in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Bangkok. However, these positions were fronts for engaging in cybercrime on behalf of Chinese companies. The scam was uncovere

GUNTUR: The ancient Shiva temple at Kondaveedu hilltop, which has been in dilapidated condition for several years, will soon reopen for devotees. Kondaveedu Fort Development Committee convenor Sivareddy, along with other officials, laid the foundation for the temples reconstruction on Saturday. Built during the Reddy Rajas era, the Shiva temple and the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple were renowned in medieval times but had fallen into ruin over the centuries. In 2010, the State government ord

VIJAYAWADA: Moderate to heavy rains lashed isolated parts of West Godavari, Parvatipram Manyam, Palnadu, Prakasam, Sri Satya Sai, Alluri Sitarama Raju, YSR, Annamayya and Nellore districts on Saturday. The highest rainfall of 8.75 cm was reported in Yelamanchili of West Godavari district, followed by 6.7 cm in Paravathipuram of Parvathipuram-Manyam district, and 4.25 cm in Dachepalli of Palnadu districts. Daytime temperatures continued to dip below the 40-degree Celsius mark in most places in An

GUNTUR: Normalcy has returned to Palnadu on the sixth day after poll violence. Section 144 has been imposed in the district following the violence that rocked the district. Though the vigil is high in the majority of places, police eased the restrictions and permitted shops and business establishments and local transport to function on Saturday, providing much needed relief to the people. However, sensitive areas, including Piduguralla, Macherla and Karempudi are totally under the control of the

VIJAYAWADA: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta as per the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to probe the violence on the day of polling and the aftermath in the State, launched its investigation on Saturday. Headed by Inspector General of Police (IG) rank officer Vineet Brijlal, the 13-member SIT would conduct a through probe into the violence that erupted in Palnadu, Anantapur and Tirupati. Divided into four teams

VISAKHAPATNAM/SRIKAKULAM: Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena inspected strong rooms at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. He directed officials to ensure foolproof security at strong rooms at all levels. He was accompanied by District Collector A Mallikarjun and City Police Commissioner A Ravishankar. EVMs of all Assembly segments in Visakhapatnam and that of the Lok Sabha constituency have been stored in the strong rooms in Andhra University. He interacted with the official

VIJAYAWADA: In the wake of TDP allegations that the State government is diverting funds to clear the bills of contractors close to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Finance Department issued a statement furnishing details of funds released from May 14 to 18. The Special Chief Secretary of Finance Department in a release on Saturday, said that the department is functioning strictly in conformity with the guidelines of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and the directives issued by the Electio

ANANTAPUR: Anantapur Urban Assembly constituency is the nerve centre of politics in Anantapur district as it is the district headquarters. However, the urban constituency, which provided political stalwarts to the State, and faced 17 elections, has failed to get a cabinet berth so far. Though influential leaders emerged from this constituency irrespective of the party, none have made it to the State Cabinet, much to the disappointment of the people of Anantapur Urban. For reasons not known, no p

TIRUMALA: The pilgrim rush to the ever-bustling Tirumala resumed immediately after the general elections in Andhra Pradesh. The hill shrine has witnessed a reduced activity for more than a month, as the people are directly or indirectly busy with the election process not only in the State but across the country. During this period many devotees who had booked darshan, Arjitha Seva tickets, or held free tokens were notably absent, with official sources reporting between 10,000 to 22,000 no-shows.

VIJAYAWADA: Even after the end of Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh, employees are voicing out their concerns over the complexities of the postal ballot process, which they believe is causing a significant number of ballots to be invalidated. They are increasingly worried about their votes being not counted, as evidenced by the high invalidation rate in previous elections with 16% in 2014 and 20% in 2019. Andhra Pradesh has emerged as the State with the highest voter turnout in

PARVATHIPURAM-MANYAM: Despite anti-incumbency, the huge turnout of women voters in the just concluded elections has raised the victory hopes of several sitting YSRC MLAs in Parvathipuram-Manyam district. Kurupam MLA Pamula Puspha Sreevani, Parvathipuram MLA Alajangi Jogarao, Palakonda MLA Viswasarayi Kalavathi and Salur MLA Peedika Rajanna Dora are hopeful of getting re-elected as they are of the view that the women must have voted for the YSRC, acknowledging the commitment of the YS Jagan Mohan

VISAKHAPATNAM: Former BJP MLA and Visakhapatnam North Assembly constituency NDA candidate P Vishnu Kumar Raju on Friday alleged that the attack on a family in Burma Camp was orchestrated by the YSRC. He dismissed the police statement that the altercation was due to a personal dispute, alleging that YSRC goons targeted the victims for voting for the NDA. Accompanied by the victims, Raju addressed the media on Friday, condemning the ongoing violence in the State. Raju criticised Kancharapalem poli

ONGOLE: In an inhumane incident, blood relatives, including wife and three daughters, of a deceased 72-year-old man, who died due to ill health, stopped the last rites of the latter demanding their share of properties. The incident took place in Ayyappa Rajupalem village of Marripudi mandal in Prakasam district. According to the reports reaching here, Gutlapalli Venkateswarlu (72) and his wife Ramanamma have been leading separate lives due to family issues. Noticing that his health is deteriorat

VIJAYAWADA: Marking the World Hypertension Day, Vijayawada Divisional Railway Hospital organised an awareness programme at the New OPD block, Railway Hospital in Vijayawada on Friday. Railway Hospital chief medical superintendent Dr M Sowribala, who spoke on the occasion, said the theme of this years observance was Know Your Numbers, emphasising the importance of monitoring blood pressure regularly. Health & Family Welfare department additional chief medical superintendent Dr M Jaideep briefed t

VIJAYAWADA: Special Chief Secretary (Health, Medical and Family Welfare) MT Krishna Babu pledged, along with the heads, officials, and medical experts of the department, to raise awareness about healthy habits among the people and work to prevent hypertension. He was speaking at a programme held at the headquarters of the department in Mangalagiri. We will educate them on the importance of regular physical exercise, and the consumption of fruits, vegetables, raw grains, and foods that are low in

VIJAYAWADA: Sitting YSRC MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy and his brother Venkatarami Reddy have mysteriously disappeared from their house in Macherla. The legislators security personnel informed their higher officials on Friday morning that Pinnelli had left for an unknown location on Thursday night itself. The MLA and his brother were put under house arrest in the wake of ongoing riots in the constituency after polling on May 13 for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. Despite the house being under

VIJAYAWADA: In a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), the YSRC has sought suspension of Anantapur ASP and Anantapur Range DIG, as well as the transfer of Guntur Range IG for their failure to prevent post-poll violence. YSRC State general secretary Lella Appi Reddy, accompanied by sitting Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu Vardhan, highlighted the urgent need for decisive action following the grave incidents that undermined the democratic process in Tadipatri. They mentio

VIJAYAWADA: A day after Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy exuded confidence that he would achieve landslide victory in the elections, the TDP ridiculed his claim stating that the YSRC would not even get the Opposition party status in the State Assembly. Speaking to mediapersons on Friday, former minister and senior leader Devineni Umamaheswara Rao maintained that the YSRC would suffer drubbing and all the ministers in Jagans Cabinet would taste defeat in the elections. The NDA will come to pow

VIZIANAGARAM: The shifting of postal ballots from the Assembly segment strong room to the Lok Sabha constituency strong room created a political ruckus in the district on Thursday night. The close relative of Vizianagaram YSRC Assembly candidate Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy and several YSRC leaders allegedly entered the strong room while the election officials were grading the postal ballots. After coming to know about the shifting of the postal ballots, TDP leaders and independent candidates rus

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) forecasted light to moderate rains accompanied by thunderstorms in the State for the next four days due to formation of gyration over Rayalaseema and adjoining North Tamil Nadu regions, with trough extending from South Chattisgarh and Comorin regions. In a release on Friday, APSDMA managing director Ronanki Kurmanath stated that light to moderate rains with scattered thundershowers are likely in Alluri Sitarama Raju, Prakasa

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Following the reported death of a person due to diarrhoea at Kudumulatobu hamlet in Damaracherla village of Kukkunur mandal in Eluru district on Thursday, KR Puram ITDA swung into action and took up health measures in the village. Project officer M Suryaatej rushed to the village and directed the medical department officials to set up a camp in the village, besides ensuring sanitation drives are taken up in the village to prevent diarrhoea. Kukkunur mandal development officer

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued orders making it mandatory for the vehicles transporting sand to cover it with a tarpaulin. The bench of Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Rao Raghunandan Rao heard petitions seeking the courts intervention to stop illegal mining of sand in the State, and issued the orders recently. While hearing the petitions, the bench said the National Green Tribunal has taken cognisance of the matter, issued several orders and even penalised th

VIJAYAWADA: YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has asserted that the party will sweep the elections from Kuppam in Chittoor district to Itchapuram in Srikakulam. The YSRCs assertion that it will come back to power is confidence and not over-confidence, he said. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Sajjala asserted that every household in the State has benefitted by the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government and whoever has benefitted has stood by Jagan. The long queues at polling stations cle

VIJAYAWADA: On the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta on Friday issued orders to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which will be headed by Inspector General of Police (IG) Vineet Brijlal. The 13-member SIT will investigate cases pertaining to the incidents of poll-related violence reported in parts of the State, affecting the law and order situation particularly in Palnadu, Anantapur, and Tirupati districts. Offi

ANANTAPUR: Sons and daughters treading in the footsteps of their politician parents is quite common in Indian or Andhra Pradesh politics. From an MP to a sarpanch, every peoples representative wants to see his son or daughter as his political heir. At least one or two Assembly or Lok Sabha constituencies in every district of the State are represented by the heirs of former MLAs and MPs. In the just concluded elections too, several heirs of former MLAs and MPs are in the fray. But, there is an As

VIJAYAWADA: In the wake of the post-poll violence that rocked parts of the State, the Central intelligence department has reportedly asked the State government to be on high alert as it apprehends disruption of law and order in the State on the day of counting (June 4). The intelligence agencies reportedly asked the government to remain alert at least for two weeks after the counting and step up security in all problematic locations in the State. Following the post-poll violence reported at vari

KURNOOL: Implementing the ban on the use of plastic, the authorities of Srisaila Devasthanam have introduced bottles and cups made of clay, steel, and glass, instead of plastic. As many as one lakh such bottles and at least two lakh cups are made available in the temple so far and one lakh bottles of clay, steel, and copper would be brought in soon. The temple authorities are also planning to set up 60 mineral water plants in addition to 40 plants already available in the temple town. In the tow

VIJAYAWADA: TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday appealed to Governor S Abdul Nazeer to initiate immediate measures to stop the process of upgradation of e-office of the State government. In a letter addressed to the Governor on Thursday, copies of which were sent to the Chief Election Commissioner, Chief Electoral Officer, Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary of Finance Department and Principal Secretary of General Administration Department, the TDP chief stated that the government is

VISAKHAPATNAM: Heavy rain swept through isolated areas of South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) and Rayalaseema, along with a few spots in Visakhapatnam and Anakapalle on Thursday. The downpour brought a significant drop in temperature, offering much-needed relief from the hot and humid weather conditions. Among the notable rainfall figures, Ongole district recorded the highest precipitation with 50.5 mm, followed by Nandikotkur in Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore district at 48.5 mm, and Konidela in N

VIJAYAWADA: MLC Janga Krishna Murthy has been disqualified as the Member of Legislative Council following his rebellion against the YSRC leadership. The YSRC BC cell president aspired for MLA ticket, but was denied the same. Following this, Janga extended his support to the TDP, attracting the ire of YSRC leadership, which complained to the Council Chairman against him. As per the Gazette notification issued on May 15, based on the petition filed by Government Whip and MLC Lella Appi Reddy, Coun

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Under the guidance of the Commissionerate of Collegiate Education (CCE), a training programme on Generation of Creative E- Content for faculty of various degree colleges across the State commenced at Rajamahendravaram Government College on Thursday. Commissioner of Collegiate Education Dr Pola Bhaskar inaugurated the programme and on the occasion, he emphasised the importance of integrating technological advancements into education to make the activity of learning more engagin

TIRUPATI: SVU Campus Police have arrested 13 persons for their alleged involvement in the attack on Pulivarthi Venkata Mani Prasad (Nani), TDP candidate of Chandragiri Assembly constituency. Nani was attacked on the premises of Sri Padmavati Mahila Viswa Vidyalayam on Tuesday when he went to inspect the strong room on the university campus. According to police, Nani was confronted and attacked by a group led by V Bhanu Kumar Reddy and N Ganapati Reddy at the main gate of the university. They ass

VIJAYAWADA: Special Chief Secretary (Health, Medical and Family Welfare) MT Krishna Babu announced that the Department of Health is implementing robust measures to prevent dengue in the State. On the occasion of National Dengue Day, he unveiled posters to create awareness among the public on dengue disease under the auspices of the department at headquarters in Mangalagiri on Thursday. Addressing the gathering, he emphasised the importance of collecting blood samples from suspected dengue fever

VIJAYAWADA: NTR District Collector S Dilli Rao highlighted the significance of the Information and Public Relations Department in ensuring government programmes reach the public effectively. He emphasised the importance of photography in conveying messages and memories and said, One photograph is worth a thousand words. At a programme organised in his office on Thursday, he handed over a Nikon D850 model camera to officials of the Information and Public Relations Department (I&PRD). He underscor

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) is gearing up for the third season of the Andhra Premier League (APL). Following the successful organisation of the previous two editions, ACA is set to continue the league with six teams. ACA secretary SR Gopinath Reddy confirmed the participation of six teams: the Bejawada Tigers, Uttarandhra Lions, Godavari Titans, Rayalaseema Kings, Vizag Warriors, and Coastal Raiders. A total of 19 matches will take place between these teams, hosted in Kad

VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Education Botcha Satyanarayana has said YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of the State in Visakhapatnam on June 9 after the election results are announced on June 4. Speaking to mediapersons in Vijayawada on Thursday, he asserted that the people want Jagan to continue as the Chief Minister as he is committed to the effective implementation of welfare schemes. Hence, they turned up in large numbers at the polling stations to give their massive ma

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the government to take all possible measures to maintain law and order in the State and ensure that there is no violence. The court on Thursday heard a petition filed by N Ramakoteswara Rao of Kothapet in Palnadu seeking directions for the deployment of additional forces in the violence-hit district to ensure peace. The petitioner maintained that the police did not take any concrete steps to prevent post-poll violence in Palnadu. Petitioners cou

VIJAYAWADA: Tense situation continued to prevail in Palnadu region on Thursday. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC are in force to thwart any untoward incidents. Police carried out cordon and search operations at various problematic places in the district. Uneasy calm prevails in Palnadu and Tirupati As violence that broke out on the polling day continued on Tuesday and Wednesday, special forces were deployed in the district to prevent clashes between TDP and YSRC cadres. Shops and bus

ONGOLE: Former minister and Ongole sitting MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy on Wednesday said that the record polling percentage in Prakasam district was indicative of the groundswell for Chief Minister YS Jagan Moahn Reddy for his welfare and development schemes. Speaking to mediapersons here, he said that the unusually high turnout at polling stations has reinforced the partys belief that the YSRC was romping home with a huge majority. He said, We thank one and all who supported us and blessed us.

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Sir Arthur Cotton was a great irrigation engineer and pioneer who transformed the Godavari districts into the rice bowl of India, said BJP State president and Rajamahendravaram MP candidate Daggubati Purandeswari. Commemorating the 221st birth anniversary of Sir Arthur Cotton on Wednesday, she garlanded his statue at the Cotton Barrage. Speaking on the occasion, the BJP leader said, Sir Arthur devoted his life to the construction of irrigation and navigation canals throughout

VIJAYAWADA: JNTU Kakinada, representing the Andhra Pradesh State Council for Higher Education (APSCHE), has finalised all arrangements for the Andhra Pradesh Engineering, Agriculture & Pharmacy Common Entrance Test (AP EAPCET), slated to begin on May 16. More than 3.61 lakh students, including 2,73,008 students from the MPC stream and 87,421 students from the Bi.PC stream, are expected to appear for the online examination. AP State Council for Higher Education (APSCHE) chairman Prof K Hemachandr

VIJAYAWADA: The efforts of the Systematic Voters Education Electoral Participation (SVEEP) team in Eluru district have yielded remarkable results, with a significant increase in voter turnout recorded during the general elections held on May 13. SVEEP Nodal Officer and District Grama Panchayat Officer Tutika Srinivasa Viswanadh highlighted the success of awareness programmes conducted in the district, which contributed to the enhanced participation of voters. According to him, in the 2019 electi

VIJAYAWADA: As per the directions of the Central government, all the government departments in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled for upgradation to e-Office 7.x software from May 17 to 25. The e-Office Project aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in government processes and service delivery. Managed and maintained by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the e-Office undergoes periodic updates to address technical limitations and enhance functionality. With NIC overseeing the upgradation proc

VISAKHAPATNAM: People of Jajulabanda, a hilltop village in Mulapeta panchayat of Koyyuru mandal in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, face severe hardship due to incomplete road projects and mismanagement of funds allocated for rural connectivity. Access to essential services, particularly medical care, remains a significant concern for the villagers as reaching Arla panchayat, where ambulance service is available, necessitates navigating a treacherous 6 km descent along rough and hilly terrain. Des

VIJAYAWADA: Fear of defeat made Jagan to implement his plan Bresorting to violence in polling booths, alleged TDP leaders Varla Ramaiah, Nakka Ananda Babu, Sri Krishna Devarayulu, Janga Krishna Murthy, and Devineni Uma. Speaking to mediapersons, they asserted that people have already decided to dethrone Jagan Mohan Reddys party and the overwhelming polling clearly shows it. TDP leaders asserted that to ensure his victory, Jagan created obstacles for the voters from reaching polling booth to exer

VIJAYAWADA: TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday complained with the Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena holding a party in the Nagarjuna University Campus, which is one of the strong rooms to store the EVMs till June 4. In his written complaint, the TDP chief said ECI has given strict guidelines regarding the security of strong rooms relating to EVMs after elections. The instructions, inter alia, provide that: No Vehicle, including that of any official or ministers or any other pol