Statescape — Flooding in Andhra leaves thousands homeless

HYDERABAD: Thousands of hutment dwellers were rendered homeless and normal life was paralysed in heavy rains that have been lashing Ongole ...

HYDERABAD: Thousands of hutment dwellers were rendered homeless and normal life was paralysed in heavy rains that have been lashing Ongole and Nellore districts of Andhra Pradesh during the last 48 hours. The unprecedented rainfall of 21 cms wreaked havoc submerging several houses in low-lying areas and disrupting traffic at many places in the two districts, official sources said. However, no loss of life was reported in the heavy rains triggered by the influence of north east monsoon. There were reports of largescale damage to a number of irrigation tanks and hutments in the rain-affected areas.

Directive to ex-PM’s son in urea case

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday directed P V Prabhakar Rao, son of former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao, to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on December 29 and give his statement in connection with the Rs 135 crore urea scandal. The court directed the ED not to exercise any coercive tactics against Prabhakar Rao when he appears before them.

Farmers arrested to clear rail line

MUZAFFARNAGAR: Rail services on the Delhi-Ambala and Delhi-Saharanpur routes were restored on Thursday with the arrest of hundreds of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) supporters who had been blocking rail tracks here and at Shamli for the past three days. A Northern Railway spokesman said with the arrest of more than 200 farmers, 16 trains were resumed from Thursday. The farmers are protesting against the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to make payments for sugarcane through banks instead of the sugar cane cooperative societies.

International flights from Amritsar

AMRITSAR: The holy city of Amritsar emerged on the international air map on Wednesday with the formal commissioning of the international wing of Rajasansi domestic airport here. Ministry of Civil Aviation Secretary M K Kaw inaugurated the expansion work at the airport and greeted the crew and passengers of the first Delhi-Amritsar-Sharjah Indian Airlines flight. Prime Minister I K Gujral, who was scheduled to inaugurate the airport, had to cancel his programme on the advice of the Election Commission.