Telangana government submits disaster mitigation plan for Covid-19

The Telangana government told the State High Court that it is implementing the preparedness plan in collaboration with various stakeholders for Covid-19 post lockdown measures. More detailed logistic plan is being evolved for Covid-19 vaccine awareness, immunisation, cold chain management, risk communication and community engagement, monitoring and evaluation in consultation with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi.  

As for the envisaged work plan for 2020-21, it said that the State Disaster Management Plan (SDMP) revision work is under process based on the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) - 2019 and will be completed by March next year. Steps have been taken for completion of Disaster Management Plan for all 33 districts by March 2021 and preparation of disaster risk reduction roadmap, it noted.

On an earlier occasion, the court pulled up the State government for its failure to submit its SDMP and DDMP for Covid-19 before it despite the court order.The government, in its report, said that the Sate followed the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and National Disaster Management Authority for the management of the pandemic which was declared as a national disaster. The plans, circulars, and guidelines issued by these ministries were the key documents for Covid-19 intervention in Telangana. 

OMC case: Officer seeks stay on CBI court trial

Senior IAS officer Y Srilakshmi filed a petition before the Telangana High Court with a plea to stop trial in the CBI Court in the case pertaining to Obulapuram mining company. She, the then Industries Secretary, is one of the accused in the OMC case. Former Karnataka Minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy, the then Mines Minister P Sabita Reddy, at present minister in Telangana Cabinet, former Mines Director VD Rajagopal, OMC Managing Director BV Srinivasa Reddy and others, are also accused in the illegal mining case. Srilakshmi, in her petition, wanted the trial to be stopped till the border dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka regarding OMC is resolved.  

As for the case, the OMC got two leases for extracting iron ore in an extent of about 108 hectares in Anantapur district. Though not much of the ore was extracted from these two locations, the OMC had used them for ‘legalising’ its 190 lakh tonnes of illegal iron ore extracted from Karnataka. The then AP authorities had allegedly extended several undue benefits to the company owned by Gali Janardhan Reddy. The mining baron had allegedly made about `4,310 crore through this illegal mining activity.