Kurnool: Newborn Abandoned in Prakasam

Kurnool: A newborn baby girl was found abandoned in a jowar field near the Vathepuram bus stop in Santhamaguluru of Prakasam district on Wednesday. Passers-by, alerted by the infant’s cries, discovered the child and informed local authorities.

Anganwadi workers and mahila police personnel promptly provided first aid at a nearby primary health centre and notified district child protection officer P. Dinesh Kumar.

The baby was transferred to the special newborn care unit (SNCU) at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital in Ongole for medical treatment. A nurse from Sishu Gruha has been assigned to care for the infant.

Child welfare committee member D. Neelima visited the hospital to ensure the child receives appropriate care and treatment.

Nandyal Police Hold Awareness Programme on SC/ST Act

Kurnool: The Nandyal police organised an awareness programme on Wednesday at the AP Model School in Gadivemula village to educate the public about the legal provisions of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The initiative aimed to combat caste-based discrimination and violence by highlighting the law’s stringent penalties for such offences.

Officials emphasised that the programme seeks to empower SC and ST communities by educating them about their rights and the legal protections available under the Act. The campaign also focused on enhancing law enforcement by informing officials and the public about effectively addressing cases of discrimination and violence.

District social welfare officer Chintamani, CID DSP Basha, Nandyal DSP Srinivasa Reddy, MPDO Vasudeva Gupta, Tahsildar Venkataramana, and the school students actively participated in the event.

Cotton farmers protest at Adoni market yard

Kurnool: Cotton farmers from across Adoni constituency staged a protest on Wednesday in front of the Adoni Agricultural Market Yard office, demanding that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) purchase their entire cotton yield. The protest erupted after CCI officials stated they would only procure cotton from drought-affected areas, limiting purchases to three quintals per acre as reported by the agriculture department. Farmers expressed concerns over the financial hardships this restriction would impose. Market yard secretary Rammohan Reddy assured the protesters that their grievances would be taken to higher authorities for resolution.

In a related issue, former TD MLA Meenakshi Naidu urged the secretary to increase wages for porters working at the Adoni Market Yard. Naidu highlighted that two years had passed since the last labour rate agreement. The porters’ demands were also supported by leaders of trade commission agent associations.