Hyderabad is now the hotbed of street art. Like many culture-centric pockets across India, Hyderabad artists are trying their best to make the city colorful and vibrant. Various artists, both local and those who have moved to Hyderabad to contribute to the emerging art scene, have been doing commendable work. But one artist who recently caught the attention of netizens happens to be Girish Kumar.What sets Girish Kumar from other artists is the fact that he is 74 years of age and has recently painted an entire wall with his art. He labouriously spent hours painting the entire wall all by himself, braving the hot sun.The wall that Girish Kumar painted was full of musical instruments and was mostly in the shades of mustard and yellow. Having painted for the most part of his life, Girish Kumar took the opportunity provided by the civic authorities of Hyderabad to take up the task of painting the wall of a flyover.It is known that the civic authorities of Hyderabad have been giving massive support to unknown and lesser-known artists by allowing them to paint walls in neighborhoods, walls of flyovers, under bridges, and other public spaces.

At 74, Girish Kumar Adds to Hyderabad’s Charm With his Street Art

The pandemic, shift to remote working, and need for skill up-gradation haven’t been reasons enough to deter the employment sector in Hyderabad. In fact, as per a report by Monster.com, IT companies, big, medium, and small, have been on a recruiting spree. The companies are looking both for freshers and lateral entries. The city saw an average growth of 20 percent in hiring in September 2021.The IT sector has recorded a 44 percent year-on-year growth. Incidentally, Telangana has registered double-digit growth in the IT sector, and the companies are in an expansion mode. Topping the list are those with enhanced digital skills and knowledge of digital technologies.Tata Consultancy Services happens to be the biggest IT recruiter in Hyderabad and has over 62,000 employees in the city. Hyderabad’s IT sector has over 6lakh employees working presently, and the number is likely to cross 10 lakh as per the state government.It has been seen that the hiring for those with digital skills has increased from 8 to 25 percent this year, says Bharani K Aroll, president, Hyderabad Software Enterprises Association (Hysea). However, while hiring has increased by 44%, the attrition rate too has been pretty high at 25%.IT firms such as MOURI Tech, Qentelli, and Ivanti have recently announced that they are looking to double and triple the headcount in the city. While MOURI is looking at hiring 3000 employees, Qentelli will be hiring 300 people, and Ivanti will double its 165 headcount.

Despite Pandemic, Hyderabad’s Job Market Looks Pretty Optimistic

The city of Hyderabad has been witnessing never-heard-before flooding, and added to that; there is the big problem of shrinking of lakes that have been around for hundreds of years. In fact, it is said that when Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore visited Hyderabad and Banjara Hills in 1933, he penned a poem, ‘Kohsar,’ after seeing the beauty of&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durgam_Cheruvu">Durgam Cheruvu</a>. And historians say, had it not been for Viswabharati, Rabindranath would have settled down in Hyderabad.So, the big issue here is the issue of shrinking of lakes all over the city and many lakes actually vanishing. Up until a few decades back, Durgam Cheruvu lake was in a secluded and picturesque location surrounded by green pastures and protected by rocks. The rocks incidentally date back to 2.5 billion years. It is said that the water from the lake was used by the Qutb Shahi dynasty and residents of Golconda. However, today, the lake is in the heart of Hyderabad’s IT hub, and over it is suspended the city’s only hanging bridge.However, what’s disturbing is the fact that it has shrunk considerably since 1967. A media house has found the same along with Raj Bhagat P and Aakash Malik of the World Resources Institute (India). It’s not just Durgam Cheruvu, but four other lakes that have shrunk considerably, causing concern.Initially, Durgam Cheruvu had water spread over 4.7 lakh sq m in 1967, and its size has reduced to 15%, and it is now only 4 lakh sq m in 2021. So is the case with Mir Alam Tank, located adjacent to Hyderabad Zoo. The area of water decreased by almost 23%, from 18.8 lakh sqm in 1967 to 14.5 lakh sqm in 2021. Yet another example is that of the historical Hatim Talab located in Golconda. It decreased by 58% from 3.8 lakh sqm to 1.6 lakh sq m.Another lake that is a cause for monitoring is Gurram Cheruvu that has shrunk by 55%. The water area reduced from 3.3 lakh sq m to 1.5 lakh sq m during the same period. But the worst was the Ramanthapur Cheruvu that shrunk by 83%. From 1.2 lakh sq m, it is now a lake of a mere 20,000 sq m.It is rather obvious that the lakes did not shrink overnight. According to Dr. Anjal Prakash, research director, Bharathi Institute of Public Policy at the Indian School of Business, lakes were built during earlier times, keeping the topography in mind, and they were interlinked. Once water filled up, it would fall into the tanks located at a lower level and eventually drain out. Various dynasties that ruled Hyderabad understood this and kept the system going. However, when the British ruled India, they did not understand the system and opted for the canal system, as seen in Europe.This started the misuse of lakes, and in modern times, the nexus between local politicians, land mafia, and builders’ lobby took over most lakes and lake beds as it all came for free. Also, all lakes have a full tank level (FTL) and buffer zone. FTL is the maximum amount of water that a tank or lake holds. Any excess water beyond FTL is the buffer zone.Those who have been following the plight of lakes maintain that bringing in water from Krishna and Godavari rivers is too misguided as it blinds the need for lakes and their importance in the sustenance of the city. This is one of the reasons why flooding happens as the nalas and canals have been built upon, and the interconnection between lakes has been broken.Also, in cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad, massive construction has been taken up along valleys and floodplains that are supposed to be natural water conduits. As asphalt and concrete surfaces increase, they reduce the percolation of water into the soil. This loss of natural valley drains, and concretization have led to increased and repeated flooding, say specialists in the matter.HMDA is said to have submitted an action plan for the conservation and beautification of 258 lakes to the state government. However, neither funds have been released, or there has been a formal approval of the plan.

Detailed Conservation Plan Needed As City Lakes Shrink by 83%

Climbing the eighth highest mountain or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manaslu">Mt Manaslu</a> is no easy task for sure. And imagine if one would risk it without having a companion, read sherpa, or supplemental oxygen. But Hyderabad-bred Anurag Nallavelli managed to achieve the feat and is prepping himself to climb Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Everest, also without supplemental oxygen.However, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurag-nallavelli-1b3165223/">Anurag Nallavelli</a> shares that it was not by no means a simple task. He did a lot of groundwork before embarking on the journey and hopes to take up mountaineering as a viable option if he gets a good sponsor.It all began when Anurag landed in the US in 2016. There, he got involved with local hiking clubs, and the more he hiked, the more he got interested in mountains and mountaineering. For starters, he climbed Mt Hood in Oregon, his first-ever mountain. Then, he undertook a 45-day journey to Leadville (about 12,000 ft above sea level) in Colorado to familiarise himself with higher altitudes. He says he spent one or two hours on the summit and even biked and ran from mountain tops with a heavy backpack.He also started a vegan diet for faster muscular recovery. However, when he began his climb to Mt Manaslu, he saw a dead body being carried down the mountain. This totally shook him, and he returned to base camp 4. Anurag says it took him two days to recover from the shock, and he started out on the third day.At 8000 feet, Anurag says it is a death zone, and not having a companion surely bothers you. He adds that he would jump into cold showers to keep himself going despite heavy clothing. But one of the best experiences of going to Mt Manaslu was the warmth with which he was received by local sherpas and the Nepali cooks he met en route.Before targetting Mt Kanchenjunga, Anurag intends to climb Mt Annapurna, the tenth highest mountain in the world, and Mt Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world, by 2023. And in the future, he hopes to quit his job to completely focus on his passion.

City-Bred Techie, First Civilian to Climb 8000 Mtrs Peak Without Oxygen

GHMC, which is mired in debt, is preparing to borrow for another project. Finance department officials are in talks with several banks for a loan of at least 500 Crore in the wake of a lack of funding for new projects. The government has focused on the development of Nala to stop inundation during the floods. To this end, a special unit has been set up under the Strategic Nala Development Program (SNDP).The government has also issued administrative clearances for the first phase of the Rs 858 crore project. While the tender process for works in many places has been completed, in some zones, there is no response to the tenders. So, re-notification is being announced. So, GHMC has recently decided to take a loan due to a lack of funds for the project.Rs 10,000 crore is required for the development/expansion of Nalas to improve the flood drainage system in the city. It is almost impossible to spend that amount all at once. GHMC has launched an exercise to mobilize the required amount through self-financing resources in the absence of government funding for the project.Officials are in talks with representatives of various banks in order to get the loan. Finance ministry sources said it expects to borrow at least Rs 500 crore. The orders state that the impact fee collected during the issuance of building permits on commercial corridors recently announced by the municipality should be utilized for SNDP works. It is estimated that this could fetch around Rs 120-150 crore annually. The impact fee will be shown as a source of income and the loan will be taken.

Debt Mired GHMC Looking For 500 Crore Loan

MLC Kalvakuntla <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Kavitha">Kavitha</a>’s Telangana Jagruthi has been doing a phenomenal job promoting Telangana and Bathukamma culture. Recently <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathukamma">Bathukamma</a> Special song was also released as a part of this program. The song has been composed, produced, and arranged by Oscar-Winning Music Director and Pride of India AR Rahman. The video directed by Gautham Menon has hogged the limelight across the nation. Kavitha is going a notch higher now and has worked out something very big.&nbsp;A video of Bathukamma will be played on the iconic Burj Khalifa towers in Dubai tomorrow. Burj Khalifa is the tallest tower globally.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burj_Khalifa">Burj Khalifa</a> is one of the&nbsp;top attractions in the world.&nbsp;Lakhs of people will witness it directly and through the internet once the video is screened there.This phenomenal event will also attract international press, which will be a fitting tribute to the floral festival of Telangana. So the world will be able to witness the event twice on October 23rd evening at 9.40 PM and 10.40 PM IST.

MLC Kavitha Puts Bathukamma On Global Platform

"Those who want to get temporary licenses for selling crackers during Diwali should apply through tspolice.gov.in and eServices.tspolice.gov.in," said Hyderabad and Rachakonda Police Commissioners Anjani Kumar and Mahesh Bhagawath. The license will be issued under the auspices of the DCPs of the respective zones.NOC from the Divisional Fire Officer along with the application form, letter of permission issued by the concerned authorities in case of government land, permission letter from the landlord in case of private land, a copy of the old license issued last year (optional), NOC from the neighbors, site plan of the store to be set up is to be submitted.Those who set up shops under the respective police commissionerates will have to pay a license fee of Rs. 600. If the shop is under Hyderabad Commissionerate, the fee should be paid in SBI Gunfoundry Branch, and In the case of the Rachakonda Commissionerate, it should be paid in SBI Keesara Branch which is present in Medchal - Malkajgiri Collectorate office.

Police Department Starts Issuing Licenses For Crackers Sale

The GHMC has intensified its campaign against mosquitoes in Greater Hyderabad. It is coming up with a detailed plan to eradicate mosquitoes that cause deadly diseases. They are installing machines that resemble human beings to hunt mosquitoes. The mosquito-killing machine attracts mosquitoes up to 500 meters designed with the latest technology.&nbsp;These machines were set up in seven places within the six zones of the Greater and have shown good results. With this, the corporation will bring in three more machines by the end of the month and set them up at two places in Secunderabad and another in Khairatabad.Mosquitoes usually sniff out human breath, body heat, and odors. The Machine works on the same principle. Carbon dioxide is first released from the machine, followed by a temperature of 39-40 degrees. It uses technology in missions to emit human body odor and attracts mosquitoes up to 500 meters away. Mosquitoes get trapped into an airbag and die as soon as the fan turns inside.The carbon dioxide cylinders have to be changed every two to three months. Mosquito Killing Machine works for 12 hours. Power consumption is mandatory. While two machines have already been set up in the High Court, MRDCL installed more such machines in Hydershakote, Chaitanyapuri, and Puranapool as part of the Musi cleaning mission. Seven are in use on behalf of GHMC. The performance of the machines is constantly monitored by GHMC Entomology officers.

GHMC Bringing In Mosquito Killing Machines

<a href="https://www.hyderabadwater.gov.in/en/">HMWSSB</a> (The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board) is sparing no effort to ensure an uninterrupted drinking water supply to the consumers in the Greater Hyderabad. The consumers, on the other hand, are enjoying the benefits but refusing to clear the pending arrears. Reports suggest that more than 49,300 consumers owe a total of Rs 569 crore to the Water Board, which they are refusing to pay.In fact, the water board identified these 49,300 as Consumer Account Numbers (CANs) as “never paid CANs.” The Operation and Maintenance (O&amp;M) Division 1, covering the Old City, tops the list with 5,950 “never paid CANs” and Rs 14.35 crore worth pending bills. It is followed by Division 4 with 1,648 CANs and Rs 8.26 crore pending bills and Division 33 with 3,993 CANs and Rs 6.82 crore pending billsGiven such large unpaid bills by the consumers, the HMWSSB authorities are preparing to take strict action, including the disconnection of water connections.By the end of October, the authorities have been instructed to collect 100% of bills from the defaulters whose connections have a 40mm or more pipe size and 50% of the arrears from the remaining commercial customers.

Staggering 569 Crores of Unpaid Water Bills 

The notorious <a href="http://www.cybercelldelhi.in/Appkyc.html">KYC frauds</a> in the city continue as the latest victim, a pilot, lost Rs.10.38 lakh. A statement released by the police says that cyber fraudsters conned the pilot on the excuse of updating KYC details of his bank records. On Thursday, the victim had gone to an ATM center to withdraw some cash and change his PIN, but due to some technical reasons, he could not do so and returned home. After some time, he received an SMS from an unknown number asking him to update his KYC details.According to Hyderabad <a href="https://hyderabadpolice.gov.in/Cybercrimes.html">Cybercrime</a> officials, the fraudsters sent a link to the victim's mobile phone, asking him to click it and follow the guidelines. He typed in his details, including CVV number and the OTPs he received through SMSes. He later found that an amount of Rs.10.38 lakh was debited from his bank account.The police booked a case following a complaint from the victim and are investigating.

City Pilot Loses More Than 1 Million To KYC Fraud

The Plastic Surgery department of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmania_General_Hospital">Osmania</a> General Hospital has successfully performed for the first time a free ‘<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_augmentation">Augmentation Mammoplasty</a>,’ a cosmetic surgery to enhance and enlarge breasts.&nbsp;A young 18-year-old daughter of a taxi driver from an underprivileged background suffered from an underdeveloped right breast. She had approached the Plastic Surgery wing of Osmania hospital. Usually conducted in privileged private hospitals for astronomical fees, such a unique cosmetic surgery was never taken up earlier at a government hospital.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/nbn-engine/uploads/67dc275a6224caf0cea78136e1159064c4075a37.jpg" alt=""> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/palukuri-lakshmi-903419136/">Dr. Palukuri Lakshmi</a>, the head of the Plastic Surgery department who led the team of surgeons, discussed with Dr. B Nagender, the Superintendent, OGH, for providing facilities needed to conduct the surgery. Dr. Lakshmi, while interacting with the media, said that their department would do whatever it could to take up such cosmetic surgeries for women from poor and middle-class backgrounds.Dr. Nagender added that they provide burns and trauma reconstruction facilities to underprivileged patients. There, however, was also a need to offer cosmetic surgery facilities to patients who couldn’t afford such costly treatment at private healthcare facilities. He added that keeping this in mind, they decided to introduce this facility.The patient, who was from Nalgonda, was discharged without any complications after the surgery. The surgical teams included Dr. Aswin Kishore, Dr. Raja Kiran Kumar Goud, and PG medicos Dr. Faiyaz, Dr. Asfiya, Dr. Ajay, Dr.Vijay Babu, and Dr. Madhulika. The anesthesia team comprised Dr. Pavani, Dr. Pandu Naik, and Dr. Anupama.