GHMC Steps Up Waste Drive

HYDERABAD: GHMC commissioner R.V. Karnan said on Friday that under the 99-day Praja Palana – Pragathi Pranalika, the corporation will strengthen the solid waste management system across the city. Special attention is being given to eliminating garbage-vulnerable points and ensuring that waste collected in the morning is transported to processing units before 9 am.

He added that the programme will also focus on park development, lake restoration, town planning, road safety, property tax compliance, and strengthening of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) through coordinated efforts by different government departments.

Karnan was speaking after conducting field inspections in the Shastripuram area. He inspected the under-construction Shastripuram Road Over Bridge (ROB) at Attapur Circle and reviewed the progress of works. He directed officials to speed up completion of the approach roads and other pending works so that the bridge can be opened to the public at the earliest.

He also reviewed sanitation arrangements in the area, instructing Swachh auto drivers to ensure 100% door-to-door waste collection and stressing that garbage should not be seen on roads or in public places. 

28 Children Get Digital Hearing Aids

Twentyeight children from underprivileged families received digital hearing aids during World Hearing Day celebrations organised by the Meenakshi Venkatraman Foundation (MVF) in Secunderabad. The programme, based on the 2026 theme “From Communities to Classrooms: Hearing Care for All Children”, was held at the GMC Alumni Medical Education Society auditorium on the Gandhi Medical College campus.

Dr T. Shobha, superintendent and head of obstetrics and gynaecology department at Gandhi Hospital, speaking at the event said early identification and timely treatment can prevent lifelong barriers for children with hearing loss. The hearing aids were fitted for children as young as six to eight months and programmed according to individual needs.

MVF founder and managing trustee G.V. Sethuraman, addressing the gathering, spoke about the need for inclusivity. He highlighted the activities of the MVF including pre-school training, new-born hearing screening, and offering of audiological and speech language services for individuals of all age groups.

Medical professionals including Dr Alampur Sai Baba Goud, a Padma Shri awardee, Dr Adithi Kishore, Dr Ravi Kumar and Dr Bhupender Singh Rathod spoke. Awareness posters on ear and hearing care were released for display in Anganwadi centres, public hospitals and primary health centres.

Telangana Launches 99-Day Education Drive

The education department, under the 99-day Praja Palana–Pragathi Pranalika has set out a schedule of academic, administrative and campus activities for district officials to implement over the next three months. The initiative, inaugurated on Friday, covers schools, junior colleges, technical institutions, degree colleges and universities till June 12.

“The Government has issued instructions for effective implementation of the programme covering various thematic sectors including education, with a focus on institutional strengthening, infrastructure improvement, enrolment enhancement, generating awareness on the schemes being implemented by the Govt., and academic preparedness across educational institutions in the state,” the memo states.

District collectors will supervise the programme and coordinate with education officials. A state-wide special drive from till March 15 will focus on campus cleanliness, sanitation, minor repairs, record verification and digitisation of administrative records. Offices and institutions under the department must also update digital systems and clear pending files.

Schools will organise enrolment drives under the Prof. Jayashankar Badi Bata programme, survey out-of-school children and run awareness campaigns through community visits and counselling sessions for parents. They must also maintain laboratory records, display charts properly and arrange working models prepared by teachers and students.

Junior colleges will focus on admission awareness, evaluation of intermediate examinations and training programmes related to digital governance and AI tools. Technical and collegiate institutions will conduct faculty development programmes, industry interaction sessions, career guidance programmes and placement drives.

Universities will organise innovation programmes, hackathons, mini-project exhibitions and skill camps for students, along with academic audits and curriculum reviews aligned with industry needs.

“District collectors are requested to personally review and monitor the implementation of the 99-day Action Plan as detailed ... in the education sector and ensure effective coordination among all concerned departments and institutions in the state,” a memo from the department said.