DD rushes OB Van meant for Bush coverage for cricket match

Hyderabad, Mar 2 (UNI) Public broadcaster Doordarshan's plans for live coverage of US President George W Bush and First Lady Laura Bush's first visit here tomorrow took a hit today after one of the OB vans reserved for the purpose was sent to cover the India-England Cricket match in Nagpur.

Doordarshan was all set for the coverage of both the events live -- the president and first lady laura Bush's visit to Acharya N G Ranga Agriculture University (ANGRAU) and the Indian School of Business (ISB), for interaction with the locals on farm and business, at the Pearl city tomorrow.

President Bush and his wife are slated to fly in on Air Force One tomorrow morning for their four-hour stay in the city.

Doordarshan, by virtue of its reach, was the only channel cleared by US Security agencies for the coverage of both the events in Hyderabad and had readied two OB vans for 'live broadcast' from both the places in the Cyberabad police district.

However, one of the OB vans had to be rushed to Nagpur immediately today to replace the failed unit covering the ongoing India-MCC first test cricket match.

Doordarshan will now provide live coverage only from the ISB where the US President is scheduled to interact with sixteen Indian enterpreneurs. But its coverage at ANGRAU, where the farmers and rural folks were to exchange views with President Bush and his wife will now be broadcast on recorded mode. ''We will record the event at ANGRAU and telecast them later'' said a DD official.

UNI JRK/DB RA LR RAI0022