HC notices on temple

Gauhati High Court today issued showcause notices to chief secretary Naba Kumar Das, the GMC and the GMDA regarding alleged construction of a temple at a public place on AT Road.

The court of Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel issued the notices after it took suo moto cognisance of a letter written by Deenesh Sharma, a resident of Bharalumukh, recently and registered a suo moto public interest litigation (PIL).

In the letter which he had written on behalf of residents of Bharalumukh and Kumarpara and submitted to Chief Justice Goel on February 12, Sharma complained that construction and expansion of a Shani temple were causing inconveniences to people on the streets and had also affected flow of traffic.

Genetic monitoring at Namdapha

The National Tiger Conservation Authority is carrying out a comprehensive genetic monitoring programme at Namdapha Tiger Reserve to confirm the presence of tigers in the easternmost tiger reserve of the country.

This exercise in being carried out at Namdapha for the first time and the information collected through this process will be crucial for implementing future conservation plans.

Three tigers are believed to be in the 1,985 square km reserve. The presence of two tigers was confirmed after DNA analysis from tiger scat (faecal matter) and the third big cat was spotted through a camera trap last year.

Carcass of ‘poisoned’ tiger found in Orang National Park

The carcass of a full-grown Royal Bengal tigress, suspected to have been poisoned, was found in Orang National Park today.

This is the third tiger carcass to have been found in the park this month. The carcass of a male tiger was found on February 9 and the second was found two days later.

Orang divisional forest officer Sushil K. Daila said the partially decomposed carcass of the tigress was found inside a dense foliage near Panchnoi forest inside the park. “The tigress probably died about 10 days back and poisoning cannot be ruled out. We have sent the viscera for forensic examination,” he said, adding that the reports of the viscera of the two carcasses found earlier had not arrived yet.

2 cops hurt in Jorhat grenade attack

Two security personnel were injured in a grenade attack by a suspected ULFA militant this morning at Kenduguri By-pass here.

The militant hurled a hand grenade at an Assam police naka party checking vehicles at 2 No. Bamungaon at the Jorhat By-pass around 4:30 am when he was stopped by the party.

The militant was coming on a bicycle from the direction of Lahdoigarh and he did not stop at the signal of the policemen on duty. Four policemen were on guard at that place during the incident. The team tried to stop him, but he managed to escape after hurling the grenade, police sources said.

Bomb defused near Guwahati Refinery

A low-intensity bomb was diffused by the bomb squad after it was spotted near the Guwahati Refinery in Noonmati area this morning.

The bomb was planted inside a container with 50 grams of ammonium nitrate and splinters, police said.

Police said the container was kept in a bag which was spotted by the people in an abandoned state and appears as the handiwork of a militant group, although it cannot be confirmed at this moment.

KMSS to open 2 more vegetable outlets

After the huge response to the two vegetable outlets, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) will set up two more such shops in the Silpukhuri and Panbazar areas of the city.

The existing two outlets at Zoo Road and Chandmari sold 130 quintals of vegetables at reasonable rates to the residents of the city.

In a statement, the organisation said that if the State Government provides ten shops at proper and hygienic locations here, it would be able to supply vegetables at half the prices the people are paying now.

Over 12,000 people still in BTAD relief camps

More than 12,000 people displaced in the ethnic violence in the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) areas are still living in relief camps in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts.

An official release said that as many as 12,644 displaced people are still living in 20 relief camps. Of which 4615 are in Kokrajhar district, all of whom belonging to the minority community and 395 Bodo and 7634 minority people are living in camps in Chirang district. The release said that 65persons left the relief camps in the last 24 hours.

South Point enter final

South Point School marched into the final of the Munindra Chandra Paul Guwahati Sports Association inter-school cricket tournament, beating Little Flower School by six wickets in the first semi-final at Parade Ground in Dispur here today.

Little Flower won the toss and elected to bat. They posted a challenging total of 191 for seven in the stipulated 25 overs. The South Point boys chased the target successfully, scoring 193 for four in 23.4 overs.

Abhijit Mandal topscored for Little Flower with an unbeaten 63 and was ably supported by Sanjay Das, who remained not out on a quickfire 48.

Hirokjyoti Bharali of South Point captured three wickets for 20 runs and Himjyoti Sarma chipped in with two for 22.

Antariksh Barma (53) was the topscorer for South Point while Subham Dutta remained not out on 34. David Chhetri of Little Flower claimed a wicket for 28 runs.

Shrimanta Sankar Academy will play Presidency School in the second semi-final tomorrow.

Yoga way to kids’ health - Gogoi stresses promotion of physical activity in schools

The Assam government is taking steps to ensure that the only bug that will afflict schoolchildren in the state is the fitness bug.

Yoga will soon become a part of the school curriculum in the state, with chief minister Tarun Gogoi expressing concern over an increasing number of cases of diabetes and obesity among children, because of a sedentary lifestyle.

An official at the chief minister’s office told The Telegraph that Gogoi held a high-level meeting with education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to introduce yoga in all schools and help students to lead a healthy and disciplined lifestyle.

Schools reminded of fire safety norms

The state fire service department has said most of the city’s schools that had been earlier issued notices for not adhering to safety norms, are in the process of installing the facilities.

Officials of the department said schools which would fail to put in place required safety measures even after being given sufficient time, would be closed down.

The officials have been monitoring these schools for more than a year now.

Last year, the GMC was compelled to seal one school in the city after it was found that the school administration had grossly violated safety norms even after getting the notice.

Car rally rolls into Silchar - Bordoloi flags off Second part today

The four-country car rally that aims to strengthen the bond of fraternity among the south Asian countries of Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar rolled into this second biggest town of Assam to a tumultuous welcome this afternoon.

The rally was flagged off in Calcutta by Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday after six years of preparation. It will culminate at Kunming in Yunan province of south China on March 5, traversing a distance of 3,000km.

Hundreds of people lined the streets to welcome the participants from the four countries on their way to Silchar DSA stadium where the Cachar district administration had arranged a colourful performance of Assamese, Bengali, Mizo and Manipuri dances.

KMSS vegetable shops draw huge crowd in Guwahati

In a bid to rid of middlemen, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) today opened two ‘fair price’ stalls for vegetables at Chandmari and RG Baruah Road Tiniali after procuring the produce in bulk from farmers in Barpeta Road where they had been deprived of their due remuneration due to large-scale presence of middlemen and illegal syndicates in the trade.

Both the stalls run by the KMSS drew overwhelming response from the citizens who made a beeline to the stalls to get vegetables at half the price sold in the city markets.

“The response has been so great that we exhausted our supply meant for the proposed six stalls in the first two stalls itself. We are committed to sell vegetables at half the market price here, and will open eight more stalls in the city,” KMSS publicity secretary Kamal Kumar Medhi said.

Paresh Baruah switches off phones, logs into Skype

Hounded and tracked by snooping Indian intelligence agencies that has cost him dearly, anti-talks Ulfa leader Paresh Baruah has switched off all his mobile and satellite phones and shifted to Skype. This is the last bit of information intelligence agencies intercepted while eavesdropping on Baruah's conversations about a week ago.

Baruah reportedly also asked his men to shift to the much-safer video chatting using Skype for all communication through a jump server that allows users to maintain online anonymity and hides their locations as well.

In recent times, many of his plans have been foiled and some of his men have been caught after they gave away their locations to security forces that continuously keep their ears glued to cellular phone networks and satellite phone frequencies.

Man in hospital after 'sexual abuse' by jailor

A 28-year-old man, an inmate of Karimganj jail, has been admitted to the local civil hospital for treatment allegedly after sexual abuse by the assistant jailor. Following the incident, at least three more inmates, all male, made similar allegations of sexual abuse on the assistant jailor, Dulal Das, before a district magistrate probing the incident.

The matter came to light after the hospitalized inmate was found bleeding profusely on last Monday. The inmates' doctor gave him first aid and suggested to the jail authorities that he should he admitted to hospital but the latter refused to do so. When the health condition of the inmate turned critical, the other inmates on Tuesday started an indefinite hunger strike seeking his immediate admission to hospital and action against Das.

Tough talk on middlemen - Himanta vows action against GMCH touts as B. Borooah adds more facilities

Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today told The Telegraph that the state government had taken serious cognisance of instances of patients being duped by middlemen or harassed by any medical staff for money at the GMCH.

“If we get any complaint against any medical staff of government hospitals demanding money from patients in lieu of treatment, we will take tough action against him or her and in extreme cases even file FIRs. If we take cognisance of any complaint, the middlemen too will come under scrutiny,” Sarma said.

Cases of patients being harassed by middlemen at the GMCH are not uncommon. Early this month, a doctor of the GMCH was reportedly caught demanding money from two patients to conduct a surgery. The state health department has suspended him.

Bihu enthusiasts of the world, unite at Latasil ground - Experts to conduct workshop on Assam’s most popular folk dance form for 11 days

Get ready to tap your feet to the tune of dhol, with training from expert bihuas.

At the historic Latasil playground, where Bihu came onstage from the village courtyards, experts like borbihuwa Prasanna Gogoi, bihu samragye Dreamly Gogoi and borbihuwa Ranjit Gogoi will give lessons on the state’s most popular folk dance form.

The organisers, Raamdhenu Foundation, an NGO, and Gandharba Kalakendra, a city-based dance school, are hopeful that the 11-day All-Assam Bihu Dance Workshop-2013 will be the largest congregation of Bihu enthusiasts this season. Pradip Das, the working president of the organising committee, said the popularity of Bihu has increased over the years, mostly among schoolchildren.

9 new B Barooah Cancer Institute deluxe cabins

The B. Borooah Cancer Institute here will open nine deluxe paying cabins in order to provide better facilities to cancer patients from across the Northeast.

These new paying cabins will not only be bigger in size than the existing ones but each cabin will also have better facilities like a small dining area, separate water purifier and a mini-kitchen attached. The cabins will cost Rs 1,200 per day.

The paying cabins will be formally inaugurated during a function on Saturday.

At present, the 200-bed cancer hospital has 30 paying cabins. While patients are charged Rs 250 daily for the non air-conditioned cabins, they have to pay Rs 500 for the air-conditioned ones.

Sattriya evening at Chatiya enthrals audience

A fascinating evening on Sattriya dance and music was organised recently at Chatiya Natya Bhavan, which enthralled the audience for more than two hours at a stretch.

Organised by Sattriya Kendra of Guwahati, Centre for Sattriya Dance, Music and Theatre, Traditions of Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in association with Cultural Centre of Jamugurihat, Government of Assam and Chatiya Natya Samaj, the unique show evinced keen interest among the connoisseurs of Sattriya culture.

Battalions to protect Kaziranga National Park

Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain today flagged off two battalions of Assam Forest Protection Force for protection and guarding of wildlife in Kaziranga National Park.

At a programme organised at the State Zoo cum Botancial Garden, Hussain said that of the 300 personnel, 200 would be deployed in South Band North bank.

From time to time, the status of the deployment would be reviewed.

The Forest department is waiting for the clearance from the Union Civil Aviation Ministry for deployment of the proposed unmanned aircraft.

NE States to jointly check Maoists

The police forces of the States of the North East region have decided to launch coordinated efforts to check the Maoist rebels from establishing strong roots in the region. The forces are also of the view that the peace talks with the militant groups, which have already signed cease- fire agreements, should be expedited.

A meeting of the heads of the police forces of the North East States, convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which concluded in Gangtok last evening, discussed in detail the efforts by the Maoist rebels to establish roots in the North East region and observed that there is need for formulating strategies to check the growth of the Maoists and all the States decided to launch coordinated efforts in this regard.

Assam Govt adopts GoMs’ recommendations

The Government of Assam has adopted the recommendations of the Group of Ministers that was constituted in 2011 to study the issues of hydro-power projects in totality with an inter-disciplinary approach.

Briefing media persons here today about the recommendations of the Group of Ministers, Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said that all aspects had been considered right to protection of riparian rights to allay the apprehensions in the mind of the people regarding the Lower Subansiri Hydro Power Project (LSHPP) and all other proposed hydro-power projects on rivers flowing through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

“We have suggested to the Government that it refer to the Dr CD Thatte Committee report in connection with the safety and stability of the Subansiri dam and a Pseudo Static and Dynamic Analysis also be carried out to remove the fears in the minds of the common people,” said Bordoloi, adding that the Group of Ministers has recommended that a minimum water flow (260 cumecs) at the downstream has to be maintained at all times including off-peak hours of winter season by the LSHPP.

Bijoy Chinese joins pro-talk ULFA

Top ULFA leader Bijoy Chinese alias Bijoy Asom alias Bijoy Das, the commander of the 28 battalion of the outfit, has joined the pro-talk ULFA group led by its chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa. Talking to newspersons for a brief while here today on the way to Guwahati, Bijoy Chinese said that he came out of the anti-talk group of the outfit led by Paresh Baruah to join the pro-talk group. This is supposed to be a very big blow to Paresh Baruah as Bijoy was the commander of its 28 battalion after Mrinal Hazarika, Jiten Dutta and Prabal Neog, leaders of A and C groups of the battalion, declared a ceasefire four years back. In fact, as Bijoy said today, he had also accompanied the ceasefire group but had to go back to bring back more cadres, but he failed that time. Though he came alone, more cadres will follow him in the near future. Bijoy Chinese stated that there were still about 150 cadres and about 30 leaders with Paresh Baruah and he hoped that Baruah would also come to the negotiation table. Bijoy was with the Tinsukia Police and left for Guwahati today.

Leopard killed after attack on tea worker in Jorhat district

A full-grown female leopard was beaten to death by tea garden workers at Mariani area in Jorhat district after four workers, including a woman, sustained severe injuries in the big cat's attack on Wednesday. Forest staff shot into the air to save the leopard, but in vain.

The incident occurred at Doklongia tea estate around 11am on Wednesday. The leopard attacked a woman, Elemon Munda, in the garden, creating panic among the workers. Munda, who sustained severe injuries, is undergoing treatment at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH).

NGO seeks info on missing woman with 'Ulfa links'

Women in Governance (WING), an NGO, on Wednesday demanded that police immediately disclose information about Majoni Das, a 30-year-old woman, who went missing under mysterious circumstances from Sivasagar.

Majoni, a hostel warden, went missing from Sivasagar on February 10. According to the NGO, Majoni was a victim of enforced disappearance as police had suspected that she had links with Ulfa. WING has also asked the Ulfa to clarify whether or not she really joined the outfit.

According to her family members, police used to harass them at regular intervals as Diganta Das, Majoni's younger brother, who was also an alleged Ulfa sympathizer, went missing a decade ago.

Gauhati Medical College and Hospital surgeon suspended

A surgeon of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), who was caught demanding money from a poor patient recently, was suspended from his duty on Wednesday.

The decision was taken by the government after the GMCH authority issued an inquiry into the matter and wrote to the government demanding immediate action against the concerned doctor.

The doctor, Girish Ujir, assistant professor of the department of surgery, demanded Rs 8,000 from a poor patient for a gall bladder operation. The matter was brought to the notice of the hospital authorities by attendants of the victim patient Momoti Kalita.

Youths detained for setting15-year-old friend on fire

A 15-year-old boy died on Wednesday after being set ablaze by three friends in a remote area at Dhekiajuli in Assam's Sonitpur district, police said.

Rajesh Kurmi (15) of Bherveri village was dragged out from his house on Tuesday night and set on fire, they said.

The boy in his dying declaration named three children, who he alleged set him on fire, they said. The boy died on Wednesday morning at the Kanaklata Civil Hospital in Tezpur, they said.

Police said Rajesh Kurmi was dragged out from his house on Tuesday night and set on fire.

3 Idiots singer to perform at AEC fest

His Give me some sunshine number from 3 Idiots had people humming back in 2009. But most people did not know who Suraj Jagan was.

Come February 24, Guwahatians will get to know the Bollywood singer better and see him perform on the concluding day of Pyrokinesis, the cultural event of Assam Engineering College (AEC).

“This is the 10th edition of Pyrokinesis, which is a three-day cultural festival of our institution. The event starts on Friday. The main attraction this year will be Suraj Jagan of 3 Idiots fame, who is scheduled to perform on the night (from 10pm) of February 24,” Kamanasish Chowdhury, publicity co-ordinator of Pyrokinesis, 2013, told The Telegraph today.

‘Meters mandatory for autos’ - Kamrup (metro) DC vows to enforce the law

It is the familiar tale of One Thousand and One Nights where bride Scheherazade would narrate a tale to king Shahryar every night to get her execution postponed.

In the city, auto drivers have adopted a similar stalling strategy each time the district administration gears up to install fare meters in the vehicles — for months and years and decades.

Ashutosh Agnihotri, chairman of the regional transport authority (RTA) and deputy commissioner of Kamrup, is at the helm of affairs now.

Here are his replies to some queries from our reporter Rajiv Konwar through email. TT: For years autos in Guwahati have been charging excessive fares from residents. There have been demands from residents to install fare meters in autos. But nothing has happened so far. When will people see fare meters in autos?

398 villages to get road connectivity

Altogether 398 villages in Assam, each with a population of more than 500, will be provided road connectivity under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

PWD minister Ajanta Neog today said the Centre has sanctioned Rs 820 crore to construct 689km roads and 347 bridges, connecting 398 villages.

She said the length of these bridges would be between 25 metres and 75 metres.

Neog said in the first phase, 426km road and 90 bridges would be constructed at a cost of Rs 310 crore.

“The technical evaluation of the first phase is currently under way and we hope to start work by the end of this financial year,” she said.

Headman killed for black magic

A village headman accused of practising witchcraft was killed at Samugaon near Mangalian Bazaar in Bijni subdivision of Chirang district in the wee hours today.

Chekon Basumatary, 58, the gaonbura of Samugaon, was attacked with sharp weapons and killed by unidentified men on the suspicion of practising black magic. His body bore multiple injury marks.

Sources said Basumatary was returning home after attending a wedding ceremony in a nearby village around 2am when the assailants attacked him. His body was spotted by some farmers this morning near a field, about 400 metres from his house.

Lid off vendor role in rhino poaching

Rhino horn traders are camping at Lahorijan along the Assam-Nagaland border near Dimapur in the guise of vegetable vendors and buying horns from poachers near national parks.

This came to light following the arrest of two persons — Azijur Rahman and Abdul Rashid — at Sootea in Sonitpur district last night. The duo admitted to buying one horn from Behali in the district last month and selling it to buyers at Dimapur.

Sootea police said four persons had come from Lahorijan to buy another rhino horn in a Maruti Alto last night but lost their way and was caught by local people. While two managed to escape, locals managed to apprehend the duo and hand them over to the police.

Trade union strike hits normal life in different parts of the state

The two-day nationwide strike called by different trade unions against the Centre’s economic and labour policies hit normal life in the State. Our correspondents add:

Nagaon: The trade union strike paralysed normal life in Nagaon. Post office, banks, LIC office, BSNL offices remained closed. Medicine wholesale dealers closed their shutters.

Most of the business establishment also remained closed. Vehicles remained off the roads exept private cars. Non-availability of buses caused problems for examinees of the ongoing HS and HSLC examinations.

Govt to dredge Bharalu river

PWD Minister Ajanta Neog today said that the Government was going to dredge the Bharalu and free it from encroachment in order to find a lasting solution to the perennial problem of artificial flood and waterlogging in the city.

“The Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro) has been asked to clear the Bharalu and its banks from encroachment. Next we plan to dredge the river and fence its banks for preventing encroachment,” Neog said at a press conference.

To a query on the raising of the city’s road level every time a road is repaired, Neog said that the Government had recently fixed a road level for the city’s roads and henceforth that would be maintained.

Govt to dissolve ASEB

The State Cabinet today decided to formally dissolve the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) and from now on, three different companies will function for power transmission, generation and distribution.

Official sources said that the State Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi this evening, also discussed the report of the Group of Ministers on the Lower Subansiri project and accepted the recommendations of the group. However, the report of the GOM is yet to be made public.

The Cabinet also cleared several proposals of the Health, Education and Public Works Departments.

HR award for NRL MD

Dipak Chakravarty, managing director of Numaligarh Refinery Limited, has been conferred the ‘CEO with HR orientation Award’ at the recently concluded Global HR Excellence Awards, organised by Institute of Public Enterprises (IPE), stated a press release.

Chakravarty received the award at a glittering ceremony held in Mumbai on February 17 in the presence of a host of luminaries comprising CEOs and HR heads of various organisations from across the globe. The award, which comprises a citation and trophy, aims at benchmarking talent and HR practices and is conferred on individuals who have surpassed several levels of excellence and have set an example by being a role model and an exemplary leader through organisation development, leadership, innovation and change management.

Mixed response to trade unions’ strike in State

The first day of the nation wide strike, call for which was given by 11 trade unions of the country against the Centre’s economic policies, including the failure of the Government to check price rise, evoked mixed response in Assam and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the State.

Most of the educational institutions remained closed, while banks and financial institutions also did not function throughout the day. Attendance in Government offices was very thin as the people had problems in reaching their offices.

Though a majority of shops remained closed in the morning hours, they started opening as the day progressed. The city buses and trekkers stayed off the roads for most part of the day and only a handful of such vehicles appeared on the roads towards the evening. Though the auto rickshaws plied as usual, they could not take the load of the heavy rush.

Facebook leads auto meter movement - Site users to hit streets on February 27

Residents will hit the streets on February 27 to put pressure on autorickshaw drivers to install electronic fare meters and abide by the rates fixed by the administration.

A group of people have already started a Facebook campaign titled “Honk your Voice”, inviting people on the social networking site to raise their concern.

“We will meet on February 27 at 3pm and launch a peaceful movement. We appeal to residents from all walks of life to join the movement because it is the general public who are suffering the most,” young activist Megha Kashyap, who started the online campaign, said today.

Students shine in youth festival - GU team bags prizes at Kalyani University

Students of Gauhati University shone in a national-level inter-university youth festival organised in Calcutta recently. Representing the state in the festival they bagged three prizes in different categories.

A 23-member student team, under the leadership of Radha Charan Rabha, director of students’ welfare of the university, participated at the 28th Inter University National Youth Festival 2012-13 at Kalyani University in Calcutta and bagged three prizes.

The team bagged the third prize in the cultural procession, fourth in folk music orchestra and third in theatrical-mimicry.

Altogether 1,000 students from 71 universities from across the country participated in the festival where Bombay University emerged as the best team and the Guru Nanak University as the second best.

Ragging slur on senior boarders - Varsity asks hostel girls to keep mum

Gauhati University today shrugged off its responsibility of conducting a proper inquiry into a complaint of “mental torture” by some boarders of a girls’ hostel, dubbing the complaint as an “internal matter” of the university.

Sources in the university said 15 boarders of AT 2 Law College Girls’ Hostel on Saturday filed a complaint to the association of the hotel wardens of the university alleging that their seniors had tortured them mentally the previous night.

A source said the victims were reprimanded by their seniors for not giving enough time in organising Saraswati puja. They were asked to keep standing for hours as punishment. The victims had refused to participate in organising the puja as they needed to prepare for their examinations.

A crore a day loss after abduction

North Eastern Coalfields (NEC), a subsidiary of the Coal India Ltd, has been incurring a loss of nearly Rs 1 crore daily following the closure of Tikak colliery at Margherita in Tinsukia district bordering Arunachal Pradesh.

The colliery was shut down in January after four workers of a private company engaged there were abducted by suspected Naga militants.

A senior NEC official told today that the Tikak colliery, which was one of the four operational coalfields under the North Eastern Coalfields, was producing nearly 2,000 metric tonnes of coal daily. This translated into Rs 1 crore daily at the rate of Rs 5,000 per tonne minimum price.

Illegal trade in SIM cards emerges as a new threat

An emerging threat has been identified by the city police, through recent breakthroughs made in and around the city. The new danger involves a network of people who are carrying on illegal trade in SIM cards and activating those without any verification which is mandatory.

The trade, according to sources, involves multiple players and contains serious implications not just for end users, but also has the potential to abet criminal activities to a large extent.

Only today, dozens of SIM cards were recovered from a woman in a rented accommodation in west Guwahati, which were to be sold to customers willing to pay not less than Rs 200 for each card. In this particular instance, the person was picked up after police gathered credible inputs from their sources. It is believed that with this breakthrough the police will nab more people in the days ahead. It is likely that police will also be questioning personnel working for two major cell service providers.

Book spills beans on China-NE ultra nexus

China has never acknowledged aiding insurgents from the North-east, but a new pictorial book shows several batches of rebels undergoing training in the neighbouring country.

A newly released pictorial book – Lens and the Guerrilla: Insurgency in India’s North-east – has produced graphic images showing Naga and Mizo rebels in Beijing, Yunnan, Tibet and near the Great Wall.

Author Rajeev Bhattacharyya claims that his pictorial book has documented MNF armed wing with Chinese soldiers in Yunnan in 1973, another shows its foreign secretary Lalthangliana with two Chinese guides at a studio in Beijing.

The author said he gathered the photographs from erstwhile senior leaders of the Mizo outfit who had also undergone training in China. “They were quite reluctant to give them (photographs) and I really had a tough time convincing them that they would not be put to sinister use,” he said, adding that there were more photographs on China which could not be acquired.

Assam Govt to ban sale of smokeless tobacco

The State government is going to ban the sale of all types of smokeless tobacco in the State. State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while announcing this today said that the government would bring a bill regarding this in the coming budget session of the State Legislative Assembly in March.

“Till now, various State governments across the country are banning gutka, which is a mix of tobacco and pan masala, whereas the pure forms of tobacco are still being sold in such States. Assam would be the first State in the country to introduce a complete ban on the all forms of smokeless tobacco,” Sarma said addressing the media here.

HC poser on plastic bag ban

Gauhati High Court today asked Dispur to file its response to a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging violation of the ban on plastic bags in the city.

A division bench of Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Arup Kumar Goswami issued notices to the Assam government and Pollution Control Board, Assam to furnish replies to the PIL, filed by Rotary Club of Guwahati.

On behalf of Rotary Club of Guwahati, its president Gajendra Nath Khound filed the PIL (number 21 of 2013), seeking strict enforcement of the ban on manufacture, sale and use of certain categories of plastic bags.

The petitioner’s counsel, G.N. Sahewalla, said the state government and the pollution board have been asked by the court to file their replies in the form of affidavits by April 23, the next date of hearing of the PIL.

Saint bridges Great Wall - NGOs request translation of book on Sankardev

It is one step forward to taking Assam’s Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardev across the Great Wall.

A university in China is translating a book on Sankardev into Chinese language. It is expected to be released this year.

Kunming University in Yunan province of China is translating Srimanta Sankardev: Vaisnava Saint of Assam written by Bimal Phukan. The university is the only “comprehensive professional university” in the province and was set up with approval of the ministry of education of the People’s Republic of China.

The initiative came after a team, formed by two NGOs, Byatikram MASDO from Assam and Saraswati Online from West Bengal, visited the university in December last year to participate in the Sino-Indian Cultural Exchange Programme. The team requested the university to bridge the cultures of the two countries through translation of the book.

Matric turnout relief for Seba in riot zone

The Board of Secondary Education, Assam, (Seba) today stated that most examinees appeared for the matric examination on the first day today in the violence-hit Rabha Hasong areas in Goalpara district.

Seba secretary Dayaram Rajbongshi told that though the board had made all possible arrangements for the examinees to sit for the exams without any hassle in the Rabha-Hasong council area, there were doubts about them actually turning up at the examinations centres.

“According to reports received so far from the Goalpara district administration and the inspector of schools, most of the examinees sat for the exam. The district administration had arranged special buses to ferry the examinees from relief camps to examination centres,” Rajbongshi said.

Northeast Briefs

1. Leopard attack Sivasagar, Feb. 18: Tension prevailed at Lakily and Malow Gaon under Borhat range after a leopard attacked and injured two persons at Lakily Gaon. Police managed to control the mob from killing the animal.
2. Truck hit Sivasagar: The Simoluguri-Dibrugarh passenger train on Monday hit a truck at Hahnsora Kunjibali.
3. Encounter Tinsukia: A satellite phone and a Chinese grenade were recovered from Nakathalgurie during an encounter between a joint team of police, CRPF and the army and Ulfa rebels of the Paresh Barua faction on Monday.
4. Holiday courts Jorhat: Holiday courts will be held at the CJM court, additional CJM court, sub-divisional sadar judicial magistrate court and Majuli judicial court (mofussil) on February 23. Traffic rule violations, state excise law violations and police laws violations cases will be disposed of.
5. Stray bullet Golaghat: A stray bullet hit the shutter of a pharmacy Bhabani Medical at the Stadium Road here on Monday.

More takers for Dhemaji study centre - 176 students take test

Altogether 176 higher secondary students of Assam’s Dhemaji district appeared in the annual entrance test for district administration’s yearlong career coaching at Dhemaji study centre yesterday.

According to local administration records, altogether 196 students who will appear in the upcoming higher secondary first year exam applied for the coaching, of whom 176 students appeared in the test yesterday.

The administration will select 50 candidates who will then be provided coaching for different state-level and national tests in which they can appear after completion of their higher secondary course.

Dhemaji deputy commissioner M.S. Manivannan said all possible steps were taken to ensure quality training, including recruitment of resource persons from outside the state to provide more useful inputs to the students regarding national tests.

Save-Loktak drive in Assam - Mary Kom backs Manipuri singer’s campaign on lake

Manipuri singer Ranbir Thouna is ready to take his Save Loktak campaign to neighbouring Assam to seek more support to the plight of Loktak, the largest fresh water lake in the Northeast. Olympic boxing bronze medallist Mary Kom has extended her support to the singer.

The Assam tour will mark the second phase of his campaign outside Manipur after a similar campaign was held in Bangalore two years back.

Thouna, often dubbed the Manipuri version of music icon A.R. Rahman, took the campaign to Bangalore after a series concerts in Manipur since 2009.

Cong job scheme for Jorhat youth

The relief and rehabilitation cell of the Congress will soon start the process to find employment in distant Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for those affected by elephants and floods in Jorhat.

The cell is also readying to send 115 riot-affected unemployed from BTAD as workers to Kerala on February 27.

It has fixed a target of sending 6,000 unemployed from different parts of the state to be employed in MNCs and cashew nut factories in the three Congress-ruled states by March end.

Convener of the Jorhat district unit of the cell, Asif Iqbal Hazarika, said right after the selection process had finished for the BTAD, Jorhat was the next district as there were a number of people here and in the Majuli subdivision of the district who were affected by man-elephant conflict and floods.

AIUDF mulls tie-up with AGP - Eye on Barak rural body

AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal today hinted at the possibility of his party joining hands with the AGP to claim a majority in the 20-seat Karimganj zilla parishad, the results for which were declared last night.

The party has won nine seats in the district, while the AGP has won one. The Congress, too, has won nine seats there.

Ajmal, who arrived in Karimganj yesterday, today met the president of the AGP district unit, Nazrul Islam Choudhury, at the latter’s residence at Kanishail village. Sources said he sought Choudhury’s help to bring his daughter-in-law, Sultana Begum, into the AIUDF fold. Sultana has won as an Independent candidate from the district’s Sarisha zilla parishad seat.

If the AIUDF manages to rope in these two seats (AGP and Sultana), the alliance would attain a simple majority, allowing it to form the zilla parishad.

Engineer’s abduction may hit NE power transmission projects

The recent kidnapping of an engineer working in a project of the Power Grid Corporation of India may seriously affect the ongoing process of augmenting the power transmission lines to the North East region as the incident has affected the morale of those working in the projects and the works virtually came to a standstill in the last couple of days.

Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that the Power Grid engaged a number of companies for implementation of the projects and it is always difficult for the companies to get experienced project engineers to work in this part of the country because of the law and order situation. Sources said that the recent kidnapping of P Raju, an engineer of a joint venture company from Baska by militants belonging to the Songbijit faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) has affected the morale of those working in the projects and if the situation does not improve soon, implementation of all the projects of upgrading the power transmission system would be affected.

Meghalaya politicians have nexus with militants

Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer Prashant Naik today said nexus between politicians of the State and militants is “100 per cent true and a known fact,” but in the absence of evidence little can be done.

“It is 100 per cent true that there is a nexus between politicians and militants...it is a known fact, but where is the evidence,” he asked journalists when prodded on the issue.

The BJP has been constantly alleging that the Congress party has been using militants to further its poll objectives in Garo Hills. Other political parties have also made similar allegations.

In Garo Hills, especially the Garo National Liberation Army, the Achik National Volunteers’ Council and its breakaway faction has been active during this election and have been creating trouble in the area.

Nagaland Home Minister held with Rs 1.10 cr

In a major blow to ruling NPF-led DAN government, the Assam Rifles detained Nagaland Home Minister Imkong L Imchen for carrying Rs 1.10 crore and arms and ammunition besides liquor in a vehicle, at Longsa village under Wokha district this morning.

Basing on specific information, the Assam Rifles personnel frisked the vehicle of the Home Minister, who was going to his constituency in Mokokchung from Kohima at a mobile check post at Longsa village at around 6 am and found the cash, arms and ammunition and liquor, sources said

Two .303 rifles with 100 rounds of ammunition, five 7.65 mm pistol with 80 rounds of ammunition and a case of liquor were reportedly seized from the vehicle.

Call for chakka bandh on Feb 20, 21

The Assam State committee of the All India Road Transport Workers’ Federation have called a chakka bandh in the State on February 20 and 21 and has extended its full support to the general strike called by the joint forum of the government recognised Central trade unions of the country against the anti-people policies adopted by the Government of India.

“The Union government has adopted a completely lackadaisical attitude towards the demands of the workers and employees of the country. Despite the repeated attempts of the trade unions, the government has not even sat for a talk on various issues related the workers and employees of the country,” general secretary of the federation Biren Sarma said

Similarly, the road transport workers are also facing various problems related to their health, and education of their children among others, but government has not taken any step to redress their grievances, he said.

“In Assam and North East also most of the road transport workers are deprived of their dues. Such workers render their valuable service to the people of this region facing threat to their lives, harassment, terrorism and various types of corrupt practices. Social security to such workers and their families is a must today,” said Sarma.

Assam Youth Fest for NE from today

The Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare, Assam is organising “Assam Youth Festival for North East 2013” from February 19 to 21 at Sarusajai Sports Complex here.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will grace the opening ceremony on February 19. Minister for State (Independent) for Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, Jitendra Singh and Minister of State (Independent) Sports and Youth Welfare, Assam, Ajit Singh will grace the occasion.

The inaugural session and the formal flagging off of the festival will be followed by a cultural function.

On February 20, the programmes include competitive events, youth convention and Suvichar by National Service Scheme (NSS). A personality development programme and interactive session will be organised by “Art of Living” and SPICMACAY. The evening is set apart for rock band competition.

Call to promote ideals of Srimanta Sankaradeva

The Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva has called for promotion of the ideals of the Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankaradeva to safeguard the State from all inter ethnic conflicts. Expressing concern over the increasing incidence of ethnic conflicts in the State, the society said that the saint is a unifying factor for Assam and his ideology can build the bridge of amity and unity amongst all communities in the State.

The society has also demanded incorporation of life and works of Srimanta Sankaradeva in the curriculum at both national and state

level. Dr Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti, the president of the Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva said that life and works of Srimanta Sankaradeva have not been put in curriculum by NCERT properly in spite of repeated appeals for that.

Forum to boycott hearing on tariff

The Consumer Legal Protection Forum, a city-based NGO, today decided to skip the public hearing of Assam Electricity Regulatory Authority on Tuesday, regarding an increase in power tariff in the state.

Chief convener of the NGO, Ajoy Hazarika, said they decided to skip the hearing, as the regulatory authority had failed to look into their complaints raised during similar hearings in the past.

“As the AERC is authorised by the Assam State Electricity Board to regulate the power tariff, we had demanded before it that the board should do away with the annual collection of power tariff from the government departments. Instead, the board should collect monthly tariff from government departments against every connection, as they collect tariff from general consumers. Instead of looking into our demands and other consumer grievances, it is again going to increase the power tariff,” Hazarika, also a lawyer of Gauhati High Court, said.

Musical chairs & more at Jorhat derby

Horses and a game of musical chairs don’t seem to match. Until one attends the historic Jorhat Races, which feature a Mising tug-of-war among other regular events like a car rally, golf and tennis.

Organised by the Jorhat Gymkhana Club, the 133rd edition of the races will commence here tomorrow. Dubbed the oldest major sporting event in the region, Mising riders converge from various parts of the Upper Assam districts to try their luck for the Governor’s Cup.

The annual event, popularly known as the Jorhat derby, is a continuation of the British legacy.

The British planters had started the horse races, with the high-breed horses used by them for transportation. As other modes of transportation took over, native breeds from the Mising villages along the Brahmaputra replaced the high-breed horses.

Initiative to save rhino

Kaziranga University as part of its corporate social responsibility activities in association with State Department of Forest, organized “The Great Save Rhino Walkathon 2013 today from Jorhat District Sports Association’s field to the university campus.

More than 4000 people participated in this walkathon. Hundreds of walkers from civil society, Army, CRPF, Assam Rifles and Assam Police covered a distance of 20 km to complete the walk. Member of Parliament Bijoy Krishna Handique flagged off the event. Cine stars Nishita Goswami and Moloya Goswami cheered the crowd. Hridesh Mishra, Conservator Wildlife, Govt of Assam participated in the event.

To promote the event the university has launched a website www.saverhino.in with all details and day-to-day updates. Participants can register online in order to avail attractive walkathon wears.

Displaced women vulnerable to trafficking

Violence-induced internal displacement has put at risk a large section of people, particularly women and young girls in Assam. Those acquainted with the situation believe that it is time for the State Government agencies to recognise the problem of trafficking of women.

Those who have first-hand experience besides monitoring secondary data believe that following dislocation, and amid a rootless existence away from their original environment, women have been targeted by criminals who run well-oiled trafficking operations.

“A substantive change at the policy level from a very strong gender perspective is the need of the hour. The Internally Displaced People (IDP) should be protected under a protocol that must conform to international standards,” said Anurita Pathak Hazarika of North East Network (NEN). The strategic and specific gender needs of internally displaced women should be addressed in all conflict areas. Violence and abuse on women, which violate their human rights in North East India need to be checked from all perspectives, she added.

Vulture conservation efforts yielding results

The decline in the population of vultures could be slowing down, according to experts, who believe that the ban on use of diclofenac has had a positive effect in vulture habitats in different parts of the country, including Assam.

On the action taken by authorities in India, the Director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Dr Asad Rahmani said, “The timely ban on veterinary diclofenac in South Asia, along with the research and conservation efforts of BNHS and the SAVE partners, based on scientific facts has proved to be a successful step in the right direction”.

Over 200 more hospitalised for food poisoning

Over 200 hundred more people were admitted to different hospitals in the last 24 hours from Khetri-Sonapur area complaining food poisoning after they reportedly consumed ‘prasad’ in Durung High School during Saraswati Puja.

Over 600 people mostly children has so far been admitted in hospital following the incident. Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital today and took stock of the situation.

The district administration has already ordered an inquiry into the incident. The district administration has opened a make-shift health centre at the Durung LP School where people are being treated.

HSLC Exam from today

The High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) and High Madrassa Examinations-2013, and the Higher Secondary Final (new course) Examination-2013 – conducted by SEBA and AHSEC respectively – will get under way throughout the State tomorrow. The Higher Secondary examination in the Arts, Science, Commerce and vocational streams will be conducted at 768 centres in which nearly 2.37 lakh candidates will appear.

The writing on the wall is simple: Time is running out for the rhino

Every passerby glanced back at this massive, green painting of a one-horned rhino on a wall near Assam State Zoo. And the image invariably reminded everyone of the cruel fate this majestic animal is being subjected to at the hands of poachers.

The frequent merciless killing of rhinos in different parts of the state is what prompted street artist Roy Sunil to create this painting.

Sunil began painting the animal in bright, eye-catching hues of green on Wednesday and he will be done by Thursday.

A jungle safari to teach value of conservation

A jungle safari to teach value of conservation - Around 150 schoolchildren learn correlation between population & deforestation

Around 150 schoolchildren from Putimari went on a jungle safari today at Ultapani in Haltugaon forest division in Ripu-Chifrang forest.

The safari was organised by a local NGO, Jwngma Club-cum-Library, to raise awareness about conservation of forests and wildlife.

The idea was to educate the young generation on the benefits of forests and planting trees, said Hungkha Mushahary, president of Jwngma Club-cum- Library.

The organisers feel events like this will lead to more and more people getting involved in conservation and planting trees.

Abducted trader’s body found

The bullet-riddled body of an abducted businessman, Raju Saha, 28, was recovered from the Serfanguri area in Kokrajhar district late last evening.

Police sources said the body, with injury marks in the head, was recovered from near National Highway 31 in Serfanguri.

The body was founda few hours after security forces shot dead an NDFB cadre of the Songbijit faction, Pripri Mushahary, inside Ripu forest in the district.

The police said acting on a tip-off about the presence of some NDFB cadres in the area, a joint team of the police and army carried out a search operation. One NDFB cadre was killed in the exchange of fire that took place yesterday around 1pm. Another escaped. One 7.65mm pistol, two rounds of live ammunition and a mobile phone were recovered from the slain militant.

The militants killed the businessman to avenge the killing of one of their cadres.

Unidentified men from Dotma in Kokrajhar abducted the businessman on the evening of February 2. Saha, whose family owns a stationary shop in Dotma bazaar, was whisked away by three youths, who came in two motorcycles. The men also opened fire in the air as the family members shouted for help. The stationary shop is next to their residence.

Repoll uncertain in riot zone - Indigenous groups blame govt - 12-hour Bandh to protest violence

Trucks carrying security personnel keep vigil in Goalpara on Wednesday.

Different organisations representing tribal communities of the state were up in arms against the Assam government, holding it “solely responsible” for yesterday’s panchayat poll violence in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) area.

They have also called a 12-hour statewide bandh on Saturday to protest against the death of 19 people in the violence.

Rabha violence toll touches 20

Rabha violence toll touches 20

The death toll in the troubled Rabha Hasong area climbed to 20 on Wednesday with the recovery of seven more bodies killed in group clashes on Tuesday, even as miscreants burnt a village and a vehicle on national highway later in the day.

State home secretary GD Tripathy said curfew in Krishnai and Mornoi police station areas is on and shoot-on-sight orders have been given. The army is patrolling the entire Rabha-Hasong area and assisting the civil administration in controlling the situation.

The violent protest by Rabhas against holding panchayat elections in Rabha-Hasong Autonomous Council area has now taken an ugly turn with Muslims retaliating at different locations against Rabhas.

On Wednesday morning, Muslim villagers waylaid a police team carrying bodies of three Rabhas killed in the police firing for post mortem at Bolbola near Krishnai.

Assam: 8 dead in police firing as mob attacks polling booth during panchayat elections

There was news of violence from lower Assam where panchayat polls were underway. Eight people died in police firing after a mob of 400 men and women from the Rabhas community armed with iron rods, axes, machetes and sticks attacked a polling station and indulged in arson. The death toll is likely to increase.

Reports say that the mob tried to resist poll officials from entering the booth. However, the exact cause of the violence is yet to be ascertained.

Ulfa leaders meet on Chetia

A meeting of the central committee members of the Arabinda Rajkhowa faction of Ulfa was held today at a private lodge in Dispur.

Issues related to extradition of the outfit’s “general secretary” Anup Chetia from Bangladesh and the faction’s next round of talks with the Centre was discussed at today’s meeting.

Apart from Rajkhowa, senior leaders such as Ulfa vice-chairman Pradeep Gogoi, foreign secretary Sasadhar Choudhury, publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary, cultural secretary Pranati Deka, among others, were present at the meeting.

Gogoi said the issue of Chetia’s extradition following last month’s signing of an extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh, was discussed at the meeting.

“We believe that signing of the extradition treaty will expedite the process of Chetia’s extradition, which will give a new momentum to our ongoing talks with the Centre,” he said.

Gogoi said they are hopeful that Chetia will withdraw his appeal for asylum in Bangladesh, which is currently pending with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Centre, and will take the necessary steps to bring him to India so that he can take part in the peace talks.

Threat to Cong poll campaign over ST tag

The Janagusthiya Aikya Manch, Assam, today resolved to disrupt the Congress’s campaign for the next Lok Sabha elections if Dispur did not take steps to pass a bill according Scheduled Tribe status to six communities in the ensuing budget session of Parliament.

The organisation, an umbrella organisation of six indigenous communities in Assam, comprises the All Tai Ahom Students’ Union, All Koch Rajbongshi Students’ Union, All Assam Moran Students’ Union, Chutia Yuva Sanmilan Assam, Sodou Matak Yuva Chatra Sanmilan and the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association.

Leaders of the organisation today said they had adopted a resolution to hold public meetings to explain to the people about the failure of the Congress-led government in ensuring Scheduled Tribe status to these communities.

“We will not allow the Congress to hold election campaigns in areas where these communities have a sizeable population,” said All Tai Ahom Students’ Union president Pranjal Rajkonwar.

Nobody listens to GMC: Official

Guwahati Municipal Corporation’s pleas to the public to refrain from littering public places and the areas surrounding roadside garbage bins have fallen on deaf ears.

Many people get into heated arguments with the municipal workers when asked to stop littering.

While the GMC has penalised several business establishments in the city for littering the roads and drains with all kinds of non-biodegradable waste, the civic body is facing a tough time watching over the people who litter the roadsides with garbage from their residences.

“Our GMC workers work in shifts and in the morning shift they finish collecting the garbage from the roadside garbage bins in different parts of the city by 9am. Most people come and dump the garbage generated in their homes and business establishments after this time, which is all right. But the main problem is that they just throw their packets of trash near the garbage bins and not inside them. This automatically dirties the surroundings. All our pleas to refrain from littering the roads have fallen on deaf ears,” said Kavita Padmanavan, deputy commissioner of the GMC.

Crimes worry apex xatra

Tourists at a rally to protest the killing of rhinos, at Kaziranga on Monday. Picture by UB Photos

Asom Sattra Mahasabha, the apex body of all xatras in Assam, has expressed deep concern over the rise in thefts of antique items from the xatras. It has also voiced anguish over an increase in incidents of rhino killings in recent times in the state.

Taking serious note of the crimes, the Mahasabha has decided to urge the Centre through Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Union forest minister Jayanthi Natarajan to accord special priority to tackle these crimes.

The Mahasabha, in its four-day 49th biennial session that concluded in Majuli yesterday, adopted two resolutions to ask the Centre and the state government to accord topmost priority to both the issues and take steps accordingly.

Dispur, EC firm on panchayat polls - Arson in Rabha council area

Armed members of the Rabha Hasong Joint Movement Forum block a road at Bardamala in Goalpara on

The state election commission and Dispur appear determined to go through the third and final phase of panchayat election tomorrow in the restive Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council area despite reports of arson.

State election commissioner Biren Dutta told The Telegraph that there could be no “second thoughts” on holding of polls as it was a constitutional obligation. He appealed for peace and cooperation.

Senior officials in the chief minister’s office said the government was determined to help the election commission in all possible manner and that the army had been kept on standby in both the council and Barak valley, another sensitive area.

Arson in lower Assam on eve of panchayat polls

Incidents of arson were reported in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council areas of Kamrup (Rural) district in lower Assam on the eve of Panchayat polls in the area on Tuesday.

Three schools where polling booths have been set up were torched along with two trucks and market sheds by unidentified miscreants in different parts of the district, official sources said.

Early this morning in Boko police station area, three schools - Hatipar, Machenokhuwa and Sekhapari lower primary schools - were completely gutted, they said.

A truck was also set ablaze at Khorkhori under Chaygaon police station this morning, while another was torched at Bondapara under Boko police station around midnight.

Four sheds in Chingra Bazar under Chaygaon police station were also burnt down, they said.

Assam keeps door open for anti-talk ULFA faction

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday said his government has kept the doors open for peace talks with the anti-talk faction of ULFA, but first there has to be peace.

"There is a ceasefire with ULFA's pro-talk faction and the process is on. We have kept doors open for the anti-talk faction also, but not for violence," Gogoi said here.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of prize distribution ceremony of the annual flower show at the Agri Horticultural Society of India.

The Paresh Barua led anti-talk faction of the ULFA has been carrying on violence in the state, while another faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa is on peace-talks with the state and the Centre.

Order to shift Paltan Bazar fish hub

Thermocol containers and other packets dumped near Borsola Beel at Paltan Bazar.

It’s final now. Northeast’s largest wholesale fish market will be shifted to a 53.5-acre plot at Saukuchi, on the outskirts of the city, from Paltan Bazar.

The Kamup (metro) district administration has ordered Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the fishery department to immediately shift the market and submit a compliance report within 45 days.

Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner Ashutosh Agnihotri on Thursday issued the order because the current fish market, situated within the notified land of Borsola Beel, was polluting the waterbody and affecting the city’s environment.

Flying squads to trap cheats - Seba move to curb dishonesty in exams

Students planning to pass this year’s matric and high madarsa examinations the “easy” way and teachers who usually turn a blind eye to the formers’ “activities”, think again.

The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (Seba) is deploying “flying squads” to catch cheating examinees and teachers red-handed during the examinations commencing from February 18. The squads, comprising Seba officials, will make surprise visits to centres with an aim to catch the cheaters off guard. The visits will be kept strictly confidential.

Seba secretary Dayaram Rajbongshi told The Telegraph that the squads were being deployed as the state government had asked the board to adopt a zero tolerance policy towards cheaters.

“The Seba chairman, myself and other senior officials will form the squads and chalk out a list of examinations centres to conduct the surprise checks. We might take the help of local police and magistrates to prevent any untoward incident during the visits. Instant action will be taken against anyone found cheating. If teachers or centres-in-charge are found lacking in maintaining sanctity of the exams, necessary punitive actions will also be taken against them,” Rajbongshi said.

65% polling in 2nd phase of Assam panchayat elections

An estimated 65 per cent of the electorate on Wednesday cast their ballots on the second day of the three-phase Assam panchayat election, which was marked by sporadic incidents of violence, officials said.

Clashes between rival parties, attack on candidates and presiding officers were reported from parts of Nalbari, Kamrup (Rural) and Sonitpur districts, they said.

Irregularities in electoral rolls with names of eligible voters missing and wrong symbols were reported from some polling stations in Nalbari, Sonitpur, Kamrup (Rural), Barpeta and Darrang districts.

Arunachal, Assam draw Centre's attention to Chinese dams

Arunachal Pradesh and Assam have drawn the attention of the Centre for steps to neutralise the impact of three dams proposed to be built by China on river Tsangpho, known as Siang in Arunachal and Brahmaputra in Assam.

"We have no objection to China building dams but the life of the people which sustain on the flow of Brahmaputra since ages should not be affected by the dams," Arunachal Pradesh Water Resources Development minister Newlai Tingkhatra, flanked by his Assam counterpart Rajib Lochan Pegu, said.

Shoot-at-sight orders could be considered to check poaching at Kaziranga park

The Assam government is taking all steps and shoot-at-sight orders could be considered in the Kaziranga National Park (KNP)to deal with poaching, Assam Minister for Environment and Forest Rockybul Hussain said on Saturday. The state government has already sought a CBI probe into poaching of rhinos, whose horns are considered aphrodisiac. "Some of the demands made recently by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) are sound ones, including deployment of Army and shoot-at-sight," he said.

Lakhs of devotees attend Sankardev Sangha session

Over five lakh devotees from all over the State today gathered at the Garor Gobinda Ata Samannay Kshetra at Bamunigaon near here in Kamrup district, to attend what is considered as the largest Vaishnavite congregation of Assam – the annual convention of Srimanta Sankardev Sangha.

The newly elected Padadhikar of the Srimanta Sankardev Sangha hoisted the religious flag of the Sangha at 9 am today. This was followed by a magnificent cultural procession in which over 3 lakh devotees participated. The procession reflected the traditional cultures of different tribes of Assam.

Speaking at the open session of the four-day long open session under the presidenship of new Padadhikar Rajani Kanta Dutta today, Union Minister for Development of the North Eastern Region, Pawan Singh Ghatowar, said Srimanta Sankardev was one of the greatest litterateurs and social reformers of the world, who was also the inventor of the musical instrument khol. Ghatowar said Srimanta Sankardev Sangha is doing a tremendous job by propagating the ideals of Sankardev among the masses.

Kaziranga National Park guards to be armed with AK-series rifles

Kaziranga is set to become the first national park in the country to be manned by guards armed with AK series of weapons. The State Government has moved the Centre for the purpose, and expects it to materialise soon.

Addressing a press conference, State Environment and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain today said that the move was in consonance with the Government’s ‘Intensification of management and restructuring of Kaziranga National Park’ plan.

“With threats to Kaziranga mounting in recent times, it is imperative to have a matching response mechanism – both in terms of security and management. We have taken up the matter of arming our guards with AK-46 and AK-57 rifles and ammunition with the Union Home Ministry, and are expecting a favourable response. This will make Kaziranga the country’s first protected forest to have such a security set-up,” Hussain said.

Vehicle lifting racket busted

Think twice before you employ a driver. It could just cost you your dream car!

City Police has busted a vehicle theft racket and arrested its kingpin Sultana Parveen alias Bhabhi, on charges of planting drivers and subsequently lifting vehicles.

Manoj Gupta, a listed criminal who has been arrested and sent to jail thrice in the last 10 months, has also been arrested for masterminding lifting of a number of vehicles.

Police said, “The gang was picked up just when they were planning to lift more new vehicles in connivance with the drivers they had planted.”

KMSS takes Gogoi Govt to task over corruption

“The present Congress government has failed to fulfil the basic needs of the common people in the State. The party has now become a hub of persons with dubious character.”

This was opined by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi recently at Baghmari, 5 km away from here. Addressing a public rally held at Baghmari Rangamancha with veteran social worker Moulana Azam Ali in the chair, the KMSS leader said that a lion’s share of the money amounting to Rs 5000 crore released under NREGA scheme since 2005 had been grasped by the Congress representatives elected to the panchayats.

Govt halts construction in Azara

The Kamrup metropolitan district administration has directed the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority, Guwahati Municipal Corporation and the zilla parishad CEO to immediately stop issuing fresh no-objection certificates for any kind of construction in the greater Azara circle area.

Sources told The Telegraph that the order was issued after observing that unscientific filling of low-lying areas, blocking of natural drains and haphazard and unscientific construction in the greater Azara area had resulted in floods, persistent waterlogging and inundation of public and private lands.

“Such waterlogging has adversely affected important public institutions like the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Internatioal Airport, affecting flight operations and causing immense inconvenience to commuters,” the source said.

Alumni join hands for school facelift

Ex-students to approach Dispur to revive century-old institution’s past glory

The alumni of Sonaram HS School have decided to take the onus of revival of the institution’s infrastructure to facilitate a congenial atmosphere for the students.

Disclosing their plans to move Dispur in this regard shortly, the members of Sonaram HS School Alumni Association, formed in September last year, said they would do all they can to revive the century-old school’s past glory.

Indo-Thai event on hairstyles

Beauty experts from Thailand and the city have been showcasing the innovative hairstyles of both Indian and Thai cultures before the people here.

These artistes will showcase different concepts in popular hairstyles in a beauty show titled “Indo-Thai Beauty Concept” that will be held at Pragjyoti ITA Centre for Performing Arts on February 8.

The show has been organised by the local beauty clinic, D’Parloric. The audience will be able to view models walking the ramp, donning eye-catching Indian and Thai hairstyles and make-up. The show will also feature a musical programme.

Probe report shows excise rule flout

A senior state government official, heading an inquiry to find out who had illegally granted licences to open liquor shops in the city, today informed Gauhati High Court that since 2005, as many as 13 bar licences were converted into liquor shops, violating the norms in the Assam Excise Rule, 1945.

The inquiry report was submitted before the court of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan by Shantanu Thakur, commissioner and secretary (agriculture department). He was the commissioner of the excise department when the administrative inquiry was ordered by the court in August last year.

Tarun Gogoi moves CBI on rhinos

 

Dispur today formally moved the CBI to conduct an inquiry into rampant poaching of rhinos in the state.

“The government has sent a file to the CBI with a plea to conduct a probe,” chief minister Tarun Gogoi told reporters on the sidelines of a National Cadet Corps (NCC) event in Guwahati.

On Sunday, Gogoi said there was a political conspiracy behind the recent spate of rhino killings and decided to go for a CBI inquiry.

The Opposition, however, ruled out such a conspiracy and alleged that forest minister Rakibul Hussain was himself involved in the killings. The AGP said the government’s move was nothing but a farce and a ridiculous proposition.

Lady who fled home for Ulfa ‘dies’ in mishap

Jahnabi Mahanta Rajkonwar

Jahnabi Mahanta Rajkonwar, the schoolteacher from Naharkatia in Dibrugarh district who deserted her family to join Ulfa last year, died yesterday.

An email issued by Ulfa (Paresh Barua faction) today said Jahnabi, alias Rashmita Asom, died in an accident yesterday. While declaring Jahnabi a jatiya shahid (martyr) the Ulfa release issued by its self-styled assistant information and publicity secretary Arunadoy Asom, said the outfit was observing a three-day mourning from yesterday at all its camps in the state and abroad.

Love for rhinos brings UK teen to Kaziranga

Boy from Manchester travels to Assam to study animals

Callum Thomas Frazer (centre) takes an elephant ride at Kaziranga. Telegraph picture
 

A special attachment to rhinos has brought teenager Callum Thomas Frazer all the way from Manchester in UK to Kaziranga National Park to study these “beautiful animals” and how to help protect them.

Callum, 18, is currently at the Centre for Wildlife Conservation and Rehabilitation (CWRC) near Kaziranga National Park and trying to learn more about one-horned rhinos.

OIL launches ‘Dikhya’

Oil India Limited, Duliajan launched the Project ‘Dikhya’ to impart computer education and promote adult literacy in its operation areas in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Sivasagar districts in a phased manner. The project was inaugurated in Tinsukia district on Thursday at the Dakhin Tinsukia Anchalik Rangamancha, Bahadur Chariali by Kulendu Kumar Nath, Resident Chief Executive of OIL.

The inaugural function was also attended by Hemanta Das, ADC. As per the scheme, students of Class VI of the Mahakali Grant MV School and Navajagriti ME School in Tinsukia district will be provided computer education classes. Classes for adult literacy will also begin from February 11.

Abu to lead Assam in Vijay Hazare

Speedster Abu Nechim Ahmed will lead the 15-member Assam team in the East Zone limited over cricket tournament for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

The championship will be held in Kolkata from February 14. Assam will open their campaign against Tripura on February 14 while in the next match they will face Odisha on February 16.

The team: Abu Nechim Ahmed (capt), Dheeraj Jadhav, Tarjinder Singh, Syed Mohammed, Pallav Das, Pritom Debnath, Rajdeep Das (wk), Amit Sinha, Arup Das, Sib Sankar Roy, Pritom Das, Gokul Sharma, Deepak Gohain, Samik Das, Sekharjyoti Barman.

Guwahati U-19 champs

Guwahati posted an innings and 113-run victory against Jorhat and lifted the JK Baruah Trophy in the U-19 Inter District Cricket Championship, organised by Assam Cricket Association.

On the final day of the 3-day summit clash at the ACA’s Barsapara stadium here today, requiring 188 in their second innings to make Guwahati bat again, after following on, Jorhat were skittled out for 75 resuming at the over night total of 18 for 2.

Jorhat batsmen failed miserably to tackle the Guwahati bowlers as Amit Boro wrecked their innings with a 5-wicket haul. Anchal Saikia and Abir Chakravorty were the other successful bowlers with 3 and 2 wickets respectively.

OIL launches ‘Dikhya’

Oil India Limited, Duliajan launched the Project ‘Dikhya’ to impart computer education and promote adult literacy in its operation areas in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Sivasagar districts in a phased manner. The project was inaugurated in Tinsukia district on Thursday at the Dakhin Tinsukia Anchalik Rangamancha, Bahadur Chariali by Kulendu Kumar Nath, Resident Chief Executive of OIL.

The inaugural function was also attended by Hemanta Das, ADC. As per the scheme, students of Class VI of the Mahakali Grant MV School and Navajagriti ME School in Tinsukia district will be provided computer education classes. Classes for adult literacy will also begin from February 11.

156 illegal NBFCs operating in Assam

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) on Thursday alleged that around 156 unauthorized non-banking financial companies operating in Assam were hoodwinking the people of their hard earned money and accused the government and the administrative machinery of patronizing such bogus companies.

Alleging that crores of rupees were being looted by the illegal financial companies, the KMSS said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had no moral right to continue and demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister.

Addressing mediapersons here, general secretary of KMSS Akhil Gogoi said that the 156 financial companies running in Assam, that included the names of many leading companies, were not included in the list of 271 non-banking financial companies authorized by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to accept public deposits.

Terra Mayaa in Anil Plaza

Terra Mayaa is  a good restaurant in Anil Plaza. It has a lounge, balcony and fine dine. Nice ambiance and good food.

Two injured in tiger attack

Guwahati: Two persons were injured after being attacked by a tiger on the vicinity of the Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Sunday.

Rajesh Naidu and Karma Bhumij, residents of a local tea garden, had gone to Bogorijuri South area near the Park to collect firewood where they were attacked by the tiger hiding in the woods, official sources said.

Though both sustained serious injuries, they fought back with sticks and the animal fled.

They were first admitted to a local hospital and then shifted to Jorhat Civil Hospital.

Powerful blast on railway tracks in Kokrajhar, Assam

Passengers of the Howrah-Guwahati down Garibrath Express had a providential escape on Sunday when a powerful bomb exploded on the railway tracks minutes after it passed Goabari in lower Assam's Kokrajhar district. There was no casualty or injury.

The bomb suspected to have been planted by the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) exploded at 1:10 am two minutes after the train passed the area between Gossaigaon and Fakiragram, police said. The blast blew away three feet of railway track and left a two feet deep crater at the spot, they said.

Northeast Briefs

Northeast Briefs

Tiger attack

Jorhat, Feb. 3: Two persons — Karma Bhumij and Rajesh Naidu — were injured after they were allegedly attacked by a tiger at Bogoriguri village, near the Iora resort close to Kaziranga National Park this afternoon.

Road mishap

Tinsukia: Hira Rai, 35, was killed on the spot on Saturday night when the Santro car he was travelling in hit a truck parked on NH 37 at Margherita Tiniali here. Driver Sunil Sarmah was severely injured and has been admitted to the district government hospital here.

Security meet

Guwahati: Chief secretary Naba Kumar Das on Sunday reviewed the status of railway security with the general manager of NFR, police, army and intelligence personnel. Sources said in the meeting, the army and paramilitary forces were alerted against possible subversive activities by militants on railway tracks, stations and other railway property.

Duo held

Imphal (PTI): Laish-ram Kripa and Heisnam Lukhoi were arrested for killing an endangered Sangaideer at Keibul Lamjao National Park in Manipur’s Bishnupur district. They have been remanded in five-day police custody.

Movement

Dhubri: The civil disobedience movement called by the Rabha Hasong Joint Movement Forum will begin in Rabha Hasong Autono-mous Council Area from Monday. The forum is demanding cancellation of panchayat polls.

Plea to preserve ethnic folklore - Experts from russia impressed with mayong’s ‘magic’

International experts on folklore today urged people of different ethnic groups to make an attempt to preserve their traditional knowledge system and linguistic and cultural heritage that form an integral part of their folklore.

This, they said, would help them keep their rich ethnicity intact.

Over 20 international experts on folklore are here to participate in a two-day international seminar — Genres of Belief from a Folkloristic Perspective — organised by the School of Media Sciences and Cultural Studies, University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, (USTM) in association with the department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore, University of Tartu, Estonia, on Monday and Tuesday on the USTM premises on the city outskirts.

The seminar has been organised to highlight research that is being done on belief narratives and vernacular religion, which forms a vital part of the rising trends in international folklore.

Interacting with reporters today, Ulo Valk, professor and expert on folklore from the University of Tartu, said, “Beliefs are a very strong part of our social system and are intricately related to our daily practices and not just supernatural powers. For instance, folklore is closely associated with language that is the source of creativity to continue our traditions. The Northeast region is inhabited by hundreds of different ethnic communities with their own languages. For every person his mother tongue is crucial to express his thoughts and hence, has to be safeguarded. The Puranas, The Ramayan and The Mahabharat speak extensively of the rich folklore and traditional practices of India.”

“I am very impressed by the rich culture and folklore of the different communities here and they are very different from the culture of Russia, where I come from. In fact, many ideas, beliefs and stories from India have taken root in Russia. It is encouraging to see that indigenous knowledge, that is very valuable, is still being given importance here,” Anastasiya Astapova, a researcher from the University of Tartu, said.