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.