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.