Bangla admits presence of  terror bases

Bangladesh acknowledged the possibility of existence of ISI and al-Qaeda networks in its territory. ISI and al-Qaeda have their networks throughout the world and they might have their activities in our country also but we are not aware of this Foreign Minister M Norshed Khan said. When pointed out that different insurgent outfits of North-Eastern India were using Bangladesh and that Pakistan’s ISI and al-Qaeda were aiding them in their subversive activities, Khan said “we are not aware about this.

Mobile phones in NE soon, says Thakur 

Union Minister for Development of North East Region C P Thakur had said Government would shortly allow use of cellular phones in the region and upgrade television and radio broadcast to counter Chinese and Bangladeshi programmes in the insurgency-hit area.. “After Jammu and Kashmir, the Government would allow use of cellular phones in the northeastern region. The Home and Defence ministries have cleared the proposal and is likely to be launched during Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s visit to Nagaland next month,” Thakur informed. The issue would come up in the next meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security, the minister added. Use of mobile phones is currently allowed only in Guwahati and Shillong in the region. “We would also upgrade our television and radio facilities in the region to counter the Chinese and Bangladeshi propaganda that the people of the North-East are subjected to,” he said.

AGP declines to join NE People’s Forum

The newly-formed North East People’s Front (NEPF) has suffered a set-back with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) rejecting its offer to join the forum. The political affairs committee meeting of the AGP held at the State party headquarter decided against joining the NEPF as it felt that it would not help the party to pursue its regional agenda. The AGP leadership looks more interested in consolidating the base of the party in the State than to embark on a bandwagon like the NEPF where there is strong presence of national parties like BJP, NCP, Samata Party. Although a section of senior AGP leader including the former President Prafulla Kumar Mahanta who has publicly aired his personal view in favour of AGP joining the NEPF, the party decided that it would be prudent to keep off the NEPF, which has been floated to fight common problems of North East States jointly.

Free medical assistance by NHPC

Subansiri Lower Project of     the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) organised a free medical camp and general health awareness programme at Halakhbari village of Dhemaji district recently. The camp was inaugurated by Subhash Roy, general manager, NHPC. NHPC’s Ladies Welfare Association also took part actively in the camp. A team    of four doctors, Dr P S Pegu  and Dr Jogen Das from PHC, Gogamukh and Dr Somitra  Parni from Health Department, Lakhimpur along with Dr. H. Sonowal from NHPC carried  out the medical check-up camp.

Rs 1.20 cr for houses in cyclone-hit area

Under the Prime Minister Gramin Swarojgar Yojana (PMGSY), an amount of Rs 1.20 crore has been released to the Dhubri DRDA for rebuilding the houses damaged in the devastating cyclone in April at Kalapani in Dhubri district. To rebuild the houses of over 700 families living in Nandia, Baliabul, Dhanua, Top-para, Patangitola, Bhurakata, Bhauskata and Kazipur, Dhubri DRDA submitted a proposal with a plan outlay of Rs 1.88 crore to the Ministry of Human Resources Development in May this year.

New facilities in RKM Hospital, Itanagar

The Ramakrishna Mission Hospital has further strengthened its diagnostic facilities by installing whole body CT scanner, color doppler and two deluxe cabins to effectively serve the people of Arunachal Pradesh. The scanner was inaugurated by the State Governor V. C. Pande, color doppler by Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj, general secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Belur Math.  Swami Smarananandaji said that the hospital had reached the status of referral hospital for   the State. 

Engineer rescued

An engineer kidnapped by suspected NDFB ultras was rescued by security forces and three of the ultras involved were nabbed in Sonitpur district. Two NDFB ultras came to the construction site where Parag Kumar Nath, an engineer working at Pavoi and kidnapped him at gunpoint.

Ultras kill Headmaster in Meghalaya   

Abducted Ampati government high school headmaster Mohammed Saharia’s body was recovered by the police from Bolsalagiri village. According to senior police officials, Garo villagers spotted the body of Saharia. The body bore three bullet and multiple injuries. The alarmed villagers immediately informed the Ampathi police station who subsequently found the body lying on the roadside. Police suspects the hand of proscribed ANVC behind the killing. Suspected ANVC militants abducted Saharia on September 11 last from his school premises. Police said that a group of armed militants abducted Saharia from his school’s common room. Militants reportedly abducted Saharia as he had failed to comply with their demand. 

Mizo writer receives literary award  

Dr Laltluangliana Khiangte, head of the Mizo department in the Mizoram University, has been awarded the  prestigious Rashtriya Lok Bhasha Samman 2003 award. Dr Khiangte was in New Delhi recently to attend the National Conference on Tribal Languages where he presented a paper about the Mizo language and   its literature. Dr Khiangte is one of the 11 individual recipients of the award. Four of the awards went to institutions. Dr Laltluangliana Khiangte is one of the most renowned among Mizo contemporary writers and has immensely contributed towards the development and promotion of Mizo literature. Many of his works have been translated into English and Hindi.

Replacement of Assam Rifles by IRB demanded

A Manipur women’s body has demanded replacement of Assam Rifles personnel deployed at the border town of Moreh by India Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel. President of the Kha-Nongpok Apunba Nupi Lup Kangabam Keina Leima claimed that a Kuki youth and two Meiteis were killed on September 11 at Moreh in separate incidents by unidentified gunmen. Minutes after the Kuki youth was killed, Assam Rifles personnel harassed and tortured people belonging to a particular community, Leima said alleging that   Central para military forces remained silent when the two Meiteis were killed in the evening on the same day. Leima said Moreh is inhabited by people from different communities and demanded immediate replacement of Assam Rifles personnel by IRB personnel.

Policeman commits suicide 

A young policeman in Tripura committed suicide with his SLR immediately after reporting for duty in the ground floor of the Chief Minister’s chamber within the Tripura state secretariat complex. Raju Chakraborty (32) who got married only two years back and father of a six-month-old daughter reported for his duty   in the morning and went to the duty room. Immediately  after that a sound of gun shot was heard and people rushed only to find Raju lying in a pool of blood with a bullet injury in his head.The reason behind this desperate act is still not known.

NSCN (IM) bans illegal collection

The NSCN (IM) has banned illegal collections on the pretext of tax by various unions, associations, organisations indefinitely following various complaints from the general public in this connection. A release by the NCSN (IM) said that the decision in this regard was taken by the council of kilonsers (ministers), Government Public Republic of Nagalim (GPRN) and warned anyone found or caught indulging in such practices will be arrested and their unions/associations will be “banned from operation”. The release also urged the general public and welfare unions/organizations to comply with the directive and cooperate with it for the betterment to the society.

Creation of new district raised

The Sajolong, Akas and Buguns-inhabited parts of the East and West Kameng district of Aruanchal have been raised for creation of a new district bifurcating seven adminisitrative circles of the two districts. This was decided in a public meeting held on September 14 last at Singchum in the West Kameng district of the State under the Chairmanship of Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Naresh Glow. Besides, political leaders, several public and village leaders attended the meeting for creation of Bichom district. The meeting unanimously resolved that the genuine demand, ignored by the previous Congress government, should be honoured by the present government consideirng geographical difficulties as well as ethnic consideration of the areas. It also formed a joint action committee for creation of Bichum distirct.

Govt blocks  HNLC website

The Centre has blocked the website of Meghalaya-based ultra outfit HNLC with the prospect of similar action on other underground outfits looming large. The action by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is considered significant even as websites of other outfits, including NSCN (IM)’s, has become inaccessible. However, the host yahoo.com has refused to comply with the request by Government to take out materials of the HNLC from its reference. In Assam, both ULFA and NDFB have their own websites but ULFA’s website, with angelfire.com, has been out of operation for a long period.

Civilians killed by CRPF: Local bodies

Different local organisations have alleged that CRPF firing after the escape of unidentified militants resulted in the killing of six civilians at Sugnu in Thoubal district of Manipur. In separate statements, the organisations, including Sugnu Bazar Organisation, claimed that the crpf personnel opened fire in different directions after the militants, who attacked them, escaped to nearby thick hill forests. They said that the CRPF personnel opened fire also at spectators who were watching a football match and all the six killed were spectators of the match. Official sources said that seven persons — six civilians and a CRPF man — were killed. 

Award for scribes

Three scribes from Goa, Chattisgarh and Assam have been awarded Sarojini Naidu Prize for excellence in print media reporting on ‘women in panchayati raj’. MPC expresses faith in ZNP-MPC alliance. The Mizoram People’s Conference (MPC) has expressed full confidence in its poll partner, the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP). Asserting this the MPC president and leader of the Opposition Mr Lalhmingthanga claimed,” if everything goes fine the alliance of MPC-ZNP will form the next government in the State with a huge mandate.” The MPC president said all the terms and conditions of the alliance have been approved by his party’s executive and state council. While there are no definite details over the nature of the alliance formed on August 28, but the MPC president gave indications that there would be partial seat sharing agreement between the two parties, but declined to divulge further details. Meanwhile, optimistic over the outcome of the current alliance, Mr Lalhmingthanga said the MPC-ZNP alliance which has the approval of nationalists, salaried class and the church leaders is a milestone in the political history of Mizoram and added that for the first time the electorate of Mizoram will have an option

DAN set up  Peace committee 

The much talked peace committee of the state government was set in motion with the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), constituting a twelve member sub-committee to addressed the peace and unity to all the Naga National workers will be headed by I.K Sema, working president of Nagaland Peoples’ Front (NPF) and former deputy chief minister of Nagaland.

Sonar Cachar editor hacked to death

In a gruesome, miscreants hacked to death Ranabir Roy, the Editor and Managing Director of popular Bengali daily Sonar Cachar, while he was on his way to inaugurate the RR Memorial English School in the heart of Silchar. The incident occurred, when a group of 10-15 youths attacked Roy with sharp weapons. Roy died on the spot. The attack is believed to be the result of a dispute over the ownership of the plot of land on which the new school is situated. Two more persons, who were accompanying Roy, were also grievously injured in the attack and admitted to hospital. They have been identified as Babul Rabi Roy and Shyamal Rabi Roy.

Army busts fake currency racket

The jawans of 28 Punjab Regiment stationed at  Tiloinagar busted a racket engaged in printing fake notes  at Khumtai in Charaideo subdivision. The Army personnel caught fives persons — Raju Bora of Barpathar, Khirod Bora of Joysagar Kareng Tiniali, Utpal Dutta of Sivasagar, Manoj Dutta of Babupatty and Mahendra Chutia — and seized printing materials for fake notes from their possession. The Army handed over the five to Moranhat police, which sent them to two days’ police remand. 

Opposition to amendment 

The 6th Schedule Demand Committee, Manipur has resolved to oppose the proposed amendment of the village Authorities Act.

India-Hanoi rail link

Union Minister of state for Commerce and Industry Satyabrata Mookherjee said that entre has drawn up a master plan for a railway line linking India and Hanoi, the Vietnam capital via Bangladesh after passing through the northeast states of Nagaland and Manipur. “The vision of India-Hanoi rail link will become a reality in the future,” he asserted.

Govt encouraging influx : BJP 

Accusing the Assam Government of encouraging unabated influx from Bangladesh, the BJP’s Assam unit said that in keeping with its minority appeasement policy, the Congress Government is allowing itself to be dictated    by a handful of Jamiat leaders. The situation has come to such   a pass that the infiltrators are now encroaching on land belonging to various Satras in the State, said BJP spokesman Ashok Singhal. He said that the infiltrators have already encroached on 66 bighas of   land belonging to the  Alipukhuri Satra in Nagaon district. “Even after the  presence of 70 lakh Bangladeshis in the State it is unfortunate that the Chief Minister has termed it as no problem at all,” he said.

Tangkhul women against construction

The Imphal Tangkhul Shanao Long has called for shifting of the proposed market complex at New Lambulane to a new place in the vicinity of the commercial complex not in one corner  which is dominated by one or two community.

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