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Centre clears
construction of concrete cut and cover tunnel near
Sonapur (Silchar)
Centre clears N-E project
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| OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA | ||
Silchar, Nov. 28: The Union ministry of road
transport and highways has finally approved the much
delayed proposal of the Border Roads Organisation
to build a reinforced concrete
cut and cover tunnel on
NH 44 near Sonapur hamlet on the Assam-Meghalaya
boundary near Cachar district.
The tunnel, which will be built
at a cost of Rs 117 crore, aims at
preventing landslides and rock slips on this highway,
linking the south Assam districts, Mizoram and Tripura
with Meghalaya.
Frequent landslides on this highway during the
monsoon, particularly since 1998, has often led to the
closure of this lone road connectivity for the three
states, thus crippling inter-state transportation and
movement of passengers.
The proposal for building a tunnel on this highway was
first mooted in 1999.
But the project got lost in bureaucratic delays and
bungling.
Union minister for heavy industries and a Congress MP
in the Lok Sabha from Cachar, Sontosh Mohan Dev, took
the initiative for execution of the project.
He told mediapersons last night that the tunnel would
be 120 metres long and eight metres wide. A 5-metre-
high cushion would also be provided on the roof of the
tunnel for preventing seepage of water through the
tunnel onto the road below.
A source in the 42 Border Roads Task Force, which is
in-charge of repairs and maintenance of the highway,
said one special feature of this state-of-the- art
tunnel would be four culverts.
He added that this would allow proper funnelling of
the debris resulting from landslides, along with water
from the slopes of the hills over the tunnel into the
nearby gorges.
During construction of the tunnel, a diversion road by
the side of the highway, equipped with cross drainage
works, would also be built temporarily for smooth flow
of traffic.
On an average, 1,500 vehicles ply along this highway through a network of hills which are too young and hence vulnerable to landslides during the monsoon.
Gauge conversion in Asom From our Correspondent Sentinel Assam NEW DELHI, Nov 30: The present progress of Lumding-Badarpur railway gauge conversion work under NF Railway — nine of 73 major bridges, 252 of 316 minor bridges, 2,649 metres of 16,764 metres tunnelling and 18,354 cubic metres of 4,90,000 cubic metres ballast collection — have been completed, Union Minister of State for Railways R Velu informed the Rajya Sabha today while responding to a question from Silvius Condpan of Asom. Replying to another question, the minister said the survey of seven new line was completed during the last three years in the North-east. The new lines under survey at present are Tuli-Tuli Town, Murkongselek- Pasighat, Bedeti-Iteranagar, Azara-Byrnihat, Bhairabi-Sairang/ Aizwal, Dimapur-Kohima and Agartala-Sabroom.
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From our Correspondent Sentinel Assam
KOKRAJHAR, Nov 28: The people of Kokrajhar have been witnesses to the maintenance of discipline while holding big events in Kokrajhar. However, a programme organized in the town, where Zee TV Voice of India winner Debojit Saha was to perform ended in complete disarray and confusion. The programme was arranged in connection with the celebration of the golden jubilee of DN Himatsingka Bengali Medium High School at on November 26, which was a witness to the poor quality of discipline and organizing capabilities.
The people of Kokrajhar had been expecting a lot of fun at the Debojit Saha nite and had flooded the DN Himatsingka School field. But the organizer could not maintain discipline and as a result, the programme got disrupted. The seating arrangement was not sufficient and many spectators were seen pushing shoving one another for seats, which later went beyond the control of the organizers. Even the invited guests having VIP and VVIP cards and passes did not get seats. Even the number of volunteers was not enough and the few of them could in no position control the crowd.
Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) EM Derhasat Basumatary, president of the observance committee was also seen acting out his duty as a volunteer and was busy in controlling the people near the stage. After some time, a wire of the stage lights tore off creating panic among the people. The Debojit fans of Kokrajhar have expressed their unhappiness over the poor quality of work done by the organizers. Debojit Saha was amazed to see the crowd people, who had gathered to get a glimpse of their star. But the organizers failed to live up to the expectations of the people.
Delhi nudge to Tipaimukh Dam
OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA
Silchar, Nov. 20: The Centre has advised the Manipur
government to expedite the final public hearing on the
Tipaimukh hydel power project, which has already been
considerably delayed.
Irked by the setbacks to the hydel power project at
Tipai-mukh, on Manipur’s boundary with Assam’s Cachar
district, Delhi has now asked the Ibobi Singh government to
arrange yet another public hearing, expected to be the last,
either in Imphal or Churachandpur on this project. After
this hearing, the Union forest and environment ministry may
grant its long pending environment clearance.
Such a public hearing is needed to gauge the extent of the
consent of the people to any industrial project,
particularly with reference to its impact on the surrounding
forest cover and environment.
After such public hearings, the environment impact
assessment wing of the Union forest and environment ministry
usually clears the last hurdle for any industry or plant
before it embarks on construction.
Controversy has dogged the Tipaimukh hydel project, to be
located at the confluence of the rivers Barak and Tuivai in
Churachandpur district of Manipur. It is one of the biggest
power ventures in the Northeast.
The Centre felt the need for yet another round of public
hearings as it is not satisfied with the “lukewarm response”
of the Manipuris, particularly the tribals, to at least six
such public hearings on the project.
Also, several NGOs in Manipur were dissatisfied with such
public hearings because they pointed to the lack of
widespread public participation in the hearings. The Hmar
tribals, who comprise the majority of the residents at the
project site, had expressed fears about such a mammoth
project in a seismic zone, but these apprehensions were not
adequately addressed.
Several NGOs have voiced fears that this project would
devastate vital forest land and natural resources.
‘No
plan to set up hydropower project in Barak Valley’
From Our
Correspondent Assam Tribune
KARIMGANJ, Nov 29 – Even though Assam boasts of being one
of the few States in the country having enormous hydro-power
potential with its vast river water resources, the
assessment studies of the government speaks otherwise so far
as setting up of hydropower plants on
Barak river and its tributaries is concerned.
As per re-assessment studies of hydro-power potential
carried out by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the
hydro electric potential of
Barak river and neighbouring rivers of Manipur,
Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya is only 3,908 MW at 60 per
cent load factor.
The CEA has identified 60 hydro-electric schemes with a
total aggregate installed capacity of 6,679 MW. But none of
these identified schemes is located in
Assam. This revelation was made by the Union Power
Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in a reply to a letter of Lalit
Kumar Suklabaidya, MP Karimganj.
Complete News Here:
OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA
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| Test begins |
River route adds wind to
hydel project sails
OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA
Karimganj
Nov. 13: A landmark navigation facility is set to be
inaugurated soon in the Barak waterways between Bhanga
village in Karimganj district on the Indo-Bangladesh border
and Tipaimukh, the site of a Rs 6,000-crore mega hydel power
complex in southwest Manipur.
The primary aim is to ease transportation of materials for
the proposed plant in Manipur.
Official sources here aver that the introduction of river
cargo services on the 210-km river stretch will give a
much-needed shot in the arm to this meandering river that
has been declared by the Centre as National Waterway 6.
At the branch office of the Central Inland Water Transport
Corporation (CIWTC) in Karimganj, senior officials of the
corporation yesterday said that cargo ships would initially
ply between Silchar, the second largest town in Assam, and
the project site at Tipaimukh, a hilltop village atthe
confluence of the Barak and the Tuivai rivers.
Complete News
Here:
Section 144 along Indo-Bangla border
SILCHAR, June 28: Assam’s Cachar district
administration today clamped prohibitory orders along the
Indo-Bangla border to prevent influx of militants from
Bangladesh. District Magistrate Gautam Ganguly
imposed prohibitory orders under Sec 144 CrPC along the
Indo-Bangla on the bank of Surama river as there was a
likelihood of militants crossing over from
Bangladesh.
Assam varsity VC visits China, signs letter of intent
From Our
Correspondent
SILCHAR, Nov 20 – Vice Chancellor of Assam University, Prof
Tapoadhir Bhattacharjee recently visited universities of
China. During his visit, he visited six universities
- Communication University of China, Beijing, Tisnghua
University,
Shenyang University, North-Eastern Univeristy,
Shenyang, Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong
University. The specific objective of the visit was to
initiate co-operation and collaboration with student and
faculty exchanges, research projects, lectuers through
video conferencing and Chinese and India Language
learning.
As per information received, there are three types
universities in China. These are Central University,
Provincial University and
City University. All these universities have
distinctive qualities and are highly acceptable among the
Chinese people.
Complete News Here:
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Staff slash triggers breakdown in the Barak
Valley
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| OUR CORRESPONDENT Telegraph India | |||
Nov. 21: A newly-wed wife awaiting a letter
from her husband that never arrives — this is no scene
from a Bollywood film, but an apt representation of
how snail mail works in the Barak Valley districts.
The postal department’s decision to reduce the number
of employees in
Cachar division — comprising the four districts
of Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and
North Cachar Hills — has lead to a
near-breakdown of postal services in the valley.
“Postal services in the valley are the worst we have
seen in years. People are not receiving their mail
regularly,” a source said.
An employee of the post office located near Gurucharan
College in Silchar said mailbags were arriving
inordinately late and distribution was taking longer
than usual because of the shortage of peons. “This
post office previously had four peons, two of whom
were withdrawn recently. We were told that the two
posts were abolished. How can you expect us to deliver
mail on time with inadequate manpower?’ he asked.
After several requests from the post office, the post
and telegraph department sanctioned the appointment of
a temporary worker with a daily wage of Rs 49.
In the last few months, at least 17 posts — all of
peons — have been abolished in different post offices
under the Cachar division.
Even the head post office in Silchar now has to make
do with skeletal staff. The posts of three peons, two
Grade IV employees and as many stamp vendors have been
abolished.
One assistant postmaster has been withdrawn and a
decision has been taken to shift the senior postmaster
elsewhere. The post of senior superintendent, who is
the head of the entire division, will be abolished as
well and the superintendent will be given charge of
the entire division.
The abolishment of the posts has caused resentment
among the postal employees of the division. Various
employee unions and associations have expressed
resentment over the decision.
The National Federation of Postal Employees in Silchar
complained about the workload on post offices being
increased — they now accept payment of monthly
telephone bills, too — without augmenting the staff
strength.
“Peons are doing the job of delivering SIM cards,
verification and identification of mobile telephone
subscribers. Our unions will launch an agitation if
the authorities do not stop the process of abolishing
posts right, left and centre,” a senior employee of
the head post office in Silchar said.
Although dependence on snail mail decreased with the
advent of email and the proliferation of private
courier services, most official correspondence is
still done through the postal department.
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Rebel group owns up to
abduction
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| OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA |
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Silchar, Nov. 21: The self-styled
commander-in-chief of the United Liberation Front of
Barak Valley, Panchauram Apeto Reang, last night
claimed responsibility for the abduction of the beat
officer of the Gharmurra-Bairabhi forest range,
Narayan Kumar Nandi.
The officer was abducted from his office-cum-residence
in Ramnathpur village yesterday. The CRPF today picked
up five youths from Jamira for interrogation. Nandi’s
family has not received any ransom note till this
morning.
Reang said his group would carry out more such
abductions to protest the “sheer indifference” of the
Assam government and the district administration to
their demands.
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Assam defeated Kerala in
Silchar Ranji tie
Kerala trip on Bichitra spin
- Assam post season’s first outright win |
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| OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA | |||
Hailakandi, Nov. 26: So close, yet so far.
Visitors Kerala, who were eyeing an outright win
yesterday, today ended up handing a 32-run victory to
Assam — the first for the hosts in the current Ranji
Trophy season — in a Plate Group-A match at S.M. Dev
Stadium in Silchar.
With 66 runs to win and four wickets to spare in the
second innings, the visitors today failed to negotiate
the spin attack of left-arm spinner Bichitra Baruah
and were all out for 233 in 126 overs before lunch.
Assam scored 198 runs in the first innings while the
visitors were bowled out for 85 in 52.2 overs. In the
second innings, Assam posted a total of 152 runs,
losing all the wickets in 49.3 overs on the second day
of the match on Saturday.
Set a target of 266 runs to win the tie, Kerala were
reduced to 64 for five in the second innings
yesterday. However, a brilliant 136-run sixth wicket
stand between southpaws Rohan Prem (53) and P.
Prasanth yesterday, helped Kerala overcome the top
order collapse to be close to victory at the end of
the third day.
Complete News :
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Silchar: The Centre has granted Rs 32 crore under the 12th Finance Commission funds to develop the 800-bed Silchar Medical College and Hospital in Ghoonger near Silchar town.
Lok
Adalat at Silchar disposes of 499 cases
From Our
Correspondent Assam Tribune
HAILAKANDI, Nov 26 – A total of 499 cases were disposed of
at a Lok Adalat held at Silchar on Sunday.
Court sources informed that altogether 1,382 cases were put
up in the 12 booths, and of them 499 cases were disposed of.
Rupees 86.88 lakh was realised as fine from the 350 motor
vehicles cases. Altogether 700 cases were put up for
disposal. Rupees 8,600 was collected as fine from 147
criminal cases.
Digital meters: The Ghaniala-Malugram Legal
Aid Cell has demanded a stop to replacing the existing
meters with digital ones.
In a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of Cachar, the
cell alleged that the common people are suffering a lot
after replacment of their existing manual meters. The cell
also threatened to launch a democratic movement against the
fitting of digital meters by the authorities.
Musical nite: A classical music programme
is being organised by the Silchar Nadbrinda on December 16
next.
The entire programme will be conducted by world famous
tablist Pt Kumar Bose, while Pt Rajen and Sajen Mishra will
perform vocal music.
Children’s prog: Under the auspices of
Children’s development Centre here, a daylong programme for
minors was organised recently at Panchgram in Hailakandi
district.
It was inaugurated by the chief of Cachar Paper Mill under
Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC), Kallol Acharjee. The
inaugural function held on the occasion was addressed among
others by PS Ghosh, Mohan Jha, Shivam Kutty, Niharendu Dhar
and the president of the Centre, Manash Bhattacharjee.
CPM meet: A day-long conference of the
joint committees of Dullavcherra-Ramkrishnanagar and
Nivia-Cheragi local committees of CPM was recently held at
Beratuk LP School of Anipur in Karimganj district.
Various resolutions were adopted in the conference. Veteran
CPM leader Gopi Mohan Mukherjee inaugurated the conference
by hoisting the flag. In the open session held under the
presidentship of a panel comprising Jadunath Koiri, Girban
Sekhar Das and Renuka Sinha. District committee secretary
Nishit Das placed the secretarial report.
The resolutions adopted at the conference include
finalisation of strategies for the ensuing Panchayat polls,
to check price rise, to check encroachment of forest areas
of the locality, to start the sugar mill and the tea gardens
again in the collective interest of the employees.
Loan recovery camp: Under the auspices of
Algapur branch of Assam Gramin Vikash Bank, a loan
recovery-cum-loan distribution and awareness camp was
recently organised at Algapur in Hailakandi district.
It was informed in the meeting that the loans under Kishan
Credit Card (KCC) will be distributed among 28 farmers worth
Rs 4.49 lakh. Besides, SHGs will be provided loans worth Rs
20 lakh under the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY)
of the District Rural Development Agency. Rs 80,000 will be
given to four handicapped boys of the locality by the Assam
Gramin Vikash Bank. A large number of people of the locality
attended the recovery camp.
Congress meet: A meeting of the Bahadurpur
Mondal Congress Committee was held under the presidentship
of Dakshina Ranjan Chanda at Brojapur MV School here on
November 25 to discuss the matters relating to the ensuing
Panchayat elections.
The meeting was addressed by Jilkadar Ali Barbhuiya, Jakaria
Choudhury, Lalu Mian, Kutub Uddin and Kamrul Islam Choudhury
among others. The meeting decided to strengthen the party
before the Panchayat elections at the grass root level. A 31
member committee was also formed with Jakaria Choudhury as
president and Kamrul Islam Choudhury as general secretary to
conduct the party activities during the Panchayat elections.
The Union Human Resource Development Minister Mr.
Arjun Singh laid the foundation stone for the
seventh
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in
Shillong today. The institute named after the late
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, will be the first IIM in the
north-eastern region. It will start functioning from next
academic year from a temporary campus in
Shillong city with 60 students for Post Graduate
diploma in Business Management in the first year.
Subsequently, it will be expanded to 120 seats in the
third year and 180 in the sixth year. It will also provide
specialized courses to meet the specific need of the
region. Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony,
Mr. Arjan Singh that north-east is on the march and the
institute will help people achieving a bright future.
Meghalaya Chief minister Dr. D.D.Lapang said that Centre’s
thrust on development in north-east and its ‘Look East
policy’ has created lot of avenues for private sector. He
hoped that the new IIM will be required to fulfill the
much - needed management skills for the region.
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