26 Apr, 2008, 2202 hrs IST, PTI
GUWAHATI: Normal life was affected in Bodoland Territorial
Administrative Districts (BTAD) oflower Assam and in
Silchar
in the wake of two bandhs separately called by different
organisations on Saturday.
Markets, shops, offices, educational institutions and
banks were closed in the bandh-affected areas and vehicles
kept off the roads, official sources said.
Air services, however, were unaffected in Silchar while
trains in both the BTAD area and Silchar plied normally,
the sources said.
The Bodoland Peoples Progressive Front (BPPF) called the
shutdown in BTAD areas to protest the attack on its member
Debaraju Narzary at Malaguri under Gossaigaon police
station on Thursday.
The BTAD districts include Kokrajhar, Baska, Udalguri and
Chirang in lower Assam.
The Silchar
bandh, supported by BJP, was called by an NGO Sohaoi and
Bharat Juba Manch on the power crisis issue and slow
progress of roads and drainage work in Silchar town of
Cachar
district.
The police took into custody several picketers from
different parts of the town as a preventive measure but
there was no report of any untoward incident.
Speedy completion of BG works stressed
From
Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
BADARPUR, April 22 – Railway high officials met with the
NF Railway General Manager Ashutosh Swami at
Badarpur Railway Station
Superientendent office chamber recently on the issue of
Lumding-Badarpur-Silchar Broad Gauge and the present
situation of the Lumding-Badarpur hill section.
During the two and a half hour discussion, the development
of the Badarpur Railway Sub division also figured.
GM Ashutosh Swami stressed on the quick development of BG
project and also the development of Lumding-Badarpur hill
section. In this connection, NFR GM gave clearcut
instructions to all high officials and employees of
Railways, to do their best for speedy completion of the BG
work between Lumding-Badarpur hill section and Silchar
section.
Talking to the media persons, NFR GM Ashutosh Swami
refused to make any comment on the Badarpur model Station.
“I can only say that all sorts of developmental works of
Badarpur Railway Junction including Rly station and Rly
Yards, will be done gradually, along with speedy
developmental works of BG alignment between
Lumding-Badarpur hill section and Silchar section, he said
adding that most probably BG construction works will be
completed within 2010.
NF Railway General Manager Ashutosh Swami will also
inspect the construction works of MG line between Ambasa
and Agartala.
Power crisis in Silchar
From
Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
SILCHAR, April 21 – Silchar town is yet again reeling
under power crisis. Every hour, there is loadshedding.
Even during day time loadshedding occurs in the town area.
Coupled with the crisis, the summer heat too is making
life miserable for people here.
As per the information received, Silchar town area and now
getting one third power of its requirement. The entire
Barak Valley, during peak hours, requires 85 to 90 mw. But
now it is getting 30 to 40 megawatt.
Sources say that the private companies are willing to sell
electricity in Assam, but they are demanding huge amount
of money. Sources also say that earlier the consumption of
electricity was nominal. But day by day, the consumption
is increasing.
Talent hunt music contest at Badarpur
From
Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
BADARPUR, April 29 – ‘Phonenix’ – a social cultural
organisation of Badarpur will conduct a three-day cultural
programme from May 10 to 12 at Badarpur Railway Institute.
The programmes will comprise of different forms of
competitions, such as Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, folk
songs, creative dance, Rabindra Nritya and art
competition. Besides, a mega musical competition,
“SaReGaMaPa-Barak Hunt”, will also be held.
On this occasion, a press-meet was held on Wednesday at
Badarpur Railway Institute, where all the members of the
organisation explained the significance of this
competition, and said that its only aim is to search the
talented singers in
Barak
Valley,
through mega musical reality show.
For, holding this competition successfully, arrangements
are being made by the organisation, said members of
‘Phoenix’.
Audition’s for this competition held on May 4 at Silchar
GC College, and May 5 at Badarpur
Railway Institute. Besides these places Kalain, Udharband,
Patharkandi and Hailakandi have also been selected for
auditions.
Noted music director of Tallyganj ,
Kolkata , Ashok Bhadra
will be present as Judge in this competition.
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Team to tour Calcutta |
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OUR CORRESPONDENT Telegraph India |
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Hailakandi, April 28: A 20-member under-17 team of the Silchar Cricket Coaching Centre will go on an exposure tour of Calcutta from May 1 onwards. The coaching centre has sanctioned Rs 40,000 for the entire exposure tour. The team will play six matches against various cricket-coaching centres there. They will play their first match at Salt Lake on May 1. Apart from playing the six matches, they might play a match against Arun Lal Academy. The date and the venue of the other matches are yet to be decided. President of the coaching centre Sujit Dutta Gupta said the team left Silchar today, accompanied by coach Niharendu Deb and manager Sujay Duttaray. Duttaray is also the secretary of the coaching centre. The officials said it was the third exposure tour for its trainees. Secretary of District Sports Association (DSA), Silchar, Babul Hore said this type of exposure tours not only improves the skills of budding players but also helps develop cricket in the district. He said the Silchar Cricket Coaching Centre and the District Cricket Players’ Association played a key role by organising Ranji matches in Silchar way back in 1987 |
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IMPHAL: Drilling machines and other equipment worth crores of rupees kept for construction of Tipaimukh dam at the tri-junction of Manipur, Mizoram and Assam were destroyed by unidentified people, official sources said on Monday. The sources said a group of gunmen came to the Tipaimukh dam site in Manipur's Churachandpur district bordering Mizoram and Assam, threatened the employees there and destroyed the drilling machines and other sophisticated equipment on Saturday evening. About 13 engineers of the dam project and 79 labourers fled the site, about 390 km from here, and took shelter at Silchar in Assam following threats from the gunmen, unofficial reports from Churachandpur said. Several organisations have been opposing the construction of the dam over Barak river by the Centre for the past many years as they said it would displace hundreds of villages in the area. The Former Union Power Minister Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde had laid the foundation stone of the project on December 16, 2006. - PTI |
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A dicey game of votes & publicity - The singer bemoans the region’s lack of awareness about his new show |
| IDOL CHAT |
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Voice of India Debojit Saha speaks about the enormous lack of publicity that his recent show suffers in the Northeast Amid the hectic rehearsals and shooting for the musical reality show Jo Jeeta Wohi Superstar something very disconcerting suddenly struck me — that the new show is receiving very little publicity in the Northeast. Actually, it was something that an old acquaintance mentioned during a conversation. That got me thinking. Unlike many other talent hunt programmes, which were highly publicised, this new show has hardly been “advertised”. And this lack of publicity seems to have hit the Northeast the most. In several other states, big posters and banners of the show have been put up. But people in the Northeast are not even aware of the show. “Since all the people cannot be expected to watch this particular channel, it is publicity that creates awareness,” my acquaintance pointed out. I was taken aback. As one of the six champions and 12 challengers who are part of the contest — two champions have already been eliminated — I feel there should be an even ground for all. The contestants must have their share of people’s votes, which naturally pour in from their home state or region. I remember the wave of support for me when I was a contestant in the SaReGaMaPa contest in Zee TV in 2006. It was an unbelievable experience. Even though a long time has passed since then, I still remember every moment vividly. What makes me happy is the fact that the love of the people has not diminished even one bit. People in the Northeast still flock to see me perform and cheer me with the same enthusiasm. In the present scenario, viewers’ votes play a crucial role in making or breaking a contestant’s dreams. It pains me when I realise that the people of the Northeast have not yet been “informed” in detail about this new contest. I may sound selfish here but it is not just about me. Tomorrow, another contestant may face the same situation. I have also received a lot of complaints from my fans for not staying back in Assam and performing in the Bihu functions. I can apologise profusely. But I want to keep my voice “fresh” for this contest. However, next Bihu I will be with you all through the month of Bohag. That’s a promise. |
BJP threatens stir over creation of Badarpur railway
division
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
BARPETA, April 28 – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has
threatened that if the State and Central governments and
the railway administration do not take any steps
immediately for speedy implementation of setting up of
Badarpur railway division, and also do not take any
necessary arrangements for converting the Badarpur railway
junction into a ‘model station’ along with Karimganj
railway station, then the party will start a mass
movement.
This was stated by the BJP’s Karimganj district president
Biswaroop Bhattacharyya in an exclusive interview with
this correspondent. Vehemently criticising the Union
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, the State government
and the Railway administration, Bhattacharyya also said
that the district BJP is agitated and perturbed due to
Central government’s announcement of upgradation of the 33
railway stations of entire north-eastern region as ‘model
stations’, excluding the Badarpur railway station, which
is a railway subdivisional headquarters town.
The district BJP president also said that Badarpur and
Karimganj railway stations must have to be included in the
list of ‘model stations’ otherwise a widespread mass
movement will be launched.
Bhattacharyya expressed concern that only Silchar has been
listed among the 33 model stations of the north-eastern
region excluding Badarpur, which is totally intolerable
for the people of Karimganj.
Bhattacharyya also said that it is a very vital and
genuine demand of the people of Badarpur as well as the
people of the entire Karimganj district since long and for
upgradation of Badarpur railway subdivision into Badarpur
railway division, several memorandums were submitted and
movements held a few years ago. But due to slackness on
the part of the Railway administration, State and Central
ministers, and lack of mass awareness regarding the
matter, the Badarpur railway sub-divison has not yet been
upgraded.
He informed that the matter of upgradation from
Badarpur Railway
sub-division to Badarpur Rail divison cannot be rejected
at all, as it has been a mass demand since long.
The BJP leader also directly blamed the Karimganj MP, LM
Suklabaidya, for his silence regarding these two main
issues alongwith other vital issues of Karimganj district.
Section 144 imposed: In view of the situation of spread of
bird flu in various parts
of Tripura, the Karimganj district administration has
taken stern steps by imposing Section 144 CrPC in the
entire Karimganj district.
Under this provision, birds and poultry would not be
allowed to enter Karimganj in particular, and Assam in
general, from Tripura and
Bangladesh.
If anybody violates or disobeys this order, stern steps
will be taken against the violators as per section 188 IPC.
Besides this sale and purchasing of ducks and hens have
also been banned in the entire Karimganj district
including the border areas for an indefinite period, until
further orders.
Meanwhile, the Rapid Response Teams (RRT) of Karimganj
Veterinary department have also been alerted to keep keen
observation on the situation. This step has been taken to
avoid the spread of bird flu
in the entire Karimganj district, district administration
sources said.
Regarding the matter, the district administration has also
sent letters to ADC (Development) of Karimganj, the chief
officials of Karimganj health department to take all
necessary arrangements to tackle the situation.
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Plea for local board offices |
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OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA |
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April 22: The Cachar unit of Assam Madhyamik Sikshak and Karmachari Sanstha has demanded the establishment of the office of additional directorate of elementary education and the regional office of Board of Secondary Education, Assam, in the district. The unit said the reason behind the demand is the difficulty of going to Guwahati on a regular basis given the lack of proper communication facilities. “The Cachar area is quite large and there is need to have offices of various educational bodies here,” a member of Cachar unit of Assam Madhyamik Sikshak and Karmachari Sanstha said. He was speaking at the two-day annual conference of the Sanstha at Borjatrapur in Cachar district, which ended on Sunday. The MLA of Lathighorah constituency, Ataur Rehman Borbhuiyah, expressed concern over the deterioration in the quality of teachers and urged them to work for the betterment of the community. Retired teacher and union leader Molay Bhattacharjee criticised the parents for admitting their children to private English medium schools and appealed to the teachers of government schools to improve the quality of education to attract the new generation. The members adopted six resolutions. These pertain to supply of books to schools at the beginning of the new academic year, filling up of vacant posts for teachers and organising workshops for them on a regular basis. It was also decided that midday meals would not be provided in secondary and higher secondary schools. An additional directorate of elementary education and the regional office of the Board of Secondary Education (SEBA) will be established in Barak Valley. |
Report on Cachar Paper Mill
CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE
MINISTRY OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES & PUBLIC ENTERPRISES MEETS
The Union Minister for Heavy Industries & Public
Enterprises, Shri Sontosh Mohan Dev has ordered to form a
high level committee headed by the Additional Secretary of
the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises to
look into the raw material and related problems of the
paper industry situated in the north-eastern region. Shri
Dev was addressing the Parliamentary Consultative
Committee meeting of the Ministry of Heavy Industries &
Public Enterprises here today. The subject was “Paper
Industry in the North-Eastern Region: Potential and
Prospects”.
Shri Dev said in his address that it is widely held that
per capita consumption of paper is an indicator of
development and literacy. The average per capita
consumption of paper in India
is merely 7 kg. per annum against the Asian average of 28
kg. per annum. He, however, said that the brighter side of
the picture is that the demand for paper in
India is on the rise and
thus this seems to be the appropriate time for an
expansion drive in the existing mills as well as venturing
into Greenfield projects in the sector.
Referring to the infrastructural bottlenecks of the
region, the Minister expressed the hope that once
“East-West Corridor” connecting Kohima/Silchar to
Porbander comes into existence, movement of incoming and
outgoing materials would be smooth.
The Minister of State, Shri Raghunath Jha also spoke on
this occasion.
Earlier, the CMD of Hindustan Paper Corporation, (HPC)
Shri Raji Philip explained the problems of paper industry
in the north-eastern region in general and the
achievements of HPC despite several constraints through a
presentation. HPC, a PSE in the Department of Heavy
Industry has two operating paper mills in the north-east –
Nagaon Paper Mill and Cachar Paper Mill. Both the mills
are profit making and are operating at more than 100%
capacity utilisation. HPC has been continuously making
profit since Financial Year 1996-97 and has paid Rs.60.40
crore as dividend and towards redemption of preference
shares to the Government of India in last two years. On
March 8, 2007, MoU Excellence Award was conferred on HPC
by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on the basis of the
company’s performance during 2005-06. Revival scheme for
the company’s paper mill in Nagaland – a joint venture of
HPC and Govt. of Nagaland, i.e. Nagaland Pulp & Paper
Company (NPPC) is under implementation.
*****
MG/SR
Source:
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=37754
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Soccer season to begin in Silchar |
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OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA |
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Hailakandi, April 24: The football season of Silchar District Sports Association will commence with the Samayik Prasanga Women’s Football tournament starting in the first week of May. Football secretary of the Silchar District Sports Association Ashit Dhar said the association had finalised the calendar for the football season. Sushila Sundari knockout tournament and Mridul Hore football championship will follow the women’s football tournament from the second and third weeks of May respectively. The super division double-leg championship will start in the first week of June. A first division football league will be played in the first week of July, while the L.M. Roy knockout tournament will be played in the third week of July, Dhar added. |
Silchar-based company honoured
From
Our Staff Correspondent Assam Tribune
DIBRUGARH, April 28 – The multi-trade Cosmic Group of
Companies based in Silchar was awarded the Rashtriya
Rattan Award for its development activities across the
country on the occasion of the conference on National
Unity and Industrial Growth held recently at
Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Company Sanjit
Chakraborty received the award from SP Singh, Secretary,
Citizens Integration Peace Society (CIPS),
New
Delhi.
The company, basically a negotiating organisation, has
been recognised for its growth in the fields of real
estates, agriculture, floriculture, horticulture, agro
farms, poultry, fisheries, seed farming, stud farming,
communication and transportation.
Silchar Press Club gets a facelift
From
Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
SILCHAR, April 24 – Silchar Press Club which was
established in 1970 has got a new look after a long time.
The club is considered as the oldest press club in the
entire North east. The members took initiative in giving
it a shape.
Recently a library was inaugurated jointly by eminent
personality Samarendu Bhattacharjee and Dr Ramendu
Bhattacharjee. The library will be really helpful to the
journalists as well. All books related to media press laws
and right to information are available in the library.
Many seminars and workshops have been organised in the
club. Seminars related to media, current affairs have been
conducted recently. The people from outside have also
participated in the seminar as resource persons. A
programme ‘Meet the Press’
is being held on different personalities very regularly.
Symposium on local, regional and national issues are
conducted frequently.
The main motive behind these programmes is to boost the
quality of journalism in Barak valley. Being an NGO, the
Silchar Press Club got TV and DTH under a project of Chief
Minister, Tarun Gogoi. It will fulfill the needs of
various news channel and entertainment channels.
Sankar Dey, secretary, Silchar Press Club said that in the
club recently there will be Media Centre’ with broadband
connection, fax and all other high-tech facilities. The
proposal for a multi-storied building is also under
consideration. In the coming days, Silchar Press Club will
ensure new hopes for journalists of Silchar town.
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Rongmei win cup |
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OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA |
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Hailakandi, April 29: Rongmei Naga Youth Club (A) has won the Chinmoy Dey Prize-money Five-a-side Football Championship, defeating Public Health Engineering Recreational Club (PHE RC). Rongmei Naga Youth Club (A) scored four goals, whereas the PHE RC scored three goals. The final was played at Satindra Mohan Stadium in Silchar yesterday. In the first half of the match, Rongmei Club scored four goals, with the PHE RC lagging behind with only two goals. The match was, however, marred by scuffles among the players of both teams. Police Athletic Club finished third in the championship. Meanwhile, Silchar Veteran Sports Club won the veterans’ title defeating Singerbond Football Academy 6-1 in the final. Morning Club emerged third. Arunachal Sangskritik Sangstha’s Pouchung Rongmei was adjudged most talented player of the tournament. Sonompaw Rongmei was named Player of the Tournament. |
Power woes add sting to summer heat
OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA
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| No end to Crisis |
April 16: The summer months are never easy to grapple with, given that the rising mercury goes hand in hand with a power crisis.
The 33 lakh residents of Barak Valley, for instance, have to brace themselves for long stretches of periodic loadshedding at this time every year.
The valley districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi record an 85MW peak load demand for power during the summer months. The Assam State Electricity Board’s load despatch centre in Guwahati, however, has been supplying the districts with a daily average of 35MW, forcing the central Assam power distribution company to effect powercuts every two hours.
The power situation in the border district of Karimganj appears to be very grim with the authorities resorting to a drastic cut in its peak load demand of about 30MW to supply only 5MW on a daily average for the past few days.
The situation is so grave that the residents can barely switch on their water pumps in the morning when the power goes off.
The busy schedules of hundreds of residents are thrown out of gear because of such power shortage and erratic supply.
Chitrita Roy, 35, an insurance executive at Silchar, and her husband, also an insurance executive, have asked their employers for a transfer as they barely get to sleep at night because of these power cuts.
Even gadgets like costly inverters often malfunction, bringing no relief to the residents.
The power shortage in the Barak valley, however, is not a new phenomenon.
It has been plaguing the inhabitants since 1984.
The commissioning of the 25-MW thermal units by DLF Power in Cachar and Karimganj districts has failed to improve the situation.
One crisis after another has plagued this project, rendering it practically ineffective, including lack of adequate supply of natural gas from the ONGC’s wells.
The unit now churns out 11.5MW of power.
The general manager of the ASEB’s Silchar-based Central Assam Power Distribution Company, Mrinmoy Dutta, however, blames the “unforeseen developments” in the form of cyclones that sweep the valley with the advent of summer, and Dimasa militants for the power crisis in the valley.
The cyclones, he said, damaged the towers of the 100MW Karbi Langpi power project, while threats by militants have drastically reduced the output potential of the Kopili hydel power project at Umrangshu.
Dutta hoped that the Karbi
project would be restored the weekend.
Rs
50 cr for NE airports uplift
NEW DELHI, April 18 –
As parts of efforts to improve air connectivity in the
Northeast, the government is upgrading 10 airports in the
region at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore, reports PTI. The
North Eastern Council has entered into an MoU with the
Airports Authority of India for funding of 10 airports in
the ratio of 60:40, the government said in a report tabled
in Parliament.
Works on seven airports has since been completed and is
continuing in three other airports. An amount of Rs 50 crore
has been earmarked for ongoing upgradation works of airports
in the region in the annual plan during 2007-08.
In addition to the upgradation of existing airports,
upgradation of non-operational airports is also proposed to
be undertaken during 11th Plan, the report said.
NEC has kept provision in its annual plan for supporting
Detailed Project Report preparation and the AAI has been
requested to prepared the DPRs for the upgradation of five
non-operational airports at Kalashar and Kamlapur in Tripura,
Pasighat and Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh and Tura in Meghalaya.
The Planning Commission has granted “in principle” approval
to the upgradation of airport at Pasighat and Tezu.
However, Planning Commission has directed that the project
be implemented by the AAI and be funded through a mix of
internal accruals of AAI and gross budgetary support in the
ratio of 1:1. This has been conveyed to the Ministry of
Civil Aviation, the AAI and the NEC, the report said.
The annual plan 2007-08 of NEC has identified connectivity,
including air, as one of the priority sectors for the
northeast. Intra region air connectivity as well as
connectivity with the rest of the country needs to be
substentially augmented.
There are 12 operational airports in the northeastern
region.
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