Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Blast damages Mizoram’s ruling party office

Aizawl, Mar 26 : A powerful bomb blast damaged the office of ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) here on Tuesday evening.

The police said the bomb which went off in front of MNF’s party office named “Hnam Run” damaged its window panes and iron grills.

Nobody was injured in the blast. Top police officers, who visited the spot after the blast, said that the explosives may be gelatine but further investigation would ascertain it later.

The entire state was in darkness at the time of the blast as power supply was snapped from outside the state for the second time.

Chief Minister Zoramthanga, other ministers and police officers including state DGP Lalrokhuma Pachuau visited the site.

PTI

Conrad Sangma promises more power to Meghalaya

Shillong, Mar 26 : Holding the past Governments of being responsible for the power crisis and malfunctioning of public health centres (PHCs), the two new Meghalaya ministers who have been assigned the charge of the Ministry of Power and the Health and Family Welfare Ministry came out with their respective assurances to improve the functioning of their respective departments.

During the second day of the Budget session, the Opposition was quick to pull the Government on the malfunctioning of the two departments. Kick-starting with erratic power supply in the State, the Opposition led by Charles Pyngrope and RC Laloo questioned the seven-day-old Government on the power crisis and load shedding.

Even as Opposition members demanded of the Government to have a vision document on development of power potential and the need to enter into a joint venture to tap the 3000 MW power potential in the State, Minister of Power Conrad Sangma was apt in blaming the past Governments in the State for the present shortfall in power.

Sangma, in his admission, said the State is short of hydel power by another 300 MW, and pointed out at the Government’s initiatives to reap the State’s power potential during the 11th and 12th Plan period. Referring to the 0.5 feet daily depletion of water from the main electricity power generated reservoir — the Umiam lake, the State Power Minister stated on the floor of the House that there is a need to implement short-term as well as long-term plans to stabilize power supply.

He named seven power projects with an approximate power generation of 471.05 MW scheduled to be completed by the 11th plan and another 14 projects with a capacity of 977 MW during the 12th plan being the projects that should make the State self-sufficient in power supply.

Even as he stopped short of telling the House that the State’s deal with multinational power developers will be as scrapped, the new Power Minister said that the power deal that has evoked protest from political parties and NGOs is under examination.

“The first report of the committee examining the power deal is being assessed by the Chief Secretary”, stated Sangma, adding, “any decision on the joint venture to tap the power potential of the State will be decided accordingly”.

As Conrad Sangma managed to force the Opposition to withdraw the cut motion, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr A Pariong found his reply to the cut motion taken smoothly by the Opposition.

The Opposition was literally pouncing on the Health Minister on the poor state of affairs in the State’s public health centres (PHCs). The debate on the cut motion witnessed the entire Opposition pulling the Health Minister. However, Dr Pariong, a medical practitioner till last year and a minister now, managed to scrap through by stating that “the grievances will be addressed”.

ST

Scribes protest threat by militants, stir enters 4th day

Imphal, Mar 26 : An indefinite strike by the journalists here in protest against threats and intimidations to them by the proscribed Peoples United Liberation Front (PULF) entered its fourth day today. The All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) and Editors Forum Manipur (EFM) said the militant outfit used to threaten the scribes over publication of some items.

“They want us to publish only those items which were desired by them and they force us to do so,” a senior journalist stated. News services has been disrupted following the stir. Even the local news and cable services have been suspended. The AMWJU official said a meeting would be held on March 26 to discuss the issue and till then the journalists would continue their stir.

UNI

Dimasa body meets Dimasa body meets Gogoi on problems afflicting NC HillsGogoi on problems afflicting NC Hills

Haflong, Mar 26 : The Jaidikhe Naisho Hoshom (JNH), a Dimasa apex body met and submitted a memorandum signed by six organizations to Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at his residence recently, appealing for immediate intervention of the Central and State Governments to control the prevailing situation in North Cachar Hills district.

The team held a discussion on the problems afflicting the region and were assured by the Chief Minister of solving them. This was stated in a press release.
The JNH in its memorandum put forward certain demands before the Chief Minister. It demanded the acceleration of peace talks with the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) ceasefire group.

The organization also demanded reasonable percentage of revenue to the NC Hills Autonomous Council from the NEEPCO project at Umrangso, facilities of employment and other benefits to the local people, installation of pollution control devices by the owners of cement factories of Umrangso, which should also pay revenue to the NC Hills Autonomous Council.

The Dimasa body also demanded basic civic amenities like schools and hospitals. On the advice of the Chief Minister, the delegation also met the Home Commissioner at the Circuit House in Guwahati and submitted a memorandum on supplementary demands.

They demanded the immediate clearance of Haflong Government Boys’ HS School and Haflong District Library, which have been occupied by security forces for a long time.

The delegation also demanded the change in the nomenclature of NC Hills district considering the historical background and the sentiment of the majority tribe –– the Dimasa –– and the present identity crisis of the people.

The Home Commissioner assured the delegation of extending all sorts of help in improving the scenario in the district.

ST

Four businessmen kidnapped in Tripura

Four businessmen were kidnapped by Borok National Council of Tripura insurgents from a remote tribal hamlet in Jampui hills of North Tripura district, police said on Wednesday.

A group of six small businessmen went to Fuldonshai village in the hills to sell their wares on Tuesday. When they were returning by a lorry, a group of about 12 insurgents armed with country-made firearms stopped the vehicle at Tulangsang and kidnapped them.

However, two of the kidnapped persons managed to flee from their clutches and reported the matter to the police.

Police and paramilitary personnel have launched a search operation to rescue the kidnapped persons.