Sunday, June 1, 2008

Mizoram is greenest Indian state

Aizawl, Jun 1 : Despite largescale deforestation through the slash-and-burn system of cultivation, Mizoram still survives as the greenest place in India, according to officials.

With 88.34 per cent forest covered area, Mizoram has been declared the greenest state in the country.”This is not according to the state officials, but the national survey,” state chief conservator of forest R C Thanga said here today.

He was speaking at a meeting of Green Mizoram Committee here. The meeting chalked out programmes for this year’s Green Mizoram Day which falls on June 13.

The Green Mizoram programme, which turns six this year, has a lot to do with maintaining greenery of Mizoram.

The Green Day will be inaugurated here at the New Capital Complex while the detailed programmes will be publicised later.

The meeting resolved that all government offices with the help of various NGOs plant as many trees as possible in Aizawl and other district capitals.


UNI

Zoramthanga cabinet passes judiciary separation

Aizawl, Jun 1 : The Zoramthanga cabinet in Mizoram has passed the much-awaited separation of the judiciary from the executive.

The cabinet’s decision followed a dialogue between Mizoram Chief Minister and the Gauhati High Court Chief Justice here on May 17, an official statement said here today.The cabinet also approved the Mizoram Judicial Service (Amendment) Rules, it said adding the separation of judiciary would also apply to the three autonomous district councils - Lai, Mara and Chakma.

The cabinet meeting also decided to create 15 new posts to reinforce the Trade & Commerce department and one Joint Director post each for Information & Public Relations and Labour & Employment and a Superintendent post for Directorate of Agriculture/Crop Husbandry.

It also agreed to create ten super-numerary posts for the newly set up Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

The cabinet also decided to bifurcate Mizoram police into two ranges - southern range to be headquartered at Lunglei and northern range with Aizawl as headquarters.

However, the cabinet was still undecided on the creation of the much-demanded Hnahthial district, regularisation of work-charged, muster roll employees and the centrally-sponsored Operation Blackboard teachers.

The cabinet meeting would resume on Monday to consider these sensitive issues, it said.

UNI

Chin-Mizo singers to raise funds for famine victims in Burma

Aizawl, May 31 : Well known singers, from Burma and Mizoram state, northeast India will perform a series of music concerts in three Southeast Asian countries - Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore to raise funds for famine stricken people in Chin state, northwestern Burma.

The fund raising concerts in ASEAN countries will be kicked off in Thailand on August 27. The concert in Malaysia concert will follow on August 29 and 30. The last performance will be in Singapore on September 6 and 7.Ms. Sung Ting Par, a famous singer in Burma will lead a team comprising three singers from Burma. Well known Mizo singers Mami Varte and Mimi Lallianzami will travel with Mizoram “Lelte Weekly” Editor Pu C. Dinthanga.

A series of concerts for famine victims in Burma will be organized by a relief group called Chin Famine Emergency Relief Committee (CFERC) based in Mizoram state.

“The purpose is to raise fund for victims of famine, locally known as ‘Muatam’, from among Chin migrant workers who are working in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore,” Pu Chan Thawnga, chairman of CFERC said.

He also said that 10 percent of the fund from the concerts will be allotted to survivors of Cyclone Nargis that killed over 100,000 and left 2.5 million homeless in the delta region of Burma.

Bamboo flowering caused the near famine like situation and the food crisis in areas along the Indo-Burma border since last year. Bamboo flowers attract rats in hordes which multiply and destroy crops and paddy stocks in villages in Chin state. People are facing acute shortage of food.

“We need to send the aid to affected areas as soon as possible because the people urgently need help. Some villagers have nothing. They are at starvation point. They are surviving by eating only ‘Zam’ (sweet potato) found in the jungle,” Pu Chan Thawnga told Khonumthung News last week.

Even ‘Zam’ is difficult to find in the jungle now as almost all villagers residing in the areas mainly depend on it for their daily meal.

The repressive Burmese regime, instead of helping the people who are in need of food, confiscated and banned the flow of aid from religious faith organizations in some areas of Chin state.

CFERC was set up by Chins living in Mizoram with the aim of raising funds and to facilitate the flow of aid received from Chins and other donors around the world for helpless people in Chin state.

Khonumthung News

Cancer Boom stalking Nagaland…

Dimapur, Jun 1 : Unaware in the public arena, life-threatening cancer forms are quietly increasing in Nagaland and according to reports, over the years, cases have gone up drastically. Although accurate figures are not available, a few prominent hospitals’ records show that numerous and a good number of rare types of cancers have been detected in the past few years.

According to records made available by Zion Hospital, Dimapur, cancer incidences in that hospital have gone up from 141 confirmed cases in 2006 to 161cases in 2007 and in 2008, within a span of just five months 97 cases have been confirmed. That is a quantum leap of 12.42% from 2006 to 2007 and 17.05 % of average within 2008’s first five months’ report. Stomach cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer among Nagas, it is found.And this is attributed to ethnic food habits. Dr. Moatoshi Aier a Pathologist at Zion Hospital stated that smoked food stuff like meat, bamboo-shoot and fermented food contribute to highest risk of stomach cancer formation. Zion Hospital records show 36 cases of stomach cancer in 2006, 47 cases in 2007 and from January to May 2008 show already 30 confirmed cases.

A doctor in Bethel Hospital Kohima said that a deadly virus in smoked meat and moldy (rotten or decomposed) food, a delicacy for some Naga tribes is known to cause cancer. Dr. Lima, a Radiologist based in Guwahati said that he gets an average of about 10 cancer cases a month among Nagas. He however confirmed that the numbers could be much higher as patients are treated in various other departments according to the type of the cancer.

Esophagus cancer is also very common among Nagas. The primary cause of this type is the use of tobacco and alcohol. Zion Hospital recorded this type of cancer as second highest with a rise in about 6% since 2006. Bethel Hospital also sees many cases of stomach cancer. The hospital over the years has also more commonly detected cancer of the ENT among its patients and records an average of 10 to 15 new cases a month. Although esophageal cancer and cancer of the ENT can be genetic, it is observed that in both cases most are acquired due to tobacco and alcohol consumption.

Among women, cervical and breast cancers are increasing. Zion Hospital’s records show four cases of breast cancer from January to May this year. The fine cause of breast cancer is hereditary but surprisingly 85% of patients do not report a history of breast cancer in the family, doctors say. On the other hand, cervix cancers although gradually on the rise, doctors say most Naga women don’t even get a Pap Smear (a test to detect Cervix cancer) done. Married women and sexually-active women require at least two Pap Smear tests a year, they added. Rare types of cancers like ‘soft tissue,’ ‘brain’ and ‘duodenum,’ have also been detected among Nagas. Thyroid, leukemia, lung and lymph node metastasis cancers are also common.

Dr. Moatoshi, a Pathologist at Zion Hospital said once a person starts experiencing manifestations like feeling of weakness, drastic weight loss or appearance of lumps in various parts of the body, the person should be immediately checked.

With the rise in the number of cancer patients in Nagaland, leaving out unavailable figures, it is evident that the government needs to promptly address this issue through campaigns and awareness. It is a common opinion that HIV/AIDS and TB are some of the diseases that draws major attention but doctors say that it is high time the government shift focus on other life threatening diseases like cancer as well. A doctor based in Kohima said that issues regarding causes that lead to cancer, imparting awareness on dangers of certain ethnic food should be a part of the government’s agenda. He lamented that with the increase in population and growing awareness about health care, cancer diagnosis will rise added to which many doctors feel that government should give importance to cancer.


MEXN

Tripura to harness tourism potential

Agartala, Jun 1 : The Tripura government is planning to launch a tourism development corporation to harness the “immense tourism potential” of the state and the process is likely to begin by separating the tourism ministry from information and culture.

A final decision is likely to be taken soon.

“The matter is being seriously discussed at appropriate level of the government but a final decision will emerge after the matter is examined thoroughly,” official sources in the tourism department said.Sources said the withdrawal of the restricted area permit for foreigners in 1990 had created opportunities for tourism in Tripura along with other states of the region, but the full potential has not been realised because of administrative and other related problems.

“Tripura has got lot of exciting tourist spots like the Ujjayanta Palace, abode of former princely rulers of the state, great Saivite sculptural site in Unakoti hills of North Tripura, exquisite rock-cut images in Debtamura hills and Mata Tripureshwari temple. The Hindu-Buddhist archaeological site at Pilak in South Tripura and the lake palace, Neermahal, in West Tripura also have great potential to attract tourists. But the tourist inflow has not been upto the expected level despite the marginal increase in revenue every year,” sources said.

Tripura is home to the extremely rare species of the spectacled monkey, which is found only in Kampuchea.

“All this should have spurred the growth in tourism industry but this has not come about mainly because of lack of administrative care and co-ordination though till a few years ago insurgency was a great disincentive for tourism,” sources said.

After an official review meeting of the performance of the tourism department, the government has come to the conclusion that launching a corporation and separating the tourism department from the information and culture department would spur the growth of this sector.

“What is being examined now is the resource position. A a final decision will be taken by October this year and central assistance will be sought,” sources said.

They added that the sprawling 42 square km Dumbur lake would be dredged to increase its depth so that parts of it could be used for building tourist huts on the islands.

Telegraph India

Prostitution is killing childhood in northeast

Guwahati, May 31 : All is not well with children in India’s northeast. A study conducted by a Guwahati-based NGO along with the police has revealed that a shocking 20 percent involved in prostitution in the region are aged between 11 and 17 years. The survey conducted this year by the Global Organisation for Life Development (GOLD) also pointed out that there was a five percent rise in children taking to sex work over last year.bombay_005

Titled “Rise in Child Prostitution in Northeast”, the study lists poverty and displacement of population because of violence as prime reasons behind the increase in the number of children as commercial sex workers in the region.“It is mostly the children of poor parents who are forced to take to prostitution to earn money for the family,” director of GOLD Rajeev Sarma told IANS.

The study, spanning three months and released last month, saw field workers interviewing 350 child sex workers throughout the region.

In addition, the report also states that most of the children are victims of acute physical torture. “They are initially raped and flogged almost to death to take up the profession,” the report said.

Almost half of the child prostitutes were from Assam, followed by Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, said Sarma. Some of the victims were are also sold to brothels in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad.

“We have reports that sheikhs from the Middle East are also buying northeastern girls from these brothels. Also, trafficking gangs from Southeast Asian countries are taking a keen interest in the girls because of their Mongoloid features,” Sarma said.

Experts working in the field believe that prostitution and trafficking are flourishing in the region, as these crimes are invisible in nature.

The latest study has come up as a shock for the police force across the region.

“The demand for child sex workers is rising at an alarming rate in the region and we have to do something drastic,” said a senior police officer in Guwahati.

“Police forces across six states except Sikkim are working in a coordinated manner to ameliorate the situation. We are also involving various NGOs to assist us.”

Hasina Kharbhih, a team leader of the Meghalaya-based NGO, Impluse, who has been working in this area for many years, said that child prostitution is the immediate result of human trafficking.

“On an average, 50 cases of human trafficking are registered in the northeast daily and Assam has emerged as a hub for human trafficking and prostitution in the entire region,” she says.

“We have helped more than 500 victims from the region who have been rescued from different parts of country in tracing their actual homes. This clearly shows that trafficking is flourishing in the region. The victims are mainly from poor families who are lured by traffickers in the garb of providing them jobs,” Kharbhih told IANS.

The region is vulnerable as it shares international borders with Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh.


IANS

Meghalaya’s first woman MP vows to work for people

Shillong, May 31 : Meghalaya’s first female MP Agatha Sangma says she will work for the empowerment of women and youth and describes her election to the Lok Sabha as a ‘good first step’ to encourage the fairer sex from the hill state to enter active politics.
M_Id_24832
‘Society in Meghalaya may be matrilineal but men are still at the forefront of decision-making. That holds good in the field of politics too. But my election as an MP is a good first step for women here to join active politics,’ Agatha told IANS in an interview.Daughter of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma, Agatha, 27, has become the youngest member in the current Lok Sabha, having won the Tura seat vacated by her father who was elected to the state assembly two months ago. She defeated her Congress rival by a margin of nearly 100,000 votes last week.

Agatha’s election has drawn much attention not just because of her lineage - Sangma held the Tura seat for close to 30 years - but also because it took more than 35 years for Meghalaya to have its first woman MP.

Her victory has brought four members of Sangma’s family into politics in recent weeks. Sangma and his sons Conrad and James got elected to the state assembly on NCP tickets in March.

Conrad Sangma is now the finance minister in Meghalaya while Sangma senior is the chairman of the coveted State Planning Board. James Sangma is a parliamentary secretary with the status of a minister of state.

‘I am my father’s daughter but I have won on merit and been greatly humbled by my victory. But I reject all talk of my father encouraging dynastic politics because Article 84 of the constitution entitles any eligible citizen to run for parliament,’ said Agatha, who as a practicing lawyer until recently.

She already has plans laid out for the coming months.

‘Practically, I have just about eight months before the country goes to polls. I plan to start by touring every nook and cranny of my constituency and know the aspirations of people and complete programmes initiated by my father,’ Agatha said.

She intends to focus on harnessing renewable sources of energy like wind and solar energy and rainwater harvesting. This is not surprising considering the fact that Agatha holds a post-graduate degree in environmental management from the Nottingham University in Britain.

‘We are very happy at Agatha’s election. Society in my state is matrilineal and women are greatly empowered, but some sections now say men in the state need to be empowered,’ Meghalaya Chief Minister Donkupar Roy told IANS in a lighter vein.

IANS

Dispur rains sops as Shillong waits & watches

Lower Lampi/Shillong, Jun 1 : Assam and Meghalaya today avoided a showdown over the foundation stone-laying of the health sub-centre at Lampi (called Langpih in Meghalaya), while Dispur made it clear that it was in no mood to back off by declaring a slew of development measures.

Dispur’s declaration came a day after Meghalaya announced several steps to stamp its seal on Lampi and sought the Centre’s intervention to stop Assam from laying the foundation stone of the health sub-centre today.
But Dispur not only went ahead with the foundation stone-laying programme that passed off smoothly, it also announced a Rs 12-crore development package for Lampi.

According to goanburah (village headman) Chakrabahadur Chetri, however, Lampi falls in West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya.

The package will go towards constructing a 28-km all-weather road from Dakuapara to Kampatoli in Lower Lampi at a cost of Rs 10 crore, a permanent police station, a well-equipped hospital, a market shed and an inspection bungalow.

Inaugurating a dirt road at Lampi this morning, Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said work on the road, police station and market shed would start soon.

Sarma, accompanied by AGP legislator Jyoti Prasad Das, Kamrup deputy commissioner R.C. Jain, superintendent of police Debojit Hazarika and deputy inspector general G.P. Singh, reached Lampi in a 20-car convoy. Hisparty colleagues Rekibuddin Ahmed, J. Pandey and Diganta Kalita were also present.

“This land belongs to India. We are all Indians. If Meghalaya feels there is a problem, it should approach the Supreme Court or any other appropriate forum for redressal. But this cannot stop development. Let us develop the part we have till Upper Lampi and they (Meghalaya) can develop it beyond that for the mutual benefit of the people of the two states. We should all co-exist,” Sarma said.”

Meghalaya has decided to adopt a wait-and-watch policy. “All is not over, we will wait and see,” deputy chief minister in-charge H.S. Lyngdoh said from Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills.

Telegraph India

KCP (MC) bares fang at UNLF/KYKL

Imphal, Jun 1 : Reacting to the joint statement of UNLF and KYKL that accused KCP (MC) of acting at the behest of security forces, military affairs secretary of the KCP (MC) Lanheiba Meitei asked UNLF/KYKL to introspect their activities before accusing others.

A statement issued by Lanheiba Meitei reminded that from 1978 till 1981 attacks separately carried out by PLA, PREPAK and KCP had killed 101 security personnel which consequently led to the Government of India declaring these armed groups as ‘outlaws’ on October 26, 1981 .While such attacks were being launched the UNLF preferred to lie low through an understanding with the Government, Lanheiba said and cited the then UNLF chairman Arambam Somarendro openly staying at his home to substantiate its claim of the unLF having tacit understanding with the security forces.

Further questioning how many UNLF cadres had been slain by security force compared to slaying of cadres belonging to other groups including shortly after release from jail, the KCP (MC) opined that such glaring facts clearly illustrates link between the UNLF and the Government.

Apart from the UNLF and KYKL maintaining inexplicable relationship with security forces, understanding the two outfits have with the Government could be safely gauged from the fact that these two groups not only provide fund to political candidates during election time but also do not hesitate to use arms to diktat terms, contended the KCP (MC).

Describing N Bisheswor Singh of the PLA as the real revolutionary, Lanheiba insisted that UNLF and KYKL organisations are besieged with internal conflict over position with many top rung leaders of the two groups clamouring for power and wealth.

Since 1990 the monthly income of the UNLF tallies around Rs One crore with the common people obviously reeling under the impact of ‘revolutionary obligation’, Lanheiba said.

Insisting that acts of terrorism is a lesson which KCP learnt from the UNLF/KYKL, he referred to the incident of 1995 wherein an entire family in Yairipok was decimated as well as eliminations of former commander in-chief of the KCP Yendrenbam Ibohanbi, former secretary general of PREPAK L Sillungba alias Tomba, former chairman of KYKL and KCP Pajihan Ibopisak and editor RK Sanatomba.

These individuals were slain to ensure no threat is posed to the ambitions of RK Meghen and Oken, said the statement and urged anybody interested in knowing more details about these killings to contact KCP’s e-mail address at kcp_mc1980@yahoo.co.in Continuing its tirade against the UNLF, the KCP (MC) posed how could the killing of civilians travelling on a Tata Sumo on the Leingangpokpi to Jiri road or the mass rape of Hmar womenfolk at Parbung in 2006 be justified as revolutionary action.

To the KYKL, Lanheiba suggested that its cadres be taught principles of revolutionary movement to avoid embarrassing situation such as immoral behaviour by one of its principal cadres that later led to killing of two tribal girls in police firing at near Loktak Lake some years back.

Triggering blast at ISCKON temple during which many innocent persons including the well known Swami Damodar got killed and levying Rs 5 tax per plate from ceremonious feast being regularly organised at Shree Shree Govindajee Temple is one of many activities of the UNLF and KYKL that only belittles the revolutionary movement, said Lanheiba.

The statement also mocked at the rediscovered friendship between the UNLF and KYKL who were once fierce enemies and lambasted the two outfits for upholding their violent conduct as revolutionary necessity while demeaning similar action by others as terrorism and reactionary forces.

With regard to the bomb blast at RIMS Hospital complex and the UNLF/KYKL outbursts, Lanheiba observed that the main objective for condemning the blast and demeaning KCP is to sustain the former outfits’ income generation source as collection from the entire RIMS employees is in terms of crores of rupees.

KCP (MC) understands sanctity of an institution like hospital and as such the blast at RIMS was set off with utmost care to prevent human casualty, Lanheiba pointed.

Asserting that KCP (MC) would persist with its objective of cleansing the RIMS administration any cost regardless of pressure from any organisation, lanheiba also cautioned frontal organisations of the UNLF and KYKL to function within their respective limits instead of provoking the KCP (MC).

KCP (MC) cannot guarantee that functionaries of such frontal organisations would not be targeted as it was RK Meghen who set the trend by targeting activists of the erstwhile Man-Federation, he maintained.

Suggesting that as student organisations activities should also be confined to student-centric issues, KCP (MC) also noted luxurious settings inside offices of student leaders and asserted that such lifestyles vividly demonstrates hegemony intention and agenda.

While declaring that KF Lanmee of the KCP (MC) do not fear the gun and man power of the UNLF/KYKL combined, Lanheiba insisted that its cadres are ever ready for a showdown anytime and anyplace. Lanheiba also appealed to the general public to extend cooperation to the KCP’s endeavour for an honourable manipur wherein doctors’ priority would be curing the patients rather than multiply economic strain of the sick and weak.

TSE

Manipur’s Yumnam ajudged best NDA cadet

Khadakwasla (Maharashtra), May 31 : What set Manipur’s Romen Yumnam apart from the 286 gentlemen cadets who were commissioned as armed forces’ officers at the passing out parade at the National Defence Academy here Saturday was the fact that he was the first from the northeastern state to be awarded the President’s Gold Medal for merit in academics and sports. Not only that - this champion NDA boxer was also the first from the region to command a passing out parade.image_n_cover4

A recipient of the Best Army Cadet medal, Yumnam and six other Manipuris of the 114th course are the only ones from the state to be commissioned as officers in the armed forces. Seven others from the state are also enrolled in the academy.“There have been recruits (soldiers) from the region, but I am the first commissioned officer from my village. It feels good when the people look up to you as role model,” said Yumnam as his proud parents looked on. He belongs to Langmeidong village in Manipur, a state plagued by insurgency

His parents could not speak Hindi or English. But their happiness was evident in the smile on their faces and the glint in their eyes.

“My father is a farmer and it was due to his him that I am where I am. Notwithstanding our modest means, he sent me to a residential school in Imphal and then to the Sainik School in Imphal,” said Yumnam, who is the eldest of three brothers.

“I was determined to get here. If you do hard work, the results will follow,” he added matter of factly.

Manipur, bordering Myanmar (Burma), has over two dozen active rebel groups pushing demands ranging from secession to maximum autonomy. More than 10,000 people have been killed in insurgency-related violence in Manipur during the past decade.

“I know the situation (back home) is not good but the people want to do something about it,” Yumnam said.

Yumnam has opted for the Indian Army and will now go to Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun for further training.

IANS

5 Assam rifles men held for abduction

Sibsagar, Jun 1: Five Assam Rifles men have been arrested on Saturday for alleged attempts to rape and kill a woman after kidnapping her in upper Assam’s Jorhat district.

Around 11.30 pm on Friday, five AR uniformed men in a Gypsy vehicle forcibly took away the woman (around 20 years old) when she was returning home from a nearby function at Garali, the heart of Jorhat town, DSP Deepak Choudhury said.As the securitymen were speeding away with the woman towards their camp on the outskirts of the town, their vehicle hit a speed-breaker and turned turtle, throwing out all the six persons, Mr Choudhury said.

At that moment, the woman managed to escape, while the Assam Rifles men straightened their vehicle and attempted to flee towards their camp, he said.

On the way, a patrolling party halted them and took the five into custody.


PTI

Methanol unit at Namrup

Dibrugarh, Jun 1 : The Assam government will invest Rs 500 crore for setting up a new methanol plant at the Assam Petrochemicals Limited, Namrup, which will produce 500 tonnes of methanol per day.

The new plant will be an addition to the existing plant, which has a capacity of producing 100 tonnes of methanol per day.The announcement was made by industries minister Pradyut Bordoloi as the chief guest during the inaugural meeting of a daylong presentation on investment opportunities in downstream projects of the Assam Petrochemicals Limited.

The meeting, presided over by APL chairman Rameswar Dhanowar, was organised at the Rangghar auditorium complex of Dibrugarh University this morning. The new methanol plant is expected to be complete by 2009.

However, the APL was yet to sort out the issue of supply of gas, which is the feedstock for the plant, with Oil India Limited.

APL also has a formaldehyde plant producing 100 tonnes of the chemical per day.

“No government can solve the problem of unemployment by giving away jobs. This has been one of the biggest challenges for us and this is why we have been concentrating on the promotion of downstream industries. This will not only boost the rural economy but also provide ample self-employment opportunities for lakhs of unemployed youths of the state,” the minister said.

Responding to a request by the APL managing director O.P. Tailor to include the company’s new methanol project in the state government’s high priority agenda, Bordoloi said the government would do everything possible to see that the new plant comes up at the earliest.

“Apart from helping the plant, we will also see that there is a steady growth of downstream industries. We have decided to acquire a 1,500- bigha plot in Tinsukia for setting up a plastic park,” the minister said.

APL is one among the three profit-making PSUs owned by the state government and the company has been yielding a profit of around Rs 10 crore every year in the past five years.


Telegraph India

ADB to check floods with expert help

Guwahati, May 31 : The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has, for the first time, undertaken an ambitious plan to work out a long-term strategy to check the perennial problem of floods and erosion in Assam.

The bank, which has sought help from international experts for the project, will submit a draft report for the first phase of its work in June. It has identified four vulnerable areas — Palasbari in Kamrup district, Bonpora in Kaziranga, Dibrugarh town and Motmora — for the project.Flood control minister Bharat Chandra Narah said the bank had sought technical assistance from German and Japanese experts to prepare detailed reports for the project. Work is expected to begin in end-2009.

In the first phase, the ADB has decided on a plan outlay of Rs 500 crore that will be given to the state on a 90:10 basis. This means the state will bear 10 per cent of the project cost, while the rest will be given by the Centre as a grant. The bank will loan the money to the Centre.

The project, christened the Northeastern Integrated Flood and River Basin Erosion Management Project, aims at reducing the vulnerability of the areas to flood and erosion through comprehensive planning using new techniques and cost-effective and sustainable methods, Narah said.

“The foreign agencies being involved by the ADB to prepare the project reports are very experienced. They have the experience of handling similar projects in Bangladesh and other flood-ravaged countries,” water resources secretary Paran Baruah said.

He added that ADB was planning to use geo-textile bags instead of boulders to check erosion along a 25-km-stretch on either side of the Brahmaputra in these four places. “Boulders are not locally available. So ADB has decided to use geo-textile bags which will be filled with sand. These textile bags are said to be very strong and durable,” Baruah said. Though ADB is expected to submit the draft proposal in June, the loan will be sanctioned only in 2009, Baruah said. The bank will organise a workshop to sensitise the stakeholders so that work on the project goes on unhindered without facing any protests or objections.

After work in the first phase is completed, the bank may undertake a similar project .

in other flood and erosion-affected areas of the state, Baruah hoped.

Telegraph India

Assam govt lays new conditions for peace talks with militant

Guwahati, May 30 : The Assam Government has laid down some new conditions for holding peace talks with the militant outfits. From now onwards, the militants have to come forward with a proposal of talks within the parameters of the Constitution only. This was decided at a meeting of the Unified Command, chaired by the Chief Minister, Mr. Tarun Gogoi at Dispur on Thursday.

It resolved that rebels would now require giving in writing to the Government to abide by the laid down norms for sitting in peace talks. Once the Government approves a peace proposal, the outfits have to surrender their weapons and stay in designated camps till the peace process is over.General Officer Commanding (GOC) of four Corps of the Army Lt. General B.S. Jaswal, who heads the operational group of the Unified Command, was present at the meeting along with representatives from the Border Security Force, the CRPF, State Police and the Home Department.

AIR Guwahati Correspondent reports that the State Government came out with the idea perturbed by recent violences by the Jewel Garlosa faction of the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) militants in North Cachar hills district.