Friday, September 18, 2009

Deputy chairman of state planning board dead

D
eputy chairman of Manipur state planning board and Congress MLA E Kunjeshore died in a hospital in New Delhi, official sources said on Thursday.

Sources said Kunjeshore died of kidney problem at Gangaram hospital there on Thursday.

Sources said the body would be brought to Imphal on Thursday.

Kunjeshore who was a former IAS official worked as commissioner of works before he joined Congress about ten years ago, sources said.

Militants explode grenades at the houses of Manipur officials

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nidentified militants attacked the houses of two Manipur government officials in separate incidents by exploding grenades but no casualty was reported, official sources said on Thursday.

The militants exploded grenades at the house of Director of Sericulture department, Th Thaibemma, at Top Khongnangkhong in Imphal East district yesterday, sources said adding that a small portion of the house was damaged.

In another incident at 9.45 pm yesterday, militants exploded a powerful grenade at the executive engineer of Loktak Development Authority, Asem Kumarjit at Shingjamei Naorem Leikia area in Imphal west district, sources said.

They said monetary demand from the officials could be the cause of the incident. No individual or group has so far claimed responsibility.

Navy inducts stealth destroyer INS Kochi

K
ochi, Sep 18 (ANI): The Indian Navy today inducted a stealth destroyer of Kolkata class, INS Kochi, to boost its maritime capabilities and safeguard India''s interests.

Madhulika Verma wife of Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma, named the second of the three Project 15-A stealth destroyers on September 18.

Mazagon Docks Ltd in Mumbai built the 6500-ton ship, named INS Kochi.

The ship has advanced stealth features, which make it less vulnerable to detection by enemy radar and will be fitted with state-of-the-art weapon systems which include the supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface missile, the LRSAM Long Range Surface-to-Air Missiles and the MFStar multi-function radar system providing accurate data on surface and air targets.

In addition, four AK-630 rapid-fire guns and a medium range gun will boost the ship''s close-range defence capability.

The ships will also be fitted with indigenously developed twin-tube torpedo launchers and anti-submarine rocket launchers.

The NPOL developed Humsa-NG hull-mounted sonar, and two multi-role helicopters adding punch to the ship''s anti-submarine capability. The maximum speed of the ship is above 30 Knots.

The destroyer will be launched using the pontoon-assisted launch technique, to be employed for the first time in the history of indigenous warship building.

This technique helps in overcoming slipway/ draft constraints and permits launching of heavier vessels. (ANI)

India Air Force activates Nyoma airfield close to China border

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ew Delhi, Sep 18 (ANI): The Indian Air Force in a significant move today activated its Nyoma Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) to support the Army in carrying out operations in the inhospitable terrain.

An IAF AN-32 aircraft landed at Nyoma ALG, which is located at an altitude of 13,300 feet in Leh district of Jammu and Kashmir, at 6:25 a.m. today. It is located 23 kms from the Line of Actual Control. (LAC).

The successful landing of a fixed wing aircraft at Nyoma marks the culmination of joint effort by the IAF and Indian Army to enable the IAF to operate in the inhospitable terrain of Leh-Ladakh region in support of the Army.

The landing comes just fifteen months after an AN-32 landed at Daulat-Beg-Oldie (DBO), the highest airfield in the world situated at an altitude of 16,200 feet.

Group Captain SC Chafekar touched down on the Nyoma airstrip. Air Marshal NAK Browne, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command and Lieutenant General PC Bharadwaj, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command on board.

Though helicopters have been landing at this ALG, this is for the first time that a fixed wing aircraft has landed at the compact airstrip of Nyoma.

After deliberating on all aspects and carrying out aerial and ground inspection, it was concluded that Nyoma could be developed for fixed wing operations as well.

The Engineer Regiments of 14 Corps undertook the herculean task of developing the ALG to the standards required for fixed wing operations.

Joint development of Nyoma braving the extremely difficult working conditions and hostile weather is yet another step towards enhanced joint partnership between the two services.

Nyoma has been developed with an aim to connect the remote areas of Ladakh region to the mainland. This would also ensure movements in the area when the road traffic gets affected, during the harsh winters besides enabling improved communication network in the region. (ANI)

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NorthEast India - A Documentary

Anti-uranium lobby chalks out stir plan

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he anti-uranium mining lobby in Meghalaya led by Khasi Students Union (KSU) chalked out a series of agitation on Wednesday. But the Congress-led alliance government has refused to back away from allowing Uranium Corporation of India Limited carry out its pre-project development activities in the hill state's West Khasi Hills district.

UCIL's pre-project package, worth Rs 209 crore out of an estimated Rs 1000 crore for Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong Uranium Project, is believed to be the precursor to starting mining in the Mawthabah area close to the Indo-Bangladesh border. The DD Lapang government had on August 24 assented to this package.

"This package is a sham, since it is aimed development within the proposed complex of UCIL in the uranium-rich area. But the government still claims it would be beneficial for the entire area comprising over 80 villages," KSU president Samuel Jyrwa told Hindustan Times from Shillong.

He added the KSU and other anti-uranium organizations - Hill State Peoples' Democratic Party, Langrin Youth Welfare Association and Nongtre Youth Welfare Organisation - decided Wednesday evening to intensify agitation if peaceful demonstrations from September 18 failed to move the government.

The KSU had set the government a 15-day deadline that expired on Tuesday. But chief minister Lapang, unperturbed, maintained his government would not revoke the decision on leasing 422 hectares of land to UCIL for 30 years in the uranium belt, some 140 km southwest of State capital Shillong.

The government also propped up a pro-uranium body of "stakeholders" named Associations of Meghalaya for Development and Advancement to push for mining in the Mawthabah area. This body, however, split soon after its creation with the splinter group ending up opposing mining.

The proposed uranium project has been hanging fire since the Atomic Minerals Divison found 9,500 tons of uranium oxide deposits in 9.22 million tons of ore in 1984. But opposition by locals forced abandonment of the project in 1992.

According to UCIL, areas within a 20 km radius of Mawthabah account for 16 per cent of India's uranium reserves at present levels. Besides belonging to a superior grade, the Meghalaya ore has a recovery percentage of 0.1 compared to 0.02-0.06 at Jadugoda in Jharkhand, and is believed crucial for India's nuclear ambitions.

Two students injured in police firing in Manipur

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wo students were injured in police firing at Thangal bazar area in Imphal West district this evening, official sources said.

The incident took place when police were checking vehicles in the area, they said.

The policemen on duty asked a car to stop for checking but it sped ahead. The police then fired at it injuring two students, the sources said.

The injured students were taken to the Regional Institute of Medical Science Hospital for treatment.

Manipur govt official kidnapped for ransom

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nidentified militants have allegedly kidnapped a Manipur government official and demanded a ransom, official sources said here today.

His whereabouts were not known, they said.

Md Asraf Ali, Block Development Officer of Saikot sub-division in Churachandpur district, was yesterday allegedly abducted at gun point while he was returning home at Muolvaiphei village from his office by two militants, the sources said.

The sources said that police was trying to locate his whereabouts, but refused to divulge the amount demanded by the kidnappers.

Unofficial sources said that the ransom ran into some lakhs of rupees.