Series of tremors warn of a devastating quake: Seismologists

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series of six tremors of moderate to severe intensity within a month in the Northeast has led seismological experts to warn of an earthquake in the region.

Noted scientist Prof S K Sarmah, who has conducted intensive research on the seismological trends in the Northeast, said studies on earthquake patterns indicated that strain had been building up in some parts of the region.
He said there was probability of an earthquake of a greater magnitude.

The region was jolted by six earthquakes of varying intensities during August-September. The first occurred on August 11 with a magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter Scale followed by another the next day with intensity of 5.6.

On August 19, another quake struck with the magnitude of 4.9 on the Richter Scale followed by another on August 31 with 5.3 intensity. On September 21, a 6.3 intensity quake struck the region followed by another early next day recording 5.7 on the Richter Scale.

"There is anomalous variation of compressional wave velocity ratio with time in the region and the number of small magnitude earthquakes are increasing while larger magnitudes are decreasing," he explained.

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EC should decide action under anti-defection law: Sangma

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he authority to decide action under the anti-defection law against legislators should be vested in the Election Commission rather than the speaker as is the practice now, former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma said on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference in Itanagar the NCP general secretary said efforts were on to reach a consensus among political parties before bringing an amendment to the anti-defection law.

Sangma said he expressed his views as a member of the drafting committee under the chairmanship of Pranab Mukherjee.

He expressed the hope that there would be consensus and an amendment to the existing law would be brought before the Parliament soon. "The law in the present form is being misused."

Sangma was referring to defection of several MLAs, including two of the NCP, to ruling Congress in the outgoing state assembly in Arunachal Pradesh.

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Ulfa trying to regroup, says Assam CM

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he banned United Liberation Front of Assam is trying to regroup in Assam with support from some militant outfits of neighbouring states, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said here on Thursday.

He refuted media reports that Ulfa had sent feelers to the state for talks. “The Ulfa is not interest in talking,” Gogoi said.

Participating at the Raising Day function of the Assam Police here, Gogoi admitted that the National Democratic Front of Bodoland was very likely to launch a major terror attack in the state.

The chief minister said the planned surrender of Dima Halam Daugah (Jewel) or Black Widow terror outfit’s cadres was a welcome development. Black Widow would formally surrender arms at North Cachar Hills district headquarters, Haflong, on October 2.

The Black Widow was running a parallel government in the district. Cadres of the group expre-ssed their willingness to surrender after the arrest of the outfit’s chairman Jewel Garlossa at Bangalore by Special Task Force of Assam Police on June 4 last.

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Left supports Cong for Siliguri Mayor post, defeats Trinamool

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he Congress on Wednesday won the Mayor's post in Siliguri Municipal Corporation in North Bengal with the support of Left Front councillors, pipping ally Trinamool Congress which had refused to concede it.

Sources in the corporation said Congress candidate Gangotri Dutta received 32 votes against Trinamool Congress aspirant Goutam Deb's 15 in the 47-member corporation board.

Reacting to the result, Trinamool candidate Goutam Deb said the election had "exposed the character" of the Congress which had always had 'good relations with Marxists'.

"We have decided to sit in the opposition and let the Left Front and Congress run the Board," he said.

In the September 13 elections in the corporation, the Trinamool Congress and Congress combine wrested the post from the Left Front after 27 years by winning 30 seats while the latter won 17 seats.

Since the UPA allies failed to reach a consensus on the post of Mayor, both the parties fielded their own candidates for the post.

Amid the impasse, the Congress yesterday appealed to all the elected members to support their candidate Dutta who had won 15 seats.

He received the support of all 17 Left Front councillors-- CPI(M) 15 and RSP and Fowrard Bloc one each.

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Breather for Assam ex-MP

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he Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to direct the CBI to initiate criminal proceedings against former Congress MP from Assam, Mani Kumar Subba, accused of furnishing false information regarding his citizenship.

The refusal comes even as the CBI has in the past indicated in its reports that Subba had obtained his birth certificate fraudulently. The agency had concluded a cognisable offence was made out against the former MP from Tezpur for cheating and forgery under the IPC.

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