north east online - north east india news: Oct 17, 2009

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Indian fireworks blaze 'kills 30'

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t least 30 people have been killed and 10 injured in a fire at a fireworks warehouse in south-east India, the Press Trust of India says.

Police said 30 charred bodies had been pulled from the warehouse at Pallipat, near Chennai, according to the report.

Most of the victims were reported to be traders buying up fireworks ahead of the Diwali festival on Saturday.

It was not immediately clear how the fire started. Accidental explosions are common at Indian fireworks factories.

Many such factories are illegal, providing fireworks for weddings, festivals and other ceremonies.

In July at least 16 people were killed after an explosion and fire at another fireworks factory in Tamil Nadu state, of which Chennai is the capital.

Fireworks celebrations are an important part of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Tamil Nadu tribals bring grain revolution

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ven as we hear reports of drought and food shortage, here is a story of a unique Community Food Bank that has ensured food security for a tribal community in Tamil Nadu's Salem district.

It's nothing less than a grain revolution from shortage to surplus. Tribals in the drought-prone Kalrayan hills often needed to leave home to get enough to eat. Now this Community Food Bank has changed everything. It works like our regular banks.

After the harvest farmers deposit surplus grains, at times of drought or scarcity they take a loan of grains, which they have to return after a new crop. This food security has stopped migration.

"Now we are not only able to help ourselves, but also those in our neighbouring villages. For every measure we lend, we collect a small measure as interest," said a woman.

A brainchild of the M S Swaminathan foundation and World Vision India, the bank has a corpus of 12 tonnes of grains at any given time, enough to feed the community for three months.

"We also lend them seeds. During crisis they can use this to raise fresh crops and return what they had borrowed," said Vivian Rajkumar, manager, World Vision India, Kalrayan Hills.

Tribal children's education, which suffered earlier, has received a new fillip.

This kind of food security at a local level has now spread to five villages, certainly a model worth replicating.

Militants attack mobile tower atop a civilian's house

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nidentified militants hurled a powerful grenade at a mobile tower installed atop a residential building in Thoubal district, police said here today.

Militants lobbed grenade at the house of a civilian, identified as Kheiru Din, yesterday.

The explosive, which failed to explode, was later defused by bomb disposal experts, sources said adding that the motive behind the incident was not yet known.

First swine flu death in Mizoram

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28-year-old man has died of swine flu at a hospital in Mizoram's Mamit district, making it the first death from the pandemic in the state, officials said.

The report of the throat and swab samples of C M S Dawngliana, who died on Sunday, today revealed that he was infected with H1N1 virus, health department officials said.

The victim was suspected of contacting virus when he took his relative to Aizawl Civil Hospital for treatment in September. Dawngliana was the fourth person in the state to be infected with the virus.

Health officials have decided to screen people at border checkposts and also at the lone Lengpui airport near here.

Experts expressed fear that a second wave of swine flu hitting the country would be worse than the first.

Mizoram, they said, would have to remain vigilant during winter. 28-year-old man has died of swine flu at a hospital in Mizoram's Mamit district, making it the first death from the pandemic in the state, officials said.

The report of the throat and swab samples of C M S Dawngliana, who died on Sunday, today revealed that he was infected with H1N1 virus, health department officials said.

The victim was suspected of contacting virus when he took his relative to Aizawl Civil Hospital for treatment in September. Dawngliana was the fourth person in the state to be infected with the virus.

Health officials have decided to screen people at border checkposts and also at the lone Lengpui airport near here.

Experts expressed fear that a second wave of swine flu hitting the country would be worse than the first.

Mizoram, they said, would have to remain vigilant during winter.

UN envoy critical of proposed big dams in North-East

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ritical of the proposed big dams in the North-East, an UN envoy has said such developmental projects should not infringe upon the rights of the local indigenous people.

"I have learnt that the government proposes to set up some 100 dams in the North-East of India. It may be a clean
source of energy, but it should not be carried out at the cost of the rights of the local indigenous people," Chairperson of United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Victoria Tauli Corpuz said here yesterday during the course of a lecture.

She said the government and the agencies implementing the projects, should take prior consent of the locals.

Issues such as deforestation, displacement and impact on environment should be addressed by the government, she
added.

Blaming developed nations for the adversities of climate change, she said those countries are now eyeing the
tropical forests in the developing countries for rescuing them.

"They (developed countries) have saturated the environment with carbon emission, and now they are asking
developing nations to resort to carbon neutral developmental activities," she said.

Explosives seized from abandoned vehicle in Shillong

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olice seized explosives from an abandoned vehicle in Shillong this morning.

Fifteen detonators and as many gelatin sticks were found in n car left at the Polo area here.

Police said, according to the documents, the vehicle belonged to a coal miner.

"We will have to question the owner, only then can we ascertain what the explosives were meant for," they said.

Six presiding officers suspended in Arunachal

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ix presiding officers who went missing with EVMs shortly after conclusion of polling for the Arunachal Pradesh assembly on October 13 and reappeared on the next morning, have been suspended.

The officers of Likabali constituency under West Siang district were suspended for dereliction of duty as their disappearance for over eight hours resulted in violence in which government and personal property of the sub-divisional office-cum-returning officers office were damaged, official sources said on Thursday.

West Siang DEO Amjad Tak placed them under suspension, they said.

The presiding officers carrying the election materials failed to report to Likabali RO Office complex till late in the night where all polling teams were ready to move to the Aalo receiving centre under police escort.

Two candidates Gumke Riba (NCP) and Yai Mara (AITC) lodged complaints about the missing presiding officers.

Despite assurance of appropriate action, the candidates, polling agents and supporters allegedly damaged office articles, vehicles and windows and also attacked the SDO's residence and damaged household articles.

The presiding officers, however, reported at the ROs office at 5:40 am the next day, the sources said.

Six vehicles torched in blockade against uranium project

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t least six vehicles were torched and five suspected student activists arrested as stray incidents of violence marred the first of the two-day night road blockade called by Khasi Students Union (KSU) to protest the proposed uranium mining project in Meghalaya.

Unidentified assailants burnt two vehicles near Mairang in West Khasi Hills district and one each in Ri Bhoi, Jaintia Hills and East Khasi Hills districts since Wednesday night.

Acting DGP B Kezo told reporters that five youths were detained in connection with the incidents.

Regular traffic on the highways was hit during the blockade. Reports from Ri Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and East Khasi Hills districts said the traffic along the highways thinned after 7 pm last evening. The response was mixed in Jaintia Hills district.

Few vehicles, especially trucks, that plied on NH 40 and 44 were provided with police escort, officials said.

Additional security personnel, including paramilitary troops, were deployed in the state to prevent any further untoward incidents during the blockade hours that resume from 9 pm tonight, he said.

The KSU had decided to intensify its agitation by enforcing the blockade from 9 pm to 5 am on October 14 and 15 to protest the government's decision to lease land to Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL).

Nikhil Kumar sworn-in as Nagaland Governor

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ikhil Kumar, former police commissioner of Delhi, on Thursday took the oath of office and secrecy as the governor of Nagaland at Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan in Kohima.

Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari, judge of Gauhati High Court administered him the oath of office and secrecy in the presence of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his cabinet colleagues.

Other MLAs, Leader of the Opposition, civil and police officers, army officers, tribal leaders and public attended the ceremony.

Kumar had earlier said that his top priority would be to work towards fulfilling the aspirations of the people of the state and would seek cooperation of all sections for the allround development of the beautiful state.

Normal life affected in Manipur due to general strike

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ormal life was affected in Manipur on Thursday due to a general strike called by insurgent outfits to protest the merger of the state with the country on October 15, 1949.

Markets, shops and business establishments remained closed while transport services between Manipur and neighbouring states were cancelled.

Attendance in government offices was almost nil as employees could not reach offices due to absence of transport services, reports said.

The strike also affected normal life in the interior districts.

Security forces were deployed at important points in the capital Imphal.

The Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF), formed by some major insurgent organisations, has called the 24-hour strike.

AGP-BJP alliance to continue in Assam by-elections

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ssam's main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is still sticking with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for next month's by-elections, although the alliance boomeranged on the regional party in the last parliamentary polls.

"As per the seat sharing tie up between the two parties, we are contesting in one seat and the BJP in the other seat for by-elections to two assembly constituencies," AGP leader Padma Hazarika told journalists.

By-polls to the two seats of Dhekiajuli and South Salmara were necessitated following election of the respective legislators as MPs in the last Lok Sabha polls. Voting is scheduled for November 7.

Badruddin Ajmal of the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) vacated the South Salmara seat after becoming an MP, while AGP legislator Joseph Toppo resigned from the Dhekiakuli seat on being elected as MP.

As per the seat sharing agreement, the AGP would field a candidate in the Dhekiajuli seat, while the BJP would contest the South Salmara seat.

Despite the AGP putting up a brave front and maintaining it would stick to its alliance with the BJP, the regional party was under tremendous pressure from its rank and file to sever ties with the saffron party after the AGP fared poorly in parliamentary elections.

The AGP won just one seat in the parliamentary elections, while the BJP seized the opportunity of the alliance to win four seats.

In the 2004 elections, the AGP and the BJP had won two seats each -there was no electoral tie up then.

"We were vehemently opposed to the alliance with the BJP as we knew it was because of this tie up that the people of Assam rejected us and so we won just one seat on our own in the parliamentary polls," a senior AGP leader said while requesting anonymity.

"But a few influential leaders from our own party are adamant to continue with the tie up with the BJP even at the cost of ruining the AGP."

Political analysts are of the view that it was the BJP that was gaining because of the electoral tie up with the AGP.

"The AGP is losing ground because of its alliance with the BJP. Maybe the AGP leaders are getting lot of financial support from the BJP leading to the tie up continuing even now," said Anil Das, an analyst.

Prohibitory orders ahead of protests against uranium project

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ohibitory orders have been imposed in parts of Meghalaya to foil a blockade called by the Khasi Students Union beginning tonight to protest the proposed uranium mining project in the state.

"Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been clamped in view of the blockade call," East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner J Lyngdoh said.

The night blockade is from 7:00 pm today to 5:00 am. It will resume at 9:00 pm on Thursday night and continue till 5:00 am on Friday.

The KSU is protesting the state government's decision to lease 422 hectare to the UCIL in the uranium-rich areas of the state for taking up pre-project developmental work.

Officials said that if required, Central paramilitary forces would be deployed to ensure that the blockade did not affect normal life.

Principal Secretary (Home) Barkos Warjri said SPs have been instructed to ensure free flow of traffic on highways. "Instructions have been given to officials to keep government vehicles in safe custody during the blockade hours," he said.

Six tribal separatists surrender in Tripura

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ix more tribal separatists have surrendered to security forces in Tripura after fleeing from their bases in Bangladesh, officials said in Agartala on Friday.

"The Bangladesh-trained militants led by their self-styled captain Makhanrai Reang, surrendered before senior officers of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Assam Rifles late on Thursday," a senior police official said.

The surrendered militants, belonging to outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), aged 20 to 30-years, fled from their camps in Satchari in Sylhet district in northeastern Bangladesh, opposite Khowai town in western Tripura.

They also deposited a large cache of arms and ammunition, including AK-series rifles and foreign made ammunition.

Militants belonging to various rebel groups in the northeast region have set up about 100 camps and hideouts in different parts of Bangladesh, specially Sylhet district and Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) bordering India's Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya states.

"We managed to escape from our camps in Sylhet district after Bangladeshi security forces launched anti-insurgency operations in different parts of that country. Some more guerrillas may sneak into Tripura any time from across the border," Reang told BSF officials.

With this, about 200 tribal guerrillas of ATTF and NLFT, including some dreaded ultras carrying rewards worth Rs 2,50,000 each and with Interpol arrest warrants, have fled from their Bangladeshi camps and surrendered to Indian security forces during the past one year.

The ATTF and the NLFT have been demanding independence for indigenous tribals and the secession of Tripura from India.

Meanwhile, the Tripura government has asked its counterparts in Manipur and Nagaland to provide information about the five militants of the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM), who were detained by BSF troopers last week while they were crossing the Bangladesh border into northern Tripura.

"The Manipur and Nagaland governments are yet to provide any information about the Naga militants and they have yet to confirm when they are likely to take back the tribal guerrillas, who are in police custody till Oct 20," Director General of Tripura Police Pranay Sahaya told reporters here Friday.

According to a BSF official, the NSCN (IM) rebels had reportedly killed six of their colleagues at their camp in Ghagrachari in eastern Bangladesh before deserting the hideout.

A large cache of arms and ammunition, including five AK-series rifles and some grenades, as well as Bangladeshi currency were found with the terrorists.

"Following a crisis of food and other essentials, NSCN-IM cadres engaged in a gun battle with their superiors at their camp. Killing six senior NSCN-IM militants, they deserted their camps and tried to come to India before they were apprehended by the BSF," a senior BSF official told reporters on the condition of anonymity.

China's Tsangpo diversion plan will leave Brahmaputra dry: Gogoi

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UWAHATI: A day after the Centre said it would will find out whether China is really building a dam across the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra
River, called the Yarlung Tsangpo, the Assam chief minister on Friday said there should be a back-up plan in place "in case of any eventuality".

On Thursday, the ministry of external affairs ministry said New Delhi was scanning media reports that China has begun constructing a dam on the Brahmaputra as part of the Nagmu hydroelectric project, which was inaugurated on March 16.

"We do not want to depend solely on the Centre. We will prepare a contingency plan on our own so that we know what measures need to be taken to face any situation. We may engage IIT for the exercise. If the Yarlung Tsangpo is diverted, the Brahmaputra will become dry," said Gogoi ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and foreign minister S M Krishna next week.

An expert committee, said Gogoi, will be set up to examine the possible effects a diverted Tsangpo will have on the Brahmaputra. "I am meeting the PM, the foreign minister and the water resource minister and try to know the actual position of the Chinese plans," he said.

"This is not the first time that plans to dam the Tsangpo and divert its flow by China have come to fore. Last time in 2006, the plan surfaced and I had taken it up with the Prime Minister very strongly. He later took it up with his Chinese counterpart," Gogoi added.

An MEA spokesman on Thursday claimed that during the meetings held between the two countries, the Chinese side had categorically denied that there's any plan to build any largescale diversion project on the Yarlung Tsangpo.

The Brahmaputra, which flows 918 km inside India before falling into the Bay of Bengal, originates from headsprings in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, where it is known as the Yarlung Tsangpo. It flows across southern Tibet and for about 1,625 km before entering India through Arunachal Pradesh where it's called the Dihang.

After the first instance when the Chinese plans were reported in 2006, the two countries agreed to establish an expert level mechanism to discuss trans-border river issues in an institutional way. However, recent reports in the Chinese media indicate that one of China's biggest engineering and construction companies, Gezhouba Corporation, has won a 1.14 billion yuan bid for the hydropower plant in Zangmu, in the middle reaches of the Brahmaputra.

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