1,900 Mizo refugees' camps destroyed in Tripura fire

Around 1,900 tribal refugees, who were living in north Tripura for the past 13 years after they fled from neighbouring Mizoram following ethnic trouble, became homeless after their makeshift camps were gutted in a major fire, officials said Tuesday.

"About 371 tribal refugee families comprising 1,855 men, women and children have been shifted to nearby areas after their temporary huts made of bamboo and hemp at Hamshapara in northern Tripura were reduced to ashes by the fire that broke out late Monday night," Sub-Divisional Magistrate Dilip Chakma told IANS by phone.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

Over 37,000 Reang tribal refugees have sought shelter in six camps in north Tripura, adjacent to Mizoram, since 1997 when they fled western Mizoram following ethnic clashes with the majority Mizos over the killing of a forest official.

The union home ministry through the Tripura government has so far spent around Rs.1.64 billion for their upkeep.

The Tripura government and the union home ministry has been asking the Mizoram government to take back the refugees. However, the government is yet to take any steps for their repatriation.

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MCD officials threatened me, alleges RTI applicant

Thirty-three-year-old Mohit Sharma from Delhi took the RTI route to put an end to the civic mess in his colony, caused by rampant unauthorised construction. But now he claims a threat to his life. And his finger is pointed at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

"I sought this information regarding illegal constructions in Shahdara. As a consequence, I started receiving threat calls. But on March 12, three MCD employees came to my home and threatened my family," said Mohit.

East Delhi resident Mohit works for an NGO and also runs a confectionery store. He had applied for information under RTI Act 2005, regarding the illegal encroachments in his area. The Central Information Commission (CIC) has heard the matter three times and the fourth hearing is scheduled for March 17.

The CIC has also ordered the Public Information Officer (PIO) to provide all the information at the earliest, but Mohit said he has not received the full details so far.

"On March 12, executive engineer BMN Rao and assistant engineer Umesh Singh came to my home. Singh threatened me by saying you are too young to be flirting with danger. You do not have any idea of what you are doing. He also said I must accept before the information commission that I have received all the details or they will kill me," said Mohit.

A written complaint was filed by Mohit at Seemapuri police station on March 13.

When contacted, MCD official Umesh Singh rejected all charges against him. "We have done nothing. We are government employees. How can someone expect us to go inside someone's house and give death threats? Mohit is a smart guy; he has filed the RTI since he himself is living in a 5th floor flat, which is illegal," said Singh.

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