Considering the past performance of Assam government in implementing power sector reforms, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved loan worth $200 million for the ‘Power Sector Enhancement Investment programme' in Assam.
Government sources said that the approved amount would be used to partly fund the state's $764 million power sector investment plan by 2014.
The funds would help in improvement of transmission and distribution infrastructure and reduce system losses. A distribution franchise plan, using a public-private partnership model, would be expanded into double consumer coverage.
The Assam CM had recently said that though the reforms had aided the power sector, there was still much to be done.
Pradyut Bordoloi, power minister of Assam said, "For the past 30 years or so, there has been no investment in the power sector. It was with loans from ADB and that too, with 90 per cent as grant, that our government could make major investment in the sector"
He also pointed out that the peak hour power demand in Guwahati had gone up from 80 MW in 2004 to 205 MW now. The peak hour demand in Assam is estimated to increase to 1700 MW by 2014.
The funds are expected to benefit around 1 million households, businesses, hospitals, schools etc. this loan from ADB is expected to be released in three tranches of $60.3 million, $89.7million and $50 million. The interest rate would be based on LIBOR (London Inter Bank Offer Rate)
Guwahati: The two newly elected Congress MLAs from South Salamara and Dhekiajuli seats were today sworn in.
Wajed Ali Choudhury from South Salmara and Bhimananda Tanti from Dhekiajuli were administered the oath by Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi, his cabinet members and other Congress MLAs were present on the occasion while opposition MLAs of the AGP and BJP were conspicuous by their absence, assembly sources said.
The Congress had wrested South Salmara from the AUDF and Dhekiajuli from the AGP in the recently concluded by-elections.
Choudhury defeated Abdul Rehman Ajmal, son of AUDF president and sitting MLA Badruddin Ajmal, while Tanti defeated Shiv Charan Tanti of AGP.
Women’s Cricket
Dibrugarh, Oct. 30 : Hosts Assam will take on Tripura in Tinsukia while Bengal will play Jharkhand in Dibrugarh in the two opening matches of the limited overs Women’s Cricket League (East Zone) beginning November 3.
Preparations are on at the Dibrugarh District Sports Association (DDSA) outdoor stadium and the Tinsukia District Sports Association (TDSA) stadium for the meet allotted by the BCCI to the Assam Cricket Association (ACA).
“All preparations are being made as per the specifications of the BCCI. We hope that we will be able to successfully conduct the tournament,” Tariq Khan, the cricket secretary of the DDSA, said.
The DDSA officials worked hard to prepare the ground, which got damaged during recruitment rallies organised by security forces in August and September.
In Tinsukia preparations are on full swing with the district association receiving funds of Rs 1 lakh from the ACA to prepare the wickets prior to the tournament.
The Assam team reached Tinsukia this afternoon and will start net practice from tomorrow.
GUWAHATI: With the impasse between the management and the workers of Assam Carbon
Products Ltd (ACPL) not ending, the management has sought government intervention to bring back the unit to good health.
ACPL, the Guwahati-based pioneer in carbon industry, has an annual turnover is Rs 40 crore. The company produces high quality electrical and mechanical carbon materials. Railways is the main buyer of electrical carbon.
GM (operations) ACPL G.P Chawla said Morgan Crucible Plc UK has the highest share of 52.62%, Assam government has 3.63% in ACPL. The ACPL has units in Guwahati and Hyderabad.
He informed in recent times ACPL has been going through an uncertain industrial relations environment. The unit is Guwahati has been plagued by disturbances mainly due to the adamant and unreasonable approach of the Assam Carbon workers & Employees Union .
Mr Chawla added the company has made fresh investment of Rs 5 crore in the unit. We have over 250 employees. Workmen enjoy one of the highest salaries among equivalent industries. Average remuneration based on cost to company is about Rs 18,500 per month.
According to him several workers have resorted to go-slow, strikes, gherao and violence. They are demanding 20% unlimited bonus and 85% increase in salary. Earlier, the company had monopoly, now we are facing tough competition. In the past, when there was hardly any competition, the management could afford to buy industrial peace by agreeing to steep pay hikes. In the current scenario, we have been emphasizing on productivity level as recommended by National Productivity Council (NPC), which a section of workers is not ready to accept.
GUWAHATI: With some suspected foreigners going untraced, the Assam government has authorised police officers to obtain fingerprints and photographs of suspected foreigners before or at the time of referring their cases to the foreigners tribunal.
According to the official statement: "Government has authorised the police officers of the Government of Assam entrusted with the process of detection and deportation of foreigners as well as the police officers entrusted otherwise in the affairs of the government to perform the function of obtaining the fingerprints and photographs of suspected foreigners before or at time of referring their cases to the foreigners tribunal. The order comes into force with immediate effect."
The statement said the order has become necessary in view of the observations that some suspected foreigners went untraced during the pendency of investigation by the state government agency and also during the pendency of the proceedings in the foreigners tribunal. In most cases, declared foreigners cannot be apprehended due to the act of their vanishing and deportations thus cannot be made.
Further, it is also necessary to obtain the fingerprints and photographs of suspected foreigners before referring the cases to the foreigners tribunal in order to keep track of such suspected foreigners in the event of their declaration as foreigners by the foreigners tribunal.
GUWAHATI: In order to set quality benchmark and attract global buyers to quality tea, the Assam government will initiate two-pronged certification measures. Under this method, tea gardens will be graded on the basis of manufacturing practices adopted and price realised at auction sale.
In the first phase, certification will be done on the price realised at the auction sale and in the second phase, factories will be placed under four broad categories 1 star, 2 star, 3 star and 4 star for easy recognition of prospective buyers as to what type they are buying.
Assam industry minister Pradyut Bordoloi, along with chairman of Tea Board Basudeb Banerjee held a meeting with several members of the tea industry here recently.
Mr Bordoloi told ET: "Guwahati tea auction centre will move over to 100% e-auctioning of CTC variety of tea from January next year. Currently 100% e-auctioning of tea in dust variety takes place. We are also initiating a method for grading and qualification by third party."
Sources in the government said that in the first phase, around 20% of Assam valley and 10% of Cachar valley of both bought leaf and state factories, which have been in the bottom sector of sales in three consecutive auctions will be identified. Then, identification will be done on brand name of the bottom sale price with concerned tea factories.
Sources added that the list of factories will be issued notice to identify the reasons for not receiving good price and take steps immediately to improve the quality with six months. A panel consisting of experts from Tea Research Association of India (TRA), North East Institute of Science and Technology, Assam Agriculture University and representatives of tea brokers will advise and guide the factories.
"The price of the factories will again be reviewed after six months and in case the factory concerned does not improve from the bottom level, the expert panel will visit the factory. Another two months will be given to the factory to improve. However, if the quality does not improve in 8 months, the factory will be deregistered," sources informed.
Tea Association of India secretary Dipanjol Deka observed that certification will assist in improving the overall quality. This method will also help in doing away with inferior tea. Under the e-auctioning in CTC category, buyers anywhere can bid. Price realization and exposure to buyers globally will be better."
In the second phase, accreditation will be done for tea gardens and it will be mandatory for tea gardens. This will be carried out by accredited rating agency. This phase will commence one year after the commencement of phase 1.
Under this, samples will be picked up randomly from the auction sale and necessary testing grade will be awarded. Besides this, parameters like manufacturing standard, quality of raw material, condition of factory and machinery, hygiene standards, mode of disposal of made tea, handling of tea waste, price settlement mechanism with small tea growers and usage of energy etc will be taken into consideration.
New Delhi, Oct 23Alarmed at the spurt in rhino poaching cases at Assam's Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, the Centre has constituted a two-member team to probe into the deaths of the one-horned endangered animal.
A decision in this regard was taken recently by the Environment Ministry which felt that despite various steps by the state government for rhino conservation, the situation remained alarming in the Park, situated near the northern banks of the Brahmaputra river.
As many as six rhinos have been killed in the sanctuary this year so far. Seven were poached last year.
"A team consisting of Bibhab Talukdar, an independent wildlife expert from Assam and a representative of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) would visit the affected area and prepare an action plan for further action.
"The report should be submitted within two months," an Environment Ministry official said.
DIBRUGARH, Oct 8 – The 12-hour Assam bandh, called by the Assam Labour Party and Chah Janagustia Adivasi Jatiyo Oikyo Mancha in protest against the recent killing of innocents in Sonitpur district allegedly by Ranjan Daimary faction of the NDFB passed by without any major incident here. Although a few educational institutions and shops remained opened, financial institutions and the business establishments responded to the bandh call. While long distance vehicles kept off the roads, plying of light motor vehicles in the city was not affected.
There were, however, several reports of stone pelting at buses and trains, causing damage to public and private property.
Our Correspondents add: Jorhat : The 12 hours Assam bandh here passed peacefully. During the daytime, all the shops remained closed in the town and the services of the long distance buses were cancelled. Only a few employees and other public were present in the government offices.
Gossaigaon : The 48-hour bandh called from Oct 5 by All Assam Adivasi Students’ Union in protest against the harassment of AASA supporters on suspicion of theft of arms from Sapkata outpost, and the 12-hour bandh called on Oct 7 by All Assam Labour Party in protest against the killings of innocents by suspected NDFB, passed off peacefully in Kokrajhar district.
However, in the wake of full response to the bandh, many hardships were faced by the common people. The worse affects were seen in Srirampur (Assam-Bengal border) where over 40 trucks carrying fish and over 200 trucks carrying other goods came to a halt for almost three days. Shops remained closed and bus-services were also affected.
Tinsukia : With the normal functioning of tea gardens, Oil India, Digboi Refinery, Coal India Ltd. Divisional Railway Offices, State Government Offices, some of the both private and Govt. educational institutes and private vehicles plying on the roads, the response to the 12-hour Assam bandh call in Tinsukia district was mixed today. Most of the shops and markets were closed as weekly holiday but many of the wayside shops remained open here. However, no public vehicles plied on the roads of the district and financial institutions like banks, insurance, etc., remained closed during the bandh period. No untoward incident was reported from any corner of the district during the bandh period.
Guwahati, Sep 25 : Hundreds of devotees thronged revered Kamakhya temple in Assam state on Thursday for Kumari Puja organised during Hindu festival of Navratri, in which young girls are worshipped.
Kumari Puja is held at the Kamakhya temple every year prior to Durga Puja celebrations that began on Saturday and end on “Navami” (the ninth day of the Navratri festival). The tradition is as old as that of the origin of Kamakhya temple.
It is believed that the Goddess, although omnipresent, surely exists in the virgin. Reverence to female children as goddesses is an age-old custom of India.
The Kamakhya temple situated in Guwahati, main city of Assam, on the banks of river Brahmaputra, is dedicated to goddess Kamakhya, consort of Shiva, Hindu God of destruction.
It is believed that at Kamakhya, the Goddess appears in the form of a virgin. So some of the pilgrims worship the living virgin as Goddess in this temple.
Worship of a living woman as Goddess is of purely Tantric origin. It is stated that virgin worship is nothing but Shakti worship.
The virgin worship is performed along with Durga, Kali and other Mahavidyas. The salutation mantra of virgin worship is the same as vidya’s salutation mantra. Sometimes, it is also seen that the virgin is fed and clad and saluted without any mantra. The tantrics believe that the virgin is the Goddess incarnate.
“Her name is not Kamakhya but Kamakshi. People come here as their wishes are fulfilled here and that’s why we have come all the way from Bihar,” said Chandreshwar Pathak, a devotee from eastern Bihar.
Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/devotees-throng-assams-kamakhya-temple-for-kumari-puja_100251992.html#ixzz0S6LVISMh
But now, the Government has officially declared Chaygaon as an industrial area, and more and more industries are likely to set up their units here, which would provide an opportunity for the locals to engage themselves in factory work.
“There are many girls and boys who are sitting at home doing nothing. But, after this factory was inaugurated, we got employed and now we don’t have to sit at home and waste our time. Many local boys get involved in some insurgent groups but rather they should find some work in this factory. At least they will be in the mainstream and won’t join the militant groups,” said Archana Kalita, a woman trainee in the factory.
The setting up of the factory would go a long way in organizing the silk industry in Assam to continue in a systematic line to ensure sustained production of high quality yarn and in the process address the basic needs of employment and socio-economic upliftment of the region.
“This factory is although small in terms of quantity, but it is going to be instrumental in helping or contributing about 4000 families surrounding this village and also the whole of northeast,” said Dilip Bora, Managing Director of Fabric Plus.
Bora further said that the factory produces designer fabrics, customized goods, A to Z in silk and fashion fabrics, which are exclusive in the markets and are well appreciated by the customers.
Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/feature/new-silk-industry-brings-in-job-opportunities-for-locals-in-assam_100251942.html#ixzz0S6LMeqR1
GUWAHATI, Sept 23 – Revenue Minister Dr Bhumidhar Barman today reviewed the earthquake preparedness of the State in a meeting with the senior officials of the departments concerned. According to official sources here, the Minister directed the departments concerned to evacuate the residents from Jagabandhu Apartment in Bhangagarh area of the city, which tilted under the impact of the earthquake yesterday.
He also asked the officials concerned to enquire into the matters relating to the permission of the building and also to fix responsibilities for the purpose. If needed, actions should be taken against those found guilty, directed the Minister.
It was also discussed in the meeting as to how the city would be able to cope with the impacts of the earthquakes of greater magnitudes, if an earthquake of 6.2 in the Richter scale can result in cracks and tilts in its buildings.
The departments concerned should also take steps to identify the roads that require widening keeping in view the required width, which is at least 7.5 metres. Steps should be taken expeditiously to widen the roads up to the required limit.
Moreover, the Minister directed that speedy steps should be taken to retrofit the already identified weaker buildings, which include also the lifeline ones. Actions should also be taken in the case of the school buildings, which have been found unsafe. Many school buildings have been found unsafe, said the sources.
In the meeting, it was also decided to strengthen the communication system, the fire brigade services and the Civil Defence Orgainsation, said the sources.
The Revenue Minister also visited some of the affected buildings this evening and he was accompanied by senior officials of the Revenue Department.
Meanwhile, senior officials of the district administration visited the Fancy Bazar building which developed cracks under the impact of the earthquake yesterday.
However, the cracks which developed in a Machkhowa FA Road building have been attributed to construction defects and the cracks in the building developed much before the earthquake, said district administration sources.
Geologist D K Barman of the Directorate of Geology and Mining attributes the tilt in the Bhangagarh building to the carelessness or ignorance of the builders about the existence of a thick layer of plastic clay up to the extent of about 300 feet below the surface.
However, the cracks that developed in some of the city buildings under the impact of yesterday’s earthquake were due to faulty construction, he said.
A tremor of 5.7 magnitude was recorded at 1.09 a.m. on Tuesday woke up people in Assam, who had gone to bed in panic after experiencing a 6.2 magnitude earthquake on Monday afternoon.
Monday’s afternoon’s tremor quickly followed by the sixth tremor in past 42 days prompted the State Disaster Management Authority (SDM) on Tuesday to ask the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) to deploy engineers to identify all vulnerable buildings in the city and instructed the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district administration to take necessary steps to ensure safety of the occupants of such buildings accordingly. Panic gripped residents of multi-storeyed buildings in the city following cracks in some building after Monday’s earthquake.
The SDM also asked all government departments to gear up and activate their contingency plan. The instructions were issued after a review meeting taken by State Revenue Minister Bhumidhar Barman. Although no casualty or injury was reported in Assam, Monday’s earthquake claimed 11 lives in Bhutan including four road construction workers from lower Assam.
V.K. Pipersenia, Principal Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management, told The Hindu that all government departments were directed to activate their contingency
Assam Company Ltd has announced that the Board of Directors of the Company at its adjourned meeting held on September 07, 2009, inter alia, has recommended payment of Dividend @ 15% (Fifteen percent only) per Equity Share of Re 1/- each for the approval of the shareholders at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The stock was trading at Rs.20.05, down by Rs.0.15 or 0.74%. The stock hit an intraday high of Rs.20.70 and low of Rs.19.95.
The total traded quantity was 470548 compared to 2 week average of 2083667.
GUWAHATI, Sept 3 – Status of around 50,000 pending criminal cases gathering dust in police stations across the State would be reassessed by a special team of Assam Police. The special team, as per the module presently being prepared by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) would comprise 200 sub-inspectors undergoing probationary period, who would operate under a senior police inspector to ensure speedy disposal of cases.
Of the total number of pending cases, 30 per cent of them are reported in Guwahati itself.
“The drive would begin from Guwahati and later would be replicated in all the districts of the State,” a source in the police department told The Assam Tribune.
“An overview of the nature of the pending cases showed that most of the pending cases are petty, which could be closed taking into consideration the legalities attached to it. The idea behind carrying out the drive is to reassess the status of the high-profile criminal cases,” the sources stated.
“Taking into account the nature of the crime committed, the cases would either be closed or a fresh investigation would be carried out to bring the culprits to book,” he pointed out.
The source further informed the module would make setting up of a separate unit of police officials in each police station exclusively to study the nature of the pending cases.
Meanwhile, the police department has also been asked to prepare a road map to form separate units for law-and-order and investigation.
One aspect of Assam Police administration including that of others states in the country is the invariably first routine question that an SP, DIG or IGP during tour of districts, ranges and state police station is the number of cases chargesheeted. Any police station or outpost or petrol post incharge thus is focused on chargesheeting cases speedily irrespective of the merits of the case resulting in overlaping of the cases.
GUWAHATI, Sept 5 – Trafficking of young girls from Assam has gone up in recent months, with essential interventions from the State Government still not in place. As there has been little effort to implement the Supreme Court directive to constitute committees involving all stakeholders to curb trafficking, criminals are still able to target vulnerable girls in a number of areas.
In the last three months alone, there have been a number of rescues of young girls from Assam in different cities of the country; one organisation in Assam working with partner groups could rescue and repatriate 13 girls during this period. The number of missing girls from Guwahati has also gone up. Tragically, most of the girls trafficked are not adults as traffickers prefer them in the age group of 14 to 16 years, a fact established by the age of those who have been rescued.
Speaking to The Assam Tribune, Digambar Narzary, director of Nedan Foundation, a Kokrajhar-based NGO, underlined the urgent need to abide by the Supreme Court directive. “Forming committees with stakeholders from various levels is crucial to check the menace of trafficking in Assam, where many cases happen because there were no one to notice or report the activities,” Narzary remarked.
Narzary, whose organisation has been responsible for rescue and repatriation of young women from various parts of the country, said trafficking has connections with the process of migration and therefore an effective monitoring mechanism should be in place. The nodal officers in the districts should be fed with more information by local communities, information which should include names of destinations to which young women are migrating for work.
Data generated by Nedan Foundation indicate that eleven districts of Lower Assam have emerged as particularly vulnerable with more women being trafficked than before. Some of them have been located in areas such as Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore and New Delhi. Significantly, the eleven districts have witnessed conflict situations and poverty, reasons which have been found responsible for rise in trafficking. Recurring floods in the state have lead to displacement of a large population, and those involved in trafficking have also targeted girls from such groups.
Narzary and others well acquainted with the issue of trafficking of girls in Assam believe that monitoring should be strengthened in the trains moving out from the State, because in recent times those have been the preferred mode of transport for traffickers.
They further favour State-specific Anti-Trafficking Laws in Assam, which recognise the problems endemic to the region. However, despite repeated efforts, such legislation has still not been formed.
The need to have a rethink on the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act is another issue highlighted by groups studying trafficking of girls. Anurita Pathak Hazarika of North East Network (NEN) said, “The Act stigmatises woman and even the word immorality is debatable.” She added that in Assam post-conflict situations in some areas were also responsible for making young women more vulnerable to trafficking.
Guwahati: In yet another glaring case of ragging in Assam, two college students here have been arrested for harassing girls after authorities filed a formal complaint with the police.
Hridyananda Baruah, a student of BCom final year at the K C Das Commerce College in Assam’s main city of Guwahati, and Anjan Bujarbaruah of the Guwahati Commerce College, were arrested late on Wednesday following a formal complaint by college authorities.
“There was a complaint by the principal of the K C Das Commerce College saying one of their students Hridyananda Baruah was involved in an incident of ragging.
“Based on the complaint, we first arrested Baruah and based on his statement we arrested his friend Anjan Bujarbaruah who was with him during the incident,” said police official F Barghuyan, who is investigating the case.
Hitesh Deka, principal of the K C Das Commerce College, said he was responding to a verbal complaint from girl students that Hridyananda Baruah had “been continuously harassing them”.
“So I lodged a police report. In the meantime, we have expelled him from the college on charges of ragging. We are against any form of ragging in the college and shall not tolerate such incidents,” Deka said. Guwahati Commerce College authorities are also contemplating action.
“Left wing extremism is growing in Assam. It is bound to flow into the state from Nepal and neighbouring states. Then there is also Bangladesh from where Pakistan’s ISI is pushing militants into the state,” Gogoi told reporters while pitching hard for central aid to “reform and strengthen the police”.
“We will fight these serious challenges. We need to strengthen our police. Get them sophisticated training and weaponry and latest technology,” Gogoi said after meeting United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi here.
He said the state government was also committed to improve the intelligence network and wanted to create a separate cadre of intelligence officers.
Quoting a home ministry report, Gogoi said though there has been a decline in violence in the insurgency-hit state there was no room to feel complacent about it.
Guwahati, Aug 18 : An army jawan tested positive for swine flu in Assam today, the second confirmed case of flu in the state.
Nayak Raj Kumar Sinha had complained of swine flu symptoms and his samples sent for testing to the Indian Council of Medical Research at Lahowal in Dibrugarh which came out positive, Regional Director of Union Ministry of Health Parthajyoti Gogoi told PTI.
51-year old Sinha is currently being treated at the isolation ward of Army Base Hospital at Bashistha here.
Earlier, 21-year old Dheeraj Yadav had tested positive and was undergoing treatment at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital here where his condition was stated to be stable.
Assam's Joint Director of Health Services Dr G P Sarma said the state health department had so far sent 43 samples for testing.
