Haflong , July 6 A Dimasa woman and her child were killed today by suspected Zemi Nagas tribals in continued ethnic violence in Assam&aposs trouble-torn North Cachar Hills district.
Official sources said the woman and child were killed while they were returning from their jhum fields in Natunwari village under Haflong police station this afternoon during the day-long bandh called by several public organisations to protest against the ongoing clashes between the two groups.
The district has been rocked by violence since March with the militant group Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) striking in a big way in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls as they targeted railway and security personnel and property.
Ethnic clashes broke out between the two warring tribes -- Dimasas and Zemi Nagas -- resulting in the killing of over 32 people and razing to ground more than 200 houses.
GUWAHATI, July 5 – Opposition members today came down heavily on the State Budget, terming it as anti-people and lacking focus on many of the burning issues of the State. Taking part in the general discussion on the budget, Bhuban Pegu (independent) said that the perennial problem of flood was unlikely to be contained unless there was a shift in policy. He said that to be effective, the practice of launching flood- and erosion-control measures in April/May had to be discarded and replaced with a time-bound programme beginning in November/December.
“All these years huge sums of money have virtually been washed away due to shoddy and half-done anti-flood works that begin just before the flood season. The common excuse resorted to by the Government about a so-called long-drawn process for financial clearance is ridiculous and must be changed forthright if we are to have an effective flood-control mechanism and prevent recurring damage worth thousands of crores every year,” Pegu said.
Drupad Bargohain (CPI) criticized the budget, saying that the dangers of a deficit budget were already manifesting in the form of price rise. “To meet the deficit the Government has to go for either large-scale borrowing or enhanced taxation, which invariably impacts the common people hard,” he said.
Urging the ministers to visit the markets, Bargohain said that they did not know the ground situation vis-à-vis price rise as they never visited any market.
Bargohain also questioned the implementation of many Centrally-sponsored projects which he said were tardy and corruption-riddled. “Lots of instances are there when newly-constructed roads failed to last even a year,” he said.
Jagat Sing Ingti (Congress), while welcoming the provisons for setting up new institutes of higher learning in different parts of the State, appealed to the Government to ensure timely completion of the announced projects. “The Diphu Polytechnique took 25 years for completion but classes are yet to start,” he said.
Regretting that the House saw little deliberations on the volatile situation in NC Hills, Ingti said that people were getting killed and property being destroyed every day but such a crucial issue stood neglected. “We do not even know what steps the Government is taking to contain the situation,” he said.
Accusing the State Government of following double standards in engaging militant outfits in talks, Ingti said that if the Government could initiate dialogues with the NSCN (I-M), DHD (Nunisa), UPDS, etc., there was no reason why the same could not be done in the case of the DHD (J) and KLNLF. “Is it that the Government waits till an outfit attains a ‘stature’ before it can be invited for talks?” he asked.
Disapproving the Government’s dissolving the NC Hills Autonomous Council following the arrest of its CEM Mohit Hojai, Ingti said that the act was tantamount to “murder of democratic norms” as there was always the option to select a new CEM from among the members.
Ingti was also critical of the move to replace the customary laws of the Karbi and Dimasa people, saying that it hinted at a conspiracy to marginalize the two indigenous communities.
Anwarul Haq (AUDF) termed the budget as ‘frustrating’, and said that it had little for the people of the Barak Valley. He charged the Government with failing in its basic responsibility of providing security to the personnel engaged in the East-West Corridor and railway, resulting in virtual abandonment of the highway project in NC Hills and prolonged disruption in the Lumding-Badarpur railway tract following heightened militant activities.
Haq said that the Government had done little to uplift the 5 lakh-odd members of a fishing community of Barak Valley who had been languishing for decades.
Haq also said that along with enhancing salary and perks of the employees, the Government ought to ensure a better work culture in its offices.
Maneswar Brahma (BPF) described the budget as a realistic one but added that some long-standing needs of the BTC area on fronts like education and health still awaited priority status. He also called for expediting process of withdrawal of police cases against former BLT members as per provisions of the BTC agreement.
“This is resulting in undue harassment to the former BLT cadres. In addition, the Relief and Rehabilitation Department should also be handed over to the BTC administration,” he said, and pleaded for bestowing of legal status on the village council development committees (VCDCs) as panchayati raj institutions were not required in a Sixth Schedule area like the BTC.
Brahma further urged the Government to create a separate directorate for Bodo-medium educational institutions besides filling up the vacancies of posts of teachers.
Durga Bhumij (Congress), while hailing the budget as pro-people, underscored the need for implementation of development schemes for the tea-tribes populace. “Even a basic amenity like drinking water eludes a vast majority of the tea-tribes,” he said. He also stressed proper management of the 15 ailing tea gardens of the Assam Tea Corporation (ATC), saying that the labourers were enduring tremendous hardships in those gardens. “If necessary, the gardens should be given out on long-term lease for revival,” he added.
Earlier, initiating the budget discussion, Rana Goswami (Congress) defended various steps spelt out in the budget, terming those as the correct exercise under the prevailing circumstances.
“Education has been given top priority with stress on creating adequate educational infrastructure across the State and relating education to industry and enterprise,” he said. He also claimed that work on Indo-Bangladesh border fencing was progressing satisfactorily.
Goswami also accused the AGP of doing precious little to improve the power situation while the party was in power. “Rather, the AGP closed down the thermal power stations at Bongaigaon and Chandrapur besides stalling the Karbi Langpi hydel project,” he said.
Kamal Singh Narzary (BFP), Dr Alaka Sarma (AGP), Raju Sahu (Congress), Chandi Basumatary (Ined), Motiur Rahman Mandal (Congress), Praneswar Basumatary (BPF), Rajiv Lochan Pegu (Congress), Mohibul Haq (Ind), Bhupen Bora (Congress), and Bithika Deb (Congress) also participated in the debate.
The flood situation on Thursday turned grave in Assam following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas as red alert was sounded in Majuli, the world's largest river island, and Lakhimpur.
Official sources said more than two lakh people of nearly 300 villages have been affected due to breach in embankments at Majuli and Lakhimpur.
In Majuli, an embankment was breached on Thursday morning at Nayabazaar inundating Jengraimukh, Fuloni, Halodiati, Kherkotamukh and Nayabazaar.
In Lakhimpur, a 100-metre stretch of the "geo-fabric" embankment, constructed by a Malaysian company at a cost of Rs 140 crore, was breached on Wednesday at Matmora affecting nearly 200 villages.
East Dhakuakhana, Matmora, Kherkota, Dangdhara, Dimoruguri, Kekuri and Dholpata were among the areas which got submerged.
Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas in the foothills of the Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh resulted in floods in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sonitpur and Jorhat.
A red alert has been sounded in these areas and personnel of National Disaster Rescue Force were engaged in rescuing the marooned people.
Water level of the mighty Brahmaputra was flowing close to the danger level at Guwahati.
GUWAHATI - Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is facing a rebellion of sorts from within his ruling Congress party with legislators seeking a reshuffle in the cabinet and dropping of “non-performing” ministers.
A group of 27 legislators submitted a signed memorandum to the chief minister requesting him to effect a cabinet reshuffle by dropping inefficient ministers and inducting new faces, Raju Sahu, a Congress legislator representing the Chabua assembly constituency in eastern Assam, told IANS Thursday.
This is the first time in the past eight years that the chief minister is facing an open revolt. Gogoi has been heading the state government since 2001.
If we are to win the 2011 assembly elections for the third term then it is a must for the chief minister to have a very good team with him and hence the need to reshuffle the cabinet, Sahu said.
Murmurs of dissent were palpable with other legislators too joining the revolt bandwagon.
Those ministers who were not able to deliver the goods should be dropped and new faces inducted. I am the legislator from the prestigious Guwahati East constituency and still I am not a minister, nor do I have any power, said Robin Bordoloi.
There is a lobby stepping up its ante against the chief minister, the coterie becoming more vocal after the Congress won just seven of the 14 seats in the recently concluded parliamentary elections. The party had won nine seats in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls.
This is not a demand but yes there is a feeling for a reshuffle. We are a democratic party and these are our internal matters, said another Congress legislator Bhupen Bora.
The chief minister admitted there was a demand from within the party legislators for a reshuffle.
It is true there is a demand for a reshuffle. I never said there would be no reshuffle in the cabinet, although right now we have not decided anything on this, Gogoi said.
Considering the belligerent mood of the legislators, the chief minister might axe at least two to three ministers and induct a couple of new faces to stem any further dissidence in the party.
 |  | The situation turned grim on Thursday after the surging waters of the Brahmaputra breached a 100-metre stretch of a newly built embankment in Lakhimpur district in Assam state. -- PHOTO: REUTERS |
The situation turned grim on Thursday after the surging waters of the Brahmaputra, one of Asia's largest rivers, breached a 100-metre stretch of a newly built embankment in Lakhimpur district in Assam state.
At least 300 villages in the district, about 350 kilometres north of the state capital Gauhati, have been flooded after the breach, Assam Revenue Minister Bhumidhar Barman said.
While some people have left for higher ground, the majority are still in their homes, even though flood waters have entered most houses.
'We have sounded a maximum alert and have deployed paramilitary disaster response teams for rescue operations,' said Ataul Karim, the district police chief.
Monsoon floods are routine in Assam, a state of 26 million people, with heavy rains swelling the Brahmaputra and its innumerable tributaries that crisscross the state. Last year, millions of people were forced to temporarily abandon their homes.
The monsoon rains usually hit India from June to September.
The rains are crucial for farmers whose crops feed hundreds of millions of people, but they also bring massive destruction across the country. Every year, thousands of people are killed by flooding, collapsing houses and other rain-related incidents.
Violence in North Cachar hills distirct refuses to halt as 5 persons were killed in yet another strike by miscreants on Wednesday night even as the Centre is determined to stem violence in the north eastern region.
According to information, five persons including a teenagerswere killed and three others wounded as armed miscreants attacked a tiny Dimasa village under Mahur police station on Wednesday. Armed miscreants attacked the hamlet killing five people - four children and a woman - and injured three more. The militants opened indiscriminate fire on a group of people resulting in the grusome incident. The injured, a woman and two children, were admitted to a local hospital with multiple bullet injuries.
The victims were all from the Dimasa tribe and it appears to be a retaliation to the killing of three Zemi Naga women earlier this week. On the other hand, Home Minister P. Chidambaram has said the Centre is determined to put down violence perpetrated by insurgent groups in the Northeast. He said paramilitary forces and state police are vigilant. But despite their best efforts, incidents like this (killing of Hindi-speaking people) happened. Reacting to the reports of fresh violence in Assam, he described the killing of non-Assamese there as a matter of concern while expressing regret.
New Delhi (IANS): India will view 21st century's longest solar eclipse on July 22 which will provide a life time opportunity to scientists and sky gazers to study this grand spectacle of nature.
The total eclipse is expected to last 6 minutes and 44 seconds, making it the longest eclipse till 2132.
"The eclipse begins at 5.28 a.m. (IST) when the shadow of the moon touches the earth at local sunrise point in the Arabian Sea, close to the western coast of India. The eclipse ends at 10.42 a.m. (IST) when the moon's shadow finally leaves the earth at local sunset point in the South Pacific Ocean," said an official at the Ministry of Science and Technology here on Tuesday.
N. Rathnasree, Director, Nehru Planetarium said: "This eclipse is of special interest for the scientists and general public of India as its path of totality passes through thickly populated regions of west, central, east and north-east India."
People in parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and northeastern States will be able to watch the total eclipse while other parts of the country will witness a partial eclipse.
The next solar eclipse will occur on Jan 15, 2010.
GUWAHATI, Jul 1 : The Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly today started on a stormy note with the members of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) staging a walk out in protest against the refusal of the Speaker to admit an adjournment motion of the-law-and order situation in North Cachar Hills. Immediately after the Question Hour, the members of AGP, BJP and AUDF wanted to move an adjournment motion on the situation in NC Hills, but the Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai said that as the State’s Budget for the current financial year would be presented today, he would allow the movers of the motion to speak on its admissibility on July 1. Leader of the Opposition Chandra Mohan Patowary said that no rule disallows moving of an adjournment motion on the day of presentation of the Budget.
The members of AGP, BJP and AUDF then rushed to the well of the House to protest the Speaker’s decision and later they staged a walk-out.
Meanwhile, in a written reply to a question by Girindra Kumar Baruah (AGP), the Forest Minister, Rockybul Hussain, who was replying on behalf of the Chief Minister, said that altogether 206 persons including 159 civilians and 47 security personnel were killed by the militants in NC Hills during the period from January, 1995 to May 30 this year. During the same period, 43 militants were killed and 376 were arrested, while, three militants managed to escape from jail. He said that 215 houses were burnt down during that time.
Hussain informed the House that at present, militants belonging to the DHD(J) and NSCN are active in the hill district. On the steps taken by the Government to bring the situation in NC Hills under control, he said that 22 companies of Army and 59 companies of Assam police battalion and paramilitary force personnel have been deployed in the district, while, the IGP in charge of the Special Task Force is camping in the district. The Government has initiated steps for upgrading four police outposts to police stations and to create eight new police outposts, while, the forces in the district have launched operations under the Unified Command structure. Senior officers of the State Government and Assam Police are frequently visiting the hill district to take stock of the situation, while, officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs also paid several visits to the area.
GUWAHATI, Jul 1 : The Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly will begin tomorrow with the presentation of the State’s Budget for the year 2009-10 by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who is also in charge of the Finance department. Meanwhile, the Opposition parties are gearing up to put the Government on the back foot during the session. The session, which will continue up to July 21, will have 13 working days. Normally the State’s Budget is presented in the month of March, but this year because of the Lok Sabha polls, only vote-on-account for four months was presented in March and the full Budget will be presented tomorrow.
The Speaker of the State Assembly, Tanka Bahadur Rai, today held a meeting of the leaders of the legislature parties and groups to seek their cooperation for smooth conduct of the session.
The major Opposition parties have joined hands to raise the common issues concerning the people of the State together on the floor of the House. They are also likely to move an adjournment motion in the House on the incidents of violence in the North Cachar Hills district.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, the leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the major Opposition parties would maintain floor coordination to raise the major issues concerning the common people forcefully in the House. He said that he already held talks with the leaders of other parties including BJP and AUDF in this regard.
Patowary said that law-and-order situation in the State, particularly in NC Hills and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) areas would be one of the main issues for the Opposition. He alleged that since assuming office in 2001, the Congress-led Government in the State had totally failed to protect the life and property of the people and the situation in NC Hills deteriorated day by day because of the failure of the government to act on time. He alleged that the government delayed the arrest of former Chief Executive Member of the NC Hills Autonomous Council, Mohit Hojai, only because of the elections. He also said that the Government was not keen on solving the problem of militancy through political talks and no progress has been made in the process of talks with the militant groups, which signed cease-fire agreements to express their desire to solve the problems peacefully.
The Opposition leader said that the power situation would be another major issue as the government has totally failed to improve the situation and is now claiming that the situation would improve only after sufficient rainfall. Over the years, the government had failed to take steps to increase thermal power generation and no step was taken to set up the proposed Amguri power project, he alleged. He further said that the Government cannot expect to bring in investments to the State without improving the power scenario.
On the drought like situation, Patowary said that the rural economy would be badly affected this year because of the weather condition. He said that the failure of the government to provide irrigation facilities to the farmers would seriously hit agriculture production. He alleged that less than five percent of the cultivable land in the State is provided with irrigation facilities.
Patowary also alleged that though the Government of India has been claiming that the rate of inflation is coming down, the prices of all the essential commodities are increasing, making life miserable for the common people. He said that the Public Distribution System is also not functioning properly in the State.
The Opposition parties are also planning to accuse the government of misusing funds earmarked for rural development.
Guwahati: Assam Director-General of Police G.M. Srivastava on Tuesday visited the troubled North Cachar Hills district, where the State government is planning to relocate 50 Dimasa and Zeme Naga villages to identified clusters to undertake a full-scale counter-insurgency operations and protect villagers from militant attacks.
Meanwhile, suspected militants set ablaze several houses and injured one person in indiscriminate firing during an attack on a Dimasa village under the Mahur police station.
Hundreds of mystics and seers, who claim to possess psychic powers, have gathered at a unique four-day festival at the Kamakhya temple here where thousands of devotees, including scores of foreigners, have come seeking blessings and fulfilment of wishes.
"One cannot deny miracles and the existence of mystical powers in this world. My blessings help childless couples conceive, besides treating patients with chronic ailments," Giri Baba told IANS even as he smoked a hookah filled with marijuana.
Giri Baba, an elderly Hindu seer with a paste of vermilion and ash smeared on his forehead, is among the many mystics at the famous Hindu temple of Mother Goddess Kamakhya in Assam's main city of Guwahati for the Ambubachi Mela that began Monday.
The Kamakhya temple has long been considered the highest seat of tantricism, a somewhat exotic rite-based channel in Hindu religious traditions that has been an integral part of India's folklore for centuries.
"Performing wonders is not difficult at all... I can make a childless couple conceive, find a distressed loner a spouse, or even cast an evil spell on others," boasted another mystic who identified himself as Kala Baba, a frail looking man sporting a flowing unkempt beard as he prepared for a fire ritual at the Kamakhya.
For many of the seers, the Ambubachi Mela is a meeting ground and an occasion to exhibit their psychic powers - from standing on one leg for hours to another burying his head in a pit and standing upright.
"There is something paranormal here at Kamakhya where most of the sadhus (seers) are capable of performing miracles... though most people would like to dismiss such claims as rubbish," said Pagala Baba, known as one of the most sought after mystics among devotees from far and wide.
Among the devotees making a beeline to meet the mystics were a few foreigners -- both men and women -- from Germany, France, Thailand and other countries.
"I am here for attaining peace and cleansing my soul. I find total peace of mind and really believe in the mystical powers of these learned seers," said a French man who refused to identify himself.
A German woman echoed the French man's views.
Blessings apart, many people approach the mystics for casting evil spells on their adversaries.
"A vast majority of the people come here to catch hold of a seer to harm their foes. It is possible to cast evil spells on adversaries, but then only a few would agree to do so," said Pagala Baba.
More than 500,000 devotees, including thousands of monks, have converged here for the ritual. The festival is being held to mark the menstruation period of the goddess during which the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine remains closed to worshippers. The temple gate would open Thursday.
| - Vanished rains hit hydel projects | ||
Guwahati, June 23c: The Assam State Electricity Board today warned of an unprecedented power crisis if the rainless climate continued and pleaded with the people to conserve energy to help tide over the crunch. The peak hour demand has touched 900MW because of the humid weather, said ASEB chairman A.K. Sachan. The power board has been able to supply only 750MW to 800 MW. Even at night, the power demand is 650MW, compared to 450MW last year. “Availability of power outside Assam is limited because the prevailing weather conditions are similar in other states too. The power generation capacity of hydel power stations in other northeastern states has gone down because of inadequate rainfall. A drastic reduction in the water level of rivers has resulted in Ranganadi (in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh) producing only 193 million units from March to May as compared to 282 million units during the same period in 2008. “The situation worsened this month as the daily power generation of the Ranganadi project has gone down to 3 million units against last year’s figure of 7 million units. The installed capacity of Ranganadi is 400MW and Assam gets 200MW of this under normal circumstances,” Sachan said. He said the situation is similar in other hydel power projects like Loktak hydel power project in Manipur and Doyang project in Nagaland. “Assam shares 50 per cent of the power generated by hydel power projects outside the state and adequate rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland is a must. We normally purchase power from different parts of country. But many of the states, including power surplus states like West Bengal and Orissa, are facing power shortage because of inadequate rainfall this year. If rainfall is insufficient, the situation may go beyond our control,” Sachan said. According to the rainfall data available with the Regional Meteorological Centre, Guwahati, Assam has recorded 31 per cent deficit, Arunachal Pradesh 35 per cent, Manipur 38 per cent, Mizoram 36 per cent and Tripura 21 per cent between May 25 and June 19. The meteorological centre has said if the region receives abundant rainfall in July, it will be able to make up for the deficit. “Otherwise, certain parts of the region will experience a drought-like situation,” said the director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, B.K. Handique. Sachan said even though the ASEB is procuring power from all possible sources, including from the energy exchange programme, people must also co-operate and adopt energy conservation practices. ASEB even suggested a few tips to conserve power: reduce air-conditioning energy by 40 per cent by covering the windows, switch off lights and fans when not in use, use fluorescent tubelights and CFL, keep refrigerators away from all sources of heat and turn off office equipment and computers when not in use. The board yesterday bought 14 lakh units of power under the energy exchange programme. Each unit costs Rs 10.45. The board also plans to purchase more power from Gujarat and Tamil Nadu shortly. |
