Santosh inaugurated tunnel at Sonapur

Dev, Raju open tunnel at Sonapur
From our Staff ReporterSILCHAR, Sept 29: Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Sontosh Mohan Dev and Minister of State for Defence Dr MM Pallam Raju formally inaugurated the RCC-cut-and-cover tunnel at landslide-prone Sonapur in Meghalaya today. Terming the occasion as historical, Dev urged the BRO authorities to put up a marble plaque there in the memory of the four persons who had been killed in a landslide on June 4, 2001 at the spot. The Rs 15-crore 120-metre-long tunnel was constructed in a record time of ten months after its sanction. Meghalaya Chief Minister Donkupar Roy, who was supposed to inaugurate the tunnel, was conspicuous by his absence. None of his ministerial colleagues was also present in the inaugural function held inside the tunnel. Raju said the BRO will take the condition of soil of this region into consideration before initiating any major work as the soil of the Northeast has unique features. BRO Director General AK Nanda said the tunnel in Sonapur was a major challenge for them. Dev said traffic is disrupted at Sonapur due to perennial problems of rain and landslide, and accumulation of mud and debris on the road. A Bailey bridge was commissioned at a cost of Rs 2 crore at Malidahar on May 31, Dev said, and added a permanent bridge at a cost of Rs 6 crore is under construction, and will be ready next year. source: sentinel assam

Cachar BJP rallyist dies of heart attack

Correspondent SILCHAR, Sept 29 – A BJP supporter named Sudhi Purkayastha (60) succumbed to heart attack while taking part in the recent rally organised by the saffron brigade to highlight rampant corruption indulged in by Congress workers during the UPA rule at the Centre.Nearly 7000 persons participated in this rally which started at 11.45 am from Chittaranjan Statue and reached the Deputy Commissioner’s office.The pitiable condition of civic amenities roads, bridges, footpaths, erratic power generation were highlighted, which the tax-payers were silently bearing without hope of improvement in the near future. The rally was organised by the Cachar district committee of the BJP. source: assam tribune

Chaotic situation at Cachar College

Correspondent SILCHAR, Sept 29 – Cachar College is going through a critical phase since the past few days.The four students association including NSUI, AIDSO, Hindi-speaking Students Federation have jointly called a strike in the college. The main reason behind the move is the college election. The college administration had scheduled the election on September 25. About the scheduled date, three students organisations opposed, while ABVP supported the decision.As per information received, the students said that while unit tests are going on, two festivals are coming up this month, Idd and Durga Puja. So, within the short period, how can the students participate in the election, they questioned. The students alleged that the principal was using his autocratic power.Meanwhile, ABVP members said that election should be in scheduled date and time. In this regard this students association demonstrated at the college. The last date for submission of nominations paper was September 18. On that particular day the members of ABVP wanted to submit nomination, but no members from the election cell including Principal Debashis Kar was present. The situation became more tense among the students.As the students association members started shouting, the situation became out of control. Gautam Ganguli, Deputy Commissioner, Cachar rushed to the spot to handle the situation. But his visit was not fruitful. Police was deployed to control the situation. Meanwhile, Gautam Ganguli, directed the principal Debashis Kar to solve the problem immediately. source: assam tribune

Tunnel on Sonapur to bypass landslides

Shillong/Silchar, Sept. 28: The transport woes of the people of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, who use National Highway 44 through Sonapur on the Assam-Meghalaya border, could be over.
Union minister of state for defence Pallam Raju will tomorrow inaugurate a tunnel that will ensure that the states remain connected during the monsoons, when landslides are rampant in the area.
Built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in nearly nine months, the tunnel will help maintain road connectivity between Meghalaya and the Barak Valley districts, Tripura and Mizoram.
Meghalaya chief secretary Ranjan Chatterjee today said the tunnel would help keep the national highway free from landslides, ensuring the smooth flow of traffic.

In June 2001, the highway remained blocked for a month when a series of landslides rolled down the Sonapur stretch of the national highway.

A passenger bus of a private company skidded in the slush on the highway near the Cachar-Meghalaya border and fell into the river Luva, killing seven persons.

In December 2007, the Union ministry of shipping, road transport and highways approved the project to construct the tunnel.

The Project Setuk team of the BRO took up the construction in January this year.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 117 crore, the tunnel is 120 metres long and eight metres wide, comprising two lanes.

Sanjoy Kumar, an executive engineer with the BRO, said, “The tunnel will enable the mud and slush of the landslides to be first deposited on the roof of the tunnel and then be pushed into the river, without disrupting traffic on the road.”

Union heavy industries minister Sontosh Mohan Dev and Meghalaya chief minister Donkupar Roy will be present at the inauguration tomorrow. source: telegraph india

Road repairs demanded in Badarpur

Correspondent
BADARPUR, Sept 27 – In view of the dilapidated condition of Badarpur National Highway and the roads of other places under Badarpur PS, the Badarpur unit Bharatiya Janata Party submitted a memorandum recently to the Karimganj Deputy Commissioner, demanding to make all arrangements for repairing the damaged roads and National Highway immediately.

In the memorandum, it was also mentioned that the number of accidents are going increasing day-by-day due to the horrible condition of National Highway at Badarpur and the roads of Chargola, Ghoramara and Kaliganj, but the PWD and BRTF are yet indifferent to the issue. In the circumstances, BJP has demanded immediate action. The memorandum was submitted to DC through the Circle Officer of Badarpur, by eminent BJP leader Dipak Dev among others. source: assam tribune

Tarun Gogoi-Santosh Mohan Dev cold war at its peak

By our Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, Sept 26: A virtual cold war between Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Union Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Santosh Mohan Dev seems to have reached its peak.Gogoi, in his capacity as PWD Minister, had sent a priority list of ten roads to the Union Surface Transport and Shipping Ministry for the fiscal 2008-09. At the eleventh hour, Union minister Dev also submitted a list of roads with the help of some Asom PWD officials, and the result is that the Union Surface Transport and Shipping Ministry sanctioned the list that had been submitted by Dev at the eleventh hour. Only one road of Jorhat from the Chief Minister’s priority list was included among the sanctioned roads, sources said, and alleged: “Dev could get Rs 62 crore for two Silchar roads sanctioned with his influence on Union Surface Transport and Shipping Minister TR Baalu, Surface Transport and Shipping Director General G Saran and Surface Transport and Shipping Chief Engineer Kamalesh Kumar.The question that arises now is: Whose writ from Asom runs in New Delhi — Gogoi’s or Dev’s? Baalu draws flak from various quarters in Asom for his alleged inclination towards Silchar leaving the fate a number of deplorable roads of the State in the lurch. Circles concerned also questioned Dev as to what he had done for Asom, barring his home Lok Sabha constituency, as an influential Union minister in his tenure. Despite repeated attempts, Union minister Dev could not be contacted for his comment. source: sentinel assam


No cold war with Gogoi: Dev
If Union minister Santosh Mohan Dev could get amounts sanctioned for road projects in Silchar, why did he fail to get amounts sanctioned for other road projects in the State which Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had listed and sent it to the Centre as a priority?
Special Correspondent
SILCHAR Sept 27: “There is no question of competition or cold war with Chief Tarun Gogoi. My concern is not only for Barak Valley or my home constituency, it is for entire Asom. I have no differences with the Chief Minister, and I am always ready to work with him for the development of the State.” This is how Union Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Santosh Mohan Dev reacted when asked to comment on the news item published in this daily on September 27 under the headline “Gogoi-Dev cold war at its peak”. The news item in question stated that while the Union Shipping, Road Transport and Highway Ministry sanctioned only one of the ten roads for which Tarun Gogoi had submitted a list, the entire list of roads sent by Dev was approved and sanctioned. This raised the question: Whose writ from Asom runs in New Delhi, Gogoi’s or Dev’s?

Dev said a lobby is active to send wrong messages to create a cleavage in political leadership and divide between the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys, which is most unfortunate. Without blaming the press for carrying such reports, he said a bureaucratic circle in PWD(R) is behind creating a hype over issues by distorting facts. He said that Barak Valley and its development should not be viewed in isolation.

The Union minister went on to clarify that he had brought the matter of upgrading Silchar roads under Central Road Fund to the knowledge of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi vide his fax message sent on August 12, 2008. The Chief Minister forwarded two DPRs estimated at about Rs 29.9 crore and Rs 33 crore for improvement of urban and rural roads with funds under CRF of the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways. He had also sought cooperation of the Chief Minister to have reputed contractors in possession of sufficient plants and machinery for the works.

Dev said the only problem is of technical formalities. Tenders were called in short time which have been rectified so as to float them in the usual notice of one month. This has also been in the knowledge of the Commissioner and Chief Engineer of PWD (R) at Dispur. He said this will delay the formalities to start work after the Puja.

Dev further clarified that he had taken up the matter with Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Shipping Road Transport and Highways Minister TR Balu and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. He also made it clear that it was in response to the demand of people for improvement of roads that he impressed upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for sanctioning of fund as a special assistance for improvement of major roads, lanes, by-lanes and drainage system of the urban and rural areas. The Prime Minister showed his benevolence by sanctioning Rs 63 crore, he said, adding that due to the promptness of the Asom Government, the work could be started soon.
source: sentinel assam

Lockout in Cachar garden

Silchar, Sept. 26: The Aylabari tea garden in Karimganj district today declared a lockout over the issue of puja bonus.Official sources said that the management announced the lockout fearing labour trouble. The workers had demanded bonus at the rate of 13 per cent while the owners insisted that the company would be able to pay only at the lowest and mandatory rate of 8.33 per cent.

Yesterday, the workers staged a sit-in at the garden, sparking the first signs of a showdown with the company this season. P.N. Singh, manager of the garden, was allegedly abused by irate labourers during the demonstration in front of his office yesterday.

The garden, owned by the Goenka Tea and Trading Company Ltd, is spread over 522 hectares and produces 3.5 lakh kg of CTC tea on an average annually.

The stalemate over the issue led to the intervention of Karimganj deputy commissioner Bhupendra Sarma yesterday.

In a meeting between the owners and workers, it was agreed that this year’s bonus would be paid at the rate of 13 per cent. But even after agreeing to pay the bonus at that rate, the company did a volte-face. According to AITUC sources in Karimganj town, the management thereafter told the district administration and labour unions that it would be difficult to pay bonus at the rate demanded by the labourers.

According to B. Baroi, assistant secretary of the Cachar Tea Workers’ Union, the labourers became restless when it was discovered that the garden manager had vacated both his bungalow and office and left the garden without informing anyone.

Union sources disclosed that workers were more incensed after discovering the lockout notice announcing the cessation of works in the garden.

A police picket has been posted today at the garden for preventing any untoward incident.
In the remaining Cachar gardens, bonus payment is expected to be over by October 1.
According to union sources, in as many as 58 gardens, the payments have been disbursed. Among them, Kaline and Binnakandi tea estates, owned by Jayshree Tea and Industries Ltd and Cheviot Agro Industries Ltd respectively, had pegged their bonus rate this year at the highest slab of 20 per cent.

On the other hand, Koomber tea garden, a flagship garden under the Goodricke group, had fixed the bonus at 13.25 per cent.
source: telegraph india

Corruption breaks record in Barak Valley

Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Sept 25: Even ruling party sympathizers admit in private conversation that corruption in Barak Valley has broken all records. It is a valley where foundation stones of a large number of industrial units have been laid. Most of them have made vanishing tricks. In respect of some of them, after the foundation stone, no work has been initiated. The Sentinel quite recently came out with reports of how a good number of industrial units have been made to disappear after heavy investment.

The massive rally of BJP on Wednesday has posed relevant question where do crores of rupees sanctioned for roads, industries, schemes and projects go. A high level honest probe will expose scam after scam. Monitoring, surveillance, transparency and accountability are thrown to the forewind. It is open and brazen loot of public money.

Parimal Shuklabaidya, MLA of Dholai, has referred to the foundation stone of an industrial unit of KK Industry which was laid by Sontosh Mohan Dev, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, a decade ago, just on a hillock above the office of Irongmara GP near the Assam University. State land was allotted for the proposed industry. Loan amount was also granted and received.

But, as the MLA pointed out, the industry has not seen the light of the day. Shuklabaidya who represents Irongmara segment of his constituency has said, “proper inquiry into it will reveal another scam.” source: sentinel assam

Silchar Durga Puja

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Durga Puja Silchar: Silchar Tarapur Motor Stand Durga Puja Committee will go for a new theme this year. This year's puja theme is Tribal way of Life.Committee wants to showcase India's tribal culture and their way of living.

Puja Bonus: Assam state employees are not sure about getting puja bonus and salary before Durga Puja and there is no such announcement from Tarun Gogoi government.

Subhas Nagar Durga Puja: Last year, Subhas Nagar Durga Puja created record for crowd pulling and this year too they are trying their best with new initiatives. Last year they build a huge Shiva idol made of glass. This year they are going to have a 55 feet huge Hanuman.

Silchar women’s forum urges CM to improve civic amenities

Correspondent
SILCHAR, Sept 23 – United Women Forum, a multi-linguistic organisation, recently gathered in front of Cachar Deputy Commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum – highlighting the drainage and other problems hitting normal life in the town – to the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner.

In the memorandum, it was stated that the roads of Silchar town are in a dilapidated state, and even after many reminders, the administration has not taken any step in this regard. The forum demanded immediate repair and improvement of roads of this town, and stated that the work should be handed over to a competent authority without any political involvement. It has asked for accounts from the Deputy Commissioner about the quantum of fund allotted during the last five years for improvement of roads and its implementation.

The memorandum also stated that for the last three years, the people of this town have been faced with yet another problem. The construction on Master Drainage Project has been responsible for so many accidents to the pedestrians. The drainage system has also proved to be ineffective, a fact reflected by the waterlogging on the roads.

The dustbins installed by the municipality is various locations are also becoming a major problem in the town. The dustbins are placed in front of educational institutions, residential areas, etc., creating health problem for the public. The forum said that it should be resolved as early as possible.

The memorandum further pointed out that if the roads are not repaired before puja, the forum would go for a vigorous agitation involving all sections of communitites. The forum was led by Manashi Singha.

Health camp: A health awareness camp on obstetrics and gynaecology was organised at Pioneer Sangha in Borgalenga block recently. It was organised by the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society of India in association with Silchar Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society.

At least 1500 persons participated in the camp. The objectives of the camp were to educate adolescent girls, eradicate anaemia, regulate population flexibility, promote contraception and safe abortion among the villagers. source: assam tribune

How will AGP unification impact Barak Valley?

Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Sept 23: In the wake of the unification of the two factions of AGP and the selection of Chandra Mohan Patowary as its president, certain relevant questions have come to the fore in the political arena of Barak Valley. The most important of them is its impact in the valley and change in political equation and most significantly the possibility of its emergence as a challenge to the formidable Congress, BJP and AUDF.

Barak Valley has been known as the citadel of Congress till 1991 when saffron surge for the first time made a meteoric rise and upset the apple cart of INC dramatically. In all fairness, Congress and BJP are the main rivals who besides facing challenge from each other have another strong rival in AUDF since its debut in 2006, floated by Badaruddin Azmal.

The political analysis will give grass root idea of the political scenario and the juxtaposition of an unified and bolstered up AGP. Since the coming into being of AGP in 1985, without mincing words, it has failed to create any ripples of significance. Shahidul Alam Chowdhury and Joy Prakash Tiwari contested as independents from Algapur and Udharbond constituencies in the assembly elections of 1985. Both of them won with significant margin, defeating prominent Congress leaders of the time, Nepal Chandra Das and Jagannth Sinha, also a veteran INTUC leader.

Shahidul Alam Chowdhury and Joy Prakash Tiwari were wise and wily enough to join AGP to better their fortunes, knowing fully well that it was the turn of Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Bhrigu Kumar Phukan to take control of the reign of power at Dispur. The student wing AASU was crammed by turn coat Congress workers. While Joy Prakash Tiwari failed to win any other election, Shahidul Alam Chowdhury maintained his wining spree till he was upset by Rahul Roy of Congress, son of Gautom Roy, Minister of Excise and Border Area Development, in 2006. The tale of AGP candidates at the hustings from 1985 to 2006 has been quite dismal for the simple reason it has failed to win the confidence of people and take firm footing in the valley.

In the last Assembly polls, of the 15 seats, Congress bagged 8, BJP 4 and AUDF 3. AGP candidates of both the factions were badly drubbed. Serious reckoning and introspection is needed to examine the acceptance of AGP in the valley. But, what the journalists witnessed at a press-conference convened at the Itkhola residence of Joy Prakash Tiwari on Monday to announce the merger of both the factions does not augur well.

Aminul Haque Laskar, a district level leader, expressed openly his reservation about the leadership of Shahidul Alam Chowdhury, a powerful minister and the most trusted lieutenant of Mahanta. Naba Gopal Das, former president of a faction, who was in Guwahati, questioned over cell phone to another leader about the holding of press-meet which he described as “illegal”. To which Shivaji Das Chowdhury, another leader, overriding the objection of Das, described him as “a ready made president of no consequence”.

If AGP leaders are serious about their business to take the party to masses in order to take on their rivals and in particular defeat Congress and come to power in 2011 as is being projected, they will have to concentrate on unified move, not cosmetic, and build up the party from the grass root level. Challenges are myriad. Party leaders have to understand it.

source: sentinel assam

Search for oil near Silchar continues : ONGC Chairman

By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Sept 23: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) discovered 35 new oil and gas fields in the Northeast during 2007-2008. The number of new discoveries during the period from April to August has reached nine, said ONGC’s Chairman-cum-Managing Director RS Sharma in a press conference here last night.

The new potential oil and gas fields discovered this year are: Disangmukh in north Asom, Kunjaban and Sundalbari (both gas) in Tripura and Bebejia in Asom. The oil giant also discovered new pool at Panidihing and Mekrang in Asom, ONGC sources said.

Meanwhile, ONGC’s basin manager (GGM) S Choudhury said exploration of oil in Cachar district still continues. Though the project, initiated about 15 years back, has been hampered due to some technical problems, the search for oil around the South Asom town of Silchar continues, since the 3-D survey has established the fact there is a potential reserve in Cachar district, he said.
source: sentinel assam

Development of New Silchar

Recently at a functioned in Meharpur, Union Minister Mr.Santosh Mohan Dev announced Rs 48.46 lakh for the development of second link road in New Silchar. Another 2.80 crore already sanctioned for the development of road between Rangirkhari and Medical College.

Barak Ratna Award instituted

Correspondent
GUWAHATI, Sept 22 – Miraj Foundation, a non-government organisation, has instituted Barak Ratna Award with the aim to honour and encourage the noted personalities of Barak Valley of Assam for their contribution to the society.

The Barak Ratna Award will consist of a citation and cash award of Rs 5,001 each.

The award will be given at a function on January 26 every year coinciding with the Republic Day of India.

The award is open to all, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, a press release informed.

For the year 2008-09, the awards in the education section will be given to Dr Bhaktimadhav Chattopadyaya, retired principal of Cachar College, Silchar and Editor of Dainik Janokantha, Silchar, late Kamini Nath Bhouwmik (posthumously), ex-head master, Malugram, Chandra Kirti Sinha, retired head master, Bhatirgram, Cachar, Birendra Sinha, retired head master, Kabirgram, Singari, Cachar.

In the literature category, awards will be given to Indra Kr Sinha, retired BDO and a Assam Govt Sahitya Pensioner, Bhatirgram and Narendra Ch Sinha of Singari, Cachar.

In the cultural category, the awardees are late Guru Senarik Rajkumar, Guru Nilmadhav Mukharjee, Acharya Nilmadhav Sinha, Guru Banamali Sinha, Guru Haricharan Sinha, Dhansena Sinha (postumously) and Guru Golap Sinha, Promod Sinha, Geeta Mukharjee, Moni Lal Hazarika, Ram Kr Sinha, Maniraj Sinha, Prahlad Sinha and Tambok Sena Sinha.

source: assam tribune

Super speciality hospital to come up near Silchar

Correspondent
SILCHAR, Sept 21 – A super speciality hospital is going to set up at Urrunabond, 15 kms away from the city. This hospital will be set up by the Sri Kanchi Purvothara Pradesh Seva Trust, an associate of Kanchi Sankaraharya Organization (KSO) of Kanchipuram.

KSO is running multiple hospitals all over India. Shankar Netralaya at Guwahati is also run by this organisation. K Pancha Pakesan from the trust came to Silchar. After detailed survey the organisation decided to set up a super speciality hospital in the area. The trust selected Urrunabond area for its scenic beauty and good communication facility.

The area comes under tea garden. Dipinakar Chattarjee owner of Urrunabond Tea Garden donated the land to the trust. Dr Pukesan in a press conference said that to complete the hospital, it will cost 100 crore. The trust has already approaches Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the financial assistance. Meanwhile, Santosh Mohan Dev, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises handed over a Rs 50 lakh cheque to the trust received from BHEL.

Pakesan further said that there will hospital helicopter service for the emergency patients. The treatment for tea garden labourers and poor persons is free. Patients may not have to wait till the completion of the hospital. A separate OPD centre will be introduced very shortly in the prime location. The trust hope that the foundation stone will be laid after Kali Puja.

Aid distributed: Santosh Mohan Dev, Union Minister recently distributed aid to beneficiaries in Katigorah block. In this connection, a programme was organised where MLA, AR Mazarbhuiya, DC, Gautam Ganguli and DRDA ,PD,Naresh Ghose and BDO Eldred Firing was present. Ganguly presided over the meeting.
source: Assam Tribune

9-hr curfew clamped along Cachar border

A BSF jawan keeps vigil along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam’s
Karimganj district on Saturday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Silchar, Sept. 20: A nine-hour night curfew, beginning at 8pm every day, was clamped within a 1-km radius along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam’s Cachar district by district magistrate Gautam Ganguli last night.

The curfew followed intelligence inputs about possible infiltration attempts from across the border.

It also aims at preventing the illegal smuggling of rice, sugar, fruits and other food items into Bangladesh and electronic goods, hilsa and melamine products, among others, into India.

Senior BSF officials have confirmed that on an average, products worth Rs 1 crore are smuggled across the border every year.
The curfew, invoked under Section 144, prohibits the movement of people within the 1-km radius, and has also restricted the plying of fishing boats along the Surma river.

Official sources claim that intermittent curfew has already yielded results, with the number of infiltrators caught along the Indo-Bangladesh border now coming down to an average of 10 against nearly 100 such infiltrators every month.

The smuggling, however, continues unabated along the border areas despite the deployment of two battalions of the BSF along the border.
source: telegraph india

9 killed in Silchar road mishap

Correspondent SILCHAR, Sept 20 – Nine persons died in a road accident at Balachara under Borkhola police station, 30 kilometre away from the city. The accident occurred when a Tata Sumo AS-11 C-6833 bound for Halflong collided with Tipper AS 03 Y 8410 in that area. All eight passengers and the driver died on the spot.According to information received, the Tata Sumo was at high speed when one front tyre of Tata Sumo burst and the driver lost control. source: assam tribune

Dev pulls strings for Rs 63cr road funds

Sept. 18: Union minister for heavy industries and public enterprises Santosh Mohan Dev, recently admitted that he had to pull strings in New Delhi to get funds sanctioned for roads in Cachar district.

By pulling strings he meant he had to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, finance minister P. Chidambaram and road transport minister T.R. Baalu for the Centre to sanction Rs 63 crore from the non-lapsable pool of resources to repair the pothole-riddled roads.

Of this, Rs 23.37 crore was earmarked for the renovation of 62 roads in Silchar town, the headquarters of Cachar district, while the rest will be used to improve the roads in the rest of the district.

Dev said he was deeply shocked to find the “abysmal” condition of roads in Cachar riddled with potholes and craters. He said the repairs would commence once the monsoon was over. The PWD has already completed the survey, he added.

This is the second biggest infrastructure project in the district, which the Centre has recently granted.

Earlier, the Centre had released the first tranche of Rs 17 crore of the Rs 158 crore stormwater drainage project for this town.

source: telegraph india

Centre to upgrade anti-terror school at Silchar

NEW DELHI, Sept 18 – In an effort to provide comprehensive training to the 10,000 strong elite anti-naxal force COBRA, the Centre has given sanction for upgradation of existing Counter-Insurgency and Anti-Terrorist (CIAT) School, run by the CRPF at Silchar in Assam, reports PTI. Senior officials of CRPF, under whose command and control the new force would work, said additional staff and infrastructure would be given to the school in order to enhance training capacity of 700 COBRA personnel every year.

Officials said the force would be set up at a cost of Rs 1,389.47 crore out of which Rs 898.12 crore will be spent on land and infrastructure while Rs 491.35 crore will be used for manpower training over a period of three years.

“While two Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) will be raised in the current financial year, four more would be raised in the next fiscal and the last four would be raised in financial year 2010-11”, an official said.

While the worst naxal infested state Chhattisgarh will get three battalions (nearly 3000 personnel), Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh will get two each and Orissa, Maharashtra and Bihar will get one battalion each of the new force.

The COBRA will be headquartered in the national capital under the command of an Inspector-General (IG) of Police.
source: assam tribune

Wings to healthcare

A Rs 100-crore hospital being built at Urrnabandh tea estate, 12km from Silchar town, will give “well-equipped” a whole new meaning.

The 100-bed healthcare unit will have a chopper ready to airlift patients from Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.

Being built by a non-governmental organisation, the hospital will come up in three phases over the next three years.

In the first phase, the hospital will have 100 beds with all the necessary departments. In the second and third phases, arrangements will be made for 300 and 450 beds respectively, said K. Panchpakeshan, a spokesman for the NGO.

A tea planter has donated 30 acres from his plantation in Urrnabandh to build the hospital, which will provide free treatment to the poor.

Panchpakeshan hoped the hospital would turn Cachar into the healthcare hub of South Assam.

source: telegraph india

ATM bank fraud in Silchar

A total of 24,500 Rs has been fraudulently withdrawn from the account of an aged lady who is a resident of Nazirpatty, Silchar.This incident took place in the Silchar bazar branch of the State Bank of India.

The victim named Sabita Endow filed a report in Silchar police station on Sunday. Ms. Endow informed police that she withdrew Rs 7,000 on 30th August. She couldn’t find her card when she wanted to withdraw more money on 12th of September. The enquiry in the bank accout revealed that her ATM card was used a few times to withdraw a sum of 24,500 leaving only Rs 82 in her account.

The police commenced an investigation in this matter. It is being guessed that either somebody very close to Ms Sabita Endow committed the theft or somebody who was there in the counter on 30th of August found out her PIN by deceit and later stole the card. This is only a conjecture and the police is hoping to capture the thief soon. source: observer247

Debojit Saha salutes guruji in Mumbai

Voice of India Debojit Saha pays tribute to his guru ...

By the time you read this, Teachers’ Day will have come and gone. And I, most probably, will still be “locked up” in the Bigg Boss house. But I have written this for a special occasion — as a tribute to my guruji on the occasion of Teachers’ Day.

Whenever I think of guruji, a wise face pops up in my mind and I see God in him. No, this is no exaggeration. That is exactly the kind of influence my guru, Pundit Askaran Sharamji, has on me.

I met guruji during a very turbulent phase of my life.

It was around October-November of 2002. I had just moved to Mumbai after giving up a government job to pursue a career in music. Struggling to find a foothold in Mumbai’s music industry, I realised it would be of immense help if I trained with a teacher.

In Mumbai, there were a lot of teachers, but I was not sure whom to approach. A friend suggested guruji, but he was such a big name that I never thought he would accept me as a student.

After a lot of persuasion, I decided to give it a shot.

So one day, with pounding heart, I went to meet guruji.

He heard me out and after a moment of thought, asked me to sing a song. I chose a classical Bengali song, ghum ashe na (sleep eludes me), by Pandit Ajay Chakraborty, and sang my heart out.

Guruji liked the song and said I did not require any further training — just a bit of polishing would do. And he agreed to teach me.

A greater surprise, however, was in store.

On hearing that I came to Mumbai after quitting my job, he refused to take any remuneration. He insisted I pay only after making a mark in the music industry.

That is guruji, an exception in this cut-throat professional world of Mumbai. Whenever I think of him, I can only think of the shloka, “Guru Brahma; Guru Vishnu; Guru Deva Maheshwara”.
source: telegraph india

Contractors not keen to resume work Lumding-Silchar BG Project

Lumding-Silchar BG Project
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Sept 12: Despite suspension of operations against the outlawed DHD (J), work at the NF Railway’s Lumding-Silchar Broad-gauge project is yet to resume.

In the past, work of the Lumding-Silchar BG project has come to a halt on many occasions, primarily due to insurgency problems. The project work has been worst hit in North Cachar Hills.

It should be noted that the BG work has remained suspended since May 15 this year. A semblance of peace seems to have returned to hill district with the DHD (J) offering an unilateral ceasefire. However, the Government is yet to take a decision. As per sources, both the Centre and the State Government are busy pushing the ball into each other’s courts.

Though the people feel that the BG project work would resume after the end of the monsoon season, the contractors are refraining from voicing their assent.

In a meeting with a delegation of the NF Railway Contractors’ Association last week, DGP RN Mathur requested the contractors to resume work after the end of the monsoon season. IGP (law and order) Chandra Nathan was also present at the meeting.

The contractors, however, are still afraid of resuming work. The contractors alleged that extortion is still going on, albeit, on a lower scale. A source said, “People feel that peace has come back. But how long will it last? Once we resume our work, extortion will start again.”

Quoting police sources, the source said, “The suspension of operations against the DHD(J) is entirely a political decision.” He added, “We don’t want to lose any more lives.”

The source further said the fear psychosis amongst the workers has become so strong that it has become very difficult to persuade them to start work again. He added that the NFRCA would hold a meeting soon to discuss its future stand. source: sentinel assam

Chennai's Sri Devi Hospitals in Silchar

Far away from Chennai came Dr K Senthilnathan, managing director of Sri Devi Hospitals of Silchar in order to tell Mediapersons all about the medical centre, which he said to be a multi-speciality and a multi-unit health care institution.

Many patients well treated and well-looked after are from this corner of the North East and his visit was to meet some of them and to know about their health condition.

During his interaction with the media persons he presented Minto Ranjan Paul, who was fully cured of carcinoma of the stomach. Dr Senthilnathan pointed out in view of high incidence of cancer in the valley and other serious ailments, the management is considering one of their units here at Silchar, considering the economic backwardness of the people.

‘Our priority is on treatment with commitment and to make it affordable to the needy’, he said. The patient relationship with the hospital grows beyond professional ties, he stressed.

Hospital's General Manager is Ms. Mitali Gupta. Ms. Gupta hails from Shillong and studied in Silchar. She is knee to setup the Hospital in silchar.
Source: Assam Tribune

Training for purohits on worship-management

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Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Sept 7: It is indeed a news for many in Asom and elsewhere in the country that there is a three-year worship-management training centre at Silchar in south Asom. Training on various kinds of pujas is being imparted to priests at the centre on every Sunday.

Almost 13 years ago, the worship-management training centre for priests had been initiated by Silchar Shani Mandir with cooperation from Arya Sanskriti Bodhan, a socio-cultural organization. The inaugural function was graced by late Swami Khyantananda Maharaj of Ram Krishna Mission and Swami Jyotirupananda, who is currently at Moscow. The training course had to be disrupted for a few years due to some unfavourable factors, said the centre’s publicity secretary Shanti Kumar Bhattachariya. However, it has been going on smoothly for the last three years with active cooperation from the Shani Mandir managing committee.

According to Bhattacharya, the training starts at 3 pm on every Sunday in the premises of the centre at Sadarghat. Lessons include both theoretical and practical aspects of priesthood with special emphasis on mantra explanation, accent on mantras, grammatical analysis, Gita and Chandi recitation as well as interaction in Sanskrit. Training on various kinds of pujas, with special significance on Durga Puja and Kali Puja, is also imparted to the trainees who have to face unit tests and half-yearly and annual examinations for evaluation of their knowledge on the subject.

Connected with this training are Sanskrit luminary Subodh Bhattacharya, Head of the Department of GC College Birendra Sinha, Women’s College lecturer Dr Ranjit Tiwari, former GC College Vice Principal Asit Sen, GC College lecturer Dr Shanti Pokhrel, teacher Amarendra Goswami, Tarktirth Tarapada Deshmikhya and teacher Khounish Chandra Chakraborty. Those who are imparting the training are Kishore Bhattacharya, Rahul Bhattacharya, Sudip Chakraborty, Gautom Chakraborty and others. source: sentinel assam

Clash over mosque land in Nilambazar town in Karimganj

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- A free-for-all in Karimganj forces cops to fire in the air

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Silchar, Sept. 7: A disagreement between two groups over the construction of a building on a mosque land led to a free-for-all at Nilambazar town in Karimganj last night, forcing police to fire in the air and send patrol teams to pre-empt further clashes. Though there were no reports of unrest this morning, personnel from the Assam armed police and 15 India Reserve Battalion continued to patrol National Highway 44, which cuts through the town on the Indo-Bangladesh border. source: telegraph india

Debojit Saha new challenge Bigg Boss 2

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IDOL CHAT

Voice of India Debojit Saha writes about a challenge he has picked — to test his inner strength... By the time you read this, I will be totally cut off from you and everyone else as I go into Bigg Boss house in Lonavala in Mumbai where I will spend, if I am lucky, three months. Those who watch TV and like reality shows must know by now what I am speaking about. Bigg Boss 2 is being hailed as one of the biggest TV reality shows in India and I am proud to be part of it. But to be frank, I am also a little scared. I had viewed one or two episodes of the earlier Bigg Boss show and wondered what made the participants behave in the way they did — intolerant, rude and even on the verge of violence. I could understand the moment I was told about life I will be spending over the next few weeks. Bigg Boss, I am sure by now, is nothing like the musical reality shows I am accustomed to. First let me tell you about the company I will have 13 others from different walks of like which also include Monika Bedi, comedian Ehsan Qureishi, actress Payal Rohatgi and politician Sanjay Nirupam (who has been eliminated since then) and Rahul Mahajan. Now the biggest challenge. We will be totally cut off from the outside world. And when I mean totally that means there will be no TV, no phone, no Internet, no books, no newspapers and not even a music system! And 32 strategically-placed cameras will scan every move we make, every breath we take. Thank god, they have not put cameras in the bathrooms. Which also means that I will not be able to speak even to my wife Vandana for the time till I am in the show. When I agreed for the show, I was also told that Bigg Boss would give the contestants some tasks on a weekly or a daily basis, through which they will earn their weekly budget. The group will use the budget to buy food items to survive in the house. I will not go into details of other aspects of the show. But one fan asked me why I agreed to the show. I believe that the show will be a test of endurance, not physical but mental. It will also be a test of my character. Being a singer does not make me a great human being. Will the show make me a better man? Let me see. If I survive the test, I will have a lot of things to tell you. Till then, goodbye.

source: telegraph india

Centre plans to develop Silchar as National Highway hubs

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Ron Duarah

DIBRUGARH, Sep 6 – The whopping figure of Rs 25,000 crore is an unofficial estimate, but Central investment to the tune of this figure is in the pipeline, given the highway development plan in Assam's Brahmaputra Valley and Arunachal Pradesh, and scheduled for completion by the year 2013. Speaking to this reporter here today, Kamlesh Kumar said he is happy that the Assam and Arunachal State Governments and elected public representatives in both the places are offering their full cooperation in the highway development programmes. Kumar is a chief engineer in the Union Ministry for Shipping, Road Transport & Highways (MoRT&H), and is in charge of National highways in the North Eastern States in the Ministry.

He said the ministry has plans to develop Dibrugarh and Silchar as two National Highway hubs in the region. Accordingly, the Dibrugarh hub would be connected by four lane and 10 metre wide roads to connect the National Highway 52 (Baihata Chariali to Pasighat), Jorhat/Guwahati, Tirap district in Arunachal, the city proper and a four lane national highway from here to Tinsukia and beyond. "We are making Dibrugarh a National Highway hub with the Bogibeel bridge as the focal point," he said. The plan includes the Trans Arunachal Highway from Tawang to Tezu, via Dibrugarh and using sections of National Highway 52.

Itanagar and Gohpur will have a four lane connectivity, as per the scheme. He did not say if there is a time frame for the proposed Tezpur - Baihata Chariali four laning programme.

National Highway bye passes are being planned at three places: Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Makum, with road over bridges at Bokul here, at Rupai near Doomdooma, and at Makum. He said that as desired by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, a road bridge across the Brahmaputra will be built at Saikhowa ghat, to connect Chapakhowa (Sadiya) and onwards to Roing and Anini in Arunachal Pradesh.

Commenting on the Nagaon – Dibrugarh four laning of National Highway 37, Kumar said work is on at the project, and tenders are being floated for the Jorhat – Dibrugarh section. Refusing to comment on the Kaziranga imbroglio for the Jorhat – Jakhalabandha section, he said a solution will be worked out. He added that the Dibrugarh – Tinsukia section will also be four laned, but as two parallel roads of two lanes each. It is gathered that this solution has been worked out considering the land acquisition complexities along the existing national highway alignment on this busy section. The present road will remain, and another two lane highway, may be 10 metres wide will be constructed anew on the section. The two roads will be then used for up and down traffic between Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

When asked on the possibility of concrete paveways for the new highways in the North East, given the region's wet climate, Kumar said this was thought about, but has not been worked on. He added that bitumen roads are easier to maintain. "We shall be using better quality bitumen with polymer additives and a thicker, four inch top layer to make the roads last longer even in wet conditions," he revealed.

He clarified that the BOT (build – operate – transfer) criteria has been modified for the North Eastern states, and that all the highway development programmes in the region would be fully Centrally funded, and no toll would be collected from vehicles for using the smooth roads. Under the arrangement, a fifteen year maintenance contract would also be awarded. These highway development programmes come under the package called Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the Northeast, SARDP-NE, in short. Asked whether his department would be able to meet the 2013 deadline, he said he is optimistic, and more because the necessary contractors, equipments, bureaucratic and political will are all in place. "I will not say that we will have American or German standard expressways in the North East, we do not have that kind of money and resources, but the highway network by the year 2013, with Dibrugarh as a hub will be something to be proud of," he assured. source: assam tribune

Rs 20 crore sanctioned for New Engineering College

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Silchar, Sept. 6: The Assam government will set up the fourth engineering college of the state in the Barak Valley districts with the aid of grants from the Centre. Altogether, Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for the college in its first phase, and the state government wants the classes to begin from the next academic session in at least four engineering subjects. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his two-day visit to the state from August 26, had promised that the college would be set up soon. Dispur yesterday sent a three-member team of experts to Karimganj and Hailakandi districts to select a site for the proposed college of technical higher education. The director of the state science and technology directorate, Pradut Goswami, led the team. Official sources at Hailakandi town said the team inspected sites, including one at Burnie Brase tea estate, where the district administration has nearly 94 bighas of ceiling surplus land. Burnie Brase is situated only 4km away from National Highway 53, and 20km away from Hailakandi town. At present, the state has three engineering colleges. The National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Silchar offering both the BTech and MTech courses, while the state engineering colleges in Guwahati and Jorhat offer the BE course. source: telegraph india

Have you been to Silchar by road?

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If the Barak Valley seems to be forming a disconnect with the Brahmaputra Valley, blame must go to politicians — both at Dispur and New Delhi — for having done practically nothing to abridge the gap, both psychological and developmental. The two regions are part of the same State and, therefore, need a similar redressal of their grievances. However, when it comes to the Barak Valley, there is an overwhelming sense of discrimination and alienation. Leaders from Dispur hardly make it a point to visit the area and make the people there feel that they too are cherished the same way as people in the much privileged Brahmaputra Valley are. Nor do leaders from New Delhi, during their trips to the State, give any indication that the Barak Valley too should resound with notes of development — as much as the Brahmaputra valley would, in their Asom development roadmap. In other words, there seems to be an element of deliberate indifference when it comes to responding to the aspirations of the Barak Valley populace.

Have you been to Silchar by road? You should. The national highway leading to Silchar, after crossing Mehgalaya, looks like a road left for an unwanted people to suffer and endure too, and yet be happy about what Dispur will promise time and again. The road — mind you, a national highway — has long cried for repair and renovation, but why should Dispur be moved when it has chosen to remain blissfully deaf? Thus widens further the gap between the two valleys, within the same State, within the same people.

The question is: Have we not learnt anything from our recent history of division of people and geography due to the Big Brother attitude of the dominant community? If not, is it not time then that we learnt that lesson and lived democratically in the truest sense of the term? source: sentinel assam 06.09.08

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