Silchar Airport needs sophisticated navigational aids

Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Oct 30: Silchar airport is one of the six airfields in Asom with rich legacy of World War II vintage airstrips. Keeping pace with the increase in traffic and upgradation of passenger services, Airport Authority of India after completing modified terminal building has with it the plan to extend the runway from 5857 ft to 7500 ft which is almost complete. Besides, the apron has been strengthened and has been extended by another 150 ft.

The airport with its extended runway has come a long way in accommodating Airbus-320. A year ago, it was fit for ATR and Boeing flights or B-737 class of aircraft only. In terms of density and volume of passenger and cargo traffic, the airport, 22 km from here, has been ranked fourth after Guwahati, Agartala and Imphal.

On an average, 90000 passengers embark and disembark annually at this airport and around 600 mt of cargo is handled. It is link with Kolkata, Guwahati and Imphal by daily flights. The ‘open air policy’ of the Aviation Ministry has been able to attract private air liner like Deccan Airways, now being operated by Kingfisher. Both Kingfisher and Air India operate their flights with Airbus and ATR aircrafts. As the number of passengers of late has shown declining trend, from October 28 Kingfisher has taken the lead to reduce its fare on Silchar-kolkata route from Rs 3689 to Rs. 2980 only for economy class. Air India is also likely to follow suit. In fact, the basic fare on this route is Rs 1100 only which is compounded by fuel surcharge of Rs 2350 and fees and taxes counting for Rs 239. The Airliner has taken the calculated risk to lure passengers since its 180 seater A-320 even during puja rush has not sufficient number to be near the required load factor. Quite significantly, both Air India and Kingfisher have opted for Airbus and ATR for cost effectiveness on fuel consumption. While Airbus takes 1 hour on Silchar-Kolkata route, ATR 30 minutes more.

What Silchar airport now needs are night landing facilities about which Sontosh Mohan Dev, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, said it would take another two months for installation of necessary equipments. Most important, considering its location in the midst of hill ranges and long duration of rains and envelopment of mists and fogs during winter, the airport needs instrument landing system, doppler very high frequency omni range along with distance measuring equipment and precision approach path indicator. It is all the more necessary because the airport is manned by Indian Air Force which has a base close to it. The airfield is of strategic importance for both civilian and military point of view. During war with Pakistan in 1971, IAF made several bombing missions to hit targets across the border. In fact, the Air Force played crucial role in the liberation of Bangladesh .

Heavy rain falls in the very early part of October have created problem of visibility for pilots in landing their aircraft. On October 5, Indian IC-7706 flight from Imphal bound for Kolkata enroute Silchar could land at the airport after 3 attempts. In order to make it all weather air field, sophisticated navigational aids have to be installed. source: the sentinel assam

Cachar BJP demands removal of Gogoi

BJP demands removal of Gogoi
Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Oct 30: The BJP Cachar unit has bitterly condemned the serial blasts in Asom including Dispur in which, according to preliminary reports, 43 people have been killed and more than a hundred injured, some of them critically. Though no outfit or organization has clamed the responsibility for the blasts suspect the involvement of HuJI and ULFA.

Bimolangshu Roy, former leader of the party in the legislative Assembly, talking to The Sentinel lambasted Gogoi Government because despite repeated warnings by the Union Home Ministry about the possibility of bomb blast in the State, it “has failed to take preventive measures”. Assam has been on the hit list of HuJI and Indian Mujahideen as revealed by the intelligence and security agencies. He has demanded immediate removal of Gogoi Government and imposition of President’s rule in the state.

Roy also flayed the Centre and the State intelligence wings for their failure to keep Dispur posted with the sinister design of the terrorist outfits during and after the Puja celebrations. “There is no sense in alerting the state after blasts and bloodshed”, he pointed out.

The strategy of the terrorists was to cause blasts after “the alert period of Puja and Deepawali is over”. The overworked and exhausted security forces being in relaxed mood in the aftermath of the festivities, the terrorists took advantage of it and succeeded in their gory mission. Roy pointed out the entire state faces the threat from ISI backed organizations like Huji, SIMI and Indian Mujahideen. He also came down heavily on the Gogoi Government for its casual approach to the highly volatile Udalguri and Darrang incidents during which the illegal migrants could dare hoist Pakistani flags. The action to nab the culprits has not been taken up seriously. This only shows state government’s negligence not only in protecting the life and property of indigenous people but also to contain the divisive and disruptive forces out to destroy the integrity and solidarity of the state. source: the sentinel assam

IOC divisional office opened at Silchar

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SILCHAR, Oct 29 – Subrata Ghose, general manager , North east Integrated State office of Indian Oil corporation (IOC) inaugurated the Silchar Integrated Divisional Office recently. The office will look after the entire works of Barak Valley, N.C Hills, Tripura and Mizoram . The office will provide service to the eight lakhs customers as a whole.

In his speech , Mr Ghose said that the office was a requirement since a long time in this region . Since the area has communication problems, the setting up of the office will be helpful in overcoming the earlier problems. With the approval from proper authority this divisional office was set up.

Ghose further added that IOC is considered as number one company in India and in the world it is ranked as 116. IOC’s main motto is to provide better and quality service to the esteemed customers. For this policy the company has to bear a huge amount of loss. K K Handique, chief LPG manager,, North east Integrated State office , Guwahati said that the customer of this region had urged for state of the art LPG bottling plant . The plant will start functioning shortly and the customers of this region will be benefited immensely.

Earlier, all the related areas were looked after from Guwahati. There are two other divisional offices in the north east, Tinsukia and Imphal. source: assam tribune

AUDF to contest 8 Lok Sabha seats in Assam

By TwoCircles.net correspondent,

New Delhi: Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) lead by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal is planning to contest eight of the fourteen Lok Sabha seats of Assam. Party insiders suggest that at least five seats are winnable.

Talking to TwoCircles.net, party General Secretary Dr. Baharul Islam said that candidates for some of the seats have been decided already and short lists made for other seats. Maulana Badruddin Ajmal will contest from Silchar and will face Union Heavy Industries Minister Santosh Mohan Dev. Dev has represented Silchar in Lok Sabha seven times, losing to BJP in 1998. Maulana Ajmal is currently the MLA representing Salmara South that falls under Dhubri Lok Sabha constituency.

The Lok Sabha seats that AUDF will be contesting are – Dhubri, Barpeta, Silchar, Karimganj, Nagaon, Kaliabor, Tezpur, and Mangaldoi.

Party spokesman Dr. Baharul Islam said that they are in the process of making the third front in the state which will include Trinamul Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Nationalist Congress Party. Apart from AUDF which has 10 MLAs in the state assembly, other three parties have minimal presence.

Meanwhile in an important development a tribal girl who was stripped naked in Guwahati a year ago has joined the AUDF. Lakshmi Oraon was abused while participating in a demonstration by All Assam Adivasi Students Association demanding ST status for tribals in the state capital last November. She joined the party along with her family members last week. This is expected to broaden the vote base of the
party.

Formed just few weeks before Assam assembly elections of 2006, AUDF shocked everyone by winning 10 assembly seats.

Assam election 2009 Assam Election lok sabha election assam guwahati silchar lok sabha election

Silchar set to have a superspeciality hospital

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Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Oct 28: “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone of the Rs 100-crore superspeciality hospital at Arunaband on the outskirts of Silchar town in south Asom sometime in January next. The hospital will be managed by the Shri Kanchi Shankaracharaya Purvottar Seva Trust,” said K Panchapakesan, former NRI businessman who is spearheading the project.
Panchapakesan justified the setting up of such a high quality hospital with all fields of medical care and hygiene here, as the fast-growing commercial hub with a cosmopolitan population “is close to all the north-eastern States and well connected by road, rail and air to meet the general and critical medical needs of people.”

Funding of the hospital, Panchapakesan said, will come from the Centre, the State Government, donation from people and contribution from NRIs. To begin with, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Sontosh Mohan Dev donated Rs 50 lakh from BHEL. The Union minister handed over the cheque in this regard to the trust. Dev expressed his hope that the people of the Northeast would generously contribute to the hospital. He said the entire Northeast will benefit from this medical centre that will prevent the flow of patients from the region to metropolitan cities of the country, a practice which is costly and troublesome.

Panchapakesan suggested for precise, immediate and perfect treatment. He said mobile air ambulance by inducting helicopters with State back-up would be the best option. The mission “is to have realistic pricing policy”, he explained. “BPL patients will get free treatment. Concessional treatment will be extended to tea tribes and the paying patients will be charged moderately, since our motto is not commercial,” he pointed out.

For providing quality treatment, state-of-the-art equipment will be installed, and for that talks are on with Siemens, General Electronics, Philips, Bakter, Johnsons and Kirlosker, Panchapakesan disclosed. For immediate medical care and attention, the out-patient department (OPD) will begin operation from November 15 in an annexture of the DSA complex of the town, and necessary preparations are being made. It will be an odyssey from OPD to multispeciality and finally to superspecialty.

For this ambitious project, Dipankar Chatterjee, owner-proprietor of Arunaband Tea Estate, has donated 30 acres of land near the tea garden. Research and development (R & D) will be an important component of the hospital. Considering high incidence of cancer in the region, the Oncology Department with preventive advice, chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy is also on the cards. A separate Ayurveda wing is also on the anvil. The hospital is to start with 100 beds to be ultimately upgraded to 600, Panchapakesan added. source: the sentinel assam

Hindu Bengalis find support from AUDF

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By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 28: In what can be termed as a new twist as far as policy matters of the party is concerned, the AUDF has sought for a ‘separate policy’ to deal with the Hindu Bengalis displaced from erstwhile East Pakistan.
Expressing concern over the report of alleged harassment of Hindu Bengali families in various parts of the State, the party has raised its voice demanding ‘some relaxation’ in existing laws while dealing with displaced Hindu Bengalis on humanitarian ground.

“Hindu Bengalis displaced from erstwhile East Pakistan should not be treated at par with the Muslims, since the situation had compelled them to cross the border,” said AUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal today. As the party has received several reports from various parts of the State about the harassment of the Bengali Hindus, it has decided to move the Centre seeking for a separate policy in this regard, he said, mentioning the recent expulsion order issued to the families of Manik Das (Udarband) and Dinesh Saha (Hojai).

“We have already had a discussion with the Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh in this regard and they have assured us to take up the issue with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee,” he said. The party will go to any extent to draw an end to the ongoing harassment against the Bengali Hindus, he declared.

The AUDF president said that the BJP is only showcasing the Hindutva slogan for gaining political mileage without doing much to stop the harassment of Hindus. He appealed to the all the political parties to put pressure on New Delhi on the issue by raising above political interests.

AUDF working president Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury said that the party has decided to provide legal assistance to the Bengali Hindus who are facing charges of being foreigners and subjected to harassment due to ignorance.

He said, “The Immigrations (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, has clearly stated that the Act is not applicable to those who have been displaced from erstwhile East Pakistan for civil disturbance or fear of civil disturbance. The AUDF has also demanded a white paper on how many people have been pushed back to Bangladesh so far. The party has suggested a concrete treaty with Dhaka in this regard to make the expulsion of foreigners more affective.” source: the sentinel assam

Contractors’ Association of WRD presses for fulfilment of demands

Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Oct 27: The Contractors’ Association of Silchar division of water resource department has in a memo to the deputy commissioner of Cachar today has demanded the exertion of his good offices so that the department concerned concedes to its slew of demands which have remained unattended despite their continual agitational programmes.

The memorandum signed by the president and the general secretary of the Association has pointed out that in protest the contractors in keeping with the resolution of their executive committee adopted on October 18 last have been boycotting tender calls.
This day they have staged demonstration along with bandh before the office of the water resource department.
Their demands as outlined in the memo include insistence on approval of schemes for their proper implementation by the department concerned in line with the annual plan and budget.
All payments due to them against their implemented works have to be cleared before tenders are floated for new schemes.
They have also pressed for taking up implementation of schemes to be decided by the proposed task force on the basis of allocation of funds by the Union Finance Ministry for 2008-09.
For the acceptance of tenders in NIT Silchar, the same should be decided on the ground of gradation of contractors from group three to five.
Schemes for implementation have to be taken up after proper estimate in relation to current market and labour prices.
Executive Engineer, it further notes, should be given the responsibility of executing all sorts of registration and renewal.
The office of the Chief Engineer of Cachar and North Cachar Hills should not be disturbed in any way and its status has to be maintained as usual. source: the sentinel assam

Janiganj puja, Big budget Kali Puja

Big budget Kali Puja
Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Oct 27: Drizzles have dampened the spirit of many puja organizers of this town. With their big budget, some of them like that of Janiganj puja committee have different themes to display in the interplay of light and shade and against the glittering and dazzling fire works and of course the usual blaring of mikes with divine and sizzling modern and bollywood songs. With the use of techno-innovative, Lord Shiva at Janiganj will be seen standing with his Kamandal offering prasad to the devotees. Also in animation will shown all about the childhood of Hanuman and the various actions and deeds of gods and goddesses. Along with that will be all the ornamentations and embellishments around the pandal to attract the puja revelers and pandal hoppers.

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BHSS demands holiday on Chhata-Puja
Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Oct 27: Barak Hindi Sahitya Samiti (BHSS), Cachar, has pointed out that considering the large concentration of Hindi speaking people in Barak Valley , their religious festival of Chhata Puja should be brought on holiday list of this Valley. Justifying such a demand, the Samiti articulates that this Puja which falls on November 4 this year is observed by the people of Hindi speaking community with all devotion and reverence. On this day, there is huge congregation for performing the Puja. The Samiti at the same time alleges a sort of conspiracy by vested circles to manipulate the number of Hindi speaking people in order to project it at a bottom level in the demographic chart of the Valley. It reminds in more than 100 tea gardens across the Valley and in different private and state establishment, lakhs of the people of the community are working. It sees a deliberate plot to underestimate their number. The census figure is distorted, it further states. After Independence , there have been several MPs and MLAs from the community, besides cabinet ministers under various chief minister. Even today, their number is not in significant. Hindi speaking people are also employed in Central University, schools, armed forces, navy and air force as well as para military wings. All this indicates that Hindi speaking people form segment of Barak population.

source: the sentinel assam

kali puja in silchar Kali Puja Barak Valley Karimganj Hailakandi Kali Puja

Rotary Club, Silchar awards seven persons

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Correspondent
SILCHAR,Oct 26 – The Rotary Club, Silchar Chapter awarded seven persons at a function organised on the club premises recently. Two traffic constables, one class II student, a woman sculptor and three popular footballers of the valley were awarded. The persons were honoured for their excellence and exclusive contributions to the society.

Two traffic constables Mrinal Kanti Nath and Faizul Hussain were awarded. Tasmin Aktar Laskar, a class student who lost her right hand in a road accident and still continues her studies with her left hand was awarded for the exemplary fortitude shown by her . The club decided to honour her so that others placed in simlar situations are encouraged to follow her. A woman sculptor, Lakshimi Rani Paul who has been earning her livelihood by making idols for a very long time was also awarded by the club. Three footballers, Asit Dhar, Arijit Dhar and Gokul Banik of the valley were also awarded.

Violet Baruah, SP, Cachar as the chief guest said that she was highly indebted to the Rotary Club for awarding two traffic constables. According to her, today nobody recognises police personnel for their contribution to the society. It is, indeed, a thankless job. Cachar is always suffering from manpower shortage. Despite this, the police personnel of this region are trying hard to serve the people. Others who spoke in the function were Dr Anjan Paul, president. Rotary Club, Silchar, Debashish Shome, Secretary, Rotary Club, Silchar, TR Choudhury and Shymal Das. source: assam tribune

Assam: BJP worker murdered, Karimganj tense

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Silchar: Suspected miscreants today killed a BJP member at Singaria market area near Patharkandi in Karimganj district of Assam.

Police said Arup Chandra Sinha (31), an active member of the BJP, was found murdered in the premises of his house, 80 km from here.

His body bore multiple injuries and it was suspected that the deceased, also a trader, was killed with the help of sharp weapons, said a senior police official in Karimganj.

As the news of the killing of the BJP member spread like wildfire, people came out on the streets and ransacked a number of shops, owned by a particular community.

SP (Karimganj) Mihir Goswami and other senior police officials, accompanied by large contingent of armed police, rushed to the place and helped in bringing the situation under control.

None had been arrested so far in this connection.

He said at least four miscreants, suspected to be involved in the murder, were absconding and police has been trying to nab them. Dog squad had been pressed into service, he added.

Apart from setting up a police picket in the market, security forces had been patrolling the area. The situation was tense but under control.

© 2008 mynews.in

AUDF’s Ajmal as the party candidate in Silchar Lok Sabha

Is Ajmal’s move to contest from Silchar a pressure tactic?
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 23: The AUDF’s proposed move to put its president Badruddin Ajmal as the party candidate in Silchar Lok Sabha Constituency against Congress stalwart and Union Minister Santosh Mohon Dev has stirred up a hornet’s nest, as the Cachar unit of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind has vehemently opposed the move.
Ajmal, who is also the president of the Asom State Jamiat, is currently visiting the Barak Valley for an on-the-spot assessment of the organizational strength of his party, keeping an eye on the forthcoming parliamentary polls. According to the sources, Ajmal, in a meeting held at the Topkhana Madrassa in Silchar on October 21, himself placed the proposal of his candidature from Silchar LS seat by saying that a section of party functionaries has been putting pressure on him in this regard.

However, head of the Madrasa and president of the Cachar Jamiat Moulana Mahmud Hassan has vehemently opposed the proposal. His contention is that Ajmal’s presence as the AUDF candidate in the constituency will lead to the division of Muslim votes which will ultimately benefit the BJP. The acceptability of Santosh Mohon Dev among the Muslim voters of the constituency should be taken into consideration, he reportedly said.

The Cachar Jamiat is considered to have maintained close relation with Dev, and during the last parliamentary election it had appealed to the Muslim community of the constituency to vote for the Congress stalwart as a ‘good person.’ It has been presumed that the Jamiat will be in a fix if Ajmal goes for a direct electoral battle with Dev.

According to the sources, AUDF leaders loyal to the Naduat-ut-Tamir, a powerful organization in the Barak Valley, are putting pressure to showcase Ajmal as a candidate for the Silchar LS seat to increase the AUDF’s influence in the valley. Though Ajmal asked his Jamiat colleagues to consider his proposal, the Jamiat is still opposing the proposal, added the sources. Ajmal is scheduled to attend a meeting at Baskandi and a worker meet at Silchar tomorrow.

Meanwhile, AUDF working president Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, while talking to The Sentinel, said: “Jamiat is an apolitical organization and AUDF is not concerned about the Jamiat’s internal differences over the proposed candidature of the AUDF president.” He said the party wants to put a strong candidate, whoever he is, against both Dev and the BJP.

However, another school of thought suggests that Ajmal and Dev, both known to be arch-rivals of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, may ultimately enter into a secret understanding to fulfil their mutual political interests. Ajmal is likely to withdraw his move for contesting from the Silchar LS constituency to ensure easy passage for Dev, in exchange of an appointment with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the school of thought suggests. The current proposal for contesting the election from Silchar is presumed to be a ‘pressure tactic’ on the part of the AUDF chief to achieve his goal of meeting the Congress president with the help of Dev. source: sentinel assam

Indefinite strike hits Barak Valley petrol pumps

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CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR, Oct 22 – An indefinite strike called by the Barak Valley Petroleum Dealers’ Association (BVPDA) from today has hit supplies to all the petrol pumps in the district. The association called the strike in protest against non-supply of petroleum products to a petrol pump Goswami filling station without showing any proper reason.

The association has demanded the supply of marker kits from the ministry so that any adulteration in petrol or diesel could be checked and the dealers not unnecessarily harassed. Since a few days back some petrol pumps in Barak valley are being harassed by the concerned ministry for allegedly selling adulterated petroleum products.

The BVPDA has demanded supply of marker kits. A marker kit can detect adulteration. If the petrol or diesel is adulterated it turns into a pink colour. This helps the dealer to check the oil they are receiving. The BVPDA initially had called for a 24-hour strike which was later extended to an indefinite one in all the petrol pumps of Barak Valley. As a result all the 37 petrol pumps were strictly closed. The reason of the strike was that the dealers are not getting marker kit from the ministry.

Amalendu Roy, president, BVPDA said that for the marker kit several meetings and discussions were held, but there was no result. These meetings and discussions have gone on for the last three years. He further said that Federation of All India Petroleum Traders held a meeting about the marker kit with authorities of petroleum ministry. But the ministry is not showing any interest. This is not only the case in Assam, but in entire India, he said.

Briefing the newsmen, Jayanta Choudhury, vice-president, federation of All India Petroleum Traders said that the federation has total support for the strike in Barak Valley. He further said the problem will be solved if the ministry provides marker kits to all dealers. He added that there will be a meeting in this regard next month and if there is still no outcome, then the association will further intensify its agitation.

A few days back four petrol pumps, among them two petrol pumps from Silchar town were sealed by a vigilance team. The vigilance agency SGS private agency suddenly visited some of the petrol pumps in Cachar district. The team noticed four petrol pumps where there was adulteration in petrol and diesel. But after inspection it was found that there was no fault on the dealers side. Now all the four petrol pumps are open. If the was a marker kit available with the dealers such a problem would not have cropped up. source" assam tribune

Srirampur-Silchar stretch of the East-West Corridor was Sept.2010

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Target for E-W Corridor is 2010: Centre
From our Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Oct 22: Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways KH Muniyappa informed the Lok Sabha today that the target for four-laning of the Srirampur-Silchar stretch of the East-West Corridor was September 2010, but due to insurgency and law-and-order problems, in the project was delayed. The Union minister was replying to a question raised by AGP MP Arun Kumar Sarma.

The work on the Srirampur-Silchar stretch of East-West Corridor in Asom has already started and the overall progress of the project is 22 per cent, the minister said, and added: “The four-laning of NH-52 from Jamguri to Gohpur has been approved by the Government in-principle, and there is no proposal at this stage to carry out four-laning of existing NH-52 from Baihata Chariali to Jamguri and from Gohpur to Bandardowa.” source: the sentinel assam

East-West corridor from Srirampur to Silchar, 22% of the work completed

Lok Sabha

The work on stretch of East-West corridor from Srirampur to Silchar in Assam has already commenced and the overall progress of the project is 22 %. No stretch of East-West corridor is located in any other State of North East.

The project is targeted for completion by September, 2010. The delay in completion is due to insurgency and law and order problems in the project area.

Four laning of NH-52 from Jamgudi to Gohpur has been approved by the Government ‘in-principle’ and there is no proposal at this stage to carry out 4-laning of existing NH-52 from Bihata Chariali to Jamgudi and from Gohpur to Bandardowa.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Shri K.H. Muniyappa in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today. source: http://pib.nic.in

Santosh distributes aid to Katigorah beneficiaries

Correspondent

SILCHAR, Oct 21 – Santosh Mohan Dev, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, recently distributed aid to the beneficiaries in Katigorah block in a programme attend by MLA AR Majarbhuiya, Deputy Commissioner, Gautam Ganguli, DRDA Project Director Naresh Ghosh and BDO Eldred Firing. The programme was presided over by the Deputy Commissioner, Cachar.

At the outset, Dev inaugurated a maternity-cum-newborn care centre in the block, which was constructed under the scheme of NRGYS at a cost of Rs 5.7 lakh. This centre will be open for 24 hours on all seven days of the week.

Later, Dev distributed aid to 35 self-help groups. Eleven TV sets were distributed among eleven NGOs of the area. Under the National Family Welfare scheme cheques worth rupees ten thousand were distributed to six women. In his speech, Dev said that such schemes are initiated due to lack of employment opportunity. He assured that in the coming days, 38 self-help groups will get assistance. source: assam tribune

Ship arrival at Silchar brightens trade prospects in Barak valley

Partha sarkar
SILCHAR, Oct 21 – The Barak river has been declared as an International Waterway for this reason, and in a follow-up development, recently, a ship named ‘P-Tutikuri’ arrived in the Steamerghat here, which greatly instilled hope in the minds of the people, the business community in particular.

The ship, which took a month’s time to reach Silchar from Calcutta Port via Bangladesh, was reportedly stuck in the neighbouring country for 12 days and the Central Inland Water Transport

Corporation (CIWTC) had to cough up Rs 20 lakh for this. Hundreds of people gathered at Steamerghat to see the ship.

Arup Ghosh, Commercial Manager of CIWTC, along with Hirendra Nath Shau, captain of the ship, at a recent press meet urged the general masses as well as the business community to utilise this service to the fullest extent. He said this ship was bound for Tipaimukh in Manipur to deliver construction materials at the site. He said it would be possible to run ships for ten months if dredging is done properly in the Barak river. The business community of this region should take the initiative and utilise the route, which is cost-effective and hassle-free, he said.

During the winter season, ships, however, will not be able to run with the water level becoming low, he added.

At present, there are 100 ships with CIWTC and 40 of them, each having carrying capacity of 1,500 to 3,000 metric tonnes, are on the move.

Sources informed that this waterway used to be a famous route for the tea industry. Tea produced in the Barak valley used to be exprted worldwide through this route. But for some reason, this route had to be stopped. The docking of the ship at Steamerghat now gives hope to the tea industries of the Barak valley for a revival of the business. source: assam tribune

5 killed, Silchar-bound bus hit a truck in Meghalaya

5 die in Khasi Hills mishap

Shillong, Oct. 21: A young mother died saving her children when their Silchar-bound bus hit a truck and plunged into a gorge around 2.30am at Sohryngkham in East Khasi Hills.

Four others died from the fall while 43, including a newly married couple, were injured.

The night bus from Guwahati collided with the truck at top speed before it hurtled down the 30-metre gorge, police said.

Most of the injured were taken to Shillong Civil Hospital.

Among them are five-year-old Tamudta and his three-year-old-sister, Tuktara, wailing from multiple injuries, unaware that they have lost their mother.

Kalpana Rajbongshi, 35, from Baksa district of Assam, had boarded the night bus with her children and was on her way to meet her husband, who is a labourer in Jaintia Hills.

A passenger sitting next to Kalpana said when the bus began speeding down the gorge, the mother buried the children in her lap to save them from injuries as long as she could.

Rescue workers recovered Kalpana’s body this morning. The children lay nearby, severely bruised but breathing.

Once in hospital, Tamudta began asking for his mother, to which the nurses had no answer.

The staff are now waiting for their father to come from Lad Rymbai and take the children home.

The other four killed are yet to be identified.

Sitting beside his wife with a bandaged head in the Shillong hospital, it was a honeymoon-turned-nightmare for 24-year-old Harjit Sinha.

Sinha, from Manipur, was headed for Jowai, where his 20-year-old wife Regha’s family is based.

The passengers said the accident had occurred because of reckless driving.

The driver ought to have been more careful on the winding roads on Meghalaya’s hilly terrain, the police said.source: the telegraph india

32 people injured, Silchar bound bus met with an accident

A Silchar bound bus met with an accident on Sunday afternoon in which 32 people have been injured. The accident took place in no. 10 colony area adjacent to Panchgram ASEB substation.

Assam State Transport corporation bus (AS-01-9584) was headed for Silchar from Dharmanagar.The onlookers reported that there was another private bus that was following this ASTC bus. Both the buses were speeding to pick up more passengers. After crossing the substation, the ASTC bus lost its control when it tried to steer away from a big hole on the road and toppled down to a plain grond 15 feet off the road. The onlookers came to the rescue of the injured people after hearing their screams for help.

The injured passengers were sent to Kalinagar Sarojini hospital, Srigouri hospital, and Panchgram paper mill hospital. Sixteen patients among them were in serious condition and the victims have been sent to Silchar Medical College Hospital for treatment.

These victims are Kushai Das(6),Sabita Das(8),and Satya Bala Das (50) from Silchar Kalibari char,Harendra Chandra Das(36) from Badarpur, Pinky Dey (22) and Sharmi Day (23) from Kali Nagar, Sunanda Dutta (21) from Katakhal,Pompy ghosh (22), Pinky das Gupta (21) from Panchgram, Bijoy kumar Deb (36) from Dharma Nagar,Naya Para, Apu Goswami (34) from Jail Road,Dharma Nagar, SukhLal das( 60) from Srikona first block, Abdul Munim Tapadar (46)from Jallalpore, Debashish Debnath (15) from AshikTilla, Dharma Nagar, Deepankar Namahshudra (41) from Karimganj, and Sabuj Paul (35) from Tarapur, Silchar. Both the bus conductor and the driver are absconding after the incident. source: observer247

Silchar school student killed taxi driver

Shocking and a mysterious case
From our Staff Reporter
SILCHAR, Oct 20: In a shocking as well as mysterious case, a teen aged school student had brutally murdered a driver of a taxi that he hired and subsequently slit his own throat in a bid to kill himself. He however survived, but at present lying in Silchar Medical College Hospital in a very serious condition. The police, apparently in a state of utter dismay and confusion, had not yet found any clue that could lead to unravel the mystery.

However a top officer of the police department hinted that the teen aged killer was frustrated with the burden of study and parental pressure.“ Amar Dev, a class nine student of a reputed school of the town, today hired a taxi ( AS-11-C-5189) and asked the driver Pathauddin Laskar, 37, a resident of Udharbond, to go to Jiribam.

When the taxi reached midway, Amar asked Laskar to take him to Churachandpur in Manipur. Laskar opposed and within a minute Amar took out a dagger from his school bag and stabbed Laskar, first at his hand and then the fatal one on his chest.

Laskar ran away from his taxi and seeing a house nearby rushed to it for help. But before any help comes, he died on the spot. Meanwhile, seeing local people, gathered there, Amar started fleeing to a nearby paddy field. When he was about to be caught, he dragged out the weapon and slit his throat. Police later discovered him in a pool of blood and rushed him to Silchar Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.

In a statement to the police, Amar confessed that he had stabbed the driver. But why he did so, police is still in dark. Amar, son of one Sujan Dev of Srikona, had, in his statement, said, he did not like Silchar and wished to flee from his house. “Pradip Ranjan Kar, Additional SP said, Amar might be under tremendous mental pressure, may be due to the burden of studies. Meanwhile, the doctors attending Amar in Silchar Medical College, had said that the teen aged school student was psychic patient. source: sentinel assam

Hailakandi Durga Puja Hailakandi

Puja arrangements over
Our Correspondent
HAILAKANDI, Oct 5: Preparations for Durga Puja at different pandals in Hailakandi is finally over. Altogether, 34 community pujas besides institutional pujas of Barowari Kalibari, Shivbari, Bhairabbari, Ramkrishna Mission etc would be performed.

At least 20 pujas in different residential areas would also be performed according to observers here.
The Yuva Samiti also known as Mantrir Puja is said to attract crowds for its well-crafted decoration and lighting works. sourcE: sentinel assam

Security beefed up in Hailakandi
From our Correspondent
HAILAKANDI, Oct 5: A Quick Reaction Team (QRT) under the CRPF has been deployed in sensitive areas of Hailakandi district to maintain law and order.DSP (HQ) DK Saha said that the QRT is meant specially for places like Lala, Katlicherra and Hailakandi town. He said two Company CRPF jawans in separate teams would visit interior places during Durga Puja. State police sabotage team along with special branch have started monitoring various places in the district. The security personnel have been supplied with metal detectors, deep charger and other such equipments for better security measures, said Saha.In view of the red alert notice through out the State, a top-level police officials meet was held here yesterday. At the meeting, Superintendent of Police Vivekananda Das asked the other police officials to maintain strict vigil in the district to curb any untoward incident and to take the help of the QRT when necessary. sourcE: sentinel assam

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Pandal submerged, Durga Puja across North East

A submerged Durga Puja pandal in Silchar on Sunday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Oct. 5: The retreating monsoon left several parts of the city waterlogged on the first day of Durga Puja, while the weather office warned of downpours at several places across the Northeast.

The only solace for the revellers was that there were few chances of heavy rainfall, barring in some districts in north Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

H.G. Pathak, the director of the Regional Meteorological Centre here, said the monsoon generally withdrew from the region during the second week of October and several factors caused spells of rain and thundershowers during this period.

He said this situation is termed as the “finishing task” of the monsoon.

“The Met office’s forecast system has found that rainfall is likely early in the morning and late in the evening during Durga Puja in different parts of the region, including Shillong, Kohima and Agartala. In the daytime, the sky will remain cloudy and the sun will be missing, particularly in Guwahati and its adjoining areas. But there will be no rain during the day,” said H.N. Das, senior meteorologist at the centre.

He said the maximum temperature in the capitals of the northeastern states would hover between 30 and 32 degrees Celsius while the minimum would be somewhere between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius.

According to Das, there would be rainfall at several places in northern Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim because of western disturbances.

On the possibility of Puja festivities being dampened, Das said it would depend on the amount of rainfall at different places.

He said the people could enjoy themselves since there should not be any rain during the daytime.

“If there is no heavy rainfall early in the morning and the sun comes out, it will be pleasant weather,” he said.

The forecast has become a matter of concern, particularly for the residents of Guwahati, who have to go through the ordeal of waterlogging after every single shower.

“More than rainfall, we are worried about the waterlogging that brings city life to a grinding halt,” said Sikha Sarma, a resident of Nabin Nagar, after negotiating a water-filled street on her way to a spot of last-minute shopping.

On the other hand, Rajesh Chakraborty, a bank official, said a small amount of rainfall would be welcome, as it would keep the temperature low.

“But rain or shine, my family is determined to enjoy the festival. The spirit of Durga Puja cannot be dampened by rain,” he said. source: telegraph india

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