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ASSENG/2015/64205

Vol. 1

Issue 304

Dibrugarh, Monday, April 11, 2016

Centre increases PMGSY allocation for Arunachal ET Bureau New Delhi, Apr 10

Last year, the total fund available for the scheme was Rs 275 crore and enhancement of additional Rs 100 crores was given during March 2016.

The ongoing PMGSY work

ET CAPSULES 41,375.75 Litres Liquor Seized Rangia, Apr 10: The Flying Squad, Static Surveillance Team and Excise Department have seized altogether 41,375.75 litres of liquor in Kamrup Election District since the promulgation of MCC. During the period an amount of Rs.28,20,480 in cash was also seized in Kamrup. (Correspondent)

Malini Mela from tomorrow Dhemaji, Apr 10: Malini Mela unlike every year this year too is organised with six days programme, at Likabali sub divisional head quarter under West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam Arunachal boarder at historical site Malinithan a religious place for Hindus.

The temple with Idol of Maa Durga and many renuines of idols of different Hindu God and goddess is believed to be of 6 th and 7 th century, temple is excavated by archeological department in long back.

According to Hindu mythology this was the place where Lord Krishna along with Rukmini rested and was well comed by Mother Parvati as Malini with flower garland while he was on the way to Dwarika, every year on the eve of Ram Navami in hindi first month of the year Mela is organised from the past and puja is offered to Goddess people from far away places visit here and take the blessings. (Correspondent)

With the second phase of the Assam assembly election being held tomorrow, the election commission and the state administration has left no stone unturned to ensure a free, fair and a violence free election, and in this regard elaborate security arrangements has been made all across the ate. will be pushed further for early completion of the project.

The new proposals for about Rs 1500 crore will also be sub-

mitted to the ministry for consideration and sanction for the new connectivity, mostly in the remote border areas.

The present government is

also initiating steps to increase absorption capacity of the state and to strengthen quality and maintenance monitoring mechanisms.

In Assam, 61 constituencies covering lower and central parts of the state will go to the

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polls in this phase.

Additional Director General of Police (DGP) L.R. Bishnoi said adequate security measures have been taken in Bodoland Territorial Council area, and he also added that central armed police forces has been deployed at polling booths and security has been increased in Indo-Bhutan border areas.

The central armed police forces will handle the situation inside the booths, while the state police forces are involved

in other jobs like maintaining queues and managing crowds.

Several heavyweight candidates will be contesting in this second phase of the state election, and according to poll analysts, most of the constituencies will witness triangular battle.

The battle will be between Congress, the BJP led alliance and the AIUDF. “Many of the constituencies in the lower Assam have a huge Muslim population and they could play a crucial role in this phase of the election,” said

Sabita Devi, a researcher of the Guwahati based Centre for Environment, Social and Policy Research (CESPR).

Devi also added that the position of the AIUDF is not that strong in a few lower Assam constituency despite having won those in 2011, and those might come back to the congress.

Devi however added that a lot will depend on the voting percentage tomorrow, and if the voting percentage crosses 80 percent, then the BJP led alliance might have the edge in the second phase.

MOMENT OF GLORY FOR ASSAM

106 killed, 383 injured in Kerala temple fire 106 killed, 383 injured in Kerala temple fire PTI Kollam, Apr 10

In one of the worst tragedies to hit Kerala, at least 106 people were killed and 383 injured in a devastating fire that engulfed the 100-year-old Puttingal Devi Temple complex near here during an unauthorised display of fireworks early today.

A late night statement issued by the Chief Minister's office said 106 people had lost their lives in the incident that left 383 others with injuries.

A judicial probe by a retired High Court Judge was ordered by the state government along with an investigation by Crime Branch into the tragedy, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced after an emergency

Cabinet meeting over the tragedy.

The tragedy struck around

3.30 AM during display of fireworks at the temple complex, Contd. on Page 3

In a much glamoured stuffed event, nations’ most coveted beauty pegeant, fbb Femina Miss India 2016 was held in Mumbai in which Assam girl Priyadarshini Chatterjee (middle in the photo) is crowned as Miss India World 2016. Left: Sushruthi Krishna is femina Miss India Runner Up. Right: Pankhuri Gidwani announced as the 2nd Runner Up.

Gogoi dares BJP President Amit Shah to Rainstorm wreaked havoc to 33 KV Assam line, Lohit temporarily restored institute probe against his government Bishnu Rana Tezu, April 10

Untimely monsoon rain and storm has left trial of devastation in Lohit district which ripped apart major portion of 33 KV Assam line causing complete blackout at the township for the last three days.

About 2 (two) kilometers stretches of permanent poles

were completely washed out by the flash flood at Lohit River however Officials and Staffs from Power Department has been working in war footing to restored the damaged line.

“The quantum of damages is massive and is mostly on Tezu line which is beyond reparation. It can be done only is River recedes. Temporarily to give relief to the citizens of

Tezu – Hayuliang we will manage from Roing feeder line which is for the time being. We virtually suffer from low voltage and break in power line due to overload and heat”, inform Er A Yirang AE Power.

Until we restored Tezu power line the citizens may get lopsided power supply. The citizens have to bear the cruel-

ties of nature meted to us, he appeals.

Massive damages in the line were also caused at Namsai – Chowkham, Roing, Sunpura and Sadiya district of Assam, discloses the sources.

Meanwhile, Dr Mohesh Chai local Legislator along with district officials also paid visit to the damage site to take stock of the damages.

Chakmas of Arunachal all set to celebrate their biggest festival, Bizu By the theme, peace, love and communal harmony, the Chakmas living in the Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh is all set to celebrate their biggest cultural festival, Bizu along with the neighbor tribes such as Tangsa, Singpho, Khampti, Mossang and many others.

This time, all focus is at Dharmapur village in Miao Circle where the three days festival will formally start on 13th March with the “Phool Baja”, offering of flowers to River Goddess followed by lots of other Chakma cultural and traditional activities in the common event called as “Bizu Mela”.

Mela at Dharmapur village as the chief guest. They also have invited T. Mara, ADC, Miao and AJ Lungphi, CO of Miao along with prominent leaders of Miao circle such as KG Singpho, ex-MLA, Setai Sena, District Congress President, Zokhong Singpho, ZPM Miao and leaders from all the prominent Chakma organizations such as Chakma National Council of India, Committee for Citizenship Rights of Chakma and Hajong of Arunachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Students’ Union, Chakma Welfare Society, Chakma Women Welfare Society and Chakma Development Society and a host of other dignitaries from different tribes and communities to be a part of the three days extravaganza.

This year, the Arunachal State Bizu Mela Celebration Committee has invited Kamlung Mossang, Minister for WRD, Mines, Trade and Commerce to join the Bizu

Informing this publication, the secretary of the Arunachal State Bizu Mela Celebration Committee, Sunil Kanti Chakma described the main idea of the the Bizu Mela as to

ET Bureau Diyun, April 10

5.00

EC leaves no stone unturned to ensure free and fair elections as Assam goes for second phase of polls A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Apr 10

With efforts from Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, after pursuing with the government of India with the present volume of work and pace, the Ministry of Rural Development, government of India has enhanced allocation for the Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY) for the financial year 2016-17 to Rs 468 crore, including state matching share of Rs 47crore.

Price -

A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Apr 10

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi welcomed the move to probe into cases of corruption of the present State Government by BJP President Amit Shah at a Press Conference in Guwahati yesterday.

In a statement here today, Chief Minister Gogoi said that he would be too happy if the present BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre orders an

inquiry into cases of corruption by the State Government as stated by BJP President Amit Shah.

Terming the statement of the BJP President as nothing but an election gimmick, Gogoi said he would be too happy if the present dispensation at the Centre institutes a probe into the corruption cases of the present State Government. “If the BJP-led Government was so serious that the present State Government had indulged in corruption and misappropri-

ated Central funds, then why did it not institute a probe in the nearly two years of its tenure? This is nothing but an election gimmick,” he added.

Gogoi said the present Central leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been raking up the foreigners’ issue with an eye on the elections.

Contd. on Page 4

GOVERNMENT OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH OFFICE OF THE ADDITIONAL DEPUTY COMMISSIONER JAIRAMPUR:: DISTRICT:: CHANGLANG No. JRP/JUD/KR/2016 Dated Jairampur, 10-4-2016

NOTICE

Chakma Girls offer flowers to river goddess at the first day of the three days Bizu festival.

(Photo Source: hillbd) promote the rich traditional culture of the Chakmas and to reiterate the need of maintaining communal harmony, tolerance and integrity with all the other tribes of the state.

Similar to the Bihu that the

Assamese and Bengalis celebrate, the Bizu is the most important socio-cultural festival of the Chakma tribe celebrates every year during the Bengali New Year. The festival which last for three days

gave birth to the popular 15 minutes Bizu Dance. The dance is popular among the Chakmas around the world and usually showcase to others in important events to present their cultural identity.

This is for general information for all concerned that the Deputy Commissioner, Changlang has through an order vide No. C-JUD/123/16 dated Changlang, the 31st March, 2016 appointed the undersigned, the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jairampur to conduct an enquiry of the incident and aftermath that took placed on 29th March at Diyun under Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh.

The undersigned is already stationed at Circuit House, Diyun and started the enquiry process. If any individual, organization, forum etc wants to depose or submit evidential inputs regarding the incident and aftermath before the magistrate he/she/they are allowed to do either in person or by writing. In case anybody wishes, his or her identity will be kept confidential. Anybody who wishes to meet the undersigned pertaining to the incident can meet him with prior appointment and due permission. The undersigned can be contacted on 09612425346 or 08730010377 or 09436835266.

Sd/- Kento Riba Additional Deputy Commissioner Jairampur

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DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

PAGE 2 ASTRO FOR YOU Aries If your work has anything to do with money, today you will be busy counting your riches!

If you've applied for a loan, it may get sanctioned today. Look for variety, and you may find your day filled with smiles and what not.

Taurus You are likely to be mentally alert and watchful today. And will run through your veins no matter what you attempt. You may dabble in performing arts, designing, graphics or special effects. Your charm will play Pied Piper to the opposite gender today.

Gemini Today you might feel a little blue and under the weather. You may harbour feelings of loneliness today. Your repressed emotions and yearnings as well as your intellectual leanings will likely come to the fore today, Cancer Your ideas today are source of your energy.A situation may arise, which will force you to take hard decisions later. A new business or venture may prove beneficial. Your magical touch will bestow success in every endeavour.

Leo So if your day seems drab and depressing today, rest assured, your evening shall be all the more refreshing and exciting. Surround yourself with family and friends, as you will receive royal treatment from them. Just remember Ganesha's advice that satisfaction is guaranteed when expectations aren't too high.

Virgo Play dodge ball with prejudice today. Do not let intolerance find shelter in you today.

Instead, chances are you will seek to find love, affection and goodwill among those around you. Stay away from negativity as it may bog you down.

Libra Today will be an auspicious day for starting any new work. In the office you will be assigned new positions and you shall excel in the same. Whatever work is undertaken by you will see you attain success in it.

Scorpio You are most likely to resent the dominating and overbearing nature of your partner today.

Patience will probably go to the dumps in this case then. You to sit together and resolve all personality clashes and quarrels in view of the larger scheme of things.

Sagittarius To do or not to do? That will be the question for most of today as you find yourself pulling out of one dilemma only to trip into the next one. Controversy will surround you and you may find yourself at the crossroads, where you are unsure of which direction to take. Turn to the wisdom of the experienced for proper guidance Capricorn If you really want to improve your account balance and settle all the burgeoning debts, focus on what all needs to be done, and get it done without delay. You will make merry later in the day and will enjoy the company of your loved ones. But you will have free time despite all of this, and will get lured into unnecessary spending, especially on recreational activities. Spend your money prudently to avoid financial crisis in the future.

Aquarius You always see the larger picture, and desire to channelise all your energies towards making things better. Such positive approach makes you an excellent team player, and enables you to bring novel ideas and effective solutions to the table.

Pisces You will seem irresistible to the opposite sex. You might also find yourself falling for someone. A breathe of fresh air could waft into old relationships, or new ones could be formed. However, this is likely to be a drawn out process. You could find yourself dining out with friends, later on in the evening.

PRASAR BHARATI (India's Public Service Broadcaster) ALL INDIA RADIO : DIBRUGARH (M.W.529.1m/KHz567 F.M. 101.30 MHz)

Stage set for second phase of polls in Assam; Indo-Bhutan border sealed with security vigil in Bodoland ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, Apr 10: The Indo-Bhutan border has been sealed to ensure smooth conduct of second phase Assam assembly polls, for which all necessary arrangements are being made in the 61 Legislative Assembly Constituencies (LACs) spread across the middle Assam and lower Assam districts, including Bodoland region will cast their votes.

All kinds of arrangements including detailing of security personnel have so far been completed for the elections in several districts in middle and lower Assam, included Bodoland region.The polling personnel, security personnel along with vehicle moved to the polling centre since early morning today to conduct the polls which will be held on Monday.

Madhav Prasad Sarma, Kokrajhar Deputy Commissioner and Election Officer told that district administrations in lower Assam districts have promulgated 144 CrPC, besides sealing of IndoBhutan border to the

Security personnel and polling officials crossing the Brahmaputra River on boats on their way to polling booths along with Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at remote parts in Goraimari, Kamrup district. Pic - UB Photos

greater interest of conducting free and fair elections in the region.The northern part of some lower Assam districts have been put under strong security cover to thwart unwanted situations, polling personnel have moved to their destination of polling stations along with required poll related materials.

A total of 1,04,35,277 voters will seal the fate of 525 candidates – 48 of those

being women – in the second phase of polls.

The ruling Congress has fielded 57 candidates, the AIUDF fielded 47, followed by the BJP with 35.

The AGP has 19 candidates, followed by the BPF (10), CPM (9) and CPI (5). Also in the fray are 214 Independent candidates and 129 from other parties. The breakup of voters is 53,91,204 males and 50,44,051 females.

Among the heavyweight candidates in the fray are Prafulla Kumar Mahanta (AGP), Himanta Biswa Sarma (BJP), Phani Bhusan Choudhury (AGP), Rakibul Hussain (Congress), Atul Bora (BJP), Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF), Akon Bora (Congress), Pramila Rani Brahma (BPF), Chandan Brahma (BPF),Rabiram Narzary(BPF), Ananta Deka (CPM) and Urkhao Gwra Brahma(UPP).

Sarat Bramha resigned and was not terminated ET Correspondent Diphu, Apr 10: Bodo frontal organizations of Karbi Anglong and MAC of Langhing Sarat Bramha has sharply reacted to the news item published in an English daily published from Diphu where quoting Karbi Anglong District Congress president Mongalsing Timung the news daily has reported that Bramha has been terminated from the Executive Committee of Karbi

Anglong Autonomous Council.

Through a press release both Bramha and the Bodo organizations have claimed that he tendered his resignation before Chief Executive Member of KAAC at his residence on March 28 in presence of Bodo leaders at the official residence of Tuliram Ronghang CEM KAAC where among others Karbi Anglong District Congress president Mongalsing Timung

and Executive Member of KAAC Pradip Difusa was very much present.

The Bodo organizations have also stridently objected to Mongalsing Timung’s claim that Bodo organizations wanted a bargain with Congress in lieu of their vote in the Assam Assembly election. “Neither the KAAC or the Congress party in power at Dispur is the competent authority to grant clause 8 of the Bodo accord so their

claim on such baseless and unfounded issue is nothing but a joke, Timung is making such claims just to save his party’s lost visage in this district which is facing a clean hog wash within few days”. Sarat Bramha told this reporter over phone.

The Bodo frontal organizations have called upon Timung and all others not to rack up a non issue to avoid bad feelings among communities in future.

ABSU condemned atrocities upon six persons by police

Phone No.-03732325456 E-mail -dibrugarh@air.org.in Facebook Page-All India Radio Dibrugarh Programme Highlights 11-4-16 (MONDAY) 5-35 A.M-Bhaktigeeti (Devotional Songs) 6-10 A.M-Swasthya Charcha (Health Programme) 6-30 A.M-Bidyarthir Anusthan 7-15 A.M-Aajir Dinto (Morning Information Service) 7-30 A.M-Geetanjali (Assamese Modern Songs) 8-35 A.M-Surar Panchoi (Composite Programme of Assamese Film Songs) 9-05 A.M- Antara (Composite Programme of Hindi Film Songs) 2-00 P.M-Sponsored Programme-"Jaagaa Grahak Jaagaa" 2-30 P.M-Western Music 3-45 P.M-Programme in Miju Mishmi 4-05 P.M-Programme in Khamti 4-25 P.M-Programme in Wancho 4-45 P.M-News for Arunachal Pradesh 5-00 P.M-Programme in Idu 5-20 P.M-Programme in Tangsa 5-40 P.M-Programme in Nocte 6-15 P.M-Ganya Raijor Anushthan 7-15 P.M-Yuvavani 7-45 P.M-Aadhunik Geet 8-00 P.M-Drama 8-35 P.M-Talk-"Bihugeetot Naarimonor Pratifalan" by Dr. Biju Moran 9-30 P.M- Mondakini Sd-/H.O.P

ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, Apr 10: At least six persons received serious injured following atrocities by police at Bishmuri area on Friday ahead second phase polls in Kokrajhar district. The Kokrajhar district committee, ABSU strongly condemned the inhuman act of Ritu Jyoti Nath, incharge of Bishmuri police outpost, who was involved with harassed ABSU activist inappropriately in aggressive manner which is unacceptable by any means on April 8 last night. The injured were Mahim Borgoyary, Pakan

Narzary, Jwngma Basumatary, Nijwm Narzary, Niju Kr. Basumatary and Gwjwnglai Basumatary were going to 9 No. Mahendrapur village by bikes to inform Gaonbura (Village Headman) about the public meeting called on April 9 where they met police patrolling team of Bishmuri Police out post lead by Ritu Jyoti Nath, I/C, Bishmuri out post at Mohal Sariali when some of them were seen in civil dress also. They stop them and ask where they were going to. They were replied that they were going to 9 no.

Mahendrapur village to inform about the public meeting called to Gaonbura of the village.

Again they asked them which party they supported. They replied that they were the supporter of UPP and Congress party. After this reply they started to beat them injuring all of them grievously. Now they are under treatment. Police harassed them inappropriately in aggressive manner which is unacceptable by any means. That the ABSU is one of the major supporting organisations to the UPP and congress can-

didates and has been performing all sorts of works in favour and in support of UPP and Congress candidates and hence it is the prime duty of the Union to organise public meetings in support of our candidates. The students union has urged district administration to take stern action against in-charge Nath for his inhuman act on the students’ union activists.

It was stated by Premjit Narzary, president and Nion Mushahary, general secretary of the Kokrajhar district ABSU in a press release.

Madhav Prasad Sarma,DC Kokrajhar said that district administration has completed its preparations to host the assembly polls on Monday in free and fair manner all over the region.The polling personnel have already moved to their respective centre. The Indo-Bhutan border area have also been sealed and 144 CrPC promulgated in the state,besides taking stern step against militant outfit organisation, he said.

'There is no perception of militancy activity in the region and we hope the polls would be passed of peaceful and without any untoward incident', Sarma said.

BH Das and Goneswar Basumatary, polling personel said, 'We are happy having involved with polling personnel, we are leaving for the poll centre to conduct the election in the region'. Participation in the election is very much required for the democratic citizen of India country. We must participate in the polls to elect public representative among society, they said.

Malini Mela from tomorrow.

Vinod Kr. Singh Dhemaji, Apr 10: Malini Mela unlike every year this year too is organised with six days programme, at Likabali sub divisional head quarter under West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam Arunachal boarder at historical site Malinithan a religious place for Hindus.

The temple with Idol of Maa Durga and many renuines of idols of different Hindu God and goddess is believed to be of 6 th and 7 th century, temple is excavated by archeological department in long back.

According to Hindu mythology this was the place where Lord Krishna along with Rukmini rested and was well comed by Mother Parvati as Malini with flower garland while he was on the way to Dwarika, every year on the eve of Ram Navami in hindi first month of the year Mela is organised from the past and puja is offered to Goddess people from far away places visit here and take the blessings.

7, 09,513 electorates to decide the political fate of 40 candidates in Darrang Mayukh Goswami Mangaldai, Apr 10: Kalaigaon, Sipajhar, Mangaldai (SC) and Dalgaon these are the four assembly segments under Darrang election district which are all set to go into polls along with other 61 constituencies in the state in the second phase. In the district a total of 7, 0,913 electorates (according to data recorded on March 18, 2016) including 3, 67,075 male and 3, 42,438 female are going to decide the political future of 40 contesting

candidates. Out of the these total electorates 8,005 are first time new voters just attaining the 18 years of age while there are other 16,746 electorates who have already crossed 19 years.

In 65 Kalaigaon the total no of voters recorded are 1, 54,170 including 79,525 male and 74,645 female voters. Here maximum of 15 candidates are in final fray and prominent among them are present MLA and AGP candidate Mukunda Ram Choudhury , Maheswar

Binanda Kr Saikia

Boro (BPF) , Babul Basumatary (UPPA)and Indrajit Kr Saikia (INC) . The total no of polling stations in this LAC are 168. In Sipajhar along with 83027 male and

Basanta Das

Mukunda Ram Choudhury

75266 female voters the no of total voters are 1, 58,293 and they are going to seal the political future of eleven candidates. Like the previous two elections this time

Zoiinath Sarma

also there is every possibility of a tough neck to neck contest between present MLA Binanda Kr Saikia of BJP and former minister Dr Zoii Nath Sarma of INC. The elec-

Ilias Ali

torates will exercise their franchise in 201 polling stations of constituency.

In SC reserved prestigious Mangaldai constituency a total of 2,0,056 including

1,03,103 male and 96,953 female voters are going to exercise their democratic rights in 224 polling stations . In this seat presently occupied

by INC candidate as well as Water Resource and Fishery Minister Basanta Das and contesting by seven candidates a keen triangular contest between Basanta Das , BJP candidate Gurujyoti Das and AIUDF candidate and former MLA from AGP Hiren Kr Das is very much on the card . In this LAC maximum of 224 polling stations

have reportedly been arranged. In Dalgaon where the fate of seven candidates are going to decided by a total of 1, 96,994 voters including 1, 01,420 male and 95,574 female voters.

The constituency dominated by religious minority voters’ likely witness a face to face tough contest between present MLA and INC candidate Ilias Ali and AIUDF candidates Mojibur Rahman similar to that of last two assembly elections.

DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

PAGE 3

Governor extends SBI Donates Wheel Chairs and 106 killed, 383 injured in Kerala temple fire ‘Pongtu’ Festival Stretcher to General Hospital Greetings Itanagar, Apr 11 : The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Shri JP Rajkhowa has extended his festival greetings and Best Wishes to all the fellow citizens of the State in general and to Tutsa brethren in particular, on the auspicious occasion of ‘Pongtu,’ He expressed hope that the festival will usher in peace, harmony, happiness and prosperity for all.

In his festival message, the Governor said that Pongtu, an agricultural festival of the Tutsa tribe of Changlang and Tirap Districts is observed on the eve of the

rainy season. The festival is celebrated after the harvesting of millet to welcome the New Year. He trusts that the celebration this year will invoke the blessings of the Almighty for a bumper harvest and safety and security of the crops against natural calamities, pests, diseases etc.

Along with all my Tutsa brethren, I offer my prayers to Supreme God Rangkathok for his choicest blessings.

I also wish that the festival will be celebrated with much gaiety and enthusiasm, the Governor said.

Aalo, April 10 : The State Bank of India, Aalo Branch donated four wheel Chairs and four Stretchers to General Hospital Aalo in a formal function held in the office premises of General Hospital today. These medical utility was donated under Corporate Social Responsibility programme of State Bank of Inida.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Anil Bora, Chief Branch Manager SBI Aalo disclosed that bank is not all about profit making business but takes up welfare measures from few portion from annual profit.

Efforts are being made to mitigate growing needs of the customers by opening six ATM booths at various locations and three more

Contd. from Page 1

SBI Donates Wheel Chairs and Stretcher to General Hospital

ATMs will proposed, and passbook feeding machines have also been installed in the bank. Many more facilities are in the offing. Shri Gijum Tali, DIPRO who attended the function on behalf of the District Administration appreciated the humanitarian gesture of the

bank.

Dr. Kengo Ori DFWO and Dr. Linya Lollen Medical Superintendant expressed their gratitude to the Bank for providing such urgent needs and such noble venture will go a long way to meet up the growing needs of newly upgraded General Hospital.

which is around 70 kms from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

The fireworks, for which no permission had been granted

by Revenue and police officials, had started at midnight as part of an annual festival and thousands of people had gathered to witness it.

The mishap occurred as sparks of the fireworks fell on the store room 'Kambapura' and the fire crackers kept there exploded with a deafening noise, police said.

The blaze spread quickly trapping the devotees within the complex. Charred bodies and human remains were strewn around the temple complex after the fire tragedy. "It was complete chaos," eyewitnesses said.

The explosions also ripped chunks of concrete and plaster from the temple and nearby buildings which fell on people killing some on the spot and wounding many others.

The official statement said 75 bodies have been identified

and 84 post-mortems had been conducted.

Scientific examination would be done to identify bodies which have not yet been claimed, Chandy said.

Chandy also announced exgratia relief of Rs 10 lakh to kin of each of those killed in fire tragedy, Rs 2 lakh for seriously injured and Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who termed the incident as "heart-rending" and "shocking", announced Rs two lakh each as compensation for the next of the kin of the dead and Rs 50,000 each for the injured. He later flew in here and took stock of the situation and see the injured people.

The sound of the explosion could be heard over a radius of one kilometre and the whole area plunged into darkness as the power supply went off and people ran helterskelter, eyewitnesses said.

The Chief Minister said the District Collector of Kollam had not given permission to conduct the fireworks.

District Collector A

Shainamol said "no permission for any kind of fireworks" was given.

She said the temple authorities had asked for permission to conduct competitive fireworks which was denied. For normal fireworks, no permission was sought and hence there was no question of granting it, the DC said.

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said, "Actually, it is not a police failure," on being asked why police had not stopped the fireworks since it was not permitted.

"When lakhs of people are assembled here, if there is police action, it will have another problem. So, we have to consider all these aspects<" he said.

Police sources said a case has been registered against temple authorities and explosive licencees under section 307 (Attempt to murder), and 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide) of IPC and under section 4 of Explosives Substances Act.

Awareness programme for registered Taga Distributes Reliefs to co-operative societies held Payum Fire Victims

Awareness programme for registered co-operative societies held

Seppa,April 10 : An awareness programme for registered Co-operative societies organized

by District Co-operative Union in collaboration with Arunachal Pradesh state Co-operative Apex Bank ltd and Registrar of Co-operative Societies held at community Hall, Chayangtajo yesterday.

Awareness meeting was held on 6/4/2016, at Chayangtajo community hall under the chairmanship of Shri Chukhu

Jirjo, DFCSO/ARCS, and East Kameng District Seppa. At the very outset Sri Ashok Rebe, Chairman M/s Bungkopwa, MPCS Ltd. C/Tajo welcome one and all who were present in the awareness meeting.

Shri Tame Cheda, Chairman DCU (District Cooperative Union East Kameng has brief about the aim and objective, of the awareness campaign to the house present and he also advice all people

of area to initiate registration of cooperative Societies in remote and vulnerable area for the district Cooperative Union is ready to help all possible steps for registration.

Shri. L.Dera JICS/MD Seppa Lamps Ltd, Seppa also highlight about the role played by the department of co-operation in uplifting poor societies into financial viable societies through cooperative movement. Shri. Chatung Mare, BM AP Apex Bank

Ltd. East Kameng District Seppa Branch was elaborately explain about the saving accounts in indigenous Arunachal Pradesh cooperative Apex Bank Ltd for all round purpose like Atul Pension Scheme/ Jandan Yojna etc and he also told to the house present about how to make save and were to invest the hard earned money. He further told about the further scope to open a new branch at Ct/Tajo and opening of micro ATM, and business correspondent at C/Tajo areas. The resource persons of allied department of Horti, Fishery,Veti, and forestry were also spoke on the occasion to share important schemes and programme of their respective departments.

Shri Chukhu Jirjo,DFCSO/i/c/ ARCS cum Executive Officer, District cooperative Union East Kameng District Unit precisely highlight department of Food & Civil Supplies regarding its important role in service to the common people through cooperative societies.

Meeting ended with the vote of thanks from Smti Anjela Rebe M/s Bungkopwa MPCS Ltd.

District Administration Carries out Massive Eviction Drive Aalo April 10: The West Siang District Administration carried out a Massive Eviction Drive in front of Post Office, SBI and Inspection Banglow and more than dozen of semi RCC, SPT and MIBT shop buildings were evicted amid tight security today. In another drive carried out at market area all unauthorized meat sheds and other structures were removed by the eviction team. The estate officer cum A D C S h r i Ta m i k Talom, EAC judicial Kiren Ningo, Police team l e d b y D SP Shri BW Thomgam and OC Olik Tamuk, Land record department led by Shri Pumek

District Administration Carries out Massive Eviction Drive

Ronya DLR & SO and ALCs from DC office

were engaged right from the morning till af-

ternoon to complete all eviction process.

Taga Distributes Reliefs to Payum Fire Victims

Aalo April 10: Shri Tamiyo Taga, MLA Rumgong accompanied

by DC Siang Shri Rahul Singh, SP Doge Jini, Project Director, EE

Power and others HoDs met the fire victims of Payum fire victims and handed over Rs. 1,00,000/- and 150 CGI sheets to 38 affected

households on 6th April last.

While appreciating the Pul led Govt. for prompt action the villagers submitted six point public

memorandum pertaining to establishment of model village, reconstruction of community Dere, provision of Solar electricity, two Anganwadi centres, drinking water supply and reconstruction of community toilets. MLA assured to take up the matter with new govt. under Kaliko Pul. Mrs. Y. Taga, wife of Tamiyo Taga too contributed of Rs. 5000/ - to each household as relief from her side. To victioms pers. It may be recalled that a devastating fire engulfed 38 houses at Payum on 26th March last.

DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

PAGE 4

Tezpur prepare for Rangali Bihu.

Shambhu Boro, Tezpur, April 10 : Amid poll fever people here in and around Tezpur town are seen busy in preparing for celebrating the most joyous festival for the Assamese people the Rangali Bihu. The major Rangali Bihu Committees in Tezpur beginning from Uttar Tezpur Rangali Bihu Sanmillan, Madhya Tezpur Rangali Bihu Sanmillan, Luitpar Rangali Bihu Sanmilan, Dakshin-Pachim Rangali Bihu Sanmilan, Polo-field Rangali Bihu Sanmillan, Tezpur Central Rangali Bihu Sanmillan, Milanpur Rangali Bihu Sanmillan among others are all set to celebrate the most important festival of the Assamese society in a befitting manner. However, organizers of the Uttar Tezpur Rangali Bihu Sanmillan that has already elapsed 56 years of it’s celebration, informed that like in the past this year too the celebration is going to be held with a six day programme from April 13 at Tezpur Collegiate High School field.

Assistant Cultural

Secretary of the celebration committee, Paban Das outlining the six day long programme said that the celebration will begin with unfurling of Bihu Flag, felicitation to the elders (Senior citizens) and sport competitions among the

various ethnic cultural troops including Bihu, Bagrumba, Nepali dance, Jhumur etc. Following it on May 4, besides other competitions Dhool playing and “Mou Kwori” and “Bihu Kwori” competitions will be held. On

tion and special felicitation to the noted personalities including noted farmer Kabul Sarma will be the main programme. The last day programme includes ‘go as you like’ competition, prize distribution and main function. The main function

People engaged in shopping item required for ensuing Garu Bihu at Demow Rajmai weekly market. Pic - UB Photos children etc. on April 13.

Next day that is on April 14, cultural procession with the participation of

May 5, cultural function by the local artists will be the main event. On May 6, state level Bihu Competi-

will be inaugurated by Retired Principal of Tezpur College.

Cultural programme presented by

Humanitarian gesture by CM Kalikho Pul towards deceased DRC employee's family

A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Apr 9: The death of 55-year-old driver, Abal Bahadur Bishwakarma, might not have invited anybody’s attention – but it surely

caught Chief Minister Kalikho Pul’s concern.

Late Bishwakarma, the sole bread owner to his family, was a driver serving in the office of Deputy Resident Commissioner

(DRC), government of Arunachal, Guwahati.

He is reported to have died recently due to liver cirrhosis and is survived by his wife, a 25-year-old daughter and a 27-year-

Koch Rajbongsi Sanmiloni extend support to BPF-BJP-AGP alliance ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, Apr 10 :The BTC region Koch Rajbongsi sanmiloni has extended support to the grand alliance of BPFBJP-AGP I the assembly election, who is forming government in the state without any confused.

Niren Chandra Roy, adviser of the sanmiloni, addressing the reporters today at Kokrajhar Press Club told that the sanmiloni has been ex-

tending support to the alliance party because the grand alliance party is winning in large number of seats across the state, so government formation is sure. They have urged the BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who have been tried to accord ST status to six ethnic communities and bringing solutions of the communities in days to coming in the

state.

'We have good faith over the BPF and it's alliance party will be bringing solutions of the issues and demands from the community, who are crying for social uplift and development', Roy said.

He has appealed to the Koch Rajbongsi community to vote for the alliance candidates across the state to get early implementation of the community's demands.

READY FOR D-DAY

Photo of polling personnel are moving to their destination for second phase election, in Kokrajhar on Sunday

old son.

Upon learning the news of Bishwakarma’s death through a DRC official on landing at Guwahati, the CM immediately called for the grieving family members and offered his sincere condolence.

Paying homage to his service for the government of Arunachal, the CM assured livelihood support for the family.

In a humanitarian gesture, he immediately ordered the deceased’s son to be employed at DRC office in Guwahati as contingency employee, and offered monetary compensation through his personal means to the grieving family members.

artist Tusar Arjun and the popular comedy group “Behor-Bari Outpost” will be the major attractions.

Organizers urged all concerned to extend their cooperation for making the event a grand success. Likewise, the Dakshin Pachim Tezpur Rangali Bihu Sanmilan which has been celebrating Rangali Bihu at Chanmari here has attained 51 years of their celebration this time. To mark the event the celebration committee is preparing for celebration with a varied cultural programme from April 14 to 21. Other Rangali Bihu Sanmillans which have also crossed more than fifty years of their celebration are also all set to celebrate the Rangali Bihu with varied cultural programmes including Bihu and other competitions.

On the otherhand, like in the past few years, the people of the greater Thelamara area irrespective of cast and creed are going to celebrate the Rangjali Bwisagw mela at Thelamara Bathow Asrom premises under the aegis of Thelamara Rangjali

Youths on way to rehearsing Bihu dance at bank of Brahmaputra side for the ensuing Rangali Bihu in Dibrugarh. Pic - UB Photos Bwisagw Celebration Committee on May 1. Besides this the Thelamara Central Rangali Bihu Sanmillan is going to celebrate their 48th Rangali Bihu celebration at Thelamara Bapuji Bhawan complex with various cultural programmes. Meanwhile, Secretary of Misamari Anchalick Boro Sahitya Sabha Hitesah Narjary, said that the

Missamari Anchalick Rangjali Bwisagw Mela Cum Indigenous cultural meet organized by Missamari Harimw Afad, Misamari chapter of ABSU and Boro Sahitya Sabha will be held with a two day long programme on April 30 and may 1.

On the otherhand, the Bahbari Anchalick Rangjali Bwisagw celebration com-

mittee that has been celebrating the Bwisagw mela for the last many years reflecting a communal harmony among different communities in cooperation with Bahbari Anchalick Boro Sahitya Sabha and West Tezpur Anchalick Committee ABSU is also doing their brisk preparation for the celebration of the same.

Five candidates in fray in Sidli LAC ET Correspondent Kokrajhar, Apr 10: A total of five candidates from different party and organizations are in fray to contest in 31-Sidli LAC in the second phase poll on Monday. The Sidli constituency has been witnessing straight contest in between sitting MLA and BPF candidate Chandan Brahma and sitting BTC MCLA and UPP candidate Rwngwra

Narzary. Both the candidates have expressed their expectation of winning from the constituency.

Altogether 981 polling personnel along with police personnel for 31-Sidli (ST) LAC were despatched today to their respective polling stations, numbering to 245 polling stations, while the remaining polling personnel were kept for reserve.

All the polling officials

were today issued the polling materials including EVMs before being despatched to them to the polling stations. More than 402 vehicles were arranged to transport the polling officials and polling materials for successful conduct of election in the district. The district has 65 hyper sensitive, 56 sensitive and 24 critical polling stations.

As Chirang goes to poll

on April 11 from 7AM to 5PM, the Chirang District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner Rupak Kr. Mazumder appealed to each and every eligible voters to exercise their franchise without fail. In his appealed he stated that voters should not allow money or other considerations to influence their votes and that they should vote without fear or favour.

Gogoi dares BJP President Amit Shah to institute probe against his government Contd. from Page 1

“As in the last Parliamentary elections so also in the ongoing Assembly elections the BJP Central leaders in-

cluding the Prime Minister have been raking up the problem of infiltration from across the border. But once the elections are over, the issue will be put on the backburner,” said

Gogoi.

Questioning the Centre’s seriousness into the problem of infiltration, Gogoi said that it did virtually nothing to strengthen the borders in the past al-

most two years. If infiltration is taking place, then it is the Central Government’s responsibility to stop it rather than passing the buck on the State Government,” he added.

Bohagi Marathan Race to be held in Digboi ET Correspondent Digboi, April 10 : An All Assam Bohagi Marathan Race has been slated to be flagged off here at Digboi in Tinsukia District of Assam on the successful completion of the 25 years of the Marathan Race which initially started the way back in 1992 organised under the banner of Rongali Bihu Utsav Pallan Samity, Digboi on the occasion of Rongali Bihu.

Addressing the media house at the office of the

organising Committee at Bihutoli Muliabari, Abu Hussain, the Working President of the Rongali Bihu Utsav Pallan Samity said that the committee has drawn up a day long agenda to commemorate the successful completion of the 25th years of the race, which has been organised uninterrupted at State level since 1992.

According to him, the state level Silver Jubilee of Bohagi Marathan Race has been slated to be organised

on 17th April next (the 4th of Assamese local Calendar) among the male and female segments separately for participants belonging to age group of fourteen years and above.

However, the event for the medically qualified male would be flagged off at Nagaon ME School at Makum around 6 am which would terminate at Bihutoli Muliabri, covering a distance of 25 Kilometers within the specific time of 1 hour and 30 minutes.

AJYCP, Margherita slams administration for alleged failure in controlling 'Gutkha and other smokeless tobacco products' ET Correspondent Margherita, Apr 10: Asom Jatiyotabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad(AJYCP) Margherita Regional Committee General Secretary Kanchan Bora have Slammed and Criticized Margherita Administration and Margherita Police for not able to Control the Gutkha and Other Smokeless Tobacco Products which is Flourishing in entire Margherita Sub division where mainly College and School Students and new generations youths,Boys and Girls are addicted of it.Kanchan Bora said that notorious Gutkha Mafia Dinesh Gupta have unholy nexus with Margherita Adminis-

tration that is why no serious step have been taken against Dinesh Gupta by the Margherita Administration.Kanchan Bora also alleged that Notorious Gutkha Mafia Dinesh Gupta used to supply Bulk quantities of Gutkha products to Gopal Thaporia and Ganga Bishnu of Ledo region.At Margherita Sub Division places such as Baragolai,Ledo,Jagun, Lekhapani Gutkha and other Smokeless Tobacco products are openly sold while Margherita Administration is in deep slumber alleged Kanchan Bora.

Ledo Police,Lekhapani Police and Jagun Police have

also been getting huge amount of money from notorious Gutkha Mafia Dinesh Gupta where Without any fear and hesitation Dinesh Gupta have been able to manage to these illicit trade at Margherita Sub division for years alleged Kanchan Bora.We demand that Margherita Administration should take immediate action against these Persons who are destroying the future of Youths of Margherita Sub division by making them addicted of Gutkha and other Smokeless Tobacco products said Kanchan Bora General Secretary of AJYCP Margherita Regional Committee.

While the race for the eligible female participants would start at 6.30 from Tingrai Railway Station to Bihutoli in Muliabari covering a distance of 12 kilometers within 1 hour and 20 minutes.

The participants in the said state level Bohagi Marathan Race must submit their required documents with duly filled up forms on or before 16th April next at the said office besides undergoing a medical examination at the same

day at Bihutoli premises.

According to the organising committee, the cash prizes to the winners in both the male and female category have been enhanced this time and added “besides awarding the first top10, we would give away the participation certificate to all the participants to mark the significant event”.

Any quarries to this effect may be cleared calling at 9401537812, 9435137382 or 943533 7936.

SPORT GDSA organises 'Football Festival' to attract youngsters

ET Correspondent Golaghat, Apr 10: In order to attract the youngsters towards the game of football, the Golaghat District Sports Association (GDSA) organised a 'Football Festival' on April 10 for the first time in Golaghat Stadium. In the inauguration ceremony, Dinesh Gogoi, Sanjiv Handique, Rohit Gogoi, Rupak Dutta, Pahadi Baruah, Purna Rajkhowa, Premananda Sarma, Herald

Sarmah were present. The programme was co-ordinated

by Ajay Bharali. Oath taking ceremony was conducted by Dinesh Gogoi. The players from Sivsagar and Golaghat will took part in the same and displayed their skill. In the matches played today in U-10 category Sivsagar beat Golaghat by 1-0. In U-12 category Sibsagar beat Golaghat by 1-0 and U -15 Golaghat beat NRL by 2-1.

REGION

DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

PAGE 5

Wild mushroom costs Nagaland Has Huge Store of Mineral Deposits 1 more life in Aizawl

Wild mushroom costs 1 more life in Aizawl

Aizawl, April 10: With the death of Ramdinmawii (34) on Sunday, four persons of a family have died after eating wild mushroom in M i z o r a m - Tr i p u r a Bangladesh border Mamit town since Thursday last.

Earlier, Ramdinmawii's sons Biakrinawma (10), and Malsawmtluanga (8) and her husband Saikhuma (35) died.

Saikhuma had collected wild mushroom from the

jungle on April 4 and cooked it for dinner the same evening after which they started suffering from stomachache and loose motion, and were admitted to the Mamit District Hospital.

Now, their other son Saihmingthanga (12), daughter Miriami (3) and their guest V.L. Hriata (20) are in Aizawl Civil Hospital here.

The condition of Saihmingthanga was stated to critical. (Agencies)

Villagers torch rebel camp in Imphal Imphal, April 10: Irate villagers of Napet and its surrounding areas in Imphal East district on Friday night torched a designated camp of United Revolutionary Front (URF), a rebel group, which has signed a ceasefire pact with the government.

The villagers accused the URF cadres of harassing people, who came to take part in Thabal Chongba, a cultural dance festival near the camp.

Besides torching the camp on the premises of a government primary school, the mob also set on fire over 12 vehicles.

Trouble began when some URF cadres started frisking some people, a local said, and added that the cadres also fired some rounds in the air.

When some festival volunteers requested the cadres to stop their act, they were threatened, a local said. He added that some volunteers were also bashed up by the cadres.

Angry villagers then set fire to the camp and the vehicles, purportedly belonging to the cadres.

Sources said that the rebels had taken shelter at a nearby paramilitary force's camp.

Kohima, April 10: Nagaland is richly endowed with a variety of minerals. Coal, limestone, nickel, cobalt, chromium, magnetite, copper, zinc and recently discovered platinum, petroleum and natural gas are the major minerals available in Nagaland.

According to the Annual Administrative Report 2014-15 of the Nagaland State Mineral Development Corporation Ltd (NSMDC) tabled in the State Assembly Session recently, the main established mineral reserves comprise Petroleum and Natural Gas (prognosticated reserve of 600 million tonnes) in the northwest along Nagaland-

Assam border; Coal (with inferred reserve of 150 million tonnes) in Tuensang, Mon and Mokokchung districts; Limestone & marble (with inferred reserve of 1000 million tonnes); Magnetite with Nickel, Cobalt and Chromium (5 million tonnes of proved reserved); Rich deposits of varieties of decorative and dimensional stones and other associated metals like Zinc, Molybdenum and other possible precious metals such as gold, and platinum groups of elements (with ophiolites and meta sediments) in Phek, Kiphire and Tuensang districts of south east Nagaland.

The report stated the

Nagaland, huge store of minerals deposites government desires to exploit the rich minerals to enhance the economic status of the state with a view to uplifting the living conditions of the rural people where rich minerals deposits are available. With this ob-

jective, the report stated that the NSMDC, fully owned by the state government was set up by the Government of Nagaland and incorporated in May 1981 under Companies Act 1956 with the main objectives

of initiating commercial exploitation of limestone, coal and other mineral deposits and promoting, establishing and developing economic activities in mines and mineral based industries.

“The successive plans have been formulated with the basic aim to promote and facilitate mineral-based industries in the state for economic growth as well as for generation of employment opportunities,” the report stated. The investments will also be justified by cost benefit analysis, the report stated.

According to the report, the planning strategies are focused to achieve

CMJ suffers apex court blow Shillong, April 10: The controversial Chancellor of CMJ University Chandra Mohan Jha is in trouble after the Supreme Court on Friday asked him to deposit the frozen amount of over Rs 15. 62 crore (Rs. 15,62,43,477.46p) withdrawn by him soon after the High Court in October last year allowed releasing of the amount.

The Counsel for the state government and the Supreme Court lawyer Ranjan Mukherjee said on Saturday over phone from Delhi that during the hearing on Friday, the Apex Court asked Jha to reimburse the amount which has already been taken out from several of his accounts.

Mukherjee said Jha has been asked to re-deposit the amount within 21 days.

Congress leader and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal represented Jha in Apex Court.

Earlier, following an order of the trial court here last year after the police

filed charge-sheet, an amount of over Rs 30.

42 crore (Rs.30,42,87,709.17p) was frozen by the Investigating Officer during the inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the functioning of the University.

Later, after Jha filed a case in the High Court, and in an order on October 13 last year, the Court allowed release of Rs.15.62 crore out of the frozen amount of over Rs.30.42 crore.

Former Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh had ordered the release of fro-

zen money as Jha’s counsel had pleaded that he had to meet some financial obligations of the CMJ Foundation, the CMJ University and also in respect of individual liability.

The High Court had ordered that Rs.10,26,68,744 should be de-frozen from 17 fixed deposits and one savings deposit accounts in the name of CMJ Foundation in Punjab National Bank, Shillong.

The Court had also ordered de-freezing of another seven fixed depos-

Shillong, April 10: In a setback for the Congress in North Garo Hills, former Minister Frankenstein W Momin and eight other party functionaries quit their respective posts on Saturday blaming Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Momin, a former Congress legislator, who unsuccessfully contested from Mendipathar in 2013 Assembly polls, was adviser, District Congress Committee, North Garo Hills.

The nine active members of the Congress from North Garo Hills districs submitted resignation letter to the President, District Congress Committee, North Garo Hills and also to the state leaders.

When contacted over phone, Momin, a critic of the Chief Minister,

said that the main concern of the party functionaries is lack of consultations on the part of Chief Minister on various matters related to the party in the district.

“It appears that there is only Mukul Congress and not Meghalaya Congress in the State”, Momin said Momin, who is yet to give up the primary membership of the party, said he will take a final decision whether to quit the party once and for all.

General Secretary, District Congress Committee, North Garo Hills Sengnab Momin, in a statement said that the office bearers are not happy with the functioning of the party “We had voiced our various concerns in party forums but in vain”, he said.

According to the gen-

eral secretary of the party, there is no transparency on the part of the Congress leaders on various decisions on crucial matters.

“The grassroot level decisions are never accepted at the higher level. It is in fact, like one-man show or decision. In other words, we as party workers and members could never make fruitful decisions for the good of the party, but the decisions are always imposed on us undemocratically “, he said.

Others who quit the post included Smith K Marak, General Secretary, District Congress Committee, Chremline K Sangma, President, District Mahila Congress, Lakitha D Shira, Vice President, District Mahila Congress, Minubel K Marak, District Mahila Congress,

Chancellor of CMJ University Chandra Mohan Jha

its and saving accounts amounting to Rs.5,35,74,733 from Axis Bank, Shillong.

The investigation officer had frozen as many as 67 fixed deposits and savings accounts in the name of CM Jha, wife Indu Rani Jha, sons Govind Jha and Gopal Jha , CMJ University and CMJ Foundation at Punjab National Bank.

Similarly, 42 accounts were frozen in Axis Bank, Shillong by the investigation officer which were in the names of C.M. Jha, wife Indu Rani Jha, sons Govind and Gopal and CMJ Foundation.

Two saving accounts in the name of CMJ University were frozen in Union Bank of India, Nebsarai Branch, New Delhi, while another savings account in the name of CMJ University was also frozen in ICICI Bank, Shillong branch.

However, after the state government filed a Special Leave Petition against the order of High Court of Meghalaya, the Supreme Court in an in-

terim order on November 20 last year stayed the order of High Court.

However, by the time, CM Jha had already withdrawn the amount of frozen amount from the banks, though they were told not to release the amount after supplying copies of the Supreme Court order , the lawyer of the state government Mukherjee said. During the hearing on Friday in the Apex Court, Kapil Sibal on behalf of Jha had argued about the need to release the statutory dues (salary of the staff, electricity and other dues) which, however was challenged by the state government’s lawyer who said that since University is still under lock and key , the question does not arise.

Mukherjee has submitted during the hearing that since the Supreme Court’s interim order was in force, Jha should maintain status quo ante, which means, that he should re-deposit the amount which was found favour with the Apex Court. (Agencies)

Rs 53 crore illegal cash seized in poll-bound states Frankenstein W Monin quits, blames Mukul

New Delhi, Apr 10 : Illegal cash of over Rs 53 crore has been confiscated from the five states facing Assembly elections with Tamil Nadu leading the list following seizures of Rs 21.45 crore.

Even as the second phase of polls is scheduled for tomorrow in West Bengal and Assam, Election Commission (EC) said the north-eastern state is second on the list with Rs 11.

66 crore having been seized there.

In Kerala, the figure stands at about Rs 9.65 crore, while Rs 9.61 crore has been seized in West Bengal.

The model code of conduct for these polls came into force on March 4 after EC announced the schedule for the Assembly polls in five states.

The first phase of polling was held on April 4 in Assam and West Bengal and the second part of that phase is slated for April 11.

Elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will be held in one go on May 16.

EC, as part of its measures to curb the use of black money in the polls, has deployed 'expenditure observers' drawn from central revPuducherry has seen enue services like Inseizures of about Rs come Tax and the Cus60.88 lakh, EC data toms and Excise desaid. partments.

The cash seizures were made by EC-appointed In order to keep a tab on special flying squads the huge cash expendiand surveillance teams ture during polls, EC and by officials drawn has also asked the Cenfrom the Income Tax tral Board of Direct department.

Taxes and the Financial "The total progressive Intelligence Unit -- two figure of seizures made agencies under the till now is over Rs 53 Union Finance Ministry crore," a senior official -- to keep a strict vigil. said today.

(PTI)

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Sachin Arengh, Organising Secretary, Mendipathar Block Congress Committee, Sengprang Sangma, Vice President, Mendipathar Youth Congress, and Pobonjon Sangma, Executive Member, Mendipathar Block Congress Committee.

Though the sudden reason for the resignation of party leaders of the dis-

trict is not known, sources said that they were annoyed over Congress giving ticket to the wife of NCP legislator Marthon Sangma from Mendipathar to contest the GHADC polls.

Moreover, sources also added that Marthon is also making efforts to get in touch with Congress to get the support of the party in the 2018 Assembly polls.

2 women arrested, 24 kg ganja seized in Andhra Pradesh Kakinada (AP), Apr 10 : Two women were arrested near Pithapuram here and 24 kg ganja was seized from them, police said

today.

The two women, Pawan Thai and Pandiyan Indrani, hailing from Tamil Nadu, were arrested last night

on the charge of possessing 24 kg ganja, Circle Inspector M D Umar said.

"Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended the

duo when they were going to Pithapuram railway station from Tuni with the contraband they bought form Agency area in

Visakhapatnam," the Circle Inspector said.

Following the seizure, the two women were arrested, Umar added.

(PTI)

the following objectives: Development of infrastructure such as construction and upgradation of mineral link roads and improvement of power in collaboration with relevant departments, initiation of mineral-based industries by facilitating and involving the people/private sector with technical guidance and assistance from the government through the Corporation so as to generate economic growth and employment with full justification in quantified terms and to enter into profit sharing ventures with private Companies in various limestone and other mineral based projects.

KSU disturbs city school classes Shillong, April 10: The KSU members on Saturday closed down the BK Bajoria school alleging that the school conducted classes for the students to compensate the Shad Suk Mynsiem holiday scheduled for Monday.

Classes were held for students from class 1 to 12 on Saturday.

However, the Principal, of BK Bajoria School, B.Majaw, clarified that classes were scheduled for Saturday not to compensate the holiday on Monday, but it was to compensate a closure declared on March 28 to carry out repair work of a road and classrooms of the school. Necessary notices were also given in this regard.

The classes started at 8. 40 am and was scheduled to be over at 3 pm on Saturday, but the KSU activists came to the school at around 11 am and stopped the classes.

“There was a misunderstanding by the group, we have clarified the matter, and showed the notice of holiday declared on March 28. Due to the situation, we had to arrange safe return journey for the students”, Majaw said.

Due to the incident, the Chairman of the School BP Bajoria cancelled his trip to Kolkata from Siliguri for his medical treatment. A parent said that the School had always respected the local sentiments and holidays, but the act of Students’ Union disturbing the functioning of the school is unwarranted.

One held with arms Shillong, April 10: Police on Saturday arrested one person possessing arms and ammunitions from West Khasi Hills. The arrested person has been identified as Tengrak K Sangma. One AK 47 rifle, two SBBl gun, AK magazines and 36 live AK ammunition were recovered from Rongcheng village based on his statement, police said.

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

PAGE 6

Puttingal temple fire: Rajnath assures assistance to Kerala CM New Delhi, Apr. 10 : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday dubbed the massive fire at the Puttingal temple in Kerala that killed over 100 people as tragic and assured all assistance to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in this hour of crisis.

"This is a big tragedy. I spoke to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy as soon as I received information about Kollam

tragedy and took stock of the situation. I also assured him of all necessary assistance from the Centre. All necessary directions were issued keeping in view his request for two choppers," Singh told ANI here.

The Home Minister said that he gave all necessary instructions to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General, O. P. Singh as soon as he received the news.

Nitish replaces Sharad Yadav as JD (U) chief

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar New Delhi Apr.10 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was on Sunday elected as the new chief of Janata Dal United JD (U).

The JD(U) has elected its new president in its National Council meeting, bringing an end to the over 10-year long tenure of Sharad Yadav, who has decided not to seek a fourth consecutive term.

Yadav, who had been serv-

ing as the party chief for the last three terms, resigned from the post today and is unlikely to contest for a fourth term.

As per reports, the JD (U) is planning for an expansion before Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, which is slated to be held next year and Nitish Kumar has been unanimously selected to lead the party.

(ANI)

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has convened an urgent meeting of his Cabinet at 3 p.m. in Kollam.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has also joined the rescue operation, dispatching one Dornier, two Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) and medical teams from Garuda Naval Air station near Kochi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia re-

lief of Rs. two lakh to next of the kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to those critically injured in the incident.

The Prime Minister, who will land directly here with a team of burn specialist doctors, instructed that no official welcome protocols should be followed on his arrival here.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will also be visiting Kollam this afternoon to meet the victims. (ANI)

Cameron announces Panama Papers taskforce London, Apr 10 : British Prime Minister David Cameron was to announce a new taskforce today to deal with the socalled Panama Papers as pressure mounted over the handling of his own offshore finances.

The force will be led by the HMRC tax authority and the National Crime Agency, but is unlikely to spare Cameron from more scrutiny over his admission on Thursday that he bought and then sold shares in his late father's Bahamas-based offshore fund.

Cameron at first refused to comment on his father's fund, details of which emerged in the leak of documents from Panama law firm

Mossack Fonseca, and admitted yesterday he had mishandled the controversy.

The prime minister was to insist today that Britain has been at the "forefront of international action to tackle aggressive tax avoidance and evasion," according to a statement from the finance department, but the latest revelations appear to have undermined his claims to be leading the efforts.

A Yougov poll released Thursday showed that Cameron was the second least trusted British politician on tax affairs, coming behind only his finance minister George Osborne.

The taskforce will inves-

tigate the leaked files to identify clients of the Panama firm suspected of money laundering and tax evasion, and will have a europe million (USD 14-million, 12million-euro) budget.

"There is clearly further to go and this taskforce will bring together the best of British expertise to deal with any wrongdoing relating to the Panama Papers," said Cameron.

The taskforce will report its findings "later this year", according to the statement.

Cameron said he would publish his tax returns and shouldered the blame for the row.

He earlier admitted he and his wife had held a

stake in his father's Blairmore Holdings scheme. They bought the stake for 12,497 in 1997 and sold it for 31,500, four months before he became prime minister in 2010.

He is believed to have paid tax on the dividends paid out by the trust, but not on the profits when sold.

"It has not been a great week. I know that I should have handled this better, I could have handled this better," he told his Conservative Party's spring forum in London yesterday.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Downing Street Saturday to call for his resignation.(Agencies)

NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft enters emergency mode

NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft enters emergency mode

Washington, Apr 10 : NASA's Kepler spacecraft, that hunts for Earth-like planets orbiting other stars, has gone into emergency mode some 75 million miles from Earth, the US space agency said.

During a scheduled contact on April 7, mission operations engineers discovered that the Kepler spacecraft was in Emergency Mode (EM).

EM is the lowest operational mode and is fuel intensive.

Recovering from EM is the team's priority at this time, NASA said.

Initial indications are that Kepler entered EM before mission operations began the manoeuvre to orient the spacecraft to point towards the centre of the Milky Way for the K2 mission's microlensing observing campaign, officials said.

The spacecraft is nearly 75 million miles from Earth, making the communication slow, they said.

Even at the speed of light, it takes 13 minutes for a signal to travel to the spacecraft and back.

The last regular contact with the spacecraft was on April 4. The spacecraft was operating as expected.

Kepler completed its prime mission in 2012, detecting nearly 5,000 exoplanets, of which, more than 1,000 have been confirmed.

In 2014 the Kepler spacecraft began a new mission called K2. In this extended mission, K2 continues the search for exoplanets while introducing new research opportunities to study young stars, supernovae and many other astronomical objects. (PTI)

Puttingal fire: PM's visit a 'morale booster', says Jitendra Singh Petition for removal of Trump's Antony demands thorough Walk Of Fame star probe, says don't politicise Kollam fire

New York, Apr 10 : A petition calling for the removal of Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has garnered nearly 16,000 signatures.

The Republican front-runner received the star in 2007 for the category of television, according to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which awards the stars.

The Hollywood Boulevard location where the star sits has reportedly been defaced and vandalized several times since Trump announced his candidacy for president, reported NBC News.

"The fact that Donald Trump has a star along with the likes of Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and Audrey Hepburn is an insult in and of itself. The presi-

dential candidate and former reality TV star has been spawning hateful, sexist and racist rhetoric since the beginning of his campaign," said the petition calling for the removal of the star.

"Everything from spray paint to spit to feces has shown up on his star in the last few months," the petition said.

"The message is clear: the public does not approve of Trump or the fact that he has a Hollywood Star."

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce faced similar calls last year over Bill Cosby's star as a growing number of sexual assault allegations against him came to the fore. His star was also vandalized at least once.

(PTI)

Prince William, Kate Middleton pay tribute to victims of 26/11 terrorist attack

Royal family paying tribute to victims of 26/11 terrorist attack Mumbai, Apr. 10 : Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton on Sunday paid tribute to the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks at the memorial at the Taj Palace Hotel here.

The royal couple arrived here on a seven-day tour of India and Bhutan, aimed at building strong bonds with the two countries.

The couple, who are on their first visit to India, will take off for Delhi on Monday.

In Delhi, they are scheduled to lay a wreath at India Gate and visit Gandhi Smriti.

Prime Minister will be hosting a lunch for the Duke and Duchess on April 12. "As you would recall, during our Prime Minister's visit to U.K. in November last year, the Queen had hosted a lunch in his

honour at Buckingham Palace," said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup in a media briefing on Thursday.

After their stay in Delhi, the Duke and Duchess are scheduled to visit the Kaziranga National Park before they proceed to their visit to Bhutan.

They will be back in India to visit the Taj Mahal and will depart for the U.K. from New Delhi.

"The forthcoming visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is reflective of the continued high level engagement between India and the U.K., and demonstrates the accelerated momentum of the relationship after Prime Minister's very successful visit to United Kingdom in November 2015," Swarup added.

New Delhi, Apr.10 : Expressing grave concern over the loss of innocent lives following the massive fire at the Puttingal temple in Kerala, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh today said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the site would act as a morale booster.

"Certainly, this is a very tragic accident and the entire nation feels shocked and is in grief.

A saving grace and a matter of consolation is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately took cognizance of it," Singh told ANI. "Without losing any time, he responded both physically, emotionally

the fire that took place in the wee hours on Sunday.

An explosion in piles of crackers during fireworks display is said to be the reason behind the fire that broke out at around 3.30 a.m. The police had earlier warned the temple authorities to restrict usage of fireworks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs. two Jitendra Singh lakh to next of the kin of the deceased and Rs. and sent out his message great gesture and a mo- 50,000 to those critically of help to them and en- rale booster which per- injured in the incident. sured that the disaster re- haps was not witnessed The Prime Minister, who lief agencies, the Home during the tenures of the is en-route Kollam with a Ministry and the other earlier prime ministers," team of burn specialist A.K. Antony related departments were he added. doctors, has instructed that put into action. He has At least 98 people have no official welcome prohimself since then left for lost their lives and more tocols should be followed New Delhi, Apr.10 : Ex- lice had earlier warned pressing grave concern the temple authorities to Kollam which itself is a than 350 others injured in on his arrival. (ANI) over the loss of innocent restrict usage of firelives following the mas- works. sive fire at the Puttingal Meanwhile, the Congress temple in Kerala's Party has said the Kerala Kollam district, Congress Government has decided veteran and former de- to order a judicial enfence minister A.K. quiry into the tragic inciAntony on Sunday said dent, adding that anyone that this untoward inci- found guilty would be dent should not be suitably punished. public did a commendpoliticised and demanded Kerala Chief Minister able job in the rescue a thorough investigation Oommen Chandy has operations," he added. into the matter so that the convened an urgent meetChandy has also conperpetrators are brought ing of his Cabinet at 3 vened an emergency to book. p.m. in Kollam.

"I am shocked to hear this Meanwhile, the Indian Cabinet meeting here at human tragedy. This is Navy has also joined the 3 p.m. to decide the futhe greatest tragedy in my rescue operation, disture course of action in memory. My sympathies patching one Dornier, wake of the tragedy. are with families who two Advanced Light HeAt least 98 people have have been affected by licopters (ALHs) and lost their lives and this," Antony told ANI. medical teams from Garuda "There should be no poli- Naval Air station near Kochi. more than 350 have tics or any divisive things Prime Minister Narendra been injured in the fire in this. The immediate Modi has announced an exthat took place in the thing is rescue and relief gratia relief of Rs. two lakh wee hours today. operations. All help to next of the kin of the deAn explosion in piles of should be provided to ceased and Rs. 50,000 to crackers during fireKerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy those who are there in the those critically injured in the works display is said to hospitals," he added. incident. be the reason behind relief of Rs. two lakh to has instructed that no At least 98 people have The Prime Minister, who the fire that broke out next of the kin of the official welcome pro- lost their lives and more will land directly here with at around 3.30 a.m. The deceased and Rs. tocols should be fol- than 350 have been in- a team of burn specialist docjured in the fire that took tors, instructed that no offipolice had earlier 50,000 to those criti- lowed on his arrival. place in the wee hours on cial welcome protocols warned the temple au- cally injured in the in- Congress vice-presi- Sunday. should be followed on his arthorities to restrict us- cident. dent Rahul Gandhi An explosion in piles of rival here. age of fireworks.

The Prime Minister, will also be visiting crackers during fire- Congress vice-president Prime Minister who is on his way to Kollam this afternoon works display is said to Rahul Gandhi will also be Narendra Modi has an- Kollam with a team of to meet the victims. be the reason behind the visiting Kollam this afterfire that broke out at noon to meet the nounced an ex-gratia burn specialist doctors, (ANI) around 3.30 a.m. The po- victims.(ANI)

Puttingal fire: Chandy satisfied with rescue ops, assures medical assistance Kollam (Kerala) Apr 10 : Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who today visited the Puttingal temple where 98 people lost their lives following a massive fire that broke out this morning, appeared satisfied with the ongoing rescue operations and assured medical assistance to those injured in the unfortunate incident.

"We have adequate medical facilities to cater the current need. We have also asked the family of the injured to tell us in which hospital do they want their relatives to be treated, we will try and do the needful," Chandy told the media here.

"The police and the fire force along with the

DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

PAGE 7

NEIGHBOURS

Chinese businesses in Ethiopia help boost local univ. education Beijing, April 10: Chinese business community in Ethiopia, dubbed the Ethiopia Chinese Chamber of Commerce (ECCC), on Saturday launched an education foundation with the Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU) to boost its education.

The foundation provides a consistent and long-term support of finance, and covers diversified aspects, including scholarship cash amounting to half a million Birr each year for more than 100 students

Indo-Pak border troops exchange fire across Line of Control Karachi, April 10: Pakistan Army troops and Indian Border Security Forces exchanged fire along the Line of Control in the Neza Pir sector early Sunday morning, an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.

The statement claimed Indian troops along the border "resorted to heavy unprovoked firing and shelling" at around 11:40pm on Saturday. The "unprovoked firing" continued until about 4:45am, the ISPR said, adding that Pakistan Army troops provided a 'befitting reponse'.

No loss of life or property has been reported so far, the ISPR said.

This is the first instance of cross-border firing reported in nearly six months, according to NDTV. A border ceasefire agreement signed by India and Pakistan in 2003 has largely held, but both frequently accuse each other of breaching it.

Caption: Pakistan Army troops and Indian Border Security Forces exchanged fire along the Line of Control

Nepal: CC meet to nominate new CJ ends inconclusively Kathmandu, Apr. 10 : A meeting of the Constitutional Council (CC) ended inconclusively after Speaker Onsari Gharti did not show up.

The Constitutional Council was supposed to nominate the most senior Supreme Court Justice Sushila Karki for the post of new Chief Justice (CJ).

Earlier, the Constitutional Council could not nominate Karki for the post of new Chief Justice after Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba and Parliamentary Party leader of the main Opposition did not attend the meeting.

The Constitutional Council has to nominate Karki for the post of new Chief Justice within this week.

Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha is retiring on April 13. (ANI)

of best performance, as well as internship and overseas education opportunities.

Also on Saturday, Chinese telecom company ZTE and Ethio Teleco donated an information and technology (ICT) laboratory to the university, which provides full package of hard and software capacity to simulation on IP Network Design, TDM network design, and other key technologies and practice.

Speaking on the occasion, Abiy Ahmed, Minister of Science and

Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU)

Technology, said the Chinese companies

have been carrying out various development

activities in Ethiopia.

The establishment of the foundation and the ICT Lab donated to AASTU demonstrate the commitment from the Chinese side to supporting Ethiopia's endeavors in human capital development, noted the minister.

La Yifan, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, said Chinese business communities in Ethiopia have been fulfilling their social responsibilities by providing support in the education sector as well as by participating in different social activities,

including transplanting of tree seedlings and sponsoring sports and other related events. the ambassador said the foundation and the lab would help further strengthen the friendship between China and Ethiopia.

The cooperation between ECCC and AASTU is the first of its kind, and the ECCC says it would continue its partnership with the country's education institutions as cooperation initiatives with some other universities are underway.

China arrests 9 in fake baby formula scandal Beijing, April 10: Chinese authorities have arrested nine people in a recent milk powder scandal, which involved the production and selling of fake baby formula under the brands of "Similac" and "Beingmate".

China's food safety commission under the State Council said at a Saturday press conference that Shanghai police had transferred six of the suspects to judicial organs

for prosecution and hunting down another suspect.

Shanghai police started to probe the case after receiving reports in September. From Dec. 9, 2015 to Jan. 7, 2016, they have arrested nine suspects and seized about 1,000 cans of milk powder, over 20,000 empty cans and 65,000 fake "Similac" trademarks.

The fake products had been sold into four prov-

inces, including Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Hubei, according to Yan Zuqiang, deputy director of the Shanghai food safety office.

According to the commission, three vendors in Hubei, Jiangsu and Anhui have voluntarily destroyed 3,300 cans after becoming suspicious of the powder, while Shanghai police have confiscated another 5,000 cans. There are still

3,300 cans of fake "Similac" powder left unaccounted for, and another vendor in Anhui confessed 3,600 cans of "Beingmate" had been sold.

Authorities in provinces concerned are further tracing down the fake products.

Meanwhile, a test of 14 key items found the fake products within national safety standards, the commission added.

The latest scandal was a fresh blow to sensitive Chinese consumers, whose trust in baby formula products was eroded by a 2008 case in which six infants died for consuming baby milk tainted by melamine.

Deputy head of the food safety commission Teng Jiacai said the agency will further improve food safety mechanism to strengthen regulation in the industry.

Salon attack: NAB officer suspended till probe completion

National Accountability Bureau (NAB)

Karachi, Apr 10 : The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has suspended its deputy director Mir Ausaf Ali Talpur after he and his wife were booked by police for

storming into a beauty salon, beating up its staff and ransacking the entire place while suspecting salon workers of stealing her gold chain.

His service has been sus-

pended till the completion of an internal inquiry by a NAB committee that has been tasked to look into the incident and recommend action if he is actually found guilty of violence, according to the orders issued from the NAB headquarters in Islamabad, said a source privy to the development.

“If the internal inquiry doesn’t find him guilty, he will be back in his office,” added the source.

“The internal inquiry is conducted by NAB officials themselves. It’s nothing new as in the past several internal inquiries were conducted

against NAB officials for different complaints lodged by different individuals and institutions.”

However, he preferred to stay silent when asked about the fate of those internal inquiries conducted by NAB in the past against its officials and chances of Mr Talpur ’s coming out clean after the inquiry despite the fact that the footage recorded by the CCTV cameras installed at the salon showed his men storming into the facility.

In another video most probably recorded through a mobile phone that went viral on the so-

cial media, his wife Hina Khan is shouting at the salon staff and threatening them it could “cost them heavily” as they “don’t know who I am”.

The Sharea Faisal police had registered an FIR on a complaint of the salon owner against Mr Talpur, his wife and other officials reportedly belonging to NAB under Sections 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 395 (robbery) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Landslides, rain heap misery on GB Islamabad, April 10: Landslides and flash floods heaped more misery on Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) on Saturday, causing the death of two women who were hit by rocks after a landslide.

Heavy rains and massive landslides have been battering the region for the past six days, filling the populace with a sense of foreboding.

The opposition has called upon the administration to act on a war footing to mitigate the suffering of affected people.

Life stands paralysed in the region as landslides have severed road links with the rest of the country, causing a shortage of food, medicines, fuel and other essential commodities.

Landslides have also damaged power stations, suspending their operation and causing an electricity crisis as bad weather has made carrying out repair work virtually impossible.

The weather has also been hampering attempts to reach out to the beleaguered as rehabilitation of the road network, including work

on the Karakoram Highway (KKH), could not be undertaken. Work on a road link with China has also come to a halt.

According to the Met office, no respite from rain is likely before Tuesday.

A fresh landslide struck a village in Haramush area of Gilgit on Friday night, killing two women and injuring two others. It damaged 50 houses and a vast track of farmland and blocked the link road leading to the village.

The deceased were identified as Haleema and Howa and the injured women were taken to a hospital in Gilgit.

A pregnant woman reportedly died while she was being taken to a hospital ‘on foot’ from Hisper villager of Nagar district.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations, C-130 planes have brought wheat bags from Islamabad and helicopters are bringing stranded travellers — foreign tourists among them — from Gilgit, Hunza and Diamer to Islamabad.

The operation will continue till all stranded

Landslides, rain heap misery on GB

people are rescued, said the military’s public relations wing.

The opposition parties have criticised the federal and regional governments ‘for not taking the situation seriously’.

The Leader of Opposition in GB Legislative Assembly, Haji Shah Baig, said that no food stock had been left in different areas of the region.

Mr Baig alleged that the regional government had failed to provide relief to rain-affected people and restore road network.

“Thousands of people, who have become

homeless after demolition of their houses in landslides and floods, are living in the open without having any facility.”

He alleged that Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman and other representatives of the GB government, who were in Islamabad, had taken no step to improve the situation. People have launched efforts on their own to revive life and restore roads.

Speaking at press conference, local PPP leaders said the PML-N government was treating GB people like foreigners, rather enemies.

Amjad Hussain, the chief of the party’s GB chapter, lamented that even a disaster of historic proportions had failed to jolt the federal and regional governments out of their `indifference and apathy’.

He alleged that relief funds were being embezzled by local leaders and activists of the PML-N and the regional government was taking revenge from its political opponents.

Javed Hussain, a PPP leader from Nagar, said his district was the most affected area and warned of an alarming situation there if people are not provided food and medicine.

Imran Nadeem Shigri, a PPP member in GBLA, said Baltistan was facing shortage of food and fuel following blockade of KKH and GilgitSkardu road.

He said flash floods and landslides have also destroyed water channels.

As a result no water is available for drinking and irrigation purposes.

Thousands of people travelling on KKH have been stranded in different areas of Kohistan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for a week.

Pak expresses deep condolences on Indian temple tragedy

Pak expresses deep condolences on Indian temple tragedy

Islamabad, Apr. 10 : Pakistan on Sunday expressed its condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in a massive fire at the Puttingal temple in India's southern Kerala state in the wee hours on Sunday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement condoled the incident in which at least 98 people have lost their lives and more than 350 were injured in the fire.

"The people and the government of Pakistan express their deep condolences on the loss of precious lives, resulting from fire breakout in the temple in South Kerala, India. Our sympathies are with the bereaved families. We wish early recovery to all injured

people," the statement by Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

An explosion in piles of crackers during fireworks display is said to be the reason behind the fire that broke out at around 3.30 a.m. The police had earlier warned the temple authorities to restrict usage of fireworks.

Meanwhile, rescue operations are underway.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs. two lakh to next of the kin of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to those critically injured in the incident.

He will be visiting the site with a team of burn specialist doctors. (ANI)

Ex-Taliban commander says group takes orders from Pak

Ex-Taliban commander says group takes orders from Pak

Kabul, Apr. 10 : Former Taliban commander Faridoon Hanafi, who recently joined the peace process, has said the group takes orders from Pakistan, which mobilizes and equips the militant outfit.

"I have seen with my own eyes that Taliban gets its orders from Pakistan and even Punjabis admired me many times for my hard work and gave me money," Tolo news quoted Hanafi as saying.

Hanafi said he regrets fighting against the Afghan Government for six years.

"When I transferred to Nangarhar I saw that all

Pakistan's words are lies and they want to destroy my country and my home and I find out that they are wrong, so I decided to support government programs and I stopped fighting and I joined the peace process," he added.

Hanafi revealed that he has two brothers, both of whom were in the Afghan forces. One of his brothers died while battling Taliban.

He later called on other Taliban fighters to lay down their arms and join the peace process and take part in Afghanistan's reconstruction process.

(ANI)

TISL in Lanka supports RTI Bill in its present form Colombo, Apr. 10 : Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), the local global movement against corruption, has said that it would support the Sri Lankan Government in passing the Right to Information (RTI) Bill in its present form.

TISL executive director Asoka Obeyesekera said they have identified six areas in which the bill can be further strengthened and it has been compiled into a report and given to all 225 members of the Parliament,reports Lanka page website.

"While this bill can be improved in parts, we definitely support the bill as it stands," Obeyesekera said.

The executive director

dismissed the claims made recently by some groups that the RTI Bill would block the information.

He said that the RTI Bill has the power to show the people that it will allow disclosure of information to the public if there is overriding public interest.

Obeyesekera said the people, who are not knowledgeable about international RTI Bills and acts, are the ones creating fear around the act and that is a 'big problem'.

He further said that the RTI Bill should at very least come in the present form in the Parliament and it should be supported by the people.

(ANI)

PAGE 8

DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

India's ASEAN Approach: Acting East Attacks on secularists Blogger hacked to death Unidentified assailants hacked and shot dead a Bangladeshi activist who promoted secularism and opposed radical Islam amid global concern that the failure to ensure prosecution in similar murders is encouraging the killers. Bangladeshi law (Photo: cdn.productive) student, who posted comments against radical Islamists on Facebook, was hacked by machete-wielding militants before being shot dead from close range, the latest in a series of brutal attacks on secular bloggers and activists in the Muslim majority country. He had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers that a group of radical Islamists prepared and sent to Bangladesh's interior ministry.

Samad was attacked by three assailants on a busy road while walking to his home in Gendaria with another youth after completing classes at the university near Bahadur Shah Park. Samad, who hailed from Sylhet, was the information and research secretary of Sylhet district unit of Bangabandhu Jatiya Jubo Parishad.

He was also an activist of Gonojagoron Moncho's Sylhet wing. Ansar al-Islam, the Bangladesh division of al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, or AQIS, has claimed responsibility for the recent killing of blogger Nazimuddin Samad, the jihadist monitoring group SITE The killing is certain to add to fears among intellectuals and writers who have challenged religious thought in Bangladesh, a majority Muslim country with a sizable Hindu religious minority. The constitution in Bangladesh defines Islam as the state religion. But it also includes a clause promising to defend the "principle of secularism." Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan pledged to bring the killer to justice but also said that no-one had the right to attack religious leaders in the country.

Since 2013, a number of secularist writers, bloggers and publishers in Bangladesh have been killed or seriously injured in attacks perpetrated by Islamist extremists. The attacks have taken place at a time of growing tension between Bangladeshi secularists, who want the country to maintain its secularist tradition of separation of religion and state, and Islamists, who want an Islamic state. There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh over the past six months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners. In March, a 65-year-old Christian convert was hacked to death in the northern Bangladeshi town of Kurigram by three motorbike-borne unidentified assailants. In 2015, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes, one inside his own home.

Bangladesh-born US blogger and science writer Avijit Roy, 42, was attacked just yards away from a book fair in Dhaka in February 2015. A month later, fellow blogger Washiqur Rahman, 27, was hacked to death in broad daylight near his home in Dhaka. The subsequent victims were Ananta Bijoy Das, 33, a banker and a founder of a group called the Science and Rationalist Council; Niloy Chakrabarti, 40, who wrote online under the pen name Niloy Neel and publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, 43, who published a bestselling book by Roy.

Accidental Consumption Poisonous Mushrooms Mushroom is an important constituent of diet in many ethnic tribes in India. Ethnic Indian tribes are known to consume nearly 283 species of wild mushrooms out of 2000 species recorded world over. Although they are experts in distinguishing the poisonous from edible mushrooms, yet occasional cases of toxicity are reported due to accidental consumption of poisonous mushrooms. In Assam a large number of people died every year due to mushroom poisoning. Causes of mushroom poisoning are substances produced by and contained in the fruit body. These substances may act immediately at the gastrointestinal level, causing stomach distressed by a complete absorption ofthe poison. They may enter the blood stream as toxins and affect various organs, in some cases fatally damage the vital organs (liver and kidney) leading to death. Again it has been observed that during April-June each year, heavy rainfall occurred in different areas of Northeast. This period is very dangerous as wild mushroom grew up, villagers are not able to identify the wild mushroom and they consumed it as a food substance. As a result of which, large numbers of mushroom poisoning cases are being reported.

From 2012-2015, a total of 71 patients were affected due to the consumption of wild mushroom in Lakhimpur, Assam . During this period, a total of 4 patients expired after consumption of wild mushroom in Lakhimpur, Assam. In 2012, there were 5 mushroom poisoning outbreaks, affecting 38 people with 3 deaths. Only one outbreak due to consumption of mushroom poisoning has been taken place in 2013 whereas in 2014, 7 people were affected with 1 death in 2 outbreaks of mushroom poisoning. In 2015 till August, a total of 21 patients were affected after consuming wild mushroom in 4 outbreaks. This year too Three of a family died in Mamit district (in Western Mizoram) after eating wild mushrooms. Nowadays, the food borne illnesses are commonly occurred all across the state of Northeast. In every year, cases of food poisoning are reported from different areas in Northeast. It becomes a great concern and awareness is the one and only way to get rid of the cause. It has been seen that, many of the causes of food poisoning are due to the improper cooking of food and food substances, less hygiene, poor knowledge among the people about what to eat or do not etc.

How India's approach to ASEAN has evolved, and where it stands now.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has a population (600 million) larger than North America or the European Union; its total merchandise exports stand at $1.2 trillion. Stephen Groff, vice president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), noted in a 2014 speech Sampa in Berlin that if ASEAN were one economy, with a combined gross domestic product of $2.3 trillion, it would have ranked as the seventh largest economy in the world by 2013. He added that it would become the fourth largest economy by 2050 if the existing level of growth continues. Fittingly, ASEAN is considered to be a growing hub for consumer demand and occupies a significant position in global trade flows.

Presently, ASEAN is taking the process of economic integration into serious consideration, though with some limitations and constraints. No other regional trading bloc in Asia is talking about a single currency at this moment, which sets ASEAN apart.

Plus, ASEAN already has six trade agreements with its neighbors, which includes China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and India.

India is one of the strategic partners of ASEAN. With a total population of 1.8 billion and a combined GDP of $3.8 trillion, ASEAN and India together form an important economic space in the world. Besides an economic partnership, India expects to benefit geopolitically as well from its rejuvenated affinity with ASEAN and other regional countries. In order for India to gain a substantial position in East Asia, New Delhi has moved to an Act East Policy (AEP) now, an update to the 25-year-old Look East Policy (LEP). As ASEAN remains central to India's AEP, India's

achievements from this strategy are worth watching. It is crucial to observe whether the Modi government will be able to overcome the challenges and give the Act East Policy a much-needed push.

The beginning of India's Look East Policy could be marked in early 1990s. the end Kundu After of the Cold War, the force of regionalism began to divide the world into small trade blocs. Under these circumstances, the booming economies of ASEAN offered an economically liberalizing India an avenue that could serve its interests in many ways.

Through ASEAN, India wanted to reap the benefits of economic integration and well as discuss security issues like cross-border movements from Myanmar. China's expanding influence in Southeast Asia, especially in Myanmar, was another concern for India. All these led to the formulation of the LEP. LEP has already gone through two phases since 1991. Phase I lasted between 1991 and 2002, when the primary thrust was toward renewed political and economic relations with ASEAN countries. India became a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992 and full dialogue partner in 1996; that same year, it also joined the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

During Phase II (2003 to 2012), the scope of the LEP was broadened to include China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

India's then-External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha mentioned in a 2003 speech that the new phase of LEP would focus on extensive economic and security issues, including joint efforts to protect the Sea Lanes of Communications and launch coordinated counter-terrorism activities. In 2012, India and ASEAN commemorated 20

years of their dialogue partnership; they became strategic partners and a vision document was released.

In between, in July 2011, the then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited India and advocated for India to play a stronger role in the Asia-Pacific. She coined the term "act East" instead of just "looking East." LEP 3.0 got a momentum in the same direction under the Modi government as EAM Sushma Swaraj confirmed in 2014 that New Delhi is now willing to "Act East." Under the AEP, India not only expected to bolster its economic engagements with the region; it yearned to emerge as a potential security balancer as well.

Economics On the economic front, the rising two-way trade between India and ASEAN is noteworthy. It grew from $13 billion to $74 billion between 200304 and 2013-14. However trade data between India and ASEAN shows a negative balance against India. The government had to face criticism for signing its Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN on the grounds that, though imports from ASEAN to India have been mounting, India's exports to the region are not experiencing the same trajectory.

ASEAN, as a collective, occupies the fourth largest position in India's total external trade, while India was only ASEAN's 10th largest trading partner as of June 2015. As of 2015-2016, India's exports to ASEAN stood at 9.79 percent of its total exports, and its imports from the region were approximately 10.51 percent of its total imports. So far as investment is concerned, as of 2014, India's outward investment to Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam stood at a record $128 billion, which is even higher than Indian investment in China, some

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C) holds the hands of Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak (R) and Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the 2015 ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: REUTERS/Jorge Silva) $119.56 billion. At the same time, approximately 12.5 percent of India's total inflows of foreign investment come from ASEAN. Politics Geopolitically, India has attempted to demonstrate its ability to play a dynamic role in the region. India sent a strong signal to China by mentioning the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea in the joint statement released

by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter's 2014 U.S. visit. The idea of U.S.-India joint patrols in South China Sea has also been floated, after Defense Minister Manohar Parikkar's visit to the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii in late 2015 (this has, however not been confirmed from the Indian side). Freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is essential for India in order to ensure that its sea-bound trade continues uninterrupted.

Through these gestures and the Indian Navy's proven capabilities in handling natural disasters such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami,

India has embarked on a path of greater involvement in the affairs of Southeast and East Asia. In this regard, it is to be noted that India's interests in the region converge with the interests of countries like Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and, to some extent, Brunei and Indonesia. The very fact that all these countries share territorial disputes with China (or, in Indonesia's case, uncertainty over an exclusive economic zone) stimulates them to forge closer relationships. Further, it has also become imperative for India to cultivate relationships in the Indo-Pacific region because of the economic and strategic benefits that China is likely to gain with even a partial materialization of its One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.

On December 31, 2015, ASEAN officially declared the establishment of ASEAN Community. There are certain reservations about India's prospective benefits from the ASEAN Community building process, just as the advantages of the India-ASEAN FTA are still unclear from India's

perspective. The ASEAN Community itself is marred with problems like intraASEAN divides based on the South China Sea disputes; the lack of an ASEAN identity; developmental gaps that prevailing within ASEAN; and many more.

For India, another challenge is that the government has not been able to decide the extent of exposure it wants to provide to its remote northeast through connectivity projects designed to create linkages between South Asia (vis-Ă -vis northeast India) and East Asia.

Furthermore, the delays in completing the IndiaMyanmar-Thailand trilateral highway, the Kaladan Multimodal Transit and Transport Project, and the Moreh-Mandalay Bus Services have created negative perceptions in the region about India's political will.

India needs to be more watchful, as a balance between domestic concerns and its larger national interests is a prerequisite for India enabling itself for a greater extra-regional role.

Courtesy: The Diplomat

Expanding US-Japan-India Cooperation in the Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is featuring more prominently in discussions among the three Asian giants.

One of the focus areas within submarines have sparked the growing trilateral coop- continued questions about eration between the United China's ulterior motives in States, Japan and India is the the Indian Ocean. Despite China's claims that its subIndian Ocean.

Covering one-fifth of the marine deployments are part water on the Earth's surface, of its counter-piracy misthe Indian sions, many Ocean generJessie Daniels of its actions ates vital suggest a delong-term trade flows and sire to establish an expanded energy interests, particularly undersea presence in the Infor Asia. However, tensions dian Ocean. between China and India in India, in turn, is responding their waters are increasing as with a stronger hand in the New Delhi grows concerned space, emerging from its soabout the expansion of PLA called "maritime blindness" Navy submarine deploy- with hopes of being more ments in what it considers its than just a continental power. backyard.

On a trip to the Seychelles These Chinese submarine and Mauritius in March deployments have ramped up 2015, prime minister since a 2013 Indian Defense Narendra Modi fashioned a Ministry report warned that far-reaching vision for the they constituted a "grave space, in which he put the threat." In the past three Indian Ocean at "the top of years, developments like the our [India's] policy priorities" docking of Chinese subma- and promised to defend rines in Colombo and India's maritime interests.

Karachi and Air Independent They were not empty words; Propulsion technology up- as of last summer, India plans grades to the Yuan-class of to spend at least $61 billion

in the next 12 years expanding its navy. In addition to adding 100 new warships to its current 137-ship fleet, India is focusing on the undersea domain, building its first anti-submarine force. Notably, the Indian Navy also plans to add six nuclear ballistic missile submarines.

Modi also promised to bolster maritime security cooperation, and the United States and Japan are working with India to do so. Last year, U.S. president Barack Obama became the first American president to attend India's Republic Day parade. The visit led to the US-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean Region as well as a new U.S.India Defense Framework, signed six months later. The agreement expanded defense cooperation and sent a very strong signal that the two countries want to work together and achieve a vision in the maritime space, according to a senior U.S. de-

fense official. In addition, recent reports suggest that Japan and India will sign a defense pact that may include cooperation on maritime surveillance.

Japan also became a permanent member of the annual U.S.-India Malabar exercises in the Bay of Bengal last year for the first time in eight years, during which the three countries conducted antisubmarine warfare exercises. Furthermore, the U.S. military recently announced that it will hold joint naval exercises with Japan and India off the northern Philippines, near the South China Sea. In addition, trilateral cooperation could extend into the technology realm. At the annual U.S.-Japan Security Seminar organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Japan Institute for International Affairs in Washington last month, Vice Admiral Umio Otsuka, the president

of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force Command and Staff College, noted that China's increasing undersea presence increases the need for more intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to better monitor China's intentions.

India, already reliant on the United States for technology for its warships, could also work with Washington "to explore technologies that can augment India's nextgeneration submarine fleet," as a recent CSIS report suggests. Japan also has extensive experience in the field of robotics that could prove crucial, especially if unmanned underwater vehicles-an underexplored area, according to retired Admiral Gary Rougheadcome increasingly into play in the Indian Ocean.

Technological advances will add a new dynamic to the undersea environment, and the United States, Japan and India will need to think

Littering Public Places And Spot Fines

Image for representational purpose (Photo: blogspot)

Sir, This is heartening to note that the Union Environment Ministry envisages 'Spot fines' for any body who litters streets and public spaces and peoples' failure to hand over the wastage to the collectors. This is a welcome gesture of the Union environment ministry.

A levy is imposed on the consumers for 'Swachch Bharat'. We opine that people must pay to the collectors of wastages regardless of whether it is outsourced or not by the municipalities. In many premier towns of Assam, it is seen that people urinate here and there and the spots so littered gives rise to nauseating smell. Can we blame the people for littering the areas? Of course not. No body on earth can resist the call of nature.

While many municipalities are sunk deep in corruption, some are gasping for want of fund. If paid Public toilets are made

available to the people, at least three in a radius of one kilometer, much of the troubles confronting civic nuisance would be over. As far as Dibrugarh is concerned, number of such paid toilet is few and far between. In a bid to relieve, the hapless people cannot help relieving here and there - that results into stench.

The municipalities not providing the paid toilets to the people are to blame for the nuisance. Sense of cleanliness should be all pervasive, one and all must make a concerted effort to keep the city/Town clean as 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness'. Prime - Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly asserts, 'Pahle Souchalay, Fir Dewalay' (First toilets, then temples).

about how to deal with the new instabilities that can arise in that domain. This means it will be even more important to fashion an updated regional security architecture in the Indo-Pacific. As the trilateral relationship strengthens, it could also look at ways to effectively manage the space, including incorporating other countries in the region into such a framework.

There will likely be rough waters ahead. Expanding undersea operations, complicated by a nuclear deterrent, put the region in a strategic flux that is unlikely to diminish in the near-term. But the way in which India is integrated into the larger Indo-Pacific picture is crucial. Done right, it will go a long way toward stabilizing the Indian Ocean Region and it may also tell us something about how far the three countries can extend their reach. Courtesy: The Diplomat

Best Letter The best letter of the month in the Letter to the Editor section will be awarded an amount of Rs 200.

So please keep writing.

Letters to the editor and articles should be sent to : The Eastern Today Chowkidingee, Near Sankardeva Hospital Mancotta Road, Dibrugarh786003 (Assam) Ph: 0373-2328944 Yours etc.

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DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

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Why Kohli's Performance At Eden Makes Me Believe That He Can Be The Next Tendulkar He hit the ball square, The horror of the collapse through extra cover, on the was unbearable to the rise, without any thought crowd that began rioting, about the pitch being slow leading to the game being or the ball gripping. He infamously truncated and showed the full face of the awarded to Sri Lanka, endbat to the ball, into a straight ing the dreams of India drive, the shot that he reaching the finals of the owned like his fingerprints. World Cup. Exactly 20 He stepped years later, down to Ameya Ranade again in a Murali and Dharmasena at will, hitting World Cup, same venue, in them over the infield, im- front of the same crowd, mune to the roars of a Team India was again 100,000-strong partisan chasing, an easier score but crowd at Eden Gardens. made stiffer by a top-orSachin was in the 'zone', der batting collapse. as comfortable as Lord Though not a semi-final, it Natraj, with a fearless and was a knockout game for elegant performance India and if not a knocktempting the audience by out for Pakistan, surely a the sheer virtue of his glam- do-or-die one, given the history they have against our.

While he was at the crease, their arch rivals in World India reaching the finals of Cups across all formats.

WC 1996 seemed to be a So, the enormity of the mere formality. Batting occasion was not lost on seemed like child's play on the minds out there, the the field that people wor- 90,000-strong crowd in ried had demons planted in the stands and the billions it. It was only after his of spectators glued to the wicket that the landmines TV sets. This time, if not in the pitch exploded as Sri by spin, India were torn Lanka spun its web around apart by the brute force of the batting that followed. the Pakistan pace attack.

The passions are so out of control in these high-voltage bilateral encounters, that had India lost this one, another fire riot was unavoidable.

But, as if oblivious to all this, stood Virat Kohli, crafting a magical innings, carving yet another memorable chase. Extremely consummate in his approach he was more interested in showcasing his finest skills like a painter in a trance drawing out bold strokes of bright colours.

But it was not till he reached his much deserved 50 that the real drama unfolded. The flood of emotions engulfed everyone as he bowed down towards the stands and the cameras focused on the glowing face of Sachin.

India, yet again, defeated Pakistan in a World Cup encounter. The sense of joy in this moment had so much power that it erased the painful memories of that forgettable match from the past.

That bow was not just out of respect for the legend

Kohli takes a bow to 'God of Cricket' Sachin Tendulkar during World T20 match. (Photo: ytimg) in the stands but also a reassuring statement Kohli intended to make, "You carried Indian Cricket on your shoulders for 24 years, now it's my time to take the legacy forward from where you left." That night, when Sachin would have been alone, he would surely have leaned back with relief, eyes closed, and felt satisfaction in the

From causes to prevention - how do deal with that backache Sit right, stand straight, exercise properly and be stress free, says orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rumi Beramji as he offers tips on how to improve your lifestyle and prevent back problems Considered to be an 'old people problem' until just a few years ago, backache has become the second most common ailment in the world after heart disease. It is also responsible for the maximum number

which can lead to rickets; lack of calcium that can cause osteoporosis 2) Birth defects such as scoliosis 3) Infections like tuberculosis and diseases like cancer 4) Trauma such as a fracture to the spine or a ligament or muscle injury 5) Referred pain such as renal stones or infection in the uterus 6) Spondylosis and slip

overlooked and patients down painkillers in the hope of finding an elusive cure. Most muscle spasms, especially those in the neck region, are due to stress. We normally see a surge in complaints from mothers with school-going children ahead of exam season.

3) Pregnancy: The weight of the baby pulls the lumbar spine forward, creating a lot of strain on the lumbar muscles.

Image for representational purpose (Photo: static.dnaindia) of working days lost in today's world. It is said that almost 80 per cent of people will get a backache at least once in their lifetime.

The causes for backaches can be divided into two: pathological and physiological.

Pathological causes 1) Vitamin D deficiency,

disc Physiological causes 1) Being overweight or obese: This increases the load on weak muscles, thereby changing the posture of the person. This puts extreme load on the spine. Obesity should be controlled by proper exercise and dieting.

2) Stress: This is mostly

Hence, most pregnant women suffer from backaches towards the end of their pregnancy.

4) Wrong posture: This is the most prevalent cause, with about 50 per cent of patients getting backaches due to improper posture. With prosperity and technology has come an increasingly sedentary

lifestyle where walking, cycling to work and manual chores like sweeping and washing have been given the goby as machines gradually take over.

Added to this is our increasing use of computers, television, mobile phones and iPads, which require long hours of sitting in one place.

All too many people adopt wrong postures while sitting, reading, writing, lifting objects and sleeping on the bed.

5) Lack of proper exercise: Performing exercises the wrong way is dangerous. The number of spinal muscle injury and slip disc cases has increased dramatically due to overexertion thanks to enthusiastic trainers and their often unfit students.

Exercise for the spine should be done slowly and methodically over a period of time under the proper guidance of experienced trainers. Stretching exercises should be incorporated into the routine before beginning muscle toning. However, many trainers still start their students on vigorous exercises before this, thereby injuring the latter's spine.

Prevention Following a strict programme of exercises, proper diet and a stressfree life - and proper posture, of course - can give you a healthy spine.

Courtesy: Dnaindia

core of his heart.

Further on in the tournament, we saw Kohli almost singlehandedly take India to victory during a tough chase against Australia, again bringing back the memories of Sachin's Sharjah magic in 1998. He again unfurled a signature innings against West Indies in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, some brilliant bat-

ting performance from West Indies halted the progress of Team India at Wankhede. But the breathtaking performances from Kohli won him a well deserved Man of The Tournament award.

The baton indeed has been passed but the run hasn't yet been completed, the finish line far from reached.

While in the shorter format

we see Kohli breaking records one after the other, the Test average of 41 just isn't good enough. This surely has to go up, at least above 50, before the comparison with previous masters can be justified.

On one hand, he has piled up huge scores in the longer format against the formidable Australians in their own den, on the other, England seems to have got the better of him allowing him to score a measly average of about 13 in their own backyard. In the upcoming Test Series this year, in the Caribbean against West Indies, he would like to live up to his reputation and pile up huge mountains of runs, where in the past he has managed only 76 runs in his 5 Test innings.

All the greats who have played the game have scored against all the teams, all over the world, in different conditions.

That's a feat that this ambitious cricketer must be desperate to emulate.

Though we know it's just

a matter of time before he breaks these barriers, purists will wait for that to happen to put him in the league of those extraordinary gentlemen who have graced the game.

Now, there will be loads of expectations each time he walks onto the pitch, with each innings of his being scrutinised under the microscope. With each of his failures raising eyebrows.

Criticism can be gutwrenching and can exert a huge amount of pressure.

Bowlers from all over the world shall be searching for the chink in his armour to penetrate and get the better of him. But he has the talent and ability to conquer these obstacles, the work ethic of continual improvement and, above all, the muchneeded passion for the game to see him through.

All these qualities helped those legends from the past and we wish this 'legend in the making' takes his career to ever greater heights. Courtesy: Youthkiawaaz

The Happy Story Of A Farmer Who Regained His 'Love For Farming' In India. Here's How It is April in Shiggaon, an goes weighing down on negligible, about Rs. ing every single plant to agricultural taluk in the small branches. They 10,000 a year. Now, he has fruition. The team in turn Dharwad district in North require tender and loving 160 mango trees on his thanks the Deshpande Karnataka. The region has care for the first three four-acre plot. With the Foundation for funding suffered drought for two years and are quite inde- sustained prodding, educa- their 'Samruddhi' program consecutive years and the pendent afterwards, need- tion and implementation which, true to its name, is ing only assistance by the Shiggaon converting dry wasteland soil is dry and baking Pannaga Prasad mulching, BAIF team, he earned Rs. into profitable ventures. and pruning 40,000 in its third year of The wadi system presents brown. A friend and I from the of the branches below planting, Rs. 60,000 in the ripe opportunities for the Deshpande Foundation in three feet, to stave off pest fourth year and this year, majority of Indian farmers Hubballi, are on our way to see the mango wadi (meaning orchard in Gujarati) cultivated in a few hundred acres there.

Both of us are first-time field visitors, but not ignorant of farming practices in India.

The 'Wadi' promotes farm production on non-irrigated wastelands, in combination with natural resource management. This integrated system is being widely implemented by BAIF, India's oldest and most successful rural development NGO. The wadi Large green mangoes weighing down on the small branches. (Photo: plot is an agri-horti-forcdn.youthkiawaaz) estry arrangement of beneficial plant species and attacks. After each row, the total sales are expected with rain-fed, small-holdsolves many problems in trenches are dug and the to reach Rs. one lakh. Dur- ing farms. a few thoughtful ways. excavated soil is used to ing the last two years We leave the farm, appreEvery wadi is fenced by create a bund, thereby re- when the rains failed, ciating the perfect symacacia trees, a hardy for- taining both top soil and mango was his saviour biosis of the cultivation and conservation methest species which requires water in the farm, pre- crop. watering only for the first venting surface run-off. Irfan confesses that his ods. We also reaffirm our couple of years. They act The main crops like maize greatest achievement is that belief in the 'teach him as natural windbreakers, and millets are grown be- he has regained his love for how to fish' way, espeprevent soil erosion, and tween the mango and le- farming, a joy he had lost cially because he is willgrow up to 40-50 feet in gumes are grown on the many years ago, resorting ing to pay to learn. That about 10 years, providing bunds, providing fodder to doing odd jobs in Goa, the concept of grant-makthe favourite destination of ing is taking root in India valuable timber. for cattle.

Alphonso mango trees, The farmer, Irfan is proud low-income farmers from and producing fruits, is just about six feet tall, are of his farm's produce to- North Karnataka. Now, he also a point to take home. neatly planted in rows day. Before implementing hardly spends a day off the Here is a tale of a happy Courtesy: across the field. We spot- the wadi method, his re- farm even in the scorch- farmer. ted many large green man- turns from the farm were ing heat, carefully nurtur- youthkiawaaz

Why Do We All 'Judge' Each Other So Much?

Fear plays a key role in that final step - "Why am twenty-first-century con- I being 'judged'?" Accordsciousness. Increasingly, ing to me, this word is the we seem to engage with biggest enemy of the huvarious issues through man soul; it can finish fear. You could anyone's selfsee this ten- Sahil Khan respect, hope dency emergand even the ing and taking hold in the desire to live. last century, which was The biggest fear existing frequently described as an today is this fear of being 'Age of Anxiety'. In last judged. But from where few decades, this drift has does this word arise why transformed into the age has the tendency to 'judge' of depression and sui- grown so much? cides.

We all know the answer.

The recent death of Fear is entirely a creation Pratyusha Banerjee has of human society, the soforced us to rethink the ciety in which we live and reality of today's world are a part of. It is what and has asked us the ques- compels every young soul tion which is frequently that chooses to end his/ raised by every poor soul her life just for not scorbefore it is forced to take ing well in exams; it is re-

sponsible for every death based on discrimination and even responsible for the deaths of many rape 'victims' in this country.

Do we even know that one of the top reasons for committing suicide is not getting help even when a person is crying out for help, and the inability to know how else to get it?

These people don't usually want to die but do intend to tell those around them that something is seriously wrong. They often don't believe they will die, frequently choosing methods they don't think can kill them in order to strike out at someone who's hurt them. But they are sometimes tragically misin-

Image for representational purpose (Photo: cdn.theatlantic) formed. The prototypical example of this was that

of one of my close friends, a young teenage girl who,

because of a failed relationship with her parents,

swallowed a bottle of Tylenol. She did not realise that high enough doses Tylenol can cause irreversible damage to the liver.

I've watched more than one teenager die a horrible death in an ICU days after taking such a step, when remorse has already cured them of their desire to die, and their true goal of alerting those close to them of their distress has been achieved.

Why don't we change this question and understand that we all know there is no point in judging people?

Why do we even do so?

Why can't we just live our lives and allow others to live theirs?

Please people, it's a busy world, and we all have a number of responsibilities to fulfil, amazing things to experience and a number of people to help. Let's divert our energy towards saving lives instead being responsible for the end of one.

It's my request to every reader out there. Please stop judging people. Stop being responsible for someone's decision to take that final fateful step and stop being judgemental.

Please remember the injuries left in the lives of those left behind by a death are often deep and long lasting. The apparent meaninglessness of suicide often fuels the pain.

Courtesy:Youthkiawaaz

DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

BUSINESS

Honda Motorcyle aspires at 5 million plus sales in 2016-17 New Delhi, Apr 10: After ending fiscal 2015-16 with a marginal growth, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), the second largest twowheeler firm in India by volumes, is aiming for a double digit growth during the current fiscal helped by the additional capacity through its new factory. According to Keita Muramatsu, President and Chief Executive Officer, HMSI, "2016-17 is going to be Honda's most definitive year in India. I am excited that with the new fourth plant, we will be able to delight more than five million new customers in one

Bharti Airtel purchases spectrum from Aircel Mumbai, Apr 10: Bharti Airtel said it will pay Rs.3,500 crore to acquire 4G spectrum in eight telecom circles from Aircel.

With this acquisition, which comes close on the heels of its Rs. 4,428 crore spectrum deal with Videocon, Bharti Airtel will become a pan-India 4G operator. Airtel will acquire the rights to use 20 Mhz in 2,300 band spectrum in Tamil Nadu (including Chennai), Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, Assam, the NorthEast, Andhra Pradesh and Odishatelecom circles.

The move comes ahead of the big ticket launch of 4G services expected from Reliance Jio, which is expected to intensify competition in the space. "Bharti Airtel and its subsidiary Bharti Hexacom have entered into definitive agreements with Aircel Ltd and its subsidiaries Dishnet Wireless Ltd and Aircel Cellular Ltd to acquire rights to use 20 MHz of 2,300 Mhz band 4G spectrum for eight circles for an aggregate consideration of Rs. 3500 crore," according to the company's communiquĂŠ to the stock exchange. Aircel's 4G airwaves in the 2,300 Mhz band are valid till September 20, 2030. "The transfer of the right to use for the circles of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa is subject to the revision of spectrum caps with the upcoming auction to be conducted by department of telecommunication." (Agencies)

India's largest H&M opens in nation's largest mall ANI Mumbai, Apr 10: DLF Mall of India, The iconic retail destination has announced the launch of H&M's 4000th store, further cementing its position as the only destination mall in India. Spread over 40,000 sq.ft, H&M at DLF Mall of India will be the largest & the first flagship store in the country. The Swedish International retailer, known globally for its fast-fashion clothing, will launch the store at DLF Mall of India on April 23. The store will be spread over 4 floors and will have a huge variety of merchandise, including certain collection exclusively available at DLF MOI. Pushpa Bector, Executive Vice President and Head at DLF Mall of India, said: "H&M has created the largest flagship store at DLF Mall of India. Being an exclusive store, it will showcase the entire H&M merchandise range which will offer a new experience to the customers."

year for the first time in Indian operations. "As the world's largest twowheeler company, Honda will not only lead from the front with its strong double digit growth in fiscal year 2016-17 but also re-define and revolutionize the way young Indians ride a two-wheeler," according to Mr. Keita Muramatsu. The company sold 4,483,459 units (both bikes and scooters) in 2015-16 as against the 4,452,010 units in 201415. It had set a total sales target of 47 lakh units for 2015-16. HMSI's domestic sales stood at 4,283,245 units as against 4,263,751 units. Its an-

HONDA STRATEGIES After ending fiscal 2015-16 with a marginal growth, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), the second largest twowheeler firm in India by volumes.

As the world's largest two-wheeler company, Honda will not only lead from the front with its strong double digit growth in fiscal year 2016-17. nual exports crossed two lakh units for the first time and stood at 200,114 units when compared with 188,259 units

It is aiming for a double digit growth during the current fiscal helped by the additional capacity through its new factory.

The company will be able to delight more than five million new customers in one year for the first time in Indian operations.

Honda will re-define and revolutionize the way young Indians ride a twowheeler.

in the previous year.

Though the motorcycle market was hit last fiscal due to poor rural demand, Honda's growth

was limited by capacity constraints for bikes. As it focused more on scooters to execute huge order book on the back of robust demand scenario, bike sales dropped during the fiscal, pointed out a company official. The new factory is expected to be a key driver of growth for the company as its existing three plants in India were operating at full capacity. So, the additional capacity is vital to meet the demand spurred by the slew of product introductions made in the recent months.

The Rs.1,100 crore Gujarat factory has an annual production capacity of 1.2

million units. The total capacity of the company is expected to reach 58 lakh units by the end of 2016.

During 2015-16, HMSI had introduced 15 new models including its flagship CBR 650F. The company also created a new segment with Navi, the first 100 per cent Honda R&D India model - from concept to commercial production. Though bike segment was under stress, scooter market continued to grow and Honda's growth momentum also remained intact. During the year, its flagship scooter Activa was the No. 1 selling two-wheeler in 6 out of 11 months of last fiscal. (Agencies)

DBS joins forces with Rising Pune Supergiants for IPL-9 ANI New Delhi, Apr 10: DBS Bank Limited (DBS) today announced its partnership with Indian Premier League cricket team Rising Pune Supergiants. Under the arrangement, DBS will be the Associate Sponsor of the Punebased team, which is led by illustrious Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Speaking on the occasion, Surojit Shome, CEO, DBS India said: "As the bank that helped finance Singapore's industrialisation, DBS has always believed in India's long term growth story.

Over the years, we have established deep roots in India, and have leveraged our strong regional customer franchise, insights and Asia connectivity to create value for India customers. This partnership is a reflection of our commitment to the market,

Image for representational purpose only (Photo: aninews ) and our belief in creating joyful experiences in the countries we are present in." Raghu Iyer, CEO, Rising Pune Supergiants said: "DBS is a leader in Asia, with the vision and commitment to be at the forefront of banking. Like DBS, Rising Pune Supergiants has the leaders, as well the strong experience and capabilities to redefine IPL this season. We are proud to be associated with DBS." As Associate

Sponsor, DBS will enjoy a range of rights and entitlements to display their official logo on platforms that include the team's apparel and other marketing related collaterals. It will also have in stadia branding, premium hospitality and match tickets, and access to the Rising Pune Supergiants players. DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia, with over 280 branches across 18 markets. Headquar-

tered and listed in Singapore, DBS has a growing presence in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's capital position, as well as "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings, is among the highest in Asia-Pacific. DBS has been recognised for its leadership in the region, having been named "Asia's Best Bank" by The Banker, a member of the Financial Times group, and "Best Bank in Asia-Pacific" by Global Finance. The bank has also been named "Safest Bank in Asia" by Global Finance for seven consecutive years from 2009 to 2015. DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking activities across Asia. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies

of doing business in the region's most dynamic markets. These market insights and regional connectivity have helped to drive the bank's growth as it sets out to be the Asian bank of choice. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also established a SGD 50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia. With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in all of our 21,000 staff, representing over 40 nationalities.

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Contracts worth Rs. 60,000 crore to be sanctioned

Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister, Nitin Gadkari (Photo: indianexpress ) Chennai, Apr 10: The Centre will sanction contracts worth Rs.60,000 crore to modernise ports by May 26, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said. "In the shipping sector, work worth Rs.40,000 crore has already started, and before May 26, we will award contracts worth Rs.60,000 crore," he said after the second meeting of the National Sagarmala Apex Committee here.

Modernisation, mechanisation and computerisation of the ports will be undertaken.

Since the NDA came to power two years ago, investment worth Rs.83,361 crore had come to the port sector, the Minister said.

The 'Sagarmala' project, aimed at promoting portled development along India's 7,500 km coast, has

been finalised with the views of all stakeholders present at the meeting.

"We will soon submit the plan to the Prime Minister who will launch the 'Sagarmala' at the Maritime India Summit [to be held between April 14 and 16]," Mr. Gadkari said. The government was hopeful of investments worth Rs.4 lakh crore and one crore jobs under the project. The capacity of 12 major ports increased by 4.3 per cent, when global trade had gone up by just 0.5 per cent.

"The improvement in efficiency in ports has lowered the logistics costs leading to a benefit of Rs.400-500 crore to the Indian trade," Mr. Gadkari said.

But compared with China and European countries, the logistics costs in India were higher. (Agencies)

Tea industry requests special tax rate

Single digital wallet for all e-commerce Mumbai, Apr 10: Having different digital wallets for different e-commerce sites could well be a thing of the past.

Now, you can have only one wallet, which is essentially your bank account, from where all payments could be made for any transactions.

And there is more. You do not have to key in your bank account number and the 11-character Indian Financial System (IFSC) code every time you transact with a new identity. "All you need is an e-mail like Unified Payments Interface (UPI) address," said A.P. Hota, managing director and chief executive officer of Na-

tional Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) the agency which has developed this new platform that will inaugurated by Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan. "UPI makes the existing mobile based money transfer simpler." "In UPI, money transfer is possible in both send mode and collect mode. The present system of mobile payments offers only send mode. You can send money. But, one cannot pull the money from another account.

Of course, approval from the person whose account will be debited, will be required to complete the transaction,"

Mr. Hota told. A merchant or an individual can send a request to the UPI user for money which will be transferred after the user's approval. The difference with the present system is that, the person who is sending is not initiating the action. Also, one does not need to add any beneficiary account, unlike while transferring money through Internet banking. There is a limit of Rs.1 lakh per transaction through the UPI platform. One need not give a bank account number or any code to do a transaction. "Only using the virtual address of UPI, one can send money or allow someone

to pull money," Mr. Hota said. The individual can either choose a static pin or a one time password to carry out transactions.

But the real game changer is that this would end the need to have different wallets for different e-commerce sites.

Complete interoperability is what the UPI platform aims to achieve. "One interoperability that we really establish is that, currently in the world of e-commerce, all the big players have their own digital wallet," Mr. Hota said. "In such a wallet, you have to load the wallet first to do a transaction. Instead of multiple wallets with multiple ecosystems, we create

the bank account as the wallet. If all the players, integrate with UPI there is a higher degree of interoperability." There are about 35-36 wallets in the payments system, which the banking regulator has approved. "All the e-commerce players have created their own payment ecosystem with their own wallet, like an island. It is not that islands are bad but at the same time they are not interoperable. "Wallets brought lot of simplicity in the transaction. They have served a very important purpose. They will definitely recreate themselves with some novel feature," Mr. Hota said. (Agencies)

Fairfax investment to help Sanmar's Egypt expansion Chennai, Apr 10: Citybased Sanmar Group is keen on forging a longterm partnership with the Canada-based Fairfax.

Asserting this, N. Sankar, Chairman, Sanmar Group, said, "they (Fairfax) are a good partner to work with.'' The move by the Tornoto-headquartered organisation to provide fund support to the group was in line with its overall faith in the India growth story, he said.

Fairfax India's total corpus stood at $1 billion, he pointed out. Fairfax India Holdings Corporation said that it would invest $300 million in the Sanmar Chemicals Group ('Sanmar'). This investment will be made in two tranches. According to a statement

released by Fairfax, the investment will be made through a combination of equity and fixed income securities. The initial tranche of $250 million will come in once the transaction is closed.

The second one for $50 million will be funded within 90 days thereafter by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited ("Fairfax") or another investor, according to the statement.Following this fund commitment, Fairfax India is expected to acquire a 30 per cent equity stake in Sanmar.

The first tranche is expected to be completed in second quarter of 2016 upon the satisfaction of certain conditions, including the establishment of a term loan facility for $280 million be-

tween TCI Sanmar Chemicals Egypt, the Egyptian subsidiary of Sanmar, and its lenders.

"Sanmar, under the leadership of N. Sankar, one of the pioneers of the Indian PVC industry, and his son, Vijay Sankar, and their highly experienced management team, is well placed to cater to the growing demand for PVC in the emerging markets of India, the Middle East and Europe," Fairfax India Chairman Prem Watsa was quoted as saying in the statement. Mr. Vijay Sankar, Deputy Chairman of Sanmar Group, said the funds from Fairfax would largely go to expand the group's operations in Egypt. "The funds are really critical for us to kick-start the

Phase II of our project in Egypt,'' he said. The investment commitment from Fairfax could not have come at any better time for Sanmar Group which had to negotiate difficult business conditions in Egypt. To a question, he said Phase-II would require an investment of $280 million.

Mr. Vijay Sankar said the investment was coming at a time when things were really turning around in Egypt. The wider presence Fairfax had been having across the globe would also give the Sanmar Group the required reach, he said.

The strong reputation of Fairfax, its long-term orientation and partnership approach helped the group to clinch a decisive relationship arrangement

with it, he pointed out. A part of the investment could also be used to retire a portion of the debt, he indicated. The Group had taken funding from private equity giant KKR a few years ago to realign its debt. Stating that the details of deal were still being worked out, Mr. Sankar said that the Sanmar Group had a history of joint ventures.

"We had worked with many partners in the past, and have been working with many now also. We are now really looking forward to work with them (Fairfax),'' he said.

Sanmar is in the process of expanding its PVC capacity in Egypt from 200,000 tonnes to 400,000 tonnes per year. (Agencies)

Image for representational purpose only (Photo: yourstory )

Mumbai, Apr 10: The tea industry has sought a special tax rate under the new GST regime as it will have an impact on the livelihood of poorer sections of the society. "We have voiced our concerns," Arijit Raha, Indian Tea Association Secretary General, told.

The current tax rate for tea sector is between 5.5 and 6 per cent. As against this, the lowest rate proposed in the GST is 12 per cent for "low" rate goods which would be applicable for tea. The apex industry association has already urged the Centre to consider their request. Under the current tax structure, various concessions/ benefits are provided both by the Centre and the State to tea sector. These benefits are in the nature of exemption from excise duty payment and lower VAT rates on tea across all states (including concessional rates for teas sold through auctions). Government's attention was also drawn to the labour-intensive nature of the plantation-based industry, which provides livelihood to people, many

of whom are poor and economically weak. Tea industry provides direct employment to more than 1.1 million - half of whom are women. This apart it also looks after three million dependents who reside at the tea estates. "The government had favourably considered the industry's position during the period of transiting from sales tax to value added tax too," Mr Raha said. Saddled with a host of problems, ranging from ageing tea bushes to climate change, the more than century-old industry fears the withdrawal of its benefits. "A rise in tax incidence could fuel inflationary pressures, affecting consumer demand. This would have adverse effect on the sector's economic viability as well as the sustenance of the large workforce" employed by the sector, Mr. Raha said.

Besides a lower GST rate band, the sector also wants a concessional rate of 0.5-1 per cent for teas sold through auctions and waiver of 1 per cent additional tax on interstate supplies of goods. (Agencies)

SPECIAL TAX UNDER GST The tea industry has sought a special tax rate under the new GST regime.

It will have an impact on the livelihood of poorer sections of the society.

Under the current tax structure, various concessions/ benefits are provided both by the Centre and the State to tea sector.

These benefits are in the nature of exemption from excise duty payment and lower VAT rates on tea across all states

DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

Features

PAGE 11

ENVIRONMENT Some Rare Turtles of Assam Assam is famous for its of turtles in Assam that diversity of flora and you can explore as well. fauna. In the various na- The turtles of Assam tional parks and wilder- There are 21 turtle speness in its territory, hun- cies that have been found dreds of mamin the Northmals, birds and Arnab Ghosh eastern India. reptiles can be Among these, found. The diversity of 19 species have been lowildlife in Assam ensures cated in Assam alone. The a steady footfall of nature natural habitat of most of loving tourists round the these turtles has reduced year. However, it would significantly over time. be wrong to assume that This has led some of them the one horned Rhino and to endangered status. SevAsian Elephants are the eral such rare turtle only species of wildlife breeds have found shelter that you can witness in in famous temple ponds Assam. There are some of Assam. Efforts have rare and amazing species been taken by NGOs and

the government to increase the number of these threatened species in recent years.

The Assam Roofed Turtle Also called the Sylhet roofed turtle, this turtle was found extensively in the Brahmaputra River.

This turtle has an elevated and triangular carapace and serrated marginal plates. Adult turtles can grow up to 20 cm in length. The turtle prefers areas like tropical moist forest, fast-flowing streams etc. These turtles are quite shy and at slight-

est disturbance dive back into river or water body.

Their body color helps the species camouflage by hiding into fallen dry leaves. They mostly nest between the winter months. Hunting by the tribes and loss of habitat has led to a steady decline in its population.

Black Softshell Turtle Also called the Bostami turtle, this is one type of freshwater turtle seen in Assam. This is listed as a critically endangered species. Thought to be available only in Bangladesh, later the turtle was found

in a few temple ponds of Assam and also in Brahmaputra River drainage. Its numbers in wild continue to be very low.

It is often hunted for cartilage and meat.

Conservation Efforts In the last decade, efforts have been made to raise the population of rare turtles of Assam existing in various temple ponds.

The ponds adjacent to temples like the Nagshankar temple, Kamakhya temple, Hayagriva Madhava Temple and Ugratara Temple in Assam have a

The Assam Roofed Turtle (Photo: natgeotraveller) population of rare turtle species. Post 2013, TSA India has put in efforts to improve

living conditions of these turtles in such water bodies.

The efforts have paid off

and external hatching has been successful to an extent.

Courtesy: Nelive.

Shocking decline of gorilla subspecies Marine preserve to aid penguins A shocking new report by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Fauna & Flora International documents a catastrophic collapse of the world's largest great apethe Grauer's gorilla -- due to a combination of illegal hunting around mining sites and settlements, prior civil unrest, and habitat loss.

The results of the report point to a 77 percent drop in gorilla numbers, from an estimated 17,000 in 1995 to just 3,800 individuals today. Grauer's gorillas -- the world's largest gorilla subspecies weighing up to 400 pounds -- are closely related to the better known mountain gorilla. The subspecies is restricted to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

ICCN, WCS, Fauna & Flora International and other partners are calling for the following additional actions to reverse the decline of Grauer's gorillas: 1. Legally gazette the boundaries of Itombwe Natural Reserve and Punia Gorilla Reserve 2. Tackle illegal mining inside protected areas and pursue the legal establishment of artisanal mining cooperatives in areas close to gorilla habitats 3. Disarm militia groups operating in the region 4. Support park staff and community ecoguards that they are protecting gorillas and their habitat 5. Find alternative sources of income for local people other than employment from mining 6. Lobby cellphone/tablet/computer companies and others to ensure that source minerals from this region are purchased from mining sites that do not hunt bushmeat and are conflict free The survey was led by experts from WCS and Fauna & Flora International, with field data gathered from across the Grauer's gorilla range by a group of collaborating organizations. The report, funded by the Arcus Foundation, analyzed data collected with support from Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, KfW (German Development Bank), ICCN,

Newman's Own Foundation, Rainforest Trust, UNESCO, USAID, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and World Bank.

Results were presented at a press conference in Kinshasa.

The authors of the report say that their findings justify raising the threatened status of the Grauer's gorilla as "critically endangered" on the IUCN list of Threatened Species, highlighting the perilous position these great apes are in, and the need to act now to prevent a further decline in numbers. This would put all four gorilla subspecies in the critically endangered category, the highest category ranking.

Casualties of war / Plummeting numbers

veys, the most intensive ever for this ape, in regions beset by insecurity, searching for ground nests and other signs of this elusive ape. In addition, the authors employed a novel method that allowed them to rigorously assess data collected by local community members and rangers to estimate Gorilla abundance.

The survey results confirmed their worst fears: numbers had plummeted to an estimated 3,800 individuals -- a shocking 77 percent decline.

One of the primary causes of the decline in Grauer's gorilla numbers has been the expansion in artisanal mining for coltan (a key mineral used in the manufacture

armed. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to halt mining in protected areas, as it is known that miners subsist on bushmeat and hunt gorillas around their camps.

Three areas are now particularly crucial for the gorilla's survival: Kahuzi-Biega National Park, the adjacent Punia Gorilla Reserve where WCS is supporting local communities to establish the reserve and manage and protect gorillas, and the remote unprotected Usala Forest which has no support currently. The Itombwe Reserve and the Tayna regions also support highly-important outlying populations. It is critical to formally gazette the Itombwe and

Collapsing Gorilla subspecies (Photo: natureworldnews ) The decline in Grauer's gorillas can be traced back to the Rwandan genocide in 1994, which forced hundreds of thousands of refugees to flee to the DRC. This in turn led to the DRC civil war in 1996, which continued until 2003 with devastating consequences, including an estimated 5 million people killed.

But beyond the human tragedy, the war has also taken its toll on the DRC's wildlife as a result of insecurity, heightened illegal bushmeat trade and increased deforestation.

The authors of the report sought to assess the impact of the civil war on Grauer's gorilla numbers, which were estimated at 17,000 before the conflict. Field teams conducted widespread sur-

of cell phones and other electronics) and other minerals in the gorilla's range. Most of these artisanal mining sites are remote, which means that the miners often turn to local wildlife for food.

Although protected by law, gorillas are highly prized as bushmeat due to their large size and because they are easily tracked and killed as they move in groups on the ground in their small home ranges.

Turning the tide The authors say that halting and reversing the decline of Grauer's gorilla will take considerable effort and will require more funding than is currently available.

Artisanal mining must be controlled and the various armed groups that control mines dis-

Punia Gorilla Reserves, which have community support but whose boundaries are not yet legally established.

Park guards continue to be at risk. On March 31st, a guard was killed by armed rebels in an ambush in the forest of the highland sector of Kahuzi Biega National Park, the only site where the study found gorillas were increasing.

"We urge the government of DRC to actively secure and manage this part of the country for both human welfare as well as the survival of this gorilla," said the study's lead author Andrew Plumptre of WCS. "Significantly greater efforts must be made for the government to regain control of this region of DRC. In particular, the govern-

ment needs to quickly establish the Itombwe Natural Reserve, support local-community management of the Punia Gorilla Reserve, reinforce Kahuzi-Biega National Park efforts, and establish strong coordination between ICCN and the DRC military to tackle armed militias that control illegal mining camps in Grauer's gorilla heartland."

Stuart Nixon of Fauna & Flora International (now at Chester Zoo where he has continued his analysis of the survey data), one of the co-authors involved in the study stated, "Grauer's gorilla is found only in the eastern Congo -- one of the richest areas on our planet for vertebrate diversity. As one of our closest living relatives, we have a duty to protect this gorilla from extinction. Unless greater investment and effort is made, we face the very real threat that this incredible primate will disappear from many parts of its range in the next five years. It's vital that we act fast."

Radar Nishuli, Chief Park Warden for the Kahuzi Biega National Park and another co-author, said: "What we have found in the field is extremely worrying. We are urging a strong and targeted response that addresses the following: Train, support and equip ecoguards to tackle poaching more effectively; build intelligence networks, and support the close daily monitoring of gorilla families to ensure their protection; engage customary chiefs who hold traditional power in the region to educate their communities to stop hunting these apes."

Said co-author Jefferson Hall, staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. "The bright spot in all this is that we have seen, over and over again, dedicated Congolese conservationists risk their lives to make a difference," Hall said. "Thanks to these individuals, there is still hope and the opportunity to save these animals and the ecosystems they represent."

Courtesy: Sciencedaily.

Boersma, a conservationist and professor of biology at the University of Washington, is applauding new regulations by the government of Ecuador to protect the waters around the Galapagos Islands as a marine preserve.

"It is very exciting," said Boersma, who is a finalist for the 2016 Indianapolis Prize for her decades of penguin research and conservation efforts.

"We've been working for years in the Galapagos, advising officials in Ecuador to protect the fish-rich waters that penguins and other species rely upon for food."

The decree, signed March 21 by Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, prohibits fishing, drilling or mining in key sections of the waters surrounding this precious archipelago -- a hotspot for biodiversity made famous

by Charles Darwin when he proposed natural selection as a mechanism for evolution. Under Correa's directive, approximately one-third of the waters around the Galapagos will become "no take" areas, where nothing can be extracted or harvested.

The volcanic islands, which lie about 600 miles off the coast of South America, boast a rare assortment and diversity of species that evolved on this remote archipelago.

Ecuadorean law already protects about 97 percent of the land that makes up the islands, but before last month's decree, only about 1 percent of Galapagos waters were "no take" areas.

"Much of the wildlife of the Galapagos depends on a rich ocean habitat, so it is vital that we protect the marine environment as much as the land environment," Boersma said.

Without protections to ensure a functional and prosperous marine system, species like the Galapagos penguins would be in a bind -- the law would safeguard their homes on land, but not the fish in the water that guaranteed their survival.

Now, said Boersma, the world's rarest penguin species can breathe a little easier, because Correa's directive protects one of their main feeding ground off the coast of Isabela Island.

"No other species of pen-

guin has come this far north," said Boersma, "and pulses of upwelled water in this area are important not only penguins but for the rich assortment of fish and seabirds that feed in these 'no take' areas."

The Galapagos Islands lie at the junction of several ocean currents, which bring cool and nutrientrich waters up to the surface. These currents fuel the abundance of fish which, in turn, feed the Galapagos penguins as well as whales, sharks

three times a year, while other penguin species have just one annual mating window. Galapagos penguins can even skip mating during lean years.

The Galapagos Islands also tend to be hot, dry environments, so Galapagos penguins must replace all their feathers, a process called molting, twice each year -- while other penguin species undergo this energy-intensive process just once a year. Once they grow a new tuxedoed covering of black and white insulat-

Marine preserve to facilitate penguins (Photo: washington ) and fur seals.

One of the new protected areas encompasses Elizabeth Bay is on Isabela Island, which is "basically shaped like a baseball catcher's mitt," said Boersma. "Elizabeth Bay lies right where the baseball would go. It is perfectly placed to take advantage of the nutrients from the upwelling currents."

But the currents that shuttle nutrients and sustain fish are also fickle. As Boersma's research over the past 45 years shows, El Ni単o events can disrupt upwelling, causing the marine food web to crash and the penguins to quit breeding.

"El Ni単o events occur periodically, and their effects on the fish populations off of Isabela Island and the rest of the Galapagos are unpredictable," said Boersma.

"That's why I like to say the Galapagos Islands are 'predictably unpredictable.' As a result, the Galapagos penguins are the most flexible species of penguin in the world, adapting their behavior based on how many fish are available for them to feed on."

The tiny birds -- the second smallest penguin species -- can breed up to

ing feathers, Galapagos penguins are ready to breed, but other penguins normally molt only after they breed.

"It makes sense. If you're living in an unpredictable environment like the Galapagos, it's best to take care of yourself first and only breed after you are in good condition and there is food still available," said Boersma.

Even on land, they face hardships from the unintended consequences of human colonization, such as invasive cats and dogs that can kill and eat adults, and rodents that can kill and eat chicks. In recent years, in a cooperative agreement with the Directive of the Galapagos Islands National Park, Boersma and her colleagues constructed artificial burrows for penguins in a handful of predator-free stretches of coast, and are checking for new nests at the site.

When they visited in February 2016 there was no breeding -- but with Elizabeth Bay off-limits to fishing, Boersma hopes Galapagos penguins and the marine food web will be more robust and better able to survive in this predictably unpredictable place.

Courtesy: Sciencedaily.

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DIBRUGARH, MONDAY, APRIL 11

PAGE 12

Ashwin getting 1 over due to IPL strugglers KXIP seek positive nature of track: Rahane start against Gujarat Lions PTI Mumbai, Apr 10 : The Wankhede track on which IPL debutants Rising Pune Supergiants outplayed Mumbai Indians in the season-opener was a slightly seamerfriendly wicket and that might have been the reason why premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was given just one over, said Ajinkya Rahane after his side's win.

Ashwin was given just one over, the 16th of Mumbai Indians innings,

by Pune and India limited over skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Rahane said the track's nature, different from the batsmenfriendly pitches of recent vintage, must have prompted the move though he added he really

Ajinkya Rahane cannot answer it for certain.

"I don't know (the reason), the captain must be knowing that. This was a different wicket as compared to the wickets we played on against the West Indies (in the WT20 semifinals on March 31) or even the

Pacquiao signs off boxing career on winning note

Manny Pacquiao ANI Johannesburg, Apr.10 : Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao signed off his illustrious 21-year professional career with an emphatic win over American Tim Bradley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The 37-year-old, who has not competed since his last year's defeat against American rival Floyd Mayweather, knocked down Bradley twice to win a unanimous 12-round decision, Sport24 reported.

Pacquiao remained dominant throughout the match, with the former throwing 33 punches in the opening round in

contrast to Bradley's 19 punches.

Bradley tried to push Pacquiao, but all his efforts went in vain as the Filipino finished his farewell bout by identical margins of 116-110 on all three cards.

Pacquiao had earlier announced he would call curtains to his illustrious career after Bradley's bout in order to concentrate on politics, where he is seeking to win a senate seat in May elections in Philippines.

With the win, Pacquiao has also improved his career record to 58 wins, with only six defeats in 66 bouts he had played in his professional career.

ODI (5th and final in October) against South Africa," said Rahane after the Pune side thrashed defending champions Mumbai by nine wickets last night.

"This was a slightly seamer-friendly wicket.

Ashwin is an experienced

bowler, a quality bowler.

(But) today I felt our fast bowlers were bowling really well. It was important to take the wickets and not give many runs," said Rahane.

Ashwin got the wicket of Ambati Rayudu with his first ball and then gave away seven runs after being belatedly introduced by skipper Dhoni in the lone over he bowled.

The same bowler had been given a two-over spell in the WT20 semifinal against the West Indies at the same venue and not asked to bowl again by Dhoni during the latter stages of the successful run-chase by the eventual champions Caribbeans.

Rahane's classy, unbeaten 66 in 42 balls, and opening stand of 78 with South

African Faf du Plessis (34) guided the Pune team past the modest target of 122 with 32 balls to spare.

"It feels good to start well in the first game. It was always important to get the momentum (going). I felt it was important to bowl well on this wicket.

We thought this could be a 170 or 180 wicket before the game. But the ball was stopping a bit. We got the first 45 wickets early. That was very important and credit (is due) to our bowlers," Rahane said.

"Later on my thinking was to take my time as I knew the ball was stopping and seaming a bit. I wanted to play close to my body. I did not want to take many chances, wanted to play proper cricket shots," said Rahane who was named the man of the match.

PTI Mohali, Apr 10 : They endured a disastrous run the last time around to finish at the bottom of the heap and Kings XI Punjab would be aiming to make amends this season when they begin their campaign against newbies Gujarat Lions in their IPL opener here tomorrow.

Kings XI Punjab did not make any big buys this year and have a new captain in South African David Miller in place of Australian George Bailey who was released after leading the side to the last place in the previous season.

Virender Sehwag has also retired and he will only be the team mentor this season.

The Preity Zinta-owned side continues to lack the team balance as it has not added any significant player, only snapping the likes of allrounders Farhaan Behardien

side's early exit from the T20 format's pinnacle event. Pakistan were crashed out of the prestigious tournament after suffering three successive defeats against arch-rivals India, New Zealand and Australia in the group stages.

Talking about Afridi's drawbacks, the 44-yearold said that the main problem with the allrounder was his inability to concentrate on a particular thing for long span of time.

"Afridi's drawbacks as a captain are for everyone to see. He has got a temperament issue. He cannot sit for too long to highlight things, or absorb things and then go

pace-bowling department as they don't have any big name -- Indian or overseas -- except for South African Dale Steyn.

The side's pace department are made up most of by medium pacers.

It will also have to be seen whether Steyn will make the final eleven tomorrow, considering his poor form in the T20 format recently. Besides, only four overseas players are allowed in the line-up.

For Kings XI Punjab, a big responsibility would lie on the shoulders of the likes of Miller, Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Murali Vijay and Mitchell Johnson.

Miller has very little captaincy experience -- he has led a side only thrice in domestic cricket -- and he will also have to do the heavy lifting in the batting line-up along with Maxwell.

Spieth maintains lead, McIlroy Oyarzabal's winner stuns La falters at Augusta Masters Liga leaders Barca at Sociedad

ANI Johannesburg, Apr.10 : Defending champion Jordan Spieth continued his dominant performance as he comfortably outclassed Rory McIlroy to maintain his lead after the third round of the Augusta Masters.

Spieth, who began his day with a one-stroke lead over the Northern Irishman, finished five clear of his rival as McIlroy's hopes of winning a career Grand Slam were severely dented, Sport24 reported.

The 22-year-old American fired at 73 to finish the day on three-under par 213 as Spieth continued his onestroke lead over American debutant Smylie Kaufman, who finished at 214 ahead of Asia's top player, Hideki

Jordan Spieth Matsuyama, and German veteran Bernhard Langer.

Spieth, who is aiming to become only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back masters, will join the list of stalwarts featuring Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo to win the Mas-

ters for a second consecutive year.

Meanwhile, world number one Jason Day remained in contention after a hardfought 71 to stay at level par while ace Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri finished the third round at a total of 224.

ANI London, Apr.10 : Winger Mikel Oyarzabal struck an early goal as Barcelona suffered their second successive defeat at the hands of Real Sociedad 1-0 in their La Liga clash at Anoeta Stadium on Sunday.

Oyarzabal's winner in the fifth minute of the match was enough to beat Barcelona, who was playing without their top scorer Luis Saurez due to suspension, the Guardian reported.

Earlier, Real Madrid ended Luis Enrique's side 39-match unbeaten streak by claiming a 2-1 win over the European champions in their La Liga clash at Camp Nou. It was for the first time since Enrique took charge as a

Barcelona manager in 2014 that Barcelona went three league games without a victory.

Despite the defeat, Barcelona continued to remain at the top of the La Liga table, with

Atletico Madrid standing at the second spot followed by Real Madrid.

Barcelona will now lock horns with Valencia on April 18.

Mourinho quashes talk of Man Utd deal Adam Gilchrist reveals toughest

Jose Mourinho ANI London, Apr.10 : Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United, has insisted he has not yet inked any deal to take over Louis Van Gaal.

According to goal.com, there were reports that the 53-year-old had already signed a pre-contract at Old Trafford, who were reportedly looking for a new manager after the club's repeated poor performances and after the club's early exit from

the Champions League.

"I am always linked with jobs and in the summer I will have a job, but in this moment I can promise you I do not have a contract with any club," the Portuguese said.

Admitting that he would prefer to remain in the Premier League, Mourinho, however, insisted that he would be open to any club or national team he comes across.

"I have to be honest, if possible I would prefer a club but I must analyse to see what is best for my career and to be back with everything I have," the 53-yearold added.

Mourinho led the Stamford Bridge club to the Premier League glory in the 2014-15 season before being sacked last December.

bowlers he has faced ANI Melbourne, Apr.10 : Former Australian skipper Adam Gilchrist, who was known for his destructive batting display, has rated offspinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Harbhajan Singh as the bowlers he struggled the most during his career.

Replying to the name of the bowlers he disliked facing the most during his career, the 44-year-old said that it would be a combination of Sri Lanka's Muralitharan and Indian bowler Harbhajan.

Gilchrist insisted that he

Waqar-Afridi relationship dented post leak of World T20 report ANI Karachi, Apr.10 : Former Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis has claimed that his relationship with former skipper Shahid Afridi has been spoiled after his scathing report on the country's dismal performance in the recently-concluded World T20 was leaked.

"I have been very clear that report was not for the media, but for the cricket board. Unfortunately, the report was leaked and my relationship with Afridi has been spoilt," Younis was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

Waqar and Afridi's decision to step down from their respective position came days after their

and Marcus Stoinis, seamer Mohit Sharma and left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh.

Last season, their batsmen lacked consistency and whenever they did well, the bowlers let the side down.

On the other hand, debutants Gujarat Lions have a balanced side with top-class performers in both batting and bowling.

They have explosive batsmen in Brendon McCullum, captain Suresh Raina, Aaron Finch and a plenty of topnotch all-rounders in Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja and James Faulkner.

These T20 specialists can be dispersed through the order and some of them like Raina and Bravo can anchor or attack. Bravo, along with Faulkner, is a high-quality, death-overs bowler as well.

But the weak link for the Gujarat side could be the

Waqar Younis and implement them. I've said this in my report," said Younis.

Waqar also admitted that his relationship with Misbah-ul-Haq was far

more better than that with Afridi, saying that Pakistan Test skipper had got great temperament for cricket and that he holds ability to absorb a lot of

things from the coach.

Former pace spearhead Waqar further insisted that the main reason for the country's cricket dip in form was a tug of war between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan and head of executive committee Najam Sethi, who were trying to pull the game in their own ways.

"The biggest issue was having two heads of a family, (it) did not help the cause. Not only for the coach but cricket overall also suffered because, inside the PCB, there are two heads and two different directions.

That needs to be looked into. That is very impor-

tant," he insisted.

Earlier, Waqar, in his strongly worded and detailed report submitted to the PCB and later to the fact-finding committee, said that the selection of the team for the T20 format's pinnacle event was made without his notice.

The former head coach, in his report, also criticized former chief selector Haroon Rasheed for making too many changes in the team rather than sticking to his decision for some time in a bid to develop the team.

As a result of it, the PCB disbanded Rasheed's selection committee with immediate effect.

Adam Gilchrist was never able to read the deliveries from Muralitharan's finger movements, adding that the Sri Lankan bowler always made him feel like

a 10-year-old, news.com.au reported.

Recalling his Test innings, Gilchrist said that he had gone at the crease with the mindset to sweep on Muralitharan's delivery, but added that he failed to counter the latter's attack and got dismissed on the second ball.

The former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman got dismissed by Muralitharan four times i n s i x Te s t m a t c h e s , while Harbhajan got him out seven times in the same format of the game.

J'khand to reserve 2% employment for sportsperson PTI Kharswan (Jharkhand), Apr 9 : Jharkhand Chief Minister Ragbubar Das today announced the government would reserve two per cent employment in various departments for meritorious sportspersons of the state.

Inaugurating the National Archery Championship (Indian round) by darting an a r ro w a t A r j u n a s t a d i u m here, Das said currently two per cent job quota for medalwinning sportspersons is there only in state police department.

Now it will be applicable in all departments, he said.

"A Kamal (lotus) Club will be set up in each panchayat, block and district level of the s t a t e t o p ro m o t e t a l e n t e d sportspersons," Das said.

A residential football training centre will be set up in a month's time in Kharswan while the fourth Archery training centre of the state will be set up at Kumardungi High School,

Chaibasa (West Singhbhum) this year, he announced.

He said the government has plans to open such archery centres at Chandanquari and Bokaro also.

The state government has already set up archery training centres at Seraikela, Dumka and Silli.

The government would host sports events at panchayat, district-level, besides a state-level competition before November 15, the Foundation Day of the state.

Das said the government has been providing Rs 3000 stipend to archers whereas, the welfare department provide Rs 3 lakhs for purchase of equipment.

The Chief Minister assured all possible assistance to the sportspersons to get due recognition at International level.

Around 1500 sportspersons including 750 from Jharkhand will be enrolled in the proposed Sports University in the state, he said.

Former Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda and Jharkhand Sports Minister Amar Bauri were also present on the occasion among others.

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