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ASSENG/2015/64205
Vol. 1
Issue 254
MODI'S NEW MANTRA: 'IF YOU'RE NOT WITH ME, YOU'RE ANTI-NATIONAL'
Dibrugarh, Saturday, February 20, 2016
PROHIBITION PARADOX
Page 8
Price -
5.00
Pages- 12
M O N S ATO BIOTECH TO COLLABORATE IN CCI PROBE
GOVT TO GIVE 'DIGITAL INDIA' BENEFITS TO FARMERS
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President’s Rule ends, Pul Govt begins Nivedita N. Manpoong & Pynshisha Nylla Itanagar, Feb 19
Anything can happen in politics, the oft repeated quote by politicians and political analysts today once again came true after the Congress leader and former Arunachal minister, MLA Kalikho Pul was sworn in as the 8th chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh. Making a mockery of all kind of political equations, Pul’s Congress team is reportedly having the support of 18 Congress MLAs and is supported by 11 BJP MLAs. The new formation also has the support of two independent MLAs. It is for the first time in the history of Arunachal Pradesh where two rebel parties, the BJP and the Congress party come together to form the Govt. in the State of
Arunachal Pradesh after much troubled times being witnessed by the people of the state. Arunachal Pradesh Governor J P Rajkhowa administered the oath of office and secrecy to Chief Minister Pul amidst the attendance of all 32 MLAs supporting his leadership, while Chief Secretary Ramesh Negi officiated the ceremony proceeding. Speaking to reporters, Pul said he was still with the Congress party and that the party leaders at the centre would be happy to know that a Congress Government has been formed in Arunachal. He assured that he would look into all the grievances of the public and concentrate on the service sector to bring in all-round development in the state, and keep a strict
Kalikho Pul swear-in as the New Chief Minister of Arunachal in a ceremony at Raj Bhawan, Itanagar today at 10:30 pm.
Terming this urgent swearing-in ceremony as illegal and against the Constitution of India, former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki said that he had no knowledge that the swearing-in would take place tonight. He said that this was not only against the party rules, but disrespectful to the Supreme Court.
check on law and order maintenance. Pul also said that he was ready to work in unison with the Tuki camp and bring in much-needed growth to the state in all possible sectors. Terming this urgent swearing-in ceremony as illegal and against the Constitution of India, former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki said that he had no knowledge that the swearing-in would take place tonight. He said that this was not only against the party rules, but disrespectful to the Supreme Court. “How could the governor allow the ceremony when the matter is still pending in the Supreme Court?” questioned Tuki, and informed that he and his party members would speak to
the party high command against the violation of party and constitutional laws. The skeptical concept whether the Govt. will last is that AICC in a letter to the Congress President has totally rejected Pul and denied to accept him as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party or CLP. Following this the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee or APCC has today submitted a memorandum to the Arunachal Governor to reject anybody claiming to be the leader of CLP while stating that former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki is the incumbent CLP leader until this day. The swearing in decision was made in haste minutes after the President's Rule was revoked.
Tuki’s attempt to democratically stop swearing- in of Pul failed Nabam Tuki and his team at Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) virtually left no stone unturned to democratically stop swearing in of Khaliko Pul as the new CM of Arunachal Pradesh. First, Tuki asked an interim direction from the Supreme Court that he be allowed to go in for a trail of strength on the floor of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly to prove majority on which the Apex Court rejected the plea. Thereafter, the team led by Nabam Tuki and PCC President Padi Richo along with AICC in Charge V. Narayanasamy called on the Congress President Sonia Gandhi at New Delhi today to reiterate their commitment to fight unitedly to reinstall the Congress Government in the state under the leadership of Nabam Tuki. Finally at the request of Sonia Gandhi, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee urged the Governor not to entertain Pul's claim as the leader of CLP as dissident leader Kalikho Pul is not the CLP leader, and hence his staking a claim to form Congress government with the support of 11 BJP MLAs and two Independents stand "invalid".
ET CAPSULES
2 Car lifter arrested at Hajo Rangia, Feb 19: The Hajo police nabbed 2 car lifter from Kalita Kuchi under Ps Hajo on Friday. The police arrested the culprits acting on a tip off. Police also recovered one indigo (No. As 01- G 5981) from their possession. The car lifter were identified as Mukuta Rahman and Aminul Islam of Hajo. Interrogation is on for further information police said. (Correspondent)
Renowned photographer Badal Mukherjee no more
cmyk
Dibrugarh, Feb 19: Renowned photographer and artist Mr Badal Mukherjee passed away today at his Santipara residence in Dibrugarh at 8.30 am. Mukherjee who was suffering from old age ailments left behind his wife and two daughters. Born on April 8, 1936, he was felicitated by several organisations like Satyam Foundation, Rotary Club etc for his valuable contribution towards art and photography. He use to have a studio by the name of Photo Fair near the Santipara Railway gate in Dibrugarh. (Staff Reporter)
Kalikho Pul will dissolve the Assembly: Tuki PTI New Delhi, Feb 19
With his plea being rejected by the Supreme Court, deposed Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Nabam Tuki earlier today said there is an "apprehension" that if a new government takes charge in the state, it may dissolve the Assembly soon.
informed the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court that he is ready and willing to face composite floor test in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly in case President's Rule is revoked, Tuki's spokesperson and Congress Legislature Party leader Geetartha Darshan Barua said.
The Supreme Court today rejected the plea of Congress leaders seeking an interim direction that it be allowed to go in for a trail of strength on the floor of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly to prove majority.
"There is an apprehension that the Governor, upon revocation of President's Rule, may swear in a new government which would then recommend dissolution of the sixth Arunachal Pradesh Assembly," Barua said.
Tuki, through his counsel
"The Hon'ble Judges ob-
served that there should be no fear about such an eventuality as it is unlikely that such a step would be taken in view of the fact that the matter is going to be decided by the Supreme Court," he said. He said, "It was orally observed by the Bench that nobody would take such a risk as it would be a shame that a person is sworn in and the ultimate judgment of the Supreme Court may set aside everything. "It is thus the hope of Congress Party that the Governor would exercise due restraint and act judiciously," Barua added.
Tuki meet Sonia, Pul is not the leader of commits to reinstall CLP, his swearing-in back the Congress Govt. stands “invalid”:APCC A Staff Reporter New Delhi, Feb 19
A delegation of Congress MLAs and senior party leader from Arunachal Pradesh led by Nabam Tuki and APCC President Padi Richo along with V. Narayanasamy met Congress President Sonia Gandhi today in Delhi. The delegation reposed their full faith in the leadership of CLP leader Nabam Tuki and reiterated their commitment to fight united to reinstall the Congress Government in the state. A statement from the APCC says that the Congress President has expressed her solidarity with all the MLAs and all the loyal Congress workers who have stood by the Party despite the continuing attempts of the BJP and the centre to dismantle the duly elected Congress Government in the state. Saying that the Congress President has asked them to fight democratically and constitutionally to win the battle in Arunachal they should stop the autocratic, partisan and communal politics of BJP.
Gumli and Sanra crowned with the title of ‘Mr. and Miss Shapawng Yawng 2016’ Laxman Sharma Bordumsa, Feb 19
Jawlai- a renowned advocate who had immensely contributed and became the first in the group to have started the rich and ethnic festival of the community Shapawng Yawng Mnau Poi in Maio.
Excelling the rest nine couples contending on the ramp for the titleship, Gumli Sikhet the son of late Gumja and Roitop Singpho of Bordumsa village emerged Champion and subsequently crowned with the much coveted title ‘Mr Shapawng Yawng 2016 ‘during the contest organized here at the auditorium of Singpho Heritage Center in Bordumsa of Changlang District recently. While the ‘Miss Shapawng Yawng 2016’ title was carried away by Pisi Sanra in female category. Confident looking Sanra who simply made the audience and judges spell bound is the daughter of late Pisi
According to the organizing committee, a total of ten couples from various locations of Changlang, Namsai and Tinsukia District participated in the battle for the titleship. The episode slated in two segments including traditional and modern adjudged on various parameters including Cat walk, personality and costumes, separately for both male and female category.
Miss Shapawng Yawng 2016’ title was carried away by Pisi Sanra
Contd. on Page 3
"She also mentioned that the artificially created Arunachal Crisis has become a national issue and that the issue has exposed the saffron designed of the NDA to get power at any cost disregarding the mandate and sentiments of the people. She clearly spelt out this is a fight to protect the Constitution of India and the final outcome of this case would be a landmark in the constitutional history of the country. Therefore, she appealed all secular forces should unite to fight the BJP and NDA Government and thereby save sanctity of the Constitution of India", stated the press release from the APCC. The Congress President clearly outlined that there is no leadership issue in the CLP and the Party is fully backing Nabam Tuki in his fight to save the Congress Party in Arunachal Pradesh. She also directed the PCC President to officially inform the Governor that Nabam Tuki is the duly elected CLP leader of Arunachal Pradesh.
A Staff Reporter Itanagar, Feb 19
Arunachal PCC (APCC) President Padi Richo in a memorandum submitted to the governor, requested him to "refrain" from inviting the dissident group to form the next government, saying it would be "against the Constitution". The memorandum, a copy of which was made available to the media, said, dissident leader Kalikho Pul is not the CLP leader, and hence his staking a claim to form Congress government with the support of 11 BJP MLAs and two Independents stand "invalid". "Nabam Tuki is the democratically-elected CLP leader since May 18, 2014 and no change has taken place in the CLP so far," the memorandum said. It said 21 MLAs boycotted several CLP meetings, while two -- Gabriel Denang Wangsu and Wanglin Sawin -- resigned
from the Assembly which was accepted by the Speaker on September 30 and was notified the next day, October 1 last year. "The Gauhati High Court and the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Speaker and two seats became vacant from October 1 last," the memorandum said. It also highlighted that out of the total 45 Congress MLAs, 19 members had expressed their interest in changing the leadership but the majority of 26 MLAs firmly reiterated their choice for Tuki. "14 dissident MLAs out of total 19 were disqualified from the membership of the CLP of December 15 last and they cannot claim as members of the Congress anymore. The remaining five members who are not disqualified are bound to follow the majority and abide by the majority decision," the memorandum added.
After successful hosting of SAG, Guwahati to host FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 matches A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Feb 19
After 12th South Asian Games, 2016, yet another mega sporting event is coming up in Guwahati - the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017. A 17-member of the FIFA delegation headed by Jaime Yarza, Head of Events met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at his official residence here this evening and apprised him about the preparations being made to organise the games in Guwahati. Yarza requested the Chief Minister to initiate steps for upgradation of the Indira Gandhi Athetics Stadium at Sarusajai Sports Complex to international standards for staging the matches there. He thanked the Government of Assam for extending support and cooperation and exuded optimism that the venue would be finally upgraded by October 2016. Yarza said it was heartening to see the passion for football among the people of Assam and the North East as a whole.
“It’s great to see the passion for the game the people of Assam and North East possess and we want to give back what they really adore,” he added. The FIFA Head of Events however, pointed out that lot of things have to be worked before holding the event. Chief Minister Gogoi assured the delegation that the State Government would extend all possible help and cooperation to make the event a success. Gogoi said that the Government would provide security and other logistic support required for holding the World Cup. “It’s a matter of pride that Guwahati has been selected as one of the cities of India to hold this mega event. Our Government is committed to make this event a great success,” he added. The Chief Minister sought guidance for upgrading the sports infrastructure to FIFA standards. Yarza pointed out that the Local Organising Committee would regularly inspect the site and would assist the Government in this regard. Meanwhile, the FIFA delega-
tion today inspected the stadium and the practice venues. The FIFA delegation while appreciating the successful conduct of the 12th South Asian Games hoped that the holding of the FIFA World Cup in Guwahati would give a big boost to football in the North East part of the country. The meeting was attended, among others, by Additional CS, RT Jindal, Commissioner & Secretary, Sports, Ajay Tewari, Director Sports and Secretary, Assam Football Association, Ankur Dutta. FIFA has selected six venues in India, which include besides Guwahati, Mumbai, Goa, Kochi, Delhi and Kolkata. Guwahati will host six matches. There will be four practice grounds viz., Sarusajai Sports Complex, SAI Field, Nehru Stadium and LNIPE Field at Tepesia. Government of India has allocated Rs 9.34 crore to Guwahati for venue upgradation, which include players’ dressing room, referee room, Media Centre, VIP lounge, etc.
cmyk
A Staff Reporter New Delhi, Feb 19
DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
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ASTRO FOR YOU Aries Today you will feel mushy and forlorn. Ganesha says you will make special efforts to strengthen your relationships. You look upon commitment as a security for the future. As a result, you will develop strong, long-term bondings. Taurus There is a strong possibility of receptivity and sensitivity in your love life. On the down side, your negativity may lead to mediocre results. You are a fire-fighter when it comes to others' problems, but can forget digging a well for your own home, says Ganesha. Gemini Today, you may be busy purchasing food supplies or penning an inventory. In your spare time, which you are likely to have in plenty today, you will try to befriend strangers or tread into unfamiliar territories. Such activities will not bring you any harm. A stroll with your sweetheart will nicely conclude a fairly eventful day, says Ganesha. Cancer In all likelihood, this is going to be a fairly easy day for you, says Ganesha. The only tough part of the day would be how to spend it. There will be hardly anything to do, anyone to talk to. Ideally, this is what you would call a perfect day. But not today. Today, you'll miss people. You will find yourself more at peace with the unbearable chaos of the outer world than the deafening calm of your solitude. So, when you get your chance to rejoin the human race in its daily messy routine, you will be more than happy to oblige, says Ganesha Leo Financial gains in shares and stocks are indicated. If you are an investor, your investments will yield substantial profits. Long-standing debts are also likely to be cleared, and pending dues will be settled. Expenses for the purposes of entertainment are a possibility, says Ganesha. Virgo Family affairs will predominate today. They will even control your thoughts to the exclusion of everything else. Things will look up on the business front. You may spend time relaxing in the evening. Ganesha says a trip to a place of worship is on the cards. Libra Health is always a key issue, and today, you may have to pay some special attention to the same. It may be some elderly person in the family, or even you. Take the time to give it your full attention in order to avoid any further complications. You may do well to undergo a physical examination yourself. Remember, health is wealth. Take care. Ganesha wishes you a healthy day. Scorpio A healthy and hectic day is in store for you today. You are likely to finish your pending tasks with new zeal. But the chaotic day will blossom into a fabulous evening when you hang out with your sweetheart, says Ganesha. Sagittarius Tough times do not last, but tough people do, remember this fact and move ahead in life. Try to make the complicated life simpler by your optimistic approach. Speak up when it is required and don't get bogged down by unnecessary pressure. Capricorn You will have heard of many emotional fools who let sentiments rule their lives. Try not be one of them, and if it's too difficult a task, at least pretend not to be one of them, for Ganesha says going by your feelings can leave you at a low ebb. In other words, your feelings can come in the way of your success. A solution to this problem is to remain dispassionate and let the opportunist think you are a hard nut to crack. Aquarius You plot and plan well today! A lot of your time, energy and money may go into less productive activities. But the quality of your work will near perfection. Keep it up, says Ganesha, it is this creativity which gives you an edge over others. Pisces You probably jumped out of bed this morning itching to talk to someone. And why not, since all your latent power of expression will spring out like a jack-in-the-box today. The pearls of wisdom you shower on people who are down-in-the-dumps today will make them feel good about their bluesy, taciturn selves, says Ganesha.
PRASAR BHARATI (India's Public Service Broadcaster) ALL INDIA RADIO : DIBRUGARH (M.W.529.1m/KHz567 F.M. 101.30 MHz) Phone No.-03732325456 E-mail -dibrugarh@air.org.in Facebook Page-All India Radio Dibrugarh Programme Highlights
ET Correspondent Bokajan, Feb 19: Three persons were severely injured when some unidentified gunmen opened fire on a Maruti Van (AS 25A 7246) in the Lahorijan area of Assam-Nagaland interstate border in East Karbi Anglong, late Wednesday evening.
As reported, the vehicle heading towards Dillai from Dimapur overturned in the middle of the road as the driver lose control hearing gunshots fired at them. The injured persons were John Timung, Syding
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) 8-30 A.M-North East News Bulletin in English 8-35 A.M-Surar Panchoi (Composite Programme of Assamese Film Songs) 9-05 A.M- Antara (Composite Programme of Hindi Film Songs) 12-05 P.M-Surar Satsori (Live Phone in Request Song Programme) 1-10 P.M-Troops Programme 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 Anusthan (Rural Programme) 7-15 P.M-Chah Sramikar Asor (Tea Garden Programme Programme) 8-00 P.M-Jibanar Dighbani (Radio Autobiography) 10.15 P.M-Classical Music Sd-/H.O.P
It needs to be mentioned here that this area is a territorial disputed land and
the law and order situation is fast deteriorating. The police are said to be clueless and yet to ascertain the exact cause behind the scene. The ADGP (Law & Order) S N Singh visited the spot to take stock of the situation and order to trace those accused at the earliest.
Training of para- legal volunteers on disability laws and rights. ET Correspondent Mangaldai, Feb 19: The Darrang District Legal Service Authority in connection with the five day long District Emergency Exercise 2016 (DEMEX) Programme organized by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) since Feb 16 last has conducted a day long training for Para-Legal Volunteers on Disability Laws and Rights here recently.
ganization played the key role in organizing the training for the first time in the district. Experts in relevant topics took part in the training as the resource persons and appealed all the participants to spread awareness on disability rights which could go a long way in effective implementation of laws and schemes related to the differently able section of the society.
Shishu Sarothi-a Guwahati based non government or-
A total of thirty three numbers of Para Legal Volunteers participated in the
training which involved discussion on disability perception, attitudinal barriers, impact of poverty-disability cycle and the importance of the rights based approach. The training conducted by the Disability Law Unit-NE of Shishu Sarothi gave an overview of the legal frameworks of disability rights and provisions, the importance of barrier free access and the roles and functions of the Local Level Committees under the National Trust Act, 1999 in issuance
of guardianship certificate for persons with developmental disabilities and the role of the office of the Deputy Commissioner in the district. The participating Para Legal Volunteers actively interacted with many queries on disability issues and the team of the Disability Law Unit expressed confidence that such training could go a long way in facilitating the Para Legal Volunteers to act as an watchdog of law and help sensitize the common public.
BJP lambastes Congress at Diphu rally ET Correspondent Diphu February 19: Dr. Himenta Biswa Sharma Assam BJP’s chief election convener lambasted Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi , Karbi Anglong district Congress leaders like MP Biren Sing Engti, HAD Minister Khorosing Engti and HSDC leader Dr. Jayanta Rongpi for deceiving the people of both Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao in every front since last decade. “When Tarun Gogoi took over as Chief Minister of Assam before 15 years Assam had 9 lakhs unemployment and now it has 22 lakhs job loss youths, this is the true colour of his flourishing and thriving Assam”. Dr. Sharma said while addressing a BJP workers rally at Diphu today.
Dr. Sharma in his speech mentioned that since last 55 years Congress besides exploiting the people of the hills has not done any real development. He mentioned that the hard earned autonomy of the hill people has been browbeaten by Congress. He mentioned that BJP will ensure maximum autonomy and self-sufficiency for the people of the 6th scheduled areas of Assam. He held that unbridled corruption, dynastic rule and ensuring elimination of the indigenous peoples economic and political right is the sole motive of Congress which is working hand in gloves with AUDF to oust the original people of Assam.
trict BJP leaders’ central minister Sarbananda Sonwal, Tezpur MP R. P. Sharma was present in the rally. “Congress often accuse BJP of ignoring the right of the tribal people of Assam but they should know that our Chief Ministerial candidate is also a tribal person, Congress has nothing good to deliver to the people of Assam, it is time to throw out this fraudulent party and deceitful Tarun Gogoi from Dispur” R.P. Sharma mentioned. The local workers meeting of BJP which draw usual overwhelming response from cross section people of Diphu received slight jolt due to the ongoing Karbi Youth Festival at the vicinity of the town.
Beside Karbi Anglong dis-
Sarbananda Sonwal in his
A Staff Reporter Guwahati, Feb 19: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today directed Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia to probe into the procurement of medicine, purchase of non-essential drugs and delay in constituting Assam Medical Services Corporation and to submit a report to him within a month. Gogoi in his directive, asked the Chief Secretary to find out why branded drugs were purchased by the Health & Family Welfare Department during the past many years in spite of a policy for procurement of generic drugs. “This matter may be verified and responsibility fixed on individuals concerned
for causing loss to public exchequer due to procurement of branded drugs instead of generic drugs,” he said.
als for the delay in setting up of the Assam Medical Services Corporation despite his clear instructions to the department.
Gogoi also asked the Chief Secretary to probe into the extent of procurement of non-essential drugs since 2006 by the Health & Family Welfare Department and the amount involved in purchasing the same. “It is to be examined whether such procurement was necessary and responsibility may be fixed on individuals responsible for any irregularities,” he said.
Gogoi further asked the Chief Secretary to pass on
The Chief Minister directed the Chief Secretary to fix up responsibility on individu-
RED PROTEST
Land Sale Notice/Information Shri Nirmal Dutta, Son of Late Bireson Dutta, of Harabari Konwar Gaon, P.O & P.S Lahoal, District Dibrugarh, Assam, is contemplating to SALE the plot of land measuring 1 Bigha Katha,Covered by Patta No.21,being Dag No.201of Athabari Gaon,Mouza Lahoal, District Dibrugarh, Assam, it is Hereby informed to all concerned that anybody including Bank, Company and Firm Has or have any type of objection in the sale of aforesaid plot of land by said Shri Nirmal Dutta, may raise/file objection within 7 days from the date of publication of this Notice/ information to the under mentioned legal practitioner in writing. Sajjan Kejriwal Advocate 94350-31001 (M)
Tisso and Garama Musahary who were than immediately rescued and rushed to Dimapur civil hospital by the police with the help of local public.
customary sombre manner of talking paid tribute to the leaders of Karbi society who sacrificed their life for achieving the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council after independence. Sonwal urged the people of Karbi Anglong to vote BJP to power for ensuring authentic development for the underprivileged people of the hills and Assam. “BJP’s aim is to establish Assam as most developed state of the nation and this is only possible if people extend full support; today principle adversary of the indigenous people of Assam is Congress and the Baduraddin Azmal led AUDF party so be vigilant about their anti national vicious design” Sonowal said.
Assam CM orders chief secretary to probe into procurement of medicine
20-2-16 (SATURDAY)
Advt.
Three persons injured in firing at Lahorijan
CITU activists staging dharna demanding facilities under the Sramik Kalyan Act, 2008 in Jorhat. Pic - Nekib Ahmed
instruction to the Director of Financial Inspection to carry out inspection of financial matters pertaining to National Health Mission during the last 10 years and to submit the report urgently.
Change of command of red horns division
Rajeev Sirohi ET Corrspondent Rangia Feb 19:Major General Rajeev Sirohi, VSM took over command of the prestigious Red Horns Divisionfrom Major General CP Mohanty AVSM,SM,VSM who has proceeded on posting to Rajasthan. Commissioned in the GRENADIERS Regiment on 18 Jun 1983, the General has had a distinguished military career in which he has executed important Command and Staff appointments in India and abroad. He has participated in United Nations Peace Keeping in Cambodia and Sierra Leone, Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorist operations in Jammu & Kashmir. The General has been awarded Vishisht Seva Medal for his distinguished service. During the course of his handing taking over,the General Officer visited Guwahati and met the Chief Secretary and DGP,Assam Police and a host of other senior Civil and Police Officers. On taking charge he assured that Red Horns Division will continue to stand by the people of Assam and maintain the tempo of operations against the terror groups.
ATTSA Protest in Golaghat ET Correspondent Golaghat, Feb 19: Assam Tea Tribes Students Association (ATTSA) of Golaghat District Unit today protested infront of the DC office at Golaghat. The protesters raised several demands in front of the Deputy Commissioner. ATTSA protesters demanded to give Schedule Tribes status to the Tea community and also demanded for amendment of the Plantation Labour Act of 1951. Apart from these two major demands, they also raised several other demands to fulfill immediately for the greater interest of the deprived tea garden labour community and submitted a memorandum to the DC.
NDFB (RD) ceasefire senior cadre held in byke lifting case ET Correspondent Mangaldai Feb 19 : In a significant development to the investigation of recent byke lifting cases , an investigating team from Mangaldai sadar police station led by Sub Inspector Hemanta Kr Barooa with cooperation from Mazbat Police Station in Udalguri district on Thursday afternoon has arrested one Sukindro Boro (28) @ B.Sujungra @ Zabrang , a resident of Torabari under Panery Police Station and a self style sectional commander of the ceasefire NDFB Ranjan Daimary faction from Mazbat and also managed to recover a black pulsar motorcycle from his possession . According to police the arrest was led on the basis of the statements made by another cadre of the outfit under ceasefire namely Kamal Gayari (32) and Rahim Boro (23) both residents of Lailungpara under Lalpool Police Out Post in Udalguri who were
earlier arrested in connection with byke lifting cases. The arrested Sukindro has confessed before police of purchasing the byke under fake a registration no. AS01 BT 7042 against its original registration no. AS 13D 6211 at only Rs 19,500. Interestingly police has confirmed that a stolen case was registered in Dispur police station against the motor byke bearing the registration of which owner is Sumit Singh. It may be mentioned here since the third week of October last year ,several cases of byke lifting in and around
Mangaldai town have been recorded leaving byke owners of the locality pass some sleepless nights. The police after some initial set backs managed to rise to the occasion and nabbed as many as seven members of the notorious byke lifting racket from various parts of Darrang and Udalguri including three cadres of NDFB Ceasefire Ranjan Daimary and Progressive faction . However few other members of the racket are still absconding the police source added.
DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
PAGE 3
Gumli and Sanra crowned with the title of ‘Mr. and Miss Shapawng Yawng 2016’ Contd. from Page 1
Meanwhile, a bench of judges comprising Inem Gam Singpho and Morang nong Singpho adjudged Ongsan Sikhet in male and Faing singpho in female category as the runners up while Pingdah Sikhet was awarded as the best personality. However, Jakhon Inthem and Nongseng Singpho were awarded for best cat walk and best costumes in male category respectively. Meanwhile, Ladum Sisen being in led in organizing the said competition told that the Mr. and Miss Shapawng Yawng were awarded with the cash
prize of Rs 10,000 each while the runners up were given away Rs 7500 and rest were awarded with Rs 5000. Sharing the experience on the ramp, Mr. Sikhet who stole the title for the year told the media that the battle was getting tougher with each passing round and all the aspirants put up their best with confidence to secure the sought after destination. Mr. Sikhet who has been perusing his academic career at St. Dominics College at Shillong in humanity aims to make photography as obsession while perusing his career in aviation simultaneously.
No problem can be solved through violence: Rajnath on Jat unrest New Delhi, Feb 19 (ANI): Appealing to the Jat protestors in Haryana to maintain calm and order, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that no problem can be solved through violence. "Have found out about the death an individual in the firing that occurred and offer my condolences to the family of the victim. I humbly request to all my brothers and sisters in Haryana to calm and order in the state," Rajnath told ANI. Asserting that a solution needs to be found through dialogue in a democracy, he added that nothing can be solved through violence.
help the district administration to contain the situation, has already left their bases in Jaipur and Hissar.
Rajnath Singh Meanwhile, shoot at sight orders have been issued in Rohtak and Bhiwani in Haryana after curfew was imposed in both cities on Friday, following violent protests by the Jat community demanding reservation under the Other Backward Classes
(OBC). Earlier, the government rushed Army troops to nine locations in the state, including Rohtak, Jind, Jhajjar, Bhiwani, Hissar, Kaithal, Sonepat, Panipat and Karnal. The Army, which will
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier in the day appealed to agitators to maintain law and order and a peaceful atmosphere in the state while chairing an all party meet to discuss the ongoing Jats reservation strike in Jhajjar and Rohtak. The pro-reservation protests by Jats in Haryana had turned violent on Thursday, with several people being injured and reports of clashes between protesters and police personnel in Rohtak. (ANI)
Ali Aye Ligang celebrated with great pomp and gaiety: Adi-Mishing relation in new height Maksam Tayeng Pasighat, Feb 19: Along with rest of the state of Assam-Arunachal boundary, the Ali Aye Ligang festival of Mishings was celebrated with great pomp and gaiety here at Solung Ground on Wednesday by the Adis and Mishings as a part of strengthening brotherhood between these two tribes hailing from same Tani clan. The celebration was being organized by Ali Aye Ligang Festival Celebration Committee(AALFCC) led by Okom Yosung, ZPM Bogong II cum President ABK East Siang. The festival was attended by leaders from both Adi Baane Kebang (Apex & appellate body of Adis) and Mishing
Free eye camp conducted at Khonsa: hundreds benefited
She was assisted bu 8 paramedics from Dibrugarh and staff from Khonsa district hospital. Dr. A. Handique, Retinal Surgeon of KK Saharia Eye Hospital, Dibrugarh screened the patients for catarect. The catarect operation will be done at Dibrugarh at a reasonable fee for which free lodging and fooding will be provided to the patients by
Councilor PMC Denong Tamuk proposed to celebrate Ali Aye Ligang of Mishing by the Adi breth-
The Tirap Deputy Commissioner while extending all logistic supports to the eye camp, thanked the KK Saharia Eye Hospital for holding the much-needed camp that would immensely benefit the people, especially from the interior areas. Dr. Arundhati Tamuli extended her gratitude to the Tirap district administration and district health society for their active cooperation and assured that more such eye camps would be conducted in the future also. Many patients benefited from the day-long camp. A number of catarect patients have also been identified after screening. All the frontal organizations of the district have appreciated the gesture of KK Saharia Eye Hospital, Dibrugarh that has chosen Khonsa for the eye camp.
Riya Powak, Deputy Director (DUDA) highlighted about the NULM which is a Govt. of India Programme in place of Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana(SJSRY). He informed that NULM is a flagship programme under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation,
the KK Saharia Eye Hospital.
ren and sisters by wearing Mishings outfits and vice versa by the Mishing brethren and sisters during
Solung. ABK WW President Yalem Taga Burang also spoke and put forwarded some important
Earlier, Okom Yosung, President, AALFCC and Boken Pao, ADCF (Forest Dept) also spoke at large about the Ali Aye Ligang Festival and its mythology.
DC inaugurates 3 months skilled development programme under nulm Roing Feb 19: A 3 Months Skill Development Training Programme under National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) begins today at Anchal Samiti Hall, Roing today. Inaugurating the Skill Development Training Programme, Ravi Dhawan, IAS, Lower Dibang Valley Deputy Commissioner urged the trainees to utilise the opportunity to equip themselves with the skills they are interested to. He said, "just graduate and Class XII passed is not enough but what we need today is skills", so that every person may engage themselves in gainful employment and the economic upliftment of every household. He said that he will regularly monitor the undergoing training programme and further exhorted the trainees to seriously and sincerely avail the golden opportunity while saying that if one pursue the excellence, success will definitely follow and "sky is the limit if you are skilled and passionate" he added.
Free eye check-camp conducted by the KK Saharia Eye Hospital in Khonsa. Khonsa, Feb 19: One day free eye check-camp was conducted by the KK Saharia Eye Hospital, Dibrugarh in collaboration with the district administration and district health society, Tirap on 19th February at district hospital, Khonsa. The eye camp was led by Dr. Arundhati Tamuli, CMO of KK Saharia Eye Hospital, Dibrugarh. She checked up the eye patients and provided free medicines. Spectacles were also given at a reasonable price.
points for consideration by the Mishing brethren of Assam by banning all entry of drugs like Kafin Kani (opium) into Adi areas of Arunachal. She said that, after the substantial control of Drugs and other substance production here, the supplies of Kafin Kani (opium) are being smuggled from Assam which was a great concern for them. Kangir Jamoh, President ABK and Promananda Chaigia, President MBK emphasized upon greater unification of Adis and Mishings.
Baane Kebang (apex body of Mishings) which was led by Kangir Jamoh (ABK) and Promananda Chaigia (MBK). The festival began with a formal ritual followed by various cultural items in the later stages. Many dignitaries spoke up about their desire for greater unification of Adis and Mishings during the day. Former Minister Education Bosiram Siram while speaking on the occasion laid emphasis on strengthening the AdiMishing bonding and said that preservation of traditions and cultures was very important. He took reference of Tasmanian tribe of Australia who had lost its history by losing the cultures and traditions. Chief
Let celebrate the ‘Unity in diversity’ and ‘Incredible Arunachal’: Governor
JP Rajkhowa in bringing all the tribes of the State under one umbrella, a cultural evening organized at Raj Bhawan
A Staff Reporter Itanagar, Feb 19: Conceived by the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh JP Rajkhowa in bringing all the tribes of the State under one umbrella, a cultural evening was organized at Raj Bhawan, Itanagar on 19th February 2016. Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said that the event was organised to celebrate the ‘Unity in diversity’ and ‘Incredible Arunachal’. A couple each from 30 (Thirty) tribes from different parts of Arunachal Pradesh along with cultural troupes participated in the house event, themed as “Communal Harmony: Our Pride, Our Strength”. The Governor said that all tribes should maintain cooperation and amity amongst them. The major tribes should take care of the minor and sub-tribes and create an environment of
Govt of India to reduce the vulnerability of the urban poor household by enabling them to gainful self employment and skilled wage employment opportunities so as to improve their livelihoods on a sustainable basis by building strong grass root level institute for the poor. Mission would aim at providing shelter equipped with essential services for the urban homeless in phased manner. In addition, the mission would also address livelihood concerned of the urban street vendors by facilitating to access suitable space, institutional credit, social security and skills to the urban street vendor. He also informed that there are six major components under NULM and Employment through Skilled Training and Placement (EST&P) is one of them. This component focuses on providing skilled develop-
ment training and upgrading skills of the urban poor so as to enhance their capacity to meet up self-employment and salaried employment. It will target the urban poor subjected to occupational vulnerability. After completion of the training, 50% of the trainees shall also be placed in various industries across the country, he informed. He further informed that a minimum of three months training will be imparted on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode and the cost per beneficiary shall not exceed Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000 for North East and Special Category State. After the training, the trainees will be tested/examined before giving the certificates. Earlier, Tao Tadap, UPO informed that altogether 103 beneficiaries from the urban poor of Roing have been selected to undergo 3 months training. The train-
ing will be provided by the empanelled Training Partner of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) namely, Teamlease Service Pvt. Ltd., Indus Edutrain Pvt. Ltd. And AISECT Skill Mission Society. Courses offered in the training are Hardware & Networking, Beauty Culture & Hair Dressing, General Duty Assistant, Handset Repairing Technician, Fashion Designing and Computer Fundamental & MS Office. A representative of AISECT Skill Mission Society (NGO), Reri Paktin Bagbi informed that AISECT has presently 20,000 centres, 1.7 milliom students covering 27 states and 3 Union Territories, 15,000 enterpreneurs and 3000 Banking Kiosks. It has made more than 90,000 job placement all over India so far and got over 250 Employer tie-up. ( DIPRO)
The Governor wished that such endeavors should be organised regularly in different parts of the State. He thanked the Deputy Commissioners for sending representatives from the district. The Governor also felicitated Jimjang Deru, International weightlifter and Nishu Konia, Bodybuilder. The evening saw beautiful cultural performances organised by Department of Art and Culture, presented by troops showcasing myriad display of their rich heritage in front of guests and dignitaries. The First couple also hosted them over a dinner. The invitees will be witnessing the Statehood Day celebration as Guest of the Governor.
Student unions organizes clean drive at market
All East Siang District Students’ Union organizes clean drive at market Spl Correspondent Pasighat, Feb 19: As a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a clean drive was organized by the members of All East Siang District Students’ Union in collaboration with Bogong Banggo Yameng Kebang with the presence of AdiSU East Siang Unit and All Bogong Student’s Union members this morning at market areas of this age old township.
3 Months Skill Development Training Programme under National Urban Livelihood Mission begins today at Roing.
brotherhood and Vibrant Arunachal. They should safeguard each other, customs and traditions and should be proud of it.
Informing about their clean drive efforts as awareness, Tabit Gao, President, AESDSU and Tagon
Tasung, President, BBYK said that, every market community need to maintain cleanliness of their own surroundings so as to avoid any viral and vector born diseases. The duo has also appealed the Pasighat Municipal Council to build proper and regular dumping grounds for garbage disposal. Every organization, be it’s of students’ also need to contribute toward betterment of society by doing social works which is the actual means of forming organization.
5th IRBN cleared all debris in fire ravaged IGJHSS
5th IRBN cleared all debris in fire ravaged IGJHSS Pasighat, Feb 19: After devastating fire that ravaged the state's oldest school IGJ Higher Secondary School, Pasighat on Feb-14, an awareness campaign-cumcleanliness drive was organised today by the 5th
IRBN led by the Commandant Dilip Yachung in the school premises. IRBN personnel cleared debris of all five gutted rooms and also cleaned the nooks and corners of the school. (DIPRO)
DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
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Lone ATM of Central Bank of India, Mangaldai remains defunct for long ET Correspondent Mangaldai Feb 19 : Strong resentment has allegedly been prevailing among the thousands of customers of the Central Bank of India, Mangaldai branch over the non functional of the lone ATM service of the branch in the district head quarter of Darrang for months together . The non functional of the ATM installed close to its branch has allegedly resulted in several incidents of harassment to common ATM users with reporting of some false debit from the account without cash being received while using the ATM of the bank in ATM s of some other banks . Moreover the other banks have also allegedly been charging extra commissions against services provided.
The failure of the ATM service to the account holders of the bank has reportedly created an additional work burden upon the bank staff and also increased the stationery expenditure of the bank. Meanwhile, the authority of the bank on being asked has admitted the fact
and pointed out it to be problem relating to the switch centre of the ATM service provider. However they assured that continuous efforts have been made to reactivate the ATM as early as possible with the help of the higher authority of the bank.
Illegal occupier attack forest guards, 3 injured in assailants firing ET Correspondent Diphu February 19: A group of suspected illegal occupier of reserve forest land attacked a patrolling vehicle of forest guards inside Marat Longro wildlife sanctuary yesterday at around 10.30 PM. The group of forest officials led by ACF Hari Terang demolished several temporary huts in Pranpilangso area inside the sanctuary; the place covered by Northern Range Bakulia, West Division forest Karbi Anglong has remained disturbed by illegal occu-
Rangia Bandh passed peacefully ET Correspondent Rangia, Feb 19: 12 hours North Kamrup Bandh called by North Kamrup district committee was peacefully passed. During bandh, all the shops and business premises including Bank and post offices were shut down. The bandh was totally peaceful, during bandh no news of untoward incident was heard. But as a part of protest the public irrespective of party politics blocked the NH-31 at Balagaon, Rangia which resulted in running of vehicular traffic disrupt. The Police rushed to the spot and maintained law and order situation. After discussion with Bimal Deka, ADC the protester withdrew the blocked. The protester also shouted slogans in support of creation new district with Rangia as head quarter.
Seminar conducted on Child Protection Act ET Correspondent Tinsukia, Feb 19: The district administration of Tinsukia on Friday conducted a seminar on the recent changes in the child Protection Act at the DRDA auditorium in district headquarters. The programme was attended by Unicef officials from guwahati apart from police officials from entire district and labour officials. According to sources, the aim of the seminar was to create awareness among the concerned authorities regarding the recent changes in the child protection act.
pants and timber smugglers. Yesterday when the forest protection squad was returning after carrying out evection operation horde about hundred people armed with crude weapons attacked the party who could avoid direct conflict after firing several rounds in air from their service arms. A case has been registered in Bakulia police station by Forest authority in this respect. In another incident unknown
assailants injured three persons when they opened fire on a Maruti Van (No AS 25 A 7246) at a place nearly 6 kilometers from Dillai police station of Bokajan Subdivision; in the incident Sijang Tisso (43) John Timung and Jerma Musahari (30). All the injured persons have been admitted in a private hospital of Dimapur, Nagaland. Police has recovered several empty cases of 9mm and AK series ammunition and 2 live bullets from the bullet ridden vehicle.
Doomdooma girl shines in essay competition ET Correspondent Doomdooma, Feb 19: In an essay competition organized by Petroleum Conservation and Research Association (PCARA) and Petroleum and Natural Gas ministry India Government on a national label, Anmol Kumari of Doomdooma secured the third position and a cash of rupees 12500 along with a tablet and an accolade from the ministry. Anmol is a student of Budding Bud Senior Secondary School located at Tinsukia where she reads in class nine.
In a program which was organized in the auditorium of the school, the Deputy Director, Indrajeet Kamang of PCARA gave her the award. It is to be noted that the competition was organized based on school, state and national level in which Anmol Kumari of Ajad Road, the daughter of Dilip Kumar (teacher) and Shobha Devi, was titled as the 3rd runner-up of the competition. The first and Second prize was gained by the student of Chhattisgarh and Bihar.
ATTSA demand ST status before election A Staff Reporter Dibrugarh, Feb. 19: The All Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association (ATTSA) today staged a two-hour sit-in demonstration at Chowkidinghee here, blaming the State and Centre for neglecting the problems of the state's tea garden community and exploited them sine long. The students' group raised several demands which included ST status to the state's Adivasi people, land patta to all landless tea garden workers, hike of minimum tea garden daily wages to Rs 300, amendment of Plantation Labour Act, provincialisation of all tea garden schools, increase in reservation of seats for the tea garden community in state's medical and engineering colleges. Job reservation in Assam Gas Cracker Project, ONGC, OIL etc. ATTSA Dibrugarh Branch president Kamal Tanti said that despite constituting 35 per cent of the state's total electorate, the community has remain neglected in every sphere. “Schedule Tribe status should be provided to our community before the election. If the government failed to provide our genuine demand then we would intensify our movement,’’ said Tanti "For the political parties we are just vote banks during elections.
ATTSA today staged two-hour sit-in demonstration at Chowkidinghee in Dibrugarh.
All these years there is no visible change even in the basic living condition of our people. Everyone, including the political leaders of our own community have betrayed us," he added.
ATTSA staged out protest to improve facilities at gardens
Bashanta Kurmi, Cultural secretary of central committee and Lasar Nanda, Dibrugarh district president of AATSA were present during the protest. The students’ Organization urged both the government to stop exploitation and worked for the tea garden people who have been the victim of exploitation sine long. “The government should reserved seats in the ITI’s for the tea garden people,’’ said the Students’ body. Later, they submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister through Deputy Commissioner of Dibrugarh M.S Manivannan.
Members of ATTSA protesting regarding their demands in front of DC Office at Tinsukia. Pic - UB Photos.
Rishu Kalantri Tinsukia, Feb 19 : Threatening government to face tough consequences this elections if the garden facilities does not improve before assembly elections, ATTSA district unit staged protest out the office of deputy commissioner.
2 minor boys rescued from human trafficker at Rangia ET Correspondent Rangia, Feb 19: Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Rangia lead by Jayanta Das rescued 2 minor boys from Rangia Railway station on Thursday night. One trafficker held in charge of alleged trafficking of the minors. According to Jayanta Das, office in charge of RPF, the minors flew away from the grasp of trafficker from Punjab
and somehow reached Rangia Railway station. Acting on a tip off, RPF rescued them and arrested the trafficker who has been identified as Ritu mani Deka of Nalbari. One minor was from Khobolia village of Dhemaji and the other was from Zilani village of Silchar. He said that a person name Tiklu Borah sold them by Rs 3,000 each to Chacha of Rangia, ward no.1 who
again sold them in New Delhi by Rs.10,000 each, police said. But the minors somehow manage to escape from the grasp of trafficker from Punjab and reached Rangia Railway station by train, last night. Police have informed the guardians of the minors who are yet to reach Rangia to receive the boys. Police have started investigation to nab the main culprit.
SPORTS
Open Melo clinches the championship of the 3 days statehood badminton tournament. Tezu, 19 Feb: In the scintillating final match of the 3 (three) days Statehood Day Badminton Tournament, Pakasana & Toli Tacha thrashed Open Melo & Apomo Linggi in the men’s double final, in men’s single Open Melo crushed Pakasana whereas in the veteran categories Er Jumbom Geyi & Ojimso Tayang beaten VP Surya SP & W Inaobi Singh 2nd Command 25th ITBP respec- winner trophies, certifitively. Both winners and cate and case prizes. runner up were given With this the tournament
came to an end today’s evening at Khoraliang badminton stadium
where men’s double final, men single final and veteran double final were played amid huge sportsmanship spirit. Gautam Hazarika SDO as a chief guest said that participation and promoting brotherhood is pivotal then losing or wining. Er L Khimhun EE Power as guest of honour appreciated the way Arunachal has brought various laurel for the state in national and international level and hopes this kind of tournament would hearten
games & sports in days to come. Chang Tayang chairman organizing committee expressed satisfaction over the way the entire players from 4 (four) districts Lower Dibang Valley, Namsai, Anjaw and Lohit took part. Besides Tamiyo Tatak DC, HoDs, ITBP personnel, sports lover and public joined to cheer the tournament. Simultaneously Galo cultural dance has added colour in the successfully ended tournament.
velopment era. The tea tribe students body alleged that Congress government has done nothing in past so many years to improve basic facilities like health, education and others at tea garden. As a result the tea tribe community has suffered and are left behind in this de-
Once a permanent congress vote bank tea tribe seems to be shifting towards BJP after ATTSA seemed to threatened to vote against congress if their demands against are not met before the upcoming assembly elections.
Filter to free water from arsenic distributed ET Correspondent Dhubri, Feb 19: Filters to make water contaminated with arsenic free were distributed among the five hundred families villagers of Shantipur under Fakirganj Block of
Dhubri district today by the Executive Engineer of Public Health Engineering, Sabha Pandit today in presence of SDO, Barek Molla and others officials at Salmara-Shantipur M.V School today.
Two labourers abducted ET Correspondent Dhubri, Feb 19: Two labourers-Faruque Sheikh of Kanaimara village of South Salmara-Mancachar district and Kattu Roy of Bongaigaon dis-
trict of Assam, were abducted from Golon Sangma Road near Tura town of Garo Hills of Meghalaya last night by suspected GNLA militants.
Fir lodged against husband ET Correspondent Dhubri, Feb 19: A FIR was lodged against Majibar Bepari of Charkashipara under Sukchar police station of South SalmaraMancachar district by his
wife, Sabia Khatun today for torturing her physically for dowry. Bpari married eight months ago and since after that he was allegedly torturing his wife to bring dowry from her parents.
No salary paid to 128 asha activists ET Correspondent Dhubri, Feb 19: 128 ASHA activists engaged in February last year by Assam state NRHM in Gazarikandi area of South Salmara-Mancachar dis-
trict were not paid any salary till October last year. Moreover, they were even not allowed to continue their services from October,2015, an ASHA activist alleged.
DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
JCILP for registering indigenous labourers in Manipur
JCILP for registering indigenous labourers in Manipur Imphal, Feb 19: Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has urged the Manipur government to take immediate measures to register indigenous labourers for identification of illegal immigrants in the state.The JCILPS said workers who do not possess work permits, will be handed over to the police so that they are deported outside the state. Co-Covenor of JCILPS, Md Shah Moijingmayum told media that the umbrella body will intensify its democratic agitation in the form of poster campaign and launch awareness drive.Earlier, the JCILPS had announced its intention to resume its agitation from February 17 for implementation of the
Inner line permit system. The agitation had been muted for the last four months due to religious festivals and the devastating January 4 earthquake that hit the state, the coconvenor said. Condoling the death of nine persons which occurred after the violent agitation of September 1 in Churachandpur district, Md Shah said the people's demand for implementation of ILP is to protect the indigenous population from the massive influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal.He clarified that it was not directed towards the tribal population of the state as alleged by tribal bodies.He also appealed that the ILP issue should not be politicized. (Agencies)
New train service to link southern Assam to Tripura and Manipur Agartala, Feb 19 : A goods train service that gets flagged off on Saturday will link southern Assam with other north-eastern states, meeting an old demand of the people, the officials said."Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu will flag off the service from southern Assam's Badarpur station to Jirania in Tripura and Jiribam in Manipur on February 20," Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) spokesman Pranav Jyoti Sharma told media. Jirania is 12 km from here and about 215 km from Badarpur. Jiribam is in Imphal East district of Manipur and about 75 km from Badarpur. A colourful function will be held at Silchar in Assam to mark the launch of the new goods train service which will subsequently be studied by the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS).
version work right up to Agartala, the Tripura capital was connected with the country's railway network through Guwahati with a distance of about 600 km.The Lumding-Silchar metre-guage track was in operation from 1899, while Tripura came on the Indian Railway map in 1964 through metre-gauge track. The Lumding-Silchar line is lifeline for southern Assam, known as Barak Valley and the mountainous states of Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram. These states are heavily dependent on this railway line for supply of food grain, fertilisers, petroleum products, construction materials and other commodities.After gauge conversion of GuwahatiLumding line in 1994, the trans-shipment point got shifted from Guwahati to Lumding.
If the CRS clears it, a regular passenger train service would be launched on the newly laid broad gauge tracks up to Agartala in Tripura and Jiribam in Manipur, Sharma said.The CRS clearance might come as soon as March 31 after which a regular passenger train service could start, said Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha who last month received the first broad-gauge trial train on the newly laid BadarpurAgartala railway line at a function here.The 437-km Lumding-Silchar and Badarpur-Agartala gauge conversion work was sanctioned in 1996. It was declared a national project in 2004, thereby ensuring uninterrupted funding from the central government's general budget. The project was hit by insurgency from 2006 to 2009 and works could only gain speed after that turbulent period. Lumding is an important railway junction in Assam and falls under GuwahatiDibrugarh broad-gauge section. In the first phase, the 210-km Lumding-Silchar gauge conversion project was completed early last year. In the second phase, the 227-km Badarpur-Agartala gauge conversion was undertaken. It was scheduled to be completed in March but was completed three months earlier.With the completion of gauge con-
Southern Assam's Barak Valley was brought on the broad-gauge rail map on November 21 last year, with Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu flagging off a regular passenger train. NFR general manager H.K. Jaggi said Rs.7,751 crore was spent to lay the broad gauge track in the Badarpur-Agartala sector.The BadarpurAgartala line has five tunnels and 461 major and minor bridges. While the longest tunnel is about two km long, there are a record 161 curvings in the line. Sharma said that the NFR is working to lay new broad gauge railway track on the 111-km Jiribam-TupulImphal section.Of 11 national projects, the 505-km Rangiya-Rangapara-North Lakhimpur-Murkongselek line in Assam has already been completed and 10 are progressing smoothly, he said. "There are 25 other projects in various states. Once these projects are completed, more than 1,000 km of new lines will be added and more than 560 km of lines will be doubled."Currently 36 projects were being constructed by NFR -13 are in Assam, three in Tripura, two each in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland, one each in Mizoram, Manipur and Sikkim, said Sharma. (Agencies)
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REGION Nagaland Gov wants 'immediate action' on Birth Certificate issue Kohima, Feb 19: Governor of Nagaland State and Assam, PB Acharya, has directed Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar and Home Commissioner Neihu C. Thur to take immediate action about the alleged issuing of Birth Certificates by Nagaland State officials to people not from the State.OSD to the Governor today informed in a press note that during the meeting, the Chief Secretary observed that they have received directions from the Supreme Court to follow strictly the legal guidelines in issuing Birth Certificates, in connection with National Register of Citizens
(NRC). The Governor, the OSD stated, expressed his "serious concern" on the issue and "cautioned" the State Government authorities. He also directed to take "immediate action" against the "officials who are responsible for issuing such Doubtful Birth Certificates to those who are not from Nagaland."The Governor also observed, the statement noted, that this will "affect the National Security of the North Eastern region, where Bangladeshis and other foreign nationals are reported to have entered in large numbers without proper Visa or necessary
tioned the authenticity of the proof, like birth certificates, will take time because they were issued from various States.
Governor of Nagaland and Assam, PB Acharya, met with Chief Secretary, Pankaj Kumar, and Home Commissioner, Neihu C. Thur, of Nagaland State asking them to take 'immediate action' on issuance of Birth Certificates in Nagaland
records."National Register of Citizens (NRC), which is being prepared in Assam for undertaking and updating the national register, the Assam State Coordinator for NRC
Prateek Hajela, in his submission to the Supreme Court, has submitted the constraints and difficulties to prepare the NRC within the time limit and to verify all the applicants, he men-
It was earlier reported that districts like Nagaon, Barpeta, Morigaon and Karimganj of Assam have many applicants with birth certificates from Nagaland.The Governor has directed the Chief Secretary to take this matter on "war-footing" and to take "serious note" of this and take "immediate action against such officers without any reservation, considering the National Security of the country." (Agencies)
JAP Agitation over Parja-Patta Continues Darjeeling,Feb 19 : The Parza Patta Committee which is the frontal organization of the recently formed political outfit the Jan AndolanParty today started an indefinite relay dharna in front of the district administration office making it their first ever agitation program of the party in the hills which till now has only been concentrating in public and indoor meetings.The JAP Bureau member Amar Lama said, "Land rights have been a long standing demand of people living in forests, cinchona and tea gardens. Most of them have been
living in these places for more than 100 years but do not have a land of their own. According to the law the land belongs to them and there are provisions in the Land Acquisition Act regarding this. When the GTA Accord was signed we had hoped that in the interim arrangement something would be done in this regards but nothing happened.""We want that the area of land in which they are staying in presently the government should settle it accordingly and want the government to start the process. If some tea gardens agree to this it will auto-
matically put pressure to other gardens. We want to start a dialogue with the government due to which we have started this peaceful program of dharna from today onwards. We will see what the reaction of the government is and if nothing happens we will launch other programs which will also be peaceful and democratic in nature," said Lama who added that due to this being examination time they were not using any loudspeakers of any kind in their program. Echoing his words the Parza Patta Committee convener Sudeep
Karkisaid, "Our organization was formed way back in November 23rd with the demand of land rights when the JAP had also not been formed but later on we got attached with the party and today we are together starting this relay dharna which will be done until we get a response from the government."Political observers feel that the JAP who will be contesting in the upcoming Bidhan Sabha elections will focus on the issue of land rights to gain public support from people living in the tea gardens and the cinchona area with a major chunk of population in
the hills living there.Yesterday the dharna which started from 11 in the morning had 11 women and 18 boys participating in it from different places like Takdah, Teesta, Bara Pubung. After 24 hours another set of people will sit in the dharna.The JAP president Harka Bahadur Chettri was not present today.When contacted the Darjeeling district magistrate Anurag Srivastavsaid, "The matter is something related to government policy but we will forward the matter of their demand to the concerned department." (Agencies)
'No rebellion can shake Delhi; it rather destroys one's own community, culture and identity' remarked Rijiju during a cultural fest SYMP 2016 in Bordumsa Laxman Sarma Digboi, Feb 19: Terming the anti-social elements as a potent threat trying to jeopardize the existing rich, unique and unparallel culture of Arunachal Pradesh as a whole, Kiren Rijiju the Union Ministery of State ,Home Affairs drew significant attention of the gatherings during his address at the 32nd Shapawng Yawng Manau Poi ( SYMP) 2016 organised here at Bordumsa in Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh recently. Appreciating the youths in particular of the Singpho community for their active involvement in showcasing their rich and ethinic culture with vigor and enthusiasm and the community as a whole for putting the best efforts to protect,preserve and foster their culture promoting the sense of integrity and fraternity among them , Mr Rijiju who had been the chief guest at the said Mega ethno cultural festival of the Singpho community at Singpho Heritage Center reiterated that inspite of bad elememts trying to jeopardize and create imbalance in the society, the State of Arunachal Pradesh stands unique in terms of rich and diverse culture, bounty of resources and unparallel beauties due mainly to active participation of the ethnic tribes
Rijiju (2nd from left) who took part in the festival. who strive as such to prolong the life of their respective tradition, beliefs and culture. The Minster (MoS )Home Affairs who was accompanied by Ninog Ering the MP East Arunachal who was also the guest of honour took part in inaugurating an exhibition stall amidst huge gathering including DIG (APP) Namsai, Inspector General, Air Commodre (AOC) Chabua, CC Singpho the former Cabinet Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Sindunong Singpho the President of the Organising Committee, Sikhetang
Singpho the Head GB Bordumsa and a host of digantaries .A souvenir on 32nd Shapawng Yawng Manau Poi prepared by a team headed by Jotongko Sikhet was also released by the chief guest to mark the occasion. A five points memorandum was also submitted by the organizing committee on belalf of the entire Singpho fraternity. However, the chief guest addressing the people was the most awaited epiosode which covered at length almost all the aspects including the cultural, political, so-
cial, economy, education, demography of Arunachal Pradesh. Terming the festival as one of the rarest in the world which indeed needs to be recognized in the annual calendar, Mr Rijiju who had earlier joined the Ora-Ora Ora-Ora….dance of the singphos around the permanent pillers in Singphos tradional attires lauded the community for their cultural contributioin to the soil of Arunachal Pradesh. Referring the Presidential rule being promulgated in the State and terming it as an outcome of the constitutional crisis intensified by Congress dissidents groups and reminding violence that took the street and in front of Rajbhawan in Capital City of Itanagar, Rijiju categorically told that no violence or rebellion in any form designed to impede the development process or disturb the exiting peace can shake the Union Government (Delhi) ,it rather ends in smoke after destroying one’s own community, culture and identity. Claiming to have initiated stern steps to check the violence and atrocities upon the students of the North East at various locations of the country, Mr Rijiju urged all the people’s representatives, top officials of state to participate, promote and encourage the progressive works
irrespective of party politics. Lamenting at the pace of development in the state so far in regard to road connectivity, education system characterized by deficient teachers in schools and other infra structural development hit by leprosy, the Union Minister who claimed of being the guardian of Arunachal Pradesh told that the entire picturesque of the state would be different by 2019. According to him, he personally goes through the minutes of all the bills before placing them on the floor of the parliament and ensures the bills must foster public interest and for optimum benefits of the state. Meanwhile, responding to the queries of the Eastern Today on the snail pace development of Bordumsa Dayun Constituency, Mr Rijiju told that he has been aware of the socio-economic issues of the belt and assures to initiate steps to boost the developmental works . According to him, he would not spare anyone who is found neglecting his or her duty or found compromising with greater interest. However, the three days long agenda of the annual events of the Singphos ‘ folk dance festival which commenced on 12th last concluded on Monday evening with rituals and ceremonies marking the end of the colourful events.
Leadership issue: UDP to go for consensus Shillong,Feb 19: As the demand for a change in guard in UDP is gaining ground with every passing day, the party has decided to leave it to the wisdom of the nomination committee to recommend the leader who will be heading the party's new body. Informing this to newsmen after a meeting of the party's central executive committee here on Thursday, the party general secretary Alantry F Dkhar said that the meeting decided to constituted an organizing committee for the preparation of the upcoming general
council meeting of the party scheduled to be held on February 27. According to Dkhar, the nomination committee comprises presidents and secretaries of the district executive committees, leaders from the youth wing, women wing, farmer wing and six prominent members of the party. The recommendation of the nomination committee will be placed before the general council for its final approval."The nomination committee will deliberate to bring about a consensus as to who all should be hold-
Senior leaders of UDP in an informal discussion after the CEC meeting of the party in city on
ing what position at the general council," he said. He also said that the general council will be the authority to decide whether to accept or re-
ject the recommendation of the nomination committee. The term of the present executive committee of
the party ends on March 14, 2017. But the party decided to advance the holding of the general council meeting to February 27 keeping in mind 2018 assembly elections. Several leaders including UDP working presidents Bindo MLanong and Paul Lyngdoh have made their offers to the nomination committee expressing their interest to lead the party.The UDP general secretary, however, said those who have made the offer also will have to be examined by the committee which will arrive at a consensus decision. (Agencies)
Governor of Nagaland State and Assam, PB Acharya, has directed Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar and Home Commissioner Neihu C. Thur to take immediate action about the alleged issuing of Birth Certificates by Nagaland State officials to people not from the State
Mukul to table Budget on March 14 Shillong, Feb 19: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who holds finance portfolio, will present the Budget on March 14 as per the decision of the Business Advisory Committee which met here on Thursday.The 14-day-long Budget session will start from March 4.The session will conclude on March 23.While nine days were allotted to government business, five days are for the private members. On the opening day of the Budget session on March 4, Meghalaya Governor V. Shanmuganathan will address the House for the irst time after he assumed office. On March 7, there will be debate on Governor's address and the Chief Minister will reply to the debate on March 9. After the presentation of the Budget on March 14, the discussion will be on March 16 followed by the reply of the Chief Minister on 18.The Budget will be passed on March 23, on the last day of the session. (Agencies)
Agartala car workshop gets tech savvy Agartala, Feb. 19 : An automobile workshop in Tripura capital Agartala has become tech savvy to develop the skills of local youth and provide them with job options.The upgraded workshop, supported by TATA Motors Ltd., was inaugurated at ITI Indranagar. "Tata Motors help in playing a pivotal role in helping the youths from Northeast India and help in finding them the job through skills upgradation. It started when we responded as Tata group to requirement from the government of Assam to upgrade ITI's in some of the Assamese areas. Today, we have completed the upgradation at Nagaon, Tinsukia and we have moved on to others states," said Biswanath Sinha, Associate Director, TATA Trust.Along with TATA Motors Ltd, Bosch, Fleetguard, Wabco, TATA Technologies, Castrol, JK Tyres and ZF Steerings are actively providing training to students on latest technology.Chairman of the National Skill Development Corporation believes the centre will help students sharpen their understanding of modern vehicles."Industry related standards, a new state of the art workshop with modern instruments which will give the students understanding of the modern vehicles so that everyone can drive on road safely. Also, I have been told that the intake capacity of the ITI Agartala may go from 350+ to 770 plus," said S Ramadorai, Chairman, NSDA and NSDC. In the age of globalization and cut throat competition, students are expected to have extraordinary skills.The workshop will help students from the Northeastern region to get better know how of latest automobile technology and face future professional challenges. (ANI)
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
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Govt to give 'Digital India' benefits to farmers Bhopal, Feb 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his government aimed to provide the benefits of the 'Digital India' initiative to the country's farmers, for which a virtual platform of a national agricultural market is in the works. Plans were also afoot to connect 550 farmer markets in the country through the use of technology, Modi said while formally launching the 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' at a farmers' rally in Sherpur in Sihore district of Madhya Pradesh. Giving details of the programmes and schemes launched by the BJP-led central government for the farmers, he said the national agricultural market will provide a platform so
that the farmers get the maximum price for their produce. He pointed out that the prices of various farm produce varied in different markets in the country but the farmers sold their yield at the nearest available market. This resulted in unremunerative prices to the farmers, which was sought to be redressed by the virtual platform of national agricultural market, Modi said. The prime minister said the 'Digital India' initiative would also help the farmers by giving them access to information on the best price offered for farm produce on their mobile phones in an instant. He said that the Prime Minister's Crop Insurance Scheme, launched by his government last month,
'Opposing BJP is now biggest crime'
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal New Delhi, Feb 19: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday launched a new offensive against Narendra Modi-led government and said being "opposed" to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is biggest "crime" now. Kejriwal's comments came in the wake of the raging Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) row, where the students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar was allegedly arrested on sedition charge for raising anti-national slogans during an event in the campus. Earlier on Monday and
Wednesday, students, teachers and journalist were allegedly assaulted by a group of lawyers at the Patiala House court complex in the presence of Delhi Police sleuths, when the JNUSU president Kumar was produced. The Supreme Court has to intervene in the matter following the reports of assault. Kumar was arrested on February 12, for leading a protest in favour of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and raising anti-national slogans on the varsity campus on February 9. Kumar was on Wednesday sent to 14-day judicial custody. (Agencies)
Ukraine conflict has affected 580,000 children: UNICEF
The conflict in Ukraine has "deeply affected" 580,000 children
United Nation, Feb 19: The conflict in Ukraine has "deeply affected" 580,000 children close to the front lines and in areas in the volatile east not under government control, the UN children's agency has said. UNICEF said in a statement that 200,000 youngsters more than a third need psycho-social support. Ukraine remains locked in conflict with Moscow, which annexed the Crimean Peninsula and has supported a pro-Russian insurgency in the east. Fighting there has killed more than 9,000 people since April 2014 and devastated the nation's industrial heartland. "Two years of violence, shelling and fear have left an indelible mark on thousands of children in eastern Ukraine," said Giovanna Barberis, UNICEF's representative in Ukraine. "As the conflict continues, we need to reach these children urgently to meet their
physical as well as psychological needs." Barberis called on all parties to the conflict "to ensure safe movement and unhindered humanitarian access to help children in need." Earlier this year, UNICEF called for an additional $54.3 million to address the humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable children in conflict-affected areas. The agency warned that plummeting temperatures, fuel shortages and high prices for coal are leaving children at risk of respiratory infections. And it said the lack of access to health services and a shortage of medicines are threatening more disease outbreaks. UNICEF said it has been working with partners to provide children with basic services. The agency said it reached 1.6 million people with safe water, over 164,000 children and adults with essential hygiene items, and over 200,000 children with education kits and school supplies. It also provided psychosocial support to over 46,000 children and trained almost 5,000 teachers and psychologists to identify signs of distress among children, the statement said. (Agencies)
"Two years of violence, shelling and fear have left an indelible mark on thousands of children in eastern Ukraine."
The prime minister honoured Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with 'Krishi Karman' award. Modi was also felicitated on the occasion on behalf of the state's farmers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be a panacea for all problems faced by the farmers. "Farmers did not believe in the crop insurance policies of the previous United Progressive Alliance government. It is the main reason that not even 20 percent farmers in the country opted for crop insurance. We have now come up with this scheme keeping in mind the lack
of interest among farmers," Taking a dig at the previous UPA government at the Centre, the prime minister said that the earlier insurance schemes benefitted the companies and not farmers. He said the new crop insurance scheme will definitely benefit the farmers in the country.
The union cabinet in January gave its nod to the 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' in which premiums are as low as 1.5 percent. A uniform premium of two percent of the sum insured will be charged from farmers for all kharif crops and 1.5 percent for rabi crops. The annual premium for horticultural crops will be five percent of the sum insured. The remaining insurance premium will be given by the government. (Agencies)
"The 'Digital India' initiative would also help the farmers by giving them access to information on the best price offered for farm produce on their mobile phones in an instant." Says PM Modi
Democratic insiders boost Clinton's delegate lead Washington, Feb 19: Bernie Sanders won big in the state of New Hampshire, but Hillary Clinton is still adding to her wide lead in the delegates who will decide the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. Over the past week, Clinton has picked up the endorsements of 87 more party insiders known as super delegates, according to a new Associated Press survey. Sanders added just 11 super delegates. If these delegates to the party's national convention continue to back Clinton overwhelmingly - and they can change their minds - Sanders would have to win the remaining primaries by a landslide just to catch up. He would have to roll up big margins because every Democratic contest awards delegates in proportion to the vote, so even the loser can get some. After the initial contests
Hillary Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire, Sanders has a small 36-32 lead among delegates won in primaries and caucuses. But when superdelegates are included, Clinton leads 481-55, according to the AP count. It's essentially a parallel election that throws Clinton's lopsided support from the Democratic establishment into stark relief. There are 712 superdelegates, about 30 per cent of the 2,382 delegates needed to claim the nomination at this summer's national convention. The disparity is sparking a backlash
among some of Sanders' supporters, who complain that the Democratic nominating process is decidedly undemocratic, rigged in favor of Clinton. Some are contacting super delegates who have publicly endorsed Clinton, and their message isn't subtle, or always welcome. "I'm sick and tired of them," Cordelia Lewis-Burks, a super delegate from Indiana who supports Clinton, said of the Sanders backers. "It's very aggravating to be bashed on my own computer by these people who it's
probably the first time they've ever voted. I've been in the trenches since I was 20." Super delegates automatically attend the national convention and can support the candidate of their choice, regardless of whom the voters back. They are the party's leaders - members of Congress, party officials and members of the Democratic National Committee. The Republicans also have some automatic delegates who can support the candidate of their choice but not nearly as many. Clinton's campaign expresses confidence that she will maintain a strong lead among superdelegates even as she focuses on upcoming primaries. "Our campaign strategy is to build a lead with pledged delegates" won in primaries and caucuses, Clinton spokesman Jesse Ferguson said in an email. (Agencies)
Power consumers gherao OERC office over tariff hike Bhubaneswar, Feb 19: Responding to the call by the Odisha Rajya Bidyut Upavokta Mahasangha gheraoed the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission ( OERC) opposing any hike in power tariff for 2016-17. "We want the tariff to remain unchanged till such time that the CAG audits the power utilities and the Rs.30, 000 crore siphoned off by private companies is realized," said former finance minister and leader of the Mahasangha Panchanan Kunungo. The acting secretary of
OERC Kamal Lochan Panda came to the spot and assured the Mahasangha leaders that power tariff hike for FY 2016-17 was not on the agenda of today's meeting at the Commission. The tariff related issues will be discussed later, he informed. The Mahasangha leaders urged OERC to go for CAG audit of the annual income and expenditure of the various DISCOMS from the days of power reform. They also urged to cancel the involvement of franchise in billing and ac-
counting. Keeping global warming in view, the Mahasangha urged OERC to direct the government to use solar power in offices and government buildings. Utilities have failed to achieve reduction of transmission and distribution loss and hence they have no right to demand revision of tariff, said Rabi Behera, president of the state unit of Samajwadi Party. At a meeting held in front of the OERC office here, Panchanan Kunungo,
president of the Mahasangha presided over there where Samajwadi Party, state president and convenor of the Mahasangha Rabi Behera outlined the objectives of the present movement against to OERC. Among others former minister Suresh Routray, former MLA, Ajaya Jena and Radhakanta Sethy, Er. Ch. Pravat Keshari Mishra, Sulochana Das, INTUC leader Kishore Jena, Advocate Shivananda Ray addressed the consumers. (Agencies)
Obama to visit Cuba in March Washington, Feb 19: President Barack Obama will become the first sitting US President to visit Cuba in 88 years, when he visits Havana in March, the White House announced on Thursday. The visit, which is scheduled for March 21-22, is another big step by the administration in ongoing efforts to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba. "Fourteen months ago, I announced that we would begin normalising relations with Cuba - and we've already made significant progress," Obama said in a tweet. "Our flag flies over our Embassy in Havana once again. More Americans are travelling to Cuba than at any time in the last 50 years," he added. "We still
Calvin Coolidge in 1928. The trip, long expected, comes after Obama's administration formally reopened ties with Havana in late 2014, following a halfcentury of enmity.
President Barack Obama have differences with the Cuban government that I will raise directly. America will always stand for human rights around the world. "Next month, I'll travel to Cuba to advance our progress and efforts that can improve the lives of the Cuban people," he said in a series of tweets.
According to White House, Obama will meet with Cuban President Raul Castro, as well as entrepreneurs and different members of Cuban society. He will be joined by the first lady on his trip to Cuba, after which they will visit Argentina for two days. The last sitting US president to visit Cuba was
Cuban officials reacted positively to the announcement on Thursday. "...Obama will be welcomed by the government of Cuba and the Cuban people with our traditional hospitality. It will be an opportunity for (the) president to appreciate the Cuban reality," Josefina Vidal, the general director for the US affairs at the Cuban foreign ministry said at a news conference in Havana Thursday. "His visit will represent a step forward in relations between Cuba and the US."(Agencies)
JNU row: No SC relief for Kanhaiya Kumar
The Supreme Court on Friday declined to hear the bail petition of JNUSU leader Kanhaiya Kumar
New Delhi, Feb 19: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to hear the bail petition of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) leader Kanhaiya Kumar, and questioned why he had not moved the high court instead. Kumar's lawyers argued that he is not safe there. The apex court then directed the Central government and the Delhi Police to ensure the safety of JNUSU leader Kumar. The government assured his safety. On Thursday, Kumar had filed a writ petition in the
Supreme Court seeking bail, citing the violence unleashed by a section of lawyers in the Patiala House Courts complex which he said posed a grave threat to his life. Kumar was beaten on Wednesday by a group of lawyers while he was being taken into the Patiala court. Kumar is being represented in the Supreme Court by top lawyers Raju Ramachandran and Soli Sorabjee, who have argued that the charge of sedition has been wrongly slapped on the student leader. (Agencies)
ABVP running 'Break In India': Tharoor Indore, Feb 19: Commenting on the controversy over "anti-national" slogan-shouting at Jawaharlal Nehru University, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said while the Narendra Modi-led government is busy with 'Make In India', ABVP is indulging in "Break In India" campaign. "During your foreign visits you (the Prime Minister) are attracting investments and talking about Make In India. Meanwhile your party's students' wing, ABVP, is running 'Break In India' campaign at the JNU," Tharoor said here. "Government should withdraw the case of sedition (against students' leader Kanhaiya Kumar) and sort out the JNU dispute at the earliest. The discussion in the international media on the issue is bringing bad name to the country," the former Union minister said. Reminding the BJP of
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor
promise of good governance, Tharoor asked, "What kind of good governance is this where students are beaten up at a Delhi court premises?" "People running our country should be largehearted. The democratic values should be upheld," he said. Asked about the "anti-national" slogans at JNU, he said, "Our country isn't so weak that it will be undermined by a few foolish words of kids. Autonomy of universities should remain intact," he said, adding "nobody has copyright on patriotism." (Agencies)
Odisha sees grand success during Make In India Week Bhubaneswar, Feb 19: Odisha has secured investment commitment to the tune of over Rs.70,959 crore at the Make In India Week held at Mumbai. The entire team of bureaucrats from the state led by chief minister Naveen Patnaik and industry minister D P Mishra had strived to make Odisha's presence felt at the event in Mumbai. The Odisha Stall at the Make in India pavilion at Mumbai generated considerable interest among investors, said sources who returned from the event. The investors showed a lot of interest in understanding the various state policies, business framework and industrial infrastructure facilities in the state. In a significant departure from the past, there was a remarkable shift in investors' interest in investing in nonmineral sectors in the state. During the meet, the state received significant investment announcements in sectors such as food processing, electronics manufacturing, gems & jewelry,
renewable energy etc. Odisha Investors' Meet was able to attract captains of the Indian industry like Kumar Mangalam Birla, Y C Deveshwar, Sashi Ruia, Shri Rajesh Adani, G B S Raju, T V Narendran and others. The launch of a number of first-of-theirkind initiatives in the country to bring in further ease for doing business including the eBiz portal covering 14 G2B services with a common application form and an integrated payment gateway, the Common Inspection Framework, which will synchronise the inspections were widely appreciated said the officials. Kumar Mangalam Birla congratulated Odisha for providing highly favourable ecosystem for investors while Sumit Mazumder, president; CII said that today Odisha is one of the most talked about states in the country amongst the investors. The CM unveiled "Odisha Industrial Development Plan: Vision" during the event aiming to make the state a manufacturing hub of the East. (Agencies)
DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
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NEIGHBOURS
Nepal PM to undertake six-day India visit from today New Delhi, Feb. 19 : Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will arrive in New Delhi today on a six-day visit to India. This is first visit of Mr Oli abroad after assuming office in October last year.Mr Oli will be accorded ceremonial reception at the forecourts of the Rashtrapati Bhawan tomorrow.The visiting dignitary will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold delegation level talks. Thereafter, the two countries will exchange agreements. Mr.Oli will be accompanied by senior members of the Nepal Cabinet. During the visit, the two sides are expected to hold wide ranging discussions on issues of mutual concern, as well as on strengthening bilateral cooperation in diverse areas including developmental assistance, energy and connectivity.The visit is expected to lead a further strengthening of India's age-old, close and friendly relations with the Himalayan nation. Speaking to media on the eve of his visit to India,
Mr Oli said, rebuilding the friendship with India is Nepal's biggest mission and the the focus is to take the bilateral relations to a new heights.Ahead of his visit, Prime Minister Oli said India's invitation to him for an official visit is indicative of its acceptance to Nepal's recently p r o m u l g a t e d constitution."It wouldn't be wise to say that the constitution has not been welcomed since the prime minister after its promulgation has been invited with the honour," he said. He said during his visit he will clear the doubts about Nepal in India, bring the relations between the two friendly nations back to normal, inform India about the growing investmentfriendly environment in Nepal and strengthen the multidimensional NepalIndia relations."As my India tour has been termed 'agenda less' so I have a bigger responsibility on me. With specific agendas, I would have been confined with
Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli limited issues but now I will have to talk about a range of issues," Oli told media at his official residence in Baluwatar in Kathmanduon on Thursday."I have great expectation from this visit. India has already begun to show friendly gestures and I will make sure to take it to a new height. I will not forge any agreements that are against national interest."Oli also said that his India visit follows invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi."Like Nepal, India too has given utmost importance
to this visit. So this visit has been called state visit," he said. When asked whether he will bring up the issues of Nepal-India border, Oli replied that this is not a time to talk about such issues.He said Nepal-India relations are based on honesty, friendliness and trust upon each other rather than on crooked diplomacy.Apart from having delegation-level talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Oli will call on President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, and inter-
act with several Indian ministers and officials. According to a report in the Kathmandu Post, at least four memorandums of understanding (MoUs), including two on line of credit and reconstruction aid, are expected to be signed during the visit.The MoUs will be signed on an India-announced USD 1 billion line of credit and another USD 1 billion assistance for Nepal's reconstruction effort. These two MoUs will provide framework for utilising the Indian aid.During his visit to Nepal in August 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced USD 1 billion line of credit to Nepal for various infrastructure projects.Similarly, India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during the donors' conference in June had announced an-
other USD 1 billion loan and aid to Nepal for reconstruction efforts. Another MoU is expected to be signed between Sanggeetnatak Academy of India and Natya Sangeet Academy of Nepal to exchange various cultural programmes. Similarly, Radio Nepal and All India Radio will sign another MoU cooperation and exchange of various programmes. Respective governments from both sides have already got these MoUs approved from the respective Cabinets, said sources.During Oli's visit, a formal announcement of importing 80 MW electricity through the recently installed Dhalkebar- Muzaffarpur 400kV transmission line will also be made.Besides four MoUS, several other MoUs could also be signed. (ANI)
Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will arrive in New Delhi today on a six-day visit to India. This is first visit of Mr Oli abroad after assuming office in October last year
Dhaka Police deploys 9000 personnel at Shaheed Minar
35 eminent Bangladesh citizens say drop sedition charge against newspaper editor
Dhaka, Feb.19 : Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed a four-tier security measure at the Central Shaheed Minar and in surrounding areas ahead of the International Mother Language Day on February 21.DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah, as saying at a press briefing that 8,000 uniformed policemen and 1,000 plainclothes detectives will be deployed in these areas. He also said that vehicular movement would be restricted, and that the route between Shahbagh and Shaheed Minar will be under CCTV camera surveillance. Commissioner Miah said that the general public will be allowed to march towards Shaheed Minar to offer tributes after 12.45 a.m. after President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, cabinet members and foreign diplomats leave the premises. (ANI)
Dhaka, Feb.19 : Thirtyfive eminent citizens of Bangladesh have, in a statement, called for the withdrawal of sedition charges against Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam. Anam has been charged with sedition for publishing unverified stories of corruption against Sheikh Hasina during 2007-08, when a caretaker regime was in force.Condemning the filing of 75 cases against Anam, including 17 sedition-related prosecution
Myanmar to vaccinate millions of U-5 children against polio Yangon, Feb. 19 : Myanmar is set to launch a nationwide immunization campaign in this weekend in an effort to reduce the under-five mortality, according to the ministry of health on Friday.The nationwide immunization campaign, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, is expected to see 4.6 million children under five vaccinated against polio. Last month, the vaccination campaign on 2.45 million children under five was initially conducted in 171 potential pandemic townships across the country, gaining a vaccination rate of 99.8 percent.Myanmar has carried out such campaign for children under five since 1996 and was among all ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which were declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as polio-free countries in March 2014. (Agencies)
pleas, the citizens, in their statement, called for an end to the smear campaign. They said the Daily Star editor should have been commended for a rare display of professional values after he had regretted "publishing without verification a few stories based on information provided by a state intelligence agency during the military-backed caretaker government rule in 2007".Instead,
they said, he is being harassed, which is sad, unexpected and frustrating, adding that the present scenario would discourage journalists and even others from spontaneously admitting their mistakes in future and would give rise to falsehood in society.The eminent citizens also called for a constructive discussion on what legal and administrative actions should be taken to stop interference of the state intelligence agencies in
the functioning of a free media in the country. Anam has been charged with trying to uproot the democratic government system by helping the unconstitutional government in its efforts to banish Hasina and other political leaders from politics. The cases against Anam were filed after he attended a television talk show on February 6, where he admitted that he had had a lapse of edi-
torial judgement in publishing a few reports which were based on information provided by the Task Force Interrogation Cell during the 2007-08 tenure of the last caretaker government. He said he had published those without verifying them independently.The lawsuits against Anam claimed that the reports run by the newspaper led to the arrest of Bangladesh Awami League president Sheikh Hasina. (ANI)
Pakistan lodges FIR into Pathankot terror attack case Islamabad, Feb 19: Pakistani authorities have lodged an FIR into the Pathankot terror attack case, officials said today, after weeks of probe into the assault that led to the postponement of IndoPak Foreign Secretarylevel talks. The FIR was registered at CounterTerrorism Department (CTD) centre at Gujranwala in Punjab province yesterday. According to a CTD official, the FIR was needed to start police and judicial proceedings on the basis of evidence collected in connection with the attack for which India has blamed Pakistanbased Jaish-eMohammed (JeM) militant group. India has identified Maulana Masood Azhar as the mastermind of the attack. It has also blamed
phone numbers con- tants before an Anti-Tertacted by the militants rorism Court (ATC) for during the attack. possessing jihadi litera\A police official said ture. The suspects were that after the registration arrested by CTD from a of the FIR, any accused seminary run by JeM in can be presented before Mundeyki, where the the court for start of a for- headquarters of the 2008 mal trial. According to Mumbai attack masterintelligence officials, mind Hafiz Saeed's about a dozen suspects Jamaat-u-Dawah is lowere arrested in Pakistan cated. Pakistan Prime Pakistani authorities have lodged an FIR into the Pathankot following the attack. The Minister Sharif had FIR has reportedly been formed the six-member terror attack case registered on the recom- investigation team his brother Rauf and five tional Security Adviser mendations of a six- headed by Additional Inothers for carrying out Ajit Doval that four at- member special team spector General of the attack that killed all tackers probably crossed probing the attack. Last Punjab's CTD Rai Tahir six terrorists and seven from Pakistan into India month CTD police to probe India's assertion Indian soldiers. The FIR and attacked the airbase Gujranwala had pre- that JeM was behind the number 06/2016 was on January 2. sented three JeM mili- attack. (Agencies) lodged under sections The attack led to the Pakistani authorities have lodged an 302, 324 and 109 of the postponement of a Pakistan Penal Code, and scheduled meeting beFIR into the Pathankot terror attack sections 7 and 21-I of the tween Foreign Secretarcase, officials said today, after weeks Anti-Terrorism Act. No- ies of Pakistan and India of probe into the assault that led to body has been named in in January in Islamabad. the postponement of Indo-Pak Forthe report lodged on the Since then, no date has basis of informations been fixed for talks. The eign Secretary-level talks. provided by India's Na- FIR also shows the tele-
Beijing, five other cities to jointly fight smog Beijing, Feb 19 : China's national environmental authority has launched a new plan that targets Beijing, Tianjin and four neighbouring cities with restrictions aiming to curb severe smog, the media reported on Friday. The six core cities will have a unified response
against severe air pollution by March 15, the first step in coordinating regional efforts to determine alert levels and issue responses, said Chen Jining, minister of environmental protection,. In addition to the capital of Beijing and the northern major port hub of Tianjin, the cities are
Tianjin-Hebei area, known as the trilateral region, has seen worse air quality than the cities in two other industrial regions - the Yangtze River and Pearl River Among them, Baoding deltas. has ranked at the bottom for two consecutive years In December, three spells among the 74 major cit- of smog hit the region, ies in terms of air driving readings of maquality.The Beijing- jor airborne pollutants to Baoding, Langfang, Tangshan and Cangzhou in Hebei province, all of which have frequently seen severe smog since 2013.
alarmingly hazardous levels, and many cities issued alerts. The capital issued the highest response, red alert, twice - implementing tough restrictions like suspending industrial production and slashing by half the number of vehicles allowed on roads. (Agencies)
Bahrain notes importance of having strong ties with Sri Lanka
Bahrain has said it is important to continue strengthening the bilateral relations with Sri Lanka.
Colombo,Feb 19: Bahrain has said it is important to continue strengthening the bilateral relations with Sri Lanka.Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain, said this when he met the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Dr A. Saj U. Mendis, at Gudaibiya Palace. During the meeting, Prince Salman welcomed the steady growth of ties between Bahrain and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka across a range of areas.Prince Salman also noted that continuing to strengthen bilateral relations with Sri
Lanka underlines the Kingdom's commitment to further enhancing trade relations and cultural exchange with South Asian countries.He added that on-going bilateral visits between Bahrain and South Asian countries plays an important role in bolstering all levels of bilateral relations.Prince Salman then welcomed the newly appointed Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Kingdom, and wished him every success in his new diplomatic assignment.In response, the Sri Lankan Ambassador expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet with Prince Salman and emphasised Sri Lanka's commitment to further strengthening ties with the Kingdom. (Agencies)
Radio reporter murdered in the Philippines New York, Feb 19: Authorities in the Philippines should swiftly bring to justice the killers of radio reporter Elvis Banggoy Ordaniza, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Ordaniza was shot and killed on Tuesday in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, on the country's southernmost main island of Mindanao, according to news reports.According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP). Ordaniza, 49, a reporter for radio station dxWO Power99 FM in Pitogo, was killed by two bullets to the chest while preparing dinner at his home near the small town of Poblacion. Ordaniza was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival, NUJP reported. An early police report also said witnesses saw only one gunman, according to the organization. "Elvis Ordaniza's murder is the most recent in a long chain of killings in the Philippines, making it one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist," said Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia program coordinator. "Police must investigate the murder and
bring the perpetrators swiftly to justice."Citing Ordaniza's colleagues, news media reported that Ordaniza had returned to civilian life after membership in the New People's Army (NPA), and had been reporting on the illegal drug trade and illegal gambling in Zamboanga. The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been waging a low-intensity insurrection since 1969. It was not clear when Ordaniza left the group. Police regional Chief Superintendent Miguel Antonio ordered a thorough investigation to determine the motive of the killing, according to press reports.Ordaniza is the first journalist killing that CPJ has documented this year in the Philippines. In 2015, seven were killed, according to CPJ research. Partially due to the lack of prosecutions, CPJ has been unable to confirm whether any of the killings were directly related to journalistic work, and continues to investigate. The Philippines ranks fourth on CPJ's Impunity Index, which spotlights countries where journalists are murdered and the killers go free. (Agencies)
China to make permanent residency easier for foreigners Beijing, Feb 19: China plans to make it easier for foreigners to live and work in the country under new rules for obtaining permanent residency. Guidelines issued by China's Cabinet aim to expand the categories of foreigners in China eligible to obtain the Chinese equivalent of a US green card. Procedures will also be simplified and restrictions relaxed on foreign students seeking jobs in the country. The changes come as China's economy is slowing and once-robust interest among foreign investors is falling.More than 7,000 foreigners have obtained
China plans to make it easier for foreigners to live and work in the country under new rules for obtaining permanent residency.
permanent residency since the policy was adopted in 2004, a small fraction of the roughly 600,000 living in China.Many of those received the status as a reward for meritorious service to China's economy, the arts and sciences. (Agencies)
China plans to make it easier for foreigners to live and work in the country under new rules for obtaining permanent residency
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DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Modi's New Mantra: 'If You're Not With Me, You're Anti-National' Curtains Down South Asian Games The 12-day sporting extravaganza ended with a closing ceremony that complimented a grand opening ceremony suitably showcasing the rich culture of the host region. Filled with unbridled excitement and fervour of the participants and people , the stadium at Sarusajai exploded in revelry and celebration of the sports , friendship and togetherness. The successful conduct of the Games is to be seen in the context of record time in which it was executed. It was barely six months ago when the two cities Guwahati and Shillong were finalised as venues. Curtains came down on the 12th South Asian Games 2016, held in Guwahati and Shillong. The event has been widely hailed as the best South Asian Games, ever organised. The Games involved about 4500 participants including around 2600 athletes in 22 disciplines. All the eight countries participated in the 12-day sporting extravaganza. 12th South Asians Games saw a record medal haul by India. Out of total 789 medals won by Athletes, India won a record 308 medals, which is almost 40% of all the medals. 12 new records were created in Athletics, out of which 10 belonged to India. Out of the 28 records created in Swimming, 19 belonged to India. Last season of SAG was hosted in Dhaka. It was done in 2010 in which India topped the games with 175 medals out of which 90 were gold. This exhibits that sustained efforts by Government of India to boost sporting excellence through expansion of sporting infrastructure and support programmes for various sports disciplines in the country is bearing results. Also extraordinary security arrangements were made to ensure smooth conduct of the 12-day event without any hitch across the two cities of Guwahati and Shillong. And thereby the next South Asian Games will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal. With the support and guidance of Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, he played a big role in bringing various Ministries and Departments of Government of India, public sector undertakings, Governments of Assam and Meghalaya and other key players together to deliver the finest ever South Asian Games. Successful conduct of these games has written a golden page in the history of North Eastern region. It has not only set a quality benchmark for conduct of future games, but had also given an surprising boost to the confidence of the North Eastern region to host much bigger international sporting events in future.
NREGA completes 10 years Still far to go The fruits of a people's movement and the world's largest anti-poverty public works, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in the year 2015 provided employment to 22% of all rural homes. At its peak five years ago, it was a lifeline for 55 million, or one in every three rural homes. But it has yet to expand to its full potential. Up to 70% of interested poor households did not receive any NREGA work between 2004-05 and 2011-12, reports the India Human Development Survey 2 (IHDS2). Unemployment allowance, stipulated in the law, has also rarely been paid as a substitute. Nevertheless, for recipient families, 32% of their poverty decline comes from NREGA alone, according to IHDS2. Under the law, promulgated in 2005, each household is guaranteed 100 days of work every year. But, on average, each NREGA household received only 45 days of work over the last decade-less than half the guarantee. The lowest average was last year: 38 days. Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal clocked in even less. So, it is ironic that recently the Central government has expanded the guarantee to 150 days of work in 14 drought-affected states. Odisha further increased the cap to 200 days. In several states, such as Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan, NREGA wages are lower than the minimum wages for unskilled agricultural work, which makes it difficult to attract workers, especially the youth, who often prefer to migrate to urban areas. Yet, this safety net has bolstered their bargaining power even on distant shores, as scores of migrants from Bihar will testify. On a more positive front, 40% of households employed under the law are impoverished Dalits and Adivasis, even without any explicit targeting. The IDHS2 attributes 38% and 28% reduction in poverty in employed Dalit and Adivasi (tribal) homes, respectively, to NREGA alone. As importantly, in India's patriarchal society, the NREGA has emerged as a torchbearer for women's empowerment. As many as 55% NREGA workers in 2014-15 were women, and their participation has soared 38% over the last decade. Despite the Prime Minister's mockery of the lifeline in Parliament last year, the Bharatiya Janata Party, at the 10th anniversary celebration of NREGA, hailed it as the nation's "pride." Tripura is the only state to offer urban dwellers guaranteed employment. With the tide turning, the clamour has now begun for its nationwide replication. The next decade holds much promise for the right to work.
Will I be called anti national, Mr. Prime Minister, for expressing my dissent against your government? The Indian government is at war with college campus activists across the country. Ever since Narendra Modi became the prime minister of the country almost two years ago, his government has launched a concerted attempt to stifle liberal voices in the country. His main targets have been India's universities, which have historically been liberal and secular playgrounds. The latest victim of this ideological crusade is the New Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru university (JNU), a prestigious and much-sought-after educational institution. The president of the JNU student's union Kanhaiya Kumar has been arrested under sedition charges and senior ministers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government have termed his voice of dissent on the university's campus as "anti-national." It all started last week, when a group of JNU students held an event to commemorate the hanging of Afzal Guru, a convicted terrorist in the 2001 attack on India's parliament who was hanged to death in 2013. According to the reliable sources inside the campus, some Kashmiri students shouted anti-India slogans when members of the BJP's student wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), provoked them and claimed undisputed rights over Kashmir. These sorts of clashes of
ideas and points of views are supposed to be the identity of the JNU campus. Students debate openly and challenge established notions. The government now questions this openness and freedom-the very democratic right of dissent-in the name of nationalism. It's not that such questioning has taken place on the campus for the first time: Anyone who has studied in Delhi and has been part of the university culture in the city can vouch for the culture of nonconformism across the JNU campus, which was built in 1960s to promote higher education in India. The Hindu right-wing government, which has never found any considerable foothold on the campus, is trying to infiltrate this bastion of liberalism and free thought by using the might of the state. The academic life of the campus is now in a complete state of paralysis, with students and teachers alike out on the streets demanding the release of the student union president. In a hard-hitting article in a leading daily from India, Pratap Bhanu Mehta writes that "we are living under a government that is both rabidly malign and politically incompetent. It is using nationalism to crush constitutional patriotism, legal tyranny to crush dissent, political power to settle petty scores, and administrative power to destroy institutions."
He further adds that life. This blatant interference "make no mistake: the pur- in the internal affairs of one pose of such a use of state of the premier universities power is to put all defend- in south has injected a deep ers of liberty, all radical crit- sense of fear among stuics of the state, on the de- dents. fensive. Its purpose is to Similarly, the Film and make traitors of all of us." Television Institute of India A similar form of interfer- (FTII), a major center for art ence by the ruling party at a and film-making, has been university under susi n tained atHyderabad tack by the Sanjay Kumar forced Modi govRohith ernment Chakravarthi Vemula, a PhD over the many months. The student, to suicide. A stu- government intends to condent from the dalit commu- trol the free-thinking, liberal
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. nity, a highly marginalized social group in India, he was denied a scholarship and his admission was terminated on the ground that he was questioning the beliefs and values of the Hindu religion. The central education minister, Smriti Irani, acting on the complaint of the ABVP, humiliated him to the point that he took his own
culture in the institute and wants to promote Hindu nationalism in the academy, which has produced many well-known artists over the last five decades. The rightwing BJP wants the FTII to be headed by Gajendra Chauhan, whose sole claim to fame is his proximity to the ruling party. Never before in its decades-long his-
tory has the institute been headed by a person of such limited artistic accomplishments; it was always mentored by leading film personalities who have proven credentials in the world of art and film. The BJP government's intolerance towards liberal India is also seen in a range of other issues, including its ban on beef, attack on rationalist writers, campaign against so-called "love jihad" and its blatant attempt to rewrite history. Many of these campaigns have come together to resemble a concerted campaign against India's Muslim minority. Modi received a historic mandate in 2014 after he ran promising good governance and economic development, but more than 20 months into his tenure, the predominant narrative of the government is no longer about development. Instead, the government is more focused on implementing a divisive agenda at the behest of the BJP and its patron organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Modi promised a government that would take everyone under its wings, but he has let loose deeply divisive forces, both inside and outside his party. The latest incident at JNU has shocked Indian society and seriously raised questions about the intentions of the government. Ever since the BJP came to
power, it has been at war with those who do not subscribe to its right-wing Hindu ideology. It terms anyone who raises a dissenting voice as "anti national." The JNU episode is a classic case of how the government wants to control the political discourse of the country. It reveals how the government is desperate to stifle all liberal voices who would dare question the right wing narrative. The irony in the JNU case is that the BJP, which terms all those who question Afzal Guru's hanging as anti-national, has been sharing power with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir, which hails the Kashmiri separatist as a hero. The BJP has so far failed to inject dynamism into the economy and introduce long-promised structural reforms. By peddling the narrative of nationalism, the Hindu rightwing group wants to polarize Indian politics and continue to win elections across the country. By empowering the forces of political belligerence, the Modi regime is trying to hide its own failures on the economic front. The prime minister's political actions prove his critics right that he cannot come out of his sectarian mindset. Despite being the prime minister of India for almost two years, he continues to polarize the Indian society. Courtesy: The Diplomat
Besides 'Make in India,' How About 'Visit India'? India needs a tourism revolution that can boost its economy At a recent business conclave in Mumbai in the context of the "Make in India Week," CNN's famed foreign affairs commentator Fareed Zakaria made an innocuous suggestion to India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during the course of an interview. "Another area of job creation which strikes me," said Zakaria, "is not quite 'Make in India' but 'Visit India.' " Citing the example of Dubai, which has generated considerable wealth by promoting tourism, Zakaria proposed that if India could boost tourist inflow somehow, it could create a host of low-skill opportunities in the hospitality sector and beyond. The comment is unlikely to garner as much attention as Zakaria's other questions to Jaitley regarding India's tax reforms and its upcoming budget announcement. But tourism is a highly understated and much neglected trump card for India's economy, particularly given the spread of Indian cultural elements around the world in recent years. From Bollywood and cricket, to yoga and festivals such as Holi and Diwali,
Mohamed Zeeshan contemporary Indian culture has made its mark in different parts of the world, in large part due to India's widespread diaspora. While Hollywood movies once depicted India as a land of snake charmers and fakirs, India is now known for having a vibrant culture made richer by the country's tremendous diversity. Yet, the numbers in the tourism industry are underwhelming. According to the World Bank, in 2013, fewer than 7 million foreign tourists arrived on India's shores - far less than the number of tourists who visited much smaller countries such as Denmark and Bahrain, and even below tourist arrivals in cities such as Dubai and Singapore. By contrast, China attracted a whopping 55 million tourists that year while France topped the world rankings with 85 million tourist arrivals. There are a great many reasons for India's poor showing. Take infrastructure. India boasts as many
as 32 World Heritage Sites and two Biodiversity Hotspots, but connectivity to many of these areas is still underdeveloped. Transportation is made cumbersome by a network of roads that
Many cities are also now severely overcrowded. Bangalore, once named India's "Garden City," has now become infamous for its disappearing green spaces and has lost more than 60 of its most pristine lakes in the last few decades. Some of these issues have been taken up by the Indian government. In his last bud-
While expanding its railway network, India must also consider running semi-luxury tourist trains to select tourist hotspots and scenic landscapes, much like tourist rail lines in countries such as Switzerland. Initiatives and campaigns such as "Smart Cities" and "Clean India" also have to be backed up with a revamp of India's underperforming municipality system and the creation of lines to address issues in the nation's cities. are badly in need of repair. Trains too are in need of upgrading and better maintenance, and waterways remain a highly neglected mode of transport despite India's abundance of rivers.
get, Jaitley announced a "National Investment and Infrastructure Fund" with Rs 200 billion ($2.9 billion) for infrastructure development as well as tax-free bonds for projects in road-
ways and railways. Additional measures are expected in the upcoming budget. To tackle the need for better urban planning and development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the "Smart Cities" project, which will bring better civic amenities, infrastructure and governance to 100 cities across India. But more needs to be done, and workable models are already in place in many parts of the world. While expanding its railway network, India must also consider running semi-luxury tourist trains to select tourist hotspots and scenic landscapes, much like tourist rail lines in countries such as Switzerland. Initiatives and campaigns such as "Smart Cities" and "Clean India" also have to be backed up with a revamp of India's underperforming municipality system and the creation of lines to address issues in the nation's cities. Meanwhile, better management of India's loss-making national carrier Air India could bring with it not just more public funds, but also more foreign tourists, as the experience of airlines in the Gulf has shown.
The despotic school authority Sir, Of late, it has been observed, some English medium schools in a show of temerity shows disrespect to the local language. The matter has come to such a pass that different organizations had to rush to such schools to ventilate their grievances, raising slogans against the school authorities. At Tezpur, the Don Bosco school had been locked by angry mob. There can be no two opinions about the fact that in English medium school, maximum focus is on learning English,either spoken or written. It does not mean that the school authority should punish the students having conversation in local vernacular language. In our opinion, the school authority cannot impose a ban on the local vernacular language. A good student regardless of the language in which he/she speaks will come out in
the final examination with flying colours. It is illogical and inhuman on the part of the school authority to punish such students having conversation in their vernacular language. Recently, in such a school of Guwahati, some of the guardians were turned out for their inability in speaking English. Again, in the prestigious 'Little Flower School' of Dibrugarh about a year ago small girls of lower class had been given corporeal punishment but the matter got subsided after the guardians raised hue and cry. We pity our state government for its failure to bridle the despotism of such English medium schools. Yours etc. Ashok Bordoloi Dibrugarh
Finally, India must tie up with its South Asian neighbors in order to integrate the region into one large tourism market. Countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives are already tourist hotspots and would stand to benefit greatly if India were to spearhead the launch of a common tourist visa on some scale. This would also help boost tourist arrivals into India by offering foreign tourists a package deal of multiple countries. (That is part of why Switzerland and Sweden decided to join the Schengen zone, despite staying out of the EU). Just as importantly, the initiative would help India nurture better relations among neighbors in a region noted for its perennial infighting.India has long neglected the potential of tourism in its economic growth plans. Tourism won't just bring the country revenue from overseas; it will also create jobs and attract investment in sectors such as hospitality, real estate and infrastructure. All of this could be gained through a few fairly simple policy initiatives. Courtesy: The Diplomat
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DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
OP-ED
Prohibition Paradox Samhita Barooah Prohibition is such a mirage that seems real but actually it is like a prism which refracts light into another direction. Prohibition is always coercive and restrictive. It has done more harm than help in the Indian context. There is always a human endeavour to test the limits of strictures and survival instincts can compel any human to unleash the bindings of prohibition. Negative connotation of the world has always attracted positive reactions. Somehow inverse correlation gets established through a reflexive association. Sociocultural sanctions in every society are the gatekeepers of prohibition. In India, law and social media seems to be some of the vibrant and potent channels of prohibition these days. But prohibition without regulation and innovation is detrimental to both human and natural contexts. In Nagaland, there is prohibition of liquor sale and use in public and private spaces. Ironically, most of the causes of liver failure and stomach cancer are alchohol abuse. Prohibition is directly linked to abuse also. Since people do not find alchohol easily there is a tendency to abuse its intake. Prohibition of liquor in Naga Hills is welcome move from the state and church bodies but its impact on people seems to be extreme. Accessibility and affordability of alchohol becomes very difficult in the open so there is a huge market roaring and surviving on those who can afford and those who are trapped in the debts due to alchohol. People mortgage their shoes, coats, mobile phones and any such expensive items to buy alchohol at ex-
Image for graphical representation. orbitant interest rates not less than 10 percent. Alchohol use has led people to abuse their own family members, kith and kin. Sometimes fights get so extreme that people cannot afford to pay the fine also. 'Abuser pays' principle also applies in some villages which can be considered to be a deterrent but most of the times, it backfires and the pressure of payment falls on the abuser's families and supporters. For some people alchohol is part of the status symbol, so if a rural youth has not tasted alchohol, it is below the standards of social constructs and his masculinity. Prohibition without monitoring is making the rich richer and the vulnerable groups are getting embezzled in the traps of prohibition. Most addicts whose life depends on minimum use of alchohol are leading inhuman lives, socially excluded and financially doomed. Neither do they have enough resources
for de-addiction, counselling support for constant follow nor are they getting any treatment after multiple relapses which affect them both mentally and physically. All that pseudo prohibition has done is to create a label and stigmatise persons who are under the influence of alcohol. Hence the paradox of religion, class, ethnicity, gender and race is literally wiping out generations of potentialities from Nagaland through easy access to illegal trade, fine system, aggression in dealing with addiction issues and lack of communication with youths. Everything is practiced, yet under the veil of prohibition. Prohibition is such an invisible order which has shielded only the powerful and disrobed the powerless. Such a paradox has led to gender based violence, women are much more marginalised within their home spaces and excluded further from the so-
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cial, cultural and political decision-making. Women face even more pressure from the customary construct of a closed community when they get into addiction. Some women face persecution and public shaming when they drink and lose their senses. Some commit suicide to avoid any form of character assassination and social alienation and others gets labelled as mentally challenged even when they are minor drinkers. Prohibition has never done any positive change rather a holistic and multipronged approach with adequate social responsibility is the need of the hour. Legislations and strictures need amendments and repositioning when society is in constant transition. Without a proactive and pragmatic approach to address age-old critical social problems, only prohibition in the name of a larger cultural ideal is going to silence the voices of the unheard masses. Cultural complexities coupled with religious diktats strengthen prohibition norms and also make oppressors out of the commoners whose morality tangents are defined by prohibition orders. Such oppressors take pride in cleansing society from the ills of alchohol and conflicts which follows from its abuse through their most inhuman acts of coercion. The whirlpool of poverty, disillusion, despair and disruption affects an individual, a family, a neighbourhood, a community and a state in a multidimensional process due to prohibition paradox. It is time that the consciousness of the community is raised to address the critical implications of such strategies which are making a few rich and powerful while millions are left crippled and indebted. Courtesy: thethumbprintmag
According to the eminent historian Benedict Anderson, a 'nation' is an imagined community. This community typically shares a common language or, at least, a common culture. Only then does the imagination hold a contextual meaning to it. While that is evident in the case of many modern western nation-states, what about India? Our country has more differences than commonalities. With 22 official languages and cultures that change from state to state, or even within a state, our sense of a nation is virtually an imagined notion. The geographical concept of India as we see it today has been thrust upon us by 'white' colonial rulers. And since then, we have been trying to box ourselves into this idea of one nation. Of course, this has given us a common identity and, perhaps, helped us Indians bond together in spite having such disparate cultures. But can centuries of oppression be remedied under the garb of nationalism? The idea of the modern nation-state of India, as envisaged by Jawaharlal Nehru and our constitutional architect Ambedkar, was supposed to make us leap past feudalism, casteism, and religious fundamentalism. Certainly, progress has been made but judging by the turmoil today, the right-wing seems hell-bent on reversing this by painting the country with a saffron brush. They want to foist an imagined 'India' and prescribe a particular definition of nation and nationalism that ignores the inherent schisms in our society. A nation consists of people and not just land said Gurazada Apparao, an eminent Telugu poet. So what good is a nation that ignores the sentiments of its people? Can we use the same yardstick to measure the feelings
of nationalism in a Dalit sanitation worker and a privileged army general? Is Irom Sharmila less of an
loans and yet be honoured with Padma Bhushans and Vibhushans but Dalit scholars are not paid their sti-
Is the right-wing trying to paint the nation saffron in the name of 'Nationalism'? Indian for protesting against pends for sharing their the dracoviews on Nijam Gara nian Armed facebook? Forces (Special On anPowers) Act? Does Killing other level, when a governMohammad Akhlaq for eat- ment wishes to curtail the
A nation consists of people and not just land said Gurazada Apparao, an eminent Telugu poet. So what good is a nation that ignores the sentiments of its people? Can we use the same yardstick to measure the feelings of nationalism in a Dalit sanitation worker and a privileged army general? ing mutton make the angry mob that lynched him more Indian? Why is a tainted MLA in Gujarat out on bail despite being convicted for instigating mob violence in 2002 while a student leader of one of the most prestigious universities is languishing in judicial custody (booked under the draconian sedition law) for making a speech that was unsavory to the ruling elite? Ambani pilfering natural oil reserves in the KrishnaGodavari basin thanks to the largesse of elected governments (both Congress and non-Congress) does not count as an 'anti-India' act? Big corporate honchos can default on thousands of crores of public sector bank
basic freedoms of its citizens in the name of nationalism, it should be equally accountable for its responsibilities towards the citizens. The alacrity with which it has acted to rusticate 'anti-national' students from Hyderabad Central University, that ultimately led to Rohith Vemula's death, is missing when it comes to preventing the massacre of innocent people in Muzaffarnagar. The enthusiasm it showed in arresting Kanhaiya Kumar is clearly lacking when it comes to investigating the cold-blooded murder of more than 20 Dalit labourers by the Andhra Pradesh police in the forests of Tirupathi.
It is thus abundantly clear that the government has little regard for the Dalits and Muslims of this country. This seems to be an extension of the Vedic law whereby a Dalit speaking 'out of turn' is to be dealt with severely. Countless examples from the famed Puranas (such as Sambuka, Ekalavya, etc.) are just being replayed in real life by the right-wing power that now have a majority in government thanks to the media-created Modi mania. There is clearly a war on Dalits, Muslims and liberals in the country. If we compare what is going on today in India with perhaps the most modern nation-state, the USA, 'Black Lives Matter' or 'Occupy Wall Street' supporters were never labeled anti-national or seditious by the government. Since our leaders are all too eager to import American capitalism, why not take a leaf out of their book on how to handle student protests? But, is there a silver lining in all this despotism that is being perpetuated in our nation? Ironically, the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party from its battered Jan Sangh days offers an example. The right-wing has been able to spread its political tentacles in the country thanks to the Emergency regime of Indira Gandhi. Similarly, the strong show of strength by agitating liberal students across universities amidst the repressive tactics of the Modi government today will hopefully pave the way for a muchneeded, truly liberal political force in the country. Perhaps, unwittingly, the Manuvadis' display of power is only leading to a previously unseen unity among Dalits, Muslims and likeminded liberals in the country. As J.R.R. Tolkien states, "‌Oft hope is born when all is forlorn."
You didn't celebrate love this Valentine's Day, you celebrated capitalism. Here's why
Image for graphical representation.
St. Valentine's Day just passed us by. Most of us must have been busy making reservations at expensive restaurants and buying flowers, cakes, cookies and scented candles. It's a festival of love. Family, friends and pets can join too. Apart from these, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Akshay Tritiya and the rest force us to conform to the norm of expressing emotions by buying 'stuff'. Can we trace a connection between these festivals, which celebrate our relationships with each other and with religion, to capitalism? Consider the following argument. In a capitalistic and globalised world, the fulcrum of the economic progression of society is based upon manufacturing desire. Capitalists are constantly trying to artificially produce consumer-
ist desires in us and one extremely effective way in which it is done is by changing our culture. By culture, I mean the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society. 'Measuring' success itself has capitalist overtones in the sense that prosperity is invariably linked to the economic status of a person. Another clever way in which capitalism has succeeded in generating consumerism is by eliminating any sort of confluence of the different spheres of our lives. For example, our work lives, our lives at home, our religious beliefs, our lives as students etc. have been de-linked with each other, so that we can be sold suitable products in order to navigate through them. To generate a market for a product which is not in
demand (and not the surplus of that product or its substitute) is a tricky problem for capitalism. One way of doing it is by trying to bring about a cultural change to generate desire. This is not a linear arrangement but both feed each other in a positive loop. Two examples may be used to describe this relationship. Romanticising Diamonds Here, capitalists have been successful in turning diamonds into objects of desire. Diamonds were, in the past, usually seen as an accessory of the aristocracy. The aim was to create a desire for it among the masses. To do this, a perception was created - that diamonds are rare, valuable, and are a sign of indestructible love. This portrayal of diamonds captured in the motto 'A Diamond is forever' is a result of a fairly recent advertising campaign. The word 'forever' signifies to the consumer that diamonds are not a resalable stone and, once bought, must become an inheritable object within the family. This emotional attachment to diamonds was fabricated to prevent people from buying diamonds as an investment and then re-selling them which would have resulted in price fluctuations. In the 19th (around 1870) century, huge diamond mines were discovered in South Africa which created a surplus of the stone in the market. The capitalists who were involved in diamond trade
realised that their invest- Beers explained, in its ments were in danger and 1948 strategy paper, that the rarity and scarcity "‌We spread the word of of diamonds were their diamonds worn by stars of only selling point. There- screen and stage, by wives fore, to keep diamond and daughters of political prices from falling and to leaders, by any woman protect their investments, who can make the grocer's a cartel called De Beers wife and the mechanic's Consolidated Mines Ltd. sweetheart say 'I wish I (owned by Cecil Rhodes) had what she has.'" Even was created in 1888. Its in societies where courtpurpose was to control ship and love marriages production and perpetuate are not the norm, the det h e sire for m i s d i a c o n monds Karuna Maharaj ception h a s t h a t generdiamonds were indeed ated a good market. rare. Santa Coca-Cola The advertising cam- Claus paign that was run by Few of us know how them was to convince defining a role a Cocaboth sexes that diamonds Cola advertising camwere a necessary precur- paign played in making sor to marriage and court- the character of Santa ship. Men were fed the Claus so ubiquitous. Beidea that the size and qual- fore 1931, Santa had been ity of the diamond they depicted differently from purchased was directly the joyful, potbellied and proportional to their love obese Santa we know and and socio-economic sta- love today. He was sometus. Women, on the other times depicted as a small hand, were told that dia- elf-like character, or monds are their 'best scrawny and tall, somefriends' and that they de- times as a classy intellecserved a diamond. tual and sometimes even Celebrities, the epitome as a scary character. In of romantic love were to 1931, Coca-Cola commisbe showcased wearing sioned the Swedishdiamonds that were pre- American artist Haddon sented to them by their Sundblom to paint Santa romantic interests. Stories Claus for the company's were published in maga- Christmas advertisezines and newspapers to ments. buttress the relationship Sundblom's portrayed between love, romance Santa as a kind, jolly huand diamonds. The fash- man like person with ion world was reined in to prominent laughter lines, popularise this fake trend. red cheeks, white beard Thus, desire was manu- and sparkling eyes. This factured in the relatively grandfather-style Cocapoorer wage earners (the Cola Santa fascinated and middle classes). The ad- charmed people and as the vertising agency for De company globalised its
sales, Santa's image, as established by Coca-Cola, was cemented in all our minds. Sundblom's drawings were used in the company's festive advertisements for the next 30 years further establishing in our psyche. Indianising Capitalism We have always criticised our contemporaries and our younger generations for aping the west. However, a lot of our prejudices and complexes are hidden from our analytical minds and exploited by the market. Capitalists tell us that fair is beautiful, that dark underarms are something to be ashamed of and that wearing jeans is a sign of modernity and liberty. Our food patterns are changing, with a lot of people now eating cereal in the morning for breakfast, shaking hands with all and sundry (as a way
of greeting), listening to Electronic Dance Music and buying clothes from GAP. Even the universally accepted Indian dress, the sari, and the way we wear it now is not completely us. The blouse and petticoat were never a fixture of the garment. Even our most valued labour laws (e.g. the Factories Act, 1881), which limits the number of hours men, women and children can work and provides for better working conditions were formulated to protect the profit margins of capitalists in Lancashire. The Indian cotton mills were giving tough competition to the British mill owners who lobbied for the enactment of labour welfare laws in India so that their cost of production goes up. The irony is that in the past, business, commercial activity and wealth creation as an ideology
and as an occupation was quite low in the varna system, with vaishyas being considered superior only to the shudras. With the advent of modern capital, this has now changed. The pursuit of wealth, commodities and material things is now being marketed a marker of growth and development and enjoys a higher status in society. Every action is our lives is dictated by the economic return on it, our education being the foremost slave of it. It shows our level of maturity as a capable consumer who can distinguish intelligently between various products in the supposedly free market. So, we must carefully ascertain whether we are being manipulated into celebrating these particular days every year. Do we feel pressurised to join the mainstream culture of expressing our love through material things?
DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
BUSINESS
Monsato Biotech to collaborate in CCI probe Mumbai, Feb 19: Mahyco Monsato Biotech India Ltd (MMBL) recently said it will cooperate with the investigation by the fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) and expressed confidence that the allegation against the company relating to abuse of dominance would be "ultimately dismissed". Finding prima-facie violation of competition law, the CCI has ordered a detailed probe into alleged abuse of dominance by an Indian arm of the USbased genetically modified seed giant Monsanto. "...the 'order' today is only a prima facie opinion and merely recommends an investigation. It is not a reflection of any final conclusions. We are evaluating the order in detail and our options in respect thereof," MMBL said in a statement. "MMBL has assured the CCI its full cooperation with the investi-
Aqua Shine dual SIM phone launched New Delhi, Feb 19: Smartphone maker Aqua has launched the Aqua Shine dual SIM feature phone at Rs 1199. The phone features 2.4 inch display with alphanumeric keypad and multi language support. The device is backed by a 2100 mAh battery, which runs up to 525 hours in standby mode;10 hours (talk mode) and 30 hours of (audio play). Aqua Shine has 32MB storage which can be expanded up to 16 GB with a Micro Sdcard. The phone is equipped with bluetooth, GPRS and pre-installed browser. It comes in three colours -white, black and white. (Agencies)
JSW Steel to revitalize plan Jharkhand, Feb 19: Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel is looking to revive its 10 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) steel plant in Jharkhand with proposed investments of Rs 60,000 crore, a senior company official said. "We are looking to set up the steel plant in Jharkhand and it will be a 10 mtpa unit. The project is still in drawing board stage but we are considering it in the long-term," JSW Steel Joint Managing Director and Group CFO Seshagiri Rao told. "Given Rs. 6,000 crore for a tonne, a 10 mtpa steel plant would cost Rs. 60,000 crore. We have stage one clearance for Ankua mines and awaiting for stage two clearance for the same following which we will decide the final investments." JSW has ambitious plan to increase its capacity to 40 mtpa from 14 mtpa now but its investments plans have suffered due to overcapacity in the steel sector following dumping from China and other countries at cheaper prices. (Agencies)
Image for representational purpose
gation and we remain confident that all allegations which the CCI proposes to investigate will be ultimately dismissed in their entirety," it added. Stating that the company conducts business in an honest, transparent & respectful manner, MMBL said that it remains confident that this will be evident after all relevant information has been
considered by the CCI. MMBL also said that it must be noted that a member of the CCI has found no merit in the complaints filed with the CCI. The company said that the Bollgard II technology provides tremendous benefits to Indian farmers and the licensing system fully complies with the relevant laws in India. "Further, Indian farmers have the
opportunity to choose from 6 approved technologies for biotech insect-protected cotton, in addition to the conventional methods such as chemical insecticides. The wide adoption of Bollgard and Bollgard II technologies by farmers in India is a testament of their choice and preference for the most effective solutions," the statement said. On Wednesday, the farmer can choose to access MMBL's Bollgard II technology from over 800 approved Bt-cotton hybrids provided by around 45+ licensee seed companies. "Bollgard technology has played a pivotal role in increasing cotton yields in India from 308 kg/hectare lint in 2001-02 to 570 kg/hectare lint in 2013-14 thereby generating an additional farm income of over $16.7 Billion," the company claimed. (Agencies)
4G smartphone exceed 3G volumes Mumbai, Feb 19: Samsung and Lenovo accounted for more than half of the volumes of 4G smartphone shipments in India, which surpassed 3G volumes for the first time during the fourth quarter of 2015, according to an IDC report. The 4G handset shipments spiked to 13.9 million units accounting for more than half of the market in the fourth quarter of 2015, according to the IDC. Shipments from much awaited Reliance Jio started pouring in the fourth quarter, incrementally contributing to a fast growing LTE share in India. This is despite an 11.9 per cent sequential dip in shipments in Q4, owing to weaker shipments from key Indian players. (Agencies)
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Mass drug policy to be revealed New Delhi, Feb 19: Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers is expected to come out with a new bulk drug policy in less than a month with an objective to grow the Indian pharmaceuticals sector to a $200 billion industry by 2030. Under this policy, the government wants to build an ecosystem to help pharma companies to move up in the value chain and develop new molecules through innovations. "We are coming out with a new policy. This policy should been announced six months back. Now it will be unveiled in less than a month," said Dr V K Subburaj, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceutical, Ministry of Chemicals
and Fertilizers said. The industry which grew in the last 15 years has potential to be a $200 billion industry and can be the world's largest if it scales up and moves up the value-chain. Until 1970 India was dependent on other countries for its pharmaceutical requirements and in 20 years' time it became self sufficient to meet its own requirements, he said. "India has now become a superpower as far as generic drugs are concerned. India can become a $300 billion industry including medical devices by 2030," he said quoting a FICCI report. As per this report the country's pharmaceutical industry has the potential to touch $200 billion by 2030 from the present
$32 billion. And the medical devices segment can grow from $5 billion now to $100 billion. "This is a herculean task, but possible. We must get into development of new molecules and have new drug discovery which is currently lacking. We should reach this level," he said. "If we concentrate on states where growth is less, we should be able to achieve the infrastructure requirements of the pharmaceutical industry," he added. The industry is growing at 8-9 per cent per annum at present, and even if we maintain the same growth rate, we can reach $110 billion by 2030, Subburaj said, adding that we need to overcome several challenges to achieve this herculean task. (Agencies)
Six rail projects get clearance Ferrari brings 488 GTB to India A MAJOR NOD
New Delhi, Feb 19: The government, a week ahead of the Railway Budget, cleared six proposals for doubling and construction of a third railway line worth Rs 10,793 crore.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved construction of six railways lines and a railway bridge for increased passenger and freight needs. Most part of expenditure will be met through extra budgetary resources, a government press statement. The projects will be built
Image for representational purpose
using the Rs 1.5 lakh crore investments by Life Insurance Corporation of India in the Indian Railways. The projects include doubling of 190 km long
Hubli-Chickajur railway line (Karnataka) worth Rs.1,294 crore, 160 km long Ramna-Singrauli railway line (covering Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar
The government, a week ahead of the Railway Budget, cleared six proposals for doubling and construction of a third railway line worth Rs 10,793 crore. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved construction of six railways lines and a railway bridge for increased passenger and freight needs. Most part of expenditure will be met through extra budgetary resources, a government press statement. The projects will be built using the Rs 1.5 lakh crore investments by Life Insurance Corporation of India in the Indian Railways.
Pradesh) worth Rs.2,675 crore and 261 km long Katni-Singrauli railway line (Madhya Pradesh) worth Rs.2,084 crore. Other projects approved includes construction of a third railway line on 132 long Wardha (Sewagram)-Ballarshah route at the cost of Rs.1,443 crore and a 165 km long line between Anuppur-Katni in Madhya Pradesh worth Rs.1,595 crore. Construction of an additional bridge and doubling project of Rampur Dumra-Tal-Rajendrapul sector in Bihar was approved by the CCEA at a cost of Rs.1,700 crore. (Agencies)
Payments service launched in China by Apple Beijing, Feb 19: Apple has launched its mobile payments service Apple Pay in China, the company said, pitting the US technology giant against strong domestic players in an already crowded field. The world's second-largest economy is a crucial market for the California-based firm, and Apple Pay is available in only a handful of other countries including the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia. "Apple Pay launching in China today. Can't wait for you to try it and see how incredibly easy it is to use!" Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook said in a post-
ing on his verified China microblog. But unlike most other countries, mobile payment systems are already well-established in China and Apple does not have a first-mover advantage. Mobile transactions were valued at 9.31 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion or Rs 95.7 lakh crore) last year, one industry estimate showed, and according to the statebacked China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), the country had 359 million online payment users in mid-2015, up almost 18% in six months. The most dominant mobile and online payment providers are ecommerce giant Alibaba
Payment services by Apple with a nearly three-quarters market share followed by Tencent -- operator of the popular messaging app WeChat - at 17.4%, according to Beijing-based BigData Research. The Apple brand commands a
strong following in China, especially among the nouveau riche and emerging middle class, with tales circulating of people selling their kidneys to buy iPhones.
Ray Zhao, an internet industry analyst at Guotai Junan Securities, told AFP: "There is still a chance for Apple Pay to grab some market share. Some loyal Apple users may prefer using it instead of other payment tools. "But the space for Apple Pay is still small," he added. One new Apple Pay user said he looked forward to putting the service to the test - to buy his midday meal. "The process of adding a (bank) card is a bit slow, maybe because it was just launched," said university student Li Xiang. "I'm planning to eat at McDonald's for lunch and try it out." (Agencies)
HCL acquires 'Maaza' to be a $1 billion brand Volvo's IT biz Mumbai, Feb 19: India's fourth largest IT services company HCL Technologies said it had acquired the external IT business of auto major Volvo. With the new deal, the IT services major will add 40 new customers in the Nordics and France region. As part of the buyout, about 2,500 people working for the Volvo Group will be transferred to HCL across 11 countries. "The deal is one of the largest IT deals signed by any Indian IT company and a first in the industry to use principles of vested sourcing as the basis of the relationship for an IT outsourcing engagement of this size and magnitude," according to a HCL statement. Anant Gupta, President & CEO, HCL Technologies said, "We welcome over 40 new Volvo IT customers to the HCL client base. This addition enables HCL
to achieve an even stronger presence in the Nordics and the wider European region, and accelerates our journey in these markets." The acquisition is based on a Letter Of Intent announced by Volvo Group in October 2015. In October last, HCL Technologies had announced that it will buy Swedish commercial vehicles major Volvo Group's external IT business for $138 million in an all cash deal. HCL also announced the signing of a significant IT outsourcing deal with the Volvo Group. However, the company did not disclose the size of the deal. With the deal, HCL will create an automotive Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Gothenburg, based on the domain expertise of the Volvo team, to serve HCL's global automotive and manufacturing customers. (Agencies)
Mumbai, Feb 19: Leading beverages company CocaCola India has announced plans to make mango drink Maaza, a $1 billion juice drink brand from its current brand value of Rs.2500 crore in eight years. The company said the objective is to build Maaza, which has become 40 years old, to be the world's first 1 billion US dollar juice drink brand (in retail sales) from India. Globally Coca-Cola has three $1 billion juice drink brands including Minute Maid Pulpy and Simply Orange. Maaza was initially introduced by the Chauhan family of Parle Products who sold this brand along with Thumps Up and Gold Spot to CocaCola Company in 1993. "We will be investing heavily in the coming years to achieve our target for Maaza. This investment will be from our Rs 30,000 crore overall investment plan in India, which we had an-
nounced in 2012 and will continue till 2020," Venkatesh Kini, President, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia told.
"We as a company and our bottlers will expand distribution and augment manufacturing capacity to double the sales of Maaza by 2023," he added while speaking at the company's stall at the Make in India Week venue at MMRDA grounds. He did not quantify the amount to be invested in expanding the Maaza business. He said the bottlers of the company are setting up five Greenfield projects over the next 2 years, (in addition to 57 bottling plants that already exist) atleast 50 per cent of which will have manufacturing lines for Maaza. "These new lines will help keep pace with the expected increase in demand of Maaza over the next few years," he added. "As we embark on this Make in
India mission of turning Maaza into the world's first USD 1 billion juice drink brand coming out of India, we visualize the multiplier effect that it can have on the agri-sector and the food processing industry, should we be able to accomplish this mission," Mr. Kini said. The Coca-Cola Company and its bottlers in India are annually procuring 70,000 metric tonnes of mango pulp worth Rs. 500 crore. In 2023, if Maaza becomes the first 1 billion dollar juice drink brand from India, the Coca-Cola system in India will end up procuring over 1.4 lakh metric tonnes of mango pulp annually, worth nearly Rs. 1100 crore, thereby helping 100,000 farmers, Mr Kini said. To source high qualify mango pulp from farmers in South and Central India, Coca-Cola India has partnered with Jain Irrigation to enhance yield by increasing their income. (Agencies)
Ferrari 488 GTB
ANI New Delhi, Feb 19: Italian supercar manufacturer Ferrari on Wednesday unveiled the 488 GTB, four months after re-entering the Indian market with new dealers. Priced at Rs. 3.88 Crores (Ex-Showroom Delhi), the car has already been sold out for this year and the company has started taking orders for 2017, revealed Yadur Kapur, the Director of Select Cars Pvt. Ltd., who owns the Ferrari dealership in Delhi. This car replaces one of Ferrari's most-loved model, the 458. The roof of the 458 has been carried forward to the 488. Ferrari is now not only looking at metro cities but also, tier-2 cities to sell its cars. The first customer for the new 488 is from Kolkata and has waited for nearly one and a half years for his car. "We are delighted to launch the Ferrari 488 GTB in New Delhi. We have many loyal
Ferrari owners and fans in Northern India and this new launch allows us to bring them a fantastic new model in our market," said Yadur. However, he refused to comment on how many units of the 488 are headed to India. Even, Ferrari Middle East and Africa sales coordinator Aurelien Sauvard talked about how India is an important market but refused to divulge any information on the number of the 488's units headed towards India. This car boasts of a 3.9 litre, turbocharged V8 engine which is a very rare thing for a Ferrari. The last Ferrari which came with a turbo-charged engine was the 308. The new engine can produce 670 BHP and 760Nm of torque. Mated to a seven speed F1 dual-clutch gearbox, the GTB can do a 0 to 100 Kmph sprint in three seconds and can go on to a top speed of 330 Kmph.
Bausch & Lomb to partner with Bosch Chennai, Feb 19: Global vision care major Bausch & Lomb has entered into a partnership with technology firm Bosch to market the latter's digital Fundus camera in India and SAARC region. Digital Fundus eye camera, a compact retina device with a special software that can detect conditions like cataract at an early stage, operates on a rechargeable battery, thus making it lightweight and portable. The findings from the camera can be shared over tele-medicine using the MediBilder software. The move would help Bausch &
Lomb to further strengthen its portfolio in the opthalmic diagnostic devices market. "Our partnership with Bosch is in line with our strategic expansion plans," Bausch & Lomb managing director (India and SAARC) Sanjay Bhutani, said in a statement. "We look to leverage this partnership as it would help us reach out to a larger population and thereby prevent the incidence of avoidable blindness and vision impairment in the country," Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions MD Vijay Ratnaparkhe said. (Agencies)
DIBRUGARH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Features
PAGE 11
WOMEN'S
Things That Are Messing With Your Skin All of us have been guilty of following trends blindly without checking facts. For example, many of us stick our faces in steam machines for a glow and for cleaner pores. But steaming breaks the elasticity and natural collagen in our skin, causing it to wrinkle faster and lose its glow. Didn't expect this? Here's 7 more skin facts that will surprise you! 1. Talking On The Phone Surprise, surprise! Keeping that mobile phone plastered to your face might not be a very good idea after all. You keep your phone in all sorts of places and then the same germs get transferred to your face when you get calls. Moreover, talking for long hours on the phone can cause sweat and germ buildup. Keep anti-bacterial wipes handy to keep your skin clean. 2. Hair Colouring Yes, colouring your hair can lead to hyperpigmentation (dark spots on your skin). When you apply hair colour, the chemicals in the product can leech into your skin causing damage. This
Beauty Benefits With Just Baking Soda! There's so much more to baking soda than just being an ingredient on a shelf in your kitchen. Its uses are multiple and diverse. If you want to know how to use baking soda to your benefit, you've come to the right place! Here are 7 baking soda hacks that will make your life so much easier. Have fun, ladies! What you need: Baking soda, a ball of cotton, a spoon and a bowl of fresh water. Difficulty Level: As easy as brushing your teeth! 1: Soothe an insect bite Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it on the affected area to soothe the skin. Let it dry for 2 minutes and wipe it off using a ball of cotton after. 2: Freshen up your hands To remove odor from hands, add 3 spoons of baking soda and 1 big spoon of water into a bowl. Stir well and apply it over your hands. Rub the mixture in your hands and rinse off. 3: Deodorize your sneakers Sprinkle some baking soda in your old sneakers and shake them well. Let it stay for a few hours and you the odor will have vanished! 4: As a mouthwash Mix one teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water. Stir well using a spoon. Take a big sip and gargle it for a few seconds. You will be left with fresh breath and a clean mouth! 5: As a hair brush cleaner Add a tablespoon of baking soda into a bowl of fresh water and soak the brush in the solution for 20 minutes. Rinse your hair brush, and you'll notice that your brush now looks squeaky clean. 6: Banish blackheads Make a paste by adding a spoon of water in baking soda and apply it around the blackhead affected area for 10 minutes. It helps treating blackheads and makes them come out easily. Apply 2-3 times a week for best results. 7: As a dry shampoo Take some baking soda and rub it on your scalp to get rid of your hair's oiliness. This hack is amazing especially when you haven't washed your hair for 2-3 days - it's like the cheapest dry shampoo ever!
is why when you apply hair colour, it is important to keep the skin on your face protected at all times. Better yet, avoid colouring your hair or use an organic hair colour with no side effects. 3. Cosmetics It's scary, but even the products that claim to be natural and beneficial are actually not. They're doing more harm than good! How to tell the good from the bad? Look for the ingredient list. Products that are paraben-free, fragrancefree, colour-and-preservative-free and sulphate-free are good for you. Select a brand that delivers organic products that are internationally certified and are made using time-tested ayurvedic ingredients. 4. Coffee So, cold coffee is your favourite drink and you can't wake up without a cup of hot, black coffee? Stop now! Coffee strips your skin of its moisture and can cause early signs of ageing. In some cases, coffee is also known to cause acne. What
to do? Keep a count on the number of mugs you down in a day and reduce it by half. Moderation is the key! 5. "Natural" Home Remedies You might think using "natural" ingredients lying around the house to make a scrub or a mask will benefit you, but you'd be surprised to know that most home remedies actually steal away your skin's natural oils. Lemon and baking soda? Baking soda can rub your skin raw and lemons are highly acidic, so they irritate your skin and disturb it's pH balance. Honey is another culprit that a lot of glossies will tell you to use. But keep in mind that storebought honey usually has preservatives which are damaging to the skin. Want a fool-proof solution to all your skin problems? Pick a brand that uses its expertise to make natural products out of organic, chemicalfree ingredients. 6. Hot Showers Hot showers are great. They're so much fun and sometimes you just don't
Talking on the phone for hours can harm your skin
6 Amazing Hacks of Nail Paint All of us have clear paint lying around at our homes, don't we? The one single use we put it to is to seal our nail art with a top coat of the clear paint. But what if you could do much more with it?? Watch this video to put your clear paint to 6 amazing uses in your day to day tasks! What You Will Need: Your bottle of clear paint Difficulty Level: Easier than painting your toenails! 1: Protect Your Jewellery Paint a layer of clear nail polish on all areas of the jewellery that comes in contact with skin to maintain luster and protect it from rusting. 2: Thread A Needle Faster Put a single coat of clear paint on any loose end of a thread, and wait 10 sec-
Protect your jewellery with nail paint onds for the polish to dry. This will give you a stiffer thread and help you pass it through the eye of the needle so much faster! 3: Prevent Shoelaces
From Unraveling If any one of your shoelaces exhibits wear and tear, you know it would take no time to unravel entirely! But you can eas-
Hairstyles To Give Volume To Fine Hair! Woman wide a side braid If you're a girl with fine hair, then you've probably wished for lusher, more voluminous strands about a million times. The key to making your hair look fab is the right cut and length to promote movement and a style that adds volume. We give you some awesome cuts and styles that will make your fine hair look fuller and thicker. Get ready to fall in love with your locks!
1. Sexy Bedhead For Long Hair Shorter styles are always recommended for fine hair to help it look fuller, but if you would prefer to keep it long then loads of texture is what you need. Messy, windswept hair is sexy and nobody will be able to tell how fine your locks are. Just use a sea salt spray and scrunch, tousle and twirl your long strands for that straight-out-of-bed style. 2. The A-Line Bob An A-line bob is a super chic style, where your hair is shorter at the back and angles into a longer front. It's edgy and suits all face
types. What's so great about this haircut is that you don't need to spend ages trying to style and straighten your hair, it will look great with your natural texture whether it's wavy or curly. With this gorgeous cut, you don't need to rely on too many layers to give you that much-coveted fullness. 3. The Braid Effect The best part about a braid is that no one can tell how fine your hair is. You can make every braid look thicker and fluffier by simply pulling each loop gently. What's so great about this is that it works on any
ily prevent it by simply applying a coat of your clear nail over the loose ends that'll help them stiffen and avoid any further unravelling! kind of braid, so a girly braided do should definitely be a style of choice for you. Remember, braids work for any and every kind of occasion. 4. Choppy Layers Ask your stylist for choppy layers to instantly give your thin hair loads of texture. They work great for shorter crops and even if you like to keep your hair long. Remember that hair looks thinner on long hair as the length weighs it down; choppy layers will help reverse that effect by bringing movement, fullness and texture. Just rough up your style by tousling your layers to add even more volume. 5. Flip Your Part This is the easiest and quickest way to fight flatness! When you've had the same part for a long time, your hair tends to get habituated to it and lies flat on that side. Flip your hair over to the other side, use some texturizing spray on your roots (if you want) and that's it - instant volume! It's
4: Maintain Belt Buckle Shine Paint a thin layer of clear nail paint on your belt buckle to prevent oxidisation and ensure that the metal maintains its shine. 5: Fix Loose Jewellery Stones If you too love your costume jewellery, you'll love this hack! We know costume jewellery never lasts long, so the next time stones fall out of their place from your fav earing, simple paste them back into place with a liberal coating of clear nail polish on the underside. 6: Hold Those Buttons Threads coming loose off the buttons on your shirt? All you need to do is cut the thread and put your clear nail polish on the button. The thread will hold on forever and the paint will also prevent it from loosening further! simple, it's free and can be done in less than a minute. 6. The Big Bang Strong bangs are a fantastic idea to help your strands appear thicker. There's a bang to suit everyone. A choppy fringe is great for bringing texture and volume to lifeless, thin hair. Sleeker, side-swept bangs also help redefine a look instead of having your hair fall plainly around your face. 7. Curly And Carefree Fine hair is infamous for looking limp and lifeless, but it's also perfect for curling and letting it run wild as it won't look as thicker hair. No matter your hair length, using a curling iron, scrunching with your fingers or using styling products like mousses and sprays - they all can help bring plenty of life and character to your mane. Curls and waves will give your locks texture and volume and no one will know how fine your hair actually is.
want to get out of there. But get out you must, since long, hot showers can cause scaly, dry skin. What hot water does is strip your skin of its natural moisture, which affects the epidermis - the outermost layer of your skin. Next time you're in the shower, use lukewarm water instead. It might be less fun that a hot shower, but it will keep your skin healthy and glowing. 7. Waxing As much as you've been told that waxing is one of the best ways to get rid of unwanted hair, it is advisable to pause and think. Not all salons use chemical-free wax. Secondly, waxing very often can damage fine tissue cells in your skin. Since waxing removes hair in the opposition direction of its growth, there can be hair breakage which in turn leads to ingrown hair. Sugaring is a new process that is comparatively painless, uses sugar at lukewarm temperatures (no more burns!) and removes hair in the direction of its growth.
Rebonding and its after care The temptation of silky, straight hair is enough for many of us to want to get our hair rebonded. But while those effects only last till your hair grows out, the after-effects are much more long lasting. After all, it is a chemical process that weakens the health of your strands. We help you nurse your precious locks back to health with a few tips on taking care of your hair after rebonding. These will help you fall in love with your locks all over again! The After-Effects Sure, you finally have amazingly straight hair now minus any effort at all. Wash and go makes your life so much easier, but thanks to all the chemicals, your strands suffer these side effects. * Your strands become weaker and fragile * Extreme dryness * Rough brittleness * Hair loss * Rebonded hair is more susceptible to sun damage * Touch-ups on new growth can further weaken your hair. After-Care Steps To Follow Rebonded hair requires extra love and attention because it is extra sensitized thanks to the harsh chemical processes. 1. Use The Right Products It's super important to use the right products for your chemically treated hair. Use the shampoo and conditioner your hair stylist recommends for your rebonded hair or products that are designed for straight hair. You can't use the same products you were using before your hair was rebonded. 2. Sun Protection To The Max Your already damaged hair is more fragile and prone to sun damage, so we don't need to tell you twice how important it is to keep your locks SPF-protected. Wear a cool hat to keep your hair protected and make a fashion statement, invest in products with SPF-protec-
tion and try to stay out of the sun as much as possible. UV damage leads to even more dryness, frizziness and brittleness. 3. Moisturize Like Your Life Depends On It Keep your conditioner on for 10 minutes, try a deep conditioning hair mask a couple times a week, oil your hair, go for a professional hair spa - basically anything that nourishes and conditions your hair. Your strands are weak and dry even if they may look straight and silky, which means you need to do your bit to nourish and moisturize your locks like never before. It's the only way to strengthen your strands, reverse dryness and prevent hair loss. 4. Leave Your Hair Alone Once you have chemically straightened your hair, don't even think about trying something for a long time. No colouring or any other chemical treatments AT ALL - it really will wreck your mane for good since it's already extra sensitive and fragile now. This also means that you need to cut down on heat styling, no blow drying or curling. If you must use a hair dryer, use it on the cool setting. Let your hair just be for at least 6 months to help it recuperate. 5. It Deserves A Bit Extra We're always being a mummy and nagging you about what you should and shouldn't be doing for the sake of your hair. This time is no different - except that with rebonded hair, you really can't afford to slack. Wash your hair with cool water instead of warm as hot water robs moisture from your already-dry strands. Get a trim regularly to get rid of split ends and ensure that your locks grow long and strong. Don't overwash your hair and always use a serum to act as a barrier against external factors. A balanced diet is imperative; nuts, fish, proteins and leafy greens help give you stronger, shinier hair.
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Deepti shines as Indian eves complete Dynamic Club win by 17 runs, Tinkonia beat Joyshree ODI series sweep over Lanka ANI Ranchi, Feb.19 : Allrounder Deepti Sharma grabbed a six-wicket haul and then made some valuable contribution with the bat as the Indian women's cricket team completed a 3-0 series sweep after thrashing Sri Lanka by in the third one-day international here on Friday. Opting to bat, Sri Lanka had a promising start as Yasoda Mendis (15) and Prasadani Weerakkody (19) added 33 runs for the opening wicket. However, the tourists struggled against
Indian women's cricket team. A file photo Deepti's off-break bowling and were eventually bundled out for 112 inside 39 overs at the JSCA International Stadium Complex. Dilani
Manodara was the top scorer for her side with 23. In reply, India recovered from a shaky start and eventually chased down
the modest target in 29.3 overs with Veda Krishnamurthy remaining unbeaten on a scintillating 61-run knock. Deepti, who was adjudged the Player of the Match, also played a pivotal role in steadying her side's innings by knitting a 70-run stand with Krishnamurthy for the third wicket. She added 28 runs before she was dismissed by Siriwardene. India had already won the three-match series after defeating the tourists by six wickets in the second match at the same venue on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli's Pakistani fan's bail plea dismissed PTI Lahore, Feb 19 : Notwithstanding a police clean chit, a Pakistani court has dismissed the bail plea of a young die-hard fan of ace cricketer Virat Kohli who was arrested on treason charges for hoisting the Indian flag atop his home. Umar Daraz, a 22-year-old Kohli lookalike, is facing an imprisonment of up to 10 years for hoisting the Indian flag atop his house in Okara district in Punjab province. District court judge Anique Anwar announced his verdict yesterday. "We are disappointed and will challenge the decision in the session's court," said Daraz's counsel Aamir Bhatti. Police officer Aziz Cheema told reporters he had said in
his report that no evidence was found that Daraz committed "treason". However, the judge dismissed his bail plea. Daraz, a tailor by profession, was arrested from his house on January 25 in a village about 200 kilometres from Lahore. The police registered an FIR against him under section 123-A of Pakistan Penal Code and 16 Maintenance of Public Order. The section 123-A (acts of damaging the sovereignty of the country) carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail or fine or both. Earlier Bhatti told the court that his client was innocent as he hoisted the Indian flag only to support his favourite cricketer who was playing against Australia at the time.
Hafeez confident of Pakistan's good show at World T20 ANI Karachi, Feb.19 : Pakistan batting all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has expressed confidence that his side will put their best foot forward in their bid to lift the World Twenty 20 title for a second time. Although the 35-year-old admitted that his side are not playing to the best of their abilities in the T20 format in recent times, a confident Hafeez added that Pakistan would be putting their best performances in the format's pinnacle event, PakPassion.net reported. Hafeez, who is currently playing for Peshawar Zalmi in the ongoing Pakistan Super
Mohammad Hafeez League, said that his side are confident of a good showing, insisting that every team is beatable. Pakistan, which lifted the coveted trophy in 2009, recently lost the three-match T20 series against New Zealand 1-2 and will feature in the Asia Cup starting on February 24.
Dhawan supports hoisting national flag at unis
Shikhar Dhawan PTI New Delhi, Feb 19 : Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan today supported the Union Government's move to hoist national flag on the campuses of all 46 Central Universities in order to instill nationalism and pride in students. "My take is simple. It (flag) should be unfurled at the Universities. It (flag) is the pride of the nation. The more the merrier I would say. Though you have touched upon a sensitive topic, one should never say anything ill about the country you live in," said the Asia Cup-bound
opening batsman at a promotional event here today. Dhawan comments came after he was asked about the sensitive topic in the wake of arrest of JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charges, leading to a massive controversy. "I was watching kabaddi last night and I subconsciously stood up while the national anthem was played. I play for the flag, playing for the country is the biggest honour for me. As citizens, we should take responsibility of our actions," he added. All 46 Central Universities will fly the tricolour atop a 207-feet tall flag mast "prominently and proudly" on their campuses to signify a "strong India" and the first will be hoisted at JNU, a resolution adopted at a meeting chaired by HRD Minister Smriti Irani yesterday. On the upcoming Asia Cup and World T20, Dhawan said he is fit and ready for both the assignments.
Virat Kohli He said Daraz committed the mistake without knowing the implications. "This is not a case in which someone was hoisting the flag of any country for its love. During football World Cup matches people here used to hoist Brazil and Argentina flags and nobody minds it because the gesture is seen in a sports perspective. This is a similar
Nadal cruises past Almagro to reach Rio Open quarters ANI Johannesburg, Feb.19 : Spanish tennis maestro Rafael Nadal progressed through to the quarterfinals of the Rio Open after defeating compatriot Nicolas Almagro in straight sets on Friday. The 14-time Grand Slam champion claimed a 6-3, 7-5 win over Almagro in a contest that lasted one hour and 40 minutes on a clay court, Sport24 reported. Nadal will next play against Oleksandr Dolgopolov for a spot in the semifinals.
case." "I am a big fan of Virat Kohli. I support the Indian team because of Kohli. Hoisting of Indian flag on the rooftop of my house only shows my love for the Indian cricketer," Daraz had said. He said he had no idea that he committed a crime, urging the authorities to pardon him as he should be seen as "an Indian cricketer's fan and not as a spy." Large photographs of Kohli were found on the walls of Daraz's house. He was arrested the day India beat Australia in a T20 match and Kohli was adjudged 'man of the match'. Some civil society activists and journalists have raised their voice for his release and termed his gesture purely that of a sports' lover.
Sangha were restricted to deliveries with the help of Sports Reporter Dibrugarh, Feb. 19: Dy- 148 for five in 20 overs. three fours while Debojit Mazumandar Sharma contributed 18 off namic Club today defeated Guddu Nabarang Sangha by 17 chipped in with 36 off 27 24 balls with two fours. Rahman and runs in the Second Division balls, laced with two bound- Rajiv Cricket tournament orga- aries and one maximum Sirjuddin Ahmed shared nized by Dibrugarh District while Mrinmoy Sutradhar two wickets each by giving Sports Association at away 16 and 24 runs respectively. DDSA stadium. Opting to bat, DySecond Division Cricket Tinkonia boys’ losing two wicknamic Club piled up 165 for six in 20 ets easily overs. Rishikant Sharma contributed 23 off 27 balls. achieved the target in 19.3 top scored with 33 off 34 Kalam Ahmed of Dynamic overs scoring 144. balls, hitting four fours and Club took two wickets for Ishfauddin Ahmed top Mukid Khan scored 28 off 27 runs. scored with 39 off 37 balls, 19 deliveries, slamming slamming five fours and one five boundaries to the fence. In another match, Tinkonia six. Ali Ahmed and Sajad Akthar Ahmed also contrib- Boys’ Club won by eight Anwar Hussain remained uted a useful 27 runs. wickets against Joyshree unbeaten on 35 and 21 runs For Nabarang Sangha, Amit Sangha. Put into bat, respectively. Mondal scalped three for 27 Joyshree boys’ piled up 137 For Joyshree, Abhinav in 4 overs. for 8 in 20 overs. Rantu Baruah and Surajit Gogoi In their chase, Nabarang Konwar scored 19 off 14 took one wickets each.
De Gea's injury piles more misery on embattled Van Gaal
PTI Jammu, Feb 19 : Jammu and Kashmir Water Sports Kayaking and Canoeing team returned home with six medals, including three gold in the National Canoe Polo and Dragon Boat Championship in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Bilquis Mir, Secretary J&K, Water Sports Kayaking & Canoeing Association applauded the 32-member contingent, who returned home, at a rousing reception here. The team won a silver and two bronze also, besides the three yellow metal.
ANI Johannesburg, Feb.19 : Amidst mounting pressure on Louis van Gaal, the embattled Manchester United manager has revealed that goalkeeper David de Gea will undergo scans to determine the severity of his injured knee. The crisis of the Old Trafford club deepened after United suffered a 21 away defeat to Danish champions Midtjylland in the first-leg of their Europa League last-32 tie in Herning on Thursday. De Gea was replaced by Sergio Romero in the
JK team returns home with six medals
David de Gea starting line-up after the Spaniard was seen limping when United were going through their final warmup routines. Van Gaal said that they would investigate De
Gea's knee problem with a scan on Friday, Sport24 reported. Earlier, captain Wayne Rooney was ruled out for six weeks due to a knee injury.
The players and team officials were also welcomed by Baqar Samoon, CEO, JKAP 12th Bn, Syed Nasir Ahmad, SDPO Nehru Park, Mohammad Shafi Shah (member) J&K Water Sports Association, Nisar Hussain and other members of J&K Water Sports Kayaking & Canoeing Association.
Weakened Man Utd beaten 2-1 by Du Plessis backs ‘x-factor’ De Midtijylland in Europa League 3 7 t h minute before goals from the talented Pione Sisto and young Nigerian forward P a u l A file photo Onuachu gave Midtjylland the vicANI Johannesburg, Feb.19 : tory, Sport24 reported. Manchester United failed to The defeat has deepened the reverse their manager Louis Old Trafford club's crisis as van Gaal's mounting woes Van Gaal's side are already lagafter going down 2-1 ging behind in their bid to finagainst Danish champions ish in the top four of the PreMidtjylland in the first-leg mier League. of their Europa League last- Both the sides will play against each other in the sec32 tie in Herning. United's Memphis Depay ond leg at Old Trafford next put the visitors ahead in the Thursday.
Villiers to bat at top order
ANI Johannesburg, Feb 19 : South Africa Twenty20 captain Faf du Plessis has described AB de Villiers as an 'x-factor' player and backed the star batsman to bat at the top of the order in next month's World T20 in India. The swashbuckling batsman opened the batting in last year's T20 series against Bangladesh and India and had batted at three at home to New Zealand last August. The skipper confirmed that De Villiers will be used at the top of the order for the upcoming T20 pinnacle event as he had
AB de Villiers been batting up at the top for the last three series, Sport24 reported. Du Plessis further said that his side are backing De Villiers in the top order batting role as he
could take the game away on any given day. South Africa will play the opening game of the two-match T20 series against England on Friday at Newlands.
BCCI to challenge Lodha panel's recommendations in SC ANI Mumbai, Feb 19 : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court, pointing out difficulties in implementation of the Justice R.M Lodha committee's recommendations. The decision in this regard was taken at a Special General Meeting (SGM) held at the BCCI's headquarter here on Friday. BCCI honorary secretary Anurag Thakur will challenge the recommendations on behalf of the cricket board. "The members authorized the Hony. Secretary BCCI to file an affidavit in the Hon'ble Supreme
Court on behalf of the BCCI pointing out the anomalies and difficulties encountered in implementation of Hon'ble Justice Lodha Committee's recommendations," the BCCI said in a media advisory today. Besides, there were other major decisions taken in the meeting, including granting full member status to Chhattisgarh. This will allow them to play Ranji Trophy tournament from next season. "The members approved the recommendation of the affiliation committee of BCCI to grant full member status to Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh. They will be a part of the Central Zone for all the BCCI tournaments,"
BCCI president, Shashank Manohar the BCCI said. The Working Committee also decided to authorize BCCI president Shashank Manohar and Thakur to appoint an agency to search for candidates for the posts of CEO and CFO for the cricket board. The board members also
authorized the duo to discuss governance and financial restructuring of the ICC subject to such restructuring being incorporated in the constitution of the ICC for permanency. "Further the members also authorised the President
and Hony. Secretary to rework the FTPs for the period 2016 to 2023 and ensure equitable distribution of the matches," the statement added. Indian Premier League chairman and BCCI senior official Rajeev Shukla had earlier said that the board would put forward any concerns and objections about the report before the Supreme Court on March 3. Earlier this month, the apex court sought a reply from the cricket body on the implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations and gave four weeks time to file its response. The Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee had earlier in their report
recommended the legalisation of betting in Indian cricket. The Lodha Committee also suggested the appointment of three authorities with distinct roles namely ombudsman, ethics officer and electoral officer. The other recommendations include a steering committee headed by former home secretary G.K. Pillai with Mohinder Amarnath, Diana Eduljee and Anil Kumble as the members. The Lodha Committee was appointed by the apex court last year to make recommendations to the BCCI in order to prevent frauds and conflict of interest in cricket administration.
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