After being honoured by the media fraternity, Mr Chaudhuri spelt out the action plan of the I&PR Department to mirror the government's performance and reflect the aspirations of the people.

Earlier, addressing the function, SPC president David Laitflang said it was a privilege to have someone from the "tribe" as minister in charge of I&PR. "We expect you to be more sensitive to the needs of the journalist fraternity because you have walked the path," Mr Laitflang said.

An office bearer of the Club Tilak Rai said, "Others in the government were the subject of your critique as editor. Now, you will be under our scanner. We hope you will live up to your unsullied image."

SPC secretary DL Siangshai read out a memorandum, urging the State Government to allot a plot of land for the Press club to enable it to have its own building and other modern communication facilities.

"This (plot of land) is an agenda the Club has been pursuing with various governments but with little success," the memorandum said.

In his speech, while outlining the action plan of the I&PR Department, Mr Chaudhuri said, "The department's role has not been cut out as yet. It has to be recast in a new model."

He said his department would engage public relations officers, specially well-trained media-savvy graduates, to make the government more responsive to public needs. "The Internet is least used in government circles. We propose to have a wide area network (WAN) system for better connectivity between rural and urban areas. The idea is to link up all district headquarters so that at the touch of a button we know what is happening where," the minister added.

He also said it would be his endeavour to make the I&PR Department an effective vehicle for dissemination of news. "The present building has outlived its utility. A master plan for a new building with state-of-the-art facilities like media centre, visual media library, archives, Internet facility, etc, is in the pipeline. I&PR should become a major department with more resources and greater accountability. I&PR will now become a happening department involved in disseminating information on epidemics, prices of essential commodities, etc. The new proposal is to make it a visible department," Mr Chaudhuri added.

Speaking about the MPA Government, the minister said, "This government will deliver. I promise you."

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy on Wednesday, Mr Tariang said applicants should be allowed to appear for SET interview on the basis of their qualification.

He said SET should be conducted twice a year giving special preference to candidates belonging to the villages concerned where schools are located.

The former MLA also called for extension of the tenure of SET to three years, adding delegation of authority should be decentralised to ensure accountability on the part of those in the lower rungs of the Education Department.

State Health Minister Dr Adviser Pariong and Union Health Minister Dr Ambumani Ramadoss, at a meeting held at New Delhi recently, discussed the various aspects of the upcoming institute of Ayurveda and homeopathy at Shillong. During the discussion, Dr Ramadoss stressed on early construction of the institute in the greater interest of the various states of the North-East.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Dr Pariong said construction of the Ayurveda and homeopathy institute on the premises of NEIGRHIMS would be completely funded by the Central Government.

"Recruitment of faculty for the institute would be done in New Delhi as it is a Centrally-sponsored project," Dr Pariong said, adding the Ayurveda and homeopathy institute would have seats reserved for students of all northeastern states.

According to Dr Pariong, the Union Health Minister also defended the government's decision to seek help of Frontline Lifeline Private Limited in manning the Cardiology Department of NEIGRIHMS.

"Frontline Lifeline Private Limited (FLPL) has helped the government in running other hospitals in the country. FLPL is a non-profit making organisation, and the question of doubting its credibility does not arise," Dr Pariong quoted Dr Ramadoss as saying.

The North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homeopathy will be an autonomous organisation under the department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH). It will be built at a cost of Rs.675 million.

Out of a total of 225 Ayurveda colleges and 181 homeopathy centres in the country, the North-East has only four - there homeopathy colleges in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and one Ayurveda college in Assam.

Despite considerable demand for Ayurveda and homeopathy in the North-East, there are no teaching institutes for these subjects in the other states of the region. The establishment of the institute is also expected to improve research and development of bio-resources in the North-East.

According to farmers whose crops suffered major casualty, the storm, lasting about five minutes, destroyed strawberry crops that were not yet harvested.

Ri-Bhoi District Horticultural Officer B Shanpru said in Sohliya village 50 per cent of the cucumber crop was damaged, apart from strawberries.

Incidentally, 66 of the 67 households in Sohliya grow strawberries. Strawberry growers are normally advised to follow a hail escape diagram which means harvesting the fruits between March and April, before the onset of monsoon gusts.

Mr Shanpru said hailstorms are very devastating for strawberry growers because they completely deface the tender fruit.

The process of assessing the damage and finally compensating farmers for the loss is rather long drawn. First, the Rangbah Shnong reports the incident to the Block Development Officer. He/she sends the Gram Sevaks/Sevikas to visit the farms and to report the actual damage within three days. The first copy of the report goes to the Deputy Commissioner of the district. The estimated payment for damage is Rs 1000 per hectare. But farmers claim the process is very lengthy and defeats the very purpose of the compensation. Officials of the Agriculture Department feel that the Department should have its own relief fund for such contingencies since they are better placed to handle relief work, including payment of compensation to farmers.

Crop insurance is something that farmers in Meghalaya are not used to. To be insured the crops have to be first notified by the State Level Committee headed by the Agricultural Production Commissioner (APC) and comprising officials of NABARD and insurance companies. According to the APC, VS Oberoi, in Meghalaya only three crops -- ginger, turmeric and potato -- are notified leaving out the other more vulnerable horticultural crops like strawberries, etc.

"Crop notification depends on the yield," Mr Oberoi added.

Since strawberries and other floriculture crops have been recently cultivated in Meghalaya, unless the conditions are relaxed farmers will suffer, Mr Oberoi stated.

"In the case of loanee farmers or those financed by banks, the insurance premium is added to the loan amount. But in Meghalaya 95 per cent of farmers are non-loanees. So, their crops are not insured. Insurance is part of high-risk agriculture," the APC said. Since Meghalaya is moving ahead in horticulture, Mr Oberoi feels, insurance companies could be both sensitive and responsive. Also considering the fact that Meghalaya experiences substantial climatic variations, insurance becomes even more necessary. As of now crop insurance premiums are too high for farmers to afford. The government and allied agencies have to devise a better system to protect farmers from crop vulnerability.

Sounds so good to be true, if only.

While the administration "diligently" releases its price list to the public it appears to have lost its footing when it comes to a reality check.

Common rice (raw) in the open market is Rs 17 a kg and not what the government claims (Rs 15). Flour (atta) is being sold at a premium of Rs 22 a kg against the Government's claim of Rs 17.

Clearly, inflation appears to be something which is yet to make its presence felt in our state, if one goes by the figures put out by the supply wing of the Deputy Commissioner's office in Tura.

The entire publicised list of twenty-five food items show the price graph in opposite directions.

The Government list indicates the price of tea at Rs 90 a kg, which is not at all correct if one visits any shop in the market area. Packaged tea is actually being sold at Rs 200 a kg whereas the open variety (kulla) is priced between Rs 130-150.

Surprisingly, the Government list mentions a rise of Rs 3-5 in the prices of vegetables, which is just the other way round in the open market.

As per the Government list potatoes, onions and tomatoes cost Rs 10, Rs 15 and Rs 10 a kg, respectively. However, the market value of these three food items show a drop in pricing. Potatoes can be procured in the Tura market for as low as Rs 6, onions for Rs 10 and tomatoes for Rs 5.

"Clearly someone in the Supply Department has got his data mixed up deliberately or otherwise," points out a trader in the market.

Mustard oil, the cheapest variety is at a cost of Rs 78 (Govt price states Rs 70), sugar costs Rs 20 (Govt price Rs 19), salt costs Rs 10 (Govt price Rs 5-9).

Even pulses, the staple diet of the people, has sky-rocketed but failed to get mention of a hike in the Government list.

Masur Dal (big) is priced at Rs 50, Masur Dal (small) at Rs 52, and Moong Dal at Rs 48 in the open market. But, the government list indicates the cost of Masur (big) at Rs 48, Masur (small) at Rs 50 and Moong Dal at Rs 42.

"It appears the Government pricing is on the cheapest and most inferior of food items otherwise how else can one purchase quality food stuff from the market," lamented a customer.

The observation was held on Wednesday here by Indian force as Valour Day against the operation 'Desert Hawk' of Pakistan army who forcibly tried to capture Indian territory in 1965 at the Rann of Kuch, Gujarat. The function was graced by IGP CRPF, North Eastern Sector Dr Mahboob Alam. He also presented the President's Police medals for meritorious service to Commandant PK Chetri of the 50th Battalion and five other jawans of North Eastern Sector.

In a meeting with TGCSU delegation led by general secretary Grikseng D Marak here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister assured to look into the demand for construction of the college campus main gate before the celebration of the golden jubilee celebration on September 9 this year.

Other assurances made by Dr Roy included sanctioning of new college bus, supply of science laboratory apparatus and chemicals, construction of college boundary wall, construction of water tanks.

Other demands like creation of additional staff, recruitment of lecturers, mini stadium, upgradation of library, making full fledge morning shift classes, grants for educational excursion, mini gym for boys and girls students hostels, renovation of old buildings and toilets, construction of staff quarters and appointment of a full-fledged principal and vice-principal would be looked into, the Chief Minister said to students leaders.

In a letter to the General Manager of Telecom Department, BSNL, Shillong, the students' body demanded expansion of BSNL network - for both landline and mobile - in South Garo Hills, particularly in Nongalbibra, which is an economically important place.

The union urged the concerned department to set up mobile towers and launch cellular services at the earliest for the interest of the people.

Further, they said that a large part of the area surrounding Nongalbibra is also yet to be covered by BSNL.

A meeting between local leaders, residents of Nongalbibra and surrounding villages and South Garo Hills authorities was held recently to discuss the matter.

In a separate statement, the students' body also urged the Chief Executive Member of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to take stringent measures to prevent illegal mining in the areas.

Efforts by local leaders of Siju area to prevent extraction of forest produces and natural resources, which have drastically reduced forest cover in the area, failed to yield any result, the students body said.

Mr Kharkrang said the reward was given as a token of appreciation and encouragement to the villagers for helping the police in tackling crime.

It does not require much reasoning to figure out that health and education do matter. The government’s emphasis on health and education is a welcome step because these two sectors are basic to any process of economic development. It is true that many development agenda for economic growth offer us new dimensions but such perspectives of development cannot sustain if basic fundamentals of health and education are ignored.

In Meghalaya, however, for over 30 years, although much has been discussed about other issues of ‘development’ in every annual budget but health and education are two sectors where policy matters are often spelt out in footnotes and sub-texts of the developmental agenda. The ominous results of such willful neglect and ignorance has been a high degree of unequal development in the state, which at the same time threatens to rapidly widen the disparity gap between the rich and the poor; urban and rural.

If one is to deconstruct the statistics of our health and education of the last decade, it would be a daunting task for the new government to clean up the mess of the previous Congress-led government. However, for the time being let us take health sector as a case study.

In a study by Amartya Sen and Jean Dreze’s on developmental indicators in North Eastern India during the period of 1995-1998, Meghalaya ranks amongst the lowest in all health indices. It is shameful to notice that when life at the very first stage of childhood is supposed to be protected but in Meghalaya such life is taken away by absence or lack of such professional health care providers at the time of delivery. Picture this! During the period of 1995-97/98 Meghalaya recorded the lowest percentage of births attended by health professional with only 21 percent of the total newborn during that period attended by health professionals. Other states like Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram performed better with 32 percent and 68 percent of newborns attended upon by health professionals respectively.

Absence of health professionals during the birth of a child collaterally affects children mortality rate. Basic to this argument is that a mother who is attended by health professional during her delivery would have a greater chance for the baby to survive during infancy than one who delivers without assistance from trained health professionals. This is because the mother who is attended upon by a health professional will also be better informed about the importance of immunization and nutrition while other will be deprived of such valuable and critical information, thus severely affecting the mortality rate of her child.

It is because of the lack of attendance by such professionals that death rates during infancy are the highest in Meghalaya when compared to other North Eastern States. Taking the death rate of children between the ages of 0-4 years during the year 1995-97 as indicators of infancy health care, Meghalaya recorded a rate of 19.1 per 1000 in the case of female child and 23.2 per 1000 in the case of male child. Other states like Arunachal Pradesh- a state bigger in area, having more inaccessible villages, less density of population and, lower literacy rate than Meghalaya- performed better in the area of infancy and childhood health care with a relatively less number of infancy death rate.

Closely related to the above premises is also deterioration of preventive health care like immunization among children in the age group of 1-3 years of age. It may be noted that during 1998-99 the percentage of children between the ages of 12-23 months who received full immunization is a mere 14 percent in Meghalaya while it is 60 percent in Mizoram and 42 percent in Manipur. Even up to 2005-06, according to the National Health Survey only 32.8 percent of children below the age of 2 years are fully immunized. More alarming is that the percentage of those who ‘do not’ receive immunization at all are at a staggering 42 percent (the rest 58 percent who received any form of immunization are mostly those who are near to the city and district centre). Thus, Meghalaya recorded the highest percentage of children who are denied full immunization in the whole of North East region.

Again during the same period, the percentage of children under the age of 3 years who are severely undernourished is 11 percent, which again is the highest in North East. It is this ignorance and ineptitude on the part of the previous administration towards primary health care that forces almost half of the children population out of any immunization programme, and the reminder that one lakh or so children go to sleep hungry or deprived of a full healthy meal.

The success of providing adequate ‘preventive care’ especially in rural areas is perhaps the single most important factor that could solve innumerable problems of health care. For instance, any success of preventive health care like immunization programme, anti-tobbaco, anti-malaria campaign would in the long run greatly help the State in reducing the burden and cost of providing treatment against those illnesses that emanate from such dearth of information. If the maxim "prevention is better than cure" holds any truth, then the government’s primary effort in health care should be in ‘preventive care’. However, it is in the failure of the State to provide such preventive care through its public health services that over the last 10 years we witnessed the mushrooming of unregulated private health services in the city.

In a situation when government run public health care in rural areas is pathetic, the only destination for better diagnostic care is private hospitals and clinics in Shillong. Over the years there has been an increase in the number of patients from the city’s periphery and rural areas pouring towards Shillong for better treatment in these private hospitals. Thus exists an economics of supply and demand. While the number of patient grows exponentially over the last decade, at the same time there is a perpetual shortage for public health services like hospitals, public health centre, health dispensary and health professional. It is here that private hospitals proliferate and will continue for the next decade if public health care continues to suffer.

While it is to be appreciated that private health care providers have taken over the role of the health department, it is at the same time disturbing because the politics of such private health services like any corporate or private entity is towards recovering their investment and profit is the other motive. Like any corporate entity, the role of private investors in health services is first to invest where the market is. With an ever growing population both within the city and nearby locality the politics of providing health care is thus perfectly established. Shillong, a city with higher density population, higher income, and better infrastructural facilities is an obvious choice for these private health services to set up modern health facilities. However, due to the absence of a market, low density population, less disposable income and poor infrastructure the very same private heath services will refuse to invest in rural areas. Not only this, private health investor are generally reluctant to venture in area of preventive care (this is more in the case of rural areas) because such investment does not provide an attractive return or profit as compared to ‘diagnostic care’. Thus preventive care like vaccination, population control, pre natal care information, dissemination of information on hygiene and health care and, anti-tobacco campaigns are not taken up by private health care dispensers.

Nevertheless, the very same private health services that refuse to provide preventive care or information will be too ready to diagnose those illness that were caused by lack of preventive care. Thus investing in ‘diagnostic care’ rather than ‘preventive care’ is more logical for private health services’ to quickly recover their investment. This is not to say that these private health services do not provide preventive care at all. All private hospitals and clinics no doubt provide world-class preventive care within the Shillong city limit but they come at a premium. A price we all have to pay because the government’s health services do not care.

While on the one hand Shillong city is equipped with modern health care facilities in private hospitals, rural areas and other main district of the State are dying because the same infrastructure is denied to them because of political insensitivity and bureaucratic loopholes. In fact we need not strain our eyes towards the rural interior of Meghalaya. If we just turn our heads a few degrees toward the periphery of Shillong city to areas like Mawlai, Upper-Shillong, Mawngap-Mawphlang and, Smit-Nongkrem we can see a stark difference between Shillong city and these areas. Most of these areas lack decent health centers. Even if such health centres exist these are in dilapidated buildings with shortage of and lack of attendance of health professionals. Rusted machinery; dirty beds, dirty washrooms etc is what greets visitors to these centre. Most of these health centres and dispensary become instead transmitters of water and airborne disease instead of providing treatment.

If these areas just beyond the city limit are denied of any such modern health facilities we could well imagine the plight of the vast majority of population in the rural area and other districts. The absence of modern health care in rural areas forces rural populations to flock to the city for better treatment even for simple ailments, thus wasting a day or two of their hard earned wages for conveyance, food and lodging besides spending an expensive amount on such treatment in private clinic and hospitals.

It is therefore imperative for the new government to focus on the state of rural health care by revamping the functioning of the district hospitals and public health centers. Improving the infrastructure of hospitals and health centers is foremost in achieving better staff retention. Until now most of the doctors who are posted in the rural areas rue the lack of infrastructure, shortage of medicines, absence of staff quarters and amenities and above they are underpaid. Therefore for most of these doctors staying back in Shillong for most days of the month would be more logical to supplement their income rather than be frustrated by the state health department’s callousness. Even for those (especially female doctors) who want to serve in rural areas, the pathetic condition of district hospitals and health centres along with the ‘why should we care’ attitude of the health department makes them prefer to serve in private hospitals or clinics rather than being at the mercy of the health department.

If the government is serious about revamping the status of health in rural areas then better incentive to doctors, nurses and staff who serve in the rural areas should be a priority. Better staff’s quarters with proper amenities, modern infrastructure, and better connectivity towards health centres should be provided. It is only in such working environment that better health care could be universal. ( The author is doing PhD under JNU, New Delhi)

India's hopes of reaching a 10 percent growth rate on a sustained basis may be dashed if oil prices continue to rule at over $100 per barrel. Even the Planning Commission in its approach to the Eleventh Five Year Plan has estimated that high oil prices could affect the growth rate by up to 0.5 percent.

If this assessment, clearly a conservative one, is correct then the country will find it difficult to continue on a high growth path for the next few years. As of now, there is no indication that oil prices will climb down from their present Himalayan heights. In fact, Goldman Sachs has even made a projection that prices could reach up to $200 per barrel. In such a scenario, emerging economies like India and China that are among the largest oil consumers are going to be hard hit.

India's oil consumption may not be as high as that of China but it is among the top 10 oil consuming countries in the world. Officials of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the cartel that controls about 40 percent of the global oil supplies, have recently said that the demand for oil is no longer largely from OECD countries. They contend the market is now dependent on consumption by India and China rather than the US economy, which has also been battered by high oil prices. OPEC is clearly in no mood to raise production, which could help to stem the continuing rise in crude oil prices. The oil cartel is actually arguing that by retaining the existing status quo on production quotas, it has helped stabilise the international oil market.

In view of the grim outlook on the oil front, it is time for the UPA government to adopt an appropriate strategy to deal with the fallout of a huge oil import bill. Estimates are oil imports will cost over $50 billion in the current fiscal. For the time being India has sufficient foreign exchange reserves to finance these imports. But the increasingly high cost of imports will put pressure on the trade deficit which is enlarging at a rapid rate despite the fact that exports are growing at healthy double-digit levels. Inflationary pressures on the economy are also mounting despite the fact that the entire increase in global prices has not been passed on to the domestic consumer. Though there has only been partial pass-on of fuel prices, inflation has risen to 6.7 percent, creating concern in the government with a slew of measures being announced recently to curb further price rise. In case world prices continue to rise over the next year, as has been predicted by some analysts, the pass-on may have to be largr despite political compulsions of the forthcoming general election.

The impact is already being felt in some sectors of the economy like aviation. Domestic air carriers have announced a hike in fares to cope with the increased prices of aviation turbine fuel. This in turn will affect the booming travel and tourism industry. And this is not the only industry that will be affected by higher fuel prices. The impact will be felt across the board by industry, leading to increased production costs and ultimately higher retail prices. In case this converts into a fall in demand, there could be an impact on the overall growth rate of the manufacturing sector, which has been a major contributor so far to the high GDP growth.

The soaring oil prices could not have come at a worse time for the present government. At a time when it is gearing up to face the polls, due to be held in 2009, it would prefer to be seen as a pro-poor administration handing out largesse like the loan waiver for debt-ridden farmers in the budget. The skyrocketing world oil prices are instead putting pressure on the government to take the unpopular step of raising fuel prices. A small price hike has already been announced for transportation fuels, but this is literally a drop in the ocean for domestic oil companies given the record levels to which crude oil has climbed in world markets. For the time being, the crisis has been averted by increasing the amount of oil bonds being given to the oil companies, but this is an accounting exercise for which the exchequer will pay dearly in coming years. Apparently, it was left to Petroleum Minister Murli Deora to point this out to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a recent meeting to discuss the cut in customs duty on rude.

The high world oil price scenario has to be dealt with by the government by adopting a strategy to diversify the country's fuel supplies. This would include finalising plans for a gas pipeline from some neighbouring countries. With the Iran pipeline sputtering toward closure, prospects can be explored for one from Central Asian countries. Similarly, the share of nuclear energy needs to be enlarged in the overall energy pie, along with other non-conventional energy sources like solar and wind energy. And, finally, the drive to find new oil by exploration in many prospective regions of the country needs to be intensified by involving the world's oil majors. In fact, high oil prices usually give an impetus to exploration activity because at these levels, the high risk task of finding oil becomes a more viable activity. A more serious drive needs to be undertaken to find oil because studies by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) indicate the country has several highly prospective basins, in both on she and onland areas.

In any case, it is clear that the spurt in global oil prices is not a short-term phenomenon. The world will have to live with high oil prices for quite some time to come. And India, like other emerging economies, will have to evolve a way in which to deal with this new world order in the energy arena.

Madam,

Two decades is too long a period to realize a small project like a by-pass road. In some countries this period of time is sufficient to construct a score of highways around the country, but unfortunately in Meghalaya twenty years is not enough to build a 47 km stretch of road. Is it because there is not enough fund or resources? No. The main reason is the lack of good will of the previous governments, the Congress in particular. Every Meghalayan will definitely feel ashamed even to think of the so called "Shillong by-pass" much more discuss about it. It has become a haunting dream for every citizen of this hill state.

We have seen the consequences and felt the pangs of the irresponsible behavior of the previous government. How many lives have been lost in Shillong due to reckless driving of those heavy loaded trucks? How much damage has been done by regular accidents? How much inconvenience has the public been subjected to?

How much anxiety has been generated in parents about the safety of their school-going children? Shillong by-pass will be recorded as one of the major failures of the Congress government. It is a proof of the non-action policy of the previous governments. It is an incubus of the people of our state. With the new MPA government this year, a ray of hope seems to have penetrated into the darkness of a general pessimism.

The emerging awareness of the need for development and the initial enthusiasm shown by this government, if it is backed by sincerity and good will, augurs well for the State. But no one is sure yet until we see results in the coming days. However, one thing is evident. People are disillusioned with the Congress and they are pinning their hopes on the MPA.

Will this be the last straw for them? Development is what our State needs right now or else we will slip into oblivion. In the last decade Meghalaya has already regressed by a huge margin in comparison to other states. We hope that the MPA government will be true to its commitment and take our state one leap forward. All our people would agree with me if I say that one of the proofs of the efficiency of this government would be to bring to completion the notorious "Shillong by-pass".

Yours etc.,
B. Mawrie
Via e-mail

Zubin, interacting with Tibetans here in the city who are on a three-day protest meet organised by the Tibetan Solidarity Committee, North East India, pledged his support to the Tibetans’ movement against the alleged brutality of China. The singing star said he would compose songs on the crisis in Tibet and perform them, starting with the Bihu functions from next week.

''I am deeply concerned with the crisis in Tibet and pledge my abilities for taking forward their cause,'' he said.

Zubin’s gesture towards the Tibetan cause comes close on the heels of similar support raised by Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia and super cop Kiran Bedi. The duo had pulled out of the Olympic torch rally as token of their support to Tibet. (UNI)

Siliguri: Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has accused eastern India of not doing enough to stop the bird flu epidemic and apprehended human infection.

''India is also dissatisfied with the way Bangladesh is handling the disease and considering to raise the matter at the World Health Organization (WHO) meeting to be held at Geneva in June this year.

''It is not far when the risk of humans being infected by the disease will become inevitable. So I want that the eastern Indian states to wake up and do something before a catastrophy hits them,'' he said, adding, ''so far, we have only been able to stop the infection from spreading to the humans.''

Mr Ramadoss was attending a meeting on human trafficking and HIV infections here on Tuesday night.

''It is not that the West Bengal and Tripura Governments have not culled chickens, but the fact remains that their attitude has been lackadaisical and had no urgency in preventing the spread of the disease,'' he said.

The Union Health Minister was convinced that bird flu had originated in Bangladesh and the eastern Indian states were at fault in not stopping its import. (UNI)

Senior AGP leader Chandramohan Patowary told reporters here that it was decided to initiate the process of unification of political parties following the aspirations of the grass-root level workers in the State. These parties were primarily formed after spliting from the parent party.

"The desire for unification has been expressed by a large section of party members to strengthen the forces of regionalism," he said.

The process to bring parties like Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive) led by former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Trinamul Asom Gana Parsihad (TAGP) was initiated by AGP in October when a committee was formed for the purpose. (PTI)

Reeling under spiraling prices, people in many parts of the State have hit the street demanding resignation of the incumbent Government in the State. The All Assam Students Union (AASU) has taken the lead in mobilising the masses against the steep rise in prices.

The leading students’ body alleges that ‘nexus between the politicians in power with the trading community’ has led to unprecedented rise in price of all commodities in the State.

The protestors accuse the State Government of playing to the tune of traders ignoring the plight of the common people.

The AASU has demanded resignation of the Government led by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, if it fails to control the escalating prices.

The Assam Government, in the Budget for the fiscal 2008-09 has resorted to abolition of VAT on some essential items including rice, pulses, all wheat products, onion, potato and mustard oil to facilitate easing of prices.

However, the step has failed to provide relief to the common consumer given that the prices line has not come down much to the chagrin of the people.

Wholesale traders of these items, however, claimed that the prices have come down in the wholesale market and alleged that a vicious circle of retailers and corrupt officials of Food and Civil Supplies Department was responsible for depriving the people of the relief provided by the government in the budget.

Itanagar: The Centre has set a deadline for Arunachal Pradesh to submit feasibility reports of various projects to be implemented under the recently-announced Prime Minister's Package for timely execution of the schemes.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has directed the State Government to submit the feasibility report for the 1,840 km double-lane Trans-Arunachal Highway with an estimated cost of Rs 5,500 crore latest by June next, official sources here on Wednesday said.

The Prime Minister's package was reviewed at a high-level meeting at the national capital on Monday last, which was chaired by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister PK Nair, for fixing a time-frame for early execution of the schemes, sources said.

Sources further informed that the meeting had decided the alignment for the four-lane highway had to be finalised in two weeks and that the Rs 550 crore Itanagar Greenfield Airport, for which the State Government has to begin the process for clearing forests and acquisitioning land, has to be completed in three years.

Joint Secretary Gauri Singh is scheduled to arrive here on April 16 to decide on proper utilisation of the Rs 550 crore-fund for the border villages' electrification programme, which is to be completed in the next two years, sources disclosed, adding that on the Itanagar-Harmuti rail link, for which Rs two crore was released in August last year for survey, the works could begin in October this year and completed by March 2011. (UNI)

The mother and daughter, who complained of diarrhoea and vomiting after consuming poisonous mushrooms, were admitted to a local hospital at Tamenglong on April 1 last. Both died on Tuesday, according to reports.

It is worth mentioning that at least 13 people had been reported dead a few days back after consuming poisonous mushrooms in Golaghat district of Assam along the Manipur-Assam border. (NNN)

NEW DELHI: Even with a booming air traffic in the North East, some of the private airlines have already withdrawn their services or threatened to do so in the region.

Two major players - Kingfisher and Jet Airways are undertaking a massive route rationalisation exercise to minimise their operational costs. Post consolidation in the domestic skies, both the private airlines are trimming the "commercially unviable" routes mainly in the NE region from the list of destinations they operate in the country.

The region registered a 52 per cent growth in April this year over the corresponding month of previous year. The region was much ahead of the prosperous western and northern regions, where traffic grew at 19.3 per cent and 25.5 per cent respectively.

While Kingfisher has already expressed its concern over continuing its service on routes in the North East, Jet Airways is also planning to replace commercially unviable routes by its low-cost arm JetLite.

Naresh Goyal-owned Jet Airways plans to withdraw some of its services in the region. The airline would, however, deploy JetLite to meet the route dispersal guideline. The airlines plan to operate on many new routes like Guwahati-Imphal, Kolkata-Dibrugarh and Jorhat-Guwahati in the NE region.

It is commercially unviable for a full service carrier like Jet Airways to operate on various routes in this hilly region. However, JetLite can operate on the same routes profitably with its character being a low-cost.

JetLite has already sought approval of the Civil Aviation Ministry for starting several new sectors in the North East region. The budget carrier plans to make Guwahati its base in the region.

UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya had also asked the Civil Aviation Ministry in February this year to allow Deccan to withdraw flights on some routes in the North East region. It had already announced withdrawal of its flight linking Agartala.

The Centre had already decided to go for massive investment in airports in the NE region. It may also allow private participation and even use of defense airbases, official sources said here.

The NE region recorded the highest growth in total aircraft movements (39.2 per cent) followed by southern region (37.9 per cent) during the reporting month April 2007.