Official sources said that Mr Lyngdoh was expected to lay all the cards before the MLAs for arriving at a consensus on the issue, which has been hanging fire for years together.

Sources said the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) has been in the red for decades, and is virtually dependent on doles from the government. The recurring liability of salary component apart, SMB has a huge outstanding of Rs 7 crore with MeSEB on account of street lights. 

During the election period the Board suffered a body blow when the District Administration demolished SMB's toll get at Mawiong. This has further choked the Board's revenue base.

With no decision forthcoming on the rate structure, the SMB is in an unenviable situation. Against this background, the Minister will have to create public opinion for collection of taxes at an enhanced but reasonable rate.

Most rate-payers are of the opinion that the rate of revision of Municipal ax was "unreasonable". Mr Lyngdoh and the MLAs would be expected to take pragmatic steps to end the protracted dilly-dallying

Expressing regrets that fellow colleagues should approach the Speaker of the Assembly whose brief is to address issues related to the smooth conduct of the House, to facilitate a dialogue on the matter of enhanced rates of taxation and that too during the currency of the assembly session, Mr Lyngdoh said this must have happened through oversight since many members are new to cabinet procedures.

"As Urban Affairs Minister, I am convening a meeting of all MLAs within the urban areas of Shillong on Friday next to ascertain their views. After the Valuation Committee submitted its report on revision of holding taxes, we have asked the Review Committee to go through it and to further submit their report by April 14. The report of the Review Committee will then be placed before the Minister in charge of the department after which it will be brought before the cabinet. It is the executive power of the cabinet to arrive at any decision", Mr Lyngdoh stated. "In our enthusiasm to solve the problems of our constituents, we cannot lose sight of procedures", he added.

Sources said the Black Widow militants notorious for their recent killing spree in NC Hills of Assam demanded Rs 20,000 from trucks, Rs 15,000 from buses and Rs 5,000 from light vehicles as "annual donation".

Besides, the militant outfit, which recently made a unilateral truce offer to the Assam Government, collects Rs 100 per trip from light vehicles and Rs 200 from trucks and buses, the sources added.

Even the passengers are not spared. "If we carry ten bags of rice, Rs 10 per bag has to be paid to the militants," a driver said.

An aggrieved truck owner said, "If we report to Assam police, they ask us to lodge complaint with Meghalaya police, but the area falls outside the jurisdiction of Meghalaya police."

People from Saphai, Iooksi, Korampani and other villages of Jaintia Hills nearing Assam border regularly go to 3 Kilo, Umrangso in NC Hills district for marketing essential items.

The new Committee headed by Siju MDC Alphonse A Sangma is to be sworn in on Thursday. The outgoing CEM from the Congress, while taking part in the debate on the No-Confidence Motion placed by the Opposition NCP alliance, made a fervent plea for withdrawal of the motion and called upon all MDCs to join hands in helping the Council "progress". Mr Ebelson A Sangma admitted that the going had been tough due to various constraints but assured to do the needful if given a chance.

The NCP alliance refused to buy the story accusing the present EC of failing to contain the vast spending resulting in a cash crunch and failure to pay employees salaries on time. They pressed for the motion to be moved in the house.

SHILLONG: Home Minister Hoping Stone Lyngdoh said resolving the boundary dispute with Assam and getting back the land encroached upon by the neighbouring State will be the top priority of his department.

The Home Minister is set to visit New Delhi soon to take up the vexed boundary dispute issue with the Union Home Ministry.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Mr Lyngdoh said, "I will go to New Delhi to project the issue of boundary dispute in front of the Union Home Ministry."

"It is ironic that we rule a State which does not have a proper boundary," he added.

Expressing his desire to discuss the matter with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Mr Lyngdoh said many areas in Ri-Bhoi and disputed areas of Blocks I and II had been occupied by Assam even as "successive governments had been neglecting the vital issue".

On fencing along Indo-Bangla border, Mr Lyngdoh said he favoured fencing right from the Zero Line as "otherwise large tracts of cultivable land belonging to the State would go to Bangladesh."

It may be mentioned here that the border fencing work undertaken by the NBCC had been kept in abeyance following the intervention of the State government in Jaintia Hills. While reiterating his stand to oppose uranium mining in the State, the Home Minister said the Centre should allow the State Government to decide on the matter after taking the views of the public and examining the possible health hazards due to mining of uranium.

On the law and order scenario in the wake of the recent spurt of activities by HNLC and LAEF in border areas, he said he was yet to get details from the police on the matter.

However, he said, "I will not interfere with the functioning of police if it was for the sake of dealing with militancy in the State."

Notwithstanding his contesting the election as an Independent after failing to get the party ticket, the former KHADC chief claimed that he was still a Congressman and that he had not violated the Anti-Defection Law by not complying with the whip issued by the party to resign from the post of Chief Executive Member (CEM).

"I have not done anything to attract disqualification of my membership of KHADC on the ground of defection as per the Council's Prevention of Defection Act 2005," Mr Shylla informed KHADC Chairman Martamlin Pyrbot on Tuesday.

Mr Shylla was replying to the show cause notice issued to him by the KHADC Chairman at to why he should not be disqualified under the Act for violating the party whip.

He, however, stated that he did not receive any whip issued by the party to support Cleophas B Syiem as the new chief of the Council "even though he could not be expected to support his own removal from the KHADC top post."

"Under the parliamentary system of democracy, I cannot be expected to support my own removal from the post of CEM. Hence, not abiding such redundant decision, if any, cannot attract any disqualification as a member of the House," Mr Shylla said.

"I have neither given up nor resigned from my party," Mr Shylla said while claiming that even MPCC general secretary Wansuk Syiem in a letter to him had stated that "the party remained unaltered on his status".

Denying allegations that he had undermined the House by questioning the authority of the Chairman, Mr Shylla said he had not questioned the authority of the Chairman but was only "upholding the tenets of rules".

SHILLONG: Director of Health Services Dr KH Lakiang on Tuesday refuted news reports mentioning the death toll of meningoccocal meningitis as 30 in Garo Hills.

According to official records, no person died of the disease in the region and that the disease has claimed only five lives so far in the State.

Speaking to The Shillong Times on Tuesday, Dr Lakiang said total number of deaths due to suspected meningococcal meningitis as on March 31 was five including two in East Khasi Hills and one each in East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts.

So far the total number of confirmed meningitis cases is 22 out of which only one is from Garo Hills, according to the Health Director.

"As per reports of the State Rapid Response Team after their recent visit to Garo Hills, 90 per cent of the deaths occurred due to malaria and not meningoccocal meningitis," Dr Lakiang said.

"Due to the similarity in symptoms of meningitis and malaria, people are often confused about the diseases," he said.

Stating that the Government has taken all necessary steps to tackle malaria situation in the State, he said Health department personnel had already been deputed in various affected areas especially in Garo Hills.

"What is needed most is cooperation of the people to combat the disease through use of DDT spray, impregnated bed nets and early treatment in hospitals," Dr Lakiang said.

The Health Director will leave for Garo Hills on Wednesday to oversee the anti-malaria measures in the region.

Medical teams had been sent to the region along with adequate medicines, he informed.

Meanwhile, the recent outbreak of meningococcal meningitis in the State had caused serious concern among the people even as the Health authorities intensified surveillance activities to check spread of the disease.

Rapid Response Teams of the Health department had recently visited several areas of Garo Hills to verify reports of the disease.

MDCs from MDP, Congress, UDP and KHNAM, in a joint meeting on Friday last, agreed that there should be no move for change in leadership in the Council. However, Opposition NCP MDC and former CEM Moonlight Pariat skipped the meeting.

Jowai South MDC Philemon Lyngdoh said, "As only about ten to 11 months are left for the next MDC election, we have decided to stick to the present leadership for the remaining tenure and concentrate on development of the district."

SHILLONG: An FKJGP functionary was arrested on Monday night for assaulting an employee of Military Engineering Service at Rangmen in Ri-Bhoi district. Lambha Kurbah, the FKJGP's Umiam Circle president, who also had past criminal records, has been remanded to police custody. Police said the FKJGP leader was also involved in extortion activities.

SHILLONG: Mait Shaphrang Movement (MSM) in a letter to Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy on Tuesday demanded introduction of Meghalaya Compulsory Registration of Marriage Bill and Equitable Distribution of Self Acquired and Ancestral Property Bill in the current budget session of the Assembly.

"We had written several times to the State Government that enactment of the two laws is an immediate and absolute necessity for the State," MSM convener Michael N Syiem said in the letter.

Stating that due to the peculiar inheritance system among indigenous people of the State, both the laws would have to be taken up simultaneously, Mr Syiem asked the Chief Minister not to delay enactment of the two Bills.

The Shillong Times spoke to the Chief Minister, Dr Donkupar Roy regarding the twin issues. While agreeing with the first proposal concerning compulsory registration of marriages, which he said would afford protection to women and children, Dr Roy felt that insofar as equitable distribution of property is concerned he would suggest the Shella model where parental property (land and plantation) are equitably distributed among all children irrespective of sex. Regarding other assets the practice of bequeathing to daughters what is essentially of use to them and to the sons those articles used by men would serve a better purpose, Dr Roy said.

Regarding the residential property whether ancestral or self-acquired, the practice among Shella people is to give it to the youngest or eldest daughter depending on who is looking after the parents, he added.

Shillong: A section of Shillong Law College on Tuesday staged a demonstration on the college premises in protest against one lady lecturer's alleged racial remark made in the classroom.

The agitating students, who belong to one particular community, have demanded dismissal of the lecturer, Felnela Lyngdoh Nonglait, from the college for her "usual racial remarks".

It may be mentioned here that Mrs Nonglait is also a member of the State Commission for Women.

The students alleged that college authorities were yet to respond to their recent complaint lodged against the lecturer for making derogatory comments against their community.

"The teacher very often utters intolerant words like 'cheaters' to the students of the particular community," some agitating students alleged.

It was also learnt that two years back there was a protest against the same teacher for "holding a selection test without prior information to students of the college."

Principal of the college was not available for comments on the matter as he was out of station.

At present, the Society has already undertaken rubber plantation in an area spread over seven hectares and hopes to increase the area by roping in 50 more members under the its banner.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Executive Officer, MCCDB A Syiem said that income from rubber is not less than Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 per hectare, which will continue to yield upto 35 to 40 years and when the rubber trees are matured it could be used as timber in furniture making.

SHILLONG: Meghalaya's yuppie Finance Minister, Conrad Sangma was the most discussed politician on Tuesday. Whispers of, 'how could a son be so ungrateful however wrong the parents may be' were overheard by this paper's reporter. But junior Sangma was also the first to call up the editor. Guffawing to his heart's content, he said he had already received 150 calls in one hour and didn't know how many would come in by the end of the day. "Some people cursed me, others shouted and swore, still others wept. What have you done?, they asked me", said Conrad. The Shillong Times was flooded with calls. Not only from distressed readers here but from shell-shocked netizens abroad. Such is the power of the press.

Outraged, jittery loyalists of the MPA government shouted, "This is crazy, totally unexpected. Everything was alright until midnight. Then how come things moved so fast?" Congress faithful used to reading only the headlines jumped with joy only to be pulled back to earth. The more serious variety queried, "Is this ethical journalism?" Some even rued at the short-lived career of the new editor.

Life is tough and all that but should people not have a sense of humour? Is laughing such a bad thing? After all we release feel-good endorphins which improve our biological system. That's what research says. There are times to be dead serious. But surely a bit of humour is allowed on April Fool's day.

Sample the following hoax news across the world. Discover Magazine frequently runs one fake article in their April edition as April Fools joke. The articles are so outrageous they are hard to miss, yet the next month's issue frequently gets angry letters from readers who feel misled or quote bad science.

Even normally serious news media consider April Fool's day hoax to be fair game and spotting them has become an annual pastime. Yesterday NDTV dished out news that thrilled the pot-bellied no end. They said new research has discovered that palak (spinach) and haldi (turmeric) paste could reduce pot bellies in two weeks. The magic mixture they claimed would turn all fat into protein but warned that it only worked for men. Only when the news reader let out that it was an April Fool joke that listeners realized they were fooled.

In April 2005, a news story was posted on the official NASA website purporting to have discovered water on mars. The picture actually was a photograph of a glass of water on a Mars Candy Bar. The Dutch TV news reported in April 1950 that the Tower of Pisa had fallen over. Many shocked people contacted the station. In 1998 Channel 4 morning show The Big Breakfast got into trouble with authorities for showing video footage of the Millennium Dome on fire.

BBC's Saturday lunchtime show Football Focus broadcast a piece centred on the size of goal posts. Quoting a reputed footballer, the channel quoted him saying that the size of goal posts would increase by 2 feet in height and 4 feet in length.

This piece however, beats all hoax news. The Guardian printed a supplement in 1977 praising the fictional resort, Sans Serriffe and its two islands (Upper Caisse & Lower Caisse), its capital (Bodoni) and its leader (General Pica). Intrigued readers were later disappointed to learn that Sans Serriffe (sans serif) did not exist except as a references to a type face terminology. This comes from a Jorge Luis Borges story.

Perhaps Mr DD Lapang had the last laugh at the expense of agitated party-men!

By precedence, Governor's address during the opening of the budget session of the state assembly outlines the priority areas the government of the day intends to give emphasis to. It is, therefore, heartening this time to note that our newly installed government in the state desires to have a serious look at our education system and to have in place an appropriate education policy on a priority basis. It may be recalled here that the previous congress led government in the state too, in its dying days, tried to frame an education policy and a draft document of that proposed policy was put on the state website inviting comments and suggestions from people for its fine tuning prior to its formal adoption by the then government. Unfortunately, however, the said exercise of formulating an education policy for the state was taken up so late in the day that adoption and implementation of the proposed policy was just an exercise in futility more so in view of the fact that the bureaucratic hassles such a document needs to undergo dictates a minimum time frame for meaningful culmination of such exercise that was simply not available then. The attempt of the new dispensation at the helm of affairs to begin at the beginning, therefore, is a welcome approach.

A comprehensive policy on education that would cover the entire domain of educational matters in the state right from the primary to the higher education sector, by all means, is long overdue. In today's world where skill generation and meaningful deployment of the human resource so generated is of paramount importance to ensure development and equitable distribution of the benefits of these developments, the need for a well thought out education policy can hardly be undermined. A policy document that seeks to address this vital aspect of human development, therefore, calls for an objective assessment of the grassroots realities and to integrate this realities with a vision statement for the future suggesting methods as to how one should go about tending the gaps between what exists and what is being desired. A policy document of this dimension can hardly be a simple wish list without an appropriate action plan as its integral component. Implementing a policy document without a well laid out programme of action is inconceivable and as such, an appropriate programme of action as to how one should go about the tasks aimed at must be in place as soon as the policy document becomes ready for acceptance and adoption. In every society, policies, in particular policies pertaining to human development are dynamic processes and, therefore, inordinate delay in the framing of an adequate programme of action for meaningful implementation of the adopted policy may eventually render the entire effort of policy framing as an exercise in futility as has often been our experiences in the past.

A quick reference to some of the data tables would help reflect on the status of education in the state and provide the basic inputs towards a true appreciation of the issues that calls for serious attention. The 2001 census report puts the average literacy rate in the state of Meghalaya at 62.6% with average male literacy standing at 65.4% while that in case of females stand at 59.6%. The urban rural segregation, if taken into account, further tells us that the urban literacy rate in the state stands at 86.3% as against the rural literacy rate of 56.3%. Acknowledging the fact that 80.0% of the state population live in rural setup, the status of literacy level in the state, in terms of actual coverage may not indeed have an encouraging story to tell. Besides, a good literacy rate might point to a better foundation for any effective educational setup but than it is hardly an indication of the standard and quality of the overall setup of education when it comes to improvement of the general societal status of the society the system under scrutiny actually caters to. It may also be interesting to note that while the 2001 census puts the state's population figure in the age group of 5-14 at 656311, the total school enrolment in Class-I to VIII (the classes supposed to cover this age group) stands at 604795 in the year 2004-05 implying that about 8-10% of our children in that age group have never found access in any educational institute. Obviously, the state's educational setup has been unable to cope with its defined responsibility in a befitting manner. The fairly high dropout rate (the enrolment figures at standard I and Standard II in 2003-04 and 2004-05 stands at 119559 and 101686 respectively indicating a reject / dropout figure of 17,873 which is about 15%) also remains a matter of serious concern.

The state of affairs in the secondary sector is no better. In 2007, a total of 37126 candidates appeared in the High School Leaving Certificate examination out of which only 15,594 clearing the examination putting the aggregate pass percentage at 42.0% only. A closer look at the result would reveal that only 1190 and 3442 students could clear the examination in first and second divisions respectively while 10962 students could make it only in third division. In the Higher Secondary School Leaving Examination (Arts), 2007 for instance, out of a total of 15959 only 9265 could come out successfully putting the aggregate pass percentage at 58.06%. Out of the 9265 candidates who cleared this examination a total of 5645 were placed in the third division practically drawing a curtain on their prospect of meaningful further education since all these candidates, as per University norms, are not eligible to pursue an honours degree. It can easily be appreciated that a system that generates such a huge proportion of failure needs a closer look. In the corridors of power in this age of globalisation, one often comes across terms such as 'education as industry' but it needs no great acumen to predict the destiny of any industry that has such a huge failure rate. Poor syllabi, poorer facility for knowledge updating and training of teachers, inadequate support facilities and a host of other explicit and implicit tinkering with the system as a whole has indeed put our schooling setup under formidable stress.

The state of affairs in higher education too is hardly any different. The modern day needs for higher education sector are centred on its ability to generate skills that can increase the employability of its products. It goes without saying that enhanced competency contribute towards greater entrepreneurship in turn contributing to the creation of newer openings in employment opportunities and can indeed provide a significant boost to the growth of economy. In this era of a globalised market, creating opportunities towards generation of human resources that can find placement wherever they seek to get it can easily qualify as the best of options at hand. Non-formal and vocational education therefore occupies a space of prominence in today's educational input. A large majority of the institutes of higher learning in the state are simply not geared up to meet these challenges. Insufficient finance; non-availability of apposite faculty and supporting infrastructure besides a relatively defocused perspective as to how best these challenges could be addressed to have all along been posing as serious impediments towards meaningful resolution of the issues concerning higher education.

Statistically, the state, as of now, has 50 plus colleges spread in its seven districts. Majority of these colleges are general colleges offering formal courses in the arts, science and commerce streams and together they cater to the academic needs of about twenty-five thousand learners enrolled in these institutes. There are two law colleges and of late an institute each of Management, engineering and medicine has also come up on private effort. It may, however, be noted that apart from the centrally funded university and the two state government run colleges at Tura and Jowai, the rest of the institutes of higher learning are run and managed either as purely private or as private aided institutes receiving maintenance grants from the government to support their activities. The prevailing grading system even in the allocation of these grants-in-aid is also heavily skewed in favour of the relatively better equipped and older institutes leaving the younger and rural institutes high and dry with little resources left for them to improve upon their infrastructure and quality of service.

Thirty-seven years since the emergence of Meghalaya, the state still has a long way to go in developing its industrial infrastructure. Slow process of industrialisation obviously has had its tell tale impact both on the prospect of job creation as also in the sphere of enhanced industry education link up in a supportive environment that could mutually supplement each others requirements by way of sharing funds in exchange of advance research and technology. A bulk of the institutes of higher learning in the state actually calls for a sincere rejuvenation in all matters concerning its academic, administrative and financial competence.

Given that the brief as at above by and large describes the state's overall educational setup, it is not a cakewalk for any one to frame and implement an education policy that could substantially, if not completely, address the maladies afflicting it. Decent institutional set up, properly trained quality teachers and a streamlined management that is competent and willing to do its best obviously would be ideal but to have a reasonable working setup where a unduly burdened faculty often drawing a nominal compensation is not required to toil endlessly for subsistence and survival at least is an absolute necessity. After all, the accomplishment of any educational setup is squarely dependant on the well being and competence of its faculty. In this context, it is perhaps worthwhile also to note that empty praise and promises notwithstanding, our polity and society has generally been always found wanting when it came to the question of materially compensating our teachers in a commensurate manner.

Educating a child has always been a tough call. Given the range and level of complicacies that beset our time, making a good human being out of even an educated youth seems to be a tougher agenda to go by. Yet, we hardly have a choice but to go by it. Inability to stand up and tackle the challenges confronting our educational setup now itself in right earnest potently holds a threat strong enough to seriously impair the competence and mindset of our upcoming youths thereby rendering it virtually impossible to sustain and carry forward any progressive development effort. The anticipated education policy therefore is indeed welcome provided it commits itself to a serious and sincere attempt to frame and implement a truly futuristic educational setup that would serve the interest of our youth in the best possible manner. (The author is the Principal of Women's College, Shillong)

The unrest in Tibet, particularly the spontaneity and the scale of rioting, has made the worst Chinese fears come true. The scale of protests and violence in Lhasa and other predominant Tibetan settlements has unnerved the Chinese leadership. This is discernable by the stridency in the remarks of Premier Wen Jia Bao, who heaped fulsome abuse on the "Dalai Lama clique" for what he called were orchestrated events. He did so while holding an olive branch with the Dalai Lama provided he accepts unconditionally Chinese sovereignty over Tibet and calls for a halt to the ongoing protests.

These protests need to be seen as a part of the growing disquiet around the Chinese periphery and the timing of an opportunity to raise voice against Chinese repression.

On March 7, the Chinese media reported an attempt by the Xinjiang Ughirs belonging to the East Turkistan Islamic Movement to crash a China Southern airline plane flying from Beijing to Urumqi. The announcement came in the backdrop of remarks made by the Communist Party chief of Xinjiang, Wang Lequan, on the sidelines of the parliament session in January when he remarked that the security forces had smashed a Uighur militant cell in Urumqi plotting an attack against the Olympics. Wang added that the government would strike first against the "three evil forces": terrorists, saboteurs and secessionists.

Adding to the Chinese discomfiture is the fact that the violence that has broken out in Tibet comes just two months before the Olympic celebrations kick off with the arrival of the Olympic torch in Lhasa, capital of Tibet. China's fears that more violent riots could disrupt the Olympic torch relay - a highly symbolic event of the Beijing Summer Olympic Games in August.

Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympics Games (BOCOG), said recently that preparations for the torch relay in Tibet, including a planned ascent of Mount Qomolangma (Mount Everest), "have been progressing very smoothly and according to schedule". Sun added that the organisers opposed the linking of any political campaigns to the Olympics in August, amid renewed calls to boycott the Games after the recent crackdown on Tibetans protesting against the Chinese rule.

According to the torch relay route announced by BOCOG on its website, the Olympic torch will arrive in Tibet's Shannan Diqu region June 19, from the neighbouring Sichuan province, and pass through Lhasa June 20-21. Given the stakes involved, China is expected to step up vigilance and security to ensure the relay passes through the Himalayan region smoothly in June.

Chinese authorities are convinced that the riots are part of an orchestrated campaign aimed at jeopardizing the torch relay to humiliate the Beijing Olympics by the supporters of the Dalai Lama and other groups who are expected to stage more violent protests in the run up to the Olympic torche's journey to Lhasa as indeed to embarrass Chinese authorities. The manner in which the local and national authorities have handled the protests, including induction of large PLA contingents, restrictions on media and television and bundling out of tourists, signify that the Chinese have made up their mind to undertake tough measures against detractors even as they allow a little rope to the detractors.

Beijing has mobilised officially favoured religious figures to denounce the riots and discredit international calls for a lenient response. The 11th Panchen Lama, the second highest ranking monk in the complex Tibetan hierarchy, issued a statement in which he "resolutely supported the party and the government efforts to ensure the safety and stability of Lhasa".

Gyaincain Norbu is the Panchen Lama recognized by Beijing, but not by the Dalai Lama and his followers in exile. The six-year-old Tibetan boy, Gendun Choekyi Nyima, chosen by the Dalai Lama, to take the title of Panchen Lama, disappeared soon after the choice was made public in 1995 and has not been heard of since.

Beijing has put on top priority the need to hold successful Games, seeing it as a matter of national pride. But the riots in Tibet and the attempted hijack of a passenger airplane by a Uyghur girl have sparked off concerns over security and safety. The authorities in China have been prepared to tackle possible troubles created by pro-independence elements in Xinjiang and Tibet ahead and during the Beijing Olympics. The violence in Lhasa is the worst in the past two decades.

The central government's long-standing paranoia with its ethnic minorities is at the core of Chinese stridency and reaction. The home of the Han Chinese, the predominant ethnic group who dominate the country, comprises the area around the three major rivers in the East: the Yellow, Yangtze and Pearl. This fertile area has long provided the food and industry for the various Chinese states that have emerged over the centuries.

But this same area, which nurtures a sedentary society, has always been vulnerable to invasion by the various nomadic peoples around it. It is this fear that has made China to expand its territorial limits and over time expand its borders to absorb a de facto buffer zone - including Tibet, Xinjiang, Manchuria and Inner Mongolia.

These buffer states are marked by ethnic and cultural diversity and have instead of enhancing security created multi dimensional problems of integration and absorption into the Chinese cultural milieu. Control of the ethnic minorities and incorporating the buffer zones into China has been a struggle for the Chinese government. It has constantly been found wanting in maintaining control over minority groups that are the majority in their own lands, distant from the Han dominated central core. Chinese have been employing force and transmigration policies as also inducements and massive infrastructure development with typical Chinese characteristics to control and ensure security of these buffer territories.

It is obvious that the experiment of building a harmonious society in Tibet as indeed in Xinjiang has not succeeded given the stridency and widespread rioting and disturbances. The lingering prejudices and inequalities have been matched by long-lasting resentments and occasional uprisings. This is primarily because the Chinese have failed to assimilate these minorities in the cultural mainstream. Added to above is the fact that additional ethnicities were added to the country, not primarily by immigration, but rather by conquest of surrounding territories -- and these ethnicities were never assimilated into a greater Chinese culture.

This is because the fundamental tenet of Chinese political philosophy is not "diversity" but "uniformity". This lack of integration has left the core of China with a constant sense of insecurity that continues to be reflected today in its national policies. It also leaves China less concerned overall about security threats from abroad than about domestic ones - whether they are real or imagined.

Madam,

Through your esteemed paper I would like to thank a "Good Samaritan" who helped me in my hour of need.

On the 13th March 2008 at about 3 PM as I was emerging from my office at the Main Secretariat, my nose suddenly started bleeding profusely and in spite of several attempts to stop the bleeding, I was unable to do so. I went to my car which was parked nearby and decided to drive myself to hospital. The act of holding my nose and trying to start the car was a Herculean task. At that precise moment a passerby seeing my dilemma offered to drive me to hospital. I wordlessly acquiesced and he drove me to hospital, admitted me in the emergency room and returned my car keys. In a flash he was gone before I could even ask his name or thank him.

In retrospect, I wondered who the stranger was and I want him to know how grateful I am and that if he should happen to read this, he could please call me on my Mobile No. - 94361 00747.

Yours etc,
S. Shylla
Shillong.

Madam,

It is a big surprise to learn about the formation of the MPA coalition Government in which a number of political parties including, NCP, UDP, HSPDP, KHNAM and Others are the partners. It may be recalled that during MBOSE issue, KHNAM and NCP were fighting each other. KHNAM President, Paul Lyngdoh is to be appreciated for his courage when he took the decision even to step down from his chair as a minister, on this issue. It is unfortunate to have experienced the tactics of Purno A Sangma during the agitation on this issue, which led to loss of lives in Garo Hills. But now we see that these people (parties) are sharing a meal from the same dish.-The question is, how can a party like KHNAM and HSPDP which has similar manifesto succumbed to the tactics of Purno Sangma and how they could not read his motives.

Yours etc.,
J. Nongsiej.
Shillong.

The ULFA in an article in the latest issue of its mouthpiece, 'Freedom' that has been made available in the Internet, stated that the ONGC and the Oil India Limited (OIL) must stop carrying out further seismic exploration of hydrocarbons in Brahmaputra Valley in the interests of protection of fragile centuries-old monuments and archaeological sites from Ahom Era and the ecology and environment of the State as a whole.

The ULFA warning of 'mass resistance' said that the people of Assam would not remain mute spectators to the wanton damages being caused to historical monuments in the state by these oil companies 'only to satiate the ever increasing thirst of colonial Indian government to tap more hydrocarbon resources o from Assam.'

"The colonial Government of India is draining out average 3.5 million tons of crude oil from Assam every year and it wants to double the output for which the ONGC and the OIL have been entrusted to find more oil bearing reservoirs through seismic exploration that is detrimental to the environment over ground," the ULFA mouthpiece stated.

The ULFA has called upon the ONGC to heed to the public protests by local people in the affected areas and stop the seismic exploration immediately to avoid causing further damage to age-old monuments as well as private property in Sivasagar district in Upper Assam.

The banned ULFA also called upon the OIL authority to give up its plan to go for seismic exploration of Brahmaputra River basin in search of crude oil and natural gas to avoid catastrophic impact on the ecology and environment on both the banks of the mighty river.

The ULFA said it would resist the OIL's bid to explore Brahmaputra Basin as it would have adverse impact on lives and property of estimated 40 lakh people living on the banks of the river.

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Gen JJ Singh made an impassioned plea for improving the communication connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh. He said he was devising strategies for developing the State as a floriculture and horticulture hub and also to promote tourism.

To pursue his goals, Gen JJ Singh also made a request for providing mobile connectivity in the State of Arunachal Pradesh when he met the Union Communication Minister A Raja. The meeting which was attended by senior officials of Department of Telecom and BSNL apprised the General of steps being taken to improve the communication connectivity.

BSNL officials informed the Governor that in addition to the existing 63 towers, seven were under installation. Besides, 48 more are being planned. While assuring all help, the Centre urged the Governor to facilitate power supply and land to expedite the works of setting up of towers.

Aizawl: Of the thousands of Myanmarese settled in Mizoram only 43 among them had refugee status, state home minister Tawnluia told the Assembly on Tuesday.

In a written reply to a question from Sailothanga Sailo of the Mizoram People's Conference, Tawnluia said that the state government had not given any financial assistance to the Myanmarese refugees.

While the State Ggovernment did not have any knowledge of foreigners from Bangladesh settling in Mizoram, 22 Bangladeshis who entered the state illegally were arrested and deported to that country during 2007-2008, he said. There are 13,309 non-tribals living in the state having valid inner line permits, he said. He also said that 318-km-long international border with Myanmar was being fenced. (PTI)

A preparatory meeting was held at Prajna Bhavan here on Monday where top officials of the State administration.

DONER Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer, eight Chief Ministers of north eastern states and top officials of the NEC will attend the meeting.

Though three states- Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland could not formulate vision documents-2020, a comprehensive roadmap for overall development is likely to be finalised in the meet.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be invited to the two-day meet of the regional body. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who is in Coimbatore to attend the CPI(M) party congress, is expected to return on April 4.

On his return, he is expected to invite the Prime Minister to inaugurate the NEC meet, an official said.

Barring Tripura, all the State capitals of NE have hosted the plenary session of the NEC.

A youth, identified as Parthajyoti Barman was shot dead by suspected ultras at Thapa Basti under Udharbond police station in Cachar district on Monday night. The identity of the outfit was yet to be ascertained, sources said.

In another incident, United Liberation Front of Barak Valley (ULFBA) militants kidnapped a student of Manipur M V School from his residence under Katlicherra police station of Hailakandi district yesterday.

A massive search operation has been launched in the area but the student, identified as Hridoy Singh, was still untraced, sources added. (PTI)

Guwahati: Drinking and using of unbottled/ untreated water in Assam is potentially hazardous as ground water in 23 districts has been contaminated with high fluoride and arsenic.

State Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Rihon Daimary on Tuesday said the Government was very much concerned about the situation as five districts had high fluoride content and 18 other districts had high arsenic contamination. The State has total 27 districts.

The minister was replying to a debate in the Assembly on fluoride and arsenic contamination of the State.

The Government has already collected 33,000 water samples and of them 25,000 samples were being screened.

The Government has procured seven ion meters, six UV meters for arsenic testing and one atomic absorption spito photo metere besides 76 field testing kits for investigation of water condition.

As the situation has become alarming, the PHE has so far provided 102 water supply schemes and 1117 bore wells. Efforts were on to popularise the rain water harvesting in the State. (UNI)

Agartala: Almost thousands of birds, including chickens and ducks, have died of an unknown disease in the Bangladesh-bordering villages of Kamalpur division in north Tripura during the past fortnight, BSF officials said here on Tuesday.

The villagers had reportedly been noticing abnormal tiredness among the birds, both domestic and wild, and died subsequently. Nine dogs and three jackals, who had consumed the birds, were also found dead, the villagers said.

BSF Commandant Monjit Singh said the villagers had dumped the birds near the wire fencing in open places along the Indo-Bangladesh border on several occasions, which were consumed by dogs and jackals, who died subsequently.

State Animal Resource Department (ARD) officials said specialists have been sent to the villages on Tuesday and they would collect blood samples of both dead and alive birds for investigation as well as to provide immediate medication to contain the spread of the disease. ''We have already passed the message among the BSF and other administrative sources to prevent the villagers from consuming the birds before getting clearance from ARD experts.

The BSF has also been requested to keep a close vigil on the border,'' ARD Deputy Director of Dhalai district BK Das said. (UNI)