SHILLONG: Meghalaya's top cop goes into self-imposed sabbatical. The policeman's morale is at an all time low while the traffic lights are blinking and winking. No one has a clue how to tackle the traffic enigma. Every measure falls short of success. It's a trail and error exercise. Road rage is becoming a reality. On Monday evening a lecturer from NEHU was driving his small car when he was almost hit by a dangerously swerving Bolero. Shocked out of his wits he shouted at the careless driver only to find that he was a cop.

Saturday is the only day when families are free to take their kids out on a spin. But the District Administration in its wisdom decides to allow trucks to ply 24 hours on Saturdays. The result is monstrous traffic jams especially along the narrow Fire Brigade to Nongthymmai highway. Traffic police are helpless and hapless. After all they have no say in top-level decisions. Their call is only to conduct traffic all day long.

Irate drivers swear that traffic congestion has got worse after the traffic lights were put on trial. Incidentally, Shillong is the only hill station in the country that is experimenting with traffic lights. A senior police official formerly handling traffic says, "this project is sponsored by the Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) through a Kolkata firm, Webel Mediatronics. The project has been in place for the past two and a half years but is still at the trial stage."

The police official, who is also a member of the project monitoring committee, further said that mass awareness should have preceded implementation. "People should know what each colour signifies. If green is go and red is stop what does amber mean. Amber is a sign for vehicles to slow down before the light changes to red (stop). The official further explained that synchronization is of utmost importance. Peak hour traffic requires intelligent handling and synchronization," the official added.

While the public fumes and frets, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, B Dhar, who has always swum against the tide of public opinion, asks what is wrong if Shillong leads the way in putting up traffic lights? "At least we have started something that we can hopefully finish", he says. But those not so fortunate to be driven around in pilot cars and blaring sirens retort, "First of all it is ridiculous to have traffic lights in a hill station." "And worse is that they indicate 'go and stop' every 20 seconds. Cars coming up a slope have to suddenly brake when the red sign goes on. Since traffic lights are placed at short distances of each other there is a jam at one traffic point while the road is absolutely free at the next", they observe.

The police department itself is at loggerheads about the traffic lights. A highly placed official says, "You cannot substitute human resource with machines". But as of now both man and machine are doing the job. Traffic police are taking their cue from the lights and showing their signals accordingly. Drivers have to watch the lights and also the policeman's cue.

School timings are particularly chaotic. Irate parents are losing their cool as they rush from one school to the next. 

With the elite institutions not providing school bus facilities, vehicle owning parents (and who does not own a vehicle today?) are driving bumper to bumper.

Is there any respite to the traffic chaos of Shillong? Urban Affairs Minister, Paul Lyngdoh convened a meeting on Tuesday to thrash out the contentious issue. Peeved over reckless driving by truckers leading to heavy congestion in the city, Mr Lyngdoh has directed the Police department to come up with a comprehensive action plan within ten days to solve the problem.

In a letter to East Khasi Hills SP Mr AR Mawthoh, Mr Lyngdoh said that he had received several complaints from the people regarding rising traffic jam where city residents were unable to reach their destination in time as trucks were allowed to ply throughout the day.

"With the recent closure of toll gates, these trucks have not been contributing anything to the State exchequer. They have only contributed to chaos, confusion, destruction of property and human lives and degradation of the environment through pollution" Mr Lyngdoh said.

The Minister also questioned how trucks are allowed to ply through the city sometimes throughout the day. He pointed out that several cases of accidents and congestion took place due to "haphazard, careless and reckless driving by truck drivers".

Everyone hopes and prays for a solution. But as of now the wink and blink lights are creating more confusion for car owners and pedestrians.

Defending the government decision to transfer Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Anil Pradhan on Tuesday, MPA spokesperson Conrad K Sangma said Mr Pradhan had competed two years in the post and hence liable to be transferred as per the law.

"The government has the authority to transfer any official after his completion of two years in any post," Mr Sangma, who is also the Finance Minister, said adding, "there is a reason behind the decision". However, he refused to elaborate on the "reason".

On DGP BK Dey Sawian's stand that the government violated a Supreme Court ruling in the process of transfer, Mr Sangma asserted that the apex court ruling was applied to transfer of police officer only equivalent to the rank of DGP and above.

Besides, he argued that government need not wait for the recommendation of Police Establishment Board before transferring a police official as the "Board is not constituted by the government".

He said only the State Security Commission headed by Chief Minister could revoke such a decision of transfer by the Government. However, the State is yet to have any such commission.

Stating that the government had seriously taken the DGP's action to proceed on leave "in protest", Mr Sangma said so far no action is planned on the matter as the government was yet to receive the copy of leave application of Mr Sawian.

However, he warned that anybody who opposes the government decision would be treated as an "irresponsible officer".

Informing this here on Tuesday, Power Minister Conrad K Sangma said MPA government was committed to reviewing the shady deal, "though it would not be wise to hurriedly arrive at any conclusion especially on this type of vital matters."

Meanwhile, an official committee, which sought opinions from one Dehli-based firm, Abacus Legal Group (ALG), on the decision of MDA government to hand over the six power projects to the private companies, submitted its first report to the government.

The committee is seeking more clarification from ALG on the matter.

It is likely to submit the final report in the Cabinet soon after holding two rounds of meetings.

The Power Minister informed that he received several memoranda from NGOs and landowners on the "controversial power deal" in the recent days.

"Instances of the disease is sporadic and several cases have so far been detected in the State," Health Minister Dr Adviser Pariong told reporters here on Tuesday.

The Health department has so far confirmed one victim of the disease in East Khasi Hills while cause of two other deaths is yet to be ascertained.

Altogether 150 cases of meningitis have been detected so far in the State of which 21 are confirmed cases and the rest are yet to be confirmed.

East Khasi Hills tops the list with 58 suspected cases followed by Jaintia Hills with 47 while the figure in East Garo Hills stands at 11. In West Khasi Hills, the number of suspected meningococcal meningitis cases is five, Ri-Bhoi seven and West Garo Hills one.

While appealing to the people not to panic, the Health Minister said the disease was curable and that the department had already geared up to tackle the disease.

Meningococcal meningitis is a communicable disease that is spread through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions. The most common symptoms are stiff neck, high fever, headache and vomiting. Even when the disease is diagnosed early and adequate therapy instituted, five to ten per cent of the patients die typically within 24 to 48 hours of onset of symptoms.

Dr Pariong further clarified that the death toll of 30 in East Garo Hills was of malaria and not meningococcal meningitis.

East Garo Hills police inform that the ANVC cadre, identified as one Amjad A Sangma of West Garo Hills district, was caught with a 9 mm pistol during random checking at Forest Gate of Williamnagar. He was immediately arrested for possession of illegal arms and a case has been registered against him, police inform.

SHILLONG: KHADC has taken up with State Government the "non-receipt of developmental schemes" from Union Tribal Affairs Ministry for the last three years which had affected functioning of the Council. In a high-level meeting here on Tuesday, a KHADC delegation led by Chief Executive Member Cleophas B Syiem apprised officials of Planning, Finance and District Council Affairs departments of the problems being faced by the Council. 

The ruling Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (mpa) government has strength of 32 Legislators in a 60-member Assembly but it has 35 members, holding offices in its coalition government.

Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy had appointed four Chairmen, whose status were equivalent to the Cabinet Minister's post, three ex-Legislators as Chairman, one Co-Chairman and Chief Minister's advisor.

Those, enjoying the Cabinet Minister's status are State Planning Board (SPB) Chairman Purno A Sangma, Meghalaya Economic Development Council (MEDC) Chairman J D Rymbai and State Development Reforms Commission Chairman E K Mawlong.

The other politicians, who had lost in the last election but were accommodated as Chairmen, Co-Chairman and Advisor to Chief Minister, are P T Sawkmie (Co-Chairman of Resource Mobilisation), P M Syiem, (Chairman, Khadi and Village Inustries), D P Iangjuh (Chairman, Meghalaya Transport Corporation), Lambor Malangiang (Meghalaya Urban Development Authority) and B G Momin (Advisor to the Chief Minister).

Altogether, there were 12 Chairmen of different boards and corporations of which three were equivalent to the post of Chief Minister and rest enjoyed the Cabinet Minister rank. All these three senior politicians draw a salary of Rs 20,000, equivalent to the CM with other perks like house maintenance allowance of Rs 20,000, house rent Rs 10,000, conveyance allowance Rs 3,000, official vehicle, Rs 1000 electricity bill, telephone both in office and residence, free medical facilities, a private secretary, a personnel assistant, maximum six casual peons, one government driver and one casual driver.

Official in the Finance Department said a total expenditure of each Chairman stood more than a lakh in a month. However, other Chairmen not falling in the ''A'' category, like the above three, drew little less salary and perks.

The MPA government has eight Parliamentary Secretaries assisting 12 Ministers, including Chief Minister and a government chief whip. (UNI)

Talking to reporters here on Monday, Mr Chaudhuri said the State had the potentiality to make the dream come true.

"The only thing required is to push our education system to higher levels equivalent to international standard," Mr Chaudhuri said.

He also pointed out that the State had huge scope in some specialised forms of education especially in music, fashion, technology, management, IT, etc.

"The whole world knows that the State is rich in music talents. It is high time that their talent was utilised in a proper manner," he said.

According to the Minister, Shillong could think of starting its own music university of international standard which "would open the doors to the students to hone their latent skills."

He rued that bright students were leaving the State to get better education and that most of them did not want to return after completion of their studies due to lack of job opportunities back home.

"The State, for its development, needs the services of these bright and intelligent youth," Mr Chaudhuri stressed.

Expressing MPA government's concern about the lack of opportunities, he said, "This government will try its level best to create more job opportunities, especially through self-employment."

Meanwhile, he welcomed the move to establish a medical college in NEIGRIHMS, but suggested that before commencement of the institution, services of best-qualified faculty has to be ensured in order to produce quality doctors.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, the women bodies stated that the tenure of the SWC had come to an end and was due for reconstitution. They also said the process of reconstituting the Commission should be "democratic and transparent".

The delegation suggested that the "search and selection committee" should be institutionalised and that the Committee members should comprise one representative each from State Government and the Opposition besides outgoing SWC Chairperson and one leading woman from each of the seven districts.

Further, the women bodies said formation of the Committee should be given wide publicity besides fixing a time frame for filing of claims and objections by the public.

They also said after constituting the Committee, there should be wide publicity for sending written nominations of people who could be appointed to the Commission through the Committee. The Committee will then screen the nominations and come up with shortlisted names for nominating to the Commission taking into account adequate representation from minority community.

Recalling the "hurried decision" of the previous government to constitute the SWC by "bypassing the women's groups", which later led to vehement protests, the organisations said unless the its process of formation was consultative, democratic and transparent, the Commission would not be able to function effectively.

The letter was signed by leaders of ten women organisations comprising Council of Catholic Women, Civil Society Women's Organisation (CSWO), Ka Lympung Ki Seng Kynthei, Nepali Mahila Samity, Nongmynsong, North East Regional Domestic Workers' Movement, RS Lyngdoh Training Centre, Synjuk Kynthei, Freedom Project, Wellsprings Social Service Society and YWCA.

A statement issued here said, based on a tip off about presence of militants at Dismaihadi village, a joint team of Assam police along with the BSF went to cordon off the village. The militants, on seeing the security forces, opened fire, which made the force to retaliate. In the ensuing gunbattle, one of the militants was killed.

Arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militant including one SLR rifle, four rifle magazines, 7.62 mm ammunitions, mobile phone and cash.

In a high-level meeting here on Tuesday, a KHADC delegation led by Chief Executive Member Cleophas B Syiem apprised officials of Planning, Finance and District Council Affairs departments of the problems being faced by the Council.

According to sources, developmental schemes for 2003-2004, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 have not been sanctioned to the KHADC as the State Government failed to forward the relevant documents to the Ministry.

However, the State Government officials assured the KHADC delegation of examining the matter and take up the same with the Tribal Affairs Ministry.

The KHADC delegation also took up the issue of annual budgetary shortfall of the Council, which kept increasing since 1991 with present figure being around Rs 17 lakh.

Finance and District Council Affairs departments agreed to prepare detailed recommendations to seek Rs 12-crore annual financial assistance for the Council from the Union Finance Ministry to meet the budgetary shortfall.

The first list of KHADC executive members is likely to get approval of Governor SS Siddhu in a day or two after lying pending in the Governor's Secretariat for about two weeks.

Informing this, KHADC Chief Executive Member Cleophas B Syiem said the list comprised the names of Boldness Nongum, William Mynsong, Srally Rashir, Lamphrang Blah and Irin Lyngdoh.

"We expect the list to be put up for approval by the Governor on Wednesday," Mr Syiem said adding that the second list including Latiplang Kharkongor (KHNAM) and J Stormding Thongni sent in the first week of April had already been approved by the Governor.

According to the CEM, besides him, the present Executive Committee is functioning with Deputy CEM Ronnie V Lyngdoh and two EMs - Field Marshall Mawphniang and Man Sturdy Nongrem.

Meanwhile, the State Government recently allotted District Council Affairs to Paul Lyngdoh in addition to his existing portfolios.

Most of the patients who availed the treatment from renowned physicians from Italy, were neglected by their family members due to their health condition.

In a visit led by Civil Society of Women Organisation (CSWO) on Tuesday, it was found that the health institution, which was set up in 1974, has been providing treatment to patients at their own expenses since there was no assistance from the Government.

The patients suffering from leprosy, mental disorder, tuberculosis are being treated free of cost in the missionary home.

In addition to this, the missionary home looks after the welfare of 35 destitute children.

According to the sister of Mother Theresa Missionary Home, the patients said most of the patients admitted in the home were abandoned by their kith and kin. The same story goes with the children.

Leprosy's specialists from Italy attended to the patients.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice Aftab Alam have disapproved arming of private persons by Chhattisgarh government to tackle the Naxal menace. The state government may have to think of an alternative to village defence groups (Salva Judum) soon. The ruling also will affect some other militant afflicted states. This will put a spanner in the plans to raise village self-defence groups in Jammu and Kashmir to protect villagers from terrorist attacks. Many such groups were made up of surrendered militants, who were given arms by the state government to fight militancy. The apex court also ruled that if private persons, so armed by the state government, kill other persons, then the state is also liable to be prosecuted for abetting murder.

The bench was hearing a PIL filed by sociology professor Nandini Sundar, historian Ramachandra Guha and retired bureaucrat E.A.S. Sarma. They have sought a series of directions—withdraw state support to Salva Judum, probe their excesses, register FIRs relating to crimes committed by Judum activists and compensate and rehabilitate those who suffered at their hands.

The arming of "self-defence" groups has become a standard government strategy in conflict zones, such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and in many other states afflicted with militancy. "Self-defence" presumes that there is an outside ‘enemy’ which the ‘community’ is defending itself against. The situation in most conflict zones is rather different. Contrary to common notions, in reality no armed organisation can last very long without the sympathy of a significant part of the community. Such sympathy may mean nothing more than a lack of faith in the government. The government is seen—and it behaves like it is—one side in a war, rather than a neutral enforcer of law and order.

Consider this one fact: in every conflict zone, from Andhra Pradesh to Kashmir, from Nagaland to Chhattisgarh, the army and police are widely hated, often even by those who do not support the militants. Arming local civilians usually means arming the people who are seen to be "on the police side", as opposed to those who are neutral, or those supporting the militants. This is no self-defence. It is a move to expand the armed forces on the cheap.

Modern republics claim legitimacy, and therefore sovereignty, through two principles: democracy and the rule of law. The arming of civilians tears away the last shred of these two principles, already shaken by conflict, because it openly throws the state’s power behind a group of people. This group is now totally unaccountable: protected from their own community by the state, protected from the militants by the security forces and protected from the law by their position as government allies.

This naturally encourages brutal and inhuman violence; in Bastar, for instance, it has meant killings, rapes and razing villages to the ground. Thus the "lawfully established government of the land" ends up patronising lawlessness.

Any armed conflict is, as the army’s generals themselves have pointed out, fundamentally a political conflict. Just and long-term solutions will also have to be political—not based on military force, and certainly not based on "self-defence" that often becomes nothing more than organised crime.

A democratic state is a keeper of the sovereignty of the people. Any attempt by it to arm one section against another constitutes a clear violation of this principle. It’s time governments realised that Maoist insurgency indicates a crisis of sovereignty for the Indian state. And there is no way it can be overcome without first rendering state institutions inclusive and functionally democratic through a politically-driven process of social transformation.

The Chhattisgarh government has, however, only served to deepen this crisis by aiding and abetting the Salva Judum. The Judum is, for all practical purposes, a militia of the avaricious local elite, pretending to be an expression of spontaneous local anger against the Maoists. The apex court would do well to accept the plea to set up a committee to visit the camps where local villagers from Naxal-affected areas are reportedly being held against their will.

The perils of political vigilantism have, of late, become much too visible to be ignored. The bloody ‘recapture’ of Nandigram by the CPM cadre last November, or the frequent acts of vandalism carried out by the Shiv Sena and similar outfits to defend Hindu/Maratha culture, point towards a growing propensity to settle disagreements outside the pale of law and institutions. The state would do well to not merely disband the Salva Judum, but review the entire model of police-civilian cooperation in fighting insurgencies.

Following the apex court ruling the Opposition is sure to corner the UPA government on its "soft approach" to handling Left-wing extremism, especially when it accounted for more killings than J&K in 2006. While 540 civilians and security personnel were killed in counter-insurgency operations in J&K during 2006, as many as 678 police personnel and civilians were killed in Naxalite attacks. It is not only the number of killings that should be worrying the security agencies. The spread of Left-wing extremism, which now affects 13 states in all, and is knocking at the doors of several other states, is an equal cause for concern.

Chhattisgarh, incidentally, has been pulled up on several recent occasions on account of its failure to fill up vacancies in the state police or utilise funds allocated to it for police modernisation. The state has also been found wanting in its response to the Naxalite menace and conducting counter-operations.

The Naxal affected states should constitute a special group for effective administrative structures at the district levels for better governance and faster socio-economic development. Each state should prepare an action plan to combat Naxalism on both security and developmental aspects in a time-bound manner. Besides, intelligence network should be spruced up.

The Naxalites have an 11-point charter of demands. The most important point relates to land reforms. The Naxals called for an "independent commission to be headed by a democrat acceptable to all" to identify land for distribution among the tribal population.

The Naxals’ insistence on land reforms is understandable. The government’s Tenth Five Year Plan document itself admits that "the record of most states in implementing the existing laws is dismal". The agrarian structure in the Naxal affected states are marked by the growth of a class of landless labourers whose numbers are swelling as a consequence of demographic pressures and also due to the gradual dispossession of small farmers. This, however, does not mean that the Naxals could start grabbing government and forest lands. Any meeting point or agreed settlement on the demands raised by the Naxals is going to be a long haul and we shall have to be patient during the process.

Naxals have been insisting on carrying weapons even during the peace period. This puts the government in a dilemma. Any government worth the name cannot abdicate its normal, legitimate, lawful functions even while negotiating peace with an insurgent group. The operation of the Arms Act cannot be suspended to placate Naxalites. The Naxals must understand this. The state governments are not asking them to surrender their weapons. Let them retain their full arsenal, but it does not have to be displayed in a manner which compromises the legitimacy of a democratically elected government.

The Naxals have also been repeatedly saying that "armed struggle" is non-negotiable. This does not make sense. "Armed struggle" is the means to an end – it is not the end in itself. If the objectives are achieved by peaceful negotiations, any talk of "armed struggle" becomes meaningless and irrelevant.

"Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war", as Milton said. But then it requires give and take from both sides. The Naxals must remember that even though most of their demands are genuine, they could only be conceded in principle to start with. Their implementation would take long years of sustained effort. As long as the government appears sincere and the right initiatives are taken, whether it is for redistributing the surplus land or improving the lot of tribals, they should be content and give the government a fair chance. The Central and state governments, on the other hand, must recognise that there is a conspicuous socio-economic dimension to the Naxal problem. INAV

Madam,

Through your esteemed daily, I would like to convey my utmost appreciation for Mr. Manas Chaudhuri, Minister for Higher & Technical Education of the newly constituted MPA, Government in Meghalaya. His efforts and initiative taken within a very short span of time for the uplift of under privileged teachers in the state is indeed laudable. He laid emphasis regarding better education system and policies thereon. The recent declaration of pay hike for ad-hoc grant teachers shows how keen the government is to improve the prolonged, neglected conditions of the poor teachers in the state. Being deprived of their basic rights, it is seen in the past that the teachers were forced to take to the streets to demonstrate and agitate just to ensure that they too deserve to be treated like other government officials of the state. Kudos, to Mr. Chaudhuri who has, at least, set an example for future legislators that if there is a will there can be infinite ways to shape it. Thank you Sir, we need more like you in the government who would give due respect to teachers and all the necessary help that they really deserve.

Yours etc.,
Dipankar Nandi Majumdar
Shillong-1

Madam,

The impact of rising prices of coal imported from China and Indonesia in the past few months and a sharp increase of 15 % i.e. almost @ Rs 650 per metric ton by the Coal India Limited on 13th December 2007 has now resulted in the increase in the price of coal from Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills. The prices of Meghalaya Coal is likely to increase further as its demand has increased in domestic market as well as in other States like Punjab and Haryana besides neighboring Bangladesh.

Presently there are a good number of cement factories in the State of Meghalaya. The demand for cement is also likely to increase in the North Eastern Region for construction of four-lane roads and bridges in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Hence in the near future other giant cement manufacturers are going to set up plants for producing huge quantity of cement where coal is one of the major raw materials for use in cement plants.

In that eventuality we will have a crisis in getting coal at a cheaper rate particularly to run the two paper mills i.e. Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited at Jagiroad and at Panchgram established by Government of India. The prospect of Meghalaya Coal is therefore very bright. As such there is a necessity for implementing modern, scientific techniques in coal mining so that we can get higher yield This would also ensure that some amount is set aside for cleaning up the environment in and around coal mines.

Yours etc.,
Dilip Paul Choudhury
Shillong-4

The Spokesperson of the Federation of 25 Khasi States John F Kharshiing, was invited by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), to participate in a meeting on the above issues at Mumbai.

"The General Assembly was shocked to know that the conditions laid in the treaties (Instrument of Accession & Annexed Agreement) signed between the Federation of Khasi States and accepted by the Government of India in 1948 was not incorporated into the Constitution of India," he said in a statement.

Mr Kharshiing, felt it was ironic that India rightly provided moral and financial support to the freedom cause of Tibetans while on the other hand it has been "suppressing" the democratic Indigenous voices in the North East.

ICITP has assured the chiefs of Meghalaya that they would take up the issue with the appropriate authorities at the National and even at the International level including the Indigenous umbrella organisations of the UNO, he said.

The TISS, one of the premier Management Institute's of India in collaboration with the Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, Delhi organised the General Assembly of the Indigenous Tribes and People at TISS.

The General Assembly was inaugurated by Ms Urmila Singh, Chairperson, National Commission for Schedule Tribes, in presence Chairman, National Commission for Women, Dr BD Sharma, former Commissioner SC/ST Commission, Director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Dr R Munda, former Vice Chancellor Ranchi University, Mr Jebra Ram Muchahary, Chief President ICITP & Head Bodoland and other representatives from various Indigenous organisations from all over India.

The General Assembly deliberated extensively on a variety of issues such as politics of identity and tribal eesistance, tracing the historical evolution and articulation of the tribal voices, preservation, protection of indigenous tribal values and cultures, ethnicity among many others.

Guwahati: Hundreds of Tibetan refugees living in North East Indian states, barring Sikkim, staged hunger strike and some of them tonsured their heads in the heart of Guwahati on Tuesday to express solidarity with their countrymen in Tibet, who are facing 'oppression' from the regime in China. The Tibetan Solidarity Committee, North East India, has organised the three-day protest, which started here on Tuesday morning, against oppression and human rights violation in Tibet by the Chinese forces. About 550 Tibetan refuges including a large number of women have come from different North Eastern States to take part in the agitation.

A larger section of Tibetans in exile who were participating in the rally, voluntarily tonsured their heads at the venue to register their protest against Chinese oppression of Tibetans and demanding 'more active role from India in facilitating talks between Dalai Lama and Chinese Government to find a solution to Tibet problem.

The Member of Parliament of the Tibetan Government in exile, Dawa Tsering said, "we are here to highlight the demands of Tibetans and express solidarity with suffering Tibetans in Tibet at the hands of Chinese forces and called upon the Government of India to play a key role to facilitate dialogue in Tibet issue."

The three-day protests by Tibetans in exile include hunger strike, candle-light procession and funeral procession in memory of those Tibetan demonstrators, who have been killed in Tibet because of crackdown launched by Chinese Government to annihilate non-violent demonstrations in Tibet since March 10 last.

The three persons were arrested by the Assam police and CRPF from an autorichshaw at the Rongiya bus stand with one of them Manoj Gorh a resident of Sandrup Jonghkhar in Bhutan, Assam police DIG, Central Western Range (CWR), G P Singh said.

The explosives were hidden in a bag and were meant for the ULFA's 27th battalion based on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra for carrying out subversive activities, he said.

It was being investigated whether the arms were brought from Bhutan, he said.

He refused to comment on the ULFA setting up camps in Bhutan. (PTI)

In the 11th Plan period, the Spices Board will focus on developing and promoting organic cultivation of spices such as ginger, turmeric, large cardamom and hot chillies in the north-eastern states of Meghalaya, Assam, Nagaland and Tripura. The board has even proposed to make the North East the hub for organic spices within India, according to reports.

The Government-backed Spice Board will highlight its efforts to establish spice parks across the country including in NE with its thrust on organic cultivation and other quality-improvement initiatives.

India dominates the spice trade, accounting for more than half of the total global exports worth two billion dollars.

Agartala: Culling operations began in Tripura's bird flu-hit border district of Dhalai on Tuesday morning with authorities setting a target of killing more than 25,000 chicken.

The culling operations would continue for the next three days at Mohanpur and seven village panchayat areas of Kamalpur sub-division of the district, where about 3000 chicken had died during the past fortnight, official sources here said.

A team of doctors from the National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD) have reached the spot and villagers were cooperating with the rapid response teams.

Measures are in place to control the spread of the disease and an isolation wing was opened at Kamalpur hospital to treat any case of infection.

An alert has been sounded across the state prohibiting import of poultry, including from neighbouring Bangladesh with which the state shares 856 km-long border.

BSF has sealed the border and is maintaining a strict vigil so that no poultry from outside enters the State.

The avian virus was found in samples of dead chicken sent from the area to High Security Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Bhopal. (PTI)

Kamrup (metro) Deputy Commissioner Prateek Hajela told PTI that the police had to fire in the air to disperse an agitating crowd who protested against the death of the class VI student of a local school Abhijeet Prasad in the accident.

The boy was on way to school with his father on a motorcycle when the truck knocked them down.

He died on the spot. The local people torched the truck and blocked the road for hours in protest.

Police reached the spot and fired on the air to disperse the crowd. Hajela, who is camping in the area, said the situation was now under control and road cleared. (PTI)