Terming the charges as wild and invalid, Mr Shylla has threatened to file a defamation suit against Mr Sutnga. "There is nothing wrong in spending the amount received from UCIL for the road project in the interest of the public," he said.

"The charges were made only to camouflage the scams unearthed recently against KHNAM legislator Lambor Malngiang regarding misuse of MLA Scheme. Mr Sutnga should first see what is happening in his own party rather than making wild charges against me without any proof," Mr Shylla said while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.

Stating that Mr Sutnga was "frustrated" after he had lost several court cases filed by him against the KHADC on the road project, Mr Shylla said that the Civil Court in Nongstoin had vacated the ad-interim injunction issued earlier on the road project and that Mr Sutnga also withdrew the whole suit.

"Though Mr Sutnga filed a writ petition in Gauhati High Court regarding the case, the Court in its order on December 12, 2006, dismissed the case," Mr Shylla said.

On the charges by the KHNAM leader that the KHADC chief had violated the Land Acquisition Act and Land Transfer Act while acquiring the land for the road project, Mr Shylla said that as per Section 11 (C) of Land Transfer Act, the KHADC is allowed to go for outright purchase of land. "We are not buying the land for UCIL but it is for public purpose," Mr Shylla said.

Further, Mr Shylla informed that cost of the road project as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the KHADC and UCIL was approximately Rs 20 crore. Out of the total 20-kilometre length of the road, earthwork on 17-kilometre stretch had been completed at the cost of Rs 17 lakh, he said. 

The entire project including earthwork, construction of side drains, culverts, retaining walls and blacktopping has been estimated at Rs 19.88 crore.

Land compensation cost has been estimated at Rs 65.22 lakh at the flat rate of Rs 18 per square metre as evaluated by the West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner. Land compensation had been fully paid to the land owners who mostly belong to Langrin Lai Kpoh clan, Mr Shylla said.

NGOs seek CBI probe against Shylla: Meanwhile, KSU, MPHRC and Langrin Youth Welfare Association (LYWA) have demanded a CBI inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of funds by KHADC CEM HS Shylla to "facilitate uranium mining" by the UCIL.

Speaking to reporters after a joint delegation met District Council Affairs Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday, KSU General Secretary Hamlet Dohling said, "We have asked the DCA minister to remove Mr Shylla and other Executive Members from the Council because of their corrupt activities."

The KSU also threatened to launch massive agitation "if the government fails to take any action."

Mr Tynsong assured the delegation to immediately take up the matter with top government officials, the KSU leader said.

"Mr Shylla on several occasions hurt the sentiment of the people by depriving them of their basic rights which was evident from his PIL seeking a ban on bandhs called by the NGOs," Mr Dohling said.

The KHADC CEM actually wanted to prevent the NGOs from agitating against his corrupt activities, the KSU leader alleged.

Mr Malngiang misused the MLA Scheme to a large extent including central schemes like IACDP, ISYDP, DTFM, SRWP, CRRP, IAY and others and distributed the money under such schemes to "non-existing clubs".

Using the name of Nongkrem Constituency Development Committee (NCDC), Mr Malngiang, who is also its chairman, allegedly sanctioned, released and withdrew money under central schemes in favour of nine "ghost clubs" from Mawryngkneng Community and Rural Development Block and Mawkynrew Block.

Among the "ghost clubs" which received financial assistance under MLA Scheme since 2004, maximum amount of Rs 2 lakh under IACDP, ISYDP and DTFM went to Khyrim Sports and Cultural Club. It was followed by Hynniewtrep SCC which received Rs 1.75 lakh under IACDP and ISYDP. Another "ghost club", United SCC Mawmuthoh, received Rs 1.50 lakh under ISYDP and DTFM.

Other "beneficiary" non-existing clubs from the two Blocks are -- Mawrynsan SCC (Rs 1 lakh), Mawrymphiat SCC (Rs 1.50 lakh), Kiew Shaphrang SCC (Rs 1.50 lakh), Mawpynshon SCC (Rs 50,000), Lum Rangpuin SCC (Rs 1.25 lakh) and Mawslang SCC (Rs 1 lakh).

Meanwhile, commenting on the issue, KHADC Chief Executive Member HS Shylla told reporters here on Wednesday that the scam had exposed the "real face of the present Nongkrem legislator" adding that he would take up the issue with the State Vigilance Commission and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

Though there are numerous public complaints that due to the installation of new electronic meters electricity bills have recorded a sharp rise, (MeSEB) claimed that no such abnormal consumption was noticed by the Board.

Informing this, MeSEB Public Relations Officer EB Kharmujai on Wednesday said that a recent study conducted by Board's Western Circle Chief Executive Officer indicated that there is no significant difference in energy consumption recorded by electronic meter.

From January 2 to 16, a study was conducted by the MeSEB officials in which both electro-mechanical meter and electronic meter were connected to the same load of Umsning police outpost and it was found that the meters registered consumption of 390 and 388 units respectively.

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), in its recently issued CEA Regulations 2006, made replacement of all electro-mechanical and hybrid meters with the new electronic meters mandatory.

The MeSEB would carry out implementation of electronic meters in a phased manner and the cost would not be borne by the consumers, the official said.

Some Congress legislators admitted that given the present scenario of two camps -- Rymbai and Lapang -- within the Congress, the candidates would have to put several times more effort to win their elections, unlike earlier occasions when they used to get maximum support including finance from the party.

Speaking to The Shillong Times, CLP Secretary Charles Pyngrope said that this time the candidates have to work harder for their win. However, he said, there is enough time for the Congress to strengthen itself. 

Political observers point out that in the context of division in the Congress, there may be a tendency in the party to put up proxy or dummy canddates to defeat party's own candidates in the coming elections.

While other political parties are already in the job of selecting the candidates and revamping the parties, the Congress is yet to begin any such an exercise. The NCP has already declared that the party's candidates would be announced at the earliest.

Congress will chalk out its election plan after the budget session, Mr Pyngrope said.

When contacted, MPCC President OL Nongtdu said that Congress might also declare its candidates much ahead of the polls. "But the announcement will not be before November," Mr Nongtdu said.

During the review meeting, a block-wise report on the process of implementation till date was given by the Programme Officers (BDOs) in their respective blocks and most of them reported 80-100 per cent participation by the villagers.

Mr Sangma, who is also the Chairman of the Committee, expressed his excitement over the programme and said that the scheme has tremendous potential for transformation in the life of the villagers. He was happy to see keen participation by the rural people during his field visits to some villages. "The response shown to the scheme is an indication of people’s acceptance, and the Social Audit by the NGOs can help prevent misuse of fund by any agency", he said.

He suggested that college and higher secondary school students should be taken to MREGS villages for effective participation. He also stressed the need to conduct inter-block experience sharing of AECs from time to time and suggested that video documentation be done on the success stories of those villages that are doing well in this scheme for propagating them in other villages of the State and elsewhere. He exhorted all the Programme Officers to work whole-heartedly with zeal and enthusiasm and to give 100 per cent dedication to the programme.

Mr. Sangma had also expressed concern over the adverse reports in the media recently, reportedly made by the Union Minister for Rural Development, against Meghalaya on the implementation of the scheme, which he felt was due to lack of knowledge about the ground reality, and assured the meeting that he would personally discuss the matter with the Union Minister.

Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner and District Programme Coordinator, Mr. P Sampath Kumar, while clarifying on the media report, stated that the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) was launched in 200 districts of the country on February 2, 2006, while in West Garo Hills the scheme was notified only on April 1, 2006 and the Meghalaya Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MREGS) was published on July 28, 2006. As such, the implementation of the scheme in West Garo Hills district could not be compared with other districts in the country, he said. Besides, due to the absence of Panchayati Raj system in the district, the constitution of Village Employment Councils (VECs) and Area Employment Councils (AECs) had entailed considerable time, he added.

Stating that MREGS is a demand-driven scheme, the Deputy Commissioner said it was necessary to sensitise and mobilize the workers for which the NGOs had made a concerted effort and the scheme was formally launched on November 14, 2006, simultaneously in all blocks in the district. While the demand for work was initially not heavy mainly due to Christmas and New Year festivities, mobilization of job seekers was conducted and from second half of January onwards, the response of the people have been tremendous and transformation of villages is noticed where 100 per cent job card holders are participating in the execution of the schemes, unlike other districts where only 30-40 per cent workforce have been reported to participate in the programme. He also informed the Committee that he had personally reviewed the implementation of the scheme in all the eight block headquarters involving AEC secretaries.

The Deputy Commissioner also informed that it was not possible to allot work to all the VECs due to non-availability of fund, adding that, proposals were being submitted to the Centre for release of second instalment and hoped that all the villages would be covered under the scheme within March 31, next.

Others present in the meeting included Mr Edmund K Sangma, MLA, Mr Billykid A Sangma, MLA, other members of the Committee, the Project Director, DRDA and Additional District Programme Coordinator, Mr R P Marak and all BDOs and Programme Officers of the district.

Mr Tynsong stressed the need for revision of Municipal Taxes. The minister assured the delegation that the matter would be examined properly at the earliest keeping public interest in mind.

SHILLONG: KHNAM has denied that it has changed its position on uranium mining and said that the matter has been out of context.

Reacting to reports in a section of the press on Wednesday, KHNAM General Secretary Mr Erwin Sutnga said the party stands by its opposition to uranium mining.

SHILLONG: West Khasi Hills Students Union has demanded the setting up of a government college in West Khasi Hills.

In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister on Wednesday, WKHSU president Mr John F Nongsiej said that the setting up of a government college in the district will allow the students community coming from the poor families to pursue their studies at the higher level.

"Being the most backward district in the State especially in education the college will definitely help to uplift the literacy rate in the district which is very low," Mr Nonsiej said.

He said that there was urgent need to complete the construction of NH 44 (e) from Shillong to Nongstoin as the delay in the construction has really affected the traffic movement. "There is a need to appoint a Khasi teacher in the Khasi-Garo villages in the Meghalaya-Asom border like Malangkona and Aradonga," Mr Nongsiej said, adding that due to unavailability of a Khasi teacher, most of the Khasi students in these villages were forced to learn the Garo language.

SHILLONG: In a joint effort towards improving their economic condition, a delegation of farmers on Wednesday met Chief Minister Mr JD Rymbai to request him on the importance of implementing the support prices for critical agricultural crops.

The delegation include farmers from Ri-Bhoi, West and East Khasi Hills district.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the Chief Minister, a member of the delegation Mr David Kharsati said, "we have requested the Chief Minister to immediately initiate necessary steps to provide support price for tomato, ginger and cabbage."

Mr Kharsati who is also the MDC from Sohryngkham constituency said that the support price for these three crops was very important, as these are the major crops cultivated by our farmers.

"It is expected that with the State government declaring 2007 as the 'Year of the farmer' there would be no difficulty at all for the government to implement the support price for these three crops," Mr Kharsati said who is also the MDC from Sohryngkham constituency.

He said that the KHADC on October 21, 2005 has already passed a bill for fixing the support price of tomato, but it was sad to note that the bill was still pending with the State government.

Attacking the State government for its lack of initiative for solving the various problems of the farmers, the farmers' delegation has given three months time to the government for initiating steps in this regard.

Farida Hussain, a Class I student of St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, Araimile, was attempting to cross the road below the Civil Hospital when she was hit by a cement truck (ML08A 3051) belonging to Virgo Cement Company of Damas. She died on the spot. The driver of the truck is absconding.

As the deadline nears for Tehran to comply with United Nations Security Council resolution 1737, or face stiffer sanction, tensions are set to escalate over Iran's nuclear activities and Western efforts to cow it into halting them. Iran's leaders made it clear during the 28th anniversary celebrations of the Islamic Revolution on February 11, and at the Munich security conference, that while they are open to nuclear restraint negotiations, they won't suspend uranium enrichment as a precondition. Iran won't surrender its right to develop peaceful nuclear technology although it'll stay within the rules of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

However, the tensions' real source is the United States' relentless military build-up in the Gulf, where a flotilla led by two aircraft carriers is being mobilised. President George W. Bush has ordered US troops to "seek out and destroy" Iranian "networks" in Iraq. US strategy towards suspected Iranian agents has shifted from a "capture and release" approach to "capture or kill". According to The Washington Post, "capture or kill" is based on the theory that Tehran will back down from its nuclear ambitions if the US hits it hard… creating a sense of vulnerability among Iranian leaders." The "surge" of 21,500 US troops in Iraq above the existing 140,000 will probably be directed at Iranian targets. The "Patriot" anti-missile missiles being sent to Iraq are certainly meant for Iran, not for Iraqi insurgents, who fight with guns, grenades and powerful improvised bombs.

Meanwhile, the US has mounted a daily barrage of propaganda alleging that Tehran is providing Iraqi insurgents lethal weapons, in particular, "explosively formed penetrator" devices. It claims that Iranian EFPs have killed 170 Americans since June 2004. Iraq's No. 2 US general says his troops have captured arms whose "serial numbers" can be "traced back" to Iran.

This defies credulity because a country in which a particular weapon was manufactured need not be its provider. Iran fought an eight year-long war with Iraq in the 1980s and supported anti-Saddam Hussein militias. So Iraq, unsurprisingly, is crawling with Iranian-made weapons -- within a massively armed population. The US has produced no hard evidence against Iran. What it cites as "evidence" is even flimsier than the fake or "sexed-up" dossiers of 2002-3 on Iraq's nuclear weapons, which totally undermined Washington's credibility.

The presumption, that Iraq's Shias are at war with America, is preposterous. The two main Shia militias are controlled by the leading parties in Iraq's ruling pro-US coalition. It makes little sense for strongly-Shia Iran to arm Iraq's mainly Sunni insurgents. It's the Sunni militias that proactively target US troops. Typically, the Shia militias hit them in retaliation.

Meanwhile, the US is planning aggressive air-patrolling along the Iran-Iraq border. All these offensive moves are calculated to provoke. Amidst Iran's own missile tests, the provocations could escalate into overt conflict. Or a "Gulf of Tonkin" scare can always been invented to create grounds for war. The military build-up in the Gulf is reinforced by recent changes of personnel, in particular, the demotion of Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte, who last April said: "the prospects of an Iranian weapon are still a number of years off, and probably into the next decade".

Washington's approach towards Iran is driven by vile prejudice and hostility, some of it rooted in the Islamic Revolution -- itself a reaction to the US's imposition of the Shah through a coup against Mohammed Mossadegh, West Asia's first democratically elected post-War II leader. The US is convinced that Iran wants to become a hegemonic power in West Asia -- and a nuclear weapons-state (NWS).

That's why President Bush in January 2002 called Iran an "Axis of Evil" state -- despite the helpful role Tehran played after September 11, 2001. Iran backed the US invasion of Afghanistan. Tehran has always opposed al-Qaeda. Without Iran's mediation with the Northern Alliance -- which it had backed, with India and Russia, against the Taliban -- it's doubtful, concedes the latest Newsweek, if Mr Hamid Karzai would have become President. Yet, a week after Iran pledged $500 million in aid to Afghanistan, Mr Bush declared it "evil".

The US has a paranoid and grossly exaggerated view of Iran's nuclear activities, capabilities and ambitions. Iran has at best a crude or primitive pilot plant-scale nuclear programme based on uranium enrichment with centrifuges. It's not clear that it can graduate to an industrial level. In addition to 328 centrifuges last year, Iran claims to have installed another cascade of 328 -- when several thousands are needed to make a few bombs.

According to independent reports, including two by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, London, Iran's basic difficulty lies at the pre-centrifuge stage, namely, converting uranium yellowcake into hexafluoride gas. The gas is probably so contaminated with impurities as to be unfit to be centrifuged.

Besides, centrifuges aren't easy to work. These delicate machines spin at ultra-high speeds like 1,200 revolutions per second. Even India -- which is considerably more technologically advanced than Iran -- has had trouble in mastering centrifuges. Besides, much of Iran is earthquake-prone. Even mild tremors can lead to centrifuge breakdowns. Going by informed estimates, Iran is 3 to 10 years away from developing the Bomb.

However foul Iran's intentions and grandiose its ambitions -- do any of the NWSs have honourable intentions? --, and whatever its record of concealment of some nuclear activities -- for 18 long years --, Iran is in no material breach of its NPT obligations. As its Director-General confirmed in Brussels on Feb 12, the IAEA has found no evidence of diversion of nuclear material to military uses. Indeed, it has noted an improvement in Iran's record of disclosure and access for its inspectors.

The international community's best bet thus lies in holding Iran down to its commitment to putting all its nuclear activities under strict inspections, including the IAEA's tough "additional protocol". But Bush & Co and Israel's Ehud Olmert think otherwise. They have drawn up plans to launch devastating attacks upon Iran's nuclear installations -- and to prevent retaliation, its main military facilities too. One plan identifies 400 targets.

According to reports in The New Yorker and The Sunday Times, the US and/or Israel may even use "tactical" nuclear weapons. Mr Bush is under strong Neoconservative pressure, especially from the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, to attack Iran -- not just to de-fang its nuclear capability, but to engineer "regime change" too.

An unprovoked attack on Iran will have catastrophic consequences not just for Iran, but for the entire Middle East, indeed internationally. It will set off a conflagration in the Muslim world, the like of which history has never seen. Billions of citizens the world over will turn against the US. Invading Iran is the surest guarantee that the country will develop nuclear weapons and withdraw from the NPT. Bombing Natanz and Isafahan will set Iran's nuclear programme back by five years. It won't destroy its capacity to rebuild the facilities.

Worse, politically, the attack will ignite a long war between Iran and the West, in which millions of non-Iranians will join forces with Tehran. Fifteen British think-tanks, civil society groups and trade unions, including the Oxford Research Group and Foreign Policy Centre have produced a report, "Time to Talk", which says that an attack on Iran will produce unprecedented instability in West Asia and Afghanistan. Iran's links with Lebanon's Hezbollah and Hamas will make "regional retaliation" likely. "An attack on Iran would be perceived by some as an aggression towards the Muslim world, fuelling anti-Western sentiment and giving renewed impetus to extremists". War on Iran will produce "havoc in the global oil market." "Iranian attempts, or even threats, to attack oil transit through the Straits of Hormuz could send oil prices over $100 per barrel" and inflict huge economic damage globally. A $10 increase could prune the GDP of Sub-Saharan Africa by 3 percent and push developing countries into "greater poverty", besides hurting the global economy. War on Iran will also have grave environmental effects, including severe radioactive contamination, oil slicks and oil-well fires. (IPA Service)

The election of Drew Gilpin Faust as the first female president of Harvard University reminded me of the many conversations at my dinner table during the Monica Lewinsky trial about how the then First Lady, Hillary Clinton, deserved to be the president of the United States.

In 2000, it was a double first when she became the first First Lady to become a senator and the first lady senator from the state of New York. However, it is ironic that, in the US, it is still a dream for a woman to be Head of State while, in India, women have been Head of State, both de facto and de jure, more than once.

As equal partners, women should ideally share 50 per cent ecologically in a society. Those falling short have been called 'missing' by Amartya Sen. In the US, there is almost no reported instance of a missing girl child while, in India, there are almost 40 million missing.

The reason that many nations with dismal conditions of gender equality are still considered developed is that growth and development have usually been measured on tangible scales. Per capita income still figures prominently while reckoning the development index of a society. Efforts have been made to factor in intangible evaluations, including poverty and deprivation, and even parameters like culture, but no consensus has been reached so far. In India, our concerns for women envelop a wide range of issues, including infanticide, health, nutrition, education, jobs, and esteem and participation in political life. The reservation Bill still eludes the table of the House as much as equality fades in remuneration and promotions.

The lives of women belonging to even the most conscious urban middle class can be best described as "two-bedroom-hall-kitchen". The demand for equality, I have felt many a time, is inappropriate. One would be fully contented if women got what they deserved, purely on the basis of their merits, their sincerities and their capabilities.

Harvard University is one of the most highly regarded academic institutions of the world and, in its history of 371 years, we have a first in Drew Faust. Yet, I was touched by her remarks at a press conference when she stated, "I'm not the woman president of Harvard. I'm the president of Harvard". (By arrangement with The Times of India)

Sir,

Apropos the letter, "Pine Mount imbroglio" (ST, Feb 19, 2007) it is appalling to note that the government is raking a rich harvest in indifference, carelessness and negligence. Dissenting views have emerged ever since a report appeared in The Shillong Times on January 2006 -- all saying the same thing that they want a Principal from the teaching staff only and that too immediately.

Reiterating what Jenniefer Dkhar said that the students owe their career to the school… it only makes it simpler for the authorities to listen to what the students have to say. Any school owes its allegiance toward its students, ex-pupils and parents and when the same group of people are fighting for a noble cause, an effort is being made to sideline their pleas.

The message is loud and explicit enough: we don't want an outsider to take charge; we want a teacher from that school to be its Principal.

It is completely unfeasible if the move to install an outsider as its Principal really materializes. How can a person without any prior relation with the school become its Principal (well all because the government wants so!!)?

There are many senior teachers who have given their 25 or more odd years in shaping and strengthening the school… and now they are being denied and discriminated on grounds best known to the authorities. This is gross injustice and plain government randomness.

Looking from the legal perspective this whole charade is unethical and unconstitutional coupled with crass violation of the epitome of Equality i.e. Equality of Opportunity.

We as students, ex-pupils and parents under the banner: "SAVE PMS" make an appeal to those responsible to appoint a Principal from that school only and that too immediately!!!

Yours etc.,
Members of "SAVE PMS"
Shillong
Via email.

Sir,

Apropos the letter 'Urgent solution needed' (ST, Feb 13) regarding the predicament of Pine Mount School, it really perturbs an alumnus like me to read such trash!!

I was a student of Pine Mount School in the 70's and I'm currently a gynecologist at St.Joseph's Regional Health System, Stockton, United States of America. The school gave me more than education, it gave me my identity!

It rankles my heart to see such apathy in a school so grand. The school has been transformed into a political stunt, in order to satiate one's mixed feelings or avarice. The school will go forward with efficient leadership and who better? Teachers from Pine Mount School are undoubtedly qualified enough, efficient enough to take care of this edifice (mortal remains as it may seem so!!!).

If views of students, parents, teachers, ex-teachers and alumni are overlooked, then you are not proud of calling yourself a 'democratic government.'

I harp once more upon the fact that teachers from Pine Mount School should be given due chance to become the Principal and no other should occupy this prestigious post.

Yours etc.,
Dr. S Chankayapuri
Via-email

Imphal: Suspected NSCN-K militants exchanged fire with the security guards of Samuel Jendai, an independent candidate in the Manipur assembly polls backed by the rival NSCN-IM, at Duilam in Tamenglong district on Wednesday, even as campaigning for third phase of polls ended on Wednesday.

The security personnel returned fire in the gun battle that lasted over 30 minutes, after which the militants escaped into nearby jungles, officials said. There were no casualties, they said. (PTI)

AGARTALA: With Assembly elections round the corner, dissident Congress leaders have intensified lobbying in Delhi to oust incumbent Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Samir Ranjan Barman.

Leader of the Opposition, Former Chief Minister Sudhir Rajan Mazumder and a dozen of party leaders are now camping in Delhi to meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

Besides, Sudhir Ranjan Majumdar, former minister Surajit Datta and former PCC chief Gopal Roy are the fore runners in the rat race for the coveted post before Assembly elections slated for next year.

The much-awaited meeting with the Congress chief is yet to be confirmed, as she is busy with election process in some States, said Tapas Dey a dissident TPCC leader from Delhi on Wednesday.

"However, there is a possibility of a change in the guard keeping in mind the next elections in Tripura", claimed another disgruntled leader.

"Dissident leaders will brief about party activities under Barman in the CPM ruled-State. We have sufficient data to prove that Barman has miserably failed during his tenure. The party is in a total disarray under his leadership. Moreover, it is obvious that he is not in a position to gear up the party to face the well organized CPI(M) in the next elections," he said.

Meantime the Barman camp has also gone all out to counter the move against him. Barman confidants said he would soon announce the party’s future course of action to take on the ruling CPI (M) led Left Front government.

Guwahati: For hundreds of poverty-stricken families in Dolgaon Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) in Darrang district of northern Assam, having a daughter of marriageable age is considered a curse.

Of late, the area has been witness to several suicides committed by poor guardians for failing to organize the resources required to marry off their daughters. However, what happened there on Tuesday flickered a glimmer of hope for the people of the area.

But for a novel initiative by a section of sensitive citizens from the area, formal wedding would have remained an unfulfilled dream for 23-year-old Ruksana and scores of others like her reeling under abject poverty.

As many as 53 couples from poverty-stricken religious minority community families from Dolgaon LAC got married in a community marriage ceremony organized at the Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complex in the constituency on Tuesday , thanks to benevolence of local villagers led by the local legislator Dr Idris Ali.

The comparatively affluent people of the area under the stewardship of the legislator and in cooperation with different social institutions in the area organized the community marriage to provide succour to these couples whose poor guardians can’t even dream of organizing marriage for their wards.

At least 39 clerics rendered their services to administer the oath of nikah to these couples, while the people of the area and the MLA mobilized resources to arrange for wedding dresses for all of the bridegrooms and brides. The newly married couples were even presented with basic furniture and utensils required for starting their conjugal life.

Assam Food and Civil Supplies minister Nazrul Islam and Public Health Engineering minister, Rihon Daimary graced the community marriage along with senior officials of Darrang district. Bowled over by the the unique effort of the Dolgaon people, Mr Islam pledged to provide dwelling units under Indira Awas Yojana for the new couples. The local legislator Dr Idris Ali confirmed that his constituency which has a large number of below poverty line (BPL) families, had witnessed frequent suicides committed by poor guardians for being unable to marry off their daughters. "The situation forced me to think of a plausible way to provide relief to the people of the area with cooperation from people," he said.