SHILLONG: Even as the crisis in Jaintia Hills Congress deepens due to the party's decision to expel senior partyman and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) Chief Executive Member Moonlight Pariat, the State Congress party leadership has strongly supported his expulsion.

The State Congress president also said that Mr Pariat had violated the directive of the party to abolish the Jaintia Democratic Alliance (JDA) coalition in JHADC despite Congress being in a majority with 21 members in the 30 member House.

"He had behaved in a way unlike a Congressman and even did not have the courtesy to reply to several of our letters related to the JDA issue. I do not see anything wrong with the decision to expel him," Mr Nongtdu added.

On the threat to the party's unity and electoral prospect in Jaintia Hills resulting from the expulsion of Mr Pariat, given the fact that eight other party MDCs are still siding with him, Mr Nongtdu said, "If they come back and leave him, I don't see any problem at all. But if they prefer to join him then there will be some problems in Jaintia Hills," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Pariat was learnt to have held meetings with his supporters and MDCs on Saturday to discuss the fallout of his expulsion as also his next course of action. However, he could not be contacted, as he was busy with his meetings.

It may be mentioned that the JHADC CEM was expelled by the party's Jaintia Hills district body in its meeting on Friday at Jowai, presided over by district party president Edmund S Lyngdoh, who also happens to be an arch-rival of Mr Pariat. However, the meeting did not take any action against the eight other MDCs owing allegiance to Mr Pariat, and the party is waiting for their return to its fold.

But now it has one more negative feather to its cap for having the highest number of smokers next only to Mizoram. Meghalaya at present boasts of 55 per cent men and 6.7 per cent women smokers!

It is an irony that the rise in tobacco-related illness in the North-east may be sourced to the North-east Industrialisation Policy adopted by the Centre way back in 1999 following demand from the States.

As part of this industrial policy, the government had given 100 per cent fiscal incentives like subsidies and excise exemptions to tobacco giants like Godfrey Phillips, Golden Tobacco Company, ITC and pan masala majors Dharampal Satyal and Rajnigandha to invest in the region. According to a PIL filed by NGO Consumer Voice before the Delhi High Court, tobacco majors, however, did not shift base to the North-east, but to make best use of the loopholes in the policy, only moved their packaging units.

The results of this policy are quite evident. Research teams of various organisations, from the Indian Council of Medical Research to WHO, quote an alarming rise in the use of tobacco and tobacco-related products among schoolchildren in North-east India. About 80 per cent schoolchildren use tobacco or pan masala in Arunachal Pradesh, the figures stand at 72 per cent in Assam, over 55 per cent in Mizoram and 44 per cent in Meghalaya.

Interestingly Portuguese traders first brought cigarettes to India in 1600 AD and Mughal Emperor Jehangir promulgated the first anti-tobacco law in Indian history in 1617 AD.

However, it seems the reformist Government is bent on giving a fillip to the industry thus putting the clock back!

SHILLONG: Tucked away within serene surroundings some 15 kilometers drive from the heat and dust of Shillong is Ri Kynjai, a resort that redefines tourism in Meghalaya. Nestled in the lap of mother nature this brand new resort is essentially a family venture. A brain child of renowned architect, Prabhat Sawian and his son Ming, Ri Kynjai is set to take the world of tourism by storm. Parteii Sawian, Prabhat's wife has contributed her ideas to the interior décor which is Khasi to the core. Prabhat's imprint is evident in the indigenous master plan, while Ming is set to join the league of connoisseurs in the hospitality business.

Ri Kynjai billed to become a five star resort, overlooks the gorgeous Umiam Lake. The setting is stupendous. But what stands out is the landscaping work which is excellently executed to give a forested look, but with just the right amount of sunshine to provide a soft, romantic touch to the rooms. Ri Kynjai resembles one of those rare Mediterranean chalets complete with a lake view, a trekking dirt road for the adventurous and a bridle path not too far away which could lure the equestrian with an appetite for a good horse ride.

Demure hostesses, and a gourmand chef who has tickled the taste buds of clients in the Hyatt Regency, Kolkata, regales his guests with tales of what five-star delicacy is on offer. Indeed, Ri Kynjai is an introduction to luxury and style in the hospitality business. Eight Superior Rooms within the imposing main structure are elegantly furnished and cater to a high end clientele. Four other rooms, attractively styled like cottages give a very tranquil look. Every room has a verandah overlooking the lake. In the morning the view is breathtaking.

Talking to the hostesses, one learnt that the resort is getting its final touches. It will be officially launched in March. This intervening stage is what they refer to as the 'soft launch' period. However, the place is already abuzz with visitors from Shillong, quite a few of the regular weekend holiday crowd from Assam and an equal number of foreign tourists. In fact, the foreign guests have discovered this breathtaking hideaway much before any of us could. For them it's serendipity! Italians, British, Americans have already left their imprints, vowing to return in the near future. This is what hard-selling does and the internet is a fabulous market place.

The Sawian family own Hotel Centre Point in downtown Shillong. So they have a fairly good idea what the high-end tourist coming for an ideal holiday would be craving for. While no tourist would want to be holed up in a claustrophobic 15x15 hotel room, Ri Kynjai is a totally different experience. Tourists who have enjoyed its hospitality say they are happy to just sit and laze around in the stillness, broken only by the avid chirping of birds and the occasional stirring of the leaves as the cool breeze caresses them.

Creating a lovely ambience is Prabhat's forte. Now, he says his son Ming has also to carve out a niche for himself by providing the right level of comfort and assistance for travel weary and stressed out souls desperately looking for a break. State of the art bathrooms complete with a Jacuzzi bath tub should do the trick. No one could have stayed at Ri Kynjai without a sense of rejuvenation. This resort promises to transform itself into a weekend holiday spot for families yearning for some private space away from home and responsibility. Ri Kynjai has set very high standards for its clients. It is up to the elite clientele to live up to the good..

One thing is certain though. Ri Kynjai will give the Orchid Lake Resort (OLR) a run for its money. This is where a private venture scores over a Government undertaking. OLR is looking like a tired, harassed housewife who has provided her best to an ingrate family. Disheveled and almost going to seed the resort has managed to hang on mainly because of its location. That exclusive domain is now invaded by a younger, more stylish and elegant competitor. Hopefully this will push the OLR management to pull up their socks.

This training was in line with the decision of the Centre requiring IAS officers to undergo a one-month course on management in administration for promotion.

Besides Mr Verma, there were five other officers from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Verma said that the training, which was held at IIM Ahmedabad, was organised by the Kenneth School of Government, Harvard University, headed by Academic Dean Mary Jobin.

Mr Verma, who is at present holding the rank of Joint Secretary of the Government of India, will be promoted to Additional Secretary once the evaluation is completed.

The topics of the course varied from problem solving methods, legal matters, rule of law, rule of legislature, executive, and judiciary, etc.

A total of 95 IAS officers attended the course in Ahmedabad.

If and when ordinary mortals like you and me buy land, we search high and low for an affordable piece, hire brokers, make several trips to different sites, and borrow bank loans, which we must repay through our nose over 10 or 15 years. Besides these high transaction costs in time and money, we also pay stamp duty to the government, which is usually a good eight per cent of the land's value. None of this applies to India's biggest business house (and one of its oldest industrial families), namely, the Tatas, at least as far as the Singur car project is concerned. The Tatas are no ordinary mortals. In fact so special are they that West Bengal's Left Front woos them with the choice of six different sites, besides the Uttarkhand and Orissa governments. They choose one at Singur, next to an expressway, in one of Bengal's most fertile tracts, just 45 km from Kolkata. But they do so after stipulating a series of conditions.

The government must procure the land for them. This will cost it Rs 140 crores. But the Tatas will pay only Rs 20 crores, after five years. They will pay no stamp duty. They must have a contiguous plot of 997 acres (almost 400 hectares, or 40 lakh square metres). No Indian car factory has anything approaching this area. (Even Tata Motors's giant Pune factory has only 188 acres, including housing for employees.) The factory proper, say the Tatas, will have a built-up area of only 1.5 lakh sq m, or under 4 percent of the land acquired. The land must be fenced off and protests suppressed.

The Tatas mendaciously accused their competitors of fomenting the protests, but couldn't name them when challenged. That's not all. The Tatas demanded compensation for sacrificing the 16 per cent excise duty exemption offered by Uttarakhand for locating the car factory. This means upfront infrastructural assistance worth Rs 160 crore on a Rs 1,000-crore project. Besides, the hyped-up Rs 1 lakh car will probably cost a fair bit more. It be must be cross-subsidised. So, says The Statesman, the Left Front government has gifted 50 acres of prime land to the Tatas in Rajarhat New Town and another 200 acres in the Bhangar-Rajarhat Area Development Authority for building IT and residential townships. This is an obnoxious, sweetheart deal. The Left Front government isn't promoting healthy development or even straightforward risk-taking capitalism. It's the most detestable form of risk-free investment which dispossesses people to generate super-profits.

The Tatas claim the project will directly generate 2,000 jobs and indirectly, 8,000. But noted economist Amit Bhaduri estimates it will produce just about 300, besides indirect employment for 1,000. In the process, Singur's flourishing economy, where two-thirds of land is multi-cropped with vegetables and paddy, will be devastated, along with the livelihoods of landowners, sharecroppers (bargadars), but of landless workers and rural artisans. Singur will witness counter-reform, a reversal of the most successful land reform ever undertaken in West Bengal. Even the bargadars share in the land (75 per cent, against the absentee landlord's 25 per cent) will be reversed in the land compensation formula. No wonder, the West Bengal government had to resort to repression, including mass arrests, Sec 144 and physical attacks, to enforce the sweetheart deal.

Singur's injustice was soon compounded by the government's ham-handed attempt to take over an even larger 10,000 acres at Nandigram for a Special Economic Zone for Indonesia's unsavoury Selim Group. Here, the resistance was even more fierce. It came not from the Trinamool Congress, but from the Left, including the Communist Party of India, the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the Far Left. Nandigram, at the heart of the Tebhaga movement of the 1940s, is a CPI stronghold. Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee had to admit that Nandigram was a mistake. But he blamed the Haldia Development Authority for it: for issuing the land acquisition notification without authorisation. This won't wash.

The involvement of Communist Party (Marxist) cadres, the police, and the very composition of the Authority, militate against the explanation. Nandigram is part of the larger SEZ syndrome which afflicts India. SEZs have become the main instrument of dispossession of peasant farmers. They are a despicable combination of private greed and state collusion. SEZs, as this Column argued in mid-September, are costly ways of promoting enclave-style elitist export-oriented indust-rialisation. They'll grant wholly undeserved tax cuts to promoters and inflict a loss upon the exchequer, estimated by the Finance Ministry, at a horrifying Rs 160,000 crores. Yet, the government has approved 237 SEZs with 34,509 hectares and notified 63 of them. Another 165 SEZs have been approved in principle, for which another 148,663 hectares is to be acquired. Applications for another 300 are pending. SEZs have not proved a success in most countries, including China. In fact, Shenzhen, China's best-known SEZ, has turned out a nightmare for workers. The mere loss of an identity card can turn them into destitute overnight. Above all, SEZs are a gigantic real estate scam. Most are meant to grab land close to the big cities and extract monopoly profits.

SEZs also put the cart before the horse: displacement without prior rehabilitation, with potentially disastrous social, cultural and political consequences. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has himself acknowledged this by calling for a humane approach to resettlement. The government is now redrafting the National Policy for Resettlement and Rehabilitation. Its Group of Ministers has temporarily put the SEZ land acquisition process on hold. It knows pushing acquisition could cost the United Progressive Alliance dearly in the coming elections. The Congress party has made an internal assessment of SEZs in a 16-page document prepared by Mr N Veerappa Moily. This says that SEZs will create conflict due to dispossession and displacement, including urban conflicts through infrastructure bottlenecks. They (SEZs) have the potential to cause embarrassment to the government of the day.

The publication of a story quoting this assessment has certainly embarrassed the UPA! Although Mr Moily has publicly dissociated himself from it, the judgment is basically sound. But the UPA is fighting shy of radically revising its SEZ policy. It has only called for a cap on the number of SEZs. What is needed is the scrapping of SEZs altogether because they are economically irrational, socially divisive, and thoroughly inequitable. This is not to argue against industrial projects perse. We must vigorously promote industry, but with a balanced, reasoned approach. We must make it mandatory for the government to consult the people likely to be affected in advance, and establish institutional norms for compensation, resettlement and rehabilitation. Equally crucial is thorough socio-economic examination of the consequences of industrial projects and strict environment regulation.

It won't do to commandeer land first and then look for ways of compensating the affected people. It's especially inadvisable to offer them equity shares in companies related to the projects that take away their land. This will, in most cases, transfer risks to vulnerable groups who are least capable of making decisions about stocks and shares. The number of shareholders in India is a minuscule 30 million; most people don't understand share markets. Offering shares could be an option in rare cases, where organised cooperatives exist, which are run by financially literate volunteers accountable to the gram sabha, and who have a proven commitment to collective welfare. That concept includes not just landowners, but also the landless and other economic actors, from the sanitation worker to the mechanic, and from the ironsmith to the barber, whose livelihood depends on the rural economy.

However, supporters of industrialisation-at-any-cost, including Mr Bhattacharjee, contend that very little fallow land is available in India (in West Bengal, only one per cent of the total), and hence cultivable land must be 'sacrificed' to industry. Historically, they say, industrialisation has never been painless. It has always extracted a price from peasants, even in the USSR and China. India follows that model of expropriation. This argument is profoundly mistaken, because it imposes pain disproportionately on the weak. Industrialisation in much of the West did expropriate the peasantry through enclosures, systematic impoverishment, and mass-scale human rights violations. The same happened in the Soviet Union under Stalin. But we should not imitate and repeat the blunders of a period when democracy was non-existent and human rights unknown.

In India, we have launched a Grand Endeavour based on the aspiration to modernise society and develop the economy in balanced, equitable ways within a robustly democratic and inclusive framework which respects human rights and social justice.

We have a unique opportunity to create a shining example of inclusive industrialisation for the world. We must not turn our face against the Grand Endeavour. (IPA Service)

There is not even an iota of doubt that the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2007 that opened with much fanfare at Davos, a well- known mountain resort in Switzerland, ended in a fiasco. For five days (24-28 January) 2400 participants from as many as 90 countries (among whom there were 24 heads of states or governments and 85 cabinet ministers, besides religious leaders, media magnates, representatives of NGOs and, of course, the bigwigs from the corporate world) put their heads together to produce something concrete and inspiring but utterly failed. This was simply because the contradictory viewpoints defied reconciliation. Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, WEF and its guiding star Prof. Klaus M. Schwab, with full backing from the Swiss government have been trying their best to usher the developing countries into a global system, dominated by western corporations.

The underlying philosophy is the same as that of the Washington consensus. What the World Bank stated in a document relating to India on the occasion of the Davos meet made it crystal clear. It underlined that the salvation of India lay in promoting private sector-led growth, improved macro management, greater integration with the global economy and flexible monetary and fiscal policies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel inaugurated the Davos meet. She was invited to do so because she is president-designate of G-8 countries summit that is to meet in coming June in Heiligendamm (Germany). She promised to do her utmost to strengthen the terms of global investments in de eloping countries. In her own words, For all countries, economic growth remains the precondition to achieve more employment, a higher standard of living and higher productivity. Economic growth in developing countries requires investments that can be had only by inviting the foreign corporations to invest.

The salvation lies in getting as much foreign direct investment as possible and for this such terms and conditions need to be offered to them that can induce them. The theme of Merkel's speech was growth and stability. She cautioned against unrestrained growth because there was a danger that it might endanger climate. Climate protection was equally important, which was to bring maximum efficiency and care in the choice and use of the sources of energy. She was optimistic about the co-operative response from the USA, in spite of its unwillingness hitherto to do anything concrete for tackling the issues like global warming and CO2 emissions. Relying on President Bush's pledge during his state of the nation address to bring down the gasoline consumption by 20 per cent over the next 10 years, she said to the WEF: I am hearing signals from the U S that are more hopeful than those of the past years.She categorically ruled out the expansion of G¡V8 to include China, India and Brazil on the ground that these countries had very different priorities on issues such as carbon emissions and development. Merkel stressed the need to revive the Doha round of trade talks and propel it to a successful conclusion. To that end, the talk between 150 member-nations and the WTO must start immediately in a spirit of accommodation. She wanted the European Union, the USA and developing countries to be flexible in their negotiations. To quote her, We now have a time slot to make progress in the talks. The chance for success is undoubtedly there.

The final document issued on the conclusion of the meet tried its best to cover up its failure by expressing optimism about the resumption of the Doha round without adducing any concrete grounds. The Financial Times (January 29) had this to say about it: The Doha round of trade talks juddered back to life over the weekend, with leading countries expressing enthusiasm for clinching a deal but giving few details about how it would work. The only ground for optimism was that around 30 ministers of trade present in Davos had instructed their officials to prepare an agreed framework to deal with differences relating to agriculture.

The next three months are crucial as regards the future of the Doha round. Even while attempts were on to cover up the fiasco at Davos by highlighting so-called agreement on the Doha round of negotiations, two typical statements were heard. France, an important member of the European Union, came out strongly against any deal on agriculture that could reduce export subsidies. He did not want European farmers to be exposed to competition from abroad. The second statement came from Rachid Mohammed Rachid, Egyptian trade minister, who said: This is the third Davos meeting of trade ministers in succession that has had the same talks and still nothing has happened.

The USA, the European Union and other major trading countries made only a vague commitment to save the Doha round from failure. The USA and the European Union publicly blamed each other for the failure of the Doha round of trade talks. They also clashed with developing countries over slashing subsidies and tariffs especially in agricultural sector. Pascal Lamy, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, elaborating the minimum requirement to resume trade talks, said: There will need to be a new U. S. offer on farm subsidies. There will need to be a new European Union offer on tariffs. There will need to a new offer from India and Brazil on manufactured goods. In the absence of any indication that these offers were round the corner, Lamy was not in a position to say about the likely timetable for revival and conclusion of the Doha round of trade negotiations.

It seems everything hinges on the Americans. People doubt their sincerity and seriousness about taking the Doha round forward. In this context, the following comment by The Economist (January 27) is quite relevant: The optimism turns on two magic numbers: 17 and 54. If the Americans cap their trade-distorting farm subsidies to $17 billion a year, the Europeans might try to cut their agricultural tariffs by 54% or thereabouts. Neither number has appeared in a formal offer. On Africa's poverty, the prominent agri-business corporations like Monsanto and Du Pont wanted Green Revolution a la India to be applied. In other words, the reliance on new seeds, new skills, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, more credit and integration with the global market was the panacea. Surprisingly, no one looked at the consequences that have followed Green Revolution in India. Large-scale suicides by farmers and growing inequalities were ignored. Hardly anyone mentioned the miseries of African cotton growers unable to export their produce because of the subsidies by the U.S. government to its farmers so that they can outbid others. This time there were hardly any noisy protests by anti-globalisation people at Davos as most of them had gone to Kenya to take part in the World Social Forum.

However, in spite of strict security measures including barricades and barbed wire, one person Iuemmel Lemmon Xon January 26 could enter the venue with an anti-WEF placard. He sat peacefully in the front row displaying his placard! Though India sent a strong contingent of 100 people, the meet was dominated by Europe and North America. Corporate sector representatives were all the time lobbying and striking deals with government people. What they could really achieve will be clear in the coming months and years. (IPA Service)

Sir,

In order to extend to the remote regions of the North-east the benefit of accurate and invaluable satellite images, the Centre not too long back instituted the North East Satellite Application Centre (NESAC) near Umiam Village of Ri-Bhoi District. Consequent to the establishment of NESAC, the Govt. of Meghalaya could, all and sundry thought, derive huge benefits.

In short, NESAC, it was thought, would be a great boon to Meghalaya as such in terms of having access to factual and qualitative satellite images, and this is precisely what one thought was the committed policy of the Central Govt. regarding the North-east. Alas, I am intrigued in no small measure to learn that any such service rendered by NESAC is done not without remunerative exchanges, which simply imply that the amount of remuneration depends on the nature of workload performed, and this sometimes runs into lakhs of rupees. To meet these extra expenses, the State Govt. had to resort to the reappropriation of funds from various welfare schemes, which is unprecedented, given the morbid fiscal State of affairs that Meghalaya is currently undergoing.

Yours etc.,
Kitbok Diengdoh,
Shillong-2.

Sir,

The news item published in your daily on February 2, 2007 (Friday) under the heading "Loan defaulters worry banks" has come to our notice and we observed that there are some mistake/errors in reporting which are required to be amended/corrected in your ensuing publication at the earliest.

a) In para 2 of the report it should be read that no NPA accounts has been taken over at present from NEHU and Laban branch by SARC instead of 'no defaulters at Laban and NEHU.'

b) In para 3, SARC has been able to stabilize the defaulters loan of over Rs 50.00 lakh, in place of Rs. 50 thousand.

c) In para 5 & 6 in place of DAO, it should be read as DDO (Drawing and Disbursing Officer).

d) In para 7, it should be amended to read as "with regard to defaulting borrowers, whose loan outstanding is Rs. 10.00 lakh and above, the Bank approaches Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) for redressal."

e) In para 9, it should be corrected to read that, in all more than 350 notices have been issued to all classes of borrowers irrespective of the amount.

f) In last para, it should be corrected to read that, "the Bank approached by writing letters to the Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary" instead of 'met them'.

Yours etc.,
Asst General Manager,
State Bank of India,
Shillong-1.

Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday informed the media here that Mrs Gandhi would be here to inaugurate the National Games that is being held in the State for the first time under heavy security.

The Congress president would also address a gathering of about 1,000 self-help groups (SHGs) and NGOs of the north-eastern region at the Judge’s Field here on the same day.

Mr Gogoi reiterated that it would be "a safe and smooth" conduct of the National Games in spite of an Intelligence inputs about the ULFA’s plan to disrupt the Games.

"Yes, we have intelligence inputs that the ULFA will try to hamper the Games. But our security arrangements are well coordinated and equipped to thwart the challenge posed by the ULFA," he said.

He strongly denied reports in a section of media that the state government had struck "a secret understanding with the ULFA" to facilitate a smooth conduct of the National Games adding that "had there been any understanding our Intelligence reports would have spoken otherwise."

Mr Gogoi claimed that so far about 10,000 sportsmen and officials from different states had confirmed to participate in the Games. He said there had been tremendous response to the ongoing sale of tickets for the opening and closing ceremony of the National Games.

Mr Gogoi renewed his appeal the ULFA to withdraw its cal for boycott of the Games in the greater interest of the state and sports. "The ULFA should read the writing on the wall, the people of the state want a smooth Games. The image of the state is at stake," he said.

When drawn to reports about ULFA attacks on Congress workers in the State, Mr Gogoi expressed concern over the killing of Congress workers by the ultras in Upper Assam. So far, seven Congress leaders from block and panchayat levels had been gunned down.

Mr Gogoi called upon party workers to remain alert as it was not possible to provide personal security to the thousands of Congress workers in the state. He, however, denied to have received any official communication from panic-stricken Congress workers expressing their desire to quit the party.

The UNC had announced that it will support only one Independent candidate and the rest should not participate in election related activities.

The CEO said the Election Commission has also informed that the case of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh giving money to a man at Thoubal constituency which appeared in a local newspaper has been disposed off. He said the CM had given a statement on the issue and the election officials had conducted a spot verification of the report and found that the statement to be correct.

The CM had stated that the money which he gave was not related to elections but for a social function and it was a Manipuri tradition to extend financial assistance when any social or religious function was held in a family.

The matter now stands closed, the CEO added.

Meanwhile, for the third phase of elections about 72 candidates have filed their papers so far. The third phase of elections will be held on February 23 in 12 Assembly segments of Churachandpur, Chandel and Tamenglong district. Two polling stations at Laijang and Holenjang at Chandel district will be opened to enable villagers affected by conflict between militants and troops at the district, the CEO said. (UNI)

Imphal: Irate cadres of Khaplang faction of NSCN pushed down a bus carrying about 70 Class X students from Tamei into the steep gorge on Saturday while on its way to drop the students who were to sit for their Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) from February 6. The students were, however,asked to vacate the bus prior to the incident. None of the students were hurt.

According to reports, the bus has been severely damaged. The incident occurred at around 11 am on Saturday along IT Road at a place called Chawangkining located between Thonglang and Kangpokpi under Senapati District.

Cadres of the NSCN(K) stopped the bus at the place and asked the students to vacate the vehicle. The students obliged the order of the underground cadres and in no time the bus was pushed down.

Meanwhile, the NSCN(K) has claimed responsibility for the incident. In a statement to the media on Saturday, NSCN(K) 'medical kilonser' (minister) Major N Panmei said that "today's incident should not be viewed in the wrong perspective".

While stating that "any Naga can appear exams under any boards as the persons wish", the statement also added that "the school board issue is the matter of the Indian affairs and it has nothing to do with the Naga sovereignty issue." (NNN)

UNI reports from Kohima: The Nagaland Government has decided to provide security to some 3000 students from Manipur, who are to appear in the High School Leaving Certificate Examination,2007, beginning February 7 in Nagaland. States Chief Secretary Mr Lalhuma said the Government would provide adequate security to the examinees from other state in view of a threat from the Khaplang group. Three centres- two in Dimapur and one in Kohima - had been identifed to come under security network, he added. (UNI)

Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday informed that his Government was trying hard to bring the Bangladeshi Nobel Laureate Mr Younus to help the State emulate the time-tested micro-financing model of Bangladesh.

The Chief Minister informed that the State was looking beyond only law and order measures to tackle the insurgency that had survived despite prolonged Army operation. The State Government would draw up a special development strategy to neutralise insurgency.

Mr Gogoi said, "We will try to curb insurgency through accelerated development. Law and order measures will have its place, but it can solve the insurgency problem only in the short term."

He said the State had approached the Centre for special schemes for development of insurgency-affected and other backward areas. "The Centre has agreed in principle and asked us to draw up schemes for development of these areas," he added.

Armed with an enhanced annual outlay of Rs 3800 from the Planning Commission for the next financial year, Mr Gogoi stated that development schemes would be focused on remote, inaccessible areas along the inter-state and international boundaries where insurgency have thrived because of large recruitment base among large the vulnerable unemployed and uneducated youths. He pointed out that most of the recent killings carried out by the banned ULFA were in such remote under developed areas.

High drop-out rate in schools is a serious concern for Asom Government given that leads to breeding of frustrated insurgents. "We will draw up a special education plan in consultation with experts to check drop out rate and welcome private investment in education sector."

Itanagar: Realizing the ill-effects of inorganic fertilisers including pesticides, the Arunachal Pradesh Government has decided to introduce an agriculture policy on organic cultivation and to declare the State as ''organic.''

As per the new policy, scopes would be created so that farmers could avail all benefits to develop their economic conditions, informed state Water Resources Minister Tako Dabi here on Saturday.

"The new policy would be in addition to the existing one on agriculture framed a few years back," he said and added that Secretary Agriculture, would be the nodal officer in this regard.

Chief Minister Gegong Apang had earlier expressed concern over the use of inorganic fertilisers, which had many side effects and during the lst State Hood Day speech had declared Arunachal as an organic State. "The State Cabinet has also decided to constitute a task force under the chairmanship of Mr Apang to look after the new policy", the minister informed.

Replying to a query, whether the Government would ban inorganic fertilisers in the State, he said such a decision would affect many farmers in the State. He, however, said that awareness would be created among the farmers on the advantages of organic fertilisers. (UNI)

Addressing a news conference here, AAPSU president Kanu Bagang informed that a seven-member delegation of the union called on Prime Minister of Tibetan Government in exile, Samdhong Rimpoche, in New Delhi on January 30 and discussed with him the issues arising out of the settlement of Tibetan refugees in the state.

''The prime minister during the course of discussion made his stand clear and assured us to help the union as well as the State in deporting the refugees after the Tibet issue is resolved properly,'' Mr Bagang said adding, Mr Rimpoche also agreed in principal to visit Arunachal Pradesh shortly to assess the number of refugees settling in the State.

The AAPSU delegates had requested the Prime Minister to cooperate with the union in its efforts to determine the total number of Tibetan refugees residing in the State, exact number of camps, extent of socio-economic and political impact of their presence on the State, extent of settlement of refugees away from their camps, number of scheduled tribe certificates issued to them and quantum of land allotment to the settlers.

''The response of the Prime Minister was positive and he suggested for submitting the facts to him shortly'', Mr Bagang disclosed and claimed that this was the first time in the history of AAPSU to hold high level talks with Tibetan representatives.

Around 30,000 Tibetan refugees are residing in the state in various camps located at West Kameng, Tawang, Upper Siang, West Siang, Lohit and Changlang districts.

Expressing concern over the increasing number of Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state, Mr Bagang commented that their presence had threatened the existence of the tribal people.

''These refugees numbering around two lakh had already encroached Namdapha National Park destroying its fragileness and indulged in anti-social activities through 'Shanti Bahini', a militant organization formed among them'', Mr. Bagang said.

Expressing dismay over Asom's claim on Arunachal land, the AAPSU president urged the neighbouring state government not to resort to forceful encroachment and to honour the boundary commission to resolve the issue. (PTI)