Development / Assam

GUWAHATI, May 26 ? The All Assam Students? Union (AASU) has accused the State Government of maintaing silence on launching an eviction drive against the encroachers at the Kaziranga National Park and encroachement on land by the tea companies. In a press release, the adviser to AASU, Sri Samujjal Bhattacharyya said that despite the Supreme Court verdict, the State Government is yet to take any step in this regard. The AASU adviser also demanded initiative to evict the Bangladeshi encroachers in various parts of the State. We also want the forest cover freed from the encroachment, but...

GUWAHATI, May 25 ? The 12-hour Guwahati bandh against the eviction drive by the Forest Department against encroachers was marred by vandalism by a section of bandh supporters. The call for the bandh was given by the Brihatar Guwahati Ussedita - Nirjatita Gana Mancha, while, several political parties and organisations including the Left parties - CPI and CPM extended their support to the bandh.

The bandh turned violent in the Maligaon area of the city as the bandh supporters resorted to stone pelting on vehicles passing by that area, in which a number of cars, autorickshaws and two wheelers...

GUWAHATI, May 24 ? A tussle between the State Government and the HUDCO over the conditions of loan repayment has led to the inordinate delay in completion of the much publicised HUDCO-sponsored Rs 96-crore Guwahati Metropolitan Area Storm Drainage Improvement Programme. The programme was launched in December 1999 and was scheduled for completion by March 2002.

Four State Government Departments, viz, PWD, Irrigation, Flood Control and the Town and Country Planing, are engaged in the implementation of the programme and the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is the nodal agency...

GUWAHATI, May 24 ? State Forest Department has cleared about 2000 hectares of forest land in and around Guwahati in addition of large areas cleared of encroachers in the rest of the State in the on-going eviction drive launched on May 7 last. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), KN Dev Goswami today told newsmen here that the department is committed and bound by Supreme Court directive to clear all forest areas in the State from the clutch of encroachers.

Conservator of Forest (Central and Western Assam), D Haraprasad informed that since May 7 till today 2000 hectares of land...

GUWAHATI, May 23 ? The latest revision of recharge voucher (Smart cards) rates by the Reliance Mobile for consumers of Guwahati has given rise to widespread resentment among mobile phone users here.

The consumers feel that they are being taken for a ride and made to pay through their nose by the Reliance Mobile which is enjoying a monopoly market here in absence of a second mobile phone service provider unlike in other cities of the country.

The Reliance Mobile has reduced the call time of the Rs 600 recharge voucher to Rs 428 only from earlier call time worth Rs 541 much to the chargin of...

GUWAHATI, May 23 ? ?We have been living here for over 50 years and today all of a sudden we have become homeless because of the Government?s eviction drive. This is despite the fact that we have been paying taxes for eksania land for all these years?, Sri Rojen Marak of Garobasti Kalapani lamented as his house was razed to the ground along with those 30-odd families in the area today.

The Garobasti area presented a very gloomy picture. The people, including children and infants, were left stranded in the rain with whatever little belongings they had exposed to the elements. ?Even now, we...

GUWAHATI, May 23 ? State Minister for Labour and Employment, Rameswar Dhanowar today informed that Assam Government?s efforts to amend the Assam Plantation Labour Rules were yet to get the go-head from the Union Home Ministry. The Ministry said since the Act in this context, Plantation Labour Act, 1951, was a Central Act, to amend its provisions by any state government required permission from the Home Ministry. Talking to newsmen here today, Sri Dhanowar said the present Government was yet to take any initiative to either rectify or enforce the recommendation on minimum wages for tea workers...

BADARPUR, May 23 ? As a part of the ongoing Silchar-Badarpur-Lumding 198 gauge conversion project work, the foundation stone ceremony of the second railway bridge was held at Badarpur Ghat, near Barak river, on Sunday by NF Rly General Manager Vipan Nanda, alongwith the NF Rly DRM ? Ashutosh Swami, NF Rly CPRO Smt U Hazarika, railway chief engineers and all other high officials of railway department. Sri Nanda in his brief speech said, this new bridge is the longest in the lumding-Badarpur hill section (409.80 metre long) and it will have also 10 piers. The total cost of the construction of...

GUWAHATI, May 21 ? The Union Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Sri Ananth Kumar today disclosed that his ministry would provide a package involving Rs 101.16 crore to the State during the current financial year for implementation of various schemes. During his meeting with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok today, the Union Minister said that the schemes against which the money would be provided include development of Guwahati city, water supply schemes, slum area, development schemes, Swarnajayanti Sahari Rojgar Yojana etc. Sri Gogoi thanked the...

GUWAHATI, May 19 ? State Transport Minister Anjan Dutta today informed that Assam Motor Vehicles Rules, 2002 would be framed within the year in order to streamline traffic system and enhance safety measures in all modes of transport. Talking to newsmen here, the Transport Minister informed that although the All India Motor Vehicle Act was passed in 1988, a corresponding Assam Motor Vehicle Rules was yet to be framed. He said the Assam Motor Vehicles Act which is being framed, is aimed at increasing revenue collection and minimising violation of traffic rules as well as implementing road safety...