Development / Assam

TEZPUR, February 3: The first phase of the 405 MW capacity Ranganadi hydel power project in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh is now at the final stage and is expected to be commissioned by the middle of the year while the second and third phase of the project is expected to be commissioned by 2002. Talking to The Assam Tribune official sources said that the Northeastern Council (NEC) project which started in 1989 at the original project cost of Rs 312.78 crore was entrusted to the Northeastern Electrical Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) and was scheduled to be commissioned in...

GUWAHATI, February 3: The disaster in Gujarat has acted as an eye opener in Assam, considered to be one of the most vulnerable earthquake prone areas, and the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has already identified 51 multistoried buildings, mostly residential apartment buildings as vulnerable. Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, the Kamrup Deputy Commissioner, DN Saikia, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the GMDA, admitted that a major earthquake might spell disaster for Guwahati city having a population of more than 10 lakhs. He revealed that the Kamrup...

BADARPUR, January 31: The Northeast Frontier Railway will soon run a special train on the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section (MG line). The move has been taken to attract tourists to the area which is full of natural scenery. This endeavour of the NF Railway authority has seen welcomed by all the people here. This was informed to newspersons by NF Railway Divisional Railway Manager, Ashutosh Swami during his visit to Badarpur Railway headquarters recently. He informed that the NF Railway general manager BM Bisht has taken a special initiative in this project. Swami also visited the Badarpur...

GUWAHATI, January 29: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with Central Silk Board (CSB) has launched a Rs 1654.15 lakh programme under country co-operation framework to support the promotion and development of muga and eri silk industry in Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, for three years. Inaugurating a 15-day resource development programme here, Joint Director of CSB and sub-programme coordinator of UNDP, JV Krishna Rao said the non-mulberry silk development programme would focus on participation of rural masses especially women. The programme will also focus on...

GUWAHATI, January 29: Centre has prepared a scheme of Rs 55 crore to control flood havoc in the Brahmaputra and Barak Valleys. Disclosing this at a Flood Control Ministers meet of the Northeast, organised by the State Flood Control Department here today, the Union Minister for Water Resources, Arjun Charan Sethi informed that the funds will be provided as 90 per cent Central grant and 10 per cent State share. Sethi further said that Centre has released so far Rs 390.90 crore loan to the State to combat the flood problem. "Keeping in view the intensity of flood, the Brahmaputra Board has drawn...

GUWAHATI, January 29: Gujarat's devastating earthquake has created alarm in Assam, which falls in one of the highest seismic zones of the country, with experts predicting the probability of an earthquake of a magnitude greater than eight on the Richter Scale at any time before 2010. Renowned environmental scientist S K Sarmah, who has conducted intensive research on the seismological trends in the Northeast, said studies on earthquake patterns of this region indicate that strain is accumulating in some parts of the region. Three earthquake clusters have appeared in the region and in one of...

GUWAHATI, January 21: Keeping pace with the rapid strides in the field of general agriculture in Assam, organic farming too has come of age in the State. This has the potential of opening up the doors of foreign markets, particularly Europe, where consumption of organically grown foodstuff is currently the rage. Organically cultivated joha rice from Assam will be one of the prized exhibits from India at the world-level Bio Fach-2001 that is to be held at Nurumberg, Germany, from February 15 to 18. Bio-Fach is an exclusive exhibition of organic food and drinks, farm shop supplies, natural...

DIBRUGARH, January 18: It is ungratifying to note that at the Dibrugarh University (DU), teachers, employees and officers take turns to resort to an agitation, in support of their various demands. This spate of agitation has adversely affected academics, resulting in poor academic performance and an overall inorderliness at the sprawling campus. Since the seventh of the current month, the employees of the institution were on a strike, which was called off on January 12, demanding payment of their dearness allowance arrears. The employees, who were on a picketing agitation, effectively...

GUWAHATI, January 16: After a long wait, the construction work of the much publicised Pagladiya project will begin from February next. The Rs 500 crore multipurpose project of Nalbari district suffered a setback at the initial stage as several organisations raised strong protest apprehending that over 27 villages would be affected due to erection of a bundh for it. Addressing a press conference here today, the Union Minister for Water Resources, Bijaya Chakraborty informed that Centre has released Rs 40 crore for rehabilitation of the villagers. In this context, Chakraborty said that all the...

GUWAHATI, August 13: Union information technology minister Pramod Mahajan has urged the youth of the Northeast to drop their guns and take to computers. At the inauguration of a software technology park here on Sunday, Mahajan said: "Bullets and barrels can never bring in peace and prosperity. The youth of the region should understand the miracle of information technology." According to him, India would emerge as the global leader in IT in the next few years. Giving the example of Germany, the minister said they are considering allowing Indians to work there. "Indians have established their...