Development / Meghalaya

Shillong, Jan. 28: Cellphone users here today decided to move court against the Centre?s directive to migrate to post-paid connections. The demonstrators, under the banner of Consumers Protection Forum, took out a procession today to protest against the move.

Reliance Telecom Ltd, the only cellphone service provider in the Northeast, has made it mandatory for its subscribers to migrate from pre-paid system to post-paid by depositing Rs 1,000, under New Delhi?s directive. The subscribers will file writ petitions in the Shillong bench of Gauhati High Court tomorrow.

Reliance authorities here...

Shillong, Jan. 28: Environment activists and several wildlife organisations have demanded a proper investigation into the death of four elephants near Belguri along the Assam-Meghalaya border on January 18.

Four elephants died after colliding with an electric pole near Belguri village under West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. All four were electrocuted on the spot. Forest department officials later declared the death of the four elephants as an accident.

However, Shillong based-environment activists refuse to buy the forest department argument. ?It is not convincing and we are sure...

Shillong, Jan. 25: Hundreds of mobile phone subscribers in the city have threatened to expose an alleged attempt by the Reliance Telecom Limited?s Shillong chapter to ?dupe and exploit the consumer?. The proposed switch-over from the existing pre-paid (smart card users) mobile system to the post-paid system, as has been announced by the Reliance Telecom Limited?s Shillong office, has met with opposition.

While the mobile service providers claim that the decision to change over from the pre-paid to the post-paid was based on a directive from the Union ministry of communications, subscribers...

Guwahati, Jan. 19: Four elephants were electrocuted when they came in contact with an electric pole at Belugari on the Assam-Meghalaya border in the early hours yesterday. Delayed reports reaching here said the incident happened in Belugari in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. The spot is just a km away from Lakhipur forest range of Assam.

As the area is sparsely populated, the information was received here only this evening.

?A herd of Asiatic elephants was moving in the area. Some of them dashed against an electric pole through which a transmission line was passing,? Goalpara divisional...

SHILLONG, Dec 17 ? The Meghalaya Government is open to the proposal for suitable amendments to the Land Transfer Act in order to facilitate real estate transaction among the indigenous non-tribal residents of the State. Stating that the interests of the permanent non-tribal residents cannot be ?sidelined,? Chief Minister DD Lapang urged the members of the Legislative Assembly, NGOs and political parties to come forward with suggestions for amending the Act.

The existing Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act of 1971 restricts sale or transfer of immovabe properties among non-tribals...

New Delhi, Dec. 10: The Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) has decided, in principle, to start uranium mining in the Domiasiat area of Meghalaya. Pre-project activities like preparation of environment impact assessment, environment management plan report and a project report have been initiated and application for mining lease has been submitted to the state government.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union minister of state for mines Ramesh Bais said Domiasiat will have a modern open-pit mine with adequate safety measures from any possible radiation. Attention must be paid to...

SHILLONG, May 17 : If things go all right, Meghalaya could very well bid its financial constraints adieu. After well-over a decade, investigation and drilling of uranium deposits ? said to be in plenty in the State ? by the Uranium Corporation of India (UCI) have resumed in the State.

The UCI has conducted geo-physical survey in Domiasiat area of West Khasi Hills and was now negotiating with the individuals. The State Government was not involved in the process, Chief Secretary J Tayeng told reporters here today.

Process of excavation of the precious mineral had begun in Meghalaya in 1992 as Rs...

Shillong, June 11: Meghalaya has been identified as one of the seven states in the country where intensive research on medicinal plants will be taken up by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in association with the Meghalaya government.

The convenor of the state-level planning committee on conservation and sustainable utilisation of medicinal plants, B. Kharbuli, said that a draft proposal on the initiatives has already been prepared. It was presented to chief minister D.D. Lapang during a meeting of the state-level planning committee yesterday.

Kharbuli said the project on...

Dawki, June 8: The Border Security Force (BSF) has warned of another Pyrdiwah-like crisis along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya if patrolling continues to be hampered by the poor condition of roads in the area.

BSF officials admitted that the skirmish with Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) troops at Pyrdiwah two years ago did not take place only because roads and bridges were in bad shape. However, poor road connectivity did contribute to the border crisis, they said.

Bangladesh troops captured a BSF post in Pyrdiwah on May 15, 2001, causing a standoff on the border.

It led to an even bigger...

SHILLONG, June 6? The Meghalaya Peoples? Human Rights Council (MPHRC) and the Hill State Peoples? Dmocratic Party (HSPDP) have strongly opposed any move to carry out uraniam mining at Domiasiat in the West Khasi Hills district on the ground that radiation from the mineral would pose health hazards, besides affecting the environment.

Both HSPDP president H.S.Lyngdoh, MLA and MPHRC secretary general DDG Dympep taking part at a national seminar on Environmental and Sociological Implications of Mineral and Oil Exploration in North-east India? held here Thursday, expressed concern over the...