IMPHAL, February 13: An end to the nearly three-month-old constitutional crisis in Manipur appeared to be in sight with the Chief Minister Nipamacha Singh stepping down today in favour of Samata Party leader Radhabinod Koijam under a new combine, United Democratic Alliance (UDA) which claimed that Koijam would be sworn in tomorrow. In what would have been termed as far-fetched speculation till yesterday, Chief Minister W Nipamacha tendered his resignation fro the Chief Ministership paving the way for State Samata Party leader Radhabinod Koijam to take the coveted post, as political maneuvering...

GUWAHATI, February 13: The Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) has served a closure notice on the Digboi Refinery of the Indian Oil Corporation for violating pollution norms, according to PCBA sources here. According to the PCBA, the digboi Refinery, the oldest refinery in the country, has been releasing pollutants beyond permissible limit and the effluents released by the refinery through the Mission Para Nullah are also not maintained well, while the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) for treating the water to make it pollution free leaves much to be desired. The closure notice was served on...

GUWAHATI, February 13: The Education Department faced strong criticism from both the Opposition and ruling party legislators in the State Assembly today and the Education Minister Thaneswar Boro admitted before the House that certain anomalies were going on in the Department. The Education Minister admitted that national appointment of teachers in schools could not be maintained due to several factors like the refusal of the teachers to work in the rural areas, feeling of insecurity in some areas of the State etc. He said that in one particular school in Guwahati city, as many as 21 teachers...

KALEMEYO (Myanmar), February 13: The border trade between the Northeastern States and the neighbouring Myanmar is likely to see a fresh revival with the formal inauguration of the 160 km Tamu-Kalewa-Kalemeyo Road jointly by the External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh and the Minister for Construction, Maj Gen Saw Tun here this afternoon. Red carpets were rolled out for the high-level Indian delegation led by the External Affairs Minister that also included ministers of four Northeastern States, including Assam, besides top officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Surface Transport and...

KALEWA (Myanmar), February 13 (PTI): Giving a new impetus to Indo-Myanmar relations, external affairs minister Jaswant Singh today opened a 165-km road built with Indian assistance linking the two countries to pave the way for enhanced tourism, trade and economic ties. Using a special computer-aided design, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has constructed the Tamu-Kalamyn-Kalewa road, costing Rs 100 crore, in a record time of three months. Singh, who is on a three-day official visit, the first high-level from India to Myanmar since the trip by Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister in 1987, arrived...