GUWAHATI, August 18: The Rs 2,899-crore Tipaimukh dam project of the Brahmaputra Board involving three Northeast states -Manipur, Mizoram and Assam -still awaits inter-state clearance from the concerned state governments for its execution which is being pursued by the Brahmaputra Board and the ministry of water resources. The techno-economic angle of the detailed project report submitted by Brahmaputra Board was approved by the technical advisory committee of the concerned ministry in August, 1995. The cost of Rs 2,899 crore (at the 1995 price level) which would now be over Rs 3,000 crore...

DIBRUGARH, August 19: The Rs 4,000-crore Assam Gas Cracker Project is being delayed due to objections raised by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which has a MiG fighter base near Chabua, and wants the Dibrugarh district administration to construct the project at least 20 kilometres away from the base. However, the IAF has lately agreed to allow establishment of the gas cracker plant outside a six-kilometre radius from the Chabua IAF base. This would mean that the height of certain tall structures of the industry may have to be reduced so as to provide a clear runway approach to aircraft of the Air...

NEW DELHI, August 19: The wind of investments blowing all over the country may have finally touched the Northeast following the exemption of central excise duty in the region. Two cigarette giants have submitted four proposals envisaging investments worth of over Rs 400 crore, of which Rs 313 crore are proposed to be invested in Assam. Just when the gloomy investments scenario in the Northeast was about to look up, the Centre's move to exempt excise duties in the region has been challenged, with the Tobacco Institute of India, an apex body of all tobacco manufacturers, questioning the...

KOHIMA, August 18: The apex tribal council, Naga Hoho, has resolved to boycott the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Nagaland, but this time it will not direct political parties and the electorate to do the same, leaving the matter to their "wisdom" The recent meeting of the Hoho here resolved not to participate in the polls, asserting that the solution to Naga political problem is its "priority", not the Lok Sabha elections. The Hoho along with other NGOs urged the political parties before the last general elections in the state to boycott the polls to "give peace a chance". Accordingly...

ITANAGAR, August 16: The ruling Congress in Arunachal Pradesh has finalised the list of candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats in the state going to the polls on October 3. According to party sources, Wangsha Rajkumar, member of the dissolved Lok Sabha, is likely to be the candidate for the Arunachal Pradesh East seat, while advocate Jorbam Gambling will contest from the Arunachal Pradesh West seat. However, the lists of candidates for both the Lok Sabha and 60 Assembly seats will be formally announced in a day or two after the return of party president Dera Natung from New Delhi. The sources...