News

HAILAKANDI, July 4 ? In a memorandum to the Governor of Assam through the Deputy Commissioner of Hailakandi, the Hailakandi District Jaintia Darbar alleged the violation of human rights as well as constitutional rights as enshrined in the Preamble and the fundamental rights given in the Constitution of India.

The Darbar further alleged that the minority Jaintia people are living in very deplorable conditions and the Jaintia-inhabited places of Barak valley do not have pure drinking water supply, electricity, medical facilities and other infrastructural facilities including road communication...

IMPHAL, July 4 ? All the 32 ministers of the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) in Manipur Saturday night submitted their resignation papers to Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh to give him a free hand in downsizing the jumbo ministry before July seven, official sources said here. Speaker T N. Haokip and Chairman of the Hill Areas Committee Songchinkhup, who was of the cabinet rank, also stepped down raising speculation about their induction in the ministry.

The Hill panel was formed by legislators from the hill area. The ministers who have submitted their resignation papers included 25 of cabinet...

July 4: Less than 24 hours after getting Sonia Gandhi?s seal on the composition of his new team, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi rushed to 10 Janpath for the second time with a revised list to calm restive ministers who had got wind of their omission from the original one.

A Gogoi aide said lobbying intensified as word got around that some senior ministers were not on the list approved yesterday by the Congress president. ?After getting a whiff of a revolt, the chief minister had no option but to take a second look at the list.?

Another source said the disgruntled Congress leaders persuaded...

Guwahati, July 3: Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) chief Brindaban Goswami today appeared unfazed by yesterday?s ?in-camera? session between foes-turned-friends Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Bhrigu Phukan at the circuit house.

For the first time in more than a decade, the former chief minister and home minister had a one-to-one meeting, sources close to them said. They discussed intra-party affairs under Goswami?s leadership, leaving the political landscape abuzz with all kinds of speculation.

The sources said the duo had serious objections to the omission of several senior leaders in the 12-member...

GUWAHATI, July 3 ? The Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) has proposed hike in the power tariff for all categories of power consumers. The tariff proposed by the Board is Rs 4.96 per KWH against the existing Rs 4.12 per KWH, for the 2003-04 fiscal. It has also proposed an average tariff of Rs 5.38 per KWH for the 2004-05 fiscal. Meanwhile, it has also sought to ?update? the load security in accordance with the 2001 decision.

According to sources in the ASEB, the latest revision of power tariff by the Board was effected in April last year. It was based on the calculations made as per the...