News

Jorhat, June 9: A Switzerland-based international labour union has taken up cudgels on behalf of India?s 20 lakh-strong tea workforce, which is bearing the brunt of the worst recession in the industry?s chequered history.

In a letter to Union commerce minister Arun Jaitley, the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers? Associations said the plight of tea labourers was cause for ?grave concern?.

The union is affiliated to the International Labour Organisation and represents three million workers from 124 countries.

Its general secretary...

GUWAHATI, June 9 ? At the recently-held conference of Power Ministers of the north-eastern States, the chairman-cum-managing director of the North Eastern Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO) received kudos for serving the interests of the region and being the only Central PSU where 90 per cent of the employees belonged to the backward region. But the actions, decisions and policies adopted by the present CMD, SC Sharma, since he took over in November last year, have raised serious doubts on whether the NEEPCO is actually serving the interests of the region.

Undoubtedly, the NEEPCO is the...

NEW DELHI, June 9 ? Confusion reigned over reports ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah falling to assassin?s bullets in Bangladesh yesterday. There was no confirmation of the reports by the Union Government. The rumour on attempt on the elusive commander in-chief following reports of a similar attack on his life last month in the neighbouring country in which he reportedly escaped unhurt.

But the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has played it safe refusing to comment on the reports. Sources in the Ministry said they had seen the reports but have no confirmation of the incident. It takes about...

GUWAHATI, June 9 ? The Union Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) is considering provision of 90 per cent Central fund for electrifying all the villages of NE region by the end of 2012 under a Government of India proposal. The Union Government proposal is so formulated that all the villages in the country will be touched by the end of the Tenth Five Year Plan and all the houses in the rural areas will be electrified by the Eleventh Five Year Plan.

Under the proposal, funds to the other States will be provided on 50:50 basis, while the NE States are sought to be provided the...

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...