GOLAGHAT, Dec 17— The historic Deopahar of Numaligarh within Golaghat district was declared as a reserve forest area by the Governor of Assam on August 19, 1999 through a notification No. FRS-18-99-15. It was published in the Assam Gazette on September 13, 2000. The Deopahar reserve forest area covers about 133.44 hectares of land and it is known and identified as a forest area. But still, the forest department, Revenue department and Numaligarh tea garden management have failed to demarcate and settle the actual boundaries for proper protection of the reserve forest. It may be mentioned that...

GUWAHATI, Dec 17 – Agitated over the delay in finalising the boundary of the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) today asserted that it was against further extension of the cease-fire agreement. Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, the vice-chairman of the BLT, Sri Kamal Mushhary said that the cease-fire agreement between the Government of India and BLT would come to an end on December 21. “We had made it clear time and again that we are opposed to further extension of the ceasefire agreement as there is no point in extending the same.” He said that...

BOKAKHAT, Dec 17 – Aideu Handique, the first heroine of Assamese Cinema is no more. According to family sources the end came early this morning at her family residence at Kamargaon Panidihingia in Golaghat District. She was 87. Her death is attributed to old-age ailment. She was bed-ridden for the past about two years and was also suffering from paralysis. Born in an orthodox environment in 1915 to Late Nilambar Handique and Late Lakshmi Handique, Aideu Handique took the entire society of Assam by storm by playing the lead role in the first Assamese film Joymoti made by Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad...

NEW DELHI, Dec 17 — The Centre has ruled out the possibility of according ‘tax free’ status to the north-eastern States. Minister in-charge for Department of Development of North-eastern Region (DONER) Arun Shourie, in response to a question is the Lok Sabha, pointed out that already under the new industrial policy of 1998, several tax concessions were provided under direct taxes for the region. The incentives cited included 100 per cent tax holidays for 10 years. In addition a new industrial package was announced is 1999 for the region and one of the components of the package was excise duty...

SHILLONG: At least 60 HNLC rebels including many of its top brass have been arrested during this year so far, police said on Tuesday.With the security forces stepping up its counter-insurgency operations almost all the top brass of the outfit were now hiding in Bangladesh, the sources said adding besides the arrest, huge cache of arms and ammunition were seized in the raids during the period.Meanwhile, police stations in the city including mainly Lumdiengjri, Mawlai, Laban, Laitumkhrah and some outposts had been asked to be on allert after Intelligence report suggested that HNLC might attack...