IMPHAL, July 8?The decision of the State Cabinet to lift the prohibition from the five hill districts of Manipur in an effort to raise the State?s revenue, has led to a widespread opposition from rural bodies, particularly from the women?s organisation based in the hill areas. The State Cabinet took a decision to lift the ban on sale and consumption of Indian-make foreign liquor from the hill areas on June 5 last. However, bodies like Naga Women Union, Manipur, strongly opposed the government?s move to the ban, saying, ?why only in the hill areas.? The president of the Union and prominent Naga...

DIMAPUR, July 8 ? Uniform, the symbol of security and law and order, has once again been held to ransom as was revealed with the arrest of two narcotics smugglers who used it to provide them safe passage with a large quantity of contraband ganja to outside the region. The arrested person in Assam Rifles uniform for smuggling 287.5 kgs ganja neatly packed in small parcels and five trunks at Lahorijan, Karbi Anglong on Thursday evening by Army personnel brought to light involvement of a deserter of security forces in smuggling of the contaband. According to sources, the Army personnel seized the...

AGARTALA, July 7 ? The arrival of quality silk from abroad threatens of squeeze out of the market looms large the silk farmers of the State. Sericulture Minister Ramendra Chandra Debnath speaking to the reporters at the Secretariat on Saturday said, due to fresh arrival of quality silk from abroad, the local producers have been badly affected as the foreign silk are available at a price much lower than the local ones. He said, ?We were forced to reduce the prices of the local silk so that they could compete in the markets with the foreign ones. Accordingly, we have reduced the prices of the...

IMPHAL, July 7 ? The Manipur government in this border and volatile State has taken all measures to fight possible flood menace during this monsoon. A 24-hour irrigation and flood control room has also been opened at the office of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department in the heart of Imphal, recently.

Minister of Irrigation and Flood Control N Mangi also informed that all possible measures have been taken to meet any eventuality of flood. He said ?this should not be taken to mean that no flood will occur. The Department also identified the flood-prone areas and the vulnerable points at...

ITANAGAR, July 7 ? The Dree festival of Apatani tribe began with a two-day programme all over Arunachal Pradesh on Friday. Like previous years, the Dree festival as also centrally celebrated this year at Ziro which was graced by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi as the chief guest. The Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of Assam, Captain Robin Bordoloi also participated in the central Dree Festival celebration as the guest of honour. This was stated in a PIB release.

Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Mithi said that the Apatanis have a rich...