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...

SIVASAGAR, July 7 ? A CBI team led by DSP MS Khan, interrogated ULFA?s Rongpur Anchalik Commander Arpan Saikia alias Nironjan Borthakur alias Keshov Mohanta in Sivasagar jail for two days since yesterday. Arpan Saikia was arrested by Dibrugarh police on June 12 at Khowang and was handed over to Sivasagar police on June 22 last. According to sources, Saikia was interrogated by the CBI team mainly on his alleged involvement with the bomb blast case in which AGP leader Nagen Sarmah was killed. The CBI team appealed to Sivasagar CJM?s Court for permission to interrogate Arpan Saikia. The Court...

SHILLONG, July 6 ? Meghalaya government has fired its second salvo against the Khasi Students? Union (KSU) constituting a separate intelligence cell to probe the extortion activities of the student body. The cell to be headed by a senior IPS officer W R Marbaniang, Commandant General, Civil Defence and Home Guards and Additional Director General of Police, will also investigate the assets of some of the KSU leaders and cases of forced collection of money by the students organisation.

A notification setting up the cell is excepted to be issued on Monday, Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr F A...

GUWAHATI, July 6 ? Assam?s forest cover has gone down to only 16 per cent of the total geographical area and the State Government has sought the help of the neighbouring Sates for launching a massive Plantation programme, said the Minister of State for Forest, Sri Pradyut Bordoloi. Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, Sri Bordoloi said that though on paper the forest cover in the State as 26 per cent, the actual cover as per the remote sensing data is only about 16 per cent. He said that as per international norms, the forest cover in the plain areas should be at least 33 per cent, while...

NEW DELHI, July 6 : Prime Minster?s special emissary K Padmanabhaiah will visit Amsterdam to hold fresh round of parleys with National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) leaders T Muivah and Isak Swu from July eight to further the Naga peace process. This was stated by Padmanabhaiah after he met Prime Minster Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today.