DIMAPUR, June 27 ? Although the Centre is keen on lifting the restriction imposed on the installation of the WLL facility extended to all the north-eastern states including Nagaland, the dream of linking every village with telephone connections by the end of the current year may take time as the MHA seems to be quite reluctant to revoke the ban citing security as the reason. During their three-day visit of the state capital last week the 12-member study team of the Parliamentary standing committee on information technology, led by the lone Lok Sabha member from the state, K Asungba Sangtam...

NEW DELHI, June 26 ? The much-awaited mega gas cracker may finally take off ground, with the Assam Government and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) being asked to finalise a date for foundation laying ceremony. The development came at the end of the official-level review meeting convened by the Department of Petrochemical here yesterday. The meeting was followed by a meeting between the Union Chemical and Fertilizer Minister, SS Dhinsa and State Industries Minister, Bhubaneswar Kalita, where they were briefed by the official about the outcome of the review meeting.

Subsequently, Dhinsa...

GUWAHATI, June 25 ? The use of elephants by the Forest Department of the State to demolish illegal structures as part of the Government?s eviction drive against encroachers in forest areas have drawn widespread condemnation from renowned authorities on animal welfare across the globe. The Forest Department has no right to carry out demolition of concrete structures, having corrugated iron sheet roofs through domesticated elephants. It is a violation of Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act 1960, and is a punishable offence, wildlife experts point out.

Dr Daphne...

ITANAGAR, June 26 ? Two riflemen of Gorkha Regiment were killed and five others seriously injured in an ambush by suspected NSCN (I-M) cadres on an Army convoy at Ranglin village in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, police said Wednesday, reports PTI. A convoy comprising 35 Army personnel was ambushed Tuesday when it was proceeding to the area for patrolling and search operation, the police said. While riflemen Suren Gurung and Fatik Bahadur Thapa died on the spot, five others including the driver were admitted to Dinja army hospital. A combing operation has been launched.

SHILLONG, June 26 ? Meghalaya, the only power-surplus State in the North East is likely to run up a shortage of 100 MW of power during the current year. The fear was expressed by Power Minister M N Mukhim during the question hour in the State Assembly today. The situation has turned so critical that only seven of the industrial units given clearance to start production at the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) at Byrnihat are getting power from the Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MeSEB) at present.