GUWAHATI, June 1? In continuing with its eviction drive, the State Forest Department demolished 229 houses in the South Kalapahar Reserve Forest (RF) area of the city today and freed 37 hectares of land from encroachment. Yesterday, 204 houses were demolished in the same RF area and a land area of 25 hectares was freed from encroachment by the Department. The RF has a total land area of 70 hectares. The Department used one elephant and two bulldozers yesterday and three elephants and three bulldozers today. The eviction party was divided into three teams on both the days.

According to Forest...

GUWAHATI, June 1 ? The monthly earnings of the Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) are expected to reach Rs 1.5 crore by October-November and by then it will be making a profit of Rs 60 lakh after paying salary to its employees. Transport Minister Anjan Dutta said this today while speaking at the 20th death anniversary of veteran freedom fighter and trade union leader Atul Chandra Saikia, organised by the ASTC Workers? Association. Appreciating the enthusiasm and cooperation extended by the employees in reviving the ASTC, Sri Dutta said from the hopeless situation when he took over charge...

Imphal, June 01: A reign of terror has been let loose in the Kuki villages located in the vicinity of Liplen Kuki village, near where 11 personnel of the 25th Assam Rifles were killed in an ambush last Monday, according to reports from the area. Reports said at least 28 villagers of Dongsung and Liplen Kuki villagers were seriously injured after they were brutally assaulted and tortured by Assam Rifles personnel last night and this morning. In all 24 of the injured villagers have been admitted to JN hospital. The condition of some of them is described as critical when 1FP did a round this...

Imphal, June 02: The non committal stand of the AICC high command over the merger move initiated by the MSCP to merge with the Congress has left some MSCP MLAs high and dry and some are even entertaining the idea of effecting a split in the party and switching sides to the BJP which is constituent partner of the Opposition DPA. Mention may be made here that the MSCP had initiated the merger move with the Congress along with its party president, Th Chaoba, MLAs and party workers and organizational set-ups. The AICC was also positive to the proposal and had even begun process to formally...

NEW DELHI, May 31 ? As part of its plans to improve air connectivity in the North Eastern Region (NER), the Union Cabinet has approved continuation of helicopter services in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Sikkim, besides extending the service to Tripura. A significant decision that is likely to directly benefit the region was the formal clearance by the Cabinet to re-open the Indian consulate in Mandalay in Myanmar. An assurance to the effect was given by External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh last year following a request from the Government of Myanmar.

Another decision that could grant a...