NEW DELHI, March 27 ? In an encouraging development, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is likely to re-start its Nagaland operations shortly, even as the two oil companies including Oil India Limited (OIL) has attributed breakdown in law and order situation and poor infrastructure facilities in the region as among the main factors for a sharp decline in crude oil production in the region. Its truce time in Nagaland an so taking advantage of it, the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has hammered out an agreement with the Nagaland Government to resume operations in the State, under...

SHILLONG, March 27 ? The Congress in Meghalaya suffered a major setback when sitting Rajya Sabha member OL Nongtdu received a drubbing in the contest to the lone seat from the state in the upper House today. Robert Kharshiing, president of NCP made it to the Rajya Sabha securing 46 seats against only 14 byNontdu in a house of sixty. More worrisome for the Congress was the fact that it could secure only14 votes though its strength in the House was 16, indicating that two of its members had cross-voted in favour of the NCP candidate. This is the second setback for the Congress during the last...

Imphal, March 27: With the abduction of Chandel DC Y Thamkishwor entering the tenth day today, the State leaders are stepping up their campaign for the release of the official. An all political party delegation is being sent to Delhi to press the Centre to take up steps for securing safe release of the DC. As part of the delegation, Revenue Minister E Biramani, Sekmai AC MLA N Biren and Chandel MLA BD Behring left for Delhi today. MP and MSCP president Th Chaoba and Arts and Culture Minister Dr M Nara are already camping in the nation capital. Chief Minister O Ibohi along with the two DPP MLAs...

Imphal, March 27: The Nagaland Baptist Church Council, in a statement today stated categorically that the deputy commissioner, Chandel, Yambem Thamkishore, "should be released immediately without any harm done to him." The release also chided both the IRB and the NSCN(IM) cadres for causing the unnecessary and intolerable loss of human lives in the sorry episode. "Judging from media reports so far, the killing of the 11 NSCN(IM) cadres in Chandel District was needless and intolerable waste of human lives," it said. The NSCN(IM) cadres should have known better not to be riding around in a...

Imphal, March 27: The Panthoibi Natya Mandir observed the 24th World Theatre Day today at the conference hall of the state Guest House. The observation of the day was highlighted by addresses of renowned theatre directors on the topic of retrospection on 100 years of Manipuri theatre. Forum for Laboratory Theatre, FFLT director, Dr Lokendra Arambam initiated the interaction on the 100 years of Manipuri theatre in his deliberations and explored the system of patronage of the theatre in the last 50 years of colonial India during which no signs of growth showed. Lokendra paid tribute to the...