NEW DELHI, April 30: Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) have formulated a 15-point charter of 'dos and don'ts' to enforce ground rules for ceasefire in the State which came into effect on Saturday, a Home Ministry spokesman said today, reports PTI. Under the accord, NSCN(K) would not undertake offensive operations like ambush, raid, sniping and killings or cause damage to property of the security forces and civilians. The security forces, in turn, would not attack NSCN(K) cadres but would reserve the right to continue operation against all other militant groups...

SUGNU, April 30: Nothing can be more ironic. Nothing can also illustrate the dilemma of a people caught in the crossfire between insurgency and those countering it. For the obvious fear of being reduced to mere numbers in the ever-lengthening list of innocent victims in crossfire, the people of Sugnu, a nondescript township 40 km from Imphal, are literally digging trenches inside their homes. And the irony is all this began happening after a BSF contingent set up camp at the local Public Health Centre, PHC, precisely for the reason of giving them protection. Rather than a sense of security...

SHILLONG, April 29: Umiam lake, popularly known as Barapani, which is in grave danger owing to severe siltation besides facing the problem of pollution, has found a saviour in the North Eastern Council (NEC). The Assam Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) SK Sinha, who is also the Chairman of the NEC, has assured of all possible help from the Council to save the Umiam Lake which is in danger of siltation. "I will see what could be done to save Umiam," he said while addressing a public function at Bhoirymbong in Ri-Bhoi district earlier this week. Though the Government of India has laid down that 'no new...

GUWAHATI, April 29: An amount of Rs 36.63 crore was released by the Union government for development of tourism in the Northeastern region during 2000-2001, PTI release said. Interest subsidy is available to 1-3 star-heritage category hotels in the Guwahati-Kaziranga-Shillong-Tawang travel circuit on loans sanctioned by IDBI, ICICI, SIDBI, IFCI, etc., at the rate of 5 per cent. Besides, expenditure tax has been waived for hotels located in hilly or rural areas till March 31, 2008.

GUWAHATI, April 29: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, during 2000-2001, had allocated an amount of Rs 31.30 crore for expansion of Doordarshan coverage in the Northeast region. In addition, an amount of Rs 4.20 crore was provided from the non-lapsable central pool of resources in the Northeast. At present, 15 transmitters for expansion of primary channel (DD-1) and 5 transmitters for expansion of Metro channel (DD-II) are under implementation in the region, states a PIB release.