GUWAHATI, April 8: The fifth Agricultural Science Congress which concluded here today, has drawn up a 10-point action plan in a bid to give an impetus to the agricultural sector of the Northeast. The action plan, termed as 'Guwahati Declaration' of the Congress, land emphasis on gearing up the marketing system and preservation of 15,000 agriculturally important species which are facing extinction, in the Northeast. It also suggested preservation of ecosystem and aromatic plants of the region. The four-day congress had a marathon deliberation on the agriculture sector covering all aspects and...

TURA, April 8: Tura town, the district headquarters of West Garo Hills and home to over a lakh people, has over the years begun to experience water shortage. The condition is most severe during the winters, from November to January and gradually extends to June until the monsoons arrive. Already the residents of many localities are unable to cope with this shortfall. To make matters worse, many of the streams and water holes have already dried up. The most affected areas are the main market area Hawakhana, New Tura, Dakopgre and adjoining areas which is home to a majority of the population...

IMPHAL, April 8: The Assisted Bio-diversity and Tribal Development Project initiated under the United Nations Development Programme has proved to be an immense boon for the all round development of the people of Tamenglong. Ten villages in Tamenglong district have received great benefits from the two-year project, which began last year. During a consultative workshop on 'Bio-diversity Conservation - From a Project to a Policy', held at Hotel Imphal today, representatives of the ten villages expressed their profound gratitude over the positive developments they have received from the project...

IMPHAL, April 8: The newly constructed police station at Molcham village on the Indo-Myanmar border in Chandel district was burnt down by some unidentified armed men last night, according to reports reaching here. The police station, constructed at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore by the Manipur Police Housing Corporation, had been completed last year, but it was currently unoccupied. Reports said around a hundred well armed men dressed in combat fatigues came to the police station at around 8 pm last night, and set the police station buildings on fire. The unidentified persons also used bombs and...

GUWAHATI, April 8: The State Veterinary Department allegedly procured a dozen of immature jersey bulls from Australia of which 50 per cent are of genetically sub-standard quality, said knowledgeable circles here. However, the 58 heifers procured under the same project from the same country are comparatively better, though one of the heifers died at Chennai, the sources said. The cattle were imported from Australia under the ongoing Livestock Development Component (LDC) project sponsored by the World Bank. The cattle have been procured to set up one bull mother farm and two semen production...