IMPHAL, April 7: Even though the State Cabinet has agreed to hike power tariff on April 5, no specific decision has been taken regarding the rate of increase till now and the Government has not issued any order in this connection. Highly placed sources said the rate of increase is likely to be from the Rs 2.03 charged per unit by the Electricity Department to Rs 2.80 per unit. However, the Government has not issued any notification on the exact rate of increase. The rate of Rs 2.03 per unit was earlier fixed by the department for domestic, agricultural, industrial and other sectors at an...

GUWAHATI, April 7: Timed to coincide with the 'foundation day' of the rebel United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), surrendered members of the organisation, under the umbrella of the Asom Jatiya Mahasabha (AJM), today celebrated the day as 'anti-insurgency' and 'progress-heralding' day all over the State. The surrendered ULFA (SULFA) members were one in asserting that only peace could bring about the much-needed economic development in Assam. Addressing a mammoth public meeting at the Chandmari ground here this afternoon, senior SULFA leader and member of the steering committee of the...

SHILLONG, April 6: The Meghalaya government has requested the Centre to complete fencing of the 423-km long international boundary as the fence has been of great help in checking illegal influx of Bangladeshis into the hill state, state Chief Minister E K Mawlong has said. The Union Government has intimated to the state government that fencing of an additional stretch of 201 km on the border will be completed by 2007 leaving only a stretch of 44 km to be fenced. During 2001-2002, the Government of India has projected an amount of Rs 32 crore for the border road and border fencing along the...

IMPHAL, April 7: Buoyed by the recent ruling of the Supreme Court, which upheld the Speaker's disqualification ruling against MSCP MLA and Agriculture minister Thangmilien Kipgen, Assembly Speaker S Dhananjoy Singh said today that decision on the disqualification proceedings against the seven other MLAs would be decided soon. Mention may be made here that the apex court ruled in favour of the Speaker after a series of litigations. The axe fell on Thangmilien Kipgen on November 17 last year following the disqualification hearing conducted by the Speaker on July 22 last year. The MLA was...

IMPHAL, April 7: With no help from the state government and the Centre, the residents of Molcham, Khayang and Yangoulein villages on the Indo-Myanmar border are living under the shadow of threats from the Myanmarese Army. Their immediate concern is the absence of any Indian security forces in the area. Manipur's Molcham valley, which has been embroiled in controversy for the past four decades, was in the news again after the Manipur Human Rights Commission took up a case of alleged torture of Indian villagers by the Myanmarese Army. Situated in Chandel district, Molcham had always been eyed by...