HAILAKANDI, July 21 ? Border Security Force (BSF) has unearthed a major plan of Bangladeshi militant groups to impart arms training to NE youths in Bangladesh. BSF got the information while interrogating the arrested leader of the students?s unit of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam of Bangladesh, Farooque Ahmed Talukdar. It may be mentioned here that Farooque was arrested in Hailakandi town last week by the police and later handed over to the BSF. Police said that he is a resident of Surikandi village of Maulavibazar in Bangladesh and came to Hailakandi in December last year for studying a graduate course...

NALBARI, July 21 ? For Zarina Khatun (32), life?s daily grind, including cooking meals for her family, looking after her three children and searching for potable water, goes on. Her home is a sheet of tarpaulin hung up on bamboo poles on the roadside. This is what protects her family and their cattle from the elements. Her husband, Farid, when not fishing in the vast waters, lies in a folding cot thinking of ways to procure the next meal. The National Highway 31, connecting this town to the State capital, is now home to thousands of people like Zarina who have built temporary shelters on it...

BADARPUR, July 21 ? The flood situation in the three Barak Valley districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi has turned critical with many areas including Badarpur town submerged by the floodwaters, owing to a breach in a dam in the area. All government, non-government offices, schools and colleges, banks, business establishments, ASEB and ASTC offices, Railway colonies, etc have been severely affected. Besides, several villages and paddy fields within Badarpur circle have also been hit by the floodwaters. The floods have rendered over fifty thousand people homeless, official sources said...

GUWAHATI, July 21 ? The Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC) today announced the new tariff rates for all categories of consumers for the year 2004-05, effecting a hike of 2.57 per cent. The new rates will be applicable from August 1, and will include the additional tariff for four months since April because the approved retail tariff for the year was from April 2004. Briefing newsman, AERC Chairman MC Baruah said the AERC has approved the annual revenue requirement (ARR) and the tariff petition for the financial years (FYs) 2003-04 and 2004-05, with modifications as required, after...

GUWAHATI, July 21 ? The flood situation in Assam turned worse today with the entire State virtually becoming a cluster of islands and the death toll in the current wave of floods shooting up to 97. The Brahmaputra breached the ring bundh on its embankment at Futuri-Semina under Palasbari revenue circle at 3.30 pm today, which has threatened the entire Palasbari, Chaygaon areas, Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport and the National Highway-37. Floodwaters of the river have already entered the adjacent areas of the breach. The Brahmaputra has also threatened Guwahati city with the river...