NEW DELHI, March 7: Union Home Minister, L K Advani today set all speculations to rest by ruling out the possibility of the Centre announcing a unilateral ceasefire with all militant outfits including the ULFA in the Northeast. The Union Home Minister clarified the Centre's stand on the issue at the Rajya Sabha here this morning after several members belonging to the region urged him to unilaterally announce a ceasefire in the region. The views were along the same line as that of the three Northeast State Chief Ministers, including, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Radhabinod Koijam and Mukut Mithi...

NEW DELHI, March 7: Militant outfits in the Northeast have responded positively to the suspension of operations against them and the call for dialogue, the Union home minister said in the Rajya Sabha today. The Centre has held informal talks with NSCN(K) and the Federal Party in Nagaland and should be able to take a decision soon, LK Advani said. Advani met officials and groups other than the NSCN(IM) during his trip to Nagaland last week. The Centre and the state government agreed that NSCN (K) and the Federal Party too should be involved in the ceasefire. "The Centre completely agrees with...

IMPHAL, March 6: The Union Minister of State for Food Processing, Thounaojam Chaoba who is also the working president of the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) has categorically stated that the ongoing unilateral ceasefire announced by Radhabinod led People's Front government towards the insurgent outfits of the state cannot be effective. Speaking to group of newsmen at his Babupara Bungalow here this morning, Thounaojam Chaoba said that a ceasefire can be possible only when both the parties involved respect it. He pointed out that for an effective ceasefire, the state government's machinery...

IMPHAL, March 6: Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam, pushing forward the peace initiative he began with the declaration of a month long unilateral ceasefire, has once again appealed to the underground groups to accept the government's offer to talks. Radhabinod Koijam, who returned today from New Delhi, was speaking at a function organised by the Thangmeiband Athletic Union, THAU, to felicitate him on assuming the Chief Ministership. The Chief Minister warned that it the underground groups rejected the talks offer, the ultimate consequences for Manipur would be severe. To save Manipur, he said...

SHILLONG, March 6: "Follow and advocate local and safe building codes for earthquake resistant construction," seismologists here are unanimous in their opinion in view of the fact that it was not the devastating quake as such but the toppling buildings which killed thousands in Gujarat on January 26. It is also important to upgrade poorly-built structures, specially the multi-storied buildings, in the urban areas in the Northeastern States. They have prescribed the following precautions to be adopted before, during and after an earthquake as also some do's and don'ts so as to minimise damages...