tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18837033789330497842024-03-20T01:13:37.378-07:00Assam HubUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger521125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-69103100945849541242020-03-06T06:17:00.001-08:002020-03-06T06:17:59.222-08:00Pure Salon & Spa Koramangla, BangalorePure Salon & Spa Koramangla, Bangalore
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<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1nwAn0-QAsl9yw70VRXUUCiemE-Pl8Nz9&hl=en" width="640" height="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-70625193600217558162011-03-26T04:43:00.001-07:002011-03-26T04:43:45.021-07:00Gogoi comfortably placed in Titabor<b>Titabor (Assam), Mar 26 (PTI) </b>Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has a clear edge over all his 11 opponents in Titabor Assembly constituency which goes to polls on April 4.<br />
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"The chief minister''s win is a foregone conclusion, but now we are striving hard to ensure that he wins by a record margin of votes and creates electoral history not only in the state but also in the country," Titabor block Congress president Sonadhar Rajkhowa said.<br />
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The chief minister, who had a minor operation in New Delhi last week, is yet to hit the campaign trail, but his supporters are confident he would ride the poll solely on the basis of development work he had initiated in this once-backward constituency.<br />
Another party worker Ghana Hazarika points out that the real contest is for the second spot which is expected to be a triangular one between AGP''s Montumoni Dutta, CPI''s Kula Das and BJP''s Kaminish Deori.<br />
A traditional Congress bastion, Titabor, which is in the Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency, has been represented by Gogoi since 2001 after he was elected in a by-election following the party''s wresting of power from the Asom Gana Parishad.<br />
In 2001 Assembly polls, the seat was won by his brother Dip Gogoi who later vacated it for the elder Gogoi, who, then a Lok Sabha MP from Kaliabor parliamentary constituency, had led the party to a thumping win in the Assembly polls as the state unit Congress president.<br />
In 2006, the chief minister had polled 65.15 per cent of the total votes and had won by 32,501 votes over his CPI opponent Kula Das.<br />
The high-profile constituency has witnessed a remarkable development spree during the last 10 years with water supply schemes, metalled roads, market places, a public library and a sports complex being the prominent initiatives taken to make it a model Assembly segment.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-8470155349218241152011-03-26T04:40:00.001-07:002011-03-26T04:40:33.739-07:00Mohet Hojai claims to be pauper' in affidavitt<b>GUWAHATI</b>: He is the prime accused in one of the biggest scams the state has ever seen, but is the poorest candidate in fray for the assembly elections. He neither has cash in hand nor does he own any land or home. His only luxury is a modest Maruti 800 owned by his schoolteacher wife.<br />
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Unbelievable? At least this is what his affidavit submitted to the EC says.<br />
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Meet Mohet Hojai, the former chief executive member of NC Hills Autonomous Council, who is contesting polls from prison as an Autonomous Demand State Committee (ASDC) candidate. He is fighting elections from the lone Haflong seat in Dima Hasao district. Named accused by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for the multi-crore funds scam in the North Cachar Hills Autuonomous Council (NCHAC), Hojai was arrested in 2009. The NIA registered two cases relating to diversion of government funds meant for development of NCHAC to DHD (J) in 2009. He is the alleged conduit for the funds diversion from the treasury to militants' coffers. The charges, however, haven't yet been framed in any court.<br />
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Hojai's affidavit, in contrast, gives a completely different picture. He is probably the only candidate who has declared that he has no cash in hand and it is his wife who has Rs 40,000 in hand. He has two bank accounts with the SBI at Haflong and Dispur and has Rs 12,557 and Rs 27,607 deposited in these two branches respectively. His wife has an account with SBI, Haflong, where there is only Rs 3,656.<br />
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According to the affidavit, Hojai has no investments in bonds, shares or mutual funds. However, he and his wife have two LIC policies of Rs 1 lakh each. Besides, his wife also has gold ornaments of about 10 gms.<br />
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Neither he nor his wife own any agricultural land, individually or jointly. The family also does not have any non-commercial land to build a house. The graduate from Lumding College also does not owe anybody and also don't fall under the tax bracket.<br />
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According to the NIA chargesheet, Hojai present address at his time of arrest was at an apartment in the city. Contrary to the chargesheet which says he is a "member of DHD (J)", Hojai affidavit shows he is a "social worker".<br />
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The NIA chargesheet says, "Hojai and the other accused public servants and contractors committed criminal misconduct and defalcated huge amount of money from the funds available with NCHAC."Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-60663008604089041252011-03-25T22:05:00.001-07:002020-03-10T20:54:07.937-07:00Over Rs 7.5 crore unaccounted cash seized in Bengal, Assam<b>Kolkata</b>: The Income Tax (IT) department's investigation wing, engaged by the Election Commission to track flow of illegal cash to influence voters in poll-bound states, has seized unaccounted cash amounting to more than Rs 7.5 crore (Rs.75 million) from West Bengal and Assam, said a senior official Friday.<br />
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'Acting on specific tip-off, we have seized Rs.4,58,50,000 in six seizures carried out by the officials in different parts of West Bengal in past three to four days. Rs.3,00,66,279 was seized from Assam,' said Director General (Investigation) East, T.B.C. Rozara.<br />
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In West Bengal, the tax officials made two seizures at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose airport in Kolkata and seized Rs.29.5 lakh, while the other seizures were made from different parts of the city and adjacent districts, he said and informed that in both the cases, the passengers came to the city from Silchar and Jorhat in Assam.<br />
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'In one case, we have recovered an unaccounted Rs.2.4 crore cash from a city-based businessman and from another we have seized more than Rs.1 crore. Both of them were not politicians but have link with top-level political leaders,' said Rozara.<br />
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He, however, refused to divulge further details about the cases.
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" aria-hidden="false" frameborder="0" height="450" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3886.5622935473466!2d77.64894471482296!3d13.063509790795607!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x0%3A0x4ee4acfb03a87a84!2sPureFit%20Kothanur%20%7C%20Fitness%20Center%20%7C%20Aerobic%20%26%20Gym%20%7C%20Yoga%20%7C%20Aerobics%20%7C%20Diet%20Consultation%20Bangalore!5e0!3m2!1sen!2shk!4v1583894280343!5m2!1sen!2shk" style="border: 0;" tabindex="0" width="600"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-18859807855427873502010-11-30T19:33:00.001-08:002010-11-30T19:33:41.266-08:00Assam CM to file defamation suit against AGP leaders<b>GUWAHATI, Dec 1</b> – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today announced his decision to sue Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Chandra Mohan Patowary and Leader of the Opposition Prafulla Kumar Mahanta for their alleging in public his involvement in the multi-crore NC Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) scam.<br />
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An official release here said, quoting Gogoi, that Mahanta and Patowary have been trying to smear the public image of the Chief Minister through baseless allegations and smearing campaigns with a political design.<br />
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The press release said that the Chief Minister has already made his stand on the NCHAC financial scam clear. But the AGP leaders have been launching their smearing campaign to malign his image.<br />
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This has made the Chief Minister to go for the decision to file a defamation case against the AGP leaders, said the press release, quoting Gogoi.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-4736443696085784102010-11-30T04:57:00.000-08:002010-11-30T04:57:15.360-08:00Akhil demands Gogoi’s ouster<b>Guwahati, Nov 30 </b>: RTI activist Akhil Gogoi today said he had a strong suspicion that another scam, like the LoC scam that took place during the AGP regime led by Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, had taken place during the tenure of chief minister Tarun Gogoi.<br />
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“The people of Assam are well aware that an LoC scam took place during Prafulla Mahanta’s rule but we have a strong suspicion that another LoC-like scam took place during Tarun Gogoi’s tenure. Our suspicion is based on the special CAG audit report that exposes massive corruption in the NC Hills autonomous council from 2007-08 to 2008-09,” Akhil Gogoi, the general secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity, said.<br />
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The peasant leader told reporters here that the state government had informed the CAG that it had released Rs 151.40 crore to the NC Hills autonomous council. But the CAG found during its special audit conducted over 26 months that Rs 424.04 crore had been released. “The CAG clearly mentions that the state government did not provide them with sufficient information and tried to hide statistics during the special audit process,” he added.<br />
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“So we suspect that the LoC-like scam took place during Gogoi’s term and money was released with false documents,” he said.<br />
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He also alleged that the state government had concealed the original probe report of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which had the names of some cabinet ministers. “The chief minister and his cabinet colleagues are involved in the scam but the state government managed to hide the original report of NIA,” he alleged and demanded the resignation of Tarun Gogoi and his three cabinet colleagues, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Gautam Roy and Khorsingh Ingti, on moral grounds.<br />
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The Opposition AGP also demanded Tarun Gogoi’s resignation over the CAG report, which observed massive corruption in the NC Hills autonomous council.<br />
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AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary asked Tarun Gogoi to follow the example of Union telecom minister A. Raja who resigned after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report was tabled in Parliament. He produced the special audit report of the CAG before the media and said Tarun Gogoi should resign immediately on moral grounds.<br />
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“The chief minister had earlier said he would resign if someone could prove the allegations of Rs 1,000 crore scam in the NC Hills council. Now that the CAG report has proved the allegations of financial anomalies, Gogoi should resign immediately,” he said. Quoting the CAG report, he said, “Reasons for release of excess fund by the state government over the budget provisions were not available on record. Release of excess funds over the budget provision is fraught with the risk of misutilisation, misappropriation of fund.”<br />
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Patowary said the CAG audit covered financial transactions of only eight departments of the council — PHC, agriculture, forest, social welfare, PWD, education, medical and police from 2007-08 to June 12, 2009. He said during this period, the government gave Rs 272,64,23,000 as excess funds without any budget. The scam would be several times more than Rs 1,000 crore if the financial transactions of all the 30 departments under the council were audited, he added.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-63092216740037857872010-11-30T02:18:00.000-08:002010-11-30T02:18:09.478-08:00NC Hills Council misused special Central aid<b>R Dutta Choudhury</b><br />
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<b>GUWAHATI, Nov 30</b> – The North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council not only misused huge sums of money allotted under plan and non-plan heads, it also grossly misappropriated funds provided under the special Central assistance for specific schemes for the development of the backward district. These irregularities came out in the special audit of the accounts of the Council carried out by the office of the Accountant General (AG) recently.<br />
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The report said that the Government of Assam, Hill Areas Department, accorded sanction for Rs 25 crore as special Central assistance during 2007-08 for implementation of ten plan schemes under PWD (Roads and Bridges) and one scheme under the Social Welfare Department subject to the condition that the Council would have to maintain special accounts and to submit detailed accounts of the monthly expenditures directly to the AG with a copy to the Development Commissioner, Hill Areas. The expenditures were to be made strictly as per the guidelines of the Planning Commission.<br />
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The report revealed that the Additional Secretary to the Governor’s secretariat directed the Principal Secretary of the Council that the works worth Rs 20.50 crore under the PWD should be carried out directly under him for timely completion. The Principal Secretary was also asked to constitute a committee for the same but there was no record of constitution of any such committee.<br />
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Scrutiny of the records revealed that the Deputy Commissioner of NC Hills, who was also holding the charge of the Principal Secretary to the Council at that time, directed the accountant of the council, in his note sheet, to issue a cheque for Rs 18.50 crore in favour of the Principal Secretary of the Council. The Senior Finance and Account officer pointed out that as per the procedure in force, the cheques should be issued only in favour of the DDOs duly signed by the Principal Secretary. However, on 17.10.07, the cheque was issued in the name of the Principal Secretary and was drawn on 27.10.07. During the audit, the Council failed to provide any record like utilization vouchers, physical and financial progress reports, date of commencement of works, etc., as those were not available with the Council, the audit report said. It is also not known whether any separate bank account was opened for the implementation of the scheme as per the guidelines.<br />
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On the other hand, on the basis of the information furnished by the Haflong and Mahur divisions of the PWD, they received Rs 8.01 crore and Rs 6.61 crore respectively during March 2008 to March 2009 but details of the utilization were not available. Major portion of the funds were utilized for clearing the old liabilities without obtaining any permission from the Hill Areas Department and the details of the old liabilities were not available.<br />
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During the period from 2007-08 to June 12, 2009, the State Government released Rs 75.04 crore to the PWD of the Council and utilization of Rs 31.90 crore of the same could not be verified due to non-production of the relevant records. The Council claimed that the records were seized by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-28693515024541699112010-11-29T07:25:00.000-08:002010-11-29T07:25:11.138-08:00Assam elections on schedule, says GogoiAssam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Monday said that assembly elections will be held on schedule.<br />
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'We have not sought early elections in Assam and want them on schedule,' Gogoil told journalists. The term of the Congress-led government expires May 15, 2011.<br />
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'We are, however, prepared to face (early elections) and are very much confident of making a hat-trick,' Gogoi said.<br />
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Earlier in the day, the chief minister reviewed the law and order situation and various development projects with district police chiefs and deputy commissioners.<br />
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'We have asked tough security measures against militant groups involved in violence and are at the same time keeping the doors open for peace talks if they abjure the path of violence,' he said.<br />
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Gogoi took on the opposition parties, mainly the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).<br />
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'If the opposition can prove charges of corruption against me, then I am ready to quit politics. Even if any of my ministers are involved, action will be taken.'<br />
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The chief minister was reacting to AGP charges that the government was involved in blatant corruption and misappropriation of funds.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-21032516038636960242010-11-27T21:10:00.000-08:002010-11-27T21:10:00.595-08:00Shootout criminals in Guwahati cop net<b>Guwahati, Nov. 28</b> : City police today busted a gang of criminals and arrested nine persons allegedly involved in two shootout cases at Ganeshguri and Dispur in August and October this year.<br />
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Dispur police picked up the criminals during a nightlong operation on Friday in three different locations at Hatigaon, Basistha and Dispur, based on tip-offs that the goons were taking shelter at these places. The gang also included a woman.<br />
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The police said the gang was involved in the killing of a beverage company employee Keshav Phukan on August 10 this year at GNB Road near Ganeshguri. Phukan was on his way to a bank when two gunmen on a motorcycle fired at him and snatched away Rs 12 lakh.<br />
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The police said the gang members were also involved in the attack on Pargat Singh, a trader in Dispur on October 4. Two gunmen had fired at Singh at 8.30am that day, injuring him.<br />
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The nine criminals have been identified as Manjinder Sing, Ratul Kalita, Girin Saikia, Tarun Das, Dilip Das, Pranjal Deka, Utpal Kalita, Prashanta Kalita and Binita Bora. The police said Manjinder Sing and Ratul Kalita were killers and were involved in several cases of robbery in the city.<br />
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The police recovered a 9mm pistol, a motorcycle and some sharp weapons during the raids.<br />
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“They are all trained to use arms and used to work in groups. We came to know during investigation that they were involved in several murders and robberies in the city. We are interrogating them to get details of their criminal activities,” a source said.<br />
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The police are also investigating if the gang was involved in the attack on Ankit Agarwal, a young trader, in Beltola on October 5 when two motorcycle-borne gunmen had shot at him.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-23380050440611849262010-11-26T21:11:00.001-08:002010-11-26T21:11:01.015-08:00AASU flayed for invoking ‘Assamese self-pride’<b>GUWAHATI, Nov 27</b> – Reiterating that the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) under the leadership of Samujjal Bhattacharya has been coercing business houses into “donating” money, the forum of ex-general secretaries of Gauhati University today said that the AASU adviser was audaciously trying to gain emotional support of the people by relating the matter with “Assamese self-pride”.<br />
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In a statement signed by Niren Deka and Pranjit Choudhury, the forum said that Bhattacharya was running the AASU like a dictator and was behaving in an incoherent manner following the expose of just “one of his many misdeeds”.<br />
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The forum said that Bhattacharya had no right to involve Assam and the entire community of Assamese people in his justification for donation, which actually is extortion.<br />
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“The AASU is a historic organization and Bhattacharya should desist from lowering its image by involving it in forceful donation,” the forum stated, informing that unlike what the AASU has claimed, a representative of Vishal Mega Mart had lodged an FIR(696/10 under Sec 143, 448, 506 of IPC) against some of the AASU members on October 27 with the Paltan Bazar police station.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-73252631286867880382010-11-26T20:58:00.002-08:002010-11-26T20:58:52.049-08:00Bid to bridge miles with words<b>Voluntary group to teach mother tongue to NRI Assamese children</b><br />
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RAJIV KONWAR<br />
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<b>Guwahati, Nov. 27</b> : Xobdo, a non-profit voluntary organisation, is providing a unique opportunity to children of NRIs hailing from Assam — a chance to learn their mother tongue.<br />
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Come December, Xobdo will launch a unique project to teach Northeast languages online as well as through classroom teaching. Children in the age group of six to 10 years will be covered in the 15-week programme. While classroom teaching will be available in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), children of other countries will be taught through a distance education programme.<br />
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Xobdo, which literally means sound or word in Assamese, is a non-profit organisation comprising a group of volunteers based in different parts of the world, with the common interest of promoting languages of the Northeast in the cyber world. It has also been developing an online dictionary covering a host of Northeast languages from March 2006 that includes 31,079 Assamese words.<br />
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Speaking about the children of NRI Assamese families, an official of Xobdo said, “These children are usually educated in English. Now, with the help of basic English, we will teach them how to read and write Assamese,” said the official.<br />
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Prominent literary personalities and academicians of the state also welcomed the effort, saying it would help these children understand Assamese better.<br />
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Nagen Saikia, former president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha, welcomed the move and added that while teaching the children, all possible care should be taken to avoid any distortion of the language.<br />
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Littérateur Atulananda Goswami said the course content should be prepared carefully and in a way to attract students.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-66790584544422446722010-11-26T20:58:00.000-08:002010-11-26T20:58:03.807-08:0010 poachers surrender in Assam<b>Jorhat, Nov. 27</b> : Ten rhino poachers from the villages on the fringes of Kaziranga National Park surrendered today, barely a week after the villagers set a deadline to them to surrender or else their families would be ostracised.<br />
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The poachers deposited a 303 rifle, a 9mm pistol and ammunition.<br />
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The poachers — their names figure in the forest department’s ‘wanted’ list — will not be arrested but engaged in work related to conservation of the national park.<br />
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At a function held at Dhubati Beloguri village on the fringe of Agaratoli range, the poachers pledged to help the forest department protect the animals of the national park.<br />
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Nayanjyoti Doley, one of the surrendered poachers, said he had travelled all the way to Manipur to rope in sharp-shooters to kill rhinos at Kaziranga a few months ago.<br />
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“We are not used to firing the rifle so we had to engage shooters from either Nagaland or Manipur to kill rhinos,” he said.<br />
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Doley and the other poachers said they would do the needful in checking rhino poaching activities at Kaziranga from now on.<br />
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“We can easily identify the shooters and we know the connections through which they come to Kaziranga. We will do our best to stop them from coming to Kaziranga,” Kartik Pegu, another poacher, said.<br />
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The divisional forest officer of East Assam Wildlife Circle, D.D. Gogoi, said the Kaziranga authorities would engage the poachers in various eco-development projects so that they can earn a living.<br />
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The residents of at least three villages located near Kaziranga had set a week’s deadline for the poachers from these villages to surrender and threatened to ostracise their families if they did not do so.<br />
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The deadline was extended by another week yesterday after family members of a few poachers sought more time to convince their kin.<br />
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This was the first time that the villagers living near Kaziranga have made such a move.<br />
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Junai Patgiri, a senior citizen of No. 3 Beloguri village, said it was a very happy moment for the villagers as their “sons” who had taken a wrong path had returned.<br />
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“There are a few more misguided youths from our villages and we expect them to return soon,” he said.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-16591051245306935662010-11-08T20:59:00.001-08:002010-11-08T20:59:54.492-08:00Group favours ease in hydro data access<b>ROOPAK GOSWAMI</b><br />
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Guwahati, Nov. 9</b> : The ministry of water resources has been asked to review its guidelines regarding release of “classified” hydrological data on Brahmaputra and it tributaries to private developers to facilitate accelerated development of hydroelectric projects in the Northeast.<br />
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Sources said the inter-ministerial group for hydro-power development in Northeast India, in its report, has asked the ministry of water resources to review its guidelines to facilitate access to hydrological data by private developers for expeditious development of the hydro-power potential of the region. This will be done keeping in place the required safeguards to serve national interest.<br />
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The inter-ministerial group was constituted by the ministry of water resources on the directions of the Prime Minister’s Office to evolve a suitable framework to guide and accelerate the development of hydropower in the Northeast.<br />
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The report said with the shift in government policy, hydroelectric projects are being given to private developers, who are facing difficulty in getting access to the all-important hydrological data. The state governments are reluctant to provide the secrecy undertaking on behalf of the private developers, even as a number of hydroelectric projects in Arunachal Pradesh are being executed by the private sector.<br />
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Sources said earlier projects were executed by government agencies and there was no problem in acquiring hydrological data on the Brahmaputra and its tributaries from the ministry of water resources or Central Water Commission as per existing guidelines. These guidelines stipulate that no hydrological data should be released to international and private agencies. They provide that in case of requests for releasing data to private parties in the country, the secrecy undertaking should be obtained from the concerned ministry, department or public sector undertaking.<br />
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The Brahmaputra is a major international river covering a drainage area of 580,000 square km. Of this 50.5 per cent lies in China, 33.6 per cent in India, 8.1 per cent in Bangladesh and 7.8 per cent in Bhutan.<br />
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The hydrological data of any river is the foremost requirement for planning and designing of any hydropower project. The existing guidelines, issued by the ministry of water resources, say that hydrological data may be released to central or state government offices, including public sector undertakings, only after obtaining a secrecy undertaking from an officer of joint secretary rank.<br />
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“The data of these basins are classified, and hence is provided to bonafide users on request following a set procedure for release of classified data. Wherever required, the approval of ministry is sought for release of such data,” a water resources official said.<br />
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Sources said the non-availability of hydrological data for Brahmaputra is resulting in delay in preparation of the detailed project reports for the hydroelectric projects, and that it would be most helpful if that the procedure for obtaining it is put up on the website of the Central Water Commission.<br />
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Apart from Brahmaputra, Indus, Ganga and Barak river basins have been categorised as classified river basins.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-75847555291976365172010-11-08T06:44:00.001-08:002010-11-08T06:44:34.399-08:00Assam admits partial utilisation of Centre's grants<b>Guwahati</b>: The Assam government on Monday admitted that it has failed to fully utilize the Central grants under the 12th Finance Commission.<br />
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Replying to a question by opposition Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) Aloka Desai Sarma in the state Assembly, senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said certain "procedural tangles" had resulted in a failure of optimum utilisation of funds.<br />
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The minister said the government had successfully utilised 85 percent of the plan allocation, which is "very good" when compared to other states.<br />
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"There are certain problems in implementing Centrally-sponsored schemes which was project related and there was bound be some delay in its implementation," he said.<br />
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Moreover, Sarma said as the state was approaching Assembly election next year, the fund allocation will come down with the election code of conduct in force.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-89128095410172720962010-11-08T06:19:00.000-08:002010-11-08T06:19:03.330-08:00Assam governor slips, fractures leg, arm<b>Guwahati, Nov 8 (IANS)</b> Assam Governor Janaki Ballabh Patnaik Monday slipped and fell down in bathroom and fractured his leg and arm, besides suffering injuries to his back, doctors said.<br />
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Patnaik, 77, was on an official visit to the eastern tea town of Dibrugarh when the incident took place at a circuit house.<br />
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'The governor slipped and fell down in the bathroom and X-ray reports revealed he fractured his leg and an arm. His condition is stable,' D.K. Patgiri, principal of Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh, told IANS.<br />
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'The governor might have to undergo a surgery,' Patgiri said.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-1102402908234381672010-09-12T06:19:00.003-07:002010-09-12T06:19:15.814-07:00Assam rights activist Lachit Bordoloi joins AGP<b>Guwahati, Sep 12 (IANS)</b> Noted rights activist Lachit Bordoloi Sunday joined Assam’s main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) along with more than 200 followers at the party headquarters here.<br />
“I decided to join the AGP as I always believe that there is still lots of relevance so far as regionalism is concerned,” Bordoloi said.<br />
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“I make a firm commitment to take the regional aspirations of the people of Assam forward by formally joining the party.”<br />
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Bordoloi, a leader of the Manab Adhikar Sangram Samity (MASS) and also a member of the People’s Consultative Committee (PCG), a civil society body chosen as an interlocutor by the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), was on several occasions in the past arrested on charges of aiding and abetting militancy.<br />
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He was also believed to be close to the ULFA - and particularly close to the outfit’s chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, now arrested and in jail.<br />
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Around 200 followers of Bordoloi too joined the AGP at a function presided over by party president Chandra Mohan Patowary.<br />
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“We welcome people like Bordoloi into the party as they are the people who really connect with the masses,” the AGP president said.<br />
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Bordoloi in all probability would plunge into active politics as he is sure to contest next year’s assembly elections from the Batadrawa seat.<br />
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“I cannot say if I would contest polls or not. My mission is to work for the AGP in whatever capacity I am asked to do so,” Bordoloi said.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-40129772145069215502010-09-11T05:46:00.001-07:002010-09-11T05:46:15.562-07:00Torrential rains hit normal life in Assam<b>Guwahati, Sep 11 (PTI)</b> Torrential rains lashed the city inundating most of the areas and bringing normal life to a near halt today.<br />
Rainfall of 14.4 mm to over 45 mm was recorded in different parts of the city.<br />
Capital area of Dispur, along G S Road which leads to it, adjacent Ganeshguri, Hengrabari were under nearly knee-deep water. Low lying Tarun Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Anil Nagar and Lachit Nagar areas on both sides of the G S Road were also inundated.<br />
The parallel R G Baruah Road looked like a sheet of water, while Chandmari area had waist-high water paralysing movement of vehicles on the G N B Road.<br />
The rain waters entered dwelling houses, submerging some of them up to four feet.<br />
Vehicles were stranded on the roads due to water logging, creating inconvenience to people.<br />
In some places, people had to take cycle rickshaws to ferry them just across the road. Rubber boats and bamboo rafts were also used in some of the water logged areas.<br />
In May, the Gauhati High Court while hearing PILs filed on water logging problems and artificial floods in the metropolis had directed Guwahati Development Department Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to file an affidavit on the issue.<br />
Taking exception to the minister''s statement at a press meet here that water logging problem of the city cannot be solved, the Court had also directed Sarma to file an affidavit justifying his statements.<br />
Following this Sarma called a meeting in June on the instructions of the Court to listen to the citizens'' grievances related to the civic problems and water logging.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-29900156671085986882010-09-10T22:44:00.001-07:002010-09-10T22:44:18.335-07:00Border haats to bring sweeping changes: CM<b>TURA, Sept 11</b> – Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma has indicated that the economy of the State, particularly the border areas of Garo Hills, would soon see sweeping changes to its economic growth once the border haats begin functioning from next month onwards.<br />
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He said that the government has taken the initiative to begin international trade with Bangladesh through the border haats and the first to be inaugurated would be at Kalaichar in West Garo Hills and Balat in Khasi Hills as early as October next.<br />
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Disclosing this during the foundation stone laying ceremony of Land Customs Station facilitating legal trade and commerce between India and Bangladesh through the Garo Hills border at Killapara, Dalu under West Garo Hills district, Dr Mukul Sangma said international trade is of importance for both countries to develop the economy because the quantum of business generated by Land Customs Stations are enormous.<br />
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“It is necessary to derive maximum benefit and we are looking at a much more expanded trade with Bangladesh and through the Land Customs Station. “I urge the people of the region to diversify trade and commerce,” said the Chief Minister.<br />
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He added that the region has potential as a commercial hub and so it was deemed fit that Dalu and its adjoining areas have Land Custom Station and they develop into a full-fledged economic zone.<br />
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The Commissioner and Secretary for Commerce and Industries, A Som informed that the Government of India recognising the potential of trade and commerce through the border sector of Garo Hills has decided to sanction Rs 12 crore for Dalu and Rs 6 crore for Gasuapara in South Garo Hills for the establishment of Land Customs Stations to boost trade and uplift the border populace.<br />
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He also spoke at length about the problem of cattle lifting in the border areas and said the functioning of the Land Custom Stations would lead to facilitation of legal trade and doing away with cattle smuggling and other nefarious activities.<br />
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Writ Petition: The Garo Students Union has filed a writ petition in the Gauhati High Court questioning the authority of the municipality and conduct of civic polls in Garo Hills that is scheduled to take place in four municipal boards on September 29.<br />
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A petition to the Meghalaya Governor R S Mooshahary has also been submitted by the Joint Action Committee seeking to defer the polls until the High Court clarifies the status and existence of municipalities in Garo Hills.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-52460049171369342492010-09-09T02:55:00.001-07:002010-09-09T02:55:51.404-07:00Assam bags best show in India Travel Mart<b>Guwahati, Sep 9</b>: The road show organised by India Tourism Department on Sunday, Sep 5, Assam received the best presentation award in India International Travel Mart.<br />
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The presentation was a highly-informative and visually-packed highlighting the tourism product profile of the state, accommodation facilities, air connectivity and tourist footfalls trends.<br />
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The show attracted a large number of tour operators from Mumbai and media persons from TV channels, prints and travel trade magazines.<br />
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The exhibition was also showcased where Assamist put up many traditional stalls and arts created by their ancestors which added more admiration to the participants.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-68820937532973103352010-09-08T06:10:00.001-07:002010-09-08T06:10:47.524-07:00Dams to harm Assam environment: AASU<b>Tezpur (Assam), Sept 8 (PTI)</b> Two hydro-electric power projects in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and the proposed construction of 168 river embankments will change the geographical setup of Assam and its natural environment, the influential All Asom Students' Union (AASU) claimed today.<br />
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Completion of the 2000-MW Lower Subansiri Hydro-electric Power Project at Gerukamukh in Assam's Dhemaji district along Arunachal Pradesh will affect the environment of northern Assam districts of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Sonitpur hitting lakhs of people, AASU central executive member Jaan Bora told PTI.<br />
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Completion of the Subansiri dam in Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh would also cause Brahmaputra's two major tributaries Ranganadi and Dikrong to dry up in Sonitpur district, he warned.<br />
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The 600-MW Kameng Hydro Project in West Kameng district would affect the human habitations of Bhalukpung, Itakhola and Rangapara, and animals of Nameri National Park and Pakke Reserve Forest in Sonitpur district, Bora said.<br />
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Asserting the Centre had not assessed the dire effects of the dams on Sonitpur district, he said, the AASU had submitted a 494-page report about the impact of the Subansiri project on the inhabitants and forests of the three districts, he added.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-82002209066272283922010-09-08T03:43:00.001-07:002010-09-08T03:43:58.016-07:00ISRO tech support for Assam floodsIts Flood Management Information System will provide real-time information on flood situation with 3-D satellite images of the affected areas<br />
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<b>Guwahati</b>: Assam will soon be armed with state-of-the-art technology for getting real-time update for assessing floods which almost every year causes massive damage to the state.<br />
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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will soon equip the State Disaster Management Authority, Assam (SDMAA) with the technology for getting real-time update on the deluge and making appropriate management plan.<br />
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The team from ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) on Monday made a demonstration on National Database on Emergency Management and Flood Management Information System (FMIS).<br />
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It not only provides real-time information on flood situation with three-dimensional satellite images of the affected areas, but also helps in taking prompt management decision.<br />
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Attending the program Assam Disaster Management and Revenue Minister Bhumidhar Barman said, “This technology will be of great help in formulating our management plan in tackling flood situation in the state. I think with the real-time information, we can mitigate the damages to a great extent.”<br />
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Barman said his department will be in touch with the ISRO office in Shillong to pursue the implementation of the facility in the state.<br />
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SDMAA officials said the flexibility of FMIS, developed by Hyderabad-based NRSC under the National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM), is that it can be operated from Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) cell-phones.<br />
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“The effectiveness of the tool is that it can be operated with PDA cell phones. The tool not only provides real-time data but also three dimensional visuals. We will have to prepare a roadmap for developing infrastructure and train up officials in implementing the facility in the state,” a senior official of the department said.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-1459103702851364702010-09-07T23:55:00.001-07:002010-09-07T23:55:15.526-07:00Fox History's 'Mighty Ahoms' draws criticism<b>Sivsagar, Sep 8</b> : A programme on the Ahom rulers of Assam, aired on Fox History channel last week, has drawn sharp criticism from the Ahom Royal Society, which alleged that the channel wrongly portrayed several important facts regarding the dynasty. <br />
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The Lakwa-based Society alleged that the producers and directors of Fox History channels programme Mighty Ahoms, telecast on September 3, had deliberately vilified the Ahom community and presented a distorted version of Assam history. Kamala Rajkonwar, chief secretary of the organisation, said the documentary film showed scenes of Royal burial mound where the dead king was buried with a live person tied alongside, which Rajkonwar claimed was a false portrayal. <br />
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Rajkonwar also questioned the authenticity of the comment in the documentary that the Ahoms discarded the practice of burial in 'maidams' after adopting Hindu religion when the royal family descendents still continue the tradition. <br />
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The Ahom Royal Society also criticised the episode-makers for terming Sankardeva as the lone founder of the Satras (Vashnavite learning sites) in Assam and ignoring the four major Satras founded under Ahom Royal patronage. <br />
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The Society further expressed its anguish for overlooking Gomodhar Konwar, the martyr who sacrificed his life fighting the British. <br />
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''The Fox History channels telecast has presented a distorted and perverted picture of the Ahom and its culture,'' Rajkonwar said.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-46041536699690690382010-09-07T23:29:00.001-07:002010-09-07T23:29:25.189-07:00Security personnel practice 'water meditation' to promote peace in Guwahati<b>Guwahati, Sep 7 (ANI)</b>: Amidst fear of militancy and terrorism, two policemen in Guwahati have discovered a unique way to find peace through meditation by floating on water.<br />
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Munin Sharma (41) and Hitesh Sharma (43) of the Assam Police have been practicing this unique form of yoga to restore peace to the troubled state.<br />
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"I started practicing this type of yoga from 1995. But we used to practice 'Pranayama' (Breathing exercises) on our own from many years. My father used practice this and I heard it from him that the 'Yogis' (practitioner of yoga) used meditate on and under the surface of water and they could even float in air," said Munin Sharma.<br />
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This form of yoga involves certain rituals and worshipping before getting inside a pond. The duo ties their feet before starting the ceremony in water.<br />
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"We have two motives behind practicing this yoga. First is to get our names registered in Guinness Book, and the second is to successfully achieve our religious motive," he added.<br />
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Hitesh said they devote as much time as they can spare to meditate in water.<br />
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According to eye witnesses, the duo can sleep on water for hours and the longest that they have done it is ten hours.<br />
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They have promoted this form of meditation in many states, including Orissa and West Bengal. (ANI)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-90540158412537435552010-09-06T03:33:00.001-07:002010-09-06T03:33:53.476-07:00Assam's Bihu troupe to perform at CWG opening ceremony<b>Guwahati</b>: Assam's most popular folk dance form 'Bihu' will be one of the star attractions of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on October three in New Delhi.<br />
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A 110-member troupe, comprising 48 dancers and 62 drummers, or dhuliyas in Assamese, led by acclaimed drummer Oja Somnath Bora, has already left for New Delhi to practise for the opening ceremony.<br />
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''It is indeed a big honour to showcase our beautiful Bihu dance form before a global audience and we are practising hard to leave a lasting impression in the minds of millions of people who will watch the opening ceremony,'' Bora said.<br />
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The state cultural affairs department has asked Bora to bring together the dancers and drummers and prepare for the ceremony.<br />
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Bora, a master dhuliya, who was the first Indian to win a gold medal in a percussion playing competition at Delphic in South Korea last year, is, however, keeping the details of the presentation close to his heart.<br />
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''We are still evolving and improving on the steps and the final presentation is yet to take shape,'' he said.<br />
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The new assignment has kept on hold his long-cherished dream of making it to the Guinness Book of World Records.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1883703378933049784.post-57566530894963647762010-09-03T22:41:00.000-07:002010-09-03T22:41:17.973-07:00Assam Tourism calls on India<b>Mumbai, Sep 4</b> : The State of Assam is making an all out effort to rebrand its tourism image and promote it as a safe and adventurous tourist destination.<br />
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Assam Principal Secretary for Finance and Tourism Himangshu Sekhar Das who led a team to promote the tourist destinations in the state told newspersons here that no tourist had ever been killed even during the troubled days with Bodo and ULFA rebels.<br />
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Some of the rebels had in fact after laying down their arms ahve integrated into society and had taken up to tourism as tour operators and taxi drivers.<br />
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Mr Das said, ''We are also holding talks with neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Bangladesh to synergise with the Central government's ''Look East policy'' he said, adding ''we want to promote Assam in an effective way without overkilling its image, or disappointing potential visitors by promising more than what we can deliver'' He said the state has seen its arrivals grow exponentially in the last decade, from 96,8444 tourists including 6,490 foreign visitors in 2000, to 3.9 million visitors including 14,699 foreign visitors in 2009-10. The State's tourism budget has also increased ten fold from Rs four-five crores in 2000 to Rs 45 crores for the current fiscal.<br />
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The state has a number of destinations like Kaziranga and Manas National Parks, home to endangered animals like the one-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger, wild elephants, the world's largest river island-Majuli and world smallest inhabited island-Umandhan, the Kamakhya Temple, Satra monestaries and little known World War II battle and supply sites that played vital roles in stoping the advance of the Imperial Japanese Army.<br />
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In order to attract visitors, the state government has tied up with a number of private investors to spruce up infrastructure. The state's first five-star hotel is being built in Guwahati under a joint venture with Indian Hotels Company of the Taj Group. This will be followed by four more five star hotels. It currently has 1,200 two-star level rooms for visitors.<br />
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The state has tied up with private operators to launch luxury boat cruises along the Brahmaputra at 250- 400 dollar a night.<br />
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The government is extending subsidies in the form of reimbursement of VAT and luxury tax, subsidising two-star and below hotels, power and approach roads.<br />
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The government is also implementing the Central government's policy to subsidise 30 per cent on investments in the state and extending excise breaks to two-star hotels and above, he added.<br />
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Mr das said the government was focussing mainly on the middle-class Indian traveller with emphasis on government servants who can avail of special LTC services to visit the north east.<br />
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He said ''Our priority is image branding. Assam today is a safe place to visit with some of the most unique attractions for visitors. We plan to leverage our rich nature, wildlife, tea and golf, eco-rural, culture and religious tourism potential.'' At the ground level, we have set up the Assam Tourism Council where 50 per cent of the members are from the private sector and the rest from government departments like the PWD which play an important part in preparing a suitable ground for tourism. The Council is training soft skills like hospitality, honesty to those involed in the industry.<br />
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We have also introduced tourist police at popular destinations like Kaziranga Park to help and protect tourists,'' he said.<br />
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Assam, with six airports, including Guwahati which is the six buisiest in the country, also plans to be a gateway to the other northeastern states in the region. The government is also holding talks with the Railway Ministry to improve the quality of long train services between cities like Guwahati and Mumbai.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com