Contractors for restoration of peace in NC Hills
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, July 22: Recent move initiated by the State Government for a seal of approval from the Centre on the proposed suspension of operation against the DHD(J) to facilitate smooth completion of the militancy-hit twin national projects — railway gauge conversion in Lumding-Badarpur hills section and East West Corridor appears not enough to remove the apprehension of the contractors engaged in the railway project.
“It is the Government to decide whether there will be a formal ceasefire with the militant outfit operating in the North Cachar Hills or not to stop killings and extortion, but total normalcy has to be prevailed in the hill district to resume the project work,” said Shankar Das, general secretary of the NF Railway Contractors’ Association, while talking with The Sentinel yesterday.
In fact, the Government has to utilize the remaining two and half months ahead of it to do something to restore peace in the troubled hills for smooth execution of project work after the ongoing monsoons, he pointed out. “The association has already made it clear to the NF Railway authorities that the security of life of the labourers has to be ensured before resumption of the work,” he added.
However, he thinks that in view of the huge burden of work pending due to prevailing situation it is impossible to complete the project by the stipulated targeted period, even if the work resume just after the ongoing monsoons. “It seems that it will take at least another four years or so to complete the entire work,” he said.
According to him, even if the situation in the North Cachar Hills back to normalcy it will take another couple of months to re-mobilize the machinery and man power in the now-abandoned project sites.
However, the hurdle, other than the law and order situation, in resumption of project work appears to be still there, hinted the association sources. The association, in view of the, what it said, phenomenal increase in the price of raw materials including steel and cement, has already urged the railway authorities to consider for a escalation of project cost, the association sources said. All are depend upon the response of the railway authorities in this regard, sources added.
According to the sources, the contractors have already incurred huge loss due to militant activities and a section of contractors have already threatened to move court or arbitration authorities if their demand for escalation of cost is not met.

Call for permanent protection measures
Severe erosion threatens north-west Jorhat villages
From our Correspondent
JORHAT, July 22: About 20 km from here, the residents of Neol Gaon and 33 other villages under Dergaon Legislative Assembly Constituency in north-west Jorhat are waging a grim struggle against severe erosion which is threatening to uproot them. The Brahmaputra river, which flows close to these villages, is dangerously poised to breach the strategic dyke running along from Khutiapota check bund to Negheriting-Rangagara.
In the worst case scenario, as many as 40,000 residents, mostly hailing from Mising and Deori communities, will be affected if the red river washes away a chunk of the embankment which lies just 250 metres away from it.
When contacted, official sources at the Upper Assam Investigation Division, which operates under the State Water Resources Department, confirmed the precarious situation at the site. Though temporary measures have been made to check the unabated erosion, these are not likely to be effective. The situation may turn disastrous if there is no permanent protection for the embankment, constructed way back in 1952, by the next two years. The sources pointed out that the last major works were executed in 1992 when the embankment was raised.   The Upper Assam Investigation Division is understood to be pressing for a permanent anti-erosion scheme, valued at Rs 4 crore, to protect the area. At such short notice, the project can be sponsored under Calamity Relief Fund.
Meanwhile, the Division has already got the nod for a Rs 7-crore anti-erosion project to secure Kolbari and other villages in the vicinity. The project under the flood management programme of the Centre’s task force, constituted in 1998, will involve the installation of porcupines and the reinforcement of the existing Lality check bund.
The Upper Assam Investigation Division is entrusted with the task of controlling floods and erosion along the south bank of the Brahmaputra for a total length of 48.35 km. The embankments and other protective structures extend from Jhanjimukh in the eastern part of the district to Bohikhuwa in the far north-west adjoining Golaghat district.
The Division administers a total flood-prone area running into 40 square kilometres. The dykes along the Brahmaputra in the north and north-west of the district were built in the 1950s after the river started to flow southwards. A total eight spurs spread across a distance of 15 km in the Kokilamukh area were built in 1969.
The ambitious Neamati-Hatisal project, which extends from Hatisal to Dainigaon covering a total distance of 12 km, was completed in June, 2007. Under the project, two bullheads and three spurs were built at a cost of Rs 31.77 crore to protect 15 villages in the area and also divert the channel of the Brahmaputra away from the town.
Though spurs No 5, 6 and 8 also need reinforcement, the need of the hour is the protection of the 17-km stretch running beyond spur No 8, the official sources pointed out.
An amount of Rs 11 lakh has already been spent on the temporary protection works, but these are not likely to be of any great help, they stressed.
It may be mentioned that the area under consideration is known for its widespread agricultural activities and has emerged as the vegetable bowl of the district.  

Workshop on birth and death registration concludes
From our Staff Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, July 22: With a view to spread awareness among the young generation about the necessity to register births and deaths, a workshop was held today at the Manohari Devi Kanoi Girls College under the joint aegis of UNICEF and National Service Scheme (NSS) of Dibrugarh University (DU).
While inaugurating the workshop, the Vice-Chancellor of DU, Dr KK Deka, dwelled on the importance of birth and death registration .
The other dignitaries who attended the workshop were Dr PC Hazarika, Joint director of health and family welfare, Dr Raghunath Borbora, Principal, DHSK Commerce College, Dr Rajib Handique, Accademic Registrar, Dibrugarh University. Dr P Borgohain, Medical Officer, Dibrugarh Municipality Board, Dr Lakhimi M
Pillai, Professor, Community Medicine, Assam Medical College and Diipul Khatoniar, Trailokhya Dihingia, Programme officers of Duliajan and Khowang College respectively.
More than 200 participants from nine colleges of the district attended the workshop.
Dr Dilip Bhuyan Principal of the MDK Girls College moderated the workshop while Dr Lohit Saikia , programme officer of the host college offered the vote of thanks.

Two LPG cylinder-laden trucks seized
From our Staff Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, July 22: Police seized two LPG cylinder-laden trucks at Chakolia in Moran yesterday.
Acting on a tip off, the team led by Additional Superintendent of Police, Diganta Bora, came upon the drivers and the other persons of the trucks engaged in the act of filling empty LPG cylinders from the gas filled ones in front of Rocket Hotel at Chakalia.
The police seized the trucks (No: AS23 G 0228 & AS 23 C 1609) and arrested Pranab Jyoti Bora, one of the truck drivers.
The other truck driver and the kingpin of LPG Gas theft racket somehow managed to escape from the police dragnet.
It may be mentioned that the racket of stealing LPG gas has been flourishing for the last few years in the roadside hotels located across the national highway no 37.
The filled cylinders are later sold in the black market, duping the customers.
On the other hand the consumers who purchase the cylinders through approved gas agencies are also deprived of the required LPG gas despite making payment for a full cylinder.

NEEPCO states death of workers is due to natural causes
GUWAHATI, July 22: The NEEPCO today stated that the recent death of workers at the Kameng Hydro Electric Project in Arunachal Pradesh was due to natural causes and not due to inhalation of poisonous gases.
In a press statement, NEEPCO said assistant engineer Jayanta Kumar Bhuyan was suffering from diabetes mellitus and was antidiabetic drugs. He was admitted to the Aditya Diagnostics and Hospitals on June 21 and he died at the hospital on June 24.
As regards, another worker at the same project site, Ratul Chandra Sarmah was suffering from hypertension and diabetes mettitus and was under treatment at the International Hospital in Guwahati and Apollo Hospitals in Chennai since September,2007. Subsequently he was referred to CMCH, Vellore for treatment. In Vellore he died on June 16, 200 due to septic shock, melioidosis and acute renal failure, the press statement said.

ACMS triennial conference held
From our Reporter
TINSUKIA, July 22: The triennial conference of Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), Doom Dooma unit took place recently with a day-long programme at Marwari Panchayati Bhavan, Doom Dooma town.
The conference started with unfurling of sangha’s flag by sangha’s central president Pawan Singh Ghatowar. Floral tribute was offered by president of central general secretary, Madhusuchan Khandait.


NDFB cadre shot dead
From our Correspondent
NALBARI, July 22: One Pradip Baro alias Phunkha (20) of village Tengabari in Baksa district was shot dead at the heart of Barama on July 21 last at 6:20 pm, a report available here added.
Sources added, Pradip Baro was returning home on motorcycle after marketing at weekly Barama market in the evening. PK Dutta, the superintendent rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. Police recovered two empty cartidges of 9mm revolver from the spot. Police investigation is on.

Mahurat of Khousetheni Aina documentary film held
From our Correspondent
KOKRAJHAR, July 22: The Mahurat of new documentay film khousethini Aiena to be produced by M/s Satrajit Film productions Pvt Ltd was held today at Hotel Omshri in Kokrajhar town.
BTC EM for cultural affairs Maheswar Basumatary inaugurated the Mahurat by breaking coconut while president of Dulabari Boro Harimu Afat (DBHA) Rajani Sargiary switch the camera. The Audio cassette of Khousethi Aina was released by the Adviser of DBHA Rahendra Nath Brahma.
The producer-cum-Director Satrajit Narzary said the documentary film will consist the art and culture of twelve communities of BTC region. The music and dance form of these communities would be reflected in the film which will be the first of its kind in BTC.

Large-scale anomalies alleged in NREGS
From our Correspondent,
NORTH LAKHIMPUR, July 22: The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) is witnessing a trouble time here when 4 ward members of 1,3, 4 and 22 wards of Tinthengia gaon panchayat under Karunabari Anchalik panchayat have alleged of massive corruption in the scheme at the implementation phase.
In a complaint lodged at the Deputy Commissioner Lakhimpur, the ward members have also accused the president of the panchayat as the source of corruption and demanded an inquiry into the matter.


Kalpataru cheques distributed at Laluk
From our correspondent,
NORTH LAKHIMPUR, July 22: In a function held at the office of Block development officer, Karunabari recently, 277 beneficiaries under Niz Laluk, Uttar Laluk, Dakhin Laluk, Hurmutty, Pabha Jubanagar, Tin Thengia, Bongalmora, BMP and Dikrong gaon panchayat were handed over the Kalpaturu cheques.
Addressing the gathering , the BDO Kamal Deuri urged on the proper utilization of the money and hoped that people belonging to weaker section of the society would reap its benefit.
But a section of people alleged that the actual beneficiaries have been deprived of it.

AASU distributes relief materials
From our Correspondent
NORTH LAKHIMPUR, July 22: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) unit of Harmutty and Nowboicha visited the flood affected area recently and distributed relief materials like— rice, potato, salt, ORS and vegetables to the flood-hit people.
AASU also criticized the district administration for its failure to provide sufficient relief to the flood affected people of the district. They also demanded to repair the breach portion of the dykes of all rivers of the district.