GUWAHATI CITY

Good news for Guwahati residents who commute by bus because by the first time, buses powered by CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) will ply in the city in the new year. The CNG bus project will be implemented by the ASTC under the Guwahati Smart City project.

The trial water supply system of the JICA project implemented in some areas in Guwahati under the Guwahati Jal Board has been successful. Taking this into view, the water supply system of the existing Guwahati Municipal Corporation will stop soon in those areas where the drinking water supply system is available for domestic supply.

The Kamrup (M) district administration and its district election officer conducted a special camp in 30 colleges in the city to register new voters. The administration has appealed to all new voters to come forward and register their names in the electoral roll.

A massive fire that broke out in a residential location at No. 4 Colony in the Guwahati’s Pandu area reduced at least eight houses to ashes on Dec 1. Sources said that four cylinders also exploded as a result of the fire. However, there was no casualty or injury in the fire.

Along with events throughout the state, the Assam State AIDS Control Society observed the state-level event for World AIDS Day at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital auditorium beginning with a padayatra which saw the participation of various educational institutions, NGOs and other stakeholders.

Assam had the highest maternal mortality ratio - maternal deaths per lakh live births - in 2018-20, said a special Union Health Ministry bulletin released recently. Assam recorded an MMR of 195 in 2018-20 against 215 in 2016-18. Madhya Pradesh was second with an MMR of 173. Kerala witnessed the lowest MMR (19).

Assam Sarba Siksha Abhiyan has requested the DCs to conduct the annual performance appraisal of SSA contractual teachers and state pool teachers working under their jurisdiction for which the deadline for submission of reports in the web portal on Dec 29, 2022.

From Jan 1 of next year, the system of granting permissions for the construction of houses will be only through the online mode by abolishing the existing ‘manual’ system of granting permissions for house construction in the cities of the state. In the first phase, this system will be only in the cities falling under the master plan of the state.

Assam Govt will allow its employees to avail of special casual leave under the Matri-Pitri Vandana Scheme on Feb 9 and 10, 2023. The employees can utilize this leave along with Feb 11 (second Saturday) and Feb 12 (Sunday). The employees will have to apply for this casual leave in the portal concerned.

All Assam Government NPS Employees' Association Achyutananda Hazarika said that the association would start agitation afresh as the State Govt did not call them for discussion on their demands by November 30, 2022. The association took out their ‘Dispur Challo’ agitation on Nov 8, 2022, in support of their demand for revocation of the NPS.