The Arunachal Times

Cherrapunjee a third classtourist destination: Sangliana

Babul Dhkar

SHILLONG, July 28: Cherrapunjee or Sohra in the local language is known all over the world as the rainiest place on the planet and one of the most visited tourist spots of North Eastern India. But the place is losing its importance due lack of development and infrastructure.

If one is to believe H T Sangliana the ‘super cop’ turned politician and now member of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), the place is losing its reputation as a premier tourist destination.

People present at the press conference including Government officials and journalists were made to face an embarrassing situation when the super cop said “Cherrapunjee has become a third class tourist destination,” when asked to rate it. Immediately after the reply a senior State government official was seen passing a chit to Sangliana.

He pointed out that there was no proper maintenance of the popular tourist destination.

“The road leading to the area is full of potholes and there is lack of amenities for the tourists visiting the place,” Sangliana said.

Saddened at the deterioration of the popular tourist spot, Sangliana said, “People visit Cherrapunjee as it is famous the world over but when a tourist visit the place he feels like he is being cheated.”

When he visited Cherrapunjee on Wednesday, the Vice-Chairman of the NCM was also pained to see the barren hills in the area. “There was scope for afforestation in Cherrapunjee” he said. He also observed that there he also did not even see flower beds while he was in Cherrapunjee.

Sangliana also pointed out that the fishes in the city’s Ward’s Lake have disappeared.

“When I was a student of St Edmund’s in the 1960s we hanged around the place and we find a lot of fishes,” he said.

Sanglaina was here as a member of the NCM and visited the state capital on related issues.

Students union in Assam protests influx of Bangladeshi immigrants

Jorhat (Assam), July 28: All Tai Ahom Student Union (ATASU), a student's wing in Jorhat, Assam staged a peaceful sit-in protest, against the influx of Bangladeshi immigrants in the region.

Hundreds of students gathered for the protest on Tuesday, saying the entry of Bangladeshi immigrants into the state is posing a great threat to the identity of Assam's people.

The ATASU demanded the resumption of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) from the state government. They also demanded that Assam be declared as an Indigenous Tribal State.

"If Assam is transformed into an Indigenous Tribal state, then the problem will be minimized. Therefore, we demand that the (central and state) government recognize Assam as an Indigenous Tribal State, to bring permanent solution to the influx of foreigners in the state," said Amol Gogoi, president of the ATASU.

Earlier, the opposition parties and the student bodies in Assam came out strongly against the Congress-led government's decision to suspend the exercise of the NRC, which is aimed at identifying Bangladeshi immigrants in the state.

Another students union of the state, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) has also decided to stage a protest in Diphu district on September 13.

A public meeting would also be held at the Haflong town on September 28 as a measure of protest against the immigrant problem in Guwahati on October 1. Agencies

Gogoi to undergo open-heart surgery in Mumbai

Guwahati, July 28: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, recuperating in a hospital in Delhi, will undergo an open-heart surgery in Mumbai. "His condition is stable and he is having a normal diet.

But he is not discharging official duties," the chief minister''s press advisor Deba Bora said. 77-year-old Gogoi was taken ill on Saturday at the meeting of the National Development Council in New Delhi and was subsequently admitted to a private hospital where he was diagnosed to have two heart blockages that needed open-heart surgery. Gogoi is likely to be shifted to Mumbai on Sunday after his son and daughter, who live abroad, come, Bora said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had personally enquired about Gogoi''s health, he said. "The PMO has assured us of all help in this regard," Bora said. Agencies

Nagaland constitutes committee on timber seizure at Guwahati

Kohima, Jul 28: The Government of Nagaland has constituted a four-member committee to look into the matter of seized timber at Guwahati Railway Station on July 8.

Official sources here said the committee will comprise four Forest Department officials, which is likely to sit this week to review the matter. According to information received, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has directed the NF Railway authority in Guwahati to reseal the wagons and release them to travel to its destinations.

Meanwhile, the Timber Traders Welfare Union, Dimapur (TTWUD) has taken serious note of the detainment of 42 timber laden rail wagons on July 8 and subsequent seizure on July 24 by Customs Officials at the freight terminal of Guwahati Railway Station.

The TTWUD mentioned the Nagaland Tree Felling Regulation Order of 2002, the union president Henizhe Awomi and general secretary I Wati Lemtor pointed out that the 42 timber laden wagons from Dimapur bound to Delhi is legal and rubbished the assumption of the Customs officials that the timber was being smuggled from Myanmar. Agencies

Naga body threatens another stir in Manipur

Imphal, Jul 28: The United Naga Council (UNC) has threatened another stir to protest the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (Third Amendment) Act, 2008, even as the people are yet to recover from the hardships caused due to a 66-day economic blockade on the National Highways of Manipur.

UNC general secretary A Ashorii has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reminding him of the economic blockade which was enforced by the ANSAM and demanded dissolution of the Autonomous District Councils.

The UNC alleged that two students died at Mao on May 6 in police firing and demanded a Judicial enquiry into the incident.

It also demanded removal of 'wanted' tag from presidents of the UNC and ANSAM for calling the blockade. Manipur declared the presidents of the two organisations as 'wanted' following a directive from the Gauhati High Court. UNI

Assam Congress opposes big dams

Guwahati, Jul 28: After drawing flak from the Opposition parties and activists groups for allowing big dams on the Brahmaputra river, the Congress-led Assam government today drew the ire of its own party over the issue.

The state unit of the Congress has opposed big dams on the river without proper scientific assessment of effects of such constructions.

''The government must allow big dams on the Brahmaputra, even in other states, until complete evaluation is done on the impact of such dams,'' Ranjan Bora, Pradesh Congress leader, said.

He urged the government to conduct thorough studies on all possible effects of big dams, including environmental impact and effect on downstream areas, before allowing massive constructions on the river. UNI

ED gets permission to quiz accused in North Cachar Hills scam

Guwahati, Jul 28: The Directorate of Enforcement today got permission from a special court here to question 13 accused in the alleged Rs 1,000 crore developmental fund misappropriation scam in North Cachar Hills (now Dima Hasao) district autonomous council.

Randeep Sarma, Assistant Solicitor General of India, had moved the special court on behalf of the Directorate of Enforcement, seeking permission to question all the 13 accused charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the case pertaining to militant-politician nexus as well.

The 13 accused include RH Khan, former joint director of Social Welfare department Mohit Hojai, the former chief executive member of the NC Hills Autonomous Council and Jewel Garlosa, the chairman of DHD(J).

The Directorate of Enforcement on the basis of the report of the NIA had registered a suo-moto case in December, 2009 and investigation was accordingly initiated into the case.

''The court has granted us permission to question the accused and it shall start tomorrow at the central jail here, where they are currently lodged,'' Sarma said. UNI

7 more depts handed over to TTAADC

Agartala, Jul 28: In a bid to strengthen Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), the state government has decided to hand over the administration of seven more departments to ADC.

Briefing the Cabinet decision here today ADC Affairs Minister Aghore Debbarma said the administration of seven departments, including education upto senior basic level, social education programme, forest and social forestry, cultural affairs and cooperation in ADC areas, will be handed over to the council.

Earlier, the departments of primary education, social education, agriculture, animal resource development and fisheries were under the ADC administration as per the provisions of sixth schedule of the Constitution.

However, the average per capita allocation of developmental fund of Rs 250 for ADC was retained at the same, Debbarma said, adding that the state government had planned to initiate multi-pronged strategy for development of tribal areas. UNI