Aged 120, Living on Boiled Food, Rice Beer - And Loving it!

Rongmowe (Assam): At 120, she is one of India's oldest women and Kareng Teronpi is still going strong, thanks to a daily diet of bland boiled rice, vegetables, and, of course, a regular bottle of moonshine to keep her spirits high!

She looks frail and emaciated, is weak in the knees and almost bedridden for the past year. But Kareng is very agile - with near perfect eyesight and a voice still chirpy.

"I don't know when I was born... maybe many years ago," Kareng said with a coy smile.

Incidentally, her eldest daughter is around 90 years old and stays nearby.

A resident of village Rongmongwe Sorpokathar in Karbi Anglong district, about 280 km east of Assam's main city of Guwahati, Kareng, a tribal Karbi woman, is believed to have completed her 120th birthday.

"Based on details from our uncles and aunts and grandparents we have calculated her age, although we don't have any birth records as such," Docsingh Kathar, one of the many grandsons of Kareng, told IANS.

Kareng loves eating good food - rice, boiled vegetables, soup being her staple menu, besides a passion for rice beer.

"She requires at least two glasses of Hor (fermented rice beer). She relishes the drink. She is a vegetarian and never eats spicy food," Kathar said.

The mother of four children, Kareng has seen four generations and the entire family consists of more than 60 people. Two of her children - a son and a daughter - are alive, while two others expired.

"She can recognise us from a distance as he still has very good eyesight," a grandson said with a cheeky smile.

Kareng's husband died some six decades ago.

Interestingly, the village is home to about a dozen odd people who are in their 90s. Some even claim to have crossed the century mark.

"I am nearing 100 and the key to my longevity is that I never ate tobacco or tobacco products, always ate boiled food with no spices, besides maintaining a disciplined life all along," said Jon Kathar.

Burgeoning Voters List in Assam Evokes Controversy

By Syed Zarir Hussain

Guwahati, Sep 17 : Assam has witnessed an increase of about 600,000 voters in the final electoral rolls 2010 published by the state election commission, triggering doubts that names of illegal Bangladeshis could have entered the rolls.

There has been an increase of 3.29 percent in the number of voters compared to the draft rolls for the 2009 parliamentary elections - the number of voters has swelled to 17,953,112, an increase of about 571,445.

According to commission sources, names of an estimated 315,943 voters were deleted in the final electoral rolls - some of them doubtful citizens and others who might have died or on some technical grounds.

But the publication of the electoral rolls has already triggered a debate with the politics of citizenship taking centre stage ahead of next year’s assembly elections.

“We have to carefully go through the voters list, but prima facie it appears the increase in the number of electors seems very high,” Chandra Mohan Patowary, president of Assam’s main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), told IANS.

The issue of citizenship in Assam has always remained a controversial and sensitive issue with allegations that hordes of illegal migrants enter the state from Bangladesh by crossing over through stretches of the unfenced border.

“The increase in the number of voters by 3.29 percent is quite significant and we really need to analyse the whole issue in depth,” Assam unit president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Ranjit Dutta said.

But the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF), a minority-based political party, is unfazed by the increase in the number of voters.

“There is nothing abnormal in the figures and we believe it is very much within the national average,” AUDF working president Hafiz Rashid Choudhury said.

There have always been doubts expressed and allegations that the voters list in Assam was never free from names of Bangladeshi nationals.

“The voters list is yet to be made public so far and hence it would be too early to comment. But then we want a voters list that is free from names of any Bangladeshi national,” an All Assam Students Union (AASU) leader said.

The AASU had led a six-year-long agitation against illegal Bangladeshi migrants between 1979 and 1985. The uprising ended with the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985 that fixed March 25, 1971 as the cut-off date for detection and expulsion of the illegal aliens.

(Syed Zarir Hussain can be contacted at zarir.h@ians.in

Gogoi Orders Inquiry Into Firing by Nagaland Police

Guwahati, Sep 16 : Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered an inquiry into the firing and assault by Nagaland police in upper Assam's Golaghat district on Wednesday in which over 20 people were injured, some of them seriously.

He has also asked the district administration to immediately file a report on the incident, official sources said.

Meanwhile, All Assam Students Union (AASU) today staged a sit-in in front of the district deputy commissioner's office protesting against the incident and demanding action against the erring Nagaland police personnel.

About 1500 protesters belonging to AASU, various local organisations and women units had yesterday staged a road blockade on NH 39 to protest against lack of security in the Assam-Nagaland border areas.

As the protesters were agitating a convoy of five cars belonging to Nagaland police arrived at the spot and opened fire and assaulted them when they were stopped.

In the firing and assault 22 persons were injured and admitted to Golaghat civil hospital while two of them were referred to the Assam Medical College Hospital, Dibrugarh, the sources said.

Assam Sound Engineer Excited at Winning Nat Award With Resul

He has been an assistant to Resul Pookutty for eight years and when Amrit Pritam won the National Award along with the Oscar-winning sound artiste for their work in the superhit Malayalam film Keralavarma Pazhassiraja today, his joy knew no bounds.

"He has been my teacher all these years and I learnt the ABC of sound editing and designing from Resul," Pritam said.

He had worked with Resul in the Aamir Khan-starrer Ghajini.

According to the Mumbai-based Pritam who hails from Assam, he worked for nearly five months with Resul for Keralavarma Pazhassiraja.

"For months, I used to stay in the studio from Monday to Friday and went home only on Saturdays and Sundays," he told PTI.

However, there was a small glitch as Pritam's name was not announced in the press conference of the awards today. Meawnhile, Resul has already contacted the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on this.

"I spoke to the ministry and a formal rectification and announcement can be expected in a day or two," Resul said.

Brahmaputra Overflows, Assam Flood Situation Critical

Guwahati, Sep 14 : The flood situation in Assam turned critical Tuesday with the main river Brahmaputra crossing the danger level at several places, taking the total number of displaced people to 500,000 in 10 districts, officials said.

A government spokesperson said floods have spread to 10 districts with the worst hit being Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Morigaon, Golaghat and Barpeta. Two people drowned earlier this week in separate incidents while trying to escape the fury of floods in eastern Assam.

‘More than 500 villages have been badly affected by the floods so far in 10 districts,’ the official said. An estimated 100,000 people are now displaced in Lakhimpur district alone, about 400 km east of Assam’s main city Guwahati.

‘Most of the flood-hit people are now taking shelter in raised platforms, on railway tracks, and also in government schools and offices so far untouched by the floods,’ a district official said.

A Central Water Commission bulletin said the Brahmaputra and its tributaries were flowing above the danger mark in at least eight places.

Gushing floodwaters had breached at least four vital mud embankments in the state.

South Asia’s largest river island of Majuli in Jorhat district has also been hit by the floods with a breach in a mud embankment reported Monday night, leaving thousands of people stranded on raised platforms.

Over 50 villages in Dhemaji district have also come under water.

Measures are being taken to plug the breaches in the mud embankments.

‘We have sounded maximum alert and have already kept disaster management teams on standby. We are also taking stock of essentials and other commodities in the district,’ Assam relief and rehabilitation minister Bhumidhar Barman said.

The 2,906-km-long Brahmaputra is one of Asia’s largest rivers and traverses its first stretch of 1,625 km in China’s Tibet region, the next 918 km in India and the remaining 363 km through neighbouring Bangladesh before flowing into the Bay of Bengal.

NHRC to Inquire Into Barpeta Police Firing

New Delhi, Sep 13 : Taking a serious view of the police firing in Barpeta town of Assam which left four persons dead and about 50 people injured, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has decided to inquire into the incident.

Acting on a complaint filed by rights activist and lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the Commission has asked the director general (investigation) to collect the “relevant reports” relating to the firing within eight weeks.

In the incident on July 7, at least four students were killed and 50 injured in Barpeta town when the police opened fire on protesters who tried to stop updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) being carried out in July. Trouble erupted when a group of All Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) activists allegedly pelted stones and set ablaze a building in the premises of the deputy commissioner’s office in a bid to stop updating of NRC work in progress there.

Tripathy, in his petition, had accused the state authorities of a “high-handed attitude” towards the members of the minority communities especially students in the state and urged the Commission to intervene to protect their rights. He pleaded that the commission should conduct an investigation into the circumstances in which the police resorted to opening fire at the agitating students.

The NRC is being updated to identify and enlist Indian citizens in the state. In March, the Assam Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to update the NRC of 1951 by taking the 1971 electoral rolls as the basis.

Bodos Unite to End Violence

By Preetam B. Choudhury

Bodo leaders at the meeting on Friday.

Barama (Baksa), Sep 11 : In a move towards restoring peace in the Bodo belt, several organisations which had earlier been at loggerheads today decided to work together in the greater interest of society.

Braving the incessant rain since early this morning, leaders and representatives from over 26 Bodo organisations attended the unification meeting at Barama College in Baksa to find a solution to end the violence and work for a common cause.

Members of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS), the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), the Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF), the United Democratic Peoples’ Front (UDPF), the National Democratic Front Boroland (Progressive), the Ex-BLT Welfare Association, the Boro Women Justice Forum (BWJF), the All Bodo Women Welfare Federation, among others, took part in the conclave.

The Bodoland Peoples’ Progressive Front (BPPF), however, stayed away from the conclave.

Thousands of people gathered at the college ground with the hope that something positive would come out of it.

The meet adopted three resolutions — to form a committee for holding more such meetings, to appeal to the anti-talks NDFB to come forward for peace talks in the greater interest of the Bodo community and to approach the Centre to hold talks with the NDFB.

Terming the move as historic, Bodoland Territorial Council chief Hagrama Mohilary, who is also the president of BPF said, “It is really good to see that we have realised the need to unite and work together. We have many agenda that need collective effort. Let’s usher in a new beginning by forgetting our past differences and work together.”

Echoing Mohilary, NDFB (Progressive) secretary general B. Swmkwr said, “Lack of co-ordination and constructive effort among the Bodo groups have caused immense loss. To forge unity and mutual understanding, we need to forget the past. Our motto henceforth should be to forget and forgive. Let us work together for unity and development and make our dream of separate homeland a success.”

Boro Women Justice Forum president Anjali Daimary termed the unity move as the need of the hour.

Absu presiden romode Boro said unity is a common desire of the Bodo community.

Bodo Sahitya Sabha president Kameswar Brahma also called upon the leaders to end their differences.

“The common people are not idiots. It is the leaders who need to change their views and unite to work in the greater interest of the community,” he said.

One Drowns, 1.5 Lakh People Affected in Assam Floods

Lakhimpur/Golaghat, Sep 11 : One person drowned and around 1.5 lakh people were affected in the flash floods which hit Assam’s Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Golaghat and Sonitpur districts following incessant rains in the upper reaches.

In worst-hit Lakhimpur district, one Govinda Bora drowned in the swollen Sesa river, under Narayanpur revenue circle, after it broke its right bank dyke inundating 30 villages, including Buraburi, Boralopar, Kathalijan and Hingia affecting around 15,000 people, officials said today.

The carcass of a two-year-old rhino calf was recovered from the flood waters inside the Kaziranga National Park’s Gorakali camp area in Golaghat.

Floods due to heavy rains has inundated larges areas of Kaziranga forcing the animals to come out of the national park to move towards the highlands of neighbouring hill district of Karbi Anglong and nearby tea estates for shelter, they said.

Forest officials were patrolling the Park and its vicinity to prevent poaching and for ensuring safety of the animals crossing over to Karbi Anglong. The speed of vehicles on the National Highway passing through the park is being controlled by imposing 144 CrPC.

Singora, Gandhali and Gabhoru rivers had submerged 32 villages in Narayanpur while in Lakhimpur, Ranganadi has inundated 10 villages, including Major Sapori, Bongaon, Gorsinga, Pandhuwa, Dhandharin kathonin, Jorkhat and Baligaon.

In neighbouring Dhemaji, 30,000 people in 60 villages were affected by swelling Siang river in Pasighat of Arunachal Pradesh, Brahmaputra, Thimen and Lali rivers in Assam.

A red alert has been sounded in Dhemaji district as Brahmaputra and its tributaries were rising menacingly and in Lakhimpur it was above the danger level along its course from Arunachal Pradesh due to heaving rains during the last four days, the officials said.

Rivers Kabusapori, Berasapori, Bogorisapori, Borang and Tengajan in Jonai subdivision, and Jiadhol, Gainadi and Kumotia in Dhemaji subdivision in west Dhemaji subdivision were flowing above the danger level.

At Samarajan national highway-52 was submerged by the deluge which also over topped the metre gauge railway track halting the movement of the Arunachal Express and Rangiya- Jonai passenger train to the last rail head Mokokcheleng on the Assam-Arunachal border.

In Sonitpur, eight villages were submerged by the rushing waters of Sesa river at Kolabari area.

The district administrations were providing rice to the affected people, while the National Disaster Response Force was helping in shifting affected people to safer places.

Many people on their own were sheltering on roads, raised platforms and railway tracks, in government schools and offices not yet affected by the floods, sources said.

Health and veterinary doctors with their teams were also attending to the flood-hit people and their domestic animals.

This is the second wave of floods in Assam this year after the first one last month.

Assam Raises Concerns on Big Dams

Guwahati, Sep 11 : Union Minister of State for Environment Jairam Ramesh Friday said he would apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about concerns of the people of Assam regarding the construction of big dams in adjoining Arunachal Pradesh.

'I would let the prime minister know about the apprehensions of the people of Assam regarding building of dams in Arunachal Pradesh. This is not just the issue for Assam, this has been an issue for the entire nation,' the minister said.

Ramesh was here to participate in a daylong consultation with various civil society and environmental groups on the issue of dams in the northeast.

'Big dams would lead to catastrophic environmental hazards in downstream areas in Assam. We shall launch a mass movement if the projects are allowed to continue,' Samujjal Bhattacharyya, advisor of the All Assam Students' Union, said.

'Let the government immediately scrap permission for construction of dams in Arunachal Pradesh,' Akhil Gogoi, a farmers' rights leader, said.

The Arunachal Pradesh government has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with several private firms for 10 major hydropower projects to generate an estimated 30,000 MW power in 10 years time.

The state, bordering Myanmar and the Tibet region, has the potential to generate an estimated 50,000 MW of hydropower. Among the major projects currently being executed in the state are the Ranganadi Project, the Subansari Project and the Taloh Power Project.

However, the Arunachal Pradesh government is adamant on continuing with the construction of dams.

'Those who are opposing the move are doing so with some vested interests. There are no environmental issues as experts have cleared the proposals,' Arunachal Pradesh MP Takam Sanjay said.

Day of Glory Before Blaze of Fire

Jorhat, Sep 10 : The Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun wants more rhino horns from Assam for scientific research.

The national institute will conduct genetic research on this rare animal part in order to develop scientific protocol before the state destroys its stock of rhino horns by setting fire to it.

Suresh Chand, Assam chief wildlife warden, told TOI on Thursday, "As we have decided to burn the stockpiled rhino horns preserved in various district treasuries of Assam, the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun has asked us to provide samples of rhino horns for their research before the public burning."

He added that the national institute wanted the rhino horn samples for its research to see whether they could detect any scientific value in the horns. He revealed that although these horns have a high market value in both national and international clandestine markets, as per research conducted earlier it has been proven that they have no actual monetary or medicinal values. However, there is an insatiable demand in east Asia, especially in China, because of their touted medicinal benefits.

A former director of Kaziranga National Park (KNP) told TOI that as many as five one-horned rhino horns had been sent to the wildlife institute in 2008, from which their chemical composition had been discovered.

The Assam wildlife authorities have recently decided to conduct a public burning of the state's stockpile of 1,650 rhino horns, and according to the wildlife warden, the plan would be executed soon in a transparent manner.

The authorities also formed a state-level monitoring committee comprising both national and international environment specialists, representatives of the central and state governments, scientists from forensic laboratories and members of NGOs. The committee was headed by principal chief conservator of forest and head of forest force, Assam.

The prime duty of this group is to form district level monitoring committees in order to organize public hearings in all the districts of the state before burning the horns.

Meanwhile, Assam forest department sources said due to the lack of a proper scientific preservation system, the horns, stocked in district treasuries, are decaying. Besides, the sources said, the world famous one-horned rhino found only in Assam is yet to get international recognition, not only in conservation efforts, but also initiatives towards displaying its horn at museums across the globe. Although the state forest department can send rhino horns to world museums by formulating a policy, such a step is yet to be taken.

The central government, which needs to open diplomatic channels with various countries to include rhino horns from Assam as a display item in their museums, does not seem concerned about the matter.

Extortion Takes Toll on Assam Tea Gardens

By Supratim Dey

Guwahati, Sep 10 : Though peace might return on paper in Assam, there appears to be no respite for the state’s tea industry from rampant extortions and abductions by militants as well as by some “surrendered” militants, who are suppose to confine themselves within designated camps.

The latest report of surrendered militants engaged in extortion and abduction has come to light from central Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.

It is understood that a faction of Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KNLF), which laid down arms earlier this year, is creating havoc in the tea gardens of the district by abducting tea garden employees and serving extortion threats.

Terming the situation as “alarming”, Bidyananda Barkakoty, chairman of North-Eastern Tea Association (NETA), said, “There is complete breakdown of law and order in Karbi Anglong. The situation in the district has turned from bad to worse in recent days, particularly after the surrender of KNLF.”

“Tea gardens are forced to pay heavy ransom by a faction of surrendered KNLF militants, and if we do not, either employees are abducted or the militants forcibly close down the tea gardens by threatening the labourers, jeopardising the livelihood of the workers, thereby creating an atmosphere of unrest,” added Barkakoty. 

Recently, some surrendered KNLF militants abducted an employee of Bhagawati tea estate, under Bokajan sub-division in Karbi Anglong district, at gun-point on August 31, and demanded a ransom.

On finding no response forthcoming from the proprietor of the tea estate, the militants forcibly closed down the tea garden on September 2 by threatening the labourers.

The abducted employee is still in the custody of militants. In another incident on September 6, an employee of Dhanseri Tea estate was shot at by militants when they failed to abduct him. 

Due to forced closure, Bhagawati tea estate is incurring a daily loss of Rs 1 lakh. Around 40 tea gardens from Karbi Anglong district are at receiving end of terror of surrendered KNLF militants. 

“In next 10 days or so, we will have to pay durga puja bonus to our labourers. If such unfavourable situation persists, it will be difficult for many gardens to pay the bonus on time.

Any delay in payment of bonus will further lead to labour unrest,” said Barkakoty. 

Any temporary shutdown of a tea garden results in complete chaos of the tea plucking cycle, making the entire operation unviable and uneconomical, said Barkakoty. 

Barkakoty has already shot off a letter to Union home minister P Chidambaram, blaming him for the sorry state of affairs in the hill district of Karbi Anglong.

He had a meeting with the director general of Assam police today, and according to Barkakoty, the response from the top cop was “positive”.

Barkakoty said that if law and order situation does not improve soon, many tea gardens will have no option but to shut down. 

The situation is more or less the same in most parts of the state. Recently, Naga militants had asked the tea garden labourers and workers to quit in Charaipung in Sibsagar district, bordering Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district. 

Out of 700 small tea gardens in Charaipung, 120 had to temporarily shut down in recent days due to heightened Naga militancy, resulting in daily loss of '10 lakh.

“Small tea growers have always been getting extortion demands and threats from the Naga militants in all the border areas in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Sibsagar districts. But the situation has now reached its climax in Charaipung as the Naga militants want our people to vacate the area,” said Cheniram Khonikar, president of Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association (ASTGA).

Extortions by the United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) too have intensified in Upper Assam.

A couple of months back, a group of armed Ulfa militants had entered a tea garden in Tinsukia district and went on a rampage, burning three vehicles and physically assaulting the plantation manager and labourers, as the tea garden, said sources, failed to meet the deadline to pay extortion to them. 

Students in Former NC Hills Seek a New Image For Region With music

Haflong (Assam), Sep 9 : A section of students in the renamed North Cachar Hills district of Assam, intend to take on militancy and corruption through music.

The Dima Halam Deogah or 'The Black Widow' militant outfit created a bad image of the region. Besides, financial scam by N C Hills Autonomous Council in January this year brought disrepute to the district as well.

People of the district are eager to improve the image of their area with music.

Dima Hasao, an autonomous district in Assam, is home to Dimasa, Zenes, Kukis and Hmars tribes.

To mobilize public opinion a 'Rock for Peace', a music concert was organized here recently by local students under the aegis of Halflong Music Society.

Choir groups performed songs on national integration and self-motivation in an effort to end corruption.

"We have faced a lot of conflict in our district, so a lot of youth instead of choosing the right direction are going for power and are choosing the wrong option. So this programme aims to bring the youth together and give them a platform where they can come together," said Mercy Rongpipi, a peace activist.

"Whenever we go outside, people ask us where are we from? When we say we are from Haflong of Dima Hasao, they feel that it's a very dangerous place; only terrorists live there and as if only killings and corruption happens there. So we want to prove them wrong," said Dao, organizer of the Haflong Music Society.

Endless violence and corruption has been a major hurdle in the socio-economic development of the Dima Hasao district in the past.

"When you come from Guwahati, you can see the condition of the roads, houses and people out here. We don't have proper roads, or communication facilities. Our communication is completely in shambles. Not only the road communication, be it the trains or any other. Even the mobile phones that we use, it's not like available outside. The network stays off for more than half of the month. You can basically make out how much difficulty has been here," said DAO, organizer of Haflong Music SocietyMilitancy led to corruption and that in turn affected the growth and development of the region.

Today, people here seek peace and development. By Peter Alex Todd

Assam Students Damage 45 Vehicles, Injure 15

Guwahati, Sep 7 : At least 45 vehicles were damaged and 15 people were injured by protesting college students in Assam's Kamrup district on Monday, police sources said.

According to reports, a group of agitated college student blocked the National Highway-37 at Kukurmara area in the district, demanding regular bus service by stopping the vehicles and pelting stones.

''At least 45 vehicles were damaged and 15 people including 3 drivers were injured,'' a police official said.

The injured people were rushed to nearest hospital.

The situation was brought under control by the intervention of senior police officials and district administration officials, who assured the angry students to ensure steps for regular passenger bus service in Kukurmara area.

Assam Tourism Introduce Luxury River Cruise

To focus on aggressive marketing and infrastructure development

By Dheera Majumder

Assam Tourism has entered into an arrangement with Faridabad based-Far Horizon Tours to operate a luxury river cruise vessel, M.V. Mahabaahu on River Brahmaputra by early 2011 under the PPP model.

The river cruise will be targeted to high-end segment and will be operated on a revenue sharing basis between Assam Tourism and the private player. The river cruise is being developed with an investment of Rs 15 crore of which Rs four crore is funded by Assam Tourism and the rest by Far Horizon Tours.

Speaking about the development, Monalisa Goswami, Director Tourism, Government of Assam stated, “We have had river cruises operating on the Brahmaputra River. However, the new cruise will significantly add value as it will help elevate the standards of River Cruise Tourism in the region. It will also be the first offering for the luxury segment. We expect it to be the most luxurious river cruise in Asia as we plan to cash in on the experience of Far Horizon Tours who have operated river cruises at the backwaters of Kerala.”

The river cruise will have 29 cabins, spa and four decks. The river cruise experience will be offered at rates of USD 300-450. The state tourism department is also receiving queries for development of floatels in the Brahmaputra River. The river cruise is expected to operate from September till May with an itinerary for six nights from Guwahati till Dibrugarh. It will visit destinations like river bank temples of Tezpur, National Parks like Kaziranga & Orang, river island of Majuli with 22 Hindu monasteries, temples at Sibsagar and tea plantations.

Assam’s prime source markets domestically remain West Bengal, Gujarat and Maharashtra and internationally are Nepal, Bhutan, Germany, UK and Japan. In 2009-10, the state received 38, 95,525 domestic tourist arrivals and 14,699 international tourist arrivals. From the domestic market, the state has seen a growth in Leave Travel Concession (LTC) tourists.

The state tourism department now plans to revamp its image with aggressive marketing promotions in the form of road shows in Gujarat and Maharashtra and highlighting the destination’s adventure, heritage, wildlife, cultural and Eco tourism products. It plans to conduct familiarization trips for the travel trade and the media as well. It is currently in the process of releasing its television commercial and has updated its tourism brochures for B2C marketing from the state’s current tourism budget of Rs 45 crore, about 30 per cent is dedicated to marketing and promotions.

The central and state government have also provided incentives for the growth of tourism related infrastructure in the state. “The central government declared to provide a 30 per cent capital investment cost for hotel development of two-star and above category. The state government has also reduced Luxury Tax and VAT to trigger inflow of tourists into the state. Besides this, it will also provide subsidies on power and construction of tourism related infrastructure,’ informed Himangshu Sekhar Das, Principal Secretary- Finance and Tourism Departments, Government of Assam.

With an aim to give a facelift to the state controlled Prashanti Lodges, Assam Tourism is leasing out its properties on a revenue sharing model to private sector entrepreneurs. It has also tied-up with Don Bosco Institute to develop soft skills and inform about basic hygiene and tourist safety to tourism stakeholders including taxi drivers, restaurateurs, tour guides and tour operators of the state.

The state government is also in the process of coming up with a legislation for new development in the forest areas of the state. The legislation will define the number of rooms that can be developed in the forest areas, their proximity to wildlife sanctuaries and will lay guidelines on their operations. It is expected to be enforced by December 2010.

Mahanta Back as Assam Opposition Leader

Guwahati, Sep 5 : Two-time former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has bounced back as leader of the Opposition 10 years after the party he founded made him an untouchable. Late Saturday night, Mahanta was unanimously chosen leader of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) Legislature Party. It turned out to be a

mere formality as predecessor Chandra Mohan Patowary – he is the AGP president – had a month ago decided to quit the post of Opposition leader to “concentrate on strengthening the party”.

Mahanta’s comeback is seen as the AGP’s bid to reinstate him at the helm of party affairs. This, despite a clause that he would not hold a key post in the AGP within three years of the merger of his faction, AGP-Progressive, with the parent party in October 2008.

Mahanta’s election, though, wasn’t without some drama. Of the 24 legislators, former party president Brindaban Goswami and former minister Ramendra Narayan Kalita chose to skip the meeting that Patowary presided over.

Another MLA, Liaquat Ali, left the meeting early citing Ramzan-related reasons, but said he would accept whatever decision the party takes. Mahanta was subsequently named AGP Legislature Party leader.

“Nothing much should be read into the absence of some of our leaders,” said Patowary, adding his focus now would be on ensuring the AGP and its allies do well in the 2011 elections.

Mahanta also rubbished infighting with the party. “The party has reposed faith in me, and it is my duty to deliver,” he told HT.

Mahanta’s return coincides with an uncertainty surrounding the AGP’s electoral alliance with the BJP. A section within the AGP favours going it alone in the polls, as the BJP’s rise in Assam has been at the expense of the former.

A question mark also hangs over the Congress ties with ruling tribal ally Bodoland People’s Front, which as 12 legislators in the 126-member House. The Congress and its associates have 73 MLAs.

Assam to Appoint Bollywood Personality as Brand Ambassador

Mumbai, Sep 5 : After Gujarat, now it is Assam's turn to look towards Bollywood to sell its brand of tourism.

The northeastern state's tourism authorities have appointed a consultant to head-hunt a Bollywood celebrity to promote its tourism among travel buffs in a big way, a top official said.

"We have recently engaged an acclaimed film director, Jahnu Barua to advice us on the appointment of a brand ambassador to promote tourism in a big way," Assam Government's Principal Secretary, (Finance and Tourism), Himangshu Sekhar Das, told PTI here.

The state is looking at someone from Bollywood to endorse the brand, Das said, adding, efforts were on to rope-in the ambassador by October. Assam's USP is that besides being the gateway to the northeast, it boasts of two UNESCO World Heritage sites -- Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, he said.

Besides, the state also offers a wide range of choices like wildlife and tea and golf tourism. There are also many religious and culture centres, he said.

"We now plan to hit the market in a big way and attract more domestic and international tourists to the state," Das said, adding in the international segment, Germany, the UK and the US were some of the big markets for the state.

60 Lakh illegal Bangladeshis in Assam Voters List?

Nagaon, Sep 4 : While illegal Bangladeshi influx is threatening national security, over 60 lakh infiltrators have been already included in the voters list of Assam, alleged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday.

During a press conference here, BJP’s state president Ranjit Dutta said, “Large scale illegal migration from Bangladesh over several decades has been altering the demographic complexion of this State. It poses a grave threat both to the identity of the Assamese people and to our national security. Successive Governments at the Centre and in the State have not adequately met this challenge.”

“Over 60 lakh illegal Bangladeshi people have been already included in the state voters list,” Dutta added.

The state BJP president alleged, “The recently published draft voters list for 2010 by Assam State Election Commission showed more than 84 thousand voters have declined in comparison to the previous list; but most of the declined voters are local Assamese people.”

The final voter list will be published on September 15, officials said.

According to the State Election Commission report, 1,74,68,958 people are included as legitimate voters in the state as per the 2009 voters list .

But the draft voters list showed 1,73,82,724 people as legitimate voters in the state.

BJP MP Rajen Gohain said, “Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is a surrendered Chief Minister. He has surrendered before illegal Bangladeshis. In the last 9 years, over a lakh of illegal Bangladeshi people entered the state. But the state government did not take any action against the Bangladeshi influx. The Congress-led state government have always been standing by those people and protecting them.”

“Now most districts in the state are dominated by illegal Bangladeshis. Pakistan's ISI and several Muslim rebel groups of Bangladesh are planning to make Assam a separate Muslim country,” Gohain added.

Meanwhile, BJP is trying to strengthen its base in Assam ahead of the next State Assembly elections.

The state BJP has decided to field its candidates in 80 constituencies in the coming State Assembly elections.

The Assam BJP is also looking to play its “trump card Varun Gandhi”, besides giving importance to youth leaders in the next State Assembly polls.

BJP will hold a massive public meeting in Nagaon on September 29, where BJP’s central president Nitin Gadkari and Varun Gandhi will address the poeple.

NC Hills Scam Funds Siphoned Off to Foreign Countries

By R Dutta Choudhury

Guwahati, Sep 2 : A substantial portion of funds allotted to North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council for the development of the hill district was siphoned off to foreign countries through hawala rackets, thus depriving the common people of the backward district of the fruits of development.

Highly-placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that the Enforcement Directorate has been investigating the case of money laundering in NC Hills Autonomous Council and during preliminary investigation, it was found that funds allotted to the Council were sent to Kolkata through hawala racket, where it was converted into dollars to be sent to Nepal. The commander in chief of the DHD (J), Niranjan Hojai used to stay in Nepal and after converting the money into dollars in Kolkata, the same was sent to Nepal for making payments for arms procurements.

Sources said that the person mainly involved in hawala transfer of funds from Guwahati has been identified but the National Investigation Agency (NIA) made him the witness in its case relating to siphoning off of funds to the coffers of militant groups.

Official sources said that the officials of the Directorate of Enforcement so far questioned nine of the 13 accused, 12 of whom are in judicial custody. But they could not question DHD (J) chief Jewel Garlosa, Niranjan Hojai and two other members of the militant group as they went on a hunger strike in protest against their arrest and had to be shifted to hospital. Sources said that the officials of Enforcement Directorate would try to question them as soon as possible regarding money laundering.

Sources, however, said that there would be a hitch in questioning Jewel Garlosa. The Court has granted permission to the Enforcement Directorate only to question the accused in the central jail, Guwahati. But Garlosa has been kept in a special jail in the headquarter of the Special Branch of the Assam Police and the Directorate does not have the court permission to question the militant leader there. The Directorate has written to the Additional Director General of Police, Special Branch asking as to when Garlosa could be shifted to the Central jail for questioning and the reply of the police is awaited.

Sources said that there were instances of payments of the council made in Guwahati itself in name of suppliers and in some cases substantial amounts were released to firms in advance. In one case, a firm was provided an advance of Rs 60 lakh and it is suspected that the money paid in such way went to the coffers of the militants.

The Enforcement Directorate is also trying to prepare a detailed list of all the accused in the case so that it can move the court for attachment and even confiscation of the properties acquired with the proceeds of crime. However, preparing the same would take some time as accused would not divulge the same easily. Sources said that according to allegations, Niranjan Hojai invested money in hotel business in Nepal and he even has investments in travel agency in that country and it is also alleged that he might have investments in Singapore. But the Enforcement Directorate is yet to get any conclusive proof of the same.

Sources said that RH Khan, the prime accused of the case, was a CDPO of the Social Welfare Department, but he was allowed to officiate in a much higher post of Deputy Director and he was even given financial powers. The Enforcement Directorate is trying to make an assessment of the list of his properties and even the properties acquired in names of others would be listed. His brother has been summoned for questioning as Khan reportedly bought a luxury car worth more than Rs 20 lakh in his name.

via Assam Tribune

Abused Assam Girl Seeks Justice

Guwahati, Aug 28 : Abducted, allegedly raped and tortured, an eighteen-year-old girl from a district in Assam has come to Guwahati in the pursuit of justice.

"I went to court directly. I want justice so that this doesn't happen to other girls," said the victim.

On 19 July, she was kidnapped from her home by a man who was harassing her for the last one year. She alleges that she was repeatedly raped by him for over ten days. She was let off on the condition that she will not report this incident to the police.

When residents got to know, they advised her to go to the local court which directed the police station to register a case and treat it as an FIR. The accused , now absconding has threatened to kill the girl and her family members.

The entire family is now in hiding and the police are yet to register a case against the accused.
"They came looking for shelter and they are under threat so it's our duty to help them first," said Monimala Bora a social activist.   

While many in such cases shy away, the victim here showed the courage to fight for justice. However, the lack of support from the police, has left this family run for cover.

Former Congress MP Accused of Rape, Absconding

New Delhi, Aug 27 : Former Assam Congress MP Moni Kumar Subba, who is accused in a rape case, has been absconding after the Guwahati High Court rejected his bail petition twice.

A team of Assam Police officials are in Delhi to trace Subba. A combined team of Assam Police and Delhi Police raided Subba’s farmhouse in Chhattarpur in South Delhi on Wednesday and Thursday to locate him.

Subba was accused of rape three months ago and an FIR has been registered in Guwahati against him. After it was medically established that rape had taken place, Subba managed to get bail from a lower court



CNN-IBN had also raised questions about Subba's citizenship after accessing documents which revealed that he is actually a Nepali national, convicted of murder and not an Indian citizen.

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report has claimed that Subba is a Nepalese national originally named Moni Raj Limbo, who escaped from the Illam prison in Nepal while serving sentence for murder.

Subba has always insisted that he is not Limbo though his brother and father use the surname. But Subba himself gave his game away.

In an affidavit filed before the Tezpur magistrate's court on October 3, 1985, the politician admitted that Moni Raj Limbo and Moni Kumar Subba were the same person.

A CNN-IBN investigation in March 2006 exposed Subba for lying about his place of birth and hiding his Nepalese identity. The birth certificate is the only document Subba has to prove his Indian citizenship, but the CNN-IBN investigation established that the certificate was a fake and that he was indeed a foreign national.

The certificate claimed that Subba was born on March 16, 1958 in Dabgram, West Bengal but the document itself was issued 40 years later on October 28, 1998. Salil Sarkar, the Registrar of Births and Deaths in Dabgram, confirmed it to CNN-IBN.