Power Crisis Hits Barak Valley

Silchar, Jan 8 : The Barak Valley, comprising Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts, is reeling under an acute power crisis of late, compounding woes of the people who are already bogged down by problems like bad roads, poor train connectivity and price-rise.

The situation is so bad that a meager 21MW was allotted to the three districts yesterday against a peak load demand of 60MW. Load shedding has become a regular suffering.

As a result, many business establishments, like small shops without generators, hospitals and nursing homes, printing presses and tea garden factories are facing a major crisis.

S. Dasgupta, the deputy general manager of Central Assam Electricity Distribution Company Ltd, today said reduction in power supply through the North Eastern Electricity Grid since early last month had led to the dearth of power in the valley districts.

He also said the two gas-based thermal power units in Barak Valley were generating power at reduced rates because of dearth of natural gas, as ONGC had failed to supply the requisite amount of gas to the units.

Dasgupta attributed the current crisis to the low generation of electricity by the hydropower stations of the region and the three thermal power stations in Upper Assam.

The hydropower stations are generating less power because of reduced rainfall, he said, adding that while the two thermal units at Lakwa, having a peak generating capacity of 120MW each, were currently producing only 40MW, the other 240MW unit at Kathalguri was producing only 50MW.

PA Sangma, Agatha Sangma Gheraoed in Assam

Agatha Sangma

Shillong, Jan 8 : Former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma, his daughter and Union minister Agatha Sangma were today gheraoed by agitated people in Assam when they visited the relief camps set up to house the people hit by ethnic violence.

Sangma's son and Meghalaya opposition leader Conrad was also present when the incident occurred.

An official in Goalpara district said the incident took place at Chotamatia and the district police, accompanied by army personnel of Sikh Regiment had to rush to the spot to rescue them.

The security forces had to fire a few shots in the air to disperse the mob which were refusing to let off the NCP leaders.

No one was injured in the incident and Sangma returned to Meghalaya safely, the police said.

The ethnic violence between Garos and Rabhas along Assam and Meghalaya border have killed seven people so far and displaced more than 20,000.

Telengana Effect? Divide Nagaland Demand Intensifies

By Rahul Karmakar

Guwahati, Jan 8 : The Telengana movement appears to have eaten into the Greater Nagaland dream of the Isak-Muivah faction of the rebel National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM). Inspired by the statehood stir in Andhra Pradesh, the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) on Friday launched its movement

for the creation of Frontier Nagaland inhabited by six Naga tribes including Konyak, Chang and Sangtam.

Frontier Nagaland is envisaged to be carved out of Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire and Longleng districts of eastern Nagaland as well as Tirap and Changlang districts of adjoining Arunachal Pradesh.

This statehood demand undermines the idea of Greater Nagaland, something the NSCN-IM is trying to bargain for since declaring truce in July 1997. Greater Nagaland seeks to bring all Naga-inhabited areas of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur besides Nagaland under one administrative set-up.

“We organized simultaneous rallies in four districts today, and this is just the beginning,” said ENPO general secretary Toshi Wungpung from Tuensang, 250 km northeast of Nagaland capital Kohima. “Our demand for the creation of Frontier Nagaland is based on historical facts.”

Wungpung added, this organization has also sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh outlining the reasons why the ‘eastern Nagas’ need to chart a geo-political course different from other Nagas.

“For decades, gross injustice has been done to eastern Nagaland by successive governments. This part has almost half of Nagaland’s total population but the area continues to remain extremely under-developed. Only 3% of the population in this area has government jobs,” the ENPO general secretary said.

The Neiphiu Rio government in Nagaland has chosen not to react to the ENPO movement. But the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee has appealed to eastern Nagas to reconsider their demand.

“At a time when Nagas have expressed their willingness and taken concrete steps to reconcile with one another and unite for a lasting Indo-Naga political solution, we appeal to you to reconsider your stand,” the NPCC said.

Reconciliation refers to the move to unite the warring factions of the NSCN as well as the Naga National Council, from which the former had evolved.

Hindustan Times

Manipur Hosts' Cultural Event to Promote 'Tangkhul Culture'

A two-day cultural event was recently organized in a small hamlet in Manipur to promote the 'Tangkhul culture' among the youth, who are losing contact with their roots at a very high pace.

Pakshi mini stadium at Dungrei Junction, Hungpung, came alive with hundreds of young Tangkhul performers swaying to folk tunes.

The two-day cultural program themed "Awakening the Past Culture" was held under the aegis of New Vision, THYSO, Hungpung.

"This is a spectacular event. We need to preserve our culture. This is the second time this kind of event has been organized as we need to cherish our culture and today's program will be a great memory for everyone who is present here," said Thengminchon, the organizer hundreds of visitors thronged the venue to see local performers from Hungpung perform the traditional Tangkhul war dance.

The enthusiastic participants later took part in traditional Tangkhul games.

The main highlight of the event was the traditional fashion show, where the participants dressed in tribal attire walked the ramp.

The festivities highlighted the vibrancy of the age-old traditions and also helped the youth connect with their culture.

"The program is meant for the awakening of the great Tangkhul culture and we want to remember the customs and its culture. And also the presence of such a large crowd is really encouraging," said Manchangta, a visitor.

"I have a great attachment with not only the Tangkhul culture but with other cultures of Manipur and we should emphasize on preserving these age-old cultures," added another visitor Robert Somi.

Sneak Peek: Kim Kardashian Covers Glamour Magazine

Reality star Kim Kardashian never expected to have the success she has, as she tells Glamour magazine in their "Guy Issue."

On her success…

“I’d be foolish not to take some of these opportunities that are coming my way. We all know this can go away at any moment.”

On being a sex symbol…

“It’s definitely powerful. I don’t find myself as sexy as everyone thinks. I’m a lot more insecure than people would assume, but with little stupid things. When I get dressed, I’m always so indecisive.”

Landslides Threatening Tawang Monastery

Itanagar, Jan 7 : The monks at the over 300-year-old Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, the largest in Asia, are praying and lighting butter lamps before a colossal gilded statue of Lord Buddha because of the threat to its existence by landslides.

Massive landslides in September and December last year triggered by torrential rain occurred just below the monastery, founded by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680-81.

The monastery, which is home to over 570 monks, stands on the spur of a hill, about 10,000 feet above sea level and offers a picturesque view of the Tawang-chu valley.

"The monastery is not only national property, but priceless property of the entire world. If concrete steps are not taken in time, there is every possibility that continuous rainfall in summer and snowfall in winter will result in more landslides and complete damage to it," Guru Tulku Rinpoche, Abbot of the monastery, said.

"We have apprised His Holiness the Dalai Lama and he advised us to perform pujas and take up massive plantation around the monastery to protect it," the Abbot said.

The monks conducted various rituals and erected stupas to stop the occurrence of landslides, but the situation remained as vulnerable as before at the monastery, officially known as Gaden Namgyal Lhatse, he said.

A few monks from other parts of the world thought that a lake existed below the monastery, while elderly monks claimed that the landslides were the result of a curse by a spirit in the monastery on the large-scale pollution and destruction of the ecosystem around it.

Massive landslides, which were also recorded near the monastery during 1996-97, pose a danger to the main prayer hall, library, administrative building, monastery school, main kitchen-cum-dining hall, museum and 65 residences of monks, the Abbot said.

"We request the central and state governments and concerned departments to take steps to stop the onslaught of landslides to save the monastery," Guru Tuklu Rinpoche said.

The state government says it has apprised the Centre for taking measures to protect the monastery.

"We wrote to Mr S K Srivastava, additional secretary, union ministry of mines, who assured to send a team of experts from the Geological Survey of India soon to make an in-depth study on the crisis," Yeshi Tsering, secretary mines and minerals, said.

Retail Onion Rates Up By Rs 5-10/kg on Pak Export Ban Reports

New Delhi/Lahore: The government's efforts to boost onion supply suffered a setback with Pakistan banning exports of the commodity via Wagah border which pushed prices up by Rs 5-10 a kg, even as competition watchdog CCI ordered a probe into possible cartels among traders.

Retail prices of onion jumped up by Rs 5-10 per kg to up to Rs 65 in metros due to lower supplies from Pakistan.

As 300 India-bound trucks carrying 3,000 tonnes of onion had reached the Wagah border near Amritsar, Pakistan's commerce ministry imposed a ban on movement through land route, giving a shock to India.

Onion prices increased to Rs 60-65 a kg in major metros such as Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai. "Retailers have jacked up prices on reports of ban by Pakistan," General Secretary of Tomato and Onion Merchants' Association in Delhi's Azadpur Mandi said.

New Delhi dubbed the Pakistan's decision as "shocking", with commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma stating the issue has been taken up with the concerned authorities in Islamabad.

Pak's undiplomatic onion
"It is shocking and unfortunate that Pakistan has banned onion exports to India via land route...The matter has been discussed with the High Commissioner in Islamabad, who has already met the concerned officials there," Sharma said.

He said Pakistan has been asked to reconsider its decision or at least release the trucks carrying contracted quantity of the commodity.

As Sharma reviewed the situation with heads of government importing agencies STC and PEC, top secretaries of the ministries of agriculture, commerce and finance went into a huddle with cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar to find alternative supplies.

"I have concluded a contract with Pakistan via sea route. Onion will arrive at Mundra port(in Gujarat)," Commerce secretary Rahul Khullar said after meeting of the Committee of Secretaries.

The government of Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, stopped onion exports to India this morning. The ban on exports has been imposed to control prices within Pakistan, a government spokesman said in Lahore. Meanwhile, the Competition Commission ordered a probe into the possible cartelisation by traders.

"The commission has held many deliberations to study the possibility of cartelisation by onion traders and prima facie there appears to be a case. So, we have taken a suo moto action in carrying out the probe," an official said. The Director General (Investigations) of the CCI will submit the report on probe within 45 days.

Pakistan bans onion export via land route

Pakistan has imposed a complete ban on the export of onion to India via Wagah-Attari land route, a development which may hit Centre's efforts in rein in skyrocketing prices of bulb in the country.

"Pakistan government has banned the supply of onion to India via land route," Customs Department (Amritsar) Deputy Commissioner R K Duggal said today, while adding that today no truck was allowed to bring onion by Pakistan authorities following the ban.

Local traders attributed the imposition of ban on export of onion by Pakistan government to prevent any spiralling hike in bulb prices in the neighbouring country.

Sudden ban imposed on export of onion has hit the traders of both the countries with Indian importers claiming that Pakistan had not even allowed the supply of almost 1,500 tonnes of contracted orders of onion.

"Almost 1,500 tonne of onion was yet to be supplied to us but Pakistan government has not allowed the local suppliers to fulfil their trade obligation," rued Anil Mehra, Amritsar-based vegetable merchant.

According to custom officials, between 100-150 trucks laden with onion were not allowed to enter Indian territory at Amritsar by Pakistan authorities on Wednesday and asked to return.

"When custom authorities (of Pakistan) have already given clearance to contracted supply of onion heading for India then why they (Pakistan) have stopped the supply," asked Mehra, whose 250 tonnes of onion imported from Pakistan got stuck following the implementation of ban.

Though Indian custom authorities claim that onion supply from Pakistan was allowed through rail route yet importers argued that Pakistan had banned onion export except sea route.

"Pakistan order clearly says no supply of onion will take place except sea route," traders asserted claiming that vegetable suppliers in Pakistan were agitating against imposition of ban on onion export.

Notably, close to 7,000 tonnes of onion had arrived since the commencement of onion export to India from Pakistan via land route. Because of the supply of Pakistan onion, prices of onion in Punjab and Chandigarh had come down from a level of Rs 60-65 per kg to Rs 45-50 per kg.

Even the Centre had abolished the custom duty on import of onion in order to rein in spiralling rates of bulb.

India and Pakistan had agreed to start cross border movement of trucks in the month of October 2007 after a gap of sixty years from Attari Check post at Amritsar in India to Wagah border in Pakistan with an intention of boosting bilateral trade.

Source: Agencies

Birthday Suite: Bipasha Basu

She has redefined the image of the Indian movie actress, by completely dispelling the myth that fair means beautiful! She is now being hailed as one of Bollywood's sexiest women to date.

Here is a pictorial ode to the bold and beautiful Bengali stunner.

Bipasha Basu was born on May 5, 1979.

The name, Bipasha, means a dark deep desire.

At the age of 16, Bipasha started walking the ramp in many fashion shows around the world. In December 1996, she won the Ford Supermodel of the World award.

Her debut film was Abbas-Mustan's 'Ajnabee' for which she won the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award.

A hot favourite with gossip hawks, Bipasha is currently dating John Abraham. And the couple makes for regular Page 3 fodder.

Bipasha had launched a fitness video called 'BB Love Yourself' in February. She has now launched a fitness clothing line along with Reebok, with the same name.

Source: India Syndicate
Image Source: Bollywood Hungama, Movietalkies