Page 3 - Northeast India

Exploration, monetisation of natural gas will benefit Northeast India: IGX

Exploration and monetisation of natural gas deposits in the northeastern region can help cut down its import, while also boosting the local economy and providing more trade opportunities, a top official of the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX) said. Rajesh K Mediratta, Managing Director and CEO of IGX, the country's first automated national level gas exchange, maintained that the region can supply the surplus gas not only to other parts of the country, but also to neighbouring Bangladesh and earn significant revenue. "The Northeast has tremendous potential in the production of natural gas. As the Northeast Gas Grid is likely to become operational by 2026, the deposit of 6 million MMSCMD of natural gas can be monetised by the existing producers," Mediratta said. "This will add to the country's energy security as IGX will help gas producers sell the surplus gas to the other regions," he said, while speaking at a seminar on 'Gas Market Development for North East' here on Friday. Highlighting

Six houses torched, tribal villagers attacked in Manipur's Jiribam

At least six houses were torched and residents of a tribal village were attacked by a group of armed militants in ethnic strife-torn Manipur's Jiribam district, police said on Friday. The incident occurred on Thursday evening in Zairon Hmar village after the group of militants set the houses on fire, a senior officer said. "Preliminary reports suggested that several villagers managed to flee during the attack and took shelter in nearby forest. At least six houses were severely damaged due to the arson. An investigation is underway," he said. Kuki-Zo organisations claimed that a woman, a resident of the village, was killed during the attack but the report of death has not been confirmed by the district police. Manipur has been rocked by ethnic violence since May last year and over 200 people were killed. The violence erupted on May 3 after a Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) ...

Arunachal's dy CM reviews development plans for 'Parshuram Kund' site

Mein emphasized the importance of successfully organizing the Parshuram Kund Mela, ensuring a seamless experience for lakhs of pilgrims expected to visit the sacred site during the festivities

Eight UNLF (P) cadres arrested with arms, ammunition in Manipur's Thoubal

UNLF (P) members were arrested on Monday for threatening peope and restraining the land demarcation process

Meitei, Kuki, Naga MLAs to meet in Delhi for Manipur peace talks today

In an effort to restore peace in strife-torn Manipur, MLAs belonging to Meitei, Kuki and Naga communities are meeting here on Tuesday for the first time since ethnic violence broke out in the state 17 months ago, sources said. The meeting has been called by the Ministry of Home Affairs in an attempt to iron out differences between Meitei and Kuki communities and find an amicable solution to the ongoing conflict and end the differences. Those who are likely to attend the meeting include from the Meitei side, Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh and MLA Thongam Biswajit Singh and from the Kuki community, Letpao Haokip and Nemcha Kipgen (both state ministers). The Naga community will be represented by MLAs Ram Muivah, Awangbow Newmai and L Dikho, the sources said. However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh will not attend the meeting. The meeting comes nearly a month after Shah said that resolving the situation in Manipur requires dialogue betw

AFSPA extended in 4 districts of Assam amid recent turmoil in Bangladesh

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA was extended in four districts of Assam for six months in view of the "recent disturbances" in Bangladesh and its potentially inimical effect on the internal law and order situation, according to a notification issued on Tuesday. The districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo and Sivasagar will remain "disturbed area" under the AFSPA, it said. Reports from various agencies obtained through the police headquarters have indicated that "due to sustained efforts and proactive counter-insurgency measures of the security forces, the overall scenario in the state of Assam has significantly improved during the last few years and particularly during last three years", the notification said. "However, due to the recent disturbances in the neighbouring country Bangladesh and its potentially inimical effect on internal law and order situation, the Government of Assam recommends that the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 may be retained for ..

Security forces recover arms and ammunition from Manipur's Kakching

On October 5, Manipur Police and Assam Rifles from Khengmol Hill in Churachandpur District recovered ammunition

10 people killed in flashfloods triggered by heavy rain in Meghalaya

At least 10 people died, including seven of a family, in rain-induced flashfloods that ravaged Meghalaya's South Garo Hills district in the past 24 hours, officials said on Saturday. Incessant rainfall has triggered landslides in Gasuapara region of the district, they said. The family of seven were inside their home in the remote village of Hatiasia Songma when a landslide struck, a senior official said. The deceased include three minors. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma held a review meeting on the situation across the five districts of Garo Hills. He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, as three persons from Dalu and seven people from Hatiasia Songma were confirmed dead, the officials said. Sangma has also ordered immediate ex gratia payment to the next of kin of the deceased. Personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF have been deployed to carry out search and rescue operations in the worst-affected areas, they said. During the meeting, Sangma .

VP highlights rich potential of Northeast, calls it heart & soul of Bharat

He urged the media to highlight the region's vast potential in tourism and development, emphasising its rich cultural tapestry and natural beauty and also highlighted the government's "Act East policy

Security forces conduct search ops in Manipur, seize arms, ammunition

In a significant operation, security forces carried out search operations in the fringe and vulnerable areas

Mob enters police station, loots arms during violence in Manipur's Ukhrul

A mob stormed a police station in Manipur's Ukhrul town and looted arms during a clash between two groups, officials said on Thursday. Three persons were killed and 20 others injured in a gunfight that broke out between two groups on Wednesday over cleaning a disputed land in the town as part of 'Swachhata Abhiyan'. The police station was attacked when the violence was going on. Prohibitory orders were imposed and mobile internet services were suspended in the town after the clash between two groups of the Naga community. "After violence broke out in Ukhrul town, a mob comprising mostly of youths stormed the police station located at Wino Bazar and decamped with government weapons," an official said. The number and types of weapons looted cannot be immediately confirmed as an investigation is continuing, he added. Unofficial sources, however, claimed that the looted weapons included AK-47 and INSAS rifles. Looting of arms was reported from various police stations in the ...

Gunfight in Manipur's town over cleaning land, prohibitory orders imposed

Prohibitory orders were imposed in Manipur's Ukhrul town after a gunfight broke out between two groups on Wednesday over cleaning a plot of land as part of 'Swachhata Abhiyan', officials said. Both sides belong to the Naga community but two different villages, and lay claim to the land, they said. Some people were also injured in the gunfight, and the Assam Rifles were deployed to control the situation, police said. In the order imposing the restrictions, Ukhrul Sub-Divisional Magistrate D Kamei referred to a letter he received from the SP about "apprehension" over "social work" organised by Thawaijao Hungpung Young Students' Organisation (THYSO), and subsequent objection to it in the Hunphun area by Hunphun Village Authority. "And in connection with land dispute between Hunphun and Hungpung villages there is possibility creating law and order problem which may lead to breach of peace and public tranquillity between the two villages. And whereas, such disturbances may result in ...

Arunachal govt signs MoU with Delhi's ILBS for cashless treatment

The Arunachal Pradesh government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Delhi's Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences for extending cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to the beneficiaries of the state's Chief Minister Arogya Arunachal Yojana. Chief Minister Pema Khandu said under the MoU, the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) will offer cashless treatment based on credit authorisation issued by the Chief Minister Arogya Arunachal Yojana (CMAAY) on the recommendation of the referral board in the Naharlagun-based Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS). The TRIHMS, located near the capital city of Itanagar, is Arunachal Pradesh's first medical college and state hospital. "I am extremely delighted to share that we have signed an MoU with the ILBS, Delhi. Through this MoU, ILBS will extend cashless benefits to beneficiaries of CMAAY scheme in the hospital up to Rs 5 lakh based on credit authorisation issued by State Health Agency CMAAY on the ..

Govt extends AFSPA in parts of Nagaland, Arunachal for six more months

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, under which an area is declared as "disturbed" for the convenience of security forces, has been extended in eight districts in Nagaland, three districts in Arunachal Pradesh and some other areas for six more months after a review of the law and order situation in the two northeastern states. An area or district is notified as a disturbed area under the AFSPA to facilitate the operations of the armed forces. The AFSPA gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and to open fire if they deem it necessary for the "maintenance of public order". In a notification, the Union Home Ministry said the central government in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (28 of 1958) had declared eight districts, and 21 police stations in five other districts of Nagaland as 'disturbed area' for a period of six months with effect from April 1, 2024. The home ministry said a

Govt talking to Meitei, Kuki communities for peace in Manipur: HM Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday said the government is talking to both the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur to ensure lasting peace and has begun fencing the country's border with Myanmar to check infiltration. Addressing a press conference on the achievements of the 100 days of the Modi 3.0 government, Shah said barring three days of violence last week, the overall situation in Manipur has been calm and the government has been working to restore peace in the restive Northeastern state. "We are talking to both the communities for maintaining peace. We are also preparing a roadmap for a permanent peace in Manipur," he said. The home minister said fencing of 30 km of the international border with Myanmar has been completed while funds have been approved for a total of 1,500 km and the work will start soon. He said that the government has already scrapped the India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime (FMR), which allows people residing close to the India-Myanmar border to

Assam villagers vacate homes as deadline to clear encroached land ends

A large number of families in Kochutoli village in Assam's Kamrup (Metropolitan) district, which witnessed violence during a recent eviction drive, started vacating their homes with the deadline to clear "encroached land" ending on Monday, officials said. The villagers were seen going with their belongings, including livestock, in vans. According to officials, these villagers are "illegal settlers in the tribal belt". Most of the alleged encroachers have land in other districts, like Darrang, Morigaon and Barpeta, and have started returning to their homes there, the officials said. The Kamrup (Metropolitan) district authorities have set September 16 as a deadline to vacate the Kochutoli village. Eviction notices were served to those "illegally occupying government land" and stringent action would be taken against those who would remain there after the deadline, one of the officials said. A team from the Sonapur Circle office and the police had gone to Kochutoli village to evict .

Assam CM urges ULFA(I) to refrain from activity jeopardising Assam's future

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday called upon proscribed ULFA(I) head Paresh Barua not to indulge in any activity that will jeopardise the future of the youth when the state is poised to "become a powerhouse" in the next ten years. The planting of bombs across the state on August 15 is a "matter of deep concern which may affect the ongoing growth and development of the state", Sarma said at The Assam Tribune's Dialogue 2024' here. "We are marching strongly and resolutely. I am sure if the state remains peaceful, the eco-system remains the same and there is cooperation and enthusiasm among the youth, then we will become a powerhouse in India's landscape in the next ten years'', Sarma said. There is, however, deep concern regarding the planting of explosives across the state, he said, adding, "I take this platform to urge the ULFA(I) chief not to indulge in any activity that will jeopardise the future of the state's youth". The police had unearthed bomb-like ...

BJP's muscular approach in NE falters, but party sticks to its strategy

Manipur represents the BJP's unique ideological approach to governing Northeast by playing identity politics jiu-jitsu. It hasn't gone well yet and is getting worse, but party insists on continuing

Centre has made three-fold increase in budget for northeast: Kamlesh Paswan

Union Minister Kamlesh Paswan on Thursday said that the Centre has made a three-fold increase in the budget for the northeastern states to help the region catch up with the development in other parts of the country. Paswan, the minister of state for rural development, participated in the Solung festival at Ruksin in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh and said the central government is committed to fast-track development projects in the northeastern states. "Visible changes are taking place in areas of power, education, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, road and air connectivity, infrastructure, etc. We must make efforts to take central and state-sponsored schemes to poor people and deliver services to them, Paswan said. The minister also said Arunachal Pradesh is a special place for him and joining the festival has allowed him to experience the rich culture and traditions of the Adi community. Paswan urged the people to share their unique culture through the promotion of ...

Congress accuses PM Modi of allowing Manipur to 'go up in flames'

Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the situation in Manipur, Congress Tuesday alleged he allowed the state to "go up in flames" and said he travels all over the globe engaging in "huglomacy" but cannot find time to visit the violence-hit state. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said democracy is a tall order and the rule of law itself has fallen apart in the state. "Here is the non-biological PM telling the people of Manipur that he will do in 15 months what the Congress couldn't do in 15 years," Ramesh said and shared a video of the prime minister speaking at a rally. "Indeed. Within 15 months of getting a decisive mandate from all sections of Manipur's society, he allowed the state to go up in flames," Ramesh said. "It is still burning with no respite in sight. The Supreme Court has declared that there is a breakdown of the constitutional machinery in the state. Yet Mr Narendra Modi is unmoved," he said in a post on X. The prime minister