Star Cement official kidnapped from Jorabat
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Guwahati
Close on the heels of the rescue of two Kokata-businessmen from the Jorabat area of Guwahati, another person, a top official of a cement company was kidnapped on Thursday from the same area. Barely 36 hours after the police rescued two Kolkata businessmen from their abductors in Jorabat area on Wednesday, another person was kidnapped from the same area on Thursday. This time, a top functionary of a Cement company was kidnapped. Narendra Nimodia, a director of the Star cement company was kidnapped from a food joint at Jorabat Thursday afternoon when he went there for lunch. According to the driver of his vehicle, Nimodia went missing after he went out of the car talking on his mobile phone. When he did not return for a long time, the driver informed the Jorabat Police. The police are interrogating the driver Binod Baruah at the Jorabat police Station. Till Thursday evening, ne report of the kidnapped official’s whereabouts has been found. Shockingly, this is the third kidnapping from the Jorabat area in the last 5 days. On Saturday last, two businessmen from Kolkata were abducted by miscreants from the area. However, they were rescued safely by police from the Amsing forest on Wednesday night.




After dam, China plans hotel on B’putra
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Guwahati
China, which is rapidly expanding the infrastructure in Tibet with billions of dollars of investments, would soon build a five star hotel at the picturesque Brahmaputra Grand Canyon to make it an international tourist spot. A Chinese tourism company said it would build a five-star hotel near the Brahmaputra Grand Canyon. The announcement came amidst concern over a proposed mega dam, dubbed as the world’s largest hydel project, on the Great Canyon by Beijing. A Chinese tourism company announced Tuesday that it would build a five-star hotel near the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, a renowned scenic spot in Tibet, to enable visitors to better enjoy the dramatic sights. The hotel would be built atop a hill in Paizhen, a small town in Mainling County of east Tibet's Nyingchi Prefecture. Paizhen sits at the entrance of the Grand Canyon, which is a buffer zone and not the core zone. The company announced to take low-carbon and environmental-friendliness into full consideration in the construction and management of the hotel. With a planned cost of more than 14.7 million U.S. dollars, the construction would begin within two years and be built in two phases. After the first phase is completed, the hotel could accommodate 300 guests with 150 rooms. Currently, Paizhen has no star-graded hotel, as the town can only receive about 300 visitors staying in a few small inns. The Brahmaputra Grand Canyon, along with Potala Palace and Mt. Everest, are known as Tibet's three world-class tourist destinations. The Yarlung Zangbo River, which flows through the canyon, is the highest major river in the world. The Grand Canyon, discovered in 1994 in the Himalayas, was formed by a horse-shoe bend in the river where it flows around Mount Namjag Barwa. The Grand Canyon averages 5,000 meters in depth. The average width at the bottom of the canyon is 80-200 meters while the narrowest part is only 74 meters. It is considered the deepest in the world. The announcement came when the various groups in India are expressing concern over a mega hydel project at the Grand Canyon over Brahmaputra River. It is being reported that China is planning to construct a big dam over Brahmaputra at Namcha Barwa. The project, termed as the world's largest dam, with 26 turbines, expected to generate 40 million kilowatts per hour of hydroelectricity. A consortium of five top Chinese power companies is overseeing the 1.138 bn Yuan project. The Brahmaputra River basin in India is most generously gifted with a fabulous water wealth that accounts for nearly 30% of the total water resources and about 40% of the total hydropower potential of the country. For Bangladesh, the River is even more crucial as it provides for fresh water and the annual gift of the fertile silt for farming. Though New expressed its grave concern over reports of the dam, the Chinese government has been dismissing the claims. Union Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh recently said that construction of hydel projects in Arunachal is very much essential for negotiating with China over the Brahmaputra.

Mammoth rally in Gerukamukh
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Guwahati
It was a mammoth rally AGP organized at Gerukamukh on Thursday in protest against the Lower Subansiri Hydel power project. From early in the morning over 20,000 people gathered from 9 assembly constituencies covering Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts. With banners and festoones the protesters gheraoed the project site for several hours. AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary along with former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, MPs Birendra Prasad Biashya, Kumar Deepak Das lashed out at the Centre for allowing NHPC to continue the construction works defying the expert panel recommendations. Apprehending any untoward incident district administration clamped Sec 144 CrPC and deployed security forces at the project site. Fire tenders and ambulances were put in place. But much to the utter disappointment of the grass root level party workers the top AGP leaders refused to proceed from 200 metres of the main gate. They even meet NHPC officials to submit a memorandum. This was what forced a section of party workers to question the sincerity of the party leaders. A barrage of questions and criticism seem to have put party president Chandra Mohan Patowary at an embarrassing situation. The situation was brought under control at the intervention of a circle of local AGP leaders. What forces the AGP top leaders to take his casual approach in the name of protest? Is it an example of AGP’s lack of sincerity? What message do AGP top leaders want to convey to the protestors who have been opposing the NHPC project for the last several years? This is what remained unanswered for the grass root workers of the party.

“Green Garo Hills- Clean Garo Hills” NCP.
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Guwahati
The Tura District NCP, West Garo Hills, has launch movement on “Green Garo Hills- Clean Garo Hills” in the entire three district of Garo Hills today to preserved and protect environmental deterioration and to turned entire Garo Hills in to green and clean. Thomas A. Sangma Rajya sabha MP was present in the tree plantation in Tura, Cherangre and Edenbari as a chief guest, other NCP leaders were also present in the occasion and large numbers of people were gathered in the function and planted many tree samplings. Thomas A. Sangma Rajya sabha MP speaking on the occasion said we need to grow more trees to protect our environment if we protect trees and wild animals it will help us to bring cleanliness to the mother earth. He also said “Each one Grow one” he further said that this type of programme or the plantation of trees are not as a party or a leader but as a leader of the state one should need to grow and preserved trees. The General Secretary of NCP Salendro Marak speaking on the occasion said that this movement was started on 1st of September to commemorate the birthday of Shri, P.A.Sangma former Loksabha speaker and siting MLA of Tura and their leader. He further said this movement will continue in entire Garo Hills in coming days. Smilar kind of movement was also held in South Garo Hills district under the leadership of Sato Marak MLA. And in the East Garo Hills district under the leadership of Marcus N.Marak MLA. Tehe large number of NCP leaders and party workers are present and planted trees.




MANIPUR NAORIYA ANNIVERSARY
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Imphal
The 122th birth anniversary of Naoriya Phullo, a Meitei indigenous culture revivalist who re-introduced the Meitei original script was observed in Imphal. Floral tribute and recitals on the contribution of Naoriya Phullo marked the occasion. Naoriya Phullo, considered to be the first person to envision establishing the ancient Meitei faith, devoid of all Hindu influences as the sole religion of the community was fondly remembered on his 112th birth anniversary. The Apunba Laininghal Ningsing Thourang Lup observed the day with a function at GM Hall, Imphal and Meetei Eyek Erol Loinashillon Apunba Lup at its head office opposite Kanglapark. The day was also observed by the Apokpa Marup, Heingang Branch at the community hall at Heingang Makha Kangjeibung. Many resource persons talked on the life and works of Naoriya Phullo on the occasion. The MEELAL organised an observance function graced by Padmashree Award winner, L Nabakishore as chief guest. The function was marked by the offering of floral tributes to the portrait of Naoriya Phullo. Born on August 29, the second day of Thawan in Manipuri lunar calendar, in 1888 at Cachhar, Naoriya Phullo rekindled the Meitei philosophy, custom, tradition and religion. After the dark chapter of Manipur history when Maharaj Pamheiba burnt all writing records and literature pertaining to Meitei Philosophy on the sinister advice of the Vaishnavist saint, Shantidas Gosai, Naoriya Phullo re introduced the forbidden original Meitei script and wrote many books to evoke the Meitei philosophy in the minds of the general public.

Love flower draws Red Dragons to Arunachal
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Itanagar
Amidst stray incidents of Chinese intrusion into Indian Territory in Arunachal Pradesh, reports of Chinese soldiers crossing the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh to gather lucrative rare mushrooms, reputed to have aphrodisiac properties have worried the government. These rare mushrooms, known as Love Flower” are sold at price up to Rs 4 Lakh per KG. Drawn by the powers of the 'Love Flower', Chinese soldiers are said to be sneaking into Indian Territory in Arunachal Pradesh. According to Arunachal Home Minister Tako Dabi, though there has been no incursion by the Chinese into Arunachal Pradesh of late, but there have been instances of sporadic intrusion into the Indian side by People's Liberation Army in small groups. The minister said that these soldiers come, stay there for a while and then go back. When they meet locals or are challenged by security forces, the Chinese military personnel usually say they have entered Indian Territory to collect wild fungus from the mountains. They call it 'Love Flower', which is actually a fungus. The fungus can fetch a huge price in the international market up to Rs 4 lakh per kg. So, what exactly is this 'Love Flower'? True to its name, the fungus is believed to be an aphrodisiac, besides having a host of other medicinal values. It grows on caterpillars in places situated at altitudes of 10,000 ft and above. Apart from China, Tibet and Nepal, it is also found in the Arunachal highlands — mostly in the Tawang range. Due to its peculiar growth, it is often referred to as 'half-insect, half-flower' in Arunachal. It is also known as 'caterpillar mushroom'. In Arunachal, the fungus is called 'yartsi gonpo'. Besides being a potent aphrodisiac, Cordyceps sinensis is traditionally used in Chinese medicine — as a dried herb — for a variety of purposes: enhancing stamina, recovery of speed after fatigue, nourishment of the body and brain and as an antioxidant. According to sources, the price of the herb has skyrocketed in recent times in China. In 1980, 1 kg of Cordyceps used to cost 1,800 yuan. And now, the same amount of Cordyceps can fetch up to 60,000 yuan, or Rs 4 lakh. Though 'flower hunting' intrusions don't necessarily pose a serious strategic threat, the Arunachal Pradesh government is worried at the way China is building strategic infrastructure in its territory, along the border. The issue of incursion remains highly sensitive for both countries which fought a border war in 1962 in which China captured but later returned Tawang district, which it claims is part of Tibet.

One NDFB arrested in Kokrajhar
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Guwahati
One cadre of National Democratic front of Borland (NDFB) belonging to anti-talk led by Ranjan Daimary were arrested by security personnel at Kokrajhar town yesterday night near the BPPF office. Security sources said, getting specific information they have success to arrest him. Police also said that earlier he live in the Seleka Bazar BPPF camp. The arrested NDFB cadre (anti-talk) identified as Mithinga Boro (19) from Batisipur, Mainajuli under Sanitpur districti. One US maid 9 mm pistol, 4 round live ammunitions and one magazine was recovered from him.

PAK PLAYER FROPPED
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Guwahati
Three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of illegal betting allegations are innocent, Pakistan's ambassador to Britain said on Thursday after meeting the players. Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif were in London to meet Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt and Wajid Shamsul Hasan, Pakistan's ambassador to Britain. Shortly after team manager Yawar Saeed confirmed that the tainted trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir had been dropped from the forthcoming England series, Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan came out in their defence, saying that the players were “traumatised” and had voluntarily opted out of the series. Addressing the reporters outside the Pakistan High commission in London, Hasan said that the players “were innocent until proven guilty” and that the High Commission will defend them in the court of law. Hasan said that the players were not dropped from the ODI and T20 series against England. On the contrary, it was due to the “mental torture” they have been going through in the past few days that has refrained them from going ahead with the remainder of the matches.His statement came shortly after team manager Saeed said that the players had been dropped from the T20 and ODI series against England and their replacements will be announced later. He further said that the players will stay in England for the time being and their passports are with the team manager, opposing the common belief that the passports are with Scotland Yard. The players were all named in a News of the World report which alleged they were involved in a "spot-fixing" scam by bowling deliberate no-balls in last week's Test match with England in exchange for cash. The revelations have shocked the cricket world and led to calls from figures within the game that the players involved should be banned for life. On Thursday, Pakistan officials confirmed the trio would play no further part in the team's tour of England.

Rape of the hill: Who is responsible; Laws: Father makes son breaks
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Guwahati
Believe it or no. Assam law minister’s son is breaking laws. Defying district administration’s diktat against illegal occupation at tribal belt in Sonapur Assam law minister Pranab Gogoi’s son is setting up an industry. But at the cost of the lush green hill that keeps the biodiversity intact. This is what a view of Patorkuchi area in Sonapur in the outskirt of Guwahati. In a bid to uplift the biodiversity of this area in tribal belt, forest department and Kamrup district administer clamped ban on digging in this hill. But defying this order, dredgers are seen at work. That too in broad day light. Minutes after NETV crew reached the spot the dredgers disappeared. But who dared to defy the order? According to allegations, he is none but Assam law minister Pranab Gogoi’s son Monjil. Manjil has already occupied a portion of the green to set up an industry forcing AASU to step in. Monjil is setting up an industry in this place. Ground works are in progress. But how a law minister’s son dares to break the law? This is what the million dollar question. If these do happen, what is left for others? But why forest department and Kamrup district administration is remaining a mute spectator? Are the officials scared of Majil only because of his father who is holding law portfolios?

THE MIGHTY AHOM
02 Sep. 2010
NETV Bureau, Guwahati
For the first time, the 600 year long glorious Ahom history will come up on the screen across the globe. Courtesy National Geography and Fox Channel. These two channels are all set to beam the special programme on Friday and Saturday. Titled as The Mighty Ahom, the documentary is being produced by Siddhrath Kakkor under the direction of Rovidhaul. Brajen Kumar Handique would be seen in the role of founder Ahom King Sargadeo Sukapha. The documentary has the beautiful footage of vital places covering Indo-Myanmar border, Patkai hill, ths historic Rong Ghar and Kareng ghar. The documentary aims at focusing the historical remains of the 600 year long glorious period of the Ahoms.