B’deshi migrants a threat to security: Parliamentary panel

NEW DELHI, April 18: Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, present in “large” numbers across the country, pose a grave threat to India’s internal security, a Parliamentary panel has noted. “A large presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants poses a grave threat to the internal security and it should be viewed strongly,” the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs said in its latest report. The Committee, headed by Sushma Swaraj, also said in its 46-page report that counterfeit notes were in large circulation along the Indo-Bangladesh border.

“The Committee strongly recommends that movement along the border may be strictly monitored,” the report on Demands for Grants of the Home Ministry said.

The report pointed out that the porous Indo-Bangla border and the practical difficulties due to topographical reasons acting as impediments in the timely completion of border works projects were reasons behind “influx” of illegal Bangladeshi migrants. It has been reported that these illegal migrants have been able to secure ration cards, driving licences, voter identity cards and even PAN cards, the report said. It also quoted media reports, citing intelligence sources, as saying that terrorist groups have been recruiting Bangladeshis in India.
Reports have appeared that certain Bangladeshi insurgent groups have been involved in terrorist incidents in India, the report said. PTI  http://sentinelassam.com/

Poor Airtel service at Karimganj

From A Correspondent Assam Tribune
 NILAMBAZAR, April 29 – Airtel mobile service at Karimganj has deteriorated to such an extent that it has become unbearable for the customers.

The Airtel network problem, frequently showing ‘no network coverage’ and ‘network busy’ has irked the Airtel subscribers. Most of the time network service is not available. Moreover, there are frequent disruptions during the middle of a call.

It is learnt that some towers of Airtel are allegedly not properly maintained. Under such circumstances, the Airtel customers of Karimganj have demanded of Airtel authorities to rectify their faults through technical experts and replace the defective equipment.

Death toll rises in Lala block

OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA

Silchar, May 3: Seven more persons, including three children, have died of water-borne diseases in the Lala block of south Assam in the past 48 hours. This takes the toll to 29 within a fortnight, despite Dispur’s efforts to contain the spread of the diseases. Among the dead, 25 are children within the age group of one to 10 years. The latest deaths include three children of Abdula Tapadar, a resident of Balicherra village. They are Sultana Begum, 7, Rustana Begum, 5, and Kutubuddin Tapadar, 3. Fear-stricken people of these remote areas in Hailakandi district are making a beeline to temples and mosques to offer prayers as the district administration’s efforts have failed to contain the diseases. Jayanta Das, the in-charge of Lala primary health centre, said Dhalcherra, Bilaipur, Kundanala, Nunaicherra and Balicherra were worst affected by diarrhoea, gastro-enteritis and jaundice. The health department has been distributing water-purifying tablets, bleaching powder and medicines in these areas. Deputy commissioner Tapan Chandra Goswami said additional deputy commissioner B.C. Nath had been asked to probe the cause for the spread of the diseases and to supervise the steps taken by the health department. Excise and border areas development minister Goutam Roy is also camping in the area to supervise the measures. Bandana Reang, the president of Lala Anchalik Panchayat, said maximum deaths had been reported from the backward and economically poor Reang community.

Cachar ZP fails to get information under RTI

From our Correspondent Sentinel Assam
SILCHAR, May 1: Even after more than a month of the directive of the State Information Commission to the Chief Executive Officer, Cachar Zila Parishad asking the BDOs to furnish information to the petition filed by Abdul Kuddus Laskar relating to SJRY, SGSY and IAY along with utilization certificates of each of the schemes for the financial period 2004 to 2008, nothing has so far been conveyed to him.

Cachar tea salaries to be revised

OUR CORRESPONDENT  TELEGRAPH INDIA

Silchar, April 20: The tea industry has agreed to revise the monthly salary of garden employees in the Cachar belt after keeping the review in abeyance for over 30 months. The agreement was reached after a six-hour meeting with the Intuc-affiliated Indian Tea Employees’ Union at the local office of the Indian Tea Association (ITA) last night. The salary was last revised on January 14, 2002, and was due to be revised again with effect from September 31, 2005. Tea industry sources here said they had agreed to the union’s demand for parity in payscale with their counterparts in the Brahmaputra Valley even though the Cachar gardens were facing financial difficulties while the ones in Brahmaputra Valley were on a sound footing. The union, however, agreed to the tea industry’s proposal of paying fixed dearness allowance in the Cachar tea belt, which has about 104 plantations, at 36 per cent. The total number of clerical, medical and technical staff in the Cachar tea estates — spread over Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts — are pegged at 1,900. The tea industry had agreed to pay them the variable dearness allowance at 0.4 rate for every point rise in the All India Consumers Price Index. The salary revision will be effective from April 1 this year and the industry will pay arrears for only seven months and not the 30 months that have lapsed since the due date of salary revision on 30 September, 2005. Friday night’s meeting was attended by the secretary general of the ITA M. Dasgupta, secretary general of the Tea Association of India (TAI) Kalyan Basu, Sumanta Guhathakurta, the local bra-nch secretary of the ITA, and Jameel Ahmed, the Barak valley branch secretary of TAI and Pankaj Dhar, the general secretary of the ITEU.

HS teachers, employees meet at Badarpur

From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
 BADARPUR, April 21 – The 12th district conference of the All-Assam Higher Secondary Teachers’ and Employees’ Association- (AAHSTEA) Karimganj Unit, was held here recently.

Representatives from 23 higher secondary schools of the district attended the conference.

The conference discussed, in details, the various problems faced the teachers.

Earlier, the conference flag was hoisted by the outgoing president of the Association Harikesh Bhattacharyya.

The conference was addressed by the principal of Karimganj Vivekananda College of Education, Kalipada Das and the principal of Karimganj Frontier College, Kamal Uddin Ahmed. Several other Prominent persons also spoke on the occasion.

Meanwhile, a new committee of AAHSTEA of Karimganj district was also formed.

Members of this new committee are: Anup Choudhuree-Presiden t; Kalipada Nath-Vice President, Atikur Rahman Choudhuree Joint Secretary, Adrisankar Das Asstt Secretary, Asish Dey-Organising secretary and Pabitra Dev and Purnendu Sekhar Devnath, General secretary and souvenir Secretary.

Slew of projects announced for Barak Valley

From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
 SILCHAR, April 23 – Dinesh Prasad Goala, Minister of Urban Development and Housing recently announced new projects to be implemented in Barak Valley soon.

Goala said that there will be a new water supply scheme worth Rs 8.15 crore in the Lakhipur sub division of Cachar district. There will be storm water drain both in Lakhipur sub division and Hailakandi district worth Rs 7.83 & 9.92 crores respectively. Commercial complexes both in Hailakandi and Lakhipur sub division have been santioned. In Saptagram of Karimganj district there will be a town hall.

For the basic infrastructure requirement Rs 30 crore will be spent on children-park, recreation ground and commercial development area. The work will be done under the supervision of Silchar municipality and 25% money has already been sanctioned.

For the people living below poverty line there will special packages. Total number of 200-250 sanitation facility will be for the people living in municipalities and nearly 100 for the people in town committees. Goala said that there had been a survey recently where it was found that 87 municipal boards and town committees are in a very critical condition. Boards and town committees are facing monetary problem. For the finanical boost there will be projects on water supply and local self govt.

Regarding master drainage project work of which is going on under the supervision of NBCC, Goala did not seen satisfied. There have been lots of complaints regarding the work quality of NBCC. It is not only the case in Silchar but in entire Assam. In many cases the State government was kept in dark. The minister requested the central government to set up an inquiry in this regard.

‘Government focused on total sanitation campaign in State’
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
 KARIMGANJ, April 23 – Arsenic and flourides are found in the underground water in Barak valley. In order to make underground water free from arsenic and flourides all necessary preventive measure have been adopted by the State government. The PHE Minister Rihon Daimary disclosed the fact while inaugurating Kumbhirgram TE water supply scheme.

PHE Minister Daimary said that the PHE department has already taken up preventive measures in several places in Assam. Referring to the State government’s ‘Total Sanitation Programme’ he said that the Tarun Gogoi-led State government is very much keen to implement TSC programme in the remotest corners of the State. All BPL people should avail the benefit of the scheme. The State government has also decided to bring APL people under TSC.

“We have observed this year as International Year of Sanitation”, said Rihon Daimary. The government has stressed upon the need to implement all schemes under TSC programme. He called upon the people to change Barak to a Nirmal Barak. With the implementation of TSC ‘Nirmal’ Bharat would be formed within 2012. Before 2012 we must make Barak and Brahmaputra valley as ‘Nirmal’ Assam, he said.

All LP, ME, High and HS schools including Anganwadi centres would be brought under Total Sanitation Campaign programme within next one and half year, disclosed the PHE Minister. PHE department has taken all possible steps to implement this scheme.

He said, PHE department has constructed this water supply scheme, but right from now village people will look after the scheme. For the purpose a village users committee will be formed. If villagers failed to form a committee the water supply scheme will be closed within six months.

Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev who was present in a meeting appreciated the function rendered by the PHE department. The Central government has introduced a few welfare schemes in the name of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi for the upliftment of socio-economic conditions of the rural people. He also highlighted the development schemes of the government and appealed to the people to come forward and avail the benefit of the programmes.

Kutub Ahmed Mazumder, MLA, Sonai, Maulana Ataur Rahman Mazarbhuiya, MLA Katigorah, Ghana Borgohain MLA, Lakhimpur, Dr Monoranjan Das MLA, Bhawanipur and Nurul Hussain MLA, Hajo, members PHE consultative committee Assam also accompanied the PHE Minister.

In the wake of arsenic contamination of ground water in Barak valley, the committee held discussions with the deputy commissioners of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi and PHE officials at Silchar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. The district administrations and PHE officials apprised the members of the consultative committee about the preventive measures they have taken.

Rihon Daimary, PHE Minister in his three-day visit to Barak valley inaugurated nine water supply schemes in Karimganj and Cachar.

In Karimganj he inaugurated three water supply schemes in Sadarshi Pt-2, Bidyanagar Pt-1 and Sheralipur Pt-1.

Rs 39.76 lakh was spent for the construction of Sadarashi Pt-2 scheme. Altogether 3000 villagers belonging to village East Sadararashi, Sadarashi Pt-2 and Khalpan would be benefited. The construction cost of the Vidyanagar Pt-1 water supply scheme is Rs 59.99 lakh. Dararpan, Nayagram, Bidyanagar Pt-1, Bidyanagar Pt-2 brought under the scheme. Nearabout 5000 rural people got the benefit from this scheme.

Rs 75.41 lakh was spent in the execution of the construction work of Sheralipur Pt-1 water supply scheme where 3500 people of village Sheralipur Pt and Pt-2, Paulpara and Gangpar will get pure drinking water.

In Cachar, the Minister inaugurated two water supply schemes viz Taranipur Pt-1 and Shivnaraypur. These schemes are being constructed by Silchar PHE division-1.

Four water supply schemes at Kumbhirgram TE, Satrakandi Pt-2, Uttarkrishnapur Pt-1 and Bahadurpur under Silchar PHE division - 2 were inaugurated by R Daimary.

According to Tapas Roy, executive engineer, Silchar division-2, Rs 41.67 lakh was spent for Kumbhirgram TE water supply scheme and total number of beneficiaries are 3500. Rs 35 lakh Bahadurpur scheme provides drinking water among 2500 villagers. Altogether 5000 villagers will get pure water from Uttarkrishnapur scheme and Rs 48 lakh has been spent in the execution works.

Joint director of health services office in Hailakandi damaged
From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
 HAILAKANDI, April 23 – Some miscreants identifying themselves as the members of All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students' Association (ACKHSA) on Monday ransacked and damaged the office of the Joint Director of Health Services located in the heart of the town.

The miscreants also assaulted the Joint Director Dr. Samir Kumar Das in his office chamber before damaging the office. They also burnt down the files and other valuables of the office. They also pelted stones at the office and attacked with lathi, sharp weapons and damaged the entire office and snatched away valuable papers. They completely damaged the office set up of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in Hailakandi. The miscreants completely damaged the two sets of computers along with the printers and a fax machine. The excited mob of miscreants completely damaged the office chamber of the District Media Expert (DME) of NRHM, Computer room and almost all the rooms of the office of the Joint Director. The staff of the office hide them when the miscreants were damaging the office.

A team of police came along with the CRPF personnel and controlled the situation. The Joint Director has filed an FIR in Hailakandi police station in this regard.

The excited youth posing as the members of ACKHSA first came to the office chamber of the Joint Director and asked him to stop the appointment of the candidates from outside the Barak Valley districts and when he replied that the appointment in all categories made by the Guwahati only they started assaulting and burnt down the files. The miscreant youth then scattered and started to damage the office.

The various sections of people of Hailakandi have condemned the incident of attack in the office and the damage of the government properties.

Role of media discussed at AIR workshop

From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
 BADARPUR, April 23 – It is essential that media persons reporting news be faithful to the events that they are reporting and so must keep an eagle eye on the happenings. Otherwise it will reflect adversely in society.

This was stated by Professor Dr I Gambhir, of the department of English of Assam University while addressing a news workshop at Gandhi Bhawan, at Silchar recently on the role of electronic media in the changing scenario with thrust on devleopment”. The workshop was organised by All India Radio, Silchar, news unit, as a part of the year long celebration of 50 years of news bulletin broadcast of AIR, Guwahati.

In the presence of distinguished personalities and guests, Prof I Gambhir speaking as a resource person of the workshop said that the electronic media must make their progrmames keeping in mind the suitability of their spectators and listeners keeping pace with changing times. As a result, spectators and listeners will develop new tastes even as the popularity of the programmes increase.

Reminding the media of its social duties and responsibilities Prof Gambhir said, “news media is a very strong media. It should never neglect its duties and responsibilities.

Another resource person PC Dutta lecturer of SS College, Hailakandi said, that without the development of regions, there cannot be any progress of the country. Dutta also said that the balanced distribution of money is also essential for the development of the region. He said that corruption has become the main obstacle in the development of the entire north eastern region. Dutta earnestly requested all media to highlight the various problems of poor section of people of the society widely.

Yet another resource person journalist Arijit Aditya in his speech said that in the present world of science and technology the market and new inventions have vastly influenced society. Old thought are being foresaken, but no new ‘thought’ or ‘philosophy’ has gained ground in India. Aditya also said that due to the marketing economic principle, the news of development is getting lost and the Radio and Doordarshan are failing to broadcast and telecast news in a proper manner. Aditya also said that the tie-ups between TV channels and various mobile companies has led to the birth of cruel provincialism. He also said that the problems of Silchar-Badarpur-Lumding broad gauge did not get any coverage in the national channels.

Earlier, the workshop was inaugurated through lighting of the lamp by Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises – Santosh Mohan Dev. Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Dev outlined the role of radio despite the rapid march of electronic media. Dev laid stress on the need for connectivity in this north-east region and also said that radio can play a vital role in this regard. Papers by mediapersons on various aspects of electronic and print media were presented in the workshop.

The day-long media workshop was attended and addressed by veteran journalists Paritosh Paul Choudhuree, Sanat Kairy, Satananda Bhattacharyya, Cachar DC, Gautam Ganguly, director of AIR, Guwahati News Section, Ramani Malakar, VC of Silchar, Assam University, Tapadhir Bhattacharyya, asstt. director of AIR, Silchar News Section LTK Singh, station director of AIR, Silchar, Mukul Ranjan Barman. On this occasion a quiz competition was also held which was conducted by the programme executive of Silchar AIR, Y Vijoya.

6th Manipuri convention opened at Silchar

Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 25: The 6th Manipuri National Convention organised by the NESCOCOMI was opened today at the inter-State bus terminus at Silchar, Assam.

The four day convention being hosted by the All Assam Manipuri Students' Union (AAMSU) was graced by titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba and NESCOCOMI president O Maniton as chief guest and guest of honour respectively.

In addition, Tripura MLA L Birjit Singh, Kohima SP Sonamani, AAMSU president Th Herojit, president of the All Tripura Manipuri Students' Union N Amitav, president of the Shillong Manipuri Students' Union Th Suresh, AMSU president L Khamba, AMKIL president Ph Sakhi, Tammi-Chingmi Apunba Nupi Lup Momon and president of the All Manipur Muslim Women's Organisation Sitara Begum as guests of honour.

During the next three days of the convention being held under the theme, "Unite to Overcome the Challenges", academic sessions will be conducted on different issues of the Manipuris.

Cultural programmes will also be organised at night.

Prohibitory order along Indo-Bangla border

From a Correspondent Sentinel Assam
SILCHAR, April 26: Assuming the possibilities of infiltration of ultras and smuggling of goods from Bangladesh, Cachar District Magistrate Gautam Ganguly has imposed prohibitory order under Section 144 of the IPC along the Indo-Bangla international border area in Cachar district. According to the order issued, no person can move from 8 pm to 5 am and the order also included the one km area of the border including river Surama and its bank.

AAI projects for 4 airports witness cost overruns
27 Apr, 2008, 1116 hrs IST, PTI

NEW DELHI: Projects run by Airports Authority of India to expand and modernise four major airports have experienced cost overruns of over Rs 126 crore, according to official figures.

The airports where the works have suffered cost overruns are at Gondia, Nagpur, Srinagar and Silchar.

In all cases, the higher costs have occurred due to change in the scope of work and provisions for various infrastructural facilities that were not included in the initial work plan, official sources said.

The original cost estimated for Gondia was Rs 49.83 crore, while the revised cost rose to Rs 108 crore. Similarly, the cost projected for the works at Nagpur airport was Rs 43 crore, which has now risen to Rs 79.03 crore.

The expansion and modification of Srinagar airport terminal complex was estimated to cost Rs 77.87 crore, but the amount went up to Rs 101.33 crore. The expenditure on Silchar increased to Rs 41.49 crore from the projected figure of Rs 33 crore.

In Gondia, the initial approval was given for works relating to extending the runway, construction of a new apron and control tower works. The costs went up when new activities like building a passenger lounge, hangars, sub-station, land acquisition and diversion of the approach road, were added.

Similarly, reasons like increase in the number of passenger boarding bridges, which were not included in the original programme, increased the cost projects at Nagpur and the additional needs of the Indian Air Force enhanced the cost figures at Silchar.

Official sources said the works were now being monitored closely by the Project Monitoring and Quality Assurances Department

16 children die of gastro

SILCHAR, April 27: At least 16 children, aged between two and three years, died in Hailakandi district bordering Mizoram over the past one month due to gastro enteritis, official sources said here today. Hailakandi DC Tapan Chandra Goswami said soon after reports of the deaths, medical teams were sent to the affected areas and health camps were organized. The situation brought was under control, he added. Hailakandi district Joint Director of Health Samir Kumar Das today said 50 more children in this district have been suffering from fever and gastro enteritis and that medical teams have so far been taking care of the young children. UNI

Labour exodus hits gardens - Job scheme spells doom for tea industry

A STAFF REPORTER  TELEGRAPH INDIA

Sign of the times? Guwahati, April 28: Higher wages offered under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is luring away labourers from the tea gardens of Assam, leaving the industry to grapple with a severe shortage of workers during the peak season. While the tea gardens offer Rs 48.65 per day to the labourers, they are earning Rs 77 per day under the government employment scheme. Fear of a sharp fall in production has gripped the tea industry in the state, which was expecting a good season this year following a rise in demand and prices. The shortage is acute in the 120 gardens in south Assam, where the authorities are finding it difficult to employ labourers to pluck leaves. The south Assam gardens produce nearly 50million-kg of tea every year. Dholai, Lalcherra, Rosekandy, Nasimpur, Chandipur and Bajrangpur are some of the worst affected gardens. The secretary of Surma Valley branch of the Indian Tea Association (ITA), Sumanta Guha Thakurta, said the government’s policy of issuing job cards under the employment scheme was to blame for the labour shortage. The government scheme guarantees work for one member of a family for 100 days. “With the peak plucking season about to start within a few days, there is a big fear that large portions of several gardens would remain unplucked,” Thakurta said. Although the scheme was implemented in the Barak Valley a long time ago, this is the first time the tea garden labourers are being issued the cards. They are being distributed through the village panchayats. According to sources, the scheme has not only prompted the casual labourers to leave the gardens, but the permanent workers are also rushing to join in, thus affecting the normal functioning of the estates. The ITA’s Surma Valley branch and the Tea Association of India (TAI) have requested the Consultative Committee of Plantation Association and the district deputy commissioners to take immediate steps to stop the outflow of labourers from the gardens. In their letters to the deputy commissioners, the ITA and TAI said the distribution of job cards among tea garden labourers would have been all right during the off-season since it could have been a source of income for the casual labourers who generally remain jobless then. “Labour shortage in the peak production season could spell doom for the industry of the state,” an ITA official said. Tea estates in south Assam, unlike in Upper Assam, have always faced a shortage of manpower, but the government employment scheme has only compounded the problem this year. The employment scheme has been marred by allegations of gross misappropriation of funds, with sources complaining that even private roads are being repaired using funds from the scheme. Many tea garden roads are also being repaired under the scheme, a source alleged.

Army launches Tipaimukh vigil - Hmar outfit claims blast responsibility OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA People protest against the construction of Tipaimukh dam. A file picture Imphal, April 29: Troops of the 57 Mountain Division started patrolling the Tipaimukh hydel project site in Manipur’s Churachandpur district today after militants blew off a drilling rig and brought work to a standstill on Saturday. “The army started patrolling the Tipaimukh project site and surrounding areas today. Troops moved into the area from Parbung, the nearest security post in the district,” a senior police official said.   Militants had blasted a drilling machine using an IED, forcing all engineers and workers to flee the project site, located on the Manipur-Mizoram border. The Hmar Peoples Convention (Democratic) has claimed responsibility for the attack. Terming the project a “destructive intervention” by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (Neepco) and the Manipur government, the outfit said the ongoing drilling works were against the interest of the Hmar people living in the area. The incident took place on the Mizoram side of the project. The Neepco authorities have lodged a complaint with the sub-divisional police officer of Sakawrdai in Mizoram. Neepco executive director T.C. Borgohain last evening submitted a report to Manipur principal secretary in charge of home and power, D.S. Poonia, a source said. Stating that some rebels damaged a defective drilling machine that was lying idle for some days, Borgohain urged the state government to ascertain the safety of the officials and workers. A Neepco official said the corporation was expecting “appropriate action” to provide security to the officials and workers. He added that work would resume within a week of the government providing “environmental and personal security coverage” to the officials. Sources here said Neepco has also urged the Centre to provide nine companies of CRPF for the project site. The Manipur government will soon discuss deployment of security personnel at the project site. There is no police station or outpost in Tipaimukh. The Okram Ibobi Singh government is likely to request the army to protect the project site until alternative arrangements can be made. Officials of the power department are constantly in touch with those in Neepco.  The power company has also informed the Manipur government that they had to suspend a survey for a road diversion on National Highway 150 some weeks ago because of threats by unidentified persons. Various civil society organisations in Manipur are opposing the project, saying it would destroy the environment and the economy. Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh convened a meeting of Neepco, state government and senior police officials in Imphal on May 2. An official source said the meeting would discuss all security-related matters. Chief secretary Jarnail Singh and director general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh would attend the meeting.

 

 

 

Wonder cure for hearing impaired

Barak valley

OUR CORRESPONDENT TELEGRAPH INDIA

K. Chang April 29: A wonder product from a California-based company with the USP of being surprisingly affordable promises to wipe out hearing impairment from the south Assam districts. The product, developed by the California-based hearing and speech defect solution multinational company, Material Solution Technology, is a tiny contraption that can be implanted in the cochlea by a minor surgery. The patient will begin hearing within a few days — the price tag of a lifetime of audibility being Rs 7,000. With help from Material Solution Technology, the ENT department of Silchar Medical College and Hospital will soon open a special cell to treat people with hearing and speech impairment at a low cost.  The idea of the special cell was mooted when Material Solution Technology approached the medical college and the state health department to sell its product. The chief executive officer of MST, K. Chang, flew down to Silchar on the invitation of the medical college to address the doctors and some patients from Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. He said the hearing aid, which his company launched two years ago, had been programmed not only for those suffering from hearing incapacity for a long time, but also those who are speech impaired. If implanted in the throat, the tiny contraption strengthens the vocal chord and helps fortify the veins and muscles of the mouth — helping a speech impaired person speak after two years of the surgery. Chang briefed reporters last week on the college campus on how a completely deaf and dumb person can be cured within a span of two years after using the wonder hearing-aid launched by his company. Prabhati Dhar, professor and head of the ENT department of the college, said they would soon appoint specially trained people to help the hearing and speech impaired in their journey from the pre-lingual to post-lingual stage.

Gastroenteritis takes an epidemic form in Hailakandi
From a Correspondent
SILCHAR, April 29: President of Hailakandi District Tribal Sangha, Rajendra Reang, has alleged that although gastroenteritis has taken an epidemic form along the Mizoram border area of Hailakandi district, the district administration has taken no effective steps to contain the situation. Reang alleged that already more than 17 persons, including women and children, have lost their lives. Though the State Health Department of Hailakandi has shown some initiative in this aspect, the Joint Director of the department Dr Samir Kumar Das told that he was only aware of the death of four persons due to the disease. He, however, denied any knowledge about the spread of an epidemic form of diarrhoea in the area.

Prominent Hindu priestess ‘Mamoni’ killed
April 18th, 2008 - 12:20 am ICT by admin

Agartala/Kolkata, April 17 (IANS) Police forces from three states may probe the murders in Kolkata of a prominent Hindu priestess and one of her associates, allegedly by an expelled devotee, the police have said. “The police from three eastern Indian states - West Bengal, Tripura and Assam - may jointly probe the murders of Sanghita Devi and her associate Dulu Datta in Kolkata Wednesday night,” a senior police official said in Agartala said Thursday.

According to sources, Kalipada Das, the alleged attacker, who later died of injuries, hailed from Silchar in Assam.

Sangeeta Devi, popularly know as ‘Mamoni’ was a priestess at Gurudham, a popular mission in eastern Kolkata.

“Das might have been used by dissidents who have been challenging the authority of Sangeeta Devi,” said Dhirendra Roy, a follower of Sangeeta Devi.

“A case was pending at a court in Agartala since last year following the dispute over right to give initiation to the disciples,” said Roy.

There are also disputes over the ownership of assets of temple branches in Agartala, Silchar, Siliguri, Bihar and Bangladesh besides main temple at Kakurgachi in Kolkata, he added.

The Kolkata Police detective department suspects the killings were pre-planned.

“Attacker Kalipada Das was driven out of Gurudham for his aggressiveness by the mission head, Sanghita Devi, one and a half years ago. After that he went to a mission in Uttaranchal. Since Monday, he again started frequenting the mission,” Deputy Commissioner (Detective Department) Jawed Shamim told IANS.

“We are still not sure about the motive behind the murder. The bodies of the nuns have been returned to the mission after post-mortem. No details about the family background of Das have been found so far,” Shamim said.

Sushanta Hajra, a doctor who treated Das, said: “Kalipada suffered from personality disorder and psychosis. Besides he was a drug addict.”

  

Music of Film Jimmy Released, Debojit Saha rocks with "Marhaba"

 

Jimmy (2008) Bollywood OST

 

 

Banner : High-Definition Motion Pictures
Color : C
Release Date : April 18, 2008
Language : Hindi
Shooting Locations (City & Country) : Goa (India) / Mahableshwar (India) / Ooty (India) / India / Austria
Shooting Studios : Filmcity

Producer : Nawman Malik / Salman Malik
Director : Raj N Sippy

Star Cast
Mimoh Chakraborty. ..... Jimmy
Zulfi Syed
Aashish Vidyarthi
Ehsaan Khan
Rati Agnihotri
Vikas Kalantri
Rahul Dev
Shakti Kapoor
Nilofer
Gargi Patel
Pooja Singh

Singers : Shaan
Lyricist : Ranbir Pushp
Music Director : Anand Raj Anand
Cinematography : S Pappu
Choreography : Chinni Prakash
Action : Mehmood Akbar Bakshi
Art : Amit Mishra
Editor : Prashant Khedekar / Vinod Nayak
Screenplay : Ranbir Pushp
Sound : Naeem Sheikh / Alok De
Dialogue : Ranbir Pushp
Costume : Khatri Irfan / Puneet Singh
Media Relations : Rajoo Kariya
Publicity Designs : School Media
Story / Writer : Ranbir Pushp

 

Tracklist:
01. Jimmy - Why Not Jimmy (Shaan)
02. Jimmy - Do Minute Mein (Shaan)
03. Jimmy - Jeevein Bulliyaan Pe (Anand Raaj Anand)
04. Jimmy - Marhaba (Debojit)
05. Jimmy - Zamaane Se Keh Do (Kailash Kher)
06. Jimmy - Ye Hain Meri Dastaan (Vijay Verma)
07. Jimmy - Aaya Hoon (Kunal Ganjawala)