SHILLONG : A high-level committee headed by Chief Minister D D Lapang will be constituted to examine all issues related to the proposed uranium mining project at Domiasiat. Informing this, Commissioner and Secretary of Mining and Geology department, S S Gupta said his department would soon submit a proposal to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for setting up of the proposed high-level committee which would comprise some ministers and senior government officials.According to Mr Gupta, the committee would examine all issues related to the project including health issues and would make recommendations to the Cabinet for its approval.

Further, in case of any decision by the Government to grant mining lease to the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), the committee would recommend the terms and conditions related to such lease.Meanwhile, the UCIL chairman and managing director, R Gupta during his recent meeting with the state government clarified that the UCIL was ready to pay compensation to those land owners who lands would be acquired for the project and added that the compensation package would be as per the recommendation of the concerned Deputy Commissioner.

He also said royalty on uranium was fixed by the Central Government and that the UCIL would pay the royalty as fixed from time to time by the Central Government.

On the rehabilitation issue, Mr Gupta said only a few families were required to be displaced and they would be provided jobs besides accommodation in UCIL quarters. He said the project would create 500 direct employment avenues and indirect employment was likely to exceed 5000.

Other benefits would include medical facilities for employees and their family members in UCIL-run hospitals, he said adding that Rs 3 crore had been spent as medical expenses by the company for its 4000 employees and their family members at Jaduguda.

Other facilities offered by the CMD during the meeting included education benefits for local people of Domiasiat and its adjoining areas and that according to him, the UCIL was willing to prepare a scheme in consultation with the Education department to offer scholarship and send local students for training in Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) of the State.

Moreover, Mr Gupta informed the State Government that there was absolutely no health hazard posed by the proposed mining of uranium to the local villagers while he also asserted that not a single case of diseases from uranium mining had occurred at Jaduguda.

Giving a detailed picture on the project, Mr Gupta also stated that the uranium project at Domiasiat had been pending for the state government's clearance since 1992. He further said that 250 tonnes of uranium (U3O8) would be produced per year through open cast mining at Domiasiat.  

SHILLONG: The Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court on Wednesday ruled that no preference should be given among the students applying for admission to professional courses through State quota.The Cabinet at its recent meeting had agreed to give preference to the students who passed Class XII examinations this year for admission to professional courses through State quota.However, against the decision of the government, the Court in an order on Wednesday said the government should publish the list of the selected candidates irrespective of their having passed last year or this year.

The Court observed that advertisement was published on July 4 inviting applications for MBBS, BDS, BSC(N), B Pharm, BHMS, BAMS, Laboratory Technician and Ophthalmic Assistant(Diploma) against State quota and the last date for receipt of the applications was July 13. The Court further said the petitioner Jan-Uni-Sahiat Khyndiah having requisite qualification as per the advertisement had submitted his application and the result was yet to be published.

Referring to the news reports on July 16 which quoted Chief Minister DD Lapang, the Court said the Chief Minister had made a statement that priority would be given to fresh candidates although the students who passed earlier had secured higher marks. Apprehending that the statement made by the Chief Minister would be implemented, the petitioner had approached the Court by way of a writ petition for a direction to the State Government to publish the list of candidates selected for the professional courses.

On behalf of the petitioner, Advocate SP Mahanta assisted by Advocates AK Agarwal, Mrs M Wahlang, Mr B Dkhar, Mr H Abraham and Ms Anosua Chakraborty was present.

It may be mentioned that the parents of aspiring Khasi-Jaintia students, who passed Class XII examinations in 2003, had urged the Chief Minister to give preference to them over the past students in granting State quota admission to professional courses.

SHILLONG: A doctor in Dainadubi in East Garo Hills bordering Assam has clamped `no entry' to the Assam police, the CRPF and other police officials at his PHC recently.

Dr LM Sangma, who is in charge of the Dainadubi PHC, pasted a `no entry' notice on the PHC preventing the police and the CRPF to enter the health centre stating also that no medical treatment would be given to the police personnel at the centre.

On receiving information, police enquired the matter and found that as Dr Sangma was questioned by the Assam police for his rash driving on his way back to Garo Hills, as a token of `protest', he prevented the police from entering the health centre for treatment.

RG Lyngdoh tells news portal
‘No move to lift ban on ANVC’

SHILLONG: Home Minister R G Lyngdoh has said there is no move from the Centre to lift the ban on ANVC.In an online chat with the news portalwww.northeasttribune.com on Wednesday, the Home Minister said no move was initiated by the Centre to lift the ban on ANVC. " If there was such a move the Centre would have consulted the State Government for lifting the ban ", Mr Lyngdoh said.Recently the ANVC had claimed that they had initiated talks with the Centre and charged the Lapang-led Congress government for sabotaging the peace process.

Expressing concern over the movement of the militants across the border, the Home Minister said the border in Meghalaya had been put on alert after the Bangladesh government launched an operation to flush out militants from their soil.He also said the Centre had been apprised of the movement of the militants across the international border adding that more BSF battalions had been deployed along the international border.

Mr Lyngdoh further said he would tour the border areas affected by insurgent activities from July 28 to assess the problems faced by the people due to militancy.

On the issue of dialogue with the militants and the allegation of politician-militant nexus, the Home Minister said as long as the allegation of politicians having nexus with the militants continued, it would not create a conducive atmosphere for talks with the militants. Mr Lyngdoh however stressed ," we have not stopped anybody who has directly approached the government for talks".

Regarding the activities of the militant outfits from outside the State, Mr Lyngdoh said whenever they were caught, the matter was taken seriously. He said the state government would create a conducive atmosphere for the investors who came to the state.The Home Minister further said there was no specific information on whether or not Hmar militants were taking shelter in Shillong.

Xerox machine of ANVC seized

Police has seized a xerox machine used by the ANVC from a resident of Damar near Mendipather in East Garo Hills. Police is yet to divulge the name of the owner of the xerox machine. According to police the ANVC had been using the xerox machine for the last one year to make photocopies of demand notes.

SHILLONG: The KHNAM has urged Chief Minister DD Lapang to take initiative to resolve the present reservation policy and the issue of illegal immigration.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, KHNAM MLAs, Paul Lyngdoh and Lambor Malngiang said both the major issues have been agitating the minds of all citizens in the state.

SHILLONG: A woman, identified as Razia Rynjah (35) died instantly when her husband Md Ahil Ali struck her fatally on the head with an iron rod on Wednesday morning at their residence here at Lumparing.

The couple had been quarreling over some personal matter since last night, police said adding the husband could not control his anger and hit his wife with the rod. She fell down and died on the spot.

Immediately after the incident, Ali surrendered at the Laban police station and was arrested.

SHILLONG: A day after the police accusation of KSU’s involvement in illegal money collection, the Students’ body on Wednesday termed it as the State Government’s tactic to divert people’s attention from the core issues concerning the state.

The Union admitted having collected donations but did not apply any threat or pressure.

Addressing newsmen here at the Shillong Press Club, KSU president Samuel Jyrwa said the Union set Thursday next as deadline to the Government to review the present job reservation policy and implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) to prevent illegal influx.

Justifying the Union’s demand, he said the KSU would go ahead with its proposed agitation despite the Government’s move.

Mr Jyrwa turned down the Union’s involvement in any kind of extortion from the businessmen and said it as "baseless propaganda" to tarnish the image of the Union which they had been doing from time to time.

He also claimed that the document which was seized by the police was in fact a letter issued by the Union to the businessmen to curb the anti-social activities like collection of donation in the name of the organisation.

The KSU’s collection can not be termed as extortion and it was only people’s willing contribution to the organisation, Mr Jyrwa said adding if the contributors had felt that they were being forced or harassed for the same they would have lodged complaints with the authority concerned.

"We did approach people for certain contributions but we never forced or threatened them," he said and added such collections did not fall under the purview of the Section 144 of the CrPC.

The KSU president further said the organisation has been carrying out such collections since its inception in 1978 and would continue with the same especially for this year as the Student’s body would celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Meanwhile, Mr Jyrwa mentioned that the central executive committee meeting will be held on Thursday next to discuss the issue. The GEC of the Union will meet the following day to fix a date to launch its proposed agitation, he said and indicated that the Union might not consider Government’s invitation if it received the same late.

SHILLONG: More than 21 people including women and children were injured when the Bazar Bus (ML-05 9755) in which they were travelling in collided with a truck (AS 25 9155) on Wednesday morning at Mawlyngat village.

Some of them had severe injury and were shifted to the Civil Hospital here, sources said.

The Bazar bus was on its way to Iewduh from Sohryngkham, police sources said adding on reaching Mawlyngat it was hit by the speeding truck which was heading towards Jowai.

After the incident the truck driver and his tow helpers fled away from the scene, sources said adding out of 21 persons, who were taken to hospital, eight were children.The condition of the bus driver, who was trapped inside the bus, was stated to be critical, sources added.

The Shradh Ceremony of Late Shri Bimal Dutta will be held today the 24th July 2003 at his residence at "Dilara" Laitumkhrah, Nongrim Road, Friend's and Well wishers to attend the Shradh Ceremony for the eternal peace of his soul. Family Members.

AIR Shillong will broadcast the interactive radio counseling of IGNOU Shillong on July 26 from 4 pm to 5 pm. The topic will be related to Mass Communication.

The Surgeon Superintendent of Civil Hospital has informed the relatives of one Ram Mukho Momin, 20 years, who expired on July 13 at the hospital, to collect the body from the morgue within three days, failing which the body, will be sent for disposal by the Municipal Board.

Swarabitan, a socio-cultural organisation, has deferred its cultural programme 'Sargam' to the third week of August. Entry forms are available from Noors, Malki Point till August 16.

The officers and staff of MGCC Limited have expressed its sympathy to the bereaved family of B Warjri who passed away after working with MGCC for 22 years.

Chief Minister D D lapang along with Soil Conservation Minister, P W Muktieh, C&RD Minister, J D Rymbai and Minister of state, Mr S W Rymbai were felicitated at a public reception organised by the Public Reception Committee of Raid Mawthoh at Mawlyngkhung,Ri-Bhoi District on July 22.

The Assam Club, Laban, Shillong in collaboration with Sun-Valley Diabetic Care and Research Centre, Guwahati will organise a free diabetic camp at Assam Club, Laban on July 26 from 9 am onwards.