REGIONAL

KOHIMA : The Nagaland cabinet decided to convene a special session of the assembly to enact a law for the proposed Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA), while seeking the Centre’s approval for conferring legislative powers on the body. The cabinet, which held an emergency meeting with members of the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) and senior officials on Monday, also resolved to urge the Centre to enhance the proposed development package for the region from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore. The decisions were announced in a statement issued by the Home Department amid concern over delays in implementing the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on February 5 among the Centre, the Nagaland government and the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) for creation of the FNTA. The decisions were taken as the ENPO announced a public rally and shutdown in the eastern districts on July 10 over the delay in the implementation of the accord. The government said the proposed legislation would incorporate provisions to confer legislative powers on the FNTA over transferred subjects and departments in the districts under its jurisdiction, subject to consultation with and approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and in conformity with the Constitution. It said the state had earlier drafted and introduced the FNTA Bill during the Budget session, but its passage was deferred after the MHA informed the government that constitutional issues relating to granting legislative powers to the authority were still under examination. The cabinet also reiterated that the safeguards under Article 371(A) were “sacred and sacrosanct” and would not be diluted or altered. A delegation led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, along with ENLU members, will visit New Delhi to seek the Centre’s advice, approval and guidance on the matter, the statement said. The government also appealed to the ENPO to reconsider its proposed public rally and shutdown in the eastern districts on July 10 in view of the steps being taken to establish the FNTA. (Source: PTI)  

IMPHAL : Manipur DGP Mukesh Singh on Tuesday directed police officers to step up action against extortion activities and ensure speedy investigation and disposal of pending cases, a police statement said. Singh issued the directions during a visit to the Noney District Police Headquarters, where he reviewed the law and order situation, crime scenario and operational preparedness. “During the review, the DGP emphasised maintaining law and order, strengthening anti-extortion operations, and ensuring prompt investigation and disposal of pending cases through quality investigation. He urged officers to remain proactive in curbing extortion activities,” the statement said. The DGP also visited the CRPF camp at Lamdangmei in the hill district to assess the security situation in fringe areas and chaired a coordination meeting with commanding officers of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) deployed in the district. “Special emphasis was laid on ensuring adequate security for the movement of essential commodities along NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam),” it said. Later, Singh interacted with civil society leaders of Noney, assured full cooperation from the district police and appealed for continued public support in maintaining law and order and fostering lasting peace, the statement added. (Source: PTI)    

IMPHAL : Hundreds of demonstrators on Tuesday staged a protest here demanding that the Manipur government convene a special session of the Assembly to discuss measures for restoring peace and abrogate the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups. The protest was jointly organised by the Naga People’s Union Imphal, Imphal Naga Business Association, Imagi Meira and several other organisations, with participation from members of the Naga and Meitei communities. Addressing the gathering, Kshetrimayum Shanti, a women leader from Khwairamband market, said the joint participation of hill and valley communities in the protest was a positive step towards restoring peace. “The conflict cannot be resolved unless the SoO agreement with Kuki militant groups is withdrawn,” she said. Claiming that several rallies had been held and memorandums submitted to the authorities, Shanti alleged that the government had failed to respond adequately. The demonstrators also urged the state and central governments to take immediate steps to restore lasting peace and fulfil their responsibilities toward the people of the state. (Source: PTI)    

AGARTALA : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday pitched for increasing the annual cap on externally aided projects from Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore, saying the existing limit hampers the execution of large infrastructure projects in small states. The chief minister said the Centre has fixed a maximum limit of Rs 4,000 crore per annum for externally aided projects in Tripura, which often falls short for undertaking mega development works. Addressing a government programme at Bardowali, Saha said development activities have gathered pace under the “double-engine government” to meet people’s expectations. “Massive infrastructure building is taking place in the northeastern state over the past few years, from implementation of the Smart City Mission to the Lighthouse project, strengthening the power sector and beautification of urban amenities,” he said. “I have categorically demanded an increase in the maximum cap for externally aided projects from Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore in the presence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the last NEC plenary session in Shillong. I hope the Centre will consider our legitimate demand for development,” he said. Saha said he had inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth Rs 1,500 crore in the past year to accelerate infrastructure creation. The state has rejuvenated water bodies in Agartala for Rs 137 crore and spent Rs 581 crore under the Smart City Mission to improve civic amenities, he said. Claiming that investors and entrepreneurs are showing keen interest in Tripura, the CM said projects worth Rs 8,000 crore out of investment proposals valued at Rs 15,000 crore received during last year’s investment summit have already been grounded. He said the state has set a target of attracting MoUs worth Rs 1 lakh crore during the ‘Destination Tripura: Business Conclave 2026’, scheduled to be held on July 9 and 10 at the International Fair Ground in Hapania in West Tripura district. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati have uncovered how blue-green algae can remove lead from contaminated water, it said in a release. “In a first-of-its-kind study, the IIT-Guwahati research team has identified cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, that can be used to absorb lead from contaminated water,” the institute said. The research team was led by Debasish Das, a Professor in the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering. “A key feature of this approach is the vast availability of these algae in village ponds, lakes, reservoirs, paddy fields and slow-moving freshwater bodies,” the release said. Based on the research, the team found that the sticky, sugar-rich material found in algae, called exopolysaccharides (EPS), absorbed the highest amount of lead from water. In controlled laboratory experiments, the EPS, produced by blue-green algae, successfully removed up to 66.2 per cent of toxic lead from contaminated water, it said. The findings are subject to further validation and should not be interpreted as final or ready for commercial application, IIT-Guwahati said. “In our recent study, we found that EPS organism can remove lead, one of the most toxic heavy metals, from polluted water. EPS can form associations with fungi to form cyanolichens, enrich soil by fixing nitrogen, and act as a natural biofertiliser to boost agricultural productivity,” Das said. To understand how the EPS absorbs lead from water, the researchers used different techniques to examine the material’s composition and its interaction with lead. “They found that naturally occurring chemical groups in the material bind lead particles, making it effective at removing lead from contaminated water. The research team also found that blue-green algae naturally changes its chemical composition to capture lead,” the release said. The findings have been published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. The research team now plans to evaluate the performance of EPS using real industrial wastewater containing mixtures of toxic metals, as well as work upon recyclability of the biosorbent, and develop a scalable system that can be used for continuous water treatment. (Source: PTI)

GUWAHATI : The Assam government on Monday said that no fencing could be erected along 4.35 kilometres of the state’s boundary with Bangladesh due to objections by the border guards of the neighbouring nation. There is also no fencing in 34.609 km as that part falls in rivers, Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora said. In a written reply to a query by AGP MLA Diptimayee Choudhury, Bora said that barbed wire fencing in 228.541 km has been completed out of a total 267.5 km of the India-Bangladesh border spread across Dhubri, South Salmara-Mankachar, Cachar and Sribhumi districts. “Fencing work for 4.35 km of border could not be carried out due to objections by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). Indian citizens live there on the bank of the Kushiyara river in Sribhumi district,” he added. Besides, there is no fencing in 34.609 km as this portion falls in rivers, of which 30.37 km is in Dhubri and 4.239 km is in South Salmara-Mankachar, Bora said. “In the open areas of rivers, Border Security Force (BSF) monitors the border through the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) by established boat observation outposts,” he added. (Source: PTI)  

SHILLONG : The Meghalaya government is likely to take a final decision on the proposed relocation of residents of the Punjabi Lane area in Shillong before the end of this month, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said on Monday. “We intend to take a decision before the end of this month. We have one more meeting to hold after which we will receive the final report,” Dhar told reporters. He said one of the options under consideration is to seek land from the defence authorities for the relocation of the residents. The government is awaiting the outcome of its discussions with the Army before taking a final call, he said. “We are waiting for the final discussions between the government and the Army. Hopefully, before the end of this month, I will be able to share the latest position on the Them Metor (Punjabi Lane) issue,” he said. Asked about the extent of land required, Dhar said discussions with the defence authorities were still underway. “We have identified two to three locations, but we have not received any response from the Army so far. Even the chief minister has held two to three meetings with the Defence minister on the matter,” he said. The relocation of residents of the Punjabi Lane area, popularly known as Them Metor, has remained a contentious issue since 2018. The settlement, located adjacent to the historic Iewduh market, is predominantly inhabited by Sikh families employed as sanitation workers. The issue has also been the subject of prolonged litigation before the Meghalaya High Court, with the state government keen on relocating the settlers. The high court has, on several occasions, issued directions on maintaining law and order besides protecting the rights of all stakeholders. The state government constituted a high-level committee that examined the matter and offered relocation options to the stakeholders. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Hindi will be introduced as an official language in the Assam Legislative Assembly, alongside Assamese, English and Bodo from the Budget Session starting Monday, Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass said. Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Dass said the decision was taken at the general purpose committee meeting held a day ago. “The meeting was held on Saturday. It was decided that along with Assamese, English and Bodo, Hindi will be introduced as an official language in the Assembly,” he said. “Since Hindi is a ‘Rashtra Bhasa’, as a sign of respect for it we have decided to introduce it in the House,” the Speaker added. Dass also said the committee had decided to rename ALA TV, which streams the proceedings of the Assembly, as ‘Assam Bidhan Sabha TV’. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed speculation that Bodo would be withdrawn as an official language in the Assembly. In a post on X, Sarma said he had been informed by the Speaker that there was no proposal to discontinue the use of Bodo in the Assembly. He said Bodo language is an inseparable part of Assam’s rich cultural heritage and identity, adding, “It carries the history, traditions, and aspirations of the Bodo community and enriches the vibrant diversity that defines our state.” “The government of Assam is fully committed to preserving and promoting the Bodo language. We will continue to make every possible effort to support its growth and ensure that it continues to flourish for generations to come,” the chief minister added. Bodo is among the official languages included in Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. It was notified as an Associate Official Language of the Assembly through the Assam Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2020. (Source: DH)