Saturday, 30 November 2013

Public Distribution System goes online in Tripura

Human Development > Food Security > Public Distribution System>

 

Public Distribution System goes online in Tripura

[Assam Tribune, 30th Nov 2013]

AGARTALA, Nov 29 – The day is not far when Union Food Minister PJ Thomas would be able to see distribution status of PDS items of a particular government Fair Price Shop in Tripura.The State Food and Civil Supplies department has embarked on a mission to go on-line. Not only data entry, all the records of the department and ration shops including stock registers could be checked by browsing the Internet once the project is implemented. As part of the e-governance plan, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 1 crore for data entry of all ration cards, first stage of the computerisation of the entire PDS system in the State.“The plan has already got underway at the department with data entry gaining ground with every passing day”, said Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bhanu Lal Saha.The way works are progressing, it will take six to seven months to compete the data entry process, he told the media on Friday.Saha said one could know the stock register of a particular ration shop by sitting at home provided he/she has Internet facility. “The concept is like the Aadhaar project. The entire PDS system will be available on the Internet and anybody can check the status of the system”, he said.The National Informatics Centre (NIC) has been engaged to computerise the entire PDS of the State. The State has over nine lakh ration cards while the number of Fair Price Shops stands at 1,731.According to officials, the project is supposed to ensure a total transparency in the PDS as everything will be on-line, with virtually no scope for manipulation or tampering.Pilferage of ration items had become a daily routine as revealed by a series of successful raids in and around Maharajganj Bazar by the Sadar administration. The Sadar administration has cancelled eight dealerships in the State capital on the charge of irregularities.

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Science-Satellite tagged Amur Falcons tracked to Arabian Sea

Satellite tagged Amur Falcons tracked to Arabian Sea
DIMAPUR, Nov 15 – The three Amur Falcons marked Naga, Pangti and Wokha, and tagged with satellite tracking devices this month in Wokha district of the State have reached the Arabian Sea. The current locations, signalled by the trackers which the birds are wearing, show that their journey has been safe and uneventful.Naga and Pangti have reached the Arabian waters, while Wokha is behind its two companions, the satellite feed showed. On November 7, the three birds were among many that were tagged with tracking devices by scientists who landed at Doyang in Wokha district to study the estimated one million Amur Falcons that had roosted in the area during their annual migration to South Africa.

The first three birds were named after the Naga people, Pangti village and Wokha district. Naga is a male, while Wokha and Pangti are females. The three aerial predators were fitted on their backs with tiny tracking devices carrying antennae and solar panels. The satellite tag weighs only 5 gram.The birds’ migration is being tracked through satellite linked to a website in Hungary. Every detail of the movement of the birds will be known through the devices, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Lokeswar Rao said in a press release today.

This is for the first time that Amur Falcons were tagged with satellite devices and released, thereby putting Nagaland on the international map with regard to conservation.

Source: Assam Tribune 16th Nov 2013.

 

Economy-Changing discourse on Development by Dr Akhil Ranjan Dutta

Indian Economy and Statecraft. Source: Assam Tribune-15th Nov 2013

Self Improvement-The Art of Public Speaking by Ankur Bora

Source: Assam Tribune-HORIZON supplement. Dt:15th Nov 2013.

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Article-Mising language facing extincton?

Source: Assam Tribune, 8th November 2013.

The Music of Dr Bhupen Hazarika by Prof. Amarjyoti Choudhury

 

Article-Juvenile Crimes.

Source: Assam Tribune - Horizon Nov 10,2013.

SOCIAL NETWORKING-USES AND ABUSES

Source: Assam Tribune 10th November 2013.

news Item-New hybrid fish -Nylon Togra

New hybrid fish to hit Manipur market soon
[Source: Assam Tribune,13th November 2013- Reporter-SOBHAPATI SAMOM]
A
new hybrid fish, named Nylon Togra, is expected to appear in the menu of the traditionally fish loving Manipuris soon.The hybrid was produced following crossbreeding of Nylon Ngamu (Glossogobius giuris) and Mirgal (Cirrlinus mirgale) at a private fish farm at Mayang Imphal, about 25 km south of Imphal.“The hybridization happened all of a sudden at our farm in 2004, involving a male Nylon Ngamu and a female Mirgal”, says Khaidem Swami Meitei (29) who owns the Mayang Imphal Awang Leikai fish farm. “We are attempting to produce it for the general consumption but it will take some time,” he added. Swami has distributed some Nylon Togra fingerlings to Nungba areas in Tamenglong district and Tora in Ukhrul district on an experimental basis. He said the hybrid fish, which is similar in looks to the Mirgal carp, was displayed at the farmers’ fair at Lamphelpat in Imphal on Monday.The new hybrid is said to be healthier and tastier than Mirgal carps and a full grown fish of the variety weighs up to 1 to 1 ½ kilograms within 2 to 2 ½ years.

Assam-Arunachal border issues

SC team visits Assam-Arunachal border areas
[Source: Assam Tribune,13th November 2013]
      The Local Commission formed by the Supreme Court to probe the protracted border rift between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, visited the disputed areas near Behali under Biswanath sub-division in Sonitpur district today. The team, led by retired judge Tarun Chatterjee, was comprised of
two other members – Kamal Naidu, former Chief Conservator of Forest, Andhra Pradesh and SP Goel, representative of the Central Government.

 

news Item-Stilwell Road opening initiatives.

State for reopening of Stilwell Road

 

The Government of Assam today made a strong plea for reopening of the Stilwell Road and said there is a need to push for a Northeast-Kunming Trade Corridor. Inaugurating a national dialogue titled “Guwahati Initiative: Northeast as the centre of a regional universe”, State Power, Industry and Commerce Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said that during the visit of Dr Manmohan Singh to China, stress was laid on the Kolkata-Kunming Economic Corridor, which is a little disappointing for the people of the North East as the entire exercise bypassed the region.The dialogue was jointly organized by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), New Delhi and the Centre for Development and Peace Studies (CDPS), Guwahati.

Bordoloi called for reopening of the Stilwell Road, allaying fears of an economic aggression by China. “It is an almost despicable and laughable argument that if the Stilwell Road is opened, the Chinese will swamp the markets with their cheap goods. That the road will bring in AIDS, narco-terrorism and AK 47s for our rebel outfits, as if such things are prevented by not opening the road,” he said, adding that development is a pre-condition for peace.Presenting his inputs, Jishnu Baruah, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Assam, said, “India may exploit the existing civilization and spiritual ties with Myanmar by greater and closer people-to-people contact as well as strengthening of cultural bonds.” He stressed the need to hasten the connectivity between the Northeast and the neighbourhood to break the impasse and get of rid the isolation of the region.MP Bezbaruah, Member, North Eastern Council (NEC), said there is need for stakeholders from the Northeast to be part of the decision-making process on the Look East Policy. Suggesting three transit circuits – Northeast Circuit, a Combined Circuit with Myanmar and then a Southeast Asian Circuit – he said that tourism can turn around the economy.

RS Joshi, Chiarman, Federation of Industry and Commerce of the North Eastern Region (FINER) said, “We need to be comfortable domestically, then only we can think of cross-border trade. There is a need for a Northeast Banking Policy on the lines of the Northeast Investment Promotion Policy (NEIPP 2007). The Foreign Direct Investment Policy (FDI) needs to be made attractive by introducing extra concession on taxes for the NE region,” he added.

[Source: Assam Tribune,13th November 2013]

Seminar Proceedings-"Globalization damaging smaller languages"

Globalization damaging smaller languages

         Speakers at a national seminar on ‘ENDANGERED CULTURES AND DIALECTS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO NORTH EAST INDIA’ voiced concern over the waning influence of indigenous languages and dialects on their peoples, pushing in the process many such languages and cultures into oblivion. The speakers were unanimous in their view that the rapidly expanding cult of globalization with its thrust on an all-pervasive mono cultural identity was particularly damaging for the smaller languages and dialects. This, the speakers said, was negating the right of the diverse cultures to exist and thrive.

         The two-day seminar which concluded on Sunday was organized by the North Eastern Institute of Culture and Religion. On the occasion, noted anthropologist Dr GC Sharma Thakur was honoured with the Sanskriti Emeritus Fellow Lifetime Achievement Award-2013. Prof AC Bhagabati, former Vice Chancellor of Arunachal Pradesh and present Director of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, NE Regional Centre, Guwahati, formally presented the award to Dr Sharma Thakur. Prof Bhagabati also presided over the inaugural session.

         In his acceptance speech, Dr Sharma Thakur stressed the need for preserving and promoting indigenous languages in the face of the unbridled onslaught of globalization, as languages held the key to the survival of the unique ethnic cultures and traditions. Dr Sharma Thakur also expressed concern over the apathy exhibited by the educated class towards their mother tongue, saying that such a mindset could spell doom for not just smaller languages and dialects but also for languages such as Assamese.

         Prof Samita Manna, Vice Chancellor of SKB University, Purulia, West Bengal, was the chief guest of the occasion. Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil, in his presentation, observed that the fast-expanding materialistic-consumerist civilization was placing all cultures under strain. “Even mighty nations and ancient civilizations are seeking to redefine themselves under pressure from fast changing trends in the economic, political, social and cultural fields. In this context, the cultures of smaller ethnic groups are under far greater threat,” he said, adding that if the preservation of songs, stories, dances and festivities of the tribal people are important, the survival of genuine tribal values is even more important.

Dr RP Athparia of the North eastern Social Research centre dwelt on the cultural affinity of different linguistic groups of the North-east. “The cultural elements of Assam include the Austro-Asiatic with their linguistic legacy and the Alpine-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman elements, contributing to the development of a heterogeneous socio-cultural and socio-religious complex,” he said.

         Dr Ala Uddin from Bangladesh presented an account of the endangered languages of the indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern Bangladesh. The CHT hosts 11 heterogeneous indigenous groups collectively known as Pahari – each with its own history, culture, language and custom but the traditional lifestyles of the Paharis have significantly been affected by successive intruders, i.e., British, Pakistanis and Bengalis, he said.

         Prof Vijoy S Sahay, HoD, Anthropology, University of Allahabad, said how some cultures and dialects witnessed by him during his personal experiences and research had either become extinct, or are on the verge of extinction.

[Source: Assam Tribune,13th November 2013]

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Lower Kopili Dam - Central Water Corporation (CWC) approves flood holding capacity

Lower Kopili Dam - Central Water Corporation (CWC) approves flood holding capacity

   The Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd (APGCL) has said that the Lower Kopili Dam is designed for a maximum flood of 11030 cubic metres per second (Cumecs). The design flood for the Lower Kopili Hydroelectric (HE) project of 11030 Cumecs was approved by the Central Water Corporation (CWC) on October 30, 2012.
   The design of the dam concerning its capacity to hold the maximum flood, is based on the India Meteorology Department (IMD) data of precipitation over the entire catchment area covering Khandong and Lower Kopili Dam, that is, of 1288 square km and 788 square km respectively (total area of 2076 sq km).
   The above statement was made by the APGCL in its reply submitted to the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) on the River Valley and Hydro Electric Project of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in response to the observations made by the South Asia Network of Dam River People (SANDRP) on the Lower Kopili Hydro-electric Project.
   The LKHE dam, about 25 km downstream of the existing Khandong Dam, will moderate the flood due to inflow from the undisturbed intervening catchment area of 788 sq km between Khandong Dam and the proposed Lower Kopili Dam and the excess inflow that spilled over from the Khandong reservoir.
   Myntang, a major tributary of the Kopili river, having a catchment area of 512 sq km, is included in the intervening catchment area of 788 sq km of the Lower Kopili Dam. As such the inflow from Myntang river was already included in the design flood of 11030 Cumecs for LKHEP and approved by the CWC in 2012.
   The design spillway capacity of the proposed LKHEP is evaluated as 11030 Cumecs, as approved by the CWC after a detailed hydrological study made with the data acquired from IMD Pune and New Delhi, it said.
   Since the water of the Kopili is acidic at the proposed LKHE project site, special measures are to be adopted, to protect the electro- mechanical and hydro mechanical equipment and river water exposed surface of concrete of the proposed project.
   The APGCL has decided to adopt similar measures taken by the Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MeSEB) for Myntdu Leshka HEP, Meghalaya, for the purpose. The acidity in the river is only due to open cast mining in the upper catchment areas located in the state of Meghalaya.

Source: Assam Tribune (12 Nov 2013) Reported by AJIT PATOWARY.

Source:Assam Tribune,12th Nov,2013.

Useful for UG & PG Students of Political geography, for the syllabus on Electoral geography.

-Sadiq’sir

Sunday, 10 November 2013

Did you Know ??

CHINA is building the world's highest altitude civilian airport close to Tibet as part of a plan to develop infrastructure in the strategic Himalayan region.The 4411-metre high Daocheng Yading Airport is under construction in Garzi Tibet Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province. It will surpass in height the Bangda Airport in Qamdo Prefecture in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, which has an elevation of 4334 metres above sea level.So far China has built five airports at Gonggar, Lhasa, Bangda, Xigaze and Ngari in Tibet Autonomous Region.

JATINGA WOMAN AWARDED FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

 

Evelyntice Sajem, a social activist of Jatinga village in Dima Hasao district has been honoured with samajpran Sarbeswar Dutta memorial social worker award-2013 at Jorhat Press Club on 9th November 2013, for her exemplary contributions to the empowerment of women and various other social works in the area for years.

 

The 67 year old retired teacher Evelyntice Sajem has been relentlessly working for uplifting the living standard of 3000 odd Jayantiya (Pnar) inhabitants in her native village Jatinga.

 

Sajem also has proved herself successful in bringing about cent per cent literacy to Jatinga, while the same is still a far cry for most of the villages in the State. She has also taken many a steps for supply of potable water to the area, construction of sanitary latrines by the villagers on their own besides and some others activities for development of transportation as well as communication in the area.

 

Sajem has taken the place of a role-model in the hearts of the Jatinga women through continuous as well as committed counseling on health and hygiene, child-care, marriage, divorce and re-union etc.

 

Through discussion and counselling she has been able to bring a ‘feel free’ mind to the women of the area in their works – whether pursuing study, doing Government well as private service or engaging in agricultural activities.

 

The award was instituted way back in 2010 in memory of Samajpran Sarbeswar Dutta, a selfless and dedicated social-worker of east Jorhat hailing from Baghmora area off the city, by his family members under the banner of SI Foundation for Media and Social Welfare.

 

Before Sajem educationist Karendra Narayan Barua and crusader against witch-hunting Birubala Rabha were awarded by the organizers earlier.

 

[Source: Assam Tribune,10 Nov 2013]