Threat of anthrax infection prompted closure of Tripura zoo
Agartala: With report of vetnary experts, wildlife authority in Tripura has suspended the entry of tourist in Sepahijala zoo in West Tripura for a week apprehending the presence of Anthrax infection among the animal. According to report, a deer was died in the zoo on Feb 19 last and the carcass was sent to the laboratory of Vetnary College. The autopsy report of dead animal has suspected anthrax infection in the zoo, which promoted the authority to close down it for public entry. The necessary sanitization work has been going on to prevent any further spread of the infection, said a zoo official adding that there is no health hazard inside and surrounding localities of the zoo due to the spread of infection. (UNI)
Tripura man held for sedition
Agartala: A 23-year-old man hailing from Tripura’s Khowai district has been arrested on sedition charge from Karnataka for allegedly uploading an anti-national video on social media on the Pulwama terror attack, police said Sunday. A case under sedition charge was lodged against Krishnendu Debbarma of Sonacharanpara village in Khowai district by police suo motu for allegedly uploading the video on Facebook on the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed, they said. Superintendent of Police, Khowai, Krishnendu Chakraborty said, “After the video clip of Pramesh Debbarma went viral on Facebook, police went to his house and came to know that he was working in a hotel at Mysuru. A police team went to Mysuru and arrested him with the help of local police on Saturday. He will be brought here Sunday.” This is the second sedition case lodged in Tripura this month. Earlier the Police had charged three indigenous leaders with sedition in West Tripura district. The three leaders – Jagadish Debbarma, general secretary of Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), Aghore Debbarma, a leader of Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT-Tipraha) and Anthony Debbarma, a leader of Borok Peoples Human Rights Organization (BPHRO) – were charged with sedition for attending a rally where alleged anti-national slogans were raised. (PTI)
Health centres open in Manipur
IMPHAL: Manipur Health and Family Welfare Minister L. Jayantakumar Singh on Sunday inaugurated two Health and Wellness Centres, one each at Irilbung and Takhel of Imphal East. After inaugurating the Health and Wellness Centres, Manipur Health Minister Jayantakumar while speaking as the Chief Guest at the main function organised at Takhel, said these centres have been opened with the objective of providing better health care service of the public and their well being. Many such centres have also been opened in different parts of the state. Besides, the government has also launched many health schemes for the welfare of the people. The newly opened Health and Wellness Centres will cover a long span of health care service of the people starting right from pregnancy stage to an aged person, the Health Minister added. He also urged the local people to take benefit from the new initiatives of the government. The Health Minister appealed to the doctors and nurses including the other health staff members to maintain professional ethics while delivering service. He also asserted that mutual understanding and cooperation between the public and health staff is quite necessary in order to avoid misunderstandings. Minister Jayantakumar also assured that proper electrification and water supply to the new H&W Centres will be provided in consultation with the concerned local representatives. (Agencies)
Artistes demand compensation
Guwahati: Artistes, including singers, film personalities, musicians and composers, took out a rally in Guwahati on Sunday condemning the Arunachal Pradesh mob attack that damaged their property in the venue of the first Itanagar International Film Festival (IIFF). The All Assam Artistes Suraksha Mancha rally began from Commerce point to Chandmari area of the city demanding that Arunachal Pradesh government give them compensation for the damage caused to their musical instruments, sound system and other equipment. Alleging that the miscreants set on fire the Film Festival venue, they demanded that the Assam government take up the compensation issue with the neighbouring state. Popular singer Zubeen Garg said that as the musicians do not have any insurance coverage either for themselves or their musical instruments and sound systems, compensation should be paid to them to make good their loss. The Mancha members also shouted slogans condemning the attack by unidentified miscreants. who vandalised the venue of the IIFF at Indira Gandhi Park and burnt their musical instruments to ashes, damaged their vehicles, generators and other equipment, besides burning down the convention halls, stages, temporary theatres, audio and video equipment and five inflatable screens. (PTI)
Illegal brick industry kills
Goalpara: The illegal brick industries which are growing like mushrooms in the paddy field areas all over the Goalpara district in Lower Assam is gradually decreasing the agricultural areas and posing threat to the natural environment. Not only that, as these industries are mostly using wood as fuel, it is posing a threat to the green forest cover as well. At the end of Sali paddy season, a section of businessmen with vested interests take the paddy fields on lease for one season. Such paddy fields cost location wise twenty to forty thousand per bighas of land. The poor farmers have to give way the land for this money as this small amount is till a huge sum for them. On the other hand, the businessmen use the land for making lakhs of bricks by cutting and digging the land which ultimately severely affects the quality of the land for next paddy growth. Moreover, they use small amount of coal in burning the bricks which damages the agricultural land for a longer period. As the rate of this locally made brick is more or less four thousand rupees per one thousand bricks, the brick owners get a huge return. These illegal brick cause severe respiratory problems especially among the children. (Agencies)