Mizoram CM seeks PM intervention in hydrocarbon exploration

Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla on Tuesday requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene in the exploration of hydrocarbon in the state so that the process is expedited. Speaking at the meeting of chief ministers of eight North-eastern states convened by the Prime Minister in Delhi, Lal Thanhawla said that problem arose due to slow progress of work by the Reliance and the Oil India Limited (OIL) as the company dismissed the earlier tender and floated a new one for exploration works in the southern part of the state. The Chief Minister also emphasised the need to upgrade the lone Lengpui airport in the city pointing out the problems in the executing the South Asian Road Development Project — North East Phase B. The road links Aizawl to Tuipang via Lawngtlai. (PTI)

EC DG reviews poll preparedness

Itanagar: Director General of Election Commission Ashish Srivastava on Wednesday held extensive meetings with the chief secretary and police authorities here to review the poll preparedness for the general election due this year, official sources said. He also interacted with DCs and SPs through video conferencing. Srivastava along with the state’s chief electoral officer C B Kumar visited Kurung Kumey district to study the revision of electoral rolls in four assembly constituencies of the district. He also conducted meeting with the deputy commissioner, election returning officers (EROs), representatives of political parties, special observer and electoral roll observer in the district, the sources said. (PTI)

Protest rally

Tezpur (Assam):  A protest rally was held at Biswanath Chariali on Wednesday against “failure of administration” to rescue the abducted manager of Pabhoi Tea Estate, Bharat Singh Rathore even after six days. The protesters, under the banner of All Assam Tea Students Union (AATSA) and Pub Sonitpur Santrash Birodhi Manch, submitted a memorandum to the SDO (Civil), Biswanath Chariali. The mob also vandalised the ACMS Office when they were unable to trace any of the office bearers, police sources said. Police resorted to “mild” lathicharge to disperse the protesters. The manager of the Pabhoi Tea Estate was abducted by around 12 adivashi militants from his official residence on January 16. Search operation are going on in the area but without any success. (PTI)