Banuo Z Jamir to be the first woman chief secy of Nagaland
Kohima: Nagaland government on Saturday appointed Banuo Z Jamir as the new Chief Secretary of the state to replace Alemtemshi Jamir who took premature retirement. Banuo who is at present the Additional Chief Secretary would become the first woman to hold the post of the Chief Secretary of the state, official sources said. Jamir, who took premature retirement, demitted office on Friday and was given a farewell at the state secretariat. Banuo would take over charge as the new chief secretary from next week. Banuo is the wife of Alemtemshi Jamir. (PTI)
Rhino killed in Kaziranga
Kaziranga: An adult rhino was killed by poachers and its horns were removed, in the third incident this year, in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park on Saturday. Forest guards on patrol heard three rounds being fired this morning from the Brahmaputra river side near Matlong camp, North West of Agratoli range of the Park. Park officials said that the forest personnel rushed to the area and began a search operation but initially could not spot the animal as the area is covered by wild grass. The carcass of male adult rhino was later spotted by the guards who found it’s horn removed and three empty cartridges of .303 rifle lying near. Search operations were on, they said. This is the third rhino killed in the Park since January this year. On November 22, a Parliamentary Standing Committee team, visiting the park, had expressed concern over killing of rhinos by poachers and assured the authorities to take up the matter with the ministries concerned. (PTI)
Major forest fire in Nagaland
Kohima: A major forest fire that broke out around Nagaland’s second highest peak Mount Japfu in Southern Angami region of Kohima district on Thursday continues to spread in other parts for the third day on Saturday. The fire broke out on Mount Japfu on Thursday night and immediately spread to a large areas to the southern part of the peak, Forest department sources said on Saturday. Mount Japfu is the second highest peak in the state standing at an altitude of 3,015 Meters above sea level. The fire has destroyed a large number of precious flora and fauna and bamboo trees in the mountain peak with smokes from the fire visible from Kohima town. The Forest department has engaged teams to control the fire. A team comprising NGOs, eco-clubs, army and Para-military jawans and public organisations, nearby villagers and volunteers was able to reach to some height of the peak on Friday and able to control the fire from further spreading. The Forest department has alerted all the villages below the Mount Japfu peak and sought their help to extinguish the forest fire. The Forest department made an aerial survey on Saturday and are taking all necessary steps to stop the fire, department official said. (PTI)
High-level Thailand delegation visits Nagaland
Kohima: A high-level delegation from Thailand, led by Ambassador of Thailand to India H E Chalit Manityakul, accompanied by his wife and other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand and Royal Thai Embassy visited the Nagaland Bamboo Resource Centre. In a press release, Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency member, NBM-IT Dr Tolto Metha today said the visit of Thai delegation was part of the survey exercise for the visit of Princess of Thailand Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who is slated to visit the state in February this year. He said that officials toured the Nagaland Bamboo Resource Centre on Friday and interacted with the members of Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency about the growing Bamboo industry in the Asian region, and the various attributes of Bamboo in an industrial set-up. (UNI)