Court orders SIC to probe into funds scam in Arunachal
Itanagar: A special court has ordered a probe by the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) into the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for repair and maintenance of the district court building in Arunachal Pradesh by a former minister. The court of special judge (anti-corruption) at Pasighat in East Siang district ordered the investigation on a petition by the East and Upper Siang District Bar Association (EUSDBA). The EUSDBA had filed a corruption case, on March 3 last, against former education minister Bosiram Siram and some Pasighat division engineers for their alleged involvement in swindling of funds meant for repair and maintenance of the district court building. After hearing the counsel for the Bar Association and going through the strength of the averments stated in the petition, the special judge has ordered the SP of the SIC, Itanagar to investigate into the alleged corruption by registering a regular case under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, the court order said. Meanwhile, EUSDBA president Tonning Pertin said that the bar members have no political ambition and has nothing to do with Siram personally. (PTI)
900 VVPAT incompatible EVMs to be returned: SEC
Aizawl: Around 900 electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in the election to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly held on November 25 last year, will not be sent to Arunachal Pradesh as planned, state election department officials on Thursday said. The officials said the EVMs, proposed to be used in the coming Lok Sabha elections in Arunachal Pradesh would not be sent as there was a court case in the matter and the Mizo National Front (MNF) was opposed to it. It might be recalled that the MNF submitted 23 petitions in the Gauhati High Court asking for constitution of an expert committee to check the reliability of the EVMs made by the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) and used in the state Assembly polls. The MNF said the High Court, on March 11 had ordered that no election material, including those EVMs used in the constituencies where the petitioners did not challenge its veracity, should be shifted until disposal of the election petition. Joint Chief Electoral Officer H Lalengmawia told PTI that 1,716 EVMs made by the Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and procured from Maharashtra to be used in the coming elections to the lone state Lok Sabha seat would also be returned. Lalengmawia said the EVMs would be returned as many of them were found to be made prior to 2006 and incompatible to the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). The MNF had earlier protested the use of ECIL-made EVMs, but made no objections to the use of BEL-made EVMs in the Mizoram polls. (PTI)
ECI officials review poll preparation in Tripura
Agartala: Election Commission of India (ECI) has reviewed the preparation for the general elections in Tripura where elections would be held in two phases, official sources said. Director General of ECI, Asish Srivastava on Wednesday held series of meetings with the officials from the civil administration, state election department and security forces and representatives of the political parties and laid stress on strict adherence to the election code of conduct. In view of the state government’s demand for 108 companies of additional forces, Srivastava assured that there would be no dearth of Central Paramilitary Forces which would be dispatched in due course of time. He also instructed the BSF to keep a close vigil along the 856 KM long international border with the Bangladesh so that no unwanted element could enter into the state for conducting any subversive activities. The elections for the two Lok Sabha constituencies – West Tripura and East Tripura (ST) would be held on April 7 and April 12 respectively. He appreciated the voters of the state for heavy and record turnout, which rose to 93 percent in the last assembly elections. (PTI)
Disaster management mock exercise conducted in Nagaland
Kohima: A mega mock exercise (MME) was conducted in five districts of the state by Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority under the supervision of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). NDMA Senior Specialist (Policies & Plans), Dr R K Dave, who is also the official observer of the exercise, said the objective of the MME is to review the adequacy and efficacy of the state disaster management plans as well as highlight roles and responsibilities of various emergency support functionaries. Pointing out that the effective response of authorities in mobilizing resources, working of emergency communications, community response etc would be evaluated through the exercise, he said this would also identify gaps in participating organizations in resources such as manpower, equipment, materials and communication systems. The MME is being conducted keeping in mind the earthquake with magnitude of 8.7 in the Richter scale at Shillong in 1897. The exercise was carried out in Kohima, Dimapur, Mokokchung, Zunheboto and Kiphire districts. (PTI)
Pak mortar shell found in Tripura
Agartala: A mortar shell, possibly used by the Pakistani army during the 1971 war with India, was recovered from a pond at Kamalasagar, a border village in Sipahijala district, the police said on Thursday. During reclamation of an old pond, MGNREGS workers yesterday recovered the sealed mortar shell which bore the identification number LOT 7050666 PAK 71. Police suspected that the shell did not explode as it fell into the pond. It was brought here for deactivation. Tripura, surrounded by Bangladesh in three sides and sharing a 856-km border with it, was the war headquarters of the liberation soldiers. (PTI)
NDMA Member lauds Mizoram govt for setting up SDRF
Aizawl: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Member Harsh K Gupta on Thursday lauded the efforts of Mizoram government in setting up and training police personnel for the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Addressing a press conference here, Gupta said at least 17,000 people would die if an earthquake with a magnitude of 8 at the Richter Scale hit Aizawl in the middle of the night. He said that the death toll, in such a case would be at least eight lakh if the tremor hit the entire north east. He lauded the efforts of the Mizoram government in setting up and training police personnel for the SDRF. (PTI)