Power Grid, BSNL sign pact to improve telecommunications in NE
New Delhi: Power Grid Corporation and BSNL have signed an agreement to improve telecommunication connectivity in North-eastern states, including Sikkim. “The agreement envisages provisioning of bandwidth on optical fibre media laid over the electric transmission network of Power Grid,” state-run power company said in a statement. The agreement will be effective for a period of 10 years, the statement said. The total bandwidth capacity to be provided as part of the said agreement will be 810 Gbps, covering 20 important locations in the Northeastern Region (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura) including Sikkim. To provide the bandwidth, Power Grid and BSNL will deploy high capacity telecom equipment in their respective telecom networks. These telecom links will become operational in next 12 to 18 months time period. After completion of the proposed connectivity, the reliability of telecom services of North East Region will improve substantively, which will result in improved Broadband Internet services and other telecom services being provided by BSNL in the region. (PTI)
Bru repatriation likely to resume next week
Aizawl: Repatriation of Bru refugees lodged in the six relief camps in neighbouring Tripura was likely to be resumed from next week, officials in the Mizoram home department on Friday said. The decision to begin the sixth phase of repatriation was taken at a meeting chaired by state Home Minister R. Lalzirliana on Thursday. Meanwhile, joint secretary of state home department Lalbiakzama on Friday met Tripura government officials and held discussion on how to coordinate in the repatriation process. The Centre has sanctioned Rs 7.87 crore for the repatriation expenses. (PTI)
‘Dimapur most polluted town in Nagaland’
Kohima: The Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) Central office in Dimapur has revealed disturbing figures, ranging from ‘high level’ to ‘critical level’ content of Reparable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) in the quality of air with respect to two stations identified in Dimapur. The studies were conducted on pollution in Dimapur town. According to a report on Friday, the NPCB said under the National Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP), there are four stations identified in Nagaland–two each in Kohima and Dimapur–from which the experts from NPCB monitor the air quality of the particular localities. In Dimapur, the NPCB identified Bank colony and Dhobinullah as the two areas to conduct their studies from. Bank colony represents a residential area whereas Dhobinullah is considered a commercial locality. The annual standard, or the permissible level of RSPM content in the air, is said to be 60 per cent by national criteria. NPCB studies for 2013 shows that the RSPM content in Bank colony (residential area) was 89 per cent, while the figures for Dhobinullah (commercial area) showed an even more disturbing percentage of 116 per cent. This mean figure, known as Excedence Factor (EF), is the ratio of annual mean concentration of a pollutant with that of a respective standard. (UNI)
NCP Nagaland chief declines to become Macrofed chairman
Kohima: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Nagaland unit president Imtilemba Sangtam has declined chief minister T R Zeling’s offer to become the chairman of Macrofed, a state government undertaking. Sangtam in a letter to Chief Minister T R Zeling on Thursday said, “I regret to inform you that I will be unable to accept your kind offer due to a number of reasons.” Sangtam was appointed as Chairman of MARCOFED on June 3. Conveying “gratefulness” that two of his party members were inducted as parliamentary secretaries with various portfolios, he, however, said “it is very unfortunate that the Naga People’s Front (NFP) leadership did not consult with the NCP authorities while selecting the NCP members to be inducted under the DAN 3 ministry.” The NCP state unit president said he refused the post of chairman of MARCOFED so that he can give more of his time to the party. He said instead of holding a small office he would rather concentrate on strengthening the function of his party. Out of four NCP members in the current Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the new Chief Minister, T R Zeliang has recently inducted T M Lotha and L Khumo as Parliamentary Secretaries, Imtilemba Sangtam as Chairman MARCOFED. (PTI)
Mizo NGO concerned at decline in agriculture sector
Aizawl: Mizoram GSDP has recorded 11 percent growth during the 11th Plan period, the decline in the product of agriculture and allied sectors is a cause of great concern, said anti-corruption watchdog Prism. The state GSDP increased from Rs 7,19,782 in 2011-12 to Rs 8,05,309 in 2012-13. It further rose to Rs 9,12,836 in 2013-14. Both the chief minister and the state Governor have attributed the state’s economic growth at 11 percent – higher than the national growth at 7.8 percent – to the state government’s flagship programme the New Land Use Policy (NLUP). Based on the state economic survey 2013-14, Prism highlighted that the estimated to decline from Rs 99,770 lakhs in 2011-12 to Rs 95,131 lakhs in 2012-13, and further to Rs 90,878 lakhs in 2013-14. In fact, the survey stated that tertiary/service sector constituted 60 percent of the total GSDP, indicating that this sector drives the economy of Mizoram. While the industry sector contributed about 17 percent, the agriculture and allied sectors contributed about 19 percent to the GSDP, the survey said. As the government’s own survey clearly stated that the GSDP growth was a result of increased salaries of government employees, and not NLUP as the state top officials claimed, Prism strongly recommended restructuring of the NLUP. (UNI)
