Myanmarese arrested
Aizawl: A 52-year-old Myanmarese was arrested for possessing 28.5 grams of heroin by Anti Narcotic Squad officials here on Tuesday.
Phunukliana (52), a resident of Tuikhingzang in Myanmar, was arrested for carrying the narcotic, Mizoram Excise Department Spokesman Peter Zohmingthanga said.
The accused was booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, he said. (PTI)
Teachers’ Association stir enters 8th day
Kohima: The indefinite agitation of the All Nagaland Aggrieved Hindi Teachers’ Association (ANAHTA) 2012-13 batch entered the eighth day on Tuesday demanding release of their pending salaries.
The agitation would be intenfied from November 24 if the demand is not met by the state government by Friday, a spokesman of the Association said.
The Association has been agitatiing since November 11 in the form of boycotting classes and picketing in front of the offices of Sub-Divisional Education Officer and District Education Officer in all districts of the state. (PTI)
No report of Porcine and Reproductive Respiratory Syndrome
Aizawl: Porcine and Reproductive Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), the dreaded endemic swine fever has not been reported in Mizoram, state Animal Husbandry and Veterinary minister C Ngunlianchunga informed the assembly on Tuesday.
Ngunlianchunga, during question hour, said that all the samples taken from a large number of swines in the state was found to be negative of PRRS.
The opposition members alleged that the state government issued orders prohibiting import of pigs and piglets from Myanmar where PRRS was found to be rampant and then the government imported piglets from that very country.
The Veterinary minister said that all the piglets imported from Myanmar were tested and found to be free from PRRS infection and were distributed to the beneficiaries of the New Land Use Policy (NLUP), the flagship programme of the present Congress government. (PTI)
Mizoram govt depts keeps Rs 535.23 crore in civil deposit
Aizawl: Mizoram government’s 23 departments kept Rs 535.23 crore in civil deposit due to different reasons, state Finance minister Lalsawta informed the Assembly on Tuesday.
Replying to a query from Vanlalzawma of the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), Lalsawta said that government departments were compelled to keep fund in the Civil Deposit, known in the Mizoram government employees’ term as ‘K-Deposit’ mainly due to works yet to be done or completed after release of the fund earmarked for the works.
“It is against the provisions of the General Financial Rules for departments to keep huge cash,” he said, adding that such money has to be kept in the K-Deposit and Advances under the Public Account without interests.
Lalsawta, in a written reply to a question from Lalruatkima of the MNF said that the state government availed Ways and Means for 57 times and Special Ways and Means for 61 times during 2012-2013 to 2014-2015.
He said that the government availed ways and means advance for 30 times and special ways and means advance for 20 times during the current fiscal. (PTI)
BSF jawan among 2 killed by suspected NLFT insurgents
Agartala: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan and a civilian driver were killed and another person was injured today when suspected NLFT militants fired at them at Khantlang, a village bordering Chittagong Hill Tract in Bangladesh, police said.
The three persons were fired upon by the militants when they had gone to fetch water from a reservoir near the barbed wire fencing, IG of Police Control Nepal Das said. Of the victims, Himari Rangtor (48) was a driver of a water tanker and Jiten Chakma was his assistant.
The BSF jawan was escorting them when the firing took place. Chakma and the BSF jawan succumbed to their injuries on way to the Agartala Government Medical College Hospital here, Das added.
The two civilians were engaged in construction of barbed wire fencing by a private company. (PTI)
Arunachal MP adopts village in East Siang district
Itanagar: Lok Sabha member from Arunachal Pradesh Ninong Ering has adopted Takilalung village in East Siang district to be developed into a model village under ‘Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana’, a scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Reform is multi-stage process but must be people-centric and people-driven. To bring real developments, elected representatives should scale and address root causes at grass root level,” Ering said while adopting the village yesterday, an official press release said today.
Launching the scheme, Ering said that villagers should not expect that everything would change overnight because the effort has to go on continuously incorporating changes according to changing times.
Elaborating his views, the former union minister sought wholehearted public participations and called upon the people to rise above political affiliations to transform the place into a model village.
“Petty political differences should not put hindrances in developmental works causing undue delay in providing facilities at the doorsteps of the needy people. During the process, all officers and leaders must cooperate in developing physical and institutional infrastructure providing conducive atmosphere so that every person feels proud of his or her village in the days to come,” he added. (PTI)