AHRC seeks report on death of two babies after DPT vaccination
Guwahati:The Assam Human Rights Commission has registered a suo motu case taking into consideration local media reports regarding the death of two babies after their DPT vaccination on December 13 at Gorubandha Primary School at Kolaigaon in Darrang district. A division bench of the Assam Human Rights Commission registered a suo motu case no. AHRC 1208/3/14-15 yesterday, said a press release of the Commission today. In its order yesterday, the bench comprising AHRC chairperson Dr A H Saikia and member Tarun Phookan directed to issue notice to the District Magistrate, Darrang, to initiate an inquiry into the circumstances leading to the death of the two babies and the illness developed in some other such vaccinated babies, the release said. The release said the news item had reported that two nurses of the District Health Department had administered the second dose of DPT vaccine to some babies. One baby Kushan, son of Pradip Paul, and another infant Mrinal, son of Tapan Deka, began to vomit immediately after their vaccination and were declared dead by the doctors on being taken to a hospital, the AHRC quoted the news item. (PTI)
Tablets of banned drug seized
Aizawl:Mizoram Excise and Narcotics department’s anti narcotics squad seized more than 19 lakh tablets of pseudo-ephedrine in Kolasib, officials said on Thursday. The spokesman of the department said that the contraband seized late last night is used as a precursor for secret manufacture of the dreaded banned drug methamphetamine. The seized tablets worth around Rs 95.12 lakh was suspected to have been smuggled to Myanmar. The owner of the seized tablets, Islam Uddin Borbhuiya of Sonai in Cachar district of Assam was arrested in this connection and booked under relevant sections of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The tablets, already peeled off from the strips and weighing 205 kg, were packed in 11 nylon bags and were being brought to Mizoram from Assam in a small truck. (PTI
Fire razes 19 houses in Mon dist. of Nagaland
Kohima:A devastating fire broke out at Yonghong Kemchenshu village under Mopong Circle of Mon district on Wednesday, completely razing 19 houses and four granaries. According to official sources today said 11 houses and one village guard barrack were also partially damaged, while five houses were dismantled to douse off the inferno. No casualty has been reported however properties worth lakhs were consumed by the fire. The cause of fire was ignited from a solar battery mobile charger that explored on the roof of a house. Meanwhile, Yanithung Ngullie, EAC Mopong and Wati Toshi Jamir, OC Tobu visited the spot and held a meeting with the villagers. (UNI)
ITDC ties up with Assam down town University to offer course
Guwahati:India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) on Thursday said it has signed an agreement with Assam down town University to offer a degree course in Hotel Management and Industrial Training.”The joint endeavour is to conduct a three year Bachelors course in Hotel Management at the Assam down town University, Guwahati, with Industrial Training at ITDC Hotels,” the company said in a statement.As per the understanding, ITDC will provide its expertise in developing the curriculum for the course enabling students to cope up with the new trends emerging in the hospitality sector, it added.The three-year programme will be conducted at the Assam down town University Campus in Guwahati offering a joint certification (ADTU and ITDC) to the successful students and this programme will commence from April, 2015-2016. (PTI)
Male elephant calf reunited with herd
Nagaon:A male elephant calf was reunited with its herd at Borbhogia village in Kaliabor block of Assam’s Nagaon district by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)-Wildlife Trust of India (WTI)-run Mobile Veterinary Service (MVS) team.The MVS team was informed on December 15 that an elephant calf was found alone surrounded by dogs in a swampy wetland near the village, WTI Awareness for Conservation Assistant Manager Subhamoy Bhattacharjee said today.Soon after receiving the information the IFAW-WTI MVS (Central Assam) team rushed to the spot and found the one-and- half-year-old calf confining himself to the water body being scared of the dogs, Bhattacharjee said.The village is 85 km away from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), the wildlife care centre in Kaziranga National Park in Assam, he said.With the support of the Assam Forest Department, locals and Green Guard – a conservation NGO – the calf was successfully rescued and taken to a safer place at the Jakhalabonda forest beat office for observation.(PTI)