Four workers die while checking polypropylene tank at BPCL
Dibrugarh:Four labourers on Saturday died after they entered a polypropylene storage tank in Central PSU Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL) in Dibrugarh district following which enraged labourers set ablaze the construction company’s office and damaged some vehicles. BCPL Managing Director Prabhu Nath Prasad said IOT Ltd, a firm engaged for constructing the gas cracker project at Lepetkata, sent a labourer in the tank to check if it was clean. When the labourer did not come out, another one was sent in by IOT officials to find out what happened to the first one, followed by two others even when the second one, too, did not return. A rescue team with oxygen masks was then sent after the last two, too, did not come out, Prasad said adding the four were brought out in a serious condition. Hiren Gogoi and Harish Cheleng died before reaching the hospital, while Gajen Gogoi and Hemanta Das died during treatment there, district SP Rana Hazarika said. After the incident, labourers of the IOT set ablaze the construction company’s office in the BPCL campus and damaged some vehicles. The angry workers alleged the IOT authorities failed to ensure safety of the labourers by not checking whether the 20-feet-deep PP storage tank had oxygen.(PTI)
Smuggled pistols, heroin seized in Mizoram
Aizawl:Mizoram Excise and Narcotics department officials have seized two smuggled Chinese-made 9 mm pistols and 28 grams of heroin in the state separately, a department spokesman said here on Saturday. In a joint operation, department officials along with personnel of Assam Rifles and the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau last night seized the pistols at Zokhawthar, a hamlet along Mizoram Myanmar border. The spokesman said two Myanmarese nationals, Gintunmung and Gintheih-thang, were arrested connection with the seizure. In another case, Excise and Narcotics department officials seized 28 gram of heroin in Aizawl last night and arrested G. Thangkhuma (28) in this connection. (PTI)
Review meet on SPEED begins at Razaphema village
Kohima: A two-day review meeting on Special Programme for Environmental and Economic Development (SPEED) under the Department of Land Resources got underway at the Biodiversity Centre, Research and Demonstration Farm of the Department at Razaphema village under Dimapur district began. According to a release issued by the Land Resource Department today the meeting is to evaluate the performance, implementation and activities of SPEED in 50 villages, which was launched in December 2013 by the Department in commemoration of the 50th year of statehood, to improve quality of life as its main objective. Addressing the gathering, Senti Ao, Additional Secretary, Land Resources exhorted the participants stating that he would not hesitate to congratulate the department on the activities and success of SPEED in the state. Mhathung Yanthan, the Director of the Land Resource Department said lot of changes and improvements have taken place with the launching of SPEED.(UNI)
Tripura comes under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana
Agartala:All families across Tripura have been covered under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), a national mission of financial inclusion of all households in the country, a top government official said here Saturday.”Till last month (Nov), over 200,000 new bank accounts have been opened under the PMJDY. Thus, all the households in Tripura have been covered under the scheme,” Tripura finance secretary Ashutosh Jindal told IANS.Earlier, banks along with the district administrations identified the families who did not possess a bank account. Then the nationalised and regional rural banks secured accounts for those families.Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech announced PMJDY.(IANS)
PPA MLAs join Congres
Itanagar:All the five MLAs of People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) on Friday joined the ruling Congress, taking the strength of the House to 60 from 47. Assembly Speaker Nabam Rebia in the Bulletin Part-II of the assembly said, “The five PPA members who constitute the entire Legislature Party have merged with Congress Legislature Party and have become members of the political party.” Chief Minister Nabam Tuki welcomed the legislators – Pani Taram from Koloriang, Nikh Kamin (Bordumsa-Diyun), Tirong Aboh (Khonsa West), Pasang Dorjee Sona (Mechuka) and Wanglam Sawin (Khonsa East) to the party’s fold in a simple function organised in his office.(PTI)