Assam govt supports Anna’s crusade against Land Acquisition
Guwahati: Voicing strong opposition to the Land Acquisition Ordinance, the Assam Government on Monday extended full support to social activist Anna Hazare in his fight against the Ordinance. In a statement here, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the state government has all along been opposing anti-people and anti-farmer policies. “Our government stood against anti-people and anti-farmer policies. The Land Acquisition Ordinance is anti-people and anti-farmers and meant to serve only the interests of the rich, affluent and industrialists,” Gogoi said. “Our government is dead against such an anti-people and anti-farmer policy and is not going to implement it. Our government expresses its strong opposition to the ordinance and extends full support to social activist Anna Hazare in his crusade against it”, he added. The chief minister also said, “I attended the swearing in ceremony of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to express my solidarity with all like minded secular and progressive parties in their fight against divisive forces and lend support for pro-poor policies”. (PTI)
Assam GRP sets up new helpline for passenger safety
Guwahati: The Assam Government Railway Police has installed a new helpline number for issues pertaining to safety in Railways. The new Helpline Number 1512 is to facilitate the Railway passengers and other people to approach the Assam Government Railway Police for issues related to safety, security and crime in Railways. This was stated in a government release here on Monday. (PTI)
Two private schools set ablaze in Manipur
Imphal: Two private schools in Manipur, whose students were denied admit cards by CBSE after the institutions were found not recognised by the board, were set afire in Imphal West district, the police said on Monday. The schools that were set ablaze on Saturday were identified as Akash Institute and Central Institute of Sciences at Ghari on the outskirts of the city and Keisamthong in the capital complex respectively, the police said. The two schools had hundreds of students enrolled in class 10 and class 12 respectively who were to take their CBSE exams scheduled next month. The students were not issued admit cards as both the institutions were found unregistered with the board, officials said. Maoist Communist Party, Manipur, spokesman Nonglen Meitei in a statement claimed responsibility for the torching of the Central Institute of Sciences at Keisamthong for ‘misleading hundreds of students’. It was not yet known who set afire the second educational institute. The authorities of both the schools are untraceable, the police said. (PTI)
Third swine flu case in Nagaland
Kohima: With the third swine flu case being confirmed in Nagaland, all district hospitals have been directed to keep isolation ward facilities at hand. An official statement by State Nodal Officer for Integrated Diseases Surveillance Programme (IDSP) said Monday the man was diagnosed with the H1N1 virus two days back and the health department arranged for his treatment since Sunday. The man had arrived in Kohima from New Delhi on February 20 with flu symptoms by flight, the statement said. He had given the swab samples to a Delhi hospital before leaving and the reports, which reached him on Saturday evening, showed the samples were H1N1 positive, it said. The Health department has advised people travelling to Nagaland from metro cities to avail the medication at nearby hospitals. The health department has also instructed all doctors and health personnel to be at their respective places of posting for combating the flu. On February 18, a Naga woman, based at Chennai, was diagnosed with H1N1 virus after being admitted to the District Hospital Dimapur while in the second case, a 27-year old Naga male was tested positive for the virus on Friday, health department sources said. (PTI)
Powerful bomb found near clinic
Imphal: A powerful bomb was found near a nature cure clinic at Heingang area in Imphal East district Monday, official sources said. A bomb squad was rushed to the spot and the bomb defused in the open fields without any damage, the police said. (PTI)