Aizawl: A meeting between Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and senior officials of the union ministry for power on Thursday decided to take up the matter of cross border electrification with the ministry of external affairs, an official statement here said. The chief minister had suggested to the centre during a meeting with Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi recently that nearby villages in Myanmar across the international boundary be given electricity from Mizoram. The high-level central team, led by joint secretary A K Verma from the power ministry is here following the chief minister’s request. Representatives of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, North East Electric Power Corporation Limited, Rural Electrification Corporation and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation were also present at the meeting, the statement added. (PTI)
Mizoram govt to send team to Champai for death of pigs
Aizawl: The Mizoram government will send a four-member Rapid Response Team (RRT) to Champhai bordering Myanmar on Friday to assess the situation in view of reported deaths of pigs and piglets, an official said. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department Director Dr Saingura Sailo said that the team would be equipped with laboratory equipments as his department officials in Champhai district had reported that 16 pigs and piglets had died during the last two weeks due to unknown disease. “The samples of sick swines have been brought to Aizawl and being tested at the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry at Selesih near Aizawl, and the results are expected soon,” he said. He said that the results would clarify whether the cause of the deaths of swines in Champhai was the dreaded Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) or swine fever. Meanwhile, Champhai Pig Owners Association claimed that at least 52 pigs have died during the period in the town and some more were sick. (PTI)
Tripura flood affected 89 villages so far
Agartala: Altogether 7,662 families of 89 villages were affected due to the recent flash flood triggered by incessant downpour across the state, the initial estimation of state disaster management authority. According to a report, as many as 211 dwelling huts were severely damaged while 287 dwelling huts were party damaged by the flood water. Altogether 193 camps were opened to provide shelters to the flood affected people across the state and 12 relief camps are still opened. In the recent flood, West Tripura district and Khowai district have suffered maximum damaged. In Khowai district alone, as many as 37 villages were affected due to flood and added, “Actual cost of damage could be ascertained only after compiling report to be submitted by concerned departments like PWD, Agriculture and DM offices.” Sensing the gravity of the situation, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has already asked the district administrations to extend all possible helps to the marooned families. (UNI)