The Assam Rifles Signal Unit celebrated its 27th anniversary on January 5. The highlights of the celebrations were a Pagal Gymkhana and Barakhana which were attended by a large number of Army and Civil officials. Brig R. S. Trehan, Director NCC was the Chief Guest.

The Signal Unit was raised on this day in 1957 to provide radio and line communication for the DGAR and all the Ranges and units deployed in the North-East.

The Assam Rifles Signal Unit not only provides the radio and line communication to the Force but it also extends these facilities to the Civil administrations and civilians in the far-flung and remote areas of the region at the time of crisis and natural calamities.

The Cabinet Sub-Committee set up by the Meghalaya Govt to elicit public opinion on the controversial Byrnihat Railhead project has drawn a blank on the opening day of its sitting – on Jan 7.

Despite wide media publicity, not a single soul nor any organization appeared before the Committee to air views on the issue.

The officials and the Members of the Sub Committee waited patiently from 11.30 A.M. to 3.30 P.M. but no one turned up. there was no ready explanation available for this washout.

Political circles opposed to the project claim that it was a clear testimonial to the “people’s disapproval” of the railhead project.

Mr Grosswell Mylliemngap, who is the chairman of the Sub-Committee told this reporter that some written representations, both for and against, were earlier received from the public.

He could not exactly say whether fresh date would be announced for the purpose, or the Govt would go by whatever representations were received so far.

The Meghalaya Supply Minister, Mr D.D. Lapang, has said that the prices of essential commodities in Shillong compared “favourably” with those prevailing in Gauhati. Those items which sold at “marginally” higher price in Shillong owed it to the additional transport cost.

 Mr Lapang was clarifying the issue of price-rise to a delegation of Tribal Women’s Welfare And Development Association (TWWADM) here on January 2. The delegation brought to the attention of the Minister the hardships of the common people following the steep rise in price of rice, vegetables, meat and other items of daily use. Mr Lapang explained that in so far as price of beef, pork, mutton and fish were concerned, it was not possible to control the price, since these items were being dealt with by individual traders and the sources of supply being indeterminate and variable.

 The TWWADM delegation pointed out that Tamilnadu and some states had made satisfactory arrangements in making these items available to the people in organised way. They urged the Government to adopt similar steps in Meghalaya. Mr Lapang assured them of examining the proposal.

The Meghalaya Power Minister, Mr G. Mylliemngap, has announced that a number of bore wells would be dug at Mawryngkneng and the neighbouring villages with the help of a drilling rig gifted by UNICEF.

Hoping that the bore wells would help ease the water problems of the region, Mr Mylliemngap, who was addressing a largely attended public meeting on December 14 at Mawryngkneng village, also told the people that the main cause of the water problem in the area was the indiscriminate destruction of forests.

The Meghalaya Power Minister, ‘Mr Grosswell Mylliemngap has scotched

rumours that the non-Congress (I) Ministers in the ruling- Meghalaya Democratic Front were joining the Congress (I).

He told the Shillong Times that he did not foresee any such possibility. Mr Mylliemngap said that he, together with some other Ministers, had attended the recent AICC (I) Plenary Session as an “invitee”. Explaining he said ”I had gone to Calcutta in connection with my son’s admission in engineering college. I took the chance to see for myself what the plenary session was all about.” Asked what would be the stand of the ”third force” (as represented by Ministers and MLAs who are neither with the Regional parties nor with the Congress-I) if a polarisation were to take place, Mr Mylliemngap said that they would explore the possibility of forming a new state based party.

He replied in the negative when asked if there was any possibility of the Government postponing the forthcoming District Council elections in Khasi Hills. “From what I have learnt about the Congress (I), they are highly democratic in their style of functioning, and I don’t see reason why District Council elections should be postponed”, he said.

Cooking gas may largely replace petrol in running of four-wheelers, if the on-going experiments carried out by the Oil India Limited (Duliajan) are any indication.

Experiments on an Ambassador car and a Mahindra & Mahindra jeep have shown that cooking gas gives 100% additional kilometer than the conventional fuel, petrol. While a motorist pays 60 paise to the litre on a petrol-run vehicle, the car run on a kitchen gas cylinder will cost 30 paise to the litre.

According to an OIL press release, the process of converting a car from petrol to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) system is estimated to cost some Rs. 4000. Installation of the kit is “not lengthy” nor does it require any “major modification.”

The experiments suggest that the durability of the car engine will increase at least ten times because LPG does not contain Lead, besides, the wear and tear of the cylinder walls and bearings would diminish since LPG is a dry gaseous substance, it adds.

The LPG carburetion system is simple and dispenses with the delicate jets. It also eliminates the fuel pump. There is no knocking of the engine since LPG vapourises extremely well resulting and smoother sunning of the engine than in petrol run cars.

A remarkable feature of the converted car is its “dual fuel system” which enables a driver to switch, on a dashboard selector, from LPG to petrol without having to stop the vehicle.

The OIL has, meanwhile, sought permission from the Assam Transport Commissioner and the Chief Controller of Explosives, to meet all necessary statutory requirements for running LPG powered vehicles regularly on public roads.

It is also carrying out similar experiments on diesel vehicles. “Smooth acceleration” of the vehicle and “no tendency of engine stalling” were noticed, the press release adds.

P&T jobs for sportsmen

The Postmaster General, N.E. Circle, Shillong will be recruiting 22 outstanding sportsmen and sportswomen during the current financial year.

Candidates who have represented the country, State, University or School, shall be eligible, for consideration of rules. The Certificates for the above should be from the All India Sports Board itself.

Prescribed application forms, and sports certificates forms are available in the offices of the Director of Postal Services, Sr. Supdt. Of Post Offices, Sr./Supdts of Railway Mail Services, Supdt. Postal Stores Depot, Supdt. Circle Stamp Depot, Manager, Mail Motor Service, and Gazetted Postmasters at different stations of the North-East

An elocution contest for School students on “The Need for Preservation of Wildlife in Meghalaya’ and Exhibition of Wildlife organised jointly by the Meghalaya Forest Department, the Botanical Survey of India and the Zoological Survey of India were the highlights of the observance of Wildlife Week here last week.

Ester M. Tariang (Synod High School) annexed the first prize and Ahmed Jamul (St. Peter’s School) and Manoj Kurian Mathew (St. Edmund’s School) jointly secured the second prize and B.Nongkynrih (Synod High School) bagged the third prize, while Miss M. Lyngwa of K.J.P. Girls High School and Miss D. V. Nongkyurih of Seng Khasi High School were awarded consolations prizes, Synod High School and K.J.P. Girls High School annexed the best school award.

In the placard contest St. Anthony’s High School and Sacred Heart Girls High School were awarded first and second prizes respectively.

In the essay competition P. Sumer was awarded the first prize and Bhaskar Purkayastha (Govt High School, Tura) the second prize. In group two the first prize went . to M.B. Lyngwa and the second prize to S.K Marak (Govt Boys High School, Tura).

Speaking on the occasion, the Meghalaya Forest Minister, Mr Rowell Lyngdoh, said that though the State govt has set up two wildlife sanctuaries, the attitude of the people towards wildlife, would have to change so that animals in these sanctuaries would cease to fear man and come out in the open and roam freely.

Among those .who spoke were Mr. L. Rynjah retired Chief Conservator of Forests Nagaland, Mr. Wahlang, Conservator, Wildlife and Mr. G .C. Das Choudhury, Divisional Forest Officer,Wild- life Division. In this connection a Wildlife Exhibition, which was held at the All Saint Cathedral Hall, was inaugurated by Meghalaya Chief Secretary, Mrs.P.P. Trivedi.

Territorial army day observed

The 34th Anniversary of the Territorial Army Was observed here on Oct 9. The programme included an exhibition on TA on the March, ceremonial parade and a flag march by the T A personnel. The ceremonial parade attended by more than .150 jawans of.119 Infantry Battalion (TA). The Commanding Officer Lt Col L R. Das took the salute.

Later, two columns of, the T A personnel staged a flag march through the main streets of Shillong.

Garo Hills Dist. Council poll

Electioneering in Garo Hills for the 29 District Council seats is yet devoid of the heat and fervour that are normally associated with any election. To a casual visitor to the district it needs to be told that an important election is only a fortnight away.

The usual scene of feverish activities, even in the scale of college election, are nowhere in sight. There are no posters, no banners and not even the blaring of loudspeakers. Only in some places walls have been used to sell a candidate.

Campaigning in Garo Hills is done at a personal level or at best at group levels. A candidate is expected to establish firsthand contact with most of the voters, and try to woo them by distributing favours either on the spot or by making a solemn promise. The ruling Congress (I) which is in power at the State is, it seems, better placed to attract the voters. Small wonder that most of the Garo Ministers, including the Chief Minister, and the MLAs have fanned out to mobilize support in favour of their party nominees.

Garo Hills have always been Captain Sangma’s bastion. At one time it used to rise in one voice at his call. Over the years the vote bank has eroded and, today, he faces a fairly strong challenge from his political detractors who vow by the regional parties. Although the Congress (I) enjoys a clear edge over its rival alliance, it would be a great mistake to write off the regional parties. Even in a safe place like Tura, the Congress prospects appear to be not-too-rosy.

In the prestigious Tura seat it is going to be a straight fight between Mr Godwin Shira (Cong I) and Barthiar Marak (APHLC). Mr Shira, a former HSPDP activist had contested the last general election unsuccessfully from Rongram. His young opponent is the eldest son of former Minister Mr Grohonsingh Marak. In Tura, this reporter gathered the impression that it could be a close race.

But Captain Sangma says with a poise of confidence “everything will be alright soon”. Sitting at his Hawakhana residence, he told Shillong Times that his party was destined to obtain an absolute majority. The Chief Minister, who had returned from Bajengdoba a little while ago, looked relaxed in his silk kurta and pyjana. No, he would not hazard a guess about the results. But he adds that some of the Independent candidates who were expected to win would join the Congress(I) to which they actually belonged. They had filed nominations after the party issued ticket to others.

Poll managers at the Congress Bhavan are hopeful of convincing victory. They claim that the stance of the regional parties on some vital matters relating to the State as a whole would help swing the Garo voters towards the Congress (I).

The regional parties have no office as such. In Tura the main centre of activities is the house of the candidate. A spokesman of the regional party alliance appeared optimistic about its chance.

The Government of Meghalaya constituted the Advisory Board with the following members to review the cases detained under the Security Act, 1980:

Mr Justice M.C. Pathak, Retired Chief Justice, Gauhati High Court. (Chairman); Mr Justice B. N. Sarma, Retired Chief Judge, Gauhati High Court. Mr A. D. Massar, Advocate, Shillong.

FCI employees threaten to launch stir

The FCI employees of the NE Region have threatened to go on an indefinite agrtation demanding rescission of the management’s ‘‘whimsical decision’’ to absorb 4000 employees who were on deputation from the West Bengal Government.

In a memorandum, submitted to the Meghalaya Chief Minister, the FCI Employees Coordination Committee has urged him to take up the matter with the Union Food Minister.

The employees have said that the absorption of such a staggering number of staff in the FCI was detrimental to the service interest of the bonafide FCI employees.

It is recalled that the employees have been agitating on this issue since July last.

Artificial limb Centre to be set up in Shillong

North Eastern region’s first artificial limb centre is being set up at the Shillong Civil Hospital under the sponsorship of the Talents Club.

The centre, which will cost over Rs 2 lakhs, will have facility for physio-therapy as well as rehabilitation for the physically handicapped. Orders for the purchase of basic equiprnents have already been placed with a Delhi firm.

The club raised over Rs 1 lakh through a fete held in December ’8l. Later its President, Ms Preeti Mehrotra, collected donations of Rs 50,000. On October 6 the Club organised a charity film show. According to its Secretary, Ms. Neelam Sinha, the show fetched nearly Rs 50,000.

Burglars gang busted, 18 arrested

In a week-long drive against buglars, Shillong police have busted a gang of burglars consisting of 18 persons, including three women.

An official press release said that the gang is responsible for a number of bulgaries committed for the last two months in Shillong area.

Interrogation of the bulgaries led to the recovery of considerable amount of booties including melted silver, brass, articles, stereo equipments, cameras, wrist watches, transistors, table clocks, clothes and other household articles. With the recovery of these articles, a number of case have been solved.

In preparation for the February elections to the Khasi Hills District Council, fresh delimitation of the 29 constituencies have been announced.

In the Bhoi area, a new constituency-Umsning-is being carved out of Nongpoh, Mawhati, and Umroi constituencies. The existing Laitkroh constituency has been abolished, and the areas have been tagged to Laitkroh-Mylleim and Sohra constituencies.

A new constituency has been created out of Upper Mawprem, Rilbong, Kench’s Trace, Madan Laban, Lummawbah, Nongkseh upto 5th mile, Upper Shillong. It has been named as Lummawbah constituency.

Laban has been merged with the entire Malki area together with the right side of Nongthymmai town starting from Rynjah to constitute Malki-Laban constituency.

Under the new dispensation, Madanrting is tagged to Nongkrem.

The revised constituencies are Jirang, Nongpoh, Mawhati, Umroi, Umsning, Sohryngkham, Dienglieng, Nongkrem, Langkyrdem, Nongshken, Shella, Mawsynram, Sehra, Lummawbah, Laitkroh- Mylleim, Malki, Laban, Laitumkhrah , Nongthymmai, Mawkhar, Jaiaw, Maw1ai, Mawphlang, Nongspung, Mairang, Pariong, Mawkyrwat, Langrin, Nongstoin, Myriaw and Mawthengkut.