The North Eastern Regional Electricity Board (NEREB) has decided to work out uniform power tariff for the entire region, besides sharing power on “equitable basis.”

The NEREB took these decisions at its 26th meeting held here on Aug. 22.

The establishment of hydro electric research stations in the north-eastern region which is necessary for facilitating future development of hydro power in the region was recommended at the meeting.

With central projects being commissioned in the region, and because of the need to ensure regular flow of power within the region, the Board felt that a uniform tariff for inter-state exchange of power was inevitable.

Due to disparity in the availability of power in the region, the Board felt that sharing of available power on equitable basis should be strictly followed by the states and union territories.

Since rural electrification schemes are not remunerative, the Board recommended that REC loans should be converted as out-right grant-in-aid.

To make the cost of generation of power by the central projects comparatively reasonable, the Board recommended to the Centre to provide transport subsidy for all power projects in the region.

The Board also recommended the taking up on a priority basis the 132 KV line connecting Sumer and Mawlai as this would facilitate useful utilization of the power generated in the central sector.

On the previous day, the Technical Co-ordination Committee Meeting was also hold. Those who attended were the chief engineers of the constituent States and Union territories. The members of the Bard expressed happiness on the re-commissioning of the Loktak and the commissioning of the Khahdong Power House. They felt this would give much relief to the power crisis in the region.

Besides the power minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, the others who attended the meeting were the member (power system, Central Electricity Authority, the Secretary, North Eastern Council, the Chairman, NEEPCO, the chairmen of the electricity boards of Assam and Meghalaya, the Special Secretary of Power, Meghalaya, and the chief engineers from the respective states from the North Eastern Region.

Representatives from Loktak and National Hydro Power Corporation and other connected departments also participated in the meeting. The Secretary Power, West Bengal also attended as one of the invitees.

The 2nd North-East India Yogasana Contest and the Annual Body Building Championship of Meghalaya will be held on September 7 & 8 in Shillong. In the Yogasana contest participants representing states as well as individual organization may send entries within Sept. 1

An official Press Note says in order to consider the applications for national and zonal permits and other matters, the state Transport Autnority (STA), Shillong has notified that the next meeting of the State Transport Authority. Meghalaya will be held on September 13, at 10 a.m,

In this regard the STA requested all applicants for national and zonal permits, whose names were notified on April 12 and 17 respectively and published in the Meghalaya Gazettee ou May 3 and August 2 respectively, to represent their cases either personally or through an agent or representatives duly authorised by them in this behalf on the appointed date, time and place.

The STA also requested that all applicant for national/zonal permits to bring with them all relevant dccuments of their vehicles showing payments of uptodate taxes, including valid sale tax and income tax clearance certificates and any certificates for supporting their candidature and to produce these before the STA on demand.

In case the hearing is not completed on September 13, the STA notified that the meeting would continue on the next working days.

Mr Martin Narayan Majaw, former President of the PDIC, has quit the party. In a press statement issued here he said that he along with some of his followers have decided to sever links with the party.

The Democratic Hills Movement is holding its first convention at the Durbar Hall Mawkhar on Sept 8. According to a press release issued on its behalf, the idea of the new Party was conceived at a meeting of 25 youths on July 16 last. The DHM symbolizes the “frustration and disillusionment of the younger generations with the present leaders who have failed to realize the noblest aspirations of the tribal’s.”

It denounces the present political leadership of the State for, what it calls, their mad lust for power and wealth, besides furthering the interests of non-tribal and foreign interest.

The Power workers of Meghalaya have withdrawn their agitation following the Power Minister Mr Grosswell Mylliemngap’s offer to act as a go-between. As a reciprocal step the MSEB has decided not to issue the pay-cut orders which it was earlier contemplating to issue in the wake of the agitation.

47th Constitution Amendment

Captain Sangma has done it! From what it appeared to be an irretrievable situation, he has managed to get the two Houses of Parliament to pass the Bill for 47th Amendment to the Constitution.

The Bill provides for reservation of Assembly seats for the tribal’s of Meghalaya and Nagaland, Parliamentary seats in the tribal States and Union Territories of the North-East.

On Aug 22 when, against now-or-never back-drop, the Parliament tailed to pass the Bill at the consideration stage for want of quorum, it was almost taken for granted that virtually that was the end of it. Normally when such a situation arises, the practice is that the Bill is reintroduced in the next session. But since the present session is likely to be the last one for the present House, and the since the result of the forthcoming elections are unpredictable it was vital for the protagonists of the Bill to get it adopted.

According to information’s available here, a crest-fallen Chief Minister, who is campaign in Delhi for the past fortnight to ensure its smooth passage, made a desperate bid to clinch the issue. He reportedly threatened to resign from the Congress(I) if the Bill was not adopted by the Parliament Mrs Gandhi instructed the colleagues to go all out. A desperate Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Buta Singh, consult the senior parliament aides. It was decided that rules of the House be suspended to facilitate the passing of the Bill without complying with the normal requisites under the rules. Accordingly, the Look Sabah Speaker Mr. Balaam Shaker did the needful the next day.

It is the second time that Look Sabah suspended the rules for Meghalaya. The other occasion was at the time of creation of the State.

The idea to reserve the seats for the tribal’s has been unanimously supported by all the political parties of the State. Following the creation of Meghalaya, the Centre had decided to deserve the seats.

Subsequently, the State Assembly adopted a resolution urging the Centre to restore reservation of seats for the tribal’s who were apprehensive that outsiders would someday get elected from the predominantly tribal areas. However, so far there has been instance of any non-tribal contesting election from the interior areas.

There was a sigh of relief in the Congress (I) circles here when reports reached that the job is done. Earlier, when there was a set-back a sense of dismay had griped the partymen. For, it would have been a sure stick for the Opposition to beat the party with.

Governor Bhishma Narain Singh has urged for a new derermination on the part of the working class people in general and the engineers and other technicaily qualified people in particular to bring about accelerated development of the North-East.

Mr Singh was addressing several gatherings of workers, engineers, contractors and general public in course of his two-day visit to the Kopili Hydro Electric Project campus on August 11 and 12 last.

Addressing the workers at the construction site of the Kopili power House Mr Singh dwelt on the problems of communication and geographical isolation of the North-East and referred to the special attention given by the Centre for rapid development of the region. He said unlike the rest of the country a four-tier development programme was under implementation in the North-East through the agencies of Center, State and Union Territories Government, District Councils and the North-Eastern Council.

Referring to the impact of development projects like Kopili on the general prosperity of the country Mr Singh underscored the need for greater awareness for national integration and solidarity. He observed that in a parliamentery democracy, like the one in India, there was no scope for confrontations between the State Governments and the Centre or between the State Administration and Drstrict Council. The Constitution has provided ample opportunities to all the Units of administration in the country to work in closest harmony and active co-operation, Mr Singh added.

The Chairman cum Managing Director of NEEPCO, Mr S R Shah, informed the Governor that the project as per its revised schedule would finally generate 735 M.W. of power after the completion of the first two phases generation of 150 M. W. and 185 M.W. He also stated that besides generating additional power, it would be possible to irrigate about four lakh hectares of land in the downstream of Kopili.

A new dental surgery complex, including piped music system, in the Military Hospital Shillong was inaugurated recently by Major General B.S. Kanwar, GOC 101 Area.

The Military Dental Centre, which is the oldest Dental Centre in the region, is now equipped to undertake treatment by improved methods.

Lt. Col. Ravindra Narain, Officer Commanding of the Dental Centre has designed and modified a dental drill which runs on 12 volts secondary battery as well on 230 mains. The modified drill has been regularly used and all types of works and carried out by him at the Dental Centre.

On this occasion the senior officers of the station and Dr. (Capt) V.S. Sehgal who commanded this unit as 1st Indian Officer Commanding in the year 1945-46 was also present.

The Regiona1 parties call for North-East bandh on foreigners’ issue evoked varied response ranging from partial to negligible. Barring a few minor incidents, the day passed off peacefully.

The bandh was fairly successful in Gauhati and Aizwal, but had little impact in Itanagar and Agartala

In Shillong, as there was no picketing by the organisers, the attendance in the offices was in the arc of 70 and 90%.Although most of the offices functioned normally, the school and college had thin attendance and many institutions did not hold classes.

No Public transport operation were on road, but State owned buses plied in various routes. Two MTC buses were stoned at Mawlai, while a Magistrate’s jeep was damaged and the driver injured because of stoning.

Commercial activities came to a grinding halt as most of shops and trading centres had their shutters down. However cinema shows were held as usual. Although most of the banks failed to function on the day, the State Bank main city branch operated unhampered.

A report from Tura said that 106 picketers were arrested for violating Sec 144 of the Cr P.C. during the day. Another person was he1d on charges of assault. The All-Meghalaya Garo Students Union volunteers were picketing at some vantage points, Police picked them up. As elsewhere, the overall response in Tura was partial.

Reports from Jowai suggest that there was not much of an impact as life trudged along normally in the district headquarter.

In two separate accidents, at least three youths lost their lives in Shillong this week.

In the evening of August 11, a jeep carrying five passengers rolled down a gorge near MES office, Upper Shillong. One person was admitted in hospital and police recovered two bodies from the spot the next morning. Police was not sure about the fate of the remaining two passengers. The jeep is still under water.

In another accident three days earlier, a young college student, hanging on the footboard of a city bus in motion hit against a parked vehicle near Nongthymmai. He died on the spot.