From Our Correspondent

 TURA: A sudden spurt in counter-insurgency operations by Meghalaya police which deployed special commando units of SWAT and SOT in the jungles of Gambegre and its adjoining areas is believed to have made the GNLA panicky leading to the abduction of three policemen and the subsequent killing of one captive.

An intense counter-insurgency operation was launched in the past few weeks in Gambegre area after intelligence reports indicated that the GNLA was trying to dominate the area and “liberate” it for use as a corridor for movement of cadres and shipment of arms.

Highly placed police sources have revealed to The Shillong Times that as way back as two weeks ago a group of GNLA militants had accosted a police constable attached to guarding the State Bank of India at Gambegre.

The said constable was moving through the village in search of a herbal medicine to cure a boil on his body when he came across the group. The militants, then numbering eight, questioned him about his identity and deployment and released him with a stern warning to remain silent on their presence.

When intense operations were launched the GNLA outfit presumed that it was carried out following tip off from someone in the area and targeted the police picket at the bank.

They managed to trap three policemen deployed for bank security duty during a fishing trip on Saturday and accused them of informing the authorities on their whereabouts despite strong denials from the captive trio.

A senior GNLA militant leader who apparently spoke in fluent Khasi put several questions on Havildar William Maiong accusing him of speaking out even though the policeman had never come across the group since his posting in the area.

Incidently, the GNLA ‘chairman’ did announce to this newspaper late Saturday night about the capture of a person during a fishing trip for spying on their camp but did not give further details. He was apparently getting briefed by his juniors on the ground.

It was during the interrogation and intense beating that Maiong broke free and ran for freedom only to be cut down in a hail of fire by the militants.

The havildar’s body was given full police honours in Tura and later escorted to his hometown in Ri-bhoi district by a special vehicle accompanied by an Additional DSP.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: The Syiem of Hima Mylliem recently handed over the control of the Wahumkhrah river to the KHADC.

Confirming this, KHADC Chief Executive Member Pynshngain N Syiem told The Shillong Times on Sunday that they had received a letter from the office of the Syiem of Mylliem asking the Council to take over control of the Wahumkhrah river.

“This negotiation had been going on for quite some time. We are happy this has finally materialised,” Syiem added.

Despite being committed to protect the river, he said that the Council could not take any concrete steps towards this end since they did not have any control over the Wahumkhrah.

“But with this fresh development, the Council can now take initiatives towards protection of the river,” Syiem said.

The KHADC CEM, criticized people residing near the river, who he blamed for the deteriorating condition of the river. “Every time you pass by the river it is really painful to see its present condition,” he said.

He pointed out that dumping of garbage in the river was the main reason for the present condition of the river.

He, however, informed that the  Council is contemplating schemes for the protection of the Wahumkhrah.

“We are planning to allot these schemes for protection of the river to the various localities located close to the Wahumkhrah,” Syiem said.

It may be recalled that the KHADC had, earlier, proposed to conduct a massive cleaning drive along the Wahumkhrah besides planting of tress along the stretch of the river.

When asked about this proposed initiative of the Council, he said the idea had to be shelved following a request from the State Government.

“The State Water and Resources department is currently preparing a master plan to protect the Wahumkhrah,” he said, while adding that the KHADC would be more than happy to be a part of the noble initiative.

Over 1,000 people reside near the river dumping their daily waste directly into the river. Besides, around 700 sceptic tanks are directly connected to the river. Also, Polo area, which is a bustling commercial spot, has numerous shops, garbages from which are directly emptied into the river almost on a daily basis.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: Further delay and a fresh deadline once again from the Government. This has been the story thus far of the highly-anticipated Myntdu Leshka Hydro Electric project. The commissioning of the first unit of the power project, which was slated for October 15, has been further delayed but there is no new deadline for the first unit this time.

Instead, the State Government has targeted to commission all three units of the project by March 2012.

Talking to The Shillong Times Chief Secretary WMS Pariat said, “The target for us to commission all the three units is March next year.”

It may be mentioned that the commissioning of the first unit of the project has been delayed on several occasions in the past leading to unprecedented cost escalation.

The total cost of the project which was initially estimated at Rs 360 crore has now been revised to Rs 965 crore, almost a three-fold jump.

Reacting to a query about the delay in commissioning the first unit, the Chief Secretary explained that some tests were going on and the first unit would be commissioned very shortly.

“We are still committed to the target and efforts are on to commission the project at the earliest,” Pariat added. The DPR of the project was prepared way back in 2002 and the project took off in 2004 but all deadlines set by the State Government for commissioning the power project has been missed so far.

It is expected that once the first unit is commissioned it provide 42 megawatts of power to the power-hit State. The total output from the project has been estimated at 126 MW.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: The State Police on Sunday claimed to have identified those involved in spreading rumours to create unnecessary tension in the city in the past few days.

“We have identified an NGO which we believe is responsible for spreading those rumours. At the moment, we are keeping a close watch on the activities of the members of this NGO,” a senior police official said on Sunday.

Refusing to divulge the name of the NGO, the police official said the name of the NGO would be revealed once the investigation is complete.

The official, further, claimed that members of this NGO were doing this to make their presence felt in the city.

“We suspect that once they establish themselves they would start carrying out various illegal activities at a later stage,” he said, while making it clear that police would come own heavily on the members of the NGO.

It may be recalled in the past few days, there were rumours about law and order problem in several areas of the city including Iewduh, Nongmynsong and other localities.

Many non-tribals were also assaulted by unidentified miscreants last week.

The whole issue cropped up after unidentified persons assaulted a Khasi lad William Carey Manner and three others at Balvinder Bar near Sweeper Lane, Them Iewmawlong last week.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: Despite claims by the State Government that it has increased the fund allocation for the Fisheries department in the current fiscal year, the ground reality tells otherwise.

A visit to the fishing ponds located close to the Fisheries office in Cleve Colony in the city speaks volume of the sorry state of affairs in the department.

The fishing ponds, which are normally expected to be teeming with fishes, are totally dry.

When contacted, a senior government official admitted that the fishing ponds were totally dry.

“We are supposed to raise fishing seeds in these fishing ponds. But due to fund shortage we have been forced to abandon these ponds,” he said, while adding that the department has been distributing these fishing seeds to fish farmers mainly in East Khasi Hills.

He further added that at the moment, the department was raising fishing seeds only on few fishing ponds located on the lower side of the area.

“We need to understand that all these years the Fisheries department has been a minor department. Therefore, the fund allocation to the department is very limited,” he said while adding that with limited funds in hand, the department did not have the means to take up any major initiative to encourage the farmers to take up rearing of fishes as their means of livelihood.

The official, however, pointed out that under the present Government some positive development has been taking shape.

“The State Government is intending to transform the Fisheries into a major department by increasing the fund allocation,” he said.

With the Aquaculture Mission scheduled to be launched in December, the official was hopeful of a major transformation within the department.

“If we receive the necessary funds, the department would improve the fishing ponds. After this renovation, we would be able to start raising fishing seeds again,” he asserted.

A seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her uncle at Iongnoh village on October 13. The relatives of the victim lodged a complaint with Jowai police only on Saturday. Sources informed that the accused Kissar Talang (18) had taken the girl to a garden and committed the crime.

From Our Correspondent

JOWAI: Unkiang Police on Sunday arrested one Tynraimon Pohleng (23) of Rattacherra village in Jaintia Hills for allegedly killing two persons of the same village on Saturday night.

Sources informed that Pohleng attacked Bangla Myrshiang (35) and Dot Khonglah (32) with a dao (machete) while they were walking on the road in the village at around 8:30 pm on Saturday.

Sources also informed that all the three persons were in an inebriated condition.

The bodies of the deceased were handed over to their relatives on Sunday after post-mortem examination at Khliehriat CHC.