INDIA: Army Only for Specific Operations in Violence-Stricken Assam

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">GUWAHATI (ASSAM, INDIA) (NNN-PTI) -- Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said the Indian army will be used in the state only for specific operations to seize illegal arms and restore peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Army, which was being used to assist the civil administration in violence-hit districts, will be used in seizing illegal arms from the violence-hit districts initially.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They have been already put into action in Chirang and Bongaigaon districts and soon will conduct similar operations in the other districts, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"The army is out and is helping us. It has been given full powers to seize illegal arms and ammunition and I believe we will get results very soon," Gogoi said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The army, already engaged in counter-insurgency operations in the entire state, was requisitioned by the state government from July 25 to specifically assist the civil administration in quelling violence in lower Assam.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile, the chief minister has called a meeting of senior officials at the state secretariat today to review the prevailing law and order situation in the affected districts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A team of Youth Congress members was scheduled to visit Kokrajhar district on Wednesday on the directives of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tension prevails in the affected districts following widespread violence in different parts of the state during Tuesday's bandh called by the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) with security forces maintaining a strict vigil, official sources said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Night curfew was continuing in Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri districts, they said. -- NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Army Only for Specific Operations in Violence-Stricken Assam

GUWAHATI (ASSAM, INDIA) (NNN-PTI) -- Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said the Indian army will be used in the state only for...

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INDIA: Displaced Persons in Assam Expected to Return to their Villages in Next Few Days: Home Minister

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-F5i_DiKZFAYJhxZhbgO88jnq19NcS3RlcxyQmPpOJhLfSGCxFHbXBeNa7FpjqACg-gJckGFoSLtK5AgfTr25YHnl9FYejz0_kEgw_jmaXnEuMBk1J414WdLvl8mB4vpuk32xcOLKm4/s1600/l2012073141549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-F5i_DiKZFAYJhxZhbgO88jnq19NcS3RlcxyQmPpOJhLfSGCxFHbXBeNa7FpjqACg-gJckGFoSLtK5AgfTr25YHnl9FYejz0_kEgw_jmaXnEuMBk1J414WdLvl8mB4vpuk32xcOLKm4/s640/l2012073141549.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram addressing a press conference after visiting Kokrajhar during his visit to Assam on July 30, 2012. The Chief Minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi is also seen. Photo © PIB<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI (PIB) --- Ministry of Home Affairs has sent 65 additional companies of Central Armed Police Forces to Assam to restore normalcy in the State.  Presenting the Ministry’s Report Card for the month of July in New Delhi today, the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that plans have been drawn up to establish police pickets in sensitive villages in Assam.  He further said that the displaced persons are expected to return to their villages in the next few days.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Minister said that “on July 30-31, 2012, I visited Assam to review the security situation and the relief provided to persons displaced in the recent ethnic conflict. It is deeply regrettable that 56 persons lost their lives and more than 4 lakh persons have been displaced. They are currently sheltered in 278 camps set up by the Government. The Ministry of Home Affairs has provided additional 65 companies of CAPFs to Assam. The immediate tasks are relief, rehabilitation and providing security. Plans have been drawn up to establish police pickets in sensitive villages. The displaced persons are anxious to return and are expected to return to their villages in the next few days. Government of India has offered full cooperation and support to the State government.”<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Displaced Persons in Assam Expected to Return to their Villages in Next Few Days: Home Minister

The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram addressing a press conference after visiting Kokrajhar during his visit to Assam on July 30, 2012....

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INDIA: PM's Assam Visit in Trouble Due to Technical Snag in Chopper

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">GUWAHATI, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tour to violence-hit northeast state of Assam ran into trouble Saturday morning due to a technical trouble of the helicopter which was to fly him to Kokrjhar in riot-torn Bodoland Territorial Administered Districts (BTAD) in the state. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to China's Xinhua news agency, Manmohan landed at Gopinath Bordoloi airport at around 10 a.m. and boarded the helicopter but the chopper had to return after taking off due to some technical difficulties. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was no back up helicopter and the visit has been delayed. Now arrangement is being made for another helicopter to fly him and officials accompanying him from New Delhi to Kokrajhar. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Some 400,000 people have taken shelter in refugee camps in BTAD areas and waiting eagerly to meet the prime minister. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They complain that they are not getting any food and clothes from the administration as they had fled their homes due to communal clashes since July 20 which left 48 people dead. – NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: PM's Assam Visit in Trouble Due to Technical Snag in Chopper

GUWAHATI, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tour to violence-hit northeast state of Assam ran into trouble...

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India: Thousands Flee Ethnic Clashes in Northeastern State of Assam

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thousands of people are pouring into relief camps in northeastern India, where ethnic clashes have killed at least 41 people in the last week</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span dir="RTL"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Security forces continue to patrol the worst violence-hit areas of Assam state, where members of the Bodo tribe and Muslim settlers have been fighting for several days</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Troops have "shoot-on-sight" orders and a curfew is in place to quell further rioting.  The unrest near the Bhutanese border erupted last week after a series of attacks involving Bodos and Bengali Muslim settlers inflamed longtime tensions between the two groups</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Authorities say some 200,000 people have fled the violence.  Assam's Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi visited affected areas on Thursday.  Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also due in Assam on Saturday</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Animosity and accusations of land-stealing have long simmered in the region between members of the ethnic-Bodo community and the thousands of mostly Bengali Muslim settlers, many of whom came from the former East Pakistan before it became Bangladesh in 1971. --- VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Thousands Flee Ethnic Clashes in Northeastern State of Assam

Thousands of people are pouring into relief camps in northeastern India, where ethnic clashes have killed at least 41 people in the last w...

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Fresh Clashes between Ethnic Groups Rock Lower Assam

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">KOKRAJHAR (NNN-PTI) -- Fresh clashes between minority immigrants and Bodo tribals and cases of arson were reported from lower Assam Wednesday even as shoot-at-sight orders remained in force in Kokrajhar district which bore the brunt of the violence</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Official sources said there were reports of stray clashes and arson in remote villages of Chirang district where night curfew continued. Night curfew is also on in neighbouring Dhubri district</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Assam remained cut off from the rest of the country by rail as train services remained suspended all over the state with hundreds of Assam-bound passengers being stranded in Coochbehar in West Bengal on the border with Assam and other places</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There were reports of food and drinking water shortage among the passengers leading to protests by them. The official death toll stood at 32, but Chirang Deputy Commissioner Upendra Nath Bora said there were unconfirmed reports of recovery of three more bodies</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Over one lakh people have been rendered homeless and 125 relief camps have been set up in the affected district of Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri. Sources said that 18 columns of the Army's 21 mountain division were on their way to the troubled districts</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">An all-party delegation of the Assam Assembly is scheduled to visit the troubled areas Wednesday</span><span dir="RTL"></span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="RTL"></span>.</span><span dir="LTR"></span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span dir="LTR"></span> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">--NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Fresh Clashes between Ethnic Groups Rock Lower Assam

KOKRAJHAR (NNN-PTI) -- Fresh clashes between minority immigrants and Bodo tribals and cases of arson were reported from lower Assam Wedne...

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INDIA: Assam Flood Toll Rises to 122

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">GUWAHATI, Assam, India (NNN-Bernama) -- The flood situation in Assam remains grim with the death toll rising to 122 and large scale destruction of infrastructure, cropland and wildlife reported from different parts of the state. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Official sources said 106 deaths had been reported so far due to floods and 16 were killed in landslides while another 16 were missing, Press Trust of India reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Though the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries were maintaining a receding trend, vast tracts of land were still inundated in 27 of the affected districts, the sources said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An estimated 2.2 million population has been affected in the worst ever flood in recent years, causing large scale devastation in 2,809 villages with more than 255,000 hectares of cropland completely inundated. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About 50 per cent of crops in the agriculture sector were lost in flood affected districts. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The flood has also caused large-scale destruction in the world-famed Kaziranga National Park where more than 560 animals, including 14 rhinos, have perished. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The situation in the world's largest river island Majuli in Jorhat district was grim with almost the entire island under water. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Assam governor J B Patnaik had reviewed the flood situation in Kamrup, Darrang, Sonitpur and Nagaon and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had visited the severely affected Barpeta district. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Road services have been affected in 2,847 places, while rail tracks damaged by landslides in the Lumding-Badarpur Railway division were yet to be restored. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sources said an estimated 500,000 people have taken shelter in 630 relief camps and 150 medical teams have been deployed to provide medical aid, while 30 camps have been set up for cattle. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Assam Flood Toll Rises to 122

GUWAHATI, Assam, India (NNN-Bernama) -- The flood situation in Assam remains grim with the death toll rising to 122 and large scale destruc...

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India: PM Makes Aerial Survey of Flood Affected Areas of Assam

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSo3NkZvJ-rq7TyOs9Qgwj8994g-iy6nQIIljt9z7oqvprqS3lB2uFqSq36j1TtIW-CHGgiA_Xa69ih2wAtwmbKLJB7mjzXjXMYFE5lgTwZcmQ_OKT4fvZbgj9T2h447-3cGCa-x7zmQ/s1600/l2012070241223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSo3NkZvJ-rq7TyOs9Qgwj8994g-iy6nQIIljt9z7oqvprqS3lB2uFqSq36j1TtIW-CHGgiA_Xa69ih2wAtwmbKLJB7mjzXjXMYFE5lgTwZcmQ_OKT4fvZbgj9T2h447-3cGCa-x7zmQ/s640/l2012070241223.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh addressing the media at Guwahati airport<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">after aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Assam on July 02, 2012. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">The Chairperson, National Advisory Council, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and the<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Chief Minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi are also seen.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i>  </i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Photo © PIB<o:p></o:p></span></i></div></td></tr> </tbody></table><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Guwahati</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(PIB) --- Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, made an aerial survey of flood affected areas of Assam today. After the aerial survey, he interacted with media persons. Addressing the media, he said that, Sonia ji and I have made an aerial survey of the flood affected areas of Jorhat, Dhemaji and Lakhimrpur districts and I have witnessed the extensive damage that the floods have caused. The people of Assam are facing one of the worst floods in recent times. These floods have led to loss of lives and have afflicted considerable damage to crops, embankments, roads, and other infrastructure. I have learnt with great sadness that 77 people have died and 5 are missing and more than 2,000 villages and over 19 lakh people have been affected. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Central government and its agencies are working closely with the State Government and doing everything possible to provide relief to the affected people. National Disaster Response Force has deployed 16 teams comprising of 640 men along with 71 boats and flood rescue equipments. The Army has deployed 752 personnel for rescue and relief operation. Over 4,000 people have been rescued, 400 personnel have been transported and 20 tones of relief materials delivered by the Air Force. For the next two days our focus will be on rescuing people still marooned, in flood waters and on extending relief to those who have been forced to leave their home, Dr. Singh added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Prime Minister said that he is satisfied about the rescue and relief operation has been organized with speed. About 4.84 lakh people are presently sheltered in 768 relief camps and a large number of mobile health centres are being operated in flood affected areas. I have been informed that sufficient quantities of foodgrains and other essential commodities are available in the State. Already the State Government has distributed around 10,000 quintals of food items. If required the Central Government will quickly move additional quantities of essential commodities to the state. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Railway line in Dima Hasao district has been disrupted. The Ministry of Railways is taking immediate steps for restoration of the railway line, which is necessary to keep the supply line open to Barak Valley, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram. Once we have completed rescue and relief operation, our focus will shift to restoration of the damaged infrastructure. The Central Team has reached Assam today, some members may have come today, others will be following, to make an assessment of the damage caused to crops and infrastructure like roads, including national highways, river embankments, public buildings such as schools and hospitals, water supply system. From the Prime Minister National Relief Fund an ex-gratia of Rs.1 lakh to the next-of-kin of the deceased has been announced. While the Central Government will decide on the exact amount of financial support to be provided to the State Government after the Central Team submits report, I am making a commitment to provide an ad-hoc Central support of Rs.500 cr to the State Government, he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Government of India will also extend a system for reconstruction of damaged assets and flood control works through plan scheme. We will ensure that adequate quantities of foodgrains and other essential commodities are available in the State. And that agricultural seeds of the desired varities required for replacement purposes are also available. Once the immediate relief works has taken place we will pay more adequate attention through medium and long term problems of flood relief, of flood control, control of erosion and related problems, the Prime Minister said.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: PM Makes Aerial Survey of Flood Affected Areas of Assam

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh addressing the media at Guwahati airport after aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Assam on J...

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India: Assam’s CM Vows to Crack down on Ferries after Tragedy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NEW DELHI, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Assam state Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered police to crack down on excessive load of ferries and buses following a ferry tragedy in the northeast Indian state on Monday, local media said Thursday. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Survivors of the incident at Medartari in lower Dhubri, Western Assam alleged that the ferry which capsized and sank after meeting a cyclonic storm on the Brahmaputra River had carried an excess load of passengers and goods, Xinhua news agency reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Official figures said there were 133 persons on the ferry but survivors claimed that some 400 persons were on board.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Disaster management authorities said 21 bodies had been recovered with 42 others still missing as of 4 p.m. on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">News reports said 70 passengers have been rescued so far. – NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Assam’s CM Vows to Crack down on Ferries after Tragedy

  NEW DELHI, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Assam state Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered police to crack down on excessive load of ferries a...

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PM grieved over loss of lives in Assam boat tragedy – announces assistance

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">New Delhi (PIB) ---The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has announced ex-gratia assistance to the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate boat tragedy on the Brahmaputra River in Assam. An assistance of two lakh rupees has been announced for the next of kin of each of the deceased in the tragedy from the Prime Minister`s National Relief Fund. The Prime Minister earlier spoke to the Assam Chief Minister and offered all possible help to the state government in the relief operations.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Lok Sabha Speaker <a href="" name="OLE_LINK2"></a><a href="" name="OLE_LINK1"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Mrs.</span></a> Meira Kumar has expressed her heartfelt grief at the loss of many lives in the unfortunate boat tragedy on the Brahmaputra River in Assam. In her condolence message Mrs. Kumar said: “I am saddened to know about the loss of a large number of lives in the boat mishap near the Dhubri town of Assam. I convey my condolences to the bereaved families of those who have been killed in this tragic incident.”<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

PM grieved over loss of lives in Assam boat tragedy – announces assistance

New Delhi (PIB) ---The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has announced ex-gratia assistance to the families of those who lost their lives ...

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India: Over 200 Feared Dead in Assam Boat Tragedy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hrYdcxH3RIhoy5sW_IJUhdNp7YiLeQ1zzJf93lzlbqqVv7P9qtMe0J_38VhbaZuj7Fp0G1-8iBSkOXlVJHtlgreno0dEXs75YZnJuHCuWzsBgUoCQ9JnDRpO8uJU3wKv-Th2G6L02jA/s1600/2012050117095088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hrYdcxH3RIhoy5sW_IJUhdNp7YiLeQ1zzJf93lzlbqqVv7P9qtMe0J_38VhbaZuj7Fp0G1-8iBSkOXlVJHtlgreno0dEXs75YZnJuHCuWzsBgUoCQ9JnDRpO8uJU3wKv-Th2G6L02jA/s640/2012050117095088.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NNN--- Rescue workers bringing some of the survivors of Assam boat tragedy to safety April 30, 2012. In one of the worst boat tragedies in Assam, 103 people, including women and children, drowned and over 100 went missing when a packed double-decked teamer carrying over 300 passengers sank in the Brahmaputra River after being caught in a severe storm midstream in Assam’s Dhubri district. The National Disaster Relief Force, BSF and Army and personnel of the district administration are continuing search operations amidst torrential rain which has continued till May 1, 2012. In another boat capsize, 12 people were missing when a boat sank in the same river at Jaleswar.Photo courtesy post.jagran.com---NNN<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr> </tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NEW DELHI (NNN-Xinhua) -- Over 200 people were feared dead in a major ferry incident in the northeast Indian state of Assam Monday evening, with 103 people confirmed dead from drowning while over 100 still remained missing after an over-packed double-decked steamer with 300 passengers capsized in the fast-flowing Brahmaputra river amid a heavy storm. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Press Trust of India quoted Indian National Disaster Relief Force head Alok Jha as saying the bodies of 103 victims, including women and children, were recovered by the Border Security Force and the National Disaster Relief Force personnel near Jaleswar of the Bhubri district in western Assam. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Dhubri district Police Deputy Commissioner Kumud Chandra Kalita told the media about 25 people swam to safety, while 35 people were later rescued. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The ferry was crossing the river from Dhubrighat, a fishing town, to Medartary in the south bank of the gigantic river when it capsized amid storm at 16:20 p.m. local time. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Indian Army, Navy, Border Security Force, National Disaster Force and police armed with mechanized boats have launched a massive rescue operation in the river, which was forced to suspend after darkness, bad weather and strong current made it impossible to search for survivors. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Indian President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh both expressed grief over the loss of life while the Prime Minister ordered assistance to the Assam state government for relief and fund for families of the dead. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Meanwhile, 12 people went missing Monday also on the Brahmaputra river in another boat capsize at Jaleswar amid the storm, according to media reports. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Boat capsize takes place from time to time in India due to overloading of passengers, bad condition of the boats or steamers, and hostile river and weather conditions. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /> </span></div><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Rescuers sitting on rubber boats Tuesday crisscrossed on the wide water to look for possible survivors of a doomed ferry, which capsized and sank in northeast India's turbulent Brahmaputra River, leaving at least 100 drowned and some 200 missing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Local TV footage showed divers coming up and down in the muddy water of the river in India's northeast state Assam's western Dhubri district, where the two-deckered British colonial era steamer ferry, carrying 350, lost control and broke into two amid a fierce storm Monday afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">But it was a long and slow process to fish bodies out of the water while soldiers and rescue men were seen using rubber boats to patrol the river tapping the water to see if any body was down there.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Thousands of on-lookers stood on the banks to watch the operation going on in a rather slow and listless pace.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The incident took place in a remote area near the Bangladesh border, 250 km from the Assam state capital Guwahati. All the passengers were believed to be local peasants, laborers, peddlers and fishermen who lived off the river which killed them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Some of the victims were believed to be stuck in the sunken boat so the figure of the dead cannot be determined until the wrecked boat was lifted from the water. "The death toll may rise as more than 100 are missing and the exact toll will be known after the search operation,"Dhubri Deputy Commissioner Kumud Chandra Kalita said. "The National Disaster Relief Force, Border Security Force and Army and personnel of the district administration are continuing search operations amidst torrential rain which has continued till this morning,"Kalita told the media.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The ferry was sailing from Dhubri ferry ghat or port to Medartary, another small port, on the south bank of the river when it capsized after being caught in the eye of a storm in the wide waters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">President Pratibha Patil had expressed grief over the loss of lives, while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi of all help for relief and funds for families of the victims, said Press Trust of India.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The chief minister Togoi has already ordered an inquiry.--NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Over 200 Feared Dead in Assam Boat Tragedy

NNN--- Rescue workers bringing some of the survivors of Assam boat tragedy to safety April 30, 2012. In one of the worst boat tragedies i...

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Historic Agreement Signed between Centre, Assam Govt. and UPDS

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed today between the Central Government, Government of Assam and United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) in the presence of Union Home Minister Shri P. Chidambaram and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Assam</st1:country-region></st1:place> Chief Minister Shri Tarun Gogoi. Calling it a historic moment, the Union Home Minister said that this MoS provides for enhanced autonomy for Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Assam</st1:country-region></st1:place> and also a special package for speedier socio-economic and educational development of the area for which the Council has been set up. Government has always shown its willingness to enter into dialogue with any group that is willing to abjure the path of violence and place its demand within the framework of the Constitution of India.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Speaking on the occasion Shri P. Chidambaram said that in the past, violence marked the agitation of the UPDS that was intended to attract the attention of the Government towards the backwardness of the Karbi Anglong District. After realizing futility of the violence, in August 2002, UPDS came forward and expressed its willingness to give up violence and seek solution of its problems peacefully within the framework of the Indian Constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In November 2009, in order to speed up the peace process, Government appointed Shri P.C. Haldar as Interlocutor/Government of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s Representative to negotiate with the UPDS for addressing their grievances. After several round of discussions, negotiating team comprising the Representatives of Government of Assam, Ministry of Home Affairs and UPDS finalized tripartite agreement, which has been signed today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Shri P. Chidambaram said that negotiations with factions of the DHD are continuing and are near the final stage. Tripartite agreements with them would be signed shortly. The Union Home Minister said talks with ULFA and NDFB/Progressive are also continuing. Recently, we have authorized Shri P.C. Haldar to initiate peace process with NDFB (Ranjan Daimary) Group.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Wishing for a peaceful and developed State of Assam in near future, the Union Home Minister congratulated the people of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Assam</st1:place></st1:country-region> including Karbi Anglong District, for showing maturity and wisdom and recognizing the importance of peace for overall socio – economic development. He urged all groups to give up violence and come forward to find peaceful solution to all their perceived problems.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The salient features of the MOS are:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(a) Setting up of a committee under Assam Legislative Assembly as envisaged under Article 371B of the Constitution of India;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(b) Renaming of existing Council as Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC);<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(c) Increasing seats in the Council upto 50 members of which 6 will be nominated by Governor for more representation (presently 30 seats out of which 4 nominated by Governor). However, proposed increase in seats from existing 26 to 44 elected seats and also nominated seats shall be applicable subsequent election to the Council due in 2016-17 or mid-term poll, if any, whichever is earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(d) Setting up of Village Councils for deepening democratic process at the grass root level<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(e) Transfer of additional subjects by the State of Assam to the Council along with legislation and executive powers;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(f) Setting up of State Finance Commission (SFC) and consideration of higher fund allocation to the council to undertake viable activity;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(g) Strict adherence to establish norms of financial management, proper audit of the accounts, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(h) Measures for socio-economic, education, health, and cultural development;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(i) Special economic package of Rs.350 crore (Rs.70 cr. p.a.) over and above the plan fund over the next 5 years to KAATC for identified projects;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(j) Improvement of road connectivity, water supply and supply of power in Karbi Anglong District under existing schemes;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(k) Providing one-time grant for capacity building in KAATC for preparation of DPR etc.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">(l) Rehabilitation of UPDS cadres; Withdrawal of cases relating to heinous crimes shall be reviewed case by case according to existing policy for withdrawal of such cases. Implementation of MoS will be reviewed periodically.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Amendments will be made in the relevant paragraphs of the Sixth Schedule for (b) to (f) above and other executive orders will be issued to implement the other provisions of MoS. ---PIB<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background: white; color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/GlobalNewsPost" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">CLICK HERE TO </span><span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Get Free Information, News & Knowledge via Email</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div></div>

Historic Agreement Signed between Centre, Assam Govt. and UPDS

A tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed today between the Central Government, Government of Assam and United People's Dem...

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BIOGAS FUELS DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ENERGY IN CHINA'S RURAL AREAS

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i>An NNN-Xinhua Special Report</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-44444-12-Volt-400-Watt-Generator/dp/B000C1Z2VE?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Sunforce 44444 12-Volt 400-Watt Wind Generator" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B000C1Z2VE&tag=glob036-20" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alternative-Energy-Systems-B-Hodge/dp/0470142502?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Systems-Sustainability-Godfrey-Boyle/dp/0199261792?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000C1Z2VE" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0199261792" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0470142502" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />DAPING, CHINA (NNN-XINHUA) -- In Gansu, one of China's poorest provinces, the residents of Daping Village all have two things in their backyards -- biogas digesters and solar cookers.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In this barren and remote northwestern town, no energy source could be more efficient or economical in meeting the residents' daily cooking and heating needs than biogas and solar power.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"I used to burn firewood to cook. The smoke choked me to tears. After switching to biogas, the air is much cleaner, and I do not have to live with smelly animal waste," said 55-year-old villager Li Hongmei, who can now dispose of animal waste in the biogas digester.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In Li's backyard, a 15-cubic-metre biogas digester in the ground remains invisible unless a heavy stone cover is removed. A 20-metre plastic tube connects the biogas tank to a stove in her kitchen.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The local government offered her family 1,400 yuan (about 220 USD) two years ago to fund her biogas set-up. Li spent the money on buying cement and sand and hiring construction workers.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For the past five years, the local government has provided residents with nearly 10 million Yuan (one USD = about 6.367 Yuan) a year to construct these clean energy-yielding facilities.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">According to data released by the Pew Charitable Trusts in April, China extended its global lead in renewable energy investment and financing by spending a record 54.4 billion USD last year.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the past five years, the central government alone invested 21.2 billion Yuan in promoting and developing the use of biogas in rural areas, according to data from the Ministry of Finance.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Figures from the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) showed that by the end of last year, 40 million households in China, or about one-third of the nation's rural population with access to methane, used biogas, benefiting 155 million people.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The benefits of biogas extend far beyond a cleaner environment and waste disposal. The Agriculture Ministry figures also showed an 8-cubic-metre biogas digester can produce enough gas to meet 80 per cent of the fuel demands for a family of three to five people.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">According to Bai Jiming, director of the Science and Education Department of the MOA, China produces at least 16 billion cubic metres of biogas a year, accounting for 13 per cent of the nation's consumption of natural gas. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">China aims to make its economic development model greener, an important part of its 12th Five-Year Plan for the period 2011 to 2015. The country has pledged to raise the share of non-fossil fuel consumption in total energy use from its current 9.6 per cent to 15 per cent by 2020. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Non-fossil fuel sources include wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric and nuclear power.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The use of household biogas digesters has expanded remarkably in the 10 years since the national deployment programme was initiated. It is a successful example of a central government mandate that has been able to make significant impacts on social, environmental and economic issues at the local level, said Michael R. Davidson, a China Climate Fellow of the United States-based Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in an e-mail interview with Xinhua.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">However, he also pointed out problems, including the high operational and maintenance costs of biogas digesters which could burden some users.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Additionally, the central government programme does not provide all of the subsidies, which means provinces and local governments have to pick up a large portion of the tab. Rural service stations get limited central government support as well.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As a result, the programme runs into the same issues as other under-funded central government policies -- limited enforcement of quality standards, poor follow-up and unreliable data reporting -- Davidson said.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">China's central government often comes into spending conflicts with local authorities, with the latter complaining about not having enough funds to implement projects ordered by the central government after giving a large proportion of their tax revenues to the central coffer.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alternative-Energy-Wall-Decal-Removable/dp/B005G2OQ20?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="'Alternative Energy' Wall Decal - 36"W x 25"H Removable Graphic" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B005G2OQ20&tag=glob036-20" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-44444-12-Volt-400-Watt-Generator/dp/B000C1Z2VE?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B005G2OQ20" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">According to the 12th Five-Year Plan, China will increase subsidies for household biogas<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000C1Z2VE" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> use in the next five years, but no detailed data has been released in this regard.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Another point highlighting the government's biogas development agenda is that it is looking toward enhancing the industrial applications of biogas by building more mid- and large-scale biogas stations.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Shi Yuanchun, a biogas expert with China Agricultural University, said household biogas digesters have room to yield purer fuel, requiring the participation of more industrial enterprises.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">China's household biogas digesters are mostly located in 12 provinces in western China where economic development is slow and the ecological environment is vulnerable to outside changes, as well as another 12 provinces in the major grain-producing regions of central and northwestern provinces.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Solar-System-Wall-Decal-Removable/dp/B004PHGZXU?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="'Solar System' Wall Decal - 72"W x 48"H Removable Graphic" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B004PHGZXU&tag=glob036-20" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004PHGZXU" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" />Meanwhile, large scale biogas stations have been built in the developed east coast regions where many livestock farms are based.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">China has 22,600 mid- and large-sized biogas stations. It aims to add 3,000 more before the end of 2015, according to figures from the MOA.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Zhang Taolin, a vice minister of the MOA, said the central government would invest more in large scale biogas station projects to raise efficiency.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">According to a biogas development plan mapped out by MOA, the ministry will carry out pilot programmes on a number of large biogas stations with a daily output over 5,000 cubic metres each.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The pilot programme will focus on implementing the desulfurization and decarbonation processes to purify the biogas for greater efficiency. -- NNN-XINHUA</span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /> </span><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=glob036-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=alternative%20energy%20sources%20and%20systems" target="_blank">Search Amazon.com for alternative energy sources and systems</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=glob036-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></div></div>

BIOGAS FUELS DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ENERGY IN CHINA'S RURAL AREAS

An NNN-Xinhua Special Report DAPING, CHINA (NNN-XINHUA) -- In Gansu, one of China's poorest provinces, the residents of Daping Village...

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'Powerful Bomb' Defused on Indian Passenger Train

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o8TQUAHrlJzN4wyotFwGYovxJ2M4HmoZhFeCg2_zi7vjTKTeIGRQAgrmUeV8Gkg4SHBQixHKC_bh3w7ga-KaduU8gKajZicu4bqDUfCMvTJNyQmRNrJpyOxSYY0kPscTe_X954h4XXQ/s1600/gauhati.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5o8TQUAHrlJzN4wyotFwGYovxJ2M4HmoZhFeCg2_zi7vjTKTeIGRQAgrmUeV8Gkg4SHBQixHKC_bh3w7ga-KaduU8gKajZicu4bqDUfCMvTJNyQmRNrJpyOxSYY0kPscTe_X954h4XXQ/s1600/gauhati.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: IRNA</td></tr> </tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Police in eastern India say security forces have defused a powerful bomb found on a train carrying about 1,000 passengers. Senior police officials in Assam state said security forces were conducting a routine search when they found an unattended small, but heavy, bag before the train arrived in Guwahati.  They discovered what they called a "neatly concealed" bomb.<br /> <br /> Authorities said it was an improvised explosive device weighing about five kilograms and fitted with a timer.  They called it a "powerful bomb." Officials evacuated passengers before bomb </span><br /> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /> </span><br /> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /> </span><br /> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">disposal experts disabled the device. No one immediately claimed responsibility for Friday's attempted bombing, but officials say they suspect a local militant group opposed to peace talks with the government was involved. VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

'Powerful Bomb' Defused on Indian Passenger Train

Photo: IRNA Police in eastern India say security forces have defused a powerful bomb found on a train carrying about 1,000 passengers. S...

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62 Assembly segments going to polls in first phase of Assam elections

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-as2b6Q5R_j37ZGRDPIRoRK6pN0x60WuuAo3i7Iku_-vYF2eGWdYOaT2m0nADNV7_YBHPwirtUX7pVUdIxF4cIq9iRQtsp8O13ocgNQmRe9v7iRXsy75zvjC_aLcihQAQMc_HOaJJBIx/s1600/PICST5506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-as2b6Q5R_j37ZGRDPIRoRK6pN0x60WuuAo3i7Iku_-vYF2eGWdYOaT2m0nADNV7_YBHPwirtUX7pVUdIxF4cIq9iRQtsp8O13ocgNQmRe9v7iRXsy75zvjC_aLcihQAQMc_HOaJJBIx/s1600/PICST5506.jpg" /></a><br /><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 100.0%;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="width: 203px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;"></td> </tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the first phase of polls, the political fate of 485 candidates will be decided by a total of 85 lakh 3 thousand 117 electorates spread over 13 districts comprising…...</span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div></td> </tr><tr style="height: 6.25in; mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; height: 6.25in; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;" valign="top"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />In Assam, all the 62 Assembly segments, going to polls in the first phase of elections on 4th of next month, are locked in multi-cornered contest. The Karimganj (South) constituency has the highest number of 25 contestants, 20 of them are independents. Baithalangsho Assembly constituency in Karbi Anglong district has the lowest number of three contestants. The State Chief Minister Mr. Tarun Gogoi is facing an eight-cornered contest in his home constituency at Titabor in Jorhat district. He is seeking re-election from the constituency for the third consecutive terms.<br />In the first phase of polls, the political fate of 485 candidates will be decided by a total of 85 lakh 3 thousand 117 electorates spread over 13 districts comprising upper Assam, Barak Valley and two hill districts of North Cachar and Karbi Anglong. The second phase of polls in remaining 64 constituencies spread over 14 lower and central Assam districts will be held on 11th of the next month. Our Guwahati Correspondent quoting official sources reports that campaigning for the first phase of polls in the State is slowly picking up in most of the constituencies. Most of the parties are engaged in street-corner meetings and putting up of posters and banners. The BJP national president Nitin Gadkari is scheduled to launch the party’s campaign at Ratabari, Patharkandi and Katigorah constituencies of Barak Valley today. Party sources said, the film star-turned politician, Hema Malini is addressing a<br />series of meetings at Moriani, Tinsukia and Moran in Upper Assam today to woo the voters in favour of the BJP candidates. The ruling Congress, other national and regional parties have also finalized detailed tour programmes of their leaders to campaign in the State. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">(NewsonAIR)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></div>

62 Assembly segments going to polls in first phase of Assam elections

  In the first phase of polls, the political fate of 485 candidates will be decided by a total of 85 lakh 3 thousand 117 elect...

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