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                        Vol.3, No.19 [*]  April 13, 1998
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HC SHOW-CAUSE NOTICE TO GOVT ON PAY TO STAFF		[S:12-APR-98]
--------------------------------------------
  
A  two-judge  bench of the Gauhati High Court on April 11 sou motu took up the
case of the State Government employees not getting their salaries  for  months
no  end  and irregular payment of the salaries by the Government and asked the
State Government to show cause, within April 20, as to why appropriate  orders
to streamline the payment of salaries to the employees in time, and in no case
later  than  2nd or 3rd day of each month, be not issued in the nature of writ
of mandamus.

GOVT ASSURANCE ON IMDT ACT STANDS, PM TELLS AASU	[S:13-APR-98]
------------------------------------------------
  
The  Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee told a delegation of AASU on April 11
evening that the government's assurance on repeal of the IM(DT) Act stands and
the Government would take all necessary steps to implement the Assam Accord in
its totality. This was stated in a AASU release issued from New Delhi.

APDR'S MOVE ON PRADIP GOGOI'S RIGHTS			[UNI:12-APR-98]
------------------------------------
  
Human  Rights  Organization  Association  for  Protection of Democratic Rights
(APDR) would ask London-based Amnesty International to  intervene  to  protect
the rights of arrested ULFA vice-president Pradip Gogoi in police custody.  In
a  statement,  APDR  general  secretary Sujato Bhadra said `we have noted with
deep concern the chief metropolitan magistrate order rejecting Gogoi's  prayer
for  not  being  hand  cuffed  while in cell, because he is a patient of acute
spondylitis.  It is in clear contravention of Supreme Court directives as well
as various `international covenants.''

`We  do  apprehend  that  once Gogoi be shifted to Assam he will be subject to
severe torture, mental and physical. Therefore, he should not be sent to Assam
until and unless the government of Assam  unequivocally  assures  his  safety,
APDR observed.

CYCLONE DEATH TOLL REACHES 12				[S:12-APR-98]
-----------------------------
  
The death toll in the cyclonic storm which lashed most parts of the  State  on
April  9  has  gone  up  to 12 with four more deaths reported from Dhemaji and
Dhubri districts.   Two  persons,  including  a  child,  died  in  the  Dhubri
district.   Thousands  of people were rendered homeless in 107 villages of the
State.  Meanwhile, State Governor visited the Tezpur Central University campus
and assessed the damage caused by the cyclone.  He also assured the  authority
that  he  would  urge  the  Human  Resource Development Ministry to release an
amount of Rs.500,000 for the repair work.

DIPALI BARTHAKUR CONFERRED PADMA SHRI			[PTI:12-APR-98]
-------------------------------------
  
Assamese  folk  singer  Ms  Dipali  Barthakur  was  among   the   50   eminent
personalities,  who received the Padma Shri award, at a glittering function in
the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on April 12.  The award was  conferred  by
the President K.R.Narayanan.