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                        Vol.3, No.74 [*] October 16, 1998
                        ---------------------------------

                 The ability to accept responsibility is the 
                            measure of the man.
                              - Roy L Smith
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------

1  PBSL'S CLOSURE EVOKES CONCERN                           [S:16-OCT-98]
   -----------------------------
   The Prag Bosmi Synthetics Limited  employees  has  exrressed  serious
   concern  over  the  present  condition  of  the  company  located  in
   Bijulibari village near Sipajhar.  The PSBL remained closed  for  the
   last nine  months due to mismanagement and financial crisis.  A joint
   venture of Assam Industrial Development Corporation  (AIDC)  and  the
   Bombay  Silk  Mills,  in  technical collaboration with EMS Inventa of
   Switzerland, PSBL was established during the previous tenure of  Asom
   Gana  Parishad  under special initiative of Dr Zoii Nath Sarma, local
   MLA.
   
2  TENANTS OF WUS BUILDING REFUSE TO VACATE               [AT:16-OCT-98]
   ----------------------------------------
   The ambitious project of the Gauhati University  unit  of  the  World
   University Service (WUS) for setting up a recreation club-cum-library
   for  the  university students in the heart of Guwahati city in Ambari
   locality, has met with a nose-dive following the  reluctance  of  the
   tenants of  the  WUS  building  to vacate it.  
   
   The first floor of the two-storyed building built in the late fifties
   was allowed to be used by the Indian Council of  Child  Welfare,  and
   around  1964, a part of the ground floor was rented to National Small
   Savings Scheme and another part was leased out  to  private  business
   around the  same  time.   But after about 34 years of leasing out the
   building, the GU WUS committee is in a quagmire as  how  to  get  the
   building vacated.
   
   The  WUS  is  an international, `non-government education development
   agency' started in 1920 as the European Student Relief, and with  the
   participation  of countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, it was
   renamed as World University Service in 1950.  The Indian chapter came
   into being in 1960 with a present membership of about 70 universities
   or institutes.  The GU unit was set up during that time and late Prof
   Birinchi Kumar Barua was its founder president.
   
3  IRREGULAR APPOINTMENT OF TEACHERS FEARED                [S:16-OCT-98]
   ----------------------------------------
   A  closed-door meeting between the local minister, Mr Utpal Dutta and
   the district education department officials  on  October  15  at  the
   circuit  house  in North Lakhimpur on the appointment of teachers for
   primary, middle and high schools has created a  sensation  among  the
   people,  particularly  after  large  groups of prospective candidates
   waiting outside the meeting venue saw  the  clerks  with  typewriters
   also been called in for the meeting. A prominent AGP leader said that
   one  need not be surprised if the appointment letters are issued from
   the meeting venue itself.
   
4  KOKRAJHAR DC'S PLEA TO MEDIA                            [S:16-OCT-98]
   ----------------------------
   A peace meeting held recently  with  Kokrajhar  Deputy  Commissioner,
   J.I.Kathar  in the chair requested the electronic and print media not
   to use the term `Bodo extremists' to describe any incident  involving
   extremist  elements  whose racial identity happens to be Bodo in some
   cases in the interest of peace and harmony in the State.

5  GARAMUR XATRADHIKAR IN CONFLICT WITH THE BHAKATS       [AT:16-OCT-98]
   ------------------------------------------------
   The  conflict  of  the  Xatradhikar, Garmur Xatra in Majuli, with the
   bhakats and the  disciples  of  the  Xatra  has  reached  its  zenith
   creating a  great  sensation.  According to sources, the Xatradhikar,
   Sri Haridev Goswami, is extremely desirous of living a conjugal life;
   but the bhakats and the disciples stand in his way.
   
   They opined that if he is to marry, he must give up the seat  of  the
   Xatradhikar.   Traditionally,  in  the past, the Xatradhikars and the
   bhakats had to lead a life of celibacy.  But during the beginning  of
   20th  century, Pitambar Dev Goswami, a revolutionary religious leader
   and Xatradhikar effected a radical change in the Xatra by  abolishing
   celibacy for  the bhakats.  Since then the bhakats have been living a
   conjugal life.  But the Xatradhikar remained celibate.
   
   There  are  also  reports  that  Sri  Haridev  Goswami  has  sold the
   Ambassador car of the Xatra and sent the entire money to his  father.
   About  1,000  out  of 1,741 dishes made of bell-metal has been robbed
   off from the Xatra at his behest.  Moreover, he has sold 15 tusks out
   of 18 stored in the store house of the Xatra.  One of the tusks  sold
   weighs more  than  40  kg.  
   
   The managing committee known as the Bybasthapak Sabha, elected by the
   bhakats and the disciples expressed grave concern over the absence of
   the Xatradhikar for a  long  period.    The  managing  committee,  in
   accordance  with  the  resolution of the meeting, locked the entrance
   door of the residence of the Xatradhikar,  which  was  locked  a  few
   months ago by the Xatradhikar himself.  People are anxious to see how
   a solution can be found to the crisis of the Garmur Xatra.
   
   It  is noteworthy that the Garmur Xatra possesses a small tea garden,
   Krishna Chandradev Tea  Estate  covering  100  bighas  of  land  near
   Mariani. The Xatra earns about Rs.40,000 a year from the tea garden.
   
______________________________[Mozz-BG]_________________________________
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