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                         Vol.4, No.33 [*] June 11, 1999
                         ------------------------------

       Patriotism is not a short and frenzized outburst of emotion
          but the tranquil and steady dedication of a life time.
                           - Adlai Stevenson
   -------------------------------------------------------------------

1  ASSAM-BANGLA TEAM TO STUDY BARAK VALLEY RIVERS        [S:11-JUN-99]
   ----------------------------------------------
   SILCHAR: A survey  team  comprising  the  officials  of  the  flood
   control  departments  of  Barak Valley in Assam and Commila zone in
   Bangladesh has undertaken study of  the  behaviour  of  the  rivers
   Barak,  Surma  and  Kushiaro  in  order  to  take  up flood control
   measures and for navigational facilities in the  interest  of  both
   the countries.
   
   The  survey team has been formed under the provision of Joint River
   Commission as agreed upon  between  the  Government  of  India  and
   Bangladesh,  and  `model  testing'  would be done at Dhaka, Assam's
   Minister for Flood Control Promode Gogoi said.  Surma and  Kushiaro
   are  the tributaries of Barak which flow down to Bangladesh through
   Karimganj district of Assam.
   
2  RELIEF TO REFUGEES AFFECTED DUE TO TUG-OF-WAR         [S:11-JUN-99]
   ---------------------------------------------
   DHUBRI:  The ongoing ethnic trouble in Dhubri district has taken  a
   new  turn when about 6,000 Santhal refugees from Dhubri residing in
   Tamarhat in Kokrajhar district refused to come back to Dhubri.   It
   is  alleged  that the development took place as a result of a press
   statement by the Kokrajhar district administration that  questioned
   the  efficiency  of  Dhubri  administration  in  bringing  back the
   refugees.
   
   The  press report resulted in ill will between the two neighbouring
   district administrations.  When a team of officers from Dhubri went
   to Kokrajhar with 24 buses to bring back the refugees, the refugees
   vehemently opposed the idea of  their  transfer  to  the  camps  at
   Bagribari and Golokganj in Dhubri district.
   
   Dhubri administration had offered to provide general relief to  the
   refugees uprooted from the district provided the Kokrajhar district
   retained the refugees.  But the Kokrajhar administration has turned
   down  the  offer  and  wanted the refugees shifted to Dhubri at the
   earliest.   Due  to  this  tug-of-war  between  the  two   district
   authorities, the refugees have to go without any relief.
   
3  ULFA TO SHIFT BASE TO FORESTS IN BORDER AREAS          [S:8-JUN-99]
   ---------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  Following the Bhutanese government's instructions to the
   banned  United  Liberation  Front  of  Asom  (ULFA)  to  vacate the
   Himalayan kingdom,  and  the  Bangladesh  government's  refusal  to
   cooperate  with  them, the outfit is now contemplating to shift its
   base in the dense forests areas on the Assam Meghalaya border.
   
   Intelligence sources said in Guwahati that  about  200  underground
   rebels  have  recently sneaked into the area after the developments
   in Bhutan.  The outfit is also  considering  the  border  areas  in
   Goalpara and Meghalaya as a safe haven, mainly due to the difficult
   and  mountainous  terrain,  following which the security forces are
   finding it difficult to keep track of the recent activities.
   
4  CBI ASKED TO INVESTIGATE FRAUD CASES IN UTI            [S:9-JUN-99]
   -------------------------------------------
   TINSUKIA:   The  Tinsukia District Consumer Redressal Forum, headed
   by the District and Sessions Judge, has asked the Central Bureau of
   Investigation  (CBI)  to  probe  into  cases  involving  fraudulent
   withdrawal of  matured  Unit Trust of India (UTI) polices.  The CBI
   has already been requested by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to
   investigate the matter in which more  than  800  fraud  cases  were
   detected during the past two years.
   
5  EXPORT HOUSE STATUS TO TOURISM                         [S:8-JUN-99]
   ------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  In view  of  huge  exchange-earning  and  job-generating
   potential  of  tourism,  the Union Tourism Ministry accorded Export
   House status to tourism industry.  With this,  tourism  and  travel
   industry  will get the benefit of special import licence, waiver of
   bank guarantee for imports, income tax exemptions for  reinvestment
   in tourism projects etc, an official release said.
   
6  ASSAM MINISTER SUFFERING FROM MALARIA                 [S:10-JUN-99]
   -------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:   State  Cabinet  Minister  Ramendra  Narayan  Kalita  is
   undergoing treatment for malaria at the Guwahati  Medical  College.
   Mr  Kalita, who had been earlier admitted to local private hospital
   on June 7, was shifted  to  the  government  hospital  on  June  8.
   Doctors attending to him said that his condition was improving.
   
   The outbreak of malaria in at least 11 districts  of  Assam  during
   the  past  two  months  has  taken  a toll of 81 lives according to
   official   reports,   and   several   hundred-thousand    affected.
   Meanwhile,  the  Assam  Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has issued a
   show-cause notice to the  State  Government,  asking  why  adequate
   measures were not taken to prevent malaria.
   
   A total sum of Rs.137.2 million of Central fund was allotted to the
   Assam Government for malaria eradication, out of which only Rs.37.5
   million was released to the Health Department, while the  remaining
   Rs.93.7 million   is   still  with  the  Government.    The  Health
   Department is unable to cope with the current malaria menace due to
   acute paucity of funds, sources said.
   
7  DEFAULTERS LEAVE JYOTI CHITRABAN STUDIO IN LURCH      [S:11-JUN-99]
   ------------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:   At  a time when the Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio Society
   is on an ambitious modernizing spree, quite  a  few  Assamese  film
   producers  who  owe  outstanding dues to the studio have left it in
   the lurch.  The studio is now contemplating to serve  an  ultimatum
   to  the defaulters for payment, failing which legal proceeding will
   be drawn against them.
   
   The  outstanding  dues  amount  to   Rs.360,861,   out   of   which
   A.M.Bhagawaty,  a former secretary of the film society, and Chandra
   Talukdar owe Rs.132,786 and Rs.107,137 respectively.  Secretary  of
   the  Film  Studio  Dayaram  Rajbonshi,  said that 15 prominent film
   producers have not  paid  their  dues.    He  said  several  former
   office-bearers of the studio took undue advantage of their position
   and used the studio facilities without making payment.
   
8  AMBULANCE FROM SURPLUS BIHU COLLECTION                 [S:9-JUN-99]
   --------------------------------------
   SONARI:  With money that remained surplus after the celebrations of
   the community Bihu at Sonari in Sibsagar district,  the  organizers
   bought a  new  vehicle to be used as ambulance for the public.  The
   Maruti van was purchased at a cost of more than Rs.200,000.  During
   the inauguration function, Mr Rajen Gogoi, working president of the
   Bihu celebration committee explained how they could save the  money
   by observing strict frugality for execution of their plan.
   
   The ambulance service will be free of  cost  to  the  poor  people,
   while  a nominal amount will be charged from others for maintenance
   of the vehicle.  It is probably for the first time  in  Assam  that
   the surplus donations collected for community Bihu celebrations was
   utilized for  such  humanitarian act.  The gesture is widely hailed
   by the local people.

9  PURABI CREAM AT REDUCED PRICE TILL JUNE 15             [S:8-JUN-99]
   ------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI: The Purabi milk union has offered cream at a reduced rate
   from June 8. The milk product will be  sold  at  Rs.90  instead  of
   Rs.110  per  kg  till  June  15. This has been made possible due to
   enhanced production of cream with increased milk procurement during
   the  last  several  days.  The  Purabi  Dairy  has  made  elaborate
   arrangement for the sale at many outlets in Guwahati.
   
______________________________[Mozz-BG]_________________________________
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