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                         Vol.4, No.54 [*] August 20, 1999
                         --------------------------------

                No man who is in a hurry is quite civilized.
                              - Will Durant
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            There will be no issue of AOL next week. - Mozz
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1  GOVT MAY NOT INVITE ULFA FOR TALKS IN FUTURE        [UNI:19-AUG-99]
   --------------------------------------------
   MAHISHASAN (Indo-Bangla  Border):    The  Union  Government may not
   invite the ULFA for negotiation  if  the  banned  outfit  does  not
   respond positively  immediately.   This was disclosed to newsmen by
   the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (Northeast)  Gopal  K
   Pillai during  his two-day visit to the border area.  He added that
   the Government was still offering unconditional talks to the ULFA.
   
   `But that may not continue by next year.  We know  very  well  that
   they (ULFA)  are  fast losing the mass base they once enjoyed.  The
   common people are least bothered about them.    In  that  case  why
   should you  invite  them  for  unconditional talk.  We may not even
   invite them for any talk if they do not show some positive response
   now', Mr Pillai said.
   
   `If  the  ULFA and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB)
   express their desire to come under a cease-fire we should not  have
   any problem  in  extending it to Assam.  In fact we are toying with
   an idea.  The decision will be taken by the  new  government.',  Mr
   Pillai said.
   
   Meanwhile,  the  Union  Home  Ministry  has  ordered  an inquiry to
   establish the truth behind the confession  made  by  the  four  ISI
   agents  arrested  in  Guwahati  recently that Border Security Force
   (BSF) jawans allowed the agents to enter Assam after taking  bribes
   from them.

2  MINISTER ASSURES ACTION AGAINST GUILTY, STRIKE OFF    [S:20-AUG-99]
   --------------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:   The  indefinite  strike  launched  by  Guwahati Medical
   College Hospital (GMCH) nursing staff and grade 3 and  4  employees
   on August 18 was called off on August 19 following the coordination
   committee meeting.   The decision to temporarily suspend the strike
   was taken in view  of  the  Health  Minister's  assurance  to  take
   necessary  action  against  the  guilty  within  three days and the
   greater interest of the patients of the hospital.
   
   The strike was launched following the severe beating up of a nurse,
   Upasana Deka, by a policeman on duty after the escape,2nment.',  Mr
   detenue,  Sushen Baruah alias Robin from the hospital on August 18.
   The nurse was hit with the butt of a rifle and even kicked, leaving
   sore marks on the body.  The injured nurse has been admitted in the
   hospital.  The policeman suspected that she was responsible for the
   escape of the ultra.
   
3  POLICE TRAPS RDX SUPPLIER WITH ARRESTED ISI CALL      [S:19-AUG-99]
   ------------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  Police  had  trapped  the  RDX supplier from Rajshahi in
   Bangladesh, in a dramatic manner, securing the address  of  an  ISI
   agent  there and making one of the members of the two ISI officials
   and the two Harkat-ul-Muzahideen arrested at Guwahati on July 31 to
   communicate with their Rajshahi counterpart over phone,  concealing
   the fact of their arrest.
   
   After the supply link was established, a joint team  of  Assam  and
   West Bengal police seized 30 kg of RDX successfully which is now in
   custody of  the Intelligence branch at New Jalpaiguri.  Assam Chief
   Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has  requested  West  Bengal  Chief
   Minister  Jyoti  Basu  to  hand  over  the  RDX as it was recovered
   following a clue discovered by the Assam police.  Mr  Basu's  reply
   is yet to be received.

4  COLLEGE STUDENT SHOT DEAD AT CINEMA HALL IN GOLAGHAT
   ----------------------------------------------------
   GOLAGHAT:  A second year higher secondary  student  of  Debraj  Roy
   College,  Golaghat  was  shot  dead  by  another student inside the
   Urvashi cinema hall premises in Begenakhowa area of  Golaghat  town
   at 11 am today.
   
   The incident occurred when Ranjan Nath (18) had  an  argument  with
   three  other  students  of  the  same  college  regarding a ragging
   incident at the college a few days ago, when he was shot at by  one
   of the  three  students from point blank range.  The bullet pierced
   his head and he died on the spot.
   
   No arrest has been made so far by the  police.    The  students  of
   Golaghat  Commerce College and Debraj Roy College took out a silent
   procession through the streets of the town taking the  deceased  in
   an ambulance.

5  BANGLADESHI INFILTRATORS DEPORTED FROM SONITPUR       [S:19-AUG-99]
   -----------------------------------------------
   TEZPUR:   Sonitpur  Border  Police  apprehended  three  Bangladeshi
   nationals  at  Palashbari  under  Dhekiajuli  police  station   and
   deported  them across the border through Golukganj border on August
   10.  The deported persons were identified as Jitendra Singha,  Asit
   Kumar  Singha  (both  found  re-infiltrated) and Akhil Singha alias
   Akhil Khatriya of Hatibandha village under Phulpur  police  station
   of Mymansing district in Bangladesh, police sources said.
   
6  AGCL SIGNS MOU WITH US FIRMS                          [S:20-AUG-99]
   ----------------------------
   GUWAHATI:   Assam  Gas  Company  Limited  (AGCL), Duliajan signed a
   memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a group of American firms on
   August 18  for  production  of  liquefied  natural  gas  (LNG)  and
   compressed natural gas (CNG) for use in vehicles.
   
   Initially  the project will be on trial basis which will be carried
   out with approximately 25 vehicles using LNG/CNG conversion kits in
   and around Duliajan.  If the  test  run  succeeds,  a  full-fledged
   commercial project will be taken up.
   
   The memorandum was signed by Mr P.K.Baruah on behalf of AGCL and Mr
   Sashi  Mazumdar,  an  Assamese nonresident Indian, on behalf of the
   American group of companies.  The name of  the  American  group  of
   companies was not mentioned in the press release.
   
7  TIPAIMUKH PROJECT AWAITS INTER-STATE CLEARANCE      [PIB:17-AUG-99]
   ----------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  The Tipaimukh  dam  project  of  the  Brahmaputra  Board
   involving  Manipur,  Mizoram  and  Assam  still  awaits inter-state
   clearance from the State Governments concerned  for  its  execution
   which  is  being  pursued  by  the  Brahmaputra Board and the Union
   Ministry of Water Resources.
   
   The  techno-economic angle of the detailed project report submitted
   by the Board got approval from the technical advisory committee  of
   the ministry  concerned  way  back  in August, 1995.  At 1995 price
   level, the estimated project cost was Rs.28.99 billion, which would
   now be over Rs.30 billion.  The project envisages construction of a
   162  metre  high  rockfill  dam  with  an  installed  capacity   of
   generating 1,500 megawatt of power.
   
8  DRAINAGE DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES HANDED OVER TO STATE   [PIB:19-AUG-99]
   -------------------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:   As  per  the  request  of  the  Assam  Government,  the
   Brahmaputra Board has handed over five drainage development schemes
   to the State Flood Control Department for taking necessary  action.
   The schemes  are:   Amjur, Borbhag, Deroi, Ghagra and Pola drainage
   development schemes.
   
   Jakaichuk,  East  Barpeta  and Jengrai schemes have been cleared by
   the Central Water Commission (CWC) at an estimated cost of  Rs.26.9
   million, Rs.13.4  million  and  Rs.14.9  million respectively.  `No
   objection' from the State Government is awaited  for  execution  of
   the schemes.    The  Joysagar and West Barpeta drainage development
   schemes are being examined by the CWC for necessary clearance.

9  JEETU-TAPAN'S PATRIOTIC ALBUM ON KARGIL               [S:18-AUG-99]
   ---------------------------------------
   GUWAHATI:  The musical duo Jeetu and Tapan have  recently  recorded
   seven  patriotic  songs  for  the  album  `Sarhad  ke  Shahidon' at
   Mahamaya Digital Recording Studio, Mumbai.  The songs, penned by Dr
   Deepak Sneh and Mr Nurul Haque, are  sung  by  Alka  Yagnik,  Kumar
   Sanu, Kavita Krishnamurty, Vinod Rathod and Anup Jalota.
   
   Mr  Vishwanath Sharma has produced the cassette with the support of
   Ashray Welfare Fund. The money generated through the sales  of  the
   album  will  be directly remitted to meet the basic requirements of
   the families of the soldiers who sacrificed  their  lives  for  the
   country at the Kargil border. The album will be released soon.

______________________________[Mozz-BG]_________________________________
Compiled from newspaper and agency reports for private circulation only.
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