Day: February 1, 2012

Aizawl, Feb 1 NNN : Of late, Mizoram is booming in the field of tourism.
According to reports received from state tourism department, the department had garnered Rs 99.33 crores in the last 25 years. State Tourism Secretary B Sairengpuii informed the media that since the establishment of tourism department, it had received Rs 135.64 crores from the Centre through Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS). The department had constructed 38 tourist lodges out of this funds and funds from the state plan.
The secretary further said that Mizoram tourism will boom in the coming days and the tourism policy prepared by the department had been ready for approval by the state government which will greatly accelerate and improve the tourism sector.
Mizoram is rich in tourism. Mizoram has a moderate and pleasant climate throughout the year, and is an idyllic land of great natural beauty having rich variety of flora and fauna.
Tourism department in close collaboration with the state government is taking various measures in the field of tourism.
Covered with verdant forests dominated by thick bamboo groves, teeming with vibrant wildlife, sheer cliffs and breath-taking waterfalls, dotted with unique landmarks of myriad folklore and picturesque villages of houses built on stilts, a land of dramatic seas of morning mists that enfold islands of hills and peaks, Mizoram has various tourist attractions.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tourism-boom-in-mizoram/

Shillong, Feb 1 NNN : The government has banned the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA).
This announcement was made today in Shillong by Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma during a press conference.
GNLA was formed about two and a half years ago by a deserted deputy superintendent of police (DSP) identified as Champion Sangma.
On Wednesday, Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma subtly admitted that GNLA has grown into a lethal body and the combative approach of the police have failed to yield the desired results. Informing that the banning of the outfit will be accompanied by a revised strategy to take it head on, Sangma however defended on the failure of the police to neutralise the militant outfit that is merely two and a half years old. “Our police team is subject to several constraints varying from human rights and other ethics while these militant groups disregards all the ethics”, Mukul Sangma said.
Though he did not spell out the strategies that have been devised to counter the GNLA the chief Minister however said that the outfit’s strength surrounded on the overground workers and networks.
“If not for the overground workers, how will they have the phone numbers of politicians, officers and businessmen to intimidate and threaten them through sms and phone calls”, Sangma stated.
While ruling out the proposed deployment of the army in the strife torn districts of Garo Hills, the chief minister said, “At thisjuncture we will rather ask the centre to aid the state police through further deployment of para-military forces.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/meghalaya-bans-gnla/

New Delhi, Feb 1 (ANI): With Sino-Indian relations on Arunachal Pradesh being tense, especially over the border issue, Defence Minister A K Antony will visit the sensitive state for two days and will also attend festivities linked to the silver jubilee of statehood.
The Rajiv Gandhi Government had granted statehood to Arunachal Pradesh on February 20, 1987. Antony is likely to undertake his visit on February 19 and will inaugurate the celebrations of statehood day at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar on February 20.
Chief Minister Nabam Tuki accompanied by Member of Parliament Takam Sanjoy met Antony at the Defence Ministry on Wednesday to extend an invitation to him to attend the festivities.
“Defence Minister Antony has accepted our invitation to be the chief guest on the occasion to mark the statehood day,” said Sanjoy, who represents Arunachal West in the Lok Sabha. Arunachal is the largest state area-wise in the northeast part of India, having a 83743 sq. kms area and a long international border with Bhutan to the west (160 km), China to the north and north-east (1,080 km) and Myanmar to the east (440 km).
The northern border of Arunachal Pradesh reflects the McMahon Line, which has never been accepted by Beijing, and this has been the real bone of contention with India.
Antony’s important visit to Arunachal Pradesh must be seen in the light of China often using the visa issue to raise the pitch.
In January, China denied a visa to Group Captain M. Panging, an IAF Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter pilot posted at Tezpur, Assam, because he hailed from Arunachal Pradesh.
India has time and again conveyed to China that there should be no discrimination against visa applicants of Indian nationality on grounds of domicile and ethnicity.
China disputes the international boundary that it currently has with India in the eastern sector and has repeatedly staked a claim to approximately 90,000 square kilometres of Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh.
It has also been accused of stalling multilateral funded development projects in Arunachal Pradesh.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/defence-minister-antony-to-visit-arunachal-pradesh/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Feb 1: The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against a Lt. Genl. (Now Retired) the then GOC-in-C; the then Defence Estate Officer (Now Retired), Southern Command, Pune Circle, Pune; a Pune-based Builder and others U/s 120-B, 420 IPC, 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of PC Act 1988 on receipt of a complaint from the Defence Ministry.
It was alleged that both the public servants had shown favour to Pune-based Builder in the matter of property at Bungalow
No.8A, Lothian Road measuring area 0.96 acres of B-3 Defence Land at Pune Cantonment and settled this matter out of court in spite of all the verdict in favour of army which was a gross misconduct on the part of public servants. The public servants had ignored existing rules & policies; violating the terms of lease, entered into by Ministry of Defence and caused pecuniary advantage to Pune-based Builder to the tune of Rs. 46 Crores(approx.) without any public interest.
Searches were conducted at the residence of the then GOC-in-Chief at Fatima Nagar, Pune & the then Defence Estate Officer at Lulla Nagar, Kondhwa, Pune and office premises of Builder at Koregaon Park, Pune which led to recovery of incriminating documents.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Junior Engineer and a Beldar of MCD, Karkardooma, Delhi in a bribery case of Rs. 20,000/-
A case was registered Under Section 7 of PC Act, 1988 against a Beldar, MCD Building, Karkardooma, Delhi on the basis of a complaint. It was alleged in the FIR that accused demanded a bribe of Rs.20,000/- from the complainant for not booking or demolishing two under construction houses being constructed by the complainant.
A trap was laid and the accused Beldar was caught red handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.20,000/- from the complainant. After being caught, he disclosed that he was accepting bribe on behalf of a Junior Engineer. The other accused, Junior Engineer was also caught while trying to accept the bribe from the Beldar.
Searches were conducted at their residential premises. Search at the residence of Beldar led to cash recovery of Rs.32 Lakh and other incriminating documents. Both the arrested accused are being produced today in the Designated Court at Delhi.
The Special Judge for CBI cases, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi has convicted Sh. H.A. Siddiqui, the then Addl. Commissioner of Income Tax Range-34, Vikas Bhawan, IP State, New Delhi in a bribery case of Rs.One Lakh and sentenced him to undergo four years Rigorous Imprisonment with total fine of Rs.Four Lakh.
A case was registered against accused H.A. Siddiqui, Addl. Commissioner, Income Tax, Range-34, Vikas Bhawan, New Delhi during April, 2003 Under Section 7 of PC Act 1988 for demanding a bribe of Rs.One Lakh from the complainant. The complainant (a Chartered Accountant) had alleged in his complaint that the accused demanded a bribe of Rs.One Lakh for clearing the case of his client which was under scrutiny with the accused.
A trap was laid and the accused was caught red handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.One Lakh from the complainant.
After thorough investigation, CBI filed a chargesheet against the accused in the Designated Court at New Delhi. The Court found the accused guilty and convicted him.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cbi-registers-case-against-two-defence-officers/