FROM THE SANGAI EXPRESS / E-PAO.NET

The placards say it all

Imphal, February 13 2012: Gorkha community of the State today strongly protested the brutality meted out to a young girl who had gone out to herd a flock of sheep to Takramai of Senapati district on February 9 last.

The 14-year-old girl is battling for life in a hospital in Imphal as she was abandoned unconscious with bruise marks of torture all over her body at a secluded place.

There is also strong suspicion that the young girl might have been raped as she was left unconcious.

Strongly protesting the heinous act, Manipur Gurkha Welfare Union organised a sit-in-protest and a public meeting at Kanglatongbi today.

Condemning the atrocity, the union demanded the Government to book the culprits within February 15 .  Read the rest of this entry »

FROM DAILY PIONEER

BY SAUGAR SENGUPTA

The Opposition in Bengal, Left Front, is approaching the Centre to urge it to take steps to arrest the deteriorating political situation in Darjeeling in the wake of various pro-Gorkhaland groups taking out rallies in the Hill town in support of a separate Gorkhaland.

“Darjeeling is among the many issues where the State Government has failed to bring a solution,” State Opposition leader, Suryakanto Mishra said on Monday adding that he would reach the Central Government “seeking its immediate intervention before the situation spins out of control.”

Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha the youth wing of the Gorkha Janmutki Morcha had on Sunday taken out huge processions in Darjeeling in support of a separate State. The rally came close on the heels of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with the GJM leadership where she assured them of quick commissioning of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration treaty.

The tripartite treaty signed by the State, Centre and the GJM stipulates carving out of an autonomous zone comprising three Hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, apart from the Dooars and Terrain area in the foothills and contiguous Plains inhabited by the adivasis and Bengalis. A high-powered committee led by (retd) Justice Sabyasachi Sen is looking into the territory aspect of the treaty amid protests from the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad and the local Bengalis.  Read the rest of this entry »

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE]

Shillong 13th Feb 2012 (Monday): Urban development in Meghalaya especially in the major Towns, including the Capital is not sufficient to meet the growing demands of the population. The growth of the Urban Sector has often been haphazard with inadequate facilities like good roads, water supply, waste management, public transport etc. The situation calls for a constructive discussion at high level to find a long-term solution for future planning and implementation. With this objective Indian Chamber of Commerce is organizing a Roundtable Conference on Meghalaya Urban Infrastructure Development at Hotel Pinewood in Shillong, on 15th February 2012, to discuss and find a road-map for urban development of the State of Meghalaya.

The Round Table is expected to discuss the issue of basic services for the state including infrastructure, shelter, water, sanitation, solid waste management, roads, communication system, rapid transportation, street lighting and related subjects. Cities and towns play a vital role in a country’s socio-economic growth,its transformation and change. Urban Spaces of Northeast India if taken on fast track development could act as regional hubs of growth and provide a gateway to the dynamic markets of South East Asia.

Urbanization in Meghalaya has been growing at a slower rate. According to 2001 census the state has only 19.58% urban population which is much lower than the national average of 28%. Presently the state has sixteen urban centres out of which Shillong Urban Agglomeration is the largest one, comprising of seven towns. The urban population in Meghalaya has grown from 1,47,150 in 1971 to 3,30,047 in 1991 and to 4,54,111 in 2001. The decadal growth rate in 1991 – 2001 was 37.59% in Meghalaya which is higher than the national growth rate of 31.2% for the decade. The urban population in the state is mainly concentrated in the urban agglomeration of the capital city. Shillong and Tura alone contributes 71.93% of the urban population. Both the central and the state governments over the years have implemented various schemes and programmes for the urban development of the state. Read the rest of this entry »