GANGTOK: Sikkim, which has emerged as one of the most sought-after hill stations in the country in the past few years, hopes to become a round-the-year tourist hot spot according to a plan by the state government.
There has been a phenomenal growth in the number of Sikkim-bound tourists, who have given a preference to the state over the Darjeeling hills, ever since the Gorkhaland stir resurfaced.
S B S Bhaduria, state’s tourism secretary, said, everything in Sikkim — be its natural resources like mountains, lakes, waterfalls and other scenic places and …

SHILLONG: In the backdrop of terrorist activities across the country, Meghalaya government has decided to raise a special commando force to tackle any emergency situation.
As per the government’s plan, the proposed squad would be trained by the NSG to use arms and carry out anti-terrorist operations.
State Home Minister HS Lyngdoh said the process to raise the squad would start immediately.
“With the state police facing a crisis of personnel and SOTs, we are committed to raising a special commando force at the earliest. The commando force would be given intensive training …

AGARTALA/AIZAWL: The northeastern states of Tripura and Mizoram Sunday sounded a bird flu alert after the spread of the virus in adjoining Assam, officials said.
More than 100,000 poultry were culled in Assam during the past 10 days after a bird flu outbreak in the state.
“The Mizoram government has asked traders not to import poultry and poultry products from Assam and asked its officials to maintain a close vigil along the border,” Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary C. Sangnghina said.
He said: “There are no reports of avian flu attack in …

IMPHAL: Imphal is to be brought on the railway map through a 27-km extension approved by the Cabinet Thursday.
The existing Jiribam-Imphal Road railway line terminates at Tupul, 53 km from the state capital by road and the proposed new broad gauge line “will be providing rail connectivity up to Imphal as well as make possible direct movement of freight and passengers from this region to other parts of the country,” Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said.
He was briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting presided over by Prime …

IMPHAL: The government of Manipur has formally announced today the extension of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act of 1958 in entire Manipur excluding the Imphal Municipality Area for another year with effect from December 1.
The current term of AFSPA expires on November 30. An official notification today signed by principal secretary (Home) PC Lawmkunga, states that the “the Government of Manipur is of the opinion that due to violent activities of various extremist/insurgent groups, the entire state of Manipur is in such a disturbed condition that the …

AGARTALA: Tripura has expressed concern over cancellation of train services between Agartala and Lumding (Assam) and demanded ensuring security in North Cachar Hill area for safe movement of trains to the
state.
Transport department officials said here today the Assam government was not serious about railway
security in its southern part and as a result, Dimasa Black Widow (DBW) militants attacked a train in Jatinga yesterday, which forced Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to cancel the Lumding-Agartala train.
Transport Minister Manik Dey told the media here that the state government would take up the …

MUMBAI: The Mizoram government has been accused of cheating and breach of trust by a city-based technology firm for not paying the first instalment towards a satellite imagery and geographic information system project it had undertaken.
On November 3, the MIDC police registered an FIR naming the Mizoram government as accused for not paying Rs 5.62 crore for the project’s first phase. Deputy commissioner of police (zone X) KMM Prasanna confirmed the case. He said, “It is too early to comment anything as investigations are on.” He said the FIR …

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Wednesday extended the ban on ULFA, NDFB and HNLC by two years as these successionist organisations have been found to be involved in many recent cases of militancy in North-East.
The CCS meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and attended by Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Defence Minister A K Antony discussed the recent activities of these insurgent groups in detail particularly the involvement of ULFA and NDFB in the October 30 serial blasts in Assam and took the decision to …