Pleading that development be given a chance, Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh today said that he is confident that all differences could be amicably resolved through discussion and dialogue. "I have often said that there is no grievance that cannot be addressed through a ballot box and no grievance that can be redressed through a barrel of a gun,' the Prime Minister said releasing the Vision 2020 Document here this morning.
The petroleum dealers have strongly opposed the move of the oil companies to withdraw the normal petrol from the market to replace it by the premium brand as according to them, such a hasty decision at a time when the sharp increase of the petroleum products put a burden on the consumers would result in additional burden.
At a time when alleged corruption in construction of dykes and embankments in Assam is in sharp focus, it has now come to light that the Water Resources Department is starved of funds that could be released on time for execution of crucial work. Well-placed sources have revealed that the Department has been facing acute shortage of funds, which has led to its increasing dependence on other government departments and a resultant delay in implementation of various schemes.
A shower that was among the briefest of the season swept away the tall claims and the ambitious projects of the Guwahati Development Department within hours. Once again the city today reeled under urban floods. The rains that fell measured 2.9 mm, but the disruption caused was immense. With the various agencies involved in maintaining drainage systems and adjoining hills apparently having failed to learn their lessons from the recent urban floods, city life again was seriously disrupted with arterial routes transformed into massive drains, and traffic coming to a standstill.
The Greater Guwahati Citizen's Coordination Committee has decided to stage a sit-in demonstration in front of the State Assembly during its monsoon session on the issue of artificial floods in the city. The committee condemned the government agencies on their laid back attitude on the civic problems of the city and failure to find any solution of the waterlogging problem in Guwahati, in a recent public meeting. Different speakers, experts and conscious citizens held the faulty government policies responsible for this problem, affecting every Guwahatian.
The Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council donated a sum of Rs. 50 lakh to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund on Saturday to assist flood-affected people of the State, an official release said. Calling on Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at his office chamber in Dispur, a delegation led by the Chief Executive Member of KAADC Mangal Singh Ingti handed over a cheque of the said amount. Veterinary Minister Kharsingh Ingti and MP Biren Singh Ingty were also present on the occasion. The Chief Minister lauded the gesture of the KAADC delegation
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday blamed the public-sector North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) for the flash floods in Lakhimpur district of eastern Assam on Saturday. NEEPCO had released water from its Ranganadi hydel project dam in Arunachal Pradesh without any warning.
It may sound strange, but is true. Though Guwahati city is severely hit by artificial flood and waterlogging, the irony is that its residents continue to bear the brunt of acute drinking water shortage. With 70 per cent of the city's households still denied the piped water supply network of the government agencies, including the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), many residents have no other option but to rely on water supplied by private tankers.
The people of Assam are likely to get a respite in the current summer season as a power tariff is unlikely with the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) and its subsidiary companies are yet to place its demands to the Assam State Electricity Regulatory Commission (ASERC) and as per the regulations, the Commission will have to give its orders within 120 days from the date of placing of the demands.
