GUWAHATI, Dec 8 ? Will the common bamboo species of the State and for that matter of the north eastern region of India, witness gregarious flowering soon? ?No, an emphatic No,? said Dr Chandra Barooah a scientist with the Assam Science Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC). Dr Barooah has done extensive study on the common bamboo species like the Jati and Bhaluka of the region. Barooah has obtained his Ph D from Gauhati University (GU) for his dissertation? Bamboos of Assam: Taxonomy and Distribution.

Together with his guide Prof S K Borthakur of the G U Botany Department, Dr Barooah has...

NEW DELHI, Dec 8 ? NSCN (IM) leaders today said that if the Government of India acknowledged the realities of the Nagas, the Nagas were prepared to accept the realities of India even ten times more. NSCN (IM) general secretary, Th Muivah, conveyed this to the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi when a delegation of the outfit called on her here this afternoon.

The Naga leader further claimed after meeting Gandhi that they have confidence in themselves and know what they can do and also what they cannot do. ?We will do our utmost to resolve the problem once and for all.

What we cannot do we shall not...

NEW DELHI, Dec 8 ? Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee today rubbished outlawed ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah?s contention that they have planted their cadres in security forces, asserting that nothing much should be read into the claim.

The issue figured during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, when an agitated former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and MP Farooq Abdullah expressing concern said that the Government of India should take the matter seriously. ?A militant outfit has claimed to have infiltrated into security forces and the Government should be cautious,? he said.

The...

IMPHAL, Dec 7 ? For the first time, the Congress-led ruling Secular Progress Front government in the state is under threat from its constituent partner regional Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP).

Former cabinet minister and president of MSCP Moirangthem Hemanta speaking as chief guest in the 8th foundation day celebration of his party at the Kuki Inn here on Sunday, has disclosed, ?We will monitor the activities of the Ibobi led SPF government in the state.?

Calling for value-based politics, Hemanta said: ?Our party is not society based political party.? He said in the last Assembly...

NEW DELHI, Dec 7? The revamped North Eastern Council (NEC) is going to have the Minister, Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), as its chairman, even as the NEC is all set to activate its role as a security agency.

Divulging this in a statement on revitalisation of the NEC tabled in both the Houses of Parliament, Minister DoNER, PR Kyndiah said that his Ministry has examined the report of the expert committee in consultations with ministries and departments concerned. The Government of India, has by and large, accepted the recommendations of the committee.

The Government has accepted...