Agartala, Dec. 9: The tourism sector in Tripura has been hit by two unfavourable developments. The income of Comilla View, a tourist lodge in the Kasba area of West Tripura, plummeted after secretary of the department of tourism D.K. Chakraborty banned the system of spot booking at the lodge.

The lodge used to earn around Rs 50,000 per month. However, their income plunged after Chakraborty passed an order banning spot booking and consumption of liquor in the lodge.

This was done following a dispute with a nearby restaurant, run by a group of local leaders. Police intervened and arrested a...

AIZAWL, Dec 9?Mizoram Chief Minister, Zoramthanga today allocated portfolios to the 14 ministers sworn in on Thursday, reports PTI. Zoramthanga kept to himself finance, taxation, planning, general administration, political cabinet, vigilance, power, industries, art and culture, public works and other departments not allotted.

Among the Cabinet ministers? Tawoluia was given home, public health engineering and personnel and administrative reforms while R Tianghmingthanga was allotted health, social welfare and secretariat administration. Another senior cabinet member Lalrinchhana got animal...

Aizawl, Dec. 9: The Independent candidate who won the election in Mizoram?s Suangpuilawn constituency has promised to resign immediately after being sworn in as a legislator to pave the way for a ?free and fair bypoll?. H. Lalsangzuala, who was declared the winner of the seat yesterday, made the commitment this morning in an agreement with the Hmar People?s Convention, which had backed him, and the Central Young Mizo Association. He agreed with the two organisations that the election in Suangpuilawn had not been free and fair.

Sources said Lalsangzuala prepared the draft of his resignation...

Nagaon, Dec. 9: The Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) today offered to talk peace with its rival, the anti-talks faction of the United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), and said it was ready to accept even a Karbi as mediator. The announcement was made by the KRA divisional commandant in charge of operations launched by the Manipur-based militant group in Assam.

The militant leader, K. Hanghshing, said: ?For the sake of peace in Karbi Anglong, we are ready to sit for discussions. The mediator may be a Karbi or from other community, but we are ready to talk on the issue of peace in Karbi...

New Delhi, Dec. 9: The Assam government?s lackadaisical and ad hoc efforts towards promoting tourism came as a shock to visitors at the tourism stall in the Assam Pavilion at the recently-concluded India International Trade Fair here. So incensed was Assam governor Lt Gen. (retd) Ajai Singh with the shabby appearance of the stall and its shoddy arrangements that he immediately shot off a letter to the department.

A few improvements were, naturally, ushered in after that. But sample this: There was no visitor?s book at the stall.

A sum of Rs 1.75 lakh was earmarked for tourism at the fair but...