10 killed as truck falls into river
Shillong, December 22 (PTI): Ten people were killed and six others injured when a truck carrying them plunged into a river in Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills district, police said today. Coal labourers were returning to Shillong from the coal belts in Nonghyllam-Nongjri area to celebrate Christmas when their truck fell into the Ranikor river last evening. The injured were taken to the primary health center at Ranikor village, about 140 km south from here. Police are investigating the cause of the accident.
AMRI fire: Tripura man's body found after 12 days
Agartala, December 22 (IANS): The mutilated body of a Tripura man, who went missing after the AMRI Hospital fire Dec 9, has been found at the morgue of SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, officials said Thursday. Santosh Das, 25, had fractured his left leg in an accident in Tripura Nov 30 and was subsequently taken to Kolkata for treatment. “The burnt, mutilated body of Santosh was found by his relatives on Wednesday night,” Tripura Bhavan resident commissioner in Kolkata Ashudeb Das told IANS by phone. The man's parents, distraught since the sole bread earner of the family went missing, broke down after getting the news. Santosh was admitted to the AMRI Hospital Dec 1. “I met (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee, several police officers, searched 21 hospitals and some morgues, but could not find my brother till Tuesday night,” Santosh’s younger brother Paritosh told IANS by phone from Kolkata. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, in a recent letter to Banerjee, urged her to help trace Santosh. With Santosh's body found, the toll from Tripura in the Kolkata hospital fire rose to seven. In the worst fire tragedy ever in any hospital in India, 94 people were killed in AMRI Hospital.
Animal carcasses seized
ITANAGAR, December 22 (Agencies): Forest officials in Lower Subansiri district on Tuesday seized several carcasses of wild animals and birds from four commercial vehicles plying between Itanagar and Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district. The patrolling squad of the Hapoli Forest Division seized the carcasses of two barking deer, two flying squirrels, one khaleez pheasant and eight mountain imperial pigeons from four vehicles coming from Raga, Tamen, Boasimla, and Yurkum, official sources informed here today. An investigation was launched by the department to trace out the source of origin of the carcass. However, no one claimed responsibility of the carcass and the transport agencies has been warned not to carry any type of wildlife products either dead or alive in future. The carcasses were brought to the divisional forest office at Hapoli and destroyed by burning in presence of the magistrate.
Sep 18 earthquake has taken Sikkim back 5-7 years: CM
Gangtok, December 22 (PTI): Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today said the 6.8 Richter scale earthquake that rocked Sikkim in September has taken the state back by five to seven years in terms of development. "Sikkim suffered extensive damages in the earthquake which has taken back the state back by five to seven years in terms of development but we are committed to rebuild the state," Chamling told the one-day winter session of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. Sikkim government has also submitted a report to the Centre for grant of Rs 6890 crore for relief and rehabilitation process, he said. Chamling thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for visiting the state and announcing relief package of Rs 1000 crore. He also expressed gratitude to Home Minister P Chidambaram for visiting the state and announcing a grant of 50 crores as well as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and a host of other dignitaries for their support . Chamling who is also the Minister-in Charge for Finance Revenue and Expenditure Department, introduced the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2011 which was unanimously passed by the House. He further said that the state government announced an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased person and Rs 20,000 each to the injured persons in the Rangchang Bridge collapse on December 19.
Assam labour commission launches 15-day child labour eradication drive
GUWAHATI, December 22 (TNN): Child labour is one of the most persistent problems in the country and the city is no exception. In a bid to alleviate the problem, the state labour commission department has started a 15-day child labour eradication drive in collaboration with Childline, an NGO for rescuing child labourers. The drive, which began on December 12, will end on Decmeber 29. As per the 2001 census, the total number of child labourers in Assam was 3,51,416 while the same statistic for the nation stood at a whopping 1,26,66,377. According to the National Sample Survey Organization report for 2004-05, the highest number of child labourers in the state are employed in the agriculture sector, which is about 69.26%. The commercial and domestic sector employs about 10.96% of Assam's child labourers, followed by the manufacturing industry, which employs 8.42%. The trade sector comes next at 7.76%, construction and mining at 1.78% and in the transport sector at 0.05%. Nirmal Das, a member of Childline, said, "Right now, we are focusing on the different areas of the city and are working in coordination with different police stations. So far, 10 children have been rescued from garages, bakeries and small hotels from areas like Basistha Chariali, Malegaon, Bishnupur, Ulubari and Sarabhatti areas."
