Poll reforms proposal by Dec: Moily

Poll reforms proposal by Dec: Moily
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, June 12 – The Committee on Electoral Reforms constituted by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India will complete the preparation of a legislative proposal on electoral reforms by December this year.

This was announced by Union Minister for Law and Justice Dr M Veerappa Moily here today.

Addressing mediapersons after participating in the ‘Regional Consultation on Electoral Reforms’ organised by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India and the Election Commission of India, Dr Moily said that the need of the time was comprehensive electoral reforms to fulfil the constitutional aspirations of the people.

"The elections are the hallmark of our democracy and if the process fails to reflect the aspirations of the people then democracy is futile," remarked Dr Moily adding that electoral reforms would go a long way in eradicating corruption.

On the other hand, referring to the issue of D Voters in the State, Dr Moily said that it was a serious matter and the authorities concerned like the foreigners tribunals should settle the matter by giving their verdict without delay.

It needs to be mentioned here that the Committee on Electoral Reforms will recommend to the government concrete ways of strengthening the electoral system. It has taken into account the opinion of political leaders, government officials, legal experts, non-government organisations, scholars, journalists and other stakeholders. It has held a series of regional consultations since September last year to garner the opinion of the stakeholders on the issue of electoral reforms before developing a legislative proposal.

The press conference was also attended by Dr SY Quraishi, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) who said that the regional consultations were hugely successful as different aspects like criminalisation of politics, funding of elections, conduct and better management of elections, regulation of political parties, audit and finances of political parties, review of anti defection law etc., were debated. Responding to a query on EVM tampering, he said that EVM with verifiable paper trail has been developed and will be tested in 200 places across the country under extreme weather conditions in the next one and a half months.

Earlier in the day, while addressing the regional consultation, Dr Moily had emphasized creating mass awareness on the issue of electoral reforms so that all groups got space to voice their expectations.

Some of the participants voicing their opinion had pointed out that there should be amendment in the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to check the proliferation of political parties by regulating registration and de-registration of political parties. Other points that were deliberated upon revolved on the use of EVM and whether it would be better to go back to use of ballot papers instead, anomalies in the preparation of the Voters List, the reluctance of the elite to exercise their franchise etc.

Another important suggestion at the consultation was the enforcement of disclosure of assets of public representatives at the beginning and end of their term to curb corruption.

Election Commissioner HS Brahma in his address said that ethnic divide was an area of concern in the State. The other participants included Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Tanka Bahadur Rai, Minister of Law, Government of Assam and others.

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=jun1311/at05

Golden langur conservation breeding facility

Golden langur conservation breeding facility
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, June 12 – The Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden is poised to achieve another milestone by becoming a conservation breeding centre for the endangered golden langur (Trachypithecus geei). The initiative has been approved by the highest authorities, and a detailed proposal for building the expert team and construction of an enclosure is being prepared.

The initiative for ex-situ conservation of the endangered species intends to increase the population to a viable size which can be released in the wild at a later stage. It will help in conserving the species which has fewer than 2,500 mature individuals in the wild.

Speaking to The Assam Tribune, Utpal Bora, the Zoo DFO, said eight golden langurs are already present in the zoo, and more would be brought in, including a female from Umananda. He revealed that the new enclosure would allow the animals to breed in a scientifically designed environment. The facility would be beyond public access, he added.

Once completed, the facility would be a big boon to researchers and in time valuable knowledge can be gleaned about the species from continuous monitoring. In due course the zoo would be able to create a population of around 100 adults which can be released in the wild.

The Central Zoo Authority has given its consent to the initiative, and would check the proposal in the days ahead. It has also given the nod for conservation breeding programmes of a few other species which include the Indian rhino, grey peacock pheasant and golden cat, among others.

According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the species is found in a small area between the rivers Manas and Sankosh spread over India and Bhutan. The golden langur population in India is highly fragmented and faces threats from human activities. Worryingly, the population has declined more than 30 per cent in the last three decades.

Destruction of habitat is the biggest threat facing the mammals, and satellite imagery suggests that extensive parts of their habitat in India have witnessed degradation or destruction.

One of the most striking langurs, the species was discovered by British naturalist Edward Pritchard Gee in the 1950s. Even before that, the local people of the Himalayan region considered it as a sacred animal.

Assam Tribune

Minister assures better ferry service soon

Minister assures better ferry service soon
Correspondent
NORTH GUWAHATI, June 12 – After creation of the Kamrup district (R) nine years ago, most of the head offices attached to the erstwhile district administration have been shifted to Amingaon near North Guwahati in a phased manner.

The Commissioner of Transport Office was inaugurated near the SBI branch, Amingaon recently by the Transport Minister Chandan Brahma in the presence of several high-level officials of the Transport Administration.

The DC, Kamrup, SK Roy, SP, Additional DC etc were also present in the meeting. The Minister of Transport and Tourism, Chandan Brahma analysed how the present Govt led by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was taking the administration to the doorsteps of the general people for enforcing good administration.

The Minister narrated how the transport department would enforce e-governance to provide better services to the commuters.

Earlier, the DC Kamrup while welcoming the guests and the public exhorted the people to enjoy the benefits of the decentralisation policy of the Govt of Assam. The meeting was also addressed by the Commissioner of Transport and Principal

Secretary to the Transport Department.

The chief guest of the function, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarmah, Heath and Education Minister and also the local MLA of the constituency, narrated how he was happy at the creation of the new district headquarters of Kamrup district at Amingaon 9 years ago.

Amingaon and nearby North Guwahati areas were gradually wearing a new face-lift and he hoped that his critics would change their tune and tenor when the communication problem, specially the ferry services in between the two banks of the city would be solved. More dependable and large ferries would be introduced in the ghats with the cooperation of Chandan Brahma, the new transport Minister soon, he declared.

ASSAM Tribune

Dima Hasao people irked over delay

Dima Hasao people irked over delay
Correspondent

HAFLONG, June 12 – Though the NF Railway has been claiming that it will be able to complete the Lumding - Silchar BG conversion work within December 31, 2013, but the people of Dima Hasao district have expressed doubts whether this project could be completed within 2020 even.

The district of Dima Hasao has been blamed for the delay of BG conversion time and again with pleas like poor law-and-order situation, insurgency, bad road condition and sometime the geological condition of the soil, etc. But the people of Dima Hasao are of the opinion that the insurgency was prevailing from 1994 and the foundation for the BG conversion was laid during 1997, and perhaps the work started in 1998.

The Railway should be well acquainted with the prevailing situation. Advent of DHD(J) was in the year 2007 and from 2007 to 2009 was the obstructing period for the Railway. Now the people of Dima Hasao argued that it was the responsibility of the Railway authority to find out the root cause of the delay and the escalation of cost of the project.

According to the people here, the delay in construction was not only because of insurgency, they believe there are many more factors for the delay. This project was started in 1997 with an estimated cost of Rs 648 crore but now for the delay in completion, the cost has been escalated to 1800 crore. The people here alleged that the delay was deliberately done only to allow the escalation of the cost of the project.

Though it is a fact that the railway authority has been claiming to complete 70 per cent of the project but the stretch from Retzuol to Harangajao has become the headache of the Railway authority. During the last fortnight a 300 mts soil nailing project near Rekho village of Harangajao totally collapsed which need to be redesigned. People allege that companies which are not capable of doing such job were allotted works, therefore delay or substandard works are unavoidable.

The people of Dima Hasao, however, requested the authority to be more serious and vigilant regarding the construction work.

Encroachment creating alarming situation: Dutta

Encroachment creating alarming situation: Dutta
Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, June 12 – Urging all concerned including the Government, political parties and different organisations to shun their “double standards” and “misleading ploys” concerning the grave issue of eviction of encroachers from forestland and other government land, public activist Prof Deven Dutta today said that large-scale encroachment was creating an alarming situation in the State but the opportunistic stands of successive governments and different parties and organisations stemming largely from their vested interests were complicating the situation further.

“On the one hand, successive governments, political parties and other organisations (both political and non-political) call for protection of forests, wildlife, biodiversity and the environment and on the other, the same apostles would support the illegal encroachers by siding with them when it comes to evicting them. They would demand a solution to artificial floods in the city and at the same time would support those illegally settling on hills and wetlands and drains…these are double standards,” Prof Dutta said, adding that such a stand was creating a situation of chaos and confusion.

Wondering whether Assam would be rendered a desert-like land through a systematic annihilation of its forests where man alone would be the living entity after annihilating all its famed wildlife and biodiversity, Prof Dutta said that the time had come for all to face the question why wildlife such as elephants, leopards, tigers, bears, etc., were increasingly straying into human habitation and whether the problem could be solved by bludgeoning and poisoning the helpless animals to death.

Referring to Friday’s eviction drive that had to be abandoned in the face of violent resistance by the encroachers at Garchuk area, Prof Dutta said that Garchuk was part of a historic rampart with a biodiversity-rich forest called Garbhanga nearby.

“The Government should take every legal step to keep such places free from encroachment and remove the lacunae plaguing the eviction process,” he added.

Pointing out that the landless were free to apply for government land through a due process and not fall upon government land or forestland in their hordes, Prof Dutta said that unabated encroachment by both local people as well as outsiders, including from neighbouring countries, was pushing the State into the brink.

Questioning who had given the politicians the right to assure land pattas to illegal settlers, Prof Dutta said that nowhere else would one come across a land Act which ‘empowered’ armed encroachers to coerce government authorities engaged in eviction drives into signing a written undertaking that no eviction would take place henceforth. “This happens only in Assam,” he added.

Prof Dutta also criticised the different government functionaries such as DCs, SPs and forest officials, saying that had they discharged their official obligations as per law and not toed the lines of their political masters, large-scale encroachments would not have been possible on forestland and government land.

Prof Dutta said that population explosion had been the biggest problem in the country which was having disturbing fallouts in different spheres but the political authorities were never serious in addressing the issue due to their politics of vote bank and communal appeasement.