NEW DELHI, Sept 16: At least 18 hardcore ULFA militants have been killed over the past two weeks in special operations in Bhutan, forcing the deputy commander-in-chief of the outfit, Raju Baruah to flee and take shelter in a highly fortified NDFB camp in the neighbouring country, highly placed government sources told The Assam Tribune.

The series of strikes carried out by the Indian security forces on ULFA targets across the border of Nalbari district, in a way could mark the beginning of the joint operation to flush out the ULFA militants from the foreign soil.

Officials here, however, were tight-lipped about the whole operation and were not willing to divulge the details of the operation carried out across the border for the first time ever by the Indian security forces. Though sources declined to reveal whether the operations were carried out jointly with the Bhutanese army, it is almost certain that the Royal Government of Bhutan may have been taken into confidence before launching the seek and destroy missions.

The Government of India, it may be mentioned has been training the crack commando units of the Bhutanese army and arming them to the teeth to take on the ultras. So far the Indian army had trained about 2,000 personnel of the Royal Government of Bhutan army as part of the preparation to launch joint operations in the Himalayan kingdom.

Sources said that operations by the task forces were launched early September and in a span of two weeks 18 cadres were gunned down and few camps destroyed in Bhutan before the militants could even realise what hit them. The strikes have led to large-scale panic among the cadres, so much so that the topmost leader of the outfit based in Bhutan, Raju Baruah handing over charge to his juniors fled to an NDFB camp in Bhutan somewhere across the Assam's Udalguri sub-division.

According to reports, he is still believed to be holed up in the NDFB camp to the delight of the Indian security forces. Since launching of the operations, the movement of the ultras in the country has been restricted, sources said.

Reports from across the border indicted that there was total confusion in ULFA camps, as the cadres could not figure out who was responsible for the attacks, sources claimed.

Sources further indicated that joint operation is almost certain to come and preparations were on. Significant, in this connection, is the visit of the G-O-C Eastern Command, Har Ranjit Singh Kalkat to Bhutan early this month. The Lt. General during tour of the country is reported to have discussed the operational details of the plans with the senior Army officials of the country.

According to sources, the operations would have to be during the winter season and before the onset of the monsoons.

That ULFA's days in Bhutan were numbered had become evident from the tone of the top officials of the Royal Government of Bhutan, who have been repeating that patience was wearing thin and ULFA should pull out of the country before the Government decides to push them out by force.

The Bhutan Army has already set up new bases and a set up, Wing 9 of the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) was established in Gelephu. Besides, camps were also established at Nganglam, while a new command centre and a base of Wing 10 of the RBA were set up at Deothang. The Army there reportedly has stepped up patrolling and a big Army base was set up at Daifam, an area where a number of ULFA and NDFB camps are located.

According to an estimate there are over 21 camps operated by the ULFA and the NDFB militants in Bhutan, housing about 1200 to 2000 cadres. Most of the camps, sources said are located in deep jungles between a place called Kalikhola and Daifam on the foothills of the Himalayas.

GUWAHATI, Sept 18: In the troubled State of Assam, it is either the State police or the Army which is under the media glare as far as counter insurgency operation is concerned. The low profile Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), despite its hardwork, continues to remain hidden in the background. Continuous presence of the para-military force personnel has become a part of life in the State since the days of Assam agitation, the beginning of the end to peaceful atmosphere in the State.

The ground reality is that without the co-operation from the CRPF and the hardwork of its personnel, it would have been next to impossible for the State police to achieve success in containing militancy as well as controlling the law and order in this violence ravaged State. However, officials in the CRPF's Group Centre are humble enough not to grudge the media for the slip on its part to focus on contribution of the para-military force in the State. "We are here to help the Assam police in fighting militants and we have proved our worth before them," the officials told this correspondent. It is a fact that the CRPF personnel have become indispensable in counter-insurgency operation in the State. Probably, that was the reason why the last meeting of the strategic group of the unified command decided to increase the proportion of CRPF personnel in the fight against the ultras. So far, they have been assisting only the State police. But now onwards, they will also help the Army in the counter insurgency operation in certain areas in the State. It is learnt that at present a total of 31 battalions of CRPF are deployed in North-East sector, out of which 27 are engaged in Assam and two each in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. That means around 22,000 CRPF men are operating in the State fighting militants in 'unfavourable terrain'.

Since 1998 till August 2000, 106 militants of different outfits were killed by CRPF while 612 ultras were apprehended. In the process the CRPF also lost 39 of their soldiers at the hands of militants in the State during the same period. During counter insurgency operation in the State between December 1996 to August, 2000 the CRPF claims to have recovered over 400 weapons and large quantity of ammunition from militants in the State. The recovered weapons included 23 AK-56 assault rifles, 29 carbines, one rocket and a rocket launcher, two universal machine guns, two light machine guns, 84 pistols, 87 revolvers and 118 guns of different kinds.

They also recovered large quantity of explosive substances including 45 bombs and 70 grenades from militants in addition of plastic explosives, IEDs, gun power, detonators and gelatine sticks. So far, they have recovered 21 wireless sets used by ultras and a cash amount of Rs 31,35,313 during operations against militants in the State.

Regarding major problems encountered by the CRPF in the State other than militants, the officials said it was malaria which is posing a threat to the health of the para-military force personnel deployed in different parts of the State.

The CRPF has resorted to special malaria prevention drive among its personnel deployed in the region. Besides, routine measures to control mosquito, carrier of the malaria parasite, CRPF men are educated to use 'insecticide impregnated mosquito nets'. These nets are medicated with a chemical called K-Othrine or with Solfac EW 050 which keeps the mosquito at a distance for at least six months.

Moreover, CRPF personnel prior to their posting in the NE are asked to undergo chemoprophylaxis with two tablets of chloroquine per week.

GUWAHATI, Sept 20: The arm-twisting methods of the surrendered ULFA militants in cornering lucrative business for themselves has, as its latest victim, affected jute procurement in the State at a time when falling prices are presenting jute growers in the State with an uncertain future. Procurement in several centres run by Jute Corporation of India (JCI) has been affected as the former militants are demanding a cut from the business.

Sources in the JCI told The Assam Tribune today that SULFA members are harassing JCI officials in the procurement centres demanding a ten per cent cut from their businesses. Only recently, the JCI had to stop procurement at Kharupetia for some time until the district administration and the police intervened. Similar problems were faced by the officials at the centre in Dhubri town as well. The latest such instances of SULFA harassment are being witnessed at Lakhiganj (Dhubri) and Abhayapuri (Bongaigaon) centres, sources revealed. "In the absence of any security our officials are hardpressed in carrying out their duties," the sources said.

It is the jute growers who are the ultimate sufferers as closure of the procurement centres may devastate them economically. Even now, there is large-scale distress sale of jute that is being witnessed in the State. Market price of the product is much below the official minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 735 per quintal for the W5 variety and Rs 785 per quintal for TD5.

"There is tremendous pressure on the JCI to procure jute," the sources said. However, irregular flow of funds from the Corporation's Calcutta headquarters is proving to be a stumbling block. The JCI has from July till date procured 92, 758 quintals of the estimated ten to 11 lakh quintals that has been produced this year. The JCI hopes to procure 30 per cent of the produce by the end of the season.

But even with the approximately ten per cent procurement by the JCI, storage problems have already cropped up. Sources said existing storage capacity of the Corporation is being stretched, what with the major jute mills in West Bengal not yet being ready to lift the stocks. There is an immediate need to have additional storage capacity, sources said.

Even as the jute farmers are staring at a gloomy future, middlemen are cornering most of the procurement support of the JCI. This sources said, is mainly because of the fact that the proposal to issue growers identification cards to identify genuine growers has not been effected. The district agricultural officials are supposed to issue these cards, sources said. The problem is particularly severe in Chapar and Bongaigaon. Some identity cards have been issued in Kharupetia, JCI sources said, but her too there is a controversy with allegations of middlemen using muscle power to grab the cards.

GUWAHATI, Sept 20: Tiwa National Revolutionary Front (TNRF), a new militant group has emerged in the state with an eye to set up an 'independent land' by uniting all Tiwa people. The outfit, which was formed somewhere in Nagaon district following the footsteps of ULFA, of late has started mobilising the Tiwa people living in various parts of the state to launch an armed revolution against the alleged repression and suppression of the Indian government. Although the TNRF is still in the nascent stage owing to lack of cadres, it is understood to have established links with the Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) to carry on the revolution. According to constitution of the insurgent group it will be fighting against the "systematic exploitation and repression on the Tiwa community by the Indian state machinery".

TNRF would maintain cordial relations with major militant groups of the country and would seek their help in coming days in order to intensify its revolution, the constitution says. The constitution also says that apart from the armed movement, TNRF would mobilise poor farmers towards scientific cultivation to make them self-reliant in the field of agriculture. It is learnt that the outfit has constituted a central committee headed by self-styled chairman Bhogeswar Bordoloi to chalk out future plan of action and gear up the organisation.

SHILLONG, Sept 20: Rakesh Sarma, the main accused in the triple murder case at Nongmynsong in the city has been arrested in an early breakthrough for the police. The alleged murderer, who had been absconding since the ghastly murders of two men and a 12-year old girl on September 17, was loitering suspiciously in Mawdiangdiang locality in the city when the public caught him and handed him over to the police. He was severely assaulted by the public before being handed over to the authorities. The accused has since been remanded to ten days police custody. Saying that Rakesh Sharma has confessed to the crime during interrogation, a senior police official claimed that the gruesome murder has been solved with his arrest.

Piecing together the incident, sources said Rakesh claimed that he had worked for Raghunath Prasad Sharma for six years but was not paid his wages in full. Though the victim had agreed to pay him Rs 1500 per month, he was paid only at the rate of Rs 900 per month. Rakesh left the job here last year and returned to his native place at Banwala in Sikar district of Rajasthan where he met Billu Ram Jat, a professional criminal he knew since childhood. Together they hatched a plan to recover the arrear wages amounting to over Rs 40,000 from Raghunath. Accordingly Billu was hired and they left their village on September 7 for Shillong. Reaching the city around 1 pm on September 17, they proceeded to Raghunath's residence at Nongmynsong where they took lunch together with the victim. It was around 4 pm that Raghunath was knifed to death as he declined to pay the money.

Shakuntala, his 12-year old niece became an unintended victim as she entered the room as Raghunath was being stabbed. The killers instantly silenced her by splitting her throat with a screw-driver.

GUWAHATI, Sept 21: Constant threat from militants frequent combing operations by security forces have thrown policing of wildlife out of gear in Manas National Park, a bio-diversity hot spot.

Wildlife personnel have resorted to undertake patrolling unarmed inside the sprawling 500 square kilometre park as a precautionary measure so that militants do not get an opportunity to snatch their weapons as had happened in a few occasions in the past.

On the otherhand, security forces ask wildlife personnel to stay away from their camps when combing operations are launched inside park areas to flush out ultras which use the sanctuary as a corridor from their Bhutan bases to the State areas.

The Director of the National Park, Sri SB Singh, told this correspondent that this year large number of militants had infiltrated into the fringe areas of the park from Bhutan camps as per information provided by villagers.

Influx by militants forced security agencies to launch operations in fringe areas somedays back. In the process Dighari camp of forest department was burnt down during a fierce gun-battle between ultras and security personnel. Extensive damage was also caused to Bhuyanpara camp during another encounter.

The Director informed that both the camps had been temporarily abolished and the staff withdrawn for the time being. Forest personnel manning camps in such volatile fringe areas run very high risk when security forces are operating to flush out ultras.

For the obvious reasons the security force cannot provide prior information before launching such operation so that wildlife staff from those areas could be withdrawn in time.

Sri Singh informed that during the last ten years more that 100 rifles and large quantity of ammunition had been snatched from the wildlife and forest personnel by ultras inside Manas Park. Total 14 personnel of the Department including a Range Officer were killed in militancy-related violence inside the park. In such a situation it has been an uphill task for the Park authority to keep the morale of its staff high given that they are not even allowed to carry their arms along.

The Director informed that in most of the camps located in sensitive areas, wildlife personnel are posted only during daytime while at night the camps are left unmanned.

Because of the problem of militancy, thing have come to such a pass that effective protection of Manas National Park, which boasts of an internationally reputed tiger project, is possible only through co-operation from fringe area villagers in addition to use of force against ultras, the Director says.

Already the Park authority is gearing up to elicit maximum co-operation from villagers at peripheral areas. A workshop was organised couple of days back where about 300 people participated alongwith frontline wildlife NGOs like WWF, Nature's Beckon. The workshop provided an opportunity for extensive interaction among the Park Staff, NGOs and villagers.

All the 27 Manas Bandhu groups, the local NGO groups formed at the initiative of Forest Department, participated in the workshop which is aimed at involving people in protection of the bio-diversity zone.

"We have been drumming in into the ears of villagers that if Manas Park is destroyed, they will be the worst affected as most of them are dependent on the Park for their livelihood," the Director said.

He claims that the people have started responding to the call. The women of the area have already formed Central Mohila Manas Protection Committee. The Director recalls that last year killing of a deer by poachers evoked strong protest from villagers. A few poachers even surrendered before a member of Manas Bandhu Group. It was very heartening for the wildlife staff there.

To reciprocate the gesture of the people, the Forest Department has organised setting up of drinking water facilities in a few fringe villages, helped weavers and set up community centres.

The Director informed that the Park authority had approached the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD) here to organise training on self-employment to members of Manas Bandhu groups.

GUWAHATI, Sept 25: Altogether 55 Government-aided colleges in the State do not have permanent principals and in-charge principals are managing the affairs in these colleges. The State has 189 Government-aided colleges with about 1,89,000 students. Though the Directorate of Higher Education of the State has asked the college authorities to appoint regular principals, a significant number of colleges have not found any suitable candidate for the post of principal, while some colleges, like the Sapatgram College, have not received any application against the posts of principals even after quite a long time since advertising the posts. Some highly placed sources in the State's Education Department tend to claim that the vacancies against the posts of principals in the Government-aided colleges remained unfilled because of the absence of the regular Governing Bodies in these colleges for a significantly long time.

Most of the Government-Aided colleges in the State have been run for the past several yeas by Special Bodies headed by politicians like the MLAs or the Ministers. Significantly, one MLA or a Minister has been heading several such Special Bodies of Aided colleges making it most inconvenient for the Special Bodies to meet frequently to address to the problems facing their respective colleges.

On May 19, 1999, the Higher Education Department directed the Director of Higher Education (Letter No. B(2)H 437/96/39, Dispur) that in view of the Special Bodies'/Governing Bodies' failure in appointing the principals selected by the State Selection Board, The Directorate should "... issue a circular to all the SBs/GBs of the colleges to appoint the principals from the Selection List prepared by the State Selection Board and approved by the Government within a period of three months, except the colleges where the founder principals are allowed to carry on."

Following this, the Directorate of Higher Education issued a circular (No. G (B) AC (21/99/14, dated Kahilipara, the 13th of July, 1999) to all the colleges directing them to appoint regular principals from the Selection List within a period of three months from the date of receipt of the letter. But the circular failed to evoke the desired response from many college authorities which necessitated the Directorate of Higher Education's to dash off another circular (No. G (B) AC/21/99/15, dated, Kahilipara, the 28th of March, 2000) resenting that the instruction issued by the Directorate was not followed by many college authorities in matters of appointment of regular principals. It gave another three months' time to the non-compliant colleges to appoint regular principals from the Selection List. Despite this, complaints are galore that the authorities in many colleges are extending the terms of the principals-in-charge to the detriment of a healthy academic atmosphere in their respective colleges.

It is a common allegation that these principals-in-charge are vulnerable to any pressure from the extraneous forces and this is due to their very nature of ad-hoc appointment.

When contacted, Director of Higher Education Dr GN Talukdar told The Assam Tribune that there are 55 vacancies at present against the posts of principals in State's Government-Aided (or, Grants-in-Aid) colleges. In February next, ten more vacancies against the posts of principals will occur in these colleges.

There are about 30 founder principals, i.e. principals who founded the colleges, working in Government-Aided colleges, he said.

The present panel of selected candidates for the posts of principals in these colleges was prepared about 5 years back on the basis of the norms which confined the eligibility criteria within the candidate's experience as a Selection Grade Teacher for 18 years, Dr Talukdar said.

AGARTALA, Sept 27: The Tripura Government has decided to intensify counter-insurgency operations as well as efforts for peace talks with the tribal guerillas to curb militancy, reports UNI. State's Director General of Police B L Vora told newsmen here Tuesday that 48 people, including 31 tribals, were detained under the National Security Act for having links with the militants. He said the recent success in the anti-insurgency operations was because of the coordinated efforts of State police, Tripura State Rifles, Central paramilitary forces and the people. Significantly, the people, both tribals and non-tribals, have started to come with timely and correct information which suggests that they are fed up of militancy, he observed. Sri Vora said the State police have decided to introduce the DG's commendation disc from the current year which would be a morale booster for the policemen. Names of some of those who had done well would also be recommended for President's Police Medal, he said. The DGP said, 15 NLFT insurgents had been killed since August 10 and a large number of weapons, including AK 47 rifle, Stenguns, pistols, revolvers and country-made guns seized along with ammunition and other articles.

GUWAHATI, Sept 27: The Assam State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank (ASCARD), which had been established for extending long-term loans to cultivators and customers related to cultivations, is on the verge of closure and the Government may declare it sick at any moment. The bank, which had been making profits till a few years back, has not extended any loan to any customers during the last four years. No action has been initiated against a host of political leaders, top-level officers, and loanees who are responsible for turning the once profit-making bank into a sick one. Though the State Government had entrusted the CBI to inquire into the financial irregularities in the bank from 1992 to 1996 on July 19 last year, the inquiry has not progressed at all as the CBI is not performing its job with the earnestness the case deserves. The Gauhati High Court had also constituted a committee to look into the recovery of Rs 10 crore loan which the bank had given to a number of persons flouting all norms. The bank had taken the amount (Rs 10 crore) as loan from the Peerless.

MORIGAON, Sept 27: Gross financial irregularities were reported in Public Work Department (PWD) (Road), Morigaon division causing widespread concern among the local people. As per information received, in the (1999-2000) financial year, Rs 63 lakh was sanctioned to PWD(R), Morigaon division as flood damage repairing (FDR), while Rs 26 lakh was given to the same division by the State Government as general repairing fund. Now, the allegation by the local people is that without utilizing the full fund the completion report has been submitted by the PWD(R), Morigaon division. As the serious complaints were raised with respect to FDR works, the Deputy Commissioner, Morigaon instituted an inquiry into the allegations. The result of the inquiry, however, was not known till date.

The serious allegation against the PWD(R), Morigaon division is that in the month of March, this year, the PWD(R), Morigaon submitted a letter to Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) informing that for carrying mega transformers (weight measuring at 70 tonnes) to Baghjap ASEB transmission centre, two wooden bridges in Morigaon-Jagiroad PWD road should be repaired and ASEB was asked to pay a fund for the same. Accordingly, an estimate of Rs 3 lakh was submitted to ASEB by PWD(R), Morigaon division.

The ASEB sent the amount of Rs 2,63,038 to Executive Engineer, PWD(R), Morigaon vide banker cheque. According to the financial rule, the said amount must be deposited at treasury and it should be spent through challan. But, instead of maintaining the procedure, the Executive Engineer PWD(R), Morigaon opened an account No. 8B, A/c No. 10311/30 at United Bank of India (UBI), Morigaon and deposited Rs 2,63,038.

Afterwards, the executive engineer, PWD (R), Morigaon paid Rs 21,07,042 to one Jadav Tamuli for repairing work of No.2/2 bridge and Rs 47,481 to one Bireswar Medhi for repairing works of No.2/1 bridge of Jagiroad-Morigaon PWD road in the month of April, 2000.

Now, according to Treasury Rule No.9, no Government officer can open an account in bank for transaction of Government money without prior approval of the authority of finance department. Above all, the transaction of the fund is still not known to treasury or auditor general as because the monthly accounts or cash book of Morigaon PWD(R) division does not show the figure of the fund.

GUWAHATI, Sept 29: Tender Kahua, the harbinger of autumn, is in peril. This lovely reed of the grass family, which grows along the water bodies and on low-altitude hills in bushes and unfurls its flag of snowy-white flowers to sway with the wind proclaiming the advent of autumn, will soon disappear into oblivion like the other endangered species of flora if the stereotype developments go on unchecked in Assam, now one of the bio-diversity hotspots on the earth.

A variety of the saccharum species, Kahua was inseparable from the autumn landscape of the river banks, low-lying areas and low-altitude hills of NE region even a few years back. It adds not only to the scenic beauty, but also enriches poetic imaginations.

No one perhaps needs to be reminded of the popular numbers -- Kahuaban mor ashanta man aalphul hatere lowa sabati and Tomar ushah kahua komal, shewalee komal hanhi... sung by Dr Bhupen Hazarika, or, the numbers sou aakashat kahuar rang kone sanile, aahine, aahine, aahine and Aikhani gaon nichei aapon, eyote dekho madhur sapon, .... aalphulkoi kahua halise... mukhe mukhe hanhi dekhon... sung respectively by Dr Biren Dutta and Dwipen Baruah.

Similarly, there is no need to remind any one of the classic scene in Satyajit Ray master piece Pather Panchali, in which young Durga along with her younger brother Apu, was rushing through the Kaansh (Kahua) bush to have a glimpse of a running train! The very composition of the shot by Ray was hailed by the critics as a soul-stirring piece of a marvellous poem on celluloid.

Kahua, though not appreciated as a significant economic commodity, has thus been occupying a special place in the popular psyche and has also been acting as a reagent to stir artistic imagination.

But today this tender-bodied blooming plant is being rapidly robbed of its habitats by the biotic disturbances, or, to be more specific, by the anthropogenic activities, scientists say.

According to Dr Sarada Sarma, an ecologist as well as Head of the Department of Botany, Gauhati University (GU), none of the species of the flora, which had a rich intense population about a century back in the State, could maintain the intensity of their population today.

Extinction of Kahua is a matter of concern. For, conservation should not be confined to some limited species only. Today we may not know the significance of some species, but tomorrow, they may prove to be very important for the civilisation. Hence, if we destroy the species of which we are totally in dark today, we will have to repent for that tomorrow, Dr Sarma said.

Some herbivorus organisms, which are very much specific so far as their food requirement is concerned, will find it difficult to thrive unless there is the particular plant species grown to supply them their require food. Thus, ultimately, those herbivorus organisms will have no way out but to get extinct gradually, he said.

There should not be any ambiguity that there is a mutual relationship between the plants and other living organisms along with non-living factors, like soil, water, air etc., which constitute a natural system called the eco-system, Dr Sarma maintained.

Similarly, Dr Parimal Bhattacharyya, member of the national committee of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest and Head of the Department of Zoology, GU, said that the dwindling population of Kahua is a matter of concern ecologically; besides, its extinction will mean a loss of a seasonal feast to our eyes -- for, it is the 'dancing cloud on the ground', he said.

Kahua bushes provide temporary habitats to some varieties of birds, a lot of insects and some smaller mammals.

Insects like the beetles, grasshoppers, dragon fly and demsel fly use the Kahua bushes as temporary habitats. Insects come to these bushes, which are dense in growth, at different stages of maturity of the bushes, to take shelter and to live on the plants. In the process, they attract the birds like those of the Bush Chat type, and the Maina and Munia varieties and thus become the members of the food chain.

Rats also visit the bushy areas and thus invite the snakes as do some varieties of predacious frogs, which use the Kahua bushes as their seasonal habitats, Dr Bhattacharyya said, adding, it is quite natural that the mongoose also use the Kahua bushes as part of their habitats.

Extinction of Kahua will put this system in jeopardy, while in the long run elimination of this location-biased flora will rob the NE region of some of its diverse biological elements, Dr Bhattacharyya observed.

Former Head of the Department of Botany, Cotton College, Dr R N Bhattacharyya said that Kahua, which also signifies a change in cultivation, acts as a soil binding agent because of its extensive root system and density in growth, and thus, helps in checking soil erosion.

GUWAHATI, Sept 29 (PTI): Large-scale ethnic violence leading to extensive habitat destruction has threatened the existence of the rare golden langur or sonali bandar found in the north-west part of Assam.

"Large-scale ethnic violence that broke out in and around the forests inhabited by golden langurs resulted in loss of forests and its habitat has been reduced by one-third of its original in the last ten years," says primatologist Arun Srivastava, who has done extensive research on the monkeys as part of a five-year Indo-US primate project.

The golden langurs are found in the country in north-west Assam between the river Sankosh in the west, river Manas in the east and the river Brahmaputra in the south.

"The results of the survey conducted by the Indo-US primate project between 1994-99 indicated their presence in the continuous forest patch on Indo-Bhutan border from river Sankosh to Manas," says Srivastava.

The disappearance in recent years of extensive tracts of forest comprising the original golden langur country has restricted the animal to isolated pockets of forest tract from where they have not been able to move out, says Parimal Kumar Das of another environmental group, Appropriate Technology Mission, Assam.

Research carried out by the Indo-US primate project, reported over 32 per cent to 73 per cent primate loss due to an average loss of 55 per cent of forest cover in just one small area of five sq km in Assam.

A combination of social disturbances, inadequate forest department resources and population pressures have resulted in steady erosion of forests and the destructive process that has already occurred cannot be reversed, says Srivastava.

However, by recognizing the natural treasures in the reserve forests, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks and by upgrading protection and planning for biosphere reserves, the natural species of the region can be protected, he suggests.

According to Das, the golden langur, a purely arboreal species has been compelled to adapt its behaviour following large-scale degradation of forest tracts.

"The ongoing destruction of habitat continues to build up stress on the survival of species and it is no longer a rare sight to see these animals traverse open ground to get to the next tree or patch of forest," says Das.

Individual animals or small groups of three or four have been sighted on bare isolated hill ranges of Bongaigaon district but these small groups are destined to be wiped out in a few years.

In the larger existing forest tracts, such as in the Manas Tiger Reserve, survival chances are much higher but there is an over-all general threat to the species.

In the Kakoijana Wildlife Sanctuary, the threat is mainly due to continuous felling of trees by illegal fellers, points out another environmentalist, Kabindra Narayan Deb.

Deb also points out that the local villagers are known to hunt and eat golden langur whenever available.

Besides, villagers and cowherds armed with catapults and bows and arrows stray into the forests and hunt these golden langurs causing much disturbance and threat to the natural balance, he rues.

TEZPUR, Sept 30: It is impossible to imagine a university, that too a Central one, without road communication with the nearest town, but that is actually the position the Tezpur University finds itself in after floods created havoc in the area. Now the University does not have proper road communication with Tezpur, the nearest town.

Floods of the Morabharali river from July this year eroded parts of the road leading to the university from Tezpur town through Dolabari and Pachmail and the road communication was totally disrupted in August this year, forcing the University authorities to close down the institution for three days. This correspondent recently visited the erosion-affected areas and found that a part of the wooden bridge over the river Morabharali river on the main road leading to the University from Tezpur town has been washed away and now it is impossible to ply vehicles on the bridge. The local people said that they managed to repair the bridge to enable people to cross it on foot and till date the concerned authorities of the State government have not done anything to repair the bridge to reduce the suffering of the masses.

Major portions of the main road leading from the town to the University were also eroded away and there is grave danger of the remaining portion being eroded unless immediate steps are taken to repair the road. In fact, apart from the road, the river Morabharali also caused large-scale damage to other buildings in the area. One inspection bunglow was totally damaged while only a few broken pillars remain of what was a wooden bridge over the river. The Pachmail LP School near the main road from Tezpur to the University was totally washed away on August 3 and the Pachmail High School is also in bad shape as one room was badly damaged in erosion and there is a threat of the other rooms being eroded away. Head master of the School Alauddin Ahmed told this correspondent that the local people and the teachers of the school collected money to undertake repair works to protect the school. But he expressed fear that their efforts would not be enough to control the Morabharali river.

Meanwhile, Tezpur University, Vice Chancellor Dr P Bhattacharyya said that he has taken up the matter with the Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha, who is also the Chancellor of the University, Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and also with the State Chief Secretary. He expressed the hope that the State government would take urgent necessary steps to repair the road to ensure smooth functioning of the University.

Dr Bhattacharyya said that at present the University is using an alternative road through Solmara, which passes through an army cantonment. However, this gravel road is also in very bad shape and is full of large potholes. Immediate steps need to be taken to improve this road till the original road is repaired. Unfortunately, most of the faculty members of the University, who have to stay in Tezpur town as the quarters have not been completed, have to use this road twice every day to visit the University campus.

The Vice Chancellor revealed that the road condition has seriously affected construction works in the University campus as heavy materials cannot be transported through the road that is now being used by the University. He said that the Central government released an amount of Rs 10 crore for construction works this year and the activities were going on in full swing when the disaster struck, snapping the road links between the University and the nearest town. He said that the University started by converting a veterinary department farm of the State government and in the first three years the University took up construction of two Assam-type buildings and two RCC hostels. Two RCC hostels: Brahmaputra Boys hostel and Bordoichila girls hostel, accommodating 150 students each, are now being used, while, another hundred students are accommodated in two Assam-type hostels. One third of the ground floors of two academic buildings are now in use but the completion of the buildings were delayed due to snapped road communication. Plans for construction of faculty and staff quarters, a library building and a hospital were also finalised but the floods delayed the whole construction process.

SHILLONG, Sept 30: 'Non-state actors', an euphemism for militant organisations, in the world, have agreed not to use anti-personnel landmines (APMs) against civilians. It's a major success for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBN).

The commitment was given by 'NSAs' from Philippines, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Sudan and some other countries at a meeting in Geneva in May this year at the initiative of the ICBN.

'NSAs' from Jammu and Kashmir and ULFA, NSCN and Bodo groups from North Eastern region who were also invited to the meeting of NSAs failed to turn up, Dr Balkrishna Kurvey, President and Coordinator, Indian Campaign to Ban Landmines, told a Press conference here today.

Significantly, B P Rao, IGP (CID), Assam, in a paper presented at a seminar on 'APM- a challenge to human rights' held at Bishnu-Nirmala Trust Auditorium earlier today alleged that militants operating in Assam and other NE states have been resorting to indiscriminate use of improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) against security forces and civilian targets on a large scale.

He said that the IEDs deployed by different outfits in Assam have caused death of 99 civilians unconnected with the conflict and 81 combatants during the period from January 1, 1991 to August 31 this year. During the same period, 236 civilians and 127 combatants were also injured due to indiscriminate use of IEDs.

Chairing the inaugural session, former Assam Speaker Sheikh Chand Mohammad described APMs as 'weapons of destruction of human rights'. Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University Prof Hiralal Duarah inaugurated the seminar organised jointly by Citizens' Initiative, Guwahati and The Indian Institute of Peace, Disarmament and Environmental Protection, Nagpur in collaboration with the Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC).