Tripura tribal party to garner support for autonomous council

The Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) will consult regional parties on the issue of augmentation of power of the state’s lone autonomous district council constituted under the sixth schedule of the constitution. Top leaders of the party reached Guwahati on Saturday for the purpose ahead of their visit to New Delhi to place demands to the Central government.

INPT President Bijay Kumar Hrangkhawl, Vice President Nagendra Jamatia and General Secretary Jagadish Debbarma will hold talks with leaders of the regional parties and office bearers of other autonomous districts councils. Unlike rival Indigenous Peoples’ Front of Tripura (IPFT) which is voicing for a separate state for the minority tribal population, INPT wants to take a pragmatic approach on the whole issue.

“We don’t want bifurcation of the state, but definitely demand measures to strengthen the tribal district council. The present council has very limited power and jurisdiction”, Jagadish Debbarma told The Hindu.

He said the council should be given authority under the seventh schedule of the constitution that was only granted to the Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) in Assam. The party would place this and other demands to the central government leaders including Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde at New Delhi.

INPT leaders said they want the centre moves a bill on assigning more power to the Tripura tribal autonomous district council in upcoming winter session of the parliament. The party would also lobby for other demands concerning s indigenous people who constitute one third of total population of Tripura, they added.

A team of IPFT leaders are also slated to visit New Delhi soon to demand for a separate state for the tribals. The party has been agitating for a new state with areas under the tribal autonomous district council.

The council covers three fourth of total area of the state, but has only one fourth of population in a state 3.6million people. 

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Rumour leads to panic buying of salt in Bihar(Its a rumours guys dnt panic and dnt let shopkeepers to cheat )

     

  PATNA: There was panic buying of salt in different districts of Bihar and its capital on Thursday following rumour about the shortage of the most essential item in the kitchen of every household. Though the state government denied any shortage, shopkeepers had a field day and sold salt from Rs60 to Rs150/kg.

Food and consumer protection minister Shyam Rajak blamed the BJP for spreading the rumour. BJP spokesman Suresh Rungta, however, rebutted Rajak's allegation and said government should ensure adequate supply of the essential commodity.

"An unsubstantiated rumour has spread in Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Samastipur and Madhubani districts about shortage of salt in the market due to reduced supply of the commodity from Gujarat, prompting the consumers to panic and buy it for Rs70 per kg at some places," Rajak said at a press conference. "Officials of the affected districts have been directed to probe the situation and crack down on the hoarders," Rajak added.

More than six persons were arrested from Bettiah, Nirmali, Supaul, Darbhanga and Madhubani for spreading the rumour. The maximum retail price of salt of different companies is between Rs16 and Rs20 per kg.

Rajak said the department officers made public announcements about the availability of salt in abundance at prescribed rates and consumers stopped the panic buying.

A supermarket on Fraser Road in Patna exhausted its stock of 800kg as people resorted to bulk buying. A departmental store owner in Patliputra Colony told TOI, "Generally I sale ten packets every day but I sold over 50 packets on Thursday after the rumour spread about its shortage."

Surprisingly, bags of salt were left abandoned outside a few posh bungalows in Patliputra Colony.

Rajak warned that those engaged in hoarding and black marketing of salt would be arrested under section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act.

The department's principal secretary, Shishir Sinha issued instructions to all DMs and SDMs directing to raid the hoarders' premises. The government announced that four lakh bags of salt would reach Patna from Gujarat and Rajasthan in the next two days. The government also released salt stock position in different districts.

The administration swung into action following rumours of salt shortage in Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Katihar, Purnia, East Champaran, West Champaran, Supaul, Madhepura and Madhubani districts.

Supaul DM L P Chauhan told TOI over phone that there was no shortage of salt in the urban areas, but reports of black marketing were pouring in from the rural areas.

Kisun ji, a salt retailer at Mina Bazar in Motihari, said salt is available in the market but people are buying to stock it.

"People are being informed about the rumour. Stern action will be taken against rumourmongers," Madhepura DM Gopal Meena said.

Purnia SDO Raj Kumar rubbished such rumours and denied any shortage of salt.

A flurry of phone calls around 4pm on Thursday resulted in a melee in the Bettiah market and salt price zoomed to Rs100/kg. West Champaran DM's OSD, Manoj Kumar, said police stations have been alerted.

People in Begusarai woke up amidst rumours of salt crisis and there was a mad rush to buy it a premium. Begusarai DM Manoj Kumar said there was no shortage of salt in the district. However, a team of officials led by Begusarai SDM S P Mishra swung into action and warned the wholesale dealers not to charge extra. However, people were spotted carrying a bag containing 25 packets of salt to avoid impending crisis.

People rushed to the nearest shops in Samastipur town and villages for panic buying of salt. Vijay Sah of Pethiagachi Road area in Samastipur said he bought two sacks of salt for at least nine months. The district president of Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA), Surendra Prasad Singh, led a group of youths and staged a protest march in the town demanding action against the rumourmongers. The district administration also made announcement on public address system that hoarders would be punished.        

HIV-infected couple dead after allegedly consuming poison

AGARTALA:-

Unable to bear the social stigma, HIV-infected couple allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison.

While the husband died on the way to the hospital on October 24, the 35-year-old woman died at a hospital yesterday, North Tripura district, SP (North) Abhijit Saptarshi told reporters.

The couple, living in Hurua village, were ostracised by the villagers and relatives, who had asked them to leave the village fearing spread of the infection, the police said.

The woman had to abort her five-month-old foetus on the advice of doctors when she was detected as HIV positive in 2008.

The statement of the woman has been recorded in the hospital and appropriate action would be taken, the SP said. A case of unnatural death has been registered by the police. 

So,everyone be careful stay save hail Tiprasa