The Northeast Notebook

Elephants and electric shockTHE faulty layout of electric poles in the forests of Meghalaya8217;s Garo Hills, has posed fresh danger for el...

Elephants and electric shock
THE faulty layout of electric poles in the forests of Meghalaya8217;s Garo Hills, has posed fresh danger for elephants. Four of them were electrocuted a few weeks ago in the West Garo Hills.

Last week the state government decided to act. It has ordered that all electric power lines be diverted from elephant habitat and also from the regular route that the animals take to water holes. Meghalaya has over 500 elephants, most of whom live in the Garo Hills.

Manipur8217;s positive turn
MANIPUR8217;S 17,000 HIV-positive people have something to look forward to. The state government has drawn a plan to give anti-retroviral drugs to all of them in a phased manner. Last week the first batch of 300 patients received the drugs.

According to a recent Manipur State AIDS Control Society report, the state has 2,985 AIDS patients and about 419 patients have died over the last few years.

Shortchanged in Meghalaya
SHORTAGE of coins, especially of smaller denominations, has hit the common man in Meghalaya hard.

The Consumers8217; Protection Forum has stepped in, threatening to drag the banks to court if the situation did not improve in two weeks.

The Bangkok drive
GUWAHATI will flag off the first ever international car rally this November. The destination: Bangkok. The rally, that will explore possible road links from Northeast India to the Southeast Asian countries, is being organised by the CII and the ministry for development of the Northeast region.

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The Northeast has been demanding opening more surface links to Southeast Asian countries. It already has an existing link to Myanmar through Manipur and Mizoram.

Invisible workers
RECRUITMENT of employees in government departments by successive regimes on ad hoc and contract systems has become a problem for the Nagaland government.

Chief minister Neiphui Rio has asked all departments to find out the actual number of such employees. In several instances, it has been found that such employees were actually just 8216;fabricated8217; names. All this has led to corruption and waste of government funds at the cost of developmental activities. Chief minister Rio has suggested that all recruitment now be conducted through the state public service commission.