The Northeast Notebook

Sikkim groups to get ST statusTHE Sikkim government has recommended inclusion of two ethnic groups of the state8212;the Limbus and Tamangs...

Sikkim groups to get ST status
THE Sikkim government has recommended inclusion of two ethnic groups of the state8212;the Limbus and Tamangs8212;in the list of Scheduled Tribes. The state government has asked the Census director-general to carry out a special census of these two communities.

Once the Limbus and Tamangs get an official ST stamp, they will also get reserved seats in the 32-member state assembly. With that, they hope, will come a greater say in the decision-making process.

Nagaland8217;s informed step
With peace in sight, Nagaland is now eyeing the IT sector as a solution for the state8217;s growing unemployment problem.

While chief minister Neiphiu Rio last week finalised the state8217;s infotech policy and announced the government8217;s decision to establish a Centre for Excellence in IT in Kohima, private entrepreneurs have already stepped in to set up a number of computer training centres. The number may not be too large but for Nagaland it8217;s one step forward.

Assam honours first Arjuna winner
Bhogeswar Barua, the first Arjuna award winner from the Northeast and a 1966 Asian Games gold medalist, may not be so well-known outside the region but in Assam, his birthday, September 3, is an annual event marked as sports day.

Assam, in fact, is the first state in the country to have a sports day, with Barua8217;s birthday having been celebrated statewide since 1984. And on this occasion, Assam also honoured all those from the state who had played for India during the past twelve months.

Sipahijala wants National Park status
Sipahijala, Tripura8217;s most important wildlife sanctuary, is asking the union government for a National Park status. A sanctuary since 1974, Sipahijala with an area of about 18 square km, is home to about 56 species of birds and animals. Of these 34 are listed in the rare and highly endangered category.

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Every year Sipahijala earns a neat sum through tourism for Tripura. Last season, 1.35 lakh tourists visited this sanctuary.

Shillong8217;s peace tune
Shillong, the capital of Indian rock music, last week hosted an inter-college rock contest which turned out to be a peace concert.

College bands from all over the region sang together a song of peace while 8216;On the Verge8217;8212;the band from Manipur also sang a song asserting that the Manipuris were not separatists but as patriotic as any other Indian.