GUWAHATI, September 18: Lack of coordination between civic authorities coupled with the callousness of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) employees and the unhygenic habits of most of the patients seeking treatment there has turned the premier medical institution of the region into a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. The institution, set up to cure people, is now itself posing a danger to the wellbeing of its occupants and workers. Overflowing drains, blocked latrines, improper disposal of medical waste have all become an eyesore for the visitors. Those responsible for maintaining the hygenic and sanitary stardards of the premises, however, prefer to turn a blind eye to all this. As if that were not enough, a wide variety of four-legged creatures, including rats, cats and dogs leads the visitors to wonder whether he has not actually come to a municipal pound. "We have about 300 workers assigned with the task of keeping the hospital premises clean but that is not enough", says GMCH deputy superintendent, Dr P N Talukdar. He says that for the upkeep of wards, four Grade IV employees are attached to each one of them, working shiftwise. "Ideally we would like to have five people per ward", Dr Talukdar says while explaining that the workers have a tough task at hand while working the shifts. Till some time ago, the workers, apart from cleaning the wards and the toilets, even had to do the laundry. (Staff Reporter; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; September 19, 1999)

IMPHAL, September 16: The personnel of 7 Assam Rifles led by Capt Chandan Bajaj of the Yairipok Army post in Thoubal district have once again threatened human rights activist Wahengbam Joykumar with dire consequences. Joykumar once again lodged a complaint with the Manipur director-general of police in this connection on September 12 last. He also requested the DGP, L Jugeshwor, to release his cousin arrested by 7 AR without any harm. Joykumar's cousin, Wahengbam Nodiachand, was arrested by 7 AR personnel on the ground that Joykumar was not present in the house. Nodiachand was picked up by 7 AR on the night of September 10 from his house at Huikap village during a search operation. The Manipur Human Rights Commission had already directed the state police chief to provide necessary security for Joykumar. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; September 19, 1999)

SHILLONG, September 22: Panic has gripped non-tribal teachers serving in private schools in interior areas in Meghalaya following the gunning down of two non-tribal teachers during the last couple of months. In the latest incident on September 18, Chandan Bharadwaj Sharma, an Assamese teacher of the Sakwang Presbyterian High School, Mawkyrwat in West Khasi Hills, was gunned down in the local market. Sharma, 27, was a resident of Baldevpar in Sipajhar area and had joined the school in March this year on leave vacancy. The Khasi Students' Union (KSU), Mawkyrwat unit, had issued "quit" notice to all non-tribal teachers including the Assamese ones to vacate their posts and return to their home states within December this year. Sources here said that the notice created a fear in about 150 Assamese teachers serving in the interior areas and they under the banner of United Assamese School Teachers Association approached the governor of Meghalaya, MM Jacob, seeking protection. They also met the Assam chief ninister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, and leaders of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) to apprise them of the situation in Meghalaya. But much before the quit notice was issued YK Jha, a Bihari teacher was shot dead at Ranthong village of Mawkyrwat. Jha was teaching science at Ranthong Presbyterian High School, Mawkyrwat. Official sources here said two Khasi youths have been arrested yesterday in the killing of Sharma. The youths have been identified as ex-KSU members and the KSU is also understood to have disowned them. The police have, meanwhile, established the link of the two youths in the killing of Jha as well. Police believe that both the killings are a sequel to the quit notice. (Special Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; September 22, 1999)

BARPETA ROAD, September 22: More than 8,000 hectare of sali crop cultivation in Barpeta district have been severely affected due to attacks by rice hispa, causing serious problems to the farmers. During the month of August the rice hispa attacked sali crop in Sorbhog, Chenga, Nagaon (under Barpeta district), Ketkuchi, Belbari, Bhella, Mandia, Goliabandha, Pathsala and in some parts of the northern side of Barpeta district, but it has now migrated to some new areas. Sali crop covering 4,874 hectare in Bajali subdivision and 2,685 hectare in Barpeta subdivision has been affected, according to information provided by the district agriculture officer. The district agriculture officer, Barpeta has requested the director of agriculture to provide pesticides to control the situation. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; September 23, 1999)

SHILLONG, September 23: Eight more Khasi Student Union (KSU) activists including the KSU Mawkyrwat unit president Lastborn Khar Lyngdoh and general secretary Moonstar Nongsiej have been arrested by the police in connection with the killing of Chandan Bharadwaj Sharma, a schoolteacher. The arrests were made following raids on September 21-22, which were conducted at Mawkyrwat village in West Khasi Hills by police teams from Mawkyrwat and Nongstoin. Police sources identified the other arrested persons as Mawkyrwat KSU unit finance secretary Shinborlin Syiemiong and five executive members - Khrawhor Mawlein, Banshanbok Khar Lyngdoh, Strongpillan Khar Lyngdoh, Shondor Shylla and Khrawbok Snaitang. Sharma, a resident of Sipajhar in Assam, was a science teacher in Sakwang Presbyterian High School, Mawkyrwat. He was gunned down on September 18 following a 'quit notice' served on all non-tribal teachers by the KSU unit some months back. (Special Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; September 24, 1999)

IMPHAL, September 24: A mass election rally of women's, particularly the Meirai Paibis of Imphal was foiled by the Manipur police on September 23 night near the Singjamei police station in Imphal West district. The rally, which was flagged off from the Kakwa Lamdaibung in support of the Security Democratic Front-backed Manipur People's Party (MPP) candidate Khaidem Mani, disintegrated after the police disrupted it under Section 144 Cr PC which has been forced in the area. Thousands of Meirai Paibis were confronted by a police team backed by firetenders and personnel armed with tear gas shells in between Lamdaibung and Khaidem Manithat Moirangkhom. The MPP supremo O Joy and SDF candidate K Mani lodged a complaint with the returning officer and the deputy commissioner of the Imphal West district, H Imocha. (Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; September 25, 1999)

NISANGRAM, September 27: The leaders of several Garo organisations, in a recent meeting, reviewed the various policies of both the governments of Assam and Meghalaya vis-a-vis the Garo people. The meeting was organised under the auspices of the central executive committee of the Garo Students' Union at Nisangram in Goalpara district. The meeting was attended by leaders of organisations which include Garo National Council, All Assam Garo Sahitya Sabha, All Assam Garo Union, among others. The leaders who attended the meeting expressed their deep feelings of anguish at the recent statement of CB Marak, Meghalaya minister for community and rural development, that the demand for the inclusion of the Garo-dominated villages of Goalpara and Kamrup districts of Assam, by the Garo people living in it was impossible and without justification. Condemning the statement of Marak, the leaders expressed resentment over the irresponsible behaviour of Marak, who came to pay respect to the great Garo political leaders Sonaram Sangma on his death anniversary day. Meanwhile, the leaders in the meeting reiterated the demand for Scheduled Tribe status for the Garos of Assam and unanimously decided to press both the state and the Central Governments to finalise the issue when the new ministry is formed at the Centre. (The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; September 28, 1999)

SHILLONG, September 29: The Meghalaya government has alleged that the withdrawal of the Foreigners Act, 1946, from the hill state as a sequel to the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between India and Nepal in 1950, has been taken advantage of by many Nepalis to enter and stay in the state. In an affidavit before the Supreme Court, the state government has expressed concern over the unabated illegal infiltration of Bangladeshis into the state. Blaming the Centre for withdrawing the Foreigners Act, it said, "The state of Meghalaya is also seriously concerned with the infiltration of Nepali nationals from Nepal." Prior to 1995, the whole of Meghalaya was covered under the Foreigner (Restricted Area) Order, 1963, issued by the government of India under the Foreigners Act, 1946. Under this order, better known as Restricted Area Permit (RAP), all foreign nationals, including Nepali nationals from Nepal were required to acquire a permit for entry and stay in the state. However, this order was withdrawn in 1995 by the Centre as a result of which many Nepalis have settled in Meghalaya in the absence of any restrictions. The affidavit was in response to a direction of the Supreme Court asking the Centre and infiltration-affected state governments to file detailed affidavit about the magnitude of the problem and steps the governments are taking to solve the vexed issue. The case had come up following a public interest litigation filed by the All India Lawyers Forum for Civil Liberties. The forum had alleged that Centre was not doing anything to detect and deport lakhs of Bangladeshi immigrants illegally staying in the northeastern states and West Bengal. (Special Correspondent; The Assam Tribune; Guwahati; September 30, 1999)