American soldier, in the heart of MizoramTHE Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS) of the Indian Army, situated at Vairangte in Mizoram, had some special guests last week. About 55 soldiers of the Alaska-based 21st Infantry Battalion of the US Task Force underwent training in guerrilla warfare—a specialisation of this school. Set up in the wake of insurgency that hit the Mizo hills between 1966 and 1986, the Vairangte school is considered the best of its kind in the world. ADB, Japan aid for GuwahatiGUWAHATI, the Gateway to the Northeast, has got some windfall. The Asian Development Bank and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation have agreed to give a total sum of Rs 835 crore for the development of this premier city. In the absence of a proper master-plan, Guwahati had witnessed chaotic growth in the last few years. The hills in and around the city have suffered large scale erosion due to encroachment. Stopping Meghalaya’s slide in the rainEVERY monsoon, Meghalaya, like most other north east states, suffers landslides that cut off vital road links in most districts. However, this rainy season, things are looking up. The state government has set up a Landslide Mitigation Committee in all districts. These committees will not only create awareness against earth cutting and jhum cultivation, but will also help in rescue operations. Shooting to achieve tourism targetsTOURISM in the Northeast is trying to project itself as one common brand. The North East Development Finance Corporation (NEDFi) and North Eastern Council (NEC) have roped in Bollywood bigwigs like Subhash Ghai and Ram Gopal Varma to help boost the region’s potential by shooting more films here. NEDFi and NEC have also launched new schemes to provide finance to private promoters. These schemes include setting up of new hotels and restaurants, apart from adopting an aggressive marketing strategy outside the region. The train out of AgartalaTRIPURA’s capital will soon find a place on the railway’s expansive network. At present, Agartala is connected to other states only by air and by a highway that is not too safe because of militancy. Once directly connected to Guwahati, the railways plan to reopen Agartala’s pre-independence rail link to Akhaura in Bangladesh too.
