AK-47 rifles and ammunition seized in Mizoram's Thuampui

Aizawl, June 24 : Two AK-47 assault rifles and a huge quantity of ammunition were seized from two persons who were arrested by the Mizoram police at Thuampui in Aizwal.

The arms and ammunition were seized from S Vanlala of south Mizoram's New Saiha village and Dingliana of Lunglei last night, Aizawl District SP Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said.

The seized ammunition were 299 rounds for self-loading rifles (SLR) and 419 rounds for AK-47 rifles. He said that the weapons were reportedly procured from Myanmar, which shares a 404 km porous international border with Mizoram.

Mizoram Home minister lays foundation stone for School

Keifang: Home Minister Pu R. Lalzirliana yesterday laid the foundation stone for the construction of additional classrooms under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shikska Abhiyaan (RMSA) at the Government Comprehensive High School at Keifang.

Laying the foundation stone, Pu Lalzirliana said that for the progress and advancement of education, well-equipped classrooms and dedicated teachers are both a necessity, each complementing the other. He also expressed hope that the new infrastructure would be of good quality, well built to last through the years and called upon the teachers to be vigilant during the construction period to ensure that quality construction.

Under the RMSA, a sum of Rs.36.85 lakhs has been earmarked for construction of 5 additional classrooms which includes a Science Laboratory and a Computer Laboratory.

The school established in 1990, encompasses Class V to Class X and now has 172 students and 13 teachers.

Green Mizoram Day Ceremonial Tree Planting Held

Aizawl: The Ceremonial Tree Planting Programme to observe 'Green Mizoram Day' was held at Assam Rifles Ground, Aizawl at 10 AM this morning.

Gracing the programme as Chief Guest, State Level Committee on Green Mizoram Chairman, Mr Lal Thanhawla, Chief Minister, said that mass planting of trees had been organised to demonstrate the government's determination in protecting the flora and fauna of Mizoram and to end further destruction of our environment. He highlighted that under the inititiation and supervision of the government, 16,50,855 saplings had been planted in the state during the last eleven years. He pointed out that the dense forest cover in Mizoram was currently less than 1% of the total land area, and unless strong efforts towards afforestation were taken up immediately, the state could end up in a desert-like situation. The Chief Minister also released a book titled 'Bamboos of Mizoram' published by the Environment & Forests Department, which contained a detailed study of the bamboos of Mizoram. He stated that Mizoram had the best bamboos in the country, and experts were currently engaged in trying to improve the state economy through profitable use of bamboos. The Chief Minister also said that expansion of Mualkhang Gas Bottling Plant, construction of bigger godown at proposed Sairang railway station, construction of Petrol Retail Outlet at Khawzawl and Thenzawl as well as other important issues had been discussed in his meeting with Indian Oil Company (IOC) officials held earlier in the morning.

Presiding over the programme, the State Level Committee Vice Chairman Pu H. Rohluna, Environment and Forests Minister, thanked the Sub-Committee on Green Mizoram for organising the programme and said that mass tree planting programme was being held in all the Districts of Mizoram today. He also stated that while the total green cover in Mizoram was 91.27% (19240 sq.km.), the actual forest area stood only at 0.64 % (134 sq.km.). The most precious legacy we could leave behind for our children was clean environment, and that planting trees was an honourable service to others, he said. He also urged the people of Mizoram to dedicate themselves anew towards conservation of environment, nature and wildlife.

PCCF & Member Secretary Dr S.S.Garbyal also pointed out that life depended on trees, and poor preservation of environment had resulted in drastic changes in climate and weather, as well as gradual drying up of rain water and rivers. In order to counter this problem, 5000 saplings would be planted around the A.R.Ground and every government department would engage in tree planting along the Melthum-Falkawn highway.

Sub-Committee on Green Mizoram Chairman Mr Lal Thanzara, Parliamentary Secretary, who proposed a vote of thanks, commended all the NGOs, Village Councils, Assam Rifles personnel and NSS Units for their steadfast cooperation and continued support towards the initiatives taken up by the government.

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Mizoram’s pay commission submits reports

The Mizoram state Cabinet sub-committee on 6th payrecommendations submitted its report to Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.

The pay panel headed by Personal and Administrative Reforms Minister H Liansailova proposed on January 1, 2010 as the effective date, against the Fitment Committee’s earlier proposal of January 1, 2006, without arrears.
Liansailova said the reports had been prepared in line with implementation of the sixth pay recommendations in states like Punjab, Haryana, Orissa, Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh and taking into consideration the proposals and grievances of as many as 84 service associations under the Mizoram government.

The sub-committee recommendations have excluded contractual and muster-roll employees, pensioners and employees of colleges and of law and judicial department.

While pointing out that certain privileges have been shown to Grade IV workers, who have no scope for promotion, the committee chairman made it clear that arrears would not be paid.

‘’Since the Government employees are the real stakeholders of theGovernment, who are aware of the Government’s financial health, they are expected not to insist on getting arrears,’’ Liansailova was quoted as saying by the official source. The Cabinet sub-committee was constituted on 12 January 2010, after the fitment committee’s recommendations were not agreeable to certain groups of government employees. It had visited a number of states to study their pay structures.

Liansailova said the 6th Pay Commission recommendations would be implemented on the basis of availability of fund. ‘’The Government will have to sacrifice a large amount of plan and non plan fund for payment of arrear and the enhanced pay as the Centre cannot be expected to give additional grant for meeting the expenses on implementation of the 6th Pay Commission Report,’’ he added.