NORTH-EASTERN STATES

The Assam government announced free power supply to encourage setting up of new Oxygen Plants as well as revival of the closed ones to avert any shortage of the live-saving gas amid the coronavirus pandemic.

sources said the decisions will not only help enhance the production capacity to fight the challenge posed by Covid-19 but will also help Assam in its efforts to become the oxygen hub of the Northeast.

The demand for medical oxygen has gone up with the increase in Covid-19 cases in Assam and the Northeast.

Assam has been supplying 12-16MT of medical oxygen daily to Meghalaya.

Sarma has requested Sangma to ensure smooth transportation of goods and passenger vehicles from the Brahmaputra Valley to Barak Valley through Meghalaya, which has over 5,000 active cases with several areas under lockdown.

Providing much-needed relief to economically impoverished families, the Manipur government has decided to bear all charges for the disposal and cremation ofdead bodiesof Covid-19 victims.

Earlier, Rs 15,000 was charged for cremation and disposal of dead bodies at Bazar Board cremation site in Minuthong and Rs 8000 by local crematoriums. Considering the trauma and financial burden faced by these families, the has decided to bear the cost of cremation.

Japanese ambassador to IndiaSuzukiHiroshi called onTripura chief ministerManik Saha and held a detailed discussion on improving the connectivity of northeastern states with South Asian countries and expansion of trade and business in the region.

The CM apprised him of the industrial potential of Tripura based on bamboo, agar and rubber while highlighting the foreign potential in Health, Education, tourism, and human resource management. Suzuki reportedly said that the Japan government gives priority to the northeast region and wants to increase trade and economic activities with neighbouring countries.

Indias northeast and Bangladesh have the potential to be transformed into a gateway to landlocked countries like Bhutan and Nepal and emerge as the new industrial value chain in the Bay of Bengal area. Japan has the vision to see Bangladesh and Indias northeast flourish as a new economic corridor for the rest of the world.

The has undertaken a massive vaccination drive along with rigorous enforcement of Covid-appropriate behaviour to prevent the fresh spread of the disease.

As of now, 93% of https://exam.pscnotes.com/Health“>Health workers and 91% of frontline workers have already been vaccinated in Tripura. Over 67% of the Population above 45 years have taken the vaccine and some of them have completed the second dose too.

A team of researchers recently discovered a new species of bent-toed gecko or lizard, from Umroi Military station in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya.

The new species of Gecko or lizard belongs to the family ofCyrtodactylus exercitus(exercitus means army, in Latin).

It has been named to honour the valour of Indian Army for their Services to India.

These new species was discovered as part of efforts of research team, to uncover herpetofaunal diversity of North East India.

Genus Cyrtodactylus

The genus Cyrtodactylus is represented by about 320 species across the world. It is the third most speciose vertebrate genus worldwide. Members of the genus range from South Asia to Melanesia. There is high diversity of the species in south Asia. North East India has now become Home to 16 species of bent-toed gecko.

The new species of bent-toed gecko or Cyrtodactylus, from family of Cyrtodactylus khasiensis, was discovered from Lunglei District of Mizoram. It is named as Cyrtodactylus lungleiensis. These geckos can be differentiated from other such species by a bent toe, which is similar to that of birds toe. The bent-toed geckos reside only in the wild amid rocks, bushes, and woods. This is the third discovery of a Cyrtodactylus species in Mizoram.

Three NE states, including two erstwhile princely states which were given status of full-fledged states quarter of a century agao after Indias Independence, will complete 50 years of statehood together on January 21.

The princely states ofManipurandTripurawere first merged with India in 1949. They were upgraded as Union Territories in 1956 till the next upgradation as a full-fledged state on January 21, 1972.

Meghalaya, on the other hand, was created as an autonomous state withinAssamin 1970 and then carved out as full-fledged state together with Manipur and Tripura on the same day.Meghalayas capital, Shillong, was made Assams capital in 1874 and remained so till January, 1972.

Tripura was ruled by Maharajas of Manikya dynasty and on September 9, 1949 Maharani Kanchan Prava Devi, then Maharani Regent of Tripura, signed on the merger document on behalf of Maharaja Manikya Kirit Bikram Kishore Dev Barman Bahadur, the minor ruler of Tripura.

But except Tripura and Manipur, the remaining five states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland,Mizoram, Meghalaya and Assam remain engaged in violent inter-state border disputes since four of them were carved out of Assam to eventually form as separate states.
Assam and Meghalaya have agreed to resolve the dispute partially, while the dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh is on course for a solution soon. But Nagaland and Mizoram remain as stumbling blocks despite Union Home minister Amit Shahs direct intervention. While Mizoram and Arunachal will complete 35 years of statehood next month on the 20th, Nagaland will complete 60 years of statehood on December 1 this year. Assam became a state on January 26, 1950.

The 44th edition of ‘Wangala,’ the festival of 100 Drums, began in the state of Meghalaya.

Highlights:

It is a Garos tribal post-harvest festival that takes place every year to honour ‘Saljong,’ the Garos Sun God, and to celebrate the conclusion of the harvest season.

It is the most important celebration of the Garo tribe, and it attracts a large number of tourists. It has been celebrated since 1976.

Tribes give sacrifices to their deity Saljong, the Sun God, during the Wangala.

The first day of the celebration is marked by a ceremony known as Ragula, which is held in the village chief’s Home.

On the second day of the celebration, Kakkat, people dress up in colourful costumes with feathered headdresses and dance to the sounds of long oval-shaped drums.