News Analysis India

Tag: Tripura

  • Kamla Beniwal: Congress veteran and former Gujarat governor Kamla Beniwal dies, condolences pour in

    Veteran Congress leader and former governor of Gujarat Kamla Beniwal died at a private hospital in Jaipur on Wednesday. She was 97.

    Beniwal was admitted to the hospital after a brief illness. One of her family members said the funeral will be held on Thursday.

    Apart from Gujarat, she also served as governor of Tripura and Mizoram. A seven-time MLA, Beniwal also remained the deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, apart from holding other positions in the state government and the Congress party. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther States Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and other leaders condoled the demise of Beniwal. Mishra expressed grief on the demise of Beniwal and prayed for peace to the departed soul. In a post on X, the chief minister wrote, “The news of the demise of Dr Kamla Beniwal, former governor of Gujarat and former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan, is extremely sad. My condolences are with the bereaved family.” Speaker of Rajasthan assembly Vasudev Devnani said recalled Beniwal was a “good administrator and public representative”.

    Devnani, in a statement said, the Congress leader participated in India’s Independence struggle and had a “long experience in the field of politics”.

    “Dr Kamla was elected as MLA seven times. She was also the chairperson and member of various committees of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly,” he added.

    Former chief minister Gehlot said he was deeply shocked by the news of the demise of Beniwal.

    “Her personality was multi-faceted and she did exemplary work in every field, apart from politics,” he said.

    Gehlot said that Beniwal was a senior colleague in his cabinet in his first term as the state’s chief minister and he got to learn a lot from her during the period.

    “She was an efficient administrator, dynamic speaker and a strong leader. Her commitment and loyalty towards the Congress ideology is an example,” he said.

    Gehlot added that as the governor of Gujarat, Beniwal further enhanced the dignity of that post by protecting constitutional values.

  • CPI-M’s Jitendra Chaudhury recognised as Leader of Opposition in Tripura

    CPI-M legislature party leader Jitendra Chaudhury on Wednesday recognised as Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Tripura Assembly.

    The post of LoP has been lying vacant after incumbent, Tipra Motha Party (TMP) MLA Animesh Debbarma quit before becoming minister in Chief Minister Manik Saha-led BJP government on March 7.

    Speaker Biswabandhu Sen invited Chaudhury on Wednesday and discussed the LoP-related issues and then recognised him for the post. Chaudhury, a former minister and former Lok Sabha member, said that inside and outside the assembly he would highlight the issues and interest of the common people.

    “Actually as per the result of the last year’s assembly polls in terms of vote percentage we got the second position (24.62 per cent votes) but TMP was recognised as the opposition party as they got 13 seats (20 per cent votes) and CPI-M secured 11 seats,” Chaudhury told the media.

    Animesh Debbarma and fellow TMP MLA Brishaketu Debbarma became ministers after the tribal based party, led by former royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, decided to join the BJP-led coalition government after signing a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government in New Delhi on March 2 on their demands to resolve the tribals’ socio-economic issues through constitutional provision. In the February 16, 2023 Assembly polls, the TMP won 13 seats and became the second-largest party after the ruling BJP, which won 32 seats while its ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) secured one seat. The CPI-M, which contested the polls in a seat-sharing adjustment with the Congress, managed 11 seats and the Congress bagged three.

    However, CPI-M MLA from Boxanagar Assembly seat Samsul Haque died on July 19 last year following a cardiac attack and, in the September 5, 2023, by-elections, the BJP wrested the seat for the first time.

    With the victory in the by polls, the BJP’s tally increased to 33 in the 60-member assembly while CPI-M’s strength went down to 10.

  • Power games: BJP’s Tripura govt hangs by a delicate thread

    Express News Service

    Operation NortheastBJP’s Tripura govt hangs by a delicate thread

    The BJP-IPFT alliance has formed a government in Tripura after getting a wafer-thin majority in the just-concluded election in the state. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the BJP-led alliance won 33 seats – of which, the BJP bagged 32 seats and its partner, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, got one. Sources said that in order to avoid power struggle in the state, the central leadership has asked Union minister Pratima Bhowmik to resign from the state legislative assembly. Bhowmik was considered as one of the candidates for the post of chief minister when the party announced her candidature in the assembly elections. But the party decided to retain sitting chief minister Manik Saha.

    According to sources, Pratima is reluctant to return to Delhi but will ultimately put in her papers as an MLA. This will bring down the ruling alliance’s number in the assembly. To give the new government stability, top party leaders, including home minister Amit Shah, party president J P Nadda, BJP’s pointsman for northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma and the state chief minister met Pradyot Debbarma, whose Tipra Motha party won 13 seats in the new assembly. They asked him to join the government and offered him three cabinet berths, including the post of deputy chief minister.

    Debbarma has turned down the offer and instead asked the BJP to first consider his party’s demand for greater autonomy for the tribal areas of the state. The Union government has promised to appoint an interlocutor to engage with Debbarma and other stakeholders and give a report on the feasibility of granting more autonomy within three months. Northeast watchers say the next three months will be crucial for the new government as some of the ministers have already started complaining about the portfolios given to them. According to sources, Himanta is well aware of the disgruntlement in the new government and is busy firefighting.

    Bike TaxiDelhi govt’s policy delay puts operators in a fix

    The growth of online shopping in India has seen a phenomenal increase in the use of motorbikes for deliveries. Companies such as Rapido, Ola, Uber, In-drive, Amazon, Zomato, Swiggy, Dunzo, Brozo, besides a number of courier and other operators, use bikes for commercial purposes. Some of these companies are operating bike taxis to carry passengers in a large number of cities. While the central government has an omnibus law governing the operation of taxis in general, states have lately started framing their own laws to specifically deal with the mushrooming of bike taxi services.

    According to industry estimates, about 80% bikes used for commercial purposes are used for food and grocery deliveries. The remaining 20% are used as passenger taxis. Passenger taxis in Delhi are doing between seven to ten million trips per week. While some states have framed laws that prohibit use of bikes with white number plates for commercial services, the Delhi government has not come up with such a law. It has, however, started challaning white plate bikes used for commercial service. The operators have protested against the state government’s action. They say the government should come up with a law to regulate the use of bikes, and they will follow it. Sources said the operators may seek legal recourse to stop the government action in the absence of law.

    Operation Northeast
    BJP’s Tripura govt hangs by a delicate thread

    The BJP-IPFT alliance has formed a government in Tripura after getting a wafer-thin majority in the just-concluded election in the state. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the BJP-led alliance won 33 seats – of which, the BJP bagged 32 seats and its partner, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, got one. Sources said that in order to avoid power struggle in the state, the central leadership has asked Union minister Pratima Bhowmik to resign from the state legislative assembly. Bhowmik was considered as one of the candidates for the post of chief minister when the party announced her candidature in the assembly elections. But the party decided to retain sitting chief minister Manik Saha.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    According to sources, Pratima is reluctant to return to Delhi but will ultimately put in her papers as an MLA. This will bring down the ruling alliance’s number in the assembly. To give the new government stability, top party leaders, including home minister Amit Shah, party president J P Nadda, BJP’s pointsman for northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma and the state chief minister met Pradyot Debbarma, whose Tipra Motha party won 13 seats in the new assembly. They asked him to join the government and offered him three cabinet berths, including the post of deputy chief minister.

    Debbarma has turned down the offer and instead asked the BJP to first consider his party’s demand for greater autonomy for the tribal areas of the state. The Union government has promised to appoint an interlocutor to engage with Debbarma and other stakeholders and give a report on the feasibility of granting more autonomy within three months. Northeast watchers say the next three months will be crucial for the new government as some of the ministers have already started complaining about the portfolios given to them. According to sources, Himanta is well aware of the disgruntlement in the new government and is busy firefighting.

    Bike Taxi
    Delhi govt’s policy delay puts operators in a fix

    The growth of online shopping in India has seen a phenomenal increase in the use of motorbikes for deliveries. Companies such as Rapido, Ola, Uber, In-drive, Amazon, Zomato, Swiggy, Dunzo, Brozo, besides a number of courier and other operators, use bikes for commercial purposes. Some of these companies are operating bike taxis to carry passengers in a large number of cities. While the central government has an omnibus law governing the operation of taxis in general, states have lately started framing their own laws to specifically deal with the mushrooming of bike taxi services.

    According to industry estimates, about 80% bikes used for commercial purposes are used for food and grocery deliveries. The remaining 20% are used as passenger taxis. Passenger taxis in Delhi are doing between seven to ten million trips per week. While some states have framed laws that prohibit use of bikes with white number plates for commercial services, the Delhi government has not come up with such a law. It has, however, started challaning white plate bikes used for commercial service. The operators have protested against the state government’s action. They say the government should come up with a law to regulate the use of bikes, and they will follow it. Sources said the operators may seek legal recourse to stop the government action in the absence of law.

  • Manik Saha sworn-in for second term as Tripura CM

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: Seventy-year-old BJP leader Manik Saha on Wednesday took oath as chief minister of the sensitive border state of Tripura.

    Eight more ministers, including Ratan Lal Nath, Pranajit Singha Roy, Santana Chakma, Bikash Debbarma and Sukla Charan Noatia, were also sworn in by Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda as well as Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

    In all, eight ministers from the BJP and one from its ally IPFT were inducted into the cabinet.

    Noatia is from the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura.

    Of the nine members of the cabinet, four were new faces, while five ministers, who were in the earlier cabinet, found a place in the fresh line-up.

    Bhagaban Das, Manoj Kanti Deb, Ram Prasad Paul and Rampada Jamatia, who were in the previous cabinet, were dropped from the new council of ministers in the second BJP-IPFT government.

    Three tribal MLAs were given berths in the Manik Saha-led council of ministers.

    Union Minister Pratima Bhaumik, who won the election from Dhanpur Assembly constituency in Sepahijala district, did not take oath.

    However, three ministerial berths are still vacant.

    The opposition Left and the Congress boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of the second BJP-led government, protesting against post-poll violence.

    Pradesh Congress president Birajit Sinha said the party will boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the Manik Saha government as a mark of protest against the post-poll violence.

    None of the 13 MLAs from Tipra Motha was seen at the oath-taking ceremony but party supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma wrote on social media that “Tipra has not compromised ! Wait and watch”.

    Taking to Facebook, he said, I am sure we will be asked to meet the Government of India for our constitutional solution.

    And we will only talk about the rights of 14 lakh Tiprasas and not the individual benefits of our leaders”.

    The BJP won 32 seats in the recent assembly elections in Tripura, while its ally IPFT managed to secure one seat.

    Manik Saha had been made chief minister earlier in 2022, replacing Biplab Kumar Deb, in a brand renewal exercise after it was found that his popularity rating was plummeting on account of the poor law and order situation in Tripura’s hinterland.

    AGARTALA: Seventy-year-old BJP leader Manik Saha on Wednesday took oath as chief minister of the sensitive border state of Tripura.

    Eight more ministers, including Ratan Lal Nath, Pranajit Singha Roy, Santana Chakma, Bikash Debbarma and Sukla Charan Noatia, were also sworn in by Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda as well as Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    In all, eight ministers from the BJP and one from its ally IPFT were inducted into the cabinet.

    Noatia is from the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura.

    Of the nine members of the cabinet, four were new faces, while five ministers, who were in the earlier cabinet, found a place in the fresh line-up.

    Bhagaban Das, Manoj Kanti Deb, Ram Prasad Paul and Rampada Jamatia, who were in the previous cabinet, were dropped from the new council of ministers in the second BJP-IPFT government.

    Three tribal MLAs were given berths in the Manik Saha-led council of ministers.

    Union Minister Pratima Bhaumik, who won the election from Dhanpur Assembly constituency in Sepahijala district, did not take oath.

    However, three ministerial berths are still vacant.

    The opposition Left and the Congress boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of the second BJP-led government, protesting against post-poll violence.

    Pradesh Congress president Birajit Sinha said the party will boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the Manik Saha government as a mark of protest against the post-poll violence.

    None of the 13 MLAs from Tipra Motha was seen at the oath-taking ceremony but party supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma wrote on social media that “Tipra has not compromised ! Wait and watch”.

    Taking to Facebook, he said, I am sure we will be asked to meet the Government of India for our constitutional solution.

    And we will only talk about the rights of 14 lakh Tiprasas and not the individual benefits of our leaders”.

    The BJP won 32 seats in the recent assembly elections in Tripura, while its ally IPFT managed to secure one seat.

    Manik Saha had been made chief minister earlier in 2022, replacing Biplab Kumar Deb, in a brand renewal exercise after it was found that his popularity rating was plummeting on account of the poor law and order situation in Tripura’s hinterland.

  • CPI-M in Tripura objects candidature of its MLA Moboshar Ali contesting for BJP

    By Express News Service

    AGARTALA: The CPI-M in Tripura objected to the candidature of one of its MLAs contesting as a BJP candidate from the Kailashahar seat in the Unakoti district.

    The CPI-M argued that Md Moboshar Ali neither resigned as an MLA of the party nor did it expel him and as such, he is still its member. 

    He had joined the BJP on January 28 in New Delhi and hours later, the party released the list of its candidates which had his name.

    In a complaint lodged with the Returning Officer (RO), the CPI-M said unless Ali resigns from the Assembly or it expels him, he may not be accepted as a member of any other party or an independent candidate. 

    “Hence, Mr Ali, a member of the CPI-M as a sitting MLA in the Assembly, simultaneously may not be a member of the BJP as stated in his nomination filed before you,” the CPI-M’s letter to the RO reads. 

    “In Para 3 of from ‘B’ of symbol allotment, there is a statutory declaration of the authorized signatory of the party symbol certifying that the candidate whose name is mentioned above is a member of this political party and his name is duly borne on the rolls of members of this party,” the letter further reads.

    In the light of this, the CPI-M said Ali should not be treated as a BJP candidate. It demanded that he be disqualified for being a BJP candidate “for want of statutory legal requirement.”

    Ali’s nomination was accepted by the RO.

    AGARTALA: The CPI-M in Tripura objected to the candidature of one of its MLAs contesting as a BJP candidate from the Kailashahar seat in the Unakoti district.

    The CPI-M argued that Md Moboshar Ali neither resigned as an MLA of the party nor did it expel him and as such, he is still its member. 

    He had joined the BJP on January 28 in New Delhi and hours later, the party released the list of its candidates which had his name.

    In a complaint lodged with the Returning Officer (RO), the CPI-M said unless Ali resigns from the Assembly or it expels him, he may not be accepted as a member of any other party or an independent candidate. 

    “Hence, Mr Ali, a member of the CPI-M as a sitting MLA in the Assembly, simultaneously may not be a member of the BJP as stated in his nomination filed before you,” the CPI-M’s letter to the RO reads. 

    “In Para 3 of from ‘B’ of symbol allotment, there is a statutory declaration of the authorized signatory of the party symbol certifying that the candidate whose name is mentioned above is a member of this political party and his name is duly borne on the rolls of members of this party,” the letter further reads.

    In the light of this, the CPI-M said Ali should not be treated as a BJP candidate. It demanded that he be disqualified for being a BJP candidate “for want of statutory legal requirement.”

    Ali’s nomination was accepted by the RO.

  • Tripura Assembly elections: TIPRA Motha to contest 42 seats

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The TIPRA Motha will contest 42 of Tripura’s 60 seats.

    The tribe-based party released its third list of 12 candidates on the last day of filing nominations on Monday. The first list had the names of 20 candidates and the second, released on Sunday night, had 10 names.

    The TIPRA Motha is influential in the 20 seats reserved for the STs in the tribal areas which make up two/thirds of Tripura. The 22 general seats, where it fielded candidates, have small tribal populations. 

    The party’s prominent candidates include former BJP legislator Ashish Das, former Congress MLA Tapas De, former Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) MLAs Dhananjay Tripura and Brishaketu Debbarma, rebel leader-turned-politician Ranjit Debbarma and former Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council leader Hongso Kumar Tripura.

    None from the state’s royal family, including TIPRA Motha chief Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, is contesting. 

    Debbarma, who rose through the ranks in the Congress and served as its state president earlier, said the TIPRA Motha would fight for the “Greater Tipraland” state. The party demands the creation of a separate state for the Tiprasa (Tripura’s ethnic communities) through the bifurcation of the state’s tribal areas.

    “We will keep fighting for our Constitutional demand (Greater Tipraland). If we can achieve it, the development will automatically come (in the tribal areas),” Debbarma told journalists on Monday.  

    “No national political party had ever spoken about development in the tribal areas until we raised the demand. I have realised that if they are not shaken, they will not talk about our issues,” he added.

    The TIPRA Motha is going it alone in the polls after its talks with the BJP failed. It had sought a written assurance on the statehood demand but the BJP-led central government refused to give anything in writing.

    Debbarma wanted BJP ally IPFT to merge with the TIPRA Motha. The idea was to thwart the division of tribal votes and make things difficult for the BJP. However, the saffron party managed to thwart the attempt. It forged a pre-poll alliance with the IPFT as in the last election.

    GUWAHATI: The TIPRA Motha will contest 42 of Tripura’s 60 seats.

    The tribe-based party released its third list of 12 candidates on the last day of filing nominations on Monday. The first list had the names of 20 candidates and the second, released on Sunday night, had 10 names.

    The TIPRA Motha is influential in the 20 seats reserved for the STs in the tribal areas which make up two/thirds of Tripura. The 22 general seats, where it fielded candidates, have small tribal populations. 

    The party’s prominent candidates include former BJP legislator Ashish Das, former Congress MLA Tapas De, former Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) MLAs Dhananjay Tripura and Brishaketu Debbarma, rebel leader-turned-politician Ranjit Debbarma and former Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council leader Hongso Kumar Tripura.

    None from the state’s royal family, including TIPRA Motha chief Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, is contesting. 

    Debbarma, who rose through the ranks in the Congress and served as its state president earlier, said the TIPRA Motha would fight for the “Greater Tipraland” state. The party demands the creation of a separate state for the Tiprasa (Tripura’s ethnic communities) through the bifurcation of the state’s tribal areas.

    “We will keep fighting for our Constitutional demand (Greater Tipraland). If we can achieve it, the development will automatically come (in the tribal areas),” Debbarma told journalists on Monday.  

    “No national political party had ever spoken about development in the tribal areas until we raised the demand. I have realised that if they are not shaken, they will not talk about our issues,” he added.

    The TIPRA Motha is going it alone in the polls after its talks with the BJP failed. It had sought a written assurance on the statehood demand but the BJP-led central government refused to give anything in writing.

    Debbarma wanted BJP ally IPFT to merge with the TIPRA Motha. The idea was to thwart the division of tribal votes and make things difficult for the BJP. However, the saffron party managed to thwart the attempt. It forged a pre-poll alliance with the IPFT as in the last election.

  • Tripura: BJP ally IPFT’s founder N C Debbarma dies of cerebral stroke

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: Senior Tripura minister and BJP’s ruling ally IPFT’s founder-president N C Debbarma on Sunday died following a massive cerebral stroke.

    The veteran tribal leader was 80, and is survived by his wife, four sons and three daughters.

    The state revenue and forest minister was not keeping well for the last few months as he was suffering from chronic diabetes, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) spokesperson Amit Debbarma said.

    He suffered a massive cerebral stroke on Saturday and was admitted to a state-run hospital here, where he underwent surgery but breathed his last at 2.45 pm on Sunday, the spokesperson said.

    Debbarma floated IPFT in 2009 after his retirement as the director of All India Radio (AIR), Agartala.

    He forged a political alliance with the BJP ahead of the 2018 assembly elections and toppled the Manik Sarkar-led Left Front government, which was in power for 25 years at a stretch.

    The IPFT, under his leadership, won eight of the nine ST-reserved constituencies in the last assembly election.

    Debbarma, along with Mevar Kumar Jamatia, was inducted into the cabinet of Biplab Kumar Deb.

    Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed deep condolence over Debbarma’s death.

    “I am deeply saddened by the passing away of a senior member of the state cabinet — NC Debbarma and my deepest condolence to the bereaved family. May his departed soul rest in peace,” he said in a Facebook post.

    AGARTALA: Senior Tripura minister and BJP’s ruling ally IPFT’s founder-president N C Debbarma on Sunday died following a massive cerebral stroke.

    The veteran tribal leader was 80, and is survived by his wife, four sons and three daughters.

    The state revenue and forest minister was not keeping well for the last few months as he was suffering from chronic diabetes, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) spokesperson Amit Debbarma said.

    He suffered a massive cerebral stroke on Saturday and was admitted to a state-run hospital here, where he underwent surgery but breathed his last at 2.45 pm on Sunday, the spokesperson said.

    Debbarma floated IPFT in 2009 after his retirement as the director of All India Radio (AIR), Agartala.

    He forged a political alliance with the BJP ahead of the 2018 assembly elections and toppled the Manik Sarkar-led Left Front government, which was in power for 25 years at a stretch.

    The IPFT, under his leadership, won eight of the nine ST-reserved constituencies in the last assembly election.

    Debbarma, along with Mevar Kumar Jamatia, was inducted into the cabinet of Biplab Kumar Deb.

    Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed deep condolence over Debbarma’s death.

    “I am deeply saddened by the passing away of a senior member of the state cabinet — NC Debbarma and my deepest condolence to the bereaved family. May his departed soul rest in peace,” he said in a Facebook post.

  • Cyclone Sitrang: IMD issues red alert for four North-East states

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Under the influence of Cyclone Sitrang, a red alert indicating heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall has been issued for Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura on Monday.

    Widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rain at isolated places is very likely to occur over Tripura on Monday and Tuesday, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday.

    “Under Sitrang influence, widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms/lightning/heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rain at isolated places is very likely to occur over Tripura on 24th & 25th October 2022,” IMD said in a press release. Earlier today, the West Bengal government was witnessed taking all the precautionery measures, including evacuation of people, and supply of relief material to shelters, to deal with possible devastation under the impact of Cyclone ‘Sitrang’.

    Civil defence teams are deployed at Bakkhali Sea Beach in South 24 Parganas. Tourists are not allowed to visit the beach and the shops have also been closed.

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday appealed to the people to “stay alert” as there is a high chance of rain on Tuesday due to cyclone Sitrang.

    “There is a high chance of rain on October 25. There is an appeal to the people to avoid going out unnecessarily or to the sea areas including the Sundarbans. The state govt has made arrangements,” said CM Mamata Banerjee.

    The cyclonic storm “Sitrang” pronounced as “Si-Trang” over the northwest and adjoining the central Bay of Bengal crossed the Bangladesh coast between Tinkona and Sandwip close to Barisal during 9:30 pm to 11:30 pm on Monday with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph, IMD said.

    “It lay centered at 11:30 pm on Sunday over coastal Bangladesh near latitude 23.70N and longitude 90.80E, about 40 km east of Dhaka, 50 km west-southwest of Agartala, and 120 km north-northeast of Barisal (Bangladesh),” IMD officials said.

    “The cyclone is very likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and weaken into a depression during next 6 hours and further into a well-marked low-pressure area during subsequent 6 hours,” it further said. 

    NEW DELHI: Under the influence of Cyclone Sitrang, a red alert indicating heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall has been issued for Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura on Monday.

    Widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rain at isolated places is very likely to occur over Tripura on Monday and Tuesday, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday.

    “Under Sitrang influence, widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms/lightning/heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rain at isolated places is very likely to occur over Tripura on 24th & 25th October 2022,” IMD said in a press release. Earlier today, the West Bengal government was witnessed taking all the precautionery measures, including evacuation of people, and supply of relief material to shelters, to deal with possible devastation under the impact of Cyclone ‘Sitrang’.

    Civil defence teams are deployed at Bakkhali Sea Beach in South 24 Parganas. Tourists are not allowed to visit the beach and the shops have also been closed.

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday appealed to the people to “stay alert” as there is a high chance of rain on Tuesday due to cyclone Sitrang.

    “There is a high chance of rain on October 25. There is an appeal to the people to avoid going out unnecessarily or to the sea areas including the Sundarbans. The state govt has made arrangements,” said CM Mamata Banerjee.

    The cyclonic storm “Sitrang” pronounced as “Si-Trang” over the northwest and adjoining the central Bay of Bengal crossed the Bangladesh coast between Tinkona and Sandwip close to Barisal during 9:30 pm to 11:30 pm on Monday with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph, IMD said.

    “It lay centered at 11:30 pm on Sunday over coastal Bangladesh near latitude 23.70N and longitude 90.80E, about 40 km east of Dhaka, 50 km west-southwest of Agartala, and 120 km north-northeast of Barisal (Bangladesh),” IMD officials said.

    “The cyclone is very likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and weaken into a depression during next 6 hours and further into a well-marked low-pressure area during subsequent 6 hours,” it further said. 

  • Tripura being used as corridor for drug trafficking, says CM Manik Saha

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: Asserting that the Centre is focused on checking drug menace, Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday revealed that Tripura is being used as a corridor for trafficking narcotics to Bangladesh from Myanmar.

    Briefing reporters, following a high-level meeting on narcotics smuggling and national security in Guwahati last week, the CM said measures would be taken to increase surveillance along the state’s borders.

    “Narcotics are being sent to Bangladesh from Myanmar via Tripura’s border with Assam and Mizoram, despite all-out effort to stop drug smuggling,” he said.

    The high-level meeting, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, was attended by chief ministers, chief secretaries and DGPs of northeastern states.

    “This is for the first time, the Union home minister held a meeting on drug trafficking with chief ministers and DGPs of the northeast. He made it clear that the country will not allow its soil to be used for narcotics smuggling,” the CM maintained.

    Highlighting Tripura’s effort to make the state drug-free since 2018, Saha said his government has made highest drug seizures, including heroin, brown sugar, ganja and yaba tablets.

    A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to probe 19 cases registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, he said.

    Emphasising the need for regular interaction with the SPs of Assam, Mizoram and Tripura, the chief minister made some specific proposals to curb the flow of drugs in the region.

    “Since Bangladesh is the destination, we need to hold talks with the law enforcement agencies of the neighbouring country. Besides, border vigil should be strengthened further,” he said, adding that an office of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), if set up in Tripura, could help the cause.

    Saha sought financial aid from the Centre to use drone technology in inaccessible terrains.

    “We will seek funds from the central government to boost surveillance measures across the border,” he added.

    AGARTALA: Asserting that the Centre is focused on checking drug menace, Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday revealed that Tripura is being used as a corridor for trafficking narcotics to Bangladesh from Myanmar.

    Briefing reporters, following a high-level meeting on narcotics smuggling and national security in Guwahati last week, the CM said measures would be taken to increase surveillance along the state’s borders.

    “Narcotics are being sent to Bangladesh from Myanmar via Tripura’s border with Assam and Mizoram, despite all-out effort to stop drug smuggling,” he said.

    The high-level meeting, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, was attended by chief ministers, chief secretaries and DGPs of northeastern states.

    “This is for the first time, the Union home minister held a meeting on drug trafficking with chief ministers and DGPs of the northeast. He made it clear that the country will not allow its soil to be used for narcotics smuggling,” the CM maintained.

    Highlighting Tripura’s effort to make the state drug-free since 2018, Saha said his government has made highest drug seizures, including heroin, brown sugar, ganja and yaba tablets.

    A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to probe 19 cases registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, he said.

    Emphasising the need for regular interaction with the SPs of Assam, Mizoram and Tripura, the chief minister made some specific proposals to curb the flow of drugs in the region.

    “Since Bangladesh is the destination, we need to hold talks with the law enforcement agencies of the neighbouring country. Besides, border vigil should be strengthened further,” he said, adding that an office of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), if set up in Tripura, could help the cause.

    Saha sought financial aid from the Centre to use drone technology in inaccessible terrains.

    “We will seek funds from the central government to boost surveillance measures across the border,” he added.

  • Former Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb elected to Rajya Sabha 

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: Former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday won the byelection to the state’s lone Rajya Sabha seat, a poll official said here.

    Deb, who has been recently made the BJP in-charge of Haryana, polled 43 votes- 36 of the saffron party and seven of its ally, the IPFT, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kiran Gitte said.

    All 15 CPI(M) legislators in the state cast their votes in favour of their nominee Bhanu Lal Saha, the former finance minister.

    Interestingly, Congress’s lone MLA Sudip Roy Barman abstained from voting.

    State Congress president Birajit Sinha told PTI, “Since we fielded no candidate, the party had requested Barman to skip the voting process.

    ” The seat had fallen vacant as Manik Saha, on being made the chief minister, resigned to contest an Assembly bypoll.

    Taking to social media, Deb expressed his gratitude to the legislators of the BJP and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) for electing him as Rajya Sabha MP from the state.

    He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for giving him an opportunity to represent Tripura in the Upper House of Parliament.

    “With the blessings of Mata Tripurasundari, I will continue to serve the beloved people of Tripura till my last breath,” the former CM said in a Facebook post.

    AGARTALA: Former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday won the byelection to the state’s lone Rajya Sabha seat, a poll official said here.

    Deb, who has been recently made the BJP in-charge of Haryana, polled 43 votes- 36 of the saffron party and seven of its ally, the IPFT, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Kiran Gitte said.

    All 15 CPI(M) legislators in the state cast their votes in favour of their nominee Bhanu Lal Saha, the former finance minister.

    Interestingly, Congress’s lone MLA Sudip Roy Barman abstained from voting.

    State Congress president Birajit Sinha told PTI, “Since we fielded no candidate, the party had requested Barman to skip the voting process.

    ” The seat had fallen vacant as Manik Saha, on being made the chief minister, resigned to contest an Assembly bypoll.

    Taking to social media, Deb expressed his gratitude to the legislators of the BJP and the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) for electing him as Rajya Sabha MP from the state.

    He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for giving him an opportunity to represent Tripura in the Upper House of Parliament.

    “With the blessings of Mata Tripurasundari, I will continue to serve the beloved people of Tripura till my last breath,” the former CM said in a Facebook post.