Cong will pass bill for protection of land, forests, tribal people's rights in Mizoram: Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Saturday promised that if it forms the government in Mizoram it would pass a new bill in the very first session of the new assembly guaranteeing the protection of the land, the forests and the rights of the tribal people of the state.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Modi government "bulldozed" amendments to the Forest Conservation Act during the monsoon session of Parliament that evoked tremendous opposition and outrage across the country, even more so in the northeast.
The Indian National Congress promises that the first session of the new Legislative Assembly of Mizoram led by the Congress will pass a new bill that guarantees to protect the land, the forests and the rights of the tribal people of the state, Ramesh said.
As forests are in the concurrent list, this bill will be sent to the President of India for assent under the provision of Article 254(2), he said.
This is what the Mizo National Front (MNF) government should have done immediately after the Monsoon session of Parliament but didn't do it because it dances to the tune of the BJP, Ramesh alleged.
The Congress leader said that the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) will also not pass such a bill as "they are a party without an ideology, without a programme or an organisation for the people of Mizoram, and will compromise with the BJP in no time".
Polling for the 40-member Mizoram assembly will be held on November 7, and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.
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Body of UP girl who fell in Meghalaya waterfall recovered
Shillong (PTI): The body of a 15-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh who fell into a waterfall in Meghalaya's Sohra area while trying to take snaps a day ago was recovered on Thursday morning, officials said.
The girl had gone missing on Wednesday after she reportedly slipped while trying to take photographs and fell into one of the deep natural pools at the Wei Sawdong Falls, they said.
Search operations were conducted through Wednesday but were called off after sunset.
Around 7.30 am on Thursday, locals spotted the body stuck between rocks near the waterfall, officials said. Following this, a joint team of Fire and Emergency Services and the Sohra Police recovered the body around 10 am.
"Local village volunteers resumed the search early this morning and spotted the body, following which we recovered the body," a senior official told PTI.
The body has been sent for post-mortem, he added.
