Dibya Kamal Bordoloi
Shillong: ‘Efforts are in full speed to connect all state capitals of the North-Eastern region through rail and air connectivity by 2024’, Union Home and Cooperation minister Amit Shah said in Shillong on Saturday. Shah is in Meghalaya capital Shillong on a two-day visit. Chairing a meeting in North East Space Application Centre (NESAC), Shah said “the decision to connect state capitals of North East through air and rail connectivity was taken by honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014”. So far Tripura, Nagaland and Agartala have been connected through rail connectivity. Works are in progress to connect other states of NE soon through rail connectivity. The central government has built airports in all the state capitals of the NorthEast region. In Nagaland, the nearest airport to the capital city Kohima is in Dimapur town.
Home minister Amit Shah discussed issues related to using space technology for flood control, wetland management, preservation of forest cover in the region is an important meeting attended by all 8 chief ministers of the North East. Union DONER Minister G Kishan Reddy, Union MoS Space Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS DONER BL Verma and Chairman ISRO Dr. K Sivan was present in the meeting.
While taking part in the discussion, Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that NESAC and ISRO carried out a joint study of flood in Assam and identified over 5000 sq km wetland which could be used to divert Brahmaputra water during monsoon to control flood in the State. The Chief Minister proposed to take up a pilot project for flood control involving the Central Water Commission under Jal Shakti Ministry and Water Resources Department of the State. The Chief Minister also suggested monitoring of forests at the inter-state border by using space technology.
