A participant at the vocational training imparted by the army in Nagarpara village

New weaving centre

A weaving centre constructed by the Red Horns Division under Operation Sadbhavana was inaugurated at Nagarpara in Krishnai block of Goalpara district on May 3. The Red Horns Division also provided free yarn worth Rs 9,000 to the centre. The weaving centre will help the women of the area to earn their livelihood.

In December 2006, the villagers had approached the army to help them set up a weaving centre. Most of the Rabha, Bodo and Assamese women in the area are renowned for weaving ethnic costumes using traditional looms. But lack of a weaving centre and central committee were depriving the women of adequate profit for their hard work.

The Red Horns Division conducted a detailed survey of the area. Based on the suggestions of village elders, it was decided that the weaving centre be relocated near the office of the Mahila Samiti. The weaving centre, handed over to Nagarpara Kholabari Mahila Samiti, houses a separate office and store, five looms, a hand-pump and a lavatory for ladies working at the centre.

Green drive

The army’s Korea brigade and local district administration carried out a massive tree plantation drive in Taw-ang in Arunachal Pradesh.

The drive, organised by the department of environment and forests, Tawang, commenced on May 3 and continued till May 9 to commemorate 2,550 years of Lord Buddha’s nirvana. The inaugural function was held near Tawang War Memorial. The drive was carried out under the initiative of Brig. Sanjay Kulkarni, commander of Korea Brigade, K. Kholie, deputy commissio-ner of Tawang, Col. Lalit Rai, deputy commander of Korea Brigade and D. Gogoi, district forest officer of Tawang.

The programme aims at planting 30,000 pine and fir saplings in and around Tawang. The army and civil administrative officers of Tawang took part in the “one man-one tree” drive.

Bridge the gap

Personnel of the 3 Sikh Regiment located at Lakhipur have come forward to assist the people of Darka village under Balijana block in constructing a wooden bridge, which had collapsed last year during the monsoon.

The construction of the bridge, connecting Darka to Raykona, took 15 days. Inaugurated by the commanding officer of the local unit, the bridge has been constructed under Operation Sadbhavana.

A meeting of gaonburas (headmen) of all the affected villages was held and the army personnel expressed their willingness to help them in constructing the bridge.

Financial assistance was also provided by 11 brigade headquarters and the president of the Agia gram panchayat, Ponik Patgiri. The army personnel also supplied raw materials and provided technical assistance for constructing the bridge.