Aid for theatres

Guwahati, March 5 : Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said the state government will offer Rs 50 lakh to each closed cinema hall to reopen and an additional Rs 25 lakh for repairs.

Literary meet

Guwahati: A daylong literary forum on media literature was held at Guwahati Press club on Sunday. The programme was jointly organised by Sahitya Akademi and Ichemma, a women's magazine published from Manipur.

Storm

Dhemaji: A storm, which lashed Dhemaji district in Upper Assam on Saturday around 11.30pm, blew away roofs of several houses and uprooted trees in Kulajan area of the district. The storm also blew away the tent of Lakhimi Theatre.

Drama school

Guwahati : Samahar Natya Gosthee will start a drama school on its premises here. As part of the plan, a six-month certificate course in theatre will be conducted from April 1. The school and the certificate course will be conducted under the guidance of noted theatre personality, filmmaker and educationist Sitanath Lahkar.

Protest

Guwahati : Greater Guwahati Paan Shop Business Association on Sunday demanded withdrawal of the ban on sale of zarda (chewing tobacco) in the state. They questioned why zarda has been singled out when cigarettes and alcohol were being allowed. The Assam government had banned all forms of smokeless and chewing tobacco in 2013.

Poisoned

Guwahati : Eight vultures have died because of poisoning at Kukurmara village in Kamrup district. The birds died after consuming the carcass of a cow. Sachin P. Ranade, centre manager, Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre, said the 11 other poisoned vultures are being treated. "We got the information from the forest department in the morning and we are now treating the rest of the vultures," he said.

Literary body

Guwahati: A group of writers and people who love literature on Sunday formed a new literary body, Xahitya Mancha Asom, in the city with eminent writer Apurba Sarma as its president.