Some families of the Tangsa community near Nampong in Arujnachal Pradesh have invited tourists to not only stay with them amid lush green nature but also taste their ethnic cuisine, says a report in the Dimapur-based Morung Express. Jankhong Morang, a resident of Nongki Bosti in Nampong, has turned his small traditional hut to a home-stay where tourists can savour smoked tea called “phalap”’, rice beer called “’ju”’ or “’kham”, in addition to a staple diet of steamed rice and boiled vegetables. Visitors can take the Pangsau Pass, 12 km from Nampong to Myanmar. “We take tourists to the Pangsau Pass on the 10th, 20th and 30th of each month.

“They can go up to the border and after crossing it they can hire motorcycles on the other side run by the Myanmarese youth and visit the ‘Lake of no return’, so called because during World War II many aircraft of the Allied forces disappeared there while flying over it.”

Traveller Hitesh Saikia said he stayed with the Tangsa community and it was an amazing experience. The home stay concept in these areas is a recent phenomenon. One can call Nongjung Mossang at 09402239426 and Jankhong Morang at 09402223826 to know more about home stay

Solar power

The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation has commissioned a 5MW solar power plant at Monarchak in Tripura. It will be the biggest and the first of its kind in the North-east, says a report in the Guwahati-based The Sentinel.

“We will start commercial generation within a month,” said Neepco general manager SR Biswas. The plant cost Rs 40 crore. According to him, the company will set up a 50-MW solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh and a 2- MW plant in Lanka in Nagaon district of Assam.

Meanwhile, after a long delay, the ONGC last week started supplying gas to Neepco&’s 101-MW capacity power plant in Monarchak, 70 km south of Tripura&’s capital, Agartala, and just eight kilometres from the Bangladesh border.

The foundation of the project was laid during the previous National Democratic Alliance government in March 2002 and the Tripura government allotted the required land to Neepco in 2003.

125 years of service

The Assam Branch Indian Tea Association has entered its 125th year of service (1889) after Assam valley tea planters decided to work in close cooperation with the Indian Tea Association, Kolkata (1881). Its office, as per old records, was first located at Kokilamukh and operated from there between 1889 and 1904. It was later shifted to Dibrugarh and Jorhat and finally from 1977 the head office is at Guwahati, says a report in Assam Tribune. At present, the Abita has 277 member gardens and produces approximately 232 million kg of tea as per 2013 statistics. It covers an area of 134,474 hectares in 15 Assam districts. Its member gardens look after a resident population of nearly 1.75 million, including families of workers. About 450,000 workers earn their daily living from Abita gardens either through direct or indirect employment.

The Abita gardens are the pride of Assam. They are known for their quality CTC and orthodox teas. Major companies in the world market are its members. In 2000, the Abita entered into a partnership with Unicef. It is proud to be part of the social and economic fabric of Assam and has endeavoured to be part of progress of the tea industry in the state.