Day: April 5, 2012

Mail News Service
Imphal, Apr 5: Governor, Gurbhachan Jagat said in a good Friday message, “I heartily greet the people of Manipur and specially our Jain brethren on the sacred and auspicious occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, 2012.
An outstanding apostle of peace and non-violence – Lord Mahavir showed the path to salvation through love, compassion, mercy, benevolence, forgiveness, non-violence and renunciation of materialistic world. He wished to build a new world order based on equality of ma.nkind transcending the barriers of caste, creed and religion and preached an eternal message of peaceful co-existence of humanity as a whole.
While celebrating the birth of Lord Mahavir, along with paying obeisance to this crusader of peace, we should pledge to follow the spiritual and ethical precepts which are an essential feature of this festival. Let us dedicate ourselves to the ideals, principles and eternal values espoused by Him, so that the celebration of Mahavir Jayanti is truly meaningful.”
Maj Gen Binnoy Poonnen, VSM, GOC, Red Shield Division and all ranks of the Division extended their warm greetings to the people of Manipur on the occasion of Easter Sunday.
God so loved Man – that he gave his only Son, so that man may be saved.
Easter is the celebration of the ‘Resurrection of Jesus’, bringing in fresh hope and love of the Almighty for the salvation of mankind.
Gen Poonnen said that, ‘many many years ago JESUS let the Romans crown ‘Him’ with a ‘Crown of Thorns’, on behest of the Sanhedrin and Pharisees who accused “Him” of blasphemy – so that all Mankind could be saved in the years ahead. He said that may the thorns of pain, communal animosity and killings be taken away by JESUS this Easter to herald in a new dawn, bring fresh hope and promises of peace, harmony and tranquility among the people so that Manipur may flourish .
Major General UK Gurung, YSM, Inspector General Assam Rifles (South) and All Ranks of Assam Rifles extends a very warm greetings and sincere goodwill to the people of Manipur on the auspicious occasion of “Good Friday”. May this day offer an opportunity to the people of Manipur to come together and work towards Peace and prosperity.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/good-friday-messages/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Apr 5: Moltuk Turmeric Grinding Plant was inaugurated by Maj Gen UK Gurung, YSM, IGAR (South) in Moltuk village of Khengjoi Block in Chandel District. The plant was constructed by 22 GRENADIERS of 26 Sector under the aegis of HQ IGAR(South) under Op Samaritan.
The pathfinder project, which is to be run by the Village Committee as a cooperative, will initiate socio- economic development of this small village and areas adjoining it by harnessing the turmeric produce and processing it into turmeric powder. During the inauguration ceremony the IGAR(S) interacted with the village chiefs of the region and distributed stationery items to the village chiefs as part of the felicitation ceremony to encourage spread of education in this far flung region of Manipur. IGAR(S) in his address emphasized that the Assam Rifles is committed to socio-economic upliftment of the region apart from its primary role of providing a safe and secure environment to the populace.
The event also included a cultural event showcasing the culture of people of Khengjoi block. The inauguration of Moltuk Turmeric Grinding Plant is pitted as the harbinger of prosperity and a step towards the development process in the region.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/igar-s-dedicates-turmeric-grinding-plant/

Imphal. April 5 NNN : A daring escape was made by a village chief from his kidnappers in Churachandpur district of Manipur today at around 5 p.m. after giving the slip to four armed persons who had kidnapped him from the office of the sub divisional officer at Sielmat, about 2 km from Churachandpur police station.
The village chief identified as one Manglenpao Vaiphei (45), chief of Moldak village under Henglep sub-division, Churachandpur district was kidnapped by four armed persons around 11 a.m., said a police source. But he managed to escape from his abductors at around 5 in the evening today, added the source.
The incident happened when Manglenpao had gone to the office of the SDO of Henglep, which was temporarily located at Seilmat, about 2 km away from Churachandpur police station. He was reportedly kidnapped at gun-point from the campus of the SDO’s office by four persons who had come in an Alto car.
Police, when contacted, said that they have a confirmed report of the kidnapping but no FIR was filed or investigation was carried out as they had received no complain from family members or officials from the SDO’s office.
The four armed kidnappers is reported to be led by one Lenpao Haokip (47) of Zalenphai but at present staying at Tuibong village (both in Churachandpur district), informed the police source.
In the meantime, the whereabouts of the kidnapped truck driver Md. Abdul Nazeer is still not known though the truck he was driving has been brought back to Imphal. He was abducted by suspected Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) from Henbung village of Senapati district on April 2, according to police source.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/village-chief-flees-from-kidnappers/

Imphal. April 5 NNN: Bus service ferrying passengers from Imphal to Jiribam, Silchar and other places through the National Highway 37 (formerly NH-53) will be suspended indefinitely from April 9 if an amicable understanding is not brought about between the government of Manipur and Imphal Silchar Road Transporters Welfare Society (ISRTWS) regarding the confiscation of all booking counters of the Society from Waheng Leikai, Imphal.
The police took away all booking counters from Waheng Leikai, Imphal on March 31 without any warning, alleged W. Sarat Singh, secretary of ISRTWS, and warned that bus service along the National Highway 37 would be suspended indefinitely from April 9, if an understanding is not reached between the state government and the transporters by April 8.
A joint meeting was held today at Waheng Leikai, Imphal participated by Imphal Silchar Road Transporters Welfare Society, Tamenglong District Bus and Transporter Welfare Association, Chingtam Road Transport Co-operative Society Ltd., and Imphal Tamenglong Road Transport Co-operative Society Ltd. in which it was resolved to suspend passenger bus service on National Highway 37 indefinitely from April 9, if the state government fail to bring an understanding with them on or before April 8, stated Sarat.
It may be mentioned here that the booking counters which had their offices along Waheng Leikai road were removed due to the eviction done about a couple of years ago for the expansion of the National Highway 37, and which had since then been operating from mobile booking counters put up in the open by the roadside.
The police had come on the morning of March 31 and had taken away all the booking counters put up on the roadside without giving any sort of warning, the transporters lamented.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/bus-services-to-be-cancelled/

Imphal, April 5 NNN : Union home minister P Chidambaram has reportedly assured a delegation from Tamenglong district that the 91.95 km long Tamenglong-Tousem-Haflong Road be given to one work agency for developing the road but advised the delegation they should approach the Planning Comm
Former minister D.P Panmei said that the delegation led by him met P Chidambaram in New Delhi on March 30 in the latter’s office chamber and apprised him for the handing over of the 30 years long existing Tamenglong-Tousem-Haflong Road to the BRTF for developing. The delegation apprised the Union home minister that a special development package be extended to the ‘under-developed’ Tousem sub-division of Tamenglong district.
“After having paid a patient hearing, the Union minister assured us that another work agency be given charge to take care of the said road as BRTF is reluctant to take up the job,” D.P Panmei said.
The Tamenglong delegation also narrated the Zeliangrong history to the Union home minister, said D.P Panmei.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/chidambaram-assures-to-develop-tamenglong-road/

Imphal. April 5 NNN : Three rivers flowing through the hill districts of Manipur, Barak, Irang and Iril, are reportedly flowing at very low levels now. Though the levels of water in rivers are naturally low during the dry season before the arrival of the monsoon, this season it has been reported to be unusually lower than previous dry seasons.
This came at the backdrop of the scarcity of potable water in the valley areas of Manipur which is becoming more problematic due to the low level of water in the rivers and ponds.
The condition in the hill districts can only be worse as the rivers and streams flowing through the hills are the main source of water there, and with the non-arrival of the rains till now the rivers and streams are just trickling through or already dried up.
Villages situated along the Barak river situated along this river in Senapati and Tamenglong districts have reportedly observed the drastic fall in the water level of the Barak river, which is said to be much lower than in previous dry seasons.
Similarly villages which are situated along the Irang river have also reportedly observed that the water level along these rivers are also comparatively low as compared to the water level during the previous dry seasons.
Based on the above observations reported by villagers living near the Barak, Irang and Iril rivers, it is clear that the cause of the unusual and extraordinary fall in the water level of these rivers can be attributed to the failure of the rain and the large scale deforestation of the hill areas of the state.
While the arrival or non-arrival of the monsoon is out of our hands and we can only pray to the rain gods for the early arrival of the rains to replenish the rivers and ponds of the state with life-sustaining water, the people of the state can do themselves much good by preventing large scale deforestation which has led to the present problem of scarcity of water in the state.
Deforestation can have catastrophic consequences in the next couple of decades if it is allowed to continue at the present rate.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/state-faces-acute-shortage-of-water/