April 26, 2012 – Manipur News

Missing boys return

Three boys who went missing from Sairem Vilalge Polangsai under Patsoi PS on April seven were found from Moreh on April 22.
The boys who were found from Moreh were identified as Sapam Suran alias Boy (14), Soraisam Naothoibi alias Sanjoy Meetei (15), Chanam Inao alias Joynao alias Shantikumar Meitei (15).
While meeting the press, the boys said, one Soraisam Ingo of the same locality promised to get money and mobile phone if they joined UG for this he escorted them up to Moirang Hanuba from Canchi Khul.
After that they proceeded towards Imphal in an auto rickshaw. After staying hotel for the days, they went to Moreh. After spending one night at a h otel, they were staying at a camp of UG for one week.
The members of the families of the missing boys were asked to receive the children and they were taking shelter at the office of women Action for development till yesterday.
It may be mentioned here that some persons coming in a Maruti Van kidnapped the children from Atong Village.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/missing-boys-return/

PM congratulates ISRO scientists

MNS: The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has congratulated the scientists of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), for the successful launch of PSLV-C19 carrying the Radar Imaging Satellite RISAT-1. Following is the text of the Prime Minister’s message:
“I would like to warmly congratulate all scientists of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for the successful launch today of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C19 carrying the Radar Imaging Satellite-1 (RISAT-1), the heaviest satellite launched till date using PSLV.
The twentieth consecutive successful launch of the PSLV is an important milestone in our space programme and is testimony to ISRO’s mastery of the complex launch vehicle technology. I have no doubt that RISAT-1’s all weather, day-night imaging ability will significantly contribute to the nation’s remote sensing capabilities. The country is proud of ISRO’s achievements .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pm-congratulates-isro-scientists/

Community halls and water supply scheme inaugurated

Mail News Service
Imphal, Apr 26: The GOC Maj Gen Poonen today inaugurated and handed over two community halls constructed by 9 Engr Regt under the aegis of Red shield Division for Rs 4.48 lacs at Hengjang Village of Senapati District and for Rs 5.00 lacs at Kanto Prem Nagar Village of Imphal (W) under ‘ OP SADBHAVANA’.
Major General Binoy Poonnen, VSM also inaugurated a water scheme at Shantinagar Village of Imphal (W) District. This scheme costing Rs 8.00 lacs was unique in the Sector as it provided 24 hrs natural spring water supply through gravity to the villagers from a source almost 2 kms away without the requirement of any external power supply.
army would go a long way in helping in infrastructural development in the villages.
While addressing the villagers, General Poonnen urged them to derive maximum benefit from these facilities. He assured the villagers that the Red Shield Division will always be committed for the people of Manipur for their safety, security and development .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/community-halls-and-water-supply-scheme-inaugurated/

Odisha CM Patnaik expresses delight over Hikaka’s release

Bhubaneshwar, Apr 26 (ANI): Expressing his delight over Jhina Hikaka’s release from Maoists captivity, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said he was relieved that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA would now meet his family, who were quite distressed and anxiously waiting for him.
“I am very happy that the Jhina Hikaka is on his way to his family in Lakshmipur. Two weeks ago I was with his family in Lakshmipur in our Koraput district. And his mother, an old lady, was extremely distressed, as you can imagine and recently has been unwell. And his wife, his two small children were in great distress and very anxious,” said Patnaik.
“So, all I can say is I am very glad. We are relieved, all of us, I am sure in the entire beautiful state of ours are extremely relieved that he is freed today to go back to his wife, his two sons and to his mother,” he added.
Hikaka was released unharmed by Maoists earlier in the day at a village in Koraput, 33 days after he was abducted from the same district by the rebels.
Hikaka was reportedly escorted by a group of tribals to Balipeta village in Maoist-affected Narayanpatna area, where he was believed to have been produced in a Maoist ‘praja’ court, which agreed to set him free.
He was handed over by the tribals to his wife, Kaushalya Majhi, and a lawyer who fights cases for the ultras and their frontal organisations, Nihar Ranjan Patnaik.
The decision to free Hikaka was taken by a people’s court on Tuesday after he gave a written undertaking that he will resign from the state assembly and also try to fulfill the Maoists’ demands.
While the Maoists had demanded release of 29 prisoners in exchange for Hikaka’s freedom, the state government decided to consider the release of 25 jailed people, including eight Maoists.
The Odisha Government has decided to withdraw cases against 13 jailed ultras, including five Maoists, apart from facilitating the release of 12 through bail, sources said.
Hikaka was kidnapped near Toyaput after a large group of armed men stopped him as he was being driven through a hilly area some 500 kilometres away from Bhubaneshwar on March 24.

No cease fire with NSCN ; IRB post at Jessami soon : Gaikhangam

Imphal. April 26 MNS/ NNN: Home minister Gaikhangam while meeting the press at the function said, to curb the tension erupted over the land dispute between the villagers of Jessami and Melori Village, Nagalan, the govt. will open an IRB post at Jessami. The state govt. will not remain a silent spectator when outsiders attacked the villager of Manipur. The govt. is also trying to find a solution to the present crisis.
G Gaikhangam said that since the ceasefire between the NSCN-IM and the Government is not extended to Manipur officially, there cannot be any designated camp of the Naga outfit in the state.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, the Manipur home minister said the state government of Manipur has been urging New Delhi to do away the NSCN-IM designated camps from Manipur since there is no NSCN-IM ceasefire in Manipur. Gaikhangam said he will take up the matter with the Central government so that no NSCN-IM designated camps are established in Manipur.
Meanwhile he has urged his Karnataka counterpart to give appropriate instructions to concerned law enforcing agencies for speedy delivery of justice under the law of the land regarding the alleged killing of Loitam Richard by his co-hostellers over an apparently trivial issue.
In a letter written to the home minister of Karnataka, R. Ashok, the home minister of Manipur stated that Karnataka ranks among the top destinations for higher studies for many Manipuri students as the city is perceived to be safe and friendly to people from the North-East region, and not only have students enrolled in various educational intuitions in Karnataka, many Manipuri professionals have settled and are working in companies in Karnataka and made it their second home.
But the brutal killing of Loitam Richard (21), who was a student of Acharya NRV School of Architecture in Bangalaru allegedly by his co-hostellers on April 19 over an apparently trivial issue, has vitiated this image of Karnataka as a hospitable state, shocked parents of students studying there and also scared off Manipuris residing there, stated Gaikhangam.
He further stated that the unfortunate incident occurred in the hostel where the students were watching a cricket tournament on television and that the Manipuri students union based in Bangalaru has already lodged an FIR with police for the arrest of the culprits.Gakhangam urged his counterpart in Karnataka to give appropriate instructions to concerned law enforcing agencies for speedy delivery of justice under the law of the land.This will significantly restore confidence and allay the fears of the Manipuri students and professionals residing in Karnataka, especially in Bangalaru city, the letter of the home minister said.

Measures to check blackmarketing of LPG

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Apr 26: The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri R.P.N. Singh informed the Lok Sabha in written reply today that constant efforts are being made for blocking of the LPG connections of PNG (Piped Natural Gas) consumers by way of regular monitoring and issue of instructions to the Oil Marketing Companies OMCs and City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies.
“As on 01.04.2012, OMCs have blocked 8,89,267 LPG connections of PNG consumers, in an effort to stop diversion of subsidized domestic LPG”, he added. PNG connections are provided to households in cities having CGD projects to supply natural gas as cooking fuel.
OMCs have also introduced different colours for domestic and non-domestic LPG cylinders for controlling the diversion of domestic LPG for unauthorized use, the Minister said.
The Minister further said that to check black-marketing of LPG, OMCs carry out regular surprise inspections at distributors’ premised, conduct refill audits, surprise checks at customers’ premises including en-route checking of delivery vehicles etc., and action, where-ever necessary, is taken in accordance with the provisions of the MDG (Marketing Discipline Guidelines).
In addition, surprise checks are carried out along with the help of local Government officials which includes restaurants and small eateries to ensure that the subsidized domestic LPG is not misused.
Shri Singh also informed that the Government has enacted “Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order, 2000″ and formulated “Marketing Discipline Guidelines, 2001” which provides for penal action against LPG distributors indulging in diversion/black marketing of LPG.MDG provide, inter-alia for following action against the distributor:-
Fine of ‘ 20,000 plus the price of LPG diverted at commercial rates for 1st offence.
Fine of ‘ 50,000 plus the price of LPG diverted at commercial rates for 2nd offence.
Termination of the distributorship for 3rd offence.
He also emphasised that the in addition to the action taken by the OMCs, State Governments are empowered under the LPG (Regulation of Supply & Distribution) Order, 2000 promulgated under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to take action against black marketing/diversion of domestic LPG.
The Minister stressed that the government has also issued advertisements cautioning the public that use of domestic LPG for non-domestic purposes is illegal and against national interest. Through these advertisements, cooperation of the general public has also been sought to report any irregularity/malpractice to the OMCs.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/measures-to-check-blackmarketing-of-lpg/

Supreme Court reserves order on defamation case against army chief

New Delhi, April 26 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on a defamation case filed against Army Chief General V.K.Singh by Lt. General (retired) Tejinder Singh till May 5.
Lt.Gen. Tejinder Singh had recorded his statement before a Delhi court in connection with a criminal defamation case filed against Army chief VK Singh and four others. Lt.Gen.(retired) Singh had also sought an independent inquiry into the illegal monitoring of mobile phone conversation of ministry officials by the army under the present chief General VK Singh.
Lt.Gen.Tejinder Singh had retired as Director General of Defence Intelligence Agencies in 2010.
Lt.Gen.Tejinder Singh has placed a sealed, written statement and a CD in support of his petition demanding a CBI probe into alleged bugging of ministry offices.
Lashing out at the chief for “concocting” bribery allegations against him, the petitioner also wants a court direction to CBI to carry out searches at offices and residences of General Singh, his subordinate officers and their family members. He wants the agency to seize documents related to his private life and not release it to the public.
In a disclosure made during an interview to a newspaper, the army chief had accused Tejinder Singh of offering him a bribe of Rs.14 crore for purchase of Tatra trucks. Pursuant to a written complaint, CBI has already initiated a preliminary inquiry into the allegations.
Singh alleged the “false” bribery allegations were levelled as he was privy to army chief’s “illegal designs and intention to carryout monitoring of mobile phone conversations of the defence ministry of officials”.
The petition claimed the General complained to the DM to pre-empt Tejinder from spilling the beans.
about the chief’s “illegal scheme.”

Tejinder Singh also accused the chief of violating the “rule of law”. He said the General intruded into his

private life and resorted to unauthorised tapping of his phone.

The petitioner also wants a direction to the government to initiate disciplinary inquiry against the chief

for issuing public statements. He cited instances where several press notes were released at the chief’s

behest and said this amounted to misuse of his position. (ANI)

Hacking of websites to be checked

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Apr 26: Preliminary discussions have been held on establishment of a multi stakeholder Cyber Coordination Centre which will detect malicious cyber activities in the Indian Cyber space and issue early warning alerts.
The Minister of State For Communications and Information Technology ,Shri Sachin Pilot informed the Lok Sabha yesterday that such alerts will facilitate mitigation of cyber attacks with coordinated efforts of all stakeholders in Government, academia and Industry.
Pilot said, according to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), 133 Government websites were hacked during January to March this year. A total of 92, 204 and 248 Government websites were hacked in 2009,2010 and 2 He further informed that according to the Norton Cyber Crime Report published in 2011, US $ 4 billion were lost due to cyber crime in India compared to US $ 114 billion world-wide. The Report further noted that 80% of the people surveyed experienced cyber crime. The data is not validated but the report is based on a survey involving over 19,000 people across 24 countries including 600 from India.
The Minister informed that according to Reserve Bank of India, 2232 Internet fraud cases involving nearly Rs 1234.94 lakh were registered in the year 2010. CBI registered 2 cyber crime cases involving Rs. 17 Lakhs in 2010.
Shri Pilot informed that the Government has taken the following measures to tackle cyber crimes:
(i) Legal Framework in the form of Information Technology Act, 2000. The Act provides legal framework to address the issues connected with cyber crime, cyber attacks and security breaches of information technology infrastructure.
ii) Setting up of Early Warning and Response to cyber security incidents through the Indian Computer
Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and collaboration at national and international level for information sharing and mitigation of cyber attacks.
iii) CERT-In regularly publishes Security Guidelines and advisories for safeguarding computer systems from hacking and these are widely circulated. CERT-In also conducts security mock drills, workshops & training programs on regular basis to enhance security posture of infrastructure and awareness.
iv) The organizations operating critical information infrastructure have been advised to implement information security management practices based on International Standard ISO 27001. Ministries and Departments have been advised to carry out security audit of their information technology infrastructure regularly to ensure robustness of their systems.
v) The Government has circulated Cyber Security Policies and Guidelines for implementation in all Ministries/ Departments.
vi) Government is facilitating skill & competence development in the area of cyber security by providing domain specific trainings on Cyber Forensics, Network & System Security Administration. Labs for training in collection and analysis of digital evidence for Law Enforcement & Judiciary have been setup.
vii) The Government has formulated Crisis Management Plan for countering cyber attacks and cyber terrorism. This is being implemented by all Ministries/ Departments of Central Government, State
Governments an their organizations and critical sectors.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/hacking-of-websites-to-be-checked/

Nano Mission – Towards Global Knowledge Hub

Kalpana Palkhiwala
(PIB Feature.)
Nano Technology is acknowledge-intensive and ‘enabling technology’ which will influence a wide range of products and processes. It will have far-reaching implications for national economy and development.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) launched many initiatives over the period of time and Nano was one of them. DST launched a modest programme called Nano Science and Technology Initiative (NIST) in 2001 in Nano Sciences. The Nano Mission is successor of this programme. The Government approved this as Nano Mission in 2007 with an allocation of Rs 1000/- crore for 5 years.
The Nano Mission has been structured in a manner to achieve synergy between the national research efforts of various agencies in this field and launch new programmes in a concerted fashion. Today India has emerged 6th worldwide in terms of scientific publications. An active research community of about 1000 researchers has emerged. Besides, some interesting applications have already come out of the country.
Capacity building of the research is of utmost importance for Nano Mission so that India can emerge as a
global knowledge hub. Large number of man power is getting prime attention in research and fundamental aspects of Nano science and training. Nano Mission is also striving for developments of products and processes for national development, especially in the area of national relevance like safe drinking water, materials development, sensors development, drug delivery etc. The objectives of Nano Mission include basic research promotion, infrastructure development, Nano applications and technology development, human resources development and international collaboration.
Basic Research Promotion
Basic research being carried out by individual scientist and /or groups of scientists will be funded. The Centers of excellence pursuing studies leading to fundamental understanding of matter that enables control and manipulation at the Nano scale will be created.
Infrastructure For Research
A chain of shared facility of expensive and sophisticated equipments required for various activities will
be established across the country. Investigation on Nano scale require optical tweezer, Nano Indentor, Transmission Electron Microscope, Atomic Force Microscope, Scanning Tunneling Microscope, Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer, Microarray Spotter and Scanner etc.
Nano Applications and Technology Development Programme
To catalyze Nano Application and Technology Development programme leading to products and devices, the Mission proposes to promote application-oriented R&D projects, establish Nano Applications and Technology Development Centers, Nano-Technology Business Incubators etc. The industrial sector is
being involved directly or through Public Private Partnership ventures into this Mission.
Human Resources Development
The Mission will focus on providing effective education and training to researchers and professionals in diversified fields so that a genuine interdisciplinary culture for nanoscale science, engineering and technology can emerge. M. A. and M. Sc. programmes will be benefited. National and Overseas post-doctoral fellowships, chairs in universities are other aspects.
International Collaboration
Academia-industry partnership at the international level is one of the aspect under international collaboration. Besides, exploratory visits of scientists, organization of joint workshop, conferences and research projects, access to sophisticated research facilities abroad etc., are being achieved.
Structure and Activities
Nano Mission is steered by Nano Mission Council. The technical programmes are being guided by two advisory groups namely Nano Science Advisory Group (NSAG) and the Nano Applications and Technology Advisory Group (NATAG). Department of Science & Technology has supported a number of activities in Nano Science and Technology.
Individual scientists have been supported for R & D projects. Detailed technologies have been developed for the medical purposes. Membrane scaffolds for wound healing using chitin/chitosan gels containing nanoparticles and nanoparticles for ophthalmic drug delivery have been developed by Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad and USV, Mumbai respectively. Around 130 projects have been supported for individual scientists mainly working on fundamental scientific aspects of nanoscale system. Extensive studies on semiconductor nanocrystals have been undertaken in several projects. As semiconductor particles exhibit size-dependent properties like scaling of the energy gap and corresponding change in the optical properties, they are considered as technologically important materials. Several projects have looked into synthesis of important nano materials like CdSe, ZnO etc. Size tunable, organic soluble industrially important CdS, AIN, GaN and InN nanocrystals have been prepared by employing novel solvo thermal techniques and some soft chemical routes.
The other discovery of flow of various liquids and gases over a mat of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles generate electrical signals. This has several important technological implications.
Development of micro fluidic devices will have several applications in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceutical industry, drug delivery, intelligent pneumatic systems, information technology etc.
DST has established an array of sophisticated equipments to enable researchers to work with nanoscale system. Eleven Units/Core Groups on Nano Science have been sanctioned across the country. They house some of the more sophisticated facility for sharing with other scientists in the region and would help in promoting scientific research on nanoscale system in a decentralized manner. Seven centres for Nano Technology focusing on development of specific applications and a centre for excellence on Computational Materials has also been established. Joint R & D activities are taking place with several countries. DST has also promoted Joint Institution-Industry Linked Projects and some other Public Private Partnership activities for human resource development.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/nano-mission-towards-global-knowledge-hub/

Prafulla Mahanta elected AGP chief

Guwahati, April 26 NNN : Eleven years after he exited unceremoniously and had to subsequently leave the party, former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was re-elected president of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today. He defeated legislator Padma Hazarika.
Two months after he became the AGP’s founder president in 1985, Mahanta became India’s youngest chief minister. He was president of the party for as many years as he was chief minister over two terms from 1985-1990 and 1996-2001.
The election to the post of AGP president was held throughout the day. Of the 395 members in the party’s
general council, five abstained while an equal number of votes were cancelled. The final result read 212 in favour of Mahanta, 39 more than what Hazarika mustered.
“The party has not only reposed faith in me, it has also given me the huge responsibility of making AGP the force it once was,” said Mahanta, 57, after being declared winner. He takes over from incumbent Chandra Mohan Patowary.
Nothing had been going right for the AGP since its electoral debacle in 2001. Many in the party blamed Mahanta’s alleged extramarital affair with a government employee as well as the ‘secret killings’ (term for allegedly using government machinery to eliminate kin of United Liberation Front of Asom rebels) during his reign for the loss. Mahanta had to step down as president in August 2001. He laid low until August 2005 when his party membership was terminated. Two months later, he formed the rebel AGP (Progressive) party and dented the AGP’s chances of returning to power in the 2006 assembly election.
Mahanta’s party merged with the AGP in October 2008 but it wasn’t enough to revive the party’s fortunes.
It went down to the Congress for the third straight term in 2011, and this time it even lost the status of Opposition party.
“The issue of secret killings was a Congress conspiracy, and it had been raising it prior to the party election because it is scared of me leading the AGP,” Mahanta said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/prafulla-mahanta-elected-agp-chief/

MUTA decries vandalism

Manipur University Teachers’ Association MUTA has condemned the act of vandalism carried out by unidentified miscreants who broke the ATM machine of SBI branch located within Manipur University campus on the night of April 23 Source Hueiyen News …

Read more / Original news source: http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=25&src=270412

Odisha MLA freed after 33 days in captivity

BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka today walked to freedom, escorted by a group of tribals, after 33 days in Maoist captivity in Odisha’s Koraput district Source The Sangai Express Press Trust of India

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Power from bagasse, rice husk and straw a distant dream in our state

Among the various development programmes taken up in Nagpur, Maharashtra through new technological means under the leadership of Nitin Gadkari, National President, BJP, the state has even produce a power from bagasse, rice husk and straw and is able to provide 24 hour power supply even to the poorest of the poor in the area Source Hueiyen News Service Lukhoi Wangkhem

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Tribal groups celebrate on Scheduled Tribes recognition

Celebrating recognition of Rongmei, Inpui, Liangmei and Zeme by the Government of India as Scheduled Tribes, a function was held at Haochong yesterday Source The Sangai Express

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Abducted boys released

The three boys from Sairemkhul of Manipur who had been allegedly recruited as child soldiers on April 7 believed to be by an underground outfit have been brought home today after being released at Moreh, on the Indo Myanmar border Source Hueiyen New…

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GOC inaugurates community halls

GOC Red Shield Division Maj Gen Binoy Poonnen has inaugurated and handed over two community halls constructed by 9 Engineering Regiment for Rs 4 Source The Sangai Express

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Massive transfer and posting effected

Transfer and posting of some IAS MCS MSS Jr MCS officers have been effected following an order issued by Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms Personnel Division today Source Hueiyen News Service

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PDA Chairman

Thoubal SP, K Jayenta has been transferred as the SP of Imphal West while Addl SP of Imphal East K Jhalajit has been transferred as the SP of Thoubal police Source The Sangai Express

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MSF volunteers thrashed in restaurant drive, three injured

In a bizarre incident, volunteers of Manipuri Students Federation MSF who were on a drive to flush out immoral activities carried out inside dark room restaurants of the state, were beaten by the owners and families of restaurants using sticks and pe…

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Awareness drive on ILP launched

Taking up the cudgel for the sake for the land and people, Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur DESAM and Kangleipak Students’ Association KSA have today launched an awareness campaign on the Inner Line Permit system among school students Sou…

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