Month: July 2012

MNS: The State Cabinet today decided to form ministerial teams to inspect the agricultural areas to see if drought can be declared.
The Cabinet discussed about the prevailing situation. Th Lokeshwor,Speaker and other ministers including Govindas Konthoujam, Ngamthang Haokip, Francis Ngajokpa, Dr Ratan, Ak Mirabai and officials will inspect different districts from tomorrow.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ministerial-team-to-inspect-agricultural-area/

Imphal, July 20 NNN: Four people, including two women were killed and five others wounded when the packed Tata Sumo van they were travelling in skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge near Khongsang area under Nungba Police Station in Tamenglong district this morning.
The dead are identified as Wuimachungliu, 41, wife of Weni of Tharon village, Rangjailiu Daimai, wife of Wiriangbou, Philip Gonmei of Khoupum Namkaolong Part-I and Anand, driver of the jeep from Thoubal district.
Reports said Gonmei and Anand died on the spot while Wuimachungliu and Daimei succumbed to their injuries on the way to hospital.
The injured have been identified as Gaishingam Remei, 24, a resident of Khoupum Namkaolong Part-I, Gaingangmei of Deithanjang Khoupum, Lungningang Gangmei of Khoupum Satndai. Their condition is stated to be critical. Gaishingam is now undertaking treatment at RIMS while Gaingangmei and Lungningang have been admitted to Shija Hospitals here.
However, two of them have been admitted to Noney Community Health Centre and that their condition is not serious, sources said. The road mishap occurred around 9:30 am when the Tata Sumo van with 11 passengers on board skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge near Khonsang area, killing two on the spot and injuring another five. The van was heading towards Imphal from Tamenglong.
Khongsang is located about 45 km from Tamenglong district headquarters but the incident took place about 15 km from Khongsang.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/four-killed-five-wounded-in-khongsang-accident/

Mail News Service
Imphal, July 20: Normalcy was restored at JNIMS today. Prof Ng Indra, Chairman and Dr G Angam, convenor have clarified that It was reported in some of the newspapers that JNIMS staff nurse on duty had slapped two attendants of a patient admitted in the Ante Natal Ward of JNIMS on the night of 18th July 2012.
In this connection, a detailed investigation including statement of said staff nurse on duty , eye witness account of patient and relatives of adjacent beds in the Ante Natal Ward of Obst. & Gynae Deptt JNIMS has been carried out by a team of Doctors of the JNIMS/J.N.Hospital Staff Co-ordination Committee on the above allegations and it was found that at any point of time the said staff nurse on duty did not commit any such act.
Further, the ongoing cease work strike by the JNIMS/J.N.Hospital Staff Coordination Committee has been suspended w.e.f 2:00 P.M. of 20th July 2012 in Public Interest. The OPD, Emergency Services & Routine OT started functioning normally.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/jnims-strike-called-off/

Mail News Service
Imphal, July 20: The CAG referring to MOBC said there were irregularities in tender processing by ignoring the lowest bidder, non-maintenance of transparency and lack of strict economy led to a loss of Rs 14.80 lakh.
As per Rule 21 of the General Financial Rules, 2005, every officer should enforce financial order and strict economy and exercise the same vigilance in respect of expenditure incurred from public moneys as a person of ordinary prudence would exercise in respect of expenditure of his own money.
To eliminate arbitrariness in procurement process, clause (xiv) of Rule 160 of the Rules ibid stipulates that contract shall ordinarily be awarded to the lowest bidder whose bid has been found to be responsive and who is eligible as per bidding documents.
Test-check of the records (January 2011) of Minorities and Other Backward Classes Department revealed that the Work Advisory Board of the Department approved (June 2009) an expenditure of Rs 1.87 crore for purchase of 585 Irrigation Pumps on a tentative basis.
Accordingly, the Directorate called (October 2009) for a limited tender from five suppliers, calling only for rate quotation for supply of 5 H.P Diesel Engine Irrigation Pump set. However, no specifications in terms of type, quantity etc. of pumps were mentioned in the tender notice. As per Rule 150 of the Rules ibid, procurement of goods of value of Rs 25 lakh and above should be made through open tender and not through limited tender as was done by the Directorate. No reasons for deviating from this procedure were available on record. Further, such notice also needed to be advertised inter alia on the website of the organisation, which was not also done.
Out of the four suppliers who responded to the tender, the rate quoted by M/s Rajesh Associates for “Usha” brand pumps was the lowest one (L-l) at Rs 30,617 per pump sets while that of M/s United Machinery Corporation for “Satyajeet” brand was the second lowest (L-2) at ^ 33,250 per pump sets. However, instead of considering L-l, the Directorate decided (February 2010) to place supply order for 562 pumps to L-2 on the ground that L-l had not mentioned the name of the model under the Usha brand in his quote. The Department stated (August 2011) that L-l was contacted over phone for clarification.
However, no response was obtained. However, no documentary evidence was shown to Audit to substantiate such claims. Therefore, in the absence of appropriate documentation in the file, it could not be ascertained as to why L-l was not considered.
As per the NIT, there was no such requirement of quoting the model of the brand, the ground on which the Department preferred L-2 over L-l. As such, the decision to place orders on L-2 was taken on flimsy ground and without following the established codal procedure. The selection process also indicates that the exercise was devoid of strict vigilance and economy. M/s United Machinery Corporation supplied (March 2010) all 562 pumps and total amount ofRs 1.87 crore was paid (March 2010) to the firm.
Thus, there were many irregularities in the tendering processing, viz. opting for a limited in place of open tender, not placing the tender on the Department’s website, and preferring L-2 over L-l without any justification. These irregularities in the tender process led to extra expenditure amounting to Rs 14.80 lakh {(Rs 33,250-Rs 30617)x562} and consequent loss to the Government to that extent.
The matter was referred to Government (July 2011), the reply has not been received (March 2012).Violation of contractual obligations, undue benefit to contractors, unavoidable/ unfruitful expenditure etc.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/irregularities-in-tender-processes-in-mobc-department-cag/

Imphal, July 20 NNN: As part of the Go-Green Mission 2012, the Maram Students’ Union/ Maralui Karalimei Swijoikang (MKS) Senapati in Manipur in collaboration with the district administration organized a programme under the theme “Environment Interface cum Massive Tree plantation towards Climate Change and Global Warming on Friday.
The event, which was the fourth annual initiative taken up by MKS since 2009, was held at the Multipurpose Hall, Mini Secretariat, Senapati.
PK Jha, Deputy Commissioner, Senapati, Kh Ibohal, DFO, Senapati and K Raisong, president Maram union attended the event as chief guest, guest of honour and honorary guest respectively.
The Go-Green Mission is a part of MKS campaign on tree plantation to combat climate change. For this year, MKS will plant about 4000 saplings in different places of the district under the mission.
A massive tree plantation will be carried out at market and public places along National Highway-2 on July 21. One sapling each will be planted at every business communities in the surrounding areas of town and markets. One July 23, MKS will also plant large scale saplings at Willong Barren Land.MKS said it believes the concern for environment and forests does not ended with the responsibility of the concern Department alone, rather, it stresses the vital role on how one’s action in a corner of the world affects those in another corner and ensure the participation at every level, every individual, family, the community, organizations, businesses, departments, etc as combating climate change goes beyond the ability of one entity.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/go-green-campaign-at-senapati-2/

Mail News Service
Imphal, July 20: The Field Exhibition Office, Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity (DAVP), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is organizing five-day Photo Exhibition on the theme ‘Development Initiative in North East at Mayang Imphal Municipality Hall, Imphal West from July 25 – 29, 2012. The exhibition is to be inaugurated by Dr Kh Ratankumar, Minister (Works & Transport), as Chief Guest on 25 July, 2012 at 2:00 pm.
The aims of the Exhibition is to disseminate information about the pace of various developmental projects undertaken by the Government of India in the North East, including Sikkim.
The exhibition will display about 150 photographs depicting the life, culture and development projects that has been seen in the region.
Carrying the campaign forward in reaching to the general public, the Field Exhibition Office, DAVP, Imphal will also hold similar Photo Exhibition at Wangol Higher Secondary School from August 01-05, 2012.
The Field Exhibition Officer, DAVP, Imphal has invited all to witness the Photo Exhibition in order to have better understanding of various developmental schemes taken up by the Government .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/davp-photo-exhibition-at-mayang-imphal/

Imphal, July 20 NNN: Association of School Management and Development Committee (SMDC), Chandel district Under SSA has strongly come out against the state government’s plan to offer works to private contractors for construction of 46 Sarva Sikhsa Abhiyan ( SSA) school buildings in the district.
Saying that 46 SSA school buildings will be constructed in respect of Chandel district and for this purpose the concerned village heads have donated lands, said Trimson Saku, chairman, SMDC, adding that the village authorities will not give the lands if the government engages private contractors for the construction of school buildings.
The list of contractors released by the state Education Minister should be cancelled immediately, he demanded.
According to Right to Education, 2009, the SSA framework implementation says clearly and unequivocally that planning and implementation by the community through school management committee in all school infrastructure development will be mandatory in order to ensure sense of ownership and departure from contractor driven approaches.
It also says engagement of contractors in building constructions will not be allowed under SSA.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/smdc-opposes-construction-of-ssa-buildings-by-private-contractors/