Day: January 7, 2013

The Gaan-Ngai festival for the year 2013 will commence on the forthcoming January 24th (Thursday).
Certain Meitei-calendars indicate the 13th day of Wakching of the current year falling on two days-24th and 25th of January.
Following the traditional calculation of Zeiiangrong festival-Date beginning from the first day of the Wakching month (12th January for this season), the 13th day of Wakching falls on 24th January, 2013.
The Zeliangrong Cultural Council (ZCC), which is the apex and sole authority on Zeliangrong traditional religion and customs, has accepted 24-1-2013 (Thursday) as the Gan-ngai Date for this season. Therefore, the Zeiiangrong people will commence Gan-ngai festival of this year from 24-1-2013.
The ZCC has also written to the State government to adjust the “Gan-ngai holiday” accordingly said R. Chandra Haomei, Secretary, ZCC(AMN).

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/gaan-ngai-festival/

IMPHAL, Jan 7: Federation of All Tribal Youth Clubs, Manipur (FATYCM) has summited a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India and also to the Minister of Law and Justice praying them for the immediate intervention into what it terms as ‘’illegal and goondaism’ of the chief minister and the home minister Manipur for making unnecessary harassment including lodging of FIR against the primary teachers of the hill districts in whose favour the Gauhati High Court had passed an order for payment of salaries and allowances.
“With due respect, FATYCM begs to request you for favour of your kind consideration and necessary actions by an order date 20/6/2008 passed in W.P(C) NO.350 of 2008, the Gauhati High Court had passed an order for payment of unpaid salaries for the 835 primary teacher s of the hill districts of the state of Manipur w.e.f May, 2007 to Aprill, 2008 within three months from the date receipt of the certified copy of the said order and the same was communicated on19/7/2008 to the competent by the counsel of the petitioners,” the FATYCM said.
The FATYCM said, pursuant to the aforesaid order the 835 primary teachers had filed various cases for non-payment of their entitled back wages w.e.f May, 2007 to April, 2008.
According to the federation, the stipulated time fixed by the court has already expired on 19/11/2012 however, due to long agitation by the Advocates of the Gauhati High Court of Imphal Bench the functional of the court is now paralyzed w.e.f 8/11/2012 to till date and taking undue advantage of the non functional of the High Court of Imphal bench the state government by lodging a concocted FIR on 23/10/2012 being FIR No.30 (10) 2012 U/s 420/468/120-B IPC against the 835 primary teachers of the hill districts and primary teachers are threatening to arrest them unless they failed to withdraw the entire contempt cases. “Behind the back of the said actions the main king pin are chief minister O Ibobi and home minister Gaikhagam of the state of Manipur as such the said actions are nothing but harassment and goondaism meted out to the 835 poor primary teachers of the hill districts of Manipur. Unless such actions of the state of Manipur are restrained immediately the entire poor teachers have to be sacrificed their unpaid salaries w.e.f May 2007 to April 2008 on the garb of their arrest by the police in connection with aforesaid pending contempt case,” it alleged.
“In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances, it is therefore requested that your goodself may cause necessary actions to direct the chief minister and the home minister of Manipur, who is in-charge of Hills, Manipur to immediately withdraw the said FIR being FIR No.30 (10) 2012 U/s 420/468/120-B IPC against the 835 primary teachers of the hill districts and direct them to release the entire back wages of the 835 poor primary teachers of the hill districts of Manipur so as to enable to enjoy the pay and allowances for the services rendered by them at the hill districts, Manipur,” FATYCM said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tribal-federation-seeks-prime-ministers-help/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Jan 7: The state Horticulture and soil conservation has been requested to provide documents related to various projects undertaken at a cost of about Rs 20 crores . In an RTI filed by K Seityajit to the SPIO it was requested to furnish order copy for investigation for the development and promotion of “Centre of Excellence” in the state under the Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan Region during the financial year 2012-13 which involved Rs 2.5 cr. It was asked if approval of the Chairman, the State Level Steering Committee- the Chief Secretary was taken.
It was further asked “When was the River Valley Project (RVP) implemented in the state of Manipur? What is the total released amount of the project from the centre during the period from 2006-07 to 2012-13?
Please provide the name, designation and office of the implementing officer of the River Valley Project (RVP) in the state of Manipur. Where is the office premises existed? How many staffs are employed for the project? Kindly provide the detailed information with the year of establishment of the office.
Please provide the following information:
(i) The amount released for the RVP year-wise from the period from 2006-07 to 2011-12.
(ii) Number of Project Implementing Committees and their nomenclature. (iii) The Corpus Fund and State Share for the Project, (iv) Name of the implementing Districts and the beneficiaries of the Project.
The North East Council (NEC) had funded Rs 344.42 lakh for the Revival of Progency Orchard cum Nursery (POCN) for the following four farms in the State of Manipur.
1. Cashewnut Development Farm at Jiribam.
2. Progency Orchard cum Nursery at Maram.
3. Progency Orchard cum Nursery at Thawai Village, Mahadev, Ukhrul.
4. Progency Orchard cum Nursery at Gelzang, Churachandpur.
It enquired about sanctioning of Rs 5 lakh every year by the Director, Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Government of Manipur for running the processing unit of “Magfruit”. Magfruit was gutted out by fire on 03-03-2001. The unit had been put off since then and no Magfruit product is available in the market till now. It was stated that Rs 1 Crore had been released by the Director, Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Government of Manipur under the “LAND DEVELOPMENT SCHEME” during the financial year 2010-11 for land development in Ukhrul District. Details of the project were requested and enquired about a private land at Tuinem Village, Ukhrul District, owned by an official of the Department which had been funded under this scheme.
For the development of five Hill Districts, funds were released in Watershed Development Project on Soil Conservation commonly known as ACA under the “SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION” scheme. When was the scheme started in the state of Manipur? Please provide the year-wise released amount during the period from 2002-03 to 2011-12 with copies of the Utilization Certificate.
A sum of Rs 10 Crore is said had been released by the Director, Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Government of Manipur under WDPSCA (ACA), soil and water conservation during the financial year 2010-11. For the management and conservation of “LOKTAK LAKE” the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) had funded and released a sum of Rs 2.15 Crore in 2010-11 to the Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation, Government of Manipur. How was the amount utilized?

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/horticulture-deptt-asked-to-furnish-documents-of-rs-20-cr-projects/

By Rehoboam Lester Makang
Mail News Service
Imphal, Jan 7: Ukhrul, Jan 6: Union Baptist Church (UBC) Ukhrul held its first Sunday worship service of the New Year 2013 with renewed spirit and enthusiasm here yesterday.
The service which began at 7:30 am as is usual during winter season had the hall filled to its capacity again after many church goers had been to their respective native villages during the recent festivals. The good message was brought by the local pastor Rev. Remember Rimai who advocated that each and every one should strive for higher spiritual values so that God will guide us all of our journey through this new year. He also stressed that we should cast all of our burdens on the Almighty and He will take care of the rest for us this year.
It marked the reunion for members of the UBC after many of them had gone to their native places for celebration of Christmas and New Year and there was kind of falling attendance at the Church during recent holidays.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ubc-sunday-worship-held/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Jan 7: Troops of 46 Assam Rifles under Red Shield Division apprehended two ZRA cadres on 06 Jan 2013. Based on specific intelligence received from own sources, troops of Red Shield Division launched a swift operation which led to apprehension of two ZRA cadres from New Lamka in Churachandpur district. Both individual has been identified as SS Pvt Lilian Vaiphei, age 27 years, son of B Khaitinlam Vaiphei, resident of village Ngathal and SS Pvt Ginlanmuan Vaiphei, age 16 years, son of Jasai Vaiphei, resident of village Bethal Veng, Churachandpur district. The apprehendees are active cadres of ZRA operating in Churachandpur district. One 9 mm Pistal alongwith Magazine and five live rounds including Rs Ten Thousand were recovered from them. The apprehendees alongwith recoveries were later handed over to Imphal West Police Station said a PIB (DW) press release.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/two-zra-cadres-held/

IMPHAL, Jan 7 NNN: People in Eshikha village of Khundrakpam constituency in Imphal East district are now prospering from the huge money they earn from large scale potato cultivation in their paddy fields in the post-harvesting season.
Ishikha village is located about 18 km from the state capital Imphal. Farmers from around 60 households in the hamlet are now growing potatoes in 45 lou pari (hectare) of paddy fields engaging in double cropping in the post-harvesting season enabling them to earn lakhs of rupees, said Naoroibam Kiran, a farmer of the village on Monday.
The small village is inhabited by a meager population of about 500 and their main occupation is agriculture, he said. Large scale potato farming in the village started back in 2005 when around five households were growing potatoes in their fields, he added.
Now, the potato cultivation has made the small rural community prosperous and their granaries are stockpiled with rice, but many of these villagers were not in the condition to build rice stocks in the granaries before, Kiran proudly said.
N Subadhani, wife of Kiran also said framers in the Ishikha cultivated potatoes in 40 pari last year and each pari earned about Rs 1, 20, 000 as profits within a short span of about three-four months.
However, she said farmers in the village are looking forward for help from the state Agriculture Department, saying the department has done nothing for them till date except providing some guidelines in using technology and fertilizers to the farmers.
“This season, potato seed was bought at Rs 650 per bag as compared to previous year’s rate which was available at Rs 350 hence we need assistance from the state Agriculture Department,” she said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/potato-cultivation-at-eshikha/

IMPHAL, Jan 7 UNA: Police in Manipur’s Imphal East district Monday nabbed an alleged rapist after dispersing a mob that kept surround a house where the alleged rapist was taking shelter after he was chased after by the mob.
Thirty-year old Laishram Sanjoy allegedly raped a girl of his village this afternoon around 3 pm after intruding her house taking advantage of absent of other family members.
When the victim girl informed to her neighbours about the incident and the news spread across the village, a large number of people stormed the house of alleged rapist who ran away on seeing them. When the people chased after him, he rushed to a house of a neighbouring village.
Police, who rushed to the spot allegedly after the family members of the rapist, dispersed the people who were cording the house and took away to the police station.
After the police left the spot, the mob against stormed the house of the alleged rapist and ransacked the house, according to the latest report culled out from the villagers.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/rapist-held-by-police/

IMPHAL, Jan 7 NNN: One unidentified person was shot dead by suspected militants at Changamdabi Waheng Khong under Yairipok Police Station in Thoubal district of Manipur and another died when a bomb he was planting accidentally exploded near Kondong Lairembi temple at Moreh in Chandel district of Manipur, police sources said.
A bullet riddled body of a man was found dead in the early morning of Monday at Changamdabi Waheng Khong. Villagers who had spotted the body said they believed unidentified people shot him to death last night after being brought to the site. The corpse, obviously about 25 years old, received two bullets in the chest. Another injury mark showed a bullet got through the back of his head from the mouth.
The villagers also said they heard sounds of several gun shots around 10 pm yesterday near the spot.
Police said they believed the unidentified man was killed by militants in connection with extortion. They said that he might be a VDF man. One hand grenade, one empty case of M-16 rifle and another live round of the same rifle were recovered from the site.
The body has been deposited at the mortuary of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) here for identification. At the same time, a case has also been registered at Yairipok Police Station regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, a suspected militant belonging to a Kuki insurgent group was killed when the bomb he was trying to plant blasted near Kondong Lairembi, Moreh along National Highway-2 (Imphal-Moreh road) last night.
The explosion took place around 8:50 pm when the suspected Kuki militant tried to plant a powerful IED exploded, killing him on the spot, police sources said.
The police identified the militant as Thangminlin Haokip, 27, son of Thanglen Haokip, a resident of Moreh Ward No-9.
The body of Haokip has been brought to the mortuary of JNIMS pending post mortem. The Moerh Police station has also started investigation into the death.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/two-shot-dead-2/