Day: February 18, 2013

Imphal Feb 18 UNA : An indefinite general strike across the state of Manipur has been called by the Village Defense Force (VDF) from 6pm of February 19th as well announced their support to All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) nation wide strike on 20 and 21 of this month.
Further appealing to Transport Association, organization, society, club, womenfolk of the state to extend their help in their strike in demanding for the increase of their honorarium according to time being, said the press release.
The association also informed that the Union Home Minister of India and All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) about their grievances added the release.
Mention may be made here that since last January 29 the VDF personnel numbering 10500 has started their agitation by launching an arm down strike which was followed by 48 hour general strike on 7th February.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/vdf-calls-indefinite-general-strike/

IMPHAL, Feb 18 NNN: A 3-day “State Level Youth Convention, 2013” has kickstarted on Monday organized by Imphal chapter of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Youth Affairs &Sports, Government of India at Lamyanba Shanglen in Palace Compound, Imphal.
Parliamentary Secretary, Hill Area Development, Manipur Victor keishing opened the convention that will conclude on February 20. The inaugural ceremony was also attended by L Tilotama Devi, Vice Chairperson, Board of Governors, NYKS and MC Jackie Ruiva, Zonal Director, NYKS, Imphal Zone.
Delivering a speech on the occasion, Keishing noted that the 3-day programme was significant while considering the main objective of NYKS which is being based on nation building purpose.
He said, “We ought to do something and contribute in building the nation.”
The Phungyar constituency MLA also pointed out that cultural activities and performances in the hill have now almost died away because people in the hill have stopped singing buzzing of the old songs that help to preserve the past cultural norms and activities.
Keishing suggested that NYKS should put emphasis on creating civic sense and environmental consciousness as well among the youth in addition to help them develop both physically and mentally.
Tilotama Devi insisted that the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports at the Centre has focused on developing sports in the state of Manipur which is being advanced fast in this field.
She appealed to all the local clubs in the state to extend support to NYKS in bringing peace and tranquility in Manipur and admitted that NYKS has no any link with caste, creed and religion in any way.
District Pana Sagol Kangjei Association (DPSKA), Keirak, Thoubal district was given the State Level Outstanding Youth Club Award at the function. The award is given every year in recognition of outstanding works in the field of cultural activities and development of rural areas.
An exhibition of handicraft and fruit products was also inaugurated by Keishing as part of the convention.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/youth-convention-begins/

Imphal Feb 18 UNA : Construction of the Jiribam-Tupul railway construction in Manipur’s Tamenglong district is disturbed .
Its been a week or so that the construction work commenced after a halt caused by the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM. It had imposed a ban on the implementation of all National Projects in hill areas of Manipur, armed militants has also threatened officials and labourers of the company engaging in the construction of dire consequences in connection with extortion demand said official source.
The official source said that some armed militants suspected to be cadres of Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) on last February 13 afternoons barged into the campus of the ECIEC Limited located near Thingou village, about 9 km north of Nungba police station and demanded money from the officials and labourers, said a police source on Monday.
When the officials and labourers failed to meet the monetary demand, the armed militants vain their angers and resorted to firing one round of bullet hitting at the spoke of a tipper parking at the campus threatening the officials and labourers of dire consequences.
After then, the armed militants left the place into nearby forest, the police said.
This incident was not the first case of threatening the officials and labourers engaged in the construction of Jiribam-Tupul railway line since the ground work of the railway line commenced after Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone in November 2004.
The total estimated cost of the project was Rs 3,250 crore and the ground work of the project which there should have 34 tunnels commenced from 2005. Out of the total 34 tunnels so far construction of four has been completed.
First, the Northern Frontier construction organization targeted to complete the track laying work up to Tupul from Jiribam by 2014.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/militants-threaten-jiribam-tupul-railway-line-officials-labourers/

MNS: , Loktak Brigade under the aegis of Red Shield Division conducted an Inter School Cultural Competition on 18 Feb 2013 by Noney Batallion.
This competition witnessed the participation of school students from different parts of Tamenglong and Senapati districts of Manipur who came together and performed their traditional dance forms. A total of nine teams from the Chiru, Rongmei and Kuki tribes participated in the competition. The Commander Loktak Brigade, Brig PC Nair, chief guest for the programme appreciated the efforts put in by the teams in performing their traditional dance. In his inaugural speech the Commander brought out that though our cultures are diverse, it is in this diversity that the strength of the nation lies. He also mentioned that this competition is a part of the effort put in by Red Shield Division and its Units to foster peace and harmony in Manipur.
A total of about 1200 people witnessed the competition from Noney, Tupul, Lamdangmei, Thanggal, Kotlein and Kangchup. At the end of the event filled with music and dance, the school team from village CC II won the first prize.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/security-forces-conduct-inter-school-cultural-competition/

Imphal Feb 18 UNA : A 72-hour bandh in hill districts of Manipur called by the All Tribal Disabled Union, Manipur (ATDUM) over the alleged failure of the state government to give any positive response to their demands has commenced last midnight amidst controversy over supports by its district branches.
The bandh had no impact on its first day on Monday as reports from the five hill districts said that no impact could be given to the normal life in these districts except non arrival of inter-district buses from Imphal for the day in some of the district headquarter.
Reports from Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Chandel, Ukhrul and Senapati said that all kinds of vehicles including commercial ones were seen moving on the streets at the district headquarters. All shops, business establishments, government and private institutions including educational institutions were opened as usual.
Alleging that state government failed to give positive response to its demands, ATDUM has imposed the 72-hour bandh with effect from February 17 midnight in the hill districts of Manipur. It will be continued till February 20 midnight.
ATDUM alleged that the union failed to get a positive response to a memorandum submitted to the chief minister on January 22 last highlighting their demands and also an appointment with the Chief Minister to discuss the matter related with their demand on February 2.
The demands of ATDUM include establishment of a special school with hostel facilities at a tribal district for the differently able tribal people; setting up of a special vocational training centre with hostel facilities; decentralization of the issue of disability certificate; appointment of differently abled ST candidates as graduate teachers under RMSA; increase of disability scholarship, giving unemployment allowance, financial assistance and conveyance allowance to disabled government employees; appointment of state channelizing agency of National Handicapped Finance Development Corporation (NHFDC); constitution of a State Co-ordination Committee under the provision of PWD, Act, 1995 and allocation of at least 3% of total State Plan budget for the persons with disabilities, etc.
ATDUM got support from the Churachandpur District Disabled Union (CDDU) after it declared it would extend moral support to the 72 hours hill areas bandh called by ATDUM. However, All Tribal Disables’ Union, Sadar Hills asserted that it would not endorse the agitation call.
Thadou Students’ Association, Sadar Hills District Committee and Ukhrul Disables’ Federation have also pledged to extend moral and physical support to the bandh.
Contrary to the bodies’ support, All Tribal Disables’ Union, Sadar Hills said its has taken a strong resolution not to endorse the hill districts bandh after the Union executive meeting at Kangpokpi.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/all-tribal-disable-union-manipur-72-hour-bandh-commences/