Day: July 29, 2014

Imphal, July 28: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has invited suggestions regarding the introduction of an Act to control the influx of foreigners in the State, today taking advantage of the zero hour on the last day of the Budget session.

The State government is awaiting suggestions from experts or the legal fraternity to determine an Act to control the influx of foreigners in the State before the implementation of the Inner Line Permit.

He said that, in the past one week of Budget session, the House has discussed various issues raised by several organisations including the demand for implementation of the ILP, killing of innocent people by UGs, in public interest among others.

Coming to the much criticised police action against students and women agitators of the ILP in the past few days, the Chief Minister said it was infact a painful incident and further acknowledge that the State’s law enforcing agency had been harsh.

The Chief Minister maintained that the State government is not against implementation of ILP.

He however said that the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873 was implemented only in Assam and its remote pockets like the Naga Hills, North-East Frontier Agency, and Khasi & Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya.

Those hill areas of Assam have become the present day Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal-Pradesh and Meghalaya States, however, the States of Manipur and Tripura were princely independent kingdoms before their mergers with the Indian Union, he observed.

O Ibobi said his Government needs permission from the Center to implement ILP in the State.

It is to re-implement a previous Act which was repealed by the then Commissioner Himat Singh in 1950, he said.

In 2011, the Assembly had discussed its implementation and taken a private resolution, and again in June 2013, two MLAs I Ibohalbi and Th Shyamkumar had moved private member resolution to urge the Central government to implement the ILP in the interest of the people of Manipur, he said.

We have sent resolutions to the Center from time to time during the UPA regime, he said.

Now as the NDA has come back to power in the Center, the whole process needs to be reset, he said.

During the last three – four month, the State government has been unable to insist upon the Union government, he added.

Ibobi further said that the government had even considered going to New Delhi for pressurising the Central Government for implementation of ILP.

The Government knows the sentiment of the agitators for ILP and our 60 MLAs are elected by the public too.

If necessary, we will also include the members of the ILP Demand Committee in pressurising the Government of India, he said.

He appealed to the students that it is not wise for them to divert their energies to the issue of ILP or any other issue because these crucial days for their study.

Meanwhile, he also clarified on the defunct state of the Manipur Human Rights Commission and said it stopped functioning since 2010.

There was no eligible person for the post of the chairperson after the retirement of Justice W.A. Shishak.

Following the instruction from the Union Law Ministry, the government has engaged the Assam Human Right Commission for holding the dual charge of the State. But it was not possible, O Ibobi continued.

Ibobi underscored in the affirmative that from August onwards, the MHRC will be functional, as informed by the Law Ministry.

Meanwhile, during the Zero hour the Thangmeiband MLA Kh Joykisan drew the attention of the House on the molestation case of girl athletes by an instructor of the Sports Authority of India.

The MLA said, such incidents should not happen in the future, particularly in the field of sports.

The authority concerned has transferred the accused after an FIR was registered against him; however, instead of just transferring him, he must be dismissed from his post, he said before adding that such heinous crime in the sports arena is really unfortunate.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/ibobi-invites-suggestions-on-ilp-implementation-2/

Imphal, July 28: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has stated that it is high time to unite small departments having separate directorates but with similar aims and objectives. This will enhance quality of projects, he added.

During the demand wise discussion of the demand for grants, the CM spoke about similar but separate departments as responsible for projects being implemented improperly.

Citing IFCD, CADA and IM which serve the same purpose, he said due to their being separate departments but serving the same objective, the departments themselves are confused whether a particular project should be initiated by CADA, MI or IFCD.

If the departments collectively can implement any project effectively then quality will be maintained, Ibobi added.

Further stating that proper planning is important, he said every programme will be discussed with concerned MLAs so that development works are more effective.

Meanwhile, during the discussion on the Manipur Appropriation Bill, 2014, Ibobi said that there is a plan to construct a Manipur guest house at Navi Mumbai area particularly for the Cancer patients undergoing treatment at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.

He also said that VDF personnel will be trained battalion wise from time to time.

Taking on another issue the CM said space has now been provided for setting up an immigration office at the Tulihal Airport and very soon required equipment will be installed at the office.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/cm-moots-merging-departments-to-expedite-projects-2/

Imphal, July 28: The PHE Department has identified some water resource bodies which can help in solving the water scarcity problem in the State.

PHED minister I Hemochandra stated this while clarifying on a cut motion raised by an opposition MLA on the failure to enact Water Security Act and to incorporate provisions for rain water harvesting and the failure to provide sufficient potable water in the State.

Hemochandra said that that the population of the valley which is around eight lakhs now might increase to 15 lakhs after 20 year.

There will be a big shortfall as we will need 101 million litres per day and we produce only 80 million litres daily, he added.

He further clarified that we received 146.7 cm of rainfall annually in the State and can consider it as plenty of water but a lack of policy still makes us suffer from water scarcity.

“The main reason of the scarcity is due to the Jhum cultivation deforestation. So, we need a multi-department conversion for the policy in the State,” said the PHED minister.

“We know for sure that the Water Security Act is very must needed in our State. But we don’t have enough funds as only Rs. 20 crore were earmarked during the budget allocation. We still need Rs 1,288 crores for overall repairing the old pipes and water supply scheme plans.”

The PHED minister described Leimaram waterfall, Waroiching, Arong River of Thoubal as some of the water bodies which can solve the water scarcity problem of the State.

He also stated that advance hand pump drilling machines helped in setting up tube wells for water supply augmentation in hills area during the last water scarcity problem.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/no-problem-for-water-scarcity-minister-2/

Imphal, July 28: Hospitals in the State have become money generating machines for many doctors, while the patients have become their commodities, observed MLA L Ibomcha moving a calling attention motion on the increase of conflicts between members of public and health care providers in the State, today.

Ibomcha further said that there are many doctors who are working in private hospitals while they are actually supposed to be serving in Government hospitals.

It is a serious matter, he said, adding that in order to make profit, doctors make patients undergo unnecessary clinical tests at the private centers, even though the government hospitals are equipped with the laboratory facilities.

Ibomcha said there is a need to appoint a welfare officer who can advise the patient parties about the cost involvement and other clinical testing required for a particular treatment.

He continued that some hospitals are running without specialist doctors, and this could be one reason for the tensions between these hospitals and patient parties.

He suggested that hospitals must be categorised on the availability of experts.

The State government should also check the irregularity on certification of pharmacist, he said.

In his clarification, the concerned Minister of Health Phungjathang Tongsing said that it is true that government doctors are practicing in the private hospital as well.

We have surveyed the private hospitals and government hospitals on the matter. We hope that from next year, the government can implement strict regulation on it.

We have installed Ultra Sound machines and baby warmers etc recently at every government hospitals, he said.

That government doctors are referring thier patients for testing or diagnoses to private clinics is also true, he said.

Recently, a doctor was suspended for such practice and suspension of five more doctors on similar grounds are under process, he said.

We will look into the matter deeply after the Session and a drive will be taken out to find out the unauthorised certification of Pharmacies both in the hills and valley with the help of police, said Phungjathang.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/hospitals-are-money-making-machines-for-doctors-2/

IMPHAL, July 28: Atleast four students were injured in police action to control agitators demanding implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), today in Bishnupur district.

Responding to the movement spearheaded by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit (JCILP) to mount pressure on the government on the issue, a large number of people including students of the district staged a sit in protest today at Bishnupur bazaar since morning.

In the evening, around 3 pm, the agitators took to the streets in protest chanting slogans “We demand implementation of ILP,” and proceeded towards the DC office.

However, a team of the district police led by SP Bishnupur who were already deployed in and around the Bishnupur bazaar area barricaded the protestors using bamboos.

The police, who were overwhelmed by the huge number of protestors, resorted to firing mock bombs in an attempt to disperse the crowd.

In the process, two girl students collapsed while two others sustained injury and were evacuated to Bishnupur district hospital by a team of district police.

The victims have been identified as Warepam Anju, 18, daughter of Shyam Phubala Awang Mamang, (a class XI student of CI College), Moirangthem Thoibi, 14, daughter of Loken of Bishnupur Kwairakpam (class VII students of Bishnupur higher secondary School), Chanambam Gaitri, 13, daughter of Khomba of Bishnupur ward no.5 (class VII students of Bishnupur Higher Secondary School) and Sorokhaibam Linthou, 15, daughter of Shanti Devi of Bishnupur ward no.4 (class X student of RKP Regular English Academy).

Anju’s condition is stated to be critical and is presently admitted at RIMS.

Meanwhile, Khangembam Shining, 19, s/o Sunil of Bishnupur ward no.4 (BA 1st semester CI College) who was arrested by the police was released around 5 pm in the evening.

Even as police took control of the situation in the bazaar area, stray incidents persisted along the Imphal-Tiddim road. Burning tyres, tree branches and other forms of road blocks were piled up along the road.

Sit in protest was also held at Keinou Bazaar organised by the Gulap English School, Amusana Girls High School and Ideal English School. Similarly residents in and around Nambol bazaar also staged sit in demonstration attended by around 200 individuals.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/students-injured-in-bishnupur-ilp-protest-2/

IMPHAL, July 28: The Manipur Governor Vinod Kumar Duggal stated that Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for developing organic farming for commercial purposes in the North East while inaugurating the Agricultural Technology Information Centre (ATIC) at Central Agricultural University today.

At the outset the Governor inspected the campus, various machines and agricultural products.

“We must utilise these funds wisely to not only increase the production of organic foods in the region including the State but also in educating and sensitising growers,” he said.

Continuing that potential in pomology and floriculture is yet to be exploited, he said that the State which has different climatic zones can grow a large variety of fruits and flowers by adopting proper technology for growing.

Adding that post harvest technology, transportation and marketing are essential for making organic farming profitable on a grand scale, he said: “Post harvest technology is a pressing need as a good percentage of the yield in the country gets wasted due to poor harvesting, so CAU should try and come forward with appropriate technology for small farmers in the North East in this regard.”

He further said that agriculture and its allied activities in the State continue to be the mainstay of the population so its importance can’t be over emphasised.

Lauding CAU which was established to provide quality education in the field of agriculture and allied subjects to the seven North East States barring Assam for rendering yeoman service not only to the students but also to the farming community by bringing in new technologies and providing quality inputs for improving the yields, he said CAU has been of immense help to the State by regularly commissioning specific studies and preparing papers about the potential in the State in agriculture and horticulture.

If the earnings of the farmers can be increased through more productivity, it will not only provide better returns for them but also improve the economy of the State, he observed.

Describing orchid cultivation as another area where Manipur can do well, he said the State is rich in orchids with about 300 species but due to various reasons; many of the orchid varieties are becoming rare.

Efforts have been made to conserve them but at the same time there is an urgent need to identify species and develop hybrids which can be marketed, increase their numbers through tissue culture and market the flowers in national and international markets, he said.

Pointing out that farmers need to be trained properly as growing orchids for international markets is not easy, he said it has to be conservation coupled with creating economic relevance because only then the communities will stand to gain.

He asserted that some of the finest varieties of pineapple are grown in Manipur but because of the State’s location, the transportation cost of the fruit to the outside markets becomes forbiddingly high.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/rs-100-crore-earmarked-for-developing-organic-farming-in-ne-says-governor-2/

MOREH, July 28: Security concerns, illegal entry and boundary line between India and Myanmar were the main agendas of the 8th Border liaison meeting between Moreh (India) and Tamu (Myanmar) convened today.

The meeting was held this morning at 10 inside the conference hall of the Trade Centre Moreh.

The Myanmar team was led by DC Tamu, U Zaw Zaw while the Indian side was led by DC, Chandel Th Chittaranjan during today meeting.

During the meeting, DC Chandel had reminded his Tamu counterpart during the meeting that in the 7th BLO meeting, the two countries had discussed detailed modalities for sharing of intelligence and follow up of intelligence shared between the two countries.

The BLO Moreh had also brought up the issue of the two Indians who were found dead on February 20, 2014 along the Indo-Myanmar border at Jamnomphai village after entering Myanmar from Moreh on February 11.

He requested the DC, Tamu to take immediate and necessary steps to arrest the culprits.

The immigration officer, Moreh had also raised the issue regarding the arrest of six Indians by the Myanmar security on July 16, 2013.

He appealed for their release while explaining that the six were Meiteis and worshippers of Sanamahi and had entered Myanmar with the purpose of worshipping.

The six were booked under the Immigration Act under FIR no 61/ 2013, he said.

Replying to his protest, the DC Tamu said trial is going on and even though the six were charged for illegal entry, they are also suspected to antique theft.

The immigration officer, Moreh further requested the Myanmar authorities to release an Indian JCB seized by the Myanmar authorities on September 4, 2013, considering the friendship and co-operation between the two countries.

However, the DC, Tamu had explained that no permission for entering Myanmar was granted and the vehicle was booked under the relevant export/import Act.

The BLO, Moreh also raised concerned over the cutting of 1000 numbers of trees at Hangcham village, India near Holenphai village by Myanmar nationals anc cultivating paddy, Myanmar army personnel coming and threatening two household owners, arrest of Moreh locals identified as Satjanhao Kipgen 14 son of Lunmang Kipgen and Thangminlen Haokip, 16, son of Hoikhai Haokip by Myanmar authorities.

Other issues raised for discussion by the Indian side during the meeting include the issue of Myanmar nationals carrying Id cards without English words which is hampering cross border transactions, the issuance of paases for Myanmar vehicles entering India.

Whereas from the Myanmar side, the DC Tamu had raised the issue of the killing of an Indian woman identified as Pi Ngaingaing of Kemonsang village, Moreh inside Myanmar territory by her husband Pu Pa Pao, ground clearance of area between Border Pillar 77 and 78, border fencing seeking some portions of border fencing to be removed and relocated, arrest of Myanmar citizens by Manipur police in Imphal east and Thoubal districts and mine blast at a bridge over Nanthalet River on Tamu Myothit road in 2013.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/indo-myanmar-liaison-meet-discusses-security-concerns-2/

IMPHAL, July 28: Family members of the agitating labourers of the Consumer Affairs Food & Public Distribution (CAF &PD) joined in the movement seeking a raised in the labourer’s wages today.

Several family members of the labourers, who were mostly woman gathered around 9.30am at Sanjenthong area and tried to approach the CAF & PD minister M Oken’s official quarter.

However, a strong team of the Imphal East cdo led by inspector Achouba and another team of Porompat police led by OC Chandrakumar blocked the family members.

However, furious over the police action, the protestors who were already carrying household utensils threw the utensils towards the police.

The police managed to control the protestors only after the arrival of woman police.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/families-join-caf-pd-labourers-agitation-2/

IMPHAL, July 28: The Governor of Manipur has conveyed his greetings to the people of Manipur and especially to the Muslim brethren on the auspicious and joyous occasion of Id-ul-Fitr.

The Governor has stated that the holy festival not only spreads the message of peace, brotherhood and universal love but also entreats mankind to perform deeds of positive value to enhance the souls. He had also wished for the people to resolve to work together to preserve and propagate the message of peace, friendship and love.

 

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/07/gov-greets-on-id-ul-fitr-2/