Day: October 6, 2014

IMPHAL, October 6: Just five days after a powerful IED explosion killed a police personnel in the heart of the city at a Durga Puja pandal, another explosion on Id-ul Zuha injured a person today.

Unidentified persons exploded an Improvised Explosive Device using a remote control device at Hatta this evening at 6:17.

The IED exploded near an electric transformer on the roadside of the New Checkon road at Hatta Makha Leikai in the middle of two police check posts. The spot is just a kilometer away from the police headquarter of the district.

It is also learnt that the explosive was planted among the garbage dumped near the transformer.

A team of Imphal East police commandos was conducting frisking and checking at Minuthong traffic point, while another team of the district police was also on duty at the other end of the road at the New Checkon traffic point when the bomb exploded.

The casualty was minimal as people had all returned home after the Id-ul-Zuha festivities.

The injured has been identified as Md Azad Shah, 38, son of (L) Md Nezamuddin Shah of Hatta Makha Leikai. He was hit by a splinter in between his right arm and chest and was immediately taken to the nearby Public Hospital for first aid.

Azad said he was standing on the first floor balcony of his house on the western side of the road after having food when the bomb exploded.

He said he not only felt pain after the bomb splinter hit him, but his right arm had also gone numb.

After doctors at the hospital said the splinter was lodged inside his body, he was referred to RIMS for further treatment. However, his condition is said to be out of danger.

Soon after the explosion, high ranking police officials of the district rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation, however no arrest in connection with the explosion has been made so far.

At the same time no one has claimed responsibility for the explosion, till the filing of this report.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/ied-explosion-on-idulzuha-injures-one/

Imphal, October 6: Urging the people of Hiyanglam to vote for the BJP candidate in the bye-poll if they desire change, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiran Rijiju has stated that the Central government would not be able to help the State developed if it doesn`™t have BJP MLAs.

Speaking at the flag hoisting function of the BJP candidate Maibam Dhanabir at his residence in Hiyanglam, the Union Minister said, `Manipur has a lot of potential for Tourism, Sports, Art and Culture, Handlooms and Handicrafts but still lags far behind in development as it can`™t tap its naturally endowed potential. Roads here as in the rest of Manipur are in deplorable conditions even though the Works minister is from a neighbouring contistuencuy.`

Pointing out that Manipur lacks good leaders and politicians, Rijiju said the first step towards filling that void would be to elect the BJP candidate in the bye-poll.

If the BJP candidate succeeds in the election, the NDA government will provide a big package for the Hiyanglam Assembly Constituency, he said, adding that he would then deliver a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that an era of change has begun in Manipur.

Special schemes, independent of those of the State government, for housing, roads and social welfare will be provided to Hiyanglam, he said. Now, the Union government is wary of sanctioning funds to Manipur because 40 percent of the funds meant for development in Manipur are siphoned off by the government and it can`™t provide utilization certificates, the Union Minister added.

Rijiju said that people must not assume that Maibam Dhanabir will be alone after being elected from Hiyanglam as he has the support of all the BJP MPs and Union Ministers. Manipur is known as a corrupt State because there are no BJP MLAs in the Manipur Assembly and the Congress party is indulging in corrupt practices without any opposition, he added.

Empathising with the underground groups as everyone knows how and why the young people choose to pick up guns in the State, he appealed the UG groups to join the mainstream as there is a new government at the Centre.

` If the UGs join the mainstream, the Union government will provide them rehabilitation, re-employment, social security etc and I am promising these on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi`, the Union minister said.

Stressing that crimes in the State would not affect the government in Delhi but would create chaos only for the people of Manipur, Rijiju assured that they are secure under the government of PM Narendra Modi as he has now emerged as the greatest political leader in the world.

The vision plan of a clean India by 2019 doesn`™t mean just clean roads, homes, cities and minds but also include cleaning up of corrupt practices, he said adding,` the most important thing is that if BJP candidate Maibam Dhanabir is defeated then it means that the changes being made in India will not reach Manipur. So, Manipur needs at least a BJP candidate first and then a government.`

History is a witness that the Sport University is being provided to Manipur by Narendra Modi. The Sport University is not a simple stadium of sports but a university where research in the field of sports will be done and after establishing this university thousands of unemployed youths could be provided with jobs, he said.

He added that last month, the NDA government has sanctioned more than Rs 6000 Crores for improving the telephone network connection in Northeast India.

`Recently, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari handed the responsibility of reviewing the condition of roads in the Northeastern states to me. Various officials of the related departments of the State government will be asked to attend a meeting in Delhi to review the conditions of the Jiribam-Imphal and Kohima-Imphal road till Moreh very soon,` the Union Minister said.

Assuring that he will visit the State either in November or December to inspect the Imphal to Moreh road and other roads in various districts of Manipur, he said he will visit Hiyanglam again during that visit with a development package especially for the people of Hiyanglam if Maibam Dhanabir is elected as an MLA from Hiyanglam.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will later accompany him with a huge package of development and will announce the package to the people of Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/without-bjp-mlas-union-govt-cant-help-make-state-developed-union-minister-kiran-rijiju/

IMPHAL, Oct 6: The health condition of the Japanese national who had been quarantined at the Isolation ward of JNIMS after showing Ebola like symptoms, showing signs of improvement.

Hospital authority said that the body temperature of the patient dropped by few degree, the main reason for which she was kept isolated.

However, it is learnt that taking extreme precaution the doctors continue to conduct test on her.

X-ray, blood test (culture), urine test was conducted on her today. The patient today requested the doctors to discharge her however doctors declined her request as the result of the test on the blood samples of the patient sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, is yet to be received.

Kawakubo Yuko, 27, was officially admitted at JNIMS following an intense fever with temperature soaring over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

She left home in the month of June and travelled across five nations and entered into Manipur via Myanmar to visit Nagaland.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/condition-of-ebola-suspect-improves/

IMPHAL, October 6: Settlements in Manipur have no characteristics of a city and people still tend to throw their garbage on the roads, said IAS (retd) RK Nimai, and currently adviser to the government, attending the World Architecture Day observation today.

The observation was organised by the Manipur Architects`™ Forum at the Lamyanba Shanglen, Palace Compound.

As part of the observation, the forum also conducted a free consultancy programme for those who are affected by the road widening process of the Tiddim Road, Keishampat stretch.

People think of an architect as someone who only draws and designs buildings, but an architect is much more than that, he said.

Here, government employment avenues are limited for architects, which has affected the popularity of the architects, he observed.

Continuing with his speech, the recently retired IAS officer said architects of the State has a lot to learn from the ancient buildings and houses of the State.

In the past all houses were constructed facing east, because the sun rises from that direction and when the morning rays fall into the house, it helps in sanitising the house, he said.

Our architects could also focus more on promoting `green buildings.`™ We have the needed materials, it is economical and at the same time environment friendly, he continued.

Water and power supplies are indexes of development, he said before adding that the government is unable to provide both.

Most people don`™t take the service of architects while constructing their houses which is the reason why it is doubtful there are many buildings in the State which can withstand natural calamities, he observed.

There is no long term planning in the State, he also said.

Comparing the State to other States in the country, he said in Manipur we cannot walk along the roads due to dust, whereas it is not the case in other States.

Meanwhile, lauding the forum for the free consultancy conducted today, he said it is a good endeavour.

However, he also was sceptical and said knowing the attitude problem of the people of the state, not many are likely come to take the benefit as they would be under the impression this is just another show organised to meet the interest of the forum alone, he added.

During the observation, two senior architects, namely retired senior architect PWD L Mangi Singh and architect PDA M Uma Devi were also felicitated for their pioneering works in the field.

MAF president architect B Krishnakumar Sharma attended the observation as president, while the two felicitated architects attended as guests of honour.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/settlements-in-manipur-lack-city-characteristics-rk-nimai/

IMPHAL, Oct 6: The United Revolutionary Front has demanded that the government should return all the arms and ammunitions submitted by the outfit during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on February 13, 2013.

A statement of the outfit, which recently quit the MoU signed with both the State and Central governments said in case the government fails to return all weapons submitted during the signing of the peace process, the outfit will have to use violent means and strike against the State government.

The outfit might also strike against all those connected with the Congress government until the weapons are returned.

Preparations for all actions have also been taken up, it warned.

It also threatened to attack leaders of the Congress party and other high ranking officials.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/urf-demands-government-to-return-arms-and-ammunitions/

LAMKA, October 6: The Manipur Alliance for Child Rights-Churachandpur Chapter has expressed shock and despair over the recent transfer order of Churachandpur DC PK Jha barely eight months after taking charge.

A press statement signed by its information and publicity secretary Alex LM Guite and convenor Dr Nicky Thanga, said the alliance had been working tirelessly without any funding and the DC has been kind enough to extend help in both cash and kind, it said.

The DC`™s support has been adding colour to the initiative of the alliance in the district and helping the underprivileged children, the statement continued.

It claimed that the DC with his efforts and endeavour towards administration and empowerment of various administrative organs had helped the district.

It further appealed to the government to stay the transfer order of the DC in the interest of the district and the MACR-Churachandpur in particular.

DC PK Jha has been an ardent supporter of the children issues, it said strengthening its appeal for a stay order.

It charged that the transfer order has been issued at the behest of certain politicians who are allergic of the honest officer, adding that it is proof that Churachandpur with the highest literacy rate among the districts of the State is still not ready to the idea of employing performers in the district.

Meanwhile, leaders of different communities of the district, philanthropic organisations, social workers and chiefs of villages also expressed displeasure against the politicians.

The Manipur tribal Council general secretary Lalpu Hangshing said it is hard to digest the fact that a dynamic, intellectual and a pragmatic administrator per excellence has been abruptly transferred.

He asked as to why it is happening when there are others who under the patronage of the politicians are allowed to stay for even five years.

He said a stay order of the transfer order would be a major boon for the district.

At the same time government officials of the district on conditions of strict anonymity said the DC was made a sacrificial lamb for not releasing money for sub standard works.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/macrccpur-demands-dcs-transfer-order-rescinded/

`Clean Politics Mission`™ formed

IMPHAL, October 6: We are ready to accept the challenge thrown by Th. Chaoba, president of BJP Manipur unit. He is free to file case against us either at criminal court or civil court.

This was stated by Yambem Laba, special correspondent of The Statesman, Kolkata, in a press interaction held this morning at the Jupiter Yambem Centre, Paona Bazar Imphal. The interaction was held in connection with the legal notice served to three parties: Laba, publishers of The Statesman and Hueiyen Lanpao dailies by Th Chaoba.

Laba said that the threat given to him by Chaoba on Sept 22 through a legal notice is not a personal threat, but also a threat to the entire media community of the State. Laba, enunciating his long career as a journalist, and also as a human right activist, said he is standing up for the cause of both the profession of journalism and the cause of human rights, and rhetorically asked `How can Chaoba imagine that I would be so rich to pay him Rs 50 crores as damage money?`

Further, Laba pointed out that a reply to the notice served by Chaoba had already been furnished on Sept 29, stating that the article was based on facts which had occurred in RIMS, before adding that the `news report contains only facts and falls under the exception as mentioned under section 499 of the Indian Penal Code`. He said Kolkata High Court lawyer, Supriya Ranjan Saha has been engaged in this regard.

In the press interaction, Laba fired more salvos against Chaoba, alleging that the BJP president of Manipur unit had siphoned off huge amount of money during the February election rally of Narendra Modi in the recent Lok Sabha election held in Manipur. The amount siphoned off could be around Rs 50 lakhs, he added.

Laba also maintained that The Statesman is a paper, which even the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, had dared not touch during the time of emergency in India. The reputation of the paper needs no further mention, but it is one which has withstood the test of time, he said.

Ch Bijoy, former spokesperson of BJP, who was also present in the press interaction, announced that a body called `Clean Politics Mission`™ has been formed. Bijoy is the convener and Laba is the co-convener of the body.

Bijoy said that the objective of the body is to eradicate corrupt and unfair practices in politics. The body will bring awareness among the people through meetings, RTIs and PILs. He went on to allege Chaoba that `he holds the distinction of being the pioneer of shameless corruption`.

Bijoy further maintained that Sh Premananda Sharma, son of late BJP leader Madhumangol and Ashwini Kumar Moirangthem, general secy of BJP Manipur are the core members of Chaoba`™s corruption team. He alleged that Premananada has been using his father`™s name to commit wrongful deeds for his vested interest. Ashwini Kumar is a man `with perfect criminal past `¦ and a wolf in sheep`™s clothing`, he alleged.

Mentioned may be made that Laba had written an article `Beyond The Oath`™, which was published by The Statesman in its September 22 issue. In the said article, Laba had come down heavily on the alleged corrupt practices by the then Director of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. S. Sekharjit and his wife Dr. Damayanti, who in cohorts with their relatives have turned the institute into a `hotbed of corruption`.

It may also be mentioned that in the said article, Laba had maintained that Sekharjit`™s wife wrote a letter to Th Chaoba `asking him to return the Rs 1 crore paid earlier to forestall the impeachment move and the CBI raids`, besides other alleged misdeeds of Sekharjit and his wife, regarding the ouster of Sekharjit from the directorship and the CBI raids which took place on September 12.

Subsequently, Chaoba had served a legal notice, asking Laba to give clarification and apologise regarding the allegations he had written about him in The Statesman article on September 23, within seven days of the notice; or face legal defamation suit for Rs 50 crores.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/we-are-ready-to-accept-chaobas-challenge-says-yambem-laba/

IMPHAL, Oct 6: The Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh castigated the BJP president, Th. Chaoba Singh, as a selfish opportunist who defected from the Congress after taking the best advantage from the party. He was speaking at a public meeting of the Indian National Congress was held today at Langmeidong play ground to canvass for votes in the bye-election to the Hiyanglam Constituency seat slated on October 17.

The public meeting organised before the residence of All India Trinamool Congress candidate Yumnam Radheshyam was attended by a large number of people. However, rallying behind their candidate, AITC supporters in massive numbers stood at the sides of the road in a row and protested against the public meeting which they claimed was meant to provoke the AITC candidate.

Many sitting Congress MLAs and ministers of the Manipur Legislative Assembly attended the meeting.

Continuing his criticism of BJP, Ibobi further said that criticism of a political party by another political party is quite natural but blaming the Congress without any rhyme or reasons is condemnable.

The State president of the BJP who rose up in the Congress ranks and even became the deputy Chief Minister with the support of the Congress left the party after getting all the benefits to his satisfaction, Ibobi said. But, the selfsame person is now criticizing the Congress to show himself in a good light, he added.

He further said that the assurance given by the BJP president to make the Hiyanglam AC a model village will remain a pipe dream because no funds from the Centre can be utilized without the approval of the State government.

Centre could not sanction any funds constituency-wise as it has to come through the State government, he added.

There are various kinds of economic packages which the Central government can sanction for the development of each and every State but it can`™t discriminate against a State while sanctioning funds, Ibobi said.

He continued that the Sports Academy which already exists and the Sports University which will be soon established can`™t be credited to the State government because it was only through the efforts of the sports players of the State who has always brought laurels for the country as well as the State.

The BJP must understand that every institution in the country was developed by the Congress party, Ibobi said, adding that the Congress will do everything it can for the welfare for the people of the State.

Stating that the Congress party till date has not lost the confidence of the people and its support, he appealed to the people to support the Congress candidate Elangbam Dwijamani in the Hiyanglam bye-poll to enable him to serve the people of the constituency.

Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam said Dwijamani has a good track record in serving the people of Hiyanglam so people must vote for him to make the constituency more developed.

If the candidate wins the election, various kinds of needs for the people of Hiyanglam AC will be provided, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/the-state-bjp-president-left-inc-after-availing-all-the-benefits-says-cm/