Day: October 28, 2014

IMPHAL, October 28: The United Kuki Liberation Front has clarified that allegations of the outfit’s involvement in the kidnapping on Tongbram Ibomcha alias Ibungomacha of Kairenphabi Mamang Leikai is totally baseless and unfounded.

A statement of the outfit signed by its info and publicity secy JM Thadou said the report which was carried in some local dailies on October 27 is unfounded.

It said being a signatory of the Suspension of Operation with the government, the outfit never indulge in such activities as kidnapping for ransom, rather the organization had busted and arrested some gang members who indulged in kidnapping of Md Nasir Khan of Terakhongshangbi from Kumbi area for ransom recently.

It continued that the arrested gang members were handed over to the police.

UKLF has only one designated camp at a remote hill village in Chandel and not in Tuisomjang village of Churachandpur as alleged by Tongbram Ibomcha of Kairenphabi Mamang Leikai who is said to be the assistant marketing officer in the Manipur Hills and Backward Development C0-operation Bank, Lamphel Super market, it said.

Moreover, all the cadres of the organization were in the designated camp and have no knowledge of kidnapping of anybody for ransom, the statement said.

The organization also informed the two persons mentioned in the report namely Ibungomacha and Letmang Kuki as well as all the others involved in the incident to clarify at the earliest.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/uklf-clarifies-on-kidnapping-allegation/

IMPHAL, October 28: Hectic construction work has begun at Hapta Kangjeibung, the main venue of the Manipur Sangai festival 2014, due to be held from November 21 till 30.

The Manipur Industrial Development Corporation (MANIDCO), has started construction of stalls which is one of the main components of the festival.

Unlike in the previous editions, this year will witness a sharp declined in the number of stalls.

Only 500 stalls will be arranged by the concerned departments of which 180 stall is being categorised as premium, 170 as ordinary and 150 as food stalls.

Over 200 stalls each were allocated for both premium and ordinary categories in the earlier editions.

Speaking to IFP, an official of the MANIDCO revealed that the delay in completion of Sanjenthong Bridge is one of the factors for the decline in the number of stalls.

The closure of Sanjenthong has increased the menace of traffic congestion hindering the movement of officials who are organising the event, the official said.

Moreover, the reduction of stalls will ease the volume of congestion inside the main venue, justified the MANIDCO official further.

Each stall will be 12 feet wide and 16 feet long and will be completed five days before the grand event.

On the other hand, the Imphal Municipal Council (IMC) has disclosed that it would abstain from extending co-operation during the 10-day long event, if the festival organisers fail to acknowledge IMC as co-organisers.

Since the beginning of the festival, IMC has been responsible for sanitation for the entire event ranging from providing dumping ground for garbage and sanitary, creating a conducive atmosphere, said an active functionary of IMC under the condition of anonymity.

As per an estimate prepared by IMC, the total charge for their service is around Rs. 7 lakhs including hiring charge of machineries. However, with the organisers have been maintaining silence till date, the IMC is of the view that the sanitation services is likely to be handed over to a private firm, the official said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/sangai-fest-to-have-fewer-stalls-imc-meanwhile-fumes/

IMPHAL, October 28: The final hearing for disqualification case of Trinamool Congress MLAs Kh Joykishan of Thangmeiband Assembly Constituency, Th Biswajit of Thongju Assembly Constituency, O Lukhoi of Wangoi Assembly Constituency and K Sarat of Konthoujam Assembly Constituency was held today at the Manipur Legislative Assembly Tribunal.

According to sources, the hearing which began from 10.30 am was held behind close door at the office of the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly today without allowing entry to any outsiders.

This being the case, till 3 pm today no information was made available to reporters who were waiting for news coverage.

Except for MLA K Sarat of Konthoujam Assembly Constituency, no respondent MLAs were seen coming to the tribunals even though their counsels represented them.

Sources also said that the hearing of the case filed by MLA Shyamkumar against MLA Kh Joykishan and MLA Th Bishorjit was held today, but it has been adjourned and will continue tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the tribunals has also conducted the final hearing of case No:4 and heard the arguments of the counsels for the MLAs in the office of the Speaker, Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat.

It may be recalled this hearing was adjourned yesterday and rescheduled today.

The verdict, however, remained unpronounced.

The sources further said that hearing of case No:7 against MLA K Sarat has been fixed on November 11, and case No:8 filed by Kim Gangte against Dr Ibohalbi will be conducted on November 13.

It is learnt that K Sarat has sought time to replace his counsel, and Dr Ibohalbi is presently out of station.

It may be mentioned that the cases had been filed against the said four MLAs by the State Trinamool president, Th Shyamkumar and Kim Gangte, demanding disqualification on the ground of anti-party activities.

The four MLAs have been charged of defection, and the petitioners pleaded the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution be invoked to disqualify them.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/fate-of-four-trinamool-mlas-remain-uncertain/

Orders Krishnapremi Oil City and PCTC to open 24×7

IMPHAL, October 28: Two oil pumps have been ordered to remain open 24×7 from tomorrow to meet the fuel scarcity faced by the public. Concerned authorities have also been instructed to arrest those involved in black-marketeering and hoarding fuel.

The instruction came from the CAF & PD minister Moirangthem Okendro this evening after a meeting with authorities of Indian Oil Corporation and owners of oil pumps discussing the present fuel situation in the State.

The meeting was held at the minister’s office, sources said.

According to an order issued by the CAF & PD deputy secretary, hoarding of fuel and black-marketeering of fuel is punishable under the essential Commodities Act, 1980 and the district magistrates and the law enforcing agencies have been ordered to take necessary and stringent actions to prevent hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities including petroleum and petroleum products and book offenders punishable under the Act with immediate effect.

At the same time, Krishnapremi Oil City and PCTC have been ordered to remain open 24×7 in order to meet the demand of the public, informed sources.

Observing that hoarding up of petrol/diesel is also against the law, the minister asserted that the public need not worry about fuel scarcity as there is no inadequacy of stock in the IOC depot.

Reassuring that it is the government’s duty and responsibility to ensure availability of essential commodities in the State, he further declared that if the need arises, the government will provide dedicated escorts to bring in the essential commodities for the public.

Rewards have also been announced for anyone who informs the department of any stockpiling of fuel or black-marketeering on the consumer helpline no. 18003453821.

The State Chief Minister has already communicated with the Centre on the matter of the 1000 hour bandh at Karbi Anglong and appealed for intervention so that the supply line of the State is not interrupted due to the bandh and it is quite hopeful that the Centre will do the needful, he said.

Meanwhile, sources said that the IOC authorities during the meeting with the minister had assured that the IOC has sufficient stock at the moment.

The IOC authorities had also informed that several empty tankers have been escorted by the CRPF from Khatkhati yesterday, sources said.

During the meeting, the owners of retail outlets and oil pumps had also observed that it is quite unfortunate that long queues are witnessed in front of oil pumps whenever a blockade or bandh is announced.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/state-instructs-action-against-oil-blackmarketers-and-hoarders/

IMPHAL, October 28: The State cabinet in a meeting held today has given the green signal to non-transfer of teaching faculties from one college to another college, by allowing service at the same institute till their retirement.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister O Ibobi, held this afternoon at his secretariat office. It gave nod to the ‘Tenure, Transfer and Posting Policy of Teaching Faculty and others Officers under the Higher & Technical Education Department, Govt of Manipur’, according to an official statement.

The statement continued that according to M Okendro, spokesperson of the government, who is also the minister of CAF & PD said that the transfer policy will be followed as soon as the official notification is serve by the concerned department.

Accordingly, those newly recruited regular teachers and Assistant Professors already teaching in government colleges will serve in their respective colleges only. However, the policy will not affect those who are utilised at the education Directorate or other institutions.

It continued that chances will be given to Assistant Professors and Associate Professors to make their choice of college before the official notification is out. A committee will look after the choices offered by the teachers, considering their seniority and the availability of the posts, it said.

Further, it said based on the proficiency of teachers, the government on rotation basis may utilise them as Additional Director, Joint Director and OSD at the education Directorate.

The tenure of utilisation will be for three years, and it may be extended for another two years if any individual teacher wishes to serve longer.

The new transfer policy will also cover government Polytechnic and Engineering colleges as well, added the statement.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/college-teachers-to-serve-in-original-postings-till-retirement/

IMPHAL, October 28: The use of the migrant population as a vote bank by politicians and helping them by offering identity documents is regrettable and unfortunate, said Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System co-convenor Bk Moirangcha today.

Speaking in a press meet at their Nongmeibung office, he said the committee had launched a survey against non-Manipuris with illegal documents starting from october 11.

During the survey, a large number of non-locals have been found with documents issued merely by local authorities, he said before adding that many of them were also found to have fake documents like driving license issued mostly from the districts of Senapati, Thoubal and Ukhrul.

Many non-locals also failed to show up at the verification process, Bk Moirangcha said before adding that such individuals will be considered as absconders by the committee.

Non-locals without proper and valid documentations should contact the local meira paibis or youth clubs, he continued.

He further appealed to all those involved in issuing fake documents to the non-locals to cease all such works immediately.

During this present month, buses of the Blue Hills and Royal Rajdhani agencies have brought in as many as 59 non-locals via Dimapur transgressing the earlier understanding between the committee and the travel agencies of the State, he asserted.

The authorities of the two travel agencies should meet with the JCILPS on or before November 2 at the latter’s office, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/jcilps-deplores-use-of-migrant-population-as-vote-bank/

IMPHAL, October 28: Welcoming the granting of indigenous tribe status to the Rongmei tribe in Nagaland, the Rongmei Naga Council, Manipur (RNCM) has at the same time pointed out that many individual of the tribe have been left out from the list.

A statement signed by its president Thuankubui Pamei and general secretary Achong Gangmei said that this has divided the tribe into two groups-indigenous and non indigenous which is very unfortunate.

It further appealed to the Nagaland government to grant the same status to all Rongmei citizens of Nagaland having voting rights in the State and their children.

Rongmei is one scheduled tribe included in the list of Scheduled Tribes of the Constitution of India and the status of a Schedule Tribe being granted to the Rongmei is a constitutional entitlement anywhere within the territories of India and naturally it includes Nagaland too, it reasoned.

The Rongmei Naga Council of Manipur (RNCM) is prompted to appeal to the Naga Tribe Council of Nagaland (NTCN) to use its good office to let the people restrain and refrain from creating further misunderstanding that may aggravate the situation and jeopardize the common interest, unity among the sister tribes and encourage division within the Naga family, it said.

In this regard, it is strange and absurd to find member-tribes of Tenymie being party to the opposing groups, it said.

Rather we appeal to them to extend help and brotherly cooperation to the Rongmeis living in Nagaland to obtain a full status of indigenous tribe of Nagaland covering all the Rongmei citizens of Nagaland, it said.

The settlement of the Rongmeis in Nagaland is traced back to 1920s under the British period and onwards and they were the first settlers of Naga Bazar of Kohima which they called as Kathuilong village, it said before adding that in Dimapur a village called Ragailong was set up in 1937, located at the site of the present New Market.

In Jalukie area of Peren District, mass migration took place in the last part of the 1965 and early 1966 from Manipur, Assam and some Rongmei from Dimapur responding to an ‘Appeal’ dated October 18, 1965 of the Zeliangrong Tribal Council, Nagaland for settlement in the valley, it claimed.

Now, upon the granting of the status of indigenous tribe to the Rongmeis by the State Government of Nagaland, certain section of the people of Nagaland are being reactive to it and have started opposing the decision, it said.

Approval of Rongmei as an indigenous tribe of Nagaland is neither intended to snatch away the rights of others, the share of anyone nor to deprive of opportunity of anyone, it said.

In Manipur, we have some negligible population of Angami and Sema and neither we the Nagas nor the other communities of Manipur are complaining against them. We all are happy to see them achieving progress in all walks of life –social sectors, services, identity and customary activities etc, the statement said before adding that there is no question of indigenous or non indigenous people among us.

It is not only the Rongmei who migrated to Nagaland. In fact many of the Nagas migrated from Manipur to Nagaland, it said.

Though the artificially demarcated Indian State of Nagaland is limited only to small parts of the Naga country, our cherished vision of Nagaland is not confined to the present Nagaland State only, it extends to all the Naga inhabited areas bound by love, blood, ancestry, common homeland and territory, it added.

“We have to see beyond our exclusive outlook and to stop attempting to separate or exclude any Naga tribes from the common fold of the Nagas and no one should give place for infighting among the Nagas”, it said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/bitter-sweet-recognition-of-rongmeis-as-an-indigenous-tribe-of-nagaland/