Day: February 17, 2015

IMPHAL, February 17: A combined team of 20 Assam Rifles, Narcotics Action Bureau and Police personnel of Chandel PS carried out operations to destroy poppy plantation at four places in Chandel since February 13 till today.

The combined team destroyed poppy plantations at Machi Sita Junction, Tonghlang, Hongjang and T Huimol in Chandel District.

The illicit poppy cultivation of opium plants were burnt and destroyed. The opium yield measured approximately 5040 kgs worth Rs 41 crore approximately, a release of Assam Rifles said.

The opium plantations were spread over an area of 252 acres in the higher reaches. It was clandestinely cultivated far away from the view of the people around the area to avoid detection by enforcement agencies, it said.

The cultivation was not systematic and it was randomly carried out to prevent detection.

The extensive operations undertaken by 26 Sector Assam Rifles, in remote areas led to the discovery of these poppy fields, it said.

Till now 20 Assam Rifles under the aegis of 26 Sector Assam Rifles has destroyed around 576 acres worth Rs 96 crore approximately, it said.

No one came forward to claim the ownership of the cultivation, it added.

NAB Sub Inspector Th Achouba speaking to media persons said 26 acres of fully grown and 17 acres of dried poppy plantations were destroyed at Tonghlang located at 15 Km away from Machi Junction on February 14.

In all 38 acres of fully grown and 7 acres of dried plantations were destroyed at Hongjang, which is 30 Km away Machi Junction on February 15, he said.

Another 38 acres of fully grown and 23 acres of dried were destroyed at T Huimol situated 25Km away from Machi Junction yesterday and 13 acres of fully grown and 19 acres of dried poppy plantations were destroyed today at Machi Junction of Chandel district, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/poppy-plantations-worth-rs-41-crores-destroyed-in-chandel/

KANGPOKPI, February 17: The Joint Action Committee Joint Action Committee on Kadangband killing is set to go ahead with its proposed 5-days Economic Blockade in all national highway from Tuesday midnight.

All the Kuki civil bodies within Sadar Hills have already extended their support to the proposed blockade.

Thangminlen Haokip, Convener of the Joint Action Committee stated that the protest will go ahead as declared since we have no intimation or any positive response from the state Government in spite of the announcement of the protest.

The protest is related to a killing incident where an innocent civilian driver and a CAO of a SoO Signatory of Kuki armed organization were slain in Assam Rifles action suspected to be a case of fake encounter killing.

He continued that the JAC had made it clear to the Government to furnish the magisterial inquiry report on the case within 15 days but the Government has failed to do so.

The Government`™s apathy towards is hurtful maintained Thangminlen Haokip.

We are very much aware of the ongoing HSE and HSLC Examination in the state said the JAC Convener and reassured once again that there will be no disruption either in travels to examination centres or at the centres.

He also urged the general public to enthusiastically lend their support towards the JAC.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/jac-to-go-ahead-with-blockade-tsa-sadar-hills-to-endorse/

IMPHAL, February 17: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, terming Maharaja Priyabarta Singh as one of the founders of modern Manipur has said that his multifaceted personality had contributed towards various aspects of life for the development of the State.

The Chief Minister was speaking during the 104th Birth Anniversary observation of (L) Maharaja Priyabarta Singh at the Lamyanba Shanglen today organised by the Manipur Cultural Integration Conference.

Marking the anniversary a memorial lecture on the life of the late leader was also delivered.

He continued that MK PB Singh also contributed in the political world substantially. Many of us are aware of his yeoman work to bring emotional integrity of the State, a mission to which he devoted his life by visiting various hill areas of the State and interacting with the people there from the 1970s onward.

He foresaw the misunderstanding which was building up and strove to resolve the differences by interacting not only with the leaders but with common people too. Unfortunately today, except for those steeped in the world of fine art, and are still nostalgic about the grand old man`™s own works, very few still recall his tremendous contributions in other fields, he added.

After learning fine arts from Rajkumar College, Raipur he brought a fresh style of painting in Manipur, he said and added that the younger artists need to study and analyse the styles of MK PB Singh and other senior artists of Manipur to understand the art movement in the State.

The initiative of MK PB Singh to start industries relevant to Manipur could not fructify as the system then was not conducive, but it confirms his belief that without education and industries the State cannot go forward.

His association with the Manipur Cultural Integration Conference in his later life was an inspiring. He made us realize mutual emotional distancing of the various communities of the state.

The Chief Minister said MK PB Singh foresaw it and worked tirelessly towards bringing a better understanding amongst the communities.

He is somebody who believed that we have to share both our difficulties and happy moments for which he toured the hill areas extensively and brought to the notice of those in power the needs of the regions, Ibobi said.

As his effort was without any thought for personal gains, the common men responded to his overtures with enthusiasm and honesty.

An unfortunate accident he met in later life curtailed his movements, but despite his physical pains he continued to paint and write, and showed the moral courage he had, making him a household name in Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/pbs-works-and-campaigns-should-continue-to-inspire-generations-ibobi/

R Lester Makang

UKHRUL, February 17: Tension prevailed in Khangkhui Khunou/Phungdhar after villagers dismantled the house of their village chief allegedly in retribution for double dealing in internal matters and development activities of the village.

Sources on the spot disclosed that around 2 pm today a group of Khangkhui Phungdhar villagers turned up at the chief`s house for a meeting to sort out certain issues besetting the developmental activities of the village. When the chief identified as Samatai Khudai was suddenly found out of station and discussion with his sons turned heated, the enraged mob turned their ire toward the dwelling structure of the chief and destroyed it along with all the household belongings.

In the anger vending act, various household items including a TV set, fridge, almarah, wardrobe sets are damaged by the villagers but no one was hurt in the incident, sources said.

It is worth noting that the villagers of Khangkhui Phungdhar had earlier unanimously endorsed chairmanship after boycotting their headman in 2013 for his alleged act of treachery.

Meanwhile, chairman Daniel Kasar informed media persons this evening that today`s unfortunate incident was compelled by circumstances as the Khudai never mend his ways despite repeated warning.

Kasar further said that Khudai has been involved in various anomalies in the village development activities like PMGSY, MGNREGA, NAMG under IFAD thereby stalling fund for the village while also indulging selling off village resources without public consent.

Consequently, Khudai was notified on February 3 to come clean on all those matters and withdraw his personal complaints to authority to stall fund for community hall construction under IFAD by February 15 last. However, he continued to act on his own whim without heeding the public, Kasar added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/khangkhui-khunou-villagers-pull-down-chiefs-house-in-reprisal/

IMPHAL, February 17: Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Science, Dr Harsh Vardhan, underscoring the abundant natural resources today expressed the opinion that Manipur has the potential to be a model State and move forward thereby help the nation`™s economy.

The Union Minister stated this during the foundation laying stone ceremony of the Technology and Skill Development Centre at the Institute of Bio resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) campus at Takyelpat.

Dr Harsh Vardhan further informed that he had asked the Chief Minister of Manipur to help in developing the IBSD at all cost, which has potential to put Manipur into a better position, and assured to give full support for its development.

Although the institute is apparently small its objective is big, he said adding that its contribution is laudable.

Further underlining the initiatives set in motion under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to push the nation towards an advance country, the Union Minister appealed the people to participate in the endeavour of the government in restoring the nations`™ former glory.

The Union Minister also urged the people not to waste its rich potential, and utilize it for the promotion of the State`™s development in every aspect.

He further suggested that to upgrade an important institute like IBSD which is the need of the hour, it needs not wait intervention from any minister(s).

The Minister further lauded the people of Manipur of its simplicity, determination to learn new thing, and further lauded the faculties and the workers for its effort in turning the IBSD campus, which was once apparently an inhospitable landscape into a welcoming one.

Delivering his speech, the director of IBSD, Prof Dinabandhu Sahoo, drew the attention of the Union Minister that since the inception of IBSD in 2001 not a single minister (Union/state) has visited the campus to take stock of the situation be it plight or achievements.

The institution has wider vision for the development in sustainable way considering the abundant natural resources and eco-system. However, establishing industries in Manipur so far remains impracticable due to its fragile law and order situation, said the Union Minister.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/in-matters-of-skills-manipur-can-be-a-model-state-harsh-vardhan/

IMPHAL, February 17: In Manipur, lots of valuable medicinal plants are grown near our houses but we are not aware of their medicinal values, stated deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam in his address as the chief guest at the valedictory function of the two-day National Workshop on Sustainable Development of Medicinal Plants in North Eastern India at RIMS Jubilee hall today.

The deputy CM further said medicinal plants such as Tulsi found near our houses which we pay obeisance to in the morning is one of the best medicinal plants used in curing various diseases, that`™s why older people have preserved it in the past. In our State, we don`™t try to know the value of the medicinal plants found here but in others countries they always conduct in-depth research about the value of these medicinal plants, he said.

Around 1200 medicinal plants are found in our State, so the current generation should find out the hidden gold in our State, he said, asserting that our traditional healers know the value of medicinal plants but don`™t share their knowledge to others. The time has come for us to share the value of the medicinal plants to people so that they could cultivate the medicinal plants for income generation, he said.

In the hill areas, most hills people destroy forests for the sake of earning some money which also wipe out habitation of entire medicinal plants found in hills, he added. He said we have to preserve our medicinal plants found around us or in the forest areas.

Speaking as a guest of honour, former Chhattisgarh Governor Shekhar Dutt said the world is interested in medicinal plants because they don`™t have any side-effects; therefore, traditional therapy is gaining in popularity. Medicinal plants cultivation will help develop livelihoods of various peoples and Manipur has an advantage with its huge potential in medicinal plants, he added.

He said the value of medicinal plants used in traditional therapies must be documented.

At the valedictory function, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Bala Prasad read the reports of the two-day workshop.

He said the workshop in four technical sessions mainly discussed a series of presentations that gave an overview of the medicinal plants sector in the North Eastern States, Global and National scenario of medicinal plants, potential and prospects of medicinal plants in the North East and expectation of stake holders (industries, entrepreneurs, farmers, collectors, traditional healers etc), access, benefit sharing and policy frameworks on protection of TK associated with medicinal plants.

The workshop on sustainable development of medicinal plants sector in North-eastern India was held with the purpose of drawing up a road map for reviving the medicinal plants sector in the region, he said, adding Manipur is the gateway to the south East Asian countries by virtue of the border it shares with Myanmar. If the medicinal plants sector was given due importance, it has the potential to transform the entire North Eastern Region economically and socially, he stressed.

The collectors will have a sustainable livelihood system and the industries will have viable processing units and marketing centers, he added.

State Additional chief secretary (Forest and Environment) Nikhilesh Jha presided over the valedictory function.

Altogether 307 delegates participated in the workshop from various States across India, delegates from companies like Dabur, Imami etc also participated. The workshop was organised by the Forest Department of Manipur in collaboration with National Medicinal Plants Boards, Ministry of AYUSH.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/current-generation-should-explore-the-value-of-states-medicinal-plants/