Day: May 3, 2015

IMPHAL, May 2: The Governor of Manipur, Dr KK Paul, today visited the border town of Moreh and inspected the Integrated Check Post which is undergoing construction, Indo-Myanmar Friendship Gate No.1, No. 2 and the border fencing work.

During the inspection, the Governor gave instructions to the relevant officials on the urgent need of opening an oil depot near the Integrated Check Post.

After the inspection, the Governor also interacted with various community leaders of Moreh at the trade centre and heard their grievances.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/governor-inspects-projects-in-moreh/

NEW DELHI, May 2: The editor Imphal Free Press, Pradip Phanjoubam, delivered the 7th Foundation lecture of the Indraprastha Public Affairs Centre, IPAC, a non-profit advocacy group with focus on human rights and sustainable development, at the Vishwa Yuva Kendra, Chanakya Puri, on April 30.

In the simple function, opened with a cultural performance by differently abled children, the well known journalist from Manipur spoke on the need to expand the understanding of human rights to accommodate new, formerly unseen needs.

Taking the cue from French Philosopher, Jacques Derrida`™s words that `We must more than ever stand on the side of human rights. We are in need of them and they are in need, for there is always a lack, a shortfall, a falling short, an insufficiency; human rights are never sufficient`, the editor said such a lack can be understood if it is acknowledged that the international movement for human rights evolved in a very definite historical context.

Explaining this point, he said this movement solidified immediately after World War II, and after the world witnessed the brutality the State is capable of perpetrating on the individual. This being the case, the human rights movement, and the Universal Declaration Human Rights, ratified by the UN is envisaged as a mechanism for checking the State`™s encroachment into individual rights.

In this sense, the charter is also part of the postmodern disillusionment with the modern, he said. `The modern, so called enlightenment age, put all its trust in science, and therefore also the scientific modern State to be the answer to all human ills. However, the 20th which saw two world wars, two atom bombs, numerous ethnic cleansing campaigns at the behest of the State forced a reconsideration of the earlier euphoria about the State` he said.

He said since the movement was contextual, it was in its own way limited by the historical juncture it belonged to. As for instance, he said, rather than major conflicts being by and large being fought between States as believed once, in the postmodern world, 80 percent of the conflicts have been non-international conflicts, and fought within the modern States. Issues such as these are as yet inadequately addressed by the current format of the human right charter, he contended.

Again, issues of rights of pre-modern, pre-State societies, have also been inadequately addressed. Incorporating the demands of the indigenous peoples into the human rights charter hence is also another challenge, he said.

A brief, but lively interaction with the audience, in which among others the question of advocacy groups being bullied into pliancy by the State, and the legitimacy of subversive tactics by these groups to offset policies that hurt human rights, came up for discussion.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/challenges-before-human-rights-movement-discussed-in-ipac-annual-lecture/

IMPHAL, May 2: The government of should take initiative to erect a statue honouring late General Balaram Sougaijamba who was one of the icons of Manipur.

This was stated by Padmashree RK Jhalajit Singh delivering his speech during the 126th Death Anniversary and Unveiling of Statue (Bust) of General Balaram Sougaijamba at Sougaijam Lampak, Moirangkhom, Imphal.

The anniversary observance was organized by the Members of General Balaram Sougaijamba Foundation.

Speaking about the contribution of General Balaram, Sougaijamba, Jhalajit said that the late General was responsible for establishing the first English school in Manipur, Johnstone English School, during the time of Maharaja Chandrakriti. He also made a substantial contribution in fighting to regain the lost sovereignty of Manipur, he continued.

HOD (History), Standard College Dr Laishram Basanti Devi observed that besides being a General, Balaram Sougaijamba, was also concerned about the socio-economic well being of the people as well as for the development of Manipur.

Addressing the chief guest speech, former Chief Minister of Manipur, RK Dorendra Singh said that it is time to shed the trend of verbal consolidation of historical personalities instead start implementing the ideology and believes of the great leaders in action.

Sougaijam Saraju Devi, member of the general`™s foundation; Yaiskul MLA, Elangbam Chand Singh and ex-Chairperson, MSCFW Dr Chongtham Ningol Jamini Devi also attended the function as president and guests of honours respectively while writer B kulachandra Sharma was present as a resource person.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/need-for-erecting-statue-of-gen-balaram-sougaijamba-stressed/

NEW DELHI May 2 (MIC): Manipur Minister of Works and Transport Dr. Kh. Ratankumar Singh today raised many issues for improvement of various National Highways in Manipur during a meeting of the Chief Ministers and PWD Ministers of the North Eastern Region including Sikkim.

The meeting was held at Hotel Radisson Blu, Guwahati and was chaired by Union Minister of Road, Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari .

The Union Minister committed Rs. 15000 crore for development of road infrastructure for northeast for the financial year 2015-16.

Referring to the NH 37 (N) known as Imphal -Jiribam Road, Dr. Ratankumar stated that out of the total length 222 km, the maintenance of the major length of the road was carried out by the Border Road Organization except 3,220 km length which was under the State PWD. Of the total length of the highway, 30 percent of the road was yet to be provided black top surface.

Highlighting the Barak Bridge and Makru Bridge, both Bailey suspension bridges on the highway, Manipur Works Minister drew the attention of the Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways to construct permanent bridges so as to make it capable of carrying IRC Class AA loading. These bridges could cater lesser loading upto the maximum of 24 tons. The Minister also reported that the construction bring the NH 37 (N) into a better condition so that there were no more semi-permanent bridges on the road.

The Minister Ratankumer also stated that the approaches of the Makru Bridge for about 3 Km each on either side were in bad condition and no work was taken up to upgrade the road. He requested to the Union Minister to repair it on was footing before the onset of monsoon. He said the NH 37 (N) was the vital lifeline of Manipur which required to be kept traffic worthy throughout the year so that the road could be utilized during Bandh or blockade on other lifeline NH (N).

Referring to NH 2 (N) which originated from Numaligarh in Assam passing through Dimapur- Kohima-Imphal `“ Churachandpur-Tipaimukh upto Aizawl in Mizoram; PWD Minister stated that the stretch of road from Mao to Churachandpur was looked after by the state PWD and and Churachandpur to Tipaimukh by the BRO. He stated that the Bailey bridge at Tipaimukh over the Tuivai River under the jurisdiction of PWD Mizoram was not safe and functional and requested to construct it a permanent bridge. Describing the NH a very important road link connecting neighbouring states, he requested to make the whole stretch of the NH in good condition.

Referring to NH 102 (N), Dr. Ratankumar said the road connected Myanmar via Moreh, the border town and international market centre doing free trade of the India with Myanmar. It acted as the main gateway for the Act East Policy of India. He drew the attention of the Union Minister to convert the double lane highway into the four-lane considering its future potential. He stated that the Minister of Road, Transport and Highway was taking up a project for four-laning the Highway from Imphal to Pallel and requested to consider for four-laning the whole stretch of the highway. The highway was also Asian Highway-1 connecting the far eastern countries of Asia, he added.

Dr. Ratankumar recalled the construction of East West corridor connecting Porbandar in Gujarat to Silchar in Assam during the previous NDA government led by the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. He stated that the present government under the leadership of Narendra Modi was implementing the Look East Policy as Act East Policy to integrate the country with the South East Asian economies. Unless the East West Corridor was extended from Silchar to Imphal and further to Moreh, the border town with Myanmar, it would be difficult to realize the Act East Policy as a seamless movement of goods and people between India and South East Asian Countries was imminent. He urged upon the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highway to declare the extension of East West Corridor upto Moreh in Manipur.

On top priority, Manipur Works Minister demanded the Union Minister to instruct the BRO to complete the black topping of the NH 37 (N) on war footing before the onset of monsoon. He reported that the BRO made assurances time and again to the State government for completion of the blacktopping. The target date of the first assurance made by the BRO was December 2013, and then March 2014 and then December 2014 as last assurance which failed to comply.

He stated that the state Government had been requesting the Centre many times to construct the Barak Bridge as well as Makru Bridge permanently. He requested the Union Minister to give a serious attention to the matter and track the status of the preparation of the DPRs of these two bridges on top priority.

The Works Minister mentioned that the Ministry had recently declared NH 157 (N) which was earlier the State highway and the PWD Manipur proposed a sum of Rs 300 crore in the annual Plan 2015-16 for improving the total stretch of 145 km of the highway. He requested the Union Minister for approval of the proposal as special case since the highway was an important highway in the valley of Manipur, which would benefit the economy of the state to a large extent.

Dr. Ratankumar invited the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highway Nitin Gadkari to Manipur in his next visit so that he could have a first-hand experience on the development of road works in Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/works-minister-raises-issues-over-highway-improvement-during-ne-meet/