Day: October 2, 2015

IMPHAL October 2: The 39th Zoo Foundation Day Celebration 2015 was held at Manipur Zoological Garden Iroisemba, Imphal today.

The function was hosted by Chief Wildlife Warden K Angami and graced by Commerce & Industries, Sericulture and Veterinary & Animal Husbandry minister Govindas Konthoujam as the chief guest along with Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Bala Prasad as the president.

The chief guest in his address highlighted the potential of tapping the existing flora and fauna resources of the State as a tourist attraction.

He stretched on the possibilities like bird watching promotions and packaging the exotic fragrance of our forest products among others.

He said, `Rare species of our Zoo makes us visible among the Indian Zoos. We should promote and market such beauty for economic returns as part of the larger tourism potential.`

He emphasized on the value of the rare Sangai Deer and said it can increase tourist inflow.

`Several migratory birds in Loktak could also woo the bird watching groups` he said.

According to Bala Prasad, there are 47 varieties of animals, birds and reptiles in the Imphal Zoo.

He added enthusiastically that the Sangai deer which was once declared extinct has a total population of 221 in the State now.

`Wildlife based tourism has a huge potential in Manipur`™ he said.

The wildlife week which started today will continue till October 8 and intends to create awareness about the importance of wildlife and conserving it especially among school children, he said.

Meanwhile, it may be mentioned that the last stretch of road that leads to the only Zoological garden of the State is devoid of any blacktopping and rattles in rough pot holes clearly highlighting the lack of coordination and communication of the PWD with other departments.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/states-flora-and-fauna-potential-tourists-attractions-minister-govindas/

IMPHAL, October 2: A day after it was reported that a suspected ZUF cadre was killed in a gunfight between cadres of the outfit and the Army yesterday morning at Khoupum Tamenglong District, certain Zeliangrong organisations including the out have claimed the victim to be an innocent civilian.

Strongly refuting the report that a cadre of the outfit was killed in a gunfight with the Army, the Zeliangrong United Front said it is a false and fabricated report of the security forces to defame the outfit.

A statement of the outfit issued by A Longmei, ZUF information and publicity secretary said there was no gunfight between its cadres and the Madras Regiment anywhere yesterday.

It said the Army should not accuse the innocent Chongkong (Kuki Village) villagers of being ZUF cadres.

The innocent villagers were coming back from Khoupum Bazar after buying medicine for their relatives when they were waylaid by the personnel of the Madras Regiment and one of them shot dead mercilessly, it claimed.

It said the villagers had no link with the ZUF.

The Madras Regiment posted at Khoupum valley has been a state sponsored terrorist brutalizing the innocent villagers, it claimed.

The ZUF release also claimed that the present villagers are having a hard time to even go to their fields for their daily needs.

The ZUF vehemently opposed the `coward and sinister acts` of security forces in the region and Khoupum area in particular which also happens to be the home town of deputy Chief Minister of Manipur who also holds the Home portfolio, it said.

On the other hand, Khoupum Zeliangrong bodies have also condemned the incident stating that indiscriminate firing of the Army killed a civilian.

The Zeliangrong Students Union Khoupum Area (ZSUKA), Khoupum Area Village Authority and Rongmei Luphuam in a joint statement said they vehemently condemned the indiscriminate firing.

The release further said that the trigger happy Gorkha Rifles (2/5 Gorkhas) in the name of insurgency operation, shot dead an innocent civilian Seikholen Haokip son of Jangden Haokip of Songkong Village between Molphei and Tiangkai under Henglep sub-division, Churachanpur district.

The 2/5 Gorkha Rifles fired to kill the civilian and claimed him to be a UG cadre.

It is neither desirable nor tolerable to witness the utter senselessness of the Army in the name of operation, it said.

The series of instances of Army excesses have proved beyond doubt that many civilians have been killed, it said.

It is also to clarify that only one person was shot dead and not two as alleged by the Gorkha Rifles.

The three organisations Zeliangrong Students Union Khoupum Area, Khoupum Area Village Authority and Rongmei Luphuam appealed the Army personnel that such kind of indiscriminate firing should not be repeated in the future said the joint press release signed by Duangam Dangmei convener, Zeliangrong Students Union Khoupum Area; Kangamthaipou Gangmei vice-chairman, Khoupum Area Village Authority and Dimchui secretary, Rongmei Luphuam.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/zeliangrong-orgs-refute-khoupum-gunfight-report/

IMPHAL, October 2: A one day free eye screening camp was held today at the premise of Sagolband Youth Development Organisation, Sagolband Moirang Leirak Akham lampak organised jointly by the Sagolband Social Development Committee and the Lions Club of Imphal in collaboration with the State Blindness Control Society.

Sagolband Social Development Committee spokesperson former Social Welfare director G Seityabati said around 350 individuals with eye problems from Sagolband Moirang Leirak and surrounding areas were provided free check-up during the camp.

She said free eye operation will also be extended to those needing operation.

The camp was held in connection with the International Elders`™ Day to check the health problems of the aged persons especially eye problems, she said.

She said the doctors will be bringing out the results of the check-up conducted today by tomorrow.

She also said that senior leaders of the committee will soon discuss whether to provide free treatment to those needing it.

The committee is also planning to conduct such camps around the entire Sagolband constituency in the near future, she added.

She also said that although there are still many areas of development required in the constituency, the committee is considering the health sector as its top priority as for now.

However, the committee will also look into the issue of deplorable road conditions in the peripheries of the constituency after taking advice for others, she added.

The next priority of the committee is to develop human resource in the constituency, she added.

Today`™s free eye screening camp was attended by six doctors sponsored by the Lions Club of Imphal. Free medicines were also provided to the patients.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/sagolband-local-body-organises-eye-screening-camp-for-residents/

IMPHAL, October 2: A day after it was declared that the Kuki Inpi Manipur has been authorised to initiate talks with the State government on the issue of the three bills passed by the State Assembly on August 31, the apex body of the Kuki community hold talks with the State government today.

The talk initiated to resolve the ongoing tense situation in the State particularly in the hill districts over the three bills however, ended inconclusive today.

KIM secretary Khaimang Chongloi confirmed the meeting with the Chief Minister and said the first dialogue ended without any positive progress.

This is the first dialogue between the government and the KIM since protest erupted in Churachandpur on August 31 against the three bills.

It is learnt that the talk was held at the Chief Minister`™s Secretariat and was attended by an eight member team of KIM and a Chief Minister led government team.

The talk which commenced at 2pm concluded at 5pm, according to sources.

Chongloi said KIM reiterated its stand on the memorandum submitted to the government on September 21.

In the memorandum, KIM had asked the government to bring back the three bills to the table for discussion/negotiations with all the stake holders of both hill and valley communities.

Since the government was not ready to bring back the bills, today`™s talk ended inconclusively, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/kuki-inpis-talk-with-state-on-three-bills-ends-inconclusive/