Day: July 24, 2017

From Our Correspondent

CHURACHANDPUR | July 24

The general secretary of the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights (KWOHR), Kimneihoi Lhungdim in a release today said the KWOHR is outraged by the senseless killing of Nengneingah Khongsai on July 23 at her residence by a cadre of KNO/KNA, Seikhosat Haokip.

KWOHR also stated that the crime perpetrated by a national worker is beyond belief and intolerable to the student community and the society and further appealed to the leaders of armed organisation(s) to forewarn their cadres to avoid such recurrence in the society.

The organisation has also called upon the authority concerned of the state government to award befitting punishment to the perpetrator of the crime.

Further, KWOHR has extended its condolence to the bereaved families and friends of the victim.

People for Human Rights and Climate Change (PHRCC) also expressed their deep regret on the killing of Nengneingah.

PHRCC said in a release that the killing of civilians has increased tremendously in Manipur within this year. Out of which the incident of killing of Nengneingah has been the most unfortunate as the accused is from an armed insurgent group who are SoO signatories.

PHRCC has drawn attention of the government of India to clarify to the people of Manipur that from where the insurgent group acquired the weapon which is supposed to be in the custody of the government.

The government of India must review the peace agreement which was signed between the armed groups and must conduct investigation upon the group which has committed crimes against women and children, said the release.

It urged the state government to award befitting punishment to the killer, followed by investigation upon the authority concerned that is responsible for keeping the weapons under SoO and also urged the armed groups to ratify the Geneva Call especially, deed of commitment protecting children in armed conflict and deed of commitment prohibiting sexual violence and gender discrimination.

North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) also strongly condemned the murder of the teenage girl student Nengneingah Khongsai of Mount Moreh High School at Gilgal Veng by her boyfriend Seikhosat Haokip on July 23.

A release said, crime against women and children is drastically on the rise in Manipur and any armed person is moving without any restriction. It is unfortunate that the authority concerned is still not doing anything. Though, the armed groups who are under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with Government of India should be kept under the supervision of authority concerned.

Moreover, the Government of India and Manipur Government should strictly monitor the movement of insurgent groups as well as the security forces towards civilian. As it may mentioned that a woman named A Shanti was also shot dead by suspected Assam Rifles personnel on April 22, said NEDF in the release.

The forum further stated that there had been a serial killing of about four cases meted out to women and girls within a short span from February to July of this year.

NEDF has appealed the state government to investigate on the cases and to act honestly to give justice to the victims and also urged the entire armed group to act under the provision provided under SoO.

 Dead body: Students from different schools of Moreh town gathered together along the way to Moreh and received the dead body of Nengneingah Khongsai, who was shot dead by her boyfriend yesterday.

The students took the body, which was brought back after post-mortem in Imphal and walked all the way to the residence of the deceased. The students also gave floral tributes to Nengneingah Khongsai.

Our Bureau

IMPHAL | July 24

Nambul river is among 302 polluted rivers in the country, based on Bio-chemical oxygen demand (BoD) levels, a key indicator of organic pollution. The list has been prepared by the Central Pollution Control Bureau in association with respective state pollution control boards. 

This was stated by the minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan during the Rajya Sabha question hour while answering to a query raised by the state MP, K. Bhabananda Singh. 

The minister further informed the House that conceptual project report for ‘Watershed Treatment & Clean-up in Nambul and Waishel Maril Basins, Manipur’ amounting to Rs 452.44 crore was received from the state government in May 2015.

The project report was returned back to the state government in the same month itself as it was not prepared as per the guidelines of National River Conservation Plan. Thus, no funds have been released by the ministry to the state government for pollution abatement of the said river, added the union minister.

Dr Vardhan continued that it is the responsibility of the state governments to set up proper facilities for collection, treatment and disposal of sewage being generated and ensure that untreated sewage does not fall into the rivers or other water bodies.

He said the ministry is supplementing the efforts of the state government in pollution abatement in identified stretches of various rivers through the centrally sponsored scheme of NRCP for implementation of project on cost sharing basis between the central and the state government.  

 Proposal for pollution abatement of rivers are submitted by the state government from time to time, which are examined and considered for financial assistance under the NRCP depending on the degree of pollution in the river, he added.

The union minister was answering to K. Bhabananda’s question on whether National River Conservation Directorate has any projects or programmes for rivers in Manipur. 

Replying to another question raised by K. Bhabananda, state minister of Rural Development, Ram Kripal Yadav informed the House that no proposal from the state government has been received for sanction of dwelling units under the PMAY-G in regard to the large scale destruction of houses by the recent flash floods in the valley districts of Manipur.

Minister Ram Kripal also maintained that as and when such proposals are received, the same will be considered by the Empowered Committee.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 24

A public meeting was held today at Sairem community hall, Sawombung jointly organised by victim’s family and joint action committee against the mysterious death of Kaguisinlu Palmei of Sawombung Sairem.

The meeting was also attended by Imphal East police led by superintendent of police K. Kabib including members of Women Action Development.

After a thorough deliberation, the meeting resolved that Imphal-Ukhrul road indefinite bandh which was scheduled to commence from July 25 has been postponed. The decision was taken considering the active action taken by Imphal East police.

During the public meeting Kabib assured to re-investigate the case as the victim’s family and the JAC have expressed dissatisfaction over the post mortem report.

Speaking to the media, convenor of JAC Panti Gonmei said the bandh has been postponed in order to give co-operation to the police department. Nonetheless, if the government fails to take necessary action within three days’ time the JAC will not remain silent and it will launch agitation along with the public.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 24

The state Assembly unanimously passed four demands for grants amounting to Rs 1405,89,62,000 for the year 2017-2018 on the fourth day of the ongoing full budget session.

Today’s sitting by far is the longest sittings of all the sessions during the last 15 years. As usual the sitting began at 11 am but ended at about 9.20 pm.

The demand passed by the House during the marathon sitting includes demands No.6 transport amounting to Rs. 14,30,54,000, demands No.8 public works department Rs. 1011,17,89,000, demand No.37 fisheries Rs. 35,52,47,000 and demand No.44 social welfare department Rs. 344,88,72,000.

The demands were moved by the deputy chief minister, Y Joykumar, who is also the finance in-charge, for discussion and voting.

Motion for disapproval of policy cut was moved by the opposition bench for all the demands.

The MLAs who moved the cut motion were Y Joykishan, RK Imo Singh, K Ranjit, Surjakumar Okram, Th Lokeshwar Singh, Okram Henry, Md Abdul Nasir, N Loken, Md Fajur Rahim, AK Mirabai, Yamthong Haokip.

MLAs from the ruling bench including P Saratchandra, S Subaschandra also participated in the discussion.

Responding to queries of the opposition bench, deputy chief minister, Y Joykumar, clarified on the delay in renaming the Tulihal airport to Bir Tikendrajit was due to some technical shortcomings.

He informed the House that necessary proposal for renaming the Tulihal airport was submitted to the ministry of civil aviation. However, the process was put on hold with the ministry advising to submit the proposal with a resolution of the state assembly.

He assured that no further delay with be made adding that the matter will be finalised after consulting with the chief minister.

Joykumar said, as civil aviation is under his jurisdiction, he reportedly met the officials of the ministry and discussed about upgradation of the infrastructure of the airport to international standard.

In his clarification with regards to lack of proper traffic plan and regulation, he divulged that the present government has taken up many initiatives by constituting many committees to oversees the traffic menace and that inauguration of SP Traffic office was one such initiative.

He said that the government is also mooting on establishment of multi storied parking systems and other options like allowing registration of new vehicles only after producing proof of garage to ease congestion of traffic.

Underscoring separate pool transport system for government employees, he assured that the matter will be serious discussed.

Spelling out some of the initiative taken up by the department, he informed that altogether 400 fake license cases were detected by the department during its drive of which 13 FIRs was lodged against defaulters.

To further regulate the traffic policy, he asserted that altogether 4 driving schools have been recognized by the transport department and in addition the centre government has sanctioned Rs. 12 crores for setting up institute of driving and training research centre near Yaralpat Imphal East.

Social Welfare minister Nemcha Kipgen, in her response, said there are two types of old aged pension in the state namely Manipur old age pension (MOAP) scheme and national social assistance programme (NSAP).

Under MOAPS there are altogether 6,80,160 pensioners and 4,50,905 pensions (nearly 4 percent of the population) and the beneficiaries are selected by committee constituted by state headed by deputy commissioner concerned as chairman and elected representatives as secretaries etc.

She said to ensure transparency implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and added that 100 percent accounts have been open for the beneficiaries.

Moreover, the banks will be responsible for the payment of pension to beneficiaries and that Adhaar seeding to DBT is in progress.

Nemcha further informed that instruction has been given to DC and district social welfare officers to find out undeserving beneficiaries who have expired, or which are fake and the report for the same was asked to submit within a month.

She further said that there was no report of death of beneficiaries was registered during the past five years.

In her clarification regarding failure to supply nutrition in time to Aganwadi centres and for lactating mothers, she pointed out that sanction was stopped by the ministry concerned as no new tender was floated since 2013.

Clarifying on irregularities on construction of Aganwadi centres, she asserted that the DCs concerned of all the district have been asked to construction of Aganwadi along with photography proof and document.

Although, the DRDA is the implementing agency a committee is formed with the elected representatives as chairman to oversee construction of Aganwadi buildings.

“The local representatives has every powers to stop funding if they find that the Aganwadi centres are not being constructed as per norms”, said Nemcha.

Fisheries minister, N Kayisii, claimed that the department cannot be developed as desired with the budget provision very low. Yet, the department is trying its best to pool in funds from many sources from centre like RVKI, NFDB, NEC, new kranti mission etc, he said.

He said that the state government has submitted a memorandum to government of India seeking Rs. 213.7 crores assistance for the damaged inflicted by the recent flood. Of the total amount the state government has proposed Rs. 14.7 proposed for fisheries department, he added.

The minister further pointed out that as per guideline of government of India Rs. 8,200/hac is given as improved subsidy for fish seeds during flood loses but the state have proposed Rs 16,968/hac.

Responding to queries related PWD, the minister concerned Th Bishwajit, said that the basic shares of all the representatives will be equally taken into consideration, irrespective of ruling or opposition while preparing a plan of the department.

Informing that necessary initiatives have been taken up by the works department to meet all the requirements, he said that a proposal of Rs. 500 crores for Central Road Funds (CRF) has been submitted to the ministry concerned and is under active consideration at the Prime Minister’s office.

Noting that there is Rs. 59.55 crores inherited liabilities, he further assured that all the liabilities will soon be clear phase wise.

Our Bureau

IMPHAL |July 24

The shocking incident of killing a minor girl by a cadre of the Kuki National Army (KNA) yesterday at Moreh came up for discussion in the state Assembly today with the chief minister N. Biren Singh taking a firm stand against unlawful activities by cadres of groups under Suspension of Operation agreement.

The issue was raised by Congress member K. Ranjit Singh during zero hour. Though normally no reply is given to issues raised during zero hour the chief minister responded to the Opposition member, who also pressed for a reply from the leader of the House.

Coming down heavily on illegal activities by SoO groups Biren said he would apprise the matter to the Union home ministry request them to review the agreement during his visit to Delhi.

The chief minister today left for Delhi in connection with the election of the new President of the country.

A cadre of Kuki National Army belonging to a SoO group, shot dead a girl identified as Nengneingah Khongsai (13) at Moreh early yesterday morning.

The police arrested the cadre identified as Seikhosat Haokip along with a country made 9 am pistol yesterday. The accused is said to be the boyfriend of the girl. Kuki organisations and residents of Moreh strongly condemned the incident.

“It is a shocking incident. We will take action against the accused. The case would be handed over to the newly opened fast track court for speedy trial,” the chief minister assured the House.

Expressing serious concern over alleged violation of ground rules by SoO groups the chief minister said “The Suspension of Operation agreement should be reviewed if the groups are not going to strictly follow the ground rules,” Biren said.

Biren said as it is a tripartite agreement the state government alone cannot do much. He, however, assured that action would be taken against cadres if they violate ground rules.

Ranjit urged the government to rein in the cadres of SoO groups. The member alleged that the cadres of the groups are moving freely with arms and committing crimes.

The Centre, state government and about 30 Kuki militant groups grouped under two umbrella organisations – United Peoples Front and Kuki National Organisation – signed SoO agreement in 2008. Cadres of the groups are staying in designated camps.

Earlier during question hour the chief minister said as the army and Assam Rifles have also been engaged in patrolling in national highways to prevent disruption of movement of supply trucks.

As a result their highway duties sometimes affect the counter insurgency operations.

The chief minister said that after declaration of the results of earlier recruitments the state government will raise some India Reserve Battalions for deployment along the national highways as dedicated force.

By A Staff reporter

IMPHAL| July 24

On the second day of fasting by five women home guard personnel, one of the volunteers has been admitted at RIMS due to her deteriorating health condition. The hunger strike was launched demanding increment of pay since June 20.  

Earlier five male home guards personnel who were on hunger strike were arrested by the state police on the evening of June 22. Following their arrest, the five women personnel joined the strike.

The arrested woman home guard has been identified as L. Surbala Devi. A brief skirmish took place between the agitating home guard personnel and the state police, which was led by led by Imphal West additional SP Priyadarshini Laishram.

This reporter saw heated exchanges of words between the police and the agitators. Eventually hunger striker Surbala was taken into police custody as her health condition was deteriorating.

Speaking to the media, one of the personnel, Ibetombi said the agitation will continue until their demands are met. “Today’s forcible arrest will not bog us down. We are strong personnel of 2000. The fast agitation will be joined by more and more volunteers phase wise”, she said.

She lambasted the present government for not considering their rightful demand though the agitation has already completed one month.