Manipur Mail – Page 28

Naga problem will be solved : PM

DIMAPUR, July 3 NNN : After a long gap of maitaining silence on the Naga political issue both by the government of India and the NSCN-IM authority, the issue is in the media again.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had reportedly informed Lok Sabha MP from Nagaland CM Chang that “the issue will be solved soon”.
According to a newspaper report here, the Prime Minister had said that the government of India was “serious about the Naga problem.”
Late last year, the speculations had climaxed to the zenith that the protracted Naga political problem was about to be settled in a few months time. The speculations were even fueled by the comment of Union Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde who had said that “settlement” to the Naga issue would be brought about by March, 2013 or before the Nagaland assembly elections. That situation was even buttered it by the concerted show of the now-unheard Joint Legislature Forum (JLF) formed by the 60 MLAs of the Nagaland legislative assembly of the previous tenure to push for the early settlement of the Naga political proble.
Meanwhile, Naga underground leaders have left Nagaland for Thailand to participate in the ‘Naga reconciliation’ meeting to be convened by Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR).
Leaders from NSCN-Khole/Kitovi, NSCN-IM and those party to the Naga reconciliation process have left Dimapur and the meeting would be held in the next few days.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/naga-problem-will-be-solved-pm/

KSU opposes Aadhaar

SHILLONG, July 3 NNN: The Khasi Students Union (KSU) has demanded that the Meghalaya government must put on hold the implementation of the “Aadhaar” – a Unique Identification Number (UIN) scheme in the state and first take the opinions of the stakeholders and also put in place a mechanism for controlling influx into Meghalaya.
Led by its president Daniel Khyirem a delegation of the KSU met Meghalaya home minister Roshan Warjir on Wednesday and put the demand forward.
According to the KSU leader, the home minister has agreed to withhold the implementation of the UIN after inquiring about its from concerned authority as she is not aware of it.
Khyriem told reporters after meeting with Warjri, “We demanded the state government to hold back the implementation of the Aadhaar in the state without having proper mechanism in place considering the influx problem that is countering the state at present.”
Khyriem also suggested that the government must invite views and opinions of people and stakeholders before going ahead with the implementation of UIN. He said, “Taking the views of the public into consideration is required.”
The enrollment of UIN rolled in the municipal area with the enrollment of the Meghalaya governor, RS Mooshahary in June. The biometric enrolment is part of the second phase of data collection for the National Population Register (NPR).
Khyriem said before going ahead with the UIN there must be a system in place to authenticate documents provided by the people especially from the non-indigenous residents while enrolling in this national exercise.”
The NPR, a comprehensive identity database, has been created to ensure the security of the country. It is the first kind in the world and has been undertaken under the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship Rules, 2003.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ksu-opposes-aadhaar/

Governor wants absconding VC to be traced

SHILLONG, July 3 NNN : Outgoing Meghalaya governor RS Mooshahary said that the absconding tainted CMJ University chancellor CM Jha must be traced and arrested. Even as the state CID has failed to arrest the Jha, the governor told reporters on Tuesday, “He (Jha) should have been caught that is what I feel.”
The CID had arrested four CMJ University officials that include its registrar, Mrinal Kanti Deb, deputy registrar Premlal Rai and two other university officials but failed to arrest Jha who is responsible for fraud that led to sealing off the institute.
While he said that the case may be complicated, Mooshahary nonetheless said, “The enormity of the case is so much that with limited resources that the state police have they are facing some problems but they are doing their best.”
Now that Mooshahary’s term as Meghalaya governor is over, question is being raised as to what will happen to the CMJ University case. Will it be shelved?
But Mooshahary is not pessimistic as he felt that the case has become so high-profile that it would not be possible from consigning it to the dustbin.
Mooshahary said, “I have served three notices to the state government on the matter that contains everything. I don’t think it is possible to deviate and the case will reach its logical end.”
Mooshahary, who is the visitor of the CMJ University, literally played the role of a whistleblower as he exposed irregularities taking place in the CMJ University and has now sought dissolution of the university in accordance with Section 48 of the CMJ University Act, 2009.
The CMJ University which was established in 2009 and has allegedly awarding a record number of 434 PhD degrees in the past one year apart from registering 490 more PhD scholars during the same year, which are not recognize by the UGC.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/governor-wants-absconding-vc-to-be-traced/

UCM foundation day held

Imphal, July 3 MNS/NNN: The 13th foundation day of the United Committee Manipur was held today at its head office Lamphel. C. Upendra retired judge, Y. Nabachandra president UCM, KT Rahman president AMUCO, E. Johnson president IPSA, BM Yaima Shah president UPF, Sunil Karam president NIPCO, Ph. Shakhi Leima president AMKIL, Y. Dilipkumar president PANDAM, Ksh. Somorendro president ACOAM-LUP and Y. Leirik Leima president KANGLAMEI graced the occasion as chief guest, president and guests of honour. Leaders of Meira Paibis and civil society organization were participated at the occasion.
“Politicians in Manipur are just there to maintain roads and bridges in the state but they have failed to protect human values,” said retired Judge C Upendra.
C Upendra said that ministers and MLAs are not interested in protecting the ‘human values’. He said if the Manipur legislators are genuinely interested to have Inner Line Permit system in Manipur then they could have done it long ago. According to the retired judge, under Article 19(5) the state government has the authority to take its own decision on the matter.
“Inspite of the Central government’s permission allowing NSCN-IM leader Th Muivah to visit his home village Somdal in Ukhrul district, Manipur chief minister O Ibobi defied the Centre’s directive and took his own decision to bar the NSCN-IM leader from entering Manipur. Likewise, the chief minister or the state government could have done the same thing with the Inner Line Permit issue,” stated Upendra.
On the Manipur integrity issue, C Upendra said that the issue is getting more and more under threat as the chief minister getting more and more vocal on the issue.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ucm-foundation-day-held/

CBI files chargesheet: fake encounter of Ishrat Jahan

Mail News Service
New Delhi, July 3 : The Central Bureau of Investigation has today filed charge sheet in the Designated Court at Ahmedabad against 07 officials of Gujarat Police U/s 302, 364, 368, 346, 120-B, 201, 203, 204, 217, 218 of IPC and Section 25(1)(e), 27 of Arms Act. One more accused person, also a police official, has since expired.
It is alleged that accused officials of Gujarat Police and certain other persons were instrumental in securing illegal custody of the four persons who were subsequently abducted and later killed in a fake encounter. The persons killed were kept in illegal custody separately before the fake encounter.
The accused police officials with the help of officers of other agency obtained weapons for the purported encounter. Thereafter, five accused officials of the Gujarat Police opened fire from their official weapons on Javed, Ishrat Jahan, Jishan Johar and Amjad Ali, which resulted in their death on the spot.
The instant case was registered by the CBI on 16.12.2011 in compliance of the orders of the High Court of Gujarat.
The public is reminded that the above findings are based on the investigation done by CBI and evidence collected by it. Under the Indian Law, the accused are presumed to be innocent till their guilt is finally established after a fair trial. While stating that Ishrat, who lived in Thane, was not a terrorist as alleged by Gujarat Police, the CBI charge sheet named policemen P.P. Pande, A. Choudhary, D.G. Vanzare, Tarun Barot, J.R. Parmar and N.K. Amin among the accused.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cbi-files-chargesheet-fake-encounter-of-ishrat-jahan/

Hmar Students’ Association platinum jubilee

The Hmar Students’ Association (HSA) is gearing up to mark its platinum jubilee next year and the main event will be held at Ngurte village in Churachandpur,
“It may be noted that 29 years after the advent of Christianity (2010) in Hmar areas, the leaders of the community felt the importance of education and the need to have an association for the student community. The HSA was thus born to serve the students and also to promote a sense of integration among the people,” HSA said in a statement.
It was under the initiatives of some Hmar students studying in Imphal, HSA was formed in 1939 and the first General Assembly of the association was held at Ngurte village that same year.
HSA has three governing bodies – The General Assembly, The Executive Council and the General Headquarters. The General Headquarters is based at Rengkai in Churachandpur district of Manipur. Besides the General Headquarters, there are Joint Headquarters, branches, blocks and units spread across different states. “To commemorate the jubilee celebration, HSA is also organising a platinum jubilee logo design, masthead design, platinum jubilee theme and choral song writing and singing competitions,” HSA statement added.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/hmar-students-association-platinum-jubilee/

Rs 200 cr lost due to strikes at Assam

GUWAHATI, July 2 NNN : Blockades and bandhs in Assam during 2012-13 fiscal has cost Rs 200 crore to the Oil India Limited (OIL). Altogether 290 bandhs and blockades were experienced by Oil India Limited (OIL) in the last fiscal in Assam.
Disclosing this today, SK Srivastava who is both chairman and managing director of OIL said that the numerous bandhs and blockades imposed by around 300 organisations in eastern Assam where OIL operates, had cost Rs 200 crore to the company.
He said the actual target of crude oil production was 3.95 million metric tonnes but during the last fiscal OIL produced only 3.71 million metric tonnes.
Srivastava then rued that the loss due to ‘external forces’ dented OIL’s balance sheet, which otherwise showed a gross income of Rs 11456 crore in the 2012-13 fiscal.
Oil India Limited headquarter is located at Duliajan in eastern Assam. The company has in less than a decade moved beyond to have 65 domestic and international exploration blocks besides acquiring stakes for shale gas production in the US.
Demands from social and militant organisations to the company have also been disturbing to the OIL.According to sources, the loss of Rs 200 crore was primarily due to the shortfall in production.
Vehicles destroyed in arson or damaged by bandh supporters and also other facilities destroyed have not been included in the estimation of the loss of the last fiscal.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/rs-200-cr-lost-due-to-strikes-at-assam/

Girl raped by uncle

Imphal Jul 2 MNS/UNA : In a ghastly crime, an uncle allegedly raped his minor niece of 12-year. The incident came to light Tuesday when villagers caught the alleged rapist and handed over to the police on Tuesday.
The 12-year-old victim girl, a resident of Salam Khul village in Imphal West district has been admitted at RIMS hospital for treatment after a medical check was conducted at the forensic department of the institution today.
The man who raped the minor girl has been identified as Irom Bobo (40) son of I Kameshore Singh of Tharoijam Maning Leikai. He is the husband of younger sisters of victim’s mother where the girl stayed to assist her aunt in her domestic work.
The victim is the eldest children of a day to day bread earning mother who has been staying at her parental home after divorced with her husband around seven months ago. She is currently studying at class-IV and staying at the house of her aunt for the last 10 days.
Her uncle Bobo allegedly raped her last (Monday) night after dinner of the day, around 8 pm. She left the house fearing the repetition of the crime against her and on the way to her mother’s house at Salam Khul, around 8.30 pm, she intercepted with some womenfolk who inquired about the reason for her crying and going alone in the darkness.
After hearing the heinous crime committed to the minor girl, the women took her at the house of pradhan of the area where a large number of villagers gathered after hearing the news.
Led by the pradhan Dwijamani Singh, the villagers went to the house of alleged rapist, Irom Bobo, where he confessed of committing the crime.
Later, he was taken to the Patsoi police station and handed over him. Police took him to their custody after registering a FIR case based on the compliant lodged by the pradhan.
The raping of the minor girl was amidst the agitations demanding booking of culprit(s) involved in the recent alleged rape of an 18-year student at Yairipok of Thoubal district after kidnapping from a school where she went to obtain admission form and gang raped of a 14-year old rape victim girl from Imphal by six persons after abduction.
Residents of the Yairipok had even imposed a 24-hour statewide bandh demanding booking of the culprit(s) behind the rape of the student.
The bandh had concluded peacefully this morning at 5 am. The rape incidents were taken place amidst the demand of the women based civil bodies demand for a debate on increasing crime against women and children in Manipur.
A massive rally decrying the increasing crime against women in Manipur was even marched on the streets in Imphal on last Saturday demanding befitting punishment to the culprits arrested in connection with recent rape cases and booking of those, who were still at large.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/girl-raped-by-uncle/

Tangkhul students celebrate first anniversary

New Delhi, July 2 NNN: The Tangkhul Shanao Long, Delhi (TSLD) celebrated its 1st Anniversary on June 29 at Constitution Club, New Delhi.
The gathering saw large attendance of students, working professionals, and elders of the community residing in Delhi. Mrs. Masophy Nakhedei, 1st President of Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL) graced the occasion as chief guest, while Mrs. Pakahao Muivah was the guest of honour.
Masophy Nakhedei exhorted the women to stand united in facing the challenges. She also threw a challenge that women organizations like TSLD stand as a model in social services.
Leaders of various organizations and student bodies also participated in TSLD’s celebration. In a solidarity message by Tangkhul Katamnao Long, Delhi (TKLD) President Mr. Thothuingam Shinglai extended cooperation to work together in days to come in addressing issues like gender violence and discriminations in the city. The general secretary of All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) Vareiyo Shatsang congratulated the TSLD for achieving this much in one year time what other organizations have only been wishing for a long time. Their contribution towards fighting against child trafficking and violence against women has already been etched in the history.
Noted artist from Manipur Guru Rewben Mashangva took back the audience to their native place with his hit songs such as Chonkhom Philava and Saharwon Kapaiwon. Minute of Decay, the only Tangkhul girl band mesmerized the members present with their groovy songs and showed that they are ready to take the musical center stage in the region. The celebration witness violin rendition by Ranthing Raleng & Nimnim Ningshen, magical performance from Punjab (Mohammapur & Safdarjung Shanao Long) and Folk dance performance by the FEELS (Fraternity of East Eyes Line Soceity) transported the audience to the days of yore. The showstopper was fashion parade by young Tangkhul belles. Designer Jezreel Vashum & Timeless T.O.G.S. designed the fused traditional attire of the show.
Expressing her gratitude to people who have supported the organization through thick and thin the TSLD chairperson Felicita Shongvah reaffirmed their commitment to continue their fight against all social vices.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tangkhul-students-celebrate-first-anniversary/

No agreement between IGNTUSU and students

IMPHAL, July 2 NNN : Talks between the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Students’ Union (IGNTUSU), Regional Campus Manipur and the University authority could not break ice on Tuesday.
Following this development, the tribal students’ body has decided to continue its agitation which has been going on since June 25. The Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Students’ Union (IGNTUSU), Regional Campus, Manipur strongly condemned the University Headquarter for not addressing the demands and needs of the students even after one week of their agitation.
Meanwhile. the tribal students’ body warned that it will be the sole responsibility of the varsity authority for any untoward incident.
The students’ of the varsity also once again appealed to all the student organisations, student leaders, intellectuals, social activists, politicians and other like-minded people to extend full support to the IGNTUSU, sidelining any difference if any, in order to rescue this only institution for higher studies in the name of tribals in Manipur.
On June 27, the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Students’ Union (IGNTUSU), Regional Campus, Manipur had strongly condemned the university authority headquarter
Amarkantak (MP) for non-compliance to the legitimate needs and demands forwarded through the Regional Director in charge.
“The students’ have time and again, demanded for immediate implementation of approved written ordinances and separate budget for the Regional Campus of the varsity. However
to the grief of the students’ the university headquarter has been trying to appease the students by sending draft ordinances, and budget which does not have its final approval. The
University Authority had failed to comply unfortunately till date. Therefore, the students of the varsity are compel to close down the university campus indefinitely with effect from
today, the 25th of June, 2013 until the incompetent Vice- Chancellor is removed from his post and the legitimate demands of the students’ are fulfilled. The University Authority
should be solely responsible for any untoward incident during the course of agitation,” had IGNTUSU warned.
Reasons why the students of IGNTU-RCM took the extreme step of closing down the university campus at this critical juncture from June 25 when important works like admission
process and many other is going on are that the University Act has a vague reservation policy. The Students’ had sought clear cut reservation policy in terms of recruitment/appointment and admission since it launched its first agitation in 2010 and till date. Unfortunately, nothing concrete policy in this regard has been made.
The students’ body then said ordinances of both Regional Campus & Regional Director (RC & RD) has never been approved, but the university authority keeps fooling the students in this regard saying that it is already approved. “If it were already approved, why it was not implemented,” it had asked.
It also stated that separate Budget ordinances too remained un-approved till date. If the authority there (headquarter) remain the same, the students have nothing to hope for. So we demand immediate removal of the VC Prof. Chandra Deo Singh and in no circumstances should his tenure be extended nor re-instated.
Staffs, both teaching and non-teaching, hardly meet the needs of the varsity. For this, the demands of the students to regularized part-time employees remained un-answered. Apart from its refusal to regularize the part-timers, there is no step for fresh recruitment till date. So, any recruitment without clear cut reservation policy will be opposed tooth and nail from now.
Books and other study materials were never made available as per the syllabus provided by the university. A university with only few hundred books and publications will not serve the needs of the students and scholars.M.Phil course for Political Science was started with just one year in 2009 .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/no-agreement-between-igntusu-and-students/

Body against taking over of Palace

IMPHAL, July 2 NNN : The people of Manipur is all set to take up strong movement against the Manipur cabinet decision of taking over the Royal Palace of Manipur (Sana Konung).
On Tuesday, Sana Konung Semgat-Sagat Lup and Sana Konung Royal Council have warned of going to the President of India to intervene.
The two organisations had submitted a joint lengthy memorandum on June 27 to President Pranab Mukherjee urging him to intervene.
“The Royal Palace should not be made into a historical monument as the king still exists and very much the activities of the Royal Palace are there,” said Puyam Tomcha, legal advisor to the Sana Konung Royal Palace Council while adding, “If the state government does not review its decision, the royal family will occupy the Kangla Fort which is now been maintained by the state government of Manipur after the Assam Rifles had left the fort.
“In the Merger Agreement, it is clearly mentioned that the Royal Palace is the private property of Maharaja of Manipur. The king has been living in the Palace and performing all customary rites and rituals as the sole authority. It is a fundamental right of the King which has been enumerated in Article 26 of Indian Constitution. So, the decision of the State Cabinet to take over Royal Palace is in violation of the fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution of India,” Tomcha reiterated. Puyam Tomcha then asked to abolish the Kangla Fort Board.
Few days ago, the Tangkhul chiefs’ body and the Federation of All Tribal Youth Clubs, Manipur (FATYCM) had said they condemned the ‘hasty decision’ of Manipur Cabinet to ‘take over’ the sacred Royal Palace saying the state Government is appeared to be acting like the title-holder of the historical site.
It is the onus of the state Government to refurbish the palace through ‘funding’ and then handing over the task to the Sana Konung Semgat Sagat Lup or other bodies working for preservation of the palace, FATYCM said.
It said the Government should honour the Sana Konung and take care of it by means of backing only and flayed the former for purportedly being ‘acquisitive.’On June 22, the Manipur cabinet had resolved to take over 12 to 13 acres of the Royal Palace area in the heart of Imphal and develop it to retain the glorious era of Manipur’s existence as an independent nation in the past.
Ever since this decision of the state government, people including Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba have been carrying out sit-in-protest in front of the Palace.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/body-against-taking-over-of-palace/

MUTA to Launch Agitations

Mail News Service
Imphal, July 2 : The Manipur University Teachers’ Association (MUTA) is likely to launch series of agitation against the University Authority for the following reasons:
Manipulation in the selection of three teachers in the 3rd Executive Council of Manipur University,
• Non-appointment of statutory posts such as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Finance Officer, Controller of Examinations as well as other officers such as Director, Academic Staff College; Director, College Development Council, etc. for the last more than two years,
Non-implementation of HAG scale, long pending scheme for senior professors,
• Non-holding of selection committees for promotion/appointment of faculty members, etc. —-
Presently the University is being run on ad-hoc basis centralizing all the powers in an autocratic manner by destroying all the democratic norms, as there are no statutory officers on regular basis except the Registrar.
At present, the honourable Vice-Chancellor is also looking after the office of the Finance Officer, Manipur University. And under these circumstances, the general public may allege that there is ample possible room for misappropriation of fund as he himself sanctions and signs cheques as the Finance Officer.
Considering all the facts, MUTA in its general body meeting held on May 28, 2013 took a number of resolutions to implement within some specific datelines, with an endorsement to take any appropriate actions to the Executive Committee. As a result, the agitations are to be launched in order to streamline the functioning of the University, and for overall healthy growth of this institute of higher learning.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/muta-to-launch-agitations/

Maternity Benefits should reach all women in the unorganised sector: Tirath

Mail News Service
New Delhi, July 2 : Krishna Tirath, Union Minister for Women and Child Development presided over the national consultation on the Maternity Benefit Act 1961, here today. The aim of the national consultation with different ministries, civil society organizations, academicians and other stakeholders is to deliberate on the myriad issues affecting effective implementation of the Maternity Benefit Act.
Speaking at the occasion, the Minister said that almost half of those employed in the unorganised sector are women, and they do not derive benefits under this Act. Many don‘t even have awareness about this Act. This covers the domestic workers, agriculture labour, construction workers, forest dwellers, those who fish, etc. Women are forced to join their work soon after delivery from the fear of losing their job, Smt. Tirath stated. This has also affected the health of the small children as they cannot be breastfed at the right times. The MMR and IMR also get affected as a result of this, she said. The WCD Minister said that this discrimination needs to be eliminated by some changes to the way the Act has been operationalised. Although there are many schemes of the government such as IGMSY and Janani Suraksha Yojana, the benefits still have eluded a large section of women in the unorganised sector, Tirath noted.
Speaking at the occasion, Nita Chowdhury, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development said that whatever suggestions were furnished as a collective deliberation during this meet, needed to take care that they are workable and practicable, such that restrictions to their operationalisation are reduced.
Experts attending the consultation noted that the MB Act, which is one of the oldest social security Acts in the country, casts a liability on the employer for the benefits. As a result, women who are in the unorganised sector who don‘t have any employer, and are not ‘employees‘ cannot derive its benefits. This also does not benefit the casual workers as also the ‘contractual‘ employees as opposed to ‘contract labour‘. It was also noted that what is needed is to dovetail schemes such as RSBY with MB Act so that medical benefits also can be extended to the working women, more so in the unorganised sector. Some experts pointed out that even though the term ‘women‘ has been defined in the Act, there is no definition of the term ‘employee‘; thus the fulfillment of the Act gets affected. While the recent legal provisions have included domestic workers in their ambit, the Maternity Benefits Act should be extended to domestic workers through an explicit amendment.

Militants ambush Works minister’s convoy, none hurt

Imphal Jul 2 MNS/UNA : An alleged bid to ambush an inspection team led by state works minister was Tuesday foiled by a team of Manipur police commandos who engaged in a brief gun fight with the militants at Senapati’s Gopibung area under Kangpokpi police station. Police suspect the cadres of Kuki National Front (KNF) who engaged in the brief gun fight with the police commandos today, around 11 am. No casualty was reported on both sides.
However, a highly reliable local source said that the police commandos escorting the VIPs on inspection tour at Kangpokpi area of Senapati district opened fired when they spotted around six armed militants in combat dress on the way the inspection team was about to travel, apparently taking position to lay ambush on the inspection team.
The inspection team led by state works minister Kh Ratankumar included MLA from Kangpokpi A/C Nemcha Kipgen, social worker O Henry and additional chief engineer of PWD, Pradeep Mukherjee and the team was inspecting the condition of inter village roads in the area.
Police source said that suspected KNF cadres numbering around six were spotted by the police team escorting the VIPs after traveling two kilometers from Persian village near Gopibung. When the police commandos spotted the cadres just 60 meters away and sensing the situation opened fired to the cadres in which the cadres also retaliated with automatic weapons.
Personnel of the Manipur Rifles escorting the minister, MLA and officials also joined in the exchange of fire with the cadres. After a brief exchange of fire the police and security force backed from the area as the cadres were leaving the spot.
The spot of firing was not far from the designated camp of KNF maintaining tripartite suspension of operation with the state and Central government and there was high possibility of KNF cadres engaging in the gun fight. There is no any report of casualty in the exchange of fire.
The inspection team led by the works minister backed to Imphal without suspending further inspection to the progress of road improvement works being taken up in the area by the state PWD.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/militants-ambush-works-ministers-convoy-none-hurt/

Where lies the importance of financial section?

If you are a frequenter to an office, you will know who attends office and who else shirk the duty. Having visited too many offices for one reason or the other a finding was made; those in charge of accounting section indulge in abstenism. There is reason behind that. They want too much money without doing anything. If they demand money it is for multiplying 4 by 5. They do not do anything. But in every section of the Government departments there is one accounting section. What do they do? Nothing. They exist to snatch money from those the government wants to support. Such kind of persons who have been assigned to look after accounting section of the Government departments also do not attend offices regularly. If the Government is wise the post of accounting can be abolished. It is not doing anything. Visit the Manipur Police Housing Corporation to understand what is ailing the Government department. You will find the responsible officer not attending the office continuously for four days. Manipur is now ruined, caused by the employees, all getting hefty pay, perks and perquisites from the Government of Manipur. Take the initiative the performance of all these employees will be checked. A change will be found. We have visited too many offices. What we see and find can be taken as gospel truth. They are not doing anything. They continue to wait for money only. Have the gut abolish the post that is not required. The employees in this section of accounting find time for leisure. They attend office only when they are on demand. If they would be required everyday why should not they attend office every day? A correspondent of a news paper found that a responsible officer in charge of financial section not attending office for four days. Perhaps he perused all those files for which money was paid to him while neglecting those for which money was not paid to hm. Do something abolish the post that is not required?

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/where-lies-the-importance-of-financial-section/

Social unrest

Something that should not have happened has happened. More unfortunate is that security personnel were involved in creating social unrest. Men, who should have played the role of saviour have reduced themselves to playing the role of tormentors. Application of mind is now called for. Commandants, SPs, who are in charge of these lower ranked security personnel need to do a lot of hard work to make these lower ranked officials realised on how to treat common men at public place. The man and the woman, who were forced to enact sexual relation scene after being caught by security personnel will have the right to demand huge compensation from the Government for the perpetrators of the crime happen to be the law enforcing agencies. The victims will become a laughing stock in their own society for the video clipping of the scene had been circulated. It remains to be seen what type of punishment is meted out to the security personnel involved in the heinous crime. The nature of the crime is more severe than raping a woman. A rapist gets life term imprisonment in jail for the crime committed. The crime needs to be investigated thoroughly by a competent authority to understand what is ailing our uniformed men. Orientation course is required for all these security men. They need to be told again and again what they should do when someone who needs their help approach them. Unless they are reminded repeatedly why they are in this profession the crime of such nature involving security personnel will continue to occur. They had done something even a villain would not think of doing. But a security man is not a villain. They are paid to protect those who are in need of their help. Something is wrong somewhere, which is reflected by the crime committed. They acted wildly as if they have been given permission to carry out any job of their choice. They could play with the law. Had they caught the duo for desecrating an office by carrying out sexual acts inside the office and handed them over to police station, the personnel involved in the crime would have been hailed for their alertness. But on the contrary they had done a crime, which one could say is the most uncivilised way of giving punishment to the perpetrator of a crime. Will they be able to restore the lost prestige of the two? The answer will be a prestige that had been lost will not return. Therefore the security personnel involved in the crime must suffer.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/social-unrest/

CBI environmental crime programme

Director CBI Ranjt Sinha said during a function of the Integrated Investigative Capacity Building and Operational Planning for Asian Big Cat Related Crimes for South Asia that, “ Admired and revered for their beauty and vitality, the five species of big cats include tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, and snow leopards. All are endangered, mainly due to habitat loss, poaching, and dwindling populations of their prey. India is the only place in the world where both lions and tigers reside. The Tiger – Lord of the Indian Jungles, evokes royalty, majesty and power. With its position at top of the ecological pyramids, the tiger is the symbol of India’s wealth of wildlife. The Harappan seals from the Indus valley civilization, dating back to 2500 BC, depict a man sitting on a tree angrily addressing a tiger waiting for him below. It symbolises our culture. The tiger is India’s national animal. Tiger is also symbol of wilderness and well-being of the ecosystem. By conserving and saving tigers the entire wilderness ecosystem is conserved. It is not an exaggeration to say that saving tiger amounts to saving the ecosystem which is crucial for man’s own survival. The saga of the Tiger in India follows more like a moon-waxing and waning – at times fascinating, distressing, and, more recently, a bit comforting.
India has the maximum number of tigers along with its source areas amongst the 13 tiger range countries in the world. India, with a population of 1.2 billion people, is home to about more than half of the world’s Tigers. One can imagine the dimensions of human-animal conflict. Amidst a welter of pressures including the loss and fragmentation of habitat, large scale and organized poaching fostered by an ugly international demand, unregulated mining in tiger landscapes, loss of connectivity between source areas and ever increasing demand on our forests for developmental projects continue to challenge the efforts to save the tiger. Presently, the country’s 1706 tigers are scattered across a fragmented system of 43 reserves which are under the governance of seventeen different state governments. The Challenge to protect these is formidable.
The Indian government has always accorded Tiger protection top priority and Project Tiger, one of the world’s most successful conservation programmes launched in 1973, has brought the species back from the brink of extinction. This unique project is unparalleled not only in the scale of implementation and but also in its coverage of the diverse habitats. In spite of its outstanding record, the Project and its strategy proved to be inadequate in the face of galloping growth of illegal trade.
In the early 90s, a poaching spree had threatened to undermine the Project. The tragic stories of complete loss of tigers in Ranthambore Tiger reserve in the year 1997 shocked the nation. When the tragedy of the tiger continued to unfold in 2005, this time in Sariska Tiger reserve, the nation was jolted into action. In fact, CBI’s investigation revealed the activities of a highly organized and extensive network of poachers actively operating in Sariska during 2002 to 2005. I am happy that these case studies are being presented to the participants of this programme. Considering the urgency of the situation, Project Tiger has been converted into a statutory authority — National Tiger Conservation Authority — by providing enabling provisions in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 through an amendment in 2006. In its present dispensation as NTCA, the Project strives to streamline scientific modules of conservation and co-opt communities as responsible stakeholders. People versus animals is being replaced by people for animals and animals for people approaches to life and development. The Government of India constituted another statutory body, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau in 2007 to complement the efforts of the state governments and other law enforcement agencies of the country. It is heartening to note that NTCA is also raising, arming and deploying of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF). With this multi agency framework, I sincerely hope we may succeed in conserving our wildlife heritage.
India has nearly 6.5% of the world’s known wildlife species, and is one of the mega diverse countries of the world. The global demand for wildlife and its products puts at risk the mega diversity of the country. The most insidious and the immediate threat to the tiger is the illegal trade in its bone and other parts of its body. Wildlife trade is now well entrenched and widespread in India. The low risk of detection, huge profits and numerous cross border trade routes has made illegal trade an increasingly attractive business. The changing market dynamics and the lifestyles make the existing regulatory regimes inadequate in dealing with the wildlife crimes assuming organized status. It calls for coordinated actions in combating the wildlife related crimes including building capacity for scientific and professional investigation along with other measures.
Illegal wildlife trading networks have cross border linkages. To effectively counter this threat we need greater coordination between the intelligence agencies and enforcement agencies transcending national boundaries. India has a Memorandum of Understanding with Nepal on controlling trans-boundary illegal trade in wildlife and conservation, apart from a protocol on tiger conservation with China and Bangladesh. The process is on for bilateral protocol with Bhutan and Myanmar. A sub-group on tiger and leopard conservation has been constituted for cooperation with the Russian Federation. A Global Tiger Forum of Tiger Range Countries has been created for addressing international issues related to tiger conservation. World Bank’s Global Tiger Initiative is engaged in efforts to curtail international demand for tiger parts and other wildlife through consumer campaigns that link up the loss of the tiger to larger issues of ecological devastation and biodiversity loss. The problem of demand is one of the most daunting and complex issues facing tiger conservation. 8.0 Central Bureau of Investigation is the principal investigation
agency of the nation and it has evolved into a multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary law enforcement agency, its role expanding from the corruption cases to other cases viz. – cyber crimes, organized crime including wildlife crimes, narcotics, arms trafficking, arts and antiquities cases, counterfeiting of currencies etc. CBI maintains a robust incident response capability and possesses ability to adjust to emerging and evolving circumstances created by new threats. Over the years, CBI has acquired sufficient expertise in investigation of cases having inter-State and international ramifications and organized crimes. Investigations into Sariska, provided the Bureau an opportunity to bring the notorious criminals involved in organized wildlife trade to book. We are happy to be part of this noble mission of protecting the Tiger, the greatest living symbol of our natural world. 9.0 In conclusion, let me reiterate that the training programmes of this sort will help the law enforcement and conservation officers of the region to come together and forge robust and far reaching partnerships to combat illegal wildlife trafficking. It is significant that representatives of eight South Asian nations and China are taking part in this Interpol and TRAFFIC initiative. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to INTERPOL for taking measures not only to ensure Capacity Building of member countries in this highly specialized area but also to enhance coordination and cooperation and in promoting international cooperation in countering organized wildlife crime. I am confident that all the participants will find this programme a very valuable learning experience. I trust that this training will add value to our efforts in South Asia to conserve and protect the precious wildlife.”

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cbi-environmental-crime-programme/

High Court dismisses petition of top cop in Ishrat Jahan case

Ahmedabad, July 1 (ANI): The Gujarat High Court on Monday dismissed absconding Additional Director General of Police P.P. Pandey’s petition seeking quashing of a complaint against him in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case.
Justice Harsha Devani today dismissed Pandey’s prayer, saying he an absconder despite being a top police officer of additional DGP rank and his plea should not be entertained.
The Gujarat High Court said a cognizable offence is made out in the FIR and adequate proof exists as three out of four accused persons were in prior custody of the police. The Gujarat High Court noted that since the CBI is in the last stage of filing the chargesheet the time is not appropriate for quashing the complaint. Pandey, a 1982 batch IPS officer who was declared an absconder by the CBI court in Ahmedabad on June 21, had claimed in his petition that he had merely passed on the intelligence inputs that two of the four people killed in the encounter were ‘terrorists’ and planning to enter the city to kill Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Twin strike affects life

Imphal Jul 1 MNS UNA : A 24-hour bandh called by a local joint action committee formed in connection raping of a student in Thoubal’s Yairipok partially disturbed normal life .
Inter-district buses suspended their service for the day besides streets at headquarters of the four districts wore deserted looks.
Almost all the educational institutions, shops and other establishments remained close for the day in these districts.
No untoward incident was reported during the bandh hour except reports of bandh supporters preventing vehicular movement on the streets at some places. It concluded at 6 pm.
No untoward incident is reported during the bandh called in protest against the kidnapping & raping of Arishma, a student by one Md Taj Khan after she was kidnapped from the campus of the Yairipok Universal College where she went to obtain admission form on June 19.
The victim was kidnapped and was allegedly rape. After which she was dropped her in her home in the midnight.
The bandh called by the JAC has affected normal life in Yairipok area of Thoubal district, lthough, essential services like electricity, water supply, press media, medicals, religious activities etc are exempted from the ambit of the general strike.
On the other hand, normal vehicular movement along the Imphal-Mao section of NH-2 was totally disturbed for the day owing to highway blockade called in protest against murder of a auto-driver hailing from Imphal’s Mantripukhri
A sit in protest was staged at Mantri Pukhri Bazaar community hall by the locals of the area, condemning the killing of one Laishangbam Deben, an auto-rickshaw driver who was found dead near water reservoir at Khuman Lampak on Sunday.
Placards with words like ‘Punish the culprits involved in killing Deben, ‘Do not repeat such act in the future’ etc. were displayed at the protest sides besides imposing bandh on NH-39 from 1 pm today till 6 pm of tomorrow.
The JAC said that the family of Deben would not receive the dead body until the culprits involved were booked and award befitting punishments.
Normal life in Naga dominated hill districts of Manipur was Monday paralysed owing to the 12-hour bandh imposed by (ANSAM) showing solidarity to the Nagaland based Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) sponsored bandh in Nagaland.
Owing to the 12-hour bandh of the ANSAM which commenced from this morning at 6 am, normal life in Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and part of Chandel districts was hit.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/twin-strike-affects-life/

Killings of two youths in J-K was ‘avoidable’, : Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, July 1 (ANI): Referring to the death of two youths allegedly in army firing, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said such “avoidable” incidents negate attempts being made by the Centre to bridge the emotional distance between the state and rest of the country.
“I do not have the words to express my grief and outrage over this gruesome incident that was eminently avoidable and needless,” Omar said in a statement issued by his office.
Omar also said, “The death of two youngsters at the peak of their lives and with so much to look forward to is tragic.
They lengthen the symbolic shortening of the emotional distance, made possible by the railway tunnel, between Kashmiris and the country.”
The two youths were killed and another was injured in two incidents of firing at Markundal in Sumbal area of Bandipora in the wee hours yesterday.
This is besides the fact that, by itself, life is sacred- a precious gift from the Almighty, Omar said “Losing it to needless violence is the ultimate tragedy and a loss that is irreparable. Those who dare to challenge this right, by omission or commission, are made to pay a price, the kind that serves as a cautionary example to others,” he said.
The chief minister said :”My heart beats with the grief stricken hearts of the bereaved families. If I could bring back the two youth, I would leave no stone unturned to do so but alas no human being has that power.”
Omar said his words are not meant as rhetoric to heal wounds that will never get healed, but are an attempt to shoulder and bear the grief of the bereaved families and console them.
“I also laud the bereaved families and the communities of which the boys were part of, for maintaining a sense of proportion and calm in the face of adversity and a tense situation, and not allowing their sentiments and emotions to be taken advantage of and exploited,” he added.
The Chief Minister said the death of two youth has hardened his resolve and determination to make the state of Jammu and Kashmir into an example where life is sacred and the right to life is protected by the law.