Manipur Mail – Page 7

NIPCO foundation day held

IMPHAL, Sept 13 MNS NNN: United Committee, Manipur (UCM) president Y Nabachandra said the time has come for the people both in the hills and the valley to identify the ‘common enemy.’
Speaking on the occasion as guest of honour on the 13th Foundation Day of the National Identity Protection Committee (NIPCO) at Manipur Press Club here, the UCM president said there have been certain elements all the time instigating one community against the other. “This is the time to identify those elements,” stated Y Nabachandra. He lamented that these days as a result, one community is pitting against the other.
On the development front, the UCM president said, “The hill people have been saying that there is development in the valley districts but nothing in the hills.”
According to Y Nabachandra, development is seen only in the market area of Imphal. “Once you step outside the Imphal market area you see vast valley without development,” the UCM president pointed out, adding, “You move away just one kilometre from the Imphal market you will see that there is no drinking water facilities, potholes in the roads, dust and erratic power supply.” The UCM president then blamed the politicians saying the latter have been poisoning the mind of the people in one way or the other so as to click their dirty political game.
Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, editor of Freedom R.K.Ranendrajit said lack of unity in Manipur is because ideologies cannot be shared properly among the people. “How long can we live like this?” RK Ranendrajit said.

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

Eight killed, 13 injured in twin blast

IMPHAL, Sept 13 MNS NNN: Eight construction labourers were killed and 13 injured when a powerful blast occurred in the heart of Imphal late this evening.Three of the injured are in critical conditions. Three died on the spot.
No one has claimed responsibility as yet for the act . Those who were living in the same area were detained for questioning by police.
The incident happened at around 7:30 pm at Khoyathong area in the heart of Imphal.
All the eight deceased labourers were working for a Kolkata based company Simplex Projects Limited. The labourers were engaging in putting slabs on the Naga-Nullah in the heart of Imphal since the last six months, according Simplex Projects Limited officer (Account) S.N Ranga.
All the deceased were labourers from mainland India. The identities of the deceased and the injured are being detailed by the media at the time of filing this story.
The reports said the suspected militants might have used IED in the incident.
The deceased and the injured have been rushed to the Regional institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal.
Top police officers are rushing to the hospital when this report was being filed. The Director General of Police has also arrived in the hospital.
Meanwhile, earlier in the morning, personnel of the 40 Assam Rifles patroling along the Ukhrul-Imphal road in Imphal East district made a narrow escape when an powerful IED planted in the roadside exploded damaging a waiting shed.
The incident occurred at around 10:30 am near Khurai Popular High School at Khurai Thongam leikai in Imphal East district.
An auto-rick-shaw driver identified as one Ningthoukhongjam Robin (35) of Keibi Makha Leikai was injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), the armed wing of Revolutionary Peoples Front (RPF) has claimed responsibility in the morning blast.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/eight-killed-13-injured-in-twin-blast/

VWSC to operate water supply schemes in Tamenglong

Mail News Service
Imphal, Sept 12: The Village Water Sanitation Committees (VWSC) have formed to operate and maintain the water supplies programmes and sanitation programmes in their respective villages in the Tamenglong district.
This was stated by GaijinglungThaimei, Assistant Engineer, Public Health Engineer department (PHED) Tamenglong on Thursday during the technical session on the second day of the undergoing three days Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign about the flagship programs of the Central government at Tamenglong headquarters.
So far VWSC have been formed and engaged for the water supplies programmes and sanitation programms in 28 villages of the hill district, says GaijinglungThaimei,Assistant Engineer of PHED.More than 100 villages have also applied for the said programmes where the department will provide most of the required materials and equipment for the purpose.
The said VWSC will also monitor the maintenance of the water supplies besides overseeing the water security in their respective villages,he added.
“It is not enough to tape water from any available source for drinking purposes as it need to treated first”, Assistant Engineersaid.
He also informed that the department has started to implement National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRWP) with a targeted water supply of 55 litres per head per day within the radius of 100 meter of the said water supply schemes.
He said that 80 per cent of the disease in the world is water borne diseases due to lack of water sanitation and 13 million people in a year due to water born disease.
The best way to maintain the water security is to preserve forest in the water catchment area. Ten years back water was available in plentiful at Duigailong but now scarcity of water is well known to everyone. Another method to have drinking water sustainable in Tamenglong is to harvest rain water and construct check dam,the officer felt.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/vwsc-to-operate-water-supply-schemes-in-tamenglong/

New maternity scheme IGMSY introduced in Tamenglong

Mail News Service
Imphal, Sept 12: For the first time in Manipur, a new monetary benefit program for the pregnant mothers has been introduced in Tamenglong district.
The new scheme called Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY), a conditional maternity scheme was introduced under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) to provide monetary help to the pregnant women after it was launched on March 14,2011, according to Child Development Project Officer M Memcha Devi of Social Welfare Department, Tamenglong.
Project Officer M Memcha Devi was speaking during the technical session of second day of 3 day Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign at Town Baptist Church hall in Tamenglong district head quarter today.
Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Imphal organised the campaign in collaboration with its sister Offices in Manipur and District administration of Tamenglong.
The Tamenglong district administration has even started to provide beneficiaries in most sub-divisons, says Project Officer M Memcha Devi.
As per the IGMSY scheme, the government provides Rs 4000 in cash on an instalment basis in three phases of pregnancy-pre-natal,natal and post natal period. The cash awards were deposited to the bank accounts of the concerned pregnant mothers, she added.
A total of 550 Anganwadi workers along with 488 Anganwadi helpers were working across the 550 Anganwadi centres and 62 mini Anganwadi centres, she said. About 158 Anganwadi centres were constructed including 34 in Tamenglong centre 38 in Tamei in Tamenglong district.So far 3077 pregnant mothers and 3025 nursing mothers have been given the benefits of the scheme,she added.
Though the ICDS, a centrally sponsored scheme implemented through the state governments to reach the unreached in each and every habitation of the country by improving nutritional and health status of children below 6 years of age and pregnant women and lactating mothers, was launched on October 2, 1975 with 33 projects across the country on an experimental basis under the Ministry of women and child development, it was first launched in Ukhrul district in Manipur.
The scheme was implemented in Manipur with 42 projects. Similarly it was implemented in Tamenglong with 5 ICDS projects since January 1, 1983.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/new-maternity-scheme-igmsy-introduced-in-tamenglong/

11,000 Sanitary toilets constructed in Tamenglong

Mail News Service
Imphal, Sept 12: A total of around 11,000 individual household toilets out of targeted 13000 toilets have been constructed across the 171 villages and 269 habitations in Tamenglong under the under central government sponsored Nirman Bharat Abhiyan(NBA) scheme. Besides another 212 more toilets for schools and 50 community toilets were also constructed.
Assistant Engineer Gaijinglung Thaimei of Public Engineering Department, Government of Manipur informed this while giving a presentation as a resource person on Nirman Bharat Abhiyan on the second day of 3 day Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign at Town Baptist Church(TBC) hall in Tamenglong district head quarter today. Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Imphal organised the campaign in collaboration with its sister offices in Manipur and district administration Tamenglong.
The step to provide is being taken up under the initiatives of the centre’s NBA schemeto stop open defecation and also to live neat and clean for a healthy society, he added. “Now we can see the quality life in parts of Tousem sub-division as well.”
To create more awareness, the government also introduced the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) since 1999 under NBA scheme as part of intensifying the Information Education and Communication initiatives in the district.
“We’ve also started to institute Nirman Gram Puraskar(NGP), an award for the Open Defecation Free(ODF)villages,”he informed.“Three villages of Tamenglong have applied for the NGP award this year, the official added. The villages are Taobum,Longchai and Kamanga Khasi.”
It may be noted that Manipur has so far produced two gram panchayat villages which have received the NGP awards in the recent past. Thus the two villages Maklang and Utlou villages in Manipur’s Imphal West and Bishnupur districts become ODF villages and cleanest villages in the state.
Interestingly Magic shows and entertainment programmes by song and drama division also enthralled the gathering as fillers. Many residents of Tamenglong have thronged the TBC hall to get the health care facilities during the free health camp which was organised as part of the on-going campaign.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/11000-sanitary-toilets-constructed-in-tamenglong/

Pot holes

Pot holes at Waheng Leikai and the ones near AIR entry point to name a few are really dangerous. The simple question is why these pot holes cannot be filled up? Whose orders these engineers are waiting for? Do not state PWD have funds for repairing roads? This question is being raised now. The quality of the road is dismal. At Lamphel the roads were under the flood water. The newly black topped roads will have the black cover peeled off when the flood waters have run away. Black topping at such road running at low lying areas is wastage of money. What is needed to be done at such road is raising its level. Our engineers are advised not to recommend black topping of the road, which are prone to flood. The amount spent in black topping can be used in raising the level of road. The roads can be black topped after it has gained respectable height. That way the quality of the road will improve. But it happens in some areas the level of roads is raised repeatedly unnecessarily. That is also wastage of public money. If the main roads are full with pot holes one can imagine what is happening at the lanes and by lanes. Why it happens? Our elected representatives are to be blamed for it. They have not supervised the condition of the roads in their constituency. If they supervise they will be able to tell the PWD where it has gone wrong. On the eve of elections they went with folded hands pleading for support and making false promise that if they are through in the election they would do whatever they can to bring a change in the constituency. Nothing has changed. These elected representatives think the responsibility of repairing or improving a road lies what the Government. What they do not attempt to know is that they are also part and parcel of the Government, whose voice is seriously heard by the men in direct charge of the roads. The gap between the ruled and rulers are also widening. The simple people do not think of going to the residence of elected representatives to demand repairing of roads or nullah. If any one of them moves to their residence it is for getting personal and direct benefit. Always remember the representatives who pay scant attention on the improvement of roads and nullahs are always rejected by the voters when elections are held. These roads and nullahs are faces of our representatives. It is spoilt.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pot-holes-2/

AR reaches out

16 Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ 10 Sector Assam Rifles of HQ IGAR (S) organised an interactive session with the Village Headmen and Secretaries of Tangkhul Villages at Shangshak with an aim to increase the level of cooperation and mutual understanding between Assam Rifles and the local populace. During the session, exchange of thoughts regarding the introduction of community hall development projects, provision of solar lights and computers for schools were put fwd. A total of 105 people from the neighbouring Tangkhul villages participated and it was followed by a musical session, light refreshments and lunch. The villagers were glad as they got an apt forum to project their points and also recommended more such kind of events to be organised in the future. In another endeavour of reaching out to the local populace, 18 SIKH of 9 Sector Assam Rifles under the aegis of IGAR(S) conducted ‘SHRAM DAN’ alongwith the managing committee of ISKCON Temple, Imphal and the locals from the nearby villages. The exercise was aimed to assist the temple committee in the preparation for the forthcoming festive season which shall witness a number of programmes being organised.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ar-reaches-out/

Bamboo threatened by Chinese products

IMPHAL, Sep 12 NNN : Indian bamboo industry is constantly threatened by China as the country exports as much as 260 loads of raw incense sticks to India each day, said South Asia Bamboo Foundation, Guwahati on Thursday.
SABF, Guwahati founder executive director informed this while participating in the opening function of a three-day seminar on “Indigenous Bamboo and Cane Culture in Manipur” at Anthropology Department, Manipur University here.
In his speech, Kamesh said that China exports 260 loads of raw bamboo incense sticks to India on daily basis and this has posed a serious threat to the Indian bamboo industry.
He said in India, bamboo production is still underdeveloped due to stigma and lack of full-time workers and these two factors apart, artisans are undervalued.
China has become a major bamboo furniture producing country in the world today because its artisans are full-time workers and simultaneously it is trying to dominate the world market, he said. He said it is the right hour the Indian Government take steps to tackle this problem especially in NE region that has the 56 percent of bamboo trees grown in the country.
The seminar is being roganised by the Manipur University’s Anthropology Department under the sponsorship of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/bamboo-threatened-by-chinese-products/

Night road block protest to demand ILP introduction

SHILLONG, Sept 12 NNN : The ‘night road block’ in Meghalaya has entered the third night tonight imposed by prominent civil and student organisations of Meghalaya demanding the implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state.
Khasi Students Union (KSU), FKJGP, HNYF, Garo Students Union (GSU), JSSU, CSWO, KWWADA, ADE and RBYF have been spearheading the demand for the Inner Line Permit in the state.
Meanwhile, fourteen of the twenty-two villages Rangbah Shnongs or headmen under the Umroi area in Ri-Bhoi district have extended their support to the pro ILP activists in their fight for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) into the state. The Rangbah Shnong, however also want that the government should come up with a ‘Registration Act’ rather than the proposed ‘Tenancy Act’ apart from the ILP to tackle illegal influx into the state.
Umroi Umdohbyrthi headman Pynwanbor Sylliang told reporters during a press conference said majority of the village heads of Umroi area have
unanimously decided to support the demand put forth by the ten ngos for the introduction of the ILP in the state.
Sylliang informed over 14 village heads out of the 22 villages under Umroi area attended the meeting.Ten organisations have started their second phase of agitation across the state to pressurize the state government that the state government must implement the ILP.
Stating that there is a need to preserve the identity of our indigenous people, Sylliang said, “We have also decided to introduce registration offices in the different village to verify the credentials of the people coming from outside to work in the area right from labourers to office workers.” He informed that such people will be directed to register themselves with the respective dorbar shnongs.
Sylliang felt this exercise will further help to keep check inflow of outsiders into the state.”
Quoting the chief minister Mukul Sangma who recently said that there are other mechanisms which are more effective than the ILP, Umroi Umdohbyrthi former headmen LR Lyngkhoi said, “We strongly rejected the statement made by the chief minister when the situation in the state is quite serious.”Lyngkhoi said the everyone doubt that the proposed State Tenancy Act which the state government claims it is better than the ILP will address the issue of influx.” According to him the Tenancy Act will only protect and safeguard the tenants instead of the indigenous people.
Lyngkhoi however suggested that the government needs to revisit the tenancy act and instead replace it with a registration act. He said more than the tenancy rules the state must be equipped with a mechanism that will ensure that all people coming from outside get themselves registered with the government involving the traditional institutions as part of the process.
“Registration is important as this will deter outsiders to over stay and it will also help in reducing crimes,” Lyngkhoi stated.
Meanwhile, the village heads also expressed their resentment on the centralization of powers by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) which in turned has worsen up the situation in the state. “We demand the KHADC being the custodian of customary laws to safeguard tribal lands to decentralize its powers at the Dorbar shnong level,” Lyngkhoi said. He said the state government and KHADC needs to empower the Rangbah Shnongs in tackling issues .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/night-road-block-protest-to-demand-ilp-introduction/

Teacher denied award

IMPHAL, Sep 12 NNN : An ideal High School teacher from Manipur is now upset after he failed to claim the prestigious National Teacher Award 2013 due to the laxity of the state Government.
Koijam Tolendro, who is 51-year-old, is a senior graduate teacher at Prajja High School, Lamshang in Imphal West district and a resident of Lamshang bazaar. He was one of the two selected teachers from Manipur who was to honour by the President by conferring the award on Teacher’s Day, September 5 in New Delhi.
Two teachers from every state of the country are chosen for the award which is given on the occasion of Teacher’s Day every year. Ch Nishikanta, Headmaster of Thambalkhong Junior High School was the lone teacher from Manipur who received the award on the occasion of Teacher’s Day, he said.
Tolendro said, “I failed to claim this award since the concerned authorities of the state Government didn’t inform me on time.”
He was talking to reporters at the school when he added that he applied for the award through the state Education Department after recognizing his achievements in the field of teaching.
He said, “He came to know that he was selected for the award on the website of Ministry of HRD, but it was too late.”
Tolendro received the state Teacher’s Award in 2005 and was among the top 10 teachers of the country selected for taking part in the National Level Science Teachers Congress in 2007. He had also attended several national and international conferences.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/teacher-denied-award/

Census work badly done : NPF

IMPHAL, Sept 12 NNN : The Naga Peoples Front (NPF), Manipur State unit said that as long as the Manipur government achieves its ‘target’ more re-verifications of census are bound to continue.
The census reports of 2001 and 2011 in respect of Mao-Maram, Paomata and Purul sub-divisions of Senapati district, have been rejected by the state government of Manipur on the ground that there have been abnormalities of population growth which was not possible.
“No matter how many re-verifications are conducted by the Registrar General of India (RGI), the Manipur government will not accept the reports if they turn out to go against its interest. There is a motive of the Manipur government in this connection,” alleged Athuan Abonmai, general secretary of the NPF, Manipur state unit. He questioned whether those people in Senapati district whose names are rejected in the census count be made the citizens of China or Myanmar or any other country if the government really refuses to accept them. Athuan Abonmai also said never ending re-verifications of the census have wasted the time of busy farmers in the district.
Altogether 19 officials of the Registrar General of India (Census) led by deputy director SK Chakarbarti are now conducting the census re-verification task in the three sub-divisions of Senapati district since last week. They are leaving for New Delhi on coming Saturday.
On September 4, in a memorandum submitted to Dr. Chandermolly, director of the Registrar General of India, the NPF questioned, “How many verifications and re-verifications are needed ?”
According to the NPF, even if re-verifations are done hundreds of time, it appears that the Manipur government will never accept unless its target is achieved.
The NPF then said, “It is so ironical to say that the Manipur state government has certain agenda to reduce the population of the said three blocks of Senapati district.”
It alleged that the state government had rejected ‘the physically counted’ census data both 2001 and 2011 and that too after the provisional census data was published which amount to violation of fundamental rights of the concern citizens.
“As the officially verified and accepted figures of the population were rejected by the Manipur government, a joint re-verification of census 2001 and 2011 were carried out by S.K Chakrabarti, DDG and Dr. MC Mehanathan, Director Ministry of Home from May 9-10 in 2011 and found hundred pencent correct,” the NPF pointed out.
“However, the state government has rejected all these genuine data. The state government estimated the population at 40% done randomly. Such discriminatory attitudes of the state government have to be checked. the justifications of high rate population in the hilly tribal areas of those three blocks were clearly made by the concern SDOs and the deputy commissioner,” the NPF stated.
“The Manipur state govenment is determined to reduce forcibly the cityzen’s population of the tribal dominanted Sub-Divisions namely Mao-Maram, Paomata and Purul. It is another form of genocide penetrated to the minority tribal by Manipur government. Tribals in the said blocks are living death in this planet and both the government of India and Manipur government treated them as persona non-grata”, the NPF fumes.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/census-work-badly-done-npf/

Black day to be observed

IMPHAL, Sept 12 NNN: Kukis are all set to observe the Kuki Black Day on Friday in New Delhi, Assam, Manipur and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Kuki National Front (KNF-N) has cautioned that its dawn to dusk bandh on September 13 marking the Kuki Black Day will be enforced strictly. The KNF-N asked those participating the Kuki Black Day to attached a black flag each in their vehicles and paste print-outs in the vehicles with the distinations written in it.
Meanwhile, the Kuki Students’ Organisation, Delhi said will observe the ‘Kuki Black Day’ on the September 13. The event will be observed with a peaceful and silent candlelight march of over 500 students at Jantar Mantar at 5pm.
“This day of mass mourning marks the commemoration of the inhuman massacre of over 900 innocent Kukis between 1992 and 1995 by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isaac-Muivah) or more popularly known as NSCN-IM,” the KSO-Delhi said. According to the KSO-Delhi, this incident has been termed differently by different media and writers. “The BBC World termed it as ‘Ethnic Cleansing by Naga Separatist’. CNN had covered it as ‘Genocide’. PhannoujamTarapot in his book ‘Manipur Bleeding’ referred to the episode as Ethnic Cleansing and so does Pradip Phanjoubam in his book, ‘Where the Sun rises when shadows falls.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/black-day-to-be-observed/

ILP

Civil society organisations and students’ bodies in Meghalaya have begun their ‘night road block’ agitation since last night demanding the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.
Khasi Students Union (KSU), FKJGP, HNYF, Garo Students Union (GSU), JSSU, CSWO, KWWADA, ADE and RBYF have been spearheading the demand for the Inner Line Permit in the state. These organisations had held talk with the state government on August 29 where chief minister Dr Mukul Sangma had expressed his desire to have other mechanisms instead of implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to control the influx issue in Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, the ‘night road blockade’ will continue till September 13 night. The night road block begins at 7 pm and ends at 5 am on daily basis. The blockade has been effective in all the districts of Meghalaya. The extremely busy Guwahati-Shillong road is badly affected.
According to the civil bodies demanding the implementation of the ILP in the state, if the Mukul Sangma government fails to response by September 13, they will announce the next course of agitation which will be more drastic than the ongoing form of agitation.Office picketing, bandhs and other forms of protest had altready been held in Meghalaya this month.NNN

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

15th Bharat Nirman Campaign begins at Tamenglong

Janghemlung Panmei MLA visiting the stalls, at the inauguration of the Public Information Campaign on Bharat Nirman at Tamenglong, on September 11

Mail News Service
Imphal, Sep 11 : Braving the seasonal downpour, the 3 day awareness programme on Central government sponsored flagship programmes called Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign was formally inaugurated at the Town Baptish Church hall today at Tamenglong district headquarter .
The 15th edition of PIC was organized by Press Information Bureau (PIB) Government of India,Imphal in collaboration with Directorate of Field Publicity(DFP),Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, Song and Drama Division, All Indian Radio and Doordarshan and District administration of Tamenglong.
Janghemlung Panmei MLA was the chief guest while Member District Council Charles Liangdiyang of Tamenglong Autonomous District Council presided over the function. Assistant District Magistrate Joseph Pauline also attended the function as guest of honour.
“We are here to gain knowledge on what the government is doing for us,”said MLA Janghemlung while speaking on the occasion. “I hope this awareness programme will benefit to the people as we lack awareness on what the central schemes are all about.In fact the government has done so many things for us but why not we take such opportunity. We should think and act on it”.
Urging the public to wake up and learn or gain knowledge on such schemes, he said that such opportunity should not be ignored by one and all including our beloved students on subjects like the Right to Education Act.
Let this campaign be the beginning of making a new era of taking up development activities in the district,he appealed.
Stating that PIB plays a big role in disseminating the information to masses, Member District Council Charles Liangdiyang of Tamenglong Autonomous District Council said, the government want to tell (to the people) what the government is doing for the people through this campaign.
Sharing the similar sentiment in his presidential speech, Assistant District Magistrate Joseph Paulinesaid that development should reach all section of the society and here the implementing agencies should play an important role. He also informed that besides existing Below Poverty Line and Above Poverty Line families,a total of 21,281beneficiaries in Tamenglong district will be covered once the National Food Security Act is come into force in the state.
Media and Communication Officer Premlata Loitam of PIB Imphal said the campaign which aims to spread more awareness on central sponsored schemes in the state, district and village levels, was launched at Malom in Imphal West district for the first time in Manipur in 2006.This time the campaign is being taken up for the third time in Tamenglong after organizing the campaign in 2007 and 2011 respectively.
Earlier the dignitaries of inaugural function opened an exhibition on central flagship programmes as part of the campaign where about 17 stalls including Health,Public Health Engineering and Social welfare departments, Tamenglong Cane and Bamboo Development Centre etc. Later Mathew of DFP gave the vote of thanks in the day’s inaugural function.
Manipur Youths Cultural Organisation and Imphal Artists Union under Song and Drama Division Imphal centre also performed in the day’s function.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/15th-bharat-nirman-campaign-begins-at-tamenglong/

Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN (WGHR) calls for repeal of AFSPA

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Sep 11 : Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN (WGHR) – a coalition of Indian civil society organisations and independent experts – calls for an immediate repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958, on its 55th anniversary.
The AFSPA has continued to be an excuse for suppression and impunity for the last 55 years. The law and the violence and illegality committed under its protection have alienated the people of the North Eastern States and Jammu and Kashmir. For 13 years force-fed and forgotten, Irom Sharmila, has determinedly laid her life on the line for its repeal.
The Supreme Court did uphold its constitutionality in 1997 but at the same time warned that prolonged and too frequent deployment of armed forces for handling such situation is likely to generate a feeling of alienation amongst the armed forces.

Earlier this year, Justice Verma, the architect of 1997 judgment, sitting as Chair of Committee on Amendments to Criminal Law pertaining to violence against women recommended, in a change of heart, that so far as sexual offences are concerned, the need to obtain sanction from the central government for prosecution, suit or other legal proceeding shall be dropped. The government has ignored the recommendation. This is despite the affirmation of Union Home Ministry’s Committee to Review Armed Forces Special Powers Act’s recommendation that AFSPA’s constitutional legality is “not an endorsement of the desirability or advisability of the Act (…) the Act, for whatever reason, has become a symbol of oppression, an object of hate and an instrument of discrimination and high-handedness. It is highly desirable and advisable to repeal this Act, altogether (..).” The same position is endorsed by the 2nd Administrative Reform Commission.
Most recently, following a PIL filed by the Extrajudicial Execution Victim Families Association, Manipur on 1528 alleged extrajudicial killings, the Supreme Court appointed Justice Santosh Hedge Commission, also agreed with the official Committee and Commission and observed that “though the Act gives sweeping powers to the security forces even to the extent of killing a suspect with protection against prosecution etc. the Act does not provide any protection to the citizens against possible misuse of these extraordinary powers”.
After his 2012 visit to India, Mr. Christof Heyns, UN Special Rapporteur on Summary, Arbitrary and Extra-Judicial Executions, presented a report at the 23rd session of the Human Rights Council, Geneva, in which he concluded, “that retaining a law such as AFSPA runs counter to the principles of democracy and human rights. Its repeal will bring domestic law more in line with international standards, and send a strong message that the Government is committed to respect the right to life of all people in the country.” He also observed that “the powers granted under AFSPA are in reality broader than that allowable under a state of emergency as the right to life may effectively be suspended under the Act and the safeguards applicable in a state of emergency are absent.WGHR strongly recommends the Government of India that it initiates the necessary legal reforms and policy measures in order to end impunity and diminish the level of unlawful killings.
WGHR, therefore, once again calls for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Computerisation of land records of valley areas within March : CM

Chief Minister, during inaugural function of computerization of land record under national land records moderniztion programme at Bishenpur

Mail News Service NNN
Imphal, Sep 11 : The CM O. Ibobi said the process of computerization of land records of four valley districts will be completed within March next.
He was speaking at the distribution function of computerised land records of Bishnupur district at Mini Secretariat, Loukoipat today. He also gave away computerized pattas to three persons.
The CM further said, he felt happy as the pattas are computerized. Although 64 villages have been completed for this process.
The CM also laid the foundation stone for the construction of Bishnupur district sports complex at Phubala.
He said Manipur is the power house of sports of India. Manipur is known to others through sports. The govt. is trying to construct a sports complex each in all districts.
The sports complex will be completed within two years and inaugural function will be held when other complexes are completed. Football, hockey, multipurpose hall, 60-bedded hostel will accommodate the Rs. nine croes, 40 lakhs spoorts complex.
The complex will also be constructed at sub-division level he further said., Bishnupur has become the first district to have computerised land records in the state and the remaining districts are expected to complete the process by March 31 next year.
Making a speech at the function organsied by Youth Affairs and Sports Department (YAS), Ibobi said the sports complex will be constructed at a total cost of Rs 90.80 crore to be funded by the Non- Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) of DoNER ministry.
He assured that the three-year project will be completed within two years since the state Government is planning to build it on war footing from October or November of the current year.
The complex will have its main gallery, hockey ground, multipurpose hall, a 60-bedded hostel for players and a quarter for coaches, he said. Ibobi later on visited the INA Complex at Moirang in Bishnupur district where he inspected the under construction underground parking. He also visited the Takmu Water Sports Complex and Sendra Tourist spot.

Centre, state oblivious of border problem : UCM

IMPHAL, Sep 11 NNN: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) said Wednesday the present Manipur and Central Governments have no explicit knowledge of the state’s actual boundary area along the Indo-Myanmar border, announcing it would launch a mass movement to push for a final settlement to the alleged flawed boundary fencing and demanded for a demarcation of the border to determine the state’s political boundary.
Talking to mediapersons at the UCM office here, the committee’s president Y Nabachandra demanded that the Central and Manipur Government take steps for demarcation of the alleged disputed Indo-Myanmar border to determine the definite political boundary of the state. Manipur Government should convene an emergency special session of the state assembly to discuss the border issue and bring an ultimate solution, he further demanded.
He said UCM had earlier on September 1 organised a seminar on the border issue here at Imphal Hotel to seek advice from intellectuals on the matter which is very sensitive by nature.
The discussion came after a team of the committee visited the border to oversee the Indo-Myanmar Border Fencing, he said.This was followed by a technical session held at the committee’s office yesterday to deliberate on the next course of action, Nabachandra informed, adding six resolutions were taken during the session.
It resolved the territorial integrity of the state should not be severed at any cost and the concerned should immediately stop taking such steps. An emergency special assembly session should be convened by the Government to discuss on the border issue and take resolutions to bring a final solution.
Any sort of fence construction on the Indo-Myanmar border must be immediately discontinued until the dispute is ended by a political solution, it resolved.
It also resolved that the state Government should bring out a white paper on the issue. Further resolved that a coordinating committee comprises of social organizations and leaders of the ethnic communities of Manipur will be set up to deal with the issue and launch a mass agitation to fulfill all the demands.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/centre-state-oblivious-of-border-problem-ucm/

SUPCM’s celebrates 40th Fresher’s Meet

Imphal Sep 11 UNA : Hundreds of students of Presidency College Motbung gathered at the Jubilee Hall to celebrated the 40th Fresher’s Meet 2013 organized by the Students’ Union Presidency College Motbung on Wednesday.
The event was graced by Shri. Tongminlen Haokip, Jr.MCS, SDO/BDO Chandel District, Khengjoi Block as Chief Guest while Dr. T.Gangte, Principal Presidency College Motbung and Y.Biren Singh, Associate Professor, Chemistry, Presidency College, Motbung attended the event as Guest of Honour and Functional President respectively. All teaching staffs of the College apart from the special invitees attended the event .
During the celebration event, various cultural dance were on display by different cultural troupe including Pahlingnei Cultural Troupe, Presidency College Cultural Troupe, Chungmang Pathen(PYC), etc.
A prominient Kuki Pop Artiste Lovejoy and others like Boipu Khongsai, DJ.Kay, Chongneo Khongsai, Kamgoulen Joewa and Golden Age Band enthralled the audience with their performance in the event.
The audience had a great time listening to Lovejoy hit songs like “Gamtui Theng”, “Thangvan Ponkang Sil”.
One of the highlight of the event which charged up the crowd was the Westerndance from Pipi & Lulun, Pahhoi & Party, Themshi & Friends as well as Kh.Mangpi.
“Enjoy your College life with positive attitude and approach” noted the event Chief Guest while adding that a good student always maintained the value of Education well in positive path.
Dr.T.Gangte urges the freshers and other students to tread on the example of humility in greatness, necessity of continual learning and significance of student involvement in social services as examplified by respectable high ranking top official in the state as well as in central service who are once good pupils of the college.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/supcms-celebrates-40th-freshers-meet/

55 long years under AFSPA

IMPHAL, Sept 11 NNN : The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is 55 years old today and the people affected by this ‘black Act’ have come all along protesting for over half a century against the Act but the largest democracy in the world, India is unperturbed and callous.
The United Naga Council (UNC), Sharmila Kanba Lup (Save Sharmila Movement) and Just-Peace Foundation (JPF) today strongly advocated for the repeal of AFSPA.
“As an organisation, we also demand for the repeal of AFSPA at the earliest,” said UNC president L Adani while talking to NNN.
Meanwhile, Sharmila Kanba Lup, a movement supporting hunger striker Irom Sharmila has termed today, the September 11 as Black Day’.
On September 11, 1958, the AFSPA came into existence.
Women folks under the banner of Sharmila Kanba Lup carried out sit-in-protest today to mark the day near (JNIMS), Porompat in Imphal.
Also marking the occasion, Just Peace Foundation, Imphal questions the rationality of continuing imposition of AFSPA by the government for over half a century.
“In many parts of the North East India, the Act has been in operation for all these 55 years generating and invigorating this feeling of alienation,” said the Just Peace Foundation in a communique made available to the media houses today. It then pointed out several instances where numerous government constituted review committees on AFSPA going against the continuing of the Act.
The JPF cited the reports of the 2005 Committee to Review the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the Supreme Court appointed Santosh Hegde Commission and many others.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/55-long-years-under-afspa/

BSNL introduces 3G at Tamenglong

TAMENGLONG, Sept 11-The Bharat Sansar Nigam Limited(BSNL) has started to introduce 3G internet services connectivity in Manipur’s Tamenglong in the current year.
This was disclosed by M Maheshkumar Telecom Technical Assistant of BSNL during the question and answer session soon after delivering his presentation on BSNL’s activities in the backward district of the state on the first day of the on-going 3 day 15thBharat Nirman Public Information Campaign which was organized by Press Information Bureau (PIB)Government of India,Imphal in collaboration with Directorate of Field Publicity(DFP),Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, Song and Drama Division, All Indian Radio and Doordarshan and District administration of Tamenglong at Town Baptist Church Hall in Tamenglong district today.
He also admitted that the BSNL is planning to launch Wi-max internet service in the hill district headquarter, about 150 km west of the state capital soon once the necessary infrastructure are established.
There are three 2G Base Trans-receiver (BTS)mobile towers, one each of 3G BTS and WLLtowersin Tamenglong district headquarters.There are limitations for setting up of BTS towers as it requires proper infrastructures.
But unfortunately one BTS tower is going down in Tamenglong since the last four/five days back due to frequent cut down on the existing Optical Fibre Cable(OFC)located somewhere along the 40 km stretch of Tamenglong headquarter and Khongsang points, he added.
So far BSNL has been providing telephone and internet broadband services to 410 landline telephone subscribers and 50 broadband telephone services.
Seeking public help and cooperation from the general public of the district the BSNL official also admitted that the up-gradation works of the BSNL services are still on in the district.
The AADHAR number, a unique identity numberof every citizen of the country, issued by government of India will remain valid for their lifetime. This AADHAR number will serve as Identity of a person anywhere in India. It is a must for the citizens to enrolfortheir respective AADHAR numberin the country.
This was stated by Senior Journalist Salam Enaomacha during the first day technical session of the on-going the Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign at Town Baptist Church Tamenglong organized by Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Imphal in collaboration with DAVP, DFP, Song & Drama Division, Prasar Bharati and District Administration Tamenglong, today.
“The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme will prevent the misuse of subsidy amounts provided by the government for every beneficiaryas the government authority or the implementing agencies will directly deposit their money to their respective bank accounts which are linked to Aadhar number”, Enaomacha added. However at present, since many beneficiaries are still to be provided the Aadhar card, the benefits are deposited to the bank accounts even without the Aadhar number.
Under the scheme, all LPG consumers with Aadhar numbers and whose bank accounts linked to Aadhar numbers will be given and advance amount of Rs 435/- per cylinder booked, immediately on booking a cylinder.While the LPG cylinders will be supplied at the market price,the subsidised amount will be credited automatically in their accounts.
It may be mentioned that the DBT which was launched on January 1 this year in 43 districts in 16 states and union territories for 25 schemes, also aims to cover some of the central sponsored schemes such as Indira Gandhi Matritiva SahyongYojana,Dhanlakshmi scheme, Janani SurakshaYojana,housing subsidy for beedi workers, stipend for SC/ST for coaching , guidance and vocational training.
A public discussion on Aadhar and DBT followed by another quiz among the school students of Tamenglong at the concluding part of the technical session. Later magic show and a theme based short play by artists of the Song and Drama Division,Imphal enthralled the gathering.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/bsnl-introduces-3g-at-tamenglong/