Manipur News

IMPHAL, April 20: Authorities of the Catholic schools refused to resume classes for fear of the threat after students bodies and parents associations appealed for the normal classes to resume starting today.

The students of Catholic missionary schools return home dejected as the school could not resume normal classes even after student bodies and parents`™ association have appealed the school authorities to reopen the schools from today.

The Catholic schools in Manipur valley have been closed since April 1 following an indefinite ban imposed by Kangleipak Communist Party-Military Council (KCP-MC) group.

The imposed ban has affected at least five schools that accommodate a total of about 17,000 students.

Following appeals made by the Democratic Students Alliance Manipur to the guardians to send their children to their respective schools and to the school authorities to open all the catholic schools concerning the academic career of the students but the schools authorities refused to resume classes for the fear of the threat .

H. Budhichandra, assistant teacher of Nirmalabas High School, speaking to media persons said, `We want to reopen the schools but we do not know what will be the consequences once the schools resume classes. We cannot do anything until the ban is lifted by the particular outfit.`

He further said that the school will have a meeting and urged the government to provide security and if the government is responding to our grievances and extend help the school authorities will definitely resume its classes.

While speaking to the media Warthing Jajo, a guardian of a ward of Nirmalabas also said that, `The silence of the government at this hour is strongly condemnable when thousands of students lost the right to attend schools and violate right to education.`

She further questions why showed indifference to the Catholic schools students, the students are also the pillar of Manipur.

The students of Nirmalabas High School before leaving for home gathered at the gate and shouted slogans; `We want to study` `Don`™t disturb education`.

One of the student of the school(NBS) said, `Please reopen our school for the sake of our future and our syllabus would not be covered, but our exams is knocking at the door`.

The Guardians of the student of St. Joseph School located at Sangaiporou in Imphal West district also staged a sit-in protest demanding to let their children free from disturbances and urged the government to make security arrangement at the school.

A guardian said if the schools authorities cannot do anything on this matter, they should find an alternative arrangement for the students studying in Catholic schools or provide Transfer Certificates (TC) so that the students can shift to other schools. The guardian also expressed great disappointment against the government silence.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/students-return-dejected-as-schools-refused-to-resume-classes/

IMPHAL, April 20: The All Manipur Students`™ Union (AMSU) would form a `Human Chain`™ by April 22 to safeguard the Catholic Schools in their effort to resume normal classes if the schools fail to reopen by April 21.

Expressing serious concern over the chance of the students losing academic career studying in catholic schools, AMSU president Sanasam Subhashchandra during a press conference held at AMSU, head office stated that the Catholic Schools have stopped their classes since April 1 and this is not the time to remain as silent spectators over the issue.

However, if the schools cannot resume normal classes by April 21, then the student body will form `Human Chains`™ if necessary around each of the Catholic schools to guard them and enable normal classes to resume.

AMSU president further said that it is important for all the guardians of the State; others allied individuals or organisations to extend their support and cooperation for the Catholic schools to reopen.

The AMSU president later added that the demand of the particular UG group may have been considered if it was placed not only against the catholic schools but the demand was enforced only to the catholic schools but not to other private schools.

The student body (AMSU) further appealed to the particular UG group to review their decision or arrange an alternative means so that it will not hurt or harm the academic careers of the students as there are about 17000 students missing their classes due to the impasse.

Subhashchandra explained that the decision was taken by the students`™ body not to challenge any individual, group or organisation but for the welfare of the students.

As the State has no industrial resources and others means to bring up the society except through Human resource the students should be given the right to education and make education a disturbance free zone he added.

He lamented that although there have been many appeals for the schools to resume classes there has been no assistance from the government`™s side.

AMSU also appealed to all the Catholic schools authorities for the immediate resumption of normal classes by April 21.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Students`™ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has said in a press release that classes in some catholic schools were resumed today following a prolonged closure.

The student body has also expressed belief that the remaining catholic schools will also resume classes from April 21 without further delay.

DESAM has appealed to the parents and school authorities to actualize this belief and for all schools to continue normal classes from April 21.

The organisation also strongly disapproves of teachers who did not come to school on time and has appealed the teachers to come on time from next day as usual, it said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/amsu-to-form-human-chains-to-guard-schools/

IMPHAL, April 20: ICAR joint director Narendra Prakash told IFP that the first incident of death chicks was found on April 6, following heavy rains accompanied by hail stone.

Around five chicks were first found dead within the poultry unit of ICAR before that there were no such cases, he said.

While the ICAR assumed that it could have been due to the rough weathers, the death of chicks became frequent thereof adding that most of the chicks were two to four weeks old.

Informing that there were altogether 940 chicks at the poultry unit including 560 in unit number one and 380 in unit number 2, the joint directors disclosed that of the total 125 chicks have been transported to KVK Churachandpur.

The chicks were transported to Churachandpur a couple of days after deaths of the chicks.

Following the series of deaths, the ICAR sent the samples of the chicks to Bhopal laboratory of National Institute of High Security Animal for testing and the result came positive yesterday.

Immediately after receiving the information, the remaining 115 chicks at the poultry unit of ICAR were culled, said Narendra Prakash, joint director ICAR.

Subsequently, the information was immediately passed on to the directorate of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/first-incident-of-death-chicks-found-on-april-6-icar/

KANGPOKPI, April20: Articulating its frustration over the State government, the All Tribal Students`™ Union Manipur has vehemently derided the State government allegedly for being too unresponsive over their various demands for too long today.

President of ATSUM, Emboi Serto lamented that they have been good-naturedly in the offering for the government to act over the demands and issues put up by the student body while democratically having confidence in the government and anticipating satisfactory action till today.

However, the government gave the impression of taking advantage over the student body`™s democratic way of enduring and continued to maintain its usual quiescent style over their various demands which included many important issues asserted the ATSUM president.

He continued that they tendered the State government much opportunity and also ultimatum to materialise their demands at the most primitive while enduring the unresponsiveness attitude of the government further than their proclivity and now they have been drained out of their enlightened patient.

Now, ATSUM at anytime has decided to begin striking a chord to blow trumpet over the government in any helpful form and the government will be held solely responsible for any problematic situation that arise out of it, warned Emboi Serto.

ATSUM also demand the state Government for intimation within three days for any positive dialogue. Some of the ATSUM demands included devolution power to ADC, sixth schedule, Reservation policy, Contract basis teacher`™s issue, Addl. Director, Education(S), IGNTU, catholic schools issue, etc.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/atsum-lambasts-govts-silence-over-demands/

CrPC 144 imposed, transportation of birds to and from infected area barred

IMPHAL, April 20: The district magistrate Imphal West district has imposed 144 CrPC 1973 to ensure effective implementation of action plan to counter the outbreak of the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza, Bird Flu, within the 10 km from epicentre.

Addressing media persons at his office chamber today, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry director Dr M Rajendro said the department has initiated immediate action plan since April 19 evening following the positive confirmation of Avian Influenza.

The veterinary director said that as per the provision of the 144 CrPC 1973, the district magistrate has banned all transport/movement of infected birds, dead birds, eggs and other related materials out of the infected area besides barring movement of birds from and to the infected area.

No person shall restock poultry in the infected zone for three months next beginning from April 19 and no person shall move or transport or engage in sale of poultry birds/products including eggs within the surveillance zone, he continued.

The magistrate has also ordered that no persons shall operate shops and markets dealing with poultry products, feeds and eggs, and the prohibition of sale thereof, within a radius of 10 km from the infected site until completion of culling and sanitization operations, further added the director.

Dr M Rajendro further revealed that the Forest department, Government of Manipur shall take all possible steps to ensure that wild and stray birds do not have access to the poultry, poultry sheds and water supplies in the infected area.

If anyone is found violating the order of the magistrate, the person will be booked and awarded with penalty to be fixed by the Police department, he said.

On the other hand, the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department, will set up drop-gates on all outgoing roads of the infected area and the police department shall assist in imposing the same, he said adding that it would stamp out and dispose-off all live poultry birds/other captive birds with all formalities as per the action within the infected zone, in the presence of designated officials of the revenue department.

To safely dispose-off the poultry birds/products the department had reportedly formed 10 groups of Rapid Response Team (RRT) 10 led by a doctor along with two Field Assistants and two Attendants.

Meanwhile, the Rapid Response Teams culled altogether 122 fowl within the radius of one km from epicentre ICAR today. The culled fowl included 17 numbers from ICAR poultry unit and 105 from the Central School, Lamphelpat, Veterinary director Dr M Rajendro said.

Moreover all the culled fowls along with chicken feeds, etc have been buried under earth at Langol near the pony farms.

Culling and surveillance will continue and the daily reports will be updated to the concerned Ministry on a daily basis, he said.

The department has opened a help line number 0385-2450224 for outbreak at directorate of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry government of Manipur Sanjenthong Imphal East.

The director said that a meeting was also convened today at the DC Imphal West office attended by the district SP and officials of the Health, Revenue and Veterinary department.

Further speaking to the media persons, he said that it a contagious disease and could infect humans.

Dr M Rajendro further appealed to the public, poultry farmers and NGOs to co-operate and help the authorities in combating the bird flu (avian influenza) and not to hide their fowls during surveillance conducted by RRT.

He said every fortnight the department will collect samples from infected areas and send the samples to centre at Bhopal for testing for two months.

With regards to compensating the owners of the fowl, the Veterinary director said that owners will be compensated after determining the total weight of the fowls with officials from the revenue department and RRT as witness.

However, the compensation rate per kg was not disclosed.

Responding to queries on the mode of transmission, the director expressed that the virus could have been transmitted from stools of migratory bird however it is yet to be confirmed.

Altogether 18 areas falls under the infected, i.e 1Km radius from epicentre, including Thangmeiband area, RIMS staff quarter, Lamphel police station and its adjacent areas etc.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/preparations-afoot-to-contain-bird-flu-outbreak/

IMPHAL, April 20: The weeklong observation of Fire Service Week held under the theme `To prevent, adopt, safe housekeeping practice and approved electrical appliances`™ was concluded today at Manipur Fire Service Head Quarter, Imphal.

During the valedictory function, altogether 24 fire service men including officers of various substations were felicitated by presenting cash award and certificate in recognition of their knowledgeable demonstration of prevention of fire during the observation.

Addressing the gathering, Ch Chandramani Singh, Director of Manipur Fire Service Department maintained that the weeklong observation was held with the objective of giving awareness on safety measures to prevent incident of fire.

He said that the case of fire incident in the state has been reduced in the last two/three years, while adding that knowledge of people on safety measures to prevent fire incident has increased which is due to mass awareness on the subject.

Lauding the fire service personnel for working with dedication whenever incident of fire take place, the Director said that fire service men should be proud of their profession which is to save people from fire risking their lives.

Fire service personnel are performing their assigned duties in well manner despite the lack of infrastructure in the department, he added.

W Rona Singh, Sub Officer of Thoubal District Sub-Station; Ch Ranjitkumar Singh, Sub Officer of Moirang Sub-Station and W Ranjit Singh, Station Officer of Moreh Sub-Station were honoured with certificate and incentive award in recognition of their distinguished services.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/firemen-recognised-for-dedication-in-service/