Manipur News

IMPHAL, October 13: The Teachers`™ Welfare Association of S Kula Women`™s College Nambol has submitted two memorandums to the Director University Higher and Technical Education alleging acute corruption practices in the college.

Speaking at a press meet at the Manipur Press Club today, the members of the association called for dissolution of the present governing body of the College and conduct of a special spot enquiry by the concerned authorities over corruption charges.

They also expressed dissent over the recent order of the government dated October 8 to open a B Ed course in their college and feel that in the absence of any infrastructural preparedness, it will merely put the present teachers available in the college to more disadvantages as the college already has 26 departments.

The association in their submission went further to say the photographs submitted to the authorities in pursuance of this B Ed course opening are fake and fabricated and that the college has insufficient class rooms at present.

The association further went on to mark Rs 2 lakhs in their account as a bribe and hinted towards a powerful nexus of people sharing the loot of the college fund.

The present Governing Body comprises of 10 member including Prof MC Arun and Prof L Leiren Singh besides local educationist and other representatives from the area, informed a teaching staff of the college.

The erstwhile private college founded in 1981 was converted to a Government Aided College in December 2011, he said.

The teachers also said their salary reduced by at least Rs 1000 per head per month since this upgrade and feel very deprived.

The main corruption allegations of the members present at the press meet were aimed towards N Ibomcha, Associate Prof, Chemistry, Nambol L Sanoi College, who they said is part of all the bodies, projects and programmes or the college.

He was inducted as a local educationist in the Governing Body of S Kula Women College, they claimed.

`He demanded that more than Rs.83,14,589/- were spent from his personal account during the construction of Working Women Hostel and forcefully reimbursed Rs.20,00,000/- from the college fund for himself and insisted on further recovery of more funds` remarked Dr M Ratankumar Singh, secretary of the association.

K Somorjit, who is the lone teacher representative in the present GB added, `The investigating team for the anomalies in the Star Project found interesting revelations.`

According to the documents provided by the association to media persons, S Kula Women College was awarded with Potential for Excellence (CPE)/CE Scheme since April 2014 for a period of five years.

The sanction amount from the UGC inclusive of capital assets and grand-in-aid is Rs.100,00,000/-. The college also received UGC`™s Community College Scheme in May 2014 which is an amount of Rs. 129,70,000/- for two years inclusive of scholarships for students amounting to Rs.30,00,000/-.

The Star College project which is for a duration of three years was also sanctioned by the DBT besides a sanction for construction of the Working Women`™s Hostel under the Ministry of Women and Child Development GoI, the documents said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/s-kula-womens-college-teachers-associattion-alleges-fund-embezzlement/

IMPHAL, October 13: The United Committee Manipur today observed the last day of `Langban Thagi Heitha-Leithaba` and offered floral tribute to the souls of the `great martyrs`™ who laid down their lives during the June 18 incident at the Great June Uprising Memorial Complex, Kekrupat.

Speaking in the sideline of the occasion, UCM president Elangbam Johnson said the observation will once again awaken the spirit of nationalism and patriotism in Manipur.

He said UCM, AMUCO and CCSK have jointly launched a people`™s movement under the moto `Peoples movement for a common future of Manipur.`

And as a part of this movement UCM, AMUCO and CCSK will be organising public meetings and interaction programmes in the coming two to three days at the peripheral areas of the State where different communities co-exist.

`I am pretty sure that the Indian government must be aware of the discussions held during the inaugural function of `Peoples`™ movement for a common future of Manipur`™ held at Hotel Imphal,` he said.

`On the other hand, we have come across some disturbing reports of NSCN-IM recruiting new cadres in the hills districts of the State namely at Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel,` he continued.

Similar reports of recruitment of NSCN-IM cadres at Eastern Nagaland were also reported in the dailies published in the North Eastern region, he said.

UCM cannot rule out the suspicion of whether this is happening with the consent of the Indian government, he said.

The State government has also not given any statement regarding this issue, he added.

If these reports are true this is not the right step, he observed.

They (NSCN-IM and Government of India) have been claiming that they are engaging in peace talks however recruiting new armed cadres cannot bring peace in Manipur, it could only lead to more flare ups among the different communities residing together, he warned.

He urged the State government to find out the truth and also demanded the State government to pressurize the Centre to put a ban on these moves of NSCN-IM in the State, in case the report comes out to be true.

The UCM president citing that all the communities residing in Manipur have equal responsibility in safeguarding the integrity of Manipur, appealed to all the leaders irrespective of the hills and the valley to refrain from making inflammatory speeches which could break Manipur into pieces.

He further demanded the Centre to stop trying to break the integrity of Manipur.

`If these things continue, the resultant peoples`™ uprising can lead to a very ugly situation,` he warned.

He charged the Kangla Fort Board, a management committee which has been assigned to look after the Great June Uprising Memorial Complex, Kekrupat, Imphal, of not performing its duties seriously.

`We wanted to take care of this memorial site however we are not allowed to enter here except on June 18 or on occasions like today. This site is in a pathetic condition as we can all see here,` Johnson said to media persons pointing towards the tall grasses in the complex.

He appealed the State Government to properly maintain the site under a specific policy.

`When people from other parts of the world come to see this memorial site it will be an embarrassment for us,` he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/ucm-expresses-concern-over-nscn-im-recruitment-report/

IMPHAL, October 13: The main problem for the sericulture farmers and silk weavers in the State is finding a market, and as such the State is mulling partnering e-commerce firms to showcase silk products of the State weavers, asserted Manipur Chief Secretary Oinam Nabakishore today.

He was speaking at the inaugural of the Sericulture Krishi Mela at the Directorate office Sangaipat.

Nabakishore said although the silk produced in the State is of high quality, the production is still unable to meet the demand of the State and as such silk cocoons were brought in from Karnataka through the National Handloom Development Corporation.

He said silk clothes are worn only on rare occasions in the State.

To expand the market for silk products from the State, the weavers should produce more common dresses like the salwar or chunni and market them through the e-commerce platforms like Flipkart, Amazon and others, he said.

Women`™s clothing like the `Rani Phee`™ should also be made available on these e-commerce platforms so that the Manipuris living outside the State may have the opportunities to buy them, he said.

At the same time to attract more buyers from outside the State, the weavers and designers should also incorporate designs of shalwar with ethnic patterns, he observed.

Partnering with websites to market the products will only benefit the farmers and weavers of sericulture, he added.

He said there are also plans to implement the Minimum Support Price which is announced annually for the benefits of farmers who are unable to sell their products.

Under this scheme, the concerned departments have to buy the unsold products at reasonable prices, he said.

The central Silk Board has to take vital role to innovate and motivate the weavers on how to make attractive designs for markets aboard, he said.

The chief guest also inspected the Krishi Mela which had 23 stalls of different Self Help Groups and entrepreneurs.

Several varieties of cocoons and silk products were also displayed in the Mela from the four valley districts.

The function was also attended by L Lakher Principal Secretary of Sericulture, H Nagesh Prabhu Member Secretary of Central Silk Board Bangalore Ministry of Textile Government of India, M Joy Singh Deputy Commissioner Imphal East District and W Ibohal Director Sericulture as president and guests of honour respectively.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/chief-secretary-mulls-tieups-with-ecommerce-firms-to-expand-market-for-silk-items/

Imphal may get 24×7 power supply from January 2016

Imphal, Oct 13: Officials of the Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL) has fined around Rs 5 lakhs from around 48 default power consumers in Imphal area in just one month beginning from September 19. According to report from the company the defaulter consumers were caught red handed during random door to door survey conducted by the staffs of the company under the strict supervision of the company`™s Managing Director.

Some of the defaulter consumers were found tapping the prepaid meters and some were found hooking the line from the main power source without informing the company officials.

The random drive is being conducted with an aim to improve revenue collection from Imphal area, as the company is working days and night to provide 24×7 power supply to the people in Imphal area from Janaury 2016. MSPDCL source said that the company spent Rs 10.5 crores for purchase of power to provide electricity for Imphal area but at present the company could collect only around rupees 5 crores from the consumers. This means there is a loss of around 50% and it is important for the company to improve revenue collection to fulfill the company`™s dream for providing 24×7 power supplies to the people, a source from the MSPDCL said.

The MSPDCL is now working days and night to make AB cable connection to all the areas in Imphal. The Company is giving priority to make the AB cable all over the place so that to prevent power theft.

`Vigilance teams have been created by the MSPDCL which are visiting consumer premises across Imphal on daily basis and those found bypassing the prepaid meters and consuming energy shall be fined and their energy supply may permanently be disconnected`, an official said quoting the Managing Director strict directions. Even the officials of the MSPDCL who turn blind eyes to such practice by the consumers had been taken up disciplinary against. One Assistant Manager has been recently suspended for involving in such activities that create commercial lost to the company

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/mspdcl-fines-around-rs-5-lakhs-from-default-power-consumers-in-just-one-month/

IMPHAL, October 13: The police have registered a case after a woman with injuries marks brought to the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences was declared her brought dead by the doctors this morning around 5:58 am.

The woman has been identified as Sajina Begum, 25 wife of Md Sajid Khan of Kairang Umang Leikai under Heingang Police Station in Imphal East.

Her in-laws said this morning when the young wife failed to respond to their calls they check on her and found her lying unconscious. She was rushed to hospital where she was declared brought dead, they said.

The husband`™s family also couldn`™t determine the actual cause of her death.

On the other hand, her parents`™ side said they found injuries on her head, back and other parts of her body and bleeding from her nose.

She must be strangled to death, they alleged.

Her parents`™ side also asserted that Sajina was ill-treated since about a month back when her husband bought home another woman from their locality.

Sajina who has a daughter had return to her parental home on September 25 on the day of Idul Zuha, they claimed.

Later, her husband`™s family came and took her back claiming that they have turned back the new woman, they said.

They said Sajina has been staying at her husband`™s house since about five days back.

Meanwhile, the police have registered a case and post mortem was conducted at the JNIMS mortuary today.

However, her body lies unclaimed in the mortuary after her parents`™ side claimed that Sajina was killed after being tortured.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/police-file-case-after-doctors-declared-woman-with-injury-marks-brought-dead/

KANGPOKPI, Oct.13: As the official consultation process for the New Education Policy gathers steam with States and other stakeholders in the country, the district administration of Senapati also reached out with their template to the public of Sadar Hills today.

The District Level Public Interaction and Consultation on New Education Policy, 2015 under the theme `Educate, Encourage, Enlighten` was conducted today at Multi-Purpose Hall, ADC Kangpokpi.

Jacintha Lazarus, Deputy Commissioner Senapati, DK Thangboi, addl DC Sadar Hills and Alex, System analyst cum MIS coordinator, SSA attended the enthusiastic interaction and consultation program apart from various District Level Officers in Sadar Hills and CSOs leaders, headmaster/principal of various private and Government educational institutions.

Elected members of ADC Sadar Hills including Thangjamang Kipgen, P. Rocky Rangtaina, Silla Jajo, Khangba, Sagar Gewali and Wilinglungbou also attended the function.

Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner said that to meet the changing dynamics of the population`™s requirement about quality education, innovation and research, the Government of India has launched the National Education Policy with an aim to make India a knowledge superpower by equipping its students with the necessary skills and knowledge and to eliminate the shortage of manpower in science, technology, academics and industry.

The IAS officer continued that 33 themes have been identified for discussions while the themes are divided separately for the School Education (13 themes) and Higher Education (20 themes) sectors.

She further said that the objective of the interaction and consultation process is to ensure that an inclusive, participatory and holistic approach is undertaken, which takes into consideration expert opinions, field experiences, empirical research, stakeholder feedback, as well as lessons learned from best practices.

The consultation was conducted under the themes ensuring learning, extending outreach of Secondary and Senior Education, accelerating rural literacy with special emphasis on Women, SCs, STs & Minorities through Adult Education and National Open Schooling Systems, schools standards, school assessment and school management systems, enabling Inclusive Education- Education for SCs, STs, Minorities, and children with special needs, Promotion of Languages, Comprehensive Education `“ Ethics, Physical Education, Arts & Crafts, Life and Focus on Child Health.

Various resolutions have been taken to be incorporated into the district recommendations for formulation of the New Education Policy during the interaction and consultation process.

The district administration also called for more inputs to be included into the district recommendations for formulation of the New Education Policy.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/dc-jacintha-interacts-and-consults-public-on-nep/