Manipur News

IMPHAL, October 21: The State Directorate of Health Services has observed Global Iodine Deficiency Disease Prevention Day at the Jubilee hall of RIMS today. Speaking as the chief guest of the function, Health minister Phungzathang Tonsing said that the day was observed to create awareness about the need to prevent iodine deficiency.

Iodine is one of the most essential elements of our food. Due to iodine deficiency, many people in the country are facing health problems, including endemic goitre and mental or motor handicaps especially common among pregnant women and children, he said.

In the context of Manipur, iodine deficiency disorder mostly happens in hilly areas as all the elements are washed away by water to the valley and also due to lack of education, he added.

Speaking at the function, National Health and Family Welfare Services regional director Dr L A Singh said iodine deficiency disorder is more common in developing countries of Africa and India. In India, more than six crore people are suffering from iodine deficiency particularly in the Himalayan region including Kashmir and Manipur, he added.

He also said that an adult should consume 150 micro gram of iodine per day. According to a survey about 92 percent of the families in the State use iodised salt but it is necessary to check how the people of the State are using it, he added.

State Health Services/SMD director Okram Ibomcha Singh and State Family Welfare Service, director K Raju Singh also attended the function as the president and guest of honour.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/survey-shows-92-percent-families-in-state-using-iodised-salt/

Chandel, October 21: The indefinite bandh called by a faction of the All Tribal Students Union Manipur on National Highways imposed from midnight onward affected vehicular movement along the Imphal `“ Moreh section of National Highway 102.

The student body has in the meantime, suspended its agitations including the bandh under the code name Reckoning of the Others from today following govrenment`™s invitation for talks.

Since early in the morning, volunteers of the student body were seen blocking the section of the important Imphal – Moreh highway near Molnoi and Thamlapokpi villages.

Bandh supporters prohibited private as well as passenger vehicles from proceeding further towards their respective destinations.

At Pallel, many private and passenger vehicles coming from Imphal side were seen returning back as soon as they came to know about the bandh imposition along the highway.

However, media, medical services, security forces and religious function related vehicles were exempted from the purview of the Bandh.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/atsum-bandh-affects-imphal-moreh-highway/

CHANDEL, Oct 21: The villagers of Saibol Joupi and surrounding villages under Khengjoi Sub-Division in Chandel District are facing acute medical problems and children are deprived of routine immunisation facilities due to unavailability of medical Staff at Primary Health Sub-Centre for the last few years.

While speaking to the media persons, Jamkholal Khongsai, Chief of Saibol Joupi Village has said that the Primary Health Sub-Centre in the village has been lying unattended since the transfer of ANM, the only staff of the Sub-Centre some two and half years ago.

The Village Chief further said that for the last few years the villagers of T. Bollon, Joupi, H. Hengcham, Nakong, Tm. Dingpi, Tuikong, Tolbung, Hengshi and Hollenjang besides the villagers of Saibol Joupi have not been administered routine Immunisation of DPT, OPV, BCG, etc. for their children due to absence of medical staff at the Primary Health Sub-Centre.

For getting routine immunisation and medical treatment, the villagers of these remote villages have to trek 25 kilometers by foot to the nearest Primary Health Sub-Centre at Shehlon or have to walk 35 km stretch long deplorable road conditions to Chakpikarong where the nearest Community Health Centre is located, said the Village Chief.

He also said that sometimes the villagers used to get benefits from free health camp organizsd by Assam Rifles/Army and District Health Society under National Rural Health Mission which are conducted once a year. However, the villagers cannot depend on such health camp throughout the year as routine immunisation of Children should be done in time at the specific intervals.

The Village Chief also fervently appealed to the State government and concerned authority to consider the plight of these remote villagers and sent the required medical staff of Saibol Joupi Primary Health Sub-Centre at the earliest.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/remote-villages-of-chandel-enduring-without-basic-medical-facilities/

IMPHAL, October 21: Officials of the Social Welfare department were today interrogated by State Vigilance sleuths in connection with a case registered by the superintendent of police (Vigilance).

The Vigilance team also seized files and documents from the office of the department located near the 2nd Manipur Rifles gate today in connection with case no 1/SP-V/ 2014. The case was taken up in connection with schemes and programme taken up by the department during the 2011-12 and 2013-14 period.

Sources informed the IFP that the interrogation of the officials and checking of the files was conducted inside the 2nd Floor Conference Hall of the department`™s building.

The team led by SP RK Meme Devi arrived at around 11am and the questioning continued till 3pm, sources said.

Prior to today`™s interrogation of officials, on October 17, director Rangitabali Waikhom had issued a circular stating that a meeting will be held according to a directive of the SP Vigilance. The circular also instructed 16 officials to attend the meeting.

The officials asked to attend the said meeting include retd head clerk of the department S Chandrakumar Singh, retd superintendent P Mohendro Singh, retd research officer Th Akhoikumar Singh and retd deputy director (ICDS) L Shyama Devi, former director of the department and presently posted as secretary election Th Chitra Devi. Chitra Devi was the director of the department during January 14, 2013 and July 31, 2013.

The other officials are joint director G Satyabati Devi who was the director of the department from February 24, 2010 to January 13, 2014; deputy director (WP) Surrender A Sishak; deputy director (SW) Th Joychanra Singh; deputy director (Trg) Jiteshwor Keisham; deputy director (Disabilities) Th Dilipkumar Singh; child welfare officer, Binobala Nongmeikapam; deputy director (ICDS) Ranjana Manoharmayum; probation officer (ICPS) K Saroja Devi; programme officer (SNP/ Sabla/ KSY) V Mingthingla; research officer (NSAP/ MOAP) W Birahari Singh and rehabilitation psychologist L Dhaneshwar Singh.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/vigilance-team-interrogates-social-welfare-officials-seizes-files/

Imphal, October 21: `As the political scenario has changed in the country and the Congress continues to fall like nine-pins in various States, we need to seriously discuss the fate of Manipur with regard to the current trend`, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said while addressing the reception programme of newly elected Congress MLA Dr Elangbam Dwijamani in the Congress Bhawan.

Urging the newly elected legislator to serve the people on a war footing as his tenure is short, the Chief Minister also asked all the ministers and MLAs to do the same in their respective constituencies.

The Chief Minister said he is having sleepless nights after the party suffered heavy defeats in many big States across the country following the Lok Sabha poll debacle.

Appealing to all the ministers, MLAs and Congress workers to completely dedicate themselves in undertaking programmes or projects in their respective constituencies from today onwards, he said even though the Congress rule in the State is going to complete three consecutive terms they should not create an environment in which people may raise questions to the government.

We must work hard for the people so as to not lose the confidence of people, he said.

Stating that rumours of decreasing Central funds allocated to Manipur is not true, Ibobi said when the UPA government was in power it didn`™t affect fund allocations to Gujarat and similarly the NDA rule wouldn`™t affect the allocation of central funds to Manipur.

The BJP Manipur Pradesh is no cause of concern for the State government, he said. The development programmes taken up in both hill and valley districts bear testimony to what the Congress has done for Manipur, he stressed.

But we must complete those infrastructural projects and development programmes so that the people of Manipur may not lost hope in the Congress, he added.

MPCC president Gaikhangam said the electoral success in Hiyanglam resulted from the support of ministers and MLAs of the Congress.

Now, the party has regained the seat that it lost. The collective effort of MLAs of the Congress is being witnessed in the Hiyanglam bye-poll, he said.

If this practice continues in the future then the Congress can retain power in Manipur and need not be worried about failing in the upcoming elections, he added.

Hiyanglam people knew the political scenario of Manipur so they supported the Congress by sending an MLA from Hiyanglam, Gaikhangam said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/dont-lose-confidence-of-people-cm-urges-party-members/

Imphal, October 21: ATSUM has called off its indefinite strike along the national highways, and of the railway project, this evening after the Chief Minister invited the tribal students`™ body for negotiations.

Addressing a press meet at its office in Nagaram, ATSUM president Maun Tombing said the students`™ body decided to impose the indefinite bandh in the hill districts from October 21 after the government failed to comply with the agreement made last year.

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi invited representatives of ATSUM today for holding talks on their pending demands.

The negotiations will be held in the morning of October 22 at around 8 am at the Chief Minister`™s chamber. We hope that the talks bring positive results, Tombing said.

He added that the bandh imposed by ATSUM on the national highways and the railway project in the State has been revoked on October 21 at around 3:30 pm.

`If the talk with government fails then ATSUM is free to launch an agitation at any moment. We are counting on the government to keep the promises it made on November 29 last year` the president of the Maun Tombing faction of ATSUM said.

ATSUM had called an indefinite blockade starting today which would have stopped all sorts of vehicular movement along the National Highways and the National projects including railway construction works etc.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/atsum-revokes-highway-bandh-after-government-invitation-for-talks/

IMPHAL, October 21: The Thadou Students Association strongly oppose the reported acquisition of 3000 acres of tribal land for the purpose of setting up a smart city at Moreh/Haolenphai, Chandel district, said the student body`™s president Lamminlung during a press conference at the Manipur Press Club here today.

Lamminlung stated that it is against the customary law and tradition to sell land for any reason whatsoever and added that `We are ready to die to safeguard the traditional land for the cause of our people.`

The Thadou Students`™ Association demanded the State government to clarify whether the reported acquisition of land as stated by Industries minister Govindas Konthoujam through the press statement is true.

He said the Kukis`™ and other tribal people`™s interest, culture, languages, tradition, social set-up and land rights should be respected and protected at all times.

The TSA also urged the government to issue a press statement in tribal interest regarding the above demands at the earliest, failing which the TSA, together with the public and other like-minded organisations will take up appropriate actions at right time in pursuit of the demands, said Lamminlung. The TSA reiterates its position and that of Kuki tribal that people of Haolenphai wants or need the seting up of the smart city in the area.

Stating that the student body`™s demand supported by several other organization, he added that even an inch of Kuki tribal land will not be compromised for any reason as it is not a negotiable issue. Lamminlung further asserted that `we want development that we need, but not imposed development that we do not need. What the Kukis are really struggling for is the land, culture and ethnic identity and it is the land that we need most.`

He also said that a memorandum was submitted to the Chief Minister of Manipur and also to the Union Home Minister on September on September 15 on the issue.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/tsa-opposes-land-acquisition-for-smart-city-at-moreh/

IMPHAL, October 21: An accident caused devastation at Koirengei bazaar this late evening when a speeding Getz car hit a shop igniting an inferno.

A five-year old boy who was at a shop with his mother to buy household items has been confirmed burnt to death. The mother also recieved burn injuries.

Around 8pm, a speeding Getz car coming from Imphal side crashed into a shop igniting a fire which speedily spread to the nearby houses devastating more than eight structures including shops, houses, workshops, hotels.

The car has also been damaged beyond recognition.

The boy has been identified as Thokchom Loyumba son of T Shyamkishore and T (o) Ibempishak. The family who is originally from Achanbigei runs a shop opposite to the buildings razed by the fire.

The occupants of the car including the driver managed to flee from the site, locals said.

Locals also said that the mother of the boy has been rushed to the nearby Catholic Medical Centre along with some other injured women. However, the exact number of injured cannot be confirmed till the filling of this report.

Locals also said that there is no confirmation of how many people are trapped inside the building, as the inhabitants of the buildings are nowhere to be found in the area. This has created apprehensions that many more could be buried under the debris, locals added.

More than five fire tenders arrived around 8:20pm to control the fire, they said. The fire was brought under control only around 9pm, although by that time the buildings were already razed to the ground.

Heingang police have taken the body of the boy for post mortem.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/car-crash-ignites-inferno-killing-5yearold-buildings-razed-to-ground/