Manipur News

IMPHAL, August 28 NNN: Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam today spoke a twisted language on the recent statement made by the state Principal Secretary (Home) that the present fence on the Indo-Myanmar border line was just a security barrier.
Replying to a media query on the sidelines of the Krishna Janmastami celebration at Sri Sri Radhakrishnachandra Manimandir, ISKCON), Airport Raod here, Gaikhangam insisted that the remarks made by Principal Secretary (Home) Dr J Suresh Babu on August 26 that the Indo-Myanmar Border Fencing was just a security barrier has nothing to do with the state Government.
He said it seems either the media had misquoted it or Suresh Babu made a mistake adding however the Government is looking into the matter.
Gaikhangam said that a ministerial team including Union ministers will visit the Indo-Myanmar border and oversee the fencing soon.
The state Government had sent the Indo-Myanmar Fencing Committee to the border where the committee thoroughly examined the current fence construction, added Gaikhangam who is also the state Home Minister.
He assured the Government will make efforts to prevent from ceding lands to neighbouring Myanmar for the Indo-Myanmar Border Fencing after examining the report from the committee.
Meanwhile, a symposium on “Need for Spiritual Education in the Present Day Society” was organised by the University of Bhagavata Culture and Bhaktivedanta Institute Mission Higher Secondary School at Manimandir, ISKCON on the occasion of Krishna Janmastami.
The programme inaugurated by Gaikhangam was attended by a number of scholars who presented papers on the topic.
International dignitaries Iswara Das from South Africa and Shakshi Gopal from Singapore were also took part in the symposium.
Krishna Janmastami, the birthday of Lord Krishna was also celebrated at Shri Shri Govindaji temple and Mahabali Hanuman Thakur temple.
Thousands of devotees thronged the three temples in Imphal to seek blessings from Lord Krishna.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/gaikhangam-unsure-of-ps-homes-statement-on-fencing-issue/

IMPHAL, August 28 NNN: An autorickshaw driver was brutally murdered by unknown miscreants by slitting his throat at Kiyam Tangjeng Hangen Konjin Irakwa in Manipur’s Thoubal district.
Body of Ayekpam Nobin aged 50, a resident of Tera Loukrakpam Leikai in Imphal West, was found at the spot on Wednesday morning. Several deep cut marks on the throat, chest and belly of the corpse could be seen.
Nobin was an autorickshaw driver and his vehicle plied for passenger service from RIMS to Khwairamband bazaar. He left behind his wife, two daughters and two sons.
He had left home around 5:30 pm yesterday telling his wife he was being hired for a reserved service, according to his family. His mobile phone had remained in switch off mode after he told his wife around 9 pm that he would be home. At around 3 am Wednesday, one of his daughter tried to talk to him over phone when an unidentified man answered from Nobin’s phone that her father was being chased by some unknown persons, the family said.
The body has been kept at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) mortuary here for post mortem.
Meanwhile, angry local residents of Tera Loukrakpam Leikai blocked the National Highway 37 (Imphal Jiribam road) at Tera bazaar protesting against the killing of driver Nobin.
They burnt tyres on the middle of the road, chocking traffic along the route. Hundreds of autorickshaw drivers also joined the protest.
A rally was also organised by the protesters. It started from Tera bazaar and marched up to Waheng Leikai. The protesters shouted slogans demanding the state Government to bring the culprits to justice.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/one-killed-road-blocked/

IMPHAL, August 28 NNN : The United Naga Council (UNC) has decided that no land in ‘Naga areas’ would be allowed to be used for development projects or exploitation of natural resources by Government agencies or companies without the free, prior and informed consent of the land owners, the respective tribe council and the United Naga Council.
This decision was taken in the ‘presidential council meeting’ of the UNC yesterday at Mao Gate.
“We reiterate that the Naga people are not against development of infrastructure or facilities in Naga areas. But no objection certificates have been obtained from simple minded villagers surreptitiously through back doors without their informed consent, as in the case of seismic survey for oil and natural gas,” the UNC said today.
The Naga body in a press release alleged that the development aggression through mega projects have sowed seeds of discord among the people and our traditional ownership of land have been disrespected. Such mischief will not be allowed henceforth and the tribe councils will closely monitor such devious attempts in their respective jurisdictions, it asserted.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/unc-wants-consultation-before-implementation-of-projects/

MNS/NNN : The representatives of the farmers from Manipur urged Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan to make fertilize available at the subsidized rate of Rs.260- per bag. The Agriculture Minister of Manipur repeated assured to provide the fertilizer which has not been fulfilled.
Fertilizers are available in plenty in the markets at Rs 500 to 800 – per bag. It was asked where the fertilizers for the farmers have gone since 2003, who has taken away the fertilizers, where it is used .
It was alleged that the fertilizers are diverted for the cultivation of poppy and production of heroin. September, October and January to March are the main two seasons when the cultivators of illicit poppy are demanding high amount of fertilizer for fast production of poppy.
According to the report of Agriculture Department, the available agricultural land in Manipur is 1,95. 000 hectares. Many farmers demanded for fertilizers at subsidized rate which is not available. More than 40.000 hectres of paddy field were cultivated without fertilizer on time. About 40% of farmers borrow money from money lenders in order to purchase fertilzers from the market at high price.
This year 2013 farmers bought twice the fertilizers because of unexpected flood. Now. at present also more than 1000 hectares of agriculture land and fish farms are submerged due to frequent flood at Khundrakpam , Lamlai (Imphal East) and Uchiwa areas of Thoubal. How can the farmers repay the loan
Last year farmers were indebted
They demanded immediate investigation by a Special Investigation Learn (SIT) on the issue of fertilizers and punish the culprits who are involved in the smuggling.
It was establishment and introduction of Agricultural and Farmers Policy in Manipur.
They demanded for the de-commissioning of Ithai Barrage and Loktak Project immediately because of artificial flood which cause to damage of crops and submergence of agricultural land at 500 villages in and around Loktak Lake. They urged for investigation by the Central team why Ithai Barrage is not open in the month of agricultural rainy season which cause flood to more than 500 villages in and around the Loktak Lake and destroy more than 40.000 hectares of paddy and submerge houses and land etc.
The North East Dialogue Forum has taken the issue of the non-availability of fertilizers in Manipur to all the central leaders and state Governor.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/farmers-appeal-to-pm-to-make-fertilizer-available/

IMPHAL, August 28 MNS NNN: The United Committee Manipur (UCM) today urged Manipur Government to address the issue of what it termed artificial shortage of fertilizer in the state and ease the problem faced by poor farmers in the state.
UCM will seek legal action against the agent, dealer and retailers if they are found selling fertilizer beyond normal price of Rs 286.60 per bag of urea, UCM Development Committee chairman Chandramani Khumancha warned while talking to newsmen at the committee’s office here on Wednesday.
He claimed that the concerned authorities have so far given subsidy to a single transporter named Suresh Jain from Thangal bazaar, Imphal for shipping fertilizer while the other transporters have been denied subsidy.
A single transporter cannot do the whole fertilizer delivery service for the entire state, Chandramani continued and said this has created the artificial scarcity of fertilizer in the state.
He appealed to the state Government to bring an genial solution on the fertilizer issue by inviting all the concerned and bring an end to the woe of the farmers in the state.
The UCM leader further insisted it has been learnt that MLAs in the seven assembly segment in Imphal are taking fertilizer from the Agriculture Department using force and issuing diktats.
In the valley districts, each MLA gets 600 bags of urea free of cost under Krishi Vikas Yojna, but active workers of these MLAs are selling out the fertilizer at Rs 600-750 a bag, he accused.
He appealed once more to the Government to end the alleged fake shortage of fertilizer in the state to ease the problem faced by poor farmers in the state.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/make-fertilizer-available-ucm/

IMPHAL, August 28 NNN : A team of Union ministers will be visiting the controversial border fencing area in the Indo-Myanmay border soon.
This was disclosed by Manipur deputy chief minister Gaikhangam.
The deputy chief minister said a team on Union ministers will visit very soon to Manipur to assess the first hand knowledge of the border fencing controversy where several villages of Manipur have been included in the other side of the border after the controversial Indo-Myanmar border fencing work in Chandel district of Manipur.
It can be noted here that several villages of Manipur have included in Myanmar side after the controversial border fencing work.
Following this, several organisations from Manipur have been voicing against the inaction of the government on the matter.
On August 26, the high level Indo-Myanmar Border Fencing Committee headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Dr J Suresh Babu had made a spot assessment of the international border fencing in Manipur’s Chandel district.
Again, on August 27, Manipur Governor Dr Ashwani Kumar visited the border area to assess the situstion.
It can be recalled here that in the first week of August, the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India in a statement had said, “Without the settlement of the International Boundary along with Boundary Pillars on Indo-Myanmar border, it is not possible to arrive at a definitive conclusion that a particular village or land is going to be lost. For the benefit of readers, it is further clarified that the on-going fencing work is restricted to only 10 km for the present and no further work will be undertaken unless all the Boundary Pillars are finally settled through joint inspection by the National Survey Authorities of the two countries as well as the Survey & Settlement Officers and Staff of the State.”
Strongly refuting the statement of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the loss of certain parts of Manipur territory to Myanmar, the United Committee, Manipur (UCM), one of the biggest NGOs in Manipur had alleged on August 11 that many villages of Chandel district in Manipur have been included in the side of Myanmar due to the border fencing work.
UCM president Y Nabachandra had clarified that on August 8, a UCM team consisted of 13 members and journalists had paied a visit to the border area of Moreh-Tamu border to get the first hand report and noticed that several villages on the Indian side have been included in the Myanmar side by the border fencing.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had said no fencing work was started in the border pillar 79 due to dispute with Myanmar in the area but on the contrary, the work had started from Gobijang till Jangnoi village and 11 households of Gobijang village in the area have already been included in the Myanmar side by the border fencing,” the UCM president pointed out. He said, “About 150 metres of Manipur territory inherited from our forefathers will be lost to Myanmar due to border fencing work,” Nabachandra had said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/central-ministers-to-inspect-moreh-fencing/