Manipur News

By R. Lester Makang
UKHRUL, January 20: For every bona-fide Indian citizen who has attained the voting age of 18 years, possessing of voters ID Card or Elector`s Photo Identity Card (EPIC) is vital because not only does it enable him/her to exercise franchise during elections but also proves their citizenship or personal identity for various other purposes. Many such eligible voters in Ukhrul district, however, still remain deprived of this important document as the state election department has failed to issue them new EPICs though they had surrendered their cards for correction of errors in names, age or other entries over three years back.

Now with the Lok Sabha Election 2014 scheduled for mid-April drawing near, many of these eligible voters are growing apprehensive of losing out on the opportunity to cast their valuable votes in the forthcoming general elections merely through lack of voters ID Cards.  

Mention maybe made here that some of these eligible people had been left out of the actual vote casting exercise during the last Manipur Legislative Assembly Election in 2012.

A simple survey conducted by this correspondent at the district Election Office, Ukhrul in this connection has confirmed that issue of over one hundred new EPICs is still pending with the department.

On being quizzed about the number of voters ID Cards pending issuance in the district, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) maintained that more than one hundred new EPICs for voters who had surrendered their cards are pending till date but failed to furnish the correct figure.

“The exact number is not available with us as the list is probably misplaced now…” he said.

Meanwhile, District Election Officer, Innocence qouting sources from Imphal has said that the process of printing the cards is still going on at Kolkota and the despatch is expected before the forthcoming election.

On the other hand, a resident of Phungreitang who happens to be one of those eligible voters awaiting a new EPIC after surrendering her voter ID Card Monday said on condition of anonymity that that was the same response they had been getting each time they enquired at the office ever since they surrendered the card in 2010 when the DC Office was functioning at the now demolished building of the ADC office.

She further said that on the advice of the ERO, `”we surrendered our respective EPICs along with a processing fee of Rs. 25 per card which they said was stipulated by the head office at Imphal.”

Stating that stipulation was duly complied with in anticipation, she said, “we did this in the hope of exchanging erroneous EPIC with a new one with corrected names and other particulars but after three years of repeated enquiries and waiting, we are back to square one, as we are still kept waiting” before adding that they are often hard pressed to find an alternative document for want of this card all these years.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/deprived-of-id-cards-ukhrul-voters-fearful-of-losing-voting-rights/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=deprived-of-id-cards-ukhrul-voters-fearful-of-losing-voting-rights

By Shyam Waikhom
IMPHAL, January 19: The largest fresh water lake in the entire North Eastern region of India, Loktak Lake provides several avenues of livelihood to the people.

The Phumdis (heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matters at various stages of decomposition) is a huge resource of livelihood avenues for the locals inhabiting in the surrounding areas of Loktak Lake.

The vegetation found on the phumdis are collected and sold in the market and to the locals.

One such plant found on the phumdis is a reed known locally as Tou (tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems.

The special kind of reed is in high demand in the villages and localities of Toubul area.

The cost of a bunch of weed is around Rs 70-75 and a farmer can collect about 50 bunches of reed in two days, a farmer from Toubul told this reporter.

Detailing the farming of the reed, he said the reeds are properly nurtured till they are fully matured and then cut and kept in bundles.

The bundles are than brought to the banks of the lake by boat.

The bundles are than sold to the people who used as vegetables.

He said the reed is also used for fencing and to support vegetables by many especially around Kwakshiphai, Khoijuman, etc.

The cutting of the reeds commence from the first week of January and continue till around April, he said.

He added that sometimes a farmer can earn about Rs 4000 in a day or two by selling plants found in the lake alone.

The reed is now in demand from other places also, he said before adding that it can also be used a cooking fuel after drying.

Speaking on the life of a farmer of Loktak Lake, he said farmers collect fishes from the nets which were set the night before in the lake. At the same time they cut grass for their domesticated cattle and collect a boatful of grass in a day before lunch time.

Women collect edible water herbs like komperak, yelli from the lake to be sold in the market.

Farmers also have fish farms in the lake by making ring-bung with the phumdis, which helps to earn something during off season, he continued.

Beside, this practice people of the locals have fish farm inside Phumdis with making ring-ban with the phumdis. He added that the practice is a just part of easy earning money during off season.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/sale-of-phumdi-reeds-new-business-avenue/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sale-of-phumdi-reeds-new-business-avenue

IMPHAL, January 20: A joint political party comprising of nine political parties have reportedly chosen Dr M Nara secretary of Manipur State Council of CPI, as a common candidate from the inner parliamentary constituency for the ensuing Lok Sabha election.

The parties included Janata Dal (U), Janata Dal (S), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), All India Forward Block (AIFB), Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI-M, RSP, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Sources said that the official announcement will be made tomorrow at the Irawat Bhawan at around 1 pm.

It has been further informed that the decision to appoint a common candidate was unanimously approved during a meeting attended by the leaders of the nine parties.

Altogether four applications were submitted before the joint party meeting, added the sources.

On the other hand, the Congress Party ticket committee meeting for the Rajya Sabha election will be held at the Congress Bhawan tomorrow presided by MPCC president Gaikhangam.

Altogether 20 aspirant candidates reportedly submitted their applications including one female and a sitting MLA (Uripok AC).

The meeting will finalise the appointment of one of the candidates and later will be submitted to AICC by MPCC president Gaikhangam.

The Rajya Sabha Election for 16 states including Manipur will be held on February 7, for 55 seats.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/dr-m-nara-chosen-common-candidate-for-ls-poll/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dr-m-nara-chosen-common-candidate-for-ls-poll

CCPUR, January 20: More than 2056 electorates/voters of 58/CCpur AC have been deleted from Electoral Roll under Special Summary Revision-2014 which was published on January 6, 2014, said a source.

It is said that the names of the 56-Thanlon MLA, Vungzagin Valte and the EM of the ADC CCpur Mangchinkhup are amongst the deleted names.

In a complaint against the name deletion, the two elected representatives have said that there is a gross negligence and wrong step for deletions in the Electoral Roll under Special Summary Revision-2014.

Citing both their names as deleted from the revision list, the two elected representatives further questioned, “under what circumstances, on what grounds, at `what level, with ,what intention and whose prejudice, these erroneous deletions are being taken in the Electoral Roll Revision.”

It further said, “In the Electoral Revision, there must be evidence and documentary approve for Additions, Deletions and Corrections.”

The two further requested for the correction of all the mistakes in the Electoral Revision and to take appropriate action against any involved person at any level.

Meanwhile, answering to IFP query, chairman ADCC Langkhanpau Guite say that it was unfortunate that this kind of issue had come out from his district, and need to be fixed at the earliest.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/mla-complaints-deletion-from-electoral-roll/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mla-complaints-deletion-from-electoral-roll

IMPHAL, January 20: Locals of Tera Amudon Akham Leikai led by meira paibi and local club representatives today lamented the Co-ordination Committee for Development of NH 37 Road and its Surrounding Important Roads for boycotting the Western Club in connection with the assault of a man who was found near a bathroom on January 13 at Tera Khuraijam Leikai.

Addressing media persons, a spokesperson of the locals on condition of anonymity said that on January 13, a man identified as Longjam Mukta alias Jamesh of tera Khuraijam Leirak was found by locals hiding near a bathroom at Tera Akham Leirak.

He was chased down and nabbed at Tera Loukrakpam Leikai, said the spokesperson.

He continued two days earlier, locals of Tera Akham Leirak had complained to the concerned police against frequent robbery in the area.

After Mukta was brought to the local club premises, however, he had already received a beating from the angered locals before reaching the club, he said.

Later he was handed over to the police, he continued before adding that Mukta was soon released and instead took up a charge against five locals for allegedly beating up an innocent man, continued the spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the Co-ordination Committee for Development of NH 37 had called a meeting and decided to boycott, the Western Club without even considering both sides of the story.

While declaring that Mukta was already beaten up when he was brought to the local club premise, the spokesperson said that the locals will take the issue to the local club.

The locals further urged the Co-ordination Committee for Development of NH 37 to consider the boycott after hearing stories from both sides.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/tera-amudon-locals-decry-boycott-of-local-club/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tera-amudon-locals-decry-boycott-of-local-club