Day: July 30, 2013

Imphal Jul 30 UNA: Manipur education minister M Okendro has failed to keep his promise alleged a student body while recalling the promise made by him (education minister) regarding the improvement of education system in the state.
When M Okendro took over the portfolio of education minister, he had promised that a remarkable change would be brought about in the state education system with a six month period. He further promised to make Manipur an education tourism destination.
When no remarkable changes were witnessed till date, the Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) today strongly criticized the education minister, alleging that he had failed to fulfill the promise he had made.
The criticism of the student body came up after volunteers of DESAM inspected state’s premier college DM College of Science and some other educational institutions in Imphal area today.
During the inspection the DESAM team found toilets of the DM College of Science have been keeping without repairing for the more than 20 years and maintenance. Seeing the deplorable and shocking condition of the toilets in the campus, DESAM volunteers joining hands with the students of the college demolished the toilets.
A representative of the college student union said DM College of science has around 2,000 students. The students were unable to use the toilets as authorities have neither built new toilets neither repaired the old one which is 20 years old.
Despite repeated request to the authorities to repair the toilets, no work has been done till now.

Warning the authorities of severe agitation, the union has also appealed to the authorities to provide them with proper toilets for the students.
DESAM general secretary Thothoi said the promise made by education minster 10 months back to bring visible change in education system within six months was yet to be witnessed.
He added that due to delay in the construction of girl hostel, the students were staying in rented houses and threatened the authorities to complete the hostel within a week time or else the incomplete hostel too would be demolished.
He further appealed to the concern authorities to fulfill the basic requirement of students.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/student-body-flays-education-minister/

Mail News Service
Imphal, July 30 : 44 Assam Rifles of 10 Sector AR under the aegis of HQ IGAR (South) conducted a lecture on “Healthy Habits and Life Style” at Kamjong, on 26 July 2013. The aim of this program was to make the locals aware of nuisances of unhealthy life style and various ways and means to get rid of wrong habits. The lecture emphasized the requirement of abstaining from various alcoholic products and drugs. Stressing upon maintaining high standard of hygiene and sanitation at the village, the locals were informed about the various precautions to be taken during monsoons with respect to water borne disease especially at the public places like schools, churches and community centres. They were also educated regarding necessity of periodic medical checkups to help in early detection of any abnormalities such as Malaria, Cancer, Hepatitis B, TB etc.
In another program to educate the locals about the necessity of trees a tree plantation drive was carried out at village Nambashi Khullen of Kasom Khullen subdivision by Kasong COB of 44 Assam Rifles and the locals planted three hundred saplings. The theme was to motivate the locals for a greener tomorrow and clean and Green Manipur. 300 trees of different variety consisting of fruits, ornamental and teak were planted on the occasion.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ar-organizes-lecture-on-healthy-habits-and-life-style/

IMPHAL, July 30 NNN : Two culprits in the rape case of a Class-XI student of TG Higher Secondary School, Imphal were hit with sandals in the faces by a group of women inside the complex of court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Manipur East here on Tuesday.
Manipur Police personnel Y William and Th Tarun, the co-accused in the school girl rape case, were presented before the court in the morning. A group of protesting women who were already present in the court complex accosted the rape culprits escorted by large number of police personnel and hit with sandals in the faces as the police tried to evade the situation.
Judge Guneshwor recorded statements of the accused relating to the rape case in the court.
Special public prosecutor Ng Tejkumar said that the next hearing on the case would be held on August 14.
In the case, Tarun of Thangmeiband Sinam Leikai and William of Khagempalli Panthak, are being prosecuted on the charges of raping the girl on October 20, 2012. The duo allegedly sexually assaulted Kabita (not real name) in a restaurant at Tiddim road near Imphal Tulihal Airport.
Tejkumar had on May 27 said almost 70 percent of the case’s proceedings had been finished and that the trial was expected to close in July this year.
The police had filed the chargesheets of the rape case in the CJM court in December 2012 and its trial began March 13, 2013.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/rapists-attacked-at-court/

IMPHAL, July 30 NNN: The All Tribal Disabled Students’ Union (ATDSU) today urged the state Social Welfare minister to realize the decentralization of the authority for issue of disability certificates and to set up a special school with hostel facility for tribal disabled students in one of the hill districts in the state.
In a memorandum to Social Welfare minister AK Mirabai, ATDSU said that physically challenged persons are first examined and treated at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) Imphal and then related medical documents are submitted to the office of the Social Welfare which issues disability certificates to them after taking about four months time in the process.
This procedure being adopted by the state Government has denied disability certificates to more than 70 percent disabled persons residing in far flung areas of the hill, it alleged.
At the same time, ATDSU demanded for setting up of a special school with hostel facility for the tribal disabled children and students in one of the hill districts of the state.
It said that there are about 7,000 tribal disabled children in the hill areas intending to go to school, but they have failed to do so since they have certain problems of physical inactivities and the society at the same time discourages them to get education.
There is only one school in the state that is located at Takyelpat in Imphal West district, especially for the blind, deaf and mute persons, but still there is not a single school for Locomotor Disabilities (LD) and mentally retarded persons.
It added, therefore, it is quite necessary to set up a school for LD and mentally retarded persons in the state so that they can get proper education.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/provide-help-to-disabled-students/

IMPHAL, July 30 NNN: Voicing serious concern over the reported kidnapping of two labourers, who were engaged in the construction of SDO/BDO office building at Island Block under Saikul in Sadar Hills, by an underground group, the Kuki Inpi Saikul Gamkai today fervently appealed to the abductors to release the duo at the earliest on humanitarian ground.
Taking serious note over the abduction of the two labourers, the Kuki Inpi Saikul Gamkai in a statement asserted that it is not a positive trend and that such incidents will certainly hamper the work progress of the construction of the SDO/BDO office building.
It said that opening of the office has been the long-felt wish of the people of Island circle in Saikul sub-division adding that it is imperative for all right-thinking citizens and groups to extend all possible help for early completion of the construction works instead of causing disturbance to the development works meant for the area and the public.
Isaac Shinglai of Island village and Th Ibochou Singh of Khurai Konsam Leikai in Imphal East were reportedly abducted by suspected militants on the night of July 26 from Island village in connection with the construction of the SSDO/BDO office building at Island Block.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/militants-appealed-to-release-officials/

Imphal Jul 30 UNA: The Sinlung Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Organisation (SIPHRO) Tuesday lauded the recent decision of the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) which disapproved the diversion of 24,329 hectares of forest land in Manipur and Sinlung Hills, Mizoram for construction of Tipaimukh Multi-purpose Hydro Electric Project.
A statement of the organization dispatched to the media today terming the decision as unbiased one, asserted that it was an instant of upholding and securing the interests and rights of the marginalized tribals that were dictated by a coterie from distant power corridors.
“The FAC decision will go a long way to save and preserve the land, forests and rivers on which thousands of invisible tribals are dependent for their livelihood,” the statement signed by chairman David Buhril and secretary Lairemlien Neitham stated.
It was alarming to learn that the total land requirement for Tipaimukh Multi-purpose Hydro Electric Project was more than one fifth of forest land diverted for execution of 497 hydel projects in India. The issue of “diverting” that much area of land bearing 78,16,931 trees and 0.27 lakh bamboo culms along with several endangered species cannot be romantically imagined.
In the absence of any democratic process, necessary information dissemination, confidence gaining process, consent and approval of the people who will be affected, the project remains an imposed one.
Alleging that the social, economic, and environmental cost of the controversial project is poorly accounted, the communities who will be affected have no idea about the possible adverse impacts of the dam.
The FAC has rightly questioned the development effectiveness of the proposed project and placed it in the public domain for collective enquiry.
“With a poor and failed record of implementing policies on dams, the government of Manipur and Mizoram does not qualify to be responsible implementing partners by playing with the lives of its citizens, forests, rivers, and rights in the name of development,” it added.
The FAC report, findings and recommendations could be treated as an eye opener for the government of Manipur and Mizoram and also the dam builders to place a moratorium on Tipaimukh Multi-purpose Hydro Electric Project.
River Tuiruong and Tuivai deserve to be declared as the lifeline for the indigenous Hmar tribal peoples and other river dependent communities. The FAC justly deliver its decision; our democratic nation ought to be proud to have an upright committee to safeguard democracy.
Anti-dam lobbyists have hailed the rejection of forest clearance for the proposed 1500MW Tipaimukh multi-purpose project by the forest advisory committee.
A few days ago, at a meeting convened in New Delhi, the committee, which is a unit of the ministry of environment and forest, declined to accept diversion of 22,777.50 hectares of forest land required for the construction of the mega dam in the Tipaimukh area of Manipur bordering Mizoram.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/forest-advisory-committee-fac-decision-on-tipaimukh-dam-hailed/