Day: April 1, 2014

By Sapam Tarangchhen

IMPHAL, April 1: Most stalls at the ongoing 15 day long National Handloom expo earn atleast Rs 5000 to 30000 on a day, said a woman stall owner.

Commerce and Industry director John Thangtinkhuma had inaugurated the national expo on March 22 at the Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen, Palace Compound.

The expo aimed at promotion of handloom products of the state visitors will continue till April 5, 2014.

Despite the claim of the stall owner, the turnout of visitors at the expo is visibly quite low.

The expo has altogether 61 stalls from different parts of the state selling many an eye catching designs of scarfs, well knitted bedsheets, Khudei, Phaneks, Sarees.

During a visit to the expo, this reporter met with the stall owners and visitors alike.

A stall owner said that in the past ten days of the expo, indigenous clothes like the Muka Phanek, Fee Matek, Longri and Khudei have been the main attractions.

A piece of Longri is being sold upto Rs 550, whereas the price of a Muka Fee could go from Rs 500 to Rs 3500, she added.

Cheiraoba, although one of the biggest festivals in the state, has failed to increase the number of visitors to the expo unlike the Ningol Chakkouba festival during which such expos are thronged by visitors, expressed Rupamanjuri Ningthoujam from Chingmeirong- a weaver who has opened a stall at the expo.

The 60 year old said she had taken a loan from the government and expanded her business, now she herself provide loans to young girls of Thoubal, Lamlai and Kongpal areas.

She said weavers if studious enough than they could easily run their families by selling handloom products.

On being asked how she came into the business of weaving, she said her late mother was into weaving Muka fee, and as a child she had learn from her mother.

Now, it has become a family business, and I am teaching my daughter like my mother taught me, she asserted.

The expo is being jointly organized by the Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Government of India and the managing director, Manipur Handlooms and handicrafts Development Corporation Limited.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/no-increase-in-visitors-during-cheiraoba-festival-handloom-expo/

IMPHAL, April 1: The Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, a constituent unit of Sangeet Natak Akademi (New Delhi), was held on Tuesday at JNMDA Auditorium hall.

In relation with the Diamond Jubilee celebration, the Foundation Day Ceremonial Pujah was held on Tuesday by His Excellency, the Governor VK Duggal, also the Chairman of JNMDA. His Excellency, Governor VK Guggal offered floral tributes to the guru of the academy who had passed away.

A solo dance by the gold medalists was also performed by K Monika, Kh Bimota Devi, Sh Janeshwar Sharma and Sangeeta Thokchom and the dance shows include Lai-Haraoba, Holi Pala, Thang-Ta and Nat Sankirtan.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/jnmda-observes-diamond-jubilee/

CHANDEL, Apr 1: In collaboration with the biological ‘E’ Limited Hyderabad, the Naga Students’ Union Chandel and Global Advancement Technology- Chandel (GAT-C) will be launching a project on Hepatitis-B vaccination on April 4 at the Community Hall of Japhou village with deputy commissioner, Chandel, Th Chittaranjan Singh and SDO/BDO Chandel, Shiv Killu Kumar as chief guest and guest of honour, respectively.

Informing media in this regard, Wanglar Thiirtung Wengi has asked all presidents of Tribe, women and public to attend the program which will start from 10:00am.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/hep-b-vaccination-project-on-apr-4/

CHANDEL, April 1: The District Hospital Chandel has shown a new hope of life for residents of Chandel in particular with its Operation Theatre being inaugurated with a commitment to provide a normal institutional delivery on March 31 during a function organized by the District Health Mission Society CDL.

On the same day, a cesarean section of a pregnant woman was performed successfully with the delivery of a healthy baby boy.

The new mother is identified as Th Shantikumari Devi, 30, wife of Th Hemba Singh a resident of Kakching Chumnang Leikai.

A doctor who talked to media after the operation informed that the 35 min operation was done without any complication and a healthy baby boy weighing 3.5 kg was borne. Both the mother and the baby are fine and healthy.

The inaugural function of the operation theatre which was renovated after lying dysfunctional for a period of 20 years was attended by director (FW & NRHM), Dr O Ibomcha Singh, Chief Medical Officer/Mission Director, DHS, Chandel, Dr N Birchandra Singh, Medical Superintendent, District Hospital Thoubal, Dr Ranjit Singh as the chief guest, president and guest of honour, respectively.

District Immunization Officer Dr Romy Ngoruh, state nodal officer AYUSH, Benedict and Chandel NGO functionary rev Rd Joykumar Anal were some of the dignitaries present on dais besides local leaders, medical staff, NRHM officials from the state and district including ASHAs.

Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest following a ribbon cutting, Dr O Ibomcha stated that the Operation Theatre was renovated with fund utilised from NRHM so that institutional delivery might be resumed as the hospital without further delay instead of waiting for the 50 bedded district hospital which might take another 5-10 years to complete due to its slow pace of construction.

Stating that the government plans to send different specialists in the hospital shortly, Ibomcha said the district hospital has been already equipped with all modern appliances including Ultrasound, X-rays and generators.

He further urged the people of Chandel to make use of the facilities installed, avail help from the ASHAs and to support the hospital to make it a new hospital.

Dr Ibomcha also informed that the directorate would take up the same initiatives in Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamei and Moreh soon.

Chief Medical Officer Chandel, Dr N Birchandra in his presidential speech expressed optimism that both the govt and the people will extend support as he appealed his staff to wok sincerely for bringing improvement and change. Ibomcha also expressed that the hospital aims to deliver round the clock services locals without any untoward incident.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/revived-chandel-ot-conducts-successful-cesarean-delivery/

IMPHAL, April 1: Director of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal and all its employees have expressed their condolence on the untimely death of Asem Sana, a staff nurse in the department of female Ortho on March 31, 2014, said a press release issued by the hospital’s media advisor.

The release further said Late Asem Sana was the wife of Dr Kh Gojen, assistant professor of Surgery and added that the nurses and the non-teaching employees of RIMS have also condoled on her untimely death.

She was rushed to the casualty ward of RIMS on Monday morning with burn injuries.

RIMS authority also sent a letter of condolence to the bereaved family, it said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/rims-condoles-untimely-demise-of-asem-sana/

IMPHAL, April 1: From time immemorial, Meiteis and Nagas have been peacefully living together as neighbours as brothers; however, Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh is Naga’s No 1 enemy.

The above statement was stated on Tuesday by Nagaland chief minister and Naga Peoples’ Front star campaigner in Manipur Neiphiu Rio, while addressing an election meeting in support of the NPF candidate Soso Lorho at Maha Union Higher Secondary School Ground in Chandel District.

He further said that CM Ibobi has been always trying to hurt the sentiments of the Nagas and other minorities. The Nagaland CM reiterated his 2013 election campaign statement declaring Ibobi as Naga’s No. 1 enemy.

The statement had prompted Manipur CM Ibobi and his cabinet to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission of India then.

Further according to him, In his reply to the ECI, he clarified that he was only identifying Ibobi as Naga’s enemy and not the whole Meitei community, which resulted in the ECI rejecting Ibobi’s plea.

This has only allowed him to return to Chandel for the campaign, he said.The Meitei-Naga relationship should be maintained for all time to come, he asserted.

He further said that Manipur CM Ibobi and his Home minister had tried t stop him from entering manipur during the launch of NPF in 2011.

However, he entered Manipur and launched NPF in Manipur by using his democratic rights under the provisions of Indian Constitution, he had claimed before adding that such activities was again meted out to him on March 29 last while he was coming to address an election meeting at Tamenglong by way of restricting to land his helicopter by Union home joint secretary Sambhu owing to an instruction from CM Ibobi.

However, he told that the issue was put up to the knowledge of ECI following which he was permitted to land in Chandel and mentioned the reason for not allowing him to land in Manipur because Ibobi was afraid of him as he would have told the truth on the issue of Naga.

He further said that he will go as MP by resigning from the post of Nagaland CM so that he could raise principle issues of the north east people and added that he will face the ethnic politics of the entire north east.

During the function, Soso Lorho said that NPF has given the confidence of the people and added that NPF is the party of the Nagas. Let us join together for the welfare of the Nagas, he concluded.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/nagaland-cm-reiterates-ibobi-is-nagas-enemy-no-1-2/

IMPHAL, April 1: Like most other initiatives taken up by the authorities in the state, the drive against double parking in Paona Bazar and Thangal Bazar have also fizzled out just a couple of days after it was launched.

The drive conducted jointly by the State police and Traffic police seem to have met a premature end, with double parking once again clogging the already congested roads.

The drive was launched on March 25 by the combined team of Imphal West police and traffic Police introducing a clamp known as the Denver Bolt to check double parking under a special instruction from the Imphal West SP Dr Ak Jhaljit.

A week later, double parking witnessed along the roads is once again clogging the roads.

The first day of the drive witnessed a couple of MPS officers on probation along with a few unarmed traffic personnel carrying out checking of vehicles along the busy Paona and Thangal Bazaars roads.

Now, not a single police or traffic personnel is seen conducting the drive or checking double parking.

A week later all that remains along the roads are the IMC engaged ticket collectors who have no qualms over vehicles double parking along the narrow bazar roads.

A passerby told this IFP reporter that during the first few days, there was free flow of traffic along the bazar roads as people were aware of the special drive and feared that their vehicles could be clamped and fined if found double parking and had stopped double parking.

However, much to the dismay of the people, the police stopped their drive just two three days after, a companion of the passer-by asserted.

This encouraged the vehicle owners to once again practice double parking and clogging the free flow of traffic, he added.

Another passer-by also expressed her desire to see the fruitful conduct of the drive.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/traffic-drive-back-to-square-one/

IMPHAL, April 1: As was announced earlier, the Awang Sekmai Nongthonband Youth Club has blocked the approach road to the Sekmai Gas Bottling Plant from today.

The plant is located about one km west from the Imphal-Dimapur Highway at Nongthonband.

The road ever since it was repaired in 2002, has never been repaired.

On a daily basis around 200 trucks carrying gas cylinders including Gas Bullets ply along the one Km long stretch.

Lamenting the deplorable condition of the road, locals echo that during the monsoon, the road becomes a muddy affair and remains covered in dust during other seasons.

The deplorable condition of the road has affected more than the 2000 population of Nongthonband, they decried.

The club had appealed to the concerned authorities including the local MLA, manager of the Bottling Plant, PWD officials among others to repair the said road but to no avail.

As such the president of the club, M Opendro had on March 11 last announced that in case the authority concerned fail to repair the road by March 31, the club with support from the locals will block the road indefinitely from April 1.

The road has been blocked by placing tree trunks, boulders and burning wood affecting gas bullets and cylinder carrying trucks from reaching the bottling plant.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/approach-road-to-gas-plant-blocked/

LAMKA, April 1: An optimistic State Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had, on Monday, expressed confidence that his party candidates will retain both seats of the 16th Lok Sabha election available in the State.

A huge contingent of the Congress party led by state chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, and deputy chief minister Gaikhangam who is also the president of the MPCC were in Churachandpur to campaign for the party candidate for the Scheduled Tribe reserved Outer Lok Sabha seat, Thangsho Baite.

The team also included Phungzathang Tonsing MLAs from the district.

The public campaign was held at YPA Hall, Hiangtam lamka, CCpur on march 31, 2014.

He added that his party will get maximum votes from the seven assembly constituencies of Thoubal and six in Churachandpur district and the two districts will be the deciding factor for the Outer seat.

As if answering to the perception that Thangso Baite was not a productive MP, Ibobi said that approximately 80 percent of the state’s total geographical land area comes under Thangsho Baite’s constituency and it was not easy to please all at once.

Both Dr T Meinya sitting MP of the Innter constituency and Thangsho Baite sitting MP of the Outer Constituency had been very helpful in Delhi while raising issues related to the state, he observed.

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also said that anyone from anywhere in the country are welcomed to come and campaign for any party.

Referring to the visit of Nagaland chief minister Nephiu  Rio in the state, he said his Nagaland counterpart should be aware of the protocol provided to him as his security concern is the responsibility of the state government.

Churachandpur has always been kind to the Congress, he said citing that 99 percent of elected ADC is from the party and that cent percent representation of the district at the State Assembly is from the party.

The Congress had introduced all the schemes for the benefit of the people like the MGNREGS, Khuga Multi-Purpose Dam construction, revival of the ADC after 20 years, said T Phungzathang addressing the crowd of supporters after District Congress Committee, Churachandpur president L Hmar gave his welcome address.

“Irrespective of who the candidate is the people should support the Congress and it’s better to be with the winning side, Congress,” Phungzathang said.

Thangsho Baite in his speech said it is a great pleasure to recall that the party had won 42 seats out of a total of 60 during the last state Assembly and is the majority in six Autonomous District Councils.

“With the support of the people of Churachandpur, I will win,” he exuded confidence of his winning the seat.

The Congress has never discriminated against anyone in the State which is co-inhabited by the Meiteis, Nagas, Zomis, Kukis, Mizos etc, said MPCC president Gaikhangam.

Gaikhangam also said that the Congress will return to power at the Centre.

Meanwhile, the candidate while addressing media persons at his residence said that some media are bias as they had failed to acknowledge any of his work while, lambasting him as a non-performer.

Citing the election model code of conduct, he had dodged many inquiries and questions from the media.

Lester Makang adds from Ukhrul: In his Ukhrul leg of the second poll campaign in Manipur for the NPF party, Nagaland chief minister Neiphui Rio has called upon the Nagas to promote `emotional integrity` as it precedes `political integrity` towards an honourable resolution to the decades-old Nagas political issue.

Addressing the mammonth gathering at the Tangkhul Naga Long ground here on Monday, Rio said that integration of all Nagas family must happen, while adding “the first and foremost step towards this is to promote emotional integrity amongst ourselves as this will pave the way for bringing all the Nagas under one political set up.”

Stating that Naga issue is sensitive and vexed, he reminded that each and every Naga person has his/her role to play, while appealing to everyone that Nagas should love, respect and obey one another so that we can collectively achieve what we aspire to.

Rio said that Nagas are a unique people having unique history of their own, “but our adversaries are constantly at work to divide us into different sections,” he cautioned. “Naga nationalists fought wars for six decades sacrificing thousands of lives. Government of India has engaged them in political dialogue for over 16 years but it has not settled the vexed Naga issue till date.”

“It is at this juncture that we urge you to please vote for NPF candidate Soso Lorho that we might raise the Naga issue at the Indian Parliament for its early and honourable solution,” he further pleaded the gathering crowd.

At the same time, enunciating the need to address the malaise besetting the north eastern people, Rio asserted that even then NPF is not only for the Nagas but for all the tribals and minority communities. ” NPF is for the people of the whole region, he said and added it is tying up with other regional political parties to bring new thinking and changes in the region, while refering to the formation of North East Regional Political Front (NERPF).

Meanwhile, taking a jibe at the Ibobi-led Congress government in Manipur, Nagaland minister TR Zeliang said that Ibobi has not done anything for the tribals of the state during his 12 years of governance. He alleged that Ibobi diverted various development programes to the valley because he does not want to develop tribal areas, while citing shifting of railway line to Jiribam-Tubul among others.

NPF candidate Soso Lorho also thanked the party for providing him party tickets and vowed to work for the cause of the people.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/congress-will-retain-ls-seats-cm/