Day: August 5, 2017

IMPHAL | Aug 5

Social welfare director, Jacintha Lazarus along with the officials of the department conducted a spot enquiry to investigate a report regarding finding of cockroaches in a food supplement packet at Ghari, Imphal this morning.

During the investigation, the official team thoroughly checked packets of the supplementary food and interacted with beneficiaries of the area. They were shocked to hear that no one had any idea about this complaint and they expressed they were all satisfied with the food.

Addressing media persons following the inspection, the director said in spite of the positive report, in order to clear all doubts regarding the issue, the samples of the food packets has been sent for testing to the Imphal West Food Safety department.

She also asserted that distribution of the supplementary food in the said area will be stopped for the time being till the report arrives.

She also explained that prior to distribution of the food supplements, the department never fail to send samples to Kolkata for proper testing so as to ensure that there is no adulteration.

The director also said that social welfare minister Nemcha Kipgen is also very concerned about the issue. She also said that the Minister herself checks the food products herself before distribution to ensure that the food items are safe for consumption.

During the press meet, the complainant expressed apology that she acted hastily. She said that the food product was used earlier and the cockroach was found only when she opened the packet for the second time and as such, she was not sure whether the insect had entered the packet after it was opened.

Food Safety officer Dinesh Singh, representatives of AISF student body and officials concerned also attended the press meet.

Newmai News Network

DIMAPUR | Aug 5

Nagaland Chief Minister, TR Zeliang has filed a composite disqualification petition against 10 MLAs to the Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly today. The 10 MLAs are supporters of former chief minister, Dr Shurhozelie Lizietsu.

The MLAs are Kiyanilie Peseyie, Y. Vikheho Swu, Chotisuh Sazo, Kuzholuzo Nienu, Yitachu, C.L. John, Thonwang Konyak, P. Longon, R. Tohanba and Torechu. The petition was filed in Form P-2, as prescribed by the Members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 2003, according to the chief minister’s office.

 In the petition to the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly today, T.R. Zeliang stated that the 10 “NPF MLAs be declared as disqualified under paragraph 2(1) (b) of the Tenth Schedule as all these ten NFP MLAs absented themselves from attending the sitting of the House held on July 19 contrary to the direction issued to them and received by them”.

T.R. Zeliang stated that the ten NPF legislators were fully aware of the sitting of the House and they were to attend the House invariably on the said day as proper communication was rendered to them.

“However, the ten NPF legislators had acted contrary to the direction issued by him on July 18 as the whip of NPF and as well as for acting contrary to the communication allegedly issued by Kiyanilie Peseyie, MLA, on July 18, asking the NPF MLAs to be present in the House on July 19,” the chief minister maintained in the petition.

As such, these ten NPF MLAs had violated the Whip as well as the communication, therefore they are liable for disqualification under paragraph (2)(1)(b) of the Ten Schedule, it stated.

It may be recalled on August 2, the NPF headed by Dr Shurhozelie suspended Neiphiu Rio from the primary and active membership of the Naga People’s Front (NPF). Interestingly, former chief minister and sitting Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio was ‘selected’ by 36 legislators supporting TR Zeliang as the ‘Interim’ president of the NPF on July 31.

The August 2 decision of the DR Shurhozelie group of the NPF came a day after Neiphiu Rio had said he “was humbled by the decision of the NPF Legislature Party led by Chief Minister TR Zeliang for electing him as the interim President of the NPF party”.

CM clarifies on hoax Raksha Bandhan letter

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 5

A hoax letter which “notifies” all government employees to attend Raksha Bandhan on August 7, has been doing the rounds in the social media. The matter was further aggravated when a local newspaper carried the news without authenticating the source. The letter had such an impact to the general public that chief minister N. Biren had to clarify in his Facebook post.

The letter supposedly from the department of personnel and administrative reforms (Personnel Division) bearing number 23/120/2017-Misc/DP mentioned that “It has been decided to celebrate the festival of Raksha Bandhan on Monday, the 7th August, 2017. In this connection, all office/departments shall remain open and celebrate the festival collectively at a suitable time wherein all the lady staff shall tie Rakhis to their male colleagues and all are requested to wear traditional attire on that day,” the circular was purportedly signed by undersecretary of DP, Ph. Bhavadanda Sharma.

Imphal Free Press called up under-secretary Bhavananda, whose name was wrongly spelt and asked him if he had any knowledge. He clarified that the letter is a hoax and the matter has already been clarified by the CM as he is the concerned minister in-charge of the DP. Regarding the hoax, sources mentioned that a case is to be registered with the cyber-crime department.

Chief minister N. Biren in his Facebook post said a newspaper had carried the hoax report without any authentication and it is a malicious attempt to malign his government, “legal action has been initiated against the newspaper for trying to spread false news without any attempt to verify from the concerned department,… I request users to be careful with such malicious attempts to malign my government,”  Biren posted on his Facebook page this morning. After his clarification, the issue fizzled out in the social media.

It was learnt that a legal notice has been served to a vernacular paper, which carried the report.

IMPHAL | Aug 5

Civil bodies urged the state government to review the 105 megawatt Loktak project and to take appropriate steps to decommissioning Ithai barrage at the earliest. The civil bodies are The Loktak Project Affected Area Action Committee, Committee on Human Rights Manipur (COHR), Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur (CRAM) and Irabot Foundation Manipur (IFM).

Speaking to media persons today at Manipur Press Club, Imphal, CRAM secretary, Jiten Yumnam said that the absence of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and state government on the operation of the Loktak project which was commissioned way back in 1984 is a matter of serious concern.

The non-existence of the MoU on the project has been confirmed by the NHPC on May 9, 2017 after filing a RTI application by one Joy Haobijam, whose land was submerged and affected by the project, he added.

The secretary said that, “it is very unfortunate that the NHPC has been given a complete free hand without any monitoring or regulation by the state government.”

He claimed that the project is responsible for the recurrent floods in the state and has destroyed more than 50 thousand hectors of agriculture land. But NHPC refuses to take responsibility for such loss of properties during flood and land submerged, he added.

Moreover the project is responsible for the continued suffering of fishermen by implementing the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection, Act 2006, continued Jiten.

The civil bodies asked the state government to urge upon the NHPC to take responsibility and accountability for the sufferings unleashed and for the environment devastation caused in Loktak lake.

The bodies further asked the state government to repeal Manipur Loktak Lake Protection, Act 2006 to recognise the rights and role of fishing community and to uphold the true spirit of Ramsar conventions.