Manipur News

IMPHAL, Sept 8: The International Guild of Battlefield Guide has recently recognised Manipur as an International War Tourism Destination. The recognition was declared along with the conferment of its membership to Rajeshwar Yumnam and Arambam Angamba, co-founders of 2nd World War Imphal Campaign Foundation, Imphal.

According to an official source of the foundation, the recognition and the conferment of the membership to the duo is in recognition of the research and activities carried out by the foundation pertaining to the battles of the 2nd World War fought in Manipur, also collectively known as the Battle of Imphal.

The Battle of Imphal has been acknowledged as Britain’s Greatest Battle by the National Army Museum, UK.

Rajeshwar and Angamba are the first Asians to be taken in as official guides of the International Guild. The Guild, which is also the official tour partner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), was established to analyse, develop and raise awareness and practice of battlefield guiding.

It may be mentioned that the Imphal Campaign Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Imphal, has been undertaking research and excavation works at various battlefield sites of the World War II. The Foundation has been running a museum – Imphal War Museum, showcasing the relics and artifacts excavated from the battlefield sites.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/manipur-gets-intl-war-tourism-destination-tag/

IMPHAL, September 8: There was uproar this evening inside the Nongmeibung office of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System after a police team arrested 12 members including four women of the committee.

The police team was led by additional SP Imphal West Victoria Yengkhom.

The 12 were arrested following an alleged assault of the owner of ‘Tashi Interiors’ Debson Yengkhom, 36, son of Yengkhom Puskar by the JCILPS student wing members after calling him for a meeting.

Debson was called at the office of the JCILPS following a reported argument yesterday when members of the student wing had gone to his office to check for “illegal non-locals.”

According to the JCILPS women wing convenor Lourembam Nganbi, the committee was discussing the Chief Minister’s invite for talks on the ILPS demand today, when the addl SP barged into the office and called out the executive members.

It may be mentioned that earlier in the day, Tashi interiors CEO Debson had come to the office for the meeting, which however turned into an ugly tussle with the members of the student wing assaulting him, sources said.

Debson who is elder brother of the additional SP called her after the incident, the source continued.

Soon on reaching the spot, Victoria found bruise marks on her brother and informed the Porompat PS.

The police detained eight members of the student wing, four of the women wing and other members of the JCILPS and took them for questioning.

Meanwhile, after the police team left, the JCILPS women wing called a press conference and lamented the police action.

Convenor L Nganbi said following the police action, the committee has decided to withhold the invite for a meeting on the ILPS demand with the Chief Minister until the additional SP is suspended and she apologises before the committee.

She further threatened of strong agitations unless the demand is met with.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/uproar-in-jcilps-office-over-assault-of-tashi-interiors-owner/

By Alex Guite
LAMKA, Sept 7: Mata Mualtam Village, which is just 6 Km from the district head quarter of Churachandpur, has been reeling under darkness for the last eight years as there is no electric power in the village.

Mannu, a villager speaking to IFP said the village had to be shifted to a higher ground, as the previous location of the village was submerged by water with the commissioning of Khuga Dam in 2006.

She lamented that with the completion of the Dam, it has not serve any purpose to the villagers of Mata. Before the election so many people came and had promised the villagers that electric power will be restored in the village, she continued.

Another woman from the same village said that children have to study with candles. With PDS not functioning properly in the area, Kerosene is sold at Rs 70 to 80 per Liter at the black market, she added.

A woman, on the condition of anonymity said that Rs 500 per household were deducted from the MNREGS wage for buying electric transformer, but it has not materialised till today. She alleged that many villages’ chiefs have been deducting money from the MNREGS wage as ‘electric fee’, which is against the norms of MNREGS, adding that when they went to check at the electricity office, there was no record of money being deposited.

It may be mentioned that a wind turbine was installed in the Mata Village to generate electric power after the village was dislocated by the Khuga project. But the turbine at present has been found to be dysfunctional.

One elder from the village told IFP that they have no idea when the village will see electricity. “It is like living in the dark ages”, she said.

It may also be mentioned that Geljang, Ngoiphai, Phaibem, Zoutuinuam, Lamjang, Lunmual, Kullian, S Phaiza, Hiangdung, Panglian, Geltui, S Munhoih and S Zezaw etc are some of the villages that are deprived of electricity after the commissioning of Khuga Dam.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/khuga-displaced-village-yet-to-see-electric-light-after-eight-years-of-re-location/