Manipur News

IMPHAL, March 23: The Saikul Area Naga People`™s Organisation has stated that the fund earmarked for Lui-ngai-ni festival 2015 has been misappropriated by few individuals in collusion with the Directorate of Tribal Affairs and Hills in the name of Zeliangrong Development Organisation Manipur (ZDOM).

According to a release of the organisation, ADC Chairman Ukhrul, John Raleng was the Chairman of the organising committee of the so called unofficial and unrecognized State Level Lui0ngai-ni Festival organised at TRI, Imphal. However, the Chairman has rejected about the withdrawal of RS 10 Lakh from the Directorate of Tribal Affairs and Hills which is a clear sign of misappropriation, it said.

It also stated that the festival has been celebrated under the aegis of United Naga Council only. The organisation has stated that if the misappropriation is not timely clarified to the people, further steps will be taken up for looting in public interest, it said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/saikul-npo-alleges-fund-misuse/

IMPHAL, March 23: A Joint body of village heads and elders formed after a conflict between the villagers of Gwaltabi and Manojang at Gwaltabi on March 20, managed a compromise between the two parties in a public meeting of the villagers was held today at Gwaltabi Community hall. The public meeting was organised by Tellou Chana Seijang Gram Panchayat.

Mention may be made that on the evening of March 20 at Gwaltabi village, a conflict between the small community of Meitei villagers of Gwaltabi and Kuki villagers of Monoyang broke out over an argument between few drunken individuals.

In order to strengthen the bondages of the villagers belonging to the two communities and avoid such conflicts in the future the Tellou Chana Seijang Gram Panchayat called the meeting.

The meeting was attended by village chiefs, leaders, Pradhan and other elders and local meira paibis of Manojang, Gwaltabi, Urangpat, Yaingangpokpi, Sabungkhok Seijang, Leimakhong Mapal, Tepland, K Khonong, K Vaipheijang, members from surrounding villages and CSOs.

During the meeting Pradhan L Dinesh said that the incident was regrettable and originated from petty issues. He further called for support from the CSOs and other intellectuals for bringing peace and harmony in the area.

Sales and use of illicit drugs and alcohol should be banned in the area to minimise such conflicts said Urangpat village chief Limkhopao Mate and added that people from different communities have been living in peace since time immemorial in the area.

He said that the dispute might not have aggravated if reported timely to the concern village heads in the first place. Later he wished the last of such incidents have been seen in the area.

Chairman Yaingangpokpi Village committee Saikhom Tomba called for a joint committee formed by villagers of different communities so as to quickly address such unwanted incidents in future. He urged everybody not to resort to mob justice.

Later the meeting resolved to form a peace committee comprising of leaders of various surrounding villages urging all that any unwanted or anti social incident in the future should be first reported to this committee.

In the sidelines OC to Yaingangpokpi Police Station A Tomba Singh expressed that their area of operation is inhabited by a number of different communities, being the juncture of three districts namely Imphal East, Ukhrul and Senapati, and therefore it is a sensitive area.

He further stated that the area is thinly populated hence the area MLA is not too concerned about their plight.

Lamenting the resort to mob justice he said that any kind of anti social activity must be reported to the police station immediately.

The OC further said that Yaingangpokpi PS is not a full-fledged police station and its personnel strength is inadequate. He added that the state Government is considering to make Yaingangpokpi full-fledged police station by inducting more staff in the near future.

The need is for discipline among the residing communities of the area, OC Lamlai PS, W Devkumar also said in the sidelines.

He further said that to minimise such untoward incidents, frequent public meeting is needed among the different communities of the area. He called for cooperation from the society in bringing peace and harmony.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/joint-body-reconciles-ugly-inter-community-dispute-at-yaingangpokpi/

IMPHAL, March 23: Adhikarimayum Sarda Devi who has been appointed vice president of All India BJP Mahila Morcha was warmly felicitated by the locals of Urup in reception function held at Ibudhou Phunal Ningthou Community hall, Urup today.

The function was attended by Irungbam Priyo president Gamaray Club, Chanam Sandrok, M Inaobi Up-Pradhan Keirao Makting GP and Laishram Shitaljit, ex secretary Urup Young Civil Club as presidium members.

Speaking as Chief Guest of the function, Adhykarimayum Sarda Devi said that many political parties always manage to brand BJP as communal party. However, the party never works in communal line and it is a secular party which always strives to bring development in the larger interest of the general public.

While claiming that the BJP led NDA Government has done something which the 60 years rule of Congress party couldn`™t, she claimed that the during the last NDA Government led by the then Prime Minister Atul Bihar Vaspayee, Ministry of DoNER was constituted.

For development of rural village road, PMGSY scheme was introduced, she said. To protect the unborn baby girl an Act against medical termination of pregnancy and in its footsteps was passed. Narendra Modi has also recently implemented Beti Bachao Beti Parao scheme in India, she said.

The Central Government is providing the state with huge development fund under national flagship programmes including welfare scheme for woman and children, road development, poverty alleviation, such huge fund meant for the poor do not reach to the common people, Sarda said while appealing the people to elect the right representatives who would serve in the larger public interest.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/urup-villagers-felicitate-bjp-woman-chief-sarda/

IMPHAL, March 23: The All Political Parties Committee on the implementation of Inner Line Permit System in Manipur, had a meeting again today to discuss the objections raised against the Manipur Regulation of Visotors, Tenants and Migrant Workders Bill 2015, in particular by the JCILPS.

The Bill, it may be recalled, was introduced during the 10th session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly on March 13 and after an intense discussion on the floor of the House, passed on March 16.

Today`™s meeting was initiated by the Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi, who extended formal invitation to the members of the committee. The meeting held at the Chief Minister`™s cabinet secretariat hall from 4.30pm to 6pm, was prompted by the objection to the Blll by the JCILPS and supporters, an official source said.

The Manipur People`™s Party, MPP, which is planning a sit-in protest against the Bill tomorrow at its party complex, however did not send any of its representatives to the meeting, the source said.

Today`™s meeting discussed threadbare points raised by the JCILPS on the matter of cut off year for deciding who is domicile and who is visitor, the definition of `permanent resident`, `visitor` and `tenant` etc, the source said.

Members present in the meeting were of the opinion that a joint sitting of the All Parties Committee and the JCILPS is called for to try and resolve these issues to the satisfaction of all, the source added.

There was however no consensus reached on the question of whether the Government should be represented in such a meeting, or whether it should be only between the All Parties Committee and the JCILPS, the source further said.

Among Government representatives present in today`™s meeting were besides the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Gaikhangam and Law Minister, Thoudam Devendra Singh, the source added.

However, N Sovakiran, the president of the MPP which did not send any representatives to today`™s meeting told IFP that the Bill is a betrayal of the people`™s wishes as well as the commitment given by the Government to the All Parties Committee.

The MPP will go ahead and hold its protest sit-in at its office complex from 10am to 4pm tomorrow, Sovakiran said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/all-parties-committee-meet-again-to-discuss-objections-to-visitors-bill/

IMPHAL, March 23: The negligence of the government and the concern construction contractor of Thamcha High School, Nongmeibung Pung Mathak has resulted in displacement of students, DESAM alleged during an inspection it conducted at the school premises today. It also said it found various construction works grossly unsatisfactory.

Speaking to media person, vice president, A Thoithoi said that after the school had been upgraded to a High School in the year 2011-2012, with an instruction to complete construction of new infrastructure within 10 month after the date of up-gradation, the construction work remained incomplete even in the year 2014.

As per the notice served on March 1, 2014 by Government of Manipur, Education Engineering Wing, Department of Education, the estimate amount released so far is Rs. 34,61,768.

He further said that the construction work which is incomplete to this day still does not maintain quality or follow architectural drawings given by the Education Engineering Wing, Department of Education.

As per the specification, the rooms to be constructed are one room for arts & craft, one office room, one library room, one headmaster`™s room, one computer room, one science laboratory room, two class rooms.

When Thamcha was a Junior High School, it had up to class eight, with eight class rooms, but after up-gradation to High School it should have up to 10 class rooms but this is not so.

He further said after the school building was dismantled for up-gradation in 2014, students have been left without classrooms. The education status in this school is in a pathetic situation, moreover the school is unable to start its session even after most schools in the state have reopened its classes from February.

Thoithoi appealed to the concerned authorities to look into the matter seriously to bring quality education and for the better future of the students. He also appealed the concerned authorities to give tender to genuine contractors only.

The headmistress of the school, Ph Dasumati Devi also appealed to the concerned authorities for the completion of the work at the earliest.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/desam-dismayed-by-poor-construction-of-thamcha-hs/