Manipur News

IMPHAL, Feb 26: Desperate and frustrated students have today warned of not appearing in their coming board and council exams in case the agitating teachers and the state government bring an amicable solution to the ongoing agitation of the teachers which have left the students with no teachers to teach them for nearly two months now.

Students of government run schools under the umbrella of the All Manipur Government High and Higher Secondary School Students Coordinating Committee, Manipur while reiterating its demand in a memorandum have submitted it to the Chief Minister today evening, demanding an amicable solution to the ongoing impasse and setting February 28 as deadline, failing which, the student have warned of not appearing in their upcoming class X and XII examinations.

At the same time, the student body maintained that the concerned authority should be held responsible incase the students suffer more due to the ongoing impasse.

Over hundreds of representatives of the All Manipur Government High and Higher Secondary School Students Coordinating Committee, Manipur bearing placards and banners which read `We want study` `COTA and Govt. should bring an amicable solution at the soonest` `We want normal classes` `Students are the pillars of Nation` etc. after gathering at Ram Lal Paul Higher Secondary School proceeded towards the Chief Minister`™s official residence to submit a memorandum. However the students were stopped by the police at Babupara.

Later four representatives of the student body was allowed to submit the memorandum at the office of the Chief Minister on failing to meet the chief minister who was said to be absent from his bungalow at the time.

While speaking to media persons, the co-convener of the students`™ apex body, M. Sanjoy, revealed that the motive of the students was to meet the Chief Minister, to request him to end the impasse at the earliest as it has adversely affected all government schools as their classes have remained defunct for sometime now. However he added that no amicable solution seems to be in sight as of the moment.

He further expressed his disappointment that the students were unable to meet the Chief Minister despite the gravity of the issue, however he added, that the students will certainly not appear in their exams in case the two parties fail to end the dead lock by February 28.

In the meantime, referring to the ongoing impasse, MLA, N. Mangi, chairman MANIDCO, said that teachers should be committed while discharging their duties adding it is obvious that the demands of the teachers will be fulfilled sooner or later. However some of the teachers must retrospect how far they are committed and sincere while performing their duties, he added.
The students at the same time need to have discipline, manner and to be hardworking. Students who are lacking such quality cannot be called students, the MLA added.

The MLA also appealed the Government to intervene into the prolonged impasse between COTA and the government in the interest of the students`™ communities.

The MLA was speaking during the 40th State Conference of All India Students`™ Federation, Manipur State Council, held at Standard College, Kongba, Imphal, today.

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IMPHAL Feb 26: COTA urges the state government to consider the rightful demand of the teachers at the earliest. The recent outburst of the Chief Minister O Ibobi alleging financial mishaps in the state if the demand of COTA is met is highly improbable , and the stance of the teachers should not be presented in the wrong light , a press release of COTA states.

The release further states that the cabinet should put up the matter on the table and further reflect on the pay structure received by the teaching fraternity in other states.

The college teachers also condemned the statement of Manipur chief minister O Ibobi Singh who said yesterday that the demand of the teachers couldn`™t be met.

It is worth noting that government teachers of Manipur under the aegis of Council of Teachers Association (COTA) have intensified their ongoing fast until death stir with 200 more teachers volunteering to break into a striking mode, more waiting in the anvil to join their colleagues at the face of stark reality following total apathy by the government to their demand for the implementation of central 6th revised pay commission recommendation in toto.

Teachers under COTA have been resorting to fast until death stir as a last option since January 19 at the campus premises of Johnstone Higher Secondary School and later shifted to Churachand Higher secondary School demanding implementation of the 6th pay commission recommendation in toto. As of today, 195 teachers have been arrested by the police and lodged in jail on charges of attempting to commit suicide.

It has been demanding the implementation of 6th pay recommendation since 2009 via various forms of agitation and negotiation. Early in 2010, the government and the striking teachers had reached an agreement with the government buckling under pressure and agreeing to adopt and accept the implementation of the recommendation of six pay commission.

But since their demand has been falling on deaf ears of the government, COTA has pledged to intensify its stir with member teachers volunteering in huge numbers .

At least 195 teachers who were on fast until death stir have since been arrested .

In their attempt to step up the agitation, 200 teachers ,180 from Imphal East zone II and 20 from Chandel district freshly joined the stir Beginning Tuesday last, the teachers are going into an overdrive with the ongoing fast until death stir in a group of 200 teachers. Earlier on, the teachers sat at the fast in a group of 20 so as not to disrupt the academic atmosphere of schools.

The teachers`™ body also alleged that despite three rounds of negotiation and constant pressure, the government is still unwilling to produce a white paper on the non-plan budget of teachers and education, hiding as it is within a non-transparent and unaccountable veil.

Federation of All Colleges Teachers`™ Association Manipur (FACTAM) has also been demanding UGC pay bands by going on a mass casual leave on February 18 and 19. Since yesterday, the college teachers have also resorted to sit in protest and have given February 28 as the deadline for the government to meet their demand failing which FACTAM will launch different forms of agitation.

This move of FACTAM will effectively paralyze around 28 colleges, bringing the academic atmosphere of the students to a complete halt.

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IMPHAL, Feb 26: A Joint Action Committee (JAC) has been formed today against the abduction of one minor boy from Kangpokpi by suspected KCP (MC) cadres for alleged ransom of Rs 50 lakhs.

The JAC was formed after a joint emergency meeting of Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills, KSO Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi Town Committee, Kangpokpi Women Welfare Organization, Kangpokpi Youth Union and all communities residing along the NH-39 was convened today at Kangpokpi Town Committee hall.

The newly formed Joint Action Committee Against Kidnapping of Sagar Prasad, Kangpokpi, has appealed to the concerned organization to release the abducted boy safely, and further warned to call a 24-hour total bandh within Sadar Hills from the midnight of February 28 if the boy is not released by that day.

Meanwhile, decrying the abduction of Sagar Prasad, a large number of students under the aegis of KSO Sadar Hills took out a mass rally from Kangpokpi Thomas Ground up to ADC Complex and later submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through ADC of Kangpokpi.

The memorandum of KSO mentioned that the act of kidnapping Sagar Prasad, a class IX student of KT Higher Secondary School, has created a tense situation in Sadar Hills area and such incident may have an adverse impact in the society.

It further questioned the state government why it has failed to take up necessary action through its machineries to trace the whereabouts of the kidnapped boy even if six days have passed without having any information on the matter.

Further in the memorandum, the KSA warned the state government to hold responsible for the outcome if it could not ensure safe release of Sagar Prasad.

Speaking to media-persons, the convenor of JAC, Ngamlien Haokip stated that the act of kidnapping a 13-year boy Sagar Prasad by some suspected KCP (MC) cadres on February 20 from Saparmeina area for a ransom of Rs 50 lakhs is a con demnable act very unlikely of a revolutionary organization. He enjoined that the concerned organization should release the boy as soon as possible in view of peaceful coexistence of all communities in the state.

(NNN adds)Various forms of agitations along the National Highway 39 are looming large as many organisations have threatened to agitate if Sagar Prasad, a class nine student of K.T Higher Secondary school of Kangpokpi is not released by his kidnappers.

According to the joint action committee (JAC) against the kidnapping of Sagar Prasad, a militant outfit KCP-MC has abducted Sagar Prasad for a ransom of Rs 50 lakhs on February 20. Sagar Prasad`s father Suresh Prasad is running a hardware store at Saparmeina.

The JAC warned that if Sagar Prasad is not released within 24 hours from this afternoon, a 24 hour bandh along the NH-39 will be called as its first phase of agitation. The Kuki Students` Organisation (KSO) of Sardar Hills unit too threatened to agitate by calling bandh along the NH-39.

Meanwhile, students took out a rally today at Kangpokpi, some 40 kilometres north of Imphal demanding the release of Sagar Prasad.

The placards of students read, “Kidanapping will not bring sovereignty,” Manipur Shame! Shame!”.

The rally was organised by Kuki Students Organisation (KSO), Sardar Hills unit.

At the end of the rally, a memorandum was submitted to the state chief minister through the additional deputy commissioner of Sadar Hills.

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IMPHAL, Feb 26: Considering the problems arising out of the shortages of the MCS, MPS, MFS, MSS, SDC and EO in the administrations of the districts of the state, state cabinet in the recent meeting has approved the requisition of MPSC for direct recruitment to MCS, MPS, MFS, MSS, SDC and EO after reviewing the decision of the cabinet during the cabinet meeting held on July, 15 last year for the requisition of 180 posts for MCS, MPS, MFS, MSS, SDC and EO.

According to a highly placed official source, the earlier cabinet meeting held on July, 15 last year had decided for the direct recruitment of 19 MCS, 65 MPS, 37 MFS, 25 MSS, 31 and 3 EOs.

The source said the recent state cabinet held under chairmanship of the Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh at his official chamber has worked out and confirmed the numbers of officers to be recruited in consultation with the concerned departments. Regarding the direct appointment of post of MCS, the mumber which are to be appointed as re-affirmed to 19.

Regarding MPS, DGP, Manipur Y Joykumar during the meeting has expressed reservation that taking in 65 MPC-II officers by direct recruitment in a particular year would be create serious cadres management problems and has suggested for recruiting only 25 MPS-II officers by direct recruitment.

Further, regarding, MFS, it has been ascertained that the correct number of vacancies for direct recruitment in MFS-III will be 23 (not 37). Regarding SDCs, the Revenue Department has been consulted. They have now informed vide their letter dated July, 22 last year that there are 43 vacancies (as against 31 informed verbally earlier) for direct recruitment.

Considering all official documentation placed before the recent cabinet meeting state cabinet has approved for the amendment of the earlier decision and approved to conduct fresh requisition to the MPSC for the recruitment of 138 officers which includes 19 MCS-II, 25 MPS-II, 23 MFS-III, 23 MSS-V, 25 SDCs and 43 Election Officers (EOs) through the Manipur Civil Service Combined Competitive Examination, the source added.

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IMPHAL, Feb 26: An excavation team from the DM College of Science Imphal discovered early stone-age rock shelter at Kathong Moutain Range near Phuikon Haosabee in Sajik Tampak under Chandel District on February 21 this month.

According to a release, the newly discovered early stone-age rock shelter is 12.5ft wide at the mouth, 7.2 ft in Height and having 16 ft depth inside. The cave will be one of the oldest Rock shelter of earlier Paleolithic period. The excavation is now in progress and so far the team has discovered more than 50 stone tools of different culture. The excavation is likely to be concluded by February 28 this month, the release added.

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