Month: August 2013

IMPHAL, August 6 NNN : Asian Development Bank (ADB) will finance Manipur road connectivity construction.
This was disclosed by Manipur minister for Works, Kh Ratankumar on Tuesday who said the road connectivity in the state will be developed soon at the cost of Rs 1,800 crore to be sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
“Transport and communication, the vital infrastructure of the state, is to develop under the South Asia Sub-Regional Economic Project, a joint venture of India, Myanmar and Thailand and that the project aimed at expanding road connectivity of the three countries with modern facilities,” Ratankumar told a press conference at his office here.
He informed that the state Government has already finalised to start development of the roads connecting Imphal, Tupul, Bishnupur, Mayang Imphal, Thoubal and Kasom Khullen under the project.
Under this project the Government will also develop Imphal-Moreh road (National-Highway-2), the greater Imphal ring-roads, and Wangjing, Heirok, Machi and Khudengthabi roads, and Imphal-Kangchup, Tamenglong, Tousem and Haflong roads, and Imphal-Ukhrul, Kamjong, Kongkhang Thana roads, and Imphal-Moirang, Wangoo, Churachandpur roads, he further informed.
He also said that a meeting was held at the Chief Minister’s office yesterday to discuss the development project to be taken up under ADB. The meeting which was chaired by the Chief Minister was attended by ministers and other officials of the state Transport Department, he said.
All the above roads will be developed on the priority basis, he informed and said that the ADB has also assured Manipur Government that more fund for development of more road connectivity in the state will be provided by the bank if proposed by the state

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/adb-to-finance-in-road-works/

Senapati, Aug 6 NNN : Factional killings among Naga militant organisations have re-surfaced in Manipur after a long lull.
Today, a cadre of NSCN-Khole-Kitovi was shot dead in Senapati district headquarters by suspected rival cadres.
Sources said self-style ‘Lieutenant Colonel’ Pfokrehe James, 55 years, hailed from NSCN-Khole-Kitovi group ( formerly called Unification) was dragged away from Senapati Bazaar Old Road area around 3:15 pm today by three gunmen and later at around 5 pm gun shots were heard. Around 5:30 pm the body of Pfokrehe James was found lying between Senapati’s Angkailongdi and Viewland Colony. Police rushed to the spot and retrieved the body.
It is said that Pfokrehe James hailed from Robunamai village under Mao-Maram subdivision of Senapati district.
Police believed that the incident is related to the factional rivalry of the NSCNs. However, it is exactly not known which group was responsible for the killing.
Meanwhile, Mao Council has strongly condemned the incident saying killing an unarmed person is an act of cowardice. The Mao Council also said Pfokrehe had come to Senapati town to participate in the crucial meeting on Census issue today.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/nscn-kk-man-killed/

UKHRUL, Aug 6 NNN : Amidst roaring protest from non-Congress political parties in Manipur against the Food Security Bill, the state government of Manipur is attempting hard to convince the people that the Bill means a huge benefit for the poor section of the society.
As part of its gear up measure, Manipur Deputy Chief Minister and Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Gaikhangam on Tuesday called for mass awareness on the Food Security Bill which is expected to benefit 75 percent of the rural population while another 50 percent of the urban population in the state.
Participating in a one day ‘state level (ST) youth convention and discussion on Food Security Bill, 2013’ organised by Manipur Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (MPYCC) at Town Hall, Ukhrul district, Gaikhangam assertively stated that states with more number of poor people will get more benefits through this food security.
He said the people need awareness on the Bill and urged all the Congress workers and the party’s frontal organizations to spread its facts.
Gaikhangam said presently the people are provided with various benefits under three different schemes—APL, BPL and AAY—but the AAY will be removed after implementation of the ordinance.
Manipur’s 23.38 lakh population of the 27.21 lakh total population will get benefits under the National Food Security Bill, 2013 which aimed at eradicating hunger and providing nutrition to women and children in the country, the Deputy Chief Minister said. This scheme will provide 5 kg foodgrains per person per month at Rs 3 per kg for rice and Rs 2 per kg for wheat.The scheme is most likely to implement in the state within three months, he said.
The Bill proposes to cover nearly 82 crore of India’s population—75 percent of the rural population and another 50 percent of the urban population—that is, nearly 60 percent of the population.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/food-security-bill-good-cong/

Imphal Aug UNA : The United Naga Council (UNC) has called a 48 hours total bandh and would be observed in Naga areas from the midnight of 11th August, 2013 to midnight of 13th August, 2013 and the Naga people will abstain from participation in the 66th Indian Independence Day celebration.
The UNC has not received a response from the Government of India (GoI) to the submission of the UNC dated 15th July, 2013 for indicating the date for the next round (6th) of tripartite talk of the GoI, Government of Manipur (GoM) and the Nagas on the demand for an alternative arrangement outside the GoM was taken up among other agenda in the meeting of the Presidential Council of the UNC held at Tahamzam on last 5th August, 2013.
The Council meeting which was also attended by all the Regional and Naga frontal organisations took strong exception to the lack of respect for the democratic process of dialogue by the GoI and the GoM which had been put in place at the instance of the GoI. While it has been placed on record by the UNC team in the tripartite talks that the GoI and the GoM must be respectful of the democratic process of dialogue and avoid delays in taking it forward, the delay in convening the 6th round of talk even after lapse of more than 5 months since the last talk, which concluded with assurance for convening the next round .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/unc-calls-48-hr-bandh/

Imphal Aug 6 UNA : The Naga People’s Organisation (NPO) submitted an ultimatum against the exclusion of 2011 Census figure in the respect of Mao-Maram, Paomata and Purul sub-division of Senapati district, Manipur to the Chief Minister on Tuesday.
According to the ultimatum submitted to the CM through the deputy commissioner of Senapati stated that the people of Mao-Maram, Paomata and Purul sub-division of Senapati district, has being pursuing for the restoration of 2001 original census figure. Furthermore, the unjust denial of our very existence by excluding our census figure in 2011 provisional census data has greatly hurt the sentiments of the people.
The government should resolve the 2011 census by restoring the original census figure as enumerated by August 31, failure which the organization would be compelled to resort into different course of democratic agitations and the state government will be the held responsible for any eventualities during the agitation added the ultimatum.
The ultimatum was jointly signed by M.L. Markson, president NPO, A. John, Chairman Census Committee, NG. Lohrii, president Poumai Naga Union (PNU), president, Mao Council, Maram Union, Zaliangrong Union etc.
Interaction with youth
MNS: under its ‘Youth Empowerment Programme’ the Security Forces under Red Shield Division organised an interaction programme for the youth at village Sinjol. The programme was addressed by Company Commander, 38 Assam Rifles where challenges and various opportunities available for the youth in the area were discussed. The youth were also educated and motivated to join the defence services .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/npo-submits-ultimatum/

IMPHAL, Aug 6 NNN : The Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) has denied its involvement in the recent kidnapping of seven engineers in Manipur.
KRA information and publicity secretary T Simte has clarified that at point of time no cadres of the outfit will involve in such incident.
T.Simte then demanded from IFCD Executive Engineer N Surachandra to immediately clarify as to why the engineer had pointed its finger at the KRA for the abduction.
“Ever since the KRA had signed the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the government cadres of the outfit have been abiding the SoO ground rules,” claimed T Simte.
He then accused Exe cutive Engineer N Surachandra of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD), government of Manipur of attempting to tarnish the image of the KRA. “Our cadres have been confined in designated camps after the SoO was signed and moreover we have been supporting the government effort to bring development,” T Simte stated. The KRA leader also accused the engineer of trying to do away the hard earned peace. “The engineer should spell out the reason at the earliest for clubbing the name of our out with the recent abduction incident of the seven engineers,” T Simte demanded.
It may be recalled here that on August 1, seven persons, including two engineers Abhijit Sinha and Debajit Sinha from Kolkata based RN Sinh Constructions Ltd were abducted by suspected militants somewhere in Pukhao Terapur, about 10 km from Dolaithabi Barrage Project, Dolaithabi village.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/kra-denies-involvement-in-kidnapping-of-officials/

IMPHAL, Aug 6 MNS NNN: Security has been intensified in Manipur to avert any untoward incident in the run up to the Independence Day celebrations. The state police have laid a tight security plan ahead of the celebrations arresting several militants during cordon and search operations in Imphal city during the past one week.
On August 4, a team of Imphal East district police commandos arrested at least three militants, including a former member of Kuki National Organisation/Kuki Liberation Army (KNO/KLA) and two People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak-Pro members in separate search operations here.
Solal Tauthang alias Kansa alias Lalboy, 38, hailing from T Zordanphai village under Saikul police station in Senapati district, was apprehended by a team of Imphal East district police commandos during a search operation at New Lambulane Tribal Market around 5 pm, said the district Additional Superintendent of Police (Operations), M Rajen during a press briefing at his office on Tuesday.
Rajen said that Touthang had claimed that he was a former member of KNO/KLA.
On the same day, the commando team also arrested a PREPAK-pro militant at Bamon Leikai round 7:30 pm, the ASP said and identified him as Moirangthem Kalachand Singh alias Biren, 55, a resident of Kwakeithel Mayai Koibi, Imphal West district.
Another member of the same outfit was later arrested by the commando team from Bamon Leikai around 7:45 pm, he said while naming him as Khumukcham Biswajit Singh alias Nanao, 48, a resident from Moirangkhom bazaar.
Two Italy made 9 mm pistols, two magazines with five rounds, two Chinese hand grenades and one mobile handset were recovered from the duo, Rajen said.
Meanwhile, a separate statement released by Superintendent of Police, Imphal East district has claimed that the former cadre of KNO/KLA Solal Touthang arrested by the district police commandos from New Lambulane Tribal Market on August 4 is turned out to be a cadre of Kuki National Front -Nehlun (KNF-N).
The statement said that Tothang joined the outfit in June this year and that he was involved in several extortion cases. Recently, Touthang on the instruction of his commander Ranjit Kipgen, a self-styled sgt of KNF (N), had demanded Rs 20, 00, 00 to a retired IFCD Chief Engineer named one Gangte of Deulahland here.
Meanwhile, at least 25 persons were pulled up by Imphal West district police after a cordon and search operation in Moirangkhom Bukulmakhong area early Tuesday morning.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/security-beefed-up-in-view-of-id-celebrations/