Day: July 19, 2017

IMPHAL | July 17

The newly revived Reporters Forum has condemned the incident of a RIMS official who physically abused a woman journalist of Huiyen Lanpao while trying to investigate a complaint.

The incident took place at RIMS on Tuesday afternoon when some scribes tried to verify whether cash was taken for conducting dialysis test, which is free. It may be mentioned that the Prime Minister National Dialysis program offers free testing for the patients.

The scribe had asked the RIMS official to verify a particular client’s testing when the woman seized the hand of the scribe from inside her office. She had also verbally threatened the scribe.

The matter was tried to be conveyed to the medical superintendent of the institute but was allegedly ignored. The matter was brought before the chief minister N. Biren today and prompt action has been promised. Biren Singh assured that the matter will be taken up by the anti-corruption cell also.        

 The matter has also been notified to the Lamphel OC to take up necessary action.

From A Correspondent

THOUBAL | July 19

A girl who was declared passed in first division, ended up securing 24th position in the High School Leaving Certificate Examination after her answer sheets were re-evaluated.

Touranbam Mrakshita, a student of KM Blooming Higher Secondary School, Thoubal district had passed the examination in first division. Not satisfied with the results released on June 3 by the Board of Secondary Education Manipur she applied for re-evaluation.

The matter had also been addressed in a corrigendum released by secretary of the board, Chingangbam Sarat on July 13, declaring her new ranked position.

Mrakshita, daughter of Tourangnbam Toto and Nganthoi from Tourangbam Leikai Heirok Part-III is currently pursuing further studies at Herbert School.

Her mother, Nganthoi said teachers had the confidence that she would secure a spot amongst the position holders.

“Even Mrakshita was expecting the same but when the results were out, she was not in the list of positions from 1st to 25th. However, she had cleared in first division. I pray that such mistakes should never happen again,” the mother said.

Newmai News Network

SENAPATI | July 19

The tripartite talks on district creation issue involving the United Naga Council (UNC), the State Government of Manipur and the Central Government will be held on July 22 (Saturday) at Senapati district headquarters.

UNC sources informed Newmai News Network tonight that the Central Government “has invited” the Naga body today for the talks to be held on July 22. This time the tripartite talks on the district creation issue will be held at the ‘political level’, according to the UNC leaders.

Stressing on the “urgent need” for the government to take the matter seriously, the UNC leaders cautioned that “it will be a big mistake from the part of the government if it tries to take undue advantages because of our gesture.” The UNC leaders further said that the tripartite talks “cannot go on like this.”  They reiterated that the talks should be held in a “time-bound manner”.

It can be noted here that the tripartite talks on district creation issue which were scheduled earlier for July 10 at Ukhrul district headquarters were postponed. Apparently reacting to the prolonging of the tripartite talks the UNC had expressed its frustration on July 12. On the same day, the UNC had also informed the Naga people in Manipur “to remain alert to face any eventuality”. It had also alleged  that a party engaging in the tripartite talks was intentionally trying to sabotage the ongoing dialogue on district creation issue.

On May 19, the representatives of the Manipur Government, the Central Government and the UNC had agreed upon to hold tripartite talks on the district creation issue at the political level within a month’s time. The one month’s time frame to hold tripartite talks on the district creation issue had lapsed on June 19.

The UNC had also stated earlier that “since the new government of Manipur under the leadership of N Biren Singh and the Narendra Modi government at the Centre had assured us to redress the problems created by the communal Ibobi Singh government we are fervently waiting for the justice.”

In the last tripartite talks held on May 19 in Senapati headquarters, it was reaffirmed the “focal point No 1 of agreement arrived at in the tripartite talks on March 19, 2017” which states that “the grievances of the United Naga Council which led to the imposition of the economic blockade by them was recognized as there was non-adherence to the four Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the Government of India’s assurance on the matter. The Government of Manipur agrees to start consultation with all stakeholders to redress the same”.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL July 19

Manipur government spokesperson and works minister Thongam Biswajit said the new government led by BJP has a vision not only to create employment but also employers to solve the unemployment problem in the state.

In an exclusive interview with All India Radio, Imphal which was aired today at 8:00pm, the spokesperson said the state government has been working on a robust plan to generate employment avenues for about 1.5 lakh educated youths per annum.

He said if the employment generation goes in this pace, as many as 7.5 lakh educated youths will be given employment avenues in the coming five years. He further said the state is facing a large scale unemployment problem which has gone up to more than 8 lakh and 17 thousand job seekers as enrolled in the live register of the state employment exchange.

He said, dynamic potential of our youths could not be properly channelized in this situation and this has led to youth unrest and again the precious lives of our youths have become victims of intoxicants, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Biswajit said the government led by N. Biren Singh has a vision to create smart and dynamic young entrepreneurs who will not only be self-employed but also employ others, making them part of the solution.

When the vision is materialized, Manipur will become youth unrest-free state and this will also save thousands of youths from spoiling their lives abusing drugs.

Elaborating the employment generation initiatives Biswajit said skill training to increase employability of our educated youths, grooming entrepreneurs under micro, small and medium enterprises(MSME) schemes keeping in tune with the flagship schemes of the NDA government at the Centre led by Narendra Modi like Make in India, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Start up India, Stand up India etc. as well as PMEGP will be the focal points to generate employment avenues in the state.

He said Manipur State Rural Livelihood Mission alone will create employment for 10,500 people in the rural areas of the state while the National Urban Livelihood Mission will generate employment for 3000 people in the current financial year.

The department of rural development and panchayati raj as well as commerce and industries department is working a mission to generate employment for 30,000 people each.

The Manipur Food Industries Corporation Limited(MFICL) is going to provide plantation materials for medicinal plant stabia, turmeric and lemon grass to farmers for enhancing their income and under the Buy Back Arrangement, state government will buy the products from the farmers.

He said the plantation under Buy Back Arrangement will be done in 4500 acres of agricultural land benefitting 4500 farmers. He said, handloom and handicrafts industries alone will create 15,700 jobs in the current fiscal year.

Biswajit further said the thrust areas of the new government will be road connectivity and drinking water as chief minister has already announced. He said, Union government has already sanctioned Rs. 1630 Crore for 65 km long road widening and strengthening along the Imphal-Moreh road, Moreh being a gateway to South East Asia.

He said need based enhancement and improvement projects of road connectivity are very much in discussion with the chief minister and concerned engineers. He said, detailed project reports have been prepared and sent already to the Centre for approval and the proposals are reportedly under active consideration by the Centre and state government is very much hopeful of sailing through in this endeavour for a road revolution in the state whether it is national highway, state highway, major district roads as well as inter-village roads.

Regarding providing potable drinking water to every household of the state, he said it is the government’s commitment to the people to achieve the same in the first one year of its coming to power in the state.

He said, detailed project report has already been sent to the centre for approval so that the commitment is kept as a government of the people for the people.

Biswajit is also minister in-charge of information and public relations, commerce and industries, rural development and panchayati raj, power and administrative reforms.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 19

The repairing work of Barak bridge located at Purul road has been completed yesterday and goods laden trucks including petroleum tankers started crossing the bridge. It is reported that one iron bar of the bridge broke and twisted while the trucks were crossing the bridge.

According to the source the replaced iron bar was taken out from the old Barak bridge which is adjacent to the new Barak bridge. The bridge was commissioned in 2012 and handed to the public on 2015. It may be mentioned that the old bridge was constructed during the colonial rule.

According to one of a truck drivers, K. Prem said the new Barak bridge has been facing technical problems since the beginning and by replacing the iron bar from the old bridge which is almost rusty and weak, the repaired could not last long.

The bridge repairing work was done under Bhartia Infra Project Limited (BIPL) project.

Nabakishore Sharma, engineer who was involved in the repairing work said, the problem on of bridge is due to passing of trucks loaded more than the permissible weight. If the loads are checked by police personnel the damage on the bridge might not happen, he said.

The bridge contains full technical criteria and if the loaded trucks crossed the bridge with not more than 24 tons which is the capacity of the bridge then it will not be damaged, Nabakishore maintained.

According to another truck driver, S. Pakka said new Barak bridge and Maku bridge were constructed almost the same time. Maku bridge is not affected yet but Barak bridge is having problem frequently though same loaded trucks passed both the bridge.

When the drivers asked why the iron bar is replaced from the old one, the engineer replied that GRIP company who has done the repairing work before has taken all the repairing materials for the welfare of the transporters, Pakka added.

“If repairing work is done like this how we can cross the bridge with a safer mind,” he added.

From Our Correspondent

KANGPOKPI | July 19

Social welfare minister Nemcha Kipgen accompanied by principal secretary of cooperation, economics and statistic, P. Vaiphei visited earth fissures affected places inn Kangpokpi today.

The heavy rainfall last night made the road connecting Haijang and Kangpokpi completely muddy and slippery and the absence of motorable bridge compelled the ministerial team to cross the Gundung river.

The deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Kangpokpi went along with the ministerial team by hiring a Shaktiman from Kangpokpi district HQ for a joint inspection of the earth fissure at Haijang village.

The team found that the crack has widened and damaged five houses and one UJB School building of Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council, Kangpokpi. The School was badly damaged and more cracks may develop in other houses and other areas of the village if rainfall continues. Haijang village has 70 households with a total population of around 500.

The villagers of Haijang expressed their apprehension and suggested for an expert team to be deputed to the village for a spot assessment to ascertain the causes of the earth cracks.

The minister advised the district administration to put up the situation to the state government today itself with a request to depute an expert team of GSI on the spot.

The ministerial team also visited the earth crack that developed along Twilang road and found similar widening of the crack and considered impending danger of heavy landslide.

Nemcha said the government’s first priority is safety of the affected villagers while adding that concerned department will soon call an expert team to assess the situation and take necessary action.

Deputy commissioner T. Ranjit Sigh wrote to the principal secretary, relief and disaster management to to depute a team of experts from GSI, NER Dimapur to the sites for spot verification and taking necessary action.

IMPHAL | July 19

Acknowledging the enormous hazards faced by truckers while transporting goods along both national highways by the Cabinet, chief minister N. Biren Singh handed over a cheque of Rs. 1,07,19,400 to the petroleum tankers association and another cheque of Rs 1,40,000 to LPG tankers association at the chief minister’s secretariat today.

 “We have seen the troubles faced by our truckers who have braved attacks, who have risked their lives transporting essential supplies to the state. We have tendered our due to them, the government acknowledges the heroic role they have taken,” Biren told reporters.

The amount was for the damages and compensation occurred during November 2016 to January 2017. Three tankers were burnt and 1 driver had lost his life while two others suffered serious injuries during the time.

Biren stated that there are several mishaps occurring to the transport vehicles in the hilly terrain and it was urged from the transporters association that a recovery vehicle be made available. In this regard, the state will procure the recovery vehicle at a cost of Rs 58 lakh. The amount has been sanctioned.

Regarding the flood situation, he stated that the government is doing its very best to prevent any outbreak of diseases as much part of the valley still remains inundated. All possible measures are being taken to provide medical help, food grains to the relief camps and also to pump out water from the low lying areas.

He thanked the public and other philanthropic organizations for donating to the flood relief fund.

By Our Bureau

IMPHAL | July 19

Altogether 19 people were claimed by the floods and landslides accompanied by Cyclonic Mora from May 29 to May 15, according to a report submitted by the state government to the Centre on July 15.

The report sent by the chief secretary Rajani Ranjan Rashmi and principal secretary (relief and disaster management) M. H. Khan detailing loss of human, animal and poultry lives and other damages said 15 persons also sustained injuries during the period.

The state government demanded financial assistance of Rs. 21371.31 lakh for the damages caused by the cyclone.

The report, seeking financial assistance from the Centre said the state government requires Rs. 76 lakhs for payment of compensation to the next of kin of those died and Rs. 1.42 lakh for the injured persons.

The report said the state government requires Rs. 10689.64 lakhs for agriculture related damages including damage of horticulture crops.

The total number of 7085 cows, 199 buffalo, 529 goats and 2939 pigs died in the flood and landslides. 17501 poultry also perished.

The state government sought Rs. 1407.71 lakh for fishery related losses and assistance and subsidy to farmers.

It said 68 pucca houses and 414 kutcha houses were fully damaged, 243 pucca houses severely damaged while 1224 kutcha houses were also severely damaged. Other 17039 houses were partially damaged, 804 huts and 106 cattle shed were also damaged.

The report further said that roads measuring 488.50 kms, 43 bridges and nine culverts were damaged. 32 public health engineering schemes, 167 irrigation related infrastructure, 41 power poles, 128 schools and 35 community halls, mahila mandal and yuva Kendra were also damaged. Seven health related infrastructure were also damaged.

The chief minister today told reporters that the government is doing its very best to prevent any outbreak of disease as much part of the valley still remains inundated.

All possible measures are being taken to provide medical help and food grains to the relief camps and also to pump out water from the low lying areas.

He thanked the public and other philanthropic organizations for donating to the flood relief fund.

Newmai News Network

DIMAPUR | July 19

In three years TR Zeliang was sworn in as the 19th chief minister of Nagaland today for the second time hours after Nagaland governor dismissed the Shurhozelie Liezietsu government after two weeks of power struggle. The governor invited Zeliang to take oath at the Raj Bhavan in Kohima an hour after beleaguered Liezietsu failed to show up for the floor test.

Zeliang was asked by the governor to prove his majority on the floor of the House or before July 22.

Things may not be that easy for Zeliang given the situation. He was expelled from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) by the party for six years with immediate effect minutes after he was sworn in as the chief minister. As of now things are indicating that there is a possibility of split in the NPF.

On Tuesday after few hours of the Kohima Bench Gauhati High Court’s dismissal of the writ petition of Lietzietsu filed in the same court on July 14 against the governor’s directive for floor test, governor PB Acharya had directed the Speaker to summon an emergent special session of the Nagaland Assembly on Wednesday (July 19) at 09:30 am to test the majority support of the present cabinet led by chief minister, Liezietsu. However, Liezietsu and his MLAs did not turn up to the Assembly. Interestingly, Liezietsu will face by-election to the Northern Angami-I assembly constituency on July 29, the seat vacated by his son.

Liezietsu became chief minister on February 22, 2017 after Zeliang was forced to resign by the people over the local body election issue.

The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has vehemently condemned the “partisan role” played by the governor in installing a government “through backdoor” without following the due process of parliamentary norms.

“The haste with which he has acted time favouring the RSS-friendly dispensation should be a wake-up call to the Naga people that there are elements fiercely and furiously doing the utmost to pierce the trishul into the heart-land of Christ. The presence of RSS functionaries in large numbers in Nagaland in the last few days should also open the eyes of the Naga people as to what exactly is the ulterior motive behind the present political drama,” the NPF said in a press release.

The press note said that, it was very clear that the governor, “who was a decorated RSS pracharak”, was sent to the land of Christians with a single agenda but he could not effectively fulfil his mission so long as the BJP was riding piggy-back on the NPF. By aligning with the BJP all these years and playing host to the saffron party, the NPF was successful in containing the agenda of the BJP in Nagaland. “As coalition partner, the NPF managed to keep the BJP alive but ensuring that it was barely alive not unlike a florist making bonsai out of a tree”, the NPF stated.

The NPF statement then said that, to revisit electoral history in the state, the BJP won 7 seats in 2003 but later they merged with the NPF (one out of 7 died while in office before the merger). In 2008, 2 BJP candidates returned to the Assembly only to merge again with the NPF.

In 2013, only one BJP returned to the House. “However, after the BJP victory at the Centre in 2014, 3 NCP MLAs merged with the BJP which was contested by the NPF in the Courts thereby earning the ire of the Lok Sabha MP and former Chief Minister which is in public knowledge,” it added.

“It would seem that the BJP, buoyed by the Assam and Manipur victories, plans to repeat another Arunachal experiment in Nagaland. But the BJP has another thinking coming because its culture and mentality are alien to the Naga people. Without the NPF to cloak it, the BJP would stand fully exposed and its nakedness shall never appeal to the Naga psyche,” the NPF statement also said.

According to the NPF press note, if the governor has “any sense of decency and fair play”, he owed to explain to the people of Nagaland and to his conscience (we believe he is not bereft of a conscience) what extenuating circumstances prompted him to support legislators sans party set up this time round when he did exactly the opposite in 2015.

“Or has he forgotten that in 2015 he did not entertain the NPF dissidents’ plea to dismiss the then so-called “minority” government of Zeliang who then had the sanction and mandate of the party set up?,” the NPF asked.

It then stated that the governor should also not “gloat over his act of dismissing the NPF-led DAN government and installing and expelled legislator because this has shown the vindictiveness he harbours: The day after the NPF severed ties with the BJP, the governor dismissed the NPF-led government! He has shown his true colours for all to see”.

By Ningthoujam Prasant and Elangbam Nikita

IMPHAL | July 19

The Manipur University authorities have clarified that there is no provision for retest of a candidate after results are declared.

Officials made this clarification when the Imphal Free Press asked the reaction of the university to an application purportedly filed by an in individual, seeking retest of B.A. (Home Science) examination, 2017 gold medalist Hijam Surjabala to the vice-chancellor of the university. The application is uploaded on social media.

The complainant has urged the vice-chancellor to conduct a retest of Surjabala, a Manipuri film actor, popularly known as Bala, who stood first in the examination.

The application dated July 17 expressed doubts on the result stating that there are cases of mass copying, attendance only during examinations and many colleges did not conduct proper classes.

According to MU officials, there is no provision for retest as per the university examination guidelines. The only option is re-evaluation if a student is not satisfied with his or her marks.

They also said answer scripts are coded before evaluation to hide the identity of the students and marks are awarded according to the performance of the students.

“The university sends flying squad teams to various examination centres during examinations to assess the examination process and in case any student is caught using unfair means, he or she is expelled on the spot”, a university official said, adding actors can also excel in academics.

Faculties of the home science department of Standard College, Surjabala’s college, said she is a “quick learner.” Although she could not attend regular classes due to her commitments, she had always submitted her assignments on time, attendded her practical classes regularly and kept herself updated with the academic progress of the college. They also added that the practical examination for home science was conducted by an external examiner.

“We are not happy with the recent accusations made against her as she is good in her academics. And there are not such rules that an actor cannot outperform other students in academics.” they said.

Standard College produced position holders in previous years also. Along with Surjabala, two more students are among the top 10 position holders in the B.A (home science) examination, 2017, they said. 

Surjabala said she is ready for a retest if all the students are willing to take the test together.

“I took up homes science because I had the belief that I can do well in this subject.” she said.

Surjabala, daughter of Hijam Biramangol Singh, was felicitated by the then MLA of Sagolband constituency Loken Singh for securing 1 st division in her 12 th standard examinations from Manipur Public School in 2011.