Month: September 2017

IMPHAL | Sept 5

All India Tanzeem-e-Insaaf (AITI), Lilong local council expressed strong condemnations against Yumnam Devjit, son of deputy CM, Yumnam Joykumar for posting inflammatory comments on Facebook against the followers of Islam religion. 

AITI strongly condemns the act of looking down upon the religion by portraying the important festival of Islam and its followers as inhuman and something to be dreaded upon, said a release. The organisation appealed the government to take actions against Devjit for hurting the religious sentiments of all Muslims, it said.  If the government plays the silent game on the issue, then AITI, Lilong local council along with civil society organisation of the state will take up extreme measures, it added.    

Meanwhile, All Manipur Muslim Development Committee also expressed condemnations against Devjit saying that his ignorance about secularism and federalism of a democratic country was very unfortunate, in a release. Devjit should not invite public outrage, but rather study how many followers of Islam are there in India, it said. The organisation appealed the government to draw its attention to the matter, it said adding AMMDC headquarters and all its units are prepared to take extreme measures if the state government remains a mute spectator.

A release by Muslim Council Manipur also condemned Devjit for the provocative comments in the social networking site. The deputy CM, Y. Joykumar must urgently give clarifications regarding the incident, it said adding that Devjit must be booked as per the law otherwise communal peace and harmony may become disrupted.

1. Joykumar and his son Y. Devjit must hold responsible if anything as such happens, it added.

Teaching system in state needs introspection, says Y. Joykumar

IMPHAL | Sept 5

Deputy chief minister, Y. Joykumar Singh along with education minister, Th. Radheshyam Singh led the people to pay floral tribute to the portrait of departed educationist and Bharat Ratna Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.

 The State level observation was held at the auditorium of Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) at Konung Mamang in Imphal. Speaking on the occasion, Y. Joykumar said there is a need to introspect the teaching system in the State. A lot of changes have been witnessed over a period of decades, he added.

In olden days, relationship between teachers and students were good enough to infuse knowledge. Competitive examinations were held regularly so that competitions among students increased a lot but in these days, it has been witnessing a change. He said good relationship between teachers and students are the key for an effective teaching and learning system.

Joykumar further said teachers should pay utmost care and love to the students as their children and at the same time students should also respect teachers as their parents so that a pleasant environment can be created for learning.

Teachers should not engage themselves only on formal teaching but to teach informal education like discipline and cleanliness to students. He appreciated the Green School Campaign undertaken by the education department in the State and appealed to take pledge by the teachers and students to teach and learn for a meaningful future.

Education minister Th. Radheshyam while speaking at the function said, teachers are the main contributing force that human resource development can be made possible in society. Keeping in view of the role played by the teachers, government is fully committed for their welfare. Their problems including transfer and posting, quarters in remote schools, service extension to the national and State awardees will soon be sorted out, he added.

On teaching and learning system in government Schools, Th. Radheshyam said there has been lack of extracurricular and co-curricular activities in schools which the government has taken care of and will try to revamp it soon.

Dhanamanjuri University bill and other two bills regarding regulation control and checking of private schools and private tuition centres will soon be implemented. Lauding the contributions made by private schools in education sector in the State, Th. Radheshyam appealed to all the stakeholders to co-operate with the government in bringing a major change in the sector in days to come.

Yumnam Radheshyam, chairman (MANIDCO & MANITRON) and T.T. Haokip, chairman, Hill Areas Committee of Manipur Legislative Assembly also spoke on the occasion.

Altogether, 10 teachers were awarded with State teachers’ award and teachers selected for their contributions in Green School Campaign were also felicitated in the function.

A book named “Education in Manipur” written by Dr. S. Jamini Devi was also released in the function. Principal secretary education(S) Vineet Joshi, commissioner (Higher & Technical Education) H. Deleep Singh, teachers and students participated in the function.

THOUBAL | Sept 5

Lamding Educated Welfare Association (LEWA), Lamding Khumanthem Leikai, Thoubal district distributed financial aid today to the differently abled persons living in the locality of Lamding Khumanthem Leikai.

11 differently abled persons were provided with the aid along with motivation and encouragement.

On the occasion, Sajida begum attended as the chief guest while the former pradhan of gram panchayat, Sangaiyumfam, part II, Md. Wahidur Rahman and social worker, Sorokhaibam Haridas attended as president and guest of honour respectively.

President, LEWA club, Sorokhaibam Ojit expressing the purpose of the programme, stated that the club is taking efforts to achieve its four different goals. They are measures against drugs, providing aid to differently abled persons, plantation of tree saplings, and measure to increase human resource.

The club is currently involved in its drive against drugs along with the people. Efforts to give proper directions to drug addicts are currently taken up. Above all, the club organised the programme today, not because it has a sufficient amount of funds but to provide motivation to the differently abled persons. The club will try to organise the programme every year, he said.

He further said that everybody should take off a little time out of their busy schedule to do some social work for the people. The differently abled people should not be looked down with discriminatory eyes, they should be given encouragement, he said. 

It may be mentioned that two members of club Khumanthem Manichandra and Heikham Thomas, who were actively involved in its drive against drugs were felicitated, especially for their heroic act of protecting the life of president of the club, S. Ojit who was recently attacked by a drug addict.    

IMPHAL | Sept 5

Thounaoujam Shyamkumar today raised concern over the rising crime against women in the State, especially on the social media. He encouraged girl students to concentrate in studies for a bright future.

The minister of forests and environment, MAHUD, town planning and horticulture and soil conservation, was speaking as the chief guest at the annual fresher’s meet (2017-2018) of GP Women’s college hostel at the DM college campus, Thangmeiband, Imphal West.

Th. Shyamkumar advised the girl students to study hard and maintain conducive atmosphere so that they can add value to their college. He also asked them to plant flowers and fruit bearing trees around the hostel campus.

As promised during his speech, Th. Shyamkumar kept his word by sending around 70 saplings of orange and lemon from the horticulture department for the hostel students which was appreciated by the teachers and students.

Addressing the gathering as the president of the function, Ksh. Rajeshwar Singh, superintendent, GP Women’s college hostel, said we have to maintain discipline in every sphere of our life to become a successful person.

He also drew the attention of the minister over the bad drainage system surrounding the hostel, established in 1965. B. Lalhari Sharma, principal, GP Women’s college, teaching and non-teaching staffs, and students attended the function. Cultural programmes were also showcased during the function.

From Our Correspondent

UKHRUL | Sept 5

The JAC of Ukhrul Town Affected Households of NH-102A has expressed its discontentment over the notification given by the deputy commissioner of Ukhrul stating that survey and identifications of owners to be affected in expansion of the road of Hungpung Junction to Hoomi has been completed.

The Ukhrul DC gave its notification on June 20 and the same notifications also invited for submission of claims and objections of correction or omissions within July 20. To address the grievances, the affected household formed the JAC on July 2, consisting of 242 households.

As per the convenor of JAC, A. S. Ningmi, the DC issued the notification without the knowledge and consent of the land owners which amounted to arbitrary use of power with no public hearing.

The JAC submitted a memorandum to Ukhrul DC voicing objection to the notification on July 12. The affected households members also submitted a representation to the regional officer, National Highway Authority of India,  Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, Government of India, including the Ukhrul DC for initiating a new alignment of NH 102A at the eastern side of Ukhrul town. Further, the representation pointed out that the expansion of NH 102A in the heart of Ukhrul town as it is already congested and will be inconvenient to the public in general.

1. S. Ningmi has opined that a new alignment of the NH-102A at the eastern side of Ukhrul from Jail Road to Khaireng Kaphung-Muiyi-Shaokhak-Khararphung and to Talui will be more convenient concerning the future.

Secretary of the JAC, John Phungshok stated that the authority concerned has not responded so far in spite of the representation submitted. The size of the land is not expandable, however the population is increasing day by day and the numbers of vehicles is increasing rapidly which is a risk for pedestrian especially school going children, he added.

The JAC has called for immediate diversion of the NH-102A and immediate intervention of the authority concerned, and will organise campaigns and other democratic agitation if the grievances are not addressed.