Day: December 16, 2017

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Dec 16

Total shut down of Imphal-Saikul road organised by Peace and Development Coordinating Committee (PDCC) of Khundrakpam assembly constituency and neighbouring Saikul has strongly affected normal life in the area today. Later, it was withdrawn in the evening.

Many bandh supporters came out at the street to block the road. Protestors of Harorok area dig the road in order to block passers-by. At Yumnam Khunou protestors burnt down effigies of Lokeshwor Singh for allegedly ignoring the road condition and the plight of the people. The protest was also actively taken part by Meira paibies by sitting on the road near Sagolmang police station.

Speaking to media persons, one of a woman protestor said Imphal-Saikul road has been in a worst condition and many passers-by had met severe road accident in the past few months. The work order for repairing the road was issued on May 12, 2016 under five contractors, however the work has not yet started till now, she added.

She continued that the bandh will continue until the government and authority concerned fix a date to start the work.

Regarding the progress of work, a meeting was held in the late evening, at the office of chief engineer, PWD along with additional chief engineer and PDCC and local organisations. In the meeting, the contractors gave assurance to resume work from December 18 onwards, after which the shutdown was withdrawn.

IMPHAL | Dec 16

The prevalence rate of Hepatitis-C (Hep-C/HCV) among the injecting drug user (IDU) inmates of Manipur Cental Jail, Sajiwa, has been recorded at an alarming rate of 50 percent.

According to a recent initiative taken up by Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) with different stakeholders of the state on HCV screening in Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, it showed an alarming HCV prevalence rate among the prison inmates of drug user’s background.

Out of 50 inmates from the drug user’s community tested for HCV, 62 percent of them were found to be antibody positive and among which 50 percent were confirmed to have chronic infection through HCV RNA test.

It is learnt that two rounds of awareness and screening camps on hepatitis-C has been organised by CoNE for the prison inmates of Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwain association with Nirvana Foundation and technical assistance from BABINA Diagnostics.

The first one was organised on July14 while the second one was held on October 18 last. During the said camps a total of 50 prison inmates were screened out of which 25 of them were confirmed to be RNA positive, a statement release by CoNE said.

As part of its endeavor to provide free hepatitis C treatment exclusively among the prison inmates, CoNE initiated providing free treatment to the jail inmates for the first time in India and most probably in the entire south east Asian countries on September 6, 2017 to 11 of the IDU prison inmates who were conformed to have hepatitis virus in the first camp organised by CoNE.

In continuation of the free treatment initiative of the organization, the second phase of initiating free treatment was held on Friday at Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, it said.

The free treatment for the second phase was reportedly initiated to a total of 12 patients of Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa. These patients are from the drug users community who were screened on October 18, 2017.

During the camp, a total of 23prison inmates participated. Among them, a total of 15 inmates were found to be anti-body positive. On further confirmatory test of the positive people, 12 of them were confirmed RNA positive. These confirmed patients were initiated free treatment on Friday under the medical supervision of Dr. N Surajkumar Singh, Consultant Hepatologist&Gastroenterologist, JNIMS, the statement further added.

Free treatment for jail inmates have been taken up by CoNE for the first time in India and probably in the entire South East Asian countries, though such initiatives has been reportedly taken up in some American and Australia as well. It is an initiative with a shared responsibility of various stakeholders of the state. CoNE expressed lauded BABINA diagnostics for their technical guidance and complimentary support of all the baseline blood test, the pharma companies for donating the medicine and the prison authorities & Nirvana Foundation for their cooperation in helping us to prove that treatment of Hep-C is accomplishable under prison settings.

With Hep-C becoming an alarming situation in the state, there is the urgent need for the government to take up keen initiatives in the regard and provide free treatment to atleast these sections of the society as an initial step before rolling out free treatment to all the people as done in Punjab and Haryana, it asserted.

Considering the need to provide awareness of Hep-C among the prison inmates and even the paramedic staff and that prison intervention on Hep-C is a must, it observed.

It informed that CoNE will be further conducting screening of the remaining IDU prison inmates on phase manner and see if every positive inmate can be covered in the free treatment initiative.

IMPHAL | Dec 16

Tousem Area Students’ Organisation (TASO) decried the state government for turning a deaf ears even when Tousem SDO’s camp office at the Tamenglong district headquarter has remained shut for the past five days.

 Even after carrying out the administration of the Tousem subdivision at the district headquarter for the past two decades, the government of Manipur has still not sent its sub-divisional officer, doctors and security personnel to its proper headquarter, said a release.

Of the many disarrays, it is worth mentioning that the said subdivision till date has no teachers in its schools, hospitals are without regular doctors, and even its only ambulance is at the district headquarter, the release mentioned.

Will the government of Manipur ever give the proper attention that the aforementioned area and its people urgently need, the release further stated.

If the state government continues with its irresponsible act and fails to respond to the plight of the people, the civil society organisations in the area will be compelled to intensify their agitations and call a shutdown in the entire Tousem subdivision, including national highways and national projects, the release declared.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Dec 16

At least seven villagers, including three women, were injured as rival group clashed over a disputed land that lies between Haraothel, Kangkokpi district and Senjam Chirang, Imphal West.

The clash reportedly broke out around 10 am when villagers of Sejam Chirang went to the disputed area to stop the construction of farms by villagers of L. Tangnuam.

Of the seven injured, a villager from Senjam Chirang identified as Ch. Rome, 45, son of late Ch. Ngouthoi sustained bullet injury on his left chest and has been evacuated to Raj Medicity.

The six villagers of Haraothel including three women who sustained injuries during the clash, have been identified as as Kamkholian Vaiphei, 52, son of late Hengkhothang Vaiphei, Agen Vaiphei, 56, son of late Langkam Vaiphei, Langinghao Vaiphei, 19, son Kamkholian Vaiphei, Nenghoikim Vaiphei, 47, daughter of Lalmilal Vaiphei, Ngahthenneng Vaiphei, 39, daughter of Lalmilal Vaiphei and Nangdoihat Vaiphei, 41, daughter of late Lanmingdhang Vaiphei. They only sustained minor injuries.             

Police resorted to blank firing in an attempt to bring the tense situation under control.

Later around 1.30 pm the situation was brought under control.

A wooden bridge, the only lifeline connecting Haraothel village was also burnt down by the rival group during the clash.

Speaking to media persons on behalf of Senjam Chirang villages, Irungbam Ranjan, chairman National Sport University Protection Committee, said that they have already warned any form of construction (in this case piggery farm) in the disputed area as it will contaminate the Sahirok river, a water source being used by many surrounding villages.

He further said that the Meitei Youth Front South East Asia, had also served an ultimatum to the revenue department demanding a clear demarcation of the district boundary line.

Even as the ultimatum expired yesterday the department failed to take up any positive action, he added.

The crises could have been averted had the government conducted proper demarcation of district boundary, lamented Ranjan.

Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) president, Thangminlen Kipgen Haraothel said the claim made by Senjam Chirang village.that the disputed area belongs to them (Senjanm Chirang) is very unfortunate.

He pointed out that the KSO has also earlier submitted memorandum to the chief minister and to the authority concerned to bring an amicable solution over the disputed land.

IMPHAL | Dec 16

Manipur joined the rest of the country in paying tribute to the martyrs, who laid down their lives for the nation during the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971, on Vijay Diwas today.

The state level observance was held at the Banquet Hall of 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles with chief minister, N. Biren Singh and deputy chief minister, Y. Joykumar Singh as the chief guest and functional president respectively.

Addressing the function, N. Biren said that the observance would be meaningful only when every citizen of the country put in collective effort to protect the country.

The CM said, ‘We all need to take a pledge to be ever ready to sacrifice our lives for the integrity of the nation’.

He further said that people of current generation should honour the spirit, courage and politics of the then government for taking cudgels for East Pakistan to liberate it as Bangladesh despite the fact that Indian army was not strong and well equipped at that time.

The CM asserted that external threats of the country or state can be wiped off if the country is united. On the other hand, shunning provocation and ensuring equal rights to the people are also equally important in maintaining unity, he added.

Alleging that there was no proper administration and governance in the state during the tenure of the previous government, the CM said that the present government is putting much effort to put things in places. He further urged the bureaucrats, head of departments and all the subordinate employees to extend co-operation in making the present government a clean, transparent and efficient one.

Regarding government assistance, N. Biren also stated the gathering that central government had sanctioned Rs. 130 crore as flood relief assistance to the state. Another Rs. 1200 crore had been approved by the centre under PMGSY apart from taking a decision to continue the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) funding pattern of 90:10 till March, 2020, he added.

Delivering his speech, Y. Joykumar spoke on the connection of Indo-Pak War, 1971 with the Nation’s current security scenario. Concerted threats to the country from different sides were neutralised up to a large extent due to the victory of the war, he opined.

The function was attended by ministers, MLAs, administrative secretaries, heads of departments and high ranking civil and police officials.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Dec 16

The chief judicial magistrate, Imphal East today remanded an individual who was arrested by Boro Bekra police station on alleged charge of raping a woman, to judicial custody for a period of 15 days. The accused is identified as Babu Dev, 46, son of late Jyotish Dev of Fulartol, Cashar Assam.

He was reportedly arrested on December 9 following a written complaint lodged at Boro Bekra police station on the same day by the victim girl who is from Jiribam.

The victim said that the accused raped her at her home on May 8 as a result which got her pregnant.

Initially the accused convinced the victim that he will marry her. But, the victim was told to get an abortion.

The accused person reportedly called the victim girl at Mediland and Research Centre at Ikhola Silchar Assam and conducted the abortion on July 10 without her consent, as per the complaint.

Earlier the accused person was remanded to police custody for a period of seven days by the court.