Day: December 22, 2017

From Our Correspondent

KANGPOKPI | Dec 22

As the greetings for Christmas, All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) has warmly welcomed the valley brethren to come to the hills without any inhibition and participate in the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ the ‘Epitome of Peace and Love’.

The Christmas greeting signed by president ATSUM, Vareiyo Shatsang also exhorted the hill people to invite their valley brethren to their homes and villages in the true Christian spirit of ‘love and forgiveness’ which is the essence of Christ’s teaching.

While expressing its satisfaction on seeing the illumination of few homes with incandescent Christmas objects by the valley brethren though they do not belong to the Christian affiliation, ATSUM noted that it shall be construed it as gesture on their part. The students’ union also urged all the valley brethren to light their homes with Christmas star as a sign of solidarity and oneness of Manipur.

Meanwhile, ATSUM also appealed the state government to release advance pay of all employees of the state before Christmas so as to motivate the festive season and mood of the people celebrating Christmas.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Dec 22

The deputy general manager of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), today appeared before the High Court of Manipur in connection with the petition filed against scarcity of refill gas cylinders in the state.

The IOCL deputy general manager made the appearance following summon sent by the division bench High Court comprising of acting chief justice, N. Kotiswar and justice, Kh. Nobin, after the any of their (IOCL) representative fail to make the appearance on two previous occasion.

The division bench has directed the IOCL to submit their counter affidavit on explaining why they would not be able to provide the entitled gas cylinders to the consumers on or before January 19, 2018.

Mention may be made that Prasanta Oinam filed the PIL regarding the supply distribution of refill LPG gas cylinders and scarcity of refill gas cylinders in the state against State of Manipur.

The respondents of the PIL are the chief secretary, commissioner Consumer Affair Food and Public Distribution, Union of India represented by secretary Ministry of Petroleum and Natural gas, private gas agencies and LPG bulk transporter association.

The PIL was admited by the High Court on November 10 and directed the respondents of the PIL to submit their response within six week of times.

From Our Correspondent

UKHRUL | Dec 22

Today around 5:45 pm, an unidentified miscreant threw a hand grenade at Viewland Bazar, Ukhrul.

The grenade landed near the shops of one Mangal Mahto, a native of Sheohar Zilla district in Bihar, and Gopal Khuman of Thoubal district, who runs clothing stores in the building nearby Viewland Baptist Church, Ukhrul.

Fortunately, the grenade did not explode.

According to one bystander, the incident occurred when vendors at the roadside were packing their things and getting ready to go home. The lane was still crowded with people, many of whom were Christmas shoppers, the person added.

Until the time of filing this report, as informed by SDPO Ukhrul, the grenade was still lying in the building, and bomb disposal squad from Imphal are being awaited for safe disposal of the said bomb.

Furthermore, the said area has also been cordoned off and is being manned by Ukhrul police and Assam Rifles.

As of now, motives behind the attack are uncertain, but some locals suspect that it must be an act intended to dampen the festive mood in the district.

IMPHAL | Dec 22

Thadou Students’ Association (TSA) has issued an ultimatum to the Home department, government of Manipur for failing to bring justice in the Sugnu double murder case, which happened on May 5.

TSA has stated in a release that no action has been taken against the culprits to bring justice even after seven months of the unfortunate incident. If the government is serious about the heinous crime and consider the MoU submitted by the JAC on May 6, the culprits would have been arrested long time ago and justice would have been delivered, it added.

In connection with this murder case, a team of TSA had met with the Superintendent of Police, Kakching district on December 12 at his Chamber in the presence of SDPO Kakching and Sugnu, which was also followed up by the students’ association. There had also been a press release urging the authority to take effective actions for speedy justice, however, no satisfactory action has been taken up to date, said the release.

It further stated that TSA is now compelled to launch an intense agitation in the state, demanding the state government for immediate action against the case and bring justice within January 10, 2018.

It may be mentioned that a 21 years old private school teacher was gang-raped and brutally murdered and her dead body was found at Muoltinchan Village Road Junction near Sugnu. A 28 years old man was also found brutally murdered about a kilometre away from the spot.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Dec 22

The All Manipur Muslim Organisations Coordinating Committee (AMMOCOC) said that the state’s territorial and emotional integrity cannot be compromise by any settlement arising out of the framework agreement signed between the NSCN-IM and central government.

Briefing media persons today at AMMOCOC office at Hatta, Imphal the committee’s president, S.M. Jalal Sheikh said with the government adamant to keep the contents of the FA confidential a sense of anxiety has triggered in the mind of the people.

The situation only aggravates with reports doing the round that the final agreement of the Indo-Naga talks is nearing a conclusion, he added.

Against this backdrop, Sheik, demanded the authority concerned to make public the FA contents and also urged to take the consent of all stakeholders before arriving to a conclusion.

The AMMOCOC president further added that the group should also be invited for any future talks by treating it (group) as one of the stakeholders of the state.

He warned that the group will fight tooth and nail if the FA affects the interest of the state.

Regarding the matter memorandum a will be submitted to the President, Ram Nath Kovind and a copy of the same will be submitted to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, governor, Najma Heptulla, Home minister, Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju and interlocutor, R.N. Ravi. 

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Dec 22

Demanding to issue notification not to build piggery or any kind of farms on the bank of Shahirok river, thousands of villagers who shelter beside the river staged a sit-in protest today at Sanjam Khunou Youth Club, Imphal West.

A public meeting was also held at the club, jointly organised by Senjam Khunou and Senjam Chirang Joint Development Organisation, Phumlou GP, Lairenkabi Kadangband GP, Phayeng GP, Mayanglangjing GP, Khurkhul GP, Loitang Khunou Village Committee, Leimakhong Chingmang, Kanto Youth Club, Moibung Khunou Youth Club and Awang Sekmai Protection Committee.

During the meeting, it was resolved to urge the state government to arrest the culprit who shot one villager of Senjam Chirang on December 16 during the clash with Haraothel villagers. They further resolved to stop any activities to contaminate the water of Shahirok river, which is a lifeline river of around 40,000 villagers.

On the other hand they also demanded to keep 40-Senjam Khunou, Sheet no. 4 under the jurisdiction of Sekmai police station as it is under Imphal West district and also mentioned that setting up of any kinds of schemes or project or private works within the boundary of sheet no. 4 should not be allowed without the permission of the land owners of Senjam Khunou and Senjam Chirang.

It may be mentioned that a villager of Senjam Chirang sustained bullet injury on his left chest and has was admitted to Raj Medicity during the crises of December 16 and six villagers of Haraothel village also sustained injuries. The incident took place when villagers of Senjam Chirang went to a disputed land area between Senjam Chirang and Haraothel to stop construction of farms by villagers of Haraothel.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Dec 22

With the motive of creating broad ideas on the perspective of organ donation and transplantation Continuing Medical Education (CME) on ‘Deceased Organ Donation’ was held at the auditorium of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical Institute of Sciences (JNIMS) today.

The programme was organised in collaboration with MOHAN Foundation, International Society of Nephrology, The Transplantation Society and Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO) Guwahati. It is aimed to create awareness about the importance of organ donation in the state.

Speaking as the chief guest in today’s function, director of JNIMS Prof. Th. Bhimo Singh said that organ donation is one of the noblest acts of saving the life of someone by a donor who is alive or death and that this noblest deed is regulated by transplantation of human organs act 1994.

“The objective of regulating removal, storage and transplantation of human organs for the therapeutic purpose and for prevention of commercial dealings in human organs this act has been implemented,” he illuminated.

He pointed out that some of the Indian states that are very much effective in cadaver transplantation after the implementation of the mentioned act are Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Puducherry, Delhi-NCR and Chandigarh.

Acknowledging Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network (MOHAN) Foundation for conducting CME at JNIMS, he said that conducting such type of programme would help in creating awareness about the importance of organ donation in the state like Manipur where there is no idea of deceased organ donation. Unless the awareness programme is organised widely there is no hope of including Manipur among the efficient states of cadaver transplantation.

“I really thank MOHAN Foundation for choosing JNIMS as the venue of conducting this productive CME”, he observed.

Pointing out the main source of organ donor under the said programme, he continued that “People who die in road accident due to brain death are the most potential organ donors as compared to other sources. However, it is not an easy task to convince the family of dead person. Hence a counseling team is required to convince a family of deceased person.”

He further suggested, to make JNIMS as one of the successful institution of deceased organ transplantation, sensitization programme on organ donation and transplantation is required to be conducted frequently at the premises of JNIMS so that all the employees are well informed.

President of Indian Medical Association (IMA) Manipur branch and Head of Department of Microbiology RIMS, Prof. Kh. Sulochana Devi, who attended as the function president said Manipur is no exception in the field of medical science for it is pioneer in certain areas.

She expressed her confident that Manipur would emerge as one of the efficient deceased organ donation state.

Prof. Sunil Shroff, Managing Trustee of MOHAN Foundation, Urologist Prof. S. Rajendra Singh and Urologist JNIMS Dr. K. Sholay, also attended in the awareness programme.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Dec 22

The 3rd session of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly concluded today. The session had three number of sittings, four members’ obituary reference, one resolution of obituary reference adopted, 20 starred question, seven un-starred question, three calling attention ( one calling attention in pertain to frame work agreement converted to short duration discussion), five papers tabled, six Bills and two Committee’s report presented.

In today’s session, besides question and answer hours two calling attention motion was moved by opposition MLA Kh. Joykishan Singh and K. Meghachandra.

The Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2017 which referred to Hills Areas Committee (HAC), was submitted the report on the floor of the House by the chairman, TT Haokp and was passed without any objection.

The Speaker also read out the resolution adopted yesterday in the House pertaining to the Framework Agreement. The resolution besides seeking amendments in article 3 of the constitution of India by incorporating the prior consent of the state legislature of the affected state shall be mandatory while following new states and alternation of areas, boundaries and name of the existing state and also to request to Government of India to make the contents of the Framework Agreement available to the government of Manipur.

The house further resolved that as a result of the FA leading to the resolution of the Naga political there should not be any change in the present administration set up by the state and grant of autonomy of any kind.

With the winter session having concluded that House was adjourned sine-dine.