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Arrested NSCN (K) hardcore cadre brought back to Imphal from Delhi

IMPHAL, July 6: The hardcore cadre of NSCN (K), who was formally arrested by National Investigative Agency (NIA) from the court in connection with the deadly Chandel ambush on June

IMPHAL, July 6: The hardcore cadre of NSCN (K), who was formally arrested by National Investigative Agency (NIA) from the court in connection with the deadly Chandel ambush on June 4 and later taken to Delhi for interrogation, has been brought back to Imphal today morning.

The NSCN (K) cadre has been identified as Khumla Abi Anal, 40 alias Ambison son of Late Khumlo Khunjo Anal of Lambung village in Chandel district. He is said to be the Regional Authority, Amamchat Region Chandel of NSCN (K).

He was arrested by a team of Imphal West District Police Commando from a rented house belonging to one Nabachandra at Lamphel Super Market under Lamphel Police Station, Imphal West on June 11 around 11.10 am.

Later, he was formally arrested from the court in connection with a case registered by NIA, Guwahati and was taken to Delhi.

It may be mentioned that Ambison was remanded to judicial custody in connection with a case registered by Lamphel Police Station against him. However, he was formally arrested by NIA from the court of District & Session Judge/Manipur East at Uripok Cheirap Court on June 29, relating to the case registered by the investigative agency on June 6 in connection with the fatal Chandel ambush.

He was taken to Delhi on June 30 by a team of NIA comprising of four officials for interrogation.

Upon his arrival in Imphal, Ambison has been put under requisition at Imphal Police Station.

He will be produced before the court by a team of NIA tomorrow which is the last day of custodial remand to the investigative agency.

Intense agitation warned in Lamlai, if government offices not made functional

IMPHAL, July 6: People of Lamlai constituency along with BJP Manipur Pradesh RTI cell Mongjam Poireihenba warned of intense agitation if the government fails to make all department offices in

IMPHAL, July 6: People of Lamlai constituency along with BJP Manipur Pradesh RTI cell Mongjam Poireihenba warned of intense agitation if the government fails to make all department offices in the constituency functional at the earliest.

They had gathered and inspected several offices today highlighted their grievances in health, education, agriculture sectors and the bad law and order situation in the constituency before media persons.

The people echoed one another that most government offices in the constituency had been laying non-functional since some years, except for the 24×7 Primary health centre which is also without a laboratory and doctors especially gynaecologists and paediatricians.

A farmers present at the protest said the veterinary hospital has been lying defunct and locked for a long time.

There are no signs of the presence of any doctor or staff in the hospital since long, he added.

He continued that water supply in Lamlai is also pitiable.

Although there is a FCI godown in the constituency, not a single item has been distributed to the farmers, rather the godown is always packed with personnel from the Lamlai Police, he continued adding that although the Lamlai Police seems to be working hard to safeguard the public, there is no proper structure or site to be called the Lamlai Police Station.

The police personnel have occupied the Electricity building as their barrack and FCS godown is converted as the main office of the police officers, said Poireihenba.

A meira paibi said there are government schools like the Lamlai UJC primary school near Patlou however there is no students as the parents are afraid to send their wards to the schools with dangerous infrastructure.

They also informed that the Minor Irrigation office in the locality is lying defunct and yet to be inaugurated although construction of the office had been completed in 2007.

RIMS Director candidacy age question figures in Assembly

IMPHAL, July 6: The controversial advertisement for the post of RIMS director released by the Ministry of Health & Home Affairs came up for discussion in the Manipur Legislative Assembly

IMPHAL, July 6: The controversial advertisement for the post of RIMS director released by the Ministry of Health & Home Affairs came up for discussion in the Manipur Legislative Assembly today with MLA Dr. Ibohalbi Singh putting up a short notice question to the head of the department concerned, in this case the Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh.

The MLA asked if it was a fact that contrary to earlier decision taken to raise the superannuation age of the Director RIMS to 65 years, the Deputy Director (Admn), RIMS had indicated the age of the superannuation of Director RIMS would be 62 years in its latest advertisement dated June 24, 2015 for candidacy to the post of Director RIMS.

The simple answer from the Chief Minister, was yes.

Upon further queries whether it was also a fact that the 42nd Executive Council Meeting of RIMS held on August 8, 2011 decided and fixed the age of the superannuation of Director at 65 years, the chief minister answered that such a decision had been taken by the Executive Council Meeting on August 5, 2011.

To the subsidiary question if the 43rd meeting of the same council reaffirmed the resolution of its 42nd meeting, the chief minister`™s answer was in the affirmative.

House mourns ex-Minister Seikholal`s demise

IMPHAL, July 6: A two-minute silence was observed by Members of the House during the seventh sitting of the 11th Session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly today, as a

IMPHAL, July 6: A two-minute silence was observed by Members of the House during the seventh sitting of the 11th Session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly today, as a mark of condolence to the sudden demise of ex-Minister of State (MoS) In-Charge of IFCD Seikholal who breathed his last on July 4.

Saikholal was elected from Chandel (ST) Assembly Constituency in 1980 and became a House Member.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh who is also the Leader of the House while making Obituary Reference to the late Seikholal recalled that the deceased ex-Minister was born on July 17, 1939 at Tuilok village in Chandel district.

He said that Seikholal retired from his government job in 1960 and since then actively took part in social works.

Seikholal was an active Congress member during 1960-62. Besides contributing towards Bharat Kishan Samaj, Gangte Tribe Tribal Union and Tengnoupal District Demand Committee, he was elected as Commissioner of Sugunu Small Town Committee in 1978, the CM added.

Acknowledging that Seikholal was a dedicated political leader who always worked for betterment of the people, Ibobi expressed that he shares grief of the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul to rest in peace in the heavenly abode.

Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly Th Lokeshwar who presides over the House session also made Obituary Reference to the passing away of Seikholal.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/house-mourns-exminister-seikholals-demise/

The plea for not lifting prohibition is strange for liquor flows amidst prohibition says CM

IMPHAL, July 6: The Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi clarified today that prohibition came into being in the state from April 1, 1991, how said this prohibition has been less than

IMPHAL, July 6: The Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi clarified today that prohibition came into being in the state from April 1, 1991, how said this prohibition has been less than a joke for liquor is available freely anywhere, anywhere and any moment.

The discussion came up during the discussion for demand for grant No. 28 for State Excise for the year 2015-2016 for Rs. 17,65,00,000.

The chief minister was also responding to a motion for disapproval of policy cut moved by Trinamool MLA Th. Shyamkumar Singh on the issue of `Failure to lift liquor prohibition to generate income of the state`.

The chief minister further said that ever since prohibition came into existence, though liquor still freely flows, the revenue generated by the State Excise has dropped to just about Rs. 7 crores to Rs. 8 crores.

Had all the liquor still flowing into the State being sold legally, the State Excise would have been able to realise an annual revenue of between Rs. 300 crores to Rs. 500 crores, Ibobi further said.

He said in the entire Northeast, only Manipur and Nagaland are the two where prohibition is in vogue. Even the Christian State of Mizoram has done away with prohibition he reiterated.

But there are certain sections of NGOs who are opposed to the idea, saying Manipur cannot simply follow the example of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and lift prohibition charging that the government is craving for revenue at the cost of destroying families and the society at large.

Moreover, because liquor is finding its way into the State through unofficial channels, there are reports that much of it is spurious, the Chief Minister said. He even said there are reports that at Khatkhati, there are blackmarketeers mixing contaminants to bottled brands for illegal profits.

However, he said the matter of lifting prohibition have to be debated and thrashed on an appropriate forum at the soonest and a final decision taken.

Joining the discussion, the Andro MLA Shyamkumar said a better option would be to refine the State`™s own brews, such as those of Sekmai, Andro and Phayeng, and look for export market for them. This would be a much better revenue earner, he emphasised.

The Chief Minister took note of this suggestion but said this will not be possible so long as prohibition remains. However, he also added that the matter of lifting prohibition should not be the sole decision of the government, and if at all, this will have to be done in consultation with the people of the state.

Seventh Indo-Myanmar regional border committee meet at Imphal

IMPHAL, July 6: The Myanmar delegation for the seventh Regional Border Committee Meet scheduled to be held at Imphal has arrived at Mantripukhri today, according to an official statement. The

IMPHAL, July 6: The Myanmar delegation for the seventh Regional Border Committee Meet scheduled to be held at Imphal has arrived at Mantripukhri today, according to an official statement.

The statement said the foreign delegation is led by Maj Gen Min Naung, Commander North West Command and accompanied by 18 Myanmar military and civilian officials.

According to the release, the delegation would be interacting with Indian Army team led by Lt Gen Bipin Rawat, GOC Spear Corps.

Indian delegation will also include senior officials of Assam Rifles, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, it said.

The meeting led by top military commanders from both sides would enhance existing mutual cooperation and confidence building between both armies deployed along the International Border. Indian Army will also discuss the proposed plans of training Myanmar Army and Myanmar Police Force in their capacity building, it said.

Discussion on the current security situation along the Indo-Myanmar Border is also on the agenda of the meeting, it said.

In the current security scenario, the meeting of Indo-Myanmar delegation is considered significant from the point of collectively dealing with the insurgency in Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, it said.

Further according to the statement, the Myanmar delegation will also visit Bodh Gaya and get an opportunity of sightseeing in the City of Joy, Kolkata before they return to Myanmar on July 10, it said.

In another press release, the PRO has said that the 11 Assam Rifles of 26 Sector AR has conducted a Children`™s Summer Camp at Mother Teresa Missionary Charity Home, Ward No. 9 Moreh from June 29 to July 3.

The camp included children`™s participation in various activities such as Fashion Show on traditional dresses and various other Cultural programmes. The 11 AR provided and organised the musical concert, pipe and Jazz band display. The unit culminated the camp with distribution of book and study materials to inmates, conducting a free medical camp, it said

House okays six demands amounting to Rs. 1165, 04, 21, 000

IMPHAL, July 6: Along with presenting six demands for Discussion and Voting on Demands for Grants, 2015-16 by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh who also holds the portfolio of Finance

IMPHAL, July 6: Along with presenting six demands for Discussion and Voting on Demands for Grants, 2015-16 by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh who also holds the portfolio of Finance during the seventh sitting of the 11th Session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly today, Members of the House unanimously passed the six demands after having threadbare discussion.

The total amount of the six demands passed by the House is Rs. 1165,04,21,000.

The demands are Demand No 6 `“ Rs. 10,43,90, 000 for Transport; Demand No 8 `“ Rs. 639,99,63,000 for Public Works Department; Demand No 21 `“ Rs. 87,29,01,000 for Commerce and Industries; Demand No 28 `“ Rs. 17,65,00,000 for State Excise; Demand No 29 `“ Rs. 4,00,66,000 for Sales Tax, other Taxes/Duties on Commodities and Services and Demand No 30 `“ Rs. 405,66,01,000 for Planning.

While putting up the demands for passing in the House, opposition MLAs L Ibomcha Singh, Th Shyamkumar Singh and Dr I Ibohalbi Singh raised Motion for Disapproval of Policy Cut. MLA Karam Shyam Singh also gave observation on PWD during the House session.

On Demand No 6 `“ Transport, MLA L Ibomcha Singh along with MLA Th Shyamkumar raised Motion for Disapproval of Policy Cut on failure to install traffic signal system in the urban areas of Imphal; failure to utilise JnNURM Bus for the last several years; failure to collect transfer fees from the organized sellers/agents of pre used cars by the organized sellers and failure to follow/implement specific Motor Vehicles Rules and regulations/guidelines.

On Demand No 8 `“ Public Works Department, the two MLAs also raised Motion for Disapproval of Policy Cut on failure to maintain the IVRS in Manipur; failure to take up the widening of the approach road to Sadu Chiru Waterfall from Leimaram Lamkhai at NH-150; failure to construct sufficient numbers of RCC culverts across Imphal-Mayang Imphal Road resulting in submersion of western side of Mayang-Imphal Road under water after light rain; delay in processing files for obtaining AA/Technical sanction etc; failure to provide sufficient fund for Khagempalli Road; failure to maintain/repair Major Districts Roads (MDR) and Other District Roads (ODR) and failure to stop awarding of works before tender processes are completed.

MLA Dr I Ibohalbi also took part in taking up the Motion for Disapproval of Policy Cut.

While discussing Demand No 21- Commerce and Industries, MLA Dr I Ibohalbi Singh and MLA Th Shyamkumar Singh raised Motion for Disapproval of Policy Cut on absence of initiative for strengthening industrial energy in Manipur and failure to organize awareness/training programmes for unemployed youths of the state especially in small scale industries.

MLA Th Shyamkumar Singh while discussing Demand No 28 `“ State Excise raised Motion for Disapproval of Policy Cut on failure to lift liquor prohibition to generate income of the state.

On Demand No 29 `“ Sale Tax, other Taxes/Duties on commodities and services, MLA L Ibomcha Singh raised Motion for Disapproval of Policy Cut on failure to streamline tax collecting structure and need for proper monitoring; failure to check evasion of taxes; need to widen tax base at par with neighbouring states and need to introduce double point entry system in levying VAT or Sales Tax to check tax evasion.

Whereas on Demand No 30 `“ Planning, MLA Dr I Ibohalbi Singh raised Motion for Disapproval of Policy Cut on failure of involvement of village level, block level, district level organs in the planning process.

However, the cut motions raised by the four MLAs were later withdrawn after the Chief Minister, Commerce and Industries Minister Govindas Konthoujam and PWD Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar Singh gave clear clarifications.

As the House gave consent to the withdrawal of the cut motions by the MLAs, the six demands amounting to Rs 1165, 04, 21, 000 were unanimously passed during the session.

RIMS Controversy

The recent advertisement calling for candidacy to the important post of Director of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, RIMS, is once again poised to kick up an unseemly controversy.

The recent advertisement calling for candidacy to the important post of Director of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, RIMS, is once again poised to kick up an unseemly controversy. For reasons that are flimsy at best, the age of superannuation of the Director`™s post has been lowered to 62 years, professedly `as per existing RR`, without any prior notice, putting many senior professors of this prestigious medical institute and health service provider out of the competition unceremoniously. The superannuation age had earlier been raised to 65 years from 62 years by the 42nd meeting of the Executive Council of the RIMS held on August 5, 2011, at the Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi. This was in keeping with similar raises in the superannuation age for the Directors of AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, NEGRIHMS Shillong and JIMPER, thus bringing the norms of the RIMS on the matter at a par with other medical institutes under the administrative control of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. This decision of 2011 was ratified and confirmed in the next sitting of the RIMS Executive Council a year later on August 22, 2012. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had also in a notification dated May 3, 2012, clearly stated its approval that the term of office of the Director of the RIMS shall be `five years or till the incumbent attains the age of 65, whichever is earlier`. It is despite all these developments over a span of nearly four years that the advertisement for the RIMS Director`™s post released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on June 24, 2015, without bothering to extend any credible explanation, reverted the superannuation age to the previous 62 years.

Clearly this rather unusual decision calls for an explanation by the ministry`™s concerned authorities. The vaguely implied reason in its advertisement is, though the superannuation age had been raised to 65 years, no recruitment rules, RR, for this change in age ceiling had been framed yet, therefore the resort to the earlier ceiling of 62 years for which an RR does exist. If this indeed is the explanation for the age lowering, it must be said the logic is not tenable. The decision to raise the age ceiling was taken in August 2011, therefore there can be no excuse that a new RR had not been framed for the post as yet. In any case, framing one should hardly have been of any difficulty and could have been achieved in a matter of a week or two. This is especially so in consideration of the fact that the Director`™s posts of several other matching medical institutes in the country under the same ministry, including the AIIMS and NEGRIHMS had also been given such a raise of superannuation age, and RRs for the new 65 year age ceiling for these other institutes would be available for the RIMS to adopt or else model its own RR on.

In the name of fair play, and so as to dispel all doubts and suspicions that there are vested interests trying to take undue advantage, the ministry must put the matter on hold for the time being by withdrawing its advertisement of June 24. A new advertisement can be released after the issue has been put to rest conclusively and to the satisfaction of all parties and stakeholders. As it is, the RIMS has been in the throes of several image battering traumatic experiences in the wake of several unsavoury controversies descending on it in the last few years. Surely the health ministry would not like to add one more distressful episode to the list of the RIMS`™ already overflowing cup of woes. If it does push ahead with the unexplained lowered superannuation age in the recruitment of the next Director of the RIMS, in all likelihood the prestigious institute would be dragged into yet another wasteful and image eroding court battle. Our suggestion to the ministry therefore is for it to either explain its seeming arbitrary decision convincingly to the public, or else if it is unable to do this, delay the appointment a little until this emerging potential controversy is defused. This will save the RIMS another nasty blow to its reputation.

Leader Writer: Pradip Phanjoubam

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/rims-controversy/

Mother-son duo survive knife attack

IMPHAL, July 6: A woman and her minor son survived an alleged attack by a person wielding a knife over financial matters although both suffered multiple stab injuries. The incident

IMPHAL, July 6: A woman and her minor son survived an alleged attack by a person wielding a knife over financial matters although both suffered multiple stab injuries.

The incident of alleged attack occurred yesterday around 8 pm at the woman`™s home at Awang Sekami, according to family members.

While the mother-son duo has been admitted at the Raj Medicity for treatment, the attacker who was assaulted by a mob has also been admitted at the RIMS.

The woman has been identified as Khwairakpam (o) Kunjalata, 44, wife of Kh Brajakumar of Awang Sekmai Khunou Leikai and her son is identified as Kh Albert, 14.

The accused perpetrator has been identified as Sanabam Bishworjit from Langmeidong now staying at Kanglatombi Santipur.

Family members of the victims said Kunjalata had earlier given Rs 2.90 lakhs to Bishworjit in connection to some business after borrowing the sum from a local `marup`™.

Kunjalata had demanded the sum yesterday stating that the people conducting the `marup`™ were asking for the amount, however, Bishwajit asked to wait till night time.

As appointed, Bishworjit arrived around 8:04 pm to their home, family members said.

And after asking for a glass of water and then the way to the toilet, he gave just Rs 6400 to Kunjalata and when the latter asked for the remaining amount, he took out two knifes from his back and attacked Albert and then Kunjalata.

Due to the sudden attack, Kunjalata shouted for help gathering her neighbours who also attacked Bishworjit.

Bishworjit was admitted to RIMS following the incident, while the two were rushed to Rajmedicity.

Kunjalat suffered multiple knife injuries on her head and right hand, while Albert was suffered on his head, chest and left hand, however, both are said to be out of danger.

Meanwhile, Kunjalata claimed that Bishworjit tried to kill them taking advantage of the fact that there was no man in the house.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/motherson-duo-survive-knife-attack/

`Pebet` play to be staged in International Theatre Conference 2015

IMPHAL, July 5: Kalakshetra Manipur`™s acclaimed play `Pebet`™ has been invited to the prestigious International Theatre Conference 2015, jointly organised by the International Federation for Theatre and Department of Theatre

The International Conference is to be held from July 6 to 10 at Hyderabad University. `Theatre and Democracy`™ is the theme of the conference. Pebet will be showed as part of the major performances on July 7. Heisnam Sabitri of Kalakshetra along with the director Heisnam Kanhailal will give lecture cum demonstration on the following day.

The conference will be attended by around 300 delegates from different countries of the world along with 75 delegates from India. During the conference renowned scholars like Prabhat Patnaik, Partha Chatterjee, Elaine Aston and Anuradha Kapur will give their presentations as key note speakers.

Kalakshetra Manipur troupe has left Imphal for Hyderabad today to take part in the conference. It may be mentioned that `Pebet`™ since its production in the early period of 1970s has staged more than 70 times till the present date. The play has also travelled to international festivals across the globe in cities like Cairo and Tokyo.

Revisiting Wonderland

Imagine a land where there is no law. If that is possible, you are either in the amazing dream world of Lewis Carroll`™s Alice in Wonderland, which we all have

Imagine a land where there is no law. If that is possible, you are either in the amazing dream world of Lewis Carroll`™s Alice in Wonderland, which we all have read either in the original or else as abridged versions of it, or more likely in illustrated comic books. Or else you are in the other wonderland called Manipur. It is quite a parallel too. In Carroll`™s wonderland, the characters make law as and when they need it `“ so too in Manipur. There is supposed to be something as an established constitutional law in force, but that law today has receded into the background, thanks to its keepers who have either lost interest in it or else have become a law unto themselves. Instead, what are actually and most tangibly at work are on the spot laws, un-edified and untenable in any court of law, and made by any and everybody as and when they please. Leave aside the underground organisations which are pretty straightforward in their stand, claiming to be challengers of the established law as such, for other than them, the law and its enforcement have become a free for all agenda. What is absolutely confounding is, the government seems not to mind this at all when it should actually have been treating the matter as an insult to its authority. Reams after reams of commentary have been written on this and yet, not a single word or idea seems to have registered, and things continue as they always were, spiralling deeper and deeper into the abyss. What exactly is it that the government wants, can it please spell it out so that the people at least would know what to expect from it? Not that they expect much anyway, for proof of this the government just needs to look at the advertisement spaces of vernacular dailies and discover who the people are looking up with awe in matters of crime and punishment.

There are also people getting summarily executed in frightful regularity by all sorts of people who claim to have the law in their hands. Sometimes the guilt of these unfortunate victims are pronounced after they are dead and gone. Like in the haunting command line of the Queen in Alice in Wonderland `Off With His Head`, pronounced every now and then, with no apparent forethought or afterthought, and said as if by rote absolutely at random, it probably occurred to somebody somewhere that somebody else was guilty and passed a verdict in one of the on-the-spot piece of legislation. If the government needs any reminder it should feel guilty for these incidents, it should look at the helpless and muted protests on the streets against these atrocities, marked by the apparitions of womenfolk in ceremonial white, with fruit baskets in front and placards spelling out their protests resting on the side, performing what has come to be known as `wakat mipham`. Elsewhere, school buildings are being razed, hospitals are being stoned, bans are being imposed, `taxes` are being levied, shops are being shut down and the list of woes can carry on endlessly. All these are perpetrated by known and unknown players, but seldom ever named even if known. And the government still continues to turn the other way, pretending it has no eyes, ears or mouth. It does however with zest climbs the podium at every opportunity, talking of the virtues of democracy and democratic rule. What a miserable irony. It is bewildering and frustrating to know that all complaints and cries of lament have seldom made a difference, or is hardly likely fall on attentive ears of those who can make the difference.

Despite all this, people however still want to believe in the established institutions of constitutional law with clearly prescribed and edified procedures, as opposed to arbitrary decrees. Hence, here is our appeal once again to the Manipur government to please get its acts together. While it is evolving a peace policy on the issue of insurgency, at least take control of the home front and ensure things do not descend into complete madness. For this, it must first of all establish its presence and prove its credibility. Let its focus come back to good governance. Let ministership become an important and powerful tool of governance, and not the goal itself, as has so long been. Let it lead by example and not merely appeal to the people to be law abiding and diligent. And most important of all, let it clearly demarcate what portion of law keeping is its sole prerogative and what areas it can share or outsource to private parties, if at all this is proper or essential. Failing this, it cannot blame anybody else but itself for the resultant chaos.
Leader Writer: Pradip Phanjoubam

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/revisiting-wonderland/

BCCI secretary inspects Manipur Cricket Association, promises help to promote cricket in the state

IMPHAL, July 5: The Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Anurag Thakur inspected the state of the Manipur Cricket Association at Luwangpokpa Cricket Stadium today. The

IMPHAL, July 5: The Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Anurag Thakur inspected the state of the Manipur Cricket Association at Luwangpokpa Cricket Stadium today.

The BCCI secretary who is also an MP of the BJP, was received at the Imphal Airport by a BJYM team.

Later, accompanied by national general secretaries of the BJP, Saynthan Basu (administration) and Doni Nich (in-charge Manipur) visited Luwangsangbam to meet the official of the MCA. The MCA and BJYM together submitted a memorandum to the visiting dignitary urging him to help establish an international standard Cricket Stadium in Manipur.

Later, Thakur launched a BJYM Manipur mission called `Explore Manipur` to explore the tourism potential of Manipur.

This will be a month long drive to identify tourism spots in Manipur and to assess the tourism potential of Manipur, and put on the map of world tourism, he said while attending a function `Youth for future` at the office of BJP Manipur Pradesh.

Thakur said that very soon a BCCI meeting on the new area drive is going to be held at New Delhi and he assured he would bring up the matter of MCA and various other issues of MCA submitted to him today.

He promised that within a month all problems face by the MCA in popularising cricket will be resolved. He further assured maximum support will be extended to MCA, including construction of cricket infrastructure in Manipur.

Thakur further said that BJP has converted the Congress`™s Look East Policy to Act East Policy, indicating the party`™s intent to engage with this important issue. Funds will be sanctioned for the purpose, and the NDA government under the leadership of Narendra Modi is very serious about this.

Manipur is well known for its talent in sport, Art and Culture and tourism, but the last 13 years of rule by the Congress has suppressed all these potentials he said. However the NDA government will undo all the wrongs and give added emphasis to the development of the NE region of India, he said. Without developing the NE region, India can`™t developed, he added.

He asked to make the state free from insurgency and drugs. He also said the mission launched today is also with this in sight. He said in his next visit to Manipur, he will be a tourist coming along with his friends and family, to enjoy the beauty of the state.

He said he is dismayed to learn that more than eight lakh youth are unemployment in Manipur. He said developing tourism can help ease this problem.

He said prolong rein of the Congress in the state inhibited the development of the state but now with the BJP`™s return to power at the Centre things are poised to change.

He assured that if the BJP government comes to power in Manipur, 24X7 hour power supply, good road connectivity and infrastructure amongst many others will be assured for the people.

The BJP state president Th. Chaoba also spoke at the function and agreed with the central leader that tourism can create jobs for the unemployed youths of the state. Tourism cannot end at Hapta Kangjeibung and needs to reach out to all corners of the state, he added.

He criticised the Congress government in the state for its inability to start construction of National Sport University even after one year of the central government sanctioning it. He also alleged that the present government is taking keen interest only on developing Thoubal.

O Malesh president BJYM Manipur Pradesh, M Asnikumar general secretary administration and national general secretaries Saynthan Basu and Doni Nich were also present at the function.

Chadong villagers reel under untold miseries in absence of Govt`s intervention

IMPHAL July 5: The Sunday congregation at Chadong Baptist Church today sang mournfully and soulful today, perhaps for the last time as water level continues to rise and flood their

IMPHAL July 5: The Sunday congregation at Chadong Baptist Church today sang mournfully and soulful today, perhaps for the last time as water level continues to rise and flood their homes, and perhaps by next week the church too would be underwater.

The fasting prayer list includes praying for strength and ability to adapt and rebuild when they are forced to migrate to a new site home.

Some have already moved to the nearest towns while the remaining await their fate in dread.

Lamlai Khunou villagers had built two bridges this week following the submergence of the bridge in the approach road to their village. Without these two bridges, Lamlai Khunou village and Chadong village would have been completely cut off from the rest of the world.

It takes approximately 50 minutes to walk to the bank of Chadong village from there and wait for one`™s turn in the only boat manned by amateurs. It takes another 10 minutes to row through the vast stretch of water and reach Chadong village.

Till date no government representative had come to assess the pitiful situation and assist our rehabilitation. Instead the Chief Minister has wrongly informed the Assembly during the ongoing session regarding our plight, said a member of the Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organisation (MDAVO).

As we row to Chadong village, the visible houses appear like the floating huts in Loktak.

Inside the village, people are seen loading their food grains and household goods and shifting to the higher grounds of the mountain. By the water edge, children were playing with new flocks of grasshoppers.

They talked about the rats in their dwellings at night and the fear of other reptiles. The school campus has become a militarized zone after the Manipur Rifles and Manipur Police shifted to the two school buildings since July 1.

Barracks have transformed the new Junior High school into a fearful sight. One of the classrooms has been converted into a kitchen otherwise it may have been the midday meal kitchen.

They said their erstwhile shelter in the vicinity was dismantled and shifted by the house owners so they moved in to the new school buildings. The government has not provided any water transport for men in uniform to transport their ration so they share the only boat of the villagers, which was donated by Centre for Social Development for the affected people.

A reliable source informed that two boats from Fishery and Loktak Development Authority were approved by the government. But even after a month of submerging the only connecting bridge, the arrival of the boats seem to be still tangled in bureaucratic procedures.

While documentary film makers and media persons continue to document the anxiety and anger of the affected people, hordes of people irrespective of community flooded the banks and littered the environment. They came by car, bike, auto rickshaw and even by hiring bus.

Most of them said they are exploring the new landscape. It thus spells a huge tourist potential which needs to be managed in a better way.

As for Riha Village, the government has not specified anything on community water rights after the construction of the dam nor have they survey the river banks or settle community owned grazing grounds and private farms/standing property.

We are losing all our traditional ownership rights over our river and resources, lamented Tuithung Lunghar, a villager of Riha.

He said, “™We are the people whose livelihood is dependent on the seasonal products of the forest and the river resources. Yet these rights are not settled till date`™`™.

Another affected villager adds, “™We feel so helpless as citizens in pursuing through the right course. As the government is trampling over even a stay order of the court, what else is left for us to pursue? We have collectively knocked on every possible door of the concerned departments and authorities`™`™.

The government has merely compensated for the paddy fields and completely ignored the repeated petitions on river based livelihood including our fishing rights. Soon they will expect us to pay for this water that belongs to us, he ridiculed.

The villagers have various relationships with the river besides the livelihood angle. Christian rituals like Water Baptism are held in the river and fasting prayers are hosted on the banks. Recreation and social activities like annual picnic cum fishing of peer groups and village bodies are held on the river beds. Such traditions of fishing and feasting will be history now, narrates a women community leader woefully.

Tangkhul Shanao Long and Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong also visited the surrounding villages today to take stock of the situation.

State Disaster Management team collects soil samples from mysterious smoking craters at Wahong village

IMPHAL, June 5: After the continuous spewing of ashes and smoke from an expanding crater in a swampy area of old Wahong village, which many suspect to be volcanic activity,

IMPHAL, June 5: After the continuous spewing of ashes and smoke from an expanding crater in a swampy area of old Wahong village, which many suspect to be volcanic activity, spreading fears amongst villagers at Shitru area of Ukhrul District, official of the Disaster Management Department sent a team of experts joined by some more officials of the Ukhrul administration, including the SDC Jessami, to the spot.

The combined team, it is reported, has reached the spot at Wahong and examined the soil in the area. The team has collected soil samples as well but after preliminary examination said it can`™t be volcanic activity. More test will be conducted in laboratories, an official said.

The official said the phenomenon is unlikely to be volcanic activity and therefore there is no cause for the villagers to panic. The 6-member expert team from the Disaster Management Department and the five officials from SDO Jassami inspected the area very thoroughly and returned today.

It may be mentioned that DC Ukhrul had ordered for restriction of entry to the area recently.

It is further reported that according to the villagers they have sighted smoke coming from the swamp area first at Shitru in the month of April, 2015. However villagers thought to be charred ember remains of pine root from a wild fire.

The area is at the tri-junction of Manipur and Nagaland along the Myanmar border. It is also reported that a villager Wisdom Vashum, had accidentally stepped into the crater and received severe burn injuries on his left leg, sending fears to the villagers that some unnatural phenomenal was unfolding.

Another villager, Standhope Vashum, reported that he saw three holes of one square foot diameter and these holes were clearly visible and were spread around a circumference of 60 feet. The water from a nearby pond too is reported to taste very sour.

Following the reports, the Deputy Commissioner Modak Hrisheekesh Arvind already sounded the alert to the higher authority for intervention and investigation. The DC also directed SDO Jessami to immediately look into the matter.

The team rushed to the spot on Friday responding to appeals by the villagers.

JAC threatens mass cease work stir over charter of demands

IMPHAL, July 5: The JAC of All Manipur Trade Unions`™ Council (AMTUC) and All Manipur Govt Employees`™ Organisation (AMGEO) has decided to launch mass cease work strike from July 20

IMPHAL, July 5: The JAC of All Manipur Trade Unions`™ Council (AMTUC) and All Manipur Govt Employees`™ Organisation (AMGEO) has decided to launch mass cease work strike from July 20 except in police department in case the government fails to come up with positive response to the charter of demands submitted to the government.

Speaking to media persons, secretary general of JAC of AMTUC & AMGEO said that formal and informal rounds of thorough discussion had been held with the Chief Secretary, Commissioner (Finance), Special Secretary (DP) but there has been no positive response to the long cherished demands of government employees, workers, pensioners and family pensioners.

Reiterating that the JAC had also submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 17, 2014 in this regard, he made it clear that the JAC will go on with the mass cease work strike from July 20 if the government fails to fulfil the demands within July 18.

The charter of demands include regularisation of work charged employees; conversation of muster roll and casual workers to work charged employees and provide all retirement benefits as per existing rules as agreed; regularisation of contractual employees existing in various departments namely GAD, MIS, Economics & Statistics, NRHM, MACS, RNTCP, Forest, Social Welfare etc to their respective posts so that the fund from the plan head is not affected and per capital income of the state is maintained.

It also demanded that secretariat duty allowance and overtime allowance in respect of secretariat employees and other department employees respectively should be paid at 10 percent of corresponding Basic Pay as agreed upon.

The general secretary of JAC of AMTUC & AMGEO added that the said resolution was taken during a gathering at Kuki Inn on July 3.

Rava Presents Ethical Fashion Event 2nd Edition 2015 “Walk Till You Die”

Rava Presents Ethical Fashion Event 2nd Edition 2015 “Walk Till You Die” – Random Pictures by Deepak Shijagurumayum

Current road condition of Imphal-Jiribam highway in this rainy season of 2015

Current road condition of Imphal-Jiribam highway in this rainy season of 2015 (Photos are taken near Maku village)
Photo by Momon Toudam

Current road condition of Imphal-Jiribam highway in this rainy season of 2015 (Photos are taken near Maku village)

Photo by Momon Toudam

Elegance of the Dancing looms

Elegance of the Dancing looms – Random pics by Deepak Shijagurumayum

DSC_0184_1600x1063

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/elegance-of-the-dancing-looms/

Dynamic Manipur’s Inspiration Workshop on Media- career outlook and society building held

Mediapersons are social engineers – Dr. Ibomcha IMPHAL, July 5: Media persons are social engineers as teachers are human engineers. In the present social fabric, media can play a

Mediapersons are social engineers – Dr. Ibomcha

IMPHAL, July 5: Media persons are social engineers as teachers are human engineers. In the present social fabric, media can play a pivotal role in building a good society. Media has a magical influence in good governance, improving healthcare delivery system, streamlining public distribution system and empowering the masses in this knowledge-based society. A good nation without a good media system is a distant dream, said Dr. Aribam Ibomcha Sharma, News Editor and Regional News Unit Head, All India Radio, Imphal.

While delivering his speech as resource person on the topic ‘Role of Media in Nation Building and Career Avenues in Media’ during the Inspiration Episode-8 (IE-8) organized under the tutelage of Dynamic Manipur on the theme ‘Media – Career outlook and Society building‘ held at MIMS, Manipur University today, AIR News Editor Dr A Ibomcha Sharma said that media persons, being the professionals of an important pillar of democracy, are now needed as journalists, public relations executives, spin doctors, information managers, content creators and also in academic avenues in different capacities.

“The demand will be on the rise and it has to, in line with the changing paradigm of telecommunication, trade, tourism and other transformations in many fields of social life. However, the demand at the global job market of media is par excellent product and grooming such professionals is not an easy thing”, he said.

Since Media plays the role of a watchdog in society who always manages to highlight the errors of Politicians, Judiciary and executives through constructive criticism, Media itself is supposed to render its service to the society sincerely to avoid trust deficit. Otherwise the sanctity of the media professionals would be maligned.

While quoting former Indian president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s line “When you salute your profession, you need not salute anybody; when you pollute your profession, you need to salute everybody”, he said that every professional, may be doctors, engineers, journalists or IAS officers, need to serve the people with sincerity and dedication to win public respect. When they pollute their professions with personal profit oriented motive, they will not get public respect.

Impact TV Chief Editor Yumnam Rupachandra spoke on how a responsible media can help bring about major change in society and how you can become a responsible journalist.

He said that media influences people to help the people to bring about a better society. It plays a vital role in strengthening democracy, keeping the people well informed. Being a journalist is one of the noble professions as journalists serve people from top to bottom. When there is no elected opposition in a government, media effectively takes the role of opposition to criticize and brakes the wrong policies of the government.

Senior journalist. Editor-in-Chief of Impact TV Yumnam Rupachandra is a former correspondent of The Statesman and Seven Sisters Post. He is a fellow National Press Foundation (DC Washington, Alumni IVLP (US State Dept) and SRDM awardee World Bank.

Khelen Thokchom, Special Correspondent of Telegraph, national daily said that mainstream Indian media is losing its objectivity due to extensive commercialization of the news business. Editors have little role in deciding editorial contents in contradictory to what the editors are supposed to do with young CEOs dictating terms on what the readers want. It is because of this that instead of carrying a picture or story of a poor and pathetic farmer on the verge of suicide, editors are opting for pictures of celebrities like Aishwarya Rai or hospitalization of another well known actor.

Concerned about the increasing trend of ‘paid news’ in the state, the senior journalist said that such trend will lead to trust deficit on the part of the journalists and malign the profession. When journalists are under the hands of a few powerful, how can they bring about a dynamic change in society by revealing the malpractices of the people in power. People generally believe what the journalists expressed through their pen. When the mouth of the journalists is shut up with money, they cannot highlight the news what the people need most.

The event was organized by Dynamic Manipur with LRS INDIA, S. S. Electronics, Manipur Creations, Babina Diagnostics, The Classic Hotel, Imphal, Globizs Web Solutions, Shija Hospitals & Research Institute, HVS Constructions Materials Pvt. Ltd. as Sponsoring Partners while Green Biotech, CC Tea – The Sui Generis, MIMS, Manipur University, Korea Manipuri Association (KMA), Manipuri Association of Canada (MAC), North American Manipur Association (NAMA), Likla – Thangjam Agro Industries Pvt. Ltd., Imphal, WiseWorld Immigration & Education Consultants, Toronto, Canada as endorsing Partners.

As advertising, Printing and Technology Partners, WOL Media, Siroi Offset Printers, Thoubal, Globizs Web Solutions, Media Partners, E-pao, Impact TV, Manipur Times, The Peoples’ Chronicle supported the event.

Video recordings of IE-8 will be later shared at Youtube.

Sincerely,

Dr. N. Jiten Singh

Chief Coordinator, Dynamic Manipur

https://www.facebook.com/DynamicManipur

Email: dynamic.manipur@gmail.com

More pics for the event:

An Open Letter to AMMIK : Kapilarambam.blogspot

Very respected Apunba Manipur Matam Ishei Kanglup, in the name of holy traditions of the land, I’m sending you my deepest regards. I hope you are doing well and I

Very respected Apunba Manipur Matam Ishei Kanglup, in the name of holy traditions of the land, I’m sending you my deepest regards. I hope you are doing well and I believe I’m not disturbing you in your daily raga recital. The last time I heard about you was when you insisted the government to declare Sana Leibak Manipur as the state anthem just after the demise of the legendary Bachaspatimayum Jayentakumar Sharma who penned the song. Unfortunately the authority is indifferent as always but lesser than that of the people, who are assured that this song would evoke the false pride in you. That’s another story.

You have made a bolder step this time. But why would you act like the army and issue diktats? As far as we know, you are a group of contemporary singers just as your name suggests; and neither would anyone believe you are a fascist organisation. Didn’t you feel getting out of tune when you write out that Tapta cannot sing anymore simply because he is not a member of your organisation? Probably you don’t. That’s why you have not only boycotted him but gone ahead and made your terrifying royal promise of banning the film as well of which he is a playback singer. Perhaps the film, Keishal, under the banner of Plus Media Production, might never see the light of the day. This is considering that you can summon artistes for negotiation in rebel camps or pay the police to do what they do best: threaten the people. However, there are so many things at stake here. Truth be told, your name must remain as it was: like a band of Nazi-inspired musicians but in a non-existential zone or wherever far from a sane society. Today, you might not mind it, you have never. You would not care that you have become the laughing stock in the whole town these days. A real musician would have produced a fine work from such humiliation but we know you are callous. Your fascist ideology—if there is any other such thing beside sheer stupidity behind your organisational workings—is only as good as your crappy tabla-harmonium music. If there is one thing that is so typical in the world of artistes, it is their love for freedom and liberty. But clearly you have become blind and you cannot see beyond your overbearing octave. For that matter, Tapta is more popular than all of you combined, yes, he also performs better than the combination of all your rule-obsessed, cheesy singing mates. Doesn’t this give you some clue why people are calling you all sorts of names because you are blindly trampling on the people’s choice of music and professional affiliation? Tapta is creative, independent and politically engaged—all of which you are not. We can see these issues would be too much because for you, art should be only for art’s sake. You have nothing to do with the diktats from both the state and non-state actors, which have shoved us into a corner of collective listlessness. Of course, nothing can be more important than obtaining a visharad degree from your alma mater located in faraway Agra and Gwalior and others; and yes, flaunting your power in this land of no master.

Again, Tapta is more popular than your organisation. This fact might be a source of great disturbance to your inflated ego. Why don’t you go and sing on the radio if it is not the music season in the town? There are lots of issues at hand that the people should care about. For instance, in one eastern corner of the land, in Chadong, hundreds of families have been displaced from their homes. The government’s myopic plan of building a dam has backfired though the authority is nonchalant as ever. The rhythmic patterns of violence and underdevelopment have already imprisoned us in a time warp of nothingness. In this kind of situation, your diktats and boycotts have become an unnecessary pain in the ass.

We are grateful to you for keeping up the Manipuri language. Albeit, everybody knows your disciplined approach to learning and practising music is doing much harm than helping it. Have you watched the film Western Sankirtan? You should ask your big brother, the Film Forum Manipur, if you have not. To explain briefly, the theme of the film is about going back to our roots, but while ignoring or too stupid to know that Sankirtan can never be a marker of our identity. It is no less different from your borrowed ragas and khayaals. And oh, your mates are tired of your adopted microtones and semitones: now they are aping the shittiest music from all over the world. I presume you like Ranbir Thouna. I like him too but I cannot tell how AR Rahman sounds so much like him. I’m kidding, I don’t like him but the mention about AR Rahman is true. (Footnote: Last year, the Forum banned six actors for not taking part in an Inner Line Permit protest. So apparently, the authoritarian madness run in the blood!)

In the last few days, metal-inspired Eastern Dark has also come out with their stories of intimidation. Incidentally like Tapta, this band is known for its socially relevant music just in case you had missed it in your self-righteous ride to conquer the music world in the stupidest ways. Pop stars from the olden days including Sanaton and Naba Volcano were the closest you can get but they are gone a long time ago.

If copycats, alien music styles and unquestioning loyalty are the foundation of your world, you might as well boycott yourself and excuse us for some time. We know what our choice of music is and you cannot dictate what it should be. Please admit you are a fascist organisation and you are all powerful. We might be able to boost your ego and help do away with your talentless struggle, or, probably show you how it takes fans and supporters—and not primitive aggression and high-handedness —to raise an art form.

Finally, you are only strong as a group and, for your kind consideration, there is an adage: those people who cannot work outside a group or on their own, they are a nobody when they are alone. For all the talents you don’t have, it seems you are making up with your illegal dictatorial rules. Please do go to Agra and improve your skills. You might become a better singer some day. Who knows?!

Yours sincerely,
An anonymous music listener
Date: 3 July 2015
Place: Laphumakhong near Moreh

PS: Do send postcards from Agra. Don’t show off that your leader is an old-timer in the field. The general is just a piece of rotten ass with all the annoying, talent less foot soldiers.

Source : kapilarambam.blogspot

http://kapilarambam.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/an-open-letter-to-ammik.html

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/07/an-open-letter-to-ammik-kapilarambam-blogspot/