manipurmail – Page 225

No provision for army, paramilitary personnel to join IPS cadre : Narayanswamy

By N. Ibungochoubi
Puducherry, Feb 13 : Putting every speculation to an end regarding the much talked about lateral entry into Indian Police Service (IPS) from para-military and Indian Army, the Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) V Narayanasamy categorically stated that there is no provision for such a thing although many personnel from different services are taken on deputation for various national agencies.
The minister of state of PMO’s Office was replying to a specific question asked by this writer during the Editors’ Conference on Social Sector Issues organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) and held at Poducherry last week.
Earlier, there was an alternative policy floated and discussed at different levels to counter the armed political upheaval in Central India by the Maoists. The deployment of the Indian Army being ruled out to manage a vast area spread over 87 districts in five states, an idea was believed to have been mooted to take young officers from different para-military, specially the Indian Army as IPS officers, which also received critical observations from many corners including IPS Officers Association.
The PMO is believed to have even imagined and worked out a modality for a lateral entry policy setting certain criteria. With minimum five years of service and those below the age of thirty-five years and successfully undergone commando courses were among some of the criteria, which were doing the round.
V Narayanasamy also reiterated the highlights of major initiatives taken up by the UPA government. He said, the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions brought landmark legislations to check corruption in the last two and half years. Besides the RTI, the Grievances Redressal and Whistleblowers’ Bill would confer right on every citizen to time bound delivery of goods and provision for services and redressal of grievances.
He categorically stated that the performances of bureaucrats will be seriously reviewed at different intervals.

Proxy voting found galore

Imphal, Feb 13: Proxy voting in the valley districts of Manipur was much higher than that of hill districts in the recent crucial polls to the 10th State assembly on the final photograph comparison session today which has signaled another round of re-poll in various booths of two valley districts.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will decide whether to hold re-poll in the polling booths where rigged-poll had been detected with the scanning of electors’ photos after the three observers, who have been discharged with the duty of photographs comparison, submit their finding and detection, Joint Chief Election Officer, Praveen told reporters here.
The inquiry process was sealed after taking signatures of the concerned Returning Officers (ROs) and the same will be submitted to the ECI tomorrow, Praveen said while informing that the details of the final photo comparison process was not with the State election office.
The ECI, for the first time in the country, has initiated the step of taking photograph of every voter on the polling day so as to avoid illegal voting, especially impersonation.
Wabagai constituency of Thoubal district turned out with the highest rate of proxy polling while comparing with two other constituencies of Imphal East district Keirao constituency and Andro constituency as shown by the telecast of the photo comparison process conducted at the office of the State election office here.
As many as 177 polling stations under 13 constituencies in six districts of the State engaged in electorate photograph comparison between that affixed on the electoral rolls and the photographs taken on the polling day January 28.
The process was conducted yesterday for Tamei constituency of Tamenglong district, Saikot constituency of Churachandpur district and Tengnoupal constituency of Chandel district and today, Keirao constituency and Andro constituency of Imphal East district, and Wabagai constituency of Thoubal district were under the final scanning. Wabagai constituency was found freely yielded to over 50 per cent proxy voting.
A large-scale rigged-polling had been committed in total violation of the election code of conduct issued by ECI, Chungkhosei Haokip, who contested the polls from Saikot constituency seat on BJP ticket told reporters while witnessing the conduct of photo comparison.
The photograph scanning process would bring a better result, Tourism Minister TN Haokip asserted. Besides Haokip, sitting MLAs T. Manga Vaiphei, Awangbou Newmai, Allauddin also came to witness the process.
Meanwhile, the three special observers of the ECI taking the task of voters’ photographs comparison work left Imphal for Delhi this afternoon, official sources said.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/proxy-voting-found-galore/

Making a ‘Sporting’ India

Anurag Jain
Sport is an inherent aspect of social and cultural life of a country. Sport is also an integral component of education and human personality development. To make sporting culture as a way of life of people, there is a need for adequate sports infrastructure facilities.
Around 770 million population in our country are children, adolescents and youth. Hardly, 50 million of them have access to organized sports facilities that too concentrated in urban areas. Around 75% population, living largely in rural areas, are deprived of rudimentary sports facilities. Severe inadequacy of sports infrastructure and community coaching facilities are the constraints for promotion and development of sports in the country.
As an endeavour to address the issue, Government of India introduced a nation-wide rural sports programme called ‘Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyaan’. PYKKA was conceived by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2008-09 by creating a network of basic infrastructure and equipment throughout the rural India for promoting excellent sports culture among both boys and girls. The underlying motive behind PYKKA is to universalise the Sports culture across India so that it not only becomes a part of formal curriculum, but also a dominant part of our lifestyle.
Presently, PYKKA covers 20 Sporting disciplines, namely Athletics, Gymnastics, Swimming, Badminton, Table Tennis, Archery, Wushu, Taekwando, Weightlifting, Cycling, Boxing, Judo, Wrestling, Kabaddi, Kho-kho, Hockey, Football, Volleyball, Basketball and Handball. These are the key Sports that have the potential because of their popularity. This potential needs to be tapped so that people start to see sport as something worthy.
PYKKA is being implemented on a Mission Mode with clearly spelt out Mission statement, objectives, implementing agency at Panchayat level, campaign and financing pattern. With this clear demarcation of goals PYKKA has been able to identify the right way to improve the Sports infrastructure across India. PYKKA has on its part been aiming to provide a “level playing field” to all. Since talent knows no bounds, no one should be deprived of participation- and excellence- merely because of lack of resources.
PYKKA has three major components: Infrastructure Component, Competition Component and Capacity-building Component.
Infrastructure component aims at providing basic Sports infrastructure in rural areas so that rural populace, which forms the bulk of our population, does not remain deprived of exposure to sports despite having plentiful talent. Infrastructure component has three elements:
One Time Capital grant, Annual Acquisition Grant and Annual Operational Grant. Under One Time Capital grant, Village Panchayats having a minimum population of 4600 receive Rs. One lac while block level PYKKA centres receive Rs. 5 lacs on 75: 25 percent basis between Central Government and State Government. Special attention is envisaged to give priority to the border areas where rural youths are misguided and weaned away by anti-social and anti-national elements.
Annual Acquisition Grant is provided to each PYKKA centre at Panchayat/Block level for a period of five years to acquire sports equipments, accessories, first aid and other medicinal facilities, and the like. The amount of grant is limited to Rs. 10 thousand and Rs. 20 thousand for Panchayats and Blocks respectively. On completion of five years it will be the responsibility of Sate/UT to provide for heads under this grant.
Annual Operational Grant is also for a period of five years for the purpose of honorarium to Coaches/Staff. The amounts earmarked for Panchayat and Block level are Rs. 12000 and Rs. 24000 respectively.
The second component, i.e. Competition component is concerned with organising PYKKA competitions across country at block, district, state, and national level. Competitions are important in their own right: they motivate others for success besides unleashing individual brilliance. PYKKA has rightly identified the lacunae in exposure to sports at grass-root level thereby organising the three different types of competitions regularly: Rural Competitions, Women’s Championships and Games/ Sports for North-eastern states.
There is the provision of Annual Competition Grant in PYKKA under which grants are released for organising competitions and distributing prizes to the winners.
Moreover competitions are organised based on spatial trends: that is, the sports which are more popular locally out of 20 sports under PYKKA are given priorities. In this way at Block and District levels, events comprising of 5 sports are organised while at the State/UT level 10 sports are included in the competition. At the national level, all 20 sports are included in the competition.
The third component under PYKKA is capacity building. With a view to update knowledge of the Sports administrators, coaches, instructors, et al, who are engaged in the field of sports at the State/ UT level for development of Sports, a two-week programme is being regularly organised under PYKKA to meet the training needs of ‘Master Trainers’ at PYKKA Resource Centre (PRC) set up for this purpose at Laxmibai National University of Physical Education, Gwalior, Madhya Pardesh. These ‘Master Trainers’, in turn, train the ‘Kridashrees’- the trainers who work at the grass-root level. This circulation of skills is important in a vast country like ours where it might not be feasible to hold centralised programmes for everyone.
Only in its fourth year, PYKKA has several achievements to its credit. PYKKA has already extended its reach to all 28 states and 5 UT’s (rest 2 UT’s, i.e. Delhi and Chandigarh, have no Panchayats). As many as 20,000 playing-fields have been constructed under PYKKA at rural level. PYKKA competitions have noted huge levels of participation which run into several thousands. The North- Eastern states’ competitions have started to restore the feelings of integration amongst the people from those regions. The Women’s Competitions are acting as vehicles of self-confidence for women who deserve at least as much spotlight and focus as their male counterparts. Thus, in a way, PYKKA has caused a “paradigm shift” across different strata of society.
Moreover, PYKKA’s ability to integrate with other Government schemes has been immense. For instance, the constructive work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) may, and has begun to, involve the construction and maintenance of playing fields under PYKKA scheme. Also PYKKA volunteers can, in future, draw people’s attention towards several serious issues such as illiteracy and malnutrition. Thus PYKKA has the potential to become a wave that informs every aspect of society. Maybe, in due course, the Scheme will have instigated a Sporting Revolution of sorts across India, thereby replacing the popular, though specious, notion that “Sport ruins”, by a unanimous conception that “Sport provides a way to well-being.” (PIB Feature).

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/making-a-sporting-india/

Khurshid has already cleared his stand on Muslim reservation row : Anand

New Delhi , Feb 12 (ANI): With the Election Commission writing to President Pratibha Devisingh Patil against Salman Khurshid’s minority-quota remarks, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma on Sunday said the Law Minister has explained his position in the past, and added that the Congress Party has always respected the constitutional mandate.
Sharma, however, said it would not be appropriate for him to comment, as the matter is now with the President of the country. “The minister in the past has explained his position and the matter is with the President and it will not be appropriate for me to make any comment except to say that we as a government and a political party have always respected the constitutional mandate of the Election Commission. We have always adhered to the election code and the body code,” he said.
The Election Commission last night sought the “immediate and decisive” intervention of President Pratibha Devisingh Patil after it charged n Khurshid with “improper and unlawful” defiance of its orders under which he was censured for promising sub-quota for minorities.
President Patil has sent Election Commission’s complaint against Salman Khurshid to Prime Minister’s Office for appropriate action.

Two including a juvenile girl arrested

Mail News Service
Imphal, Feb 12: Troops of 33 Assam Rifles under the aegis of Red Shield Division and Bishenpur Police Commandos apprehended two women over ground workers of PLA, namely Keisham Ibeyaima Devi (15), D/o Late K Brajamohan Singh, r/o Yaiskul Hirohanba Laikai and Thokcham Seran Renubala Devi (37), w/o Late S Duven Singh, r/o Langthobal Thong Ahanbi from Kumbi Kayaibung area. They were working on the behest of Khelamba, SS Divisional Force Commander of PLA. The apprehendees were handed over to Kumbi Police Station.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/two-including-a-juvenile-girl-arrested/

Two including a juvenile girl arrested

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/two-including-a-juvenile-girl-arrested/

AR organises medical camp

Mail News Service
Imphal, Feb 12: 30 Assam Rifles of 9 Sector under HQIGAR(S) organised a medical camp on 12 February 2012 at Sekta village in the Imphal East district. The idea of camp was conceived due to poor medical infrastructure in the villages which are away from the main hinterland. The camp was organised at a large scale to render the basic medical aids to the villagers residing in the area surrounding Sekta.
About 500 patients were rendered medical attention and free medicines. Moreover combined team of doctors from 30 Assam Rifles and RIMS hospital addressed the locals and educated them on the need of the hygiene and sanitation and precautions to be taken to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. The camp was attended by the denizens of Sekta, Huidrom and Pundongbam villages.
In another occasion, 37 Assam Rifles of 26 Sector organized a Leprosy Awareness programme on 11 February 2012 at Tuikong village of Chandel district along Indo – Myanmar border. The event was conducted by a team of medical officer and paramedical staff of the Unit. Medical check up and lecture extended to more 150 villagers.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ar-organises-medical-camp-2/

Tourism officials attend tourism exchange

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Feb 12: Manipur Tourism, led by tourism Commissioner Shri KK Chhetry, along with Dr.K.Shyamsunder, Dy. Director, Shri L. Ibochoubi, Tourist Officer and Smt Saichhingpuii, Section Officer, participated in the 19th South Asian Travel & Tourism Exchange, Pragati Maiden, New Delhi, 10th to 12th Feb, 2012 for promotion of Manipur as an important tourism destination for inbound tourists.
More than 30 countries like Turkey, Thailand, South Korea, Phillipines, Fiji, UAE, Greece, etc. and 100 travel & hospitality companies took part in the exchange of buyers & sellers of niche tourism products. Manipur Tourism did an aggressive campaign to promote the brand “Magnificent Manipur” and had close interaction with various tour managers, hospitality companies and eco-adventure industries. The Lalit Suri group of companies have shown keen interest in promoting polo and hotels, and will be presenting to the Government with a concrete plan. All tour operators acknowledged the significance of Manipur in the overall growth of the tourism industry of India and have agreed in principal to include destination Manipur in their travel itineraries. Cox & Kings were particularly enthusiastic and declared to increase Japanese tourists for pilgrimage related tourism to Manipur. Mystic Mountain Pvt Ltd, one of the largest private sector adventure tourism companies, agreed to establish a package deal for adventure tourists to Manipur.
Manipur Tourism will continue to tirelessly act to make Manipur a world class tourism destination according to KK Chhetry, Commissioner, Tourism, Govt of Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tourism-officials-attend-tourism-exchange/

Tourism officials attend tourism exchange

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tourism-officials-attend-tourism-exchange/

Comparison of voters’ photographs begins

Imphal, Feb 12 NNN: A young woman’s photo cropped up when pressed the name of an old man. A male photo represents the voter of a female voter and vice versa.
These are the cases detected by the ‘Special Observers” sent by Election Commission of India (ECI) to Manipur for photo comparison of the voters.
The photo comparison process began today at the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO), Manipur following numerous complaints lodged by various political parties and candidates.
Manipur went to the poll on January 28 and the re-polls were held on February 4.
Dispatched by the Election Commission of India (ECI), Special Observers Sunil Gupta, chief electoral officer of West Bengal, D.K Pandey who is an IPS officer and Gaurav Dwivedi, director, department of Information Technology, Ministry of Information Technology arrived here on Saturday and the photo comparison of voters kick-started today. The comparison of voters’ photos will continue on Monday.
According to sources, altogether 76 complaints were received by the chief electoral officer, Manipur and were forwarded to the Election Commission of India. However, the ECI asked the CEO to go for photo comparison only for 35 complaints where the rest appeared to have been dismissed.
Mention may be made that photo identity cards were used by the voters during the elections. Not only that, even each of the voters were photographed by the polling authority after the casting of votes.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/comparison-of-voters-photographs-begins/

Spirit of children and education policy

Are our children safe in the hands of the new educations institutes which have emerged of late in every nook and corner of the state. A debate is continously going on if the institues only want to make good money or want to groom up our children in the best possible professional way. Everybody is in a dilemma. The state government has decided to sit and watch or rather simply remain a mute spectator. Students’ bodies have opposed high admission and monthly fees. Under intense pressure from the students’ bodies the admission process was also streamlined. Some institutes take high admission fee and even conduct admission tests for children seeking admission in nursery schools. The very ethos of making study ethos of life in a stress free environment is forgotten as educational institutes compete in giving financial and mental burdens to the children and parents. Some institutes forbid childred from appearing in examinations if montly fees are not given. It means examinations are held every month with an aim to make parents clear the fees. Many absurd financial activities revolve around the children which ultimately enriches the institutes . Whether the children are benefitted by the various time and money consuming activities is something experts can say. The spirit of childhood – that is, the chance for children and adults alike to enjoy simple, carefree moments – is at risk, suggest results of a new global report.The report released by the OREO brand and Ipsos Public Affairs reveals that the vast majority of parents surveyed believe today’s kids are growing up quicker than previous generations.In fact, seven out of 10 parents worldwide say their children should have more time to ‘just be kids.’The idea that the spirit of childhood is on the decline is true not only for kids, but also adults.Parents everywhere yearn for the type of lighthearted enjoyment they had when they were kids. In fact, a majority of parents worldwide say they don’t have fun on a daily basis and 54 percent say they rarely experience the feelings of delight they did when they were children.The “Global Spirit of Childhood Report,” conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of OREO, measured the spirit of childhood around the world in an effort to understand if people, both young and old, take the time to experience the simple joys of being a kid.“As we regularly talk with consumers worldwide, we consistently hear about the importance of experiencing the carefree feelings of childhood at any age,” said Sheeba Philip, Global Brand Director for OREO.
“We believe this sentiment is more important now than ever before, so we conducted this research to learn more about the spirit of childhood worldwide,” she stated.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/spirit-of-children-and-education-policy/

Spirit of children and education policy

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/spirit-of-children-and-education-policy/

Electoral System Reform

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Feb 11: National conference on electoral reforms began at Vishwa Yuvak Kendra (International Youth Centre),Chanakyapuri, New Delhi on Feb 10 last . Discussions on British Model First Past the Post (FPTP) were done and it was agreed to amend it. The participants were divided into three groups with ten panelists each and discussed about Proportionate Electoral System , Bicameral Parliament , Reservation, Threshold, Gerrymandering , Internal Party Democracy, Financing of Election, Right to Recall, Compulsory Voting, Pre-Poll or Post-Poll Alliances . CERI Nort East Convenor Dr. M. Nara Singh, Livnus Kindo and V.B. Rawat were among the panelists.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/electoral-system-reform/

Upadhyaya, Madhumangol remembered

MNS: Death Anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Saheed Madhumangol was held today at State Party Head Office, Nityaipat Chuthek, Imphal at 1 PM. A floral tribute was held on the mark of two great souls of the Party.
Shri O. Shyamananda Singh, Incharge of Training Cell, BJP, Manipur Pradesh delivered speeches on life and contribution of Saheed Madhumangol in the National Politics and Shri N. Ibohal Singh, Former Gen. Secretary, BJP, Manipur Pradesh speeches on Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, about his life and contribution to the Party and for the Nation.
Prof. S. Tikendra Singh, Vice President(President’s Incharge), Shri S. Lala Singh, Vice President, O. Shyamananda Singh, Incharge of Training Cell and Shri N. Ibohal Singh took part as President and Guests of Honour respectively. State Office bearers, Executive members and invitees and various Morchas and Cell members of the Party attended in the said function.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/upadhyaya-madhumangol-remembered/

Purandeswari for better coordination in education sector

Mail News Service
Puducherry, Feb 11: The Minister of State for Human Resource Development Smt. D. Purandeswari has appealed the State Governments to extend full cooperation for the betterment of education infrastructure in the Country. Addressing the All India Editors Conference on Social Sector Issues in Puducherry here today Dr. Purandeswari said education is a collective and cooperative responsibility of Union as well as all state governments.
The minister said in order to strengthen the elementary Education sector the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan norms have been revised to correspond with the provisions of the RTE Act. Emphasis is being given on sending higher enrolment of girl child under the Abhiyan.
She said by bringing a constitutional amendment in the form of Article 21A, the Right of children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 has become operative in the country w.e.f. April 2010.
She said the sharing of funds between the Centre and states was in the ratio of 50:50 during 11th plan period and now it is proposed to make 65:35 in between Centre and the State during the XII Plan.
She also spoke of the Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan(RSMA), a flagship programme to improve access to secondary education to all young persons according to norms through proximate locations and to ensure that no child is deprived of secondary education of satisfactory quality due to gender, socio economic, disability and other barriers.
The Minister referred to the Model School Scheme announced by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and said this scheme envisages providing quality education to talented rural students through setting up of 6000 model schools as a bench mark of excellence at block level at the school of one school per block. The scheme was launched in 2008-09 and is being implemented from 2009-10.
She said efforts are being made to improve the quality of teachers through the Teachers Eligibility Test(TET) and urged all the stake holders to ensure its success.
The Minister said 14 bills to bring about reform in Education Sector have been tabled in the Parliament. She also said that to ensure that only quality education through collaboration with foreign university and educational institutions is imparted in India a bill is already under the consideration of Parliament.
Purandeswari said at the time of Independence there were only 20 universities and 500 colleges which have increased to 611 universities and university-level institutions and 31,324 colleges since August 2011.
She said to face the challenges of 21st century, Government has taken a number of Initiatives during the XI Plan period which focus on improvement of access alongwith equity and excellence, adoption of state specific strategies, enhancing the relevance of higher education through curriculum reforms, vocationalisation, networking and use of Information Technology and distance education along with reforms in governance.
Expansion, inclusion, rapid improvement in quality by enhancing public spending, encouraging private initiatives and initiating the long overdue major institutional and policy reforms are at the core of these efforts, she added.
The Minister said with planned interventions and sustained efforts considerable progress has been made in the literacy area, The literacy rate in 2001 Census was 64.83 percent, which improved to 74.04 percent in 2011.Interestingly literacy rate has improved sharply among females as compared to males.
She expressed concern on the school dropout rate especially among the girl child in the transition period of primary to secondary education and said lack of proper toilet facilities and drinking water facilities in the rural areas are one of reasons to it. She said the issue is being taken up with the Ministry of Rural Development under the convergence programmes.
She said a National Vocational Education Qualifications Framework (NVEQF) is being developed as it will emphasize the importance of integration of vocational education and training and general education in all types of education and training.
It will provide a common reference frame work for linking various qualifications and setting common principles and guidelines for a nationally recognized qualifications system and to address the issues of skill shortage in various sectors.
She said it will be a unified system of national qualifications covering schools, Vocational education and Training Institutions as well as the Higher education Sector and would be useful in integrating education and training systems encouraging lifelong and continuing learning.

National integration tour

Mail News Service
Imphal, Feb 11: National integration tour team consisting of 30 students and 02 teachers from villages of Senapati dist arrived at Maram after 11 days of inspirational tour to Siliguri and Kolkata. The students visited Birla Planetarium, Victoria Memorial, Indian National Museum and various other places of interest. The students also had the opportunity of meeting GOC Bengal Area, Maj Gen K S Kumbar, VSM.
The tour had been flagged off by Maj Gen Binoy Poonnen, VSM GOC, Red Shield Div in presence of Brig A K Narula Cdr 59 Mountain Brigade on 30 Jan 2012.
The NIT was flagged in join 09 Feb 2012 at Maram by Comdt 5 AR. On interaction with the students it was heartening to see the kids with such enlightened and enriched experiences.
Twenty children and four teachers who were on the National Integration Tour organised by 5/9 Gorkha Rifles of Loktak Brigade under the aegis of Red Shield Division visited Rashtrapati Bhawan, India Gate and Raj Ghat where they paid tribute to the Father of Nation.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/national-integration-tour-2/

Tipaimukh dam to affect 25,822 hectares of land

Imphal, Feb 11 NNN : Various NGOs say 25,822.22 hectares of forest land of Manipur will be affected by the controversial Tipaimukh Dam which will also lead to felling of 7.8 million (around 90 lakh)) trees and bamboos, and such action will not only have serious impact on community livelihood and survival but also exacerbate species and induce climate change impacts due to destruction of absorption capacity of Green House Gases (GHG).
A one-day Review Meet on Tipaimukh Dam was held at the Manipur Press Club here Saturday, jointly organized by Committee on Land and Natural Resources, Citizens’ Concern for Dams and Development, Action Committee Against Tipaimukh Dam, North East Dialogue Forum and the Sinlung Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Organizations.
At the discussion, the civil bodies affirmed, “Our rivers, forests, wetlands and lands are the sources of our life and not for plunder, invasion, and that we will strive to defend and protect the integrity of our land for survival of the coming generations.”
Calling upon the Government of India and the Government of Manipur in a draft resolution, they say they are concerned about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involving the Government of Manipur, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam limited (SJVNL) on April 28, 2010 which was reaffirmed on October 22, 2011 without the prior consent of the indigenous people of the State as well as all the people, who are likely to be affected by the proposed dam, in Mizoram, Assam and further down in Bangladesh, it demands urgent revocation of the above MoU.
The resolution says the NHPC and SJVNL, companies which are likely to be involved in the project have extremely poor environmental, social, accountability and human rights records from their previous projects such as Teesta V (Sikkim) and Loktak Project (Manipur).
The NGOs also demanded for the revocation of the Environment Clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India on October 24, 2008.The resolution further urges both the Central and State governments to conduct Holistic Impact Assessment on socio-economic, environmental, cultural, health and human rights impacts likely to be caused by the proposed dam.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tipaimukh-dam-to-affect-25822-hectares-of-land/

CBI to host t Interpol Global Programme on Anti-Corruption

Mail News Service
Imphal, Feb 11: The Central Bureau of Investigation will be hosting the first ever Interpol Global Programme on Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery for Investigators and Prosecutors from 13th to 18th February, 2012 in CBI (HQ), Lodhi Road, New Delhi.
The programme is being inaugurated by Union Minister of State (PMO & Personnel) Shri V.Narayanasamy on Monday, 13th February, 2012.
This will be the first such International Training Programme of its kind for police officers, investigators and prosecutors of the Interpol member countries and will be jointly conducted by the Interpol’s Anti-Corruption Office (ACO) and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The purpose of this Global Programme is to enhance the knowledge and skills of investigators and prosecutors in tracking assets of mass corruption, and making effective use of legal assistance in international and trans-border investigations.
This Programme will be attended by 30 police officers, investigators and prosecutors from various INTERPOL member countries from across the would, including Australia, Afghanistan, China, Hongkong, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Fiji, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Phillipines and India.
Various Sessions of the programme will be addressed by Senior officers of the Interpol & the CBI. Representatives of the UNODC, Senior Officers of the Enforcement Directorate, Experts from the American Bar Association, Chartered Accountants and Cyber Forensic experts will also share their experience expertise with the participants.

Postal ballot cancellation demanded

Imphal, Feb 11 NNN: Not content with the alleged fraudulent issue of about 1000 postal ballot papers regarding the Government employees, mostly personnel of security forces who are electorates of Wangkhem and Heirok constituencies of Thoubal district, Manipur People’s Party (MPP) today requested both the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Manipur Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to cancel the postal ballot papers issued to them during the recent Manipur polls.
In a letter to ECI, MPP president Dr Nimaichand Luwang who was in fray from Wangkhem constituency seat said around 1000 postal ballot papers were issued to the Government employees, mostly police personnel who are electorates of 32-Wangkhem constituency and 33-Heirok constituency though they were not assigned any election duty on the polling day January 28.
He said the employees included VDF, SPO, Manipur Rifles and IRB personnel, Home Guards and Manipur police personnel, adding most of these employees did not apply for issue of postal ballot papers in Form-12 and that this means the applications were forwarded by the officials of the State police department by forging their signatures.
Many of them came to their respective polling stations to cast their votes on the polling day, but found that their postal ballot papers were issued against their names without their knowledge and information, the MPP president mentioned in the letter.
It has also been detected that more than 400 postal ballots which failed to mention names of the electorates were dispatched through the post that were addressed to Superintendant of Police (Thoubal), Commandant Chandel, Commandant Tamenglong, Commandant Imphal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Imphal, CO Home Guard, Deputy Superintendant of Police Thoubal, DTO Itanagar etc., the letter said.
Many postal ballot papers are now lying at the office of Thoubal SP and other offices since the identities of electorates are not known,
Luwang further mentioned in the letter and alleged it is apprehensive that there was a grave conspiracy and malpractices committed by some unscrupulous officials either in the State police department or the district election office.
He further requested the ECI to look into the matter and enquire in order to cancel all the postal ballot papers issued to the Government employees.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/postal-ballot-cancellation-demanded/

AMWJU representative in electoral reforms conference

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Feb 10: A two day Nationanl Conference on Campaign for Electoral Reforms in India (CERI) began today at International Youth Centre, Chanakyapuri New Delhi. Former Kolkata , Punjab High Court , Chief Justice D.S. Tewatia was the Chief Guest .
All Manipur Working Journalist Union sent a representative N Noren of Sangai Express to take part in the conference.
In PR Electoral System any party can gain seats only in proportion to the percentage of votes that it gains.
There will not be any difference between the percentage of votes and the percentage of seats. Thus only parties with more percentage of voter support can come to power.
In PR System majority means more than 59% of votes. The other votes are not wasted. They are given to other candidates in order to provide representation to all voters in the assemblies and in the Parliarment. If parties are unable to gain more than 50% of votes they have to make qualitions of parties with similar ideologies before elections in order to influence voters.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/amwju-representative-in-electoral-reforms-conference/