Manipur News

By R. Lester Makang
UKHRUL, December 18: With less than a week to go for Christmas, hordes of shoppers here in Ukhrul town are rushing to get hold of their items of requirement for the festive season from the market. And while almost every shop in town appears cram full of swift shoppers who lose no time in making a purchase each day hinting a brisk season for the business community, traders here have a quite different story to tell.

When this reporter dropped round the town’s market for a casual survey on this, it came to light that the volime of business this time has plummeted to an unprecedented low for the supposedly glittering season.

Citing possible reasons for the unexpected drop in sales of goods this year despite most shops — both big and small alike — are apparently thronging with season shoppers, Gopal Bhandari, a cloth merchant, has this to say “We are expecting customers from villages but the non payment of MGNREGS wages might have constrained their purchasing power this time.”

He said that sales have fallen by almost 50% as compared to that of last year. “Last year we could manage to attain a daily turnover of  Rs. 15,000 at average but this time it has come down to just 6,000 to 7, 000.” he said.

But then Gopal quickly added that may be last year’s brisk trade was due to the season’s proximity to the State Assembly election which was due to be held then.

Another cloths seller Ramji has said that kids and ladies items sell better but business this time is not as good as the previous year. Sales has dropped by about 30 per cent, he added.

Meanwhile sharing the same sentiment, proprietor of Aran Flower Shop, Viewland has said that of all the decorative items in stock, Christmas Stars and flowers are the two best selling items during this season but even then  there has been a steep decline in daily turnover compared to last year.

“This time we are selling only 10-20 units of Christmas stars a day which cost in between Rs. 20 and Rs. 500 per piece. But this may be due to the selling of Christmas stars to all job card holders of every locality at a deduction of  Rs.100 from their wages by the local MGNREGS committees,” he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2013/12/has-non-payment-of-mgnregs-wages-put-a-damper-on-christmas-shopping/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=has-non-payment-of-mgnregs-wages-put-a-damper-on-christmas-shopping

IMPHAL, December 18: In a bizarre case, Aribam Syam Sharma’s latest award winning film Leipaklei has been left out by the jury of the 8th Manipur State Film Festival after having won acclaims in many parts of the world. Another notable omission is the national award winning film Phijigi Mani.

According to reports, more than 40 films were sent for screening for the feature film section while another 31 vied in the non-feature category this year.

The nine films deemed more deserving by the jury members over the two critically acclaimed films are Mamado Leishabido Angaobido, Yaiskul Gee Pakhang Angaoba, Thashi Thanou, Lanphamda Ibeni, Meiranbi, Luhongbagi Ahing, Imagee Laman Shingamdre, Sangkhraba Machu and Govindagee Sharik Makhol.

The jury’s revulsion for national award winning films was observed in the non-feature category as well. Of the 12 non-commercial films or documentaries selected, the major entries that failed to make the cut were The Silent Poet, by Barun Thokchom and Gun and A God by Sonia Nepram, both national award winning entries, and other documentaries that were accorded entries at NIFF including Boiling Blood by Bishwamitra, Coma by RK Lalmani, Indigenous Musical Instruments of Manipur by RK Jananranjan.

Festival director K Sobita Devi told this reporter that the objective of the festival is ‘to screen quality films and to promote film making in the state’. She said that the jury members are individuals who command profound knowledge of film aesthetics and they have been chosen from ‘various diversified fields’. When queried on the wisdom of national award winning films being left out as unqualified for screening at the state level by the local jury members, she said “We need to dissect the clarification of the jury members on why the films were considered unqualified by them. This will be given on December 23.”

There is a need to showcase documentaries at the festival which are not aimed at monetary returns, clarified Sobita adding that the filmmakers are welcomed to approach Manipur Film Development Corporation anytime. “We will be glad to screen their documentaries,” she stated.

Sobita also mentioned that the names of the jury members cannot be disclosed until the process for selection of the awards is over. But, according to reliable sources, the jury members for feature film selection are jury chairman Sagolsem Indrakumar, Yenkhom Roma, K Gunileima, L Banka Sharma, Budha Chingtham, Thoidingjam Tombi, Dr Akshaykumar, Ch Kamala and B Jayantakumar Sharma.

The source also added that the three juries for the non-feature selection are K Madhumangol, L Ram Sharma and Silaramani. Ram Sharma is the uncle of one of the entrants in the non-feature category L Surjakanta, who got the jury’s nod for his documentary Guru Thanil. Surjakanta is also a member of the board of directors of MFDC.

Arts and Culture commissioner, Dr RK Nimai who is also the organizing committee chairman stated today in his presidential speech at MFDC that finding jury members who are not related with the filmmakers whose films has been entered for competition is a tough task.

Talking to this IFP reporter at the sidelines, he said that he has no knowledge of the wisdom of the jury members about disqualification of national award winning films. He however commented that only the financial aspects are handled by him and the budget of the festival has been fixed at Rs 18 lacs. The cash rewards have been hiked from Rs 8,000 to Rs 15,000. A total of 46 awards in different categories will be conferred at the end of the festival, he said.

A film maker on the condition of anonymity has shared his views that the whole process of selecting the films has been done in a very suspicious manner. Without intending to challenge the credibility of the jury members, he stated it seems they have succumbed to pressure from a group of lobbyists, whose motives and credentials are questionable. A state festival of such magnitude should not be ghettoized and turn it into a ‘wish-fulfilment festival’, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2013/12/jury-overlooks-syam-sharmas-leipaklei/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jury-overlooks-syam-sharmas-leipaklei

IMPHAL, December 18: A combined team of CDO/IE, CDO/IW, 30 and 40 Assam Rifles arrested an active cadre of proscribed outfit RPF.

According to a PRO, Manipur Police department, the arrested individual has been identified as Heisnam Babu Meitei alias Rajesh, 26, son of (L) H Thawal Meitei of Sorok Athingbi Lakhipur, Jiribam PS from Khurai Sajor Leikai, Imphal East.

The statement said one 9 mm pistol along with five live rounds in the magazine, one mobile phone handset with two SIM cards were recovered from Babu’s possession.

It further said that in the prompt follow up investigation, RDX and TNT weighing about 6.5 kgs, one off/on switch device with timer and wire, two detonators and 18 round pieces of RDX were also recovered.

The involvement of H Babu in other grave crime incidents is being probed, it said and added that his arrest and recovery of such huge haul of explosives and explosive substances has prevented commission of subversive activities by the proscribed UG group including attack on non-locals.

During investigation, Potshangbam Saroja Devi alias Apik, 40, daughter of P Radheshyam Singh of Uripok Naoremthong Takhellambam Leikai and Moirangthem (O) Kamala Devi alias Bigyapati Devi, 37, wife of M Sanajaoba Singh of Kongba Uchekon, both women ‘People’s Militia of PLA/RPF’ were arrested from Uripok Sorbon Thingel Leirak and Kongba Uchekon respectively along with their mobile phones, it said.

Further investigation revealed that the two women PLA/RPF cadres had received training in the handling of explosives and they were to receive the above recovered explosives from H Babu, it added.

A case has been registered in Porompat PS and investigation is going on, the statement concluded.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2013/12/combined-sf-team-recovers-rdx/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=combined-sf-team-recovers-rdx