Manipur News

IMPHAL, Dec 3: A two-day ‘Festival of Peace’ and Regional Conference cum Manipur State-wide Revival Crusade under the theme ‘Revive us Again’ being organized by Vision 2020 Asia & Beyond Network inaugurated today at Kuki Baptist Convention (KBC) Centre Church, Langol.

The inaugural function was attended by Dr Jim Starr, Director of VBN; Dr Tom Farrell, World Evangelist and Dr David B Smith, music pastor as guest speakers while former MP Rishang Keishing; MLA Ukhrul Samuel Risom; MLA Paonam Brojen and Parliamentary Secretary (Tribal Affairs & Hills, Information Technology) Victor Keishing attended as guests of honour.

The dignitaries exhorted the gathering to maintain peace amongst others in the State and be a messenger of peace and love in the hills and valley.

Hundreds of people coming from different parts of the State were also present at the occasion.

Certain resolutions regarding strengthening the bond of love, peace and unity amongst the people in the State were adopted.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/12/festival-of-peace-commences/

IMPHAL, December 3: Locals of Phougakchao Ikhai, Bishnupur led by Torbung Gram Panchayat Pradhan today demanded the concerned authorities to speed up the local Police Station of which construction is already 95 percent complete.

Speaking to media persons at the Manipur Press Club, Torbung Pradhan Sapam Rajen said the opening of the Phougakchao Ikhai Police Station will help in ensuring peace and harmony in the area.

He said instead of opening the Police Station which already has its sanctioned strength of personnel including an Officer in Charge, a police picket has been installed near the station.

Authorities had installed the picket during the recent Inner Line Permit System movement as security measure to control any unwanted tension in the area during the agitation in Churachandpur, he said.

However, instead of controlling the situation, personnel of the police packet has been creating a chaotic situation in the Torbung area where the Meiteis are the minority community, he said.

The Pradhan also said that the police personnel in collusion with some others who wore camouflage uniforms have been harassing civilians without any provocation and that the locals had submitted a memorandum to the local MLA of Kumbi and a copy to the State Home minister yesterday in this regard.

He has further appealed to the concerned authorities to evacuate the police picket at the earliest and to open the police station instead.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/12/phougakchao-ikhai-residents-demand-speeding-up-police-station-opening/

IMPHAL, December 3: The Manipur Domestic Workers’ Movement Organisation under the National Domestic Workers’ Movement has started a signature campaign demanding the government to pass a legislation ratifying the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 189 which will be presented at the Winter Session of the Parliament, co-ordinator of the movement Sr Agues Khala told media persons today.

Speaking at a press conference at the TRI hall, she said domestic work is one of the largest employment sectors for females in the urban area.

Although the demand for domestic workers has only increased over the years, decent working conditions, wages and conditions of employment are still not available to the workers when compared to other class of workers, she asserted.

She continued that domestic work is still to receive recognition from the people as real work.

Many domestic workers are exploited, ill-treated and have to suffer violence as well as overworked, underpaid and unprotected, she claimed.

She said that adoption of the ILO convention 189 will recognized the domestic workers’ dignity, justice and empowerment which have been the three major objective of the National Domestic Workers’ Movement since 1985.

It will give basic labour rights as those available to other workers including reasonable hours of work, weekly day off, social security, occupational safety and health and decent wage etc.

MDWMO demands the government to pass the legislation and ratify ILO convention C 189 in the country, she said.

Stating that around 1500 domestic labour have registered under the MDWMO till today, she said more area in the State will be covered.

Meanwhile, Deputy Labour Commissioner, E Tomba said that the Labour department is going to enact a law for domestic workers.

However, until it is done so, workers should get a contract of employment before starting any work, he said.

The press conference was also attended by many domestic workers who shared their testimonials of the various grievances before the press and the Labour department officials.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/12/signature-campaign-demanding-better-recognition-of-domestic-workers-launched/

KANGPOKPI, December 3: The indefinite economic blockade called by civil society organizations of Sadar Hills along the Trans Asian Highway No.1 over the dilapidated condition of the road began yesterday midnight.

The CSOs Sadar Hills comprising Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills, KSO Sadar Hills, TSA Sadar Hills, KWU Sadar Hills and other local civil bodies has been demanding immediate implementation of the highway work order by the concerned contractor and the department concerned.

The indefinite economic blockade imposed by CSOs Sadar Hills has stranded more than 40 loaded vehicles at Hengbung Taxation Check post.

No commodities carriers’ movement along the Trans Asian Highway No.1 was witnessed today.

Meanwhile, CSOs Sadar Hills Spokesperson Lamcha Chongloi said that no gesture for negotiation on the part of state Government and the concerned department has been received till today even while the stir has already began yesterday midnight.

He continued that we have decided to enforce the ongoing blockade till our demand has been put in practice satisfactorily.

“We have also decided that to imposed complete total bandh within Sadar Hills if the work is not execute within one week during the ongoing blockade”, Lamcha Chongloi said while adding that after the imposing of total bandh we will give no room for the State government and concerned department including the contractor for execution of the work along the highway.

Lamcha further said that CSOs Sadar Hills also decided to file a suit against the contractor if necessary.

The highway, Lamcha Chongloi said, is the main life line of the State and an important connectivity to the outside world and it is most important for the goods transporters among many others commuters.

The ghastly conditions of such an important highway of the state perfectly indicate the hands-off attitude of the Manipur Government apart from the concerned departments and contractors, asserted CSOs Sadar Hills Spokesperson.

While urging the transporters association to respect the blockade and abstain from any act and attempt to insolence the stir in view of the fact that the transporters are the worst victim of the bad road condition of the highway among many others innocent victims.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/12/csos-sadar-hills-begins-stir-warns-of-total-bandh/

IMPHAL, December 3: District agriculture officers need to identify the actual population of farmers in the State to facilitate better distribution of government schemes and facilities, Agriculture minister Md Abdul Nasir said today.

He was inaugurating the State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) building and an award distribution ceremony held at the conference hall of the Directorate of Agriculture, Sajenthong, Imphal.

The minister said whenever government assistance or facilities are provided to the farmers the lists of names are inflated although in reality the numbers are much less.

He further urged the department officials against submitting to political interference or pressure while carrying out their official duties including distribution of schemes.

Officials of the department are only working for the betterment of the State’s farmers and should be co-operated by the farmers, he said, adding that for the same reason, the power of authority of the district officers need some enhancing.

He also urged the Dos who have gained the know-hows of the technologies from agriculturally advanced States like Punjab and Haryana to share their expertise and knowledge with the State farmers to improve productivity in the State.

Meanwhile, as part of the programme, three farmers who had the highest rice yield in the State and three from each district (Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Senapati, Ukhrul, Churachandpur and Tamenglong, Chandel) were awarded by the department.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/12/minister-nasir-urges-agri-officials-to-identify-actual-population-of-farmers-in-state/

KANGPOKPI, December 3: Kuki Students’ Organization, GHQ and All Naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM) have jointly resisted today the Manipur Government decision to remove Additional English in the scheme of study at IX and X standards under Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM).

In connection with the government decision the two student apex bodies along with the representatives of all the Private Schools Associations based in the five Hill districts had a joint meeting today and discussed the problems and challenges faced by the students’ community in the Hills districts after the new order from the State Board removing Additional English said a joint press communiqué signed by Seiboi Haokip, general secretary, KSO-GHQ and James Inka, asst gen secretary, ANSAM.

The two student bodies said that the government decision is nothing but a deliberate attempt to curb equal opportunity and freedom to pursue one’s own choice of language to study while adding that it put the tribal population in a disadvantageous position as unlike Manipuri language which received benevolent support from the State, none of the Tribal languages whether recognized or unrecognized have even basic support to advance their own literature.

It also recalled that ANSAM had approached the concerned authority and the State government to take immediate action and submitted a memorandum to the State Education minister, M Okendro Singh in November for revocation of the aforementioned order after organizing a wide discussion with parents, effected students both in Hill and Valley based schools, experts in the field and concerned teachers.

However, despite the urgency of the matter and thousands of students career at stake the Government have choose to remain silent, it further added.

The two student bodies also alleged that the decision of the Government ignores the social fabric of the State which is home to a large number of linguistically diverse social groups.

“It is a fact that only few tribal languages are recognized in the State Education Board, thus students belonging to the smaller tribes will face huge problem to pursue higher education”, KSO and ANSAM said while warning that the two student bodies will stand firm against undemocratic decision of the State Government.

It also said that the State Education Board has placed coming December 16 as the last date for submission of the upcoming examination form for X Standard in the State. However, since the State Government has not taken any steps in regards to the concerns of the Tribal student in the State, the students’ associations have communicated to all the Principals of the schools based in Hill Districts not to summit the examination forms.

The two student bodies also warn that going against the directive of the Students’ bodies will not be tolerated and dealt with severely.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/12/kso-and-ansam-flout-government-decision-on-alt-eng/

IMPHAL, December 3: Many persons with disabilities or differently abled persons can excel in several fields like sports, art and culture, etc. asserted Principal Secretary Social Welfare SK Dev Verman today.

The IAS officer was addressing the observation of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 2015 organised by the Social Welfare department at Kangsang, Khuman Lampak.

The day was observed under the theme ‘Inclusion matters: access and empowerment of people al all abilities.’

Dev Verman observed persons with disabilities do have equal rights as does every other person of the society.

The government will extent all possible means to help and support the people with disabilities in fulfilling their dreams, he said.

Concerned NGOs are also doing their best with funds allocated from both the Central and State governments, he observed adding that the Social Welfare department is also helping the NGOs in their work.

We must extent our full support to the people with disabilities encouraging them to attend regular schools, uprooting discrimination towards them and also the society needs to support the family members of the people with disabilities, he asserted.

He mentioned that society in general needs to change its mind-set towards people with disabilities.

Manipur State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson S Saratkumar Sharma speaking as one of the guests of honour at the observation called on the authorities to create more rooms in allocation of government jobs to the people with disabilities.

He further urged the concerned authorities to conduct more vocational trainings for the people with disabilities to impart entrepreneur skills and help them in sustaining themselves.

They will further need help from the authorities concerned to link up with the financial institutions to start their business once they gain the required entrepreneur skills, he added.

Citing that children with disabilities do often face discrimination in their schools and are abused, he demanded the government to enact a redressal cell or complaint room for such incidents.

Social welfare director L Nabakishwar Singh as president of the function further appealed to the concerned authority of medical department for speedy issuance of disability certificates, stating that people with disabilities have to undergo undue sufferings due to any delay in the issuance of the certificates.

The observation was also attended by founder of the Worldwide Peace Organisation Sagar Pararsi as a guest of honour.

Students of the Government Ideal Blind School of Takyel presented the opening song of the function.

Participants were also presented gifts during the function.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/12/social-welfare-department-assures-all-possible-help-to-people-with-disabilities/

IMPHAL, December 3: With the BJP’s witnessing some positive changes of late in the State and the State elections expected in early 2017, the tenure of the party’s incumbent State president may be extended till the elections, informed an inside source of the party.

The source said, the mandal phase of the BJP Manipur’s organisational election has already been completed and the State Returning Officer of the election has already submitted his report to the Central high command of the party.

It is also learnt that several of the State leaders of the party had already rushed for the national capital to lobby for the presidential post.

However, Central leaders, according to the source, have already shown interest in extending the tenure of the incumbent president Th Chaoba by a few months or till the elections considering the present changes in the fortune of the BJP with the party winning both the Thangmeiband and Thongju Assembly seats in the recent bye-election.

It may be mentioned that Chaoba was appointed the president of the BJP Manipur in 2012 by the Central leaders with an eye to capture power in the 2017 State General Election.

The then BJP national general secretary and in-charge Manipur Tapir Gao along with national leaders Chandrasekhar Rao and BJP Manipur secretary Laimayum Basanta Sharma had urged him to join the BJP Manipur Pradesh and replace the then party president in order to strengthen the party.

According to the source, central leaders still have faith in him to capture power from the Congress in the 2017 election.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/12/chaoba-likely-to-remain-bjp-state-chief-till-2017-election/