Manipur News

IMPHAL, November 13: Families of victims of insurgent violence lamented the State Government’s inability to extend financial assistance sanctioned by the Central Government under Central Scheme for Assistance to Civilian victims/family of Victim of Terrorists, communal and Naxal Violence.

Angom Iraijao one of the relatives of terrorist victims Angom Chanbi Devi and her daughter Angom Menaka who had been raped and murdered said that 23 applicants of Thoubal and Imphal West districts of the State who are approved by the concern DCs are yet to received the sanctioned amount of Rs. 3 lakhs each, of which Central Government pledged 70% and remaining 30% left to be paid by the State Government.

He said the scheme was passed by the Parliament on January 25, 2010 and it was amended on September 22, 2011.

He added that the said amount is to be sanctioned to the approved victims’ families within three weeks from the approval date.

He further said that the victims’ families are left with confusion by the State Government as it is learnt that Central Government had already sanctioned their part and handed over the sum to the State Government.

He along with other victims’ families appealed to the concern authorities of the State to sanction the approved amount to support bereaved family member.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/violence-victim-pleads-for-central-assistance/

Imphal, November 13: About 5000 PLHIV are facing inconvenience since October 3 after the CD4 machine at the JNIMS went out of order, all for not procuring a Rs. 5000 worth stabilizer for the room air conditioner.

A reliable source said that CD4 machine is one of devices that can measure the immune indicator of a person to start ART tablets. But around 5000 HIV infected people of the state haven`t got the benefit of accurate diagnosis because the hospital’s CD4 went out of order since October 3.

It is however learnt from reliable sources that the CD4 machine has become non functional only because a voltage stabiliser attached to the air conditioner in the room the machine is installed, is not working.

The concern for HIV victims is such that even this small technical problem remains unrepaired since October 3.

Technical experts from the manufacturer of the CD4 machine had visited the hospital to repair the machine on October 10, 2014.

They identified the problem was due to air-conditioner failure as the CD4 machine functions optimally at a fixed temperature only. If the problem of air conditioner persists, the CD4 is likely to totally collapse, and repairs would cost much more.

The hospital officials explained the room air conditioner use a stabilizer, and this stabiliser is out or order currently. The cost of the stabilizer is just Rs. 5000 in the market but nobody is taking the initiative to have the hospital procure a new stabilizer till today.

The JNIMS laboratory technician has informed the MACS to provide required amount to buy a stabilizer but as the Project Director is on leaves, this small amount is not available.

The CD4 machine is vital in the prognosis process and detection of PLHIV after which only the ART treatment is to begin. This negligence is understandably putting a number of victims in untold misery.

As per the NACO guidelines every ART centre have to install a CD4 each. In Manipur only Bishnupur and Senapati districts are without one, while all the other districts already have one each.

Bishenpur and Senapati districts, therefore depend crucially on the CD4 machine at the JNIMS.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/for-the-lack-of-rs-5000-stabilizer-cd4-machine-defunct-in-jnims/

IMPHAL, Nov 13: The United Naga Council, UNC, in a statement has termed the said blockade imposed by the Seijang Development Committee, SDC due to land dispute with Silent Village as highly unwarranted.

It said the land dispute between the villages cannot be ground for cutting off the life line of the entire people of the Ukhrul District. Such blatant act under the nose of the State government cannot be tolerated, it added.

“The act is markedly communal and is a further confirmation of the social divide on communal lines that has become deeply entrenched in the present state of Manipur. Such blatant provocation and insult of the sentiments of our people under the very nose of the State Government cannot be tolerated,” said the UNC statement.

Meanwhile the Naga Prople’s Front has also appealed to the committee who are organising blockade at Seijang Village areas, which has entered three days to call off the blockade.

According to a statement, the blockade has caused hardship to all the sections of the entire Ukhrul District and people living beyond Seijang Village.

It further blamed the State government for being irresponsible thereby keeping silent over the incident, and it is the duty of the government to solve the Silent Village and Seijang Village conflict between the two villages.

It added that the present season is the harvesting season for farmers and annual examination time for the school going children. Whole activities have been hampered by the blockade therefore appeals have been made to call it off.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/unc-npf-appeal-for-lifting-blockade-at-seijang/

MOREH, Nov 13: The Hill Tribal Council, Meitei Council, Tamil Sangam and Manipuri Muslim Council have jointly condemned the bomb blast that occurred on November 12, around 12:30pm at New Shijang Village, near Moreh town under Chandel District.

According to a statement, the very fact that the incident occurred at a spot where passers-by frequently take rest indicates the evil intention of whoever is responsible.

It exposes the barbaric nature of the perpetrators of the crime, the statement added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/moreh-civil-bodies-condemn-bomb-blast/

IMPHAL, November 13: A division bench of the High Court of Manipur, comprising Justice LK Mohapatra and Justice N Kotiswar has awarded Rs 5 lakh as compensation in the case of the fake encounter killing of Nongmaithem Michael by the Manipur Police commandoes on November 4, 2008.

According to a release of the Human Rights Law Network, the wife of the diseased, Neena Devi had filed a writ petition before the High Court in 2009 following incident of her husband’s death.

The statement recalled that on November 4, 2008 around 11 am, Michael had gone to a friend’s house, where a Shradha ceremony was to be held.

At around 3:30 pm, Michael made a phone call to his wife, informing her that he was apprehended by the personnel of Manipur Police commandoes, and further told his wife to make necessary arrangements for his release.

It further said that the petitioner made a call to her husband, but it was picked up by one unknown individual and disconnected and subsequently the phone was switched off.

Neena came to know that her husband was killed at Yen-kao-bung, Kameng in a supposed ‘encounter’ through the local cable TV news in the evening on the same day.

Further the statement pointed out that the High Court on November 10, 2009 ordered for an inquiry by the District Judge, Manipur East to ascertain the facts leading to the death of the petitioner’s husband.

Accordingly, an inquiry was conducted by the District Judge, who submitted its report on July 12, 2012.

The report submitted by the Judge concluded that N Michael Singh was killed by the personnel of Manipur Police commandoes, Imphal West on November 4, 2008, at around 4:45 pm, at Yen-kao-bung, Kameng, but not from exchange of fire or encounter.

Thereafter, the High Court in this regard has awarded a sum of Rs 5 lakh as compensation under public law domain, which is to be paid within three months by the State of Manipur through the principal secretary (Home), DGP, Manipur, and the SP Imphal West, said the statement.

Advocate M Rakesh appeared on behalf of the petitioner and RS Reisang, senior government advocate appeared on behalf of the Government of Manipur, added the statement.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/high-court-awards-rs-5-lakh-compensation-in-fake-encounter-case/

RIMS has applied for reconsideration of MS surgery recognition

IMPHAL, November 13: Professor and head of the Department of Surgery, RIMS, Dr G S Moirangthem, clarified on the matter of the news reports in local dailies today regarding an inspection of the Department of Surgery, RIMS, by the Medical Council of India and the MCI’s refusal to recommend recognition of the MS degrees of the RIMS thereof.

In an interaction with the media in his office at the RIMS, Dr. Moirangthem said the MCI’s report that the bed occupancy on the day of inspection/assessment is only about 60 percent was on account of a cease work strike by staffs on the day, otherwise on full working day.

On any normal day, the bed occupancy is never less than 80 to 90 percent.

He further explained that the department has a separate Post-Operative Ward which has been labelled recently as SICU, fitted with sufficient number of monitors, central suction and oxygen pipelines installed.

When the ventilator support is required, the department shifts patients immediately to general Intensive Care Unit, ICU, which was under renovation on the day of assessment but it is fully functional now, he added.

Dr Moirangthem further clarified he was associate professor in surgery from June 6, 2001 to January 31, 2006 and the GI surgery unit was attached to him.

He said the MCI report that he skipped the mandatory tenure as associate professor was on account of a typing error by his office staff which resulted in a column missing from his resume. He has since apologised to the relevant authorities for the lapse.

Regarding the weekly operative workload, he said that the department run two general surgery tables daily and one emergency operation from Monday to Friday. It runs three tables on Saturday except 2nd Saturday.

On an average, operative load on one OT (operation theatre) table per day is four to five patients except on days of general strikes, bandhs and curfews, which are frequent on account of the disturbed law and order situation in the State he added.

In addition to the books and journals available in the department, the department of library is linked online to the Central Library of the institute and all the important surgical journals are subscribed by the Central Library, he said adding “the faculty and students of the department have access to any journal at any time during office hours.”

He said this was demonstrated to the assessor at the time of the inspection.

Dr. Moirangthem also said that director, RIMS, Professor Ch Arun Kumar Singh has since submitted a memorandum to the secretary Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, to reconsider recognition of MS (General Surgery) degree awarded by RIMS, Manipur University, for all deficiencies pertaining to infrastructure and operative workload have been taken care of to accommodate the increase of PG seats from 8 to 16 per annum in the Department of General Surgery, of the RIMS.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/mci-went-back-with-wrong-impression-because-of-general-strike/

IMPHAL, November 13: The Innovative Youth Society in collaboration with Manipur Cycle Club launched a two day public forum on “Nambul River Revival” at the Yaipha Laining Lup ground, Pishum Ningom Leikai here today.

Speaking to the media, Khuraijam Athouba said that in relation with the 5th edition of Chinzak Festival International, 2014, under the theme ‘Save Nambul’, IYS and MCC are taking their initiative to start a movement against the dumping of wastes in the Nambul River.

He also said that the two day press conference is mainly to disseminate and give awareness that such initiatives demand an important role to be played by the civil societies, social worker, Nambul River affected Leikai Clubs, organisations and Ima Meira Paibis and media besides the concern government departments.

Khuraijam Athouba appealed the people of the state to give all possible cooperation and to make the initiative to save Nambul River fit for the future and to save it from further pollution. The effort must be to revived the river again, he emphasised.

Ram Wangkheirakpam, president MCC said that without a strong movement to clean and save the Nambul river, the people of the state will face various health hazards in the near future.

It is time people should be serious about saving the river through mutual understanding, cooperation and most importantly the involvement of the government he added.

Oinam Rajen, secretary of All Loktak Lake Area Fisherman’s Union said that all wastes such as water bottles, polythene and various others non biodegradable substances, dumped into the river, flow down till the Loktak lake contaminated the lake as well.

These substances are a hazard for all life, not the least, those of the people living off the Loktak Lake. Fish, birds and other marine lives continually die due to such contamination he added.

Nambul river has become a dumping ground for Khwairamband Bazar, locals residing near Nambul river and that is why 50% of the contaminated waste gathered in Loktak Lake is from Nambul River he added.

The main agent polluting Loktak is Nambul River and are the people of the State. If they can maintained its cleanliness and preserve the river then 50% of the pollutant of the Loktak can be save he added.

It would be a great step in saving the ecosystem in the state if the people can of the state save Nambul River, he said.

Lastly he also said that Loktak Lake is known for its fresh water but how can the people of the state say Loktak Lake has fresh water with such hazardous pollutants.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/save-nambul-campaign-launched-by-iys-and-mcc/