Manipur News

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/