Manipur News

Imphal March 15: The teachers body, FEGOCTA, appealed for expediting a resolution to the long pending issues and cases of the government college teachers by the Government of Manipur and the Manipur High Court.

In a press release the FEGOCTA said it is committed to maintaining peaceful academic atmosphere and advancement of the careers of the students.

Hence, on the violation and non-implementation of UGC Regulations, 2010 and arbitrary decisions relating to higher education is regretted.

It said the FEGOCTA has taken up with the matter with the Central government and supported the legal course of action already taken by the teachers on the matter.

The Education Minister has assured FEGOCTA representatives on March 4 that the long pending demands of FEGOCTA like release of SCA & TA, appointment of regular principals, career promotion of the teachers under CAS, arrears and 80% re-imbursement as per UGC regulations, 2010, constitution of State Higher Education Service etc have been already discussed with Chief Minister.

It said the FEGOCTA hopes that Chief Minister would resolve the issue of SCA & T A of the college teachers at the earliest. The FEGOCTA appreciates the Director of Education (U) and his team for taking up actions on notification to adopt API under CAS, granting of one increment in the pre-revised scale etc after several meetings with FEGOCTA`s representatives, the release added.

It further appealed to the Education Minister M Okendro and Higher Education Department to resolve expeditiously these long pending issues.

Two Writ Petitions are pending in the High Court. One is against the violation of UGC Regulations, 2G10 and lack of transparency in the recruitment of regular college Principals. The other on the payment of arrears of 6tb Pay to the government college teachers at par with the other employees of State government which has 13 months saps, the release said.

A copy of UGC on February 16, 2015 asking the Director Education (U) for immediate intervention into recruitment process and subsequent appointment of regular Principals as been also received by FEGOCTA said the released.

FEGOCTA has faith to High Court of Manipur to deliver justice and to uphold the Rule of Law and Constitution. However in case the High Court continues to deny justice by repeated adjournments without valid reasons, FEGOCTA may be compelled to take up the matter with Chief Justice of Supreme Court of India, the release said.

This is to ensure that citizens in Manipur do not lose faith in the judiciary, it further said.

FEGOCTA has been in the forefront demanding appoint of regular college Principals, regular librarians and non-teaching staff, to Implement UGC Regulations, 2010 to constituted State Higher Education Service, increases budget allocation to higher education and GPF ceiling up Rs 1.78 Core. One of the Advisor`s of FEGOCTA presented the disturbing conditions of higher education in Manipur and how it can be transformed to the National Security Council Team during their visit at Imphal recently said the released.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/fegocta-calls-for-speedy-and-amicable-resolution-of-college-teachers-issues/

IMPHAL, March 15: There is an uproar over what people are terming as misguidance with regards to recommendation by the Medical Directorate on the issue of preventive medicine for Swine Flu, fear for which is currently sweeping the State after the deadly epidemic was confirmed in the State.

The Medical Directorate had publicly expressed doubts that Arsenic Album 30 medicine prescribed was a remedy for the flu, and this has raised a sore point.

Dr. M Nara who is the president of Homoeophathic Medical Association of India, Manipur Branch, in a press conference at the Manipur Press Club today said the conflict between allopathic and homoeopathy remedies ought to have been kept aside, for both are accepted now. Indeed AYUSH branch is now under health and family welfare ministry Dr. Nara.

He further said that encouraging a conflict between the two branches of medicines can only confuse the people and this is dangerous at a time people are near panic in view of Swine Flu epidemic which has reached the State.

`This is unfortunate for the people of our State because the AYUSH is a separate department in the Health Ministry and many norms of AYUSH are now standard in treating various ailments and this includes H1N1 disease prevention.

Dr Nara also said that the one department should not object to another department`™s works. AYUSH system of medicine is legitimate under the Government of India he added.

He further asserted that from the 19th Century onwards people have been going for homeopathy treatment, adding that World Health Organisation has also announced Arsenic Album 30 as an effective preventive measure for H1N1 which in the year 2009.

He further requested the Medical Directorate not to misuse its authority and misguide the public.

Vice president of the association Dr M Purnachandra, general secretary Dr H Temba and retired deputy director RRI, GoI Dr N Birkumar, also attended the meet.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/conflict-between-the-two-branches-of-medicines-can-only-confuse-the-people/

IMPHAL, March 15: Is the order from the Additional Chief Secretary Finance be superseded by a simple application from the Deputy Secretary (Works) asked BJP Manipur Pradesh.

A source said the BJP has sought a reply from the State Government about the disparity of protocol between Additional Chief Secretary Finance and Deputy Secretary (works) Government of Manipur. `It is quite clear that government is openly corrupt in the every works and projects taken up in state if the government fails to give accurate reply to this question` said the BJP source.

The source highlighted the order by the Governor of Manipur in August 8, 2014 about the procedure adopted by the Government department autonomous bodies and other agencies including societies in respect of work/project executed and procurements made funds/deposits received from the government which have been placed under consideration of the Government for some time.

The mandated procedure of call of open tender/bids in respect of work/procurement has not been followed by the Department/agencies, he said.

Such practise is not only in violation of the General Finance Rules, the Central Public Works Department manual and the relevant instruction of the government issued from time to time, he reasoned. But it is also likely to lead to loss of public funds through execution of works at uncompetitive rates and under adverse term and conditions, he added.

To prevent such irregularity and enhance transparency in the tendering/procurement process, the Governor of Manipur had said that his office is pleased to order that all Engineer and Non-Engineering Departments as well as state government undertakings, societies, agencies and autonomous bodies henceforth, call open tenders for construction/engineering/technical work/procurement and process them through the e-Procurement solution of National Information Centre (NIC) government of India, the source quoted.

In the respect of tenders/procurements of lower value the departments or the relevant agencies/bodies may continue to follow the existing procedure provided the call of tender is open and transparent and the established financial and code procedures are fully followed, he further quoted.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/can-note-by-deputy-secretary-works-supersede-additional-chief-secretary-finances-order-bjp/

IMPHAL, March 15: Yet another political party, National People`™s Party, NPP, Manipur has dissolved itself to merge completely with BJP citing the objective of bringing change to Manipur politics, said Th Chaoba President BJP Manipur Pradesh today.

The NPP Manipur leaders and all their workers have merged with the BJP, at a grand reception function held at the state BJP Manipur Pradesh office, Nityaipat Chuthek today.

Chaoba further stated that the reason for merger with a political party in the opposition and having not a single MLA in Assembly, instead of the ruling Congress is a demonstration the Congress party`™s days are numbered.

The main objective of NPP is to bring development and prosperity in the State in terms of infrastructures, proper water supply, regular electricity supply, proper public distribution system etc, he said.

He said Manipur under the leadership of Okram Ibobi in all of 13 years has totally failed the people in these matters. He also said the NPP`™s ideology is similar to the BJP`™s.

Chaoba further rhetorically asked what the Congress party did in last 13 years in the government in field of development either in the Hills or the Valley districts. He said the BJP is determined to bring changes to the State in matters of maintaining law and order and development for the Hill region. The NPP has joined trusting this pledge, he said.

The NPP`™s Manipur Unit leader who joined BJP were former minister V Hangkhanlian, president NPP, H Siamchinkhup secretary NPP, S John Gangte, finance secretary, K Tuanzahua, President of CCpur Kendra, H Thuamlian, President of Thanlon Kendra NPP K Suanzalam, Secretary of Thanlon Kendr T Minlian, President of Henglep Kendra; Hoihmuanching, Finance of CCpur Kendra; Pumkhosiam, President of Singhat Kendra N; T Chinkawl, Vice president of Tanlon Kendra and T Dongzathang, Secretary of CCpur Kendra.

Besides, the mass merger to BJP another two individual persons joined the BJP. They are N Nilakumar Singh, Social worker of Langthabal Mandal and Lunkholal Lhungdim, former candidate of 59 Saikot Kendra and Ex-minister of Trinamool Congress have also joined the BJP.

Mentioned may be made that former Rajya Sabha speaker, PA Sangma floated NPP in the year 2013 led by V Hangkhanlian and H Siamchinkhup, President and Secretary of NPP Manipur unit.

The welcoming function was also attended by Gangmumei Kamei senior leader, BJP, M Asnikumar Singh, state general secretary BJP Manipur Pradesh and many members of the party also attended the function.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/national-peoples-party-manipur-unit-also-totally-merges-with-bjp/

IMPHAL, March 15: Library and Information Science Students`™ Association, Manipur, LISSAM, demanded the Manipur University authorities to upgrade the MU Library and make befitting facilities available to the students and the rest of the university community.

In a press release, the LISSAM said although the Manipur University library claims to possess 1,60,000 books, few of them pertain to the syllabus of the 30 departments of the university.

It said if this is the condition of the central library, the department libraries are even worse.

It lamented that the attitude seems to be to encourage students to purchase their own books, and this is unfair for most students in the university do not have the resources to make these purchases.

It also said the culture of reading books in the library reading rooms is also on the wane because relevant books are unavailable and also because of lack of space.

The new culture in the university is to avoid the library and instead depend on the class notes teachers distribute, it said. These notes are then mugged by heart and reproduced to get through the semester examinations.

Instead of books, the students are increasingly beginning to depend on Xerox copies of class notes distributed by the teachers, the release further said.

The LISSAM release said numerous representations have been made in the regard to MU authorities, but all of them have so far fallen on deaf ears.

It therefore called upon the authorities once again to upgrade library facilities in the University, and to introduce new technologies such as e-book reading facilities, subscribing more journals, increasing the number of reference books etc.

It also demanded for more reading rooms to be introduced in the central and departmental library rooms.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/students-demand-upgrade-of-mu-central-and-departmental-libraries/

IMPHAL, March 15: The All Manipur College Teachers`™ Association, AMCTA, which has been on a cease work strike has threatened to intensify its strike.

In a press release today, the teachers`™ body said there are vested interests amongst the teachers community who have been trying to scuttle the perfectly justified stir by the teachers for their own personal ends.

The release said the teachers have been on a crusade to save Higher Education and to optimally support development of human resources in the state, and therefore have been agitating for the last three months. From February 18 onwards, the teachers have resorted to the extreme step of ceasing work, it said.

It however lamented that the government has been ignoring them and instead been supporting those amongst the teaching community which have stood against the teachers`™ agitation.

The release said in all other states of India, the respective state governments makes sure all needs of the teaching community are ensured so that there are no hitches in the development of human resources. It lamented that in Manipur this is not the case and the government`™s attitude towards the teaching community is despicable.

It said the All India Federation of University and College Teachers`™ in its NEC meeting held on March 14, condemned the Manipur government for obstructing the advancement of higher education.

In this regard, the teachers took out a mass rally at Singjamei Chinga Makhong on March 12 to further press their demands.

It said the teachers are not on strike for their monetary benefits, but to ensure that the system runs as it should.

The silence of the government on the matter, as if awaiting the teachers to take further steps, is extremely unfortunate, it said. There is no guarantee that the teachers will not take more drastic steps to achieve their ends, the release further said.

The AMCTA release also advised the government to listen to the genuine grievances of the teachers instead of supporting those in the teaching community who are driving wedges into the community and attempting to suppress the movement.

The release reiterated that the principals allegedly appointed arbitrarily by the government be immediately removed, CAS promotions be implemented, and then appoint principals through the due process of norms.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/amcta-threatens-to-intensify-stir/