Manipur News

A man was killed and 12 others injured in a bomb blast at Uripok. They were living in a rented house Two activists of underground outfits have been nabbed during separate counter insurgency operations launched by the security forces at separate places.
An active member of the PREPAK (PRO) was arrested by police commandos attached with Imphal West district police from Yumnam Leikai near Thumbuthong Bridge yesterday (June 26). The arrested activist has been identified as Gurumayum Milan Sharma alias Melei (30) of Bamon Leikai Brahmapur Nahabam Guru Leirak.
In another counter insurgency operation troops of 15 Assam Rifles have nabbed a PULF (Farooq faction) identified as Md Altaf alias Manoj alias Atajudin (31) of Kwatha Tera Khongsangbi Ward No.2 from Bishenpur Bazar in Bishenpur district yesterday. The Assam Rifles claimed that the arrested cadre is a self styled corporal of the group who had undergone training in the 3rd batch in February 2007 at Laira Khullen of Ukhrul District.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/one-killed-in-blast-3/

Mail News Service
Imphal, June 27 : 18 SIKH under the aegis of Headquarters 9 Sector AR, Headquarters IGAR (S), held a Wreath laying ceremony at Imphal Airport to pay tribute to Martyr Soldier, Late Sepoy John Lalumi Vaiphei of 35 Rashtriya Rifles (1st Assam Regiment), who laid his life during the recent Terrorist attack in Srinagar. The wreath was laid by 18 SIKH on behalf of GOC 3 Corps, GOC 57 Mtn Div, IGAR(S) and Station Commander, Leimakhong as a mark of honour to the brave heart.As a special gesture and symbol of joint-ness, Inspector General of Police (Manipur) and Superintendent of Police, Imphal West also attended the ceremony and laid wreaths. The mortal remains of Late Sepoy John Lalumi Vaiphei was accorded full military honour at the Imphal Airport before being dispatched to the native village in Ccpur.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/wreath-laying-ceremony/

Imphal, June 27 UNA : A rally organized by the peasants under the banner of the Loumi Singmi Apunba Lup (LOUSAL) was blocked by the police at Keishampat Junction after it was kicked off from Keishampat Lairembi Lampak.
The peasants carried out the rally after a sit-in-protest was staged at Keishampat Lairembi Lampak demanding protection of the agricultural land among others.
Leaders of the LOUSAL expressed concern over diminishing cultivable land of the state. He said it has been trend in the state to convert cultivation land into brick fields, schools or other business house.
“If the trend continues, there are possibilities that the state will not have any more agricultural land for cultivation in the near future,” they said.
Slogans demanding a land policy for agricultural land and introduction of a bill related with a policy to protect agricultural land were displayed at the protest site.
Even though the rally carried out after the sit-in-protest was foiled, after a brief negotiation, leaders of LOUSAL were allowed to proceed upto chief minister’s bungalow and submit a memorandum containing their demands.
The rally of the peasants was coincided with discussion for passing the budget allocation of state agriculture department by the house of the Assembly. In the discussion opposition members drew the attention of the house for introduction of an agriculture land policy to safeguard the agricultural land of the state.
They observed that agricultural lands in the state have been fast converting into industrial estate decreasing the area of cultivable land of the state. Opposition leader Dr I Ibohalbi said that most of the agricultural land has been converted for commercial purposes.
If this has not been check timely the area of agricultural land would be decreased remarkably. Another opposition member L Ibomcha moved a policy cut to the discussion for passing of the demand on the ground that the agriculture department alleging that the department has failed to take up farmers oriented policies.
The department was not able to establish soil testing laboratory in all the nine district of the state, asserting the need of such testing centre so that farmers could choose crops suited to their lands.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/farmers-stage-rally/

IMPHAL, June 27 MNS NNN : At least 10 volunteers of the student wing of the Joint Coordination Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) were injured on Thursday after the police resorted to heavy lathi charge at them without warning after some 200 volunteers of the wing tried to storm Manipur assembly now in session pitching up its demand for introduction of ILP in Manipur.
They organised a protest rally demanding introduction of ILP in Manipur. The protesters coming from different sides first gathered in front of LMS Law College, Imphal at Chingmeirong. At the moment, a large number of police personnel arrived at the scene. They then lathi charged them heavily without warning, injuring 10 volunteers after a skirmish ensued between the two sides. One of the injured was admitted in Public Hospital Hatta here. The police again detained five student protesters, who were later freed, following the lathi charge that dispersed them in front of LMS Law College, Imphal.
Addressing the media shortly after the incident at the All Manipur Student’s Union (AMSU) office, JCILMS student wing convenor M Angamba condemned the Thursday’s police action against the student protesters.
He called upon all the political parties and the people of the state to join hands in the campaign for implementation of ILP system under Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873.
Angamba also urged the state police not to harass the students protesting against non-implementation of ILP in the state saying they are not working and struggling for their own welfare but for all.
Since June 1, the state government has been on high alert keeping up tight and strict security measures to thwart any untoward incident arising out of the ongoing agitation.
With the dateline of the ultimatum given to Manipur Government to clear its stance on introduction of Inner Line Permit system in the state had ended last month, JCILPS had stopped visiting of non-locals (people from mainland India) to the state from June 1-5 and it had prevented the outsiders to enter into the lanes and localities of the state from June 6-15.
Representatives of JCILPS had met the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and other Cabinet ministers on May 20 during which they had discussed seriously about the ultimatum served JCILPS to the Government to announce its stance on implementation of ILP system in the state, the committee’s convenor Sapamcha Jadumani had said.
He had also said that during the meeting the Government side called for withdrawal of the committee’s decision to stop non-Manipuris from coming to the state. Jadumani had lashed out at the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh for allegedly being double standard and accused the Congress Government of ignoring the resolution of the state assembly with regard to introduction of the ILP system under Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873.
The design to convert Manipur into a ‘hybrid state’ was never right and the integrity of the nation could only be protected only when there was ILP system, Jadumani had commented earlier this month.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/students-injured-in-police-action-ilp-stir/

Imphal, June 27 MNS/NNN: Manipur will have more contract lecturers.
On Thursday, Manipur Education minister M Okendro assured Manipur assembly on Thursday that the Manipur Government will take up obligatory steps for regularization of more contract Higher Secondary school lecturers in the state.
During the Question Hour in the House, Trinamool Congress (TC) MLA Th Shyamkumar asked whether any policy has been taken up for the contract Higher Secondary school lecturers who have been working as part-time teaching assistants by dedicating for over 15 long years.
Education minister Okendro in reply to the question assured the House that the state Government will definitely take steps to regularize them soon.
The Andro constituency MLA Shyamkumar after hearing the response from the minister then said that these lecturers have been playing a great role in imparting education to the students of the Higher Secondary schools for quite a long time and hence it is paramount to level them out.
Responding to the suggestion, Okendro supplemented his answer that the Government is focusing on it and informed that there are currently 1049 contract lecturers out of which 432 have been regularlised while there are still 617 part-time lecturers.
Opposition members in the Manipur Assembly Thursday expressed serious concern over the state having no definite policy to check air pollution caused by smoke emission from vehicles.
Earlier, state forest and environment minister Th Debendra informed that house that Manipur was yet to have a definite policy to check pollution emitting from passenger or commercial vehicles, said state minister
“Environment pollution directly affected the human health and leaving it unchecked is a violation to the right to life enshrine in the constitution of India by not allowing the citizens to live with good health”, said opposition member RK Imo of Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP).
He demanded that checking of vehicle for control of environmental pollution should be made mandatory. “Government should check these vehicles every three months or six months so that we could keep our environment secure from pollutants,” he said pointed out some examples regarding the rules being followed in other big cities of the countries like Delhi, Kolkatta and Mumbai etc.
Admitting the observation made by the oppositions, forest and environment minister said that the problems of emitting from the commercial vehicles should be checked by the transport department in convergence with various departments like environment wing and the Manipur Pollution Control Board.
The level of pollutants emitted from the commercial vehicles in the state especially in the capital city was becoming a major threat to the health of the people, he said, adding that even though plantation has been taking up for synthesizing of pure oxygen the quantity of carbon monoxide emitted from the vehicles has been endangering the purity of the oxygen which simultaneously become a health hazard.
The minister assured that the government would take up steps to check such pollution.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/contract-lecturers-to-be-appointed/