Three from state at national Hockey camp

IMPHAL, June 26: Hockey India has selected two hockey player from Manipur to attend senior men coaching to be held at SAI Bangalore for selection of Indian team. The coaching… Read more »

IMPHAL, June 26: Hockey India has selected two hockey player from Manipur to attend senior men coaching to be held at SAI Bangalore for selection of Indian team. The coaching camp at Bangalore will be held from June 1 to 31.

The selected state hockey players are Suresh Kangujam and Kothajit Khandrangbam.

Another player originating from Manipur K Chinglenshana, who is currently playing at Indian Railways is also amongst those selected by Hockey India to attend coaching camp, a release of the Manipur Hockey said today in a statement.

The Manipur Hockey statement also said the association is initiating various action programme for development of hockey in the state so that player from the state could be in the national team.

It further said Hockey Manipur recently conducted a joint meeting with representatives of all the hockey clubs and associations of the state and discussed about ways and means to bring speedy development of hockey in Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Kanglaonline/~3/xgfPKa8rw0c/

AMWJU joins nationwide protest

IMPHAL June 27: The All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) in support of the nationwide protest of journalist in the issue of delayed wage board notification will wear black badges… Read more »

IMPHAL June 27: The All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) in support of the nationwide protest of journalist in the issue of delayed wage board notification will wear black badges at work tomorrow in solidarity.

AMWJU general secretary Sujeshwor in a release stated that the Indian Federation of Working Journalist, Confederation of Newsapers and News Agency Employees Organization, PTI, UNI, IJU, NUJI and AINS will be observing the protest and also requested state news houses to leave the editorial blank.

Further, non journalists employees are also requested to support the protest, the black badges can be collected from Manipur Press Club, the release states.

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Pineapple festival

IMPHAL, June 28: Keeping in mind to bring all the pineapple farmers of the state under a common platform and find out the problems and difficulties, as well as the… Read more »

IMPHAL, June 28: Keeping in mind to bring all the pineapple farmers of the state under a common platform and find out the problems and difficulties, as well as the success stories of the farmers and to encourage the farmers for a better harvest, the Manipur Pineapple Festival Committee, Manipur is organizing the 4th edition of the state level Manipur Pineapple festival in August next month.

According to a release, the committee is bringing out a souvenir called “Footprints 2011” and the committee has invited academicians, experts and those who are interested in the welfare of the farmers of the state to contribute write-up/ articles for the publication and submit it to the committee on or before July 31, the release added.

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Four persons nabbed with banned wild life product

IMPHAL, June 29: Security forces have apprehended four individuals along with banned wild life products in separation search operation conducted yesterday, informed a statement of the PRO IGAR (S).  … Read more »

IMPHAL, June 29: Security forces have apprehended four individuals along with banned wild life products in separation search operation conducted yesterday, informed a statement of the PRO IGAR (S).  

In the first incident troops of 31 Assam Rifles along with lady police apprehended three women along with banned wild life products from a Bolero vehicles with registration No. 04A 3113 while conducting an operation in the general area of Khudengthabi on June 28.

The arrested women were identified as one Kikim Haokip, 42, w/o Robat Haokip of Checkon, Imphal, Ruth Liangmei, 35, d/o John Liangmei of Lanka, Senapati and LK Hokep, 39,w/o Hamang of Songluna, Motbung.

It further said that 12 kgs of Pangolin Shells, two mobile hand set and Indian currency 4040 were recovered from them.

They were later handed over to the customs office, Moreh, it added.

It said in another incident, troops of 29 Assam Rifles along with lady police have arrested another individual along with banned wild life items while conducting an operation in the general area of Sita Track yesterday.

The individual is identified as one Panewat, 33, w/o Yangam of Moreh. 1800 number of Pangollin shells, one mobile phone and Indian currency 505 were recovered from the person who along with the recovered items has been handed over to the chief conservator, Forest department, Imphal, it further adds.

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Thanga MLA clarify on allegations

IMPHAL July 1: Chief-whip of the SPF and MLA of Thanga constituency T. Mangibabu clarified that the allegations made against him by one Tongbram Robindro who was arrested by police… Read more »

IMPHAL July 1: Chief-whip of the SPF and MLA of Thanga constituency T. Mangibabu clarified that the allegations made against him by one Tongbram Robindro who was arrested by police for smuggling drugs and that his arrest was perpetrated by the MLA himself is unfounded.

Talking to reporters at his office at the old secretariat complex today, Mangibabu contended that he had nothing to do with Robindro’s arrest and he was hauled up by police for his clandestine business activities.

“How can I instigate the police to arrest someone, Robindro was known as a smuggler after the Delhi police arrested one Napolean from Delhi airport with 200 kgs of Ephidrine on April 4, Robindro was named as the mastermind behind the smuggling in the media. His allegation in the local electronic media that he is not involved with drug trafficking and that I was responsible for his arrest is baseless”, the MLA added.

The MLA contended that he had been involved in politics since the early 80’s has never used any unfair means to get ahead in his career. “Let anyone stand for election, it is a person’s democratic right but I feel that he should be centered in bringing about peace and development, not in criminal activities”, he said.

The MLA and his workers voiced that Tongbram Robindro has political aspirations and to contest the forthcoming elections.

Meanwhile Robindro who belongs to the same constituency as the MLA is said to be related to the MLA.

Mangibabu replying to the fate of fishers after the introduction of the Loktak Protection Act said that the Act has to be there to protect the lake, but if the clauses in the said act becomes anti people, then it needs to be amended, he maintained.

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Stone chip and sand donated

IMPHAL July 2: To relieve from mud and water filled lanes marred by potholes on the Sagolband Salam Leikai and Wahengbam Leikai under Sagolband A/C stretch along the Imphal-Jiri highway… Read more »

IMPHAL July 2: To relieve from mud and water filled lanes marred by potholes on the Sagolband Salam Leikai and Wahengbam Leikai under Sagolband A/C stretch along the Imphal-Jiri highway resulted from the on going construction works conducted by the government under various developmental projects, several truck loads of stone chip and sand were donated today to the Sagolband joint development committee by Rajkumar Imo Singh, an active member of Congress I as a part of a temporary arrangement initiated for the aggrieved local populace of Sagolband A/C.

N. Kuleshwor, secretary, SJDC, while meeting media persons said that various inconveniences are faced by commuters especially in this area due to the construction works. Heavy down pour since the past few days has added another difficulty for the commuters, he added.

Condemning the local MLA Sagolband A/C for being silent on their repeated pleas for a viable solution from such inconveniences, the secretary lamented that it as very unfortunate.

However, on the other hand, the committee expressed contentment on various projects carried out by the government for the development of Imphal. The Sagolband joint development committee was formed after thorough consultation with local responsible residents for efficient development in Sagolband A/C, he added.

Rk. Imo said that the construction works of various developmental projects has adversely affected the commuters for the time being. He added that the temporary arrangement was instituted keeping in view of such condition and ease atleast some of the difficulties faced by the commuters till the constructions of the projects are completed.

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Ulfa`s Double Role Endangers Prospects for Peace

By Anil Bhat A recent news report in this daily about security agencies alerting the Assam police that Paresh Baruah, now heading Ulfa’s anti-talks faction, has sent 35 armed cadres… Read more »

By Anil Bhat
A recent news report in this daily about security agencies alerting the Assam police that Paresh Baruah, now heading Ulfa’s anti-talks faction, has sent 35 armed cadres to launch offensives in oil-rich Upper Assam districts and target the leaders of the pro-talk faction of Ulfa, again bring into focus some factors, which are not favorable for peace in Assam.

The report also cites authoritative security sources mentioning that among the 35 armed cadres, few are new recruits, who may try old Ulfa tactics of abducting officials of oil companies operating for Oil and Natural Gas Commission and Oil India Limited which have been resisting the Ulfa’s extortion demands and may also blow up oil pipelines to create fear psychosis. In 1991, among many persons abducted by Ulfa, were a bureaucrat and Russian engineer Sergei Grishchenko, who was later killed.

In a feature by this writer titled ‘Disarming pro-talks militants’, published in this daily on 22 April 2011, it was brought out that the “pro-talk” leaders released of the from jail moving about freely and ULFA’s symbol of the rising sun becoming visible in villages had boosted Paresh Baruah’s efforts to recruit volunteers to make good the loss of at least two battalions. This has been confirmed by the security sources saying that the anti-talk faction of Ulfa has also recruited nearly 100 new cadres sent to Burma for arms training.

It is also significant that Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has also admitted that the anti-talks faction of Ulfa has been carrying out recruitment and extortion in Upper Assam districts.

In 1991, Ulfa supported the Hiteshwar Saikia led Congress to power not just to do down AGP, but to save its own leaders from the Army. Reportedly, there was an internal agreement between Hiteshwar Saikia and Paresh Baruah through the mediation of Rewati Phukan, a top industrialist and Paresh Baruah’s good friend and co-player when both represented Assam in football.

In 2001, Congress led by Tarun Gogoi sought Ulfa’s support from. ULFA did everything to bring Congress to power, including selection of candidates, attacks on pool booths, grenade blasts in Janata Bhawan etc. with a hope of establishing talks between the outfit and the Government.

This time around Mr Gogoi’s new year’s gift to Rajkhowa and co. of releasing them from jail, also seems to have paid up.

Taking the advantage of elections and peace-process that had slowed down the operations of the security forces, the pro-talks leaders freely moving around and creating awe amongst youth has resulted in the anti-talks Ulfa succeeding in roping some unemployed youths to join the outfit.

Security sources have reportedly admitted that free movement of the pro-talk Ulfa leaders and cadres might create some confusion for the security forces so the state government has been advised to confine them within the boundary of designated camps. While home ministry is reported to be firm on its policy of starting talks with the insurgent groups only after the surrender of arms and restricting cadres in designated camps, Ulfa has ‘reservations’ on both matters. Whereas home ministry has reportedly proposed three designated camps for about 250-300 Ulfa cadres, they want nine camps. About surrender of arms, the Ulfa leadership has been insisting on keeping the arms ‘under joint custody’. Government must certainly not allow any negotiating group to keep its arms and all surrendered leaders and cadres must be kept under close watch in designated camps.

On the possibility of anti-talks leader / leaders joining the pro-talks group, there have been two versions reported in media. One was that the Centre was arranging a meeting between a top pro-talk leader and Ulfa’s ‘general secretary’ Anup Chetia, currently lodged in a jail in Bangladesh, ostensibly to get his consent for the dialogue. This version, if true, is quite hair-brained. The other version is that two top anti-talks leaders may soon join the peace-process. Refusing to reveal their names, security sources however hinted that the process to deport them from Bangladesh back to Assam will start soon. While government must not allow any pro-talks leader to go to Bangladesh to meet Chetia, extraditing any leader/leaders under Paresh Baruah would be a clever move which is bound to affect him adversely.

Meanwhile, Ulfa’s gory past, which includes mass graves and countless attacks on innocent civilians, is reported to be catching up with it. Victims of Ulfa’s terror are demanding a say in the talks. They are seeking justice for those killed by Ulfa. Speaking to media, one victim said, “The Government and those involved in the peace talks need to know what our problems are, and what we`re thinking and must involve us directly.” While CM Gogoi has assured them of a ‘fair hearing’, it remains to be seen how he is going to provide the victims with any relief or justice, given how hard he worked at freeing from jails those guilty of heinous murders, colluding with Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and implementing all kinds of acts of war/destabilization, like massacres, sabotage, causing demographic changes, circulation of fake Indian currency etc.in Assam. So far, political expediency has been the main uncompromised priority.

The Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA), an intellectual umbrella body of civil society organisations of Assam, recently handed over a charter of demands to the pro-talk Ulfa faction, listing issues which could be discussed with the Centre. SJA Chief Convener Dr Hiren Gohain, a Sahitya Akademi winner, handed over the charter to Arabinda Rajkhowa in the presence of top leaders of both the organisations in Guwahati. Pro-talks leaders will discuss the charter and may redraft it to include any more of their own demands before submitting it to the Centre. Expresspmg the hope that the talks between Ulfa and Centre would lead to positive results, he is reported to have said, “I am hopeful that the talks will be fruitful as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has made it clear that the Indian constitution is flexible and necessary changes could be made to fulfill the aspirations of the indigenous Assamese.” The document has included various burning issues facing the state and the indigenous Assamese population. The SJA chater demands Constitutional amendments to give Assam, and thereby its people greater control over their own future by strengthening the State`s power to control the revenues generated, the natural resources, and the planning process and ensure a secure demographic situation as well as accelerated and balanced development. Gohain said, “If the government of India and the ULFA honour the Charter in letter and spirit and do not undersell it, we may look forward to untroubled peace, true development, and vigorous growth of democracy in the region.” SJA noted that the present calm does not at all mean the return of peace. Rajkhowa told media that the outfit would press for a time-bound dialogue with the Centre and would not like the talk process to drag on for long. The next and substantive session of talks between the ULFA and the Centre is expected to be held towards end-June.

According to an Assamese daily, Paresh Baruah’s decision not to join the talks could be so that he can impact pressure on the talks. It is understood that if the entire brass of ULFA leaders and cadres comes out to open, they will be under complete dominance of the Government. Talks under domination from one side on the other might then lead to no fruitful results. The other possibility is that Paresh Baruah wants to wait and watch where the lateral talks lead to. The hardliner faction has already announced their conditional support to the talks where they have asked:

Consider ULFA armed revolution as a democratic-aspiration movement of natives of the land, keeping in mind the inception of their movement in context of time and situation.

Grant Assam a special status under the Constitution of India by an amendment under Part XXI that deals with Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions. This should enable Assam to draft a publically acceptable Constitution/Legal Document of its own.

Endow the state government with the right of self-governance and adjudication over any matter relating to socio-political-judicial issues that concern the interests of entire group or community domiciling in Assam.

There should be an official national anthem for Assam as the Indian federation will not be in a position to change its own national anthem, which grossly discriminates Assam by excluding from the most-audible federal representation.

A detailed investigation relating to the crimes committed and attributed to either belligerent parties i.e. Federal authority of India and ULFA be it the Kakopathar massacre of 2006 or the blast in Dhemaji. This is to be done through the good offices of International Humanitarian Fact Finding Commission (or any credible international organization) that are in a position to deal over issues of international and non-international armed conflicts.

This group is currently actively involved in managing many ‘businesses’, including procuring arms for Naxal-Maoists through contacts with ISI and Chinese intelligence operatives, among many other nefarious and anti-India activities.

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NSCN (K) faction confirms ceasefire continuation

IMPHAL July 6: A statement of the NSCN (K) signed by its MIP, Secretary, has clarified that a ceasefire was signed in between NSCN(K) or National Socialist Council of Nagaland… Read more »

IMPHAL July 6: A statement of the NSCN (K) signed by its MIP, Secretary, has clarified that a ceasefire was signed in between NSCN(K) or National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) and the GOI and definitely not with the NSCN (Kitovi) or for that reason not even NSCN(Khole) and the ceasefire continues to be there as it was before with the NSCN(K).

It has stated that If Kitovi feels that, chairman S.S.Khaplang is a Burmese than, he must be an Indian. Therefore, a ceasefire between an Indian Kitovi and his own Indian brothers does not arise. There is no question of any ceasefire among them when they share everything in common, it maintained.

Kitovi is a pawn in the hands of some Indian agencies and is doing everything on the directives of those forces who are bent to weakened the sacred Naga national cause and to bring division among the Naga family and for that matter Kitovi has also roped in Khole who was paid Rs.70 lakhs(Seventy lakhs ) at Minyaksu on Oct. 10, 2010 to speak his language, it asserted.

Khole who was among the most regarded Naga leader, had vowed not to step in the Naga soil on the Indian side until Nagas achieve full independence and he did so until as recently as 2009. But, he was slowly poisoned by Kitovi into today’s materialistic world. He was a general even during the undivided NSCN and was the most respected Naga Army general but, today Kitovi has reduced him to a general without an army, it further maintained.

It is unfortunate that Kitovi, who in his long career as an ato-kilonser never had any political wisdom for the Nagas, is today trying to cultivate divisions among the Naga family to please his godfather and his cheap propaganda clearly indicates that, Kitovi is another name for a burden to the Nagas, the statement ended.

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Three school enters semis of Subroto Mukherjee football

IMPHAL, July 7: Utlou High School, Bishnupur defeated Preparatory Sainik High School, Kangpokpi by 4-0 goals in today’s first match of the state level Subroto Mukherjee football tournament which is… Read more »

IMPHAL, July 7: Utlou High School, Bishnupur defeated Preparatory Sainik High School, Kangpokpi by 4-0 goals in today’s first match of the state level Subroto Mukherjee football tournament which is being underway at Khuman Lampak. 

Th Tiken strike twice in the match while Kh Donadoni and L Kapon scored one goal each for the Bishnupur school.

In the second match of the day, St. Peter High School, Chandel defeated Don Bosco, Tamenglong by 6-2 goals.

NL Moyiarngam and SK Vincent scored two goals each for the Chandel school. DB John and LV Renashing scored one goal each for the Chandel school to total its goal to six. For the Tamenglong school, Zinliang and Kei Thivpou scored one goal each for the Tamenglong school.

In another match of the day, Martin Grammar school, Kakching representing Thoubal district was held to a 1-1 draw by North Eastern English School which is representing Imphal East.

For the Thoubal school, Kh Suraj scored the lone goal while Telheiba scored for the Imphal East school.

After today’s match results, three schools have moved into the semi final. The schools are Henglep Govt. High School, CCPur, Martin Grammar School, Thoubal and St. Peter High School, Chandel.

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NIA team arrives to investigate insurgency related crimes

IMPHAL, July 9: A three member team of the National Investigative Agency (NIA) led by Ashim Srivastaba additional SP NIA has arrive in the state capital this morning from Delhi… Read more »

IMPHAL, July 9: A three member team of the National Investigative Agency (NIA) led by Ashim Srivastaba additional SP NIA has arrive in the state capital this morning from Delhi to investigate various insurgency related crimes and the cases involving various underground militant cadres of the state who have been arrested from Delhi.

According to an official source, the official team of NIA will be staying inside the 1st MR complex until their investigations and collection of records of various underground related activities from different sources are completed, the source added.

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Bishnupur wins veteran Kabddi tourney

IMPHAL, July 10: Bishnupur veteran Kabaddi team defeated Thoubal veteran Kabaddi team in final of the 1st Veteran Kabaddi tournament which concluded today at LYUC ground, Lourembam.  In the final… Read more »

IMPHAL, July 10: Bishnupur veteran Kabaddi team defeated Thoubal veteran Kabaddi team in final of the 1st Veteran Kabaddi tournament which concluded today at LYUC ground, Lourembam. 

In the final played today, Bishnupur team scored 42 points against 14 by Thoubal team.

The closing function of the tournament held after the final match was attended by social welfare minister N Loken as chief guest while Bishnupur SP Th Radheshyam was functional president.

N Loken gave away the winner’s trophy and cash prize of Rs 20,000 to Bishnupur team while the runners-up trophy and cash prize of Rs 10,000 was distributed by Th Radheshyam to the Thoubal team.

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Fumigation drive in Moreh

From our Moreh Correspondent MOREH, July 11: As a part of its fumigation drive in Moreh town since July 5, the 31 Assam Rifles under the aegis of 26 Sector… Read more »

From our Moreh Correspondent
MOREH, July 11: As a part of its fumigation drive in Moreh town since July 5, the 31 Assam Rifles under the aegis of 26 Sector AR has today carried out a fogging and spraying of Malathion and Moskil at various areas of Moreh ward No. 9.  Since the launching of the fumigation drive on July 5, the 31 AR has carried out fogging and spraying at Moreh ward No. 2,3,4,5 and 9 till today.

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One killed

IMPHAL, July 17: A motorist was killed today in a road mishap at Kyamgei Pallahanbi near Standard Robert English School under Singjamei Police station. The victim is identified as one… Read more »

IMPHAL, July 17: A motorist was killed today in a road mishap at Kyamgei Pallahanbi near Standard Robert English School under Singjamei Police station.

The victim is identified as one Irengbam Devananda, 49, s/o (L) Bheiga of Lilong Arapti. Reports said that the man coming on a NV scooter loose control and fell from his scooter. He was rushed to JNIMS but succumbed to his injury on the way.

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Charangpat High School lifts both boys` and girls` hockey trophies

IMPHAL, July 18: Charangpat High School, Thoubal emerged as the champion of both U-15 boys’ and U-17 girls’ inter-school JN Hockey Tournament. In the final match of U-17 girls’ hockey… Read more »

IMPHAL, July 18: Charangpat High School, Thoubal emerged as the champion of both U-15 boys’ and U-17 girls’ inter-school JN Hockey Tournament.

In the final match of U-17 girls’ hockey tournament, Charangpat High School beat Jai Hind High School by 2(3)-2(1) goals in the tie-breaker. 

And in U-15 boys’ tournament, Charangpat High School thrashed OB High School, Bishnupur by 9-0 goals.

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Workshop held

IMPHAL, July 20: A one-day district level consultative workshop on “Manipur State Action Plan on Climate Change” was organized by All Manipur NGO Forum and Rural Development Foundation Association under… Read more »

IMPHAL, July 20: A one-day district level consultative workshop on “Manipur State Action Plan on Climate Change” was organized by All Manipur NGO Forum and Rural Development Foundation Association under the sponsorship of state environment and ecology wing at Karong today. Additional deputy commissioner of Senapati, Shyamlal, president of NGO Forum, Y Surchandra, and research officer of environment and ecology wing, Dr T Brajagopal were the chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

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Arrested

var addthis_product=’wpp-252′;var addthis_options=”Google+1″IMPHAL, July 31: The Imphal West district police commandos arrested a drug smuggler from her residence namely Chingeikim Zou, 40, d/o (L)…

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var addthis_product=’wpp-252′;var addthis_options=”Google+1″IMPHAL, July 31: The Imphal West district police commandos arrested a drug smuggler from her residence namely Chingeikim Zou, 40, d/o (L)…

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AR organizes agricultural tour

IMPHAL, July 22: An agricultural tour organised by 17 Assam Rifles of 10 Sector under the aegis of IGAR(S) was flagged of by Major General C A Krishnan, AVSM, IGAR(S)… Read more »

IMPHAL, July 22: An agricultural tour organised by 17 Assam Rifles of 10 Sector under the aegis of IGAR(S) was flagged of by Major General C A Krishnan, AVSM, IGAR(S) in simple ceremony organised at the HQ IGAR (South), Mantripukhri on 22 Jul 2011.

A release of PRO IGAR (S) stated that the agricultural tour has been conceptualised to give the farmers a first hand experience in the latest trends and technologies of modern farming by visiting various Agri-institutes and interaction with agricultural scientist at Solan and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, Solan and Shimla were the chosen destination of the tour because of the similar weather, soil and altitudes as obtained in Ukhrul. The tour in which a total of 17 farmers will participate is scheduled from 25 Jul to 09 Aug 2011. The tour aims at introducing modern agricultural techniques including horticulture and floriculture techniques in Ukhrul Dist to make the farmers of Ukhrul Dist self-reliant and introduce more economically profitable agriculture. The IGAR(South) interacted with the farmers and encouraged them to fully utilise the tour to explore the latest trends in agriculture.
 

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Fragile Valley Ecology

A lot many water bodies have died out from the Imphal Valley. In their footsteps may follow the rest of the remaining natural water bodies in the valley, including we… Read more »

A lot many water bodies have died out from the Imphal Valley. In their footsteps may follow the rest of the remaining natural water bodies in the valley, including we dare say, the Loktak. Purely from common sense, the lifespan of a lake in a land-locked valley, with little or no drainage system to flush it in a continual process, cannot be that very long. For regardless of whether a river system drains water away from a valley, there will always be more rivers that drain into it bringing down tonnes of silt perennially from the surrounding mountain catchments areas. It can quite well be imagined why the battle to save fresh water lakes in small valleys have been almost always a losing battle. The best that have been done is to delay their deaths, but the cause for optimism is, advancements in science have come up with ever better techniques to increase the longevity of these lakes. Perhaps someday, it will become a reality when this delay of lake decay can be perpetual. But the fact remains that without this radical sort of intervention of science, valley lakes cannot live forever. This is what Manipur should be cautious about, and in fact be ready to face.

It needs no experts to tell us rivers can change their courses, and so when silt raises their bed high enough for the water to find another alternative path of least resistance, it will take the latter path. This phenomenon is not altogether unknown even in Manipur’s recorded history. In fact there have been records of artificial dredging of river beds through compulsory contributory labour under various kings, and even of artificial diversions of river courses. Considering the sizes of the rivers here, these projects could not really have been too awesome or daunting. All the same, although of a totally different dimension, the current talks of river linking etc, in the larger context of the vast Indian sub-continent are not any logic that escaped the notice of good administrators in the state’s history. Even now, in spite of what the critics of the river linking project say, we do feel it will be an experiment worth the while in Manipur. Just one case should suffice to illustrate. Diverting the Nambul River from the heart of Imphal city would do miles to the health of the river as well as in flood control within the Imphal municipal area. The water too may acquire more irrigational value in the process. The stretch of the river bed thus dried up can become part of the master plan of an Imphal city sewerage project, as and when such a project comes up.

Saving our lakes, most particularly the Loktak, will be a far more difficult proposition. But perhaps this will also have to be linked up with a river management project. Perhaps the solution is in devising a way to have our rivers safely deposit their alluvium loads they bring down from the hills in special reservoirs along their meandering courses before they empty into the Loktak. But it is not only silt or the fate of its lakes that the ecology of Imphal Valley is threatened by. The inescapable fact also is, whatever material is introduced into its soil will remain there forever precisely because there is very little draining out of the valley. Take for instance chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers, or for that matter chemical effluents from factories in the future. Most of the residues from these are simply going to continue to accumulate in the soil. Who knows what effect such residues will have on the soil in a couple of hundred years. Just suppose it begins turning acidic or alkaline, or in the worst case scenario, poisonous. Considering pesticides are poisons, this is not altogether impossible. Again in the absence of a flushing mechanism, it will take eons before these soil conditions can be neutralized. This will indeed be a nightmarish scenario. Abolishing chemical pesticides or fertilizers can also mean present day disasters and it would indeed be stupid to recommend such a measure unthinkingly. What must however be done is to make sure that to the extent possible, only bio-degradable alternatives are used. Or even if there are no real substitutes to chemical agriculture boosters, their long term consequences must be closely monitored and regulated. While we all celebrate the fecundity of the alluvial soil of the valley and its salubrious climate, have the obvious fragility of the valley ecology ever been part of any serious reflection in official policy making or the general understanding of the issue? We are afraid to say there have been very little of it and this is most unfortunate.

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A Lot in a Name

“In the animal kingdom, the rule is, eat or be eaten, in the human kingdom, define or be defined” said wrote Thomas Szasz, capturing a concern of much of the… Read more »

“In the animal kingdom, the rule is, eat or be eaten, in the human kingdom, define or be defined” said wrote Thomas Szasz, capturing a concern of much of the hitherto inarticulate world of the modern times, in particular various native non-European and indigenous communities which have relatively recently come to belong to the modern literate world. The statement undoubtedly is profound. It says much of the notions and mechanisms of identity formation. We bring up this idea up in contemplating what postcolonial identity has been for various communities, in particular the indigenous world. It is not surprising that much of the identities we know of today were given and brought forth from within. Thanks to new energy given to scholarship in this direction, we are now cognisant of how much of the identities that have come to be internalised amongst not just outside observers who caused these identity formation but also communities given these identities, buttressing in the process, and contrary to what William Shakespeare implied in the famous statement in “Romeo and Juliet”, there is a lot in a name, for often it is the name which gives an identity. The Northeast was a nomenclature once defining a certain cartographical location on the Indian political and geographical map. Today it is an identity. The same can be said of the Arunachalis, Mizos, Nagas, Manipuris and Assamese, and as a matter of fact, Indian. Do these identities conform to ethnicity or do they signify domicile and citizenship status, are some of the problematic questions. Without going too deep into these queries, suffices it to say that once upon a time, people who today profess these identities, never knew of themselves by these identities. They were given these names by others to broadly define them, and today, many of those thus defined, would zealously defend these identities as their own intrinsic self understanding, even to violent extents.

That these understanding of identities have their liberal shares of inner tensions and hegemonies is also an undeniable fact today. Indeed, much of the conflict situations we witness in the region are a manifestation of these tensions within. Again, there is no gainsaying these understanding have a profound bearing on the way policies and programmes of the government are formulated and unfolded. This being the case, we are proposing a need to deconstruct these identities which although were given to the communities have crystallised solidly, and attempt a reconstruction in the manner that French philosopher, Jacques Derrida recommends. This is important, because the new identities thus constructed would be informed by inner needs and dynamics of the communities rather than imposed from outside alone. They would also have shed the redundant and at the same time incorporated answers to new challenges, which indeed different times always throw up. We can begin this process by asking some very basic questions like who is a Manipuri or Naga or Assamese etc. Honest and probing queries into these seemingly simple questions should bring in new and refreshing lights as to how many of the tensions within our societies can be resolved.

It goes without saying that this exercise must not mean the total rejection of what is already there. History can never be reversed and historical events cannot be erased. So if certain identities have evolved because of historical logic of a time, even if it meant identities forming out of nomenclatures assigned to peoples for the convenience of anthropological conveniences of outside researchers of the past, they have become engraved in indelible ink as historical experiences of the place, sparking off myriad chains of other historical events, which in their turns set off other chains of events and these too their own chains etc, in a never ending process. In other words, what has happened has happened and cannot be reversed. They have come to have strong historical roots of their own. But acknowledging the limitations of the circumstances they came into being and the consequences they have caused, should be the beginning of a new dawn of understanding of the way forward for our societies in resolving many of the issues of conflict embedded within. As for instance, new courses can be charted in which the old and the new understandings of identities can confluence and evolve more democratic and mutually acceptable ground for coexistence, and in time perhaps even evolving new identities which are inclusive of all stakeholders in an equitable way informed by the noble idea of justice for all.

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