Day: February 9, 2015

IMPHAL, February 9: Naoriya Pakhanglakpa A/C MLA RK Anand has demanded a Rs 20 crores economic package from the government for the resettlement of displaced villagers of Ningomabam at Langthabal Maning Leikai.

RK Anand visited the places where the villagers who were displaced for expanding the Tulihal Airport have been resettled. He interacted with the displaced people at the resettlement sites to hear their grievances.

The villagers have demanded proper road connectivity, electricity, water supply, proper drainage etc. The MLA in his reply has assured them that all their grievances will be looked into very soon informing that the government has sanctioned the funds for blacktopping the Langthabal Maning Leikai Road that leads to the resettled villages and for installing a transformer. He also told them that other material for providing electricity will also be delivered soon.

He said that regular potable drinking water will also be provided from the soon to be inaugurated water supply scheme to the villages, and if needed, he added that he will urge the government to provide two more tube wells within a short period. For that matter, the MLA said, he has already submitted an application to the government for providing support to the displaced families who have sacrificed their lands.

He said as a sitting MLA of the constituency, he was obliged to get acquainted with public grievances and to provide additional support to the displaced people by interacting with them and hear their opinions. The State government have taken a stand to support the displaced people, he said, and he has also repeatedly urged the government to acknowledge their sacrifices.

After learning about the grievances of the people, he said, he has pressurised the Chief Minister to provide water supply pipes, to dig a local pond and set up a community hall within a short period which is a must for holding ritual ceremonies. A crematory for the village will also be constructed at a suitable area soon, he said.

The resettlement sites at Langthabal Maning Leikai Ching Makhong, Malom Tulihal Makha Leikai, Kondompokpi Meitram etc are going through an economic crisis, he informed.

The Naoriya Pakhanglakpa MLA stated that once the settlement is completed after the land demarcation and the allotment of pattas, of which 90 percent has been completed, the problem will be solved permanently.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/rk-anand-demands-economic-package-of-rs-20-crores-for-resettling-displaced-villagers/

IMPHAL, February 9: Human Rights Alert executive director Babloo Loitongbam has refused to apologise in connection to a notice of alleged breach of privilege and contempt of the Assembly regarding a comment he had made during a TV show.

Speaking to media persons after appearing before the Committee of Privilege and Ethics of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Babloo said he was summoned to attend the meeting of the committee regarding a privilege motion moved by parliamentary secretary Vungzagin Valte and AITC MLA Dr I Ibohalbi.

He said the motion was moved against him for his comment aired on July 22, 2014 in a private TV channel during which he had used the word `Mithibong Mitambal` while speaking on the Inner Line Permit System.

He said while clarifying his stance before the committee, he had told the committee that he had never said all 60 MLAs are mithibong mitambal, as alleged.

`I was only referring to a specific behaviour pattern of abdicating responsibility and beating up of innocent children who are come out on the streets because of their irresponsibility as Mithibong Mitambal.`

`Rightly or wrongly, the people seem to have sensed a divergence of priorities between themselves and their elected representatives on the core issue facing the State. As a citizen of the State, I too feel burdened by this sense of unwholesome divergence. I submit that my used of the term, Mithibong Mitambal should be understood in this light,` he had said before the committee.

Babloo also said that he stands by his words and is firm in his conviction that the members of the Manipur State Assembly have not lived up to the expectations of the peoples.

`The public protests are pointers towards the same.`

`I also wish to categorically state that, the issue of lowering the dignity of the House does not arise at all, as we respect the long historical tradition of Manipur Legislative Assembly and the dignity of all its Members and are only anxious that they are not only upheld but also continued in practice,` he had told the committee according to the statement.

The committee had asked him to apologies following which the allegations against him will be withdrawn, said Babloo.

He however steadfastly declined to do this.

Babloo Loitongbam also informed the media that the Privilege and Ethics committee will hold another meeting without him following which its report will be presented before the Assembly and appropriate action will be taken.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/babloo-refuses-to-apologise-before-privilege-committee-for-mithibong-mitambal-comment-on-tv/

By Alex Guite

LAMKA, February 9: Parliamentary secretary Vungzagin Valte today hosts a meeting at his residence with a team of BRTF/ BRO officials led by chief engineer (P) Sewak Dimapur JK Adhvaraya and OC/ 80-RCC Ravi and discussed the condition of the pathetic conditions of the Guite Road connecting Thanlon and Singhat.

The deputy commissioner, Churachandpur Lunminthang Haokip also attended the function.

The BRTF/ BRO official team informed the local MLA that there is a need for a joint team of the district administration and the BRTF/ BRO to conduct an inspection of the road.

The parliamentary secretary was informed that the joint team needs to determine the compensation amount under the Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC) for the people affected by any road widening process along the road stretch.

The officials had also informed that they cannot just take a decision without the factual details.

Valte had informed the official team that the people affected by the construction of the road and bridges along the route should be compensated.

The BRTF/ BRO chief engineer had also informed the MLA that if the fund was made available to them in time, they will soon take up the work.

He had also agreed to a proposal from the DC to go on the spot visit before February 14 and to start the inspection tour from Tuilaphai Village Bridge.

Meanwhile, sources have informed the IFP that the proposal for now is to have the road black topped.

In the meantime, the Mission Veng Youth Club (MYC) president Muanthang Guite and his secretary expressed immense gratitude to the sitting MLA of Thanlon A/c Vungzagin Valte, for his initiative and private involvement in providing a transformer to the locality at Hiangtam Lamka village.

The president said that they also lauded other supporters including the Hiangtam Lamka chief Thangkhosuanmung Guite who provided financial help.

They have also assured to strictly deal with anyone making illegal connection.

It is also interesting that almost all the transformers in Ccpur are procured by the villagers who will be using them through contribution of huge amount of money. This has today become a norm and a must to the people who meekly accept the contributions so as to get light.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/thanlon-mla-discusses-guite-road-development-with-brtf-bro/

IMPHAL, February 9: The Pangal Students`™ Organisation must know that 90 percent of the students in Moirangpurel Government High School are minorities, clarified Andro A/C MLA Thounaojam Shyamkumar.

Further clarifying against the allegation the Moirangpurel Government High School is wrongly constructed under the Imphal East District CD block-2 Multi Sectarian Development Programme (MSDP) at a press meet in his official quarter, he said 90 percent of the students studying in Moirangpurel Government High School are mostly from the minority communities such as Meitei Christians, Muslims, Tribals etc.

The school located in a backward village near the hillocks at a junction of the Phungyar A/C and Saikul A/C is about 37 Kms away from Imphal, he added.

The PSO has charged the school as having been constructed wrongly and thereby has revealed its narrow mindedness without even knowing the definition of Minority communities under section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, he said. Presuming Muslims are the only minority community, and demanding development only in Muslim areas without considering about other minorities is unfortunate, he added.

In Andro, there have been no case of discrimination on grounds of religion, community, caste etc till date. In Changantabi area, a primary school for minority students is now under construction under the MSDP. The constructions of rooms with standard furniture have been completed and now minority students are studying there. It is the opinion of people in Andro that one should not be look down only for being a minority, he added.

The PSO should make allegations after knowing the ground reality of the Moriangpurel Government High School which is in great demand by the people, Shyamkumar said.

As an MLA, Shyamkumar said, he has never tried to take away the rights of minorities in Andro A/C and has instead only delivered his service equally to all the people. He said he was elected as the representative of the Andro A/C and would never try to discriminate against any minorities, appealing the PSO to go through the guidelines for minorities to understand the reality.

On the other hand, he said, the issue of an order by the Ukhrul DC on February 5 that a mosque should be demolished for the construction of a District and Session Court in Ukhrul within a short period is unfortunate. The area where the mosque stands was allotted to the Muslims for performing their rituals since September 28, 1995 by the State government, he added.

Surprisingly, the Ukhrul DC Harisheekesh Modak has issued an order on February 5 that the area must be vacated for the construction of the Court within two day which suggest that the State government looks down on the Minority Muslims, he opined.

`The Ukhrul DC should know what type of a country India is?` he asked, instructing the DC to know that India is a secular country and the building or mosque was allotted to whom by what for which purpose.

He should not act randomly on his own and act against the law, he stressed.

The Chief Minister who is expected to lay the foundation stone on February 12 must cancel his visit in the interest of minority communities to stop creating communal tension in the State, he said, adding such act is against humanity and the rights of minorities.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/shyamkumar-urges-pso-to-know-the-ground-reality-of-moirangpurel-high-school/

IMPHAL, February 9: The ninth phase of the PMGSY, the proposal programmes of which includes the development of around six inter village roads in Naoriya Pakhanglakpa constituency is targeted to be completed before schedule, said the MLA of the constituency, RK Anand.

During a spot inspection today, he visited the sites of the road development at Ningombam village, Konjeng Leikai, Langpoklakpam Leikai etc

During his visit to Kongjeng Leikai, RK Anand asked the government officials and the Executive Engineer, PIU of the PWD to complete the construction of the 900 meter long road along with the culverts and slabs in the area.

He later visited the site of the Ngairangbam road construction and told the media that his visit today was to check the progress made in the area. He said that it has come to his notice that there was some complaint about a communication gap between the people and the contractor about the construction. He has visited the site to solve the problem by bringing about an understanding between the two, he said, adding that there was however no such problem when he visited the site.

Further stating that he would like to see the work completed within the official schedule, he said he wanted a clear-cut maintenance of the standard specification so that the people cooperate with the contractors.

Meanwhile, the engineering department has also given instructions to maintain the norms properly during the road development.

A layer of the road has been laid till today with the other layer yet to be laid, he said, adding that in his view, people are satisfied with the work completed so far and the department can`t go beyond a budget which should be acknowledged by the people.

Appealing some adjustment from the contractors to fulfil the demands of the public in the construction, he said people know that road development under PMGSY is taken up in various places of the state but he was urging the contractors to give first priority to Ningombam road.

On the other hand, Executive engineer Sanatomba of PUI, Public Works Department the Ningombam road is 2.5 km long and he has instructed the contractors to give first priority on constructing the culverts and slabs rather than on road development for the time being. The levelling of the road by maintaining slopes have been completed and the water bound macadam of two layers will be laid, he informed.

Now, the first layer has been completed and so has the work on some consolidation area, he said, adding the schedule of constructing a road is one year and the work started in September 2014 but as compared to other works, the road development of this particular road has progressed a lot. We are trying to complete the road development before the schedule, he stressed.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/road-development-under-pmgsy-in-naoriya-pakhanglakpa-to-be-completed-before-schedule-claims-rk-anand/

IMPHAL, February 9: Villagers of Kasom sub-division in Ukhrul today took out a protest rally against the February 5 blast in the sub division which killed a civilian while injuring another.

The 15-km long rally started from Nambashi Khullen and after passing through several villages concluded at the Khunthak ground. The rally which was organised by the Dardouy Phungren Shanao long (Leimashen Chingshang Women Union) and other civil organisations. The rally was attended mostly by women.

The bomb blast was followed by a fierce gun-fight between UG groups the next day at Nambashi during which one of the UGs died. The sudden worsening of the law and order situation has put a fear psychosis among the people, asserted a villager during the rally.

A social worker, Julia Shanglai who also participated in the rally expressed that the safety of the villagers must be top priority. She said the civil societies of the hills must link up with those from the valley and agitate against such violence.

The civil societies should also unite in demanding compensation and ex-gratia to the dead and the injured, she said before demanding the State government to strengthen the presence of State police in the area to protect the people and to improve the health care facilities in the area.

President of the Nambashi area women union Shimreila Keishing said the sub-division lies in the border area with Myanmar and is adorned by small villages.

The death of two persons in two days have shocked the people of the area, she said and further appealed to all concerned not to repeat such violence in the area.

She further sought clarification from those concerned at the earliest.

Stating that all her repeated attempts to contact the local MLA Victor Keishing have been futile without any response from the side of the MLA, she continued that there are several voices of unity between the hills and the valley people, however, whenever the hill people are in agony there is no one to take care of them.

Concerned with the incidents, she said the villagers had informed the nearby Assam Rifles post, however, they have also failed to act positively to the appeal.

Shimreila further lamented the State Chief Minister and the MLAs for failing to take stock of the situation and said the area has been neglected like there is no government.

Meanwhile, in an astounding development, while the protestors were gathering at the Khunthak ground after the rally, a man shouted that another bomb was found inside a pressure cooker from along road which the protestors had taken a few moments ago. The bomb was covered by the pressure cooker and was connected to a set of batteries by a wire.

Soon enough the police present in the vicinity barricaded the area and then contacted the State bomb squad, however, till the filling of this report there were no news of the bomb squad arriving.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/kasom-khullen-rally-lambasts-recent-upsurge-in-violence-in-subdivision/

AR Major demanded details of minister`™s convoy

IMPHAL, February 9: An official team of the Rural Develop and Panchayati Raj (RD&PR) Department led by Minister Francis Ngajokpa, was detained for several minutes by the 24 Assam Rifles Khudengthabi post along Indo Myanmar road this morning.

The incident comes in the wake of the alleged high handedness meted out to commuters by the 24 Assam Rifles Tengnoupal post which led to the imposition of indefinite bandh along the Imphal-Myanmar road.

The Ministerial team was on official tour to inspect roads constructed in Chandel district under PMGSY. He was accompanied by Tengnoupal MLA, DK Korungthang, Chief Engineer Manipur State Rural Roads Development Agency (MSRRDA), other officials of the RD&PR and media personnel.

The Minister`™s convoy reached the Khudengthabi post around 10.15 am only to find the gate closed.

The escort commander of the convoy approached AR personnel who were deployed at the area asking them to open the gate after explaining about the Minister`™s official visit.

In response the AR personnel asked the escort commander to approach their superior officer, a major name Rocky.

Despite having explained about the official tour, the Major responded that he doubted if the man they were escorting was a real Minister.

Frustrated over the detention, the Tengnoupal MLA, DK Korungthang stepped down from the vehicle and demanded why the Minister`™s convoy was not allowed to pass.

In response the Major demanded details of the tour and numbers of security personnel and officials.

Later, the convoy was allowed to pass after detention for about 10 minutes.

Soon after crossing the gate the Minister called up the deputy Chief Minister who also holds the home portfolio, and inform him about the unfortunate incident.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/minister-on-official-tour-detained-by-24-assam-rifles-at-khudengthabi/

IMPHAL, February 9: Two premier Catholic run schools of the State namely St Joseph and Little Flower School, closed down today following threat notes left by miscreant.

Speaking to IFP, a father of St Joseph school informed that they found a white paper written in red ink sticking at the front gate of the school saying `school matam kaktana thingjille-Manipur Maoist` in the wee hour today.

A similar note was also reportedly found at the gate of the Little Flower School.

Following the incident the school authorities decided to close down the school to avoid panick amongst students, said the father adding that they will resume normal classes tomorrow.

The school session commenced from February 5.

He further asserted that the schools did not complain about the incident to the police.

When enquired whether there was any threat from militant groups, the father responded that there has been no threat of any sort from any militant groups in recent times.

Claiming that he had never heard of any group called Manipur Maoist, the father assumed that it might be carried out by individuals out of frustration when they were unable to have their wards admitted into the schools.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/catholic-schools-close-down-after-coming-under-threat/