Day: March 19, 2015

IMPHAL, March 19:Even though the concern PR and RD Minister of the state inspected various places of the PMGSY scheme recently, another rural connectivity project in Ukhrul district may be left abandoned and derelict.

The PMGSY Phase IX part II under package No. 978/NIT No. 5/16/13 at Challou under Chingai Sub-division Ukhrul District is likely to be left abandoned and deserted on account of illegal diversion of a connectivity scheme under PMGSY, villagers complained.

The detailed project report and work order for the Challou and Kuingai road stretching around 9 Km has been abandoned unfinished for funds meant for it have been diverted to suit the interest of contractor on agreed of AE of the department, they said.

While talking with media person Shimthar Shatang Secretary Challou village said that the work order mentioned constructing a new short route connection between Challou and Kuingai stretching nine kilometre according to DPR. But contrary to the DPR`™s statement, the project funds have been diverted to construct another road on the Kuingai stretched to junction of Challou and Kuingai.

The village secretary urged the concern authority to look into the matter seriously and rectify the project in the larger interest of the neglected villages which is totally cut off from connectivity.

Not only this issue, another package number 0955 PMGSY phase VIII part II for road black topping from Challou to Tusom has also halted without any known reason. The route starts from Chingai via Challou via Wuhong to reach Melory in Nagaland, the village secretary further said.

The route has a rock portion in between Challou and Tusom of about 200 to 300 metre distance. In the work order the route is to be black topped as also to construct two Baily Bridges. About three week ago labour force for the construction of bridges arrived but suddenly went back therefore binging the work to a halt, he added.

Shimthar Shatsang appealed to the concerned authority to intervene in the matter so work is not halted and disturbed.

Rural connectivity is the only means of transport and communication in a hilly terrain and mountains region like Manipur, and this should be given utmost priority to keep the villages connected with the rest of the State and nation, he said.

Considering the difficulties and hardships being confronted by the villagers, concerned authority should take necessary steps to meet the demand of the villagers, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/pmgsy-schemes-in-ukhrul-being-hijacked-by-contractors/

IMPHAL, 19 March: Soibam Manitomba Singh, President Kanglei Economy Development Organisation and a journalist by profession was awarded for his valuable contribution and promotion of modern Hi-Tech techniques and good agricultural practices including tissue culture and drip irrigation in banana cultivation in hilly region of Manipur.

He was felicitated during the international conference on dynamics of technology for quality production of banana held at Maharashtra from 15th to 17th March 2015.

Soibam Manitomba was awarded by Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Eknath Khadse with a citation, memento and a cheque for Rs 51,000. The award was entitled for the year 2013.

The conference was organised by Jain Irrigation System Ltd and Bhavarlal and Kantabai Jain Multipurpose Foundation.

Soon after he reached the state, a brief press meet was held at the Kangla Pao office and a welcome ceremony was conducted jointly by Kangla Pao staffs and KEDO members at the said venue.

In the press meet he said that during his routine work as journalist he was covering a story on distribution of banana seeds and sapling to the beneficiaries, and he requested for some of the seeds and sapling for himself to start a banana cultivation.

Seeing his enthusiasm, mission director TMNE Kh Ratan Kumar handed him 500 banana seeds, he said.

With this he started cultivating banana at his 1 acre farm from the seeds he managed to receive from mission director. His successful banana farm was inspected and endorsed in the 2009-10 annual report and hence he was shortlisted for the award he mentioned.

Manitomba said that all together 14 banana cultivators from India were felicitated during the conference and among them he was the only awardee from the entire North Eastern States.

He mentioned that participating in the international conference has motivated him more to expand his banana cultivation and also has learnt more about hi-tech cultivation. He said that he is hopeful to spread his banana cultivation in the State.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/former-state-scribe-receives-national-award-for-banana-farming/

IMPHAL, March 19: The Coordinating body of Trade Union lauded the various organisations, associations and union for extending financial help to Khwairamband Keithel blast victims on March 11 which left three dead and 22 injured.

While speaking at a press conference held today at Iravan Bhavan, BT Road Sotinkumar, chairperson, coordinating body of Trade Union said that various organisation has been contributing to extend help for the blast victims without waiting from the government side after the incident and it is still going on.

He also said that after much effort by the coordinating body of different civil organisations the state government has finally given its word to extend monetary assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the three dead victims and Rs 2 lakh each to the serious injured victims.

Sotinkumar noted that whenever there is a blast or some such unfortunate incidents in the state, it the workers who earn their daily wages and the poorer sections of the society who suffer the most, he added.

Even in the March 11 incident blast it is the workers who died or faced injuries he added.

He reiterated that this kind of incidents have been frequent in the state and appealed to all concerned to stop killing innocent people who earn their daily wages.

The Co-coordinating body of Trade Union also appealed to the government to save the people of the State by taking up stringent security measures.

`Violence is not the means to bring peace in the State` Sotinkumar reminded everybody.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/trade-union-lauds-civil-bodies-for-supporting-blast-victims/

IMPHAL, March 19: In a flash development, a general strike has been called from midnight tonight to midnight tomorrow (March 20) in protest against the government inability to do anything to determined the facts behind a Muslim youth who was found murdered at Heingang Ahallup on March 17.

Members of the `JAC Against the Brutal Killing of Md. Lukaman` said they had submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister seeking his intervention in tracing the murderers, but as no action was forthcoming, they were compelled to call the protest general strike.

They said the murdered 27 year old Md. Likaman had gone from his mother`™s village Kiyamgei Muslim to Kiyamgei Urup to take part in a Estima religious function on March 16, but failed to return home and disappeared with a trace.

A missing report was thereafter filed with the Irilbung Police Station, Imphal East, on March 17, and the disappearance was also notified in the local cable TV channels, they said.

Later news reached the family of the deceased that he was recovered dead at Heingang Ahallup Bazaar, with marks of a brutal murder and his body had been deposited at the JNIMS mortuary.

Thereafter there were also many charges of misdeed by the murdered man from some quarters, but the JAC said all these are cooked up falsehood to defame the unfortunate victim.

A memorandum was then submitted to the Chief Minister on the matter to have action taken to determine and trace the killers of the youth and award them fitting punishment. But the appeal was to no avail, therefore the JAC was compelled to call the general strike, they said.

The JAC also appealed to all right thinking civil organisations to support the general strike so justice is done in the murder case.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/bandh-called-against-murder-of-muslim-youth/

IMPHAL, March 19:A two months special outreach programme on Prime Minister`™s Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY), Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) concluded with a function today at Tribal Research Institute, Conference Hall, Chingmeirong.

The programme was organised by Directorate of Field Publicity, Nagaland and Manipur Region Officer`™s Hill, Kohima.

In the concluding function PHED, Labour and Employment Minister I Hemochandra Singh attended as chief guest, Director DFP (N&M) Region Dr. Engam Pame, IIS, DDK Imphal News Editor Nando and People`™s Chronicle Editor G Bhabesh Chandra attended as the presidiums.

Addressing the function Hemochandra said that the concept of BBBP, PMJDY, Swatchh Bharat Abhiyan were very unique and they are for the welfare of girls as well as the people.

He further said that North East peoples are fashionable, and buy costly fashionable stuff but we always neglected sanitization which is vital to healthy living.

The goal which the Government of India wants has to be achieved by citizens and government joining hands. He also said all the schemes provided by GoI is for the people, and among these goals are sanitization for all and Women`™s empowerment.

Director DFP Dr Engam Pame IIS said that the campaign was for two months and it was organised in four districts of Nagaland and nine districts of Manipur. The focus is to give awareness to peoples through meetings and public rallies at their villages.

Presenting the fields reports Nagaland Filed Officer Sophie Bozo said that the campaign started from January this year and concluded in month of February, covering 10 villages of four districts. Presenting reports of Manipur, Angthoi Senkhil George said that six DFP units of Manipur started the awareness campaign from December 2014 and concluded in the first week of March. In all six deferent programme were organised which covered 36 villages from 16 blocks of nine districts.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/nagaland-manipur-jointly-push-pms-welfare-programme/

IMPHAL, March 19: It is right time for the all party committee to unite and confront the State government for its dirty politics of using them as tool and shield on the ILP issue said RK Shivachandra, spokesperson of the BJP Manipur Pradesh.

Addressing media persons at the office of BJP Manipur Pradesh Nityaipat Chutthek, he said the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill 2015 was passed at the Assembly totally against the wishes of the Manipur people.

He asked why the Bill did not reflect any of the points recommended by the All political Parties Committee on ILP. The political parties were used as tools and shields by the government against the agitation of JCILPS, he said.

This amounts to cheating the entire people of Manipur, he said.

If the government has a different ideology on this Bill, why many academicians, retired Justices, learned advocates and seasonal politicians were put at the butt end of a joke for six months, he further asked.

He said the people must not stay silent on the matter. The BJP Manipur Pradesh was always suspicious of the government`™s motive so it was withdrew from the committee, he said.

The BJP is strongly opposed to the Bill which is friendlier to visitors and against the interest of indigenous people, he alleged.

The BJP Manipur Pradesh has also decided to give full support to the organisations agitation regarding the ILP issue, he added.

It is the right time for all non-Congress political parties of Manipur to unite to repay the government in kind for making them the laughing stalk.

BJP also dared the chairman of the Committee, Deputy Chief Minister. Gaikhangam, to clarify on the Bill just passed.

The Congress MLAs who are elected as public representative are silent on such a burning issue and the BJP is ashamed of them, he said.

Observing the manner in which the Bill was handled, he said the State government did not lobby at all with the Central government, and if they had the Central government would have agreed considering Manipur is an International border area. The ILP implementation will safeguard of Manipur, as well as India, from migrants, he said.

He also charged the two Congress Members of Parliament for remaining silent in the Parliament on the matter instead of trying to win the Central government over on the issue in the interest of the Manipuri people he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/bjp-spokesman-flays-govt-says-party-will-support-jcilps-demand/

IMPHAL, March 19:The Naga Scholars` Association (NSA) along with the Manipur based The Hao Research Initiative (THRI) will be organising a two-day International Conference on `Rethinking the Nagas in the Contemporary`™ at Delhi said a press release.

The international conference has been scheduled for March 20 to March 21 2015, at Convention Centre Auditorium, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi. In the conference Professor Paul Pimomo from Washington Central University will deliver the keynote address.

The release further said that the conference is going to be conduct in view of the pressing nature of issues concerning the contemporary Naga society, ranging from socio-cultural anxiety to political uncertainty.

The Organisers have specifically mobilised experts and personalities of both national and international repute, and civil societies closely working on the Naga society to help in probing the present stalemate, the release said.

It further stated that though the intensity of the Naga problem captured the imagination of the international community, there has been little or no serious academic attempt made in a holistic approach towards a solution.

The Conference is organised as a maiden initiative to facilitate platforms for churning out ideas with the objective of providing alternative academic groundwork to all decision making authorities concerning the Naga issue, said the release signed by Yaronsho Ngalung Co-convener, Organising Committee.

The Key Speakers of the conference are Paul pimomo, Washington Central University, Dolly Kikon, Stockholm University, Visier Sanyu, President, Naga Overseas Association, Gam Shimray, Indigenous Knowledge and People, Chiangmai, Felix Padel , Anthropologist, London, N. Venuh, Nagaland University, Xavier P.Mao, North East Hill Univeristy , Subhir Bhaumik, Centre for Studies in International, Relations & Development (CSIRD), Chuba Ozukum, President, Naga Hoho, Chingmak Chang, President, Eastern Nagaland People`s Organisation, Gaidon Kamei, President, United Naga Council, Abeia Meru,President, Naga Mother Association said the release.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/naga-scholars-association-and-hao-research-to-organise-rethinking-the-nagas-in-the-contemporary-at-delhi/

IMPHAL, March 19 (NNN): Prohibitory order has been clamped in the entire Imphal West district in the backdrop of non-cooperation movement being launched by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) against the non-locals.

The prohibitory order under Section 144 CrPC was promulgated in the district as there is likelihood of causing serious breach of peace, disturbances to public tranquility and grave danger to human lives and properties in the area.

The order which would be effective from 6 pm of March 17 will continue to effect until further order.

Assembly of five or more persons which is likely to turn unlawful, carrying of sticks, stones, firearms and weapons of any other description or objects which can be used as offensive weapons within the area have been prohibited with effect from 6 pm of March 17, the order stated.

The order will not be apply to the agencies of the government involved in the enforcement of law and order and the maintenance of essential services and prior permission should be obtained from the competent authorities for taking out rallies or processions for customary, traditional, religious, cultural or entertainment purposes involving the assembly of five or more persons.

The prohibitory order has been clamped based on police report that there is likelihood of causing serious breach of peace and public tranquility in the district on account of the unlawful activities of some anti-social elements for furtherance of their evil designs.

Also, there is information in the police regarding threat to the business community in Imphal area by the underground elements for payment of extortion demand.

Even though the order failed to mention the prevailing tension arising out of people`™s agitations rejecting the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill, 2015, spearheaded by the JCILPS.

The indefinite non-cooperation movement of the JCILPS against the non-locals has already begun from last midnight.

While announcing the movement, the JCILPS has asked the people to stop renting house and room to the non-indigenous people, buying, selling as well as consuming goods from them, to prevent the non-locals from hawking their wares in their respective localities.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/crpc-144-clamped-in-imphal-west-district/

By Grace Jajo

IMPHAL, March 19: `AFSPA is a free killing license and should be immediately repealed to restore human dignity and human rights. It is indeed a symbol of oppression!` this was a collective chorus stated during the press conference organized by the North East Dialogue Forum.

Heartfelt testimonies from Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Bodos related to impunity under the AFSPA were shared. A Lotha Naga widow woefully narrated the rudely murder of her husband even during ceasefire peace time, without any regard for Human Rights.

A teacher from Assam related about the numerous occasions, when the Army would just walked in to their village and pick up several people repeatedly, with a manufacture affiliation to the non state actors. He describes the authority of the draconian law to torture innocent civilians and even disable them on the slightest pretext.

Anthony Debbarma, the indigenous Tripuri, questions the paradox and validity of extending the AFSPA, when the state has been awarded for `Bringing Peace` by the Government of India. He highlights the selective discrimination of declaring only indigenous areas in Tripura as Disturb Areas and accordingly applying the AFSPA only in indigenous belts. `In recent times, systematic and selective elimination of indigenous brilliant students, student leaders, political leaders and intellectual is happening under the guise of AFSPA.

We say this with utmost evidence from our documentation of 50 villages which were completely wiped out and several other cases related to AFSPA. Such blatant violation of Human Rights were in most cases committed by the Tripura State Rifles and the Tripura Police forces who are legally outside the mandate of AFSPA.

Despite the Supreme Court order, there are still schools occupied by the armies and army camps in the vicinity of the schools. In such a situation, it is impossible to rule out the fact that the governments is using the AFSPA thereby the impunity of the armies to silence the voice of dissent in their pursuit of anti-indigenous economic policies.` further alleged Anthony.

The forum plans to explore the intervention of the Prime Minister`™s office and the Home Minister`™s office and the United Nations Rapportuer on conflict/terrorism. They further hopes to pursue the International Commission on Jurist too. ` We are encourage by the support of 80 countries within the United Nations for the repeal of AFSPA` states Nobokishor on a hopeful note.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/afspa-is-license-to-kill-and-must-be-repealed-immediately-north-east-dialogue-forum/