Manipur News

IMPHAL, June 19: The Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) has expressed grave concern over the repeated incidents of subjecting young students to physical assaults and mental harassment in the name of disciplining by their own teachers in the State.

According to a release of the MACR, the recent incident involving a teacher of the St Joseph School Sangaiprou which occurred on June 16 is quite deplorable and highly condemnable.

It testified again that school authorities and teachers are still unable to give up the outdated concept of using `Corporal Punishment` as a part of education in the schools.

It is quite horrendous to learn that a young student of class VI was mercilessly assaulted by canning with as much as 51 counts on both palms other parts of the body by a teacher that dropped the child in a severe traumatic condition.

It is a stark violation of the Section 17 (1) of Right of Children to free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, which prohibits physical and mental harassment to child. And the St. Joseph Schools authority needs to understand that, whoever contravenes the sub -section (1) shall be liable to disciplinary action under the service rules applicable to such person, it said.

MACR has appealed the school authority to be more sensible in the Right to Education of the child and to stop any kind of re-victimizing approach, which may affect the academic career or emotional health of the child. It further appealed the school authority, student`™s bodies and state authority to take up immediate steps so that normal academic atmosphere is restored in the school, and every child gets his or her right to education without fear of Corporal Punishment and re-victimisation, it said.

Meanwhile, the All Manipur Recognised Private Schools`™ Welfare Association, Imphal has also expressed grave concern over the issue which has resulted in the arrest of several members of the DESAM.

A press release of the association has said that it strongly condemned the teacher`™s physical assault on a student and the arrest of the 16 members of DESAM due to a misunderstanding by the police.

Moreover, the association has also submitted a memorandum to DESAM appealing not to impose bandhs or blockades regarding the issue and not to take up any issue against the Education sector as well.

It further appealed to DESAM not to inflict any form of disturbance during the programme `Disturbance Free Zone in Education`™ to be held on July 5 through out Manipur, it said.

The association has also appealed for the release of the arrest of the 16 members of DESAM in order to avoid any agitations from student organisations, it said.

The All India Students`™ Federation (AISF) Manipur State Council has also demanded the government to take up necessary steps on the issue.

According to a release of the council, a teacher beating his student is not for personal gain but in order to draw the student to the right path.

Similarly, DESAM`™s assault on the teacher is due to his misconduct, it said.

The issue was due to the teacher`™s excessive use of force against the student which the student body considered to be an insult to the whole student community, it said.

The council has appealed to resolve the issue as soon as possible in order to avoid any form of agitation. It also appealed the release of DESAM members as soon as possible.

It further stated that it is necessary for the student, teacher and members of DESAM to arrange a meeting with the government and discuss the issue in a democratic manner as soon as possible otherwise any form of agitation that may occur will be sole responsibility of the government, it said.

All Manipur Students`™ Guardian Organisation has also joined in the several organisation in condemning the incident.

A statement of the organisation signed by its secretary organisation S Sumati said that the incident of a teacher assaulting his student in such a reputed school like the St Joseph High School is condemnable.

She further appealed to the school authorities to check the credentials and qualifications of candidates prior to their recruitment as teachers.

On the other hand it is also wrong for a student association like DESAM to summon a teacher and thrashing him, she said.

The quick response of the State police is also laudable, she said.

Sumita further appealed to revoke the stand for stronger form of agitation from the DESAM if the apprehended 16 DESAM members are not released within 24 hours time and also showed interest to legally punish the teacher accordingly.

Sumati further mentioned that the incoming trend of serving harsh punishment to the students at private schools has triggered fear psychosis among the guardians from putting their wards to private schools and boardings.

Later she appealed not to repeat the incident in future and to release the 16 apprehended DESAM members at the earliest.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/06/teachers-assault-of-student-evokes-much-concern/

IMPHAL, June 19: A combined team of Myanmar Army and civil police forcefully dismantled houses within the Indian Territory along Border Pillar no 6 and 7 at Choro Zingshopai area in Kangpat Khullen Ukhrul district.

A highly placed source said that the Manipur government has already submitted a report on the alleged incursion by the Myanmar forces to the joint secretary Home (NE), Ministry of Home Affairs.

The special secretary (Home) Government of Manipur has submitted a report received from the Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul on the matter requesting to look into the matter for taking necessary appropriate actions, according to reliable sources.

The issue has crept up at a time when the State is facing another boundary issue in Ukhrul district with alleged incursions from the Nagaland side in Dzuko valley.

The report said that the combined force of the Myanmar Army and the Police evicted houses at a newly established village which is about 250 meter into Indian Territory near the border pillars on April 18, even as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other PMO officials were in Myanmar on a two-day visit from June 17.

Sources said on April 20, the secretary of Kangpat Khullen and general secretary Raizan Long (a civil organisation of the area) submitted a complaint report on the alleged incursion to the SDO Kamjong under whose jurisdiction the area falls. The SDO on his part had submitted the report to the DC, sources said.

Sources also said that the two in their complaint had stated that villagers of Kangpat Khullen had been taking up some construction work. And on April 18 afternoon, some villagers of Kamjong area had established a new village call Aloyuo (Zingshopai) near border pillar no 6 well within the Indian Territory for which some construction were going on in the area, it said.

However, all of a sudden, a group of Myanmar Army soldiers came into the village and forced the residents to evacuate immediately. The Myanmar soldiers also dismantled all houses and any other structures including a saw mill, the complaint said according to the sources.

In their complaint, they also charged the Myanmar soldiers of carrying away the belongings of the villagers, sources informed.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/06/centre-apprised-of-alleged-myanmar-incursion-near-border-pillars-6-and-7/

By Grace Jajo

IMPHAL June 19: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), one of the largest and leading public sector units providing comprehensive range of telecom services in India is determined to attract more customers of its landline and mobile customers with the introduction of Wi-Fi Hotspots, NGN and slew of fresh scheme to match with other private telecom services providers in the state of Manipur as well.

Talking to this reporter, General Manager BSNL Manipur J Lunkim said that Night Time Free Calling scheme of BSNL offers free night calling to any network both local and STD from 9 pm till 7 in the morning to all the landline customers since May 1.

He maintained that under another scheme, landline with 500 plan are now provided with 24 hours free calls to BSNL networks inclusive of both landline and mobile customers besides the free night calls to all networks since June 1.

BSNL is also the pioneer Telcos operator to offer free national roaming for one year starting from June 15 under the leadership of Minister of Communication & IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad. Hence BSNL is free of incoming call charges while roaming for both prepaid and post paid customers even in the service areas of MTNL like Delhi and Mumbai. Now irrespective of subscriber`™s plan, outgoing charges during roaming are as per the ceiling provided by TRAI @ 80p/minute for local and 1.15/minute for STD calls. Except for Voice/ISD STVs, SMS/Data STVs are applicable in the Free Roaming scheme across India, he elaborated.

Asserting that free SIM offer for 64K SIM and reduced cost offer for 128K SIM on all new prepaid connection is a promotional offer phase for 90 days since June 1, he informed that under this revised scheme one can get a new 64K SIM for free by paying only Rs 30 instead of Rs 59 for the 128K SIM.

Simultaneously BSNL has also revised the rates of data packs, combo packs, ISD rate cutters and other rate cutters, voice STVs and SMS STVs, he added.

Responding to a query on the fluctuating internet service in the state, the General Manager BSNL of Manipur explained that the cable link till Dimapur is efficient to provide fast internet service. However, one of the two links from there to Kolkata via Guwahati is down for the last ten days and the whole traffic is relying on the other lone link thereby slowing the connectivity.

He assured speedy restoration of the long distance connectivity at the earliest taking into account of the importance of internet access to the people irrespective of location.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/06/bsnl-all-set-to-woo-customers-with-new-schemes/