Editorial – Page 66 – Manipur News

A neglected road

As if there is none to take care of Uripok road, which is filled with pot holes, the users of the road lament what has happened with our Government particularly the concerned department that it is continuing to provide step motherly treatment to the road. Whose advice the department is waiting for before giving go ahead signal for repairing the damaged road. Star studded cars, cars decorated with the designation plate are seen moving on the road frequently at least twice by each vehicle in a single day one for moving to office and another for returning to quarter and home. Then we have MLAs also. Question is directed to the engineers. What are those concerned engineers doing? Stomach turns and the users feel vomiting on seeing the damaged part of the road. The potholes are scattered in a systematic manner not allowing vehicles to move freely. PWD has flopped at least at Uripok. Whoever in the department, who is in charge of the road owes an explanation for keeping the road neglected for prolonged period of time. In UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle, who is in charge of PWD declared that he would bury engineers wherever pot holes have appeared? His statement reflects his concern for enhancing quality of road. The worst affected part of Uripok road is near Sorobon Thingel, which sees inundation with flood water as and when there is a few minutes’ drizzle. The problem with this particular area is that the level of the road is lower than the nullah. Water flows on the road. Solution lies in raising the level of the road. Even a small child knows that. Vehicles move at snail pace at the area. Frankly speaking, who will take care of this neglected area? Application of mind is called for. Is there any other state highway in the state, which is as deplorable as Uripok road? Very recently the Uripok Kangchup starting from Naoremthong upto Kangchup foothill was improved albeit after a hue and cry by the general public. Everyone is happy. The quality of the work is also superb. But when the road improvement programme was taken up the pot holes lying scattered within the stretch of Fly over to Naoremthong were not filled up. A simple survey will make the engineers of the concerned department realise what is causing hindrances to the users of the road. Think over the matter. The attention of the highest authority of the land is drawn to look into the matter.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/a-neglected-road/

Who should be our representative?

Lok Sabha election is still one year far away. But political bickering between rivals has started. This will hijack the main issue. Elections should be fought on issue. The candidates being put up by political parties to try luck in the election must be someone, who has a mission or two. Man with mission does something for the state and the society in particular. Before throwing the candidates to the voters for grilling the leaders of the political parties must try to know the locus standi, where they stand vis a vis corruption at higher level and the relation between the haves and have-nots. They must know what an MP can do for the state. The candidates must be self consistent. They should be able to speak on any given topic. A good orator can take up Manipur issue in the parliament even while discussing about the international space programme. What is required is the willingness to take part in the parliamentary debate. The candidate being elected must be able to feel to which direction the wind is flowing. No attempt should be made to go against the current. All these policies and programmes are framed to meet the requirements of the masses. Food security Bill is for the lowest rung of the society. When this bill is passed there will be no hunger and those who have nothing to eat will be taken care of by the Government. Is it not amazing hindrances stand in the way of passing this bill. The men in power cannot take credit for passing this bill. Minus opposition this bill cannot be passed. The credit for introducing and passing the bill can be shared by both ruling and opposition side. Political blabbering will fade out when the common masses are taught what the better side is and what the wrong side is. Barak Obama could cling to power as the head of US by shouting Change. By shouting the same slogan he could return to power. What changes he has brought in US. This tells a message, a candidate can consider half of the journey is completed if he can get hold of one issue that is impressive. At the moment both ruling side and opposition are in search of one issue with which they can go to the voters. Leadership has ceased to be non issue. Just as Congress party keeps at abeyance the leadership issue, BJP has also closed the leadership issue of the party. Election will be conducted surely next year. If Congress returns to power it will emulate the record set by the party under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. If BJP can grab power at the centre it will shatter the political calculation of all the thinking men.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/who-should-be-our-representative/

Opening the east gate and its implication

Our puya says open the Nongpok thong Manipur will gain. Nongpok thong is now open. Let us see what comes out. There is a lot to be expected from the Chief Minister O. Ibobi’s Myanmar visit. Manipur has reaped benefit from legalising Indo Myanmar border trade. More need to be done to make Manipur another Singapore of India. If tiny country Singapore can gain the status of one of the richest nations of the world for having a dockyard where ships are docked Manipur for neighbouring with the prosperous south East Asian nations also move towards the path of attaining self reliant with income that can be collected from various sources that include trade and commerce. In the past men and women visited Kashmir and Darjeeling for sightseeing. Now people from far off, South, west and North of the country have expressed their desire to have a glimpse of Manipur. Very recently a polo team from Kashmir visited Manipur to take part in the polo tournament. They insisted they be taken to the border town. What they did at Tamu was taking photograph of themselves in the same manner tourists taking photograph in front of Taj Mahal. They were delighted that they had landed on the foreign land. Every single domestic tourist will experience the same feeling when they visit Manipur and the border town. What is needed to be done is to take step to bring more tourists to Manipur. It is time we take step for including Manipur in the tourist map of the country. Setting aside tourism, which has immense potential Manipur can gain a lot from intensifying the trade with Myanmar side. When the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission was grilled by the scribes from Manipur for the lackadaisical attitude shown in the development of Manipur what he said was you are neighbouring with the prosperous south East Asian nations. He said how you can suffer. Since then change has been senn. Manipur is moving forward. We are moving ahead in the field of sports also. Let us see what comes out after Manipur Chief Minister O. Ibobi’s visit to Myanmar. Surely we feel something will come out of it.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/opening-the-east-gate-and-its-implication/

Number plates getting smart

The post Number plates getting smart appeared first on KanglaOnline.com.

Leader Writer: Shobaraj Yumlembam
Even as cases of vehicle theft are occurring since long and are frequently on the rise, it is after more than a decade since the notification issued by Supreme Court of India in connection with Rule 50 of the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, that high security registration plates (HSRP) have started to be implemented in Manipur from April 12, 2012. So far, the service has been launched in Imphal East, Imphal West, Churachandpur, Thoubal and Senapati districts and Kangpokpi Sub-division in the state. Though started late, it is indeed a good gesture of the transport department which should benefit the people to a great extent. As far as vehicles being stolen is concerned, this new HSRP possess some striking anti-theft features. The colour of the security inscription on the plate changes its intensity when the visual direction between the plate and the viewer is changed. This works to prevent copying of such number plates by using simple print. HSRP is a highly secure number plate aimed in bringing about a uniform pattern of displaying registration marks across the country. Made of aluminium, they feature unique details apart from the registration number. The plates have a seven-digit unique laser code, a chromium-based chakra hologram to prevent counterfeiting, a self destructive sticker with the engine and chassis numbers of the vehicle, ‘IND’ inscribed in blue colour with `India` inscribed at a 45 degree angle in hot stamping foil across all letters and numbers on the plate. It is tamper-proof and non-replaceable and which will aid in creating a computerized, national data of motor vehicles. Any attempt to remove or replace the snap lock, which holds the number plate on the vehicle will cause the lock to break making it impossible to install any other number plate on the vehicle. In case of accidental damage of HSRP, only the Regional Transport Office can provide the replacement of the number plates.

The seven-digit unique laser code is the biggest safety feature. It is meant to be scanned by laser detector cameras to identify if the number plate details match the laser code and whether the registration plate belongs to the vehicle or not. For this to work, laser detector cameras will have to be installed on important roads and intersections to capture footage of stolen vehicles. However, these cameras are not available in Manipur so far and will have to be installed for the HSRP to be effective.

It is hard to say whether this project of new plates will bring the much needed security and benefits or not, since the already installed regular CCTVs in certain places on the road in Imphal are not functioning yet. In this age of internet, GPS, smart phones, artificial intelligence etc in short, the ever advancing science and technology; what the state needs to do is get into action mode, do some research on the merits and demerits of a plan before making the final step, and prepare for the outcomes. While the new HSRP plates will greatly help in detecting stolen vehicles much sooner than the use of earlier regular plates, efforts need to be made to aid the effective working of other support systems. This can only help the police do their jobs efficiently, thereby giving a warning to vehicle lifters operating in the state. Interestingly, with the technology aspect being tamper proof, it is the human aspect that needs to be taken care of. As mentioned earlier, the HSRP plates can only be replaced by personnel of the Transport office and if the itch to get some ‘side’ income, it can lead to efforts going to waste and lead to the smart number plates being tampered with. In the meanwhile, the concerned authorities need to take up public awareness drives instead of confining themselves to official launches.

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The Passport office promise

The post The Passport office promise appeared first on KanglaOnline.com.

Joining a host of other earlier ‘assurances’ that a Passport Seva Kendra will ‘soon’ be opened in the state, the Deputy CM made the mandatory statement on the matter. He joins a host of others who have promised the same but it is for everyone to see that the promise has not been delivered as yet. For a state whose domiciles are spread across the world in pursuit of their careers, the lack of a passport office in the state is a major obstacle. With an increasing number of the state’s citizens and domiciles venturing abroad, there have been persistent calls for a Passport Seva Kendra but the concerned authorities have been busy with lip service while remaining tone deaf to the said calls. Even as Manipur and other states in the North East region make do without a Passport Seva Kendra office and continue to be covered under the Guwahati Passport office, other small towns in the country like Bareily, Shimla, Raipur, Dehradun etc have their own passport offices. The Passport Seva Project (PSP) was launched across the country starting from 2010 in order to meet the growing needs of passport demand from the public and went for a complete overhaul with technology being increasingly used to speed up the process of application and take away the role of middlemen in the form of travel agents and agencies making a business out of passport applications. The PSP identified under the National e-Governance plan was launched under a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) platform with Tata Consultancy Services as Service Provider. Under the PPP mode, the Ministry of External Affairs retained its role of verification, granting, issuing/revocation/impounding of passports thereby making the Ministry in charge of data and information while the service of filing, documentation in the office, process of application from one level to another, online submission of particulars, client service, staffing etc were provided by Tata Consultancy.

The introduction of the PPP model took away the unwelcome practice of application files getting delayed in between tables, which was the norm in the earlier system where the passport procedure was directly under the Government. The demand and expectations of passport applicants for a speedy process on one hand and the tendency of delays on the other hand led to the ferment of a breeding ground for corruption and the entry of middle men. Earlier, the Regional Passport Office at Guwahati functioned just like any other Government office: if you knew someone high up in the office or knew someone who knew someone high-up or if you paid someone at the office for chai-paani the Passport process could be speeded up. It also meant that travel agents with their network of people in Guwahati could well play the shots by charging hiked up rates. At one time, a minimum of Rs 3000 would be charged for a normal Passport process when the standard rate was Rs1500/- with the rates going up astronomically if one wanted a passport on a Tatkal (urgent) basis. The advent of the new and improved hassle free passport application system as it exists now is a boon for many but for the people of Manipur and the other states without a passport office, it has unfortunately meant more hassles since the new system entails bio-metric fingerprinting and being photographed at the office by the staff for which the applicant has to be present at the passport office in Guwahati. This means that all applicants have to first take an online appointment and then travel all the way to Guwahati, thereby involving having to spend money and the time to travel and then get back.

The talks of opening up a passport office in the state have been doing the rounds since the last five to six years. An official at the Regional Passport office in Guwahati said that even with the MEA taking a pro-active interest in opening up such offices in all the states of the NE region, the responses from the state Government have not been serious enough. Five to six years of repeating an unfulfilled promise shows just how serious the Government is about translating their words into action. The people deserve to be told about the reasons for the delay and the lack of seriousness over setting up a passport office in the state given the fact that it would not only take away the inconveniences that passport applicants of the state are facing now but also providing job openings for staffing the office. The Government cannot continue to stretch its promise when all it needs to do is get into action mode in real earnest.

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Matriculation examination

“If I pass matriculation examination I will jump down from the roof of my house”. The man, who said it, did not keep his promise though he passed the examination after making at least five attempts. But his concern for the result reflected the difficult phase a student faces in preparing for matriculation examination. Passing matriculation examination in the first attempt was considered a big achievement in the past. A not so good student had his name printed in the list of first division passed students. He boasted that day but when the mark sheet was collected it revealed he failed. He did not think of complaining because the result was the correct assessment. Every Leikai had too many students, who could not pass the examination even after making several attempts. The pass percentage was also very low. Now the number of students is on rise but only one or two in Leikai are found appearing in the examination. In the past two figure students in every Leikai would be sitting for the examination. This is a change brought by time. Now the focus of attention has been shifted to intermediate examination. Matriculation examination is no longer considered as a stepping stone in a student’s career. A father lamented his daughter even after scoring 87 percent in the matriculation examination wept profusely. He could not arrange any sumptuous meal that night as the mark did not match with the expectation of the child. The father went out aimlessly. The father was convinced by well wishers that matriculation examination is just the beginning and it cannot be considered as the end. The girl child has long journey ahead. Is she going to remain contented with the metric certificate only? Metric certificate is fit for lowly job only. This year matriculation examination saw record figure of pass percentage. There is reason behind that. Parents focus on their children’s academic pursuit. A father despite hectic official duties finds time to drop his child at the tuition centre and then pick up after the end of session. In the past a child would move miles off with rough sack to get education. All these changes are brought by those, who received education under the shade of tree. It will be interesting to see what changes the present generation will bring for the future generation. Manipur Board in keeping with the CBSE pattern introduced grading system from this year in the declaration of Class XII examination results. This is a good trend. This will check unnecessary show of academic chauvinism by the young students. This checks weeping by brilliant students over marks. For there is no formal declaration of toppers. Now those getting AA can consider themselves as real toppers. The newly introduced system will make all students, who have passed the examination happy.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/matriculation-examination/

Anti terrorism day celebration

Anti- terrorism day was observed all over the country to mark the 21st death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. The true quality of this leader was his craving for peace. He left no stone unturned to find lasting peace where ever there appeared turmoil. Punjab accord, Mizoram accord and lastly Sri Lanka accord were signed during his time as Prime Minister of the country. He lost his life killed by LTTE for signing Sri Lanka accord. Sri Lanka was in turmoil then, created by LTTE. Sri Lanka Government could not do anything to end the menace unleashed by LTTE. They were apprehensive how Indians would react in the event of the Lankan Government declaring full-fledged war against the terrorists. Came Rajiv Gandhi Government. Solutions were in store. Prior to that Mizoram saw the return of peace with Laldenga MNF leader getting power handed over to him on altar. Khalistan movement also ended in Punjab after signing Punjab accord. Before signing Punjab accord no democratic process could be performed. Even the scribes worked with revolver in the drawer. Reporters were stabbed even in the Golden temple. After signing Punjab accord elections had been held and Congress party formed Government. Every single individual reaped the benefit of bringing peace in Punjab. Now Punjab is the greatest contributor to GDP. Mizoram too had reaped the benefit of ushering in peace in the state. The tiny state had got peace bonus. But LTTE could not grasp the better side of the accord. The group, which was routed by Sri Lankan Government, committed the gravest mistake in killing Rajiv Gandhi. India Government did not say anything when Sri Lankan Government invaded LTTE dominated areas. There is reason behind that. No wonder peace had dawned in Lanka with the elimination of LTTE supreme. Celebration of anti-terrorism day to mark the death anniversary of the late leader is a fitting tribute to the leader who fought for ushering in peace in the troubled parts of the country and its neighbour. Power to panchayat is also the original idea of Rajiv Gandhi. He knew fund for the common masses had been hijacked. He boldly declared out of Rs one sanctioned by the Government only 15 paisa reaches the beneficiary. Too many changes had occurred. India has benefitted a lot from having great leader. Rajiv also wanted to establish duty free shopping centres one in Manipur and another in Andaman Nicober Island. He thought by establishing such centres too many tourists will visit the places considered alienated by mainland Indians. Now new township, which will have the facilities of duty free shopping is coming up at Moreh, the border town. As we observe the death anniversary we must always remember there is a lot to learn from Rajiv Gandhi.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/anti-terrorism-day-celebration/

The focus on dam for betterment of all

Yes, Singda can be developed as a tourist spot. Singda continues to drag lots of local tourists every day. Students go to Singda as a part of study tour. A child can learn a lot by seeing the dam at the site. After seeing the dam one knows the Government is doing something for the people of the state. The spot is a treat to the eyes. Too many heroes and heroines of Manipuri films had their song sequence filmed atop the dam. If the spot is not beautiful would the director think of shooting films at the scenic spot? The happy news is that the state Government is continuing to provide serious attention on the improvement of the dam. Even the foundation stone for construction of a tourist gate near the dam was laid yesterday by the Chief Minister O. Ibobi. The dam continues to receive serious attention of the state Government, which is indicated by the fact that the Chief Minister visited the site repeatedly in the past two weeks. But these encroachers near the dam are playing spoilt sport. They have encroached upon the dam site. Even the standing trees had been felled down. There can be no human habitation near the dam. Human refuses cannot be dumped into the dam. In Maharashtra the Deputy Chief Minister Pawar representing NCP in the coalition Government led by Congress (I) almost lost his job for saying he would urinate into the dam. His statement was sacrilegious to the sanctity of the dam for the product of the dam is used for consumption. If these encroachers are not evicted albeit after paying compensation the desecration will become unmanageable. One alarming news is that the water storage capacity of the dam is reducing as the prolonged siltation had raised the bed of the dam. What causes siltation is known to all. As trees had been felled down the soil on the hill has been loosened and it slips like the mud. Naturally the mud that slips accumulates at the low lying areas. Chief Minister had warned the encroachers if necessary they will be evicted. Chief Minister upholds the philosophy “action is more important than words”. The eviction that had been done at Chingmeirong and Kabow Leikai shows that. Having ruled the state for more than 11 years Shri Ibobi thinks if not for serving the state and its people why should a Government exists. When the Government made announcement for expansion of Nagamapal road the dwellers at the road side knows what it means to them. They have done demarcation work by themselves without waiting for Government order. They know it is a matter of time eviction will be done. The Government action is shaped by people’s perception of ushering in development.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/the-focus-on-dam-for-betterment-of-all/

Decoding examination results

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The results of the High School Leaving Certificate Examinations have shown yet again that Catholic schools are not yet ready to be over ranked by Government schools. The spoils were snapped up by two mission girls only school: Nirmalabas with 13 top ranking students and Little Flower School with 13 ranks out of the top 25 ranks. Given earlier track records where Government schools have not been able to stake a claim the top spots, the presence of a Government model school does say something about the extra efforts being put into such initiatives. Earlier too, the lone Government model school in Imphal West had managed to stay on the top rankings. Clearly, this means that where there is political will and where there is a strategic implementation and planning, starting from the process of recruiting teachers to maintaining the quality of teaching, Government schools can indeed improve. Therein comes the question of why the working nature and the value that exists in Government model schools are not being replicated in every Government schools. If the Education Department is serious about being in a competition with private and mission schools, it would have to act soon and upscale the quality of all Government schools and not just confine its attention on the few model schools. In any case, a certain section of the population do hold the view that private and mission schools are elitist and cater to only those who can afford them. If the Government were to give its due attention to a few model schools, it would be equally suspect of playing choose and deliver while ignoring the larger majority. It would also be a tacit acceptance that it knows the quality of government schools and its teaching can improve but give the signal that it is not ready to go for the big change.

And no, the rankings in examinations can be no benchmark for the levels of education. Rather, there are now efforts in the country to out in a grading system rather than a marking system starting from high school examinations but compared with the education systems followed in other countries, the Indian system lacks in imagination and concentrates itself on academic excellence and has no elements of practical application. Which is why sports is frowned upon during high school. In Manipur too, where we all lap up the ‘sports loving people’ tag, not much action or support system exists in the school set up. In fact, while talking to IFP following Nameirakpam Chingkheinganba’s conquest over Mount Everest, his father Tomba let in that his son had to change his school after his 8th standard as his earlier alma matter did not take his leave taking for his various trekking expeditions too kindly. This means that schools give the total priority on academic excellence and has no room for other talent nurturing. Contrast this with other countries or even other states where students are given leave for co-curricular activities and then given extra classes and special attention once they return to school. Compare this also to some very interesting initiatives for college students who have shown creativity and ingenuity to actually drop out from college and pursue their dreams of taking up projects, making films, forge community linkages etc.

Even when the main focus is on academic performance, the social and political environment in Manipur does not even support that line of approach. The occurrence of bands and blockades at the drop of a hat in fact comes in the way of the school syllabus being affected. A factor that students have gone on record as saying affects the environment of education. With a host of state holidays and the very popular habit of various civil society groups to herd out students from classes on to the streets to take part in various rallies and agitations, the number of school working days takes a steep nosedive. An NCERT study showed that only half the states have adopted the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), which has resulted in variations in number of working days, time allotted for teaching subjects like mathematics and science and evaluation of learning levels. That study stated that Manipur only had 160 working school days with Bihar and Jharkhand clocking 253 days. Clearly, the education sector in the state needs to be streamlined which is not an impossible task. All it would entail is a clear strategy on whether education is to be only of academia or to be inclusive of co-curricular activities and to scale up the quality of teaching that exists in Government schools so that it is not just a section of the student population that gets the best out of the schooling system but ensure that every student has the right to an all round quality education.

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An eye on palace

Perhaps the state Government has enough funds for taking up various projects in the state that include preservation of places of historical importance. Chief Minister O. Ibobi’s assertion, the Government would buy land from those settling near the abode of the last ruler of the state, Maharaj Bodhchandra Singh, is welcome. The palace compound is now ruined the land having been sold away left and right by the descendents of the king in the past few decades. The palace has been disgraced by the descendents of the rulers. A change will be seen, because the state Government has set an eye on it. How can tourists be encouraged to visit such place? If they see it they will think Manipuris disown the past. They will think Manipuris do not have the habit of showing respect to the past. The Government endeavour to maintain the abode of the last ruler of the state will be a gigantic task but it will go a long way in maintaining the connection between the past that is diminishing and the future. Every country pays importance in the protection and preservation of the structure or site that have historical importance. A fund starved state like Manipur could not take up the ambitious and gigantic task of maintaining the places of historical importance. Even Kangla, which posses all the requisite qualities of becoming world heritage site lay in tatter filled by dilapidated buildings. Now the people of the state have reaped the benefit of having a stable Government in the state. A Government that will last only two years will not be able think anything else other than protecting self. Having received continuums support from the UPA (I) and (II) Government at the centre too many massive constructions had been taken in the state. Fly over at Uripok, Nupee keithel at Khwairamband bazaar to cap all capitol projects at Chingmeirong plus indoor stadiums at all the district quarters of the state. Chief Minister O. Ibobi has mastered the art of administration. He knows how fund can be garnered up for taking developmental works in the state. Therefore his assertion to maintain the last abode of the king of Manipur will not be empty propaganda. There are many sectors, which require attention of the Government. We are still lagging behind in the field of education. Our students cannot compete with others from other states in the competitive examination conducted by the UPSC. It is said when Tamilians drew blank in the competitive examination conducted by the UPSC the Tamil Government conducted cabinet meeting to discuss education scenario. Tamli Government considers IAS and IPS as ambassadors of development. Have one or two IAS officers from Manipur at the centre they will also think of releasing fund for the development of the state. The state has a lot to expect from Ibobi led Government.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/an-eye-on-palace/

National highway roads too narrow

National highway road connecting Imphal and Moreh is too narrow. The number of vehicles plying on this road is increasing daily. Driving on this road has become a night mare. Yesterday one person died and another seriously injured when the car in which they were riding collided head on with a bus coming from opposition direction. Such type of incident will continue to occur until the road is widened. The road starting from Singjamei up to Pallel is dangerously narrow. Two wheelers are not safe at all at this portion of the road. The head on collision could have been averted if the road is divided by raising hump stretches in the middle of the road. Some drivers are really foolish they think of overtaking from the vehicles moving fast ahead of them. As they raced sensible drivers are exposed to the madness. Life is really precious. Manipur is a land linked state. Hence the importance of giving the thrust to construction of better highway roads. We talk of Look East policy. But these roads do not match with the hyped up propaganda of bringing more development to the state after establishing contact with the countries in the east. The roads are shamefully narrow. If the concerned department cannot find fund for widening of the black topped portion of the road, it must think of widening the earthen portion of the road. The extended earthen portion of the road running along with black topped portion is also too tiny. At many areas the earthen side wings had depressed. The depression of the road is as low as one step of stair. A two wheeler will surely will skid while swerving. A two wheeler is always expected to swerve on the road side when a four wheeler overtakes from them. A two wheeler will skid if it swerves at such depressed portion of the road. But a road is not for four wheelers only. It is for the pedestrians also. Everyone will be happy when the Government widens the national highway roads passing through the state. If these highway roads are too narrow the rest cannot be the exception. The difference is that vehicles move fast on the highway roads. All these inter village roads are also very narrow. There are lots of potholes also. The problem with the concerned department is that the officials have forgotten to perform their duty of surveying the condition of these roads. PWD needs to be divided into two one for surveying pot holes and another for widening or black topping of roads. If that is done there will be competition among the engineers. The healthy competition among them will be for the betterment of the state. Let the competition start from national highway connecting Imphal and Moreh particularly Singjamei and pallel.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/national-highway-roads-too-narrow-2/

Disaster Ready?

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The precautionary measures announced by the Government of Manipur in wake of the threat posed by super cyclone Mahasen looks rather cosmetic. Announcing a school holiday as a means of damage control is not going to help in case the cyclone lets its fury on the loose. The good news till the time of writing this editorial is that the speed of the cyclone is decreasing even as it has wreaked some havoc in parts of Bangladesh. But if the elements turn nasty, the shutting down of schools may be a little lacking in terms of disaster readiness. Even before the cyclone set on its present course, various parts of the state and notably areas in Churachandpur and Jiribam had reported damages to property in the wake of the storms last week and earlier. It isn’t sure whether any steps were taken up by the concerned authority in case there is one to ascertain the extent of damages sustained, whether any kind of aid were provided to the people and whether any strategies have been chalked out to prevent natural disasters from creating more damages in the future. While natural disasters are unavoidable, what needs to be realized is that with strategic preparations made to control the damages that they would bring into their wake, a lot of loss to lives and property can be avoided. The tough reality however is that the attitude of the Government so far has been to take steps once disaster strikes. This has been true in terms of floods, earthquakes and fire mishaps.

There is no standard fire safety regulations or specifications for even Government buildings, much less ensuring that private spaces follow fire safety measures. A tour of Government buildings may lead to a few fire extinguishers scattered around with none the wiser on whether they can still be used while there are yet to be fire exits being included as a mandatory part of the infrastructure and buildings that are creeping up across the state. If there are disaster management teams being set up, they seem to be confined to paper and the usual fare of holding basic awareness programs while the real need is for sustained preparatory exercises in the form of mock drills. The sight of buildings getting higher in parts of Imphal and other districts also tell a story of neglect by the concerned departments and civic authority given that the state lies in a high seismic zone and the nature of soil beneath the earth is not really conducive for supporting huge and heavy structures using conventional construction as is used for building residences and small time shopping complexes. While cyclones come with forewarning, building collapses do not come with any warnings as seen in the factory collapse that saw thousands being killed in Bangladesh. That collapse and many others of the same nature happen when safety norms are flouted in the race for higher buildings and utter disregard for public safety.

Even without large scale natural disasters befalling on the state, the incessant rains in the last ten days and more should be telling civic authorities that all is not well when it comes to public safety. The water logging that has become a necessary companion with the rains in the state is another possible obstacle of sorts for over and above the mud and the slush it brings in its wake, water covering the roads which are pot holed means that people riding in vehicles or simply walking by are none the wiser on where they should be treading. Another sore sight in Imphal and many other parts of the state that should get the attention of civic authorities and the electricity department in particular are the numerous cables, pylon wires and high tension wires that crisscross overhead and dangle very low over hundreds of people in market areas and in public spaces. Again, there have been mishaps where people have been electrocuted to death when the electric lines have snapped or fallen down on the unsuspecting public. But till the time, there is no vocal agitation with the public on the streets; nothing much prods the authorities concerned to action mode.

The impact of natural disasters expands in proportion with the amount of readiness and planning that is prevalent in areas where such incidents happen. When a cyclone takes part in a place where structures are built keeping safety guidelines in mind, at the most there can be a power outage. But the same cyclone when it gets loose in a place that is bursting with its gaps can only mean a lot of casualty in terms of life and property. If Mahasen decides to play evil in the state, school children will be safe at least and hopefully their houses will be more solid than some schools in the state. For the rest, it means having to brave the aspect of electric wires possibly falling over or falling down a crater in a water logged part of the road somewhere.

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The focus of attention

The underperforming Ministers were at the receiving end at the cabinet meeting, a report said. Who are these underperforming ministers, who cannot perform the duties allotted to them? The performance of the ministers needs to be reviewed every now and then. Many of them, a report has it were also very corrupt. Percentage cut demanded by them for the work order issued or bill passed shoots as high as 20 percent. Family members of the Ministers are active in doing the percentage cut. At the centre Pawankumar Bansal former Railways Minister resigned when his nephew took money for appointment of member of Railways Board. If the same yard stick is applied here too ministers may roll the heads. But Manipur is different. There has to be a different yardstick for measuring the performance of the ministers. The most corrupt ministers always get elected. Those who pretend to be clean suffer rejection by ministers. What the voters want is performance. Almost all these roads passing through different areas of the state capital need to be widened. Vehicles cannot ply on these tiny and narrow roads. Plans are afoot for widening of the roads connecting main roads but these roads cannot be touched. At Uripok for instance Khwairakselung Leirak connecting Uripok road and RIMS road, which is used by large number of vehicles has seen frequent occurrence of traffic jam. The state Government decision to widen Nagamapal road is welcome. When the road is widened frequently occurring traffic congestion at the national highway near Kangla will be eased out. Minuthong Hapta road is also too narrow. Driving on this road is a night mare. Road electrification can come later. The focus should be on maintaining roads and nullahs. Then there is a portion of road at Uripok, which sees occurrence of artificial flood as when there is a few minutes’ drizzle. The portion of the road near Sorobon Thingel needs to be raised by one or two feet. Though it will appear like a hump on the body it will not only save road but also solve the problems facing the users of the road. Then there is drinking water scarcity problem. All the household families in Imphal are connected by pipeline and they use water pump to drain out water from pipe. But only of a few of them pay taxes. Almost all of them are illegal consumers. But nothing is done to disconnect the pipeline or legalise the connection. A survey must be carried out to understand how these illegal consumers without paying tax resort to thieving water meant for legalised consumers. Then there are other sectors which do not get the required attention from the concerned departments. But these non performing ministers having received flak from colleagues at the cabinet will start doing something good for the society.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/the-focus-of-attention/

Food and Hunger

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The call by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the U.N. food agency to fight off the demands of food production on one hand and growing hunger by including edible insects like grasshoppers, ants and other members of the insect world is most interesting. The FAO has in a report stated that says 2 billion people worldwide already supplement their diets with insects, which are high in protein and minerals, and have environmental benefits but that the majority people who are yet to include insects in their menu must fight off their disgust and take to insects on their plate since they are an underutilized food source not only for people but also for livestock and pets. In South East Asian countries, insects are considered a delicacy though the West and Europe are yet to wake up to the ‘gastronomic delight’ of insects. In India, the main food preference is on cereals and pulses with meat down in the list of priority food. The irony of a nation starving on one hand while having a sizeable cattle population on the other, is often cited by westerners who cannot seem to work out why a nation that is starving is not taking to cow meat, which is a good source of nutrition. Of course, religious sentiments will not allow a majority of the citizens of this country to eat cattle but starve to malnutrition and sometimes, even death. Apart from religious beliefs and practices being factors underlying eating practices, there is also the factor of climate and terrain contributing to what kind of food is being eaten in what particular region. For instance, people in Ladakh whose core belief is non violence and who also practice buddhism still eat meat for the simple reason meat helps to increase the body temperature. Interestingly enough, the conflict between the basic need for food and the necessity of keeping the body warm with eating meat is resolved by having animals slaughtered by other communities. Coming to the north-east region, many people frown on people who eat animals and rodents. What is not realized is that the people who do eat animals out of the usual fare of chicken, pork, beef and mutton are often from hilly terrain where agricultural crops are scarce and food resources low.

Food being a basic need for survival, every human being has to make do with what is available. Food habits also change with time and when boundaries open up. This is true everywhere. In Manipur too, the traditional food preparation processes of cooking without oil and spices have changed into a more pan Indian style of cooking and very much influenced and fused with the Bengali style of cooking which is not strange given the import of Hindusim from Bengal. Earlier generations of Hindus in the state brought up with strict codes of ‘pure’ and impure’ stayed away from eating meat even as fish remained the main focus of food in the valley. The fish could not be done away with since it supplements for protein intake and milk is not really favored by the people of the region. The call by the FAO to turn to insects as a source of food is being validated by the fact that they provide high-quality protein and nutrients when compared with meat and fish and are particularly important as a food supplement for undernourished children. While many people may find it disgusting to think of eating insects, there are emerging studies quoted by the FAO saying that they can be rich sources of copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and zinc, and fibre. The humble beetle, ant or grasshopper are all being said to come close to lean red meat or broiled fish in terms of protein intake per gram.

Given the growing rate of population on one hand; the shrinking space of agricultural land to produce food, the hazards of eating processed and packed food, the lack of proper storage facilities for food grains in the country, turning to insects may be a practical if not so easy change of food habits. To those of us who do not hesitate while wasting food, the other side of the story is that many starve to death and have to resort to eating dry kernels of fruit to keep themselves alive. The other extreme end is that while the majority of the people may turn their noses at the thought of people eating insects or rodents even, there is the practice of ‘anything goes’ if the same fare gets served at a fancy restaurant at exorbitant rates. Hunger is basic and so is food and if the lowly insect can reduce the gap between the two what needs to be tackled is the value judgment given to people who eat what they eat.

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CBI autonomy

The Central Bureau of Investigation has been in the limelight in the wake of the Supreme Court’s criticism of the government for influencing the CBI
report in the coal blocks allocation scam. Many allege that it is being used by those in power for the wrong purpose. It has however done many laudable jobs. The problem exists in the slow process of the cases handled by the CBI. Inspite of the allegations one should understand that when any group wants a fair probe there is a demand for CBI probe. The issues are multifacated. We want the CBI to be fully autonomous and strengthened so that it can perform well and dispense justice. The police work in the whole country has suffered a lot and we need a strong body to investigate to high profile and sensitive cases which will work independently. Any organisation can not exist on its own and it has to be linked with the government in some way or the other. It also can not act as a loose weapon . it has also to be controlled and properly managed. It has to be answerable and accountable. It is heartening that the government has acted fast Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has formed a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to decide the plan of action to insulate the investigating agency from external influence.Besides Chidambaram, the GoM has External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, newly-appointed Law Minister Kapil Sibal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari and Minister of State for Personnel V. Narayanasamy as members.According to reports, the GoM will deliberate on ways to further strengthen CBI’s autonomy and safeguard it from any kind of outside interferences.The government’s move came after the Supreme Court had called the CBI “a caged parrot” that “speaks in its master’s voice” after the investigating agency admitted in an affidavit that Ashwani Kumar, who quit as the Law Minister on Friday, and senior officials of the Prime Minister’s Office and the coal ministry had made certain changes in the report on the allocation of coal blocks.The apex court, which reserved its harshest words for the CBI, calling it a “caged parrot with many masters”, stressed the need for the CBI to operate independently of the political establishment.”You are not a constable or head constable. You are a premier investigating agency and must learn to work under pressure. It (probe) is not a collaborative exercise between the CBI and ministry officials … It is a sordid saga of many masters and one parrot,” it said. The government should not have waited for the reprimand from the Apex Court.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cbi-autonomy/

PM cannot be asked to resign

BJP wants to use the demand for resignation of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohon Singh as election issue. This is one demand, which will never be met for Congress party has decided to fight the forthcoming Lok Sabha election under the leadership of the present incumbent. BJP fought state assembly elections in Karnataka with hyped up propaganda of providing better administration in the southern state. The result tells a different story. At the centre also Congress party will do well. People want nothing but development only. Congress party alone can ensure stable and powerful Government. A weak Government is not respected even by neighbouring countries. It may not be wrong to say regional parties can take care of the regional interest. But these regional parties want to keep safe distance from BJP. In Kashmir National Conference will never move closer to BJP. Even in Bihar JDU, which is a strong ally of BJP in the formation of NDA is considering of looking a different way. It will not be surprising when Biju Janata Dal, which is also an ally of BJP moves closer towards Congress after the lok Sabha elections slated for early part of 2014 is over. Then there is SP and BSP in UP. These two parties fight unto death against each other in the state election, yet at the national level both of them go together with Congress. These two parties will not like to face the fate they fell on Telegu Desam for supporting BJP Government at the centre in the past. Ours is a secular democracy. The party which is tinged with communal forces will always be rejected by voters. BJP now understands it. Therefore it is now on the lookout for an issue to go to voters. Voters know that also. Prime Minister Manmohon had in the past volunteered to resign saying he wants to relinquish the job. But none could take his offer. He had said how long I should continue to offer resignation when none can take it. Dr Manmohon Singh when asked why he lost in the Lok Sabha election from Delhi could say boldly he had no money. Such leader who talks of moneylessness without shame cannot be expected to show propensity to indulge in corrupt practices. If his colleagues were corrupt, they all had resigned. The issue had died with the resignation of tainted ministers and it (the issues) had been buried. In digging out the rotten things nothing will be gained expect getting stinky smell. 2 G spectrum allocation scam had ended with the dismissal of A. Raja former Telecom Minister then Coalgate scandal and railway board appointment scandal too had perished. The two ministers allegedly involved in the scam too had resigned. The chattering political class will feel the tiredness of keeping the mouth wide open. When it closes it will see the party it hates most adorning the mantle of power again at the centre.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pm-cannot-be-asked-to-resign/

Eviction drives

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In a growing urban landscape, the news of evictions as described by state actors and the plight of people living in the contested areas is often seen as a clear-cut case of black and white. The latest case of ‘encroachers being evicted’ that is taking place at Sangakpham area currently is on of the many instances where Government action followed by years of turning away a blind eye has resulted in much angst. As many would know, akin to other public spaces in and around Imphal, the area has for long been lived by people of the area who have constructed their houses and small business establishments over quite a period of time. The construction of the illegal structures were all in public domain and being seen by members of the establishment all this while. And since, no one was taking any action against the first few encroachers, many others followed suit investing their money and setting up homes and shops and the like. Now that the Government has decided to keep the place free from encroachers, the residents are crying foul. Here, the blame must be shared equally by both parties: the public for foraying into public property and using it without seeking legal approval and the government for neglecting to take timely action. In fact the lack of timely attention is often seen as tacit approval, which leads the public into a happy state of denial and not to forget commercial interests to take advantage and take over public property gradually. Often, the people who have settled into public area use the emotional track of pointing out that they have been living in the area since a long time and that destroying their property would amount to a loss of their investment capital etc.

The issue of encroaching into public property by the public is common across the country. In crowded cities and metros, the phenomenon of pavement dwellers and slums spilling into public property and staying out for long spells is beginning to get the attention of activists who say that people are being evicted to appease only a minority of the capitalist class who enter the picture on the card of ‘development’ ‘cleanliness’ and ‘urbanization’ of course. In Manipur too and mostly in the growing urban landscapes in Imphal and other district headquarters, most areas are encroached upon. The public knowingly encroaches while the concerned department willfully looks the other way. This has been happening for a long spell with sudden spurts of the Government machinery waking up from its slumber and getting into defensive and action control mode by demolishing structures. At one point of time, the Nambul river embankment side towards the rear of the Paona bazaar was full of encroachers. In what can only be greater irony, Keishampat area, which is the pulse centre of Imphal since it leads the way to the nerve centers of the town is full of encroachers thriving on both sides of the road.

Do people encroaching on public space need Government support and rehabilitation packages? Unfortunately, the answer is a big no with the Supreme Court saying that encroaching on public property is illegal. The observations came from a Bench comprising Justices Ruma Pal and Markanday Katju in 2006 which allowed civic authorities to demolish slum clusters in New Delhi. The only concession was that it directed civic authorities to ensure that people who had been living in the contested/disputed areas from a certain stipulated time should be helped with finding alternative spaces to settle down again. Of course, forced evictions from a legally owned property is a different issue altogether and the Government can only be on its back foot if it uses its machineries at its disposal to evict people from such areas. There is a wide awning gap between legal paperwork and emotional outbursts though social and traditional forms of ownership in certain cases are also recognized as equal to legal ownership. A case in point would be how this current case of eviction would be different from the evictions of fisher community who have lived down the ages around Loktak lake. But to save the trouble, it would far be better if the citizens on their part did not venture out to public property or to property not owned by them. On its part, the Government needs to step up its role in terms of timely action.

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What next?

In spite of the ban imposed on the smuggling of drugs from Manipur to Myanmar or vice versa still the fools are attempting to take chance on the road. Who are these people, who continue to dance in the false dream of becoming millionaires over night either by transferring contraband drugs to Myanmar or bringing heroin no 4 to Manipur? The arrest made so far reveals that all those involved in the illegal trade, be it those belonging to security forces or Manipur police or simple women, were used by unknown smugglers, whose whereabouts cannot be traced. These porters acted foolishly, tempted by money offered for transferring the banned items. They were all caught. They will not be able to escape easily. The law is also going to be made stricter to deal with the smugglers. What these fools do not know is that they have been scanned right from the place where they packed the items up to the place of delivery. Perhaps the women smugglers took security personnel lightly that they felt they could tuck the heroin no. 4 inside the sock. Law enforcing agencies outsmarted the smugglers by deploying women police personnel on the road. Lady police officials can check women smugglers unhindered. This message is loud and clear. The arrest of two women heroin porters on the Imphal-Moreh road has indicated the dexterity of the police personnel in arresting drug smugglers. Imphal, Moreh road has ceased to provide lackadaisical route to the smugglers of contraband items. The fools are advised to abandon the illegal trade of transferring contraband drugs using the strictly supervised road leading up to Myanmar. How long these smugglers will continue to rot in the jail? For life time or for a few months. Will they think of resorting to the same illegal trade after coming out from jail? If they do again they can be branded as one of the greatest fools. Manipur jails will be flooded with smugglers at this rate of arrest of drug smugglers. Two women and a man were arrested for carrying drugs and heroin no.4 yesterday. God knows how many of them will be arrested tomorrow. Drug seizure reports continue to decorate the top line of the newspapers. There is reason behind that. It fulfils the appetite of the news hungry readers. It also exposes the state of mind of desperate money hunters. They are out to grab every single opportunity to deliver their items to the destination by using all means available under the sun. They had used army officer, commando officials and lady porters. The next step God knows may be children. The smart police personnel on the road supervising the movement of all on the national highway must have to remain alert. Smugglers should not be allowed to outwit the expert men on the road.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/what-next/

A day for Mothers

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Yesterday was Mother’s day. One way of looking at such an observation is to scoff at the idea of marking out one single day to highlight the role of such an integral person as a mother in one’s life. The other is to quietly follow the herd mentality and give in to the market forces of buying cards, gifts and public declarations of maternal love and respect on social networking sites. In doing so, the value of relationships gets lost under the barrage of consumerist onslaught that has usurped the consciousness of the society today. The hold of market forces over observations marking out special days for friendship, love, parenthood and others has reached a stage where anyone missing out on sending out a wish, greeting card or gift is pressured into thinking that he/she has lot out on the meaning of the day and its significance. Ironically enough, the sheen of consumerism and market forces playing into social and family relations is not just limited to observations originating from the West but to our very own traditional and cultural occasions like Ningol Chakouba and Cheiraoba where the value of the gifts and presents exchanged are being minutely valued and compared. To come back to the observation of Mother`s Day, which started in the US, it is seen as having its roots in various women peace groups getting together during the American Civil War. These women were groups of mothers whose sons had fought against one another or died fighting against the other on opposing sides. But a day was not yet marked out in a sense and there was no broad based observation till the time a woman called Anna Jarvis, daughter of Anna Reeves Jarvis, who had moved from Grafton, West Virginia, to Philadelphia held a memorial for her mother in 1908. Her campaign to mark a ‘Mother’s Day’ a recognized holiday in the United States became successful in 1914. Tellingly enough, she was already disappointed with its commercialization by the 1920s. But the commercialization of the day egged on by event management houses, the greeting card industry and others led to the day being adopted in various other countries of the world.

Manipur in a sense do not need an additional Mothers’ Day given that there are already two days to mark the much heralded the existence of Meira Paibis. And even though the said two days will not see much attention beyond the confines of the state, it goes without saying that there is a need and urgency to look beyond token observations even with these said two days, beginning with looking at one day being marked instead of two. But more than marking out a day or two, what will be more significant for women in the state and more so for the Meira Paibi community is to look at whether they are to stand for the cause of women per so or for women divided on lines of community, ethnicity and political identity. More than ever, the women in Manipur need to embrace one another blurring the lines that divide and demand for their voices to be heard. It is time they give expressions to why they should not be involved in decision making but kept as foot soldiers when agitations on the streets are called for. A mothers’ day for the women of Manipur who are mothers would be meaningful only when each one can sleep peacefully knowing that they are being heard and revered. For this to happen, the mothers would have to first join hands amongst themselves and close ranks with others hailing from other communities. Only when mothers of sons unite in their grief, anger and frustration can perhaps, a change settle in.

For long, the women of Manipur has been glossed over with tales of historical stories going back to the Nupi Lals even as the present situation of women is nothing to write about. We have seen all too well how women leaders and our mothers are heading into mob justice on one hand while becoming moral custodians and on convenient silent mode when it suits the interest of certain groups. This would need to be changed to a new social and political order where women leaders and the mothers set the terms of peace and reconciliation, wherein they ensure police and legal systems are going on track by getting involved in legal processes. Perhaps then, Mother’s day can acquire the intent and meaning it started out in a foreign country all those years ago.

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Public money cannot be spent recklessly

Carpets can be bought and laid on the floor of the office of the VIPs if required. But buying it for use during the visit of VVIPs to the state is not a sensible advice. If it is not stolen it will be eaten up by rodents. Extra care needs to be taken to protect the woollen carpets. A care taker has to be employed to clean regularly the carpets and kanats. In the past some of the Government departments resorted to buying spree of Shamiyans and Kanats for use during the function held at the office complexes. What happened after one year? The items disappeared having landed at the houses of the officials and none returned it. Public money is not for wasting. These employees, who refuse to sweep even the floor office building, will not lend hand for stretching the clothes when the sun shines. But these items unless dried up regularly will end up being eaten up by moth. Fungus will appear and insects will damage the woollen carpets and kanats. Woolen jackets worn by male and female are kept under the sun during autumn season to kill the invisible insects resting on the yarn. Will these Government employees in charge of carpets and kanats do that? Public money is really valuable. It cannot be wasted by doing useless things. There are hundreds of tent houses in Manipur. All these items can be hired from these tent houses. By spending below Rs 10,000 a VVIP can be extended red carpet welcome at the airport. A 28 meter long carpet having two meters in width cost as low as Rs 14,000. Two rolls of carpet, which works out to 56 meters will be required for a VVIP to inspect the guard of honour. A tent house will happily lend the carpets for such grandeur function by charging only Rs 5000. Rs 30,00000 for buying carpets and kanats is too big. By spending the same amount a school building can repaired or a medium sized bridge can be constructed. Similarly wooden barricades used to separate crowd from VVIPs can be replaced by ropes. These wooden barricades stand for name sake. It will fall when a child push it. The rope will serve better purpose. If GAD wants to buy anything for use during the visit by the VVIPs the right choice is iron stand, which can be used for straightening ropes. Because iron stand cannot be eaten by rodents and insects. None will like it for it will be of no use to others. Assembly committee members having done the inspection might have made up their mind. The members of the committee, we are confident, will give perfect advice to the men in power to take extra care to cut down unnecessary expenditure. Let us see what comes out.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/public-money-cannot-be-spent-recklessly/