Tag: LEAD STORIES

Checkmate On The Fossil Fuel Dialogues

Donald Trump’s aggression in the Middle East reflects the West’s intended move to dominate the world economy which in other words can be equated to Nazi Germany’s campaign to subjugate the world militarily and politically with dominance over agricultural, mineral and oil rich countries By Salam Rajesh The Unites States’ interference in the Middle East […]

The post Checkmate On The Fossil Fuel Dialogues first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Donald Trump’s aggression in the Middle East reflects the West’s intended move to dominate the world economy which in other words can be equated to Nazi Germany’s campaign to subjugate the world militarily and politically with dominance over agricultural, mineral and oil rich countries

By Salam Rajesh

The Unites States’ interference in the Middle East is largely seen by observers as a premeditated campaign to consolidate its hold on the oil rich nations which the western states require to sustain and bolster their global geopolitical dominance – politically and economically.

Donald Trump’s aggression in the Middle East reflects the West’s intended move to dominate the world economy which in other words can be equated to Nazi Germany’s campaign to subjugate the world militarily and politically with dominance over agricultural, mineral and oil rich countries.

The United Nations has since been in the thick of heated debates over ending fossil fuel resourcing, exploitation and production as a means to address critical concerns on global warming and climate extremes that otherwise are threatening humanity and the planet with dire consequences if actions are not taken up immediately.

The call to reduce and halt fossil fuel use extensively has been the centre-piece of extended dialogues in several of the climate conferences around the world – Belem, Abu Dhabi, Baku, Kunming, Montreal, Paris, Tokyo, and many more.

Yet, the dialogues have remained stuck in most instances, with world leaders like Donald Trump kicking aside these dialogues as a ‘waste of time’. The United States had recently moved away from these dialogues by distancing itself from the UN functionaries, with even Trump saying that climate change is a ‘lie’.

In recent climate conferences there were heated debates between fossil fuel lobbyists and those suggesting reducing and limiting fossil fuel use globally.

The COP30 at Belem in Brazil, held in November last year, came up with a statement on transitioning away from fossil fuels, supported by over 80 countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Nepal, Netherlands, Panama, Spain, Slovenia, Vanuatu and Tuvalu.

The declaration is grounded in the scientific truth that fossil fuels are the primary driver of the climate crisis, and subsequently the Government of Colombia, in alliance with the Government of the Netherlands, announced the first international conference on just transition away from fossil fuels.

The conference proposed to be held at Santa Marta, Colombia, on 28 April later this year is projected as a broad intergovernmental, multi-sectoral platform, complementary to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), and designed to identify legal, economic, and social pathways for phasing out fossil fuels.

The proposed climate conference seeks in the deliberation on financial and trade mechanisms, macroeconomic challenges, fossil fuel subsidy phase out, renewable energy acceleration, economic diversification, and labor reconversion.

The Belem climate conference had some immediate results, such as, following the leaders’ summit at Belem, Netherlands’ Prime Minister went to Aruba to announce the closure of the oil refinery with a Dutch green subsidy fund. As of 2030, the Netherlands will prohibit electricity production with coal.

The atoll nation of Tuvalu, which is currently facing total submergence due to rising sea level as an after-effect of global warming, raised the urgency of climate action while noting that achieving the climate goals required international cooperation.

Tuvalu was one of the first countries to call for the development of a fossil fuel treaty, offering the clearest pathway for ‘a negotiated, fair and forcible transition away from coal, oil and gas’. The International Court of Justice, too, confirmed that acting in line with climate science is a legal obligation.

The proposed treaty process complements the Paris Climate agreement by addressing fossil fuel phase out directly.

Urging global community to support the proposed treaty, one of Tuvalu ministers called out that, “We are already drowning, but we will not give up and we will never give up. We are headed towards a point of no return and we need to do something (fast)”.

The Belem conference did emphasize that phasing out fossil fuels requires substantial growth in renewable energy, which is in other words is the energy transition that is necessary to address climate goals and to achieve stable economies, and overall security.

Meanwhile, even as these heated dialogues are doing the rounds in contrasting political scenario, climate watch groups are coming up with findings that are warnings of dire consequences if actions on climate mitigation and adaptation processes are not initiated post-haste.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) noted that ‘a large region of the subtropical and the northeast North Atlantic, including the Norwegian Sea, had the warmest sea surface temperatures (SSTs) on record for the time of year’.

The SSTs were higher than the average in large parts of the North Pacific Ocean as well and were near normal in central and eastern Pacific Ocean, because of the prevailing weak La Nina conditions, C3S said.

In the Southern Hemisphere, where it is summer season now, temperatures in southern South America, Northern Africa, most of Australia and Antarctica were much higher than the normal. This lead to extensive and intense heat waves in many regions and even triggered devastating wildfires, the climate watch group said.

The excessive heat that generated wildfires in southeastern Australia in the second week of January earlier this year were made five times more likely and 1.6 degrees Celsius hotter due to global warming and consequent climate change, according to an analysis by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) consortium.

The cold snaps on land did not have much of an impact on sea surface temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, especially close to Europe and North America. The average sea surface temperatures between the latitudes 60°S–60°N was 20.68°C was the fourth highest average SST on record.

All said and done, the unprecedented winter storm that lashed parts of the United States, including New York, earlier this year is a fair warning that climate extremes are becoming more extreme by the year.

 

The post Checkmate On The Fossil Fuel Dialogues first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: https://thefrontiermanipur.com/checkmate-on-the-fossil-fuel-dialogues/

SIR and the Indigenous Question in Manipur

The Special Intensive Revision revives debate over citizenship, infiltration, and the ambiguity surrounding the ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ entry in Manipur’s Scheduled Tribes list. With no clear historical or demographic basis for the 2003 insertion, defining indigeneity under the new nomenclature may prove contentious. By Salam Rajesh India is currently in the process of executing a […]

The post SIR and the Indigenous Question in Manipur first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

The Special Intensive Revision revives debate over citizenship, infiltration, and the ambiguity surrounding the ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ entry in Manipur’s Scheduled Tribes list. With no clear historical or demographic basis for the 2003 insertion, defining indigeneity under the new nomenclature may prove contentious.

By Salam Rajesh

India is currently in the process of executing a major task on the identification of its native citizens through a revision in the electoral roll across the country, an exercise that is projected to have hiccups and significant demographic impacts.

The countrywide SIR (Special Intensive Revision) seeks in weeding out the unwanted elements – the unauthorized, illegal entrants to the country via dubious means – infiltration through porous international borders, refugees from ethnic conflicts and wars, illegal immigration, migrant labor, and asylum seekers – all rolled into one.

For a starter, the southern State of Kerala removed a massive 897,211 individuals from its electoral roll, in obviously the process of weeding out unidentified individuals living in the State without authorization.

The Election Commission of India published the final electoral roll for Kerala after the SIR exercise, minus the near nine lakh ‘non-native’ individuals, leaving the actual number of eligible voters in that State at 2,69,53,644 voters, as compared to 2,78,50,855 before the Special Intensive Revision began in October 2025.

In the revised list, male voters numbered 1,31,26,048, while female voters accounted for 1,38,27,319, and transgender voters at 277. The number of overseas voters in the updated roll is 2,23,558, while service voters stand at 54,110.

So, keeping in mind this huge exercise in deleting a chunk of ‘non-native’ electorates from the state’s electoral list, it then comes to the basic question on how Manipur State will fare in this Special Intensive Revision exercise.

For one thing, there are repeated allegations of the unauthorized entry of elements from two neighboring countries – Myanmar and Bangladesh – in all of these years, yet so far failing to do a similar exercise to weed out the undesired elements.

The porous international border with neighboring Myanmar has always been the cited reason for the clandestine entry of illegal immigrants, smugglers, drug runners, armed militants, and so forth. Besides that, the lack of a foolproof mechanism to check entries at Jiribam, Mao Gate and Moreh has also been a factor for the unchecked entry of ‘foreign’ elements into Manipur.

Civil society organizations based in the State have given the call for conducting the NRC (National Register of Citizenship) before proceeding with the SIR exercise in view of the allegations over unaccounted number of ‘non-native’ individuals living in the State without valid documents.

Some time back, too, there was uproar over unreasonable increase in electorates within the Paomata circle in the northern uplands by almost over one hundred thousand individuals, beyond reasons unfathomable.

In the midst of these developments, Union home minister Amit Shah had announced in Guwahati the other day that all undesired elements from the North East region would be identified and kicked out.

This, of course, is better said than done. The northeastern states are well known for the controversies over large number of ‘infiltrators’ living and working in these states without valid reasons.

Assam and Arunachal Pradesh had issues with the Chakma refugees from Bangladesh. Manipur and Mizoram are infested with war refugees from neighboring Myanmar, plus the Rohingya refugees after genocide in that country, and added with the perpetual problem of the infiltration of drug runners and their henchmen.

The Centre had initiated process to fence the entire stretch of the international border shared by Myanmar with the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, but that again is facing hiccups following objections from the States on the controversial issue of the free movement regime (FMR).

For Manipur, the SIR exercise could be an issue based on the demographic imbalance created by large infiltration particularly from Myanmar, with equal concern on allegations of infiltration from Bangladesh.

The effectiveness of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system had long been in doubt over reports that the modus operandi of ‘officials’ at the entry points, particularly for the land routes, was turning the operation into a money-minting process by issuing ILPs with fake Aadhar cards.

All said and done, given the reason of the recent ethnic conflicts in the State vis-à-vis the dominance of armed militants ruling the roost, it is probable that the SIR exercise is going to face a rough-shod experience with most likely ‘disturbances’ from the armed non-state actors with dubious objectives, as fairly demonstrated at Sinakeithel village on Monday earlier this week.

Kuki groups had said that they will have nothing doing with the Manipur Government unless their demand for ‘separate administration’ is fulfilled. Yet, with the Central Government flatly denying this, it is perhaps going to be a hurdle for the SIR exercise in the ‘Kuki-inhabited’ pockets within Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts.

The issue is further complicated by the inclusion of the terminology ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ as was published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary on 8th January, 2003 (in serial No.33 after Poumai in serial 30, Tarao in serial 31 and Kharam in serial 32) recognizing scheduled tribes for the State, where the contention from various angles was that the terminology was vague and does not specify any known tribe(s) in the State as such.

Incidentally, no other Indian State had such vague naming of tribe or terminology in the Amendment to the Act of 2002, thereby creating room for doubt on manipulation to certain degree with none opposing the inclusion at that time.

This particular terminology was (re)inserted in the country’s The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 2002 (Gazette of India No.10 of 2003) at a time when the Union Government amended the Act to accord official recognition to few more tribes as Scheduled Tribes of Manipur under the Indian Constitution, and further at a time when a prominent Kuki leader was a minister at the Centre.

The coincidence is reflective of manipulation where the terminology ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ did not feature in the earlier schedule. So, unless this terminology is erased from the scheduled tribes list for Manipur, it is going to make matters complicated at the time of the SIR exercise.

Who would be the ‘Any Kuki Tribes’, and on what basis with reference to the demography and known history of the State, and the population counts all through these years. It will be difficult to name any specific tribe as ‘Indigenous’ under this new nomenclature other than the known tribes already in the scheduled tribes list for the State prior to 2003.

Statistically, Manipur’s total population is seen as rising in every census count. Whereas, this increase is neither re-assessed for validation nor re-confirmed on ground, that is, ground truthing vis-à-vis the allegations of infiltration and establishment of unidentified new villages (some allegedly within Protected Areas such as Reserved Forests and Wildlife Sanctuaries).

In all, the call for NRC exercise prior to SIR exercise sounds reasonable to avoid complicacy in assessing the actual count of heads eligible to cast votes in the State, albeit proxy citizenship and possible forged documents to identify themselves as ‘Indigenous’.

The post SIR and the Indigenous Question in Manipur first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: https://thefrontiermanipur.com/sir-and-the-indigenous-question-in-manipur/

Loktak Fishers Strive to achieve GBF Targets

Champu Khangpok fishers turn global biodiversity goals into grassroots action at Loktak Lake. The fishing community makes it a point to organize important annual events highlighting environmental and ecological concerns, sensitizing locals on the objectives of the GBF targets with prioritization on the long-term conservation of the freshwater Loktak Lake and its biological diversity. By Salam […]

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Champu Khangpok fishers turn global biodiversity goals into grassroots action at Loktak Lake. The fishing community makes it a point to organize important annual events highlighting environmental and ecological concerns, sensitizing locals on the objectives of the GBF targets with prioritization on the long-term conservation of the freshwater Loktak Lake and its biological diversity.

By Salam Rajesh

In these past several recent years, the fishing community thriving upon the floating island village of Champu Khangpok within Loktak Ramsar site in India’s far flung northeastern State of Manipur had continuously been contributing their mite in achieving locally some of the goals outlined in the targets set under the Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) that came into force at the CBD Kunming-Montreal convention during 2022 end came up with several goals that primarily aimed at achieving targets addressing biodiversity loss and species decline worldwide.

Much of the CBD’s GBF Targets – 23 targets in all – predominantly focuses on incorporating the active participation of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in achieving the set goals in both short and long terms.

Fishers staging awareness drive in Loktak Lake.

Keeping this background in perspective, the fishing community of Champu Khangpok floating island village had since set themselves to task in contributing meaningfully towards achieving some of the aspects outlined in the CBD GBF targets in their own humble way, howsoever small their efforts might seem to be.

Champu Khangpok marked the observation of World Wetlands Day 2026 earlier this year with a cleanup drive within the lake and along the waterway of Yangoi Achouba (albeit Nambul River), prioritizing the fact that the lake had since become a dumping ground of urban wastes carried by the river along its flow through Imphal city, a fairly populated urbanized zone.

Champu Khangpok villagers also take upon themselves the task of regulating capture fishery to prevent species population decline within the lake and to restrict random capture of fingerlings during the spawning season, and in preventing unethical fishing methods using LED blubs at nighttime and electrocuting fish using batteries.

The fishing community makes it a point to organize important annual events highlighting environmental and ecological concerns, sensitizing locals on the objectives of the GBF targets with prioritization on the long term conservation of the freshwater Loktak Lake and its biological diversity.

Target 3 of the CBD’s GBF focuses on the conservation of 30 percent of the land, waters and the seas globally to protect life on land and in water. Within this target is an important element to recognize the Indigenous and traditional territories.

The Convention recognizes that ‘Indigenous peoples and local communities often own, occupy and manage areas with unique and significant biodiversity. The appropriate recognition of these areas, therefore, could make important contributions in achieving this target’.

This consideration comes with the perspective that the rights of the Indigenous peoples and local communities must be respected fully, including obtaining their free, prior and informed consent in all matters.

The Convention is convinced that the well-governed, effectively managed and representative protected areas, and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), are a proven method for safeguarding both habitats and populations of species and for delivering important ecosystem services and multiple benefits to people.

The CBD has made it a valid point that ‘local people managed protected areas is a central element of biodiversity conservation strategies at the local, national and global levels’.

This consideration of IPLCs’ contribution in safeguarding biodiversity adds strength in achieving the GBF’s Target 4 which focuses on halting species extinction, protecting genetic diversity, and in managing human-wildlife conflicts.

Target 4 specifically ensures urgent management actions ‘to halt human induced extinction of known threatened species and for the recovery and conservation of species, in particular threatened species, and to significantly reduce extinction risk’.

The goal further is ‘to maintain and restore the genetic diversity within and between populations of native, wild and domesticated species to maintain their adaptive potential, including through in-situ and ex-situ conservation and sustainable management practices’.

In the same breadth, Target 6 of the GBF looks at addressing the menace of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) of plants and animals, seeking the reduction of the introduction of IAS by 50 percent globally within a time frame, and, thereto, minimize their impact on the localized biodiversity.

The objective of Target 6 is broadly outlined as: ‘Eliminate, minimize, reduce and or mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity and ecosystem services by identifying and managing pathways of the introduction of alien species, preventing the introduction and establishment of priority IAS, reducing the rates of introduction and establishment of other known or potential IAS by at least 50 percent, by 2030, eradicating or controlling IAS especially in priority sites, such as islands’.

This is one of the priority areas that the Loktak fishers have specifically focused upon in all of these years, highlighting time and again on the menace of aquatic plants, and fish, that are alien to the freshwater Loktak Lake and which are proving as nuisance plants, and fish, within the lake.

Another of the issues faced by the Loktak fishers is the level of pollution within the lake, accentuated by the pollutant loads and sewerage discharge from the urban areas. The Nambul River carries maximum pollutant loads from the urbanized Imphal city areas, a factor for high pollution level in the lake.

This issue is reflected in the GBF’s Target 7 which specifically focuses on reducing pollution to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity.

Target 7 specifies on ‘reducing pollution risks and the negative impact of pollution from all sources, by 2030, to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, considering its cumulative effects’.

It further seeks in ‘reducing excess nutrients lost to the environment by at least half including through more efficient nutrient cycling and use; reducing the overall risk from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals by at least half including through integrated pest management, based on science, taking into account food security and livelihoods; and also preventing, reducing, and working towards eliminating plastic’.

In a nutshell, achieving these targets might be a herculean task for the marginalized fishing community of Loktak Lake, whereas, the zeal to contribute their mite in the smallest possible ways is there for all to see, visible through their continuous activities in their own humble way.

This is where the state and central authorities can step in to aid the Loktak fishers in their march forward – a tiny step taken yet meaningful in saving, protecting and conserving one of India’s most significant inland freshwater lakes – and, that too, a Ramsar site of international importance.

 

The post Loktak Fishers Strive to achieve GBF Targets first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: https://thefrontiermanipur.com/loktak-fishers-strive-to-achieve-gbf-targets/

The Plague of Introduced Species

How cane toads, paragrass, carp and hyacinth became ecological disruptors in Australia and Manipur. By Salam Rajesh Earlier this month, Jennifer Geer writing for A-Z Animal.com, provided a descriptive narrative of how an imported and introduced toad species from Hawaii by the Australian Government ultimately became the proverbial Frankenstein in the making. In 1935, Queensland […]

The post The Plague of Introduced Species first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

How cane toads, paragrass, carp and hyacinth became ecological disruptors in Australia and Manipur.

By Salam Rajesh

Earlier this month, Jennifer Geer writing for A-Z Animal.com, provided a descriptive narrative of how an imported and introduced toad species from Hawaii by the Australian Government ultimately became the proverbial Frankenstein in the making.

In 1935, Queensland in Australia faced a major crisis in its sugar cane crop production after a native beetle species, Greyback Cane Beetle (Dermolepida albohirtum), commenced wreaking havoc on the sugarcane plants.

The beetle larvae lived in the soil and chewed on sugarcane roots, stunting growth or killing the plants. This incurred major economic losses for the sugarcane farmers. There was a need to find a solution fast enough to prevent further losses.

Seeking a natural solution to kill the grubs, the Australian government imported Cane Toads (Rhinella marina) from Hawaii, with the hope that the toads would eat the grubs and save the sugarcane.

Unfortunately enough, as history proved, the worst-case scenario occurred. The toads did not keep the beetle populations in check. Instead, they became one of Australia’s most destructive (alien) invasive species and an ecological disaster, writes Geer. Today, the toads are considered invasive species in Australia, the Caribbean Islands, Hawaii, and Florida.

Cane Toad.

In August 1935, the BSES (Queensland Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations) released 2400 cane toads into sugarcane plantations in Gordonvale, North Queensland. By 1950, the Australian government declared the cane toad an invasive predator.

Dangers from the toads included poisoning animals that prey on them, outcompeting native species for resources, and their voracious appetites. Geer writes that 75 species of Australian crocodiles, lizards, and freshwater turtles were threatened by the toads.

Some of the animals that are in danger of dying after they eat a cane toad include the Australian monitor lizards, quolls, tiger snakes, and freshwater crocodiles. Many of these animals are designated as threatened species in the country.

This story fairly well finds reflection in India, too, with stories of introduced species ultimately becoming monsters in disguise. Like most States in the country, Manipur too is not an exception to such stories of disasters.

In the mid 1970s, the State’s veterinary department reportedly introduced Paragrass (Brachiaria mutica) as fodder for milch cows that, too, were imported from Haryana. It was reported that the cows were housed in a mechanized cattle farm in the Iroishemba area in Imphal West District.

The remains of the feed, that is, the undigested or the uneaten parts of the paragrass soon found their way to the riverbank of Nambul River via its feeder rivulets, either as cow excreta or intentionally dumped as waste. Today, paragrass is one of the major nuisance semi-aquatic plants in most water bodies within the Manipur River basin.

Paragrass (Napi tujombi in the vernacular) is a major headache for Loktak Lake (a Ramsar site) managers as this fast spreading grass had virtually spread its tentacles across the peripheral shoreline, crowded over the floating biomass Phumdi, and literally had become the major reason for depletion of native plants, in particular the edible aquatic, semi-aquatic and semi-terrestrial species of food and medicinal values.

Paragrass in Loktak wetland.

The story of the notorious cane toads of Australia indeed finds a parallel with the notorious paragrass in Manipur, well defined amongst the floating biomass of Loktak Lake. The one is a story of an animal (an amphibian) and the other is of a plant (a grass). Amazing comparison at the best!

It may be recalled here that Target 6 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) re-emphasizes the elimination, minimization, reduction or the mitigation of impacts of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) of plants and animals on the biodiversity and ecosystems across the seven continents.

The GBF’s Target 6 specifically seeks the prevention of the introduction and establishment of priority invasive alien species, reducing the rates of introduction and establishment of other known, or potential, IAS plants and animals by at least 50 percent by the target year 2030.

For the Asia and the Pacific CBD Regional Group, 37 member countries including India have set at least one national target to be achieved by year 2030.

On this end, the National Biodiversity Authority of India (NBA) in 2022 had framed lists of invasive alien species of plants and animals under its Inland Invasive Alien Species of Fishes of India that are of priority for control, reduction and elimination throughout the country by year 2030.

Top on the list of the Inland Invasive Alien Species of Fishes of India according to the NBA is one of the commonest cultured fishes in the country, and in Manipur too, and that is, the Common Carp (Eurasian or European carp, Cyprinus carpio; Puklaobi in the vernacular).

The Common Carp was introduced in Manipur way back in 1964 according to fish expert Professor Waikhom Vishwanath. Interestingly, in India the fish was first introduced in Cuttack in 1939, and in Bangkok in 1957. The fish’s native range covers rivers in Europe and in Asia.

The fish Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus; Tunghanbi in the vernacular) a species originating from East Africa and introduced in India in 1952, finds itself second in the priority list of invasive alien species of fishes to be either controlled or eradicated entirely in India by the target year 2030.

Two very commonly seen aquatic plants in Manipur, namely, Pontederia crassipes (Eichhornia crassipes/Water hyacinth; Kabo-kang) and Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides; Kabo-napi) find themselves listed on the top of the priority IAS plants to be either controlled or eradicated completely by 2030.

The proliferation of Pontederia crassipes in large number across the water body of a wetland endangers it as excessive growth of the plant ‘inhibits the growth of fish and other aquatic organisms due to cut down of light and lack of oxygen’ according to experts.

In fact, at one point of time the plant was known as the ‘Terror of Bengal’ because of its rapid growth and domination across most water bodies in that State, rapidly affecting the fisheries and impacting rural economy drastically.

The Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) at one point of time had noted that ‘the gregarious growth of weeds like Brachiaria mutica and Alternanthera philoxeroides unless controlled, may pose a great threat to the biodiversity of the Keibul Lamjao National Park – habitat of the highly threatened Manipur Brow-antlered Deer’.

Defining Invasive Alien Species, Costello et al. (2022) says, “Alien species are organisms which are introduced to regions in which they would not be found naturally, as a result of unintentional or deliberate human action”.

“In the majority of cases, alien species are unable to survive in their new environment without human support. However, a small proportion will manage to adapt to their new surroundings and establish populations in the wild. Some of these alien species have negative impacts on the environment, for example predation or competition for resources with native animals or plants”.

 

The post The Plague of Introduced Species first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: https://thefrontiermanipur.com/the-plague-of-introduced-species/

Can Khemchand withstand the anger of Churachandpur?

Churachandpur has long been home to multiple identity groups—Kuki, Zo, Paite, Hmar—often spoken of as a single political bloc. During the peak of ethnic strife in Manipur, these groups projected a united front, speaking in one voice across platforms and asserting that they were inseparable, two sides of the same coin. That narrative, however, is […]

The post Can Khemchand withstand the anger of Churachandpur? first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Churachandpur has long been home to multiple identity groups—Kuki, Zo, Paite, Hmar—often spoken of as a single political bloc. During the peak of ethnic strife in Manipur, these groups projected a united front, speaking in one voice across platforms and asserting that they were inseparable, two sides of the same coin. That narrative, however, is now visibly unraveling.

By Leichombam Kullajit

Who, in reality, controls Churachandpur today? The question may sound awkward, even misplaced, considering that Manipur now has a newly sworn-in government led by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh. Constitutionally and administratively, the answer should be obvious. Yet, the political atmosphere on the ground suggests a far more complicated reality.
Almost immediately after the swearing-in ceremony—alongside four cabinet colleagues, including former minister Nemcha Kipgen, now elevated to Deputy Chief Minister—waves of resentment began surfacing from sections of Churachandpur district and the wider Kangpokpi region. The anger, largely articulated by groups identifying themselves as Kuki-Zo, is rooted in their outright rejection of the new government. Their position is uncompromising: Kuki-Zo legislators, they insist, should not participate in governance unless the Centre grants their long-standing demand for a “separate administration” or a Union Territory with legislative powers.
If viewed in isolation, such demands could be framed as an attempt—however controversial—to find a political solution to the violence that erupted between the Meiteis and Kukis nearly three years ago. But a closer reading of statements and press releases issued by various organisations in Churachandpur reveals a deeper, more unsettling truth. The conflict, it appears, is no longer merely between communities; it is increasingly internal.
Churachandpur has long been home to multiple identity groups—Kuki, Zo, Paite, Hmar—often spoken of as a single political bloc. During the peak of ethnic strife in Manipur, these groups projected a united front, speaking in one voice across platforms and asserting that they were inseparable, two sides of the same coin. That narrative, however, is now visibly unraveling.
Today, these same groups stand openly opposed to one another, exposing fractures that had long existed beneath the surface. The question of “who controls what” has become central, and with it, the realization that these identities—once portrayed as indivisible—are fundamentally distinct, with competing interests that may never fully converge, regardless of power or circumstance.
This brings the focus squarely back to Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh. A senior BJP leader with years of political experience, he now faces a test that goes far beyond cabinet management or legislative coordination. The real challenge lies outside the assembly—posed by fractured groups, hardened narratives, and ambitious, often reckless, political actors operating at the margins.
Whether Khemchand can withstand these storms will depend on more than political survival. It will rest on his willingness to assert authority, draw clear lines between negotiation and lawlessness, and demonstrate that peace and normalcy are not slogans but enforceable goals. Accommodation and dialogue are essential—but so are limits.
Allowing unlawful activities to flourish in select pockets of the state risks undermining not only governance but the Chief Minister’s own credibility and judgment. This moment, therefore, is an acid test of leadership.
At the same time, those who speak in the language of defiance must also reckon with reality. History has shown that demands achieved through chaos and confrontation rarely endure. There are paths to negotiation, and there are consequences for pursuing goals that are neither feasible nor constitutional.
Manipur stands at a delicate crossroads. Whether it moves toward reconciliation or deeper fragmentation may well depend on how firmly—and wisely—its new Chief Minister navigates the anger of Churachandpur.

The post Can Khemchand withstand the anger of Churachandpur? first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: https://thefrontiermanipur.com/can-khemchand-withstand-the-anger-of-churachandpur/

President’s Rule Revoked in Manipur Ahead of New Government’s Swearing-in

In a gazette notification issued on Wednesday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced that President Droupadi Murmu had revoked the proclamation under Article 356 of the Constitution with immediate effect. TFM Report President’s Rule has been revoked in Manipur nearly a year after it was imposed, clearing the way for the formation of a […]

The post President’s Rule Revoked in Manipur Ahead of New Government’s Swearing-in first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

In a gazette notification issued on Wednesday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced that President Droupadi Murmu had revoked the proclamation under Article 356 of the Constitution with immediate effect.
TFM Report
President’s Rule has been revoked in Manipur nearly a year after it was imposed, clearing the way for the formation of a new BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the state. The revocation came just hours ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of the new council of ministers scheduled for Wednesday evening.
In a gazette notification issued on Wednesday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced that President Droupadi Murmu had revoked the proclamation under Article 356 of the Constitution with immediate effect.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 356 of the Constitution, I, Droupadi Murmu, President of India, hereby revoke the Proclamation issued by me under the said article on the 13th day of February, 2025, in relation to the State of Manipur with effect from the 4th day of February, 2026,” the order said.
President’s Rule was imposed on February 13, 2025, following the resignation of then Chief Minister N Biren Singh. During this period, the Manipur Legislative Assembly remained in suspended animation — neither functioning nor dissolved.
The political crisis had deepened earlier when the Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) withdrew support from the Biren Singh government in November 2024. Biren resigned on February 9, 2025, after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda, paving the way for central rule.
NDA legislature party leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh will be sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Manipur at 6 pm on Tuesday at Lok Bhavan. The Manipur BJP confirmed the development in a post on X.
Khemchand Singh belongs to the Meitei community. Nemcha Kipgen from the Kuki community and Losii Dikho from the Naga community will take oath as Deputy Chief Ministers.
Ahead of the ceremony, an NDA delegation led by Khemchand Singh met Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Lok Bhavan to stake claim to form the government. The delegation included two MLAs from the Kuki-Zo majority districts of Churachandpur and Pherzawl.
Manipur has been grappling with ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities since May 2023, a conflict that has claimed more than 200 lives. The state was previously governed by a BJP-led administration.

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Stolen years of Manipur’s history ?

Today, Manipur stands fractured. What is often described as “ethnic violence” between Meiteis and Kukis has stretched into its third year, with no clear end in sight. Highways remain blockaded, normal life is suspended, and an entire generation of young people is growing up amid fear, displacement, and uncertainty. By Leichombam Kullajit Manipur’s present tragedy […]

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Today, Manipur stands fractured. What is often described as “ethnic violence” between Meiteis and Kukis has stretched into its third year, with no clear end in sight. Highways remain blockaded, normal life is suspended, and an entire generation of young people is growing up amid fear, displacement, and uncertainty.

By Leichombam Kullajit

Manipur’s present tragedy is not merely a clash of communities; it is the cumulative outcome of years of political manipulation, calculated neglect, and strategic opportunism. What is unfolding today is not an accident of history, but the consequence of choices long made and quietly sustained.
The Government of India is well aware that a significant portion of the Kuki population in Manipur traces its origins to cross-border migration from Myanmar, facilitated by the porous and forested frontiers of Mizoram and Manipur. It is also aware of the harsh realities many of these migrants face—precarious living conditions, economic marginalisation, and the pervasive influence of criminal networks, including drug trafficking, in the region across the eastern border.
Yet, instead of addressing these vulnerabilities through meaningful development, rehabilitation, and integration, the Indian state chose a different path. It identified grievance as an instrument and despair as a resource. These marginalised communities were not uplifted; they were used—deployed as strategic proxies in the state’s long-standing effort to counter insurgencies it perceived as existential threats, particularly those involving Meitei and Naga movements in the northeastern subcontinent.


This reality is not lost on the Kukis themselves. They understand the nature of their exploitation and the unspoken bargain it entailed: compliance in exchange for recognition, protection, and the distant promise of political accommodation. It is within this context that the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement of 2008 must be understood.
Many continue to ask how nearly 25 armed Kuki militant organisations—fragmented along clan lines—could suddenly emerge under the banner of defending the Indian Constitution. Unlike Meitei or Naga insurgent groups, which evolved over decades in open defiance of the Indian state, these organisations appeared abruptly, accepted constitutional legitimacy, and entered into SoO arrangements with remarkable ease. Prior to the 1990s, there were no consolidated Kuki militant platforms such as the KNO or UPF, nor were there articulated political demands of comparable scale. This raises an unavoidable question: on what basis did the Indian Army negotiate a Suspension of Operations with groups that posed no direct challenge to the territorial integrity of the country?
The answer, many believe, lies in a strategic calculation. For New Delhi, the principal obstacle was never the Kukis or their armed groups—it was the entrenched political aspirations of the Meiteis and the Nagas. In that equation, the Kukis became a convenient counterweight.
Today, Manipur stands fractured. What is often described as “ethnic violence” between Meiteis and Kukis has stretched into its third year, with no clear end in sight. Highways remain blockaded, normal life is suspended, and an entire generation of young people is growing up amid fear, displacement, and uncertainty. Under these circumstances, it is reasonable to ask whether the crisis has been allowed—perhaps even engineered—to linger, quietly stealing the future of Manipur’s youth and erasing irreplaceable chapters of its history.
Political games may succeed for a time, but they cannot endure indefinitely. If the Government of India genuinely seeks peace, stability, and justice in Manipur, it must abandon short-term tactical thinking and confront the deeper causes of the conflict it helped shape. Otherwise, the burden of this unresolved crisis will not only continue to devastate Manipur—it will return, heavier and more complex, to the very state that once believed it could control the outcome.

( Leichombam Kullajit is a senior jounalist based in Imphal.)

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Tension prevails in Manipur; Govt suspends mobile data services after reports of arson, clashes

In an effort to thwart the “design and activities of anti-national and anti-social elements and to maintain peace”, the government decided to suspend mobile data services in the state TFM Report Parts of Manipur, particularly in Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts witnessed palpable tension following a ‘Tribal Solidarity Rally’ called by All Tribal Student’s Union Manipur […]

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In an effort to thwart the “design and activities of anti-national and anti-social elements and to maintain peace”, the government decided to suspend mobile data services in the state

TFM Report

Parts of Manipur, particularly in Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts witnessed palpable tension following a ‘Tribal Solidarity Rally’ called by All Tribal Student’s Union Manipur (ATSUM) in all hill districts of the state. There were reports of violence and clashes between volunteers of different communities. Following the volatile situation, the government of Manipur has  decided to suspend mobile data services in the state.  All mobile service providers are hereby directed to ensure compliance of this order.

An order issued by Commissioner (Home), the Director General of Police, Manipur vide letter No.IC/11(163)/2008-PHQ(Pt)/01422 dated 03-05-2023 reported that, All Tribal Student’s Union Manipur (ATSUM) organized a rally in all hill districts on 03-05-2023 with total shutdown in all hill districts from 6 AM to 4 PM in protest against the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. During this rally and total shutdown there are reports on incidents like fighting amongst volunteers/youths of different communities and situation is tense and volatile in the districts of Bishnupur and Churachandpur, said the order.

The government order said that some anti-social elements are using social media extensively for transmission of images, hate speech and hate video messages inciting the passions of the public. The social media has also become a handy tool for rumor mongers and is being used to incite general public which might have serious repercussions for the law and order situation in
the State of Manipur.

The state government said that there is an imminent danger of loss of life and/or damage to public/private property, and wide spread disturbances to public tranquillity and communal harmony, as a result of inflammatory material and false rumours, which are being/could be transmitted/circulated to the public through social media/messaging services on mobile services, SMS services and dongle services. In an effort to thwart the “design and activities of anti-national and anti-social elements and to maintain peace and communal harmony and to prevent any loss of life or danger to public/private property, the order said that “it has become necessary to take adequate measures to maintain law and order in public interest, by stopping the spread of disinformation and false rumours, through various social media platform such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. on mobile phone and SMS, for facilitating and/or mobilization of mobs of agitators and demonstrators, which can cause loss of life and/or damage to public/private property by indulging in arson/vandalism and other types of violent activities”.

Invoking powers conferred under Rule 2 of Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017, “having satisfied that the above situation is likely to cause serious disturbances to the entire peaceful co-existence of the communities and maintenance of public order”, the state government has ordered the suspension/curbing of mobile data services in the territorial jurisdiction of the State of Manipur. All Mobile Service providers have been directed to ensure compliance of this order which will be in force for the next 5(five) days. Any person found guilty for violation of aforesaid orders will be liable for legal action, said the order.

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Tribal Solidarity March held in Ukhrul

Organised by Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) under the aegis of All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM), the rally kickstarted from Gandhi Chowk and wind up at Mini Secretariat Complex Ukhrul. The rally was also participated by representatives from KSO-Ukhrul. TFM Ukhrul Correspondent Tribal Solidarity March under the theme “Come Now Let Us Reason Together” was […]

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Organised by Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) under the aegis of All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM), the rally kickstarted from Gandhi Chowk and wind up at Mini Secretariat Complex Ukhrul. The rally was also participated by representatives from KSO-Ukhrul.

TFM Ukhrul Correspondent

Tribal Solidarity March under the theme “Come Now Let Us Reason Together” was held on Wednesday at the Ukhrul District Headquarters.

Organised by Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) under the aegis of All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM), the rally kickstarted from Gandhi Chowk and wind up at Mini Secretariat Complex Ukhrul. The rally was also participated by representatives from KSO-Ukhrul. Those who participated in the rally submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India through the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul.

The memorandum stated that “in the event of the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei community in the ST category gaining momentum with most of the Legislators from the valley including the Hon’ble MP (Rakya Sabha) openly declaring their support without taking into account of the irrationality of the demand and sentiments of the tribal community of the State, the Tangkhul tribe Student’s Union is constrained to submit this representation as a reminder for utmost perusal and intervention as the future of the tribal communities looks bleak and uncertain.”

The memorandum also mentioned that “the Hills, constituting more than 90% of the total geographical areas and about 41% of the total population, have been subjugated, marginalized and deprived by the State Government dominated by the majority valley community for decades. The Industrial Unit Index and Infrastructural Unit Index clearly revealed that the tribals of Manipur have been under extreme form of subjugation and domination in their own land. As such, granting of ST status to the Meitei/Meetei community, who have already enjoyed all the benefits of modern amenities, will further annihilate the minority tribal communities who will ultimately be rendered landless in their own homeland since the Meitei/Meetei community will be free to snatched the lands and grabbed the 31% reservation allocated for the tribals”.

“Moreover, the tribal communities genuinely feel that a separate political system with full autonomy will be the only way out if we are to protect the weak amd marginalized tribal community from the onslaught of the dominant Meitei/Meetei community. Therefore, in the light of the above facts and circumstances, the tribal people of the state called upon your honourable self to help prevent the inclusion of Meitei/Meetei as Scheduled Tribe in the constitution of India. The recognition of Meitei/Meetei as Scheduled Tribe will not only sound a dead knell to the constitution protection of hill tribal communities in the country. It will also be a contempt to the democratic principles of justice amd equality, the foundation on which this great country is built upon. As such, this illogical and illegitimate demand should be prevented at all cost.”, said the memorandum.

It also stated that “it is well known fact that the Meitei/Meetei community, a majority in the state of Manipur categorised as General, Scheduled Caste amd Other Backward Classes is excelling and commanding in all aspects of life. Besides government jobs, their districts are far ahead of other districts in the while Northeast India. According to the table provided, the Infrastructural Development Index of Districts of Manipur (2009), the valley districts namely Imphal West has a CDI Value of 328.96, Imphal East has 245.00, Thoubal has 189.70 and Bishnupur has 151.73. In the hill districts, Senapati has 114.00 CDI Value, Ukhrul has 83.00, Tamenglong has 73.69, Churachandpur has 73.13 and Chandel has 70.49. According to number of Registered Industrila Units, Investment and Production (2005-06), the hill districts has 27 number of Units (SIDO + Non-SIDO) whereas valley districts have 86. Investment in P&M in the hill districts amounts to Rs. 34.19 Lakh as compared to Rs. 154.61 Lakh in the valley districts. Value of production in the hill districts is recorded at Rs. 39.61 and in the valley districts at Rs. 553.65 Lakh.”

The memorandum was jointly signed by Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (Apex body of Tangkhul Student’s Organisations), Zingtun Tangkhul Katamnao Long (West), Zingsho Katamnao Long (East), Raphei Katamnao Long (North), Tangkhul Aze Katamnao Long (South) and Sagolmang Area Naga Student’s Association.

The rally was participated by Tangkhul Naga Long, Tangkhul Naga Wungnao Long, Tangkhul Shanao Long and Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long. The Tangkhul Frontal Organisations expressed their full support on the ongoing movement headed hy ATSUM and TKS.

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Understanding The Metrics of Heat Waves in South Asia

The prolonged exposure to high temperatures and wet bulb conditions can lead to high risks of heat stroke and a range of physiological impacts. 90 deaths were reported in 2022 due to extreme heat stress.   By Salam Rajesh Climate change has made devastating heat wave impact early in India and Pakistan this year, with […]

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The prolonged exposure to high temperatures and wet bulb conditions can lead to high risks of heat stroke and a range of physiological impacts. 90 deaths were reported in 2022 due to extreme heat stress.

 

By Salam Rajesh

Climate change has made devastating heat wave impact early in India and Pakistan this year, with Pakistan experiencing 30 times more intensity than India, says Dr Friederike Otto of the World Weather Attribution, adding that climate change is likely to increase extreme monsoon rainfall, flooding highly vulnerable communities in Pakistan.

Dr Otto (Senior Lecturer, Grantham Institute for Climate Change and Environment & Co-Founder, World Weather Attribution) was speaking on the topic ‘Understanding Attribution Science: Human induced Climate Change and Heatwaves’ as part of the proceeding of a National Workshop on Heatwaves, Climate Change and its Impacts on Health, Economy and Energy Policies in India at Bengaluru on the 27th of last month, courtesy of Bangalore-based climate strategist group Climate Trends.

Dr Otto’s observation reflects closely to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)’s warning of a likely spike in temperatures globally this summer, as prelude to the projected El Nino event this year. The year 2015-2016 was recorded as the hottest year in recent history, and this was primarily driven by an El Nino event according to reports. 1500 deaths were reported in the coastal plains of Odisha during 2015 from the intense heat wave that year.

In March, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted normal monsoon this year but forewarned that an El Nino event can affect the monsoon. Forecasting a 75 percent chance of El Nino in India, the IMD said it could weaken the southwest monsoon and may lead to severe heat waves and droughts in the country – a forewarning that could wreak havoc with the agricultural system in the country, and with a possible backlash on the rural economy.

The forecast for the year has disturbing news for the country wherein compound events of heat waves, cyclones and floods can overlap one another and can cause extensive damages to crops and properties, asserts scientist Dr Roxy Mathew Koll of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune. Dr Koll was speaking on the subject ‘The dominance of Climate Change on global circulations and its impact on heatwaves and marine heatwaves’.

Bangalore-based climate strategist group Climate Trends stated that “By February-April 2023, most models indicate the return of ENSO-neutral, with a probability of 82%. What is more concerning is the arrival of the dreaded phenomena of El Nino. Climate models are predicting potential return to El Niño by May-July, which coincides with summer monsoon that spans from June to September”.

“During a La Niña, the tropical Pacific soaks up heat like a sponge and builds up the warm water volume. This is the warm water that spills across from the western Pacific to the eastern Pacific during an El Niño. Three consecutive years of La Niña means that the warm water volume is fully loaded and it is likely that the system is ready to give birth to an El Niño. Will it be a strong El Niño like the one during 2015-16? We may get some indications in spring itself,” explains Dr Raghu Murtugudde, Visiting Professor, Earth System Scientist at IITB (Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay) and Emeritus Professor at University of Maryland.

“As for the monsoon itself, if an El Niño state does emerge by summer, then we are more than likely to see a deficit monsoon. A transition from a La Niña winter (which we are in now) to a summer El Niño state tends to produce the largest deficit in the monsoon – of the order of 15%. This implies that the pre-monsoon and monsoon circulations tend to be weaker”. Dr Raghu was speaking on the thematic topic ‘Understanding the variation in weather patterns and the need for early warning systems’.

Kunal Satyarthi (Joint Secretary, National Disaster Management Agency) speaking on the topic ‘The hurdles in building adaptive capacity: A status check on planning and implementation of heat action plans’, stressed on the triple risks of climate hazard, vulnerability and exposure that can cause extensive damage and loss across the different sectors, with the marginalized sections of society more likely to be impacted by the risks involved.

Dr Luke Parsons (Postdoctoral Associate, Duke University) speaking on the subjective matter, ‘Rising wet-bulb temperatures and labour impact’, stressed that as per the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) model, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 7243) emphasizes that during temperatures reaching above 26 degree Celsius workers are advised to take half hour rest from their heavy work duty.

In case of temperatures reaching above 32-33 degree Celsius the ISO recommends all heavy works should stop. The WBGT model is used in military, occupational health, and athletic events, Dr Luke explains while stating that the model includes temperature, humidity, wind speed, and sun exposure.

The average highest Wet Bulb Globe Temperature for South Asia during 2002 to 2021 was experienced in the north-western parts and the northern plains of India, Pakistan and in Bangladesh, observed Dr Luke, with temperatures reaching 34 degree Celsius and above.

Calculating on the WBGT model, an estimation of the productivity loss across the world reveals a massive global total loss of around 220 billion hours per year, says Dr Luke. Calculating the estimate total labour hours lost per year for different countries, India loses 101 hours per year – almost equivalent to the loss of around 23 million jobs.

Following India is China with 21 hours, Bangladesh with 14, Pakistan with 13, Indonesia with 10, Sudan and Viet Nam with 7, Nigeria and Thailand with 6, and Philippines with 5 hours of labour lost per year respectively.

On this footnote, Climate Trends noted that, “While 2022 set a record with 200 heatwave days in India with some of the hottest months since 1901 and impacting nearly 70% of the country, spring went missing in 2023 as well. February this year was declared the hottest in the last 123 years, the first ever since 1901. March saw heatwave in isolated pockets but April began on a hotter note, with mercury rising every day. State-run India Meteorological Department (IMD) already predicted an increased probability of heatwaves during April and May”.

This comes with a fair indication that unless Heat Action Plans for every States are formulated well in time, things may go from bad to worse. “In a country like India, which is densely populated, the extreme heat hits the poor the hardest who are working as urban or rural labour without access to cooling. The prolonged exposure to high temperatures and wet bulb conditions can lead to high risks of heat stroke and a range of physiological impacts. 90 deaths were reported in 2022 due to extreme heat stress”, forewarns Climate Trends experts.

(The writer looks at environmental stories through the journalistic lens. He can be reached at salamrajesh@rediffmail.com)

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Suspended NIA SP, Inspector extorted huge money by threatening to implicate in false cases in Manipur: FIR

Dy, SP (Admin) NIA, HQ, New Delhi Sudhanshu Shekhar Shukla lodged a complaint with Central Bureau of Investigation for further investigation as NIA enquiry has revealed the possibility of threatening other people/witnesses and extorting a huge amount of money from them TFM Report NIA SP Sh Vishal Garg, who was suspended for bribery in Manipur, […]

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Dy, SP (Admin) NIA, HQ, New Delhi Sudhanshu Shekhar Shukla lodged a complaint with Central Bureau of Investigation for further investigation as NIA enquiry has revealed the possibility of threatening other people/witnesses and extorting a huge amount of money from them

TFM Report

NIA SP Sh Vishal Garg, who was suspended for bribery in Manipur, had extorted Rs 60 lakh from three persons between May and August 2022, when he was posted in NIA Imphal, by threatening them for falsely implicating them in terror funding cases.

Dy, SP (Admin) NIA, HQ, New Delhi Sudhanshu Shekhar Shukla lodged a complaint with Central Bureau of Investigation for further investigation as NIA enquiry has revealed the possibility of threatening other people/witnesses and extorting a huge amount of money from them.

The Dy SP(Admin) NIA also named NIA inspector Imphal Rajib Khan as accused in his complaint to K Siva Subramani, IPS, SP CBI. AC-II, New Delhi. Following the complaint, the CBI registered an FIR, a copy of which is with The Frontier Manipur, against Sh Vishal Garg, the then SP NIA, Imphal, and Md Rajib Khan, Inspector NIA Imphal, on April 26, 2023.

READ FIR COPY HERE: NIA NIA FIR FIR

They were booked under IPC Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 388 (extortion) and sections 7 and 7a of the Prevention of Corruption Act. They were suspected of Criminal Conspiracy, Obtaining undue advantage, Extortion by threat of accusation of an offence, taking undue advantage to influence public servants by corrupt or illegal means or by exercise of personal influence (Other).

NIA internal enquiry findings

In his complaint, Shukla stated that Information was received from sources that Sh Vishal Garg, the then SP, NIA Branch Office, Imphal, along with Rajib Khan, Inspector, NIA Imphal, was collecting huge amounts of money from residents of the State of Manipur through cut-outs, by threatening them for falsely implicating in NIA Cases After receiving the said information, an internal enquiry was conducted against Sh. Vishal Garg, and Md Rajib Khan.

Shukla said enquiry has revealed that NIA had registered a case vide RC No 08/22/NIA/DLI dated 09.03.2022 with the allegation that the active cadres of terrorist organizations, including but not limited to Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), United Liberation Front (UNLF) and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), all proscribed under UAPA are raising funds in the State of Manipur, in furtherance of their terror activities. The said case was assigned to Sh Tushar Bishat, Inspector/Chief Investigating Officer, NIA Imphal for investigation,

The enquiry further revealed that Sh Vishal Garg, being SP, NIA Imphal Branch was the Head of the Branch and the First Supervisory Officer in NIA RC No. 08/22/NIA/DLI. On the directions of Sh Vashal Garg, Md. Rajib Khan was assisting in the investigation of the said case, he added.

Shukla further said the enquiry has revealed a clear modus operandi of the accused officers wherein certain businessmen/professionals were called for examination, mostly without legal notices. They were threatened with false implications in the NIA case, in the presence of Sh Vishal Garg,. Thereafter, Md Rajib Khan, Inspector would offer help to them in lieu of money. The amount to be paid would be negotiated and payment, in cash, would be received by Md Rajib Khan and thereafter, the matter would be closed.

The enquiry has revealed that using the above modus operandi, Md. Rajib Khan had collected Rs 10 lakh (cash) from Sh Inaocha Takhellambam @Naoba S/o Late Thambalngou, Rs 20 lakh (cash) from Sh N Momon Singh S/o Late Moirangningthou and Rs 30 lakh (cash) from Sh Laishram Hemanta Singh S/o Laishram Modhumangol Singh, all residents of Imphal, during the period from May to August 2022, at the instance of Sh Vishal Garg, he added.

As enquiry has also revealed the possibility of threatening other people/witnesses and extorting huge amounts of money from them, this aspect needs to be also investigated, said the Dy SP(Admin) NIA in his complaint to the CBI.

Urging the CBI to take up needful action, Sukla said the internal enquiry has revealed the indulgence of Sh. Vishal Garg and Md Rajib Khan in corruption and criminal practices.

The CBI SP directed Inspector (AC-II Delhi) Ravi Shankar Kumar to take over the investigation.

Vishal Garg was shifted from Manipur just three months ago in January this year. His successor took over the charge on January 28, 2023. This is the second time that Garg was placed under suspension on charges of corruption. In 2019, Garg, along with two other NIA officials, was placed under suspension for allegedly demanding Rs 2 crore from a Delhi-based businessman for not naming him in a terrorism funding case involving Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

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Violence rages in Churachandpur; CM forced to cancel visit; Situation under control now, says CM

Normal life was disrupted in the district due to the 8-hour total shutdown called by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF). Biren said that stern action will be taken against the perpetrators who destroyed public property. TFM Report Churachandpur has been on the boil with a civil society organisation imposing an eight-hour total shutdown in […]

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Normal life was disrupted in the district due to the 8-hour total shutdown called by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF). Biren said that stern action will be taken against the perpetrators who destroyed public property.

TFM Report

Churachandpur has been on the boil with a civil society organisation imposing an eight-hour total shutdown in protest against the accumulative land and forest survey carried out by the state government ahead of chief minister N Biren Singh’s scheduled visit to the district on Friday. On Saturday, the chief minister said that the situation is under control now and normalcy has been restored in Churachandpur.

The district witnessed a violent protest since Thursday night forcing the chief minister to cancel his visit after shutdown supporters clashed with the police near the venue, where the chief minister was to address a public meeting.

Normal life was disrupted in the district due to the 8-hour total shutdown called by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF).

Despite the shutdown call, state machinery put in place preparations for the chief minister’s visit on Friday by deploying a large contingent of state and paramilitary forces. The chief minister was to bring new equipment for the open gym that was destroyed by a mob the previous night.

A significant number of people including government officials were preparing to roll out the red carpet for the Chief Minister at PT sports complex when a large number of shutdown supporters tried to storm the venue. Police resorted to firing tear gas to disperse the mob and in retaliation, the agitators pelted stones. At least one policeman was injured in the attack and two protestors were arrested. Considering the volatile situation, authorities had to cancel the event.

In response to the shutdown call, protestors came out in the streets and burned tyres to block roads.

All business establishments and educational institutions remained closed. Public transportation stopped plying, during the shutdown period.

The Lamka town, which is the district headquarter of Churachandpur district wore a deserted look. Heavy security deployment to prevent any untoward incidents.

The Forum had also announced non-cooperation with any government programme in the districts. The ITLF also expressed discontentment towards the government for demolishing three churches in Imphal recently.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that stern action will be taken against the perpetrators who destroyed public property. “No one can hamper any kind of developmental work, those who are involved in such anti-development and anti-social activities will not spare. It is the BJP government’s commitment,” said Biren.

He further said his planned visit to Churachandpur was cancelled at the request of the local MLA, LM Khaute citing the tense situation in the district. He was invited by the MLA to inaugurate the gym.

“The event was not organised by the government but to mark the one-year anniversary of the local MLA Khaute. The MLA invited me for the open gym inauguration”, said Biren.

It may be noted that a mob destroyed the gym and also burned chairs kept at the venue of the public rally late Thursday night.

Following this, the district authority shut down internet services in Churachandpur and its neigbouring district Pherzawl for five days. The district authority also clamped section 144 of CrPC to curb violence in Lamka town.

The mobile internet shutdown affected many people as a medium of exchange is made through the internet in many areas, particularly in the town.

However, the scenario is changing with nearly 30 per cent having broadband connection and many people are using Wi Fi.

A Curfew under section 144 of CrPC was cramped at New Lamka area of Churachandpur

The miscreants also set ablaze chairs, sound systems, banners, etc at Sadbhavna Mandap ,New Lamka where preparations for the thanksgiving programme on the 1st anniversary of the MLA of Churachandpur AC Mr LM Khaute were on.

Meanwhile, the MLA of Churachandpur AC Mr LM Khaute addressed a press conference in the afternoon at his residence saying that as a mark of respect to the people’s genuine displeasure against the government. He said he had asked the CM not to come as the situation doesn’t permit and announced the cancellation of his Thanksgiving programme.

He appealed to the people to maintain peace and expressed his trust in the peace-loving people of his constituency that normalcy will prevail.

Meanwhile, the Information and Publicity dept. of ITLF said that the total shutdown imposed by them between 8 am to 4 pm was a success and thanked the General public and the CSOs for their cooperation. The shutdown already served its purpose, it added.

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KKL rubbishes UNC, KIM positions on ST demand by Meeteis

KKL asserted that it would be wrong on the part of both the Nagas and the Kukis to consider the Meetei community as their common enemy TFM Desk Reacting sharply to the objections raised by the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM)  on the  Manipur High Court’s directive to the Government […]

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KKL asserted that it would be wrong on the part of both the Nagas and the Kukis to consider the Meetei community as their common enemy

TFM Desk

Reacting sharply to the objections raised by the United Naga Council (UNC) and the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM)  on the  Manipur High Court’s directive to the Government of Manipur to send its recommendations for the inclusion of the Meetei Community in the Scheduled List  of the Tribes of India to the Government of India authorities, the Kangleipak Kanba Lup (KKL) stated that it was placing certain facts on record.

KKL, an oragnaisation said that the Meeteis are demanding the  inclusion of the Meetei in the Scheduled list of Tribes under the Constitution of India  is not aimed at grabbing jobs either from the Naga or Kuki communities of Manipur but to safeguard their “little bit of land now confined to less that 2000 square kilometers out of the 20,000 square kilometers of the entire State”. “They need not fear about grabbing their job reservation quotas currently enforced in Manipur which will remain status quo. And if any job opportunity should arise it will be on an All India basis where the Meities will be competeing with other advanced tribes of India like the Bheels for instance. The UNC and KIM have no birth right to deny any other scheduled tribes of India that job opportunity should be denied to them”, said the KKL statement issued by its secretary Ngamkheingakpa Luwang.

KKL pointed out that both the Naga and Kuki Communities of Manipur are at liberty to condemn the Manipur High Court for giving the directive to the Manipur Government to that effect and that they may also condemn the Governments of Manipur as well as India if it goes through or “even takes up arms against the Centre for the making classification forming a Joint Kuki-Naga Front”.

“To the UNC we would like to reiterate that the Manipuri Language being classified as scheduled language  of the Country under the Eight Schedule has nothing to do with the classification of the Meeteis as a scheduled tribe of India. Anyway Manipuri language is not confined to the Meeteis only but serves as a Ligua Franca amongst all the tribal communities of Manipur, be it between the Nagas and the Kukis but amongst their various sub-tribes also”, pointed out KKL.

The organisation said that it should be borne in mind as to what is happening in neighbouring Assam. The Assamese Language has been in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution since its adoption in 1950. But recently both the Assam Government as well as the Centre have agreed on the demand of the inclusion of the Ahom Tais, a community amongst the Assamese speaking population of Assam. Also  the inclusion of the Ahom Tais as a Scheduled Tribe of India is on the agenda of the talks between the Arbinda Rajkhoha led United Liberation Front of Ahom (ULFA), said KKL,

“Coming to the UNC, we would like to remind our Naga brethrens to remember the words  of the venerable  Ava Koser Thiungaleng Muivah that only the Nagas and the Meeteis are the indigenous peoples of Manipur. So what is the idea of joining hands with the Kukis to block the way for the survival of the Meeteis under the Indian Constitution.You seemed to have bury the hatchet of the Naga-Kuki conflict between 1992 -1994 where over 1000 were killed on both sides and thousands rendered homeless and hundreds of houses were burnt. The Meetei seems to be the common enemy of both the former warring sides”, pointed out KKL

The Meetei organisation also reminded the Tangkhul “brethrens” of the folklore that the Tangkhuls considers the Meeteis as their younger brother and that on the day of the Coronation the Meetei King adorns the dress of a Tangkhul and no Meetei wedding is complete without a Tangkhul Lerum fee or cloth. And no Meetei Laiharaoba is complete without the appearance of the Tangkhul saba and is a sine quo non. And there is still the living custom of the Meetei King, titular or otherwise visiting Hundung Village in Ukhrul to meet his elder brother the Chief of Hundung Village, called Parihanba. “And thus why should the elder brother object to the younger brother getting protection of his land and culture as a scheduled tribe of India”, asks KKL.

To the question of Meeteis being more advanced than the other tribal communities of Manipur, KKL said it had nothing to do with genealogy but it is because of the Mode of Production. The Meeteis followed settled agriculture so that they have more time to concentrate on arts, culture and literature while the many other tribal communities hitherto used to follow slash and burn agriculture before switching to poppy plantation by some of them which will make them all become rich, said KKL .

KKL asserted that it would be wrong on the part of both the Nagas and the Kukis to consider the Meetei community as their common enemy or “else will be constrained to  oppose every move or demand made by any tribal group either Naga or Kuki”

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Loktak Lake: Ministry asks LDA to submit revised plan addressing all issues

So far, an amount of Rs 16.86 crore has been released by this Ministry to the Government of Manipur which includes an amount of Rs 428 lakh released during the year 2018-19.  No proposal was received from the State from FY 2019-20 to 2022-23. TFM Report An amount of Rs 16.86 crore had been released […]

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So far, an amount of Rs 16.86 crore has been released by this Ministry to the Government of Manipur which includes an amount of Rs 428 lakh released during the year 2018-19.  No proposal was received from the State from FY 2019-20 to 2022-23.

TFM Report

An amount of Rs 16.86 crore had been released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change to the Government of Manipur which includes an amount of Rs 428 lakh released during the year 2018-19. Further, the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) prepared by LDA has been examined by IIT Roorkee and certain suggestions have been given. The Ministry has asked the LDA to submit a revised plan addressing all issues related to conservation of Loktak Lake for endorsement of the Ministry for its implementation.

According to a reliable source, Bhupender Yadav, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change while talking about three major issues on Loktak Lake Ecosystem and suggested measures for delisting from Montreux Record is reported to have stated that the Loktak Lake is an integral part of the culture and ecology of Manipur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been very clear that India is land where nature is worshipped and therefore our scared natural resources will be protected and preserved at all costs. So, the government remains committed to developing Loktak Lake as one of the most enchanting and magnificent lakes of the world with community engagement and collective efforts.

According to sources, he said that the the Loktak Lake was included in the Montreux Record in 1993 as a result of ecological problems such as deforestation in catchment area, siltation, infestation of water hyacinth and paragrass and pollution.

The three major issues resulting in listing of Loktak Lake in Montreux Records are:

  1. Changes in water regimes which have triggered phumdi proliferation, water quality deterioration, loss of migratory fish and degradation of KLNP habitat
  2. Pollution from upstream areas which led to water quality degradation and accelerated phumdi proliferation
  3. Conversion of natural phumdi into fish farms which reduced the capacity of Loktak to moderate and buffer water regimes

The Government of Manipur has been advised to submit an action plan to mitigate these issues along with a timeline for removal of Loktak Lake from the Montreux Records. The Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) of Loktak Lake is to be updated on priority basis by compiler / Loktak Development Authority (LDA), for which they have been duly advised by the Ministry.

On what are the measures taken up to control eutrophication and control of discharge of waste water from urban into the Loktak Lake, the minister said that his department has been providing financial assistance for this wetland since 1988-89 to the Government of Manipur for undertaking conservation activities like survey & demarcation, catchment area treatment, fisheries development, removal of phumdis, constructing water harvesting structures, small scale engineering works, creation of education and awareness etc.

The Loktak Development Authority, Department of Forests, Govt. of Manipur is the implementing agency. So far, an amount of Rs 16.86 crore has been released by this Ministry to the Government of Manipur which includes an amount of Rs 428 lakh released during the year 2018-19. Further, the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) prepared by LDA has been examined by IIT Roorkee and certain suggestions have been given. The Ministry has asked the LDA to submit a revised plan addressing all issues related to conservation of Loktak Lake for endorsement of the Ministry for its implementation.

On measures for upliftment of livelihood or alternative livelihoods of the wetland people, Bhupender Yadav informed that as per the information provided by Government of Manipur, LDA has been taking up certain livelihood development activities for local communities who are dependent on Loktak Lake. The government, giving shape to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision of conserving our Amrit Dharohar, also intends to enhance livelihood opportunities of the local communities through developing eco-tourism infrastructure in and around the lake and need-based capacity building of local communities.

The integrated Management Plan prepared by the LDA envisages activities on ‘Sustainable Resource Development and Livelihoods’ that includes:

  1. Community Managed Fisheries Strategy for Loktak aligned with FAO code of conduct of Responsible Fisheries
  2. Enhancement of fish seed production
  3. Development of harvest, post-harvest and marketing infrastructure
  4. Community livelihoods (micro enterprises) programme
  5. Development of Wetland linked Cultural heritage sites to promote tourism for diversification and value addition of existing fisheries based livelihoods
  6. Eco guide training for local communities

When asked if there is any judicious water allocation policy for biodiversity service, for fishers, for agriculture, for hydropower etc at Loktak, the minister informed that MoEF&CC has already taken up the issue of Ithai Barrage operation with the Ministry of Power and NHPC. After due deliberation, NHPC has agreed to lower the water level of Ithai barrage gradually to the drawdown level in the forthcoming winter season starting from November 2023 to rejuvenate KLNP habitat as per the technical report of 2011. With lowering of water levels in winters, the park habitat will improve along with improved circulation and flushing in the wetland.

On the timeframe for any steps taken to protect Loktak from inflow of waste (brought down by river/streams flowing) into Loktak,  Bhupender Yadav said that as informed by the State Government of Manipur, commissioning of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and implementation of activities as envisaged in the Integrated Management Plan will substantially reduce loading of pollutants into the lake. The State Government has also commissioned the construction of STPs at Nambul with the financial assistance of Rs 100 crore provided under the NRCP scheme by NRCD for the effective functioning of existing waste management infrastructure. It will be commissioned by June 2023 to capture and treat waste from Imphal City and Nambul River and take care of the discharge of untreated sewage into Loktak.

On the long term plan to protect the lake from encroachment (when govt removing private farms along Mayang Imphal-Toubul road & lake), the minister Bhupender Yadav said that MoEF&CC has suggested the Government of Manipur to immediately submit an action plan along with a timeline and a map with clear demarcation of the wetland boundary following guidelines provided by MoEF&CC and as per provisions laid by the Ramsar Secretariat for removal of Loktak Lake from Montreux Record. The Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) of Loktak is to be updated on priority basis by the LDA.

He also said that Loktak Lake in Manipur was designated as Ramsar site on 23.03.1990 under Ramsar Convention and being a Ramsar site, the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 are applicable to the lake. A brief document of the lake has already been prepared. RIS itself is a kind of brief document.

On what is the responsibility of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) towards Rehabilitation and Resettlement of displaced communities affected by the Loktak hydroelectric power project since 1983?

Bhupender Yadav said that Loktak Hydroelectric Project was implemented before the EIA notification 1994 and 2006. Therefore, Environment Clearance of the Project was not applicable for the construction of the project. Works on the project commenced in 1971. The project was commissioned in year 1983.

NHPC has informed that for construction of Loktak project 217.09 ha of private land altogether had been purchased from landowners of 11 villages at different sites of the project. Full compensation was paid to land owners before land possession. Hence, Rehabilitation and Resettlement was not applicable at that time.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has been providing financial assistance for this wetland since 1988-89 to the Government of Manipur for undertaking conservation activities like survey & demarcation, catchment area treatment, fisheries development, removal of Phumdis, constructing water harvesting structures, small scale engineering works, creation of education & awareness etc. Loktak Development Authority, Department of Forests, Govt. of Manipur is the implementing agency. So far, an amount of Rs 16.86 crore has been released by this Ministry to the Government of Manipur which includes an amount of Rs 428 lakh released during the year 2018-19.  No proposal was received from the State from FY 2019-20 to 2022-23.

However, an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) of Loktak Lake was received in the Ministry for endorsement. The plan envisages to put in place Manipur River Basin scale actions, such as conserving catchment to control silt, abating pollution generated from upstream cities, demarcating wetland boundaries, managing water regimes and supporting livelihoods diversification of wetland dependent communities. IMP includes core and non-core activities in the lake area and its zone of influence (catchment, command areas, etc.). The IMP was appraised through IIT-Roorkee and observations given by IIT-R had been sent to the Govt. Of Manipur for revision of the IMP. The revised proposal is yet to be received by the Ministry. The MoEF&CC will consider the proposal on priority as per the cost sharing formula between the Central and State Government and the funding norms of NPCA.

On plans to accommodate the fishing community in lake management plan, the minister said the State Government of Manipur has informed that community Managed Fisheries Strategy for Loktak aligned with FAO code of conduct of Responsible Fisheries will be formulated involving local fishing communities.

Fishing in Loktak Lake has been carried out since time immemorial. The fishermen are an integral part of the Loktak ecosystem. The state government is working to promote healthy capture fisheries, which ensures that ecosystem processes such as migration pathways, water quality and phumdi distribution are not adversely affected.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had earlier stated that any effort towards the effective management of Loktek Lake, which is a designated Ramsar site, shall be in line with the norms of Ramsar Convention as well as Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.

Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashini Kumar Choubey said this while answering questions related to Loktak Lake raised by Janata Dal (United) Member of Parliament Anil Hegde on the floor of Rajya Sabha on April 6.

On that day, he also said that as per the information provided by Government of Manipur, approval from Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance for the proposed ‘Sustainable Loktak Lake Ecosystem Restoration, Eco Tourism and Livelihood Improvement’ project has not been received so far.

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