CM inspects drainage system

Thursday, 10 May 2012

Source: Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, May 10: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh today conducted an extensive tour of Imphal city and inspected various ongoing development works, including construction of drainage system at Samusang and Lamphelpat areas.

According to a release of the government, the Chief Minister inspected and reviewed the construction work progress of drainage system being undertaken under JNURM at Nambul River, Samusang area and Lamphelpat area in Imphal West.

Speaking at the work sites, the Chief Minister expressed dissatisfaction at the slow work progress of the projects.

He said that the work remained as it was during his previous tours with no visible developments.

He directed the work agency not to delay the completion of this vital projects and instructed the concerned departments to speed up work so that the project is completed in time.

He also gave strong instruction for immediate dismantling of huts constructed by encroachers at Lamphelpat area.

The Chief Minster was accompanied by IFCD Minister Ngamthang Haokip, Agriculture Minister Md Abdur Nasir and concerned engineers during the inspection.

*The above news story is as published by respected news daily at Imphal, whose name is duly marked as 'Source'. NUM has no responsibility for the sanctity and originality of the news story.

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Manipur delegation meets PM

Source: Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, May 10: A Manipur delegation today met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his office in the Parliament and submitted a memorandum Justice for Richard and Other Victims from the Northeast Region of India vis-à-vis Racial Profiling and Discrimination in Other Parts of India.

The delegation led by Manipur MP Dr T Meinya included representatives of Justice for Richard, and Manipur Students’ Association Delhi. The memorandum was signed by 25,398 signatories across the world.

The memorandum demanded fast track initiatives to deliver justice to (a) Loitam Richard (19) from Manipur who was murdered on 17th April at Bangalore in Karnataka and (b) Dana Silva M Sangma (21) from Meghalaya who committed suicide on 24th April 2012 in Delhi due to the reported humiliation by exam invigilators.

The delegates demanded the Government of India to recognise multi racial composition of India and the phenomenon of institutionalised racial discrimination as it exists distinctively amidst the myriads of socio-cultural discriminations prevalent in India.

The delegation expressed their concern over targeted violence and discrimination on the students, migrant workers (employees), job seekers, and tourists from the Northeast in other parts of India.

Assuring the delegation of action the Prime Minister Dr. Singh admitted that there had been several instances of crimes against humanity and the government had been taking up measures to control it.

He also assured maximum efforts to deliver justice and measures to prevent such incidents.

He promised to recommend to the MHA to expedite the cases.

Dr. Singh however denied racism in India and instutionalised discrimination on the peoples hailing from the Northeast. He appealed the members of the Justice for Richard to have faith in the initiatives taken up by the government.

In the afternoon representatives of JFR, MSAD, and Change.org submitted copies of memorandum respectively to the Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Manipur through the concerned officials attached to Karnataka Bhavan and Manipur Bhavan.

The delegates further submitted a copy of the memorandum to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs Ms. B. Bhamathi informed that the ministry has been expecting for more and speedy reports from the Karnataka Government. She instructed her office to contact the Karnataka Government to enquire about the report and to recommend for fast track proceeding towards delivering justice to the family of Richard.

Although she could not promise a time bound justice as demanded by the delegates, she called upon victims of social discrimination to come up with specific suggestions to be observed by the law enforcing agencies so that those suggestions may be considered in policy framing and strategic planning.

Meanwhile, newly elected Sagolband MLA RK Imo Singh today submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram urging for immediate arrest of the two persons against whom the Karnataka police have issued an FIR regarding the Richard case and an independent CBI inquiry into the Loitam Richard’s death.

The MLA who is in the national capital submitted the memorandum to the Union Home Minister during a meeting in his north block office at 4pm.

The Home Minister had replied that he is constant touch with the Karnataka CM and is seriously looking into the matter and said that if the state government cannot bring the investigation into a logical conclusion, he will ask the Karnataka CM to hand over the case to the CBI like in the DANA case, the MLA.

*The above news story is as published by respected news daily at Imphal, whose name is duly marked as 'Source'. NUM has no responsibility for the sanctity and originality of the news story.

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AR gun down three UG cadres

Imphal: Discovering the movement of UG cadres along  Monghlam,  troops of 23 Assam Rifles of 10 Sector under HQ IGAR(South) launched operation in the area on 09 May 12, a release by PRO IGAR(South) said.

ARMS AND AMMUNATION RECOVERED

 BY TROOPS OF 27 SECTOR ASSAM RIFLES

According to the release, at around 02.00 am of this morning, own troops observed movement of armed terrorist from Monghlam to Chadung. On being challenged, UG cadres opened heavy volume of indiscriminate fire on own column which was immediately retaliated by AR troops and in the ensuing firefight shot dead three UGs on the spot. During the search of the area, three dead bodies of UGs were recovered. 

In the operation, one M-16 Rifles with grenade launcher and magazine, one 9 mm Carbine with magazine, one Lathode, 55 x M-16 live rounds, three Lathode live rounds,9 mm live amn three, two Lathode fire case, one carry bag, one amn pouch has been recovered from the slain UGs. Bodies of slain UGs alongwith recovered items have been handed over to Litan Police station, the release furthered.

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National Innovator Star Trophy to ECI

New Delhi: Election Commission of India has been awarded the National Innovator Star Trophy by EMPI-Indian Express for Electronic Voting Machine. The Award was given by Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission at a function on 4th May 2012 at the India International Centre, New Delhi.

 

The Award was given to ECI for ‘Transforming Electoral Processes by Implementing Electronic Voting in the World’s Largest Democracy’. It was received by Dr Alok Shukla, Deputy Election Commissioner on behalf of the Commission. 

Electronic Voting Machine has been developed with specialised hardware and software to incorporate requirements that would be friendly to diverse Indian users and meet the stringent constitutional requirements viz. tackling aspects of secrecy, authentication by contestants, avoidance of incorrect/duplicate voting, protection against manipulative interests of individuals, political parties, and election mangers at the election site and during transportation, and building in redundancies in case of failures. 

The Jury for the Award comprised of Mr Arun Maira and Shri N Vittal, Padma Bhushan. 

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Manipur's 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila now in Ripley's Believe It or Not

London, May 10 (Agencies): "The iron lady of Manipur", who has spent nearly 12 years fasting to protest against a law that gives special powers to the armed forces, has been featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not, reports the BBC.

Irom Sharmila Chanu, 40, has been on a hunger strike since 2 November 2000 in the north-eastern state of Manipur. Chanu's hunger strike started after soldiers of the Assam Rifles paramilitary force allegedly killed 10 young Manipuri men in November 2000.

She has been arrested many times and taken to hospital where she has been force-fed a liquid diet through her nose, since November 2000, in a bid to keep her alive.

Chanu has repeatedly rejected requests to call off her fast until the government withdraws the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which gives sweeping powers to the armed forces when they fight separatist insurgents or leftist radicals.

Kshetrimayum Onil, a trustee of Just Peace Foundation, a non-governmental organisation based in the state capital, Imphal, told the BBC he sent an e-mail to Ripley's site about Chanu's struggle in mid-March.

"Lucas Stram, one of the researchers from the Ripley's team, sent me a link to the cartoon page a few days back," Onil said.

Ripley's site features a cartoon on the activist and describes her as "The iron lady of Manipur". Chanu's years of fasting have made her an iconic figure in Manipur. 

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Avoid factional fight: Sonia Gandhi

Wednesday, 9 May 2012

NEW DELHI, May 9 (Agencies): Asking partymen to draw lessons from the previous polls, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said leaders must shed factional behaviour and fight as one disciplined team as the party braces to face a series of state elections in the coming months.

"We must all shed all manner of factional behaviour, and fight as one disciplined team at all levels. That will be the single-most important factor to decide whether we win or lose.

"People look to us -- but we need to show them our commitment and our unity if we are to convert this sentiment into electoral victories," Gandhi said while addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party in New Delhi, which was also attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Commenting on the elections results in the five states including Uttar Pradesh, where the party could not perform as expected, Gandhi said, "While we can take satisfaction in the fact that we returned to power in Manipur for the third time and formed the government in Uttarakhand, the results in Punjab and Goa are very disappointing.

"In Uttar Pradesh, even though we did not perform as well as we had hoped to, we increased our vote share quite considerably and were seen as a serious player for the first time in 22 years. Of course there is much work to be done there as in other states."

The CPP meeting has come a few days after a high-power committee of the party led AK Antony that reviewed the party's performance in the five states, submitted its report to Gandhi.

She said with a series of state elections approaching in the coming months, the partymen "must draw upon lessons of the previous polls."

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Mothers Union Kangpokpi formed

KANGPOKPI, May 9: All communities within 50-Kangpokpi Assembly Constituency, Sadar Hills including Nepali, Naga and the Meetei communities held a meeting at Ngahmun, residence of Nemcha Kipgen, MLA, Kangpokpi A/C on May 5 and unanimously formed a union called “Mothers Union Kangpokpi Assembly Constituency” under the Motto “Love, Serve & Change”.

The members present in the meeting elected Nemcha Kipgen, MLA as advisor of the union while Themkholhing from Kangpokpi, Nengboi Lhouvum from Keithelmanbi and Tingnu Kipgen from Kangpokpi were elected as chairman, general secretary and treasurer respectively.

They have also elected four vice chairwomen namely, Ch. Ibeyaima Devi (Kpi), Hina Hima (Kalapahar), L Vikhorou (Mahika) and K Hoinu Kipgen (Kpi).

Momon Devi (Kpi), Khrisna Kumari Adhikari (Kalapahar), Saija (Phyaphou), Vungpi Guite (Kpi), NJ Hoinei Vaiphei (Kpi) and Prescilla (Makui Naga) were unanimously elected as joint secretary of the Union while Hatnu(KMC),  Chongbem Singson(Kpi), Kimneichong Haolai (Kpi) and Nengpi Kipgen (Kpi) were elected as information secretaries. They have also elected 20 executive members.

The Union vowed to love, serve the people from all community in every field and bring changes in the constituency in every work of life.

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NE India- Singapore business opertunities meet held in guwahati

 Guwahati : HE Kasiviswanathan SHANMUGAM, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law, Republic of Singapore&Mr Jonathan TOW Shen Han, Acting High Commissioner, Republic of Singapore today met the members of Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and captains of various sectors that includes Tea, Tourism, Hospitality, Healthcare, Education, Real Estate , Infrastructure , Power, Agro & Food Processing & Fisheries, Handloom & Handicraft, Oil & Gas of Northeast India in a Business Luncheon Meet organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce. Singapore Foreign minister K Shanmughan today said his country wants to strengthen business presence in the North East with hospitality and tourism as the major potential areas of cooperation.

Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam,  Minister for Foreign Affairs
and Minister for Law, Republic of Singapore adressing in the meet.

Ms KANG Siew Kheng, Director-General, South Asia and Africa Directorate,Ministry of Foreign Affairs,  Ms Angelita Constance SEE Sin Yuan ,Deputy Director, South Asia and Africa Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,   Ms Eirliani ABDUL RAHMAN   ,Counsellor (Political),   Mr KHOO Chun Yok ,Special Assistant to Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms CHAN Kah Mei ,First Secretary (Economics), High Commission of the Republic of Singapore, Ms TAN Zhi Xian, Centre Director, International Enterprise Singapore, Mr PUA Suan Kiang, Derek, Country Officer, South Asia and Africa Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms Seema Gail PARKASH,Country Officer, South Asia and Africa Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present in the meet.

Addressing in the Business Luncheon Meet, HE Kasiviswanathan SHANMUGAM, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law, Republic of Singapore said, "ASEAN Connectivity with Northeast India is important to explore and tap NE India’s potential. After my arrival in the land of red rivers and Blue Mountains I am convinced that the Northeast India has the potential and is an ideal investment destination for Asean countries as this region and Assam shares common border area with ASEAN countries. This is my introductory visit to this part of your country at my capacity and I would say the entrepreneurs of Republic of Singapore would be interested on  reciprocal business. Republic of Singapore could make this happen only in association with the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Govt. of India so we are thank to them and we are interested in developing cordial trade, commerce and cultural relations."

Mr Shanmugam visited the holy shakti peeth Maa Kamakhya Temple earlier this morning and recalled his feelings of pure shrine and blue male river Brahmaputra in his address.

"Assam and the North East are generally not identified as business destinations but the fact is that beneath the surface, the region is one of potential," Shanmugam, who is on a day-long trip said here while addressing local industry leaders and senior government officials.

"It is heartening to know that the security situation is improving in the region. The region is exciting from the point of view of the hospitality sector and we believe there is opportunity for Singapore business houses to tap the potential of hospitality in the North East," he said.

Singapore, one of the founding members of the 10-nation ASEAN grouping, is also looking at the North Eastern states as bridge between it and India.

"We think Assam and the North East has potential beyond investment destinations. There is also the issue of connectivity," he furthered.

"There are plans within the ASEAN to establish strong connectivity between north and south and I know that the Indian government also has plans to connect the North East to some of the ASEAN countries. These are plans which have to be taken further," Shanmugam said.

He said another India-ASEAN car rally, on the lines of the one undertaken in 2004, is being planned.

 "We are planning another car rally. This time it will start (from somewhere) in ASEAN and culminate in Guwahati," the minister said.

Mr. Kumar Sanjay Krishna IAS  Secretary Planning and Development Govt. of Assam, H S Das IAS  Secretary Tourism Govt. of Assam represented Govt. of Assam , Garima Saikia Garg Ethnic Designer, Anuj Paliwal MD Third Eye Infosys, Rajib Dutta MD Epitome Group, Chiranjeet Chaliha MD Purbanchal Pratisthan, Bidyananda Borkotoky of Northeast Tea Association , N N Dutta of Down Town Hospitals, Bijay Phangcho MD Flamingo Distilaries , Ashish Phookan MD Jungle Travels India, Prawal Bora MD Travel Smart were few amongst 25 invitees who joined the BLM with the Singapore delegates.

In his welcome address the Director General of Indian Chamber of Commerce Dr. Rajeev Singh briefed the Singapore Minister and delegates  on demography and business potential of Northeast India. ICC presented Assam Darjeeling and Nilgiri Leaf Tea as momentoes to all visiting delegates with flower bouquet and phoolam gamocha. A 8minute video produced by ICC on Northeast-Oppurtunities Unlimited was shown in the inaugural session which was appreciated by the Singapore delegates. 

Singapore team too made a ppt presentation on their expected  business potential with NE India. Assamese ethnic food along with Indian dishes were served at luncheon meet. The visiting delegation left for CM’s residence from ICC meeting to call on Tarun Gogoi.

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Junior Indian boxing team leaves for Baku

Indian Team members pose for a photograph

New Delhi: While the starlets of the Indian women’s boxing team stake a claim for an Olympic berth at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, the junior men of Indian boxing will look the strengthen the foundations of their careers as they participate in the 10^thPresident Heydar Aliyev Cup – an international boxing tournament scheduled to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from the 9^th – 14^th May’ 2012. A 10 member junior men’s boxing team, consisting of seven boxers, two coaches and one referee/judge, left for the capital city of Azerbaijan on Wednesday.

Boxing at this level, is traditionally a first opportunity to witness future world champions and Olympic heroes. Coach-in-charge of the junior men’s team Mahendra Singh Dhaka, under whose wings all seven London Olympic qualified boxers have trained at some point or the other, believes this is where talent is first unearthed and nurtured. He said, “This level of the sport plays a vital role in the professional development of a boxer or any athlete for that matter, and the international exposure received at this level makes a big difference.”

 Talking about the 10^th President Heydar Aliyev Cup he said, “We have regularly participated and done well in this tournament; it has been a part of our long term development program for quite some time now. The event makes for a fine competition as a lot of high quality boxers from around the world participate. This time also we are looking to get good match practice for our boys through this event and it will also help our preparations for the Children of Asia Games and the Asian Championships later this year”.

In the previous edition of the tournament, India returned with one gold medal and two bronze medals. Naveen Kumar (52 kg) who won the gold in the fly weight division will look to defend his title this time around. For the 15 year old from Haryana, the title won in Baku holds great importance, as it provided him the impetus to do well at the Junior World Boxing Championships, where he bagged a silver medal. “This will be my second time at the President Heydar Aliyev Cup and I am confident of replicating last year’s performance”, said Kumar. He further added, “This competition provides a good playing field and helps us in our preparation for the future events.”

Bronze medallist at the 2011 Junior World Boxing Championships Sandeep Kumar (66kg) will also be seen in action at the tournament along with the likes of Manish Kaushik (57kg) and Shyam Kumar Kakra (48kg)          

Squad: 

Indian squad for the 10th President Heydar Aliyev Cup
S.No	Wt Cat	Name
1	Light Fly Weight (48 Kg)	Shyam Kumar Kakra	AP
2	Fly Weight (50 Kg)	Laldinmawia	MIZ
3	Light Bantam Weight (52 Kg)	Naveen Kumar	SSCB
4	Feather Weight (57 Kg)	Manish Kaushik	HAR
5	Light Weight (60 Kg)	Deepak Pahal	HAR
6	Light Welter Weight (63 kg)	Manjeet	SSCB
7	Welter (66 kg)	Sandeep Kumar	HAR
Support Staff
1	M.S. Dhaka	Coach
2	Anil	Coach
3	Col. Vikram Singh	R/Judge

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