The German-made sophisticated guns are being used by a special US Air Force military organisation Star Gate Command for urban warfare.
The ministry of home affairs would procure the weapons for the state police commandos as part of police modernization programme, sources said.
The ministry would be procuring 775 MP5A3 series guns this year, the source said adding that the state home department has also sent relevant documents to the ministry in connection with the matter.
Besides, the ministry would also provide 3500 AK series and 3000 Indian Small Arms System (Insas) rifles for the state police, the source added.
The move comes at a time when the Loktak Protection Force (LPF) set up by the state has been equipped with three US-made hovercraft to flush out militants from Loktak, the biggest fresh water lake in the northeast.
Security officials said rebels belonging to various organisations had put up at huts built on floating phumdis (thick bio-mass), deep inside the adjoining areas to the lake like the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is home to the rare brow antlered deer, locally known as Sangai.
Three high-tech hovercraft landed in the Bishnupur district on Wednesday and are being kept at Toubul village on the banks of the lake.
February 2nd, 2011: In Mizoram, as the officials refused to provide information under the RTI Act, accessing information has become a costly affair for common people as they need to go for appeals. This writer has not received information in 9 RTI applications. Appeals have been made before the concerned Appellate Authorities in three cases but all ended in absence of any response.
The cases where information has been denied are as follows:
1. On July 12, 2010, I filed an RTI application with the SPIO, Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Mamit district via speed post seeking year-wise amount of flood relief released by the government of Mizoram to Silsury village in Mamit district during 2000-2010 and list of beneficiaries. But the SPIO, V L Remliana, Sub Divisional Officer (Sadar) failed to provide any information. On 23 November 2010, I filed first appeal before the Deputy Commissioner, Mamit, but have not received any information as of date. On 31 January 2011, the second appeal was filed before the State Information Commission.
2. On October 1, 2010, I filed an RTI application with SPIO, District Project Coordinator, Mamit by speed post seeking the appointment letter of a SSA teacher and the performance reports submitted by the concerned Village Education Committee with regard to the SSA teacher. On 23 November 2010, the first appeal was sent via speed post but I have not been provided any information as of date. On 31 January 2011, I filed the second appeal before the SIC.
3. On August 12, 2010, I filed an RTI application by speed post with the SPIO, SSA Mizoram, Aizawl regarding alleged arbitrary and illegal dismissal of a SSA teacher but received no information. I made the first appeal on 23 November 2010 but I have not been provided any information. On 29 January 2011, I filed the second appeal before the SIC.
4. On August 16, 2010, I filed RTI application by speed post with the SPIO, SSA Mizoram, Aziawl regarding alleged arbitrary and illegal dismissal of another different SSA teacher. No information has been provided.
5. On August 12, 2010, I filed an application with Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi regarding border fencing compensation in Mizoram. The application was forwarded to Deputy Commissioners of Lunglei, Mamit and Lawngtlai vide letter F. No. 11013/39/2010-BM.III dated New Delhi the 19th August 2010. But so far information has been provided only by Lunglei DC office.
6. On July 16, 2010, I filed an RTI application with the Ministry of Minority Affairs, New Delhi seeking information about the scholarship provided to the minority students in Mizoram. On 21 July 2010, the application was forwarded to Smt. L Tonchhang, Principal Secretary, Education and Human Resource Development department, Govt of Mizoram, Aizawl vide letter no. 18/2/2010-RTI/PP(PPR) dated New Delhi the 21 July 2010. No information has been provided till date.
7. On September 22, 2010, I filed an RTI application with social welfare department, government of Mizoram seeking the reasons as to why old age pension has not been provided to two senior citizens who belong to BPL family. The application was sent by speed post but has received no reply.
8. On September 22, 2010, I filed an RTI application by speed post with the District Rural Development Agency, Mamit district seeking information as to why a beneficiary of IAY was not given IAY grant although his name appeared in the DRDA order dated 15th March 2009. But no information has been provided till date.
9. On September 22, 2010, I filed an RTI application with Office of Child Development Project Officer, West Phaileng, Mamit seeking information about appointment of Angwanwadi workers in Silsury village. The letter was sent by Speed Post but no information has been provided till date.
It is needless to say that Mizoram government has failed to put up the particulars and contact details of the Appellate Authorities in each department’s website. Even the website of Mizoram State Information Commission, http://msic.mizoram.gov.in/ is not functioning and hence redundant.
Further, in the Mizoram RTI Rules, 2006 the applicant must pay fee of appeal by way of court fee stamp. The fee is also quite high: Rs 40/- for first appeal and Rs 50/- for second appeal. In short, accessing information through the RTI Act has become a costly affair for common people as they need to go for appeals.
In August 2010, Aizawl-based anti-corruption watchdog People’s Right to Information and Development Implementing Society of Mizoram (PRISM) came down heavily on Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who had stated that appointing a State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) was a waste of public money as the people of Mizoram did not fully use the RTI Act.
Contrary to the Chief Minister’s claim, what is emerging is the fact that the RTI officials in Mizoram are denying information to the applicants without the fear of the law. The public servants appointed as RTI officials have no right to deny information when the applicant has paid the statutory fee of Rs 10/- to the government in the first place. It is time Chief Minister of Mizoram and State Information Commission took strong notice of the rampant practice of not honouring the RTI Act and ensure that appropriate punishment is meted out to the erring RTI officials as provided in section 20 of the RTI Act.
Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, information must be provided “as expeditiously as possible, and in any case within thirty days of the receipt of the request.” (Sub section 1 of section 7). But in Mizoram state, accessing information is increasingly becoming a tedious and expensive process as officials of various departments have been refusing to provide information.
If any application is rejected, the State Public Information Officer must communicate to the applicant providing the reasons for such rejection under sub section 8 of section 7. Denial of information is punishable office under section 20 of the RTI Act. Yet, the SPIOs are less concerned. Even appeal before the Appellate Authority yielded little.
The Centre tends to take the peaceful situation in the state for granted, he told the conference of chief ministers on internal security here.
"Since my state has devoted a large portion of its meagre resources to the maintenance of internal security at the expense of curtailing other development activities, I feel that it will be a mistake for the government of India if the genuine requests for fund remain unattended.
"There is a feeling among the general public that the government of India tends to take the peaceful situation of the state for granted," he said.
The contributions made by Mizoram in preserving peace and security resulted in heavy expenditure which could have been spent for development purposes. In a way, this is a selfless dedication made by my state which deserves recognition, he said.
"Even though my state remains one of the most peaceful states in the country, there is no ground for complacency as we are sandwiched by two foreign countries and being surrounded by states where militancy and insurgency exist.
"In spite of our heavy expenditure for maintaining security and peace, we have been deprived of fund under Security Related Expenditure (SRE). This is an injustice which needs to be redressed," he said.
He requested the government to provide Rs 31 crore needed for capital cost of building infrastructure for permanent battalion headquarters of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Indian Reserve Battalions from the budget of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio requested the Centre to "do away with" the additional requirement of MHA verification for passport applicants from the state.
"The smuggling of arms and ammunition and contraband from across the border is cause for concern. The long and porous international border makes it difficult to effectively control such activities. Securing the international border makes it difficult to effectively control such activities.
"Securing the international border should, therefore, be given top priority. Therefore, in my view, the national interest will be served if the government in consultation with the Myanmar government undertakes intensive development of infrastructure in these areas which are inhabited by the same ethnic groups," Rio said.
He also said that the state has pending SRE claims of Rs 162.06 crore out of which claims of Rs 103.88 crore are pending with the Central government and the rest with state governments.
Impartiality in implementation of reservation and re- vocation of the State Cabinet’s decision with regard to appointment of senior MCS officers as Executive Director of the DRDAs have been cited for the agitation, by Lalkhohao Chon- gloi, CDSU president.
‘For the record, we are not against senior MCS officers, but against the State Government’s policy,’ our Churachandpur correspon-dent S Singlianmang Guite quoted Chongloi as saying.
he also contended that the agitation was taken up in consultation with student bodies in other hill districts viz Ukhrul, Senapati, Chan-del and Tamenglong. As a result of the shut-down, Government offices including the DC and SDO offices wore a deserted look today.
CCpur in the throes of water woes
NEW Delhi, Feb 2: With celebrations of Christmas and New Year over, common citizens in Churachandpur district were once again reminded of the water woes that the whole district is perpetually facing and which will be at its worst as the summer sets in.Back in midsummer 2009, the thirst for water led a team of young media enthusiast called ‘Zogam Media Watch’ to search the internet. The group found from the website of the DoNER ( the Ministry of development of North East region) that a whooping Rs 213.26 lakhs and Rs 204.64 lakhs were approved for construction of water supply scheme for Thanlon and Singngat sub division respectively.
Motivated by the tremendous cases of success in seeking informa-tion that common citizen rightly deserved by the use of the Right to Information Act 2005 in different places of India , the media watch group filed an application in March 2010 asking for detail information regarding the said project and status of its implementation.
The Ministry have reportedly res- ponded in June 2010 including detail documents, infor- ming that the funds for the two project for Thanlon and Singngat in Churachand-pur District, were released in July 2009 and that the State Government is required to furnish utilization certifi-cate. The Ministry also stated that the said project is slated to be completed within 24 months from the date of sanction.
A letter received from group stated that they were apprehensive of the water scarcity and status of the project work as the time frame of two years for completion draws near and so is summer. That the construction beside being far from completion is below expectation. The group wrote that the said project is the only hope for the people of these areas. The letter also stated that due to the scarcity since past years villagers have to purchase water from tankers. The group were also apprehensive of volatile situation of areas like Thanlon and Singngat, inhabited by different ethnic communities.
It may also be mentioned that the other water supply project include Rs 2.97 crore for Saikot , Rs 3-79 crore for Chandel Rs 3.43 and Rs 2.56 for Liyai and Motbung, Senapati, Rs 6.91 for Ukhrul, Rs 7.64 for Imphal west Rs 1.25 for Sangai kot and Rs 1.25 for Changpikot. Acco-rding to the media watch group the general public were not even aware of said water project until the group filed for information.
~ TSE
Prime Minister Dr Man-mohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi presented the award to the DPC MGNREGA Chura-chandpur district Jacintha Lazarus alongside nine other districts selected from throughout the country for giving the best performances in the year 2009-10. Churachandpur, which topped the Ministry of Rural Development (MGNREGA division) list made the cut under the category, co-mmunity participation and participation for livelihood generation.
Jacintha credited the dis-trict job card holders for the rare achievement Churachandpur attained at the National level.
‘I dedicate the award to all the Job Card holders back there (Churachandpur district),’ she told The Sangai Express from New Delhi.
A group of the District MGNREGA team comprising of BDO Lamka, Man- nuamching; AE DRDA Lhunpu Haokip, three POs, an SO, a village chief and a job card holder accompanied the DPC to New Delhi for the presentation at MGNREGA Sammelan that was inaugurated by Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Vi- lasrao Deshmukh early today.
The DRDA Churachan-dpur district initiative in planting sapling along the town’s catchment area under MGNREGA was the main emphasis when the district made its nomination for the award sometime last year, and it is on this basis that the Ministry of Rural Development selected the district after duly assessing the district’s all-round performance and its ability in delivering the results as per the demand, said a DRDA official from New Delhi.
DD News, the Government news portal, telecast the function as MGNREGA completed five years, allowing many residents here to watch the district’s historic moment as it unfolded.
~ TSE
The committee has also instructed all the jhum farmers to burn their cultivation before March 15. The primitive slash and burn method of cultivation, or jhumming, in Mizoram has led to a massive destruction of forests and innumerable forest fires causing loss of human lives every year. According to figures provided by the environment forest department relating to 10 out of the 14 territorial divisions, at least 17,046.33 hectares of forest was swallowed by forest fires allegedly caused by jhumming.
Jhumming is still prevalent in Mizoram and other hilly states of the northeast as around 80 per cent of the Mizo farmers, which comprised about 30 per cent of the total 10 lakh population, depend on the practice in the absence of irrigation.
Farmers, however, say jhum burning is not the main cause of the forest fire. Rather, it is mainly the handiwork of some miscreants who torch the dry leaves for fun or some cattle grazers who wanted early growth of green grasses. Though some agriculturists think that jhumming is necessary as the ashes of burnt trees and leaves restore the soil balance, environmentalists argue that the extent of devastation it causes to the forests is not worth it.
Some agriculturists say that the soil of Mizoram, like in the other mountainous areas of the region are sour and the ashes of the burned forests helped to repair the soil imbalance to make them fertile for cultivation. ''This can, however, be substituted with slaked lime or other salty chemicals,'' agriculture experts say, adding that the sate government has to take a keen interest in order to put an end to the slash and burn system of cultivation. The Congress government has just launched an ambitious New Land Use Policy with an objective to put an end to the destructive jhumming and provide an alternative sustainable development model for the farmers.
PL Thanga, vice-chairman of NLUP apex board, said, ''The ambitious NLUP project would provide alternative sustainable land-based livelihood to the farmers, thereby keeping about 60 percent of the land under green forest cover.'' While the forest cover in Mizoram is still the highest in the country, state environment and forest department officials said the national data in regards to the state were only superficial.
According to a recent survey report by the state remote sensing application centre here, there is only 3,158.57 sq km of dense forest which is totally virgin and not yet used for cultivation in Mizoram accounting for a merely 14.98 per cent of the total geographical area of the state.
The survey report says that the state has a medium dense forest area of 2,628.08 square km which is 12.46 per cent of the total land area and 3,738.57 sq kms of less dense forest area consisting of 17.73 per cent of the state's geographical area.
Along with Mizoram, the entire north eastern region is facing wanton degradation of forests and a recent study shows that 6.3 million hectares of forests in the region was affected of which four states- Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh contributed around 72 per cent.
Addressing a State Credit Seminar 2011-2012 organised by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in Aizawl last week, Lal Thanhawla underlined the need for giving short term credit support to the farmers including those who get financial assistance from the New Land Use Policy (NLUP), a flagship programme of the Lal Thanhawla led Congress ministry in Mizoram.
He also asked the bankers to open atleast 14 branches in the rural areas where there is no banking facility before the end of March 2012.
On problems being faced by the bankers in repayment of bank loans, Lal Thanhawla stressed the need for proper explanation of the terms and conditions of the loan to the loanees. He said, this is the responsibility of the sponsors.
The truckers need to pass through Nagaland and Assam sector of NH 39 to ferry supplies from various towns of Assam and other parts of the country.
Following the kidnapping of two drivers and a handyman, drivers of bullet tankers have decided to stop using NH 39 and instead go through Imphal-Silchar sector of National Highway 53. They have also submitted a memorandum highlighting their decision to the State Chief Minister O Ibobi and DGP Manipur Y Joykumar through the All Manipur Transport and Motor Workers’ Union (AMT& WU).
All Manipur Bullet LPG Drivers’ Union drivers in their meeting here on Thursday has taken a decision in this regard after a thorough deliberation on the increasing harassments and tortures meted out to drivers and handymen on NH 39.
The drivers stated that they will not be responsible for any untoward incidents to vehicles plying on NH 39 in defiance of the Union’s decision. In the memorandum, the Union also urged the authorities to provide adequate security to the tankers while plying on NH 53. If government cannot ensure full security to the tankers despite their pleas they will then stop procuring bulk LPG.
The tour was organised by Ministry of Home Affairs under the aegis of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs and Nehru Yuva Kendra, Mizoram Zone.
The team called on State Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla here on Thursday. Expressing happiness at the team’s visit, he said that despite being from different social, cultural, religious and economic backgrounds, all of us should take pride in being Indians first and foremost and advised the visiting youths to work for the country’s progress and development, fostering the bonds of brotherhood and universal love among different communities.
The Chief Minister said that at times, peoples’ geographical knowledge is so poor that they fail to place Mizoram as a part of India but expressed hope that the youths would add to their knowledge about the rich heritage of our country through travel programmes like the current one.
The Bharat Parikrama team had also an interaction session with prominent citizens and important government officials at the I & PR Auditorium. The team also visited Falkawn, a typical Mizo village, the Aizawl Theological College, Mizoram University, the 10th Assam Rifles among others.
~ AT
Somaiya, on a tour of the Northeast as a part of the fact finding committee of BJP, claimed that the party has legal documents and other evidences that would be put up in the Parliament to demand a thorough CBI probe into all these scams.
Addressing the media here, he said that the committee consisting of party MP Bijoya Chakravarty, BJP general secretary Tapur Gao and himself would submit its detailed report on corruption in the Northeast to party president Nitin Gadkari on February 11 at Delhi.
The committee had visited various parts of Arunachal, Assam and Manipur.
“On February 15, the report would be submitted to the President of India urging her to take action against fraudulent politicians. If required, we would also move the court on certain issues that include PDS scam of Assam,” said Somaiya.
“We would also inform the President that in spite of strictures and exposures by the CAG, the Congress governments at the Centre and in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur are not taking action.”
Lambasting the Tarun Gogoi- led State Government for deep-rooted corruption in the State, the BJP leader said that misappropriation of fund and fraud in the government system are becoming a routine in Assam. “Despite the special inspection report by the CAG that unearthed large-scale misappropriation of fund in the NC Hills, the State government did not bother to respond to the CAG queries,” he added.
Citing the examples of misappropriation of rural development fund in Morigaon (Rs 52 lakh), siphoning of NREGA fund at Phemachi Zilla Parishad (Rs 38 lakh) and other embezzlements brought to light by the AG’s report, the BJP leader demanded a CBI investigation of all the misappropriations pointed out by the special inspection report. Also flaying the union government for not taking proper steps to control the unabated price rise of all the essential commodities, he said that rise in the prices of onion up to Rs 80 per kg is a big scam of the UPA government that helped the unscrupulous section to pocket thousands of crores of rupees.
The award will be prese-nted by the Prime Minister on February 2 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
Community mobilisation and participation for livelihood was the category, the ministry cited for selecting the district. The selection was made on the basis of recommendations made by an expert committee, said a ministry memo.
A team of the committee had visited the district in mid-January to evaluate ground reality and verify claims of the DPC MGNREGA made during a presentation late last year.
The Deputy Commissioner and the DPC MGNREGA Churachandpur, Jacintha Lazarus along with officials from the district rural development agency will leave for New Delhi on Monday to receive the award, which will be the first of its kind for the district.
Besides, Churachandpur, North Sikkim will be the only other recipient from the entire north east region.
Councillors feted
IMPHAL, Jan 29 : Vaiphei People’s Council (VPC) Sangaikot Block, Chura-chandpur district felicitated the recently elected Members of District Council belonging to Vaiphei community all over Manipur yesterday at Lamlai village in Churachandpur district.
Graced by Rev Mang-khosei Baite from Mizoram Presbyterian Church Sy-nod, the felicitation prog- ramme also witnessed an oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected office bearers of VPC Sangaikot Block which covers 18 Vaiphei villages, said a release of the council.
Maojang Youth Day celebration concludes
IMPHAL, Jan 29: The 28th Maojang (Mangyang) Youth Day came to an end at Saikul MYC ground yesterday.
The event which mainly featured games and sports was organised with a view to promote physical and mental health of the youth since January 25.
The opening function of the event was attended by former deputy speaker of ATSUM and president of the Khongsai Students’ Organisation Langkholim Khongsai, social activist Naoroibam Kapu and secretary of the Maojang Village Authority Lunkholet Baite as presidium members.
Addressing the opening function, the presidium members highlighted the importance of inculcating good morale and character among the youth so that they grow up to become qualified citizens of the society.
They also stressed on the importance of games and sports and education in the life of youth.
These activities can keep away youth from the wrong path besides promoting punctuality, discipline and positive attitude.
They called upon the youth to forgive and forget all past mistakes and ill-feelings in order to build a progressive society based on harmonious co-existence.
The closing function held yesterday featured musical performance by different well known singers as well as cultural programmes presented by several youth clubs of the area.
The gathering also paid tributes to seven departed souls who regularly participated in the Youth Day celebration every year before they passed away.
The main feature of the closing function were, however, football matches played by seven different teams named in the names of the seven departed souls. Competition in several other sports disciplines was also held today.
Later, prizes were distributed to the winners of the sports competitions.
In the course of the Youth Day celebration, JNIMS ENT specialist Dr N Kumarjit conducted an impromptu medical camp where many villagers were treated for ENT related diseases.
Those requiring further diagnosis and treatment were advised to come to Imphal.
Though Maojang is located just about 10 Kms from Saikul proper, the only means of transport to and from the village is Shaktiman truck or one has to go on foot.
This caused great difficulties to the villagers when any of them got sick.
The woes of the villagers got aggravated during rainy season, conveyed one of the villagers.
~ TSE
In the wake of the lifting of PAP from three Northeast Indian states--Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (Mizo students' association) today convened a meeting of all major NGOs and political parties of Mizoram on the issue.
All of the representatives of NGOs and political parties, though restrained from speaking on behalf of the organisations they represented, expressed fear that the lifting of PAP would ultimately lead to the lifting of the Inner Line Permit/Regulation that safeguards the tribals of the Northeast state from assimilation.
In a bid to 'woo foreign tourists', the Centre on December 31 lifted the PAP from these three states to allow foreigners to enter into the states without any restrictions for a period of one year.
The order came after a joint delegation of the Manipuri Association of Canada and Local Support Group submitted a memorandum to the home ministry on December 28.
There had been an attempt to lift the PAP in 1994 which invited strong opposition from all political parties and NGOs in Mizoram.
At this juncture, then Union home minister S B Chavan went on a record saying, ''No innerline restriction would be imposed while restricted/protected area permit requirement for foreigners is lifted, as that would mean welcoming foreigners while keeping out Indians.'' While non-Mizo Indians have to get inner line permit (ILP) foreigners are required to get protected area permit (PAP) to enter into Mizoram.
The ILP, in particular, has drawn much criticism from many Indians as it prevented them from entering the state without getting prior permission.
''While many Indians have been complaining about the requirement of a permit to Mizoram, the relaxation of entry permit for foreigners will certainly result in yet another litigation to do away with the Inner Line Permit/Regulation under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873,'' V L Krosshnehzova said in a keynote address.
All of the speakers, except for one, shared the views of the MZP president and expressed fear that the lifting of PAP would be a threat to the social security of the tribals of the Northeast Indians which has been protected since the British time.
''The ILP's aim is not to harass or prevent entry of non-Mizo Indian nationals per se but to secure the future of the natives by protecting the sanctity of their socio-cultural rights, preventing demographic upheaval leading to invasion of their political bastion by the 'outsiders' which has been the case with Tripura,'' said a senior politician.
The meeting also expressed resentment over the Centre making such a crucial decision (to lift the PAP) following a pressure from just two organisations in Manipur, without consulting the people, or for that matter, any organisations in the two other states concerned.
The Mizo organisations also disagreed with the grounds on which the Centre claimed to have lifted the PAP, that was to 'boost' tourism industry.
''Sikkim has emerged as one of the major tourism hot spots in India. Not only the Protected Area Permit, but also Restricted Area Permit is being enforced in Sikkim. Therefore, the Centre's pretext is meaningless,'' Lalmuanpuia Punte, vice-chairman of North East Students' Organisation, said at the consultation meeting.
Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, the PAP is enforced in some parts of Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Sikkim and the entire states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Similarly, the RAP, under Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, is enforced in the entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In Sikkim, the RAP covers areas uncovered by the PAP.
--UNI
Addressing the first ever state-wide wet rice cultivation farmers' meet at Electric Veng YMA Hall here, Mr Lal Thanhawla said his government has put a major thrust on agriculture to make the state self-sufficient.
''We cannot expect Mizoram to have big industries. Therefore, agriculture is the government's major thrust area. The government has taken major initiatives to develop irrigation, power, terrace cultivation, cold storage and agriculture market in its ambition to make Mizoram a self-sufficient state,'' he said.
To encourage wet rice cultivators, the chief minister said that power tillers and tractors were distributed to farmers with 75 per cent subsidy.
Emphasising that agriculture is a noble profession, the chief minister said no nation or country can be respected unless it is agriculturally self-sufficient.
''It is shameful that the people of Mizoram, whose forefathers were self-sufficient in rice, have become fully dependent on PDS rice. We have to regain that past glory,'' he added.
Stating that the Mizoram government has launched the new land use policy to do away with the destructive slash-and-burn cultivation and save the ecology, Mr Lal Thanhawla stressed on the responsibility of the beneficiaries for the success of the ambitious project.
Agriculture Minister H Liansailova, who graced the occasion as the guest of honour, said the declaration of 2011 as the year of bumper rice harvest is a great challenge for the farmers. The urged the farmers to help achieve the goal.
Around 532 wet rice cultivators from the eight districts of the gathered at the meet.
--UNI
In a statement, the student body said that the non-accomplishment of Reservation Rules is construe as an insult to the Act as well as of the deserving communities in question and repeated appeals and persuasion to this issue has failed to pinch the Government till date to complete the legitimate urge.
Observing that introduction of the new Academic Calendar of the State due to mere closure of schools in the valley district is not acceptable, the student body made it clear that the hills will not follow the New academic calendar under any circumstances and the only option for the Government is to review the order at the earliest or follow different academic calendar in the hills.
The recruitment of SOs in MSRRDA in total contravention to the conventional practise of the State Government regarding reser- vation is not acceptable to the tribal people.
The reply of the Minister concerned’s lack logic and we condemned in the highest level. Either the Govern- ment filled up the post which are due to the tribal or terminate the whole process and recuit new SOs with proper presentation of the tribals, the student body asserted.
The student body has also threatened to launch different form of democratic agitation from Febru- ary 1 if all these long pending issues were not amica- bly addressed and realised by the Government.
~ TSE
The decision was taken in a meeting of the drivers called by the Union after discussing the increasing harassments and torture meted out to the drivers and handymen of Manipur on the NH-29.
The union had made it clear that no truck from Manipur would ply along the NH 29 though government was requisitioning vehicles to procure FCI quotas by using the NH 29 and which compelled drivers to ply on the route, AMT & WU general secretary Kullamani said after the meeting today.
He said that truckers had been bearing the burden of innumerable “taxes” imposed by the undergrounds along the NH 29 of Manipur and Nagaland section and now even undergrounds in Assam have started taxing Manipur vehicles.
The 50-km stretch of NH 39 within the forest of Karbi Anglong has become another hazardous point for the drivers. He referred to the recent attacks on Imphal bound gas bullet tankers and passenger bus at Deopani in Karbi Anglong by cadres of Karbi People Liberation Tigers (KPLT).
He also recalled the kidnapping of two drivers and a handyman after the gas bullet tankers were hijacked and victims harassed and tortured during captivity. “This was not the first case of torture and taking of lives of drivers and handymen on NH 39”, he said.
He also clarified that the union will not take any responsibility for any untoward incidents on trucks plying on NH-29 defying the decision.
He also mentioned an earlier decision of the Transporters’ and Drivers’ Council (TDC), an apex body, which resolved not to ply along NH-29.
~ NP
‘The KNO bemoans such poor professionalism which reeks of sensationalism and mischief aimed at pre-emptive sabotage of discord-resolution between communities,’ said a KNO statement signed by T Stephen Kuki, its under-secretary Information and Publicity.
Stephen further said that KNO would continue to prioritize promotion of peace in the region and commit to work towards bringing about peaceful co-existence based on mutual respect between neighbouring communities in Manipur and elsewhere.
CDSU joins KSO
Lamka, Jan 18: The Churachandpur Students' Union today joined rank with the KSO in voicing dissent against the State Government’s order to appoint senior MCS officer as Executive Director of the DRDA in hill districts.
The Union is displeased to learn that the Government has adopted a parallel stand on the issue despite minutely deliberating upon it with ATSUM on 13 January and assuring a positive review of the same, CDSU said in a release.
In total contravention of the Central Government’s guidelines, the State Cabinet decision is deemed as a case of betrayal and sell-out of the concern public wishes and aspiration, it added. It further asserted that CDSU shall stand united, undeterred and shall never reverse its adopted stand. The Union also resolved to take all possible course of actions to pre-empt the assigned MCS officer from discharging its powers and duties in Churachandpur district.
Meanwhile, a separate statement of the Union said it decries the unwarranted injustice perpetrated by Manipur Police Department on the aspiring candidates for the post of Sub-Inspector and Jamedar. It is bizarre to learn that hundreds of candidates were barred from appearing in the exam, which indeed is undemocratic, unfair and unheard of, it alleged. To ensure justice and fairness on the recruitment exercise that is manifested with tacit partiality, the examination should be rescheduled for the aggrieved candidates, the Union beseeched.
KIM refutes
Imphal, January 18(HNS): Following the news item published in this newspaper about the signing of a MoU between NSCN (IM) and KNO with the involvement of certain civil organizations, the Kuki Inpi Manipur refuted the news saying that neither they nor the Kuki Nampi Palai (KNP) and the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) were involved or witness to the signing. In a press release KIM said that the three organizations have no knowledge about the signing.
A press communiqué from the Council has sought to highlight highhandedness of the bureaucracy and the Government, saying the majority of proposal under the 13th Finance Commission award for border area development of Moreh are being done without spot assessment and consulting the local people.
Since the local problems are best known by the local people, bypassing them has resulted in various development projects of the State and Central governments failing to achieve the objectives of the programme, which is a huge loss to the people, land and the Government. Only the cooperation of the local people will help in achieving the required objectives, it said.
The council has also expressed scepticism over the sincerity of the departments concerned in the execution of development projects. The proposal under the Border Area Development (BAD) for Moreh has been doubled, suggesting “sinister design to misuse the fund by all those involved in the implementation of the programme,” it alleged.
To obviate the possibility for misuse and misappropriation of funds, the council has claimed that it sought a meeting with the project director of the Manipur Development Society (MDS), Ningthem, at his residence to apprise him of the situation, but he refused to lend them an ear on several occasions.
The HTC has, therefore, decided not to remain a silent spectator but to oversee that the BAD programmes are implemented at the right places and deserving areas as per the exact amounts sanctioned and with quality work.
If the State Government and implementing agencies fail to utilise the said grant fund genuinely, the council will be compelled to state its grievances to the Central Government and will resort to any form of agitation for which the Government will alone bear the consequences, it has warned.
Aizawl, Jan 16 : Jhum cultivation, a bane of Mizoram, will change into settled agriculture in five years and poverty will be removed from the State in 10 years, State Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla promised on Friday while launching the ambitious Rs 2,873-crore New Land Use Policy (NLUP) here.
Addressing a crowded audience at Vanapa Hall here after unveiling the NLUP website, the Chief Minister said the project aims to provide permanent livelihood to 1,20,000 jhumia families within the coming five years. He also announced that there would be no below poverty line (BPL) families in the State after 10 years.
Later, speaking to newsmen at his office chamber, Lalthanhawla informed that a lot of planning had gone into working out the project to ensure best possible results. Denying that his Government was trying to benefit only Congress members through the NLUP, he said, “ All efforts have been made to benefit all sections of the people by constituting monitoring committees at village, district and State level to ensure transparency.”
He claimed that even the Government of India is impressed by the project and if successful, it will be replicated in other States in the North East and rest of the country. A baseline household survey was entrusted to the Young Mizo Association (YMA) in September, 2009 which identified 1,58,000 families as eligible for assistance. Of this, 1,20,000 families were finally selected for providing assistance under the project.
The successful implementation of the NLUP will bring about a massive 16 per cent rise in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State, PL Thanga, vice chairman of the NLUP Implementing Board informed. “In several areas, we will be adopting the cluster approach so as to enable technical and marketing support to the beneficiaries,” he added.
Crops suitable for cultivation in different areas of the State have been identified, he said, adding, “For instance, orange has been identified for cultivation along the border with Myanmar.” In Vairangte area, an ‘arecanut village’ has come up with as many as 500 families taking up the cultivation of arecanuts.
“The State is targetting to achieve self-sufficiency in fish, poultry and pig production by the end of the current year itself”, Thanga stated.
Muga, the golden silk of Assam, may not remain the exclusive preserve of Assam after NLUP. The Implementing Committee has identified 6,000 hectares which are suitable for rearing muga silkworms. Mulberry trees on which the silkworms feed are extensively found in Mizoram, Thanga disclosed. Nearly 3,000 families in two clusters will take up muga cultivation, he added.
'In view of the inadequate railway wagons and feeble tracks of NFR (Northeast Frontier Railways), the FCI is unable to supply food grain to Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam,' Tripura Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manik Dey told reporters in Agartala.
Quoting FCI and railway officials, Dey said: 'The FCI officials assured Tripura MPs that it would supply food grain by trucks and would build a buffer stock in the region.'
Parliamentarians from Tripura, led by Lok Sabha member Khagen Das, Wednesday met FCI chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) Syraj Hussain and top railway officials in New Delhi.
Mizoram Chief Secretary Pu Van Hela Pachuau too held a meeting with Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, demanding urgent supply of food grain, according to officials.
The central government has been supplying food grain, cooking gas, fertilisers and other essentials to the northeastern states.
'Inadequate railway service to the hilly region is the main bottleneck in maintaining uninterrupted supply of food grain and other essentials,' the Tripura food minister said.
The metre-gauge railway line from Guwahati passes through southern Assam's mountainous North Cachar Hills district, connecting landlocked Tripura's capital Agartala and parts of Manipur and Mizoram with the rest of the country.
He said Tripura had a buffer stock only for 23 days against the mandatory reserve of 60.
A senior Mizoram government official told reporters that six out of the state's eight districts are facing a severe shortage of food grain and other essentials.
'The repatriation process of tribal refugees from Tripura to Mizoram has also been suspended due to the shortages,' the official added.
'The Mizoram chief secretary, during his meeting with the cabinet secretary, has suggested six proposals, including building of adequate numbers of godowns, to overcome the recurring problem,' he said.
The chief secretary also said that work on the Bairabi-Sairang railway line in northern Mizoram was progressing slowly, thus making it difficult to finish the project by the original deadline of March 2014.
Meanwhile, a Tripura government official said that the union cabinet secretary held a high-level meeting in Guwahati earlier this month with the chief secretaries and food and civil supplies officials of the eight northeastern states on the issue.
Occasional road blockades by local organisations and disruption of railway services due to heavy rains during monsoon have also contributed to such shortages in Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and southern and western Assam.
The Mizoram Presbyterian Church, the largest church in the Christian-dominated state of Mizoram, has said that the red pot wine is a ''liquor'' and cannot be liberalised.
The Synod, the highest assembly of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church, in its annual meeting here yesterday held that the made-in-Mizoram grape wine labelled Zawlaidi, which contains 14 per cent alcohol, is a 'liquor' and resolved to press the government to reduce the alcohol content.
The red pot wine, produced from two wineries at Hnahlan village and Champhai town in eastern parts of Mizoram, had already faced opposition from smaller churches and NGOs since it hit the market on market on October 11.
Earlier, the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitu Committee (MKHC), a committee comprising leaders of different denominations, had made it very clear that it was against production and sale of grape wine and guava wine.
The church leaders committee also reiterated that its 100 per cent support to the Mizoram liquor total prohibition act, imposed in the state in 1996, remained unchanged.
The prohibition of liquor was grounded on the solid teaching of the Word of God and therefore the Church's stand will never be compromised, sources from the church leaders' committee said.
Meanwhile, the Evangelical Church of Maraland in Mara Autonomous District Council in southern Mizoram supported by other organisations, have unanimously agreed to ban the grape wine in the autonomous district council.
A joint memorandum had been submitted to the chief executive member of Mara ADC, S Khipo to request him to take necessary actions in this regard.
The Church and the voluntary organisations also asked the government to cancel the license issued to the retail vendor for Saiha town.
Even though other smaller churches such as Baptist Church of Mizoram, the Salvation Army, United Pentecostal Church, Seventh Day Adventist, etc have expressed their opposition to the grape wine, official resolutions are yet to be made.
With its 14 per cent alcohol content, Zawlaidi contains has come as a perfect substitute to liquor which is totally prohibited in the Christian dominated state since the past 13 years.
The Mizoram government, in 2007, made an amendment of the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act, passed in 1997, to enable grape growers in Hnahlan and Champhai in northeastern parts of Mizoram to manufacture wine from their fruits of labour.
Even as the grape growers have heaved a sigh of relief, the churches in Mizoram, who were behind the prohibition law, have expressed their resentment on the liberalisation of grape wine.
In Hnahlan village 80 per cent of the total population of 670 families, has been engaged in producing grapes and 325 families in Champhai area.
--UNI
