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www.morungexpress.com
Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 103
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
The Morung Express “
www.morungexpress.com
Don’t give up on your dreams, or your dreams will give up on you
SC says transgenders ‘third category’
Sunny Leone to host ‘Splitsvilla’
[ PAGE 8]
[ PAGE 11]
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Wednesday, April 16, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4 –John Wooden
ESSU appeals SBI for bank branch in Aghunato sub-division [ PAGE 2]
Post, Guardian win Pulitzers for NSA revelations
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Phelps coming out of retirement [ PAGE 10]
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CORRUPTION MATTERS!
ACAUT Nagaland begins anti-corruption movement Corruption issue resonates Files RTIs in two Nagaland state government departments among Indians in the polls
Morung Express news Kohima | April 15
Throwing eggs, Tomatoes? Stop this insanity at once. Do you have any idea how much an egg or a kilo of tomatoes cost these days?
The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your answer to 9862574165 Are you satisfied with the way Nagaland State Government is addressing the AssamNagaland border issues? Yes
no
Others
Petrol price cut by 70 paise a litre NEW DELhI, APRIL 15 (PTI): The price of petrol was today cut by 70 paise a litre, excluding local levies, the second reduction in rates this month as appreciation of the rupee against the US dollar made oil imports cheaper. The reduction, effective midnight tonight, excludes local sales tax or VAT and the actual cut will be higher, varying from city to city. Announcing the rate cut, Indian Oil Corp, the nation’s largest fuel retailer, said, “The continued appreciation of the rupee has resulted in reduction in petrol prices.” There will be no change in diesel prices as oil firms revise rates of the nation’s most consumed fuel on a monthly basis.
“This is a turning point for the Nagas. It is a breakaway from the past and against the status quo,” said Mar Longkumer as the Action Committee against Unabated Tax (ACAUT) kick started its anti-corruption movement on April 15 and changed its name to Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation Nagaland. As ACAUT took its first step against corruption by filing RTIs in the Rural Development Department and Personnel and Administrative Reform Department Kohima, it asserted that this small step is a giant leap for the Nagas. “Our movement is not against any individual or a particular department; we are against the system of corruption and we are not going to leave any department. We will cover all districts,” said Dr. Khekugha Muru, Convenor RTI Committee, ACAUT Nagaland. Kezhokhoto Savi, Advocate, Convenor (Legal Cell) ACAUT asserted that the purpose of the RTI is to promote empowerment
and help eradicate corruption, while adding that one core belief of ACAUT was the belief in information as power. ACAUT mentioned that in their interaction with the Naga Political Groups, it was made clear to them that corruption was not just about the groups but the government as well. On being asked why they have filed RTIs on the two departments, ACAUT asserted that during the First phase of their state tour, there were a lot of complaints from people at the grassroot level about allocated funds not reaching the villages and districts. The government told the villages to implement on loan basis
but failed to compensate, ACAUT said. This was the first hand information they received from the people. “Distributive justice empowers people but it is missing in our system so far,” said Tia, member of ACAUT. The RTI filed in the RD department demanded for information on the total sanction amount for the last five years in all districts, total amount disbursed district wise in the last five years, total number of working days and payment of wages. Many staffers were not present at the office even at 11:00 AM and it was informed that the department does not have a Public Information Officer. Regarding the Per-
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pared with 65 percent in the South. However, as recently as 2012, 82 percent in the South saw government corruption as pervasive, suggesting the issue is likely not far from their minds. A slim majority of Indians (51 percent) do not believe the current government is doing enough to fight corruption, which could cost the governing Congress party some votes, Gallup said. This includes 54 percent of 18 to 34-yearolds, who have the potential to be a potent political force because of their numbers. Regionally, the East gives the Congress partyled government the most credit for fighting corruption; 50 percent say the government is doing enough to fight corruption, while 26 percent say it is not. In the North, 80 percent say the government is not doing enough. These differences could reflect the efforts of local governments in fighting corruption and may not necessarily represent views of the national government, even though the survey question wording specifies “the government of your country,” Gallup said.
Young Indians are currently divided in their perceptions of the honesty of elections, with 46 percent saying they are confident in the process and 43 percent saying they are not, Gallup said. Older Indians are more likely to say they are confident in the honesty of elections than not. Confidence in the honesty of elections also varies by region, with the North leading the country in terms of electoral pessimism. Less than a fifth of residents in the North say the electoral system is honest, while majorities in the South (52 percent), West (64 percent), East (63 percent) and central part of India (67 percent) are more confident. Gallup said survey results are based on face-to-face interviews with 3,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted September-October 2013 in India. Before 2013, results are based on face-toface interviews with approximately 2,000 to 5,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted 2008-2012 in India. The margin of sampling error is ±2.2 percentage points, according to Gallup.
With Monsoon looming, Google urged to address ‘errors’ CIHSR fear more erosion DIMAPUR, APRIL 15 (MExN): The Industrial Village Razhupe Council and the Caretaker for Angami tribal land, West Point, TL Angami have demanded that certain boundary demarcations appearing on Google Maps be removed. A press note from TL Angami stated that at present, boundary pillars set up in 1925 by the Assam Government are shown on
‘Inappropriate action’ of Assam Police questioned MoKoKChUNG, APRIL 15 (MExN): The Ao Senden has condemned what it termed as the “inappropriate action” of the Assam Police in “arbitrarily preventing Naga voters from voting in the Lok Sabha election in 59 Tamlu A/C, Tamlu.” A press note from the Ao Senden stated that 49 A/C Tamlu falls within Ladiagarh Tamlu of Longleng District and asserted that “it is an ancestral Naga land.” “However, it’s easy proximity with Assam had given undue advantage to Assam Police and other third forces to often illegally infringe, disrupting the peaceful co-existence and development of the region,” it stated. Ao Senden said that such acts “bring mistrust and disunity among the people of Nagaland and Assam.” It called upon the people in border areas to refrain from undemocratic actions but to restore traditional understanding and resolve the issue through dialogue. It however stated that “various incidents in the recent past have proven the lackadaisical attitude of the state government.” It lamented that the failure to conduct elections in 49 A/C Polling station under Tamlu is “not only denial of citizen’s democratic rights but a total failure of the state machinery.”
sonnel and Administrative Department, ACAUT called for more transparency in keeping the public informed on the record and status of employment in Nagaland state. The RTI demanded for information on the total number of government employees in the state, total number of appointments made under Class I, II (gazetted and non-gazetted), III, IV in the last five years and their break ups, number of appointments in the last five years through NPSC, number of direct departmental recruitments made in the last five years for class I and II (both gazette and non gazette posts) and Grade III and IV.
WAShINGToN, APRIL 15 (IANS): A majority of Indians of all generations see corruption as a widespread problem that they don’t think the current government is doing enough to combat, according to a new US poll, which says the issue will “resonate” in these elections. Contending political parties’ promises of tackling the country’s graft “likely resonate with Indian voters, including the estimated 150 million young people who will be casting a ballot for the first time,” according to Gallup, a leading US public opinion organisation. Three-fourths of Indian adults aged 18 to 34 said in 2013 that corruption is widespread in their government, nearly identical to the percentages of similarly minded adults aged 35 to 54 (76 percent) and 55 or older (72 percent), it said. Voters in the North may be somewhat more receptive to anti-corruption messages than those in the South, Gallup said noting nearly nine in 10 Indians in the North believe corruption is widespread in their government, com-
Google Maps as “boundary between Nagas and Assam.” It asserted that this can “never be accepted by Nagas” and informed that the pillars were erected by the Assam government “without the historical fact of the Nagas.” The note further expressed concerns that “many unrecognized colonies” are shown on Google Maps, within the govern-
ment prepared map of Industrial Village Razuphe, Dimapur. It said that the colonies included Hill View Colony, Industrial Estate Colony, Aokong Colony etc. The IVR Council condemned this development and demanded that Google “immediately delete” the markings on its map. The note asserted that Nagas “shall not part with even an inch of their land
to non Nagas” and called upon all to “wake up and protect their land.” It stated that the present markings on Google Maps, “distorts the rightful historical background for the land of the Nagas,” and demanded that “such errors and false records” be immediately removed. It further cautioned that legal action would be initiated against Google, if it fails to act on the issue.
Electricity finally reaches 2 border villages
The embankment built in 2012 is already weakened and falling off. In the background are the CIHSR staff quarters, which is located in close proximity to the point where the river takes a sharp curve. Photo by Caisii Mao
Morung Express news Dimapur | April 15
With the rains looming, the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR), Dimapur fears the coming monsoon will further aggravate soil erosion this year as well. Reinforced wire-mesh embankment, built to protect the southern boundary of the CIHSR in 2012, is already showing signs of damage. The Chathe River, snaking along the CIHSR’s southern periphery has already washed away a sizeable portion of land. In 2010, its boundary wall, running some 150 feet was washed away, while the river continued to eat away at whatever that was left after the wall fell. If left unattended, it will not be long before erosion brings the river dangerously close to the CIHSR’s southern block. The department of Irrigation and Flood Control had taken up a riverbank protection project early in 2012 to control the ero-
sion. The project included pouring concrete over boulders bound by wiremesh. The embankment running some 200 meters was built at an estimated cost of around Rs. 5 crores. Two monsoons later, the protective embankment is showing signs of severe wear and tear. This monsoon, the CIHSR feels that the embankment will not be able to withstand the force of the river. “We’re scared that when the river swells this monsoon, it will take more of the hospital’s land away,” said a concerned Dr. Viu Meru, Deputy Director (Administration), CIHSR. The CIHSR’s staff quarters are directly in the path of the river before it takes a sharp curve downstream. Quarrying on the riverbed, during the lean season, is further aggravating the problem. It has weakened the embankment as the steel wire nets holding the boulders underneath the concrete slabs has slackened. At some portions, the concrete slabs
have given way. The CIHSR has intimated the department of Irrigation and Flood Control for remedial steps. But funding constraints and government protocol is believed to be putting the brakes on the department from tackling the problem. Dr. Meru said that the department had suggested for the CIHSR to make another proposal to the government. Further, a proposal to divert the course of the river is doing the rounds. The idea, if it takes shape will greatly cut down cost. The affected portion of the boundary is located at a point where the river takes a loop-like curve. Cutting a canal on the other side will allow the river to take a straight course and enable it to join the point where the curve ends. This will also prevent the CIHSR’s southern boundary from taking the full force of the water. The owner of the land, where the anticipated canal will pass, is believed to have agreed in principle to the proposal at a price.
TUENSANG, APRIL 16 (MExN): Two remote villages along the NagalandMyanmar border have been provided with electricity for the first time, through the initiative of the Nagaland Empowerment of People through Energy Development (NEPeD). A press note informed that Aniashu and Kingpao villages, located 60 Kms southwest of Noklak, were each provided with a 3 Kilowatt Hydroger to generate electricity. The villages had no grid connectivity and Kingpao is a three hour trek from Aniashu village, as there is no road connectivity either. Project Operations Unit (POU) members, Ayong Chang and David Yepthomi undertook the installations at the two villages with the help of 3 “rural engineers” from Kingjung village and local villagers. The note informed that “rural Engineers” are villagers trained by NEPeD staff in the running and maintenance of the hydrogers. Hydrogers are small turbine based electricity generating units and can be easily installed even in small streams, as they require less water for operating, it
One of the “rural engineers” installing the 3KW hydroger at Kingpao village.
added. Since 2011-12, NEPeD has also introduced NEPeD Energy Committees (NEC), which usually includes the “rural Engineers” and at least two women members, apart from others. The NECs are encouraged to maintain and repair the hydrogers and also to generate income from the electricity produced. According to the press note, the two village coun-
cils expressed gratitude to the NEPeD POU Members for the successful installation of the Hydrogers. The villagers expressed hope that this will increase income generating activities of the villagers with the addition of man-hours through lighting facilities and savings, achieved with the reduction of expenditure on lighting materials like candles, kerosene oil and firewood.
NEPeD members trained the villagers on how to conduct repairs and maintenance on the machine and also briefed them about the effects of climate change. The villagers were also made aware of the need to assume responsibility through the conservation of catchment areas, as a need to sustain the ecology and for continual operation of the hydrogers.
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