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www.morungexpress.com
The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 19
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www.morungexpress.com
Tuesday, January 21, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4
Life is a series of collisions with the future; it is not the sum of what we have been, but what we yearn to be Rahul bats for Women’s Reservation Bill [ PAGE 8]
Priyanka works with Rihanna, Justin Timberlake team [ PAGE 11]
‘Voice of the press is voice of the people’ [ PAGE 2]
Iran starts implementing nuclear deal: IAEA [ PAGE 9]
By Sandemo Ngullie
“Yes I’m in charge. Please give detail of your grievance.”
85 people control half the world’s wealth
Brisk walks lower prostate cancer risk
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WaSHInGTon, January 20 (IanS): Men who engage in higher levels of physical activity have been reported to have a lower risk of prostate cancer recurrence and mortality compared with men who participate in little or no physical activity. “Research has shown that men with prostate tumours containing more regularly-shaped blood vessels have a more favourable prognosis compared with men with prostate tumours containing mostly irregularly-shaped blood vessels,” said Erin Van Blarigan, assistant professor at University of California, San Francisco. The researchers found that men with the fastest walking pace (3.5 miles per hour) prior to diagnosis had 8 percent more regularly-shaped blood vessels compared with men with the slowest walking pace (1.5 miles per hour), said the study. In the study, we found that men who reported walking at a brisk pace had more regularly-shaped blood vessels in their prostate tumours compared with men who reported walking at a less brisk pace. The findings were presented at the AACR-Prostate Cancer Foundation Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research held from Jan 18-21.
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–Jose Ortega y Gasset
Maria out Azarenka cruises into quarters [ PAGE 10]
i am an anarchist, says AAP’s Kejriwal
reflections
London, January 20 (IanS): The richest 85 people in the world control as much wealth as the poorest half of the global population put together, says a study conducted by Oxfam. “It is staggering that in the 21st Century, half of the world’s population - that’s three and a half billion people - own no more than a tiny elite whose numbers could all fit comfortably on a double-decker bus,” Oxfam executive director Winnie Byanyima stated. Oxfam said that those richest 85 people across the globe share a combined wealth of about one trillion pounds and that this is no accident as growing inequality has been driven by a “power grab” by wealthy elites. The development charity added that the wealth of the one percent richest people in the world amounts to 60.88 trillion pounds, or 65 times as much as the poorest half of the world. Oxfam fears that this concentration of economic resources is threatening political stability and driving up social tensions. “Widening inequality is creating a vicious circle where wealth and power are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few, leaving the rest of us to fight over crumbs from the top table,” Byanyima was quoted as saying.
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Indonesian men help a motorist to cross a flooded street on a raft in Pamanukan, Indonesia on Jan. 20. Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused widespread flooding across much of Indonesia. (AP Photo)
Treat dialogue process with respect: UNC SEnaPaTI, January 20 (MExn): The United Naga Council (UNC) today reaffirmed its call for peaceful abstention from participation in the Republic Day, along with other civil actions, to demonstrate the displeasure of Nagas in Manipur over “the wilful insult to the Naga people and to the democratic process of dialogue.” Responding to a statement by the Joint Secretary, North East, Ministry of Home Affairs, published in the media on January 20, the UNC clarified that the Republic Day is “not being boycotted.” The UNC, in a press note, further reiterated its
call to press for immediate intervention of the Government of India regarding an ‘alternative arrangement’. It informed that on August 30, 2013, an agreement was reached to hold the next round of tripartite talks, involving the Government of India, Government of Manipur and UNC, within the “outer limit of 2 months.” It lamented that, despite a reminder sent to the Government of India on October 29, repeated press statements on the issue being issued and two 48 hour bandhs being held, the proposed talks have not taken place. It alleged that the Govern-
ment of Manipur has “misled and wrongly influenced the GoI to suppress democratic rights and the people’s movement for securing their political aspiration. “ The UNC expressed concern that the Government of India “does not respond nor communicate, and leaves the process in a limbo, ignoring the fact that the democratic process of dialogue should be treated with respect and upheld with care.” Instead, “there is sinister design to sabotage the peaceful and democratic dialogue process by criminalising the people’s movement for securing their political aspiration,” the UNC said.
Set up dev committee for NE: PM nEW dELHI, January 20 (PTI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday directed the Planning Commission to set up a committee with representatives from northeastern states to monitor and improve coordination for infrastructure development in the region as he reviewed its status in New Delhi. At the meeting with chief ministers of the northeastern states, Singh said the Centre views infrastructure development in the region as a key element in the strategy for developing the region and increasing connectivity with the rest of the country. After reviewing the status of the infrastructure in terms of air, rail and road connectivity in the region, he observed that “very considerable progress is being made in each of the sectors”. He directed the Planning Commission to constitute a Monitoring Committee with representatives from the northeast states to improve coordination among
central ministries. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia made a detailed presentation on infrastructure development in the region and noted that continuous focus on the region has led to satisfactory results during the 11th Plan period. The State Domestic Product growth in the region has been above the national average for the first time ever in the 11th Plan underscoring success of the initiatives and constant monitoring by the Planning Commission, it was noted. This growth was supported by good agriculture sector performance including horticulture, floriculture, fisheries, rubber and oil palm production. It was also noted Montek that during the same period total central assistance had more than doubled to the region from Rs 34764 crore during the 10th Plan to Rs 73374 crore during the 11th Plan period. As a result, Plan Expenditure has grown significantly in all NE states as share of GSDP.
Multi-organisation team to re-assess oil & gas potential
nEW dELHI, January 20 (IanS): Petroleum Minister M. Veerappa Moily Monday approved the constituting of a multi-organisational team to reassess the country’s hydrocarbon resources. The minister approved “a Multi Organisation Team (MOT) to carry out re-assessment of hydrocarbon resources of India in all its 26 sedimentary basins. The exercise will cover all the 26 sedimentary basins of India,” an offcial statement here said. “Resource assessment is required to be completed within 30 months,” it added. It said the last such exercise
was carried out in 15 sedimentary basins around two decades ago and is overdue for full scale revision in view of the vast amount of data collected since then, the ministry said. The MOT has been asked to estimate the resources of 3.14 million square km of the 26 sedimentary basins of India and prepare a basin-wise portfolio. MOT will comprise of exploration heads of stateowned Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd. and will also have an official from the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH). The team will carry
out the resource assessment at Oil and Natural Gas Corp’s Keshav Dev Majviy Institute of Petroleum Exploration (KDMIPE) in Dehradun. A National Steering Committee headed by the petroleum secretary and including the regulator Director General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), exploration heads of ONGC and Oil India and the head of the KDMIPE, has been set up to periodically review the work done. The International Energy Agency (IEA) last year, estimated India’s oil and gas resource potential at 206 billion barrels of oil and oil equivalent.
To register protest against the “provocative statement” published on January 20, the UNC informed that a peaceful rally, which was scheduled to be held in all Naga District HQs of Manipur on January 23, will be replaced by a total 12 hours shut down (6 AM to 6 PM) on the same day. The UNC called upon the people to be united in one accord and to effectively observe the total bandh in their respective jurisdictions. It further cautioned that any individual who wilfully defies the bandh would be doing so at their own risk. ANSAM & NWU responses on page 3
nEW dELHI, January 20 (Tnn): Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues on Monday started a dharna outside Rail Bhavan here after they were prevented from reaching the Union home ministry office for a planned protest. The AAP government is demanding action against police officials who refused to carry out a raid on an alleged drug and prostitution racket in South Delhi last week. Raising the pitch against the Union home ministry, Kejriwal urged everyone to join the protest. “I urge everyone to join this protest to make Delhi a safe city,” Kejriwal said from a makeshift podium using a public address system. The Delhi chief minister went a step further and appealed to honest cops to take leave and join his protest. Defending his decision to go ahead with the protest, Kejriwal said, “Any constitutional crisis or disturbance in R-day celebrations will be the responsibility of Centre.” Kejriwal said he had come prepared for ten days of dharna. Rejecting home minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s statement that action can be taken only after an inquiry, the chief minister demanded immediate suspension of the “corrupt” officials who refused to act in the interest of the public whose cause law minister Somnath Bharti had taken up. The law minister had created a controversy last week when he went to a locality in his constituency of Malvya Nagar, claiming a drug and prostitution ring
was being run from a residence and demanded police raid the place. However, the police refused saying they have no warrant to do so. The AAP workers allegedly forced a couple of women from Uganda to give urine samples. Their action came under all-round attack but the AAP government insists that action should be taken against the police officials. Strongly defending his law minister Somnath Bharti, Kejriwal showed a letter which he said was written by a woman from Ugandan embassy and supported Bharti’s action against some woman of their country. Kejrwal accused the cops of collecting money from the people of Delhi and passing it on to their seniors and even the Union home minister. He launched a scathing attack on Delhi Police and rejected the probe ordered by the LG. “None of my ministers will participate in the probe. We will also urge the people of Khirki Extension, where Somnath Bharti led a midnight raid, to stay away from the probe,” Kejriwal said. Kejriwal also blamed a section of the media, Congress and BJP for describing actions of AAP leaders as “vigilantism”. He also referred to the allegation made by former Union home secretary RK Singh against Sushilkumar Shinde that he was involved in transfer of SHOs in Delhi Police. “It creates doubt that money has changed hands (for the purpose),” said Kejriwal. Referring to the crit-
icism from his political opponents, Kejriwal accepted that he was an anarchist. “Some say I am an anarchist. Yes, I am. There is lawlessness in every home in the city. Today, I’ll spread disorder in the HM’s house,” Kejriwal said. Earlier, the day began with Kejriwal and his ministers meeting at the Delhi secretariat from where they left for North Block, ignoring the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code, that bars any gathering of five or more people. The convoy of Kejriwal and his ministers was stopped near the Rail Bhavan by the cops. Police officials tried to persuade the chief minister not to proceed ahead, but Kejriwal refused to listen. The Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that policemen did not cooperate with Somnath Bharti during his vigilante-style raid on Wednesday night and on minister Rakhi Birla’s complaint concerning “improper action” in a dowry case. According to TV reports, all roads leading to the home ministry have been blocked. Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde ruled out any action against the Delhi cops till the probe was over. Delhi LG has ordered a judicial probe into the charges against the cops. The Delhi CM should be patient and wait for the probe result, Shinde said. The Congress and the BJP have strongly opposed the CM’s dharna. However, the Congress has made it clear that it will not withdraw support from the government.
Perception of conservation changing in nagaland state
Morung Express News Dimapur | January 20
The attitude of Nagas towards forests and their resources, according to the Department of Forests & Environment, is gradually changing for the better. The department is further emboldened; now that there is “political will” on the part of the Nagaland government to protect the State’s depleting flora and fauna. Chief Wildlife Warden, T. Lotha observed that conservation effort in Nagaland is “picking up” as the people’s outlook changes. “The perception of conservation in Nagaland has drastically changed,” commented Lotha during an event organized by the department in Dimapur on January 20. The event was organized to honour department personnel and non-profit organizations, which contributed towards the protection of migratory Amur Falcons last season. The objective now will be to capitalize on this and ride the conservation wave, Lotha averred. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, ML Rao commented that there was a time when Nagas were painted as insensitive to conservation of flora and fauna. He was referring to the bad publicity Nagaland
The department of Forests & Environment honoured forest guards and conservation organizations for contributing towards the protection of migratory Amur Falcons. Seen in the picture is the PCCF, ML Rao (Sitting Centre) alongwith department subordinates and forest guards in Dimapur on January 20.
received in 2012 when a national television news channel aired clippings of mass trapping of Amur Falcons by locals here. However, that impression of Nagas by people from outside has changed, Rao said. It was possible because of the efforts put in by department personnel, conservation organizations and importantly, villagers, who had to sacrifice livelihood for the sake of protecting the birds, he added. “The real heroes are the villagers. They had to sacrifice their livelihood.” While stating that Nagaland has done a tremendous job, Rao however maintained that one cannot afford to remain com-
placent but continue to sustain the conservation movement. The department maintained that not a single Amur Falcon was trapped last season, when the migratory birds roosted in Nagaland enroute Africa. At a single point, according to an estimate, at least a million flocked a roosting site around the Doyang reservoir. Insects are the main source of food for the bird of prey, which it hunts mostly in flight. The roosting of the Amur Falcon in Nagaland was first sighted in Chantongya, Mokokchung around 199394, according to I. Panger Jamir, Additional PCCF. Bird-watchers say that it is difficult to predict the mi-
gration pattern of migratory birds as shifts in migratory behavior occur naturally. In the initial years, the birds roosted in small flocks; but by the end of the nineties the number multiplied, it was added. Owing to its “docile” nature, Amur Falcons are vulnerable to hunting, of which hunters took utmost advantage. By the turn of the 2000’s, the uninhibited hunting of the birds got the attention of amateur conservationists. Finally, in 2001, the Changtongya village council decreed that trapping and hunting of the migratory birds be banned for a period of five years. It received a lot of resistance from hunters but the decree prevailed, he said.
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