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wednesdAY • April 12 • 2017
DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 99 • 12 PAGes • 5
T H e
ESTD. 2005
P o W e R
o F
The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become Sushma Swaraj warns Pakistan of ‘consequences’ if Jadhav is hanged
Highlights of scholarship for students in Nagaland
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T R u T H
— Charles Du Bos
Pressure mounts on Wenger after Arsenal capitulate to Palace
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pAGe 12
Human trafficking racket busted by Dimapur Police
These images provided by the Tizit Area Students Union (TASU) show the dilapidated condition of the Government Higher Secondary School in Tizit and the protest carried out by students and people of the area against poor infrastructure on April 11. The TASU has meanwhile called off its blockade of the Namtola-Mon road for one month starting April 12, following assurance given by the Deputy Commissioner, Mon and the Konyak Union Mon HQ to take up the TASU’s demand list collectively. The TASU informed that the first day of the blockade went off peacefully, and cautioned continuation of the blockade if the state government fails to fulfil its demands.
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
C M Y K
DIMAPUR, APRIL 11 (MExN): Dimapur Police today informed that the District Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (DAHTU) under it has unearthed a major human trafficking racket. This comes following the case of two girls from Nagaland state who were rescued and kept in a Shelter Home at Pune. After being rescued, they were repatriated back home, informed a press note from the Additional Deputy Commissioner/PRO, Dimapur Police. The Women Police Station, Dimapur was in receipt of information from a shelter home based in Pune regarding the two victims from the state rescued by Pune Police from a brothel. After conducting preliminary enquiries and ascertaining the identities and particulars of the victims, a Suo- Moto case was registered and investigations were initiated. The PRO informed that a team from the Women Police Station, Dimapur was also dispatched to Pune and the victims were brought back home on March 21 after necessary repatriation processes were completed. Police added that based on the statements given by the victims and the necessary investigations, the DAHTU arrested four persons, who
police stated were involved in the trafficking of these victims. The arrested persons were identified as Johur Uddin, Jorina Khatoon aka Zina, Saiful Uddin aka John or Rahul Dev and Farukh Uddin aka Farukh or Omar. The four accused persons were arrested from Nagaland as well as the neighboring state of Assam. Police said that they are “found to be involved in other similar cases.” Explaining the modus operandi of the accused, the police stated that functioning in an organized network, the traffickers targeted victims by luring them with prospective jobs or abducting them. The victims were supplied to the source through chains of traffickers, it was added. The DAHTU, police said, is investigating into the case to identify and rescue more such victims. Meanwhile, the victims have been re-united with their respective families after completion of required formalities. This comes after it was recently revealed that according to Nagaland Police source, there were zero records of human trafficking in the state in 2016. This was reportedly stated by the Chairperson of the Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) while speaking at a legal
awareness programme on human trafficking organized by the Commission on March 21. The NSCW Chairperson had however stressed that these records may be due to people not lodging complaints because of societal compulsions. She had stressed that hiding incidents of human trafficking for fear of social stigma or retaliation only enlarges the perpetrators’ trade and earning and put more people into miserable broken lives. The NSCW Chairperson had also highlighted that despite stringent laws and amendment passed from time to time, human trafficking, a global menace, has affected both the poorer and affluent nations. Traffickers, she said, have better network and are well organized than government institutes and “they play with human life like commodity in the market.” In 2015 meanwhile the North East region had registered a whopping 250% jump in human trafficking cases as compared to the previous year. The region has been a hotbed for human trafficking, with girls, especially from low income families, being lured by traffickers with the promise of employment outside their states.
PSC serves seven day ultimatum to ACAUT seeks legal action against address Longleng health scenario former CM & present R&B Minister DIMAPUR, APRIL 11 (MExN): The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland today submitted a representation to the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, seeking suo-moto legal action against the former Chief Minister, TR Zeliang and Roads and Bridges Minister, Vikheho Swu. In its representation, the ACAUT stated that Zeliang, after resigning as the Nagaland CM, had on March 8, 2017 signed a list of beneficiaries for Chief Minister’s Road Development Fund (CMRDF) during 2016-17 in the capacity of Chief Minister and the said directive was endorsed to the Minister, Road and Bridges. “Upon receipt of the list of beneficiaries, Vikheho Swu, Minister for Road and Bridges, knowing that TR Zeliang had relinquished from his post, however, connived with TR Zeliang’s action, and on March 9, 2017 endorsed the paper to CE (PWD) Road and Bridges and remarked ‘to process for Tender,’” it said. The CE (PWD) Road and Bridges thereafter on March 11 endorsed for necessary action to EE-III, the ACAUT informed, while furnishing the said list. “The action of the Minister Road and Bridges also abetted in the commission of illegality, which was initiated by TR Zeliang and
as such is also liable for offence of abetment in the commission of the crime,” the ACAUT claimed. It further accused Zeliang, who is Advisor to the CM and in charge of the Finance portfolio, of misrepresenting himself as a Chief Minister after he had demitted that office. This is actionable in law per se, the ACAUT said, and claimed that the former CM “cannot be immune to legal action since he has committed grave offence in the eye of law.” “The action committed by TR Zeliang who has been a long-time legislator and a cabinet minister cannot be scot-free as he is a knowledgeable and experienced person having occupied the highest post in the state. That, Vikheho Swu therefore is also liable for the abetment to the offence and liable to be punished as ignorance of law is not an excuse,” the ACAUT stated. The ACAUT said that it is within the jurisdiction of the NLA Speaker “to give direction to initiate action” against the two legislators. It urged the Speaker to “take cognizance of the offence and direct the law enforcing agency to register a regular case against the delinquent legislators by according sanction order to face trial of the offence when asked for.”
Look…swindling the poor people, pocketing development funds are okay. But causing traffic jam everyday? No...that’s not acceptable.
DIMAPUR, APRIL 11 (MExN): The Phom Students’ Conference (PSC) has served a seven day ultimatum to the Nagaland State government and the Health and Family Welfare Department, starting April 12, for fulfillment of its demands regarding the health scenario in Longleng. It may be noted that an earlier representation was submitted to the Commissioner and Secretary H&FW on March 24. It had demanded for a separate transformer to run the machineries 24x7 since most of the machineries / equipments are still lying unused due to lack of electricity supply. The representation also asked for immediate appointment of regular General Duty Medical Officer (GDMO); immediate appointment of full fledged Medical Superintendent at District Hospital Longleng since the present MS is found to be attached at the Directorate; construction of separate building for diagnostic center with facilities of X-ray, Ultrasound, CT scan and laboratory services; posting of nursing superintendent and assistant nursing super-
AKM demands expediting probe into murder case
KCC beneficiaries appeal BJP General Secy says party will against ‘forceful recovery of loan’ try to form next govt in Nagaland
DIMAPUR, APRIL 11 (MExN): The Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) today demanded expedition of the probe into the murder of late Lanunukshi of Mongsenyimti village who was killed in Dimapur on March 20. The AKM, in a press note today, said that it was “somehow satisfied in the beginning to learn that the law enforcing agency was taking exceptional effort in solving the case.” It had also “reposed faith in the law enforcing agency, after it identified the main suspect in the murder case and even advertised a ‘Wanted’ notice.” However, the AKM lamented that even after three weeks, “there is no concrete progress in the murder case and the suspect is still at large.” Therefore, it urged concerned agencies to expedite the case with all seriousness and bring the culprit/s to book. It also cautioned “any individual, group or organization from harboring the suspect.”
intendent; installment of Blood Storage Unit etc. It further reminded that at present the District Hospital, Longleng is running only under the supervision of four doctors, which is causing numerous inconveniences to the public due to insufficient manpower. Thus, the PSC demanded immediate appointment of a medicine specialist, pediatric and surgeon in the District Hospital, Longleng. Failing to address these demands within the stipulated time, the PSC warned would compel it to take its own course of action. The PSC meanwhile expressed disappointment at the “response and the behavior of the Commissioner and Secretary towards the PSC” terming it as “pathetic and unbecoming.” It informed that the PSC had approached the Commissioner and Secretary on April 10 at his office chamber to get updates on the former’s earlier ultimatum to the department. “Even after expiration of the deadline, the government and the department had not responded or
DIMAPUR, APRIL 11 (MExN): Beneficiaries of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme (2012-13) from Aghunato have appealed for a stop to the “forceful recovery of KCC (2012-13) EMI of 12 villages by the SBI, Aghunato.” In an open letter to the SBI AGM, BRO, Mokokchung, the Chairman of the concerned beneficiaries, Ahoshe Sumi, stated that the KCC loan was sanctioned by SBI Aghunato and provided to the farmers without following the due process and procedures. The farmers, it alleged, were not issued bank passbook and account numbers in which they have to deposit the EMI amount for the recovery of KCC loan. “Even today, the bank passbook and the account number have not been issued, but the SBI Aghunato on the advice of your esteemed office has started deducting the amount ranging from Rs 3000-5000 from August 2016 from every MGNREGA wage payment made to VDB account of 12 Villages which has the KCC beneficiaries of 2012-13 in SBI Aghunato,” it added. The letter said that the KCC loanees (2012-13) did not know anything about the process undertaken by the AGM BRO, Mokokchung for recovery of KCC loan and no agreement has been signed by the loanees for any time bound repayment of loan. It said that in this case, the real stake-
communicated to the PSC in any form. However the Conference with a sound intention and in order to avoid any confrontation with the government had approached the Commissioner and Secretary,” the PSC said. The PSC alleged that the Commissioner and Secretary had said “it is not an easy to send any doctor to Longleng in such environment” and “severely questioned” the PSC for its earlier 15 days ultimatum. “When the PSC was trying to understand the position of the government and the department despite of ignoring several pleas, it shocked us to learn such vicious comment from the highly respectable officer in the rank of Commissioner and Secretary instead of solving the matter in a reciprocal/ mutual understanding,” it lamented. The PSC sought clarification from the concerned officer on his comments and said that “the same should reach to the office of the Phom Students Conference (PSC) within 24 hours starting from 00:00 hour 12 April, 2017. Failing to respond in a given time will lead PSC to initiate strict action.”
holders were neither informed nor consulted in any stage. “But, to our utter surprise three time deductions has been already done from the MGNREGA wage payments as a recovery of loan,” the letter claimed. This entire exercise by your office has caused wide rift among the villagers and the KCC loanees of 12 villages, it lamented. Terming this deduction process as unjust and devoid of proper process of consultation, it urged that this should be stopped in order to prevent misunderstanding. The letter further informed that there are many other outstanding loans (NPA) under SBI Aghunato, amounting to crores of rupees. It therefore questioned as to why only the KCC loanees 2012-13 were made to repay? “Why was the selective policy applied? Was it your intention to harm the harmless farmers through your selective torture technique? Are all the other Loans (NPA) under SBI Aghunato waived by SBI AGM BRO, Mokokchung?” it asked It demanded that the bank passbooks and account numbers be issued to the beneficiaries and acceptable standard procedures of repayment of KCC loan be applied, on the basis of RBI directives so that repayment of loan would be just, and no misunderstanding is created between the bank and loanees and among the villagers.
Morung Express News Dimapur | April 11
BJP National General Secretary, Kailash Vijayavargiya, today said that while the BJP is weak in Nagaland state, the party has the strength to fight elections in every constituency in the forthcoming assembly elections. He also expressed that the BJP would try to form the next government in Nagaland. He stated this on being asked about the party’s position in Nagaland while participating in the Swachh Bharat campaign on Tuesday morning here at Marwari Patti area along with party workers and citizens. The BJP General Secretary said the BJP-led NDA Government has earmarked a budgetary provision of Rs 1,46,000 crore to implement the ‘open defecation free’ mission. The BJP leader said under this mission, 11 crore toilets would be constructed both in urban and rural areas across the country. Vijayavargiya disclosed that states like Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim have already been declared ‘open defecation free’ states while some other states in the country are also in the line of achieving the target. He disclosed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged senior BJP leaders to go to different places of the
BJP National General Secretary, Kailash Vijayavargiya, along with State BJP workers taking part in the Swachh Bharat campaign at Marwari Patti Tuesday morning.
country and initiate Swachch Bharat programmes. He said that BJP’s Foundation Day is on April 6 but the party has declared April 6-14 as Foundation Day, where all Lok Sabha MPs and responsible BJP leaders would be visiting their own constituencies, and other areas, adding that under this initiative he has come to Nagaland and held meeting with the party workers. The BJP leader disclosed that their main agenda is to strengthen the party in the state. He also highlighted various schemes and projects undertaken by the NDA government and said that BJP workers
have been asked to see that all the development projects reach the poor. Vijayavargiya also attributed the victory of the BJP in the recently concluded elections to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and party president, Amit Shah, adding that the 2019 elections would be fought under the PM. On the recent GST bill passed by the Parliament, he said that it is the biggest revolution in the country where “One Nation, One Tax” has been first experimented after independence. He also thanked all political parties for giving suggestions and helping pass the bill. He said the GST would benefit the state and the people.