April 16th, 2017

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www.morungexpress.com

SunDAY • April 16 • 2017

DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 102 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

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T R u T H

It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow — Robert H. Schuller Rajya Rani Express derailment: Indian Railways hints at sabotage

Catholics in Nagaland observe Good Friday

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NPF helped BJP grow ‘larger & bolder’: Nagaland Congress

Allow opening of zero balance A/c: Govt to banks DImapur, aprIl 15 (mExN): The Government of Nagaland has requested all the Branch Managers of different Banks in the State to extend their full cooperation in opening of “0” balance bank accounts for MGNREGA Job Card Holders. This is in accordance with announcement by the Central Government that Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) will be implemented under MGNREGA with effect from April 1, informed Commissioner (MGNREGA) & Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Kelei Zeliang in a press note. In this regard, an earlier notification has asked all registered Job Card Holders to open bank accounts at the earliest to facilitate direct cash transfer of wages into their accounts. The Programme Officers MGNREGA and BDOs are further directed to coordinate and assist the card holders in their respective Blocks in opening the bank accounts at the earliest.

Public still firm on the demand for Tobu District DImapur, aprIl 15 (mExN): The Tobu District Demand Committee today stated that while it is not opposed to the demand of separate district for Aboi sub-division by Aboi District Demand Committee, it reaffirmed that the public of Tobu and Moka “is still firm on the demand of Tobu District since the public movement for the demand of Tobu District began in 2006.” A press note appended by Secretary Tobu District Demand Committee, P Shamoah; President TASU, T Muklong; President KU (B) Tobu, SB Poangba; and President KU Unit Mopong, Yangkon also refuted a press statement by Aboi District Demand Committee “claiming the participation of the KU units and Students’ Union from Tobu and Moka Area” in the Aboi District Demand rally on April 12.

Turkish referendum slated today

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aNkara, aprIl 15 (IaNS): Millions of Turks will head to the polls on Sunday to vote in a referendum race that could transform the country into a presidential republic, granting sweeping new powers to the President. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking to replace the parliamentary system with an executive presidency. Approval could see him stay in office until 2029. About 55 million Turkish voters will be casting votes. Supporters say a “yes” vote would streamline and modernise the country; opponents fear the move would lead to increasingly authoritarian rule. The referendum takes place under a state of emergency which was imposed following a failed coup last July.

DImapur, aprIl 15 (mExN): At a time when cow vigilantes and anti-romeo squads rule the Indian roost, a strong voice has emerged from the margins; that of a political party that was recognized by the Election Commission of India only in February this year. The Nagaland Congress (NC) has opposed what it termed the BJP’s “politics of anti Christianity” that they apprehend will spread in Nagaland through the “accommodative spirit of NPF and tepid attitude of church bodies.” In this “grave situation,” the party wondered whether “the church should remain silent because consequence of silence may fall upon the church.” “Nagaland is comparatively a small and maybe seen as insignificant state, yet now seemingly considered a thorn in the body politics of future Hindu Rashtra,” stated a press release from the media cell of the NC. Intoxicated with overwhelming electoral support, it noted, the BJP wants to create a “Hindu

BJP yet to be at its peak, says Amit Shah

BhuBaNESwar, aprIl 15 (IaNS): Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah said on Saturday that despite being in power at centre and in 13 states, the party is yet to achieve its peak and urged workers to devote themselves for the cause. “Many (people) declared after the 2104 general elections that the BJP reached its peak, but it was not so. They then said in 2017 (after elections to the five states, including Uttar Pradesh) that the BJP has now attained it peak, but it is not the case,” Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad quoted Amit Shah as saying at inaugural session of the party’s two-day National Executive meeting here. “But the BJP is yet to be at its peak. Rashtra” by 2021 that entails “one nation, one culture, one diet, one religion.” “Either we are Indian and not Christian or Christian and not Indian,” claimed the NC about BJP’s agenda soon after a BJP leader declared that the party will form the next government in Nagaland State with absolute majority. Citing instances of “imposition” of various ‘days’, the NC highlighted the

IPL: Kolkata have it easy against Hyderabad

The BJP will attain its peak when BJP will have Chief Ministers in all the states and it has members everywhere -- from panchayats to Parliament,” Shah added, according to Prasad. “Let’s resolve to make BJP a pan-India party from panchayats to Parliament. BJP’s golden period should be associated with country’s golden period,” Shah said. Amit Shah said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will complete three years in office on May 26. The BJP Chief also said that earlier there was a perception that BJP was doing well only where there was Congress and not against the regional parties, but the recent election results of Uttar Pradesh has proved this per-

“core issue” to be the BJP’s “declared position to phase out Christianity in a new India” and, as partisan, NPF’s “unconcealed position not to antagonize BJP.” “We are seeing not a convergence but submerged of regionalism into a new brand of Hindu nationalism,” stated the new political party while hitting out at the NPF which, the NC claimed, has helped BJP grow “larger and bold-

ception wrong. BJP can also perform in the states ruled by regional parties, he noted. Urging party workers “not to be lethargic” after stunning victories in recently-concluded assembly polls, Amit Shah said that all the National Executive members including ministers would visit at least 15 days at booths to know their problems and concerns including to take suggestions for the improvement. Prasad also told media persons that the BJP chief would tour, for 95 days, different parts of the country till September. The first day of the two-day meet was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 13 Chief Ministers including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

er” not by “people’s choice” but by the “NPF’s love marriage with BJP.” To extrapolate their point, the NC pointed out that “at no point of time in the past was Article 371A questioned and challenged as daringly done during these three consecutive terms of NPF-led DAN Govt.” And, “In so far as religion is concerned NPF might have created a Frankenstein out of BJP.”

Maintaining, however, that it is “not against BJP as a political party,” the NC stated that it will “defend our faith and practices as a matter of conviction as well as constitutional right.” “Whether NPF should continue the marriage with BJP till swamis and yogis are sufficiently born to saffronize Nagaland is best left to supporting people to decide when they can,” the NC concluded.

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ACAUT for enquiry into central funds utilization

DImapur, aprIl 15 (mExN): ACAUT Nagaland has urged the Chief Secretary of Nagaland State to institute an enquiry and, thereafter, lodge a complaint to the CBI for thorough investigation of “all funds utilized by the department of Rural Development.” Worry was expressed on the proper utilization of the central fund called MGNREGA after the Medziphema Village Council alleged that the Nagaland State’s Rural Development Department forcibly took blank cheques from its VDB secretary and VC chairperson on various occasions for “department mobilization works” without any clarity on these said works. From the “facts reported in the press,” the ACAUT Nagaland found that the “action of the concerned officer/BDO or the department asking a blank cheque for departmental mobilization works can in no way be construed as legitimate and it is prima facie extortion from the helpless village council by the depart-

ment and its officials.” The anti-corruption body noted that a government agency’s expenses are allocated during the financial year and the “question of deducting money from the VDB allocated fund for departmental mobilization does not arise and such deduction is illegal.” ACAUT Nagaland concluded in their letter to the CS that in this case, “rural development fund is reported to have being siphoned off by unscrupulous Government employees in the name of the department.” Thus, in the interest of the public, it ‘demanded’ that the Chief Secretary’s office “take a proactive role in facilitating accountability and transparency and address the subject matter.” Furthermore, the ACAUT Nagaland requested that the office “accord prosecution sanction to start criminal trial of the concern offenders under Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as when asked for.”

Tension at 5th Mile over land dispute 14, 809 TB suspects examined in 2016 in Nagaland State

Morung Express Dimapur | April 15

A row of huts were burned today at 5th Mile, Dimapur, over an alleged land dispute. The incident occurred around 12:30 pm at 5th Mile Model village as two contending parties staked claim over a plot of land located a few hundred metres north of NH 29. As per the police, the day’s incident occurred after one of the two contending parties erected temporary structures in the disputed site. The police said that the other party set fire to the huts in retaliation resulting in a virtual standoff between the two disputing parties. One claimed it is the village playground, while the other claimed it is private property. While there was no report of physical confrontation, the police said that one of the parties accused the other of using firearms. It could not be ascertained whether firearms were actually used as alleged. The police said that

Our Correspondent Kohima | April 15

Huts, which were razed at the disputed plot of land at 5th Mile Model village, Dimapur on April 15.

the party that made the allegation produced to the police, who arrived at the scene, two .22 calibre empty shells.

On April 13, the police said that a similar incident was witnessed at the same disputed area during which huts were set afire.

The police declined to make any further comments stating that the dispute is pending already in court for the past many years.

The estimated number of Tuberculosis (TB) suspects examined in the year 2016 was 14,809 in Nagaland, out of which treatment for 3276 TB patients was initiated. This was stated in the Nagaland Economic Survey 2016-17 tabled in the recent State Assembly session here by Parliamentary Secretary for Economics & Statistics Tovihoto Ayemi. The report stated that Nagaland State formally launched the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) on December 1, 2012 to achieve and maintain a cure rate of at least 85% among newly detected infections cases and also to detect at least 70% of such cases in the population. A collaboration of the activities of TB and HIV was started in 2008. Also, DOTS Plus ser-

vices for management and treatment of MDR TB was initiated in August 2012. Under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), Nagaland became the first state in the Indian Union to achieve the target of maintaining the prevalence rate of 1 case per 10000 population, set by the Government of India and World Health Organization (WHO). During 2016-17, 94 new cases of leprosy were detected, out of which 79 were released after successful treatment. National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) covers 6 vector borne diseases namely, Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Dengue, Kala Azar, Chikungunya and Filariasis. Out of these Malaria, JE and Dengue are found in Nagaland. Malaria is endemic in all the 11 districts while JE is detected in 9 districtsDimapur, Kohima, Mon,

Peren, Mokokchung, Zunheboto, Longleng, Tuensang and Wokha and Dengue in one district (Dimapur). Through implementation of NVBDCP programme, there is a decrease in malarial cases and decline in the number of deaths due to vector borne diseases. The number of malarial cases in the state was recorded at 0.76 per 1000 population in 2015-16, which decreased to 0.41 in 2016-17, and the number of death due to malaria was zero during 2016-17. There was an outbreak of Dengue during 2016-17 and number of dengue affected patients rose to 1679, however no death was reported during the year. Preventive interventions, sensitization strategy and timely treatment contributed in substantially reducing the number of cases and deaths of such diseases in the State.

Expressing gratitude may help Four potential inland water transport routes in Nagaland boost your relationship, health Our Correspondent Kohima | April 15

NEw York, aprIl 15 (IaNS): Struggling to save your relationship? Try and express gratitude, which may not only boost your relationship, but also enhance your psychological and physical well-being, a study has found. The findings, published in the journal Review of Communication, showed that gratitude contributes to long-term success in relationships and personal well-being -- “up to six months after a deliberate expression to one’s relationship’s partner.” Just as we periodically boost our immune system through vaccines, we can boost our relationships and mental state by expressing gratitude to our partners on a regular basis, the researchers said.

Expressions of gratitude are often a response to others’ acts of generosity -- if you receive a gift from someone, or an act of kindness, you reciprocate by showing gratitude, sometimes publicly, to highlight the giver’s altruistic act. Gratitude is a different emotion from happiness because it so often stems from the actions of another individual. “To experience gratitude, one must receive a message, and interpret the message,” said Stephen M. Yoshimura from the National Communication Association -- a US-based not-for-profit. “Gratitude consistently associates with many positive social, psychological, and health states, such as an increased likelihood of

helping others, optimism, exercise, and reduced reports of physical symptoms,” Yoshimura said. Regularly communicating gratitude may also enhance our social connectedness. In addition, people who experience and express gratitude have reported fewer symptoms of physical illness, more exercise, and better quality of sleep. Various studies have also shown that expressing and experiencing gratitude increases life satisfaction, vitality, hope and optimism. Moreover, it also contributes to decreased levels of depression, anxiety, envy and job-related stress and burnout, the researchers noted.

The Nagaland State Government has set up an Inland Water Transport wing in the Transport Department to liaise and coordinate with the Inland Waterways of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India. Under this, the Nagaland State Transport is to act as a nodal department for identification of potential inland waterways and to undertake feasibility studies, prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPR) and monitor project implementation of water transport in the state. This was stated in the annual administrative report 2016-17 of the Transport Department tabled in the just concluded State Assembly session by Minister of Transport, IT&C and Border Affairs, P Paiwang Konyak. The report stated that the Ministry of Road Transport, Highways & Shipping, GoI and IWAI through M/S. Rites Ltd has identified four rivers as having potential for inland wa-

Doyang River under Wokha district is one among four rivers in Nagaland having potential for inland transport in Nagaland, according to the Ministry of Road Transport, Highways & Shipping, GoI and IWAI. (Morung Photo)

ter transport in the state. They are: Tizu river from tri-confluence near Longmatra to Avangkhu of 42 km (approx) for Indo-Myanmar; Dhansiri river from Samjuran to Numaligarh of approximately 110 km for inter-state waterways of Nagaland-Assam; Dikhu river from

Yangnyu to Naginimora, Nagaland of about 52 km for connection to Brahmaputra river in Assam via Sibsagar for inter-state waterways of Nagaland-Assam; and Doyang river, 61 km length of the river from bridge near Sialmari, Assam for inter-state waterways of Nagaland-Assam.


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