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saturDaY • aPrIL 02 • 2016
DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 89 • 12 PAGes • 5
T H e
ESTD. 2005
P o W e R
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T R u T H
Some people will never learn anything because they understand everything too soon — Alexander Pope Myanmar’s ruling party, military clash over Suu Kyi role
Bulls rally to shock Rockets, boost NBA playoff bid
Clean Election: A social responsibility
PaGE 09
PaGE 02
PAGE 12
sc Jamir: spell out details of framework Agreement
A rescue worker cuts iron rods amidst the debris at the site of an under-construction overpass that collapsed on Thursday in Kolkata, April 1. (REUTERS)
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
ACAUT asks SVC to act on CAG reports
DIMAPUR, APRIL 1 (MExN):TheACAUT Nagaland has written to the Nagaland State Vigilance (SVC) Commissioner asking the State Vigilance Commission to act upon the several alleged anomalies in the CAG reports for the years 2013-14 and 2014-15. It asked the Vigilance Commission to file “necessary FIRs and charge sheets” against the officials /departments allegedly involved in “misappropriation/misutilisation of funds as laid out in the reports. Meanwhile, the ACAUT Nagaland welcomed the disciplinary proceedings against and the suspension of the Additional Director & HoD, Municipal Affairs He never returns home emp- Department, for his alleged involvement ty-handed from the office.
All food grains lifted by State Govt: FC DIMAPUR, APRIL 1 (MExN): The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has informed that all food grains allotted by the Government of India to the State for the Financial Year 2015-16 has been “fully lifted” by the Nagaland State Government. It added that the FCI releases food grains to the State Government and “further distribution to the beneficiaries is the responsibility of the State Government.”
NCSU demands completion of SARDP road projects
C M Y K
DIMAPUR, APRIL 1 (MExN): The Nagaland Contractors’ & Suppliers’ Union (NCSU) on Friday demanded that M/S Maytas & Gayatri (JV) immediately complete the stalled four road project of SARDP Phase-1 namely the Longleng-Changtongya road; Mon-Tamlu, Merangkong road, Phek-Pfutsero road and Zunheboto-Chakhabama road before taking up any new projects in Nagaland. In a representation addressed to Union Minister of Road Transport & Highway Nitin Gadkari, the NCSU stated that despite repeated pleas and representations submitted to the Prime Minister of India; President of India, Union Minister of Road & Transport, Union Minister (MORTH) and Governor of Nagaland, no action has been initiated against the firm Gayatri & Maytas (JV) as a consequence of which the projects remain abandoned till date. In this connection, the NCSU has urged the Union Minister to intervene into the matter at the earliest to complete the four projects by the concerned.
in misappropriation of funds under the 13thth Finance Commission Award, Rajiv Awas Yojana and BSUP Projects. Acknowledging the department for taking this measure, it further reminded that “this is just one case among the thousands of undetected corrupt activities happening in one of India’s most corrupted states.” It asked that the investigation agencies leave no stone unturned in “getting to the bottom of the matter and if the accused is found guilty then the government should not hesitate to give an exemplary punishment even to the extent of seizing the assets, thereby setting an example for all.”
DIMAPUR, APRIL 1 (MExN): Governor of Odisha and former Nagaland State Chief Minister, Dr SC Jamir today stated that time has come to spell out the details of the Framework Agreement signed last year between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India. An article titled “Peace Accord Vis-A-Vis Future Challenges” by SC Jamir was released to the media today where he lamented that till date, the signatories have not shared the contents of the agreement, leading to “doubts and confusion.” He advised that there should be no ambiguity in an agreement which “promises to bring to an end decades of violence and bloodshed.” He said that the agreement “cannot be outside the ambit of the Constitution of India,” and added that this needs to be stated unequivocally by the Government of India. Jamir further urged that the contours of the Framework Agreement and the fine print of a final solution package should be discussed with and endorsed by representatives of all Naga tribes and the various Naga political groups. “In a democratic polity like ours, nothing should be done without the knowledge and consent of the people while deciding their political future...,” he said.
nurture and realize their unique socio-economic dreams and genuine political aspirations.” Jamir however cautioned that the Naga people cannot afford to undermine the changes taking place in the world. “They have to live and march with the times,” he said, while encouraging the Naga people to ensure that “our knowledge, ideas, thinking, attitudes and outlook are reoriented, reshaped, reenergized and refresh in consonance with the changing times.” Change, he reasoned does not mean “the death of the unique identity.” “On the contrary, change is synonymous with positive reorientation, intelligent reassessment, cogent revaluation and harmonious assimilation and seamless synthesis of the old with the new,” he added. While being “progressive” and “dynamic,” Jamir however affirmed that the Naga people need to also preserve the core values which “project our unique identity and place in the modern world” and “facilitate in our socio-cultural and political progress.” He stated that the younger generation of Nagas need to “shake off the dust of despair and frustration and take their destiny in their own hands ... and reshape our ideas and outlook to suit our present needs and future requirements.”
‘Nagas need to march with the times’
‘Do not repeat past mistakes’ Make Article 371-A clear
Jamir further lamented that each Naga political group is claiming the mandate of the people for their own. He said “historical fact should be accepted ungrudgingly by all.” He asserted that as a “distinctive people,” Nagas have the “fundamental right to protect, preserve and promote their inalienable social, political and cultural endowment and to
The former Nagaland Chief Minister reminded that the Government of India had made mistakes in the past by treating the Naga issue as merely a law and order problem. This, he said should not be repeated. Meanwhile, he also advised the people of Nagaland to “take a practical view of things instead of deluding themselves with lofty ideals.” Acknowledging that an oppor-
tunity has been presented to shed past ideological baggage and confront reality, he stated that “a sense of pragmatism and benevolent accommodation by the big brother at this juncture will go a long way in resolving a problem that has defied solution for over six decades.”
Central assistance ‘necessary’
Jamir listed out the issues of concern in Nagaland state, from its complex socio-political and economic problems, to its underdeveloped economy, unemployment and the disproportionately large number of government employees. He deemed its “necessary” for the Government of India to provide a special financial dispensation for the overall development of Nagaland. He advised that within the Framework Agreement, there needs to be a comprehensive and detailed blueprint for development of Nagaland, drawn up jointly by the Government of India and the Nagaland Government fully funded by the Government of India as Central projects. “At the same time, the Central Government will have to vigorously monitor the expenditure of the State Government so as to prevent leakages and ensure efficient utilization of funds,” he added. He added that the “cloud of ambiguity” over some provisions of Article 371-A also needs to be cleared. “For instance, the phrase ‘land and its resources’ should unambiguously be interpreted to include natural gas and its by-products. Their exploitation by the State would, without doubt, add to its resources and make it economically more viable,” he claimed. Full text on Page 10
environmental hazards caused by NPCC hits out at NPF for stone crushers, sewage: cAG reveals campaigning for the BJP Morung Express News Dimapur | April 1
Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its Audit report have identified unmonitored operation of stone crushers and lack of sewage treatment facilities as two environmental hazards causing unabated air and water pollution in the State and thereby posing serious health threats to citizens. The CAG Audit took care to mention in its report that Silicosis, a lung disease, caused by breathing in tiny bits of silica, a mineral that is part of sand, rock and mineral ores such as quartz emitted from the stone crushing units affects the workers and resident exposed to silica dust. Over time, exposure to silica particles causes scarring in the lungs, which harm the ability to breathe. There is not cure for sili-
Says 84% of stone crushers identified by NPCB operating without renewing their expired CFO
cosis, but it can only be prevented, it further informed. According to the Audit, 90 stone crushers (84%) out of 107 identified by the Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) were operating without renewing their expired Consent for Operation (CFO) from the Board. As per the guidelines issued by the NPCB in 2010, the stone crushing units should have valid license and should not be located close to residential areas. Further, the crushing machine is to be surrounded with wind breaking walls, growing of trees (green belt) along the periphery and labourers should be provided with protective gears including mask and must undergo regular health check-ups.
Any stone crushing operating without valid consent shall attract legal actions as per Section 5 of the Environmental (Protection) Act 1986, it stated. However, the Audit reported that there was no effective monitoring by the Board on compliance of the standards for operation of the stone crushers in the State as prescribed in the guidelines. It also observed that the Board did not take any preventive measures on the stone crushers located near the residential areas nor did it conduct regular inspections of the stone crushers. On the reply from the Board that it was inspecting and issuing guidelines to the stone crushing units by publishing advertisement
on the awareness on Silicosis disease caused by pollution from stone crushers in the newspapers and through distribution of pamphlets, the audit termed it as ‘not acceptable’ and ‘insufficient.’ It recommended that the Board should consider taking legal actions as per the Environmental (Protection) Act 1986. The CAG Audit also expressed concern that no Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) has been set up in Nagaland and there was no information relating to estimated waste water generated per day with the Board or the Municipalities. The NPCB replied that it had highlighted the pollution level of River Dhansiri in Dimapur to the Nagaland Government in 2011 and had suggested to take up a STP. However, no action has been taken to set up the same, the Board stated.
DIMAPUR, APRIL 1 (MExN): Alleging that minorities are being persecuted all over the nation under the aegis of the BJP, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Friday criticized the NPF leaders for campaigning for the same political party in Assam. On Thursday, NPF leaders led by Chief Minister TR Zeliang, Home Minister K Patton and others had campaigned for a BJP candidate at an election rally held at Bokajan, Karbi Anglong where Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Smriti Irani attended. Expressing distaste that the NPF leaders were all out with the BJP, the NPCC president K Therie in a press statement said the Assam election pictures will be another set of evidences in the context before
the world. Therie recalled how about a decade ago when LK Advani was asked by a foreign journalist that under his government Christians are persecuted and forced reconversions carried out, Advani replied it was not true and that in a Christian State like Nagaland, the government had a BJP Home Minister thereby defending themselves before the world. “Yes, UPA had the Look East policy and the state received enough funds. NDA has the Act East policy and the state is bankrupt. We are all for amicable settlement to the boundary issue and it all depends on the initiatives form both sides. What is important now is to stop from persecuting Christians, Minorities and Dalits,” he pointed out.
Asia likely to face severe water crisis by 2050: Study
NEw YoRk, APRIL 1 (IANS): Asia, the continent that houses roughly half the world’s population, will face a “high risk of severe water stress” by 2050 if the current environmental, economical and population growth persists, warns a new study. The study points out that water shortages are not simply the results of climate change and environmental stress. “It’s not just a climate change issue. We simply cannot ignore that economic and population growth in society can have a very strong influence on our demand for resources and how we manage them,” said one of the researchers Adam Schlosser, a senior research scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in US.
“And climate, on top of that, can lead to substantial magnifications to those stresses,” Schlosser added. The findings, published in the journal PLOS One, showed that the median amounts of projected growth and climate change in the next 35 years in Asia would lead to about 1 billion more people becoming “water-stressed” compared to the present time. To conduct the study, the scientists built upon an existing model developed previously at MIT, the Integrated Global Systems Model (IGSM), which contains probabilistic projections of population growth, economic expansion, climate, and carbon emissions from human activity. They then linked the IGSM model to detailed
People collect drinking water from a supply line in Dimapur, Nagaland. Photo by Caisii Mao
models of water use for a The scientists then ran In what they call the large portion of Asia en- an extensive series of re- “just growth” scenario, they compassing China, India, peated projections using held climate conditions and many smaller nations. varying conditions. constant and evaluated the
effects of economic and population growth on the water supply. In an alternate “just climate” scenario, the scientists held growth constant and evaluated climatechange effects alone. And in a “climate and growth” scenario, they studied the impact of rising economic activity, growing populations, and climate change. The study gave the researchers a “unique ability to tease out the human (economic) and environmental” factors leading to water shortages and to assess their relative significance, Schlosser said. The IGSM model also allowed the team to look at how, under the same variables, scenarios change according to countries. This is particularly useful to come
up with country-specific strategies, in order to avoid water stress. “For China, it looks like industrial growth (has the greatest impact) as people get wealthier. In India, population growth has a huge effect. It varies by region,” explained lead author Charle Fant, researcher at MIT. Other variables, such as water supply networks into and out of the different areas, and the way population is distributed around said supplies should be examined, the researchers said. “We are assessing the extent to which climate mitigation and adaptation practices - such as more efficient irrigation technologies - can reduce the future risk of nations under high water stress,” Schlosser said.
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saturDaY 02•04•2016
NAGALAND
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Clean Election: A social responsibility Morung Express News Kohima | April 1
The National Electoral Rolls Purification (NERP) 2016 & Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) meeting with social state level NGOs was held at Hotel Japfü on April 1. Apex organizations and groups were present at the meeting where each group/organization were given time to share their views and suggestions, their activities on clean election campaigns and ways forward. “60 plus years is a long time and we have come of age, and we need to ensure that the young people are actually asked to reform themselves. We are talking about young people who are going to become stakeholders of the future. And in order to have these young people to have something to look forward to when they are still a little idealis-
tic, it’s good to let them understand that we are also standing with them,” asserted Rozelle Mero who spoke on behalf of the Naga Blog. Further Crediting the Church as the modern day Morung, Mero asserted that the Church plays a big role in a place like Nagaland. “Whatever the Church says, lay people in the rural areas listen to them more,” said Mero suggesting that the Church collaborate with the civil society to raise awareness and make changes for a clean election. The Nagaland Baptist Council of Churches (NBCC) shared their works and activities on clean election campaign where they informed that in order to observe one Sunday as Clean election Sunday, the day has been fixed on May 22 where sermon outlines will be sent to all Churches under NBCC along with prayer points. The NBCC is further planning
to hold state level training seminar on clean election, each department of the Council will be taking measures/ action in educating and creating awareness on clean election. The Youth Department, stated NBCC, is also planning to visit all colleges in Nagaland for the clean election campaign. The resources that have been used for the campaign are brochures, leaflets, posters, flagbanners and video clips. Geoffrey Yaden, Editor, Nagaland Post in his message stressed on the various malpractices in election in Nagaland. “Much has been said about electoral malpractices or evils but there has been no worthwhile effort on the ground to stem the root,” read the message where Yaden further asserts that election laws needs to be obeyed by the people and that it is the duty and responsibility of the authorities, public institutions religious
CEO of Nagaland, Sanjay Kumar IAS addressing the State Level NGOs during a meeting on NERP 2016 & SVEEP at Hotel Japfu on April 1. (DIPR Photo)
and educational institutions to create awareness and instill a sense of responsibility The importance of engaging in social media was also highlighted by Mero the older Naga generations need to move with the times and reach out to the younger people. Mero highlighted some of the activities of TNB which is
working both online and offline to create awareness on clean election campaign mostly targeting the youth, students, and educational institutions. TNB will further be appointing TNB ambassadors in all 60 constituencies in the State and more offline awareness campaigns are to be worked out soon. “Our
goal is to spread awareness of clean election as a social responsibility. That is the key,” stated Mero who concluded appealing all the organizations to join the initiative together to claim for change in Nagaland and to choose new leaders, the right policy makers who can set a better trend for the development of Nagaland. An official also stated that despite the many efforts and contribution, the work becomes invisible because of money power Christopher Ltu, Asst General Secretary, NSF suggested that the Election Commission Department address the issue of enrollment of illegal immigrants which is a very pertinent issue. On the other hand Kenneth Kath from Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) viewed that taking decisions from the bureaucratic level or the higher level is not helping at all. “More stringent
directions should be given to the Wards and Village councils.” said Kath, since most of the inefficiencies are rooted through village councils and wards. David Sangtam, ENPO suggested that the core responsibilities lie in Kohima and Dimapur, which will be followed suit by the rest of the districts and villages. Asserting that Naga society is very corrupt, Sangtam stated that while the election department is doing a very good job through the removal of bogus and multiple voting cards, many Nagas tend to create negative impacts despite the positive actions. Sangtam cited the malpractices where many Nagas in rural areas have raised the prices of their votes after the removal of bogus and multiple entries of voting cards. Further, many have misused and manipulated the Election pledge, stated the ENPO representative
citing the manipulation in several villages where leaders sign up the pledge for the entire village. Even with the positive actions taking place, sometimes the public can take it in another direction, said Sangtam who requested the Election commission to address the mentioned issues. “We are primarily responsible but without your support, the ultimate objective cannot be achieved,” said Chief Election Officer Sanjay Kumar during the meeting who stressed on election processes and practices in Nagaland. V.Vero, Deputy Chief Election Officer highlighted the objectives and activities of the Department for the clean election campaign. Suggestions were also given by Catholic Association Nagaland, Naga Mothers’ Association, NCRC, Naga Hoho representatives, Eastern Naga Women’s Association, and YouthNet.
CM to inaugurate Meluri Town Council today PDGBs Association meeting held Our Correspondent Meluri | April 1
Hectic preparations are in progress at Meluri Town of Phek district to welcome the Chief Minister T R Zeliang for the inauguration of the much awaited full-fledged Meluri Town Council on April 2 at 11:00 AM. Meluri Town lies about 167 kms from the state capital Kohima. The entire town is getting a facelift with business establishment and roads being whitewashed and potholes filled. Meluri Helipad has been blacked topped for the smooth landing of the Chief Minister along with his cabinet colleagues and
Minister Yitachu, ADC John and others inspecting the newly black-topped Meluri Helipad on April 1, 2016.
entourage to inaugurate the Town Council. CM Zeliang will be the chief guest while local MLA and Minister for School Education and SCERT, Yitachu will grace the occasion
as guest of honour. Zeliang will also unveil the monolith while Executive Secretary Pochury Baptist Church Council, Rumatho will offer the dedicatory prayer. Short speeches will be
delivered by Parliamentary Secretary for Municipal Affairs and Economics & Statistics, R Tohanba and Pochury Hoho president Penthu. Folk tune will be presented by Meluri Village
Women Society and special number by Karo Trakha while Kisou Khel Meluri Village and Khubie Li Li Women Group will enthrall with cultural dances. Phek Deputy Commissioner Murohu Chotso will chair the programme while Pastor of Baptist Church Meluri Town, Rev Tivishe will offer the invocation prayer and Parish Priest St Xavier’s Pariah Meluri, Rev. Fr. Jose Lukose will pronounce benediction. Welcome address will be delivered Meluri Adhoc Town Council vice chairman Ghachu while Meluri Additional Deputy Commissioner John Tsulise Sangtam will propose vote of thanks.
pErEN, april 1 (Dipr): The Peren district GBs Association held its 5th general meeting on March 29 and 30 with Minister for RD, C.L. John as the chief guest and MLA 6thTening A/C, Namri Nchang as the chief host at Tening Town. Speaking on the occasion, C.L. John emphasized on the dignities and virtues of a customary GB Court and impressed upon the GBs to be a true Naga and to outlive unwanted criticism etc. “Our forefathers’ values of truth and traditions which emanates from the hills of the Nagas should be instilled in the minds and hearts of the people so that it can withstand the test of the present
Minister for RD, C.L. John addresses the Peren district GBs Association 5th general meeting on March 29 and 30. (DIPR Photo)
generation,” he said. Chief Host, MLA Namri Nchang and DC Peren, Peter Lichamo also spoke on the occasion. The programme was chaired by Head GB Tening Town,
Adubo Domtta and President Tening Sub-Division GB Union, Kesutlung pronounced the vote of thanks. Cultural dance and folk songs were the other highlights of the programme.
Phek Forest Division distributes Solar Lamps Training cum demo on nutrient management in citrus
phEK, april 1 (mExN): With an aim to conserve the forests particularly the Pine Forests in Phokhungri area, the Phek Forest Division has taken an initiative to distribute solar lamps under Phokhungri area in Phek District. Due to lack of electricity and also poor power supply in these area, the village community has been using pine to lit their homes thus causing pressure on the pine forests as well exposing themselves to serious health hazards by inhaling the gases. For this the department has collaborated with a Mumbai based NGO called Eco-Solutions whose coordinator Yatendra Agarwal generously donated the solar lamps for four under developed villages located
DFO Phek, Forest officials along with the village community with the Solar Lamps at Avakhung, Meluri Sub Division, Phek District.
near the Myanmar border namely Avakhung, Phokhungri, Latsam and Old Thewati. Phek Forest Division has distributed the solar lamps to the above 4(four) villages for the first Phase
during 3rd week of March 2016 and aims to cover few more under developed villages in the second phase. The villages council and local functionaries of all the four villages express special gratitude to Yatendra Agar-
The Morung Express opens branch office in Zunheboto Morung Express News Zunheboto | April 1
The Morung Express today added another outlet with the inauguration of its branch office in Zunheboto Town. The new branch office located at Old Town Colony, 1st floor Trademark Building, Zunheboto was inaugurated with cutting of the ribbon and prayer by Rev. Hukugha Zhimo, Executive Secretary, SBAK (Nilo Mount). Applauding The Morung Express for opening up a branch office at Zunheboto town, the Reverend cited that it is the need of the hour for the people of Zunheboto believing and expecting that through this the Zunheboto town would come to the limelight. He also expressed that it is a sign of development and blessing for the people of Zunheboto town. Other dignitaries present at the opening ceremony were SP Zunheboto; SDO Civil Zunheboto; Executive Secretary SBCZ; Dr. Daniel (Pastor ZTSBC);
Rev. Hukugha Zhimo, Executive Secretary, SBAK (Nilo Mount) inaugurates The Morung Express branch office in Zunheboto Town on April 1. (Morung Photo)
Sumi Hoho General Secretary; General Secretary, Sumi Totimi Hoho; President, ZRSU (Zunheboto Range Students Union); General Secretary, Zunheboto Chamber of Commerce; Vice president, ZTYO (Zunheboto Town
Youth Organization) with colleagues; President, ZTGBA (Zunheboto town Gaung-Borah Association); Members of Sumi Kukami Hoho; President, ANPSA (Z) (All Nagaland Private School Association Zunheboto).
wal for his generous contribution and also appreciated the initiative of Phek Forest Division particularly DFO Phek Rongsenlemla Imchen IFS for personally delivering the solar lamps to the village communities.
moKoKchuNg, april 1 (mExN): With an objectives to rejuvenate the decline citrus orchard in the region, one day training cum demonstration on nutrients management in citrus was conducted at Farm School on Citrus, Asenei project, Chuchuyimpang on March 31, under Ongpangkong North Block, ATMA, Mokokchung.BTT convener, Dr. Lanunochetla brief the trainees about the general management of an orchard. Talimeren, HEA, Horticulture Department, who was the resource person of the programme, spoke about the different factors leading to citrus decline in the region. Citrus decline is due to combined effect of biotic factors such as poor orchard management, improper pruning, lack of in-
Church youth enact play on ‘HIV/AIDS’ ZuNhEboto, april 1 (mExN): District IEC/BCC activity on reproductive and sexual health for adolescent (ARSH) was conducted on March 31 at Akuluto town, Zunheboto. The programme was initiated by District Health Society and the ARSH play on the topic ‘HIV/AIDS’ was enacted. The play was performed by the youth of NCRC Akuluto town. Six church youth members enacted the play during the programme. Shekho Sophie, District Media Officer, Zunheboto highlighted about the importance of Adolescent activity and encouraged the youth to do away with unwanted elements and motivated the participants to live a healthy and exemplary life. He also sensitized the members on adolescent health, spiritual and mental well being, the physical and the emotional changes that happen during this period. He urged the youth to avail the services provided at the ARSH clinics at District Hospital and CHCs. After the play, documentary on ARSH was shown and free IEC materials and bookmark were distributed. Vinivi chaired the programme. Khesheto, Youth Director (ATBC) pronounced the invocation. Vote of thanks was given by Reuben, Youth Director (NCRC), Akuluto and benediction was prayed by Vitoka, Pastor (NCRC), Akuluto. This was informed in a press release issued by Zunheboto CMO office District Media Officer Shekho Sophie.
Participants with others during the training cum demonstration on nutrients management in citrus conducted at Farm School on Citrus, Asenei project, Chuchuyimpang on March 31.
sect pest management and abiotic factors namely, lack of soil and water management, nutrient deficiencies etc. He further explained upon the different approaches to be adopted for rejuvenation, such as adoption of suitable soil and wa-
ter conservation measures and proper management of the orchard by following the year round calendar of operation. Later, Sentiyangba, HEA, Horticulture Department, demonstrated the trainees on the method of
application of fertilizers and lime for improving the soil health of an orchard. Fertilizers, insecticides and hand secateurs were provided to all the farm students. Altogether 20 citrus growers attended the programme.
Entrepreneurs Associates BEST Wave 4 prog concludes
Trainees of the Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Training (BEST) programme Wave 4 with others during the commencement day held on April 1.
Kohima, april 1 (mExN): Entrepreneurs Associates held the commencement day on April 1 for the trainees of the Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Training (BEST) programme Wave 4, at its Training and Research Centre, EA office, Kohima. The training was held from February 15 to March 31.Trainees and staff of EA along with their family members and guardians attended the programme. Susan James Lead Trainer, Entrepreneurs Associates while exhorting the trainees urged them to continue to strive and work hard, keep seeking for knowledge, and always keep their goals visible and not to be afraid to make new mistakes but instead learn from
them. She also told them to learn how to unlearn so that new things can be learned and to have strong faith in God. Certificates with the cash incentives earned during the training were handed over to all the participants by Susan James. It was announced that Tiasenla Ozukum was the highest earner of the batch. Neichiite Doulo, CEO Entrepreneurs Associates, through his speech encouraged the trainees to think differently from the common mindset. He stressed that while opportunities around us are many, we fail to see them. He said that a certificate from EA is not a ticket to success and wished all the trainees 'success'
that comes from hard work and perseverance. The programme also saw Thejazevi Riirhia, Coordinator BEST, giving a summary of the training. A special song was presented by the trainees. During the programme, the trainees expressed their gratitude to EA and shared their valuable experiences and learning through the training. The programme which started with an invocation prayer from Vikeyiekho concluded with a vote of thanks from Yutho Sangtam. BEST is a programme, which facilitates learning basics of startup entrepreneurial ventures for youth and is held year round. It is an EA initiative and supported by the Tata Trust, Mumbai.
SaturDaY 02•04•2016
NORTH-EAST
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Axe one, and all will quit: Manipur ministers tell CM Imphal, aprIl 1 (IaNS): Manipur's ministers have told Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh that all of them will quit if he drops even one from the ministry to placate dissidents, a minister said on Friday. The ministers conveyed the decision to the chief minister after a meeting amongst themselves here. "If any minister is dropped, all of us will resign en masse," a minister who did not wish to be identified by name said. The ministers' threat is the latest crisis to hit the chief minister, who has been battling mounting dissidence within the Congress legislature party. Manipur, with a 60-member assembly, is entitled to have 12 ministers which includes the chief minister. After the new crisis became public knowledge on Thursday night, Ibobi Singh cancelled his visit to New Delhi on Friday to submit a list of ministers who will be axed to induct new faces. Meanwhile, Charltolian Amo, chairman of the Hill Areas Committee, has resigned from the post of vice president of the Manipur Congress unit. Party sources said he was upset over the replacement of Gaikhangam as the Manipur Congress president by T.N. Haokip. One Minister told IANS that the dissidents' demand was unreasonable. They want the axing of ministers whose perfor-
mances was below the mark. But the ministers argue that if any of them is dropped to accommodate the dissidents, it will give an impression that the axed ministers were involved in corruption or were non-performers or both. This will impact their prospects in the next assembly elections. Meanwhile, the dissident leaders have reaffirmed their stand that 11 of the 12 ministers need to go. They also want Sepaker T. Lokeswor to resign. One dissident legislator told IANS that they have no objection to whoever the chief minister picks in the new ministry. This is the first time in the political history of Manipur that dissidents are demanding the dropping of all ministers except the chief minister. Ibobi Singh had said that at the end of two-and-a-half years, the ministers would be replaced by another lot. But he did not keep his word. It is not known what the 25 dissidents would do if their demands are not conceded. Ibobi Singh has been discussing the crisis with some senior ministers and dissident leaders but there is no visible breakthrough. Opposition parties say the crisis in the Congress cannot be seen as "an internal matter" of the ruling party as it affects governance in the state.
17 villagers hurt in violent Chandel clash Our Correspondent Imphal | April 1
At least 17 people including women were seriously injured following a violent clash between two groups using clubs and bows and arrows at the interior village of Mantri Pantha Khul in Chandel district bordering Myanmar on Friday morning. The skirmish occurred around 9 a.m. between villagers of neighbouring Mantri Pantha and Lalbung. Both sides sustained injuries in the violent clash over a land dispute, police said today. The injured were taken to Government Chandel District Hospital and a private clinic Jibolata Hospital, Kakching under Thoubal district.
Chandel is located about 118 km from here. The villagers from Lalbung were trying to stop construction of a house at Mantri Pantha saying that it encroached upon their land. There was a hot argument between the two groups before they clashed. The skirmish left 17 badly injured at the spot. A team from Chandel Police Station rushed to the site and managed to quell the violent confrontation but still there were reports of tension between the two sides after the incident. In another incident, unidentified people exploded two bombs at two private residences in Khumbujamba Meitei colony in Churachandpur district last night. However, no one
Assam Polls: LDP chief opts for 'Kejriwal style' campaign
Pradyut Bora
Jorhat, aprIl 1 (aNI): Nearing the date of assembly election in Assam, different political parties have launched aggressive campaigns to reach out to maximum voters. Newspaper, TV, Radio and poster banners are flooded with campaign advertisements as they are conventional method of election campaign. However, a unique idea of campaign has been opted by former BJP national executive member Pradyut Bora who has now formed his own party in Assam namely Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Inspired by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party unique campaign during the Assembly election in 2015, Pradyut Bora has formed a dance troop doing flash dance on streets of Jorhat. The LDP chief said, "I was very surprised when I saw Kejriwal's AAM Aadmi party workers branded a dance troop called 'dance for democracy' during the Delhi Assembly Elections last year. I liked it and hence in this election we are also using the same." When asked as to what had forced him to opt this idea, Bora said that his party is a new party and can't afford the conventional method of campaign and hence he wants to use the guerrilla tactics.
"We are a new party. We don't have money like the Congress and the BJP. So this is guerrilla warfare. What BJP, Congress is doing is conventional warfare. They are bombarding everywhere with advertisement. We are ambushing their bombarding by the Guerilla warfare," he added.
was injured in the blasts, police said. The explosions took place around 7 p.m. Not long after the first two incidents, a live bomb was found planted at another residence in the same village. No group has claimed responsibility so far. A police bomb disposal squad retrieved the bomb and defused. Four civilians, including one woman, were wounded in a bomb explosion occurred close to the post of 54th BSF Battalion near Light House in Churachandpur on April 12, 2015.
Sharmila continues fast in Imphal Imphal, aprIl 1 (IaNS): Two days after her acquittal by a Delhi court, rights activist Irom Sharmila is continuing her fast unto death in her security room in Imphal's J.N. Institute of Medical Sciences, a kind of sub-jail. As she is refusing to eat or drink anything despite the court order, her nose feeding continues. The 42-year-old activist has declined food or drink for the last 16 years, seeking repeal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. She was acquitted by the Patiala House Court in Delhi on Wednesday in a case of attempted suicide registered in 2006 when she undertook a fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. On arrival in Imphal on Thursday, Sharmila expressed her disappointment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no time to interact with her. She added that in India, "there is little meaning of democracy, and this is hampering the development." About Judge Harvinder Singh acquitting her, Sharmila said it was a right decision and all along she has been denying the prosecution charge that she was trying to commit suicide. "I am using fasting as a weapon to achieve my objective. It is a weapon which was used by the father of the nation (Mahatma Gandhi). I want to live, and I
Manipuri rights activist Irom Sharmila who was acquitted by a Delhi court in a 2006 case of attempt to suicide when she was undertaking a fast until death at Jantar Mantar; in New Delhi, on March 30. (IANS Photo)
love my life," she said. She had been earlier set free on two occasions on the orders of the District and Sessions court, Imphal West, as the prosecution failed to substantiate the charge of the attempted suicide. But within hours of being released, she was rearrested as she continued fasting while other activists sat along with her. But Sharmila is now disappointed that people have virtually stopped supporting her campaign. "I want a public opin-
ALDeR cOLLeGe Kohima : Nagaland
VACANCy
A post of Office-Cum-Computer Assistant is vacant. A graduate in any discipline with diploma in computer application may apply within 15th April, 2016, with contact mobile phone number. Applicant must have proficiency in English, typing, internet and website functions. Preference will be given to experience and degree in C.A. Sd/-, Dr. Rukhono K. Iralu, Principal.
NO. NIHESW-28/ENVIS/Part 2/2015-2016
Dated Kohima the 30th, March 2016
ADVERTISEMENT
The Nagaland Institute of Health, Environment and Social Welfare (NIHESW) hereby invites interested candidates for filling up the post of Information Officer : Name of the Post Number of Post Qualification
: Information Officer (IO) : One (1) : Graduate in Science or equivalent, good knowledge of computers and ability to maintain websites. (Preferably BCA/B. Sc Computer Science) : 35 years
Age limit Last Date for submission of Application : 15th April 2016
Applicants must submit their application to NIHESW office along with their biodata and self attested photocopies of academic documents along with two (2) passport photographs addressed to:
AFFIDAVIT
Honorary Director, Nagaland Institute of Health, Environment and Social Welfare Opposite to Commissioner's Office Old Secretariat Complex Kohima-797001 Nagaland. Tele-Fax: 0370-2292086 Email: nihesw@yahoo.com
Regd. No: 7859/16 Dated: 31/03/2016 I, Mr. IMTISUNEP LONGCHAR son of Dr. S.S. Akaba Longchar of Sungratsu Village, permanent resident of Penli ward. House No:- 274, Mokokchung Town, P.O/P.S-Mokokchung, District- Mokokchung, State- Nagaland, do hereby solemnly affirm and declare as under: 1. That, I am the deponent of this affidavit and a bonafide citizen of India. 2. That, my official name is Mr. IMTISUNEP LONGCHAR. As such, in my Matric Certificates and in my official documents my name Mr. IMTISUNEP LONGCHAR been recorded. Whereas, in my University Certificate my name Mr. LONGCHAR IMTISUNEP SANGTEMKABA LIMASANGLA has been recorded. 3. That, my name Mr. IMTISUNEP LONGCHAR and Mr. LONGCHAR IMTISUNEP SANGTEMKABA LIMASANGLA are of the same person. As such, the above noted name stands for the same. 4. That, the statements made above are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and nothing has been concealed therein. And I signed this affidavit on this the 31st day of March, 2016. DEPONENT Solemnly affirmed and declare before me by the deponent on this the st 31 day of March, 2016, at Mokokchung. Notary Public, Mokokchung
3
Dr. Vizovol Mekro, (Honorary Director)
AFFIDAVIT
Regd. No.: 7844/16 Dated: 22/03/16 I, Shri. Imtisunep Longchar, son of Dr. S.S. Akaba Longchar, resident of Penli ward, House No. 274, PS - Mokokchung-1, district - Mokokchung, Nagaland, do herby solemnly affirm and declare on oath as under:1. That I am the deponent of this affidavit. 2. That, the official name of my father is Dr. S.S. Akaba longchar. The prefix word "S” is the starting name of his father S. Temjen and the suffix word -Longchar” is the title. His name is also used as Sangtemkaba Longchar in full form His name as Subong Sangtem Akaba is also recorded in some other documents. 3. That, the name Dr. S.S. Akaba Longchar, Subong Sangtem Akaba and Sangtemkaba are all one and of the same person i.e my father. 4. That the statements made above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief and nothing concealed thereof. Deponent And I signed this affidavit on this the 22nd day of March 2016 at Mokokchung Notary public, Mokokchung
ion on whether I should continue the campaign for repealing the AFSPA from Manipur," she said afer her release in Delhi. On another occasion, Sharmila said she would continue her fast till her demand was conceded. All these years several leaders from the Centre and state have appealed to her
to give up fasting. However, she has all along refused all such appeals. Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said: "We may lift the AFSPA from the rest of the state. On August 12, 2004, we had lifted it from seven assembly segments on experimental basis despite objections from some circles."
"If the insurgents intensify their violence after lifting it from the entire state, we will have to approach the Centre again to re-impose the AFSPA." Official indications, however, are that the dwindling public support to Sharmila's campaign is allowing the state government a sigh of relief. Sharmila is also unhappy that police did not permit the Manipuri students in Delhi to talk to her in the court complex. "It is denial of their fundamental rights," she said, adding the student groups in Manipur should also join the campaign which is for the protection of human rights. She periodically appears in the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Imphal West, on charge of attempted suicide. In Manipur too, she is refusing to furnish personal bond to get bail. Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code permits the authorities to detain her for one year and at the end of each year she is ritually released. The state government spends over Rs.80,000 per month over her medication and nose feeding, and security.
A LecTuRe On
‘Human Rights in Naga Society: Today & Tomorrow’ Secretary General of the Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights, Neingulo Krome, and Principal of Japfü Christian College, Dr. Visakhonü Hibo, come together to discuss the notion of human rights today and tomorrow, to envision its future in Naga society.
Date : Saturday, April 2, 2016 (Today) Time : 1:30-3:30 pm Venue : DABA Elim Conference Hall, Duncan Bosti The Morung Lectures is an initiative of The Morung for Indigenous Affairs & Just Peace, and The Morung Express
OFFIce OF THe
NAGALAND STATe SOcIAL WeLFARe BOARD No. NSSWB/SRCW/Advt & Pub/2015 -16/802
Dated: Kohima the 31st March, 2016
NOTICE
In pursuance to the Advertisement No. NSSWB/SRCW/Advt & Pub/2015-16/646 Dt: Kohima, the 27th January, 2016 for One Stop Centre/ Sakhi, Dimapur, and Advertisement No. NSSWB/SRCW/Advt & Pub/2015-16/645 Dt: Kohima, the 27th January, 2016 for Women Helpline/181, Kohima under the Ministry of Women & Child Development, GOI, which was published on 28th January, 2016, the interview and assessment test will be held on 13th April, 2016 at 9:00 am at the Office of the Nagaland State Social Welfare Board, Below DIPR, New Secretariat Complex, Kohima. All the applicants are requested to kindly note the following: 1. A short written test will be conducted on women related issues to assess the writing skills for all the posts advertised except the post of the IT Staff. 2. Practical assessment test will be conducted for the post of IT Staff. 3. Those applying for the post of Centre Administrator under One Stop Centre, kindly note that if recruited, she will be a residential staff attached to One Stop Centre, Dimapur. 4. Original Certificates are to be produced for Verification. 5. No separate calling letter will be issued. Sd/- (Daisy Mezhur), Secretary NSSWB & Mission Director, SRCW
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SaturDaY 02•04•2016
Business
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
India to continue on growth path to root out poverty: Jaitley Melbourne, April 1 (iAnS): Urging Australian pension funds to invest in India, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said here the country will continue on its current path of development towards “eliminating the curse of poverty”. “We do believe that 7.5 percent rate can be improved upon and the government is concentrating on several areas, especially rural India. Its only then India can eliminate the curse of poverty,” he said, addressing a meeting here of heads of Australian pension funds. “People in India are benefiting from the whole process of liberalisation,” the finance minister said. The meeting was attended by Australian Minister for Small Businesses and Assistant Treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer, Future Fund chairman Peter Costello, Indian High Commissioner Navdeep Suri and members of a delegation led by industry
chamber Ficci. In this connection, Jaitley assured his audience of rationalisation of India’s tax system, saying India offered a huge amount of opportunity also in manufacturing and infrastructure. On the penultimate day of his four-day Australia visit on Thursday, Jaitley estimated that India’s GDP growth rate for the current fiscal would touch 7.6 percent which, he said,
was much less than the country’s potential. “As the current financial year ends today, we hope to finish this year at 7.6 percent growth rate which is much less than our potential. We are hopeful that we will do better than this next year,” Jaitley said, delivering the K.R. Narayanan Oration series lecture in the Australian capital Canberra. “Our current account
deficit is well under control; inflation rate is under control. In last 16 months, the wholesale price index has been negative. Consumer index has been in the range of 4-5 percent. Interest rates are slowly coming down,” the finance minister said. “We had to reform our systems. There is a considerable amount of ease which has come in and we have moved up in global rankings,” Jaitley added.
Volkswagen to recall 3,877 Vento cars over emission issue
The current recall is restricted to 1.5-litre diesel engine with manual gearboxes, which were found to exceed prescribe carbon monoxide (CO) emission levels
pune, April 1 (iAnS): German car maker Volkswagen’s Indian outfit will recall 3,877 Vento cars with 1.5-litre diesel engine and manual gearbox and announced it will hold back sales of the models over emission issues, the company said here on Friday. In a statement, Volkswagen India said it will recall 3,877 Vento cars with 1.5-litre diesel engine and manual gearbox due to inconsistent carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. The company said the emissions were observed to be sometimes exceeding the threshold limits during the Conformity of
Cooking gas LPG Tesla Motors to launch down Rs 4 per bottle electric car in India new Delhi, April 1 (pTi): Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, price was today hiked by 8.7 per cent but that of non-subsidised cooking gas LPG was cut by Rs 4 per cylinder on global trends. ATF price in Delhi was raised by Rs 3,371.55 per kilolitre (kl), or 8.69 per cent, to Rs 42,157.01 per kl, oil companies said today. The hike comes on the back of a marginal 1.3 per cent or Rs 515.85 cut in rates on March 10. Prior to that, rates were hiked by steep 12 per cent, or Rs 4,174.49, on March 1, almost neutralising a Rs 4,765.5 cut on February 1. The March 1 hike broke the cycle of three consecutive monthly price reductions. Rates vary at different airports because of differential local sales tax or value-added tax (VAT). Jet fuel constitutes over 40 per cent of an airline’s operating cost and the price increase will add to the financial burden on cash-strapped carriers. No immediate comment was available from airlines on the impact of the price increase on passenger fares. Simultaneously, the oil firms cut prices of non-subsidised LPG, which consumers buy after exhausting their quota of 12, by Rs 4 per 14.2-kg bottle. Non-subsidised cooking gas (LPG) now costs Rs 509.50 in Delhi as against Rs 513.50 previously. This is the third reduction in rates in a row. Prices were last cut by Rs 61.50 on March 1. Rates were reduced by Rs 82.5 per 14.2-kg bottle on February 1. Subsidised LPG costs Rs 419.33 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi. The three fuel retailers - Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum - revise jet fuel and non-subsidised LPG prices on the first day of every month, based on the average international price in the preceding month. The ATF price cut on March 10 was on account of change in taxation.
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RaFFlE dRaW pOstpOnEd Phom Students' Union Kohima lucky draw declaration scheduled on 2 nd April 2016 has been postponed to 6 th June 2016 due to some unavoidable circumstances. Inconvenience regretted.
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lOst nOtiCE i, SEEmA jAiN, am applying for duplicate copy of Class x Admit. Card as i have lost it. Name: SEEmA jAiN F/NAmE: kAPOOR ChANd jAiN date of Birth: 13/07/1983 Roll No. 072325.
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Share Certificate No: 02243 of m/s govt. Servant Pensioner’s mPCS Ltd. Satakha, Zunheboto. Regd. No: NL/2442, Dt. 30.06.94 issued by Nagaland State Coop. Bank Ltd. is lost. Finder may inform: Ph. No. 7085924653
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Melbourne, April 1 (iAnS): Annoyed by long selfie sticks in public? An Australian technology company has a solution -- a “selfie drone”. This lets you click selfie without stretching the hand and gives you a perfect photo too. Built by Australian technology company IoT Group, the “ROAM-” drone opened for pre-sale on Thursday and will begin shipping internationally in June, Mashable website reported. According to Ian Duffell, executive director of the IoT Group, the company’s vision was to build “a selfie stick on steroids”. “The selfie stick’s problem is it’s confined by the length of the stick. The thought was, let’s get the thing taking the picture flying with you,” he was quoted as saying. After being tethered to a smartphone, the two rotor “ROAM-e” can be programmed using facial recognition technology to follow the user at a distance of up to 25 metres. The device can take 360-degree panoramas and can even stream a live video for up to 20 minutes of flight time. The $267 device has a 5-megapixel CMOS sensor camera and runs on Quadcore ARM Cortex A7 processor. Its rotors can be folded. “We wanted it to be small enough to fit into a bag or pocket. We modelled it on not being bigger than a 600-millilitre water bottle,” Duffell explained. “We all know drones fly around and take pictures, but because we’ve tailored it to be portable and in your space, it fits into a different category,” he said.
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cal measures will also be implemented in the impacted vehicles that are already with customers,” the company said without specifying any timeline. Volkswagen India said the current issue is not connected to the the global problem of manipulating the emission readings with ‘cheat device’ faced by the parent company. The company assured that all other vehicles with the customers are technically safe and roadworthy, and all other diesel models and variants of Volkswagen India conform to the norms and shall continue to be produced and sold in India.
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SAn JoSe, April 1 (iAnS): Luxury electric car maker Tesla Motors, the facility of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited in Silicon Valley last year, has identified India as a market for one of its most affordable models that has a price tag of $35,000, said a top company official. “Adding several more countries to Model 3 order page tonight. Check for details, but will include India, Brazil, SA, SK, NZ, Sing (Singapore) & Ireland,” Tesla Motor CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet. Unveiling the model’s prototype on Thursday, Musk said the car would go into production in 2017. According to him, the car would accelerate from 0-60 kmph in less than 60 seconds and can go up to 345 km on a single charge. Musk said the car will be on sale by 2017-end and has a pre-order level of around 117,000 units. The company said once the production starts, deliveries will begin in North America. When the production is ramped up, deliveries in Europe, Asia-Pacific region and right-hand drive markets will happen. Last year, on September 27, Modi visited Tesla Motors facility. According to Musk, he and Modi talked about electricity generation and the way to skip ahead as it happened in the cell phones where it skipped ahead of landlines. Musk then said rural areas can have solar panels with battery packs which means there need not be electricity lines and skip ahead to next generation to power generation.
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Production (COP) tests done by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). “At the same time, Volkswagen India is temporarily holding back sales of the manual gearbox version of the Volkswagen Vento with 1.5-litre diesel engine with immediate effect,” the company said. “Volkswagen India is analysing the issue and will propose technical measures to ARAI to solve this inconsistency at the earliest,” the statement added. According to the statement, production of the model would resume once the remedial measures are approved and confirmed by competent authorities. “The same techni-
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SaturdaY 02•04•2016
NAGALAND
Farmers enlightened on crop insurance scheme
MP Neiphiu Rio stresses on increasing agriculture production Dimapur, april 1 (mExN): Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio has stressed on the need to increase agriculture production to sustain ourselves considering the increasing population and limited land. Speaking at the ‘Farmers’ fair cum awareness programme’ organized by KVK Dimapur on Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) at ICAR Complex for NEH Region, Medziphema on March 31, Rio further suggested to the village council chairmen to take initiative on behalf of all the farmers and approach the bank to get the Kisan Credit Card (KCC). He further stated that farmers of Dimapur can produce more rice given the suitable land and climate and can help the farmers of neighbouring districts in attaining food sufficiency. Stating that the farming community of Nagaland should approach the bankers for agriculture bank loan for smart agri-
culture production, he noted that indigenous farming will not be able to support the people in the 21st century. “Due to changing climatic conditions crop may fail and our latest technology like satellite mapping will help us in mapping of crop failure area,” he added, according to a press release received here. Dr D.J. Rajkhowa, Joint Director, ICAR emphasised on climate change and how PMFBY can help the farmers to sustain their livelihood. Dr. A. Chakraborty, General Manager, NABARD explained to the farmers about the details of the crop insurance scheme, which he termed as “immensely farmer friendly”. Stating that PMFBY is the greatest ever assistance extended by the Government on crop insurance, Chakraborty said that the scheme will have the lowest farmers’ share of premium till date. “The rest of the pre-
MP Neiphiu Rio addressing the farmers during the farmers’ fair cum awareness programme held at ICAR Complex in Medziphema on March 31.
mium burden, even if more than 90% will be borne by the Government,” it said. There will be ‘One season one premium rate’ for fruit crops, pulses and oilseeds. The earlier provision of different premium rates for different districts and crops has been scrapped under the scheme. It is now @ 2% premium for Kharif and 1.5% for Rabi. Farmers will get full protection: No capping on premium rates and as a result, no reduction in sum insured. Inundation
has also been included in the list of localized perils for the first time. Post harvest losses due to cyclone and unseasonal rains in the entire country have also been included for the first time in the scheme, which has included compulsory uses of mobile and satellite technology for accurate yield estimation and faster claim settlement. He also urged the farmers to get the KCC through banking system. Dr A. Mitra, Director, NRC-M appealed to the
farmers to take benefit of the scheme in view of climate change, which is affecting agriculture and allied activities. Dr Lalan Ram Director, CIH, Medziphema, asked the farmers to avail the maximum benefit of the scheme for cultivation of horticultural crops, as Nagaland falls under tropical and subtropical zone with high humidity, and moderately high temperature due to changing climate. He asserted that “we” should
work together with all the stakeholders like state Agri department, bank, and insurance companies to avail the benefit of the scheme. Dr. Bidyut C. Deka, Director, ICAR, ATARI in his remark told the farmers that due to Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, opening a bank account has become so easy. He explained about the benefit of the PMFBY and requested the state Nodal department to play a proactive role for the benefit of farmers under the scheme. The Soil Health Cards and training certificate were distributed to farmers and extension personnel of village functionaries by Neiphiu Rio during the programme. During technical session, Branch Manager, SBI Medziphema and official of New India Insurance company, Dimapur cleared all the doubts of farmers regarding Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana being implemented, followed by Farmers Scientist interaction. 610 farmers, Government officials and others attended the programme.
LFHSS students win at Assam Rifles apprehend two in Kohima, Dimapur april 1 hima on March 29. A press Savilie Ritse (50) has been prehended along with two SLSMEE for children 2015-16 Kohima, (mExN): 19 Assam Rifles release from Assam Rifles handed over to Kohima Po- pairs of Combat dress and Kohima, april 1 (mExN): The State Level Science, Mathematics & Environment Exhibition (SLSMEE) for Children 2015-16 was conducted by the Department of School Education at RGHSS, Kohima on March 30 in collaboration with NCERT, New Delhi with the theme ‘Science and Mathematics for Inclusive Development.’ A press release from Additional Director, School Education informed that Senthang, Director of School Educa-
tion, inaugurated the programme and RR Koireng, Co-ordinator of SLSMEE, NCERT, New Delhi was the guest of honour. Esther Longchar and Chubainla Jamir from LFHSS, Kohima were adjudged the winners in the competition with their subtheme ‘Organic capsicum, spy relapse medicated spray & aeroplast blanket’. Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Chaudry of Zakiesato Memorial HSS Dimapur with the sub-theme ‘Earthquake alarm’ was placed in the second position.
NSF urges to release text books within a week Kohima, april 1 (mExN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has brought to the notice of the Director, School Education Department that the text books of primary section (Classes A – IV) and Hindi text books for elementary section in the government schools have not been released by the department even after two and a half months of academic session. In a representation to the Director, NSF stated that because of the non-release of the text books, the students are facing problem and compelled to study without text books. Therefore, the Federation has urged the School Education Department to look into the matter urgently and distribute the books to the students within a week from the date of the receipt of the representation, which was appended by Imtiyapang, Secretary Education and Boketo Kiho, Secretary Social and Culture, NSF.
along with police representatives apprehended one shop owner during a search operation conducted based on information regarding repair of arms of NSCN (K) cadres in a gun repair shop near Teenpatti junction in Ko-
informed that five Muzzle Loading Rifles, two .22 Rifles with 2 magazines, two 12 Bore Single Barrel Guns and one 12 Bore Double Barrel Gun without any gun licenses were recovered during the search. The shop owner identified as
lice Station (North) for further investigation, it added. In Dimapur, 32 Assam Rifles along with police representatives apprehended an NSCN (K) cadre from one of the houses at Burma Camp. The cadre identified as Felix Lotha was ap-
Kohima, april 1 (mExN): A state level consultation meeting on Smart Cities Mission will be held on April 4, 12:00 noon at Secretariat conference hall here with Chief Minister of Nagaland TR Zeliang as the chief guest. The meeting will be chaired by Secretary, Municipal Affairs Department, who is also the Secretary, High Power Steering Committee, Smart Cities Mission. Welcome address will be delivered by Parliamentary Secretary for Municipal Affairs, keynote address on Smart City Mission will be given by Chief Secretary, Nagaland. Brief notes on challenges and positive aspects of Kohima Smart City will be delivered by Administrator, Kohima Municipal Council, while brief notes on Smart Solution on Kohima Smart City will be addressed by State Consultant on Smart City Kohima – Vice President, Voyants Pvt. Ltd.
ENPO clarifies on ENGBU formation TuENsaNg, april 1 (mExN): The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) has clarified that the formation of Eastern Nagaland GBs Union (ENGBU) on March 29 at Tuensang Hq was purely for the convenience of co-ordination between the ENPO and the members of Gaon Buras (GBs) of Eastern Nagaland. ENPO President Khoiwang Konyak and General Secretary Manlang Phom in a release stated that consequent upon the formation of ENGBU, there arose confusion that it will now detach from the Nagaland GBs Federation (NGBF) and the government. The Gaon Buras belonging to Eastern Nagaland will continue to be members of NGBF and the ENGBU as well, the release said. Thus, the ENPO has requested all concerned not to confuse or create confusion in this regard.
NBSE notifies on NSEE 2016 Kohima, april 1 (Dipr): The Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) has notified that Nagaland State Entrance Examination (NSEE) 2016 to be conducted by the NBSE will be tentatively held on May 14, 2016. The center of examination will be Kohima Town, while question of the NSEE will be set from the existing NBSE’s syllabus of classes XI and XII (Common core syllabus). The Board has also informed that all questions of NSEE will be Multiple Choice Question (MCQ). There will be only 1 (one) paper consisting of 180 items. Admit card will be issued on payment of the examination fee. The breakup of items subject wise shall be as follows: Biology – 90 items, Physics – 45 items and Chemistry – 45 items.
two mobile phones, the AR said, adding he admitted that he is a civil wing cadre of NSCN (K) and holding the rank of Khapur. The ap- DC Phek informs prehended person along with the recovered items phEK, april 1 (Dipr): Deputy Commissioner, was handed over to the Po- Phek, Muruho Chotso in a circular has informed that the lice for further investigation. Government of Nagaland has introduced new format for issue of Indigenous Inhabitant and Schedule Tribe Certificates. The new format is required to be checked more stringently and is time consuming to obtain the Certificates by the applicant, which is meant only for the indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland. Applicants wishin age group of 6-18 years ing to apply for the IIC and STC must apply well in adand in turn the execution vance, he said. The concerned village authority has also of RAA will span across been requested to verify the application properly and MHRD’s schematic inter- maintain record for future reference whenever called vention of SSA, RMSA in for confirmation/ verification. the Department of School Education & Literacy and ASU third phase of edu tour programs and schemes of Department of Higher Ed- Kohima, april 1 (mExN): The Angami Students' ucation to encourage Sci- Union (ASU) will undertake its third phase of education ence and Mathematics & tour to Chakhroma region starting April 4. A press note from Tsiu Seyie, Secretary Education, ASU has informed Technology. The workshop was the village SMC, and village leaders for interaction with chaired by Tali Jamir, Dep- the ASU officials. The Union will visit all Government uty Mission Director, SSA schools under Chakhroma region. and Khreituo Mezhur, Director, SCERT welcomed DSSATA members asked all the participants from all to pay membership fee over the state. Dr. Aotemshi, Assistant Professor, Dimapur, april 1 (mExN): Dimapur SSA TeachFazl Ali College Mokok- ers’ Association (DSSATA) members under SDEO, chung and Dr. T Tiakaba Dimapur have been requested to submit Rs. 300 as Jamir, Assistant Professor, annual membership fee for 2016 in the following colScience College Kohima lection centres/points from April 2 - 5 without fail: Imwere the resource persons. pression Printing, 1st Floor, Kuotsuo Building, 2nd gate, Vote of thanks was pro- Near Auto Parking (9615389697); Dumplings, Naro Ki posed by Khukiye Awomi, building, Near Hyundai Showroom, Purana bazar Deputy Mission Director, (9856855981); Flash fashion, 2nd floor Central Plaza, NL Road, Dimapur (9089556530). This was informed in SSA. The workshop ended a press release issued by Yekavi Chishi, President, Dimapur SSA Teachers’ Association. with brainstorming session.
Governor greets Workshop for teachers and DIET lecturers Konyak, Phom Nagaland is facing and promote teaching and learning of Mathematics acute shortage of communities Mathematics and and Science and change Kohima, april 1 (mExN): Governor of Nagaland PB Acharya has extended best wishes to all the “brothers and sisters” of Konyak and Phom communities on the occasion of Aoleang and Monyu festivals respectively. The Governor appealed to the Konyak and Phom communities to celebrate the festivals in its true spirit and also to preserve the rich cultural heritage of Nagas. On the occasion of the festivals, he further appealed to civil societies, NGOs, Hohos, student bodies, etc to get united to bring lasting peace and development in the society. “May celebration of these festivals brings in more peace and prosperity in one’s life,” Acharya concluded in his message released to the media.
Public SPace
Science teachers, says FP Solo
Dimapur, april 1 (mExN): Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Department of School Education and SCERT, FP Solo has stated that Nagaland is facing acute shortage of Mathematics and Science teachers, particularly at primary level, due to absence of qualified man power. He informed this during the one day state level capacity building workshop for Science and Mathematics teachers/ DIET lecturers on Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA) held on March 30. Solo also highlighted the importance of science, mathematics and technology in daily life and stressed on the need to popularise
Highway Of Potholes
the mindset of the students. He urged the teachers to dispel the fear of learning Science and Mathematics from the minds of the students and make them more interesting and pleasing. He further said that RAA has come at the right time to promote and popularise Science and Mathematics in Nagaland. Gregory Thejawelie, State Mission Director in a press release said that the main objective of the workshop on RAA was aimed at nurturing spirit of enquiry and creativity, love for science and mathematics and effective use of technology amongst the children and encourage those who show an inclination and talent for these subject to be encouraged and supported to heights of academic excellence and research. RAA will target students
Four arrested with ganja on Jalukie
SKK union assembly
ZuNhEboTo, april 1 (mExN): The first union assembly (2016-18) of All Sumi Student's Union (SKK) will be held at SKK t is raining potholes in Naga- people; this is one major area where Who is to blame for our psycho- Platinum Jubilee Memoriland. Nagaland is home to hor- the government has failed miserably. logical tensions, accidents, economic rible bad roads be it the cities, Roads indirectly contribute to and health problems owning to bad towns or the villages. It’s a fact the economic growth of the state roads? The government needs to inand nobody can deny it. However and since Nagaland is a develop- tervene now; it is the duty of the govI write this article focusing on the ing economy, there is constant de- ernment to maintain a basic standard deplorable road condition in and mand of good quality roads. Are the of road condition for its state. People around Kohima and Dimapur town. deplorable road conditions of Na- are tired of complaining numerous Many roads in the heart of Dima- galand affecting our economy/ eco- times when the government turns a JaluKiE, april 1 pur and Kohima town are so bad that nomic development? If a survey or deaf ear and a blind eye. It is now in (mExN): Students’ Spiritual driving is a constant tension. There is research is conducted, I am sure the desperation for the welfare of society Conference, which aimed at no peace of mind while driving; you answer would be "yes". Put aside the that individual colonies have started providing spiritual guidance constantly have to be on the lookout economic growth of Nagaland, the collection money per household to to the students from Class 8 for potholes and manoeuvre your ve- household economy of every indi- repair and maintain its colony roads to 12 in and around Jalukie hicle dogging the potholes. A lot of vidual that owns a car is being affect- and drains. People are willing to work valley, concluded on April 1 unnecessary and avoidable psycho- ed - the frequent and untimely wear for the welfare of the society and the with unfurling of SSC flag by logical tension is accumulate and and tear of vehicular suspensions, government should also do its part. Rev. Kuzierang Thou, state processed by the driver and passen- alignment, mechanical parts, tyres I strongly fell that the government Chaplin. The students were guidgers alike due to this bad road condi- etc , all of which cost a sizable finan- needs to repair and maintain the few ed about youths and relation. Not only the psychological side cial investment; a direct effect of our kilometre of roads in an around Ditionship, identity in Christ, of it, look at the physical side – health deplorable road condition. mapur and Kohima, as this two city/ complications such as spinal probPollution is another issue that town are the highlight city/ town of enjoyment - worldly and lems, joint pains etc bad roads con- needs to be addressed. Bad dusty Nagaland and it is in Dimapur and spiritually, youth challenge tribute to its escalation. roads contribute immensely to dust Kohima where the traffic is maxi- to global leadership, crucial Now coming to the road safety is- pollution during the dry season and mum. So, can the government coop- relationship between parents and children, Science sue, road safety is being hugely com- flooded water filled potholes during erate with the public, do its job and and God, and today’s youths promised owning to its bad condi- the rainy season immensely escaprovide relatively minimal road an- problem the parents must tion. Accidents on the roads we see lates the risk of accidents. Pedestrinoyances, safe roads, decrease road know during the conference. every day, how many do you think ans, drivers, passengers and people are caused by the bad condition of living/ working close to the roads are pollution and help in the economic There were separate seminars for teachers and parents. roads? I am sure there will be many. It constantly being exposed to dust pol- development of Nagaland. The conference witNeisakholie Ziephru is the duty of the Government to pro- lution escalating the risk of respirato(Information and nessed hundreds of students Publicity Secretary, APO) vide the best and safest roads for its ry diseases and problems. coming forward for counselling and responded to the deThe Morung Express “Public Space” is to provide space for diverse opinions to be expressed and heard. The cision call made after the seropinions in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper nor the editor. mon, according to a release.
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State level consultation on Smart Cities Mission
al Hall, Zunheboto on April 16, 2016. Therefore, all the unit presidents, representatives and senior leaders have been invited to attend the same without fail.
Students’ Spiritual Conference concludes Rev. Ketou Theünuo, President, Cross Wonder Ministries, Nagaland, who is also the President of the team Nagaland for Students’ Spiritual Conference, Rev. Dr. Tseibu Rutsa, President, Leaders for Christ Intl. USA, and Rev. Moa Londchari, Senior Pastor, Baptist Mission Church, Kohima administered heart renting messages about what Jesus can do to one’s life if one surrenders their life to Him, and how to follow Jesus guided by the Bible. In the valedictory service, Rhosietho Nguori, SDO (C) termed the conference meaningful and purposeful investment. He encouraged the students to be changed in the Lord through their participation in this conference. The main focus of the conference was to save the next generation for a true ‘Nagaland for Christ’, the release added.
pErEN, april 1 (mExN): Four persons, including a minor, were arrested for possession of approximately 220 kg of ganja by Peren Police at Old Jalukie village on April 1 around 11:30 am. According to a release from Superintendent of Police, Peren, the four were arrested while proceeding from Puru Village, Senapati (Manipur) to Dimapur in a Bolero Invader B/R. No.NL01C4476. Accordingly, a regular Case has been registered vide Jalukie PS C/No.08/16 U/S. 20(b) NDPS Act and investigation is in progress, the release added.
Govt Polytechnic Kohima students informed Kohima, april 1 (mExN): In view of the Compartmental Examination for ODD Term papers scheduled to be held in the 3rd week of May 2016, the students of Government Polytechnic Kohima have been informed to fill up the examination form from April 4-8 without fail. A notification from the principal of the Polytechnic said that no extension of dates nor complaints shall be entertained thereafter.
NSF Federal Assembly on April 7 Kohima, april 1 (mExN): The 3rd Federal Assembly (2015-2017 tenure) of Naga Students' Federation (NSF) has been scheduled on April 7, 10:00 am at Rasha Hall, Purul Village, Senapati, hosted by the Poumai Naga Tsüdoumai Me. Therefore, all the federating units, subordinate bodies and senior leaders of NSF have been requested to be at the aforesaid venue by the evening of April 6, 2016.
SDEO Wokha informs GTs & PTs WoKha, april 1 (mExN): Sub Divisional Education Officer (SDEO) has informed Graduate Teachers (GTs) and Primary Teachers (PTs) who have already attended Medical Board Examination (MBE) on November 12 and 13, 2015 at CMO Office Wokha to submit their first Appointment Order and Regularization Order to the office of the Head Assistant under SDEO Office, Wokha during office hours on or before April 10 for onward submission to the Directorate of School Education along with MBE Certificate.
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Saturday 02•04•2016
PeoPle, life, etc...
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
New look at the universe Veena Prasad
Is it a light wave? Is it a radio wave? No! It’s a gravitational wave! Now, what’s that, you wonder. Let’s take a peek into our universe
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pace is BIG — unimaginably, indescribably, impossibly big. And filled with strange and massive objects that we don’t fully understand. We also have limited means to experiment in space to deepen our understanding. But we do know a bit of physics to construct ideas about what might exist and how the universe might work. Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity is one such idea. All of its predictions that can be put to test have been proved, but there are some that have eluded testing because we have lacked the required technology. The theory isn’t completely proved, but has some neat mathematics and physics that can explain much of the phenomena we observe in the universe. Among other things, the theory implies that space (and also time) is like a stretched rubber sheet. Something like a trampoline. Balls, pins and needles What happens when you drop an iron ball on a trampoline? It curves. Smaller objects around this ball are drawn towards it, and that in a nutshell, is gravity. If you were to walk straight along a curved surface (such as the rim of a bowl) you would actually be tracing a circle or ellipse, and that, in a nutshell, is an orbit. What happens when another ball is dropped on a different part of the trampoline? It causes ripples to go all around. What happens when a pin is dropped on that trampoline? That would also cause ripples, but so small that no one would notice. No one drops balls and pins in space, but Einstein theorised that massive stars and black holes in space behave like the iron balls on a trampoline. Planets and asteroids are like pins. When the massive objects explode or collide with each other, they cause ripples. Small collisions such as asteroids hitting a planet would also cause ripples, but they would be really small. Einstein was particularly interested in black holes and neutron stars because from what we know today, they are the most massive objects in the universe. Neutron stars are supernovae that burn out all their energy and collapse within themselves, retaining their density in a
hugely reduced size. They are unimaginably dense. So dense that if you could scoop out one teaspoon from a neutron star, it would weigh about 10 million tons! Collisions of objects this massive would cause ripples that would reach the farthest corners of the galaxy. And we would have a good chance of detecting these ripples — or gravitational waves. Detecting waves Keeping this in mind, scientists designed an apparatus that would catch a
Are you a believer or an atheist? It's all in your brain Nishant Arora
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IANS
hile scientists and faithfuls will ensure that the debate on the existence of a universal spirit -- call it God or a supernatural force -- goes on, a research study has revealed that the conflict between science and religion has its roots in your brain. According to the researchers, human brain is divided in two parts -- one given to analytical or critical think and the other comprising an empathetic network. When it comes to chosing between faith or science, this is how the brain works. In order to believe in a supernatural power or a universal spirit, people appear to suppress the brain network used for analytical or critical thinking and engage the empathetic network. On the other hand, when thinking analytically about the physical and material world, people just appear to do the opposite, say researchers from Ohio-based Case Western Reserve University and Massachusetts-based Babson College in the US. The brain has a role to play in everything that happens to and by the human body and mind. "You cannot do anything without the brain. So the faithfuls suppress analytical/critical part of their brain while they are enjoying their faith or praying. It, however, does not mean that they cannot be nerds and analytical at other times," Richard E Boyatzis, professor of organisational behaviour at Case Western and a co-author of the research study, told IANS in an e-mail interview. In a series of eight experiments, the researchers found the more empathetic the person is, the more likely he or she is to be religious. The research is based on the hypothesis that the human brain's two opposing domains are in constant tension. "Because of the tension between these two networks, pushing aside a naturalistic world view enables you to delve deeper into the social or emotional side," says associate professor of philosophy
Tony Jack from Case Western in a paper published in the journal PLOS ONE. According to Santhosh Babu, celebrity coach and managing director of Organisation Development Alternatives, human brain is capable of understanding that we do not understand everything. Therefore, there is a "rational comfort" in trusting someone or something on issues which are beyond our understanding and capabilities. "The moment we believe in something, there is a perceptual constraint that stops the analytical or curious part of our brain. Once the brain believes in something strongly, only the data that support that particular belief is allowed to enter our awareness," Babu told IANS. The US researchers also examined the relationship between belief in God with measures of analytic thinking and moral concerns, in eight different experiments -each involving 159 to 527 adults. Consistently through all experiments, the team found that both spiritual belief and empathic concerns were positively associated with frequency of prayer, meditation and other spiritual or religious practices. Experts feel that for the human mind, the uncertainty that surrounds a state of "not knowing" is a source of anxiety, fear and depression. "Surrendering to a 'higher power' alleviates that state of 'not knowing' as it is easier to believe that things are happening as per will of God or destiny rather than not being able to put an explanation for those acts or phenomenon," emphasises Dr Sunil Mittal, senior psychiatrist from Cosmos Institute of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences in New Delhi. Religious beliefs, however, can help cope with difficult events like death of a loved one, loss, disability and calamities. "The human mind does feel conflicted about believing in something that it has never seen or cannot define. However, the 'power of belief' itself is essential to help find answers and cope with difficulties in life, be it belief in God, in destiny or any other higher power," Dr Mittal told IANS.
ripple from such collisions in space. The tricky part of building this was in making it sensitive enough to catch a ripple from billions of light years away, while at the same time making it deaf to ordinary everyday rumbles of traffic. Just to be doubly sure, they built two of these detectors — one in Louisiana and the other in Washington State — and analysed only those graphs that both machines recorded identically. The apparatus, called LIGO (Laser In-
terferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), looks like a giant L, with each of its arms 2.6 miles long. A laser beam is split and shot through each arm. At the end of each arm is a mirror, so the beams bounce off the mirrors and recombine at the starting point where a detector analyses the beams to detect any gravitation waves. Imagine an L shape on a bedsheet on which you created a ripple. One arm of the L would get stretched by the wave, and the perpendicular arm would get squeezed. The lasers are designed to detect exactly that kind of wave, except it would be originating from the depths of space, and that the squeezing and stretching would be of dimensions less than an atom. Over in the LIGO, when the two laser beams recombine, the detector checks if their waves are in sync. On ordinary days, they would be. But when a gravitational wave occurs, because one arm of the L is stretched and the other squeezed, the two beams would be out of sync. And that was exactly what happened on February 12, 2016, when the LIGO recorded a “chirp”. But how did scientists know what exactly the chirp represented? How did they know that the gravitational wave that gave the chirp was a result of two colliding black holes and not something else, such as a supernova exploding? They used Einstein’s mathematics. In order to come up with a viable theory, you need to back it up with some solid mathematics. Scientists built up simulation models using this math to predict the type of graph that the LIGO detector would produce for the different events that are theorised to happen in space. As it turned out, the chirp corresponded to the event of massive objects circling each other and finally colliding to release massive energy causing a ripple. In fact, we also know the amount of energy released by the event, thanks to the famous equation E=mc². When Galileo first pointed his telescope towards the sky, he had nothing but visible light waves to help him understand the mysteries of the cosmos. With time, scientists were able to use other kinds of waves as well — radio waves, x-rays, gamma rays, infrared, ultraviolet (all electromagnetic waves), and now gravitational waves. How does this impact our understanding of the universe? We don’t know for certain yet, but we do know one thing — it is a new way of looking at the universe, which will give us the means to discover something new! Our understanding of the universe is about to change.
Cough drugs, are they safe?
Evidence collected over a couple of decades suggests that these are not only ineffective as cures, but also have dangerous sideeffects such as respiratory depression, apnea, seizures and cerebral haemorrhage.
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hould children be administered medicines for cough and cold? Alarmingly, says a study conducted in Delhi and Haryana, prescribing such medicines is rampant among child specialists. Researchers from Safdarjung Hospital and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi and Pandit B D Sharma Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak asked paediatricians at five hospitals in the two states to give their advice in two hypothetical cases of medically stable children suffering from cough and cold in the age groups of less than two years and two-to-five years. According to the results published in the latest issue of published in the latest issue of Saudi Pharmaceutic Journal, medicines were prescribed by 82% of the respondents for children under two-year olds and by 85% for children between two and five years. The danger of prescribing cough and cold medication (CCM) lies in the unwarranted way they affect the body. Dr Sudha Chandelia, corresponding author of the study, told TOI that anti-allergic drugs were the most common CCM prescribed followed by decongestants. "In adults, toxicity studies on the use of CCMs have not been carried out, but there is evidence showing side-effects in children," says Chandelia. "We were shocked to find so many specialists prescribing CCM in the hypothetical cases." Dr S K Kabra from AIIMS, pointed out how curbing the body's instinct through medication is counterproductive.Explaining that coughing is a protective reflex that helps clear secretions or foreign bodies from the airway, Kabra said the medications could give temporary relief, but it exposed the child patients to the risk of severe side-effects such as respiratory depression. "It can also affect heart and brain functions," he added. Dr Vandana Kent, senior paediatric consultant at Rockland Hospital, reiterated that cold and cough are self-limiting conditions caused by allergy or viral infections."Non-pharmacological measures - steam inhalation, drinking warm fluids and saline nasal drops should be considered to relieve the symptoms," she said. "Giving antibiotics and anti-allergic drugs without consulting a doctor is dangerous, particularly in the case of children," said Dr J S Bhasin, paediatrician at BLK super-specialty hospital. How widespread the practice is can be gauged from the fact that Bhasin receives a case or two almost every week of extreme sedation caused by over-the-counter drugs in children. Given the potential for adverse side-effects, in 2009 Canada imposed mandatory labelling that required the drug manufacturers to state that products for cough and cold medication should not be used over-the-counter among young children. A recent study published in Canadian Journal of Public Health claimed that the cautionary step had led to a decline of CCM use for children by over 3% since. Experts in India have called for awareness programmes for doctors and the public to check this natural instinct to administer CCMs, mostly over-the-counter, due to health risks they represent.
Pompeii’s Graffiti and the Ancient Origins of Social Media From Roman walls to Twitter, humans have a longstanding obsession with leaving their mark. Adrienne Lafranc
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The Atlantic
he oldest known graffiti at Pompeii also happens to be among the simplest: Gaius was here. Or, more precisely, “Gaius Pumidius Diphilus was here,” along with a time stamp, which historians have dated to October 3, 78 B.C. It’s a classic. Literally—as in, it is an artifact from classical antiquity—but it’s also a classic in the larger category of Things People Write on Walls. So-and-so was here (see also: Kilroy) has been one of the messages humans have scrawled, etched, and eventually Sharpied and spray painted onto public spaces for millennia. Much of the graffiti at Pompeii seems surprisingly modern this way. Ancient inscriptions include declarations of love (“Health to you, Victoria, and wherever you are may you sneeze sweetly.”); insults (“Sanius to Cornelius: Go hang yourself!”); and remembrances (“Pyrrhus to his chum Chias: I’m sorry to hear you are dead, and so, goodbye!”). There are also billboard-esque painted inscriptions that included political campaign messages, advertisements for Gladiatorial games, and other public notices—like the equivalent of a giant flyer for a lost horse. The commonplace nature of these inscriptions is part of what makes them so historically valuable. “It recreates the life of the town,” said Rebecca Benefiel, a professor of classics at Washington and Lee University. “It’s the voices of the people who were standing there, and thinking this, and writing it. That’s why the graffiti are just so special and so enthralling.” The fact that we can read the original inscriptions at all today is part-tragedy, part-miracle. Like most of what scholars know of Pompeii, the city’s extensive graffiti is so well preserved because it spent nearly 1,500 years entombed in ash after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. People have been fixated on the ancient etchings since Pompeii was rediscovered centuries ago. “Though nearly 20 centuries old, the thoughtless school-boy’s scrawls, the lovesick gallant’s doggerel, or the carica-
ture of some friend, foe, or popular favorite, are still as clear as though executed by an idler yesterday,” The New York Timeswrote in 1881. But despite all this appreciation, Pompeii’s graffiti hasn’t been easy for most people to access. Even in the Internet age, a time when there’s a vague expectation that all of human knowledge has somehow coalesced online (it hasn’t), the inscriptions haven’t been comprehensively digitized. Scholars have to either piece together disparate texts found only in research libraries, or visit Pompeii in-person. But much of the graffiti—indeed, much of Pompeii’s history—has been looted, defaced, or destroyed over time. Ironically, some of that vandalism has come at the hands of people who’ve etched their own graffiti over the originals. All this is why Benefiel is leading an effort to map the graffiti of Pompeii and Herculaneum, a nearby town that was also buried by the 79 A.D. eruption. With a grant from a National Endowment for the Humanities, she and other scholars are building a suite of tools to digitally catalogue, contextualize, and analyze these ancient inscriptions. “I’m really interested in trying to look at the whole of what we have from these cities, and thinking a bit more broadly about how we can identify who’s writing messages and where they’re writing them,” Benefiel said. “Right now, that’s really hard to do just because of how they’ve been published, and how the map has completely changed because excavations got much more expansive.” Digitizing what’s known about the graffiti at Pompeii—and making a searchable database that’s rich with metadata like height, writing style, language, and other details—is also a way of teasing out connections between inscriptions that aren’t otherwise apparent. Perhaps, for example, scholars will be able to identify
common authorship among a variety of geographically disperse messages. Or maybe they’ll be able to understand what kinds of establishments are adorned with certain graffiti, based on the nature of the messages written there. Scholars can tell, for instance, that a tavern was once beyond the wall where a welcoming greeting— “Sodales, avete,”—can still be read. Some graffiti describes how many tunics were sent to be laundered, while other inscriptions mark the birth of a donkey and a litter of piglets. People scribbled details of various transactions onto the walls of Pompeii, including the selling of slaves. They also shared snippets of literature (lines from The Aeneid were popular) and succinct maxims like, “The smallest evil, if neglected, will reach the greatest proportions.” And then there was the trash talk. “One speaks of ‘sheep-faced Lygnus, strutting about like a peacock and giving himself airs on the strength of his good looks,’” the London-based magazine Chambers’s Journal wrote, in 1901, of Pompeii’s well-preserved insults. “Another exclaims: ‘Epaphra glaber es,’ (Oh, Epaphras, thou art bald;) Rusticus est Cordyon, (Corydon is a clown or country bumpkin;) Epaphra, Pilicrepus non es, (Oh, Epaphras, thou art no tennis-player.)” All of which is somewhat sophomoric, but certainly isn’t outdated per se. The social nature of ancient graffiti, including walls where there were clusters of inscriptions featuring people writing back and forth to one another, evokes social communication of the modern era: Facebook and Twitter, for instance. “I will say that the graffiti at Pompeii are nicer than the types of things we write today, though,” Benefiel told me. That may be because many of the tropes associated with writing in public are by now so famil-
Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
iar that simply declaring “Claudius was here,” isn’t enough—in the digital space, anyway—to achieve what many people are aiming for. “Overall, people want to write on things to be known,” Roger Gastman, the author of The History of American Graffiti, told me in an email. “To be everywhere at once yet nowhere at all.” But the wall-politicking that takes place on Facebook may be inherently different from graffiti in the physical world—even if it stems from the same basic human inclinations. “Writing your name on a [physical] wall is both a way of getting noticed but it’s also somewhat transgressive,” said Judith Donath, the author ofThe Social Machine: Designs for Living Online. But in order to get noticed online, where everyone can and is supposed to write on walls, you have to do more than mark down your own name and the date. The pressure, then, is to be more provocative, Donath told me. And an arms race for provocation in a world where there are more than 7,000 tweets published every second tends to debase civility pretty quickly. “Especially Twitter,” Donath said. “If you’re not saying something, it’s like you’re not there at all; you don’t exist. You have to maintain your presence there. It’s more of a temporal issue, whereas in a city it’s more spatial.” The ancient graffiti of Pompeii brings together these two domains, the spatial and the temporal, anchoring the ideas of a group of people in time to the physical space they occupy. Few artifacts are able to do this. Books and stone tablets, for example, aren’t typically preserved in situ. Which means the preservation of the convergence in Pompeii is remarkably rare, and made all the more astonishing for the fact that much of the graffiti there dates to sometime in the twilight decades of the city’s existence. “You can walk through the entire town. You can peek into each house. You can get a sense that, wow, this is a space where people lived surrounded by color and imagery and decoration,” Benefiel said. “But I think what all of those elements give you is the space of the town. Then we have many inscriptions that are people’s names. We have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of inscriptions that are friends writing greetings to each other. The graffiti immediately brings you to the people of the town. The graffiti really evoke the people who lived there.”
SaturDaY 02•04•2016
Morung Youth Express
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
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We need a fresh debate on higher education Pushkar
T
The Wire
he JNU controversy has offered an opportunity to initiate a much-needed fresh conversation on higher education. This conversation is made all the more necessary because the country’s colleges and universities are in bad shape, with most of them quite broken. Unfortunately, however, perhaps or at least in part because key government officials have not shown themselves willing to acknowledge that there are problem areas which need immediate attention and radical reforms, we seem to be arguing and fighting about nearly everything else except higher education. In recent weeks, larger issues of nationalism, sedition, free speech, caste and others have taken centrestage. In between, JNU has been made out to be a national nuisance of the highest order and even seemingly-sensible people like Chandan Mitra have come up with flighty suggestions such as shutting down the university, even if temporarily. In all fairness, a few commentators have focused exclusively on higher education in addressing the JNU controversy, notably on issues such as the autonomy of universities and higher education subsidies. One hoped that, once the loud noises over the anti-nationalism of select groups of JNU students and faculty subsided over time, the government and its critics would both make common cause in engaging on higher education with the seriousness it deserves. However, given the government’s posturing and its overall record over the last one and a half years, including higher education, such optimism was perhaps unwarranted. With the police occupation of HCU, it is clear that we are headed for what seems to be a long drawn phase of greater confrontation and less dialogue between the government and its opponents. What is there to debate? Foremost among the many issues crying out loud for attention is the poor quality of education on offer at a majority of colleges and universities across the country, both public and private. For the moment, let us ignore world university rankings and other international comparisons on which most Indian institutions fare quite poorly. The most frightening aspect of the quality problem shows up in employability numbers of college graduates across disciplines. It is estimated that over 75% of college graduates are unemployable. The numbers are dismal for popular areas such as engineering as well. According to a recent report, over 80 per cent of engineering graduates are unemployable.
With India set to become home to the largest student population in the world by 2025, if the employability numbers do not improve fast enough, the country will have to deal with hundreds of thousands of degreed-but-unemployed young women and men who will do more than just shout anti-national slogans. High levels of unemployment or underemployment among the young population – increasing numbers of whom will be packing worthless degrees since the gross enrolment ratio (GER) is rising at a steady clip – is more likely to lead to social protests of the kind we witnessed during the course of the recent Jat agitation in Haryana. The other inevitable outcome of poor quality education is both a skills gap and skills shortage that threatens to become worse over time, especially in the more skill-intensive sectors of the economy. According to a government report, approximately 119 million additional skilled workers will be required in sectors such as construction, retail, transportation logistics, automobile, and handloom by 2022. If the mismatch between the demand and supply of skills continues to grow, the employment opportunities for the young population will remain limited, generating growing frustration and perhaps to intensification of social protests and conflict with the state. This could seriously hurt India’s growth story, reversing current narratives such as “India’s star shines bright”. Government officials should seriously worry about the demographic liability that India’s young population may become and the consequences that would follow. The current government’s emphasis on skilling India is no doubt a wonderful initiative but making it sufficiently successful will be a challenge for the country’s “flailing state” – a term used by Lant Pritchett to describe a state that is lacking in sufficient administrative capacity to deliver on policies – which has a poor-to-moderate record at effective implementation of policies. It is also important to consider that it is unwise to divorce the task of skilling India from educating India. As Aashish Mehta points out, while education “is not synonymous with skills,” good quality education delivers “foundational skills” without which it may be difficult for individuals to acquire suitable vocational and professional skills. Why is all this relevant to any discussion on or about JNU? Whatever its failings, and there are quite a few, JNU is one of the few success stories in India’s higher education. The JNU controversy is therefore an opportunity to acknowledge that, whether or not free speech, anti-nationalism and sedition are
as important as are made out by the government and its supporters, JNU provides affordable and goodquality education, something that most higher education institutions in the country fail to do. Also, and this is rather important in the Indian context, JNU is an incredibly diverse institution whose students and faculty have made substantial and lasting contributions to the nation. At the very least, its graduates are less likely to add to the numbers of the unemployable. The starting point of the conversation on higher education, therefore, could perhaps be about how to build more JNU-like institutions and how to make JNU and other colleges and universities better. A discussion on the latter is extremely important too; JNU suffers from small and big weaknesses that must not be ignored or downplayed. Whatever its strengths, it is not among the world’s leading institutions. These are conversations that need to take place but perhaps never will, because we are keen to settle other more pressing matters first. The autonomy question One of the more contentious issues in the JNU controversy, and one that has been sidelined rather quickly, pertains to institutional autonomy. According to reports, vice-chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar set up a High-Level Enquiry Committee (HLEC) the next day after the incident of February 9 when “anti-national” slogans were raised during an event on the campus. However, the HLEC was quickly sidelined by the government’s decision to send in the troops to the JNU campus to arrest student leaders. Rather than coordinate its actions with those of the JNU administration, and perhaps wait for the HLEC to investigate the matter, the government chose to undermine the status of the office of the vice-chancellor arguably on (as it turned out) flimsy grounds. At least one right-wing commentator expressed hope that “the government would be more magnanimous, allowing the university to enquire and take any disciplinary action, rather than wading in and arresting students, thereby escalating this conflict.” Since then, the HLEC has submitted its report, which draws attention to the presence of outsiders, with their heads and faces covered, shouting antiIndia slogans. Even if we were to agree that the government was correct in arresting student leaders, the fact remains that the autonomy of India’s universities is routinely punctured both from above and increasingly from below for all sorts of reasons. In the case of JNU, it was over matters of sedition and national security; more
commonly, it is about lesser issues such as the appointment of vicechancellors and directors, or even over courses that should or should not be taught and course content. Indeed, the notion of institutional autonomy appears to frighten government officials. This is quite evident in the delays and negotiations over the IIM bill. There are also many instances where the government pleads autonomy even when there is a strong case for intervention. For example, government officials kept nearly silent for several months over the serious and proved charges of plagiarism and academic fraud against the vice-chancellor of Pondicherry University. Action was taken against her only after considerable and sustained pressure by students and faculty of the university. The issue of autonomy of academic institutions is a matter that has been settled. The BJP’s actions at JNU suggest that the government is determined “to undermine autonomy and control the idea of learning itself.” The government calls the shots because it can, on the basis of the warped logic that because it funds public institutions, its decision to intervene, or not to, in academic and administrative matters are justified irrespective of lack of due process, existing rules and norms and of course, the consequences. The issue of subsidies Other than the issue of institutional autonomy, which crops up intermittently in discussions on higher education, the JNU controversy led T.V. Mohandas Pai to raise an issue which rarely comes up for discussion – higher education subsidies. Writing on the JNU controversy, he proposed: As for JNU, it is time the government asked students to pay the full cost of education; in case students wish to focus on politics and not on their studies, there is no case for taxpayers to subsidise extreme views or an archaic Left. Mr. Pai’s suggestion that higher education subsidies should be eliminated for institutions whose members subscribe to extreme views or pursue archaic Left politics is clearly biased; however, the issue of subsidies deserves attention. It has been reported that the MHRD will soon take a decision on the recommendation of the Standing Committee of IIT Council (SCIC) to bring about a three-fold increase in the fees for IITs. A similar increase has already been recommended for the NITs. These hikes are based on the 2011 Anil Kakodkar Committee report, Taking IITs to Excellence and Greater Relevance, which had proposed that “the fee charged by the IITs should cover the full operation-
Bizarre hostage situations While one hijacker wanted the Pope to reveal the third secret of Fatima, another agreed to surrender in exchange for beer
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n Tuesday, as it became more clear that an Egypt Air hijacking had nothing to do with terrorism (whew!) but was a bizarre attempt by a man attempting to be reunited with his ex-wife, the humour at Twitter spilled over. Flight MS181 with 55 passengers on board took off from the coastal city of Alexandria for Cairo but was hijacked and forced to divert to Larnaca airport in Cyprus. Though the incident invited panic initially, everyone calmed down after the hijacker demanded to meet his exwife, who lives in Lanarca, and also sought asylum. An Egyptian foreign ministry official later said: “He’s not a terrorist, he’s an idiot. Terrorists are crazy but they aren’t stupid. This guy is.” The hijacker, identified as Seif Eldin Mustafa, has now been arrested. As always, Twitter had a field day with some taking digs at Mustafa's attempts to deliver a letter to his exwife. But this isn’t the first bizarre hijacking in history. Here are five that boggle the mind. 1. Hijacker surrendered in exchange for beer On June 21, 1985, an armed man in Norway hijacked a domestic flight with 120 people on board because he wanted to meet Prime Minister Kare Willoch to complain about how he had been treated by authorities. The hijacker, a former convict, was armed, dangerous and probably thirsty. He commandeered the plane from Trondhiem to Oslo but surren-
dered later in exchange for beer. An AP report at that time said: “The police said the hijacker positioned himself in a toilet from which he watched the two pilots and three flight attendants and demanded a steady supply of beer. An hour after the passengers were gone, he gave up to a police officer who refused to give the hijacker more beer unless he traded his pistol for it.” 2. Heist at 6,000 feet, death on the ground A jilted husband wearing a mask and allegedly carrying a grenade and a home-made parachute hijacked a Philippine Airlines flight carrying 300 people in May 2000. A report in the Guardian quoted the aircraft’s pilot Captain Butch Generoso as saying that the man was “very angry, very temperamental”. The report also quoted Generoso as saying that the hijacker had told him that his family had left him and that his wife had an affair with a policeman. After threatening the crew, the hijacker demanded that passengers give him all their valuables. The passengers complied. The hijacker then forced the pilot to bring the plane down to 6,000 feet so that he could jump out using his makeshift parachute. Three days later, the police found his body embedded in the ground. The hijacker had died when he hit the ground after his parachute failed to open.
claimed he was a defrocked monk, seized control of an Aer Lingus flight carrying 120 passengers from Dublin to London in 1981. He had an unusual demand: he wanted Pope John Paul II to reveal the third secret of Fatima. This is a reference to Fatima, a town in Portugal, where three children reported the appearance of the Virgin Mary in 1917. The children said that the Virgin Mary had revealed to them three secrets, which they had communicated to the Church. Two have been revealed, but the third has not. Fatima is now a famous pilgrimage spot for Christians. After the hijack, the plane was directed to Le Touquet in France. Downey held the plane for eight hours before French troops stormed the plane and forced him to surrender. No one was hurt.
4. An elaborate suicide In 2012, Auburn Calloway, a flight engineer with Federal Express faced disciplinary proceedings for lying about his reported flight hours so he conceived of an elaborate plan to crash a Federal Express plane with him on board. He reasoned that this would enable his family to benefit from his $2.5 million life insurance policy as he would have been killed while on duty. Calloway planned to kill the crew of the cargo flight he was taking a ride on using hammers so that their injuries would be consistent with those they would sustain in a plane crash. He carried two claw 3. What is the third hammers, two sledge hammers, a secret of Fatima? An Australian national called knife and a spear gun hidden in a Laurence James Downey, who guitar case on board.
What Calloway didn’t account for was that the crew would fight back. Despite severe head injuries, the bloodied crew managed to subdue Calloway with the help of the first officer who conducted a series of aerial manoeuvres to roll the plane so that Calloway was pushed off balance. The crew managed to then overpower him and land the plane successfully. Calloway was convicted and received two life sentences. 5. The only unsolved hijacking in the US In 1971, a man who called himself Dan Cooper hijacked a Northwest flight scheduled to go from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle in the US. When the flight took off, he passed on a note to an air hostess saying: "I have a bomb in my briefcase. I will use it if necessary. I want you to sit next to me. You are being hijacked." The plane landed in Seattle where Cooper demanded $200,000 in cash, four parachutes and a refuelling. When he received the money, he let everyone except three pilots and a flight attendant go. He then ordered the pilots to take off once again in the direction of Mexico. Somewhere over Portland, he opened the door of the plane and jumped out. He was never seen again. There are several theories about this mysterious hijacker with many suspecting that he died during his risky jump. This theory received more credence when in 1980 a boy found three wads of rotting notes with serial numbers that matched the cash given to Cooper.
al cost of education, which works out to be roughly 30% of the total current cost of education.” It is time that a discussion on higher education subsidies for regular colleges and universities – including JNU and other central universities as well as state universities – also takes place, especially if the problem of poor quality education is to be addressed. Public institutions are cash-starved and they desperately need students and parents to contribute more. It is absurd that students and parents should be spending significantly large sums on private tuitions and on coaching institutes of all kinds than on college tuition. They need to contribute more to colleges and universities because they need the extra resources to improve the quality of education. Among other things, many desperately need more teachers but cannot hire because of resource constraints and make do with part-time faculty. The issue is not one of maintaining the current level of subsidies or eliminating them entirely but of rationalising them, and not, as Mr. Pai would have it, on the basis of the views held by select students and faculty at particular institutions. What happens next?
There are no signs that the government intends to back down from its agenda of tightly controlling the higher education sector. Some of the country’s best universities such as JNU and HCU have become sites for the government to more than just flex its muscles to show who is in charge. In the early stages of the JNU controversy, there was a slim possibility that it would scale down its overreaction. That hope has disappeared, almost. With elections coming up over the next year or so in several states, electoral reversals for the BJP offer the only hope that the government will let public institutions breathe easy. Most political parties respond to electoral losses by changing course and softening their position on conflictual issues. However, others are known to harden their position under the same conditions. In the case of the BJP, losses in Delhi and Bihar typified the latter response. It is impossible to predict if it will act otherwise and moderate its position if it suffers significant losses in the coming state elections. Pushkar is an assistant professor at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani-Goa.
The Naga Blog is a forum on facebook where Nagas from Nagaland and around the world network, share ideas and discuss a wide range of topics from politics and philosophy to music and current events in Nagaland and beyond. The blog is not owned by any individual, nor is it affiliated to or associated with any political party or religion. The only movement it hopes to stir is the one raised by the voices of the Nagas every step of the way, amassing perhaps to mass consciousness one day. www.facebook.com/ groups/thenagablog
Poll on Liquor Prohibition Act The Naga Blog (TNB) conducted an open opinion poll to understand the General Perception of the people over the subject matter of Liquor Prohibition Act in Nagaland. The results speak for itself on what the people of the state actually feel and should be the case regarding this prohibition Act. We hope this data can be of some use for the Government as well the NGOs to understand, to listen to the opinions of the people and hopefully come to a better resolution compared to what it is now.
Review the existing Act
Others Uphold the Act
Revoke the act
Revoke the Act but strictly regulate its usage
Some of the Comments: Peter Rutsa: Revoke it at Dimapur and Kohima simultaneously as a trail run. We all know what the law enforcement should do once it's lifted. We are all aware of timings, when to close shop, which days should be totally dry, what should be done for those who drink and break rules blah blahblah... NBCC or any other denomination can always remove those who seek 'dealership licence' from their respective Churches. No one will complain! They can even advice their members not to attend weddings and funerals of wine house owners. Just a thought. Aaron Achumi Kits: The so called Dry State in Nagaland is really really nonsense. It is one sided Act. Because it encourages black marketers to earn double triple profit by selling liquor to the consumers at exorbitant rates & that too adulterated under the shadow of this Act in connivance with the law enforcing agencies. In spite of the prohibition act all kinds of liquor brand is available in every nook & corner even in remote areas. In my opinion, it will be much more better if the prohibition act is revoked but with strict guidelines. Pete Z Krose: The problem is not NTLPA but the failure of LAW & ORDER. We actually need to debate on the Law Enforcing Bodies. NTLPA in essence is one of the pride of Nagaland. We can still do better. Nelson Semy: The Act was definitely made for a good reason, Chapter 2 sub point 3 of the Act is brilliant but no effort seems to be applied to it. If things could go according to the above said chapter and point one would not have to worry about the so called economy of the Nagas drained due to alcohol. Well, it has nothing to do with adulteration of alcohol either, the Act in simple language reads No possession, sell or manufacture of liquor in Nagaland. Sounds good to me, and If it is really applied we don't even have to worry about the economy drain source cause there can be a heavy check on it to be positive. I'm just confused why we should not actually try to work out on how this Act can come to force for it has never been and those checks we see rarely happens as if like some leaders had a mood to suddenly have a surprise check and gain a bit from it. Effort to regulate the Act for real or to lift the Act, both rings loud and both is clear... Lift it, it still would be the same. Drinkers will drink, price hikers will hike, suppliers will supply but legally. God Bless Nagaland!!! Ohhh! Alu be Assam te hi sostaa ase. Pung Marc: People should read "Prohibition in the United States from 1920 to 1933". I want to quote a line from this act and see if this is existing in our society. "A profitable, often violent, black market for alcohol flourished. Prohibition provided a financial basis for organized crime to flourish". Your thoughts? If they can't ban totally, let them drink premium brand than the fake or illegally produced alcohol which contained potentially dangerous chemical. Bensi Bee: In case of alcohol consumption like any other civilized society, I think the most important reformation is on age limitation. Please, do not sell alcohol to minors. I wish our society will also start using the ID system. That way, there is a strict circulation of alcohol. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Naga Blog.
Readers may please note that, the contents of the articles published on this page do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.
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SaturdaY 02 •04•2016
INDIA
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Modi meets Obama, urges global unity against terror Washington, april 1 (ians): As leaders from over 50 nations gathered in Washington to discuss the nuclear terror threat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong call to the world to drop the notion that terrorism is someone else's problem and that "his" terrorist is not "my" terrorist. "Terrorism is globally networked. But, we still act only nationally to counter this threat," Modi said at a working dinner hosted by President Barack Obama Thursday night to kick off the twoday Nuclear Security Summit. "Nuclear security must remain an abiding national priority and all states must completely abide by their international obligations," Modi told the world leaders meeting in the shadow of Brussels and Lahore terror attacks. "Without prevention and prosecution of acts of terrorism, there is no deterrence against nuclear terrorism," he warned lamenting that while "the reach and supply chains of terrorism are global, genuine cooperation between nation states is not". Obama, who is hosting his fourth and last such summit to discuss how to prevent terrorists and other non state actors from gaining access to nuclear materials, was flanked by Modi to the right and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the left. The "dinner table" ran along the circumference of the East Room of the White House. In the middle were three big boxes of flowers, according to a pool report. Modi, who has come to Washington after attending the India-EU summit in the Belgian capital, said: "Brussels shows us how real and immediate is the threat to nuclear security from terrorism. "Terror has evolved. Terrorists are using 21st century technology. But our responses are rooted in the
PM Narendra Modi's Saudi visit to "de-hyphenate" India from Pakistan
U.S. Chief of Protocol Ambassador Peter Selfridge (L) greets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrives for a working dinner with heads of delegations for the Nuclear Security Summit at the White House in Washington March 31. (REUTERS Photo)
past," he said asking the leaders to focus on three contemporary features of terrorism. "First, today's terrorism uses extreme violence as theatre. Second, we are no longer looking for a man in a cave, but we are hunting for a terrorist in a city with a computer or a smart phone. "And third, state actors working with nuclear traffickers and terrorists present the greatest risk." By putting spotlight on nuclear security, Obama has done great service to global security, Modi said and "this legacy of President Obama must endure". Earlier, in an opinion piece in the Washington Post on Thursday Obama said: "Of all the threats to global security and peace, the most dangerous is the proliferation and
Mehbooba to be sworn in as J&K’s first woman CM on April 4 srinagar, april 1 (agEnCiEs): PDP president Mehbooba Mufti will be sworn in as the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on April 4, a party leader said on Friday. “Mehbooba Mufti sahiba will be sworn in as Chief Minister on April 4,” PDP leader Amitabh Mattoo said in Srinagar. Mattoo, who worked as an advisor to the former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, expressed the hope that 56-yearold Mehbooba would usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in the region. Meanwhile, sources in the PDP and its alliance partner BJP said they have also conveyed the mutually agreed date for the swearing-in ceremony to Governor N.N. Vohra. The date for the swearing-in ceremony of the new Cabinet was decided after deliberations between the leadership of both the parties, they said. Asked whether there were any differences between the coalition partners which led to the delay in the swearing-in ceremony, the sources said there were no differences but deliberations between alliance partners happen and they take time. The PDP and the BJP had staked claim for government formation on March 26, two days after Ms. Mehbooba was elected as the PDP’s legislature party leader. After the death of her father, who headed PDP-BJP coalition government for 10 months from March 1 last year until his death on January 7 this year, Mehbooba was reluctant to take over as Chief Minister coalition government. She was seeking assurances from the Central government on implementation of Agenda of Alliance, Common Minimum Programme (CMP) framed by the two parties last year. Mehbooba also sought some J&K-specific confidence building measures. However, her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 22 ended the over two-month-long deadlock on government formation. Mehbooba had described her meeting with the Prime Minister as positive, saying she was satisfied.
Tobacco industry to halt production after 85 percent pictorial warnings nEW DElhi, april 1 (ians): Citing ambiguity on the enforcement of 85 percent pictorial warnings on packets of all tobacco products, the Indian tobacco industry announced on Friday that it will halt production of all its products with immediate effect. "Manufacturers of cigarettes, beedis and smokeless tobacco products in India have decided to stop production from April 1, 2016 citing ambiguity on the policy related to Graphic Health Warnings on tobacco products," said a statement from the Tobacco Institute of India (TII) which represents the tobacco and cigarette industry. The decision has come after the government on Friday enforced 85 percent pictorial warnings on the display area of packets of all tobacco products. The Tobacco Institute of India (TII) comprises manufacturers who account for more than 98 percent of the country’s domestic sales of duty paid cigarettes in India. “The Indian tobacco industry had written to Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on March 15, 2016 seeking clarification on the matter,” said Syed Mahmood Ahmad, director, Tobacco Institute of India, in a statement, a copy of which is with IANS. The TII said if it stops production it will lead to an estimated loss of Rs.350 crore per day in production turnover for the Indian tobacco industry. The tobacco producers are against the 85 percent pictorial warning which, they said, could lead to flooding of foreign cigarettes in the market. A parliamentary committee had also recently advocated pictorial warnings on tobacco and cigarette packets to be brought down to 50 percent from 85 percent, saying that the latter figure will be too harsh on the tobacco industry. Among the issues that have been raised by the manufacturers are that the extreme 85 percent warnings will promote illegal cigarette trade and adversely affect the livelihood of 45.7 million people dependent on the tobacco industry which included farmers, labourers, workers, trade and others.
potential use of nuclear weapons." Outlining how to make the vision of a world without nuclear weapons a reality, he wrote: "We're cleareyed about the high hurdles ahead, but I believe that we must never resign ourselves to the fatalism that the spread of nuclear weapons is inevitable." "Even as we deal with the realities of the world as it is, we must continue to strive for our vision of the world as it ought to be," Obama wrote. Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz co-hosted a separate working dinner for other members of the visiting delegations. "In recent years, 13 countries, plus Taiwan, have given up weap-
ons-usable plutonium and highlyenriched uranium entirely," Kerry noted. "An additional 12 countries have decreased their stockpiles of nuclear material." Since 2009, through various lines of effort, we have removed or eliminated enough weaponsgrade fissionable material to supply nearly 7,000 nuclear bombs," he said. India and other participating nations will present their national progress reports on steps taken by them to strengthen nuclear security since the last summit on Friday. The first of these biennial nuclear security summits was held in Washington in April 2010 followed by the summits in Seoul in March 2012 and The Hague in March 2014.
nEW DElhi, april 1 (rEUtErs): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Saudi Arabia on Sunday is part of a broader diplomatic offensive to put pressure on arch rival Pakistan by forging ties with some of Islamabad's closest allies, Indian ruling party and government officials said. Modi is expected to sign trade agreements, including contracts to secure investment for infrastructure projects, and offer security and military cooperation, such as training and joint exercises, they said. The visit comes just months after he travelled to another Pakistan ally, the United Arab Emirates, and signed a security cooperation agreement that includes regular meetings between top security advisers. "It's simple. We have to do everything to deal with Pakistan - use economics, strategy and emotional ties to win the hearts of Islamabad's friends," said Ram Madhav, national general secretary of Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two of them over Kashmir. New Delhi has long accused Islamabad of sponsoring a separatist movement and militancy in the Himalayan region. Pakistan denies the charge and accuses India of occupying Kashmir and fomenting trouble in its restive provinces, like Baluchistan. Stronger relationships with Pakistan’s allies like Saudi Arabia and the UAE can help India get a more sympathetic hearing on global and regional forums and put pressure on Islamabad to rein in militants. On Thursday, Saudi Arabia and the United States imposed joint sanctions targeting the Pakistan-based Lashkar-eTaiba militant group blamed for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai. New Delhi has been frustrated that often its ties with countries have been coloured by concerns about its relation-
Indian investigators to visit Pak for Pathankot probe nEW DElhi, april 1 (ians): A team of Indian investigators will travel to Pakistan to further probe the terror attack at an air base in Punjab that killed seven security personnel, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Friday. The announcement comes after India, in a rare show of counterterrorism cooperation, allowed a team of Pakistani security and intelligence officials to examine the scene of the terrorist attack at the Pathankot Indian Air Force (IAF) base. The "crime scene" is part of a sprawling 2,000-acre complex that houses high value defence assets, including fighter jets. "We told them (Pakistani investigators) that we want to send a team to Pakistan. They welcomed the idea," NIA Director General Sharad Kumar told reporters here. No specific date for the proposed Indian visit has been given. Sharad Kumar said in a statement issued after his brief media interaction that the Pakistani team "assured us of their full cooperation and promised to execute" the
Indian letter rogatory for judicial assistance in NIA's probe. NIA is handling the Indian investigation of the January 2 terror attack that also left a civilian dead before the suspected Pakistani terrorists, who had infiltrated from across the border into the airbase, were killed in a gun fight that lasted for some 80 hours. The agency now wants to carry forward its investigation and question suspected attack masterminds, including leaders of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group, based in Pakistan. India blames JeM chief Masood Azhar for plotting the carnage. Sharad Kumar did not name Azhar, but said NIA has also sought voice samples of some "senior office bearers of JeM" and the DNA sample of the mother of Nasir Hussain, one of the slain Pakistani attackers. During their five-day stay in India from March 27, the Pakistani team, including from the military, police and intelligence agencies, visited the terror scene in Pathankot and interacted with NIA officials in Delhi. The visiting team shared with
the Indian agency the results of its probe done in Pakistan. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju in a separate media briefing said that the meetings between Indian and Pakistani investigators were “positive” and the Pakistani team did “not contradict our findings”. Sharad Kumar said that NIA gave the Pakistan team "complete evidence against JeM office bearers who conspired in the attack and the handlers of the terrorists who facilitated and guided them. "NIA also shared the identities and addresses of all the terrorists and requested the (Pakistani team) to confirm the same," he said. The NIA chief said the Pakistani team was also shown the "locations where the terrorists infiltrated and subsequently hid". He said the Pakistani team was given access to 16 witnesses, including suspended superintendent of police Salwinder Singh, his cook and his friend Rajesh Verma. Salwinder Singh has claimed that he, his cook and Verma were abducted by four or five heavily armed militants near Punjab's Kolia hours before the attack.
ship with Pakistan. One foreign ministry official said the Saudis tended to bring up Pakistan during discussions with India. Government officials described Modi’s diplomatic push as an effort to "de-hyphenate" India from Pakistan, especially as New Delhi tries to play a bigger geopolitical role in Asia to counter China's influence. RIGHT TIMING Until now, India’s relationship with Saudi Arabia has been driven primarily by trade and the Indian diaspora in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is India's top energy supplier and home to more than 3.5 million Indian expatriates. Over the past few years, there has been some cooperation on security between the two countries, with Riyadh deporting four most wanted fugitives to India. Modi will look to broaden those ties, with one foreign ministry official saying healthcare, education, religious tourism and labour reforms would also be key talking points. Still, there are limits to what New Delhi can hope to achieve. The relationship between Pakistan and the Saudis goes back decades, based in their shared Sunni Muslim heritage. Saudi Arabia has long been a source of financial aid for Islamabad. In 2014, the Saudis gave Pakistan $1.5 billion as a "gift" to shore up its foreign reserves. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif spent time in political exile in Saudi Arabia in the 2000s, after he was ousted in a military coup. But Indian officials said the timing was right for Modi’s visit, as relations between Riyadh and Islamabad enter a rough patch. Pakistan declined to provide ships, aircraft and troops to the Saudiled fight to halt Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen last year. It has also sought to avoid taking sides in the escalating dispute between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
NHRC raps six states over rehabilitation of child labourers nEW DElhi, april 1 (ians): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday reprimanded Bihar and five other states for having "adopted lackadaisical attitude" in the rehabilitation of 740 bonded child labourers, mostly from Bihar, who were rescued from various parts of Rajasthan. Of the rescued children, there were 610 from Bihar, while the rest were from other states including Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and the national capital territory (NCT) of Delhi. The states have also been issued notice to take specific action. A notice has been issued to the Labour Commissioner, government of Rajasthan, calling for an action taken report, indicating the reasons for non-issue of the Release Certificates. The children were rescued between March 2013 and July 2014. "Notices have been issued for specific actions to the concerned authorities in all the six states with directions to submit action taken reports within eight weeks," said an NHRC statement. During the course of enquiry, the NHRC found that 740 child labourers were rescued. "The release certificates were issued for only 456 children from Bihar. However, they were not given copies of the release certificates by the concerned authorities in Rajasthan," the NHRC statement said. "Release certificates for 284 rescued bonded child labourers were yet to be issued, which are essential to start their rehabilitation process in their respective states by the concerned district administration," read the statement.
Flyover case: Five construction firm officials held KolKata, april 1 (pti): Five officials of the company that was building a flyover that collapsed on to vehicles and street vendors here have been detained. Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who paid a visit to the mishap site, told reporters "We have detained a few officials of the construction company. We are taking action against them". Kolkata Police has registered a case against the Hyderabad-based construction firm IVRCL under sections 304, 308 and 407 of the IPC and sealed the local office of the company. According to another senior police official, who spoke to PTI on condition of anonymity, about seven persons, injured in yesterday's mishap, were in a "very critical condition". Asked when would the area be cleared off all the debris of concrete and iron girdles, the officer said, "the clearing at the main crossing (Ganesh Talkies crossings) will hopefully be over by today. But the rest like iron piers, iron pillars, broken concrete parts will be cleared in a step-by-step process." The other end of the Vivekananda flyover towards the KK Tagore Street, where the metal pier, holding the bridge, was com-
pletely damaged would be cut but "a planned engineering plan is necessary for that", he said. "It's a very very congested area with buildings so close to the flyover. And most of the buildings are very old. So we must keep in mind that in order to remove the damaged portions of the flyover another mishap does not take place," he said. Army jawans, NDRF along with city police's DMG team, special teams of Kolkata Traffic Police, DC Central, DC South, CRP from the Old Mint camp were all engaged in a night-long rescue operations. Safety norms violated: expert Gross violations of safety norms led to casualties in the flyover collapse case, an expert on traffic and transport safety, working with the National Highway Authority of India, said today. "There can be technical issues during construction and so the industry practise is to demarcate any construction zone. When such a large overhead structure was being constructed how could people and traffic be allowed underneath," IIT Kharagpur Professor Bhargab Maitra said. His team has been working with the National Highway Au-
A man is seen trapped amid the debris of an under-construction flyover after it collapsed in Kolkata on March 31. (REUTERS Photo)
thority of India on conducting road safety audits. He said it is a norm that during such constructions no vehicular or pedestrian movement be allowed underneath. "I am shocked why was it not followed. This is even there in the manual of the Indian Road Congress. Had that been followed then there would have been no casualties. There has been gross violations," Maitra said.
Even the workers are supposed to wear protective gears like helmets, shoes and gloves. About 60-metre-long portion of an under-construction flyover collapsed yesterday afternoon on a congested road intersection here killing at least 24 people. Another issue, the expert said, is the absence of any disaster management plan. "The first hour of any accident is known as the golden
hour because it is during that time when lives can be saved if the victims are hospitalised. But it took few hours to take them to hospital," Maitra said. He and other experts from IIT-Kharagpur are ready to work with the government in finding out the technical reasons which led to the tragic accident. "You cannot call it an Act of God. There has to be some factors which may not be known to us immediately," the expert said.
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N Korea to pursue nuke & missile programmes GENEVA, AprIl 1 (rEutErs): North Korea will pursue its nuclear and ballistic missile programme in defiance of the United States and its allies, a top Pyongyang envoy said on Friday, adding that a state of “semi-war” now existed on the divided Korean peninsula. So Se Pyong, North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, denounced the huge joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises taking place which he said were aimed at “decapitation of the supreme leadership of the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)” and conquering Pyongyang. North Korea conducted a fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket in February. The South Korean military said on Friday that North Korea had fired a missile into the sea off its east coast. “If the United States continues, then we have to make the counter-measures also. So we have to develop, and we have to make more deterrence, nuclear deterrence,” So, who is also North Korea’s envoy to the U.N.-sponsored Conference on Disarmament, said in an interview with Reuters conducted in
North Korea appears to have fired missile into sea - South Korea military
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) smiles during a visit to the Sinhung Machine Plant in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang April 1, 2016. REUTERS
English. “Simultaneous policy is the policy of my country, and my party also, meaning nuclear production and economic development,” he said, referring to the twin aims of the policy course of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un which is expected to be endorsed at a congress of the ruling Workers’ Party in May, the first in 36 years. So had no information
about the latest missile firing or about South Korean allegations that his country was disrupting GPS signal reception which Seoul says has forced some boats to return to port amid heightened tensions. “They (Seoul) are making too many manipulations, too many false reports,” he said. U.S. President Barack Obama joined South Korean President Park Geunhye and Japanese Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday in vowing to ramp up pressure on North Korea in response to its nuclear and missile tests. The three leaders recommitted their countries to each others’ defence and warned they could take further steps to counter threats from Pyongyang. “Actually that summit, we call it ... a kind of propaganda,” So said, dismissing the talks on securing vulnerable atomic materials to
prevent nuclear terrorism. “WE ARE GOING ON OUR OWN WAY” Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday also called for dialogue to resolve the “predicament” on the Korean peninsula during a meeting with Park in Washington, Xinhua news agency said on Friday. Asked whether his reclusive country felt pressure from its ally China
sEOul, AprIl 1 (rEutErs): North Korea fired a missile into the sea off its east coast on Friday, the South’s military said, hours after the leaders of South Korea, Japan and the United States warned Pyongyang to end provocations or face more pressure. The projectile was fired from a region near the North’s east coast, a South Korean military official said by telephone. It was a short-range surface to air missile, another official at the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding the military was trying to determine the range. The launch at around 12:45 p.m. local time (0345 GMT) comes hours after U.S. President Barack Obama joined South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowing to add pressure on the North for its recent activities. Meeting on the sidelines of a global nuclear security summit in Washington, the three leaders recommitted their and other powers, So replied: “Whether they are going to do anything, we don’t care. We are going on our own way. “(We are) not having dialogue and discussions on that.” The Security Council unanimously passed a resolution in early March expanding U.N. sanctions aimed at starving North Korea of funds for its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
countries to each others’ defense and warned they could take further steps to counter threats from Pyongyang. Obama held separate talks with President Xi Jinping of China, the closest North Korea has to an ally, and said they both wanted to see “full implementation” of the latest U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang. But Xi offered no sign that Beijing was prepared to go beyond its consent to the Security Council measures imposed in early March. The North has fired a string of rockets in recent weeks including a long-range rocket in February that launched an object in space. Leader Kim Jong Un has supervised some of the launches in defiance of U.N. sanctions. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6, leading to new Security Council sanctions in early March. South Korea and the United States have imposed separate sanctions.
“We are going against that resolution also because that is not fair and (not just). At this point, because this is really the war now ... We are busy to deal with this semi-war status of the situation on the peninsula now.” Regarding the joint military exercises being conducted by U.S. and South Korean forces, he said that 300,000 troops were taking part: “Now they open (show) their true colour,
meaning the decapitation of the supreme leadership of DPRK.” Asked about prospects for resuming stalled sixparty talks on his country’s nuclear programme, So replied that denuclearisation of the peninsula was no longer on the table. “If the United States stops their hostile policy towards the DPRK and comes to the peace treaty, then something (might be) different,” he said.
Myanmar’s ruling party, military clash over Suu Kyi role World’s obese population hits
Myanmar’s new president Htin Kyaw (L) and National League for Democracy party leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrives to parliament in Naypyitaw March 30. (REUTERS Photo)
NAYpYItAW/YANGON, AprIl 1 (rEutErs): Myanmar’s upper house of parliament approved a bill on Friday that gives Aung San Suu Kyi a powerful government role, despite opposition from the military on the second day of her party’s new administration. The bill creates the post of state counsellor and would allow the Nobel laureate to coordinate ministers and influence the executive.
It would help Suu Kyi circumvent a constitution written under the former junta that prevents her leading the country because her two sons are not Myanmar citizens. Suu Kyi, who spent years under house arrest because of her push for democracy, has described those constitutional provisions as “silly” and said she would rule regardless after she led her National League for Democracy (NLD) to a landslide
1-2 cup of coffee daily may cut colorectal cancer risk NEW YOrk, AprIl 1 (IANs): Drinking black, decaf or even instant coffee daily can lower the risk of developing colorectal cancer, finds a study. Moderate coffee consumption, between one to two servings a day, was associated with a 26 percent reduction in the odds of developing colorectal cancer after adjusting for known risk factors. Moreover, the risk of developing colorectal cancer continued to decrease to up to 50 percent when participants drank more than 2.5 servings of coffee each day. “We found that drinking coffee is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer and the more coffee consumed, the lower the risk,” said lead researcher Stephen Gruber from University Of Southern California. The study, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, examined over 5,100 participants who had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer within the past six months, along with an additional 4,000 participants with no history of colorectal cancer to serve as a control group. A questionnaire also gathered information about many other factors that influence the risk of colorectal cancer, including family history of cancer, diet, physical activity and smoking. The indication of decreased risk was seen across all types of coffee, both caffeinated and decaffeinated. Caffeine and polyphenol compounds present in coffee can act as antioxidants, limiting the growth of potential colon cancer cells. “The good news is that our data presents a decreased risk of colorectal cancer regardless of what flavor or form of coffee you prefer,” said study co-author Stephanie Schmit. “While the evidence certainly suggests this to be the case, we need additional research before advocating for coffee consumption as a preventive measure,” said Gad Rennert from Clalit National Israeli Cancer Control Center in Haifa, Isreal.
election victory in November. Members of parliament from the military - who under the constitution hold a quarter of seats - opposed the NLD bill, describing it as unconstitutional. They said the state counsellor position concentrated too much power in the hands of one person and lacked checks and balances. “The provisions in the bill are tantamount to meaning the state counsellor is equal to the president, which is contrary to the constitution,” said Colonel Myint Swe, a military member of the upper house. Some lawmakers suggested the Constitutional Tribunal should decide on the bill. Despite military resistance, the bill passed and moved to the lower house for debate on Monday. The NLD has a majority in both houses so does not need military approval to pass bills. Suu Kyi’s party would need military approval to change the constitution: amendments require support of more than 75 percent of lawmakers. ‘CONFRONTATIONS’ The constitution is the main bone of contention between Suu Kyi and the military, whose commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hla-
ing, on Sunday stressed the need for the armed forces to remain a force in politics and warned against amending the charter quickly. Some NLD lawmakers said the tussle over the state counsellor post would be the first of many between the military members of parliament and the government that took office on Wednesday. “There will be confrontations between the NLD and military MPs in future,” said Thiri Yadana, an upper house NLD lawmaker. “They have to agree to amend the constitution.” The role of state counsellor will add to the list of Suu Kyi’s jobs - she is already foreign minister, education minister, energy minister, and minister of the president’s office - and has renewed questions about her willingness to delegate power. “It will be extremely hard to carry out these roles,” said Richard Horsey, an independent political analyst in Yangon. “The sheer number of people that will want to meet with her will be difficult to manage.” She has a thin bench of experienced politicians. Her party fought for democracy for more than quarter of a century, but its members are novices in government.
641 million, global study finds
lONDON, AprIl 1 (rEutErs): More than 640 million people globally now weigh in as obese and the world has more overweight than underweight people, according to an analysis of global trends in body mass index (BMI). A startling increase in rates of obesity in the past 40 years means the number of people with a BMI of more than 30 has risen from 105 million in 1975 to 641 million in 2014, the study found. More than one in 10 men and one in seven women are obese. BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height in metres squared, and is an indication of whether a person is a healthy weight. A BMI score over 25 is overweight, over 30 is obese and over 40 is morbidly obese. “The number of people across the globe whose weight poses a serious threat to their health is greater than ever before,” said Majid Ezzati, a professor at the school of public health at Imperial College London. “And this epidemic of severe obesity is too extensive to be tackled with medications
such as blood pressure lowering drugs or diabetes treatments alone, or with a few extra bike lanes.” To try to make a real difference, Ezzati said coordinated global steps were needed, including addressing the pricing of healthy foods versus unhealthy foods, or taxing high sugar and highly processed foods. Yet excessively low body weight remains a serious public health issue in the world’s poorest regions, the study’s authors said, and rising global trends in obesity should not overshadow the problem of many people not getting enough to eat. In South Asia, for example, almost a quarter of the population is underweight. In Central and East Africa, about 12 percent of women and 15 percent of men are underweight. The study, published on Thursday in The Lancet medical journal, involved the World Health Organization and more then 700 researchers worldwide. It analysed data on weight and height from nearly 20 million adults from 186 countries. It found that over the past four decades, the average age-
corrected male BMI rose to 24.2 from 21.7, and in women rose to 24.4 from 22.1. This is equivalent to the world’s population becoming on average 1.5 kg heavier each decade, the researchers said. They predicted that if these global trends continue, 18 percent of men and 21 percent of women will be obese by 2025. Other key findings of the study were that: • Japanese adults had the lowest BMIs of all high-income countries, while American adults had the highest BMIs. • More obese men and women now live in China and the United States than in any other country. • The lowest BMIs in Europe were among Swiss women and Bosnian men. Men in Britain had the 10th highest BMI in Europe and women the 3rd highest in Europe. • Morbid obesity, where a person’s weight interferes with basic physical functions such as breathing and walking, now affects around 1 percent of men and 2 percent of women. In total, 55 million adults are morbidly obese.
WHO sees scientific consensus on Zika as cause for disorders GENEVA/CHICAGO, AprIl 1 (rEutErs): Researchers around the world are now convinced the Zika virus can cause the birth defect microcephaly as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can result in paralysis, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. The statement represented the U.N. health agency’s strongest language to date on the connection between the mosquito-borne virus and the two maladies. The WHO also reported the first sign of a possible rise in microcephaly cases outside Brazil, the hardesthit country so far in an outbreak spreading rapidly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Neighboring Colombia is investigating 32 cases of babies born with microcephaly since January, and eight of them so far have tested positive for the Zika virus, the WHO said. This number of microcephaly cases reported in Colombia so far represents an increase over the historical annual average of about 140 cases. “Based on observa-
tional, cohort and casecontrol studies, there is a strong scientific consensus that Zika virus is a cause of GBS (Guillain-Barre syndrome), microcephaly and other neurological disorders,” the WHO said on Thursday. In its previous weekly report, the WHO had said Zika was “highly likely” to be a cause. The WHO in February declared the Zika outbreak an international health emergency, citing a “strongly suspected” relationship between Zika infection in pregnancy and microcephaly. Although Zika has not been proven conclusively to cause microcephaly in babies, evidence of a link was based on a major spike in Brazil in cases of microcephaly, defined by unusually small head size that can result in severe developmental problems. Brazil’s health department this week reported 944 confirmed cases of microcephaly, and most are believed to be related to Zika infections in the mother. Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of
Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, was not surprised by the WHO’s statement. “The evidence is just so overwhelming,” said Hotez. He said the link to GuillainBarre has also been pretty clear. “The only lack of clarity,” Hotez said, “is the percentage of pregnant women infected with Zika who give birth to a baby with microcephaly,” which appears to be much higher than what was seen in a previous outbreak in French Polynesia. While Guillain-Barre is a concern, Hotez said, “the overwhelming emphasis needs to be on preventing microcephaly in babies.” In recent studies, researchers have seen evidence of the virus in brain cells of stillborn and aborted fetuses. They also have seen signs that the brain had been growing normally, but that growth was disrupted and the brain actually shrank. Scientists have been closely monitoring for possible microcephaly cases outside Brazil to rule out environmental factors in Brazil as a cause. Colombia has been following the
Therapist Rozely Fontoura (L) teaches Daniele Santos Shantala massage on her baby Juan Pedro, who has microcephaly, in Recife, Brazil on March 26. (REUTERS File Photo)
pregnancies of women infected with Zika after seeing widespread transmission of the virus since October. The latest WHO report reflects an increase in microcephaly and other fetal abnormalities in Colombia, where 56,477 suspected cases of Zika infection have been reported, including 2,361 laboratoryconfirmed cases. The two most important factors that predict where we’re going to be start seeing microcephaly cases are
presence of the mosquito that carries Zika virus and poverty, Hotez said. He is worried that Haiti will be hard hit. “The Gulf coast in the U.S. is similarly vulnerable.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will convene a conference in Atlanta on Friday to prepare for a coordinated U.S. response to Zika. Health officials are girding for an increase of Zika cases, especially in southern states, as the U.S. mosquito season starts.
Six countries where Zika is not known to be spreading by mosquitoes have reported locally acquired infections, probably through sexual transmission, the WHO said, naming Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, New Zealand and the United States. To date, 13 countries or territories have reported increased incidence of Guillain-Barre or laboratory confirmation of a Zika virus infection in people with the rare autoimmune disease, it added.
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Public concern
E
ven the fresh flyover the Kolkata could collapse causing loss of lives, imagine the full Nagarjan Dhansiri bridge at Dimapur. This bridge was constructed by the then British Government while Nagaland was under their regime. Thanks to them that they were very responsible that way back in 1995 the British Government had already written a warning letter to Nagaland Government stating that the very bridge had already expired its life on 1995 and directed Nagaland Government to dismantle and built a new one to avoid loss of precious lives. But no outcome till now and the existing bridge is still being used. Therefore, the authority may kindly look into the matter and do the needful before it’s too late. Er. N. Ghokuto Sema, Retd. SE NPWD
Natural Calamities Are Not Beyond God’s Control
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Dr. Vetso Koza
herecent poll response on the topic,“Should Theologians and Church Leaders get involved in politics in Nagaland? Why?” that appeared in The Morung Express on 21st March 2016shows a mixed-bag of opinion.42% voted for “Yes”, 46% for “No” and 12% for “Others.” The response clearly indicates that, politics in our Naga context is seen from a narrow lens of Election. Thus, politics is deduced to policies and strategies of different political parties, scheming to defeat each other by means of political campaign, accumulating vote bank and by using manipulative power against each other. Such schemas are merely kitchen politics over a cup of tea. Politics in its broad sense is the policiesof a collective body called the government who is supposed to act for the welfare of the people andtranscends the whole fabric of the society. It develops policies and systems for proportionate distribution of the State’s resources to the people.True politics as Statecraft is about good governance. If good governance means transparency, accountability, justice, equality, fraternity, harmony peace, common participation, and fair utilization of resources, such values of the State are the reflection of the values of the Kingdom of God. As John Bennett observes, the law of the state stand under the righteousness of God. Therefore, the issue is not whether theologians and church leaders should involve in politics. The point of discussion should be, what is our theology of politics as disciples of Christ participating in the affairs of the State? The theology of politics must be understood in the context of Christ’s political cross which finds its base in the Messiah’s Manifesto.The political Manifesto of Jesus mentioned in Luke 4:18-19 reads, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” Christ’s manifesto is about liberation from the political suppression and oppression, liberation from economic injustice, liberation from social alienation, spiritual liberation from the
bondage of sin, and human development. The dilemma with us is we talk about good governance but we try to achieve such goals by using politics that is self-absorbed, coercive, and manipulative. We expect a State with proper infrastructure and basic human amenities beneficial for the community, but we want to drive the system according to our personal advantages. We can never expect correct answers when the mathematical equation is incorrect. The correct mathematical equation is this: Love your neighbour as yourselves; blessed are the meek; blessed are the peacemakers; do to others what you want them to do to you and the like. When our theology of politics is guided by these biblical formulas then the end result isalways positive.In short, Politics must be other-personcentred if its objective is to become a powerful tool for transformation. Politics as power is never meant to coerce, manipulate, or divide. It is a power to mend the broken society, and to bring together the divided population. True power is when a person has the courage to deny the self for the sake of others. True power is when we have the strength to love others amidst differences. True power is elevating the status of people in the lower stratum. True power is when we decide to vote for the right candidate out of right conscience and not by any manipulative,self-absorbed tools. On the other hand, politics, when wrongly used can turn into another form of religion. Such form of religion can be called political religion which is oppressive, alienativeand exploitive to the people. It creates opportunities to develop imperial might, honor, and self-interest. It can take place in different forms: false political security, egoistic political agendas, power mania, or worship of any social-political idols. We cannot be “too other-worldly” and fail to participate in the socio-political affairs of the State. Likewise we cannot be “too this-worldly” and fail to let the values of the Kingdom of God impact us. The extreme of both is dangerous.Every Christian - whether clergies or laities -have dual citizenship: citizens of the Kingdom of God and citizens of the State. I am a student of theology and committed to full-time Christian Ministry. Nonetheless, I am also a bonafide citizen of the State. I have Birth Certifi-
cate, Indigenous Inhabitant Certificate, Schedule Tribe Certificate, all Academic Certificates, and many other documents registered under the State.Now when you tell me that I cannot participate in the affairs of the State because of my attachment to theology and church, you are denying my fundamental rights and freedom as a bonafide member of the State. I have every right and freedom to access the privileges of the State like any other. And as much as I have the privileges, it is my duty to respect and adhereto the laws of the State.We are all under the same Law and are judged by it– the laws of the Gospel and the Laws of the State. If it so, then what gives us the authority that one Christian is fingerpointed at and condemned for not living the Christian virtues and the other Christian is justifiedunder the same law?One person is justified for proxy vote and the other condemned for doing the same act?One person is acquitted for political bribery and the other iscondemned?Every Christians are required to take the image of Christ and be obedient to the Commandments of God. And by internalizing the nature of Christ, the same person is required to become a good and law-abiding citizen of the State. It is in this context the words of Jesus, “You are the light and salt of the world,” and his prayer, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” make sense. In his book, “The Politics of Jesus,” John Howard Yoder asserted Jesus as a person who fought for moral society contrary to the traditional view as someone who is aloof from the governmental concerns. Christ did not come to destroy the Statecraft, but at the same time he radically transformed the status quo. He came to refine the State and the society, and let it grow healthy.Politics is the design of God, a concept that is already visible in the Economic Trinity – the relationship in the Godhead and with life in the universe. It is a divine design meant to manage the people and resources here on earth. The Politics of God is for man to “work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15).The crux of politics isto sustain the life God created as well as guardand protect it. This political management is guided by moral principles and values (Genesis 2:16). Therefore, ethics must guide politicsand be built on the foundation of theology for transformative governance.
A layman’s confusion and query on Nagamese as Official Language
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agamese as official language scares us unless we are sure of the following points and since, it is the present and future generations that will shoulder this responsibility, we should be thoroughly explained and assured of these points. 1. Will Nagamese remain just a spoken Language or will it have its own script? 2. If it will not have its own script than, will Nagamese run as spoken language with English as its script? 3. If Nagamese will have its own script than which generation will get the opportunity to learn this first? 4. Will there be a separate school for all the working people both young and old to learn this special script? If not, Most of us will remain Nagamese illiterate. Will the old people and young school children learn together at Beginners Nagamese Script class? 5. Will it be easy to learn the script? How will the working class, students and teachers adapt to this and how long will we take to stabilize this whole learning period to have a fruitful result? 6. How long will the entire period of making Nagas Nagamese literate take and how will the chaos and confusion in schools, colleges and work places be dealt with? 7. How and who all will benefit with Nagamese as official language? 8. Will it not be an additional burden to learn English and Hindi along with Nagamese now if it is going to have its own script? 9. If it will not have its own script than will it not be funny and meaningless to speak Nagamese officially while use the English alphabets for writing? 10. Will it not be better if we focus more on enhancing our English or Hindi language skill instead of killing it with Nagamese as official language because Nagamese will serve only here while we need those two languages everywhere? 11. Will it not be wiser to make the mother tongue and culture of each tribe a Compulsory school subject instead of making Nagamese an official language? 12. English with the most acceptable scripts could not be learned properly by majority of the Nagas, even after so many years of establishing English medium schools at every part of Nagaland... Will it not be a herculean task learning Nagamese scripts? At the moment for those not at par with the fast changing trend may find it comfortable, making Nagamese an official language, if it is to be limited to spoken language only but it’s a mockery, if English will still be used as a script. Nevertheless, if a script is also to be used kindly analyze the pros and cons. We younger generation too love and respect our culture and identity and wish to preserve it with the Elders Blessing, so kindly hand us down a beautiful and useful one that will be a blessing for all of us together. Renponi K Naga, Dimapur
he creations of God are all under the power of God and no creation is beyond His control. The world feels insecure and uncertain because of natural calamities. Global warmth is a phenomenal change which the present world has been undergoing. Earthquake, Tsunami and other natural calamities which caused human tragedies were matters of trauma in human history and repetition of occurrence of such natural calamities cannot be ruled out anywhere in future. But none of the creations of God is beyond His power. At the command of the Creator anything can happen and anything can be stopped. Climatic change is not beyond God’s knowledge and power. All things in the universe are at the disposal of the Creator. But whenever the world meets for exploring to find a solution to the impending danger of natural calamities, Is there any voice raised directing the attention of the people to the Creator? While scientific contribution towards easing a slight intensity of global warmth on the part of mankind is necessary, solution lies in the hand of God alone. Whatever it may be, mankind is helpless except to pray to God. The Creator of the heavens and the earth alone is our God, Lord, Saviour and Sustainer and all human beings are His children and He loves His children. But without knowing Him, how can we trust in Him and pray to Him? Whenever any situation arises and the prayer of the world is needed, an appeal is usually made, “ Any man or woman is to pray to his or her own God which means “ any god “ instead of to our Creator, our God, our Lord, our Saviour and Redeemer. Should we pray to multiple gods? There is only one Creator but mankind worships thousand of gods. Are there thousand of co-creators? Or are there any gods representing the Creator? All human beings have to know and honour our true Creator and pray to Him. The Almighty God is the Creator of all human beings and all human beings are His children and all can pray to Him as the Father of all. You cannot pray to whomsoever you do not know. So the most important thing for mankind is,” Know the Creator, believe in Him, fear Him and obey Him, and have relationship with Him so that you are always in preparedness to pray to God in time of need. There is a promise for all of human beings. “ If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their SC Jamir to protect, preserve and promote their in- ern World but also facilitate in our socio- over some of its provisions also needs to wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and will forgive alienable social, political and cultural en- cultural and political progress. It is in this be cleared. For instance, the phrase “land their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chron 7:14). dowment and to nurture and realize their inescapable realization that has dawn on and its resources” should unambiguously he third of August 2015 marks God is the power over all His creations. The problem another important milestone in unique socio-economic dreams and gen- our contemporary Naga society, espe- be interpreted to include natural gas and is the hard-heartedness of mankind. If the people pray to cially the vibrant younger generation of its by-products. Their exploitation by the the long and tortuous struggle uine political aspirations. Him according to His will, any forecasted natural calamNagas, who have to awake and arise from State would, without doubt, add to its reof the Nagas for an honourable ity can be averted. Let the world turn to the Creator and their somnolence, shake off the dust of de- sources and make it economically more settlement of the vexed Naga March With Times. pray to Him to save mankind from the impending dan- political problem. The peace Accord beThe Nagas cannot afford to undermine spair and frustration and take their destiny viable. gers being caused by climatic change. tween the NSCN (IM) and the Govern- the changes that are taking place in the in their own hands. The entire cross-secRev. L. Suohie Mhasi ment of India signed in the presence of World. They have to live and march with the tion of the Naga community, including our Impact of Look East Policy: At the 12th ASEAN-India Summit and the Prime Minister and the Home Minis- times. It is common parlance that “Change Naga brothers, have to thoroughly reflect ter was received with a sense of cautious is the only constant in the universe. “All and introspect with care, caution and me- East Asia Summit in Myanmar, the Prime optimism by all sections of people in the great thinkers, philosophers and visionar- ticulousness on our past, as it compares Minister of India announced in clear State. Up to date, the signatories of the ac- ies of the past have explored, cogitated and with the present and how it aligns with terms that the Government of India had cord have not shared the contents of the eloquently expounded on the inexorable our future goals and ambitions. And in decided to move with priority and speed framework to the people of Nagaland and forces of change that impinge on all spheres the process, we must jettison the burden to transform India’s ‘Look East Policy’ into The goal of education is not just to learn a little this had led to doubts and confusion. Time of human and natural environment with of the past and the dreariness of yore, and ‘ Act East Policy’. Of particular interest, he about a lot but also a lot about a little. has come to take the people of Nagaland the ceaseless passage of time. The mighty reshape our ideas and outlook to suit our added, was the issue of enhancing connectivity between India and ASEAN, not - Benjamin Franklin into confidence and spell out the details of mountains are ground to dust over time, present needs and future requirements. just by land, and sea but also by air. Morehen asked how much educated men were the framework and what lies ahead. There powerful empires have risen and fallen, over, institutional, digital and people-tosuperior to those uneducated, Aristotle should be no ambiguity whatsoever in an civilizations flourished and floundered. So- Ground Realities: Nagaland as the 16th State of the Indi- people connectivity were no less imporanswered “As much as the living are to the agreement which promises to bring to an cieties learn and mature and humanity as a dead” (Diogenes Laertius). Needless to em- end decades of violence and bloodsheds. whole perpetually evolves and incessantly an Union was formally inaugurated by the tant. There will also be free movement of phasise any further on the importance of education. The It is obvious that a political accord progresses. The frontiers of our scientific President of India on 1st December, 1963. people, particularly professionals; creobjective of education is to improve the quality of life, de- signed in the presence of the Prime Min- knowledge, technological expertise, socio It is, thus, a part of the great Indian family ation of regional value chains to increase velop the capability to do new things, to expand intellect, ister cannot be outside the ambit of the and cultural attainments, philosophies and should be treated as such. The mistake economic inter-dependence for mutual to strengthen the mind and the thought process, to form Constitution of India. This, however, and arts are constantly pushed further and of the past in treating Nagaland as merely benefits; recognition of each other’s edua character worthy of emulation, and finally to become a needs to be stated unequivocally by the further as the human race breaches new a law and order problem should not be cational qualifications and degree, and useful member of the society. An educational institution Government of India for the benefit of and hitherto unknown barriers of physi- repeated. On their part, the people of the such like. In a non-too-distant future, when the irrespective of its level is expected to pursue these objec- all underground factions and the Naga cal, mental and intellectual progress. Our State should also take a practical view of tives and the products of such learning place would make people at large. In addition, the contours knowledge, ideas, thinking, attitudes and things instead of deluding themselves Act East policy bears fruition matures, the entire North East region including Nagaof the framework agreement and the fine outlook are reoriented, reshaped, reener- with lofty ideals. the society proud. Nagaland is a small State with a geo- land will witness heightened economic ICFAI University Nagaland ever since its establish- print of a final solution package should gized and refresh in consonance with the graphical area of 26,579 kms. and popula- activities. Multi-nationals from many ment nine years ago (2007) has been rendering yeoman be discussed with and endorsed by rep- changing times. History bears testimony to the fact that tion of 2.275 million. Its socio-political and countries especially from the South Asian service to the youth of the region by providing top quality resentatives of all Naga tribes and the unhigher education obviating the need for them to travel to derground factions. In a democratic polity any individual, organization, group, soci- economic problems, however, are very countries, will be interested to invest in far off places in the country in search of good quality edu- like ours, nothing should be done without ety, empire or philosophy that attempted complex. There are 16 recognised tribes the region which will per force become cation at a very heavy cost to their parents. The University the knowledge and consent of the people to ignore, resist or block these progressive with 60 different dialects. The State is eco- one big economic hub to accommodate functions from its state of the art campus in Sovima Vil- while deciding their political future. The and powerful forces of change, has itself nomically under developed with predom- the prevailing economic forces. We shall lage, in Dimapur which was inaugurated by the erstwhile mistakes of the past should not be repeat- been reduced to the dust.. Communities inantly an agrarian economy and a very be witnessing unprecedented influx of Chief Minister, Nagaland and presently the Member of ed this time around. An agreement for a and nations have succeeded and attained difficult mountainous terrain. For a State populations –traders, scholars, students Parliament from Nagaland Mr. Neiphiu Rio in June 2013. final settlement should also entail a just greatness, not by stonewalling progress of its size, it has a disproportionately large and tourists into India through North East. The VIP while addressing the 10,000 odd congregation of and fair resettlement package for the UGs and positive changes sweeping their so- number of government employees num- There is every possibility of submergence people at Sovima Village during its Golden Jubilee Cel- and their integration into the mainstream cial, political and economic spheres, but bering close to one lakh. To add to its woes, of the local populations by outsiders. Inappropriately adopting, remodelling and the State has an educated unemployment ter-marriages between the local girls and ebrations on 17th March 2016 described the University of the society. recognizing their activities, attitudes and figure of 72,687, a majority of whom are outsiders may assume serious dimenas ‘Pride of the State of Nagaland’. The University has mindset to be in perfect tune with the youth. This in itself presents a potentially sions. Outsiders from different parts of the Nitty-Grity of Naga Politics. been pioneering the promotion of management educarhythm of the changing times. explosive situation unless tackled timely. neighbouring countries with different linUniqueness of Naga history:tion in the state. The University also offers wide choice The great and pivotal lesson to be The State’s revenue base is very low guistics and religious identities will set in The dream in the heart of every Naga is of other programs in computer science, library science, political sciences, commerce, history, English, philoso- for a better future. Their desire and pursuit learnt here is that change does not mean and cannot match the requirements of its their foothold all over the region including phy, economics etc both at UG and PG levels. Even lim- is to achieve this dream. And for this, Naga submergence, tuning with modernity expenditure, both revenue and capital, it Nagaland, and in the process, Naga idenited doctoral programs are also offered. The University is people on their own volition gave their does not imply inundation and progress is therefore necessary for the Government tity and, more particularly , their Christian seat of intellectual strength with highly qualified faculty, mandate to the original NNC through a does not mean the death of the unique of India to provide a special financial dis- identity may be severely affected. Any fiwho take pride in moulding the student with their close plebiscite. Ironically, at present,, all the identity. On the contrary, change is syn- pensation for the overall development of nal accord on the Naga political problem and individual attention. The learning and development factions of the underground are claiming onymous with positive reorientation, in- the State. As part of the arrangement with- therefore should take cognizance of this ambience in the University prevails in the form of aca- the ownership of the same, this historical telligent reassessment, cogent revaluation in the framework of the Peace Accord, a likely problem and provide safeguards. It will be expedient and prudent on demic rigour , cultural and sports activities, regional and fact should be accepted ungrudgingly by and harmonious assimilation and seam- comprehensive and detailed blueprint for less synthesis of the old with the new. The development of Nagaland be drawn up the part of the Government of India to all. Nagas are also a part and parcel of the national level seminars and various student festivals and activities. Alumni of this University are doing the Univer- human community and as human be- process of change requires us to carefully jointly by the Government of India and the approach the Naga problem with brothsity proud in their respective fields. Further the University ings of all ages, genders, nationalities and analyze and investigate the entire gamut of Nagaland Government fully funded by the erly spirit. The problem at hand should be is poised to grow in terms of its infrastructure, offering of ethnic groups, they, too are in search for our social, Cultural, historical and politi- Government of India as Central projects. treated as a family matter and resolved as skill based courses and other support systems. In short a purpose and significance life. They are cal heritage in the fulgent light of modern At the same time, the Central Government disputes are in the family. An opportunity the University has carved a niche for itself in the minds of also in search for an identity of their own ideas, progressive thoughts and dynamic will have to vigorously monitor the expen- has presented itself when the people by all stake holders and welcomes the aspiring youth who and significance in human society. The ideologies and discard all dysfunctional, diture of the State Government so as to and large are inclined to shed their past quest for a unique, optimally developed distorting, vestigial, and incongruent ele- prevent leakages and ensure efficient uti- ideological baggage and confront realvalue quality higher education at affordable cost. The University is established by an Act of State Legisla- and respectable self-identity is one of the ments, which are thwarting our collective lization of funds in development projects. ity. A sense of pragmatism and benevoArticle 371-A of the Constitution of In- lent accommodation by the big brother at tive Assembly. It is empowered by the UGC for the award of basic pursuits of any evolved person, com- growth and progress. But we must resolutely and diligently preserve, promote dia which was an offshoot of the 16 Point this juncture will go a long way in resolvmunity or a nation. As distinctive people, degrees. It is also a member of Association of Indian Univera cohesive tribe and a flourishing human and protect the gems of our core values, Agreement that provides certain safe- ing a problem that has defied solution for sities and a member of Commonwealth Universities U.K. community with a glorious long and cher- pearls of our traditional wisdom and in- guards to the State and its people needs over six decades. “We may not be able to The object of education is to prepare the young ish history and prolific cultural heritage, violable credos, which not only project a relook in view of the changes that have change the direction of the wind but then to educate themselves throughout their lives. our unique identity and place in the mod- taken place since. The cloud of ambiguity we can always adjust our sails.” -Robert M Hutchins the Nagas too have the fundamental right Er. Aying Longchar Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form. ICFAI University Nagaland
PEACE ACCORD VIS-A-VIS FUTURE CHALLENGES
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ICFAI University in Service of the Local Youth
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Saturday 02•04•2016
EntErtainmEnt
Agents of Social Transformation Morung express entertainment
akangchila longchar
A 12-year old boy desperately wishes for a bicycle. His mother, a widow struggling to make ends meet is unable to fulfill her son’s small wish causing her more grief and distress. Somewhere in Dimapur, the impending rainy season is the cause of tears for a widow. She is old and cannot climb the roof to fix the thatched roof herself. She is resigned to live with a leaky roof, since she has no other choice.
“If every community takes responsibility for their own locality, Nagaland would be in a far better situation”
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t o r i e s like these reached the ears and touched the hearts of members of a small organisation based in Dimapur, called the Sinai Ministry. Getting into action, the Sinai Ministry leadership team started to pray asking the Lord to guide and show them the way. This was how the ‘Building Community Project’ took birth.
“It feels like love does not go beyond our families. If we are truly a Christian State, our love should go beyond our families”
This project seeks out poor widows who need help to repair their home or basic household and material assistance. So far, the project has helped five families. The goal is to help at least 12 families in a year, one family every month. Besides making lives better, the Sinai Ministry members had already been cleaning the streets of Dimapur for two years as an act of social transformation under another initiative titled “Gloria Patri”. One must note that this was even before the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi had officially declared the Swachh Bharat Mission. What was so amazing about this initiative to clean the streets was that it inspired a lot of young people not only from Sinai but from various churches, tribes and schools etc to come out and help clean the streets. Sharing the story behind these small acts of change, Wabang
Longchari, Director of Sinai Ministry states the Sinai members are keen not only to bring spiritual changes but social transformation in the community. We call it the “S 2-Spiritual and Social Transformation”. He explains that there are so many poor people in the community but the ministry decided to focus on widows because they are the most forgotten and neglected in society. So we started by first identifying widows in the society, after that getting to know their hardships and their pain and finding out what they need the most. It is the desire of ‘Building Community Project’ to open the eyes of the community. They hope to inspire people from other districts and to take the initiative forward. Wabang narrates how several people after hearing about this project called him to refer certain individuals and families who are in need of help. The Sinai Ministry is a small Christian faith based
NGO in Dimapur and so it has time and financial limitations to reach out to other districts. It is also not their intention to gain name or popularity but only to obey what God has instructed. Wabang opines that Nagaland State is not very big and if every community takes responsibility for their own locality, Nagaland would be in a far better situation. He adds, “We end up sitting back and complaining all the time. But if people are really serious about development, we should just take matters into our own hands and start building the community with our own labour. If we do this, even the government will start taking development seriously. My challenge to public is to take responsibility for your own locality.” He also points out the irony that Churches in Nagaland are so big and rich but even the roads leading to the churches are so badly in need of repairs. “Maybe instead of waiting for the
Government to act, the churches could do something about it. This would benefit not only its church members but the community as a whole. I say this not to criticize, but with a vision for our community to be more involved, to initiate. I want to encourage that,” he says. Sharing a burden in his heart, Wabang says that we are losing the spirit of love in our community. He explains, “It feels like love does not go beyond our families. If we are truly a Christian State, our love should go beyond our families.” If you are thinking about money and how the project is funded, listen to this: “We are not spending any money on Building Community Project. People think we are getting plenty of funds and donations. This is a big misconception. All we do is we just share our plans in our small Church-The Lighthouse Church. We don’t
From picking brooms and cleaning the streets of Dimapur, to praying for sick and hungry, climbing thatch roofs for repair. In just a few years time, a lot has been achieved.
The Garden
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programme is being hosted by the NGO ‘Joy of Giving’ for the children whom the organization is working with in Dimapur city. The event will be held at The Garden, Supermarket, Dimapur on April 2 at 3:00 pm and will
feature well known Zumba choreography artists, Talien Pongentsur and CRT of the Performing Arts with Fitness (PAWF) Nagaland. All children and youths are especially invited to attend the event which is free to the public. This programme is
a prelude to the World Health Day 2016 celebration where the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (Referral Hospital), the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Nagaland and PWAF are cohosting an event on April 7,
even go to people individually to share our plans. It is our Church members, well-wishers who give from their own pockets and volunteer to assist. Sometimes it is not necessary for the items to be new. As long as they are useable. Today, I would like to declare that we are not receiving any funds from any Government or Agencies. We have no intention to ask for help and even in future we will not. Everything should be voluntary and free will. I say this because I have had instances where people call me asking for help and how they could avail funds since we seem to have good connections. People assume we are a rich Church. But God knows the truth.” This man of God and vision is looking forward to bring positive changes in the community. But it is not a one man show. Kudos should be given to the dedicated team of leaders and members in the Sinai Ministry. From picking brooms and cleaning the streets of Dimapur, to praying for sick and hungry, climbing thatch roofs for repair. In just a few years time, a lot has been achieved. The Sinai Church leaves a challenge for all of us, saying, “If a small church can do so much with so little, just imagine if all the Churches of Nagaland unite and initiate similar community building projects for their own members and locality. Imagine how many poor people would benefit?” Imagine- a better Nagaland!
NOW SHOWING
Ticket Rates 4:00 pm at the Referral Hospital football ground. Zumba fitness by PAWF will be featured as the main attraction at the event.
PlaTinuM - `320 Gold - `150 SilveR - `80
Admission is free for the public.
2nd APRIL 6 PM COVENANT HALL
11:00 Am
CHRISTIAN HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL
an evening with
Virie and Zaza releases ‘Down that Road’
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irie and Zaza, both of whom had solo recordings before the duo’s foundation. Virie became a household name when her cover of Lorde’s hit single, ‘Yellow Flicker Beat’ went viral and her debut single featuring Polar Lights “Silver Lining Skies” bagged her the “Best Collaboration of the Year” in the first ever Indihut Music Awards last year and also the “Best Rock Song” award at Music Awards of Nagaland.
And Zaza who has worked and featured with prominent artists such as Big Deal, Xtacy-Sash and MC Zing and with the release of her hit single “A Li’l Taste” which bagged her “Best Pop Song” award at the Music Awards of Nagaland. Virie and Zaza met in the year 2015 and it was an instant attachment when they found out they had a common interest in music. They started off by trying a few gigs together and seeing that they complimented each other they started
with cover songs. The song “Down That Road” featuring Temjen Jamir on the guitars is their first original together. Besides being the guitarist of the famed band Polar Lights Temjen Jamir is also a sound engineer and the owner of Jam Studio 11. The talented duo plans to do more originals and covers as well to keep their fans entertained. The song ‘Down that Road’ is released exclusively on www.indihut.com
ANTONIO VIVALDI “Vivaldi Four Seasons” & “Vivaldi Gloria”
02:00 pm | 08:00 pm
SOLOIST
AJEEN LONGCHARI SUCHA, ASIN SHÜRHOZELIE & RENTHUNGLO SHITRI CONDUCTOR
PASTOR RAZO VASA PERFORMING ARTIST
THE NAGALAND CHAMBER CHOIR, HOPE CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE STRING QUINTET, PATKAI STRING ENSEMBLE AND JOEY WOCH MUSIC STUDIO.
TICKET OUTLETS HOPE CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE • LIVE SOUND • FURTADOS TICKETS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE AT THE VENUE ON THE DAY OF THE CONCERT D500 - ENTRY ONE (DONOR) & D200 - ENTRY ONE
MEDIA PARTNER
05:00 PM
12
saturDaY 02•04•2016
SPORTS
THE MORUNG EXPRESS
Great great great! Stunning win helps West Indies smile again
West Indies captain Darren Sammy (centre), Dwayne Bravo (left) and Chris Gayle celebrate defeating India at the World Twenty20 semi-final in Mumbai on March 31. (AFP Photo)
C M Y K
mumbai, april 1 (aFp): West Indies captain Darren Sammy said he hopes to help Caribbean fans smile again by completing a unique hat-trick at the World Twenty20 after stunning India to reach the final. An emotional Sammy said the West Indies had their backs to the wall before shocking India by seven wickets to emulate their women's team, who also won their semi-final hours earlier. After the West Indies won the Under-19 World Cup in February, a double victory in Kolkata on Sunday would seal an unprecedented treble and hint at a cricketing revival for the islands after years of decline. Sammy's team, champions in 2012, will face England in Sunday's men's title match while the West Indies women will play their first World Twenty20 final
against Australia. "We came here on a mission. We were inspired by the U-19 boys earlier this year, the ladies won earlier today, now we have two West Indies team in the final," said an emotional Sammy at the post-match presentation. "We feel this is this West Indies team against everyone else." Chasing 193, the West Indies were struggling at 19 for two after losing star batsman Chris Gayle for five, when Lendl Simmons rose to the occasion to become their unlikely hero. Fighting jetlag after flying in as a late replacement for the injured Andre Fletcher, Simmons, who survived two no-ball catches, hit an unbeaten 82 to silence a raucous crowd. "Great great great!!! Well done Windies!!! #silence #wankhede #WestindiesvsEngland #ICCWT20 #fi-
nals proud to be West Indian," tweeted Caribbean legend Brian Lara. Before the match, Sammy had said the semi-final was a "David and Goliath" encounter, with more than a billion Indians willing their team to win. The West Indies dominated cricket in the 1970s and 1980s, winning the 50over World Cup in 1975 and 1979, but they have since fallen on hard times. A bitter pay dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board on the eve of the tournament did not raise optimism about their chances of making an impression in the tournament. But the former Test powerhouse defied their doubters to beat England, Sri Lanka and South Africa in the group stage and then make India eat humble pie in Thursday's semi-final. The women's victory earlier also came as a surprise and captain Stafanie Taylor hoped the win would act as a catalyst for women's cricket in the Caribbean. "I don't think it's that popular," said the destructive opening batswoman. "If you look at Australia, they have that foundation which we're trying to build in the West Indies. After being in the final, and I hope that we win, it might change everything in the West Indies. "People will know more about females playing the game, which we want. We want girls coming out to play the game."
Let down by team mates, Kohli's golden World T20 run ends
NEW DElHi, april 1 (rEutErs): As the full toss left Andre Russell's blade and settled deep into the stands, dropping a deathly silence across the Wankhede Stadium, Virat Kohli stood dazed, gazing at the trajectory of the ball and perhaps wondering what else he could have done. For the umpteenth time in the World Twenty20, the 27-year-old had papered over the cracks in India's top order, his unbeaten 89 accounting for almost half of his country's 192 in the semi-final against West Indies. In between the 11 boundaries and single six that flowed from his bat, the supreme athlete ran himself ragged, regularly converting singles into twos and occasionally two into threes. Kohli the bowler also resurfaced when it mattered. The evening dew had effectively defanged the Indian spinners, while their pacers bled boundaries, leaving Mahendra Singh Dhoni in an unenviable position. The India captain, as is his wont, sprang a surprise by tossing the ball to
Chelsea's Costa handed extra one-match ban
loNDoN, april 1 (rEutErs): Chelsea striker Diego Costa must serve an extra one-match ban after being sent off in last month's FA Cup tie at Everton, the Football Association said on Friday. "Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing on Thursday, Chelsea's Diego Costa has been given a one-match suspension, fined 20,000 pounds ($28,600 )and warned as to his future conduct," the ruling body said in a statement. Costa admitted a charge of improper conduct in relation to his behaviour after he was shown a second yellow card in the FA Cup quarter-final at Goodison Park. "This suspension will follow immediately on the conclusion of the player's current ban," the FA added.
Kohli and the part-time dibbly-dobbler struck immediately, dismissing the dangerous Johnson Charles (52) with his first delivery and ending a 97-run partnership. Kohli was in the thick of things again in the 18th over, collaborating with Ravindra Jadeja to almost send back West Indies hero Lendl Simmons. Jadeja took a running catch but as momentum was taking him over the ropes, he lobbed the ball inside for Kohli to grab. TV replays, however, confirmed Jadeja's foot had touched the boundary and it was declared a six. Simmons and Russell set alight a hot and humid night with batting pyrotechnics that left the 2012 champions needing only eight runs off the last over. Once again, Dhoni handed the ball to Kohli, hoping the golden arm of the man who could do no wrong would pull off a miracle. It was not to be. Kohli conceded a single off the first delivery and followed it up with a dot ball to raise Indian hopes of an improbable victory. Russell hit the following ball for four, though, and deposited the next over deep mid-wicket and into the stands to break 1.2 billion Indian hearts. As Russell and Simmons were mobbed by their team mates, Kohli stood alone with his thoughts. India's test captain finished the World Twenty20 with 273 runs from five innings with a staggering 136-plus average and a strike rate of almost 147. Only Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal (295) scored more and he had the advantage of playing extra matches in the qualifying stage of the tournament. His prodigious scoring means Kohli will remain in the mix for the player-of-thetournament award but for a proud team man, it would probably mean very little.
NBA: Bulls rally to shock Rockets, boost playoff bid
los aNgElEs, april 1 (aFp): The Chicago Bulls rallied from a 14-point third-quarter deficit to shock the Houston Rockets 103-100 and boost their NBA playoff hopes. Nikola Mirotic drained a go-ahead three-pointer with less than three minutes to play and Houston's Trevor Ariza saw an attempted game-tying threepointer fail at the buzzer. Mirotic scored a gamehigh 28 points. His threepointer from the corner with 2:56 remaining put the Bulls up 92-91 and was followed by a dunk from Jimmy Butler and a threepointer from E'Twaun Moore that stretched Chicago's lead to 97-91 with 1:30 remaining. "We're fighting for our lives," said Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg of the crucial win in a game between two teams jockeying for the final playoff spots in their respective conferences. The Bulls were without Taj Gibson, who has a broken rib, and Derrick Rose didn't play the second half because of his bruised left elbow. But the Bulls reserves scored 67 points and Chicago out-scored the Rockets 32-20 in the fourth quarter to come up with the win. The Bulls now trail Indiana by one game for the eighth and last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers fell 114-94 to the Orlando Magic in Indianapolis on Thursday, and Chicago hold the tiebreaker over Indiana. James Harden led the Rockets with 24 points. Houston are half a game behind Utah and Dallas,
who with matching records of 37-38 occupy the last two spots in the West. James rises on scoring list In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 24 points to move into 12th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list as the Cavaliers thumped the Brooklyn Nets 107-87. James, who also handed out 11 assists, has 26,689 points in his career and moved past Dominique Wilkins on the scoring chart. He is 21 points behind Oscar Robertson for 11th, and can surpass him on Friday when Cleveland visit Atlanta. "I've been very durable throughout my career and I've played with some great teammates and two great organizations all my career that allowed me to put the ball in the basket," James said of moving up the scoring list. "They've set screens for me, they gave me passes in transition, they set me up offensively and I've been able to come through for my teammates. So this results in that being the case." Kevin Love scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds and Channing Frye came off the bench to contribute 13 points for the Cavs, who lost to the Nets in Brooklyn last week. The Cavaliers moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors atop the Eastern Conference, inching closer to securing home court advantage in the East. Portland turn tables on Boston Al-Farouq Aminu scored a career-high 28 points and pulled down nine rebounds as the Trail
Houston Rockets forward Michael Beasley (8) battles against Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center, Thursday, March 31, 2016, in Houston. (Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle)
Blazers rallied for a 116109 victory over the Boston Celtics in Portland. CJ McCollum added 17 points and eight assists and Gerald Henderson came off the bench to score 15 points for a Portland team that had fallen 116-93 to the Celtics in Boston on March 2. The win moved the Trail Blazers to within 1 1/2 games of the Western
NAC members win at AFOS 2016
Conference's fifth-place Memphis Grizzlies with six games to play in the regular season. The defeat dropped Boston from fourth to sixth in the East, half a game behind Miami and Charlotte. Thunder edge Clippers Kevin Durant scored 31 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a narrow 119-117 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Durant connected on 10for-22 from the field and notched his 60th straight game with at least 20 points. Russell Westbrook added 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Playing without their five regular starters, the Clippers got a career-high 32 points from Austin Rivers and 32 from Jamal Crawford.
Dimapur Orphanages, Care Homes informed Dimapur, april 1 (mExN): All Orphanages and Care Homes under Dimapur District are informed that the Dimapur District Administration shall be organizing a one-day Sport Meet on April 23 at DDSC Stadium. A press release from the Dimapur Deputy Commissioner has requested all concerned who are interested in taking part in the event to contact the following officers on or before April 10 during office hours: P. James Swu, Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil) Dimapur @ 9856120909; Pikato, District Child Protection Officer, Dimapur @ 9856628130.
1st Invitational Basketball League
Dimapur, april 1 (mExN): Two members of the Nagaland Adventure Club (NAC) – Lima Jamir and Kevin Puro – won honours in the recently concluded JK Tyre Arunachal Festival of Speed 2016 (AFOS) organised by
the Motorsports Club of Arunachal. Former Raid de Himalaya Champion Lima Jamir secured first position in the North East Class and 2nd position in the SUV category while Kevin Puro who competed in the quad category
secured the 3rd position. The Festival of Speed 2016 witnessed drivers like former MRF rally driver Philippos Mathai, 9 times Raid de Himalaya champion Suresh Rana, Dean Mascarenhas (team Volkswagen) among others.
KoHima, april 1 (mExN): Team Amplified and Kohima Chief won their respective matches on Friday in the ongoing 1st Invitational Basketball League being held at D. Khel Ground, Seikhazou, Kohima village. Team Amplified beat Sky Hooks 136-42 in a lopsided Pool A contest while Kohima Chief cruised to a 67-25 win over Taurus (Jr) in Pool B.
Meanwhile, the final match will be played between the winners of pool-A and pool-B at 3pm on April 2. April 2 fixtures: (Matches start at 10am) Pool- A Team Amplified vrs Team Mystic Ballers Taurus vrs Sky Hooks Pool – B Kohima Chief vrs Cretan Bulls Last Kings vrs Taurus (Jr)
Dhoni laughs off retirement talk after T20 exit
MS Dhoni shares a light moment with Sam Ferris of the cricket. com.au website. (Getty Images) Peter Hutchison Agence France-Presse
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni laughed off talk of retirement as he put a brave face on the devastating World Twenty20 semifinal loss to the West Indies. The hosts came into the tournament with sky-high confidence but also widespread speculation that it
could be the last international outing for Dhoni, 34. But after India's stunning defeat by seven wickets, it was left to an Australian journalist to put the burning question to Dhoni at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Dhoni then asked the somewhat stunned Sam Ferris of the cricket.com. au website onto the dais,
put his arm around him, and turned the tables by becoming the interviewer. "Do you want me to retire?" he said. "Do you think I am unfit, looking at my running? Do you think I can survive until the 2019 World Cup?" When Ferris replied that Dhoni indeed looked more than capable of staying in shape until the next 50-over World Cup, a laughing Dhoni then responded: "Then you have answered the question." "I wished it was an Indian media guy because I would have asked him if he had a son old enough, and a wicketkeeper, to play!" he said. The light-hearted exchange came at the end of a painful loss for the wicketkeeper-batsman's team who had been red-hot favourites to win the trophy on home soil.
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