August 21th, 2015 by The Morung Express

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www.morungexpress.com

FriDAY • August 21 • 2015

DIMAPUR • Vol. X • Issue 227 • 12 PAGes • 4

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand Detention drama ensues in Kashmir ahead of NSA talks PAgE 8

Massive mudslide near Phesama PAgE 2

By Sandemo Ngullie

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Otherwise Dimapur is a beautiful city. Now 1..2..3 heave.

RSMA teachers to boycott classes from today DIMAPUR, AUGUST 20 (MExN): The Nagaland Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhijan Teachers Association (2013 batch) has decided go ahead with its decision taken on August 4 to boycott all the secondary classes in their respective posting schools from today with no positive overtures from the state government regarding their demand for 5 months’ pending salary. The association had earlier submitted an open letter to the Director of School Education to release the pending salary on or before August 20, failing which they would boycott their classes. The NRMSTA president, Thejazelie and general secretary Arhomo Humtsoe, has requested all RMSA 2013 teachers to “firmly stick and stand with the decision.”The boycott will continue till the government releases the pending salaries in totality. “The department of school education has again failed to release our pending 5 months’ salary till date in spite of the given sufficient time i.e till August 20,” they added.

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NEW DElHI, AUGUST 20 (PTI): Government of India on Thursday said it has launched a website, vidyalakshmi.co.in, for students seeking educational loans and five banks including SBI, IDBI Bank and Bank of India have integrated their system with the portal. “Vidya Lakshmi (www.vidyalakshmi.co.in) was launched on the occasion of Independence Day i.e. 15th August, 2015 for the benefit of students seeking educational loans,” a Finance Ministry release said. “Vidya Lakshmi Portal is the first of its kind portal providing single window for students to access information and make applications for educational loans provided by banks as also government scholarships,” it added. The portal will provide information about educational loan schemes of banks; common educational loan application form for students; facility to apply to multiple banks for educational loans; and facility for banks to download students’ loan applications. It is aimed to ensure that no student misses out on higher education for lack of funds, said the release, adding that the launch of the portal is the first step towards achieving this objective.

T R u T H

— Frank Herbert

Rahul hits ton as India recover to score 319/6 vs Sri Lanka PAgE 12

scert accused of hiding 25 posts from the nPsc

reflections

o F

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Two participants in an animated discussion over the contents of a pamphlet on wildlife conservation distributed at the one-day awareness programme on forest and wildlife conservation cum sports material distribution on August 18 held at Thanamir village, Pungro sub-division, Kiphire. Organized by Kiphire Wildlife Division, Nagaland Forest department, a total 70 people from Fakim, Thanamir and Vongtsuvong village participated. These villages form the fringe area of the Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary and hence a focused region. Wenneyi, ADC, Pungro graced the occasion as chief guest.

Guwahati Hc orders cBi probe in nagaland

GUWAHATI, AUGUST 20 (PTI): The Gauhati High Court today directed CBI to investigate the alleged misappropriation of Rs 1578 lakh sanctioned for construction of road from Phek to Chozuba in Nagaland and involvement of former Nagaland minister Kuzholuzo Nienu in it. A division bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice (acting) K Sreedhar Rao and Justice P K Saikia, passed the order on a PIL directing CBI to treat the litigation along with all connected documents as FIR and register a case. The Court also directed the investigating agency to com-

plete the investigation as early as possible, preferably within nine months and submit a report in the final form before the appropriate magistrate or court. The PIL was filed by one Thuputhiyi Venuh of Nagaland who sought a court direction to CBI to conduct the probe into the non-completion of non lapsable central pool of resources project comprising construction of road from Phek to Chozuba and into the allegation of misappropriation of money released for the work. The petitioner also alleged that the work was allotted to M/s K K Chire and Compa-

ny and its proprietor was the brother of the then Nagaland Minister of Health and Family Welfare department. A major chunk of the fund has already been released for execution of the work but it was misappropriated by the contractor in connivance with the former minister and other public functionaries who were entrusted to execute and supervise the work, the petition claimed. The Court, after going through the relevant records, directed CBI to investigate into the alleged misappropriation of funds and involvement of the former minister.

assistant professors for added DIMAPUR, AUGUST 20 22, 2015.” The ACAUT said that other advantage later on.” It suggest(MExN): The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation appointees, apart from the 25 ed that backdating service ben(ACAUT) Nagaland today ac- regularized ones, who were also efits by 5-8 years “may be a well cused the Nagaland State Coun- appointed on ad hoc during the thought out plan by powerful incil of Educational Research and same period and who were se- terest groups,” and termed it as a Training (SCERT) of “conceal- lected in the NPSC exam 2015, “top-notch conspiracy.” The ACAUT further exing” 25 posts of lecturers/as- but not considered for ‘regularsistant professors and their ap- ization’ by the Cabinet, had the pressed fear at the “possibility of pointment from the Nagaland disadvantage of starting their SCERT further regularizing the Public Service Commission service as juniors in terms of 3 posts of Research Assistants (Class 1), 6 posts of Trainingbenefits and allowances. (NPSC). The employees who were cum- Research Assistants (Class Citing “whistleblowers,” a press note from the ACAUT fur- regularized by the cabinet de- II Gazetted), 19 posts of Lecturther informed that these 25 ap- spite not appearing for the NPSC ers (Class I Gazetted), and 8 posts of WE Teachers/ pointments were appointed by the Na- • ACAUT alleges Nagaland state cabi- Technicians/Statisti(Class II Gazettgaland state cabinet net of employing ‘unfair and illegal’ cian ed), for a total of 36 on contract basis be(thirty- six) appointtween 2007 and 2010. regularization for 25 appointees Later, the cabinet • Calls out SCERT for not furnishing reg- ments all through ‘Direct Recruitment’ regularized the apularization notification in RTI reply in the year 2014.” pointments on May It called out the 22, 2015. A copy of the regularization notification, dated examination enjoyed an advan- Public Information Officer of the June 1, 2015, was also made avail- tage of at least 5-8 years of service SCERT to “explain why this parperks over their NPSC selected ticular Cabinet notification on able to the media by ACAUT. Alleging that the 25 posts were colleagues, the ACAUT revealed. regularization was not furnished “hidden” from the NPSC, the This is because the cabinet regu- to the ACAUT Nagaland.” It may ACAUT said that the posts were larized their appointments with be noted that the ACAUT had ‘regularized’ following an internal backdated service benefits with filed an RTI with the department ‘suitability test’, “thereby violat- effect from their date of joining on June 25, 2015, while the cabiing both P&AR Department and the department as contract em- net regularization of the 25 posts NPSC notifications that these ployees. ACAUT termed the reg- was done on May 22. Further, the posts fall under the mandate of ularization notification as “un- regularization notification, appended by the Commissioner NPSC open competitive exami- fair and illegal.” It said that backdating ser- and Secretary, SCERT was dated nation.” It further alleged that these 25 vice benefits by 8 years may af- June 1, 2015. Meanwhile, referring to the posts were given “top preference fect the seniority lists later on when the cabinet notified that and claimed that the cabinet NPSC’s revelation on Wednesday except for their point of entry into “may have toyed with service that the SCERT had requisitioned service, all pensions, gratuity, in- benefits and allowances.” The for the recruitment of only 6 posts crements and other benefits shall ACAUT said that “theoretically from 2010 to 2015, the ACAUT be counted from the date of their speaking, there is no stopping alleged that this may have been initial appointment as contract the cabinet or any future cabinet done “to squeeze in candidates of appointees and not from the date from fudging with the senior- vested top bureaucrats and politiof cabinet decision which is May ity list of the same 25 lecturers/ cians through backdoor.”

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One held for alleged sexual assault NSF caution state govt on ‘backdoor’ appointments Morung Express News Dimapur | August 20

In a prompt action, Phek Town Youth Society (PTYS) on Thursday nabbed one person from Phek town for allegedly luring four underage girls and sexually assaulting them after forcibly offering them to drink alcohol. The accused also allegedly planned to transport the girls to Dimapur and beyond. According to a press statement received from PTYS, the accused identified as one Shajna Mazumdir, aged 28 years and hailing from Silchar, Assam allegedly lured the minor victims with money and luxuries, invited the victims to his residence, rendered them helpless after offering alcohol and sexually assaulted them. The youth society said they came to know of the incidence after receiving inputs from a concerned person. The victims, after they were rescued, reportedly told the youth society that the accused, who worked as a mason, had already arranged

an agent to pick them up in a day or two to be taken to Dimapur. The victims further claimed that the accused had threatened them with dire consequences on refusing to give in to his demands. The victims were also told that once they reached Dimapur, they declare to others that he (the accused) is their husband. He threatened them to have their ‘heads chopped off’ if they refused to do his bidding. Phek Police when contacted confirmed the incident. Additional SP, Phek district said the accused was handed over to police by PTYS on Thursday. The four victim, all minors are aged between 13-17 years. One of them is a school dropout while the other three study in Class VII and Class VI. On the claim of sexual assault being committed, the ASP informed that medical examination has been conducted and results were awaited. However, preliminary report from the doctor suggests that two of the minor have had sexual in-

tercourse, he added. The ASP said the minor girls have been handed over to the Phek District Child Welfare Committee. “The girls are in a highly traumatised state. More details of the incidents will come to light once the victims regain their proper state of mind,” the ASP stated. With interrogation of the alleged accused in process, the ASP informed that more details of the case would be known only later. Meanwhile, the PTYS has termed the act as a ‘threat and humiliation’ to the Nagas and the innocent people. “Had the youths not acted promptly, the victims could have gone to the place unknown and the situation could have turn to uglier affair,” it stated. The youth society also sounded a warning that anybody found indulging in any immoral activities will invite severe actions as deemed fit. It has also appealed the administration and security personals to thoroughly investigate into the.

DIMAPUR, AUGUST 20 (MExN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) today cautioned the Nagaland state government with regard to “random backdoor appointment in all the departments.” A press note from the NSF said that the federation will not tolerate the “misuse of power by some individuals for their vested interest overlooking all merits.” The NSF, it said, has “tirelessly worked against any form

of corruptions and social vice since its inception.” It further acknowledged the federating units who have come out against backdoor appointments. While cleansing the menace of backdoor appointment in its entirety, the federation is working out for a holistic approach in framing out its modalities, the NSF said. It asked all concerned departments to conduct examinations according to the norms thereby

providing opportunity to all eligible candidates in a free and fair recruitment process. It also demanded requisition of all post that comes under the preview of the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC). Stating the federation would not remain silent, the NSF cautioned that failure to “cancel all name appointed through backdoor may compel the federation to take up strong action against the concerned departments.”

Nagaland safest for women in India DIMAPUR, AUGUST 20 (MExN): A study released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), an agency which maintains a database on crimes and criminals in the country, suggests that smaller states like Nagaland, Lakshadweep are the safest for women in India. According to the NCRB data, there have been 67 instances of crime against women in 2014 in Nagaland. In 2011, when the last

census was taken, Nagaland had 1,024,649 men and 953,853 women. In other words, the state has 931 women for every 1,000 men. Keeping into consideration the female population of the state, the rate of total cognizable crimes against women is as low as 6%, making Nagaland the only state with a single digit mark in this regard. Lakshadweep, a federally ruled territory of 36 islands in the Arabian Sea, with a rate of

10 % cognizable crimes against women came close behind. However, the territory recorded only four instances of violence against women. Other states/union territories considered safest for women in the country are Puducherry (10.6%); Dadra and Nagar Haveli (11.1%), Daman & Diu (14.6%), Tamil Nadu (18.4%), Manipur (26.7%), Meghalaya (28.8%), Uttarakhand (27.4%) and Bihar (31.3%).

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Japan-Naga Christian Revival Reconciliation Summit in November DIMAPUR, AUGUST 20 (MExN): A two day ‘Japan-Naga Christian and Revival Reconciliation Summit 2015’ will be held on November 28 and 29 under the aegis of All Japanese Revival Mission (AJRM) and various churches in Kohima. Two delegations from AJRM, Revival Biblical Seminary, president Emeritus Asian Access, Japan Board Chairman Rev. DD Paul K Ariga and Natural Church Development Japan, Daithao Kamei arrived in Kohima today evening to deliberate on the forthcoming Japan-Naga summit. Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) hosted the two delegates and a meeting with the delegates and committee members was held at the NBCC office this evening. Rev. D.D Paul K Ariga said coming to Nagaland for a purpose of reconciliation was like coming to visit the grandparents and said he felt so much like “at home” being in Nagaland. He said though Japan ranks top in technology in the world, Japanese are weak in spiritual aspects and said a strong based faith, powerful church between Japan and Nagaland was felt required. Ariga informed that

ulation and said Japanese practically need more prayer and support from the Nagas. Kamei said the reconciliation was a long due and expressed joy that a good time has come for the Japanese and Nagas to build God’s Kingdom together. He said the AJRM were taking serious note of the. General Secretary NBCC Rev. Dr. Zelhou Kheyo while welcoming the Japansese delegates said the crusade would be a closing moment to heal the wounds and minds of the people what had happened in 1944 and said the November summit will be a way forth for the Japanese and Nagas to a higher level spiritually. The event was first proposed in 2014 after AJRM representatives visited Nagaland and after discussing at length, NBCC accepted the proposal, to jointly host by the protestant denominations of Nagaland in November. AJRM, NBCC officials and various committee members at NBCC office Kohima on Thursday. The meeting also discussed about the seGod spoke to him, that to remove challenges, it ceive the blessings and keep the fire burning alive quences of the programmes and other arrangeneeds to fulfil the four “Rs” which are Repentance, in Japan till God takes Japanese to His Kingdom. ments to be made while around 30 delegates inReconciliation, Revival and Reformation and exDaithao Kamei in his brief address said Japan cluding members from AJRM and Japanese tour pressed hope that through the revival “we” will re- does not even have 3% Christian of the total pop- group are expected to attend the summit.

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FriDAY 21•08•2015

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Hunting & trans-border trade might Massive mudslide near Phesama lead to suspension of grants-in-aid

Vehicles stranded at Phesama due to mudslide near Kisama Naga Heritage Village on National Highway NH-29 early morning on August 20. (DIPR Photo)

Birds and Squirrels seized in Dimapur during a raid against selling of wildlife in the Nagaland. (Morung Photo)

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thaNamiR, august 20 (mExN): Wenneyi, ADC, Pungro has warned that hunting and transborder trade might lead to suspension of grants-in-aid by administration and imprisonment with fine under Wildlife Protection Act 1972. He cautioned this while addressing the awareness programme on forest and wildlife conservation cum sports material distribution held at Thanamir Village, Pungro Sub-Division Kiphire organised by Kiphire Wildlife Division, Forest Department on August 18. A press note stated that total 70 people participated in programme, which included Eco Club, Youth and Council from Fakim, Thanamir and Vongtsu-

vong village. These villages form the fringe area of Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary and hence are focused area. Tsuseki, VCC Thanamir chaired the programme. He expressed all his support for conservation but requested Forest Department to address the issue of damages done by wildlife to apple orchards. Showcase of biodiversity of Fakim-Saramati region captured through Trap Cameras by Satem Longchar, Nagaland Biodiversity Board, was the highlight of the programme. Thirumalainathan, Biologist, Nagaland Zoological Park spoke about in-situ conservation. Tsuseki, Master Educator, Bhutan Glory Eco Club,

Fakim shared Success Story of Conservation in Fakim. Kamdi Hemant, Wildlife Warden, Kiphire reiterated that involvement in the activities like sports will alienate youth from hunting and drug addiction which often are outcome of boredom. Department aims this programme to culminate into Youth Eco-Club practicing green hobbies like bird and butterfly watching, trekking, etc on the line of Fakim Eco Club. Limthure, VCC Fakim, Yutsumew, Hd GB, Vontsuvong, Tanget, Missionary also spoke on the occasion. Programme concluded with sports material distribution by chief guest and Vote of thanks by Kiusang, RFO, Kiphire Wildlife Division.

Kohima, august 20 (DiPR): Incessant rainfall has triggered massive mudslide at Phesama Village near Kisama Naga Heritage Village on National Highway NH-29 early morning on August 20. DC Kohima, Rovilato Mor, Chief Engineer in Chief, Chief Engineer Road & Bridges, Vikho-o Yhoshü M.L.A 14th Southern Angami Assembly Constituency, S.P. Kohima, Project Director Kohima, Kevipodi, SDO (c) Jakhama visited the affected site to ascertain the cause of mudslide. One Manipur bound Blue Hill Bus got stuck in the middle of the landslide area making the movement of vehicles stand-still on Thursday. More than 200 vehicles are held up on both sideGovernment Employees, Students and Teacher of different

Education Institution located on both side, towards Kohima and Southern Angami area were left stranded. Police personals, district administration, BRO, Traffic Police, NCC Volunteers from St. Joseph Jakhama, Phesama Youth Organization are working hard to clear the road. President Phesama Youth Organization, Medokolie has requested all heavy loaded vehicles not to ply till the road is cleared. It also requested the Taxi Drivers not to hike their fares and if anyone is found violating the necessary action will be taken. Vehicles carrying death bodies or sick peoples have been requested to inform the volunteers so that they can arrange alternate vehicles.

Nagaland observes Sadbhavana Diwas

Kohima, august 20 (DiPR): Along with the rest of the country, the State observed Sadbhavana Diwas on August 20 at the Secretariat Conference Hall, Kohima. Chairing the programme the State Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar IAS said that the basic quality for development and to live together peacefully is cooperation. He urged the people to develop a sense of cooperation and to rededicate them-

selves to live harmony in our society. He also administered the Sadbhavana Diwas. The officers and staffs of the Directorate of Information & Public Relations took the Sadbhavana Day pledge, in a short programme held at the Conference Hall of DIPR on August 20. The pledge was administered by Additional Director, Department of IPR, Limawati Ao. Speaking on the occasion,

the Director IPR, Pausui Zeliang exhorted the staff to be regular in their attendance and to continue working hard with dedication. The birth anniversary of late prime minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi was observed as Sadbhavana Diwas on August 20 by the officers and staff of DC Mokokchung with a pledge to promote communal harmony and national integration among the people of all religions and languages.

‘Think beyond classrooms’

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he appealed to them to widen their outlook, rather than confining it to the self. “Many of us have the tendency of limiting ourselves to a small circle in our thinking, actions and approaches. However, students should think beyond what is being taught in the classrooms,” he reiterated. However, he clarified that widening the outlook is not necessarily working hard or studying hard but effective and consistent labour towards gaining of knowledge. He congratulated the students for having chosen the social work course as our society needs healing from different problems.

Rev. Dr. Mathew Thuniampral spoke on igniting the minds. He said that students are looking in an age where there is no dearth of models to draw inspiration. “Social work being a discipline which seeks to bring social changes and transformation, the students should be inspired and should look for inspiration from famous and well know n personalities. The inspiration will add spark to the minds,” he added. Rev. Dr. C.P. Anto in his welcome address acknowledged the talents of the newly inducted students. “Social Work is an evergreen sector and fertile

tuENsaNg, august 20 (mExN): The Department of Agriculture, Tuensang organized a one-day farmers training on pluses seed production technology for SMSP scheme beneficiaries on August 17 at Tuensang Village. Delivering the introductory speech, District Agriculture Officer, L Butang highlighted the farmers about the objectives of the scheme and urged the beneficiaries of the selected village to put their sincere effort for successful implementation of the DC Dimapur Kesonyu Yhome speaks at the event in scheme, aiming at ensurC-Edge College.

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DimaPuR, august 20 (mExN): C-Edge College concluded its fresher’s week on August 19 with the Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur, Kesonyu Yhome gracing the event as the guest speaker. Starting from this year, the College had introduced Fresher’s Week as one-week long activity. This was initiated as part of the orientation process as well as preparation for the fresher’s day finale. The Guest Speaker, Kesonyu Yhome encouraged the students to build big dreams. He urged the students to come out of the comfort zone and to venture out. He stressed on the grim of our Naga society and mentioned that the development can come only from the maturity of the mind. He also stressed about raising one’s voice at the right time. Er. Moa Aier, President

of the college said the welcome address. The Award and Certificate presentation was presided over by the Principal, Dr. Chubatola Aier where the students with the best attendance and with the best academic record were presented with the Star Awards and the Laurel Awards respectively. Silenthong Yim of V semester and Viketo Yepthomi of I semester, gave the speech on behalf of the senior students and new students respectively. As part of the Fresher’s Week, the new students were given a platform to showcase their talents and thus along with the title of Miss and Mr. Fresher’s, recognition were also given for the most Talented as well as for the Best Ethnic Wear – Girls and Boys in that order. Ilike Zhimo and Viketo Yepthomi from the BA I semester won the title of C-Edge Miss and Mr Fresher 2015.

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ASKK office bearers elected

NEISSR students with the Pro Vice Chancellor, Nagaland University during the Exordium – 2015 held on August 20 at the Institute Campus.

field to explore and create new avenues in Nagaland for social change. Every student should take pride in their chosen profession i.e social work. That is the way to be a prime mover in

this evolving society where each one has to be focused in bringing changes and contribute actively for the development of our people in the state and the region,” he asserted.

The programme concluded a cultural extravaganza performed by the students and the teaching faculty. It was attended by students, governing board members and other well wisher.

‘Build Big Dreams’ Farmers trained on pluses seed production technology C-Edge College Fresher’s Week

At the function at Dbs court, Mokokchung Deputy Commissioner, Sushil Kumar Patel administered solemn pledge to officers and staff to work for the emotional oneness and harmony of all the people of India regardless of caste, religion, region or language. The participants also pledged to resolve all differences through dialogue and constitutional means without resorting to violence.

MEx File

NEISSR welcome new batch of master of social work students

DimaPuR, august 20 (mExN): North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research (NEISSR) organized Exordium – 2015, a programme to welcome the new batch of master of social work students for the academic session 20152016 on August 20 at the Institute Campus. Prof. A. Lanunungsang Ao, Pro – Vice Chancellor, Meriema Campus, Nagaland University graced the event as the chief guest and Rev. Dr. Mathew Thuniampral, Director Shalom Rehabilitation Centre was the guest of honour for the occasion. Exhorting the students,

The landslide at NH-29 Phesama has worsen as a private Bus and a JCB belonging to BRO got trapped in the landslide and the road been completely cut off on August 20. Volunteers of Phesama village, BRO and Assam Rifles Jakhama has taken up all necessary measures in clearing the road the whole day however the landslide has worsen due to rainfall. Phesama Village Council Secretary, Rovise Khale in a telephonic conversation has stated that there are very less options to prevent the landslide and that there is no way to rescue the bus and JCB which are stuck in the calamity. (Morung Photo)

ing higher production for supplying the produce to other district and for multiplication of quality seeds available in the region. He pointed about the poor seed replacementrate practice and encouraged the farmers for changing of the same for better seed production. Tokiho (SMS) KVK spoke on the topic, scope and importance of pluses seed production technology, where he encouraged the farmers to tapped the potentials for increasing the pluses specially French bean and appraise the

farmers about the scope of market demand in State and National as well. Chingmak, Agri Officer speaking on the topic Production technology of French bean cultivation, emphasized on quality seed selection, timely planting, proper harvesting, storage etc for increasing of the crop productivity. Topic on pest and diseases management on pluses crop was shared by Watisenla (ATM) ATMA, highlighted on management practices of common pest and diseases in French bean and Soyabean using

different cultural and mechanical method. Tsuktirenla (ATM) ATMA spoke on post harvest management and storage pest where he shared that post harvest lost could be prevented if crops are harvested at proper maturity, stored under controlled temperature and humidity and practice proper sundrying before storing. Earlier, Longkhangba Agri Officer chaired the training programme. Altogether 80 farmers along with departmental officials attended the training programme.

Naga cultural prog held in Chennai

Kohima, august 20 (mExN): The Aphuyemi Sumi Kuqhakulu (Pughoboto Area Public Organisation Kohima), Kohima at its general meeting held on July 19 at Hotel Eastgate, Midlane, Kohima elected the following members as new office bearers for the tenure 2015-2018: President Isac Wotsa, Vice President Ngukato Tsuipu, General Secretary Joshua Sheqi, Secretary Holi Tokuho Zhimo, Finance Secretary Dr. Ilhovi Swu, Statistical Secretary Pukhaje Kiho, Media & Publicity Secretary Vikuto Chishi, Treasurer Pukhalu Kiho. A press note issued by Isac Wotsa, President and Vikuto Chishi, Media and Publicity Secretary extended gratitude to the outgoing team for their valuable service rendered towards the organisation and further looked forward to their guidance in all future endeavors.

Cable TV operators informed

moKoKchuNg, august 20 (DiPR): As per the directive issued by the Office of the Commissioner, Nagaland on proper implementation and adherence of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1995, where certain channels are to be mandatorily carried/ telecast/aired, the District Administration, Mokokchung has directed all Cable Operators in the district who are providing TV services to strictly implement the Act by telecasting the mandatory channels and adhering to the tax prescribed.

de August fair Kohima, august 20 (mExN): The de August Fair will take place from August 22 to23 at de Oriental Grand, Themezie, High School Road, Kohima from 10:30 AM onwards. The fair will be marked by face painting, gaming zone, photo booth, Karaoke, darts, bouncy, food court etc.

Governor to visit Khonoma today Kohima, august 20 (mExN): Nagaland’s Governor P.B. Acharya will be visiting Khonoma on August 21. The main function, organized by Khonoma Village Council (KVC) and Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary (KNCTS), will take place from 12:00 noon onwards at Khonoma Community Hall, Terhotsiese. The function will be led by KNCTS Khonoma chairman Khriekhotuo Mor while welcome address will be delivered by KVC chairman Khrielevo Savino. BCK pastor Rev. Tsolie Chase will pray for the programme while folk song will be presented by “Alder Club” Khonoma. Khonoma Students’ Union will assist as presentation in-charge. Short speech will be delivered by KNCTS advisor Tsilie Sakhrie. Vote of thanks will be proposed by writer/journalist Charles Chasie. The function will be followed by a visit to KNCTS core sanctuary areas (Dziileke).

HOPE- seasons along life’s journey CJ Ponraj, IAS (Rtd) former Chief Secretary of Nagaland with members of Naga Students Union Chennai and Naga Christian Fellowship Chennai.

chENNai, august 20 (mExN): The Naga Students Union Chennai (NSUC) and Naga Christian Fellowship Chennai (NCFC) organised a cultural programme with CJ Ponraj, IAS (Rtd) former Chief Secretary of Nagaland as the special guest at CSI St. Matthias Church Parish hall on August 16 to celebrate the rich Naga culture. CJ Ponraj shared about his long 34 years of attachment with the people and the vibrant Naga culture which made

him more humble as well as practical. He said, “Culture is a God given mandate to the people which should apply for the betterment of the human society.” He said, "Nagas should be proud of their rich culture which made a great contribution in the Naga society.” The programme was favour by various special songs by NCFC Taramani cell group, Kevimedo, NSUC executive committee, Tangkhul Students Union Chennai and choreogra-

phy by NCFC Sunday School department. Aso K. Shimray, Chief Manager UIIC exhorted the gathering and the message was shared by Pastor Wapangtoshi NCFC based on the theme: One in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12) which was followed by a special mass prayer for the Naga Political Solution. Suduvelu Rhakho led the programme and Nokman Konyak, President NSUC, proposed the vote of thanks.

Kohima, august 20 (mExN): A book on “HOPEseasons along life’s journey” by Dr. Kezhakielie Whiso will be launched on August 25 at 4:00 PM at the Conference Hall of Kohima Science College, Kohima. Dr. Norbert Noraho, director, higher education will release the book.

KMC informs ward panchayat Kohima, august 20 (mExN): All the ward panchayat under the jurisdiction of Kohima Municipal Council and complainant citizens are informed that there will be a Joint Meeting relating to stray dogs on August 28 at 11 am at the KMC Conference Hall. A press note issued by Administer Kovi Meyase has requested all to attend the meeting without fail.

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FriDAY 21•08•2015

NORTH-EAST

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Assam flood scene grim, centre seeks report Guwahati/New Delhi, auGust 20 (iaNs): With nearly 300,000 people affected in the current round of floods in Assam, the centre on Thursday sought a report from the state government on the situation before providing assistance. Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Sarbananda Sonowal, met union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, in New delhi on Thursday and apprised him of the flood situation in the state. "I have written to the chief minister (of Assam, Tarun Gogoi) asking for a report on the flood situation in the state," Sonowal told reporters here, adding: "Once the Assam government's report is received, the central government will provide assistance to the state." According to the latest flood report released on Thursday by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 296,929 people in 611 villages in the state have been affected in the current floods. Till now, 13 districts have been hit Dhemaji, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Chirang, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Bongaigaon, Sivasagar, Nalbari, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Jorhat and Goalpara. The authorities have opened 124 relief camps in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Bongaigaon and Dibrugarh where nearly 84,800 people are taking shelter. While the Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger level in Jorhat and Dibrugarh districts, the Jia Bharali has

Ready to face inquiry in bribery scam: Gogoi Tripura, Mizoram cut off due to landslides

According to the latest flood report released on Thursday by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 296,929 people in 611 villages in the state have been affected in the current floods.

crossed the danger mark in Sonitpur, the Puthimari in Kamrup, and the Beki in Barpeta. Meanwhile, referring to the Louis Berger kickbacks scam, Sonowal said that the people of Assam would not be satisfied with the inquiry ordered by Chief Minister Gogoi. Former Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was holding the Guwahati development department portfolio when Louis Berger was

selected as consultant for the Guwahati water supply project, being implemented by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority with funds received from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The scam came to the fore after the US Department of Justice found Louis Berger guilty of paying bribes to Indian officials, including ministers, for water supply projects in Goa and Guwahati.

silchar, auGust 20 (tNN): Tripura, Mizoram, parts of Meghalaya and Manipur and the Barak Valley areas of Assam was cut off from the rest of the region early on Wednesday due to landslides in a number of places in Meghalaya and Assam's Dima Hasao district. Sources said torrential rainfall for the last three days has triggered the landslides. Mud, boulders, trees and debris came rolling down the Barail Hill on at least three places on the Haflong-Silchar road. The road went under the debris in three places between Bandarkhal and Miyankro on NH306. This has stopped movement of traffic on this 110-km stretch of road. Traffic was also closed on NH-6 connecting Badarpur in Assam with Jowai in Meghalaya due to landslides in Tuensang, Kuliang and Ratacheera areas of East Jaintia district, 90 km from here. However, there was no report of any loss of life, sources said. The authorities are engaged in clearing the debris. However, continuous downpour was affecting the clearing work. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both Haflong-Silchar and Badarpur-Jawai national highways. Rail connectivity with this region has remained cut off as passenger trains on the newly commissioned Lumding-Silchar broad gauge track is yet to be flagged off.

Eight militants Mawsynram receives record highest rainfall in a day nabbed in Manipur 2 NSCN (K) cadres among the eight nabbed Our Correspondent Imphal | August 20

Security forces in Manipur nabbed eight militants belonging to different groups from various parts of the state during separate counter-insurgency operations in the past one week. A team of 20 Assam Rifles arrested one NSCN-K activist from Tuisimi village area under Machi in Chandel district on August 19. He was identified as Mayanglangbam Malemba, 58, a resident of Khukarthil village in Chandel. Another NSCN-K militant was arrested from Kakching Lamkhai area of Thoubal district by a team of 22 Assam Rifles on August 18. The PRO Assam Rifles identified the arrested as H Bojesh Monsang, 24, hailing from Zaphou village of Chandel. Assam Rifles and Manipur Police commandos in the last two days also arrested one militant each of People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and United National Liberation Front (UNLF). The 20 Assam Rifles nabbed the PREPAK militant on August 18. He was identified as Khangembam Bipin, 24, a resident of Khongjom in Thoubal. A combined team of 2 Assam Rifles and Thoubal

Police Commando established a joint vehicle check post in general area of Yairipok Market and apprehended the UNLF activist on August 18. The arrested was identified as Yengkhom Anandajit of Pallel Mamang Leikai. Two militants belonging to Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and one from Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) were arrested on August 13 and August 18 in separate operations. The PRO Police Department said the KYKL activist was nabbed by a combined team of Bishnupur District Police Commando, 2 JAKLI and 34 Assam Rifles at Naranseina Mayai Leikai on August 13. He was identified as Salam Kamraj, 40, hailing from Naranseina Mayai Leikai. On the same day, a combined team of Bishnupur District Police Commando and 2/5 GR arrested the KYKL militant from Bishnupur bazaar. He was identified as Pukhrambam Bimol, 28, of Wangoo Sabal Mayai Leikai. A team of Imphal West District Commando arrested another activist of KCP from Khurai Chaithibi in Imphal East on August 19. The arrested was identified as Lukram Johny, 24, of Moreh Turel Wangma Ward No-7 in Chandel. On the same day, on his disclosure, security forces seized one 9 mm pistol along with three live rounds and incriminating articles from a house belonging to one M Nabakeshwor of Khurai.

MawsyNraM, auGust 20 (Pti): Perched on the edge of a ridge in the southern slopes of Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district, the tiny town of Mawsynran has received record highest rainfall in a single day with a little over 745 mm or nearly 30 inches of rainfall. With over 745 mm of rains yesterday, the town has received over 1500 mm of rainfall within the last three days. Shops, business establishments remained closed and few cars plied on the road in view of the incessant rains. "Mawsynram received 745.2 mm of rainfall on August 19 and this could be the highest rainfall received by the town and its nearby areas till date," an official data collector of the IMD here told PTI. The official said that

the record is almost twice as that of what Sohra (erstwhile Cherrapunji) received on the same day. "Sohra received 471.7 mm of rainfall yesterday, the highest in the last 10 years. In August 2005 it received 407.7 mm of rainfall," head of the meteorology office at Sohra, Vijay Kumar Singh, said. Both Mawsynram and Sohra towns have received bountiful rainfall this year breaking their own records for several years. In June, Mawsynram received 4781.2 mm and Sohra received 4355.5 mm of rainfall, both record breaking since 1995. The onslaught of heavy rainfall in Meghalaya, Assam and the foothills of Himalayas is due to the Monsoon trough, IMD officials in Guwahati said.

Manipur ASI suspended for tricolour faux pas iMPhal, auGust 20 (tNN): A Manipur Police assistant sub-inspector has been placed under suspension after the tricolour he arranged for Independence Day celebrations was unfurled upside down at Kangpokpi in Senapati district on August 15. The 'incorrectly' packed flag was hoisted by the additional deputy commissioner of Sadar Hills, DK Thangboi, at the historic Brigadier Thomas Ground in the Kuki-dominated Kangpoki town. Various civil society organizations in the Sadar Hills blamed the authorities for the error.

Superintendent of police (Senapati) K Kabib suspended assistant sub-inspector Jatra Jao of Kangpokpi police station for the faux pas. An internal inquiry has been initiated against Jatra, a senior police officer told TOI on Wednesday. He, however, added that Jatra had earlier packed the tricolour for various occasions without any glitches. A few years ago, a caretaker of an Imphal court was penalized by the authorities after the tricolour was found flying upside down inside the court complex.

Tripura, Mizoram ready to implement food security act aGartala/aizawl, auGust 20 (iaNs): The Tripura and Mizoram governments have almost computerised their Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) to implement the National Food Security Act (NFSA), official sources in the two states said. "We will start implementing the food security act from next month. Our necessary preparation are almost completed," Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar told IANS. He said: "The Tripura government has been demanding universalisation of PDS and distribution of 14 essential items to people through the PDS." Mizoram Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs minister John Rotluangliana said in Aizawl that the state government

would start implementing the NFSA from October. "Over 95 percent of the 960,000 ration cards in Tripura have been already digitised. The remaining computerisation works and setting up of call centres are now under process," state Principal Secretary (food and civil supplies) S.K. Rakesh told reporters. He said: "With the completion of the remaining work, the NFSA will be implemented in Tripura from September as per the state government's decision." The official said that creating infrastructure, and necessary computerisation of entire TPDS, cost around Rs.11 crore, with the central government providing 90 percent of the expenses. In Mizoram, so far, over 98 percent of the total

241,272 ration cards have been digitised. Mizoram minister John Rotluangliana said: "Around 706,000 of the state's more than 10 lakh people will be covered by the food security scheme. This included around 1.36 lakh most poor people under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme." The minister said that for people left out from the food security scheme, the state government would make arrangement to give rice at cheaper price. The union government had asked all states and union territories to implement the NFSA from September. But, according to a central government report, the NFSA has been implemented by only 13 states and two union territories. Most northeastern

states are yet to complete the computerisation of the entire TPDS and setting up call centres, both mandatory to implement the Act. Under the NFSA, which came into force on July 5, 2013, each eligible person would get 5 kg food grain a month at Rs.3 per kg for rice, Rs.2 per kg for wheat and Re.1 per kg for coarse cereals through the state governments. The NFSA entitles up to 75 percent of the rural population and up to 50 percent of the urban population to receive food grain at subsidised prices. The NFSA was passed by parliament when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government was in power at the Centre. The deadline for implementing the same has been extended thrice.

The IMD has also warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in both these states prompting the state machinery to put in place flood and landslides warnings till August 23-24. Mawsynram and Sohra - the two towns already in record books as the rainiest places on earth - receive maximum condensation through the funnel-shaped catchment opening to the south on either side of where they are located. The precipitation occurs at around 4500 feet where both towns are located, the officials said. The record rainfall in these two neighbouring

towns in the same district had many people wondering where all the water goes to. Water quickly flows down the narrow streets into the streams and to nearby big rivers that flow directly to Bangladesh, they said.

LOST NOTICE I, Paunamhei am applying for a duplicate copy of my HSLC Admit card and marksheet, as I have lost it. Name: Paunamhei. F/Name: Tingbana. M/Name: Wangkamlak. D.O.B: 29/01/1991. Roll No: 1025353. Regd: 1016837. Year: 2010. Lost on: 12/08/2015.

Guwahati, auGust 20 (tNN): Chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said he is open to face any inquiry in the Louis Berger bribery case. He added that he will resign if his involvement is proved. The CID has been asked by the CM to investigate the case after a US court, based on findings by the FBI, held Louis Berger guilty of bribing Indian officials and a minister in Goa to land projects in Goa and Guwahati. Louis Berger was appointed as a consultant by Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) for the Japanfunded water supply project in Guwahati in 2010. Gogoi's reaction has come after Union sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal alleged that the chief minister is involved in the bribery case as he has admitted to signing the file to approve the water supply project in which Louis Berger was appointed as a consultant by the state government.

Gogoi has also dared Sonowal to find out from the Union home ministry as to who all received the kickbacks. The chief minister's office said, "In response Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal's allegation that chief minister Tarun Gogoi is involved in the Louis Berger kickback episode, the chief minister said he is open to any inquiry. He has added, "I will resign if my involvement is proved and Sonowal should resign if his allegations are proved baseless." The Pradesh Congress Committee also rallied behind Gogoi in daring the Union minister to prove his allegation. "The chief minister has already clarified that if his involvement in the case is proved, he will quit politics. Now, it is Sonowal's turn to announce that if his allegation is proved wrong, he should step down from the Union ministry," said APCC vicepresident Ripun Bora.

CHRISTIAN HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL, DIMAPUR INVITATION All the Alumni of Christian Higher Secondary School are cordially invited to attend an Alumni Meeting at CHSS, Dimapur on 22nd August 2015 at 10:00 am. Your positive presence in the meeting will ensure its success. (S. MOATEMSU WALLING) Principal Christian Hr. Sec. School

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND

DIRECTORATE OF SCHOOL EDUCATION NAGALAND: KOHIMA

PRESS RELEASE

Dated Kohima, the 18th Aug, 2015

NO. ED/NFTW/SA/2014:: It is hereby informed that the State Level Committee of National Foundation for Teachers Welfare, Nagaland has selected the following 33 (thirty three) Teachers for the State Award to Teachers 2015 on meritorious service and 7 (seven) Teachers for Financial Assistance on serious health ground. STATE AWARDEES: Sl.No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

Name Shri.Ketousielie Dzuvichu Shri. Sebastian N.D Smti. Nepasalü Shri. Saktibrata Basu Shri. T. Alemba Jamir Shri. P. Kavito Shohe Shri. T. N Pandey Shri. Debi Prasad Tripathy Shri. P. G Joshua Shri. Bishnu Bahadur Chetri Smti. Zasenülü Shri. Chineyi Lohe Shri. Lusie Katiry Smti. Yashilila Shri. Mangyangtemsu Smti. Lobeno Yanthan Shri. K. Nzanbemo Tsopoe Shri. R. Thejongse Shri. S. Hotongse Shri. G. Lekshmi Narayanan Nair Shri. S. Shiakpong Konyak Shri. M. Nokyim Konyak Shri. Bhogendra Jha Smti. Khushangla Smti. P. Mongsula Phom Shri. Babban Sin Shri. C.M George Shri. M. Teachang Tikhir Smti. Mamata Satapathy Shri. Kupua Shri. Vikhezhe Shri. Subash Prasad Shri. Sunil Kumar

Designation P/T G/T G/T AHM P/T PGT Hindi Instructor Principal Principal Principal P/T L/T (Tenyidie) Head Master in charge Teacher I/C G/T P/T L/T (Lotha) Teacher I/C A/T HM Teacher I/C P/T G/T A/T P/T G/T HM A/T G/T P/T P/T G/T PGT

School District GMS L.Khel, Kohima village Kohima GHSS Tseminyu Kohima GHS Chandmari, Kohima Mt. Sinai HSS Kohima GMS Aoyimkum Dimapur GHSS Niuland Dimapur Govt. Hindi Institute Dimapur Lima Aier HSS Dimapur Don Bosco HSS Dimapur North Town HSS Dimapur GPS Phuhgi-A Phek GHS Phek Town Phek GHS Kamaleah Phek GPS Langa Mangmetong Mokokchung Senayangba GHSS Mokokchung GMS Wokha Town Sector -A Wokha GHS Sungro Wokha GPS Phoya (Chungtor) Tuensang GHS Chungtor Tuensang Mt. Carmel School Tuensang GPS Monyakshu-D Mon GPS Loakkun Mon GHS Jaboka Mon Konjong HSS Mon GPS Tamlu Town Sector - B Longleng GHS Nyenching Longleng Christian High School Longleng GMS Kiusam Kiphire Saramati View Modern School Kiphire GPS Keletzai colony Peren GMS Aquba Zunheboto GMS Achikuchu Zunheboto GHS Zunheboto Zunheboto

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Sl.No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Name & Designation Shri. Namsong Phom, P/T Shri. Kameshwar Prasad, G/T Shri. Pauyang Phom, G/T Shri. Y. Taujei Phom, P/T Shri. Tekaneken, D/T Shri. S. Ewang Konyak, PET Shri. Khekuto, PET

School GPS Orangkong- A, Longleng district GMS Yotan, Longleng district GMS Hukpang - A, Attached to SDEO Office Longleng GPS Hongnyu, Longleng district GMS Kupza, Mokokchung district GHSS Mon Town-D, Mon district GMS Asuloto, Zunheboto district

All the above mentioned State Teacher Awardees are requested to attend the State Level Teachers Day Celebration on 5th September 2015 at the NBCC Convention Centre, Kohima and receive the Awards in person positively. However, the DEOs and SDEOs are asked to collect the financial assistance from the Directorate of School Education, Kohima with authorization letter from the concerned Teachers within 7th to 15th September 2015. (ZAVEYI NYEKHA), DIRECTOR

FriDAY 21•08•2015

BUSINESS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Govt steps up rate cut pressure on RBI Small cars banned in Assam NEW DELHI/MUMBAI, AUgUst 20 (REUtERs): Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is stepping up pressure on the RBI to cut rates as the economy struggles and price rises slow, with some bureaucrats working behind the scenes to argue for an immediate cut of as much as 50 basis points. After another weak quarter of corporate earnings and July inflation that undershot the central bank’s medium-term target, Jaitley has made direct, public calls for faster easing, clashing with far more cautious comments from a conservative Reserve Bank of India governor, Raghuram Rajan. Officials in Jaitley’s ministry,

meanwhile, are encouraging economists and newspapers to lobby directly for further easing, senior government officials said. The public stand-off between the finance ministry and the RBI comes at a time when the two sides are already at odds over key changes to the way India takes monetary policy decisions and the government’s say in such matters. “Hopefully, the impact of inflation being under control is a factor which ... the central bank, with all its wisdom, will take note of,” Jaitley told a gathering of bankers and executives in Mumbai earlier this week. While India’s economic growth is outpacing China’s on paper, the picture

is different on the ground, where government spending has been sluggish, consumption is weak and corporate executives fret a recovery is unlikely before 2016-17. The government is also emerging from a bruising monsoon session in parliament, which delayed tax and land reforms seen as critical to accelerating growth. It now worries that growth could slip below its target of 8 to 8.5 percent for the year to March, and sees the RBI’s caution as worsening the situation. Moody’s earlier this week lowered its growth forecast to 7 percent, from 7.5 percent. “Going by the (consumer price) inflation numbers, and the global

India picks phone carriers among 11 firms awarded niche bank permits MUMBAI, AUgUst 20 (REUtERs): Leading mobile phone network operators Bharti Airtel Ltd and Vodafone India are among the 11 companies selected by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to help set up “payments banks”, aimed at granting millions of citizens access to basic banking. Energy-to-telecoms conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd, controlled by India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, which plans to set up a payments bank in a partnership with top lender State Bank of India (SBI), was also among the winners. Payments banks will be able to take deposits and remittances but will not be allowed to lend. They are part of India’s financial inclusion push, meant to bring banking services to a country where less than half the adult population has a bank account. The aim is for payments banks to piggy-back on existing retail or other networks. Analysts also expect them to be technology-driven although they must have a physical presence. “We see this licence as an opportunity to promote financial inclusion by providing banking and transaction services to unbanked, under-banked and small businesses,” said Arundhati Bhattacharya, chairman of SBI, which will have a 30 percent stake in the planned payments bank. Dilip Shanghvi, the second-richest Indian, was also among those who won a permit. His company Dilip Shanghvi Family and Associates will partner Norway’s Telenor and Indian financial firm IDFC Ltd for the planned payments bank. IDFC previously won a full-ser-

vice banking permit and plans to start the bank from October. The country’s postal office, and a joint venture of Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd and third largest Indian cellphone carrier Idea Cellular were among others selected by the RBI. Nationwide retail store network of telecoms carriers including Bharti Airtel - whose minority partner in the planned payments bank is lender Kotak Mahindra - and Vodafone’s Indian unit are expected to help drive their payments bank operations. Both carriers welcomed the central bank move. Fino PayTech Ltd and Cholamandalam Distribution Services Ltd, which already work with banks as agents or distribute financial products were also given provisional approval. Fino PayTech has planned more than 3 billion rupees investment in the payments bank and aims it to break even in three years, its chief executive Rishi Gupta said. The companies selected will be given “in-principle” approval for 18 months, after which they will be given licences if they fulfil all conditions stipulated by the RBI, the central bank said on Wednesday. A total of 41 companies had applied for the permit, the RBI said, adding “some of the entities who did not qualify in this round, could well be successful in future rounds.” Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of mobile wallet services provider Paytm that is partly owned by Alibaba’s Ant Financial, was also selected. India’s fifth-biggest software exporter Tech Mahindra was also named among the winners.

Game Number # 3321

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P E G P G J L E A U A T L A S

U D B O O K T R U C K H M V Z

July’s inflation below 4 percent has yet to satisfy the bank, which, sources with knowledge of RBI policymaking say, frets that core inflation, which excludes food and fuel, remains too high. The bank is even more nervous about food prices. Onions, the mainstay of many Indian dishes, have more than tripled in price since June 1 to almost two-year highs. “It is to be seen if CPI persistently undershoots the RBI’s projections,” a source familiar with the RBI’s thinking said. The monsoon shortfall prediction, he said, made a rate cut before the next scheduled policy review on Sept. 29 “very difficult”.

LOs ANgELEs, AUgUst 20 (REUtERs): Finnish mobile gaming company Rovio Entertainment, best known for its high-flying “Angry Birds,” is hoping to rebound from a tough 2014 and to expand in Asia by tailoring its games to draw local consumers. After reporting a 73 percent drop in its 2014 earnings due to a decline in the licensing of the “Angry Birds” brand, and cutting about 110 jobs, Rovio (IPORVEY.N) is focussing on going local, the company’s chief commercial officer Alex Lambeek told Reuters this week. “(We have the) building capability to scale into parts of the world where we haven’t been strong in the past and a big part of that is actually work-

ing with partners, not trying to do everything ourselves,” said Lambeek, who joined the company from Fox International Channels in April. “Angry Birds,” which was released in 2009 as a mobile game and fast became a hit, allowed players to fling an array of birds at pigs using a virtual slingshot. “Angry Birds 2,” released last month, adds more characters, high-definition scenes, options to pick which bird to fling and the ability to compete with friends. China accounts for a third of the nearly 40 million downloads of “Angry Birds 2” since July 30, making it the top market. That is in line with the first “Angry Birds,” which Rovio said has seen nearly one bil-

lion Chinese downloads, out of what the company says is a total of 3 billion game downloads since 2009. For Birds 2, Rovio partnered with Chinese mobile gaming company Kunlun Inc to make changes within the prompts and language used to target the way Chinese players are used to gaming, Lambeek said. Chinese customers “want to be spoken to and listened to in their own language with their own specific humour,” he said. One example was recruiting Chinese actor-singer Li Yifeng, 28, to market the game and offer fans who have a Kunlun login the opportunity to play against him. In Taiwan, players can log into the game using Facebook and Yahoo accounts. Last week, Rovio appointed a new director to oversee the company’s expansion into India, where around 500,000 users have downloaded “Angry Birds 2.” Lambeek said Rovio will be working with India’s mobile phone operators to draw consumers who may have lower disposable income, by making in-game purchases more affordable. Rovio hopes the new game renews interest in the brand ahead of May 2016’s “The Angry Birds Movie.”

DAILY CROSS WORD

CROSSWORD # 3334

Answer Number # 3320

B N U R L C H E C K O U T P E

food prices in the country. Government officials have been upbeat in their assessment of the monsoon, with the rain shortfall currently estimated at around 9 percent, but Rajan has been more circumspect. His tight rein on inflation has benefited the government; rising prices are a major concern for Indian voters, and inflation was in double digits when the former International Monetary Fund chief economist took over in 2013. But that is now irking a government whose officials complain they do not get sufficient insight into the dashboard of data that contribute to RBI decision-making. Though lauded by the government,

Rovio seeks ‘Angry Birds 2’ Asia growth by going local

Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.”

SUDOKU

MONSOON WORRIES The RBI, however, has remained far more cautious, specifically on the outlook for the monsoon season, which has roughly another month to run and has a huge influence on

LEISURE

economic environment, the RBI should have cut interest rates by 200 basis points (this year) by December,” said one ministry official who works with Jaitley on this issue. “It has done too little and too late.” The RBI has cut 75 basis points since January. Another government official said the central bank was seen by the ministry to have scope to immediately cut at least 50 basis points off rates, now at 7.25 percent.

L O L T E A S Y F I C T I O N

I N P A U T H O R T I T L E C

S F Y L V D I C T I O N A R Y

H I L L U S T R A T O R F R C

E C O P Y R I G H T N C R E L

R T R C O M P U T E R R E F O

B I O G R A P H Y R D O N E P

V O Z T C A L L N U M B E R E

I N I K M O U S E V Z O W E D

M O N I T O R A W W I G F C A

V I K O G C I R C U L A T E G

Asia gold appetite remains tepid, premiums droop MANILA/MUMBAI, AUgUst 20 (REUtERs): Rising prices curbed physical gold demand from Indian and Chinese buyers, many of whom were reeling from losses in the stock market, cutting premiums on bullion sold in the world’s top two consumers. Spot gold climbed to a five-week high of $1,141.75 an ounce on Thursday after minutes from a meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve in July dashed hopes of an interest rate increase in September, as many had been expecting. For the first time in a month in India, some suppliers were quoting a premium of less than $1 an ounce over the global spot benchmark. “In the last few weeks importers took advantage of lower prices and bought aggressively. Now they could even sell at a discount if demand remains subdued for the next few days,” said a Mumbai-based dealer. Premiums in India, the world’s second-biggest gold consumer after China, hovered between 90 cents and $2 an ounce, down from $1.10 to $2 last week, dealers said. Gold has rebounded 6% since hitting a 5-1/2-year trough of $1,077 in a late July rout, gaining momentum since last week after China’s shock devaluation of its yuan. Tracking the recovery, gold prices in India have risen 8% from July’s four-year lows. “Retail customers have seen gold trading below 25,000 rupees (per 10 grams) last month. Now prices are above 26,000 rupees. So these customers are waiting for a correction,” said a jeweller based in Ahmedabad. India holds a two-day international gold conference in the western state of Goa starting on Friday. DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:

STD CODE: 03862 232224; Emergency229529, 229474

Metro Hospital: Faith Hospital:

227930, 231081 228846

Shamrock Hospital

228254

Zion Hospital:

231864, 224117, 227337

Police Control Room

228400

Police Traffic Control

232106

East Police Station West Police Station

227607 232181

CIHSR (Referral Hospital)

242555/ 242533

Dimapur hospital

224041, 248011

Apollo Hospital Info Centre:

230695/ 9402435652

Railway:

131/228404

Indian Airlines

229366

ACROSS

1. Dash 5. Put out 10. Desire 14. Website addresses 15. Middays 16. Half-moon tide 17. Sermon on the Mount 19. Small island 20. Nonclerical 21. Twangy, as a voice 22. Practical 23. Gist 25. Alleviated 27. Obtain 28. Timetable 31. Trail 34. Not earlier 35. Be unwell 36. Hearing organs 37. Modulator/demodulator 38. Charity 39. Genus of macaws 40. Planet 41. A friction match 42. Languor 44. Arrive (abbrev.) 45. Made of oak wood 46. Paddle-wheeler 50. Brusque 52. Gladden

DOWN

1. Russian currency 2. Territories 3. Water soaked soils 4. Eastern Standard Time 5. Complete 6. Alcoholic 7. Fizzy drink 8. Not selected by voters 9. S 10. Together 11. Remainders 12. Effrontery 13. Type of sword 18. Not outer 22. End ___ 24. Prima donna problems 26. Throat-clearing sound 28. In an unfortunate way 29. Citrus fruit 30. If not 31. Secure against leakage

32. Cut back 33. Cantatas 34. Spectacles 37. Not less 38. Emanation 40. Rouse 41. Liberates 43. Bother 44. Clothing 46. Satisfies 47. Posts 48. Master of ceremonies 49. Ascends 50. French for “Head” 51. God of love 53. Tardy 56. Soak 57. Letter after sigma Ans to CrossWord 3333

KOHIMA: 0370 2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC) DIMAPUR: 03862 232201/ 101 (O) 9436017479 (OC)

CHUMUKEDIMA: 03862 282777/101 (O) 9856158740 (OC) WOKHA: 03860 242215/101 (O) 9862039399 (OC)

MOKOKCHUNG: 0369 2226225/ 101 (O) 9436012949 (OC)

Nagaland Multispe- 248302, cialty Health & 09856006026 Research Centre

PHEK: 8414853765 (O) 9862130954(OC)

KOHIMA

ZUNHEBOTO: 03867 280304/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC)

STD CODE: 0370 100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202 08974997923

TUENSANG: 8414853766 (O) 8414853519 MON: 03869 251222/ 101 (O) 9436208480 (OC)

CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE 54. French for “Friend” 55. Anagram of “Sire” 56. Applied mathematics 58. Anagram of “Loot” 59. Aquatic mammal 60. Away from the wind 61. Being 62. Ganders 63. Applications

FIRE STATIONS

Chumukedima Fire 282777 Brigade Nikos Hospital and 232032, 231031 Research Centre

Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: Oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home: Northeast Shuttles

C A L M A N A C H E C K I N I

gUWAHAtI, AUgUst 20 (Et): While the Indian automobile industry is still on revival mode, an interim order by Guwahati High Court to ban the launch of small cars that fail to meet crash-test norms in Assam has come as a major setback for the carmakers in the country. In response to petitions that appealed to make cars safer, the Court ordered that the sale of all small cars that weigh under 1500kgs and don’t meet the crash test norms be stopped. That said, the order will not impact SUVs that are bigger and have capacity to absorb impact during a crash. The state transport authority has asked car dealers to stop selling products that fail to meet the crash-test norms. As a matter of fact, the northeastern states account for about 12 per cent of total car sales in India, and Assam is the largest contributor in that. The petitioners said that crash tests such as the Global NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) that are followed in developed markets should be applied to cars sold in Assam as well because of higher safety standards needed in mountainous regions. Just so you know, cars in India are required to pass the frontal crash test norms which is also known as steering impact test to be able to manufacture and sell cars. And stricter front offset crash tests would begin in India as well, but not before 2017. “The Centre is directed not to permit the auto manufacturers to release and sell the small four-wheelers with a mass up to 1,500 kg and quadricycles without putting them to crash test and emission test,” the court said. Major carmakers are astonished by the decision, and they are trying to resolve it through the Society of Indian Automobile Association (SIAM) as they are facing several issues in the Northeast markets after the court order. If the ban remains there or not, will only get clear in the next hearing which is on August 27.

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FriDAY 21•08•2015

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

CSU ultimatum to SCerT on relocation of DieT Tuensang Tuensang, augusT 20 (Mexn): Aghast with the “adamant nature” of the State Council Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Kohima and the concerned ministry regarding the relocation of DIET Tuensang, the Chang Students’ Union (CSU) said it is compelled to give them 5 days “final call” to respond on the issue, failing which the Confederation would resort to agitation.

The CSU has witnessed and felt the adamant nature of aforementioned entities regarding to the entire relocation of DIET Tuensang and is forced to issue the ultimatum, stated a press note issued by the CSU vice-president, Kelep and speaker C Nokching Somba. The CSU also highlighted series of initiatives it has undertaken in the recent past to resolve the issue including:- a represen-

tation to the Director SCERT to nullify the proposed land survey done by the District Administration which was found in contrary to the project approved by the Central Government on March 31, 2014; a meeting with the Principal DIET Tuensang on April 23, 2014; 3 (three) rounds of talk with the then Deputy Commissione, Tuensang T Mhabemo Yanthan last year; and another memorandum to the Director SCERT

on September 2014 and meeting the Director SCERT along with CCSU and ENSF Officials regarding the matter. Again,after a lapse of 7 months, CSU met the Director concerned and served 30 (thirty) days Ultimatum to the Director SCERT, it said adding that following the intervention of the Ministry concerned, CSU had a meeting with the Minister on May 13 and negotiated the Ultimatum.

However, so far there is no positive response from both the Ministry and the Department concerned, CSU maintained. Consequently, arguing that it is not a “child's play” and “having lost its confidence” despite numerous appeals and negotiations, the CSU said, “It is compelled take course of its own action in pursuing the due rights and justified implementations in relocating the entire DIET Tuensang.”

Brief Lost & found KohiMa, augusT 20 (Mexn): An SBI ATM card with the name Yeve I Sapuh was was found and is kept in Kohima South Police Station. A press notification from Officer In-Charge of Kohima South Police Station has informed taht the rightful owner may collect the same from the Police Station during office hour.

THN bi-annual meet KohiMa, augusT 20 (Mexn): The half yearly meeting of the Tangkhul Hoho Nagaland (THN) will be held on August 22, 11AM in the Tangkhul Baptist Church, Kohima compound. A press note from THN president, Shai Raleng and general secretary, PA Ramsing reminded all the delegates from various units to make it a point to attend the meeting in time.

USSC reaffirm on ENPO peace resolution Bicentenary of Don Bosco Bar Association GBM Morung Express News Kiphire | August 20

The United Sangtam Students’ Conference (USSC) in an emergency consultative with the frontal Sangtam organization USLP, AST, USGOU and Sangtam representative from ENPO and ENWO condemned the firing at Anatonger Village on August 16 between the NSCN (K) and Assam Rifle. While condemning the firing incident, the USSC stated that such act of violence shows lack of sincerity towards the region whose populace are the peace loving. The consequences of such violence only disrupt the peaceful

atmosphere of the region and create fear psychosis to the people. The joint consultative meeting of the Sangtams apex organization urges the NSCN(K) leadership to listen to the plea of the people and come to the negotiation table to let peace prevail as desire by the Nagas. Moreover, the USSC also appeal to the GOI to expedite the urge of the Naga civil societies to resume the ceasefire agreement with the NSCN (K) for the peace and progress of the Naga Political dialogue. It further urge the Assam Rifle for the stability and security of the populace at such cru-

cial development by avoiding inconveniences of the people and let normal living be initiated to enhance cooperation. The house reaffirmed the ENPO resolution of 17 December 2011 declaring the ENPO’s jurisdiction as peace zone. The joint consultative meeting of the Sangtam organization appeal to the GOI to withdraw the declaration of the whole of Nagaland State as Disturbed Area Act under the Armed Force Special Power Act 1958 which give upper hand to the Army to act without respecting the innocent lives of the people. “such controversial Act enforce for one year in

Nagaland state holds no validity to extend again, And Above all why GOI wants this colonial-era law in her democracy and which human rights to her own people, stated in a press release by Justin Khatomong T Executive Chairman USSC. Meanwhile, the joint consultative meeting also discuses on the irregularity of the officers under Kiphire and Longkhim-Chare. The USSC appeal to all the officer posted under Sangtam jurisdiction to be stationed in their respective posting place. The USSC warn to question the irregular officers who are still irregular despite of this appeal.

Morung Express News Dimapur | August 20

Bicentenary Celebrations of Don Bosco for Nagaland Region began at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Dimapur with Deputy Commissioner Dimapur, Kesonyu Yhome IAS as the chief guest on Thursday. Yhome in his speech said that pupils of Don Bosco schools were privileged to have inherited the “great legacy” of Don Bosco and to pursue their studies in the institute. He told the students that they were even more privileged to be studying in schools having proper infrastructures compared to many other parts of the country where

young people do not have schools to attend. He encouraged them to optimize the opportunity by growing up as responsible citizens and the become heroes in their own homes and community. “You will face many challenges in life but you need to take it head on and fight the challenge,” Yhome added. He further encouraged the students to become an inspiration for others to follow and become a part of the cause for nation building and the Naga society. Guest of honour, Rev Fr. Perianayagam John Bosco, Vice-Provincial of Dimapur also spoke briefly at the programme.

DiMapur, augusT 20 (Mexn): The Dimapur Bar Association, DBA will have its General Body Meeting (GBM) on August 21, 2 PM at DBA Hall to deliberate on some important issues. The secretary of the association, Hukavi Zhimomi in a press note informed all the concerned members of the Bar to attend the meeting positively.

UNTABA meeting DiMapur, augusT 20 (Mexn): The Executive Committee of the United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas (UNTABA) has convened a meeting on August 28, 1PM at BOOKMARC Conference Hall with all the Advisory Board Members. The meeting will be deliberate “seriously” on the Writ Petition which is to be filed very soon and the “stand of the people” living in and around the border areas in the forthcoming “crossexamination” in the Supreme Court on the long pending Original Civil Suit filed by Assam, stated a press note from UNTABA general secretary, Imsumongba Pongen. All the concerned and esteemed members are requested to attend the meeting positively, it added.

One arrested for vehicle theft CKM officials visit Mangkolemba & Alongkima, interacts with officials

KohiMa, augusT 20 (Mexn): One person was arrested after the vehicle engine number he was driving found different from the smart card of the said vehicle. The said vehicle, a Mahindra Pickup (B/R No. AS-11D-3581) was intercepted by the Anti

Vehicle Theft Squad of DEF Kohima during their frisking and checking of vehicles at NH-2. Subsequently, the driver of vehicle identified as Kakuto Awomi (23 yrs) of Surimi Village – under Suruhoto PS, Zunheboto and presently a resident of Zunheboto Town was taken into

police custody in this connection. A regular case vide Kohima North P.S Case No. 0065/2015 U/S 379/474 IPC is registered against him for conducting further investigation, informed a press note from Atu Zumvü NPS, the Sub – Divisional Police Officer & PRO Kohima.

GPRN/NSCN recover stolen bike and car DiMapur, augusT 20 (Mexn): The crime control cell (CCC) of the GPRN /NSCN have recovered a stolen bike and a car and informed the rightful owners to collect the same within seven days with original

documents. A press note from Ministry of Information & Publicity, GPRN / NSCN informed that recovered vehicle is a white colored Hyundai Eon (AS21E 0382) with the registration date on 25.9.2014. The bike

is a Black colored Bajaj Platina bearing Chassis no. MD2DDD777SPD63029 and engine no. 0X101009PM - 18, it added. The owners are also directed to contact the CCC secretary at 8575721973 for any clarification.

Morung Express News Mokokchung | August 20

The Changkikong Kaketshir Mungdang (CKM) visited the Mangkolemba ADC and Alongkima EAC Headquarters on Wednesday, August 19 and interacted with the officials and shared thoughts and ideas about the developmental aspect of the region. Briefing media persons at the AKM office here today, the CKM president Subongyanger Tzudir said that said that the delegation comprised of the officials and senior executive members. TheCKMofficialsmetthe newly deputed ADC Mangkolemba, Imtiwapang Aier

Khekaho visits Tseminyu APRO office TseMinyu, augusT 20 (Dipr): Parliamentary Secretary for IPR, Khekaho Assumi paid a visit to the APRO office Tseminyu on August 20. He interacted with the staff of the sub-division to have a first hand knowledge of how the office functions and

also to take note of the grievances faced while performing their duties as information and media tool for the government and public in general. He encouraged and stated that the IPR department is as information machinery that can create impact

and bring a change for the welfare of the public. He further called upon the staff to be diligent and be active. He assured that extension of rooms required by the office will be done on a priority basis besides equipping with electrification and installation

of computers. DPRO Kohima, Ruopfulenuo who was also present during the interactive meeting expressed gratitude to the Parliamentary Secretary for his concern to look into the requirements for better functioning of the sub-division.

Homemakers trained on kitchen waste management DiMapur, augusT 20 (Mexn): A one day training on kitchen waste management was conducted today by Pro Rural, Dimapur at Chumukedima Village Baptist Thenuko Krotho, Chumukedima, Dimapur. It was conducted for the Chumukedima Village Baptist Women Department Asserting that if kitchen waste can be properly managed, the menace of garbage in the towns and cities can be largely controlled, the resource persons during the training tried to sensitize and train the grassroots communities to address the garbage issue in and around Dimapur city.

A press note informed that Pro Rural has designed and come up with a set of kitchen waste management compost bucket using indigenous method. Both theory and practical demonstration of the

Kitchen Waste Compost bucket were taught to the trainees, it added. The resource persons were Athilu Khrasi, Mr. L. Kamo, Kikrupanuo Hama from Pro Rural and Tanu Mehta, Legal Counsel, Me-

diator & Conciliator from Mumbai. Pro Rural has been actively campaigning and conducting solid waste management trainings and programmes in the past in and around Dimapur city.

Orgs censure attack on businessman

DiMapur, augusT 20 (Mexn): The broad daylight attack on a businessman, Aman Jain inside his shop at GS Road, Dimapur on August 19 have been vehemently condemned by several organisations.

pealed all section of the people to co-operate with law enforcing agencies including the district administration to nab the perpetrator (s) at the earliest and render befitting punishment according to the law.

NCD: Vehemently condemning the cowardly action of the of anti-social elements, the NCD in a press issued by its secretary Thsapongktu Sangtam stated that such “action” needs to condemned by all section of the society. The Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) further ap-

DDCF: Expressing its deep ‘pain’ over the shooting incident, DDCF has condemned the incident as a cowardly act and appealed the law enforcing agencies to arrest the culprit(s) at the earliest possible time and deliver justice. The Dimapur District Citizens' Forum (DDCF)

in a press condemnation issued through its president Joseph Lemtur maintained that, “The patience of the citizens of Dimapur is running out at the continuous incidents of crime where the citizens and visitors are victimized in Dimapur- the commercial hub of Nagaland.” It further urged the administration and security personnel to give the citizens a “peaceful” Dimapur. BJYM: The BJYM Dimapur district has also vehemently condemned August 19 shooting as a

“inhuman act of violence” resulting in physical and mental injury to the victim as well as endangering the lives of public by the perpetrator(s). The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in a press note issued by issued by its president Vicky Achumi and general secretary, Bendangliba Lkr further urged the “law enforcers to push towards a fair enquiry and trail for the victim” and act as a eye opener public and business community to have faith in the law.It also wished a speedy recover to the victim.

and also the Executive Engineer PWD (R&B) at Mangkolemba. The students’ leaders appealed the officials to work for the development of Mangkolemba town as it was an important sub-division that looks after three ranges in Mokokchung district. On their part, the government officials assured to do their best and initiate developmental the necessary development works in their own capacity. The Alongkima EAC, Lungmai, while interacting with the CKM officials, also assured work towards the revival defunct government CKM officials along with EAC Alongkima, Lungmai (sec- offices at Alongkima town, ond from right) at the Alongkima EAC Headquarter office which has remained neglecton August 19. (Photo courtesy/ CKM office) ed for so many years, said the

CKM president. While welcoming the ADC Mangkolemba and EAC Alongkima, the CKM president appreciated the government for deputing able officers to the sub-division and town. He expressed hope that the officials would discharge their duties diligently for the welfare of the people. He also assured CKM's full possible support and cooperation toward the administration and the officials in developing the area. It may be mentioned here that the CKM had earlier submitted a memorandum to the state government to immediately depute one EAC to Alongkima town.

Teachers, pupils sensitise on 'good sanitary practices' DiMapur, augusT 20 (Mexn): More than 500 students and teachers participated at an awareness programme on water and sanitation conducted at Government High School (GHS), Lingrijan,Dimapur today. The programme was organized by PHED (Rural) Division, Dimapur

and sponsored by Water and Sanitation Support Organisation (WSSO) Nagaland, Kohima with Vibou Seyie, IEC consultant and Imojungla Longkumer, Sanitation and Hygiene Consultant, PHED (Rural)Division, Dimapur as the resource persons. The programme dwelt on im-

portant matters regarding water and sanitation followed by a pledge to follow good sanitary practices and motivate others with the same. The participants also vowed to realize their goal of a clean, healthy and beautiful environment., a press note form the programme informed.

Promote & preserve our rich culture and tradition: PB Acharya Our Correspondent Kohima | August 20

Nagaland’s Governor P.B. Acharya today maintained that education should be in tune with the society so as to meet the challenges of skill requirement by the society, trade and commerce and not only imparting knowledge to the younger generation. Addressing the 4th Annual Fashion Show organised by the Department of Fashion Technology of The Global Open University Nagaland on the theme “Colors of North East” at de Oriental Grand here this evening, Acharya appreciated that TGOUN was providing skill based knowledge to the youngsters. He said that after coming out of many universities after attaining education the youngsters become hapless as they lack the skill. Therefore many of the youngsters seek for white coloured jobs as they are unable to take up skilled works or join trade and commerce. He said that knowledge should not be self-centred but it should be social oriented, he added. Encouraging the students of fashion technology, the Governor however said that one should promote and preserve what they have received from the rich culture and tradition. “We have to be vibrant culture and should not lose own identity,” he said while

TGOUN showcases its annual fashion gala

Models walk the ramp showcasing the creation of the students' design during the 4th Annual Fashion Show 2015 of the Fashion Technology department of The Global Open University Nagaland (TGOUN) held under the theme “Colors of Northeast" at de Oriental Grand, Kohima on August 20. The show highlighted the rich culture and traditions of the north east. (Morung Photo)

adding that one should not forget own identity by applying some other culture and tradition. This 4th edition fashion show was supported by de Oriental Grand. The show highlighted the rich culture and traditions of the north east. Parliamentary secretary for higher & technical education Deo Nukhu also present on the occasion. Riilhouvonuo Angami bagged the best designer title while Neishe-ii Puro stood runners up.

Models walk the ramp of the creation of six students of the institute. The duo Dosoulou Vemai & Therali Ovung presented “Ancestral Warrior,” Sashibenla- “Surreal Meadows,” Kudulii Sapuh- “Masquerade,” Riilhouvonuo Angami- “Dark Classic” and Neishe-ii Puro- “Tears of Warriors.” The show also witnessed special performance from Oren Mozhui and Music Academy Kohima. Ruth K Chang acted as

host, Thejasilie Sekhose as choreographer, Suchamayang Kichu- photographer and Rakovi Mocha as make-up artist. Panel of jury included; Theja Meru, entrepreneur, Kerehienuo Sorhie, lecturer FT Dept, Govt. Polytechnic Kohima and Regina Chakriinuo, faculty member, FT Deptt, TGOUN Kohima. Earlier, welcome address was delivered by TGOUN vice chancellor Dr. H.N. Dutta while vote of thanks was proposed by event coordinator Sentitola Ao.

FRiDAY 21•08•2015

IN FOCUS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

C O M M E N T A R Y

The Morung Express

Corruption Isn’t Just Africa’s Problem

X issue 227X issue 185 Thursday 9volume July 2015 volume By dr. sao Tunyi

Benefits of tobacco taxation

agaland government raised taxation on tobacco products from 18% to 25%. This is a right move in the right direction. But comparing to the Philippines which raised tobacco taxes by as much as 340% and experience of other Indian States, what the State government did was far from enough. The World Health Organization released a document very recently called ‘The economic and health benefits of Tobacco Taxation’ which has strong evidences for the benefit of increasing taxation on tobacco products. There is evidence that increasing the price of tobacco products is one of the most effective measures to reduce tobacco consumption. It is estimated that doubling the price of cigarettes reduce consumption by 40%. In South Africa, average daily consumption of cigarettes came down from 4 cigarettes per adult per day to 2 cigarettes per day over a decade since the taxation increased from 32% to 52% from 1993 to 2009. In France, as the taxes increased, smoking prevalence reduced, corresponding lung cancer rates fell sharply, and revenue from tobacco taxation increased substantially. There is misconception that increasing the price of tobacco disproportionately affect the young and poor people. Evidence shows that the poor are more responsive to increase in price and this has positive impact in avoiding disease and death due to tobacco. Since the richer users are less affected by price rise, monetary burden of higher tobacco taxes will fall heavier on them. Example from Canada shows that lower income groups experience greater decline in tobacco deaths on increasing taxation. It is argued that livelihood of the poor are affected who are employed in the tobacco industry. However, evidence shows that the annual financial loss due to tobacco related diseases is greater. Likewise, when tobacco price increase, young people are more likely to reduce consumption of tobacco than older people. Increasing tobacco taxation does not only have direct health benefit, it is an important source of revenue which can be leveraged to fund tobacco control activities or other health program. At least 30 countries have earmarked tobacco tax revenue to fund health activities. This is a good opportunity for a State like ours where fund for healthcare is always deficient. The phenomenal 340% increase in tobacco taxation received strong political support and 85% of the fund generated is earmarked to the Universal Health Care Program. Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO said that tobacco taxation offers a ‘win-win’ situation where extra income can be generated while reducing consumption. More than half of adult Nagas use tobacco in one form or the other. The WHO document says that a 30 years lag exists between tobacco use rates and many of their associated illnesses. So, the impact of current users is not felt yet and unless the trend is reversed, the increasing use of tobacco will not only chock the health services but also cripple our economy. Non Communicable diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and chronic lung diseases are already the leading cause of death in the world and tobacco use in one of the major risk factors. To control tobacco use through increased taxation doesn’t cost much. What it needs is a strong political will to pass the law. Following the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which will go till 2030 has identified tobacco taxation as a ‘phenomenal’ intervention in tobacco control policy. We should step up to the opportunity and increase tobacco taxation to at least 50% as recommended by former Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, or even higher. Dr. Sao Tunyi works as an Epidemiologist at Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Kohima. Feedback can be sent to saotunni@yahoo.co.in, or visit his blog www.thatchhouse.blogspot.in

lEfT WING |

Robert Macfarlane Intelligent Life

The Mighty Jungle Book

he honey badger currently enjoys cult status as the bravest mammal on Earth—but my vote for that title still goes to the mongoose. The story of Rikki-Tikki’s war with the king cobras Nag and Nagaina, as told by Rudyard Kipling in the ninth section of “The Jungle Book” (1894), still thrills me 30 years after I first read it. Rikki-Tikki is the Rasputin of animals: fearless, clever and apparently impossible to kill. His name is taken from his chittering battle-cry; his enemies are four times his length and poison-fanged. “It is the hardest thing in the world”, Kipling writes, “to frighten a mongoose.” Rikki-Tikki proves it, killing Karait the krait, then Nag, then Nagaina—and needing only a nap to recover in between. Rikki-Tikki doesn’t make it into Disney’s 1967 film, nor does Kipling’s obsession with injury and slaughter. The film, such a family favourite that two remakes are now under way, is upbeat to the point of kitsch, but the original is eerie. If you’ve never read the stories, be prepared for sharp dark jags of surprise. “The Jungle Book” is far from the cosy fables of the “Just-So Stories”. Human-animal conflicts preoccupy it, as does the war for survival fought between creatures themselves. Wildness is a compromised category throughout: one of the first characters we meet is Tabaqui the jackal, lickspittle of the tiger Shere Khan, who survives by “eating rags and pieces of leather from the village rubbish-heaps”; one of the last is a “gun-bullock” who pulls the “seventh yoke of the first gun of the Big Gun Battery”. Everyone in “The Jungle Book” is in thrall to, or peril from, someone else. It is Kipling’s account of the caste-ridden, race-riven society of India under the Raj. Not all the stories take place in the jungle or on its fringes. Some, like Rikki-Tikki’s, happen in the white cantonments, where minor British officials sip sundowners on bungalow verandahs to stave off despair. Others, like “Her Majesty’s Servants”, are set amid the mud, dust and rivers of Rawalpindi, now Pakistan. And “The White Seal” occurs on an island in the Bering Sea, where for a month each spring the male seals gather to fight over territory, like sunbathers tussling over towel-space on the beach. Early in that story we are introduced to Sea-Catch, a seal who has just finished his 45th fight of the season, and is “scratched and bleeding in 20 places; one eye was almost out, and his sides were torn to ribbons”. “Oh, you men, you men!” sighs his wife. “Why can’t you be sensible and settle your places quietly?” SeaCatch is threatened not only by his own species, but also the seal-hunters who come from a “little village not half a mile from the sea nurseries”, and who drive the seals “just like sheep” up to “the killing pens…to be turned into seal-skin jackets later on.” Skins and skinning fascinate Kipling. Having slain Shere Khan by driving him into a ravine, Mowgli skins the tiger roughly, takes his striped hide to the council of the wolves— and then dances upon it in glee. When we first meet the panther Bagheera, Kipling describes his “inky-black” pelt, on which the markings show up “in certain lights like the pattern of watered silk”. And in the death-song, the fearsome folk-chant that precedes the story of Rikki-Tikki, Nag the cobra is known as Wrinkle-Skin: At the hole where he went in Red-Eye called to Wrinkle-Skin. Hear what little Red-Eye saith: “Nag, come up and dance with death!” It’s hard not to read these repeated images of hides, pelts and furs as comments on an imperial culture in which fortune and fate are determined by skin colour. Kill or be killed, bite or be bitten, skin or be skinned—this is the law of “The Jungle Book”.

Howard W. French

or an American president celebrated by many of his listeners as a returning native son, Barack Obama’s recent speech in a Nairobi stadium was a strange way to promote what he called an Africa “on the move.” Yes, there were plenty of feel-good moments in Nairobi, where a smiling Obama dined with family, dropped occasional phrases in Swahili, and danced with an easy grace to African rhythms before the cameras. It all thoroughly charmed an audience eager to embrace him. But if one listened carefully, boiling down the message of the first Kenyan-American president (as he proudly called himself on this trip), what remained was an odd mixture of anachronistic and patronizing tropes plucked from the musty rucksack of American policy discourse toward the continent. Sure, there were lots of references to fighting terrorism and to other relatively recent U.S. priorities, including the highly laudable goals of educating more girls and giving them equal opportunity, and defending the rights of lesbians and gays. Yet the themes Obama hammered away at most insistently stemmed from timeless caricatures of Africa. He spoke of wanting to do business with the continent on the basis of “trade not aid,” falsely furthering the old impression that Africa is a sinkhole for American development assistance, when in fact far more goes to other parts of the world. And he repeated the almost insulting truism that things work out best when Africans strive to solve their own problems — as if Africans have not been striving to do so all along. Aside from this, Obama’s speech presented two major problems. The first is that even his tentative efforts to praise the continent’s potential — he spoke, for example, of surging mobile phone usage rates — didn’t adequately convey the scale and pace of change that Africa has seen in the last decade or so. One would scarcely have gotten a sense of this from his words, or indeed from most American news coverage of Africa, but the last fifteen years has been a time of general reduction in conflict, of democratic consolidation in many places, and especially of economic growth. Far from waiting on the kindness of outsiders, who built few schools for them during decades of colonial rule, African countries are now, on average, investing impressive amounts (measured as a percentage of GDP) in education. Second, and closely related to the president’s disappointingly traditional messaging, is the fact that the United States has remained relatively detached from and even irrelevant to many of these changes. A consistent question among Obama’s audiences in Kenya and Ethiopia, as well as among virtual ones across the continent, heard in journalists’ interviews, in fact, was, “Where oh where are the Americans?” The continent has famously seen a huge boom in the presence of Chinese people and business interests — both trade and investment — in the last decade or so. Less well-publicized, but just as real, many African countries are drawing interest from a wide variety of other foreign governments and business people, including nontraditional partners like Turkey, Vietnam, Russia, Malaysia, and Brazil. During this same period, the American presence on the continent has flagged, and numbers measuring U.S. economic engagement have stagnated. Obama himself spent less than 24 hours in sub-Saharan Africa

n 1405 a Chinese Muslim eunuch, Zheng He, launched the first of seven voyages west from China across the Indian Ocean. Over the next 30 years, in command of the world’s largest fleet and funded by the Ming emperor, he sailed to the east coast of Africa and deep into the Persian Gulf. That much, we know, is true. But some people believe he went much farther—and this map is one reason. Entitled “General chart of the integrated world”, it is apparently an 18th-century copy of a 1418 map which claims to show the world that Zheng He discovered. If it is real, it rewrites history, for it shows that he circumnavigated the globe and—most provocatively—that he discovered America more than 70 years before Columbus. The map came to light in 2001 when a Shanghai lawyer, Liu Gang, says he bought it from a local dealer for around $500. He believes it proves that Zheng navigated the waters around both poles, the Americas, the Mediterranean and Australia too. In 2003 Gavin Menzies used it as evidence for his book “1421: the year China discovered the world”. The outlines of the continents on the map are instantly recognisable. Some aspects are characteristically Chinese: the blue, fan-like waves are part of China’s cartographic tradition, as are the

during his first term, and put off what will likely be regarded as his most important visit to the continent until late in his second term. By contrast, China’s top leaders — either its president or prime minister — have been visiting Africa on a near-annual basis. The relative newcomers to the African economic scene are drawn by a sense of great opportunity. For starters, economic growth in Africa as a region is roughly on par with Asia’s, and perhaps even a tad faster. The continent’s population is booming in ways that suggest even greater strengthening of these trends ahead. Over the next few decades, for example, no other part of the world will have as many people of prime working age. Already, no other part of the world is urbanizing faster. Contrary to widespread perception, Africa’s recent economic growth is increasingly driven by services and, to a lesser but still important degree, by manufacturing. This translates into less dependence on the traditional pillar of natural resources, which have a poor record of driving development and generating widely shared wealth. By sticking so closely to an old-fashioned script, Obama squandered a unique chance to explain the changing realities of the continent to the American public. Over the short term this probably entails less American investment, which is, to be sure, a loss for Africa. It also means that fewer American business people will think of Africa as a place for trade and investment, which represents a continued loss of markets for the U.S. economy. One of Obama’s messages stood out as particularly outmoded. This was the idea, to which he returned frequently, that Africa is glued in place, and unable to advance, because of corruption. Speaking before the African Union, in Addis Ababa, Obama came dangerously close to framing the giving of bribes as “the African way,” claiming that “nothing will unlock Africa’s economic potential more than ending the cancer of corruption.” We can all readily agree that corruption is a scourge, but there is little factual basis to the idea that Africa is substantially more corrupt than many other parts of the world. Moreover, plenty of countries that are widely viewed as deeply corrupt have been historically strong economic performers, ranging from many of the so-called Asian tigers, such as South Korea and Japan, to more recent examples such as China, India, or Brazil. Indeed, America’s own history of corruption, which Obama alluded to glancingly, suggests the same. Similarly, there is little to no evidence to support Obama’s claim that corruption is the biggest impediment to Africa’s development. What of the many corrupt features of the international economic system, supported by the United States and other wealthy countries, such as laws that allow their corporations to register in tax havens like the Bahamas, form multiple shell companies, and drastically understate the value of their operations in poor countries? What of the ways that big international banks thrive off of illicit income streams of African leaders and their foreign partners, and help them shield their fortunes? A critique of African corruption would certainly have been much more credible if it had been seen as part of a far bigger picture. To these ears, Obama’s rhetoric amounted, instead, to a distraction. He seemed almost to be suggesting that if Africans would only fix everything up and make their own countries tidy, more or less eliminating corruption in the process, that they would

then be fortunate enough to attract American interest and investment. The logic behind this assumption is deeply flawed. Return on investment in Africa is already among the highest in the world, meaning that risk and hardship are handsomely rewarded. Moreover, the Africa of tomorrow is being built today, in cities like Addis Ababa, where Obama spoke, and in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where I listened to him. In places like these, and in many others around the continent, giant, modern communities are being forged, replete with extensive new telecommunications networks and transportation infrastructure, including new urban railway systems. Most of the corresponding investment is based on deals struck with others (not only the Chinese). In other words, Africa’s future partnerships are being built right now, and so far the United States is almost totally absent. Washington’s one significant initiative in this regard, the Obama administration’s Power Africa program, which was intended to have a major impact on electricity generation around the continent through private investment, has so far achieved little. It is uncertain what support it will enjoy in Washington after Obama leaves office. The Obama message on politics was scarcely better. Here, he spoke of the need for greater democratization, including free and fair elections and respect for presidential term limits. Yet he ended up fatally muddling the message. In Ethiopia, he suggested that the government of his host country was “democratically elected,” even though the ruling party there had recently won 100 percent of the seats in parliament, as was once common in a bygone authoritarian era across Africa. Just a few hours before this speech, he had criticized another election, in Burundi, as “not credible” (though there the opposition won 23 percent of the vote). This fooled no one in Africa, and conveyed an impression that Washington’s commitment to democracy and human rights on the continent is deeply unserious. American policy is heavily driven by security interests, most of which are linked to the struggle against radical Islam. Washington speaks up about democracy only in states where it judges its interests to be marginal, like Burundi or Zimbabwe, or in countries whose leaders it has other reasons to oppose, like Sudan. Meanwhile, a bevy of longtime security partners like Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Uganda, all highly authoritarian, with a history of presidents who stay in office as long as they can, get a free pass. (While he later gave a speech criticizing leaders who stay in office too long, he did not deign to name names.) In other strongly authoritarian countries, like Angola or Equatorial Guinea, where there are important economic stakes tied to oil, Washington is also all but mute about democracy (or corruption, for that matter). In short, America now confronts a familiar dilemma in its relations with Africa. It involves what I call the “yes, but” problem. Tell Americans the continent is becoming more democratic, as it has been gradually, if fitfully, for years, and they tell you “Yes, but there are dictators and conflicts here and there.” Tell them it is growing demographically, and they say, “Yes, but the people there are poor.” Tell them that it is growing economically, and they say “Yes, but it’s corrupt, and so hard to do business there.” Tell them that their closest partners are authoritarians or despots, and they say, “Yes, but their countries are at peace. Isn’t that enough?” Changing the United States’ troubled and distant relationship will mean working hard to overcome a deep tradition of low expectations, and of systematic disregard for Africa’s potential. Even beyond his unique personal biography, the one thing the Obama visit showed is the eagerness of Africans to engage with the United States toward positive ends. The sad reality, given the scant time remaining in Obama’s term and the American political calendar, is that finding the will to respond will probably have to await whoever follows the first African-American president.

Did China discover America? rosie Blau Intelligent Life annotations with textual descriptions of places. The map is impressively detailed. It shows the two hemispheres of the world, a convention for depicting the round Earth on flat paper. The contours of North and South America are clear, as are the rivers running from far inland. We can see the Arctic. And the Himalayas, among whose foothills Zheng He was born, are marked as the highest mountain range in the world. It is these detailed elements, however, that give the game away. Only Europeans represented the globe this way. European explorers completed travels like this over the course of hundreds of years, rather than Zheng He’s 30, which makes it almost impossible that his maritime voyage would have had such a specific grasp of river courses. The Arctic appears first on a Ming

Chinese map only in 1593. And the world’s greatest mountain range was labelled as such only in the 19th century. “This map is a complete nonsense,” says Professor Timothy Brook of the University of British Columbia. He believes that what you see here is a copy of a European map from the early 17th century. But it is still interesting, because of the stories attached to it and the recent hype surrounding Zheng He. He was certainly a great mariner, but had been largely forgotten until the late 1990s when the history of his quest was resurrected and he was embraced as a national hero. As Brook puts it: “The West had a Columbus and the Chinese needed one.” The debate over the veracity of this map is emblematic of the current arguments over China’s role on the world stage. President Xi Jinping hails Zheng

WRITE-WING

He as one of China’s great innovators and an example of its early, peaceful exchanges overseas. Though he does not claim that Zheng He found America, he holds up his voyages as an inspiration for a new maritime silk road that is now being promoted to expand Chinese trade and influence abroad. Though Columbus and Zheng He both sailed the seas, their purposes were quite different. Columbus’s mission was commercial, Zheng He’s diplomatic: he was sent to bring back envoys from other countries to pay homage to the new Yongle emperor, who had usurped power from his nephew and needed to find a way to assert his legitimacy. With the end of Zheng He’s life, China’s explorations on the high seas finished too. By this time there was a new emperor with less need to finance pricey expeditions. For the next few hundred years China largely turned in on itself. What would have happened if the Chinese fleet had been allowed to continue is one of the great counterfactuals of history. Instead, while Columbus forged his way to the New World, Zheng He died a quiet death—at sea or at home, it is not known—and few beyond China now know his name. Rosie Blau is a China correspondent for The Economist

Letters to the Editor should be sent to: The morung express, House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur - 797112, Or –email: morung@gmail.com All letters (including those via email) should have the full name and Postal address of the sender. 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.

FRiDAY 21•08•2015

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Myanmar’s Best Hope for Peace

Subject Matters John Harvey

Same Sex Marriage: India Could Do Better

Rebels of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, one of the groups the government hopes will endorse a nationwide cease-fire. (Reuters Photo) Thant Myint-U

NYT

yanmar is one step away from a historic deal that could end seven decades of internal armed conflict. On Aug. 6-7 representatives of the Myanmar government, including from the armed forces, met with leaders of the country’s ethnic armed groups and finalized the text of the Nationwide Cease-Fire Agreement. The N.C.A. took a year and a half of negotiations — I helped advise the government during that time — and required difficult compromises on all sides. It is no simple truce, but rather a complex set of military and political undertakings. It also provides early measures to begin comprehensive political talks about constitutional reform and the long-divisive issue of federalism, and about a formal peace agreement that would permanently end the war. The only outstanding question is which groups exactly will become parties to the N.C.A. The government insists that the agreement should initially be signed only by the 15 armed groups with which it already has bilateral cease-fire agreements. It also wants to exclude three small ethnic armed groups the army has clashed with recently, as well as a few unarmed ethnic organizations. Much now rests on the willingness of the 15 main groups to sign on to the plan. The Kachin Independence Army fought pitched battles with the government as recently as 2012 and feelings are still raw. The United Wa State Army, which enjoys full autonomy in the territory it controls, is worried about losing its privileges. At this critical moment, the international community should throw its full weight behind the N.C.A. and stand ready to assist in its speedy implementation. Myanmar cannot move forward, with either democratization or economic development, without a formal and permanent halt to the fighting. Myanmar (then Burma) achieved independence from Britain in 1948. The civil war broke out within months, pitting the government first against a communist insurgency, then against an array of other rebellions, mostly involving ethnic minorities. Today, there are hundreds of village militias and well over a dozen ethnic armed groups — the

most powerful of which, the United Wa State Army, has at least 20,000 armed fighters. War has become a way of life along the borders with China and Thailand. Truces have been made and broken. Distrust still runs high on all sides. With Myanmar just a few months away from a general election, the window of opportunity to make peace may close soon. Political energy is already turning toward the campaign and the selection of presidential candidates. A collapse in the N.C.A. process could trigger an upsurge in violence, which is the last thing Myanmar needs with its democratic transition still in the balance and the economy only just moving forward. Were there to be a retreat now, it would take many years to get back to this point. On the other hand, if the N.C.A. is signed over the coming few weeks, the upcoming election could give the peace process more momentum. Certainly, a cease-fire and the beginning of comprehensive political talks would be a boon to Myanmar’s next government. The N.C.A. will consolidate the 15 bilateral cease-fires already in place. Under the agreement, all sides undertake to adopt a military code of conduct and establish a Joint Monitoring Committee to investigate and adjudicate any future clashes. Some parts of the accord are designed to prevent fresh fighting by establishing liaison offices for the various armed groups and carefully demarcating their areas of control. Others are meant to improve living conditions for the hundreds of thousands of people in conflict-affected areas, through joint projects to promote health, education and even environmental conservation, and to manage the return of displaced people. As soon as the agreement is signed, the ethnic armed groups will no longer be considered illegal, allowing them to associate with political parties. Discussions on the comprehensive political dialogue could then begin, not just among the belligerents, but also within the political establishment, including civil society associations and opposition parties like the National League for Democracy. The N.C.A. states that the political talks will focus on the creation of a federal system of government. This, too, is a major accomplishment, considering that the army has long equated fed-

eralism with separatism and the word “federalism” itself was virtually taboo in official circles until a few years ago. The one remaining hurdle is uncertainty about which groups may or will sign the N.C.A. Three small organizations that have no arms are not invited to join the N.C.A., although they will be able to participate in the political dialogue. The government fears that allowing them to sign the agreement would prompt similar demands from a slew of other political organizations. The government also insists that the Arakan Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army — with which the army has been fighting over the past several months in the northeastern part of the country — each come to some bilateral agreement with the government (as the 15 main groups have done) before they can sign the N.C.A. Among the 15 groups that are invited to join the N.C.A., views vary. The Karen National Union, the oldest and one of the largest ethnic armed groups, has declared its intention to endorse the deal. So have the Restoration Council of the Shan State and two Karen groups. But the Kachin Independence Army and the United Wa State Army have seemed reluctant. The situation is changing daily, however, and a meeting of ethnic armed groups is expected to take place on Friday. At this precarious juncture, the international community needs to state, far more clearly and loudly than it has, that it supports the N.C.A. and stands ready to provide the assistance necessary for its full implementation. An array of activities, from clearing land mines to setting up the Joint Monitoring Committee, will require technical assistance and funding from abroad, and fast. There should be a coordinated response, involving not only the United Nations and Western donors like the European Union, Switzerland and Norway, but also China, India and Japan. The N.C.A. is a remarkable achievement. It is a major step toward ending one of the most intractable conflicts in Asia. And it comes at a sensitive time in Myanmar’s progress toward greater democratization. It deserves far more attention and support than it has received so far. Thant Myint-U, a historian, has been an adviser to the Myanmar government on the peace process since 2011.

he recent US nation-wide legalization of same-sex marriage in June 2015 is of course, a laudable step in the struggle for full equality for its LGBT+ citizens. How far does this move serve the LGBT+ masses of America? It would be impossible to succinctly expand on the types of marriage that have existed throughout human history, but an integral element (especially for the working classes), has been its role in ensuring economic security. So what about the economic security the working class LGBT+ in America, for whom in many states can be fired (and legally so) for being LGBT+? The prioritisation of same-sex marriage over livelihood security does not serve the most disadvantaged LGBT+, who cannot afford to migrate to a state where they are protected from workplace discrimination. What then, can India's LGBT+ movement do better? It is undeniable that the vast majority of gay women and men in the world still marry opposite-sex partners. Legalisation of samesex marriage maybe a dream so distant for most LGBT+ people who desperately need societal change before any change in law - such as not face the risk of alienation or 'shaming the family' for coming out, or to not risk losing their job simply for falling in love with the 'wrong' sex. This is the reality of modern India, and many men and women in America today. It is then the failure of same-sex marriage advocates to consider the real life context and diversity of those LGBT+ citizens it purports to serve, that India's LGBT+ movement could learn from. While these societal barriers in the US may be primarily religiously driven, India clearly has much more to contend with. An example of how not to do it is Celina Jaitley's American-style gay-liberation. As part of the UN's 'Free and Equal' campaign, her video features a male, fair skinned seemingly-wealthy same-sex Indian couple who are quickly accepted by their family at their wedding - it gets a plus point for using Hindi rather than English, but the portrayal is of the least marginalised of LGBT+ in India. Would a female same-sex couple with darker complexions, one perhaps from a Scheduled Caste and the other a Muslim, have shaken up India too much? Heterosexual India needs to be enlightened as to the reality of LGBT+ India around them, rather than confining LGBT+ people to a Bollywood prototype. I digress to accept that films like Dostana, with its underlying message of gay-acceptance, may provide a starting point for LGBT+ sensitisation, but we must ask the question: in a highly diverse, class and caste-structured society like India, can these efforts translate into meaningful change for all LGBT+ people? Using cinema to promote LGBT+ acceptance through male, same-sex love marriages among economically advantaged Indians serves to confine issues to the world of cinema alone, especially in a society where heterosexuals are expected to self-sacrifice in deciding their marriage partner. Self-sacrifice is a wonderful value that many western countries can borrow from India, but without the excesses that produce relationships for the sake of economics and reputation. It is then the duty of the LGBT+ movement to target the real barriers that produce the oppression and stigmatisation of LGBT+ in India; marriage, love and happiness are inadequate solutions for a far more complex context. It is only when the barriers are both identified and targeted can India really achieve an LGBT+ movement that rivals the USA, rather than imitating it. This will serve to create a strong, effective movement with a lasting change. It is the wider social biases that are carried through into the LGBT+ movement that serve to detriment, fragment and serve a small minority of LGBT+ in India. The first step is to celebrate the diversity of India's LGBT+, like the auto-wallas, officeprofessionals, dark and light skinned, Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus and Atheists, Scheduled Castes and Tribes, Rich and Poor. The second step is not to simplify the cultural barriers as only being unique to LGBT+ people - there is a necessity to recognise both the narrative of the immorality/culture/sin and shame connected to homosexuality but also the connection with the restrictions placed on how non-LGBT+ people are expected to live. Repetitive American Bollywood-esque platitudes like Celina Jaitley's, no matter how positive her intentions are, neglect the diversity and opportunity that India's LGBT+ citizens have to set a precedent for engagement and inclusivity, and to develop a movement that is truly transformative. To phrase it quite simply: India can do much, much better. John Harvey, is an MSc Development Studies graduate from SOAS, University of London. His areas of specialism include gender and South Asia. His research and work experience to date are reflective of this, and have recently completed a 4 month internship at UN Women MCO, New Delhi. With his experience in working with civil societies in New Delhi he actively writes on the subjects of gender, sexuality, racial and caste politics, human rights, religion and South Asia. Feedback can be emailed to johnalbertharvey@btinternet.com

Fading Tradition in Spain Gets an Unusual Boost: A Shepherd School Raphael Minder New York Times

ur ing the summer months, Josep Jordana, a 56-year-old sheep farmer, moves his flock from this hamlet of just a dozen residents, perched on the Catalan side of the Pyrenees, up a dirt track to graze at higher altitudes. He spends his days walking up and down the slopes in search of the lushest pastures, generally trying to keep his 1,300 sheep close together but occasionally needing to isolate a maimed animal or a newborn lamb and its mother. Shepherding is a tough and solitary job that mountain farmers have passed on for as long as anybody here can remember — “at least seven or eight generations” in the case of Mr. Jordana’s family, he said. But steadily, as rural communities like this one are slowly depleted, that tradition is changing. For the past four months, Mr. Jordana, who has no children, has been teaching sheep farming to Laura Madrid, 28, an unlikely shepherd if ever there was one. With a master’s degree in biology, Ms. Madrid had originally planned to pursue a doctorate in her home city, Barcelona — until she decided to apply to Catalonia’s school of shepherds. Mr. Jordana said he was still coming to terms with the idea that

shepherding could be taught in a school and rewarded with a certificate delivered by the regional ministry of agriculture. “It used to be just something that you learn from your dad,” he said. Still, he acknowledged that without the arrival of people like Ms. Madrid from the cities there would soon be nobody willing to take over the ancestral shepherd’s crook, as well as to maintain rural traditions and remote communities like Aguiró. “The survival of sheep isn’t at risk — because there will always be a sheep farming industry — but the values and traditions of the shepherds certainly are,” Mr. Jordana said. From 1982 to 2009, the number of sheep farms in Catalonia almost halved, from 3,964 to 2,085, according to the most recent census. There are no official statistics for the number of shepherds, but fewer than a dozen now work in the mountains of Catalonia, and most of them are nearing retirement age, according to the Catalan school of shepherds. “We’re trying to maintain a generational handover that otherwise would probably no longer take place,” said Vanesa Freixa, the director of the school, which opened in 2009 and is one of four such schools across Spain. Ms. Madrid is among 14 students who this month will complete a fivemonth course run by the school.

Josep Jordana guided Laura Madrid in the practical aspects of sheep farming on the slopes of the Pyrenees.

The course starts with a month of classroom instruction, covering topics like nutrition and animal diseases. The students are then sent across the region to spend four months working alongside a veteran shepherd. Ms. Freixa said the intake of students had been kept deliberately low to keep the school “at a human scale,” even if the number of applicants was now more than double the available spots. She argued that the school’s popularity was not so much due to Spain’s near-record unemployment as it was to people’s desire for an alternative to the hustle and bustle of urban life. Half of her applicants already have a university degree, she said. “There is a whole new generation

that wants to live differently — and these are the candidates we really target, rather than those just seeking a job,” Ms. Freixa said. “More people believe in understanding and producing their own food, so becoming a shepherd is a choice that is courageous but also makes perfect sense for them.” Some shepherds certainly seem to enjoy the recognition that their profession is getting, albeit belatedly. “Until recently, the shepherd was often the idiot or the cripple in the family, the one who couldn’t do the most important farming work, but this is now a job for which you get respect,” said Armand Flaujat, who tends sheep for seven farmers during the summer months, high up in the meadows of Catalonia’s larg-

est nature park, which are covered with snow the rest of the year. Mr. Flaujat, however, also stressed that the survival of his job was closely linked to that of the brown bear, which was reintroduced in the Pyrenees two decades ago, using bears from Slovenia, as part of a multimillion-euro European Union environmental program called Life. The reintroduction of the bears caused tensions with local farmers, who demanded money from the European Union to protect their livestock from the bears, and to add mountain shepherds to safeguard their sheep. The subsidies mean that mountain shepherds in Catalonia can earn almost 3,000 euros, about $3,330, a month; the national minimum monthly wage in Spain is €756. “If it weren’t for the return of the bear, the mountain shepherd would have disappeared from many places by now,” Mr. Flaujat said. Similarly, the shepherd school relies on European and regional subsidies for about 70 percent of its annual budget of €67,000. It charges students €500 for the course, and the students receive food and lodging from their instructing shepherd in exchange for working for free. Ms. Freixa said three-quarters of those who had completed the course had found a farming job, although not necessarily as a shepherd. One, Xevi Crosas, 35, said his training as a shepherd was “a cata-

lyst to have the courage to start my own farming business.” Together with his girlfriend and another friend, he now produces mató, a Catalan cheese, as well as yogurt and meat from 120 sheep kept on a property that he leased in 2010. Almost half of the start-up investment of €110,000 came from European and other farming subsidies. Mr. Crosas previously worked in museums. His decision to train as a shepherd shocked his parents, particularly his father, who worked in construction but came from a family of farmers. “My dad’s idea was that making progress was precisely to leave the farm, get an education and end up in an office,” Mr. Crosas said. “But now he often comes to the farm and helps out.” Ms. Madrid, the former biology student, said working alongside Mr. Jordana had also helped reshape her views on education. “There are different types of knowledge, but it’s as important to know how to work in a lab as how to manage a plot of land,” she said. “I might know the name of a plant that he doesn’t know, but he clearly knows whether his sheep should eat that plant or not.” After the training with Mr. Jordana, Ms. Madrid said, she hopes to start tending sheep in another mountain town in October. “I guess I also enjoy the loneliness,” she said.

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FriDAY 21â&#x20AC;˘08â&#x20AC;˘2015

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Detention drama ensues in Kashmir ahead of NSA talks Pakistan cancels Commonwealth conference to highlight Kashmir

A combination photo of Kashmiri separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Srinagar, auguSt 20 (ianS): Senior Kashmiri separatist leaders were On Thursday placed under house arrest here ahead of their scheduled meeting with Pakistan National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz in New Delhi. They were released within an hour. Separatist leaders were placed under house arrest in Srinagar to maintain law and order, a senior police officer told IANS. Hurriyat's moderate faction chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was placed under house arrest in the morning in his Nigeen residence. "A posse of police arrived at Mirwaiz's residence and placed him under arrest today (Thursday) morning. Another senior leader of the conglomerate, Moulana Abbas Ansari, too was put under house arrest. Houses of senior Hurriyat leaders Javaid Ah-

mad Mir and my residence were raided by police early morning," Shahid-ul-Islam, secretary of Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, told IANS. The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has invited Kashmiri separatist leaders for a meeting with Aziz ahead of the India-Pakistan NSA-level talks scheduled on August 23. Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani was put under detention in his uptown Hyderpora residence in the city. "I am ill. I have a bad chest and have been under house arrest since April 17 this year," Geelani told IANS over the phone. He said his political movement has been curtailed by the state authorities. Pro-Independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik said he was arrested by police from his Maisuma resi-

dence in Srinagar and taken to Kothibagh police station. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday ridiculed the orders to put senior separatist Kashmiri leaders under house arrest and their subsequent release, ahead of NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan. "Why? No absence of coordination, centre says arrest so arrested, centre says release, so released. Perfect coordination", Abdullah said on his widely followed Twitter account while reacting to the house arrest and subsequent release of all senior separatist leaders within less than an hour of their arrest. Abdullah was reacting to the state government's decision to place senior separatist leaders like Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Abbas Ansari and Muhammad Yasin Malik un-

iSLaMaBaD, auguSt 20 (rEutErS): Pakistan has cancelled the Commonwealth parliamentary conference due to tensions with India over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, officials said on Thursday, days before the two nuclear-armed neighbours are due to meet. The conference, to be held in the Pakistani capital on Sept. 30, has been cancelled because legislators from Indian-administered Kashmir have planned to attend, said parliamentary speaker Ayaz Sadiq. India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Kashmir. Both claim full ownership of the region, but administer separate parts of it. Pakistan "saw an opportunity to raise the Kashmir issue" by refusing to host the conference, Sadiq said. "When it is clear that we have fought wars over this, brought resolutions in the United Nations, then how can we abandon our point of view (on Kashmir) now?" he said. On Wednesday, the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi said it had scheduled a meeting with Kashmiri separatist leaders for August 23. der house arrest in Srinagar on Thursday morning. The separatist leaders alleged the authorities arrested them to pre-empt their scheduled meeting with Pakistan National Security Advisor Sartaj Aziz on August 23 in New Delhi. In a surprise move, authorities on Thursday afternoon decided to lift the house arrest restrictions on the separatist leaders. Pakistan's national security advisor Sartaj Aziz is meanwhile scheduled to meet Hurriyat Conference leaders during the two-day meeting of the National Security Advisors (NSA) of the two countries in New Delhi beginning on Sunday, a top official said. Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah made the announcement during the weekly news briefing in

Islamabad on Thursday, Radio Pakistan reported. The Hurriyat leaders have been invited to attend the reception on Sunday being hosted by Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi Abdul Basit in honour of Aziz and his delegation. Khalilullah said Pakistan expects India to allow the leaders to meet Aziz. During the NSA meet, Pakistan will raise all bilateral issues with India, including Kashmir, the spokesman said. He said Pakistani and Indian authorities were in contact to finalise the agenda for the talks. Khalilullah said there were serious issues between the two countries and negotiations were necessary for resolving them. Pakistan wishes to maintain good relations with all its neighbouring countries which requires a peaceful atmosphere, he observed.

Dabholkar murder case: 2 Ex-servicemen to scale up OROP protest years on, mystery remains PunE, auguSt 20 (ianS): It has been exactly two years since rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead here, but his killers continue to elude the law. In protest, several hundred activists, including his wife and two children, held a march here on Thursday. Dabholkar, a medico-turnedcampaigner against superstititions and black magic who headed the Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ANS), was gunned down by motorcycleborne assailants during a morning walk on August 20, 2013. "It has been two years and investigators are yet to achieve a breakthrough. We have a single-point demand: nab his killers," said his daughter Mukta Dabholkar, who with her brother Hamid have been carrying forward their father's legacy. Stung by severe criticism over the failure of the investigators, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced a team of police officials to assist the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is handling the case. The team would include an assistant commissioner of police, four inspectors and two sub-inspectors. "We have made them available taking into consideration the demand of the CBI," Fadnavis said. In a sensational disclosure on Thursday, senior Congress leader Narayan Rane said then home minister, the late R.R. Patil, "was close to crack-

nEw DELhi, auguSt 20 (ianS): The ex-servicemen's protest over the delay in the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) for military pensioners will be scaled up in the coming days as most veterans have refused to go by the government assurances. The ex-servicemen will on Friday symbolically burn their gallantry medals, which they earlier tried to

return to President Pranab Mukherjee. "At 11.30 a.m. on Friday, we will consign our medals to flames. The indefinite hunger strike and the agitation will not be called off until OROP is granted," said retired Major General Satbir Singh, chairman of the United Forum of Ex-Servicemen. The veterans, before begining their agitation at the Jantar Mantar here, sent around 22,000 medals back

to the president. Meanwhile, the indefinite hunger strike by retired Colonel Pushpender Singh and former Havildar Major Singh continued for the fourth day on Thursday. It was the third day of the fast for retired Havildar Ashok Chauhan. A section of the protesting ex-servicemen had urged them to give up their fast till August 26 as the veterans are trying to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

ing the case". "I would like to tell you, R.R. (Patil) was close to cracking the case... and I am witness to it," Rane told mediapersons. He dismissed the present government's moves alleging that with Fadnavis at the helm, "I am sure they would not be able to reach the killers". Earlier in Pune, protesters gathered at 7.55 a.m. at the exact spot and time when Dabholkar was shot dead, and marched from Omkareshwar Bridge to Mehendale Garage, around two kilometres, carrying placards and banners and raising slogans. The Dabholkar siblings, along with their mother Shaila, led the march of rationalist-activists who wore black bands. In attendance at the protest march was Sandip Shetty, brother of slain RTI activist Satish Shetty, slain Communist leader Govind Pansare's daughter Smita, film stars, social activists and prominent citizens from across the state. The march caps a year-long campaign, including street plays, performed to highlight Dabholkar's ideology and marches all over Maharashtra. "It is a shame that the government has failed to nab the assailants even two years after the murder," Hamid said. Earlier, he accused the government of "trying to hide something" since all evidence have been handed over but there had been no breakthrough. For nearly a year, Maharashtra Police tried to crack Vehicles move along a flooded road after a heavy rain downpour in Chandigarh. (REUTERS Photo) the case but without success.

Cabinet nods India-Seychelles pact to curb black money nEw DELhi, auguSt 20 (ianS): In a major move against black money stashed away abroad, the union cabinet on Thursday approved the signing and ratification of an agreement between India and Seychelles for exchanging information on tax issues. "The government is fully committed to tackle black money. This is a very important agreement with Seychelles for the exchange of information in this regard," Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Information received under the agreement shall be treated as confidential and may be disclosed only to persons or authorities (including courts or administrative bodies) concerned with assessment, collection, enforcement, prosecution or determination of appeals, in relation to taxes covered under the agreement," an official statement said. Last month, India and the US signed an inter-governmental agreement to implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) towards greater transparency between the two countries on tax matters. As per this inter-governmental agreement under a new US law, Indian financial institutions would have to reveal information about US taxpayers to the revenue department which would be passed on to the US tax authorities. In turn, the US will also share financial information with India. "It reaffirms the government of India's commitment to fight the menace of black money. It is hoped that the exchange of information on automatic basis regarding offshore accounts under the FATCA would deter tax offenders, enhance tax transparency and eventually bring in higher equity into the direct tax regime," Revenue Secretary Shaktikanta Das, who signed the agreement on India's behalf, said on the occasion. Last November, in Australia, India and the other G20 countries agreed to automatically exchanging tax information on a reciprocal basis by the end of 2018.

Pacific island countries key to India's 'Act East' policy: President nEw DELhi, auguSt 20 (ianS): Economic linkages and co-operation with Pacific island countries are key factors in India's extended 'Act East' policy and New Delhi proposes to extend cooperation with these nations in capacity-building and healthcare, among others, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday. Even though India is separated from the Pacific island countries by oceans and continents, it is proud to have a long tradition of close friendship with them, Mukherjee told the heads of states who will participate in the 2nd Summit of 'Forum for India-Pacific Island Countries' (FIPIC), when they called on him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here. He said the Indian government attaches great importance to its relations with their friends among the Pacific island countries. "The Pacific island countries are generously endowed with natural resources. India would be happy to work with them in harnessing their mineral, marine and hydrocarbon resources, the president said. The Indian government as well as the private sector are keen to strengthen and diversify bilateral trade and encourage investments in fisheries, agriculture, oil and natural gas, mining and water desalination, he added. Mukherjee said India appreciates the support it has received from them for its candidature for a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council. The second FIPIC summit would be held on August 21 in Jaipur. FIPIC has as its members India and 14 Pacific island countries - Fiji, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Mukherjee said: "We particularly appreciate the way that your nations have made the Indian diaspora feel comfortable and secure in distant lands." "Our government attaches great importance to its relations with our friends in the Pacific island countries. We believe our economic linkages and co-operation with your countries are a key factor in India's extended 'Act East' policy". The president said that India proposes to enhance its engagement in sectors where their interests converge, like human resource development, capacity-building, healthcare, affordable, clean and renewable energy, adaptation measures for disaster management and infrastructure development. "India is committed to partner with you in your efforts to achieve the developmental goals of your respective nations. I am convinced that our bilateral cooperation has much greater potential waiting to be realised," he added.

Onions turn dearer, prices likely to go up further nEw DELhi, auguSt 20 (ianS): With onion prices across the country on the upswing, the common man is feeling the pinch. Onion prices crossed the Rs 70 per kg mark at many places on Thursday with most people complaining that the government was not doing enough to contain the price rise. The Nashik-based National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF), in its latest report, has said that the onion prices are likely to remain on the higher side till Septemberend. The foundation also pointed out that out of the storage stock of 40 lakh tonnes in July this year, 50 percent has been consumed and only about 1618 lakh tonnes is left over.

In the national capital, onions were selling at Rs.65 per kg in retail, up from Rs.25 per kg just over a month ago. In Chandigarh, Shimla and adjoining areas, onions were selling at Rs.70 per kg and even more. "We have told our customers that onions will no longer be served as a salad item free of cost. They have to pay Rs 30 extra for a plateful of onions," Pritam Singh, a dhaba owner in Chandigarh told IANS. With the festival season round the corner, onion prices in Mumbai could breach the Rs.100 per kg mark soon, a top official said in India's commercial capital on Thursday. "Presently, the wholesale rate is around Rs.55/ kg, which is expected to go up another average of

15 percent over the next couple of days. This will have a natural effect in the retail markets," Agriculture Produce Market Committee (Onions & Potato) chief Ashok Walunj told IANS. Given the ongoing dry spell in most parts of Maharashtra, Walunj apprehended that the retail onion prices in urban centres like Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur could breach the Rs.100 per kg mark in the next couple of weeks. The wholesale prices of onion in Lasalgaon market in Maharashtra's Nashik district, during August increased by around 65 percent compared to the previous month and around 117 percent compared to last August. "Onion prices started increasing from mid-July onwards in the Maharash-

tra and other markets due to less arrival because of slow release of stored stock by the farmers with the expectation of more prices in the coming days due to erratic rains in Maharashtra and the delayed kharif crop," the NHRDF pointed out. "The wholesale prices of onion in Delhi market during the month of August 2015 increased by around 52 percent compared to previous month and around 63 percent compared to last year during August," the foundation added. As per data available with Agmarknet, an initiative of the agriculture ministry, the average all-India wholesale price of normal sized onion was Rs.5,000 per quintal and Rs.6,800 per quintal for the large-

sized ones. Local vendors in Maharashtra say that transportation issues and irregular rains have led to the hike in the onion prices, adding to the miseries of the buyers. The prices are likely to increase even further, they said. "Last week my most of the stock got destroyed due to rain. We cannot transport the commodity everyday to the mandi but have to store them here," Shashi Kumar, an onion trader at New Delhi's Azadpur mandi told IANS. A vegetable seller in Lucknow's Hariharnagar Market told IANS that the onion prices last month were Rs.25 a kg and then started steadily rising. Housewives blame the onion price rise to "hoarding and black marketing".

Bina Sharma, a retired doctor living in Lucknow's Nirala Nagar, told IANS: "Onion prices are out to destroy our household budget once again. We were very hopeful after the (Narendra) Modi government was sworn in but prices have gone up and now we are a worried lot." Two people connected with onion trade in Bengaluru blamed the rains for the high onion prices. "Onion prices have shot up because all the sown onion seeds got washed away due to rains. Now, the prices will only reduce if onions from Maharashtra get supplied. If onions do not come from Maharashtra, the high prices will prevail," said S. Balakrishna, vice president, Bagatha Onion Union Association, Bengaluru.

"All the old onion stock is over, new onions should come from Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh for the onion price to reduce. It will take three months, maybe from December better onion prices will be available," said Santosh Kumar of Annai Traders in Russell Market, Shivaji Nagar, Bengaluru. Kumar is currently selling onions in three grades, a kilogram of premium onions at Rs.56-60, medium onions at Rs.28 and basic quality at Rs.24. In Kerala, where Onam festival is round the corner, onion prices are causing worries. "Today, I am selling it at Rs.65 a kg, whereas a week back it was Rs 40. With the festival season of Onam round the corner the price could cross Rs 70," veg-

etable vendor Ramesh told IANS in Thiruvananthapuram. Reshmi Nair, a housewife in the Kerala capital, said that for the time being, she is saved as last week she purchased around five kg of onions at Rs.39 per kg and this would last through the Onam week. Some housewives are cutting down on onion usage in their homes. "I use onions in every vegetable, but the steep hike in the prices has now forced me to do without onions in my kitchen. For me it is no more affordable at Rs.70 a kg," Archana Bharti, a housewife, told IANS in Shimla. "The common man feels cheated by the continuous price rise of essential commodities," she added, blaming the Modi government for not doing enough to check onion prices.

FriDAY 21•08•2015

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Int’l terrorists ‘unlikely’ responsible for Bangkok bomb BANGKOK, AuGust 20 (ReuteRs): International terrorists were not suspected of a bomb attack in Bangkok this week that killed 20 people and China was not the target, Thai authorities said on Thursday, as police said they believed at least 10 plotters were involved. There has been no claim of responsibility for the Monday evening attack on a famous shrine crowded with tourists, which the government has said was designed to wreck the economy. Authorities have not blamed any group for carrying out Thailand’s worst bombing. “Security agencies have cooperated with agencies from allied countries and have come to the preliminary conclusion that the incident is unlikely to be linked to international terrorism,” said Colonel Winthai Suvaree, a spokesman for Thailand’s ruling junta, known as the National Council for Peace and Order. The Erawan shrine is particularly popular with tourists from China and other East Asian countries, and 14 foreigners were among the dead, including seven from mainland China and Hong Kong, but Winthai said Chinese tourists were not believed to have been the target. He did not elaborate or say who might have been responsible. China is an important ally and trade partner for

Two Bangkok attack suspects surrender BANGKOK, AuGust 20 (IANs): Two men identified as suspects in the deadly bombing of a shrine in Thailand’s capital Bangkok on Thursday surrendered to the police, insisting they are tour guides, authorities have said. The pair were seen in security camera footage shortly before the blast took place on Monday evening when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off near the Brahma statue at the Erawan Shrine at the Ratchaprasong intersection in central Bangkok, killing 20 people and injuring 125 others, BBC reported. The men, in red and white T-shirts, rose from a bench shortly before the main suspect, in yellow, sat down and left behind his backpack. Officers are now questioning the pair. Earlier in the day, police said that at least 10 people might have been involved in the attack and were likely to be linked to an international terrorist network. “This operation was carried out by a big network,” said Royal Thai Police Commissioner General Somyot Poompanmoung. The chief suspect is “an unnamed male foreigner”, according to an arrest warrant issued Wednesday by a Thai court. The victims include nationals from China, Hong Kong, Britain, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

A police officer stands in front of the Erawan shrine, the site of a deadly blast, in central Bangkok, Thailand on August 18 (REUTERS Photo)

Thailand and the biggest source of foreign tourists. Police said on Wednesday a young man who was caught on grainy security camera footage planting the backpack bomb was believed to be European or Middle Eastern. On Thursday, authorities said the man in a yellow shirt and shorts, with thick, dark hair and a wispy beard and glasses might actually have been Thai and disguised to look foreign. The apparent elimina-

tion of foreign militant involvement will feed speculation that either Muslim separatists waging a lowintensity insurgency in southern Thailand, or domestic political activists, were involved. Police said at least 10 people were suspected of involvement and despite the focus of suspicion apparently shifting to a domestic plot, they appealed to Interpol for help in finding the man in the video. National police chief

Somyot Pumpanmuang said the investigation showed the attack was planned at least a month in advance by a “big network”. “This includes those who looked out on the streets, prepared the bomb and those at the site and ... those who knew the escape route. I believe there must have been at least 10 people involved,” Somyot told reporters. Referring to speculation about the origin of the man in the video, he said:

“The criminal could be someone from inside the country but was disguised to make himself appear a foreigner.” ‘REGION IN DANGER’ Checks at airports and other exit points found that no one matching the description of the main suspect had left the country since the attack, a police spokesman said. Somyot did not say who he believed the plotters were, or elaborate on

the investigation, but said no possibilities were being ruled out. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said the attack signalled a threat to the region. “This event has never happened in Thailand, it is dangerous for ASEAN,” he told reporters, referring to the Association of South East Asian Nations. He did not elaborate on the threat but also said the man in the video was in disguise. “It was as though he knew a camera was going

to be there,” he said. The blast comes at a sensitive time for Thailand, which has been riven for a decade by a sometimesviolent struggle for power between political factions in Bangkok. A parliament handpicked by a junta that seized power in a 2014 coup is due to vote on a draft constitution next month. Critics say the draft is undemocratic and intended to help the army secure power and curb the influence of elect-

ed politicians. The government has promised to restore democracy next year. The government is also dealing with flagging growth and on Thursday appointed a new finance minister and a deputy premier to oversee the economy. The Erawan shrine, which is dedicated to a Hindu deity but is popular with Buddhists in Thailand, has since reopened, with visitors leaving messages of condolence, flowers and candles.

Working overtime Ousted Myanmar ruling party Cyanide in waters near Tianjin port increases stroke risk chief survives parliament vote blast site 277 times acceptable level LONdON, AuGust 20 (IANs): People who work longer than the standard 35 to 40 hour week run significantly higher risk of stroke, says a study. The study involving over 600,000 individuals found that longer people work, the higher their chances of a stroke. Working 55 hours or more per week is linked to a 33 percent greater risk of stroke and a more modest 13 percent increased risk of developing coronary heart disease compared with working for standard seven to eight hours in a five-day week, the findings showed. “Health professionals should be aware that working long hours is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke, and perhaps also coronary heart disease,” said one of the researchers Mika Kivimaki, professor of epidemiology at University College London. The study published in the journal Lancet found that compared with people who worked standard hours, those working between 41 and 48 hours had a 10 percent higher risk of stroke, and those working 49 to 54 hours had a 27 percent increased risk of stroke. The researchers did a systematic review and metaanalysis of published studies and unpublished individual-level data examining the effects of longer working hours on cardiovascular disease up to August 20, 2014. The study involved 603,838 men and women from Europe, the US, and Australia. Although the causal mechanisms of these relationships need to be better understood, the authors suggest that increasing health-risk behaviours, such as physical inactivity and high alcohol consumption, as well as repetitive triggering of the stress response, might increase the risk of stroke.

UN troops accused of 3 rapes in CAR uNIted NAtIONs, AuGust 20 (AP): Three young females, including a minor, have accused United Nations peacekeepers of raping them in the Central African Republic, the U.N. announced Wednesday, just a week after the world body’s chief removed the head of the peacekeeping mission there over the handling of a series of similar allegations. The U.N. said the alleged rapes occurred in the city of Bambari, where peacekeepers from the Congo are stationed. Congo’s U.N. ambassador, Ignace Gata Mavita wa Lufuta, told The Associated Press that three members of Congo’s military have been accused and that he had just met with U.N. peacekeeping officials about looking into the allegations. He didn’t address the allegations but said it’s “not normal’’ that vulnerable people would be victims of those meant to protect them. A spokeswoman for Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, Vannina Maestracci, told reporters that families of the three young females made the allegations Aug. 12 and that the alleged rapes occurred in “recent weeks.’’ A statement from the peacekeeping mission, issued Wednesday, says U.N. headquarters was “immediately informed’’ of the allegations and that it was collecting “all available evidence.’’ Congo’s troops serve in no other U.N. peacekeeping missions, and its nearly 900 troops were accepted into the mission in Central African Republic at a time when few countries were volunteering people to serve in the chaotic country, which has been ripped by unprecedented violence between Christians and Muslims. Last August, the New York-based Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict said Congo’s troops, which were already in the country as part of an African Union mission, should be excluded from the U.N. mission. The advocacy network pointed out that Congo’s armed forces have been noted in Ban’s annual report on conflict-related sexual violence. They were included again this year.

YANGON, AuGust 20 (ReuteRs): Myanmar’s ousted ruling party chief narrowly survived a critical test on Thursday, when lawmakers voted to suspend discussion of a controversial bill that could have hastened his downfall amid the biggest political shake-up since the end of military rule. The vote highlighted the support in parliament for Shwe Mann, who was dramatically removed as chairman of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) by President Thein Sein last week but remains speaker of the lower house. “It was a close call. It’s maybe the second or third time ever that the Myanmar parliament has been so split. It’s extremely rare,” said Win Oo, a USDP lawmaker who spoke in favour of suspending the bill. Rival forces are vying for power in Myanmar, which has gone through a period of rapid reform since the ruling junta ceded power to a quasi-civilian government in 2011. After the sacking of Shwe Mann and the purging of his faction from the party’s executive committee, Myanmar’s election commission had urged the speaker to bring to a vote a recall bill setting out provisions for removing a legislator from office. Under the bill, lawmakers would lose their seats if 1 percent of constituents signed a petition to recall them and the election commission found the complaint against them justified.

Shwe Mann, who remains a USDP member, faces such a petition from his constituents for his support in June of bills to amend the constitution and limit the military’s role in politics. The ex-general still faces an uncertain political future after his rivalry with President Thein Sein came to a head last week, when trucks with security personnel sealed off the headquarters of USDP. In a legislative showdown on Thursday, lawmakers postponed discussion on the bill until the next session of parliament, which will come after an election that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy is expected to win. The outcome was a testament to Shwe Mann’s still powerful backing in parliament across party lines. “The results show there are more supporters of Shwe Mann in parliament and many even among the USDP lawmakers,” said Sithu Aung Myint, a political commentator. “It must have disappointed those opposing Shwe Mann.” Nobel laureate Suu Kyi said this week the bill was “ridiculous”, arguing the threshold for recalling a lawmaker should be set at around 20 percent of constituents. Myanmar’s commander-in-chief reiterated the need for the army to maintain its powerful role in politics, but said it would accept the results of the landmark Nov. 8 election in comments posted in English on his Facebook page on Thursday.

sHANGHAI, AuGust 20 (ReuteRs): Chinese authorities warned that cyanide levels in the waters around the Tianjin Port explosion site had risen to as much as 277 times acceptable levels although they declared that the city’s drinking water was safe. The local government also said it would relocate chemical plants away from the area, where thousands of nearby residents were forced to evacuate after toxic chemicals were detected in the air due to the explosions last week, which killed 114 people. A report from the Tianjin Environmental Protection Bureau issued on Wednesday said that tests conducted the day before showed that cyanide levels in the river, sea and waste water in the evacuated area surrounding the explosion site had risen sharply since the deadly blasts. One testing site at the mouth of a rain water pipe recorded cyanide levels 277 times above acceptable standards. Drinking water in Tianjin, however, met national standards, according to a separate statement from health authorities on Tuesday. The government has confirmed there were about 700

tonnes of the deadly chemical sodium cyanide in the warehouse that blew up late last Wednesday. Tianjin, the world’s 10thbusiest port, will relocate chemical plants from the Tianjin Binhai New Area where the blasts occurred to the Nangang Industrial Zone, 25 km (15.5 miles) away, according to the official China Daily, citing Tianjin Mayor Huang Xingguo. The Communist party’s anti-graft watchdog promised to crack down both on corruption and on those responsible for violating laws and regulations which had led to the explosions but stressed the importance of maintaining political stability, according to a statement on the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection website on Thursday. Chinese state media on Wednesday pointed fingers at executives of Ruihai, the company which owns the chemical warehouses, over the disaster, saying they used connections to obtain fire safety and environmental approvals. The Tianjin government announced on Wednesday that after days of investigations, they had determined the warehouses contained

2,500 tonnes of 40 types of dangerous goods, classified into three categories, according to the official Xinhua news agency. There were 1,300 tonnes of potentially explosive oxidising chemicals, including ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate, 500 tonnes of flammables, including sodium and magnesium, and 700 tonnes of deadly poisons, mainly sodium cyanide. Apartment buildings and a railway station were closer to the warehouse than allowed by Chinese regulations on storing dangerous materials, state media reported. The Tianjin government said it would conduct thirdparty assessments to determine whether to buy back some of the estimated 17,000 apartments damaged by the blasts, after hundreds of local residents demanded the government either provide compensation or buy back their damaged or destroyed property. “Apartments that should be torn down will be torn down, apartments that need to be rebuilt will be rebuilt, apartments that need to be repurchased will be repurchased,” said Vice Mayor Zong Guoying.

Australia seeks to become the delicatessen of Asia sYdNeY, AuGust 20 (ReuteRs): Australian farmers Rob and Jill Baker started growing native finger limes almost a decade ago. Today, top restaurants across Asia and Europe can’t get enough of the fruit known as “citrus caviar” due to the burst of tangy flavour when chewed. Finger limes are just one of a number of premium Australian agricultural products, including olive oil, honey, wagyu beef and organic baby food, now being sold in some of Asia’s top stores as Australia pushes to become Asia’s delicatessen. While Australia’s main agricultural products like wheat, rice, sugar and beef have traditionally fed Asia, there is now a wave of farmers like the Bakers moving to premium crops. “Australia can meet only a small percentage of Asia’s current food demand – let alone its future demand. That suggests that our opportunity isn’t so much to be the supermarket to Asia as its delicatessen – offering high-value, high-margin products,” said Rob McConnel, Deloitte agribusiness lead. The Australian Council of Learned Academies forecasts the value of all food exports doubling to A$710 billion ($520 billion) by 2050. International demand for Australia’s finger limes, an ancient Aboriginal food

and now a delicacy for Asia’s growing middle class, is pushing prices as high as A$40 to A$60 ($29.37 to $43.99) a kilo. “Chefs love them. They cover the three components of a modern dish, texture, visually they are very pretty as they look like caviar, and they give a dish an acid component,” said daughter Jacquie Baker, who oversees the sale of finger limes. “In modern food, especially Asian, you need an acid element,” explained Baker. However, Australian farmers must overcome a lack of brand awareness in Asia, compared with established premium products from nations like France, to tap this lucrative market. “Products in a delicatessen are considered to be worth the extra expense because they are brand name products with a good, well-established reputation for being ‘better’ than the average product,” says the Australian Farm Institute. And despite China’s estimated 4 million millionaires, the slowing growth of the world’s second-biggest economy could cast a cloud over Australia’s “Asian delicatessen” policy.

quinoa at the expense of traditional crops. Ten years ago the irrigated Ord Valley in Australia’s far northwest was dominated by sugar farming, but today it is the world’s largest producer of the South American crop chia, driven by former wheat farmer John Foss. His Chia Co now exports to 36 countries and Chinese regulators last year granted it permission to sell into mainland China. Global sales of chia, a nutrient-rich seed popular in smoothies and snack foods, are forecast to reach A$1.1 billion by 2020 due to demand for its use in cereals, snacks and beverages, according to a 2013 report by Food Navigator. Australia’s Capilano Honey has seen strong demand from Asia, particularly for its Manuka honey that is often used in alternative medicines for its antibacterial properties. Manuka honey is native to Australia and New Zealand and with limited supply prices can approach nearly A$150 a kilo in Asia. “If I feel sick or have a gastric ulcer, then I would immediately go buy the honey in Korean department stores even though VOGUE CROPS SPREADING the price is almost double,” said Korean This season, a record amount of chick- Su-Jung Bin, shopping at a store where 1 kg peas and lentils have been planted, along- (2.2 pounds) of Manuka honey was being side vogue products such as chia seeds and offered for 132,000 Korean won ($110.93).

Capilano doubled its sales to Asia in the year to March 2014 and posted 29 percent growth in sales revenue in Asia in the past year, according to its last two annual reports. With soaring export demand, the total value of Australia’s honey and beeswax production is forecast to hit record levels, having nearly doubled in the last six years to A$107 million. Australian organic baby food company Bellamy is making inroads into one of Asia’s toughest markets, China, and has customers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. At the upmarket IAPM mall in Shanghai’s French Concession, Bellamy’s Organic infant formula costs a hefty 398 yuan ($84). Bellamy sells its organic formula range in 160 Wal-mart stores in Guangdong and Guangxi, as well nationally to OLE supermarkets, and have distribution in select regional premium supermarkets and mother-and-baby chains across China. “We expect that this step into supermarket distribution will contribute to increasing the brand profile in the China market,” said Bellamy, a family firm started in 2004 in the island state of Tasmania and now a A$100 million company fuelled largely by fast-growing sales in Asia.

FriDAY 21•08•2015

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

public discourse i can't save athletics from doping on my own: bolt NscN (K) responds to article

BEIJING, AuGust 20 (REutERs): Olympic and world sprint champion Usain Bolt has been saddened by the focus on doping in the run-up to the world championships but said it was up to all clean athletes, not just him, to save the sport. The governing International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has spent the three weeks leading up to its showpiece event defending its record on doping after a string of embarrassing leaks. "It's really taken centre stage," the Jamaican told a news conference on Thursday. "All I've been hearing is doping, doping, doping, all the questions have been about doping. "It's sad that it's been at the forefront for the world championships and not the competition. "There's nothing I can do about it though." In the midst of the doping crisis, the sprint showdown between Bolt, who has never failed a drugs test, and in-form American Justin Gatlin, who has served two suspensions for using banned substances, has been billed as a battle for the soul of the sport. Gatlin's second positive test, in 2006, would normally have earned him a lifetime ban but after he agreed to co-operate with the anti-doping authorities that was cut to eight, and

t is obvious that Wangtin band is still being haunted by NSCN/ GPRN spirit of sovereignty. The eccentric and irrelevant anti-Sovereignty rant against NSCN/ GPRN implies that Wangtin band has no other issues than to demand settlement from NSCN/GPRN despite their expulsions and excommunications. However, the NSCN/GPRN is yet to receive any such demands in black and white from Wangtin band, it is

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt stretches out his leg at a news conference ahead of the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) World Championships, in Beijing, China, August 20. (REUTERS)

then four years. Bolt, who turns 29 on Friday, said he had no problem running against Gatlin if the rules say the former Olympic and world champion is eligible, and rejected the idea that, as the sport's biggest star, it was his responsibility to save it. "Initially I'm running for myself, that's what I do," he said. "People are saying I need to win for the sport but there's a lot of other athletes out there running clean, and who have run clean throughout their whole careers," he added. "I can't do it by myself, it's a responsibility of all

CAPE tOWN, AuGust 20 (REutERs): South Africa's parole review board has up to four months to conclude its decision on when Oscar Pistorius can be released from prison, a Justice Ministry spokesman said on Thursday. Paralympic gold medallist Pistorius, 28, was due to be released into house arrest on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend, model and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day 2013. Justice Minister Michael Masutha, however, on Wednesday blocked his proposed release because he said the decision was made without legal basis, an intervention the Pistorius family said left them "shocked and disappointed". Masutha said the parole board had wrongly taken a decision to release Pistorius on parole before the athlete had served a sixth of his sentence, as required by law. "The review board has four months in which to conclude the matter," Justice Ministry spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga told Reuters. "The minister cannot determine how they deal with the review as he merely referred the matter and leaves it to them to deal with it independently." A Pistorius family spokeswoman denied reports that the athlete's family was planning to challenge the justice ministry's intervention in court. "No decisions have been taken, and the family will take their time to calmly consider the way forward," Anneliese Burgess said in a statement. Pistorius, nicknamed "Blade Runner" because of the carbon-fibre prosthetics he used during his career on the track, admitted killing Steenkamp by firing four shots through the locked door of a toilet cubicle, saying he believed an intruder was hiding behind it.

the athletes to take it upon themselves to save the sport and go forwards without drug cheats. "It's not just on me but all the other athletes." It was at the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing that Bolt first established himself as the sport's biggest star, winning both sprint titles and a relay gold, all in world record times, at the 2008 Olympics. Seven years of almost complete dominance of the sprint titles at major championships have followed, the only blot on his resume being the 100 metres final in Daegu in 2011 when Bolt was dis-

qualified for a false start. Happy with his form for the Aug. 22-30 championships despite having raced less than he would have liked this year because of a problem with his joints, he said the smile of his coach Glen Mills at recent training sessions has been reassuring. Bolt, who set 100m (9.58) and 200m (19.19) world records at the 2009 world championships in Berlin, said he was ready to extend his reign as the world's fastest man. "When I'm at a championships, everything comes together," he said. "I'm happy, I'm ready to go."

MADRID, AuGust 20 (REutERs): Champions Barcelona begin their bid for a sixth La Liga title in eight years at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday knowing that fellow heavyweights Real Madrid could, unusually, be just one of several challengers for their crown. Under new coach Rafa Benitez, Real are desperate to recover from a 201415 season when they failed to win major silverware and will be looking to FIFA Ballon d'Or holder Cristiano Ronaldo to break more scoring records and hoping world record signing Gareth Bale can rediscover his best form. Atletico Madrid proved they are genuine contenders by winning Spain's top flight in 201314 and inspirational Argentine coach Diego Simeone has overseen some canny business in the latest transfer window, including luring Colombia striker Jackson Martinez from Porto. And it would be no great surprise if Valencia, flush with cash following last year's takeover by Singapore billionaire Peter Lim, and Europa League champions Sevilla, who gave Barca a mighty scare in this month's European Super Cup, are in the mix at the top of the table come May. "In Spain we don't just have Barcelona," Benitez told daily El Pais this week.

"There is Atletico, Valencia, Sevilla, who are all performing very well," added the much-travelled 55-year-old, who began his coaching career in Real's academy after his nascent playing career was ended by injury. "But it's true that Barcelona are the champions and the reference point." Bilbao showed Barca are vulnerable when they thrashed them 4-0 in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup last week, going on to seal a 5-1 aggregate success in the return on Monday, and the pressure on the Catalan club to match last term's haul of Champions League, La Liga and King's Cup titles will be immense. Much will depend on the form of talismanic forward Lionel Messi, who with strike partners Neymar and Luis Suarez rattled in a Spanish record 122 goals in all competitions last term. Andalusian rivals Sevilla and Malaga get the new season under way on Friday when they clash at the Rosaleda (1830 GMT), before Atletico host promoted Las Palmas (1830) and Valencia play at Rayo Vallecano (2030) on Saturday. After Barca play at Bilbao on Sunday (1630), Real are at another promoted side, Sporting Gijon (1830), and second-division champions Real Betis host Villarreal (2030).

Jahar Das signs as Head of Youth Development of Aizawl FC

Aizawl FC the I-League club from Mizoram signed Jahar Das an AIFF “A” license holder for the duration of August 2015 till May 2016 in line with the upcoming I-League season. The vastly experienced, newly signed Head of

overnment High School Wozhuro which started in the year 1947; the year of India’s Independence is today in a very pathetic state. As a concerned human being I could not believe my eyes when I saw the Sign board of the School and the very state of health the School building. Perhaps, it may not be the oldest School in the state but obviously it will also be one among the oldest Schools for which the state government should have made it a priority to keep it at a stunning physical position for producing many of Naga pioneering leaders in many spheres. To me I take this is an insult to the intellect Naga community. The building being more than fifty (50) years old is now with window frames and glasses broken, leaking tinned roofs, broken doors etc. Even if the concerned citizens have given the best care we know that the building made of wood/ timber has already stood it’s worth. Classrooms have benches, desks and tables of decades longevity. For that matter is the GHS Wozhuro suppose to function with only whatever have been provided or sanctioned years ago? I will not be surprised if there are other Government Schools elsewhere in the similar state. A new building which had already been constructed in the compound had

been locked by the contractors that ‘Payment had not been made by the government’. Obviously, the contractors also did not get the construction materials and the workers free of cost. How can the government who is the guardian of the people be so irresponsible? It is not only the contractors who are suffering for not being paid but the citizens of Wozhuro range; both children and parents at large. Firstly economically; for not being able to provide academic education to their children at home and so had to send them outside bearing their expenses for meeting all their needs. Secondly morally; children staying away from the care of their parents mostly become morally irresponsible (which is a menace/ sickness for the whole society) for our time is very much unlike fifty years ago when many of our parents had to go to town areas to get their education and for that matter it is not even like previous or last year. Whether it be in Wozhuro or anywhere in Nagaland the concerned department and the government should expedite all legitimate and necessary payments on its part and let alone things function properly. In case of any misuse or misappropriations of funds the concerned should be befittingly treated as per

the law of the land. How can students and teachers concentrate in their classes when animals and reptiles are coming into the classrooms? When the rain pours into the classrooms without mercy for obviously the Nature except human beings are performing exactly in the way they are formed or created. There are many countries around the globe where people seek to study in government schools not only because of free education but also for the quality, yes I know at least one government schools in our state that is doing exceedingly well, (Not that others are not doing well) The Government Middle School Sector ‘A’ Wokha Town where the teachers are totally dedicated, they start their school at 8:30 am and finishes at 1 pm, where each teacher get not less than five classes a day and where many parents cannot get admission for their children because the classrooms cannot accommodate any more student. Just because the citizens are innocent, the government should not take undue advantage but must fulfill the very reason of its existence. Time will tell and CORRUPTION WILL HAVE NO PLACE IN NAGALAND. Thungdemo Kyong, Chief Team Metamorphosis Wokha; Nagaland

The whistle-blowers are blowing the whistles. Violently erupting in dance to the whistle’s beats and tunes are the various government departments in Nagaland who recently have been “smoked out of their hole”. They thrust their bodies back and forth to the sound of music, flicker their eyes with false-lashes, their hips sway like pendulum, and they make faces and pouts as the spotlight glares on their floundering moves. The smell of cheap adulterated alcohol; the expensive non sweat-absorbent cloths even though they sweat profusely; the heavy make-up masquerading their faces and persona; body odors blended with strong perfumes fill the air- everything on the dance floor reeks of vulgarity, filth, and cheapness. They look like retarded mimes and behave like caged zombies. In the mean time, we the common and poor people- people who do not have ‘known persons’ at the top to get job in our state and refuse to participate in the game of ‘buying job’- remain frustrated spectators. At the moment, on the dance floor are few departments whose identities are already ‘out’. Behind the posts, walls, and shades of the dark alleys are contours and silhouettes of the other departments moving restlessly. Soon it will be their turn to face the music. Scared and nervous at the same time, sweat begin to trickle down their faces. We know and we have been to better parties with better beings. Entry fee to the party was dearstate’s finance mercilessly flushed to bankruptcy; they cheated in the exams; if they were not selected they bribed the forever ‘open handed’ officials; poor men’s bread, money, and livelihood were stolen unabashedly; ‘disabled’ sons, daughters, cousins, village-people, kit and kin were given priority over the deserving- All these were sleek operations against the state and the common citizens which they thought were daredevil acts. Greater felony against the state and its citizens cannot be committed, ever! The music just started, and we would be seeing more departments and individuals brought to the spotlight- their identity splashed across the giant screen. Nagaland and its sons and daughters cannot bear the costs of such parties anymore. Nepotism is at its pinnacle. Some departments are entirely manipulated by father, sons, daughters, cousins, and village-people. The idea of apprenticeship is commendable and respected if the progenies and kith and kin learn and deliver better than their parents. However, our idea of apprenticeship is totally skewed. Criminal activities run amok bloodlines. ‘Disabled’ children and those very close ‘disabled’ persons

who will to bend, flocks and fills up the administrative mechanisms, chocking the passage of progress and smooth operations of public activities. Quality inputs and outputs have declined over the years because of such unethical and unprofessional activities. Those brave warriors, six-feet underground now, who we claim as our ancestors, would want to come alive and headhunt these people. Because privileges depended on “abilities” which were tried and tested. Bribery has become a part of our culture. Bribery does not only encapsulate monetary transaction for favors, it includes pig’s head, shawls, chocolates for wives and children, bottles of “dry state” alcohol, I-scratchyour-back-you-scratch-my-back, and the likes. The ones at the top wants bigger barter, the peons, LDAs and the likes who are considered ‘lowly’ in the administrative hierarchical rung, wants some few hundreds to some thousands for tea, biscuits and paancigarette. Else, files starts disappearing and the concerned person always seem to be in meetings. Those brave ancestors would truly head hunt them for dishonesty and malpractice. Queuing up in SBI bank counter or ticket counters or any queue becomes a mockery when the one inside the counter starts to entertain some known person from outside who is out of the line. This is just a simple example consolidating the entire malfeasance of ‘buyers and sellers’ which we encounter in every department in Nagaland. This kind of ‘knowing’ is not the kind that will aid us in tackling the challenges we face everyday as individuals, community and state. Rather, it is an exposition of one’s lack of work ethics and enslavement to immoral conducts and misbehaviors. Such practices have been the order for many years in Nagaland. Therefore, no sooner the music began, skeletons tumbled out of the closets of the departments which lie exposed, naked on the floor. Citizens of Nagaland have been crying in anguish over the affliction meted out by our own government, the shamed departments, and those candidates who bribe the government to secure a job. These ‘buyers and sellers’, with hides thicker than elephant, have ruled and stamped over our land for too long. ACAUT and individuals who filed for RTI should fearlessly mobilize the masses and put forward the next-step programme at the earliest. Strike while the iron is hot. Slap legal actions against the minister in-charge, officers, petty officers, and the candidates, until they repay for each of their nefarious deeds. The acts committed are not just a shame for the individuals involved, their family, community, and Nagaland, but a crime against the entire human race. Where is

their dignity? Where is their integrity? Where is their shame? Right to Information (RTI) is a highly effective yet, underused weapon in Nagaland. It is a ballistic weapon for the citizens, which of course should be used judiciously. The basic object of the Right to Information Act is to empower the citizens, promote transparency and accountability in the working of the Government, contain corruption, and make our democracy work for the people in real sense. It goes without saying that an informed citizen is better equipped to keep necessary vigil on the instruments of governance and make the government more accountable to the governed. The Act is a big step towards making the citizens informed about the activities of the Government. If we read into the description verbatim, understand its implication, then a sense of empowerment will prevail and we would utilize this device to protect us from further exploitation by inhuman entities. And while organizations and individuals are at it, departments of health and education should be brought within the radar of RTI- the departments which looks after the basic necessities. Perhaps skeletons from the earlier departments might just be some child’s plaything comparatively. RTI demanded should be of details from past 20 years or so, and not just for two to three years. Why not? The pigs in George Orwell’s Animal Farm partying with humans who behave like man-pigs best suits the description of the perverted officers and those who shamelessly buy vacant posts despite their ‘disqualification’ and ‘disability’. After sometime, bloated like the sphinx moth caterpillar because too much undue resources have been devoured, these parasites become stronger, and they may even look like indomitable powerhouses. But, blow whistle blower(s), blow! Blow the whistle till the tune drives all the corrupted mimes and zombies out of the land and into the sea. Never was there a story of wicked human living joyfully to eternity. Their deeds never went unpunished. When the common people unite, it becomes a force to reckon with. Remember, a few thousands are laundering our wealth and abusing their positions. But their fortresses are not impenetrable. When we unite to battle, we can knowck down their walls. We only need to arise from our dormant status and start being pro active. More power to the people in Nagaland who relentlessly fight against ‘Anti-Nagaland’ institutions and entities! Kuknalim Toshi Longkumer New Delhi

barca face tough task to retain la liga title Nagaland Government, Whistle Blowers, and Skeletons

Aizawl FC signs Jahar Das as Head of Youth Development

Kohima | August 20

ments whatsoever, likewise Wangtin band does not merit any debate or discussion on Naga sovereignty issue. If Wangtin band of 40 to 45 desperados huddled at Mon has any scrap of dignity left in them, they should silently digest the facts pointed out by H. Eshu Heangpa, Hon’ble Dy.Kilonser, GPRN, or respond to the same instead of going berserk and splattering their irrationality all over. MIP, NSCN/GPRN

Government’s apathy on Government High School Wozhuro

pistorius parole ruling could take four months - sA govt

Our Correspondent

therefore advised that any grievances needing to be ameliorated should be submitted to NSCN/GPRN and the latter shall in turn grant their wishes at an earliest so that their pitiable fate may soon be put to an end. The idiots would always try to pull down others to their level and NSCN/ GPRN finds it self- degrading to respond to every pathetic and cheap queries of Wangtin band and therefore shall no more give any state-

Youth Development Jahar Das had visited Mizoram a few times in the past and has been invited by the Secretary of the Mizoram Football Association to see firsthand the level of development of players and the availability of talents in Mizoram. The new Head of Youth Development had played

an important role in the development of well known professional Mizo football players like Ari Benjamin, B.Malsawmzuala, Zaidinmawia, Rozama, Sawmzuala and last but not the least the present Captain of Aizawl FC senior team David Rinmuana. Jahar Das said “seeing the development of play-

ers in the senior and junior team in the past years, some improvement can be done with a proper planning”. The President of Aizawl FC Robert R Royte delightedly said “Jahar Das is a well known figure in Indian football, he has groomed a good number of Mizo players, the club as a whole, players as well as the coaching staffs of various Aizawl FC academies will grow under the able guidance of our new Head of Youth Development Programme. Our philosophy is to “catch them young, develop and use them”. He said Aizawl FC needs experienced personnel like Das to fulfil its aspiration. Instead of purchasing players, we give focus on developing them; hence we recruit Spanish Coach Manuel Retamero Fraile as Head Coach and Jahar Das as Head of Youth Development Program. William Koso an AFC “B” license & Level 2 Goal Keeping coach License holder will also join Aizawl FC team tomorrow.

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.

Friday 21•08•2015

'BATG IRL'

actress Yvonne Craig dies

Rainbow Choir performs at Saregamapa

eeTv Bangla Productions organized a special folk episode in line with the ongoing auditions of its reality show “Saregamapa”. The special episode of the programme was held at Purple Movie Town, Kolkata.

On invitation, Rainbow Choir Nagaland (RCN) took the opportunity and performed in the programme as special guest appearance along with other renowned artistes. Folk singers/dancers from across the states also came

and participated making it a grand one. The auditions of the show are still under process. The performance of RCN at the programme will be telecast on ZeeTv Bangla from 10 pm11:30 pm on August 28.

Real life Bajrangi Bhaijaan moment: Salman reunites runaway kids with parents

Before Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman, before Joanna Cameron's Isis, before Scarlett Johannsson's Black Widow, Yvonne Craig was a pioneer of female superheroes on screen.

his is one example of reel life turning real. Our ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ aka Salman Khan has turned messiah to four kids whom he reunited with their respective families, very similar to the way he united Harshaali Malhotra aka Munni with her parents in Pakistan in the movie. Salman took up this cause with the help of

vonne Craig, the actress who originated the role of Batgirl on the iconic 1960s ABC series "Batman", has died. She was 78. She passed Monday night at her home in Pacific Palisades, her nephew, Christopher Carson, confirmed. She died from complications brought about from breast cancer that had metastasised to her liver, reported E! online. Craig is survived by her husband, Kenneth Aldrich, her sister and two nephews. A private service is being planned for a later time, according to her official website. Craig shared the screen with Elvis Presley in two movies: 1963's "It Happened at the World's Fair" and 1964's "Kissin' Cousins". She had a brief relationship with Presley. Craig later appeared in episodes of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", "Mod Squad" and "The Six Million Dollar Man". The actress joined Batman in its third and final season. Craig did all of her own stunts and all of her own motorcycle riding on the show. Craig was also known for her appearance on an episode of "Star Trek" in 1969, where she played an C M Y K

Orion Slave Girl who wanted to kill Captain Kirk, played by William Shatner. After her acting career, Craig became a real estate broker. Craig and her sister, Meridel Carson, were also in the prepaid phone card business. In 2000, Craig published a memoir, titled "From Ballet to the Batcave and Beyond". Craig continued to do voice-over work over the years, including the role of Grandma in Nickelodeon's animated series "Olivia" from 2009 to 2011. Most recently, she served as executive producer for the documentary feature film "BIRTH".

mendous impact on everyone and Salman was quite keen to help these kids out. He has funded the entire initiative right from paying for the parents to come down, to making sure they have a secure future. On Monday evening, he reunited four kids from different parts of the country — who had run away — with their parents. All four were boys between the

ages 11 and 16.” Desai further said that both Salman and the kids were very emotional. “They had no idea that they were meeting Salman and what was going to happen next.” The entire atmosphere at ‘Karjat’, where the reunion happened, has turned emotional. She said that the kids had run away when they were juveniles and hence it was an emo-

tional moment for their parents also to meet them after a long time. Antara further said that this will be an ongoing exercise and some more reunions will happen in the forthcoming days. She added, “Salman will be associated with this for a long time. He will take care of all the expenses involved in this activity. He truly is a real-life Bajrangi Bhaijaan.”

Kangana says she deserves to be the highest paid actress T he ‘Queen’ has done it yet again! Time and again, Kangana Ranaut, the queen of Bollywood, as she is called fondly by her fans, has proved that no one can beat her when it comes to ruling over B-town. While earlier the lady stood tall with her unrivalled performances in movies like Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Queen and Fashion, now she claims that she “deserves” to

get the highest remuneration amongst the female stars of Bollywood. The ‘Katti Batti’ actress, who is getting a staggering Rs 11 crore for an upcoming movie says, “I think the kind of films and roles I do takes a whole year... I think it is justified. At some point, we have to come to that place where we are equally paid. It is a small step... we are headed in that direction”.

Raj Kundra's book now a British crime-thriller

n 2013, Raj Kundra's gripping novel titled How Not to Make Money, hit the stands. Two years later, the book, which was inspired by a real-life story, is being adapted into a full-length English feature film, by the same name. Ian La Frenais, best known for his work on the Jason Statham starrer, The Bank Job, is writing the screenplay for the film. He met Raj over dinner last week and plan to roll by year-end. "Ian was the producers first and only choice," Raj told Mirror. "It took me five years to write the book and my team in UK and I had been working to adapt the book into a film since the past two years." Raj said that Ian's love for India is impressive. "Ian fit the bill perfectly since his 2008 thriller was about a foolproof bank robbery on London's Baker Street and my book is on similar lines," he added.

The story follows three friends who grow up in the same London neighbourhood. Two of them, Jai and Mike, are smugglers, and the third, Aziz, a corporate lawyer, helps them devise a foolproof scheme to get rich quickly. The book features research on the Missing Trader Fraud, which deprived governments in the UK and Europe of billions of euros in the early 2000s. "If I could, I'd love to play one of the three criminals for reel," Raj laughs. "The three boys are doing something completely wrong with all their heart. Their word is their word and this is a quality I admire most in people," Raj points out.

SRK and Alia Bhatt in a unique film on love

Mumbai-based Antara Desai who runs a company that helps celebrities associate with various social campaigns. In the mentioned initiative, she took Salman’s help to reunite four teenage boys who had run away from their homes and now wanted to reunite with their respective families. She says, “Bajrangi Bhaijaan has had a tre-

he filmmaker's debut hit, English Vinglish, had marked the comeback of Ms Hawa Hawai, Sridevi, and her yet-to-betitled next, has a one-of-a-kind jodi in the lead. "It's a different, beautiful story about love. You cannot call it a love story, because Shah Rukh Khan and Alia are not opposite each other. Shah Rukh Khan is too old to be Alia's lover," a source close to the development told Mirror. Buzz was the film follows the journey of a young girl who dates three men in her life and with each new relationship, discovers a new perspective on life. The makers were keen to cast Katrina Kaif in the film, but decided to go ahead with a younger actress. "She's young, lively and fabulous. You'll have to wait and watch," the source adds. The film rolls by the end of the year.

As per a report in a leading daily, she spoke on the disparity between the remuneration of the male and female actors of Bollywood. Kangana said, “There is a huge gap between the remuneration of an actor and actress... it will take time (to reduce the gap). Male actors get into production, share profit and they don't take money at times but are involved in some capacity

which is economical and resourceful. These things suit them as they have made a place for themselves; they have command over the box office.” However, on profit sharing, she simply said, “Not now, may be after sometime.” Her upcoming flick with Imran Khan – Katti Batti – is due for release on September 18.

Zendaya to judge 95th Miss America pageant

he Miss America pageant just added another star to its highprofile judging panel. Singer and actress Zendaya has taken the fifth judging spot for this year’s competition, according to People. She joins Brett Eldridge, snowboarder Amy Purdy, “Shark Tank” entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary and Taya Kyle, an author and widow of former U.S. Navy SEAL

Chris Kyle, as panelists for this year’s 95th anniversary show. The 18-year-old actresssinger said she is "honoured" to be a part of a show that gives platform to women, who want to make the world better place, reported People magazine. "It's great to be part of a show that celebrates women who are in college or graduated, and striving to make the world a better place

through their chosen platform, ranging from domestic violence and bullying to cancer research and female empowerment, while also embracing beauty and fashion," she said in a statement. "I remember watching Miss America as a kid, so it's an honour to help celebrate the 95th anniversary of the competition and to help select the next Miss America."

Kayakalp Award- For Public Health Facilities!!!  The Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan launched by the Prime Minister on 2nd October 2014, focuses on promoting cleanliness in public spaces.  As the first principle of healthcare is “to do no harm” it is essential to have our health care facilities clean and to ensure adherence to infection control practices.  To complement this effort, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India is launching a National Initiative to give Awards to those Public Health Facilities that demonstrate high levels of cleanliness, hygiene and infection control. Objectives: 1. To promote cleanliness, hygiene and Infection Control Practices in public Health Care Facilities. 2. To incentivize and recognize such public healthcare facilities that show exemplary performance in adhering to standard protocols of cleanliness and infection control. 3. To inculcate a culture of ongoing assessment and peer review of performance related to hygiene, cleanliness and sanitation. 4. To create and share sustainable practices related to improved cleanliness in public health facilities linked to positive health outcomes.

Thematic Scores/Criteria for Kayakalp Award to Public Health Facilities

friDAY 21•08•2015

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Saina regains World No.1 spot New DeLhi, August 20 (iANs): Despite losing the World Championships final in Jakarta on Sunday, ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal regained the top spot in women's singles in the latest rankings of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) released on Thursday. The 25-year-old Saina rose a place to overtake her conqueror in the summit clash, Carolina Marin of Spain, to once again be ranked No.1. The reigning World Champion dropped to No.2 while Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu Ying overtook reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China to be No.3. "Very happy to be world number 1 again. I would like to thank my coach Vimal Kumar sir and my parents for the support," tweeted Saina, attaching a photograph of herself wearing the Worlds silver medal and standing with her parents. On the contrary, in spite of a quarterfinal finish last week, double World Championship bronze medallist P.V. Sindhu dropped a spot to be ranked No.14. An early exit at the Worlds resulted in Kidambi Srikanth dropping a spot to No.4 in the men's singles rankings while H.S. Prannoy retained the No.12 spot. However, 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Parupalli Kashy-

ap jumped two places to be ranked No.8. Meanwhile, a quarterfinal finish in the Indonesian capital also helped Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa reach their career-best ranking of No.10 in women's doubles. The 2011 World Championships bronze medallist have lately been in form, having won the Canada Open and reaching the final of the US Open. However, Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy dropped five places to be at No.22 in men's doubles rankings. There are no Indians in the top-25 of the mixed doubles rankings.

Chelsea signs Pedro from Barcelona

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deal worth up to $33 million on Thursday. The 28-year-old Spaniard has spent his whole career at Barcelona until now, winning every major honor. Chelsea is paying a transfer fee of 30 million euros ($33 million), Barcelona said, with 3 million euros dependent on his performances at the London club. ''I am very excited to start my adventure at Chelsea and I am here to keep winning titles,'' Pedro said. Chelsea has made a stuttering start to its season, losing the Community Shield to Arsenal and opening its Premier League title defense with a draw and a loss. Chelsea did not announce contract details for Pedro, who can play as a winger or center forward. Chelsea's first-choice striker Diego Costa has been troubled by hamstring problems, while backup Radamel Falcao is yet to LONDON, August 20 (AP): Chelsea prove himself in the Premier League afbolstered its striking options by signing ter a disappointing stint at Manchester Pedro Rodriguez from Barcelona in a United last season.

Manchester City sign Otamendi

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LONDON, August 20 (AFP): Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi has signed for Manchester City, the Premier League side announced on Thursday after a deal was agreed with his current side Valencia. The 27-year-old has signed a five-year contract although no financial details of the transfer were released. Otamendi will bolster central defensive ranks at City that include two familiar faces in former Porto team-mate Eliaquim Mangala and international colleague Martin Demichelis, as well as captain Vincent Kompany. Otamendi told the club's website, "I am here to give my best, to fight game by game and push City to the highest peaks for as long as possible, and I wish we will be able to win several cups and titles. Valencia were believed to be hoping to use the sale of the player to write off part of the fee they still owe City for striker Alvaro Negredo. Otamendi joined the Spanish club from Porto just a year ago. Initial reports at the weekend claimed Valencia wanted to offset his loss by signing Mangala on loan in exchange but City had no intention of allowing the

Frenchman to leave Eastlands. City manager Manuel Pellegrini said: "Nicolas Otamendi was arguably the best defender in La Liga last season and so naturally I'm delighted to have added a player of his quality. Otamendi has 25 caps for Argentina and was a member of the side that reached the Copa America final in the summer alongside new City team-mates Demichelis, Sergio Aguero and Pablo Zabaleta.

Rahul hits ton as India recover to score 319/6 vs Sri Lanka

COLOmbO, August 20 (ReuteRs): Opener Lokesh Rahul struck his second test century and combined with skipper Virat Kohli to help India recover from a shaky start and reach 319 for six at stumps on the opening day of the second test against Sri Lanka on Thursday. Dhammika Prasad's early burst reduced India to 12-2 in the fifth over as the visitors' decision to bat first in Sri Lankan batting stalwart Kumar Sangakkara's farewell test had threatened to backfire. Dropped on 11, Rahul (108) teamed up with Kohli (78) to take the fight back to the hosts with a 164-run third wicket partnership providing the bedrock of their innings. Batting at number five, Rohit Sharma shrugged off early discomforts to hit three sixes and five boundaries in a fluent 79 before being dismissed by Angelo Mathews in the 88th over. His partner in a 52-run stand Wriddhiman Saha was batting on 19 at the close. Paceman Prasad jolted India early, trapping Murali Vijay leg before wicket and getting Ajinkya Rahane, promoted to number three, caught in the slips. India could have slumped to 20-3 but Jehan Mubarak spilled Rahul at gully off Dushmantha Chameera with the batsman on 11. It proved costly as Rahul, who struck his maiden test century in Australia earlier this year, went on to compile his second hundred in 180 balls. Kohli signalled his positive in-

India's Lokesh Rahul celebrates his century during the first day of their second test cricket match against Sri Lanka in Colombo August 20. (REUTERS)

tent by stepping out of his crease to hit Herath, who destroyed India in the second innings of the opening test, over his head for the first six of the innings. The visitors seemed determined to not let Herath dictate terms as Rahul and Rohit both used their feet to also hit him over the rope but the tricky spinner did have some success. Herath ended Kohli's 107-ball

knock with Mathews showing great anticipation in the lone slip position to pull off a low, one-handed catch. Rahul fell after top edging a Chameera bouncer but Rohit scored freely to take India past the 300-mark. India made three changes to the team which imploded at Galle to allow the hosts to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, bringing

in Vijay, paceman Umesh Yadav and all-rounder Stuart Binny. Those missing out were Shikhar Dhawan, who has been ruled out of the series with a fractured hand, Varun Aaron and Harbhajan Singh. Sri Lanka replaced the injured Nuwan Pradeep with Chameera in the 134th and final test for Sangakkara, who was given a guard of honour before the start of play.

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Ferrari retain Raikkonen for 2016

LONDON, August 20 (ReuteRs): Kimi Raikkonen expressed his love for Ferrari on Wednesday after the Formula One team said the Finn would be staying with them next year in an unchanged lineup with Germany's Sebastian Vettel. "What can I say?...for me, to be able to stay another year at Ferrari means that the dream goes on," the 35-year-old told the team website after an announcement that caught the sport off guard. "The Scuderia (team) is my family, as I always said, it's here (that) I want to end my career. I am more committed than ever and I want to say thank you to the people who gave me this chance." Raikkonen was out of contract at the end of 2015 and facing an uncertain future, with media speculation already focussing on who might replace the 'Iceman' at one of the most coveted seats on the starting grid. Instead, a short statement from Maranello forced a rethink. "Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has renewed its technical and racing agreement with Kimi Raikkonen," the team said as the paddock regrouped in Spa-Francorchamps for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix. "The driver lineup next season will still consist of the Finnish driver and Sebastian Vettel." Raikkonen, the 2007 world

champion who returned to Ferrari in 2014, had always made clear he wanted to stay but team principal Maurizio Arrivabene had been keeping his options open about one of the sport's highest paid drivers. "We believe that extending Kimi's contract into the next season will provide further stability to the team," said Arrivabene, well aware that an announcement now will relieve Ferrari of unwanted hassle at next month's Italian Grand Prix. Had Raikkonen been dropped, it would have triggered a driver merry-goround as well as the likely farewell of one of Formula One's most popular, if least talkative, drivers. Raikkonen's compatriot Valtteri Bottas, currently with Williams, had been Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen of Finland during a press conferconsidered a frontrunner with specula- ence ahead of the British Grand Prix . (Reuters) tion in the Finnish and Italian media having suggested Bottas has an agreement M/S DHANSIRI TRANSPORT with Ferrari for 2017, if not next year. Italy's Corriere dello Sport newspaper Nh – 29 Naharbari Dimapur -797112 Nagaland last month claimed Ferrari had agreed Ph-03862-236116, M-9436602742 to pay Williams some 12 million euros e-mail:dhansiritransport@rediffmail.com ($13.28 million) for releasing Bottas early from an option on his contract. Available for hire within Nagaland The Finn can now look forward to his sixth year at Maranello after first joining I) Tata ace ii) Tata 207 from McLaren in 2007 and then being iii) Tipper iv) Trucks dropped at the end of 2009.

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Honours even as Australia show grit

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LONDON, August 20 (ReuteRs): Australia battled with grit on the first day of the final test against England at The Oval on Thursday as they bid for a consolation victory to end the Ashes series. Australia reached 255 for three after batting for 70.5 overs when rain interrupted play. David Warner made 85 and Chris Rogers 43 to give the touring side a solid start but England removed both openers in the afternoon session to leave the match nicely poised. Steve Smith was unbeaten on 71 with Adam Voges on 27 not out. Captain Michael Clarke was given a standing ovation on his way to the crease in his final test match but fell cheaply for 15. Kumar Dharmasena adjudged Clarke caught behind by wicket-keeper Jos Buttler off a rising Ben Stokes delivery. However, after consulting vice-captain and non-striker Steven Smith, Clarke reviewed the Sri Lankan umpire's decision. But Indian replay official S Ravi upheld Dharmasena's decision after the snickometer indicated a nick. Interestingly though, there appeared to be nothing on hotspot. Michael Clarke of Australia walks from the ground in his last Test after being dismissed by Earlier, Rogers and Ben Stokes of England.

Warner adopted a risk-free strategy after being asked to bat in overcast conditions with memories of their collapse to 60 all out on the first morning of the last test fresh in their minds. They scored only 19 runs in the first hour and the first boundary came in the 15th over, the pair trying hard to lay a platform for their team after England regained the Ashes last week in Nottingham. Australia took lunch on 82 for no wicket and the openers increased the scoring rate after the interval. They looked in control until Rogers was surprised by a lifting ball from Mark Wood, edging a catch to first slip which Alastair Cook took at the second attempt to end a stand of 110. Warner, closing in on his first century of the series, pushed forward to spinner Moeen Ali and nicked the ball to Adam Lyth at slip, swishing his bat in frustration before trudging off. Clarke was given a standing ovation by the crowd and a guard of honour by the England players as he walked out to bat in his 11th test. The hosts are 3-1 up in the series.

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