January 28th, 2016

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www.morungexpress.com

thursDAY • JAnuArY 28 • 2016

DIMAPUR • Vol. XI • Issue 25 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it Zika, mosquitoes outwit Rio as Carnival, Olympics loom

Shamator town leaders appealed to maintain peace

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o F

T R u T H

— William Arthur Ward

Andy Murray, Konta win on a distracting day in Melbourne

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‘nagaland’s water challenges need immediate attention’ WRC brings out draft Nagaland Water Policy and asks for feedbacks

Morung Express News

and outline policy initiatives that improve water reDimapur | January 27 source planning and manThe Water Resource Com- agement in the state. mittee, Government of Nagaland has brought out a A six pronged strategy It brought out a six draft Nagaland Water Policy to address existing and fu- pronged strategy to address ture needs encompassing concerns, challenges and a long term water resource ensure water security for management programme the people of the state. This includes giving a broad and for Nagaland state. The draft policy has uniform policy direction been produced by the Wa- to all state water manageter Resource Policy, Gov- ment institutions for creernment of Nagaland, with ating an enabling environsupport from the Climate ment and achieving policy Change Adaptation-North objectives, especially equiEastern Region (CCA- table and sustainable water NER) project of the Ger- resource management. Second, the draft said man Development Co-opthat the state aims to reeration (GIZ). Agriculture Production structure the roles and reCommissioner & Conve- lationship between instinor, Water Resource Com- tutions involved in water mittee, T. Imkonglemba resources management to Ao informed that the draft improve their co-ordinais available online for pub- tion and harmonize oplic viewing and appealed erations. This is also aimed for the public, concerned at strengthening and emNGOs/CBOs and academi- powering local as well as cians of Nagaland to study state level institutions tothe draft and give their wards achieving their full feedback for making the participation in water repolicy document a “mean- source management. Thirdly, to ensure basin ingful one.” The draft outlined level planning, the state is the various water related asked to create an instituconcerns and challenges tional structure at the babrought about by fragment- sin level or rework existing ed water management institutional arrangements through a variety of institu- to create basin level institutions at the state level with tional regime that will cooverlapping mandates. ordinate with village level These challenges, it stated, institutions on integrated need immediate attention. water management. Further the draft policy The objective of the policy, it stated is to cre- proposes that the state priate an “integrated vision, oritize enhancing scienpolicy and institutional tific planning, adaptation framework,” that takes measures and organized cognizance of the existing ground level implementawater scenario in the state tion. In addition the state

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

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ACAUT questions Nagaland Police

C M Y K

DimaPur, JaNuary 27 (mexN): The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland today questioned whether the Ministry of Home Affairs directive to the state government to form ‘anti-extortion cells’ and ‘quick response teams’ in all the districts of the state have been carried out. A press note from the ACAUT informed that the DGP, Nagaland had issued an office memorandum on September 14, 2015 directing the SPs/ Commissioner of the districts to set up both the AECs and QRTs at the earliest. Stating that “none of the district police establishments have publicly announced the setting up of the two cells,” the ACAUT asked the PHQ to clarify whether the DGP’s memo has being implemented in letter and spirit. “And if yes, why the secrecy when the very first thing it should have done is to publicly announce the formation of the two bodies,” the ACAUT questioned.

‘General Principles of Nagaland State Water Policy’

A Naga boy fetches water from a well in the outskirt of Mokokchung district. A draft Nagaland Water Policy has been brought out by the Water Resource Committee, Government of Nagaland to address water challegnes faced by the state. Photo Caisii Mao

also has the responsibility to ensure that water and land use planning is synergized with the unique agricultural context of Nagaland. Any policy development, the draft said, has to take view of capacity enhancement for land use planning as a necessary measure. And finally, the state will enact a comprehensive state water law (Acts, Rules and Regulations) and enabling rules to give effect to the above mentioned strategies in a time bound manner. The intended wa-

ter legislation, it stated, will aim at complementing the role of village councils in managing land and water resources in the state. Implementation roadmap Outlining the implementation roadmap of the policy, it proposed tapping village level governance for water management and conservation. It called for involvement of village councils to be involved in various aspects of planning, design, development and management aspects. It suggested imple-

mentation of a ‘polluter pays principle,’ where water users associations will monitor water bodies and penalties are imposed on polluters as per the village council decision based on customary sanction or decision taken by an assembly of the people affected. In this regard, the draft called for negotiations, mediation and conciliation within the existing customary justice dispensation mechanism to be used for settlement of water related disputes. A village level conflict resolution mecha-

nism, it stated would resolve, prevent and minimize the possibility of any conflict arising between or among different users. Meanwhile, it also outlined community monitoring and performance audit of water resource projects. The draft proposed private sector participation primarily in urban water supply sector. However, it cautioned that such private sector investment should be open to public scrutiny based on transparency, accountability and clearance by village level institutions

• Recognizing the fundamental right to water for drinking, sanitation and domestic use • Principle of equity and social justice and sustainable utilization • Joint public trusteeship of water resources • Recognition of community right to water resources • Integrated planning • Village ecosystem governance • Transparency, accountability and good governance • Coherent framework for water and land use planning • Restoration and rejuvenation of water ecosystems • Protecting river basins and sub basins

whose water resources are sourced. It also called for training of stakeholders and volunteers to asses water and soil condition in the villages and report to designated river basin agencies, while emphasizing on capacity building for technological interventions at the village level. Regarding, financing of projects and service charges, the draft called for the state water law to provide a clear legal and administrative roadmap, with the State Finance Commission empowered to fix tariffs for

different uses of water. It then said that a comprehensive flood management and river zoning strategy will be formulated in coordination with state and national disaster management authority. The draft also called for the creation of water reserves, comprising of basic human needs reserve and ecological reserve. The reservation of water for these two components, it stated, would be granted precedence in water allocation and abstraction. This is to be done, in consultation with village level institutions. Further, it proposed that a Nagaland State Water Resources Council be set up, headed by the Chief Minister. The draft then called for looking at water resources from a regional interdependence prism and transboundary water cooperation. This, it stated would be beneficial especially in the unique context of the NE region where water resources of all six states are shared water resources. It was further informed that the final state water policy, when implemented, would be revised every ten years or earlier depending on the changes observed in the state water scenario by the stakeholder communities and agencies. The draft is available for public viewing at www. phedngl.nic.in; www.agricoop.nic.in and www. nagaland.gov.in/portal/ stateportal/NotificationsAndAlerts/CirculationNotifications.

India ranks 76th out of 168 in global corruption index 2.6 billion people live in New Delhi, JaNuary 27 (iaNS): India showed improvement in public perceptions of corruption last year, global watchdog Transparency International (TI) said in its annual report published on Wednesday that showed graft remains pervasive worldwide. India was placed at 76th position out of 168 countries with a score of 38 out of a possible 100 in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2015, improving from its position of 85 and 94 in 2014 and 2013, respectively. The watchdog uses data from

institutions including the World Bank, the African Development Bank and business school IMD to compile the perceptions of the scale of public sector corruption. The index grades a country on a scale of zero to 100, the latter being the least corrupt. Denmark remained at the top of the index, a closely watched global barometer, for the second consecutive year as the country perceived as least corrupt. It scored 91 points, while North Korea and Somalia remained at the bottom with unchanged scores of 8. The US rose one spot this year to 16th place with a score of 76,

tying with Austria. The UK rose three spots to place 10th, with a score of 81 that tied it with Germany and Luxembourg. The other top spots, from second to ninth, were occupied by Finland, Sweden, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Singapore and Canada. Brazil and Turkey were among nations that tumbled the most amid an ongoing scandal at state oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s expanded bid to shore up power. Brazil slid to 76th place, sharing its position with India, down from 69th last year. Turkey fell

two spots to 66th, continuing its descent from 53rd place in 2013. “Corruption can be beaten if we work together,” Jose Ugaz, the chairman of Berlin-based Transparency International, said in an e-mailed statement. “To stamp out the abuse of power, bribery and shed light on secret deals, citizens must together tell their governments they have had enough.” Transparency’s ranking, a composite index that draws from 12 surveys to rank nations around the globe, has become a benchmark gauge of perceptions of corruption and is used by analysts and investors.

Apex Ao bodies censure GoI’s move to promote Nagamese mOKOKchuNg, JaNuary 27 (mexN): Joining in the debate about the purported plan of the Government of India to promote the pidgin – Nagamese – as the official language of Nagaland, three apex organizations of the Ao community today strongly censured the GoI’s move and hoped that the Government of India would respect the sentiments of the Naga people, and refrain from such a move, which would have longterm effect on Naga society. The three apex organizations – Ao Senden, Watsu Mungdang and Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) – in a press release today, while expressing surprise and bafflement, declared support towards the Naga Students’ Federation’s stand and the supporting views expressed by different intellectuals on this issue. While acknowledging the ongoing discussion and debate, the three apex Ao organizations asserted that Nagamese is a pidgin which has no proper grammar or vocabulary, and evolved out of necessity to facilitate trade and

commerce between the plains people and the Nagas. “…plans to promote the pidgin (Nagamese) which has no clear cut grammar or vocabulary as the official language of Nagaland is totally unbelievable, if not insulting to the Naga people as a whole,” it stated. Highlighting the development of the Ao language, the release stated that the Ao Senden Literature Board (ASLB), under the aegis of the Ao Senden and also the active support and cooperation of the Watsu Mungdang and the AKM, had been working to promote the Ao language among native Ao speakers. It stated that Ao Senden has made notable achievement through annual regular Ao subject examination, and awarding of degrees to Ao language scholars. It also pointed out that vernacular Naga languages figures in the list of endangered languages around the world. In this regard, the release pointed out that Ao Senden has directed all the schools under Mokokchung

district jurisdiction to incorporate Ao language as a subject in the school academic curriculum. “As such, the Government of India’s move to promote Nagamese is nothing short of curtailing the noble initiative of the Ao Senden in promoting the vernacular language,” the release stated. Moreover, the release claimed that “so long as the school textbooks are written in English, and so long as the Roman script is used for writing the different languages, English should be the official language of the state of Nagaland.” “Promoting another language, especially a pidgin language like Nagamese, would not only be against the intellectual interests of the Naga people, the intellectuals and the students; but also against the rich cultural heritage of the Naga people especially with regard to vernacular language,” it maintained. Nonetheless, the three organizations acknowledged the importance or the usage of Nagamese in the everyday life of the Naga society and added that

the pidgin – Nagamese – cannot be ignored in Naga society as an effective means of communication among the people. However, they said that promoting Nagamese as the official language would be “the nemesis of the vernacular languages which are struggling to make a foothold in Naga society after many years through relentless efforts and contributions by Naga writers and intellectuals”. The three Ao organizations asked “all likeminded apex tribal organizations, the intellectuals and also the Government of Nagaland to strongly appeal the Government of India against the purported move to replace English as the official language”. Expressing hope that the Government of India would respect the sentiments of the people, the release indicated that such a move to promote Nagamese as the official language would have adverse long-term effect on the intellectual, the Naga culture and tradition, and the development of vernacular languages in the society”.

nations without freedoms

New yOrK, JaNuary 27 (ThOmSON reuTerS FOuNDaTiON): More than a third of the world’s population, or 2.6 billion people, live in nations and territories gripped by repression, corruption and human rights abuses, with the worst being Syria, Tibet and Somalia, an advocacy group said on Wednesday. The year 2015 - shaped by mass migration, crackdowns on dissent, xenophobia and terror attacks - marked the 10th straight year of decline in global freedom, according to an annual report by the Washington-based Freedom House. Worldwide, 86 nations and territories were designated free based on their political rights and civil liberties, 50 were deemed not free, and 59 were partly free, it said. The bulk of those deemed unfree were in the Middle East and North Africa, where 85 percent of the population lives with repression; sub-Saharan Africa where 20 regimes earned the not free ranking; and Eurasia, where no country was listed as free. The report singled out the United States - while free - as slipping, citing “a disturbing increase in the role of private money in election campaigns,” legislative gridlock, a lack of openness in government, racial discrimination and a dysfunctional criminal justice system. Freedom declined in 72 countries in 2015, the most

since the 10-year slide began. There were gains in 43 countries, with upward trends in Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, which all held elections. The slowdown in the Chinese economy and lower commodity prices took a toll, said Arch Puddington, vice president for research at Freedom House and coauthor of the report. “In many countries with authoritarian governments, the drop in revenues from falling commodity prices led dictators to redouble political repression at home and lash out at perceived foreign enemies,” Puddington said in a statement. “Democratic countries came under strain from terrorist attacks and unprecedented numbers of refugees - problems emanating from regional conflicts such as the Syrian civil war.” Notable for the year was a lack of progress for women, the report said. Citing Saudi Arabian women participating in elections and an end to adultery as a crime in South Korea, it said: “The very limited steps that were hailed as victories... demonstrated just how low the bar has gotten in evaluating progress toward gender equality.” Rounding out the dozen nations and territories with the worst scores were North Korea, Uzbekistan, Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Western Sahara, Sudan, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Saudi Arabia.


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