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The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. X ISSUE 27
www.morungexpress.com
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Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time
PM fires top diplomat, tightens grip over policy [ PAGE 8]
Julianne Moore: I don’t believe in God
Shopkeepers directed to display signage on tobacco products [ PAGE 2]
Inquest: Sydney café hostage killed by police bullet
[ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 9]
By Sandemo Ngullie
ANHTU demand release of pending salaries Kohima, January 29 (mExn): The All Nagaland Hindi Teachers’ Union (ANHTU) has appealed for the immediate release of the pending salaries and past arrears of the 1379 Hindi teachers appointed under the CSS (2012-2013), “as the aggrieved teachers are facing numerous difficulties in maintaining their livelihoods.” A press release issued by A S Yarthotngam, General Secretary, stated that the aggrieved Hindi teachers are facing the problem of finance as they solely depend on their salaries for covering their expenses like payment of their children’s admission, acquiring daily commodities and also for the travelling expenses which have to be met in order to perform their duties, as many of the teachers are posted far from their respective hometowns. The ANHTU requested the department to look into the matter seriously and fulfill the demands and needs of the aggrieved Hindi Teachers.
Green tea ingredient shows promise against oral cancer
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nEW yorK, January 29 (ianS): A compound found in green tea may trigger a process that kills oral cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone, finds a promising study. According to food scientists from Pennsylvania State University, the research could lead to treatments for oral cancer as well as other types of cancer. Earlier studies had shown that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, killed oral cancer cells without harming normal cells. “But researchers did not understand the reasons for its ability to target the cancer cells,” said Joshua Lambert, associate professor of food science and co-director of Penn State’s Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods for Health. The study shows that EGCG may trigger a process that leads to cell death. “EGCG is doing something to damage the mitochondria and that mitochondrial damage sets up a cycle causing more damage and it spirals out, until the cell undergoes programmed cell death,” Lambert explained. It looks like EGCG causes formation of reactive oxygen species in cancer cells, which damages the mitochondria, and the mitochondria responds by making more reactive oxygen species, he said. As this mitochondrial demise continues, the cancer cell also reduces the expression of anti-oxidant genes, lowering its defenses.
Friday, January 30, 2015 12 pages Rs. 4 – Rabindranath Tagore
Murray reaches fourth Australian Open final [ PAGE 12]
NPCC urge Governor to respect ‘secular’ ideals
reflections
You seem to know a lot about traffic. What traffic college did you graduate from?
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DimaPur, January 29 (mExn): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today urged Nagaland state Governor, PB Acharya to “refrain from abusing his constitutional position by portraying his beliefs on official platform with religious fervor.” Doing so, the NPCC stated in a press note, “amounts to total disregard for religious sentiments of majority people in the state and also goes against the secular ideals enshrined in the constitution.” The NPCC stated that it was “appalled” to “witness the Governor using the platform of official programmes on religious lines by publishing a Handout on the occasion of 2015 Republic Day Celebrations in the state that carries the picture of ‘Bharat Mata’ standing on a lotus holding the tricolor with the country’s map in the background.” “At a time when religious minorities in the country are facing the onslaught of RSS led communal forces, the needless action of the Governor is perhaps the ominous signs of greater agenda espoused by the BJP-RSS combine being unfolded to change the secular fabric of the nation,” postulated the NPCC. It reminded the Governor that on his appointment as the 18th Governor of Nagaland state, he was “expected to shed his earlier RSS upbringing and Children walking over a narrow bamboo bridge while returning home from their field in Tuensang. Over 70 percent of the population depend on agriculture for their liveli- mindset to uphold the sanctity and hood in Nagaland with children assisting their parents from a very early age in many dignity of the Governor’s office.” rural places. Photo by Imojen I Jamir India, as a country, said the
A copy of the handout which was distributed to guests at the Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, Kohima on January 26. (Photo Courtesy: NPCC)
NPCC, has “managed to absorb different cultures, races and religions… people from different race, religions, language, culture have thrived and coexisted alongside each other due to the magnanimity of the majority Hindus whose concept of religion (Hinduism) is more of a way of life.” However, it lamented that “the national personification of India as mother goddess called ‘Bharat Mata’ where she is an amalgam of all goddesses of Indian culture and more significantly on goddess Durga is revered and followed only by the majority Hindus, while other religious
minorities’ may respect the concept of ‘Bharat Mata’ but does not subscribe to this personification.” The NPCC recalled that “majority of the Governors for Nagaland state have been Hindus but they had all performed their constitutional duties without indulging in giving religious colors to any official programme or functions.” Nagaland, it said, has never witnessed any religious tensions and that mutual respect for other religions have been the defining feature of the people who happen to be pre dominantly Christians. It reminded the BJP government at the centre that Nagaland was “born out of immense political strife and its people had paid a heavy price, a political struggle that has happened nowhere else in the country.” “The provocative display of religious symbol on an official ‘handout’ has generated much apprehension among the people in the state since this is taken as a step towards imposition of BJP-RSS hidden agenda that has no place for religious minorities and oppressed castes in their idea of nationhood,” it said. The NPCC referred to US President, Barack Obama’s recent remark calling for “religious tolerance,” in India, and termed it as a reminder for the BJP to “rein in its supporters associated with the RSS and its affiliates of religious extremists who are turning its (BJP) slogan of ‘aache din’ into a nightmare especially for religious minorities.”
Nagaland state 2nd highest NIA files charge sheet against Better roads in developing world tobacco consumer in India five Nagaland Police officials bolster food supplies, says study Our Correspondent Kohima | January 29
Nagaland, with 57% tobacco users, ranked as the second highest tobacco consumer after Mizoram (67%) in India. Goa has the least use of tobacco at 9%. Asenla Jamir, psychologist, District Tobacco Control Cell, Kohima, Department of Health & Family Welfare termed such trend as a “bad sign” for the state of Nagaland. She told the shopkeepers during a sensitization programme for shopkeepers on harmful effects of tobacco & implementation of COTPA 2003, held here today that tobacco is the foremost preventable cause of disease and death in the world today. There are 1 billion smokers in the world and tobacco kills 5.4 million people every year globally, she said adding that 90% of oral cancers are due to tobacco use. India is the third largest tobacco producer in the world and second largest consumer in the world. 1 million Indians die every year due to tobacco. Jamir said India has the largest number of oral cancer in the world of which 40% of all cancers in India are due to tobacco. 2200 Indians die every day due to tobacco use, she said adding that every 8 seconds an Indian dies due to tobacco related disease On burdens of tobacco relating to health, Jamir said it increases heart rate and blood pressure, causes stench of the hair, bad breath, stained teeth, damage to gum tissue, tooth decay, reduced sense of smell and taste, trouble breathing and increased sensitivity to cold and heat. In long term, use of tobacco use effects cancers: oral, lung, stomach,
esophagus, bladder, liver, breast, head & neck, kidney, larynx etc, ulcers in the mouth, respiratory system: chronic cough, asthma, cardiovascular system: hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, eye: cataract, sexual organs: impotence in men and difficulty in bearing children among women. She also touched on COTPA 2003 (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products, Act 2003). The main provisions of the act include prohibition of smoking in public places, prohibition of advertisement, sponsorship and promotion of tobacco products, prohibition of sale of tobacco products to a person below 21 years of age, prohibition of sale of tobacco products near educational institutions, display of pictorial health warning on tobacco products packs, no smoking signage etc. TOBACCO USE SCENARIO IN NAGALAND • Tobacco consumption: 57% • Male tobacco users: 68% • Female tobacco users: 28% • School children smoking: 37% • Male school children smoking: 55% • Female school children smoking: 18% • School children using smokeless tobacco: 41% • Male school children using smokeless tobaccos: 50% • Female school children using smokeless tobacco: 33% -Source: Global School Personal Survey (GSPS) 2003. NFHS -2(19981999, NSS (1993-1994).
nEW DELhi, January 29 (PTi): Probing an unusual case of law enforcers turning rogue, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charge sheeted five policemen including one of the rank of Superintendent of Police for allegedly selling arms to cadres of NSCN (IM). The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed charge sheet against Sejongmong Sangtam, who was the then Superintendent of Police; James Ovung, who was the then Sub-Divisional Police Officer; Enyihi, Longlise Sangtam and Sashitsungba Ao (all Nagaland Police officials) under various sections of IPC and Arms Act for allegedly supplying
arms and ammunition to the Naga group. The charge sheet, submitted in Special NIA court at Dimapur earlier this week, said that during investigation, the accused police officials “were found involved in misappropriation of huge quantities of ammunition from the Arms Kote of District Police Wokha, Nagaland by preparing forged documents during the period of 2011-2012, with an ulterior motive.” The NIA claimed to have established that the charge sheeted police personnel including the senior officials during their service tenure in the district of Wokha, allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy
with common intention to commit criminal breach of trust by indulging in pilferage of huge quantities of live ammunitions from Government Kote and to sell it “to anti national elements in exchange of money.” The case came to light with the arrest of a Nagaland police constable by Assam Rifles troops on April 20, 2012 and it was found during initial probe that he had been involved in selling ammunition meant for Nagaland Police to NSCN (IM) since last seven years. The NSCN (IM) was using the ammunition for training their cadres and youths for waging war against India, the agency sources said.
oSLo, January 29 (rEuTErS): Billion-dollar investments in basic transport and electricity in developing nations are among the best ways to curb hunger by 2030 since a quarter of all food is now wasted after harvest, according to a report issued on Thursday. $239 billion invested over the next 15 years, in road and railway connections to connect farms to markets and in electricity supplies to improve cold storage, would yield benefits of $3.1 trillion by safeguarding food, it said. Mark Rosegrant, lead author and director of the International Food Policy Research Institute, said rural infrastructure was often overlooked by governments and investors as a way to cut food waste.
“The hope is to bring infrastructure to the forefront,” he told of the study. Food losses, ranging from poor harvesting techniques s to rotting vegetables in consumers’ kitchens, wipe out a quarter of all food produced. Halving such losses could feed a billion people. Past national studies had shown that improved roads, such as in India, help curb food waste. Bjorn Lomborg, head of the Copenhagen Consensus Center which commissioned the study, said in developing nations, waste is linked to a lack of basic infrastructure before it reaches markets. Among problems, “it can get eaten by rats in the fields, or spoils because there’s not enough cold storage,” he said.
Central leaders cannot assure support to any group: Imchen DimaPur, January 29 (mExn): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) led by Noke Wangnao today termed it unfortunate that Nagaland state Chief Minister, TR Zeliang, has “sold off the Prime Minister of the country and BJP president.” A press note from the party’s spokesperson, Imkong L Imchen, stated that “lies and deceit will not convince the people but rather it has cheapened the chair of the Nagaland chief Minister.” Imchen reminded that the BJP Central leadership has publicly stated that the BJP will remain neutral. As such, he said “there is no question of any other BJP leader making contradictory statements or assurances.” “The present political situation is a scenario where TR Zeliang has lost the support and confidence of the majority of the NPF legislators and
CMO claims false: NPF Noke alleges DimaPur, January 29 (mExn): A separate press release from the media cell of the Noke led NPF claimed that the statements issued by the Nagaland CM and the Chief Minister’s Office relating to the former’s meeting with the Prime Minister and the BJP President “are false and fabricated and meant to mislead the public.” “The statements of him meeting the two central leaders were not issued either by the Prime Minister’s Office nor the BJP President’s Office,” it said. The note informed that leaders of the Noke led NPF, who are presently in Delhi, “have confirmed from top BJP leaders in the state and in Delhi that the minority
therefore the Central leaders in Delhi cannot and will not assure any group of support. Rather they have clearly said that they will stand by the majority,” he added. The spokesperson for NPF Noke further stated that the Chief Minister “should have some semblance of shame” and that
chief minister and his office had fabricated the purported assurances of the Prime Minister and the BJP President.” It further said that the BJP has been clear on not intervening with the internal matters of the NPF and urged the Nagaland CM not to “misuse the names of the top leaders of the country in his desperate bid to cling on to power in an undemocratic and unconstitutional manner.” Meanwhile, sources informed that G Kaito Aye and Noke Wangnao held a closed door meeting with the Union Minister of Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh on Thursday. Details of the meeting were however not disclosed.
“his best option is to step aside and resign gracefully so that the state is not taken to new depths under his minority leadership.” Imchen noted that both the Chief Minister and Dr Shurhozelie Leizietsu have “resorted to propaganda war and spreading of lies and false information.” He alleged that Dr. Shurhoze-
lie is trying to “lure MLAs by offering them ministerial berths even in Delhi but everyone he has contacted have politely turned down his offers and have advised him to respect the view of the majority.” The NPF, he stated, is “not the private property of a single person or section. The party will be oper-
ated and its functions will be guided by the majority that has the mandate of the common people.” The Election Commission of India, he said, “will never allow any minority group to rule over any political party in the country.” Imchen further condemned the manner in which “Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and MLAs including the Deputy Speaker have been kept under lock and key at Dr. Shurhozelie’s hotel in Kohima.” “Our colleagues are willing to join us but due to their forced captivity they are unable to come out of Dr. Shurhozelie’s hotel. They are not even allowed to meet their family members and party supporters,” the NPF Noke Spokesperson alleged. He urged Dr. Shurhozelie and the CM to “immediately release them and allow them to join hands with the majority.”
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