March 13th, 2017 by The Morung Express

C M Y K

www.morungexpress.com

MonDAY • MArch 13 • 2017

DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 69 • 12 PAGes • 5

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

Polish your wisdom: learn public justice, distinguish between good and evil Modi calls for a ‘New India’ by 2022 PAGE 08

NECU permanent campus inaugurated in Medziphema

o F

T R u T H

— Miyamoto Musashi

Pospisil sends Murray packing at Indian Wells

PAGE 02

BJP to stake claim in Manipur ImPhal, march 12 (IaNS/NNN): BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said the party will meet Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla to stake claim to forming the new government in the state with ally Naga People’s Front (NPF), and the support of National People’s Party (NPP) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). “We will approach Governor Najma Heptulla seeking her to invite the BJP, supported by the NPP and the LJP, to form the government in Manipur,” said Madhav. Monday being Holi, it is not yet known if the Governor can proceed with formalities. The BJP has proposed N. Biren for Chief Minister and Th. Biswajit as Deputy Chief Minister. N. Biren, a former journalist, was a Congress member and spokesperson for the Government of Manipur under O. Ibobi Singh till he joined BJP a few months before the elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won 21 seats in the assembly elections held earlier this month, achieved the vaunted 31seat mark earlier in the day with the support of its ally NPF (4 seats), and the NPP (4 seats), LJP (1) and one Independent. “I thank the NPP and the LJP for extending support to the BJP. I also thank the people of Manipur for having voted for change and progressive Manipur,” said Madhav. On the occasion, NPP National President Conrad Sangma said: “I thank the people of Manipur for voting for change in the state.” The Congress emerged as the single-largest party post-poll with 28 seats in the 60-member house but failed to garner support to form a new government.

Free school uniform to be distributed within March our Correspondent Kohima | March 12

Minister for school education & SCERT Yitachu has informed that free uniform for government school students will be distributed within this month. Talking to media persons here recently, he also said free text books for 2017 academic year for the students have already been supplied and must have reached all SDEO offices of the state. It is learnt that free text books for Classes pre-primary to VIII was distributed to around 2,39,133 students during 2016 academic year in the state.

The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion

Vote on www.morungexpress.com sMs your answer to 9862574165 Are the existing power structures the main obstacle towards equality in Nagaland? Why? Yes

C M Y K

others

Do you support the decision of the hohos who have resolved in principle to forming a Nagas of Nagaland platform? Why? Yes

48%

37%

others

15%

Details on page 7

PAGE 12

Human-elephant conflict in Wokha district

Habitat loss and degradation is forcing elephants to venture close to human settlements in an imminent showdown imti longchar Wokha | March 12

On February 5, 2017 early morning, a herd of wild Asian elephants numbering 13 crossed the NH-2 (erstwhile NH 61) just one kilometer away from Wokha town and scaled their way up to mid of Mt Tiyi, the tallest peak in Wokha district and a reserved forest. Mt Tiyi at the summit is nearly vertical and unimaginable for the pachyderms to negotiate its terrains. It was therefore a baffle for the alarmed villagers of New Wokha Village residing below Tiyi summit, who chased down the elephants with fire, drums and firecrackers after it ventured inside their village area and banana plantations. This is not the first time that the elephants had strayed so close to human settlement. Triggered by factors such as habitat loss and shrinkage and degradation of their range, reports of wild elephants venturing close to villages in the Wokha districts is seeing an increasing trend. Human-elephant conflict in Wokha district is not a new phenomenon with Baghty valley in the lower range, which lies close to the plains of Assam, having a history of human-elephant co-existence and conflict for centuries. But it is only recently, or a decade, that wild elephants have ventured up to the middle and upper ranges of Wokha district seeking new sanctuary and food. Wokha district is divided into three rangesupper range covering the Wokha, Wozhuro, Chukitong and Englan circle; middle range covering the Lotsu, Sanis and Aitepyong circle; and lower range covering the Bhandari circle

and Ralan area. Although there is no official census on the number of elephants in Wokha district, villagers and conservationists suggest that there are at least 150 elephants in Baghty valley area alone while at Doyang valley in the middle range, the number is pegged close to 60. Conflicts from crop raiding, injuries and deaths to humans caused by elephants, and elephants killed by humans for reasons other than ivory are reported every year from Wokha district. Of the most recent, in 2016, a farmer from Longtsung village (lower range) was trampled to death while unspecified number of people were injured during encounter with the elephants. In 2015, a villager hailing from Old Riphyim village was also mauled to death. Despite this continued threat, which is alarmingly on the rise, the absence of any worthwhile mitigation to this conflict continues to pose a grave threat to both humans and the elephants. Trapped elephants? One major factor forcing elephants to venture uphill to the middle and upper reaches of Wokha district is being attributed to fragmentation of their old habitats in Assam. “With most of their habitats destroyed due to human encroachment and leaving them without food or home, the elephants are dramatically expanding their range and getting pushed up to the hills from Assam,” Steve Odyuo, founder of Natural Nagas, an NGO working for wildlife and environment conservation said. As human settlements and plantations replace the forests areas, Odyuo, who has been at the heart of elephant conservation, said

the elephants have no place to go back and therefore tarry up in the valleys and mountains in Wokha instead of going back. Calling them “trapped elephants,” Odyuo said the pachyderms crossed the Baghty valley in the foothills and reached Doyang in search for food, water and home and now cannot go back. With the increasing interaction with humans, the elephants in Doyang are stressed out and this may induce the elephants to become more aggressive, Odyuo also observed. Crop raiders The presence of elephants has become the leading frustration for the farming community of Wokha district that they once demanded the forest department to “take away your elephants from our land.” Majority of the population in Wokha district are cultivators and dependent on the farm and field produce for their livelihood. As season for the jhum cultivation begins, there is growing apprehension among the farmers that their crops would be damaged/ raided by the elephants like the years before. For instance, during 2015-16, from New Wokha Village alone, there were 100 farmers who filed for compensation from the forest department due to damage to their crops, banana plantations and properties by elephants. Similar scenario is reported in most of the villages under the three ranges of Wokha district. Ex chairman of New Wokha Village, Khyolamo Lotha claimed that a number of cultivators from the village have given up on large scale farming as their crops are destroyed by raiding elephants every year. Many of them are now confined only to vegetable

Wild elephants foraging for food at Doyang valley in Wokha district. (Photo by Steve Odyuo)

cultivation in the village vicinity, he added. However, even the cultivations and plantations in the village vicinityare notsafe anymore. With the elephants venturing nearer to human settlements each year, the villagers are in a fix and this may lead to full scale conflict leading to loss at both sides, Odyuo pointed out. Forest department grossly underfunded The villagers are also dissatisfied on the meager compensation/ex-gratia given for the damage to crops, deaths and injuries caused by the elephants. According to Khyolamo Lotha, who is also founder of Tiyi Wildlife Conservation and Animal – Human Conflict Control Society, a meager Rs 1000 compensation from the state government, which is also not timely, is not going to alleviate the loss of the affected farmers in any way. “We have been asking the state government that the compensation should commiserate the damage done by the elephant. It should also be timely, however, there have been

no positive response so far,” Lotha informed. The communities had also demanded villagelevel forest patrol squad, construction of watch towers and resting sheds; supply of equipments, creation of proper research and awareness on elephants deterrent and arranging viable alternative sources of livelihood for villages that are in elephant-human conflict. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Wokha, Zuthunglo Patton, speaking to The Morung Express admitted that the forest department was grossly underfunded to tackle with the issue of the human-elephant conflict. “The forest department is grossly underfunded and the staff highly undertrained that it is struggling to tackle with the conflict, provide adequate and timely compensation to those affected,” Patton said. Commenting on the rising number of elephants in the district, the DFO maintained that Wokha district with only a total area of 1628 square kilometer have to accommodate at least 150 to 180 elephants along

with the rising number of human population. Apparently, this may be one reason why there are frequent reports of human-elephant conflicts, further compounded by the lack of commitment or urgency on the part of the state government to recognize the issue and tackle it in all earnestness. Strained human-elephant relationship In fact, the already fragile relationship between humans and elephants appear to be becoming more strained as reports of retaliation/conflict against the elephants become more frequent. The presence of elephants has also attracted poachers armed with sophisticated guns. Officially, the forest department recorded four suspected cases of poaching between 2015-16. However, villagers in the elephant inhabited areas have put the figure at six (6) cases- all from the upper and middle range area. Wokha DFO said there have been instances of suspected poaching but the department could not verify

the reports because in most cases, the villagers were reluctant to provide details. “With no trust building initiatives undertaken by the department with the villages, forest staff reach the spot only when all traces of evidences have disappeared and the meat have been distributed among the villagers,” she stated. While awareness creation is a must among the community for peaceful co-existence of humans and elephants, Patton however pointed out that this can backfire if it is not coupled with incentives and with income generation facilities. Odyuo suggested that wildlife conservation groups should come up in every village from individual and community level, so that information dissemination is quick and NGOs and government can intervene in time for action. “The villagers have no problem with the elephants living in their areas, but to co-exist, there ought to be proper policies and remedial measures for any problems arising thereof,” Lotha maintained.

ZAPO alleges ‘step-motherly treatment’ by govt NPA to uphold democratic

Appeals to resolve issues at Government High School Zuketsa

PfUtSEro, march 12 (mExN): The Zuketsa Area Public Organisation (ZAPO) today expressed displeasure over what it called “stepmotherly treatment” given to the public and particularly students’ community of Zuketsa area by the Government of Nagaland concerning issues at Government High School Zuketsa. A press release from ZAPO President, Ngupelo Therie and General Secretary, Rite Khutso informed that the school has been locked up since March 8, 2017 due to government’s

failure to advertise the post of Chowkidar at the school. “Now the school is helpless and hundreds of innocent students’ career is at stake because of the lackadaisical attitude of the government,” it lamented. The issue has been ongoing and the landowners first locked up the school in September 2014. According to ZAPO, the Gauhati High Court in its order W.P(C) 193(K) of 2014 to Department of School Education (DoSE), Government of Nagaland, directed the department to advertise the post of Chowkidar at Government High School Zuketsa within 3 months from the date of receipt of a certified copy

of the Order. “But it’s flabbergasting to know that it took the concerned department almost 14 months to write a simple correspondence/ letter to Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Pfutsero instructing him to constitute a Sub-Divisional Selection Board in terms of Govt. approval order No. DSE/ HC-09/2014/529 dated 21/6/2016 for recruitment to 1 (one) post of Chowkidar at GHS Zuketsa inspite of receiving the Court Order on the 29/06/2015,” the release stated. Meanwhile, the organisation alleged that the ADC, Pfutsero even after receiving the official correspondence from the DoSE

on August 5, 2016 instructing him to advertise the post vacant and to conduct the interview, “failed to do so due to reasons best known to him.” The school administration and NGOs in the area, it said, also conveyed the news of the school to the department and administration “but they showed no sign of interest as no officials from the department nor administration visited the school.” In this light, the organisation questioned the sincerity of the government towards the area people stating this is not the first instance. It mentioned that the incumbent HoD of the DoSE even visited the school in 2016 and had an interaction with the

school administration, but issues faced by the school have not been resolved yet. ZAPO pointed out there is no Science teacher in the school since September 2016, no language teacher appointed since its inception in 1993, and the school has been running without a Headmaster since May 2016. Therefore, the organisation on behalf of the public of the area appealed to the authority concerned to solve the issue regarding appointment of Chowkidar at the earliest so the children can go back to school. It also urged the DoSE to appoint Headmaster, Science teacher and language teacher at the earliest.

DImaPUr, march 12 (mExN): The Nagaland Press Association (NPA) has taken serious note of “rising intimidation and threats” made to media houses in Nagaland, and resolved to be a “responsible and accountable medium” to uphold the freedom of speech and expression. It has affirmed to be resolute against forces that “threaten to reduce the democratic space of media houses, and will not be pressured into publishing press statements/articles/news.” These were some among seven points resolved at a general meeting of the NPA held on March 11 at Hotel Saramati here in order to uphold “democratic values and principles” as well as to enhance the “well-being of all persons involved in the fourth estate” in Nagaland. The NPA advised the Government of Nagaland to “fully implement and operationalize the Nagaland Journalist Welfare Scheme effective beginning the 2017-2018 Financial Year,” stated the resolution, signed by NPA General Secretary, Along Longkumer. The NPA reiterated that the Government of Nagaland (GoN) should demonstrate its “political will” towards this end by allocating the financial requirements during the upcoming Budget unTABA leaders with nsCn (iM) General secretary, Th Muivah Session. and other members of the Collective leadership. In continuation of its

UNTABA discusses border issue with NSCN (IM) and RN Ravi DImaPUr, march 12 (mExN): A delegation of the United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas (UNTABA) held deliberation and consultation with NSCN (IM) General Secretary, Th Muivah and the Collective Leadership, in New Delhi with regard to “restoration of transferred Naga lands in Assam to Nagaland and in what manner traditional and historical boundary can be settled with Assam during the final political settlement.” A press note from the UNTABA informed that the “leadership of the NSCN seriously discussed with the team and assured its fullest commitment to pursue the issue in its right perspective in the ongoing political talk with the Government of India.” The UNTABA team also held discussion with the Interlocutor for the Naga

peace talks, RN Ravi on its demands to the Government of India earlier for bringing back the transferred Naga lands in Assam to its rightful owner as per its commitment enshrined in the 9 Points & 16 Points Agreements of 1947 and 1960 respectively. The meeting, UNTABA informed, also deliberated seriously on the present status of the issue in the ongoing political talk with NSCN (IM). “The Interlocutor admitted the failure of the Government of India in giving due importance on this issue and assured to sincerely dwell on the issue so as to find appropriate mechanism to meet the aspiration of the Naga people. He further assured to conduct further consultation on the issue with the people concerned,” UNTABA stated.

values and principles

protest against the GoN-proposed Accreditation Policy in 2016, the NPA urged the GoN to initiate a “consultation process with the media fraternity so that an acceptable, applicable and practical Accreditation policy for Nagaland can be formulated without further delay.” The NPA further proposed a consultation meeting with all of Nagaland’s media fraternity as soon as possible in order to “strengthen and build better understanding.” During the general meeting, the NPA’s interim executives were entrusted with the responsibility of doing the ground work to ensure that the consultation meeting is inclusive and represented by all sections of the media fraternity. Meanwhile, recognizing that the NPA is currently being managed by interim executives, the general meeting decided to hold elections to the NPA at the earliest possible time. It was also resolved that the NPA would request media houses/newspapers to “encourage their staff (working journalists and non-journalists, including the printing staff) to actively participate in strengthening the NPA.” In order to keep the media fraternity informed and updated with new learning, the NPA will also organize a refresher workshop (orientation program) for journalists in Nagaland in 2017.

MonDAY 13•03•2017

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

NECU permanent campus inaugurated in Medziphema

Jhum Cultivation: A Jhum field near Merangkong Village under Mokokchung district in Nagaland. The sowing season for Jhum fields are usually done during the month of February and March. Due to its topography, the Annual Administrative Report 2015-16 of the Soil & Water Conservation Department informed that about 61% of the total households practice shifting cultivation in Nagaland. In recent years, nearly 20% of the total Net Cropped Area of 3.84 lakhs hectares has been brought been under irrigation. According to the Nagaland Economic Survey 2015-16, Agriculture is the largest employer of the workforce and still continues to be the indispensable source of livelihood for the people, though the employment in this sectors has decline significantly from 96.5 per cent during 1950s to 60 per cent by 2013. Agriculture and Allied Sector contributed 29.74% to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in 2015-16. (Morung Photo)

CMO Peren conducts review meeting

DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): The Chief Medical Office, Peren District under the chairmanship of Dr. Tiala, Dy. CMO held it’s District Review Meeting on the March 7 at the Conference Hall, Chief Medical Office, Peren. A press note informed that the meeting was attended by the District Programme Officers, Medical Officers and Health workers from the Health Centers, District and Block Program Management Unit Staff, NHM. At the outset, the Dy. CMO welcomed and ex-

pressed her appreciation to all members for attending the meeting. She stressed on the regularity of the staff and sincerely requested the staff to be in their place of posting for better service delivery. She also informed about the Health Mela which will be held on the March 16 at New Tesen Village at 9:00am. She urged all concerned staff’s to coordinate for the success of the program Dr. Khrielasanuo, DPO RCH/UIP gave a comparative analysis on last year’s Jan IPPI 2016 and this year’s IPPI Jan 2017. She also

highlighted the difference of complete immunization and full immunization stating that complete immunization includes booster doze whereas full immunization is only till measles. She also informed that the 2nd Phase IPPI will be held on the April 2. She added that there will be four rounds of immunization in Mission Indradhanush starting from March 7 and on the 7th of every month till June 2017. She highlighted about the National Deworming Day which will be held on March 10 and 15.

Dr. Khrielasanuo also said that the Department of Social Welfare and School Education will be actively involved along with the Medical Department in carrying out the program and appealed all Health workers to give their full cooperation and support and to work sincerely. She further explained about the dosage of medicine Albendazole: children from 1 to below 2 yearshalf tablet (200mg), 2- 19 years- one tablet (400mg). Meanwhile, the next review meeting has been fixed for April 5.

DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): The permanent campus of the North East Christian University (NECU) was formally dedicated by KC Momin, President of Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI) on March 10, about 3.5 kms from the main highway of Medziphema town. The campus was inaugurated in the presence of Deo Nukhu, Parliamentary Secretary of Higher and Technical Education. Rev. Dr. AK Lama, PRO Chancellor of NECU while sharing the NECU vision said that when he joined CBCNEI as the General Secretary in 2008, he felt the need for churches to come together and turn the spiritual fellowship into a collaborative educational adventure. He went on to add that despite having many academically qualified persons and resources in the NE region, the region has been dependent on outside institutions for accreditation, academic guidance and for various resources. He also said there is not only financial drain but under utilisation of human resources in the region. In order to begin the collaborative effort of the educational institution, he invited the principals of 8 seminaries under CBCNEI to share the challenges and explore possibilities. He also felt that the time was right for all the churches to unite under the umbrella of one Baptist University. The proposal, he informed, was warmly received by the expert committee of CBCNEI and was recommended to the 60th Annual General Convention at William Nagar on April 2010 where it was unanimously approved. Consequently, consultations of key leaders of CBCNEI as well as other experts were held at Shalom Bible Seminary, Zubza in 2010, where it was unanimously agreed to name this University as NECU. Alemtemshi Jamir, retired Chief Secretary and also the member of the Governing Council, NECU, while presenting a perspective of the NECU Campus Development, referred to the comments made by the Chairman of Medziphema village that the if NECU develops Medziphema will also develop.

He meanwhile asked the gathering to evolve their own perspective regarding what one can contribute in terms of ideas and conceptions. This university, he said will incorporate a bottom up and democratic approach. He meanwhile stated that there is not one large designed campus in the North East which stands out as a truly innovative. A great opportunity presents itself, therefore, to develope the NECU campus, he said. Jamir said that the broad objectives of the campus design would be to adopt critical Environmental Design criteria as an essential parameter, to ensure environment - sensitive design of all built spaces, to encourage the use of traditional materials and skills in the development process and also to create an atmosphere of harmony in a campus that is uniquely North - Eastern. He further suggested that since the NECU campus is set in pristine surroundings, some environmental principles will guide the overall character of the NECU campus by adopting planning methods sensitive to the nature of the site, preserving the natural assets of the campus (Hillocks, streams, flora), and also adopting an Ecological Plan to protect as well as rejuvenate it's natural environment. Deo Nukhu, Parliamentary Secretary of Higher and Technical Education said that his dream is to see the NECU University turning into one of the best in the world. He meanwhile lamented that in India most of the theological students are facing huge difficulty as they are not getting scholarship and they are highly deprived. Recalling his recent visit to Delhi, Nukhu said that he met Joint Secretary of Minority Affairs, who had assured provision of scholarship from the Minority Affairs to the students who could not avail the scholarship from UGC. He reminded that the Naga theological students can obtain the form from the website of Minority Affairs or they can also obtain it from the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education, Kohima.

Art of Living Nagaland extends Holi greetings

DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): President of the Art of Living, Nagaland RS Paswan today extended Holi greetings to the people of Nagaland. In a press note, Paswan stated: “It is a day when sore hearts are set at peace, hard hearts soften and unclean minds are washed clean through the medium of colours. May the spirit of Holi leave you drenched with joy.”

CM extends Holi wishes

DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Shrühozelie Liezietsu extended his warm greetings to all the Hindu community of the state and across the country on the occasion of Holi. “Holi is one of the major festivals in Hindu culture but the warmth, fun and togetherness makes this festival transcend the boundaries of culture and religion” he said in a press note issued through the CMO. The CM expressed hope that the festival would bring peace, happiness and prosperity to all.

Let the spirit of Holi strengthen harmony: Gov

DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): Nagaland Governor, PB Acharya today extended Holi greetings to the people of the state and stated that Holi marks the arrival of spring while the many colours of Holi reflect the cultural diversity and heritage of the country. He called on the people to let the festival strengthen the secular fabric of the nation and foster unity, fraternity, joy and togetherness of the people. In a press note, the Governor hoped that the joyous spirits of traditional Holi festival will rejuvenate and strengthen the age old bond of love, harmony and understanding in society teachers could not avail and keep all sections of the opportunity to undergo people united to march peacefully forward. teacher training. He also requested the SCERT to organise a short DRSU general term teacher training pr- meeting on March 18 gramme on school counseling skills to cater to the DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 needs of mental emotional (MExN): The Dimapur and psychological wellbe- Rengma Students' Union (DRSU) will be having it's ing of the students. Altogether 35 teachers general meeting on March from government schools 18 at TUD office, Tenyimi and private schools attend- Complex, next to Hotel Tragopan at 10:00 AM. A ed the program. press note from the DRSU informed President and colleagues of Rengma Hoho Dimapur, Rengma Mothers' Association Dimapur, its executives, area representatives, senior leaders, advisors, students and concerned citizens to attend the meeting positively. “Members are to come with at least one traditional touch,” it added, while informing that any further information can be sough by contacting Information & Publicity Secretary, Kvuchulo Khing at +918731943362 / +918014173513.

NBCA ordains its youngest Pastor SCERT holds teacher orientation programme DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): The SCERT, Nagaland organised a 2 day teacher orientation programme for teachers of private and government schools at New Creation School Sekrezou, Chiozouba from March 10 to 11 at New Creation School, Sekrezou, Chozouba under Phek District. SCERT Associate Professor, Dr Zavise Rume and Assistant Professor, Thebi Joseph Shupao were the

resource person's for the programme. Dr. Zavise spoke on various topics on child psychology, innovative method of teaching, Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation and basic skills of teaching. Thebi Joseph Shupao spoke on Classroom management. Earlier Vesalù Swùro, Headmistress of New Creation School, Sekrezoi, while welcoming the par-

ticipants emphasised the need for regular teacher orientation in the teaching profession. The school administrator Rev. Vekuso Swùro, in his speech thanked the SCERT Nagaland for the training programme and facilitated. He further hoped that similar programmes would be organised in the near future on regular basis in rural and remote area like Chozuba area where many

12 day DOPT training held in Mon

Rev. R. Meren handing over the Ministerial Licensed Certificate to Pastor Rukuolhoulie Solo.

DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): The Nagamese Baptist Church Association (NBCA) today certified Ministerial License to Rukuolhoulie Solo, its youngest Pastor. This was done during the service held at Flames of Fire Baptist Church, Kohima. Rev. R. Meren, Executive Secretary, NBCA after administering the art of Commission, stressed on the topic "Catch the vision" and said people will vanish if they don't have a vision. He commented on the growth of the Church along with the vision of Pastor Rukuo. The ministry of a church, Rev R Meren stated, “should be evangelism and proclamation, preaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus Christ is the Messiah.” The church grows when the believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit, he added. Rev Meren further emphasised that as Christians one should live by the greatest commandments written in the book of Matthew 22:37-40. A Church is not a reality show but the love and relationship between the believers and their love for the church, he added and challenged the youth to catch the vision of the church and bring revival in the church because without the presence

of the Holy Spirit a church will not be functional with the love of God. Earlier, sharing his life testimony, Pastor Rukuolhoulie Solo said in the year 2005, studying in standard 9 he dedicated his life to Jesus Christ and decided to follow and work for Him. At the age of 17 he started ministering house to house and had a vision to bring thousands of people to follow Christ before he attained 20 years of age. He started the Flames of Fire Baptist church in 2009 with just 9 members. The church has now 450 members and 200 Sunday school children. Pastor Ruokuo will be preaching during the upcoming Revival programmes this month at Garo Baptist Church Kohima on March 24 and at Tseminyu Town on March 30. Mhabeni Ngullie, Women Secretary, NBCA led the service while Daniel Sangma, Pastor, Garo Baptist Church pronounced the invocation. License recommendation was announced by Salie Nuh while Medosecho Yongo read the scripture and short speech was delivered by Rev Niveilie Mere. Hosanna Prayer Group and Youth worship centre presented a special number.

DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (DIPR): A DOPT Sponsored Induction Training Programme for newly recruited group-‘B’ & ‘C’ state Government employees of Mon district was conducted by ATI Kohima in collaboration with the district administration. The training culminated on March 10. The resource persons of District TOTS imparted training on motivational talk, personal effectiveness, personal & organizational values, qualities of an excellent employees, verbal and non verbal communication, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, E-Governance, problem solving & decision making, managing conflict, leadership & team building, time management, emotional intelligence and goal setting. While resource persons from ATI Kohima imparted training on the Nagaland

Trainees who attended the programme in Mon.

Government State Service Conduct Rules of 1968, The Nagaland Services Rules 1967, File Management, Noting & Drafting Skills, Forms of Communications, RTI Act 2005, Maintenance of Service Books, Seniority & Promotion, Cyber Security, NPS, Course Evaluation and Disaster Management. As part of the training there was a field visit to Shiyong village on March 4. The purpose of the visit

was to familiarize the trainees on social, cultural and economic environment of the local populaces and to observe the issues, challenges and problems faced by the local citizens, including the various village development programme structures and its impact. The trainees held meetings and interacted with the village council and later visited the tea garden and Orchard Cardamom field.

Besides, the trainees also conducted cleanliness drive around the monolith area of Mon town in collaboration with Mission I Love My Mon Town (ILMMT) on March 9. The programme concluded with distribution of certificates to the trainees by the ADC, Mon. Altogether 34 trainees from different departments under Mon district participated in the training which began on February 28.

TSUD meeting on March 15

DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): The Tenyimi Students’ Union Dimapur (TSUD) consultative meeting with the constituent units, college representatives and senior members will be held at Tenyimi Union Dimapur (TUD) Complex on March 15 at 2:00pm. A press note from the union informed all members to attend the meeting without fail.

DC informs 93rd battalion BSF celebrates Holi Tuensang on arms license Our Correspondent Kohima | March 12

The 93rd Battalion of the Border Security Force today celebrated the Holi festival at their battalion ground at Chedema, about 10 Kms from Kohima with D.K Pathak, former Director General of BSF and Chairman of Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG) gracing the auspicious occasion as the Chief Guest. In a function held at the BSF Battalion ground, the Commandant of the 93rd BSF battalionHemantKumarwelcomed the guests, the Chairman of the Ceasefire MoniAn Angami youth competes in a ‘yelling event’ during the an- toring Group D K Pathak, nual Sekrenyi inter Peli tournament organized by Tsiituonu- Nagaland Director General of omia Youth Organization and T. Khel Peli Union in Kohima Police (Prison) Rupin Sharma and Deputy Commissioner village recently. (Morung Photo)

of Kohima Rajesh Soundararajan. Speaking on the occasion, Pathak commended the Commandant 93 Battalion of BSF, for having organized such a festival in a grand manner, as the members of the battalion are celebrating Holi

being far away of their home. He also extended his warm Holi greetings to all troops and their families and exhorted them to celebrate the festival of colours to bring peace, unity and harmony in the country.

The jawans of the battalion also presented colourful cultural function and Hindi songs during the celebration. Meanwhile, Holi celebration in Kohima will take place at Gorkha Panchayat Complex, opposite Govt.

Printing Press, Chandmari on March 13 at 10:00 AM. The celebration will begin with Deep Prajwalan and conclude with Holi sharing including cultural, traditional and entertainment programmes.

DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): The Deputy Commissioner, Tuensang has informed all holders of arms licences issued by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Tuensang and who have not had the Unique Identification Number (UIN) generated for their licences yet that the last date for generation of UIN is March 31. A press note from the Tuensang DC stated that due to the erratic internet connection in the office, all such arms holders are instructed to apply for generation of UIN on or before March 25 so that the licences are not rendered invalid. Failure to do so thereafter shall not be the responsibility of this office, it added.

monday 13•03•2017

NORTH-EAST 3

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Bodos on hunger-strike decline medical help KoKrajhar (assam), march 12 (IaNs): On the third day of their hunger strike to press for a separate state for the community, the Bodos on Sunday said they would not accept any medical aid until the government accepts their long-pending demands. "It has been decided that despite deteriorating health of many protestors, we won't take any medical help. Both the Centre and the Assam government need to address the Bodo issue immediately," said a statement issued jointly by the Bodo groups leading the huger strike. The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), National Democratic Front of Bodoland-(Progressive)

and the People Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement (PJACBM) are together holding the indefinite period hunger-strike. The groups have alleged that the governments are deliberately staying away from taking up the separate state demand so that the Bodoland issue dies down. "Since the movement has started, the government of India is seen to be playing truant, not conceding the separate state demand for Bodos," said ABSU President Pramod Bodo. Over 2,000 people participated in the hunger strike in Kokrajhar and other parts of the Bodo Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), which also include Chi-

rang, Baksha and Udalguri. The Bodo groups also threatened economic blockade on the lines of the Manipur economic blockade. According to the Bodo communities, the Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) -formed to give autonomy to the Bodo people under the Sixth schedule (Amended) of the Constitution -has several shortcomings in terms of executing the monetary schemes of the central government for the welfare of the Bodo people. The Bodo groups have also alleged that the BTC government in BTAD is not in a position to do overall development. Thousands of people from various parts of the

Cong accuses BJP of abducting independent MLA in Mnp

NEW dElhI, march CISF and airport authori- of subverting democracy being murdered in broad 12 (IaNs): The Congress ties to detain and abduct and abducting MLAs by daylight by Modi governon Sunday accused BJP of independent MLA As- misusing CISF at Imphal ment.” The ruling Congress "playing a dangerous game abuddin at Imphal air- airport despite electoral and the Bharatiya Janata of subverting democracy" port and take him to Cal- loss,” he added. Surjewala also said: “In- Party have secured 28 and and abducting an inde- cutta (Kolkata),” Congress state assembled at the ven- pendent MLA from Mani- spokesperson Randeep dependent MLA Asabud- 21 seats, respectively, in din is travelling with min- the hung assembly that ue to mark their support pur by misusing the CISF at Singh Surjewala tweeted. ister Sh. Nasir (A. Nasir). emerged after the recent “Modi government is Imphal airport. to and solidarity with the “BJP is now misusing playing a dangerous game Federalism and rule of law elections in Manipur. hunger strikers. "This time Bodos will not fall prey to any diplomatic moves unless a comprehensive political dialogue on the long-pending issue of Bodoland is called," said Bodo. border with Myanmar. Tengnoupal The NDFB-Progressive Imphal, march 12 (aNI): Fear rity forces. “We are asking the state and cen- is the highest point of a road (NH-2) said despite shunning arms continues to grip the border villages and joining peace talks on of Manipur, a week after the Myan- tre governments of India that we are between Imphal and northwestern the demand for Bodoland mar Army’s alleged intrusion into the in border zone, border line and we Myanmar (Burma). Chief of Lhangcham village, Lanare not safe from the disturbance of on the government's plea, Indian Territory. According to reports, Myanmar this foreign army. So the authority minlen Haokip, said the Indian Govthere is no positive response troops intruded Holenphai village of should give us safety and peace. We ernment should ensure safety of its from the government. "It is very shameful on Tengnoupal district on March 4 and want peaceful life in India, but now people. “We are sacrificing our life, the part of the government vandalized a saw mill, taking away we are not safe. We are afraid of this but nobody cares for us. Our loyalty that there is no policy de- all its machines. Panic-stricken resi- Burmese Army,” said Chief of Holen- to Indian citizens has been undermined by the government, so how cision for amicable solu- dents of Lhangcham and Holenphai phai village, Haokip. India’s northeastern states of Ma- can this happen every now and then? tion to our demands," said villages staged a protest against the Dhiren Bodo, Chairman of alleged intrusion on March 10 and nipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland Is Indian government vulnerable to demanded the deployment of secu- and Mizoram share the international protect its people?” said Haokip. NDFB-Progressive.

Alleged Myanmar Army’s intrusion pushes residents of Manipur villages to stage protest

Tripura rubbishes Ram After a good show in Manipur & Assam, Bengaluru assault: Student from Madhav's claim on central funds BJP sets eye on other North East states Arunachal to invoke racial abuse charge aGarTala, march 12 (IaNs): Tripura's Left Front government rubbished BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav's claim that Rs 1 lakh crore have been pumped into the state government over the past three years. Madhav, addressing a public gathering here on Friday, claimed that the central government has given Rs 1 lakh crore to Tripura. The BJP leader also alleged that about 25 % of the central funds has not been spent in Tripura and a large amount of the funds is being used for increasing the ruling CPI-M's properties. The state government in a release on Saturday night said that the state had received only Rs 21,407.63 crore during the past three financial years. "The central fund of Rs 21,407.63 crore was received as a share of central taxes, and to the centrally sponsored schemes and central assistance to state plan," it said. It added that the actual facts of central funding to Tripura were also communicated to Madhav. "The statement made by Ram Madav ji is not true," the release stated. With this official statement, the war of words between Tripura's Left parties and the BJP will get intensified in the upcoming days. Talking to IANS, Tripura Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha said on Sunday that the Centre had stopped much of its aid and changed the sharing pattern for the centrally sponsored schemes. This had caused Tripura a net loss of Rs 1,356 crore in 2015-16 fiscal. "The Centre had even stopped funding under normal central assistance, special plan assistance and special central assistance. Besides, the fund flow under some major schemes was reduced by Rs 314.72 crore during 2015-16," Saha said.

India-B'desh border guards celebrate Holi together aGarTala, march 12 (IaNs): Border guards of India and Bangladesh on Sunday celebrated the festival of Holi together along the international border. India's Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) played Holi at Akhaura integrated checkpost and other bordering areas of Tripura and exchanged sweets. Holi, the popular "Festival of Colours", will be celebrated in some parts of the country on Sunday and other parts on Monday. "BSF and BGB are very close and have celebrated various annual carnivals each year. Celebration of each other's festivities together would bring both the organisations closer," BSF's 195 Battalion Commandant Ajit Kurmar P. told reporters at the Akhaura checkpost here.

GUWahaTI, march 12 (ET): With BJP's recent success in North East, which has for long been identified as a Congress bastion, the Saffron party is now eyeing the four other states -- Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya -- for expansion. From not a single MLAs in 2012 Assembly polls the BJP now has 21 MLA in 60-member Manipur assembly. This has put BJP in position where it can form government. BJP is leading a coalition in Assam after decisive win last year and defection has led to formation of BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh. In four North-eastern states -- Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya -which will go to polls next year, BJP is likely to stitch an alliance with regional allies to take on Congress in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Left Front in Tripura. Following BJP's spectacular victory in Assam Assembly polls in May last year, party president Amit Shah had piloted an idea of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) with an objective of a CongressMukt Northeast. A senior BJP leader, who did not want to be quoted, told ET: "Northeast India is ' Eshaan Kon' - a position which is very im-

portant for a house. Like we keep Northeast corner of our house clean to keep our family healthy, we also need to bring order in Northeast India.” "We have regional allies like National Peoples Party and United Democratic Party (UDP) in Meghalaya, they are member of NEDA. In Christianity-dominated Meghalaya, we may cobble up grand alliance," BJP leader added. "In Mizoram we have alliance with National Front (MNF) and in Tripura we are in talks with tribal parties. In these states we may piggy ride on the regional parties." Congress in Meghalaya is facing dissident activity, in Mizoram the congress has stable government, and Left Front is ruling Tripura. Congress has suffered a setback in Tripura where couple of MLAs have left the party and joined Trinamool Congress following party's tie-up with left parties in West Bengal last year. The leader added: "In Nagaland we are part of Naga People’s Front-led coalition, which is ruling the state. In recent times there was some bitterness between NPF and BJP in Nagaland, however, we will overcome those. NPF which has won four seats in Manipur has pledged to support non Congress formation."

the state women commission in Arunachal Pradesh. “I was almost confirmed inside the room on the third floor for more than an hour during which he repeatedly kicked and assaulted me. He kept on hurling various abuses at me. Finally, he made me kiss his shoes and also threw my trolley bag with my belongings out onto the street from the third floor,” Higio Gungtey told BM. According to Gungtey, on March 6, Hemanth Kumar reportedly had a heated argument with Gungtey, accusing him of carelessly leaving the tap open and drying up the water supply for the entire building. Gungtey had been staying on the third floor of the building with his two roommates, hailing from Assam and Jharkhand. “He was very abusive despite me trying to make him understand that I was not responsible for excess

water usage. He came over to the room and then the debate continued as he said my name was not on the rent agreement despite me staying there for almost 11 months. He kicked me and I also resisted but he went on abusing and assaulting me inside the room,” Gungtey added.

WANTED

HEAD TEACHER/ ADMINISTRATOR

At Police Public School, 10th NAP BN(IR) Zhadima for Class LKG-Class IV

Qualification required Science Graduate Preference a) B.Ed or Montessori Trained b) Teaching Experience. Salary Rs. 12,000/- (Negotiable) Incentive – Free Accommodation Interview at 10th NAP (IR) Bn Zhadima on 20/03/17 (Transportation will to be provided to the candidates from Kohima – Zhadima). Chairman Managing Board Contact No:- 7005858945 9436431560

Not making Sikkimese film to SAINIK SCHOOL, PUNGLWA (NAGALAND) uplift NE: Priyanka Chopra's mother ALL INDIA SAINIK SCHOOLS ENTRANCE EXAMINATION - 2017 NEW dElhI, march 12 (IaNs): Actress Priyanka Chopra's mother Madhu says the decision to make Sikkimese film "Pahuna" comes with a motive to "assimilate knowledge about the state", not essentially to uplift the North-East region. "Pahuna" is being made under the Chopras' home banner Purple Pebble Pictures. Asked if producing the film helps in bringing limelight towards the North-East region, Madhu told IANS over phone from Mumbai: "Priyanka is the brand ambassador of Assam Tourism, that is one step. Second, we are making a Sikkimese film. It's not essentially to uplift the North-East, but to assimilate the knowledge about the state." "Pahuna" is a brave story about the love, strength and courage of three Nepali children who get separated from their parents, while fleeing the Maoist agitation from Nepal to Sikkim. The entire cast and many of the technicians are from Sikkim.

"We don't know their lifestyle...We don't know that they are such gentle, kind and nice people. Through the film we will showcase their Sikkim, their state," she added. Madhu also feels Sikkim doesn't "have a film industry per se". "But they have talent and scope. We have taken talent from Sikkim," she said. The film be made in Sikkimese language. "But we will dub it in Hindi and release it all over the country hopefully. There is a first time for everything...We are very excited. The government is very excited," she added. Madhu believes that there is viewership for regional cinema. "'Sairat' did such a good job...Punjabi films are doing so well. People are curious to know about different regions," She said. Beginning this year, PPP had announced its foray into children's cinema by launching three films in Sikkimese, Konkani and Hindi.

18-year-old domestic help from Assam jumps to death GUrGaoN, march 12 (hINdUsTaN TImEs): An 18-year-old girl from Assam, who used to work as a domestic help at Carlton estate condominium complex in DLF Phase 5, allegedly committed suicide late on Friday. The deceased, identified as Ranjitha Brahma, who belonged to the Boro community from Assam, reportedly jumped from the 11th floor of Tower-4 of the complex at around 11 pm, police said. The girl was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was declared brought dead. She had reportedly begun to work as a domestic help for one Rohit Mehta, a

BENGalUrU, march 12 (aGENcIEs): The 21-year-old Arunachal youth allegedly assaulted and forced to kiss the shoes of his landlord has decided to file an additional complaint with the city police seeking to invoke racial abuse charges against the accused, a city-based lawyer. Higio Gungtey, an undergraduate student at a private university on Bannerghatta Road, was reportedly assaulted by his landlord, D Hemanth Kumar, following an argument over using excessive water at his rented accommodation in Dodamma Layout on March 6. Gungtey registered a complaint against his landlord on March 9, following which he was arrested for wrongful restraint, hurt, criminal intimidation and intentional assault before he was released on bail. The victim’s mother Yame Higio is the member secretary of

top executive with a multinational banking company, and his wife Sonal Mehta, only a few days ago. Initial reports said that Ranjitha had committed suicide, while friends and relatives of the deceased alleged foul play and demanded a detailed probe in to her death. Sources said the deceased girl wanted to leave the job. She had reportedly contacted two of her friends, who were employed in nearby localities, to come and pick her from the house. They said she had even packed her bags, but the couple allegedly did not let her go. “What I have gathered

is that the girl had called her friends so that she could leave the job and return to Assam as she did not like the work place and the city. Two of her friends had come to the condominium to take her, but they were prevented from entering the complex by security guards, reportedly on the instruction from flat owners. They waited for around two hours, but left when the wait yielded no result,” said Maya John, who works for Centre for Struggling Women, an NGO. On Saturday morning, the police rang up the friends at around 10 am and informed that Ranjitha

had allegedly committed suicide. “We don’t buy this theory of suicide and a detailed probe must be held,” said John. A case under Section 306 of IPC (abetment of suicide) was registered at Sushant Lok police station against the couple. Gaurav Phogat, SHO, Sushant Lok police station, said, “The cause of death would be established only after the postmortem is conducted on Sunday.” A large number of Boro women from Assam work as maids in Delhi-NCR and there have been a number of cases in which they have been beaten, and brutalised by employers.

FINAL MERIT LIST FOR ADMISSION TO CLASS VI & IX: 2017-18 SESSION

For CLASS VI roll Nos

reporting Date

All India SC - Main List: 7028, 7031*, 7048*, 7076*, 7108, 7118, 7145*, 7148*, 7151*,7153*, 7158*, 7181*, 7208, 7217 Wait List: 7172, 7160, 7226*, 7146, 7155*, 7216*, 7177*, 7170, 7169, 7147*, 6011 All India ST - Main List: 8016*, 8032*, 8069, 9011*, 9013, 9018, 9019* Wait List: 9012, 9007*, 9020, 8084*, 8051*, 8097, 8063

10 Apr 2017 N/A 10 Apr 2017 N/A

Home State - Main List: 6001, 6002*, 6005, 6010, 6012*, 7002*, 7006*, 7032, 7034, 7038*, 7040*, 7041*, 7044, 7045*, 7047*, 7050, 7188, 7501, 7503, 7504*, 7505, 7506, 7507, 7508, 7510*, 7511, 7512, 7513*, 7514, 7515, 7518*, 7519, 7520*, 7521* Wait List: 6004*

12 Apr 2017 N/A

Home State Defence: NIL All India Defence - Main List: 6012C*, 6017C*, 7001*, 7018*, 7090, 7142* Wait List: 8044*, 6020C*

11 Apr 2017 N/A

All India General - Main List: 7008*, 7009*, 7017, 7029, 7052, 7062*, 7063, 7086, 7102*, 7103*, 7120*, 7124, 7130, 7150, 7193, 7209*, 7228* Wait List: 7030, 7123, 7132, 7104*, 7111*, 7014, 7007*, 6019C, 7107, 7011, 7088*,7129, 6003*, 7184, 7013*, 7079*, 7024, 7121*, 7005*, 7220, 7106, 7174*, 7201*, 7204, 7517

11 Apr 2017 N/A

For Class IX All India SC - Main List: 6507*

Waitlist: 6515*

Home State - Main List: 6519*

Waitlist: 6518*

All India General - Main List: 6505*

Waitlist: 9503

Note: 1. Reporting date is only for Medically fit candidates whose Roll No. is mention in Main List [Roll No. without * (Astric)]. 2. Waitlisted candidates are in the order of merit. In case any vacancy arises from the Main Merit List, the same will be filled up by waitlisted candidate strictly in the order of merit only. They are not required to report to School unless specifically called. 3. Admission is subject to Medical Fitness and Verification of all original documents from issuing authority pertaining to Date of Birth, Caste Certificate and Indigenous/Domicile of the candidates. Call letters are being issued individually. However the School assumes no responsibility for late/non receipt of the call up letters by the individuals. 4. Roll Numbers marked as * (Astric) have been found medically Unfit by the medical board. These candidates including those in Wait List may however apply for review medical board for which they have to apply in writing to the school by 25 Mar 2017. The application can also be sent by email/fax at sainikpunglwa@yahoo.co.in/03938-262010 so as to reach by 25 Mar 2017. 5. The applicable fee for review medicals as prescribed in the prospectus shall be levied. 6. The review medical board date and venue shall be intimated to the applicant after 25 Mar 2017 and candidates have to appear at the prescribed Military Hospital/Base Hospital at their own expense. 7. Reason for medical unfitness can be checked from school web portal (www.sainikschoolpunglwa.nic.in). 8. At any stage, if it is found that the information/details submitted by the Candidates/Parents/Guardian are false, the Candidature shall stand cancelled. 9. Disclaimer: Due care has been taken to publish the final results accurately through the press media. However, the result available with the school is final and binding for all purposes.

monDAY 13•03•2017

business

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

India’s gold recycling plan fails to tempt households MUMBai, March 12 (reUTerS): India’s ambitious plan to recycle thousands of tonnes of gold lying idle in temples and households looks to have foundered on concerns over high costs and slight returns, in a blow to government hopes of cutting imports of the metal. After 16 months, temples and households have turned over just seven tonnes of gold out of the 24,000 tonnes believed to be in private hands, two industry sources and a government official said, with almost all the gold coming from temples. Families that hold about 80 percent of the idle gold have largely shunned the scheme, with some four dozen government-approved centers that opened to test purity still to process a single gram of household gold, said Harshad Ajmera, president of the Indian Association of Hallmarking Centres. “You hardly earn anything but you have to do so many things to deposit gold under the scheme. Why should I take all this pain?”

“If a consumer wants to have 25 grams jewelry converted the cost of converting and purity testing takes 3-4 percent of total value away,” said Shekhar Bhandari, executive vicepresident of Kotak Mahindra Bank.

Gold bangles are on display as a woman makes choices at a jewellery showroom during dhanteras, a Hindu festival associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, in Kolkata. (REUTERS File Photo)

said 54-year-old clerk Ganpat Shelke, who considered depositing 50 grams of gold. The struggling scheme was launched with much fanfare by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2015, with India seeking ways to stem the spending of billions of dollars on a non-essential commodity that accounted for 27 percent of its trade deficit

in the year to March, 2016. The country is the world’s second-biggest gold importer behind China, buying about 800 tonnes a year for wedding gifts, religious donations and as an investment. The plan was for holders of idle gold to lodge it with banks in return for interest and cash at redemption. The government

would melt the gold and auction or rent it to jewelers, reducing the need for imports. But the scheme logistics mean the owners of the gold must shoulder the cost of testing its purity and melting it down, while the interest rate on offer of just 2.5 percent compares with 7-8 percent that banks offer for cash deposit rates.

RELUCTANT BANKS Even when holders of the precious metal want to take part in the scheme they have run into hurdles. “I visited four banks several times to deposit gold but they could not accept it,” said Kushal Chatterjee, a businessmen from the eastern city of Kolkata. “They said they did not know the process.” At least five bank branches visited by Reuters this week in Mumbai said they could not accept gold under the scheme as they had not been given directions by their head offices. A senior official with the Indian Banks’ Association said the current scheme offered banks little or no profit. “There should be an incentive for banks,” said the official, who declined to be

named when commenting on a sensitive issue. Banks are also concerned that provisions allowing gold to be deposited for up to 15 years will raise currency and liquidity risks, the India Gold Policy Centre in a recent report. A finance ministry spokesperson declined to comment on the gold program. Gold refiners, who more than doubled capacity in recent years in anticipation of higher scrap supplies, are operating at well below capacity, said James Jose, secretary of the Association of Gold Refineries and Mints. “Except for the banks, all other stakeholders like purity centers, refiners are ready, but they are helpless without banks’ participation,” he said. The India Bullion and Jewellers Association urged the government to revisit the scheme, clearing doubts for consumers and putting pressure on banks to participate. “Otherwise Indian imports will not fall,” said Association secretary Surendra Mehta.

‘Cash pullback had ‘little Idea to offer free incoming calls on domestic roaming Delhi, March 12 of home circle will be available Middle East. impact’ on India’s growth’ New “For value conscious cus(PTi): Telecom operator Idea while roaming within India at no New Delhi, March 12 (PTi): The government’s move to pull back high-value notes had “little impact” on India’s growth and the economy will continue to grow at 7-8%, eminent economist Lord Meghnad Desai has said. “Demonetisation had small negative effect as the latest estimates show. I predicted this as small impact... Indian economy will continue to grow at between 7-8%,” the India-origin British politician told PTI. Desai claimed that he had supported demonetisation. “Indeed, I proposed it myself back in 2004. It will not by itself eliminate corruption, but if the government follows it through with action to make large anonymous cash transactions illegal and insist on PAN cards for all large purchases, corruption will be reduced,” the professor emeritus at the prestigious London School of Economics said. Asked if he would ever advise any other economy to undertake such a drastic step as replacing 86% of its currency, Desai replied, “I

would advise other economies to try demonetisation, but (go for) better arrangements for introduction of new currency.” The government last month had pegged GDP growth at a higher-than-expected 7.1% for 2016-17 despite the note ban. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) had put the figure for October-December at 7%, compared to 7.4% in the second quarter and 7.2% in the first. India’s growth was higher than China’s 6.8% for October-December of 2016. The growth numbers were better than those projected by the RBI (6.9%) and international agencies like IMF (6.6%) and OECD (7%) in view of the cash recall. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in February last year had projected the country’s economy expanding at 7.4% in 2016-17. Buoyed by higher-thanexpected growth, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also said a 7% expansion in the third quarter belies the exaggerated claims of note ban impact on the rural economy.

Cellular today announced free incoming calls on domestic roaming and unveiled international roaming value packs that, it claimed, would prevent “bill shocks” to those travelling abroad. The offers come on the heels of the larger rival Bharti Airtel announcing removal of all roaming charges for outgoing and incoming calls as well as SMSes and data usage within India, to take on competition from newcomer Reliance Jio. “Effective April 1, 2017, Idea’s 200 million customers will enjoy free incoming calls while roaming on company’s 2G, 3G and 4G network across 400,000 towns and villages in the country. Idea customers will be able to make outgoing calls, SMS freely at affordable rates while roaming anywhere in India,” an Idea release said. It further said mobile data tariffs and data pack benefits

leisure

CROSSWORD # 3884

SUDOKU

Answer Number # 3879

tomers, the packs start at Rs 1,199 for 10 days validity and go up to Rs 5,999 for 30 days validity, giving up to 85 per cent savings on international roaming charges,” it said. “...Idea is now set to enable over 200 million customers to use their mobile phones freely, without having to worry about roaming charges, while they travel anywhere in the country,” Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer of Idea Cellular said. On February 27, Bharti Airtel had removed domestic roaming charges on calls and data, and said international call rates will be cut by up to 90 per cent to as low as Rs 3 per minute and data charges by up to 99 per cent to Rs 3 per MB across popular roaming destinations. In a press statement, ‘Airtel Declares War on Roaming’, the company had then said the move will lead to “death of National Roaming” from April 1. std code: 03862

DiMaPUR ACROSS 1. Magma 5. Anagram of “Space” 10. Invited 14. Nile bird 15. Santa’s helpers 16. Largest continent 17. Restriction 19. Russian emperor 20. Old World vine 21. Meanders 22. Scoundrels 23. Producing a strong effect 25. Notions 27. In song, the loneliest number 28. Utilized to often 31. Wrinkled fruit 34. Spawn 35. Frozen 36. Telephoned 37. Kingdom 38. Ancient Peruvian 39. Autonomic nervous system 40. A wheeled platform 41. Nosed (out) 42. Unrefined metals 44. To and ___ 45. A long-legged S. American bird 46. Adulteress 50. Scatter 52. Pandemonium 54. Nigerian tribesman 55. Website addresses 56. Dealer in books 58. Weight loss plan 59. A small island 60. Flower holder 61. Fizzy drink 62. Little 63. Frosts DOWN 1.Allowed 2. Not below 3. A type of plastic 4. Donkey 5. Calm

Simple Rules - Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Game Number # 3880

extra charge. The facility of free incoming calls on domestic roaming will be extended to both prepaid and postpaid customers. For international travellers, the company is offering international roaming value packs with free bundled usage of up to 400 outgoing minutes, 100 SMSes per day, 3GB bundled data and unlimited incoming calls for Rs 2,499 for Asia, and Rs 5,999 for Europe for 30 days validity. “These international roaming packs also come bundled with free 1GB/2GB/3GB data and overage charges as low as Rs 3 per MB to avoid bill shock to travelling customers,” Idea said. The company said it has done a study of customer s travel destinations, usage patterns and bill shock complaints to design a new range of value packs for select destinations across Europe, Asia, America, UK and

6. A loud resonant noise 7. Keen 8. In a thoughtful manner 9. Eastern Standard Time 10. French for “Boat” 11. Evaluating 12. Found on rotary phones 13. Hearing organs 18. String 22. Group of cattle 24. Not short 26. Consider 28. Not written exams 29. Behold, in old Rome 30. Twosome 31. Baby buggy 32. Hindu princess 33. Disentangled 34. Combative 37. Wander 38. False god 40. Sketch 41. Jagged 43. Excrements 44. Frigid 46. Captured 47. Light purple 48. Overweight 49. Stomata 50. Lather 51. Threesome 53. Puncture 56. Smidgen 57. 56 in Roman numerals

Answer to Crossword 3883

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New Delhi, March 12 (PTi): ICICI Bank topped the list of banks that witnessed most number of frauds during April-December period of 2016 with state-owned SBI taking the second spot, RBI data said. During the first nine months of the current fiscal, as many as 455 fraud cases involving Rs 1 lakh and above were detected in ICICI Bank, closely followed by SBI (429), Standard Chartered (244) and HDFC Bank (237). The other banks which reported large number of frauds to the apex bank during the period include Axis Bank (189), Bank of Baroda (176) and Citibank (150). However, in value terms, frauds involving Rs 2,236.81 crore were reported in SBI, followed by Punjab National Bank (Rs 2,250.34 crore) and Axis Bank (Rs 1,998.49 crore). The data provided by RBI to the Finance Ministry also revealed the involvement of bank staffs in fraud cases. In the case of SBI, 64 employees were involved in fraud cases, while it was 49 for HDFC Bank and 35 for Axis Bank. In all, 450 employees were involved in fraud cases in different public and private sector banks during AprilDecember 2016, in 3,870 cases involving a total value of Rs 17,750.27 crore.

Suzuki motor expects India to become 3rdbiggest car market by 2020 GeNeva, March 12 (PTi): Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) expects India to grow into the third-biggest car market in the world by 2020 and is “determined” to play a big part in that growth. The company, whose arm Maruti Suzuki India commands nearly 50 per cent of the passenger vehicle market in the country, has already started operations at its new plant in Gujarat as part of the plan to raise its total production to 2 million units by 2020. “India is expected to grow into the third-biggest car market in the world by 2020 and we are determined to play a big part in that growth,” said Kinji Saito, Executive General Manager and Managing Officer (Global Automotive Operations), Suzuki Motor Corporation, at the Geneva Motor Show here. He said that in India, Suzuki has been the market leader for decades, with nearly 50 per cent share. The company plans to introduce more new products in India even as it gears up to meet additional demand by increasing its production capacity. “In fact, we started operations at a new plant last month on the way to increasing our total capacity in India to two million units,” Saito added. The Gujarat plant is envisaged to have an installed capacity of 7.5 lakh units annually. MSI’s two units at Gurugram, earlier known as Gurgaon, and Manesar have a total production capacity of 1.5 million units annually. Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) is accelerating product introductions with an eye to strengthen its hold in the Indian market. As part of its 2020 target, the company had earlier said it would bring in 15 models by then. In the next fiscal, MSI plans to introduce four new products. It has has been bringing about two new products each year in the past couple of years. The company will launch the all-new third generation Swift, which was unveiled here, in India in the spring of 2018. It is also gearing up for the upgraded version of its premium crossover S-Cross later this year. In April to February this fiscal, MSI has sold around 13 lakh units. Globally, SMC sold 2.9 million units 2016, Saito said. TaHaMZaM

std code: 03871

(formerly senapati)

Police station Fire Brigade

222246 222491

Civil Hospital

232224

emergency

229529 229474

MH Hospital

227930 231081

Fire Brigade

2222952

Faith Hospital

228846

naga Hospital

2222916

shamrock Hospital

228254

oking Hospital

2243339

Zion Hospital

231864 224117 227337

Bethel nursing Home

2224202

northeast shuttles

08974997923

Police Control room

228400

KoHIMA Ps/oCs Contact numbers

Police Traffic Control

232106

north Ps

KOHiMa

east Police station

227607

west Police station

232181

south Ps

CIHsr (referral Hospital)

242555 242533

Zubza Ps

dimapur Hospital

224041 248011

131/228404

Airport Indian Airlines

229366 242441 225212

Officer-in-Charge 8575045516 tseminyu Ps

8575045507

Officer-in-Charge 8575045517 8575045505

Kezocha Ps

nagaland Multispecialty Health & research Centre

248302, 09856006026

eden Medical Centre

248288

Chiephobozou Ps 8575045506

Officer-in-Charge 8575045515

232032, 231031

8575045508

Khuzama Ps

nikos Hospital and research Centre

8575045502

Officer-in-Charge 8575045518

railway

8575045501

Officer-in-Charge 8575045520

Apollo Hospital Info Centre 230695/ 9402435652

std code: 0370

Officer-in-Charge 8575045510

Chumukedima Fire Brigade 282777

ICICI Bank, SBI, StanChart top bank frauds list: RBI

8575045549

Officer-in-Charge 8575045538

women Cell

8575045509

Officer-in-Charge 8575045519 Control room

8575045500 (Emergency No. – 100)

FiRE STaTiONS

KoHIMA soUtH: 0370-2222952/ 101 (O) 9402003086 (OC) KoHIMA nortH: 7085924114 (O) dIMAPUr: 03862-232201/ 101 (O) 9856156876 (OC) CHUMUKedIMA: 7085982102 (O) 8732810051 (OC) woKHA: 03860-242215/101 (O) 8974322879 (OC) MoKoKCHUnG: 0369-2226225/ 101 (O) 8415830232 (OC) PHeK: 8414853765 (O) 8413822476(OC) ZUnHeBoto: 03867-280304/ 101 (O) 9436422730 (OC) tUensAnG: 8414853766 (O) 9856163601 (OC) Mon: 03869-251222/ 101 (O) 9862130954 (OC) Kiphire: 8414853767 (O) 9436261577 (OC) Peren: 7085189932 (O) 9856311205 (OC) LonGLenG: 7085924113 (O) 9862414264 (OC) we4 woMen HeLPLIne 08822911011 WOMEN HeLPLIne 181 CHiLD weLFAre CoMMIttee Toll free No. 1098 childline

MOKOKCHUNG

std code: 0369

Police station 1 Police station 2 Police station Kobulong Police station tuli Police station Changtongya Police station Mangkolemba Civil Hospital

9485232688 9485232689 9485232690 9485232693 9485232694 9485232695 2226216

woodland nursing Home

2226263

Hotel Metsüpen (tourist Lodge) 2226373/ 2229343

CURRENCY NOTES BUY (rs) seLL (rs)

Us dollars sterling Pound Hong Kong dollar Australian dollar singapore dollar Canadian dollar Japanese Yen euro thai Baht Korean won UAe dirham (Aed) Chinese Yuan

65.21 80.9 8.13 50.03 46.34 49.68 57.81 68.8 1.81 0.0558 17.18 9.2

68.15 84.81 9.06 52.50 48.63 52.11 61.07 72.14 2.02 0.0622 19.14 10.24

Monday 13•03•2017

NAGALAND

New church building of UBC Midland dedicated DiMapur, March 12 (MExn): The new church building dedication service of United Baptist Church, Midland Dimapur was held this morning on the theme “My house shall be called a house of prayer”. According to a press release, Rev. L. Hevuto Awomi, Executive Secretary of United Baptist Churches Association North East India (UBCANEI), unveiled the new building and dedicated the inter-tribe Nagamese church under UBCANEI for the expansion of God’s Kingdom. Delivering a message, Rev. Awomi quoted scriptures from the Bible (Mt. 21:12-13, 2nd Chor. 7:1416, Jer. 17:10 & Gal. 6:7-8) and said that Lord has given us the church to remain in his faithfulness, and to remain strong in our rela-

Leaders of different churches and UBCANEI posing for lens after the dedication of the church on Sunday.

tionship with God As believers we must keep the church a holy place to serve God by keeping ourselves clean and righteous because our body is where Holy Spirit lives, he exhorted. Officials of UBCANEI,

well wishers, members and leaders of United Baptist Churches in Assam and Nagaland were in attendance. The dedication service was led by Rev. Puduhu Khusoh, Senior Pastor UBC Midland while Associate Pastor, Krhriel-

evol Pucho led the dedication ceremony. Er. Nizal Tepa, Chairman of the Construction Committee presented a report of the construction while UBC Kuhuboto and UBC Midland presented songs.

Konyak Region GPRN/NSCN re-affirm stand Mon, March 12 (MExn): The Konyak Region National workers convened a solidarity meeting in order to maintain peace and harmony in the region on March 1 at Mon HQ. According to a delayed report from the RAO, Konyak Region, senior National workers led by Maj. Gen (Retd) Mohpa Konyak, Kilonser and Nyemlao Konyak, NPAC member, and more than sixty Konyak National workers above the rank of Major from Naga Army and Leacy from civil wing, reaf-

firmed their commitment towards the Naga Nation and to uphold the National Political aspiration through unity under the leadership of GPRN/NSCN Chairman, Gen. (Retd) M.B.Neokpao Konyak, and General Secretary N. Kitovi Zhimomi. In his short address to Konyak National workers, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Mohpa Konyak, Kilonser, said that there should not be any apprehension and doubt in the minds of true patriots since the GPRN/NSCN Collective Leaders have made their position clear to the

against women and Children and their protection. Role play by Para Legal Volunteers on cases of Motor accidents and Claims was presented by Limasenla Longkumer, Master Trainer (NSLSA) and exercise on Consumer Redressal Techniques & Forums was presented by Cheliam Khiamniungan. In the afternoon session, Easter Aye, lectured on Human Trafficking issues and current realities within the local context and briefed on how a Para Legal Volunteer should approach and deal with such cases. In the second Practical session, an exercise on Maintenance of Records, PLV register, filing of Success Stories was carried out coordinated by Alemwapang Ao. Member Secretary of Nagaland State Legal Services Authority, Nino Iralu, as resource person highlighted on the challenges, technical issues and way forward visions on the context of Para legal Volunteers and Panel Lawyers. Limasenla Longkumer apprised the Para legal Volunteers on Prisoners Right and ways to ensure the prisoners right

Meetings Anganwadi Workers’ training Child Development Project Officer (CDPO), Bhandari has informed the first batch of Anganwadi Workers to attend the revised training of Management Information System (MIS) scheduled to be held from March 15-17. The CDPO further directed the Anganwadi Workers to bring MIS registers (11) along with their uniforms during the training.

Dimapur Rengma Students' Union Dimapur Rengma Students' Union (DRSU) will be having its 'General Meeting' on March 18, 10:00 am at the TUD Office, Tenyimi Complex, next to Hotel Tragopan. A press release informing this requested President and colleagues of Rengma Hoho Dimapur, Rengma Mothers' Association Dimapur, its executives, area representatives, senior leaders, advisors, students and concern citizens to attend the meeting positively. The union further asked members to come with at least one traditional touch. For further information, one can contact Information & Publicity Secretary, Kvuchulo Khing @ +918731943362 / +918014173513.

through regular Jail visit and interaction with Jail inmates and Jail authorities. A group discussion session was also held with the Para legal Volunteers and officials of Legal Services institution on various National Legal Services Authorities (NALSA) Schemes and flagship programmes. The discussion was mainly focused on the implementation of the NALSA Schemes at grass root level, work progress and substantive evaluation of various Legal Services schemes where a Para Legal Volunteer plays an integral part in the successful implementation of such schemes. According to the release, Orientation trainings of this kind are imparted both at State Level and District level from time to time to create a breed of Para legal Volunteers in the State and also to ensure that the trained Para Legal Volunteers act as intermediaries, bridging the gap between the people at village/community level and the legal service institutions for successful implementation of Legal Services and aid schemes in the State.

the stand of Konyak people towards strengthening the will of the people of Nagaland in their pursuit for honourable and acceptable solution. Senior GPRN/NSCN Konyak region delegation also met with the Konyak Union Officials and deliberated on the need to maintain peace and harmony in Konyak region. It was agreed that better understanding and coordination shall be maintained among GPRN/NSCN, KU officials and Konyak general public, the RAO informed.

Altrura Society visits DLC Chumukedima DiMapur,March 11 (MExn): Altrura Society (AuS) as part of its year plan activities and social service today visited Dimapur Life Challenge(DLC) Chumukedima and donated food & sports items for the inmates of DLC. While delivering short speech, Ruopfiivituo Yano, Director DLC thanked the Altrura Society for the noble services and contributions to-

wards the Ministry and urged them to continue working for the uplift of the weaker sections of society. In the fellowship service, Ketusilie Meru, General Secretary AuS exhorted the gathering quoting from the Bible Genesis 1:27. “We are a wonderful creation of God and we should live our life for the glory of God and for the good of others,” he added.

Meanwhile, AuS President Visakuolie Medom highlighted the aims and objectives of the Society, and informed that it has been working as a social service agency to empower and develop the community by serving the people in need without discrimination for an all round development of society. A mass prayer was held for the inmates followed by light refreshments.

NPCC alleges EVM manipulation in UP election

Training for Para Legal volunteers held DiMapur, March 12 (MExn): Orientation Training for Para Legal Volunteers of Dimapur District was held on March 11 at the Conference Hall of District Court, Dimapur. The Orientation Training was organised by the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority in association with Dimapur District Services Authority, a press release informed. Cheliam Khiamniungan, Master Trainer of NSLSA briefed on the Training methodology and concepts while Ajong Imchen, Secretary of Dimapur District Services Authority, gave a detailed illustration on the Do’s and Don’ts of Para Legal Volunteers. Later, Alemwapang Ao, Master Trainer (Nagaland State Legal Services Authority) conducted a practical session on drafting of Petitions, Complaint, F.I.R to equip Para Legal Volunteers with adequate drafting skill. Easter Aye, Legal Aid Counsel-cum-Trainer (NSLSA) in her session, prepared the Para legal Volunteers on dealing and handling cases related to Crime

Naga people and the GoI. RAO Konyak Region Angki Konyak appreciated the Konyak Union (KU) and the Konyak public for their constant support and cooperation in maintaining and promoting peaceful atmosphere in Konyak region. According to the release from the RAO, Konyak Region, certain administrative rules and regulations were adopted and approved by the members to strengthen Konyak region and to promote Naga peace and unity. The meeting reaffirmed

Arch Bishop Mar Dionysius consecrated the renovated cross tower at Midland junction on March 12. Originally constructed by the MGO’s Church Midland, the cross tower was dedicated in 1988 by Bishop Mar Coorilos. Renovation work started in August 2016 and was completed by January 2017.

DiMapur, March 12 (MExn): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee today stated that the massive sweep of Uttar Pradesh by the BJP can “only be because of EVM manipulation”. In a press statement, the NPCC claimed that intelligence sources and political analysts failed to assess the situation in UP while political parties failed to forecast their own performance. “BJP themselves did not believe to cross the 300 figure,” the NPCC stated and insisted that Modi’s road shows in the last three days was a “flop show”. Stating that it had raised the issue of Electronic Voter Machine manipulation in select constituencies even in Nagaland, the NPCC sought to impress on the Election Commission on the possibility of EVMs being manipulated. Terming Mayawati’s claim of EVM manipulation as “valid”, the release maintained, “The nation cannot believe that in Muslim dominated areas, BJP would win.” Pointing to countries like Japan and other European nations which have discontinued the use of EVMs owing to their vulnerability, the NPCC argued that Germany has even declared EVMs as “unconstitutional”. The release informed that it will pursue with the Congress Parliamentary Committee to demand that a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigate into the alleged manipulation of EVMs with Computer Software Engineers or as is deemed fit and proper. Further, the NPCC added that it will try to organize the opinion of national and regional political parties to collectively usher in paper ballot system.

Need to gear up joint efforts KDYU condoles death of Pungro Town DB March 12 (MExn): The Kiphi- always stood and worked for the uplift of the socifor maintaining roads: Vikheho KiphirE, re Displaced Yimchungru Union (KDYU) has ety in general. “His death is a great loss and creatpughoboto, March 12 (Dipr): Pughoboto Sub-Division Planning & Development Board meeting for the month of March was held with the Minister for Roads & Bridges and Chairman of the SDPDB, Vikheho Swu at the Chisholomi community hall on March 9. Minister Swu spoke on the need to gear up the PWD with joint efforts of public support for maintaining of roads. He stated that Pughoboto is urgently in need of banking services to avoid the difficulties of withdrawing their salaries including old age pension. He also reiterated to the people to change their mindset and give more co-operation towards the growth of economic development such as meat production, tree plantation etc. Adding that the government policy of ‘Act East Policy’ through NE for the

connectivity of Indian-Asian link consists of air, roads, digital etc is in the pipeline, he said that meetings have been held with departmental officers to take benefit from various flagship programmes. ADC Avelu Ruho apprised the house regarding restoration of traditional footpath near ADC residence, construction of footsteps at Veterinary Colony at Pughoboto and construction of community hall at Asukiqa and Ighanumi. The house also decided to forward the old age pension to be withdrawn from Pughoboto through CDPO Pughoboto. Other agenda discussed included MGNREGA funds to be withdrawn from SBI Tseminyu, Zunheboto NST bus services to ply via Pughoboto, NST bus services from Kilomi to Dimapur, posting of linemen at Pughoboto and others.

mourned the sudden demise of Ahukiu, DB Pungro Town on March 9 following a stroke at Pungro Town. Executive Chairman of KDYU, S. Lunso Yimchungru in a condolence note stated that late Ahukiu was a dedicated and sincere person who

ed a vacuum in the society,” the union said. It further acknowledged his yeomen service towards the society. Meanwhile, KDYU extended heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family and prayed for the departed soul to rest in eternal peace.

Nagaland to observe World Consumer Rights Day DiMapur, March 12 (MExn): Along with the rest of the world, Nagaland will observe the ‘World Consumer Rights Day’ on March 15 with this year's theme being “Building a digital world consumers can trust.” The event will be held in Kohima and in all the district headquarters as well. The Government of Nagaland particularly the Department of Legal Metrology & Consumer Protection (LMCP) and Nagaland Voluntary Consumer Organ-

isation (NVCO) is organising a state level programme particularly for the teachers at State College of Teacher Education, Kohima with Advocate Kezhokhoto Savi President NVCO & national award recipient as Speaker. Hekishe Sema, Principal, State College of Teacher Education, will deliver a keynote address. More than 200 teachers are expected to attend the observance of world consumer rights day knowing the importance of

‘Consumer Education’ in the schools of Nagaland. A press note from the NVCO stated that as consumer rights awareness is still lacking in the state, the best awareness can spread by the teachers. “Unlike other states, ‘Consumer Education’ is yet to be introduced in our state elementary school syllabus,” it stated. Pamphlets will also be distributed to all the participants. There will be a discussion hour followed by closing remarks.

9 Assam Rifles celebrates IWD AR constructs toilet in Chiephobozou

DiMapur , March 12 (MExn): The 9 Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) organised ‘Women’s Day Celebration’ at the Family Welfare Centre on March 8. A total of 20 local civilian women from Tisiema Basa and Tiseima Bawe joined hands with 120 women of defence forces to celebrate social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, the

AR informed in a press note. The interaction programme also focused to commemorate the valuable contribution of women in the progress of the country, it said. Besides, screening of video on the strength of women, a lecture on women’s health, family planning, empowerment and other topics related to the uplift of women was held during the day, it added. It ended with an interaction a game of Tambola and light refreshment.

Assam Rifles construct approach road in Toshiho Village Chairman, Zakiesatuo Colony Council (Ward 2), Kevi Zakiesatuo, addressing the 4th Raising Day of the colony on Sunday. The chairman appealed for unity and peaceful co-existence among various communities and tribes residing in the colony.

DiMapur , March 12 (MExn): The 32 Assam Rifles under the aegis of Headquarters IGAR (N) inaugurated an approach road constructed for the people of Toshiho village on March 7, the AR informed in a released. The road, constructed with an aim to provide

connectivity to the village to main road, is 500 meters long and 10 Feet wide which will connect Toshiho village to Nihokhu – 4th Mile road, it said. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mughavi Zhimo, Director of AAI, Dimapur along with village authorities and locals.

DiMapur, March 12 (MExn): 9 Assam Rifles under the aegis of 5 Sector/Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) constructed and handed over a Toilet Block to villagers of Chiephobozou, Kohima on

March 10. The Toilet Block comprising of four toilets was inaugurated by Neikeduo and Colonel Rajat Tyagi, Commandant 9 Assam Rifles in a ceremony attended by all the GBs of the village, village

council members, people of village and members of civil administration, the AR informed in a press note. The construction of Toilet Block was part of furtherance of ‘Swach Bharat Drive,’ it added.

MONDAY 13•03•2017

IN FOCUS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express

C O M M E N T A R Y

Goodbye, Radio Vesti

VOLUME XII ISSUE 69 By Moa Jamir

Ensuring quality Healthcare & Education

lbeit the cacophony of elections in five states, two States Assembly, last week, passed two bills having dramatic implication for the welfare of its citizens. ‘The Arunachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions (Regulatory Commission) Bill, 2017’ was passed in March 7 while the West Bengal Government on March 3 passed ‘The West Bengal Clinical Establishments (Registration, Regulation and Transparency) Bill 2017’. According to the media reports, the former provides for establishment of a Regulatory Commission for the purpose of “ensuring appropriate standard of admission, teaching, examination, research and protection of interest of students in the Private Educational Institutions and related matters” while the latter is aimed at “making the private healthcare segment more transparent and regulate arbitrary billing.” Arunachal Education and Libraries Minister, Honchum Ngadam told the Assembly that during the presentation that the Bill was necessary in “order to check mushrooming of private educational institutes as well as regulate/monitor the functioning of those institutes to ensure quality education.” In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who holds the Health Portfolio, said that the “Bill aims at bringing transparency, ending harassment of patients and taking steps to stop medical negligence." Such measures are pertinently imperative in Nagaland. Proliferations of educational institutions and healthcare services have been a positive quantitative development in the State over the past decades. However, does it commensurate with the quality of the service provision? Government data shows that the State had one University and 42 affiliated colleges in 2000-01, out of which 33 were private. The Nagaland University 'status of affiliation' as of January 2017 had 66 colleges, 50 Private. The Nagaland Board of School Education data shows that the numbers of institutions up to senior secondary level under its ambit, including permitted schools, which was 467 in 2010, shot up to 706 in 2015, out of which 414 were private. Besides, there are more than three dozen schools affiliated to other boards as well as mushrooming of Montessori’s, crèches and other niche schools, with their own sets of rules and regulation. An enormous quantitative augmentation. In healthcare, Nagaland has 11 District Civil Hospitals; 2 TB Hospitals; and 1 Mental Hospital and the Christian Institute of Health Sciences & Research operated under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode besides Community Health Centers; Primary Health Centre and Sub-Centers etc. The numbers were negligible two decades ago. While a detail report of private health service providers is hard to come across, a list of 687 practitioners (both private and government) provided by Nagaland Medical Council (NMC) in November 2015, had over 70 private entities offering some sort of healthcare services to the public. It is a lucrative business. In a Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) report released last year, Nagaland was seventh among the States spending the most on healthcare in the country with a whopping Rs 377 crores bill in 2012-`13. However, qualitative public healthcare deliveries are grossly missing with acute shortages of specialists and other health professionals like pediatricians, obstetricians, surgeons, technicians, and diagnostic facilities. In the absence of adequate government service, it is natural to sought the services provided by the private entities for both healthcare and education. Due to lack of proper regulatory mechanism for monitoring quality and cost, the consumer is often at the mercy of service providers. Both the patients and the parents complains in private, but hapless without a platform to redress their grievances. Many states are introducing bill to regulate the two services availed by rich and poor alike. In many cases, consumers have taken recourse to online platforms like Change.org by petitioning the concerned authority for redress. In November 2016, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) lamenting the ‘exorbitant’ fees charged by schools and colleges had appealed Nagaland government to come up with ‘ceiling fee structure.’ for all the educational institutions. Ditto for healthcare. While strict regulation is neither advisable nor probable, it is crucial that regulation mechanism striking a balance between protecting the interests of consumer and the service providers are in place to ensure that the privilege of good education and quality healthcare is not limited to certain section of the society alone. For any comment, drop a line to moajamir@live.com

LEFT WING |

Nita Bhalla Thomson Reuters Foundation

India's NGO crackdown forces US Christian charity out after 50 years

Colorado-based Christian charity said on March 10 it was ending its almost half-a-century-long operations in India after authorities restricted its funding channels over suspicions it supported religious conversions in the Hindu-majority country. Compassion International (CI) is one of thousands of charities in India whose ability to receive or donate foreign funds has been impaired since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-wing nationalist party took power almost three years ago. Authorities accuse the charities of violations - ranging from not disclosing where donations are being spent to engaging in "anti-national" activities. The charities say the crackdown is aimed at stifling dissent and curbing minority freedoms. CI's Media Relations Officer Becca Bishop said Indian officials did not formally give any reason for restricting funds for its child poverty alleviation work, but believed it was being targeted for being a Christian organisation. "We do believe that Compassion and other Christian charities are being singled out because of our faith, and that the Indian government is trying to limit the expansion of Christianity in India," said Bishop. The charity, she added, works with children of all backgrounds and faiths around the world, and it does not require any child to become a Christian in order to receive benefits. Compassion International set up in India in 1968 and donates $45 million annually to a network of almost 590 church charities which sponsor over 147,000 children from impoverished rural communities. It employs almost 130 staff across the country. Over 10,000 charities in India have had their licenses to receive or donate foreign funds cancelled or suspended since 2014, hampering their ability to work in areas ranging from housing and education to health and sanitation. Groups such as Greenpeace which campaigns against coal mining, Lawyers Collective which works on sexual minority rights, and the Sabrang Trust run by a human rights activist and a Modi critic, have all had their licenses suspended. The government says they are violating the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) - a law under which civil society groups who receive overseas funds are regulated. U.N. experts in July last year said New Delhi was using the

Valery Kalnysh openDemocracy

Ukraine’s media is caught in a political crossfire. In this situation, everyone loses — journalists, citizens and the country itself

ince 4 March, you can no longer tune into Radio Vesti — Ukraine’s only talk radio station —in Kyiv. Prior to this, nearly all of the radio station’s journalists resigned, as well as most of the station’s technical staff. Radio Vesti stopped its broadcast operation after a decision by the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council, which regulates Ukraine’s airwaves. The management of the Vesti Ukraine media holding, which owns the station, believes that this decision is direct evidence of censorship in Ukraine. Everyone here is right, but, as always, no one is telling the whole truth. On 3 March, the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council refused to extend Radio Vesti’s broadcast license in Kyiv. Two weeks before, the National Council refused to issue the station a broadcast license for Kharkiv. Now only the residents of Dnipro (formerly Dnipropetrovsk) can listen to the station’s analogue broadcast — Radio Vesti had permission to broadcast only in three cities, elsewhere people listened online. But the station’s listeners won’t hear anything new: the station is broadcasting only news bulletins and programmes from its archive. Ukraine’s only talk radio station has more or less stopped working. Tuning out The National Council explained its decision not to extend Radio Vesti’s license by referring to the fact that the station had received four warnings. This, according to the opinion of the regulatory body, is evidence that the station is systematically violating Ukraine’s media legislation. It’s worth noting that it was the National Council that issued these warnings in the first place. One of these warnings was issued on my watch. In July 2014, I was deputy editor at Vesti (later - editor-in-chief) when the words of one separatist militia leader in the Donbas made their way on air: “We have to help Orthodox Russian people clean our lands of filth and fascism.” It seems I also caused the second warning from the National Council. In December 2014, I conducted a live on-air interview with Andriy Portnov, the former deputy head of Viktor Yanukovych’s presidential administration who fled the country after the EuroMaidan protests and was the subject of a criminal investigation for embezzlement. Why “it seems”? Because this second warning was followed by a strange story: the National Council couldn’t receive the recording of my interview with Portnov because of a change of address. This change of address, meanwhile, did not prevent members of the National Council from appearing on air at Radio Vesti or visiting the studio. Indeed, one of the members of the National Council who issued the final decision against Radio Vesti even offered his services as a presenter for Vesti in the past, though now, it seems, he doesn’t wish to discuss this in public. It would appear I’m responsible for the station’s third warning, too. The appropriate complaint was made to the National Council regarding an interview I conducted with Nikolai Azarov, Ukraine’s fugitive prime minister, in April 2016. The National Council suspected that “doubtful information of a subjective character

— president Poroshenko or the Cabinet of Ministers — you can rage against them all you want. I’m talking about criticising the general discourse and the personalised trajectory of Ukrainian politics. If you criticise the country’s values, history, national heroes, call the separatists in the Donbas “militias” or ask whether it was right to force Viktor Yanukovych out, then you’re instantly added to the list of unreliable individuals, you’ll be called an “agent of the Kremlin”. You can’t criticise public opinion. You can’t criticise where the country’s headed. Radio Vesti definitely caused problems for the authorities. The powersthat-be weren’t afraid that criticism of the government would make it onto the airwaves — there’s no problem with that. Or that the station would start promoting anti-Ukrainian attitudes — though there were concerns about this. Their fear, it seems to me, was broader. The station’s audience, who rang in to speak on air throughout the day (their calls weren’t moderated, no one censored the callers), constantly expressed their dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction continued to grow, taking various forms and charting new boundaries, but the background remained the same — people in Ukraine are unhappy with their lives. Not Ukraine’s politicians per se (that goes without saying), but the way everyday life is going. And so Philippe Lereuth, president of the International Federation of Journalists, is right when he says: “The abrupt revocation of Radio Vesti’s license undermines the right to freedom of expression, media pluralism and diversity of media content, which are essential for the running of any democratic society. We condemn such unfair actions by the National Council and ask this body to permit to restart broadcasting immediately until there has been a thorough review of the circumstances around this decision which only succeeds in punishing the public and the station’s employees.” But there’s another truth, too. Certain people wanted to use Radio Vesti for the return of Alexander Klimenko to Ukraine. There were stories written about Klimenko's political party. After a time, the station began to operate “stop list” — a secret list of guests forbidden from appearing on air. Aider MuzhdaA very patriotic problem baev and Evgeny Kiselyov, prominent Representing all points of view journalists who were previously welin today’s Ukraine is difficult. I’m not come guests, found themselves on it. According to my information, it was talking about criticising the authorities was apparent in the statements [of Azarov], which distort reality and create a false idea of what is happening in Ukraine among viewers [of the station].” But these warnings are, of course, mere formalities. It’s no secret that Radio Vesti has been closed for different reasons. The first rumours concerning the station’s real owner began to emerge around six months after the station launched in March 2014. Later, these rumours were confirmed, and the owner turned out to be Alexander Klimenko, another member of Viktor Yanukvoych’s team who fled the country and Ukraine’s minister of revenue between 2012-2014. Ukraine’s current regime couldn’t reconcile itself with the fact that a representative of the old order was the indirect owner of a popular talk radio station. Klimenko’s ownership could not be proved, because Klimenko’s name doesn’t appear anywhere in the registration documents. But even if it had, this would be an ambiguous motive for closing the station — Klimenko is a Ukrainian citizen, and there is no court decision regarding his activities. This is why the topic of Radio Vesti’s opaque ownership structure came up so often in public debate. The station never confirmed its connection to Klimenko. Even when Olga Semchenko, the head of Vesti Ukraina’s board of directors, and Alexander Klimenko decided to get married. “The National Council has finally recommended itself not just as a repressive, but a regressive body,” commented Olga Semchenko. “The policy designed to seize, ban and punish – this is a regressive policy. This is a path to a totalitarian Ukraine. The officials of the National Council are just carrying out a political order, they don’t have any initiative of their own.” There’s an element of truth in Semchenko’s statement. No one managed to influence the station’s editorial team in terms of political loyalty. The station’s journalists were neither for Ukraine’s authorities, nor against the opposition. The people who worked at Radio Vesti were a genuinely patriotic team: they travelled to the Donbas to report on the conflict, the whole editorial team gathered donations for people displaced by the conflict, and called the “war” a “war”, not an “AntiTerrorist Operation”.

people who were against the station’s new management that were included in this list. And Muzhdabaev is sure that this was part of a broader scheme. As he wrote on Facebook in August 2016: “This media holding is directly controlled from Moscow by a fugitive criminal, an enemy of Ukraine. That’s where they hold their planning meetings, where everything is confirmed now, including the ‘stop list’ of guests who are forbidden to appear on air or be quoted. The list includes many people whose words and actions go against [the station’s] end goal of ‘concession’ — the arrival of the ‘Russian world’ in Ukraine.” I’m told that I was also included in this “stop list” several months ago. But not everything here is so obvious. Of course, Radio Vesti was not controlled from Moscow. It’s not that there weren’t attempts to influence the station’s editorial policy from Moscow — but attempts to influence are not the same as successfully influencing. That difference — between attempts to influence and actual influence — is not one that many people understood. The station’s employees were accused of “collaborating with the enemy”. And the idea that you can produce honest coverage in these conditions was far from most people’s minds. Finding a common frequency The most important point, however, is that Ukrainians have lost what Radio Vesti gave to them — an opportunity to speak to one another. And that journalists have their lost jobs. In an ideal world, the station would be saved, but with another owner or with self-financing and an end to the pressure from the National Council. But that won’t happen. The National Council, explaining its actions on completely legal grounds, has removed a good radio station from Ukraine’s airwaves. The radio station’s owners wished to use it to further their own interests. The result is that everyone loses, because Radio Vesti has little in the way of rivals in Ukraine. Can we call this a clean-up of the media market? Yes. And while there’s little in terms of certainty, we can only hope that this will be the last instance of this attitude to the country’s media. Ukraine’s television networks — companies are owned by opponents of the current authorities — could be next. The Inter television channel is owned by the oligarch Dmitry Firtash, whom a Vienna Court recently ordered to be extradited to the US on bribery charges, and Sergei Lyovochkin, one of the leaders of Opposition Bloc and once head of Yanukovych’s presidential administration. Meanwhile, the popular television channel 1+1 belongs to the powerful oligarch Igor Kolomoisky, whose PrivatBank holding, the largest bank in the country, has already been taken away. And this is only the top of the list. Amid the calls for a newly patriotic media, Ukrainians must defend their access to a plurality of political views and positions. Because once they start going off air, democracy gets an even worse reception. Valery Kalnysh is editor-in-chief of RBC-Ukraine.

Could "resurrection" crops feed a hungry planet?

Scientist hopes that by putting resurrection plants' survival skills into crops, the world's population could be better fed Peter Lykke Lind Thomson Reuters Foundation

ould harnessing the power of "resurrection plants" - with the ability to survive severe water shortages for years - hold the secret to feeding a hungry planet? Jill Farrant, a biology professor at Cape Town University, hopes that by putting resurrection plants' survival skills into crops, making them droughttolerant, the world's population could be better fed. Farrant and her team are currently testing the technique on maize, but in theory, it could be applied to any crop, she said. "Give (the plants) water, and they are fully active within 24 to 48 hours," Farrant told the Thomson Reuters Foundation at her office. Nearly 800 million people go to bed hungry each night, according to the United Nations, with drought one of the greatest threats to food production. In Southern Africa, more than 21 million people need emergency assistance due to a food crisis after the region's worst drought in 35 years and an infestation of the crop-damaging fall armyworm. Farrant's research has shown that survival mechanisms found in the 135 varieties of resurrection plants, such as the 'Rose of Jericho'

and 'Siempre Viva' desert plants, are similar to the desiccation processes found in crop seeds. During a drought, a resurrection plant behaves like a seed, drying up and appearing to be dead, but then bursts back to life when rain finally falls. "Since all crops produce dry seeds, this implies that the genetic mechanisms for desiccation tolerance exist in crops," said Farrant. The problem is the mechanism is not switched on, she said. By modifying the existing gene composition, Farrant and her team could potentially produce droughttolerant crops. "By figuring out how they turn on these genes in roots and leaves, we can enable the same processes in leaves and roots of crops under drought conditions," Farrant said. "Most of the genes responsible for desiccation tolerance are controlled by two master switches," she said, comparing the mechanisms to an household electronic circuit. By understanding how these switches are flipped in vegetative tissues of resurrection plants in response to water loss, Farrant is investigating how to enable the same reaction in crops. Her first trial crops are maize, beans and an edible grass called teff, which accounts for two-thirds of the daily protein intake in hunger-strick-

en Ethiopia. BREAKTHROUGH Mel Oliver, research leader of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and professor of plant sciences at the University of Missouri, is also trying to find out how resurrection plants tolerate water loss and recover. "The genes are there, they're just not activated. If we understand how it works in resurrection plants, we can do it in crops," he said by phone. David Orr, Southern Africa spokesman for the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP), said the research could bring benefits to drought-susceptible Southern Africa. "In a region where climate-related shocks are becoming more frequent and more intense, farming communities are having to contend with drought – and occasionally flooding – as a new reality," he said by email. "By having access to drought-resistant seeds and other agricultural technologies such as water harvesting and irrigation, they will be better equipped to face the future." Farrant said the research could cost a total of 20 million euros ($21 million), adding that she needed more funds to continue her work. Nick Vink, chair of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellen-

WRITE-WING

bosch University in Cape Town, said weighing up the costs versus the benefits of the research was a difficult calculation. "The potential benefit is really very high, while it is not easy to estimate what the probability of success is," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. EVIDENCE Chikelu Mba of the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in Rome was hesitant to evaluate the potential of such technologies before seeing evidence-based testing and the impact of modified crops on the environment. "You have to look at the effects of gene modification," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation via Skype. Small farmers growing maize - a crop that can produce bumper harvests but is susceptible to poor rainfall - may also be persuaded to switch to unmodified crops that are simply better able to resist drought, like beans, the FAO has said. Farrant is confident that in time, she can deliver plants that are resistant to drought. "Five years, and I'll give you a resurrection plant that can provide crops," she said, adding that testing the drought-resistant crops might take a further five years. "Then it is food on your plate, but it might be too long - people need food now."

Letters to the Editor should be sent to: The Morung Express, House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur - 797112, Or –email: morung@gmail.com

MONDAY 13•03•2017

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Morung Express POLL RESULTS

Do you support the decision of the hohos who have resolved in principle to forming a Nagas of Nagaland platform? Why? Some of those who voted YES had this to say: • It seems like we are doing many things without thinking. In the last couple of years we have seen many Nagaland based groups like CNTC, NTC, JCC and NTAC being formed. But I will say yes to a Nagaland based organization, if we first disband CNTC, NTC, JCC and NTAC, than only there is a solid grounding to form a new organization with clear objectives. • Yes. There is nothing wrong in it forming a platform a Nagas of Nagaland its a fundamental right under Indian Constitution which says in article 19 right to form association or union. • Yes, Nagas of Nagaland platform first and foremost. See we cannot deny the fact that Nagaland is a state with specific boundaries. Take care of the house and make it a home than to poke ambitious noses unnecessarily to collect more dirt. Watch out for the colonies, markets encroach on the pretext of buying the land by outsiders and suffocating our survival. Population increasing but land remains the same in area. We don’t need to look beyond our means. • Yes. The Naga Hoho was originally a platform for the Nagas of Nagaland, just as the United Naga Council is for the Nagas of Manipur. But the Naga Hoho allowed the Nagas of Manipur to join the Hoho not forseeing the possibility that it could be hijacked with the Nagas of Manipur forming a solid block and aligning with tribes of Nagaland as per their convenience. Same with the N.S.F. So the decision of the hohos is right; or else dissolve the U.N.C. so all Naga tribes will have their respective tribal hohos and only the Naga Hoho at the top. Nagas from Manipur want to have their cake and eat it too. • Yes, we need a solid common Naga tribal organization of Nagaland to address the issues faced in Nagaland, only then our voice will be heard by the higher authority. • Yes, high time we have a common Nagas of Nagaland platform and safeguard our hard earn rights under the Indian Constitution until an amicable solution to our freedom struggle is made. • Let Naga Hoho and NSF represent all Nagas inhabiting Assam, Arunachal pradesh, Manipur and Myanmar. But to address issues like corruption, backdoor, PDS rice scam, oil adulteration, Panding salaries, better road, institutions, industries, development etc of Nagaland we need a common tribal organization of Nagaland or unite all Naga tribes of Nagaland under NTC. • Yes, very much needed. Because, whether we like it or not, Nagas have been divided by state boundaries, national and international boundaries. And as long as we remain under the Indian union, Nagas of Nagaland must remain united and need to protect ourselves. • Yes..since NAGA HOHO doesn't represent CNTC and ENPO..anymore.. • YES very much needed. It's high time we all stop this bullshit game of pretending all is well with us. It'll be better if we all mind our own affairs for once & stop poking into each others business so that

the business of the day transects smoothly... this is the only way which will ensure respect & love for each other, otherwise the day will come when we'll start chasing each other on the street. • Yes. Nagas of Nagaland needs a united and common platform until a "pan-naga" platform inclusive of all Nagas with equal representation is created. The present Naga Hoho, UNC, ENPO etc are not inclusive of all Nagas and therefore there is no wrong for the suggested formation of a platform exclusively for Nagas of Nagaland and it would be a long desired and cherised dream. • Big yes, it's a time for Nagas of Nagaland to started a platform under the banner of one hoho without interference from out sides. Secondly, we need a government without direction from underground. • Yes, long overdue. Unfortunately, the evil anti-Naga cabal will resort to all means under the sun to ensure that such a body does not come into being. The existence of such a body would mean the end of antiNaga interest groups and therefore, I won't be surprised if the proposed body is not birthed as envisaged. • The Nagas of Manipur has United Naga Council to look after their problems within their state; though they are also under Naga Ho Ho. Similarly, the Naga of Nagaland may have a platform to look after our internal problems. In Manipur, the nagas also have their All Naga Student's Association of Manipur; though they are also with the NSF. Therefore, it may be appropriate time to have a Ho Ho for Nagas of Nagaland. At the same time as many have suggested, it will be proper to reduce some organisations as well as student's unions. • Yes. Obviously. The present, practical needs far outweigh any other argument. But the other bodies like CNTC, NTC, ENPO, etc, needs to be dissolved to avoid unnecessary complications and all the tribes of Nagaland need to be equally represented in that new body. • Its a Big Yes if, 1. The Nagas of Nagaland when formed, dissolve all fragmented organisations even JCC, NTAC and NTC. 2. All executive members are free from involvement in State elections exception to promoting clean and corrupt free election. 3. Must include capable women in its executive line up. • YES! Nagas of Nagaland need this for Nagas of Nagaland not only here in Nagaland but Wherever there are Nagas. Other Naga organizations may shift HQ to other states where Nagas r inhabited in the future, this is what we can see in their actions these days. • The Naga Hoho or the NSF are bodies which represents the entire Naga community. Whether Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh or Myanmar, these two bodies are inclusive of all Nagas. However, the reality is that, we nagas have been separated by boundaries. We have been divided by international boundaries, state boundaries. Therefore, whether we like it or not, we have to accept that reality and live according to the law of the land we live in. Until and unless we become sovereign to live as one separate entity to the world, we have to abide by law of the land. Therefore, as long as we remain a state under the indian

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formation of a new group. Choose is the need of the hour is- leaders the right leaders to the existing with uncorrupted minds, leaders ones and work sincerely for the who are righteous and leaders who general welfare. stand for justice. In other words, we • No, unless the plan is to start an need change of good leadership at apex nagaland body that is one-ofthe present moment. a-kind by including women in exec- • No if they play on Tribalistic lines. utive positions. Else there is already We have seen too a many divisions Nagaland Tribes Council. of Hohos and what not. Can't we, • No. How many platforms? Teryou and I set aside the very word, rified of new platforms please. 'Tribalism', favouritism of one's own Enough is enough. Tribe and Community, for the fu• No .. one day that too will break ture of Naga's as a whole. BTW how away. Enough of hohos many Naga group's or organization • No. They should not go into larger has ever shown unity amongst ourissue. this particular committee was selves, I only see one group formformed for a specific issue and is ing against the other in no time and not entitled or empowered to make then get divided on reasons best YES such demands. they should funcknow to them. If it really means to NO OTHER tion only within its parameter take and work responsibly for the • No. New organizations is not the very voice of the people, yes. union, we need a separate Hoho for demands of the new context of the answer. In fact the number of orga- • Fed up of every Tom n Harry orgathe entire nagas of nagaland and a current younger generation. nizations should be reduced. What nizations!!!!! New organisations or separate student's body for the enleaders not going to bring change is needed is new leaders in all orSome of those who tire nagas of nagaland. And these or solve our any Naga issues unganizations. Organizations will not two bodies need not necessar- voted NO had this to say: til and unless every Nagas change change the situation, good and dy• No. We have the regional organizaily interfere into the affairs of other our mentality .Introspect ourself tions like TPO, ENPO, UNC, CNTC. namic leaders will bring changes. neighbouring states. With due apoland correct our so many WRONGS ogy to the Naga Hoho and the NSF, All these regional groups cover the Some of those who first, then only everything will fall different interests of the regions. The just sharing my thoughts. in the right place. Secondly leadvoted OTHERS had this to say: • A big yes because without which Naga Hoho is there to be an umbrel- • The recent ULB issue has clearly exers should not be a politicians /high la to cover all the Naga areas. I dont there can be more of less unity. profiles /UGs puppets or mouth posed the nexus between civil or• Yes. The divided Nagas of Nagaland think there is any logic behind formpiece. Nagas need God fearing /darganisations and the political parties. have to come together once again. ing a platform for Nagas of Nagaing n honest leaders who cannot be There is no reason to trust them beland. This show how self-centered it An unorganised/ill represented Naremote controlled by individuals in cause their agenda is driven by party has become. gas of Nagaland is counterproducpower. Re-dedicate and re-appoint interests. What needs to be done is tive for the cause of all Nagas. Some • No. We dont need more and more to revamp Naga Hoho and let there all the present parent organization organizations. This is only dividing may sarcastically say .. so called 'Naleaders and dissolve all the godbe units formed. galand state' but the tribes within us more and more because each • This is a tough issue because it is damn organisations. Too many ororganization is trying to have terthis state are the ones that fought ritorial control. Our civil society is not so simple since there are many ganizations and leaders for every together for the Nagas from the bepeople trying to take advantage issue is creating more divisions and ginning which culminated into the behaving just like the factions who of the situation. On one hand the confusions amongst we the Nagas. are trying to control territory for tax. creation of the present special statribes of Nagaland must come to- • If we agree to form one then ntc tus state of Nagaland from which Instead of new organizations they gether because there are many and cntc should go and give way to we have all benefited. Other Nagas should try to strengthen old ones divisions. Even within Nagaland the new body. otherwise it will only where also invited to be a part in the and if Nagas of Nagaland are insepinch the people... there is a demand of "Frontier Nathen new state but they refused. It cure, I am sure there are ways for it galand" and so from within the • Indeed, we Nagas already have too without forming new ones. may not have been the best thing present Nagaland state there is almany organizations and this is in but we should not discount what • Why keep forming new ones when ready divisions taking place. On the a way eating us up. Nevertheless, we have at hand. Nobody else is NTC has already been formed and other hand there are many people like all the other advanced nations, functioning for several years? going to stand for what we have exand groups that are trying to take people and countries coming to• cept us. We should realise that the No because we already have one of undue advantage by trying to say gether (organization/s) is part of Nagas living outside would gladly those and what happens to it and that only Nagas of Nagaland are the the evolving process. At the end it is other sub-regional organisations accept such a proposal as ours anyreal Nagas and this is dirty politics. about setting ourselves under a perlike the CNTC ENPO and TPO? Its time. Some may say 'why so many Let us refresh our memories befect and right organization. An orunion'? They fail to understand that confusing and dividing the comcause Nagaland state was formed ganization that will in the most apmon man. If so called leaders are seits because of this division that there only in 1963 and it was supposed to propriate way represent the Nagas. are so many groups here. It also rious dissolve all organisations even comprise of all Naga inhabited arThe need for a right organization is takes wisdom to discern, choose the Naga hoho and UNC and hold a eas, but this has not been fulfilled because the leaders whom we've month long or more debate on how and support the right initiatives. The yet and this issue should actually elected represent themselves rather our interests will be best served. formation of a strong Nagas of Nabe taken up more seriously. Naga than the people who elected them. galand organisation should be seen • No. It's time we Nagas should look issue is very simple and straightfor• Some people are so pessimistic as a strengthening of the arms of the beyond ISMS, it's not the mighty ward, but our leaders have fallen at times. Look at it this way... The Indian army or for the matter, the whole Naga body not as something into the trap of the Indian governinherited British tool of divide and ment and this has made it very very proposal to have a common platdivisive. • Yes, form new one and bring back rule that's annihilating us but the complicated. Nagaland state is not form for Nagas of Nagaland was very bitter ISMS, which for better or only the present demarcated state, proposed by NTAC/JCC which is enpo if possible. • Yes as the present Naga Hoho is no for worse is in all of us that blinds evit should actually comprise the being represented by every tribe ery Nagas. It's time we Nagas move more relevant nor vital for our exNaga inhabited areas as spelled out and the representatives are executive members of their own respecforward as ONE or obliterate the istence. in the 16 Point Agreement. tive tribal body or endorsed by it. • 'YES' it needs new Naga hoho with blood and tears that our fore parents • Overground or underground, nagahave put through. It's time we Nagas exclusive people from Nagaland land is the land of factionalism. It's The emergence of such a common should UNITE or we further disinteand if possible, with representalike a cancer which will ultimately body encompassing all the Naga tribes could then very well mean tive from different Naga inhabited grate into oblivion. It's time we Nadestroy Us all. gas should ACCEPT each other or places. The reason for this is already • In fact this ULB issue, this time, the merger of various conglomerseen in the poor performance of be a remnants of India and Myanunited the Nagas so much more ates such as CNTC, NTC, ENPO, the present Naga hoho, first, the mar. It's time we Nagas WAKEUP than the Naga plebiscite of 1951. TPON into one single united group withdrawal of ENPO due to hybrid or be left out in the wilderness of But the question here is- what will much like UNC in Manipur. members, second, bias goal and the mighty India. Oh! Nagas let us be the aims & objectives of the new • To our Leaders can I suggest you objective of the current hoho such all FORGIVE each other for we have platform? The present Naga tribal something. Lets not show the world as less attention to the Nagas of Nanothing to lose but live with PRIDE apex bodies, Hohos and NGOs have how foolish we are. Let us not show galand, third, the current hoho is and DIGNITY. Long live Nagas. strong aims and objectives but they them how power-hungry and dimanipulated by the members from • No. Its only create more tribalism in are all useless and as good as dead. visive we have become. Instead of outside Nagaland, forth, it becomes Naga family. They are corrupted, they played or forming new organizations, why non-reliable hoho within the Naga • No. Instead disband some hohos acted as stooges of vested interests not reorganize Naga Hoho. There society and reliable for the Nagas because Nagaland is already a land and political parties. Ergo, no new can be an executive council of Naga out Nagaland, fifth, the leadership of uncountable hohos. union or committee or Haha/Hoho Hoho. Than there can be different quality is too weak to gain support • No. No point of forming another or platform are wanted now if they units of Naga Hoho like Naga Hoho from the Nagas of Nagaland, lastly more. It would only create more are going to become the same as (Nagaland), Naga Hoho (South Nabut not the least, it needs leadership disunity and ego clash. For every the present condemned NGOs or galand), Naga Hoho (Eastern Nagachange according to the needs and single issue, there need not be a Hohos. What we need now or, what land). I think this is better.

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Village beats drought, one raindrop at a time Ralegan Siddhi has remained water-sufficient for four decades, even in the severe droughts of 2014 and 2015 that triggered thousands of farmer suicides in Maharashtra Roli Srivastava Thomson Reuters Foundation

n a hot, dry afternoon at Ralegan Siddhi in India's western state of Maharashtra, Ansar Shaikh climbed effortlessly to a hill top and pointed at the vast expanse of farmland all around. A local guide, Shaikh uses the summit as a viewing gallery to showcase not the village's idyllic setting, but the trenches and stone barriers on the hill's slopes, and earthen dams on the ground to trap each raindrop that falls. This tiny village - with a population of 2,500 and spread over 900 hectares (2,224 acres) - is located in Ahmednagar district, where the average annual rainfall is about 500 mm (19.7 inches), the lowest among all districts of Maharashtra, according to weather officials. But Ralegan Siddhi has remained water sufficient for four decades, even in the severe droughts of 2014 and 2015 that triggered nearly 7,000 farmer suicides in Maharashtra - the highest in the country - over crop failure and mounting debts. Nearly 24,000 farmers committed

suicide in India in 2014 and 2015. Ralegan Siddhi's water sufficiency dates back to another drought in 1972 when social activist Anna Hazare started a project that would insulate the village from dry spells. In the years to come, Hazare emerged as a rural development mascot and the face of a massive anti-corruption crusade. The drought project was his first step into activism. Barriers were erected on Ralegan Siddhi's slopes to stop rainwater runoff which was collected in an intricate network, channelled to a giant well, then pumped into streams that fed farmlands. "Rain is the only source of water here and we don't waste it," Shaikh, the guide, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Over the years, the groundwater level went up to a few feet below ground from about 200 to 250 feet (6176 m) earlier, according to Thakaram Raut, former headmaster of the village school, who now oversees water conservation training. The number of wells used for irrigating farmland has gone up to 135 from 35, and cultivable land has

doubled to about 1,000 acres (404.7 hectares). So has the quantity of farm produce. Women don't have to trek long distances for water, which is supplied through taps in all households once every two days, then stored in big, bright-blue cans. "The Ralegan Siddhi watershed model is intuitive, organic and is rooted in compassion and empathy, not as much in science," said groundwater expert Himanshu Kulkarni, who heads a non-profit that deals with groundwater research and education. " The model shows how changed human behaviour can be linked to how we manage our natural resources." 'ANNA'S WATER' Wearing sunglasses, Dhondiba Ethoba Authi, 74, sat cross-legged on his one-hectare farmland, next to a pile of harvested millet, keeping a watch on his grazing cattle. This was the second harvest of the year and Authi said he expected to make 35,000 rupees ($524.27) from the yield. He inherited this land from his parents, but recalls it being barren for a good part of his childhood.

"Farming was erratic then. There were no schools. There was nothing here," Authi said. But that was before 'Anna's water' started flowing into irrigation wells and household taps. "I make money from my farmland and also from the milk my cows produce." Most people in Ralegan Siddhi live in concrete houses. Some households have washing machines. Most have cars or motorbikes. "We get Anna's water and I operate the washing machine at least five times a week," said Swati Bhalekar, who lives in a brightly painted house, a washing machine at its entrance. Within a decade of the project taking off, neighbouring villages started implementing various versions of Anna's model. So far, 86 villages have joined in. "Thirty kms from Ralegan Siddhi is Hiware Bazar village, which was inspired by the model but went a step ahead and also started water audits," said Rishiraj Gosaki, a senior geologist with the government's groundwater department. Every year, village heads at Hiware Bazar budget the water collected for irrigation and consumption, and decide

the crop pattern farmers will follow through the year - the latter a lesson they learned from Hazare's village. Farmers in Ralegan Siddhi don't grow sugarcane - a water-guzzling crop often blamed for Maharashtra's drought - but millet varieties, maize and vegetables that require less water. WATERSHED "With watershed development, farm yield has improved. People now live in good houses, own vehicles," said Hazare, the brains behind the village project, at his hostel-like accommodation. On a weekday evening, as the time neared for 79-year-old Hazare to emerge from his nap, a motley group of school students, farmers and admirers gathered outside and waited under a tree to meet him, or simply see him. A Gandhian, Hazare lives the simple life. And now he has another battle on his hands - the village reported drinking water scarcity, a first in many years, and supply tankers had to be called in from the local government office. "Why have we reached this stage of ordering tankers? That's because people are digging borewells," said Hazare.

Hazare closed more than 100 borewells last year and imposed a fine of 10,000 rupees on those digging fresh ones. The water level in the village's recharge well has already improved, he said. But there is a cost to this progress. "The financial status of villagers has improved. They are standing on their feet - now they don't have time for the village which they had earlier," Hazare said. "The village has produced doctors, government officers and lawyers." Babban Baburao Bhalekar, for instance, was among those who dug trenches on the hills when Hazare started working on the watershed project. "I do whatever Anna says," he said as he made a wooden handle for a farmer's hoe. Bhalekar sent his daughter to school and she now works in a staterun industrial unit in Ahmednagar. She visits her parents once a week. But migration of young people notwithstanding, Hazare is hopeful the water project will continue. "I could do so much despite not having a good education. The youth of the village is better educated, and will take this forward," Hazare said.

MonDAY 13•03•2017

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Modi calls for a ‘New India’ by 2022 Amarinder Singh elected as CLP leader; swearing-in on March 16

"I have seen the deluge of poll-centric dreams, I envision a new India. We want 1.25 crore Indians collectively striving to make New India," PM Modi said.

New Delhi | March 12 (PTI)

resh from Bharatiya Janata Party's landslide win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand after a bitter and often divisive campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday talked about inclusivity and pitched for building a 'new India' by 2022 that would have made the nation's founding fathers proud. Accepting felicitations from party leaders and supporters at BJP headquarters, Modi said he saw the election results, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, as the "foundation of the new India". "I see this victory as the foundation of a new India where 65 per cent of the population will be of young people below 35 years of age... a new India of unprecedently vigilant women. "A new India where the poor do not want anything by way of charity, but seek opportunity to chart out their own course. I see this change happening," he told the gathering which lapped up every word he said, amid repeated chants of 'Modi! Modi! Modi!' Earlier in the day, Modi tweeted, "India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength & skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development." Modi, whose 'crematorium and graveyard' remark at an election rally in UP was seen as intended to polarise voters along communal lines, in a statement on his website Narendramodi.in said," India is transforming, powered by the strength of each and every citizen of India. "An India that is driven by innovation, hard work and creativity; an India characterized by peace, unity and brotherhood; and an India free from corruption, terrorism, black money and dirt." The theme of development ran through his felicitation speech too. "Beyond the emotive issues, political parties fought shy of going to elections on the issue of development. Development is a difficult subject. In these elections, there was a lack of emotive issues, but the huge voter turnout after the campaign based on development shows the transition that his happening towards creation of a new India," he said. These elections must be evaluated as people have voted heavily despite the absence of any emotional issue. The poor have voted in large numbers on the topic of development, he said. Modi, who was accused by his rivals of playing caste and religion politics during the campaign, said that the BJP-led dispensation will will take everybody along as "in democracy governments are formed with a majority but run with consensus". Noting that the government has no right to discriminate against anybody, Modi said, "This government is of those who have voted for it and also those who have not. Of those who have walked along, and also of those who have not." "Everybody will join in the making of a new India," he said. Having shown his characteristic aggression while stumping, Modi made a fervent pitch for humility. "As fruits grow on a tree, no matter how big it is, it starts bending. Nature inspires

us. As the fruits of victory cover this tree call BJP, it becomes our responsibility to bend, to become more humble," he said. Referring to the generations of Jana Sangh and BJP leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, Kushabhau Thakre and Jana Krishnamrrthi who "gave their youth and life" for raising "this banyan tree", Modi said power was "not an instrument to rule but a tool of service to people". Talking about the concept of 'Antyodaya' of Jana Sangh ideologue and one of its founders Deendayal Upadhyaya for the uplift of the last man, Modi said," The poor have to be made capable of carrying their own burden to lessen that of the middle class, encumbered by taxes." He lauded BJP chief Amit Shah, the party's central and state leadership, and workers for the party's presence in "every geographical area" of the country". "Today, a BJP worker can proudly say he is a member of an organisation which is the largest political party in the world," he said. Modi wrapped up his address with throaty chants of 'Vande Mataram'. Earlier, Modi, who took electoral campaigning to aggressive new levels, holding road shows three days in a row at the peak of electioneering in Varanasi, his constituency, did a brief encore, walking down the Ashok Road, smiling broadly and waving to jubilant supporters who lined the boulevard. Amid a steady shower of flower petals, a triumphant Modi walked into the BJP headquarters surrounded by SPG commandos where he was received by Amit Shah. Before taking the stage with Shah and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and others ahead of a meeting of BJP's Parliamentary Board to discuss the party's performance in the assembly polls in five states, he garlanded the bust of Deendayal Upadhyaya. "When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel & Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar proud," Modi said in a tweet earlier in the day. n a statement on his website Narendramodi.in, the Prime Minister said, “Together, let us build the India of our dreams so that when we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we have an India that will make Gandhiji, Sardar Patel and Babasaheb Ambedkar proud.” He said, “India is transforming, powered by the strength of each and every citizen of India; an India that is driven by innovation, hard work and creativity; an India characterized by peace, unity and brotherhood; and an India free from corruption, terrorism, black money and dirt.” He also listed out a set of pledges which he wanted the countrymen to take. Modi wanted the countrymen to pledge that they stand for a corruptionfree India, that they will undertake cashless transactions, that they will dedicatedly work towards a ‘Swachh Bharat’, that they will ensure a drugs-free India. The Prime Minister also wanted the people to pledge that they will support and encourage women-led development, that they extend complete support to an ‘accessible India’, that they will stand for an India of peace, unity and harmony and that they will be job creators, not job seekers. This came a day after the BJP, powered by a spirited campaign by Modi, posted landslide victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, decimating the rivals.

chandigarh, March 12 (ianS): The Congress, which swept the Punjab assembly elections, on Sunday formally elected Amarinder Singh as the head of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Amarinder later met Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore and stalked claim to form the next government in the state. "We have staked claim to form the next government. The swearing in will take place on March 16," Amarinder told media after his meeting with the Governor. This is the second time that Amarinder will become Chief Minister of the state. He had remained Chief Minister from 2002-2007. Amarinder said that a few cabinet members will also take oath of office along with him, but did not give any details. The newly elected Congress legislators met here on Sunday to elect the CLP leader. After the meeting authorised Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi to take a decision on the new leader, Congress general secretary Asha Kumari called up Rahul to apprise him. She later informed the MLAs that Rahul Gandhi had proposed the name of Amarinder Singh as the new CLP leader and the Congress MLAs subsequently unanimously elected Amarinder as their leader by a show of hands. Outgoing Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal earlier in the day submitted his resignation to the Governor after the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance lost in the assembly elections. The Governor asked Badal to continue as caretaker Chief Minister till the new government was sworn-in.

No one responsible for defeat, says SP patriarch Mulayam Singh

new delhi, March 12 (agencieS):Following the crushing defeat in the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday said that no one person is responsible for the defeat and admitted it was party’s failure that resulted in the debacle. “Nobody is responsible for the loss. It seems that we were unable to impress the people. Everyone is responsible for the loss,” Mulayam said. Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav claimed that the party would thoroughly analyse the defeat in Uttar Pradesh. “Politics is all about winning and losing. The Samajwadi Party has been through many struggles. We have struggled a lot and won several times. We will struggle yet again and win next time,” Shivpal Yadav was quoted as saying to ANI. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had earlier submitted his resignation to Governor Ram Naik and said that he would take responsibility of things once the result was thoroughly analysed. BJP witnessed an unprecedented victory with 321 seats in the assembly elections contested for 403 seats, while the Congress-SamaPrime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed with rose petals at the party headquarters to jwadi Party alliance bagged 54, the Bahujan Samaj Party celebrate victory in UP and Uttrakhand Assembly elections, in New Delhi on Sunday. (PTI Photo) (BSP) got 19 and others bagged 18 seats respectively.

BJP stakes claim to forming Goa govt with Parrikar as CM

Panaji, March 12 (ianS): In a swift move, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, led by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, met Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Sunday and staked claim to forming a new government in the coastal state. Even as Parrikar knocked on the gates of Raj Bhavan, newly-elected Congress MLAs as well as senior central leaders, including General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, were holed up in a city hotel, deliberating for hours over finalisation of the party's legislative party leader. The BJP contingent of 13 MLAs was led by Parrikar and was accompanied by three legislators each of the Goa Forward party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two Independent legislators, which takes the tally of BJPaligned legislators to 21.

The BJP has also claimed the support of Nationalist Congress Party MLA from Benaulim Churchill Alemao, stating that his letter of support would be also be sent to the Governor soon. The move came after newly-elected BJP legislators passed a resolution demanding that Parrikar return as CM. Parrikar, Gadkari and caretaker Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar were also present. Talking to reporters after the meeting with the Governor, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, who was incharge of negotiating with non-Congress MLAs for alliance formation, said the BJP would form a stable government in Goa. "We will form a stable government under Manohar Parrikar. Our party President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have con-

gratulated supporting parties," Gadkari said. The Union minister also said that the discussions with the other MLAs were on since 1 a.m. on Sunday morning and most of the issues and differences had been cleared. "We wanted to clear issues for long term. All should work together," Gadkari said. Parrikar, who is expected to resign as Defence Minister before he is sworn in as Chief Minister, said that although the BJP could not get the required mandate, the target of 21 could be reached with support from non-Congress MLAs. "As far as the mandate of the people (is concerned), we fell short of majority, but with this support, we could reach the figure of 21," said Parrikar, a former Goa Chief Minister, who was elevated to the Defence Ministry in 2014. "We met the Governor and we are expecting invi-

tation from her. Once invitation is received, we will consult colleagues and finalise date for swearing in," he said. Meanwhile, the Congress which was expected to stake claim to forming the government on Sunday evening, has been unable to finalise its legislative leader, with the candidature of state unit President Luizinho Faleiro being resisted by his peers, namely former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane and Digambar Kamat. While the Congress, which had fixed an appointment with the Governor for 6 p.m., remained embroiled in finalisation of the CLP leader, the BJP, which was expected to stake claim for government formation on Monday, ended up cobbling together the support of 21 MLAs, before submitting their letters of support to the Governor late on Sunday.

PM Modi most dominant leader, says Chidambaram new delhi, March 12 (ianS): Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Sunday said the BJP's landslide electoral wins in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand showed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "is the most dominant political leader". "The victories in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Uttarakhand have re-confirmed that Mr Narendra Modi is the most dominant political leader," said Chidambaram on his official Twitter account. The BJP, powered by an aggressive campaign spearheaded by Modi, won a whopping 312 seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly -an unprecedented showing by any party in the country's most populous state -- and 57 seats in the 70-member Uttarakhand assembly.

Martyrdom of our jawans will not go in vain: Rajnath on Sukma attack

raiPur, March 12 (PTi): Describing the Maoist attack on CRPF personnel as a “cowardly act”, Union home minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday the sacrifices of jawans will not go in vain. “It is an unfortunate and sad attack on security personnel. I salute their martyrdom,” Rajnath told reporters at the headquarters of the 4th battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Force in Mana Camp area Saturday evening. Earlier, Singh paid homage to 12 CRPF personnel killed in a Maoist ambush in Sukma, during wreath laying ceremony there. “Maoists have executed a cow-

ardly act on security forces who were rendering their duty. A mega road construction work is underway and about to complete. Security personnel were patrolling there, when they came under the attack. I salute their martyrdom. I salute the courage and valour of the jawans of CRPF and Chhattisgarh police,” Singh said. Expressing condolences to the bereaved families, he said, “I wanted to assure the entire country that martyrdom of our jawans will not go in vain.” “Maoists’ activities have drastically declined and therefore they have executed this incident in dis-

appointment and frustration. But we are confident that we will soon gain control over them,” he asserted. He further said after reaching Raipur he visited the hospital to see the injured jawans and said they are out of danger. “We are making all possible efforts that the bodies of martyred personnel will reach their native places by tomorrow evening,” he said. Besides, it has been also decided that the total ex-gratia which will be given to the families of the slain jawans should not be less then Rs 1 crore, he added. “Indeed martyrdom of a martyr is priceless and cannot be as-

sessed for money. Their contribution for the society and country can never be forgotten,” said Singh. Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and other ministers and officials were also present. Earlier, the Union home minister chaired a high level meeting with Raman Singh, home minister Ramsewak Paikra and other senior police officials. According to government officials, during the meeting the home minister said the Centre is committed to root out Left wing extremism and will extend every possible support to the state to tackle the menace.

Ram Jethmalani calls Calcutta HC's justice C S Karnan a 'lunatic'

new delhi, March 12 (agencieS): Nonagenerian lawyer Ram Jethmalani has advised Calcutta high court's justice C S Karnan+ , who has been issued bailable warrants facing contempt of Supreme Court+ , to withdraw his "lunatic" charges against judges and judiciary and tender unconditional apology. Known for his craftsmenship in conducting criminal cases, the 93-year-old Jethmalani has written a terse letter to Justice Karnan, who has been levelling unfounded and wild allegations against sitting and retired judges for nearly a year culminating in the contempt of court proceedings drawn against him by the SC. His failure to respond

to summons made a seven-judge bench of the SC issue bailable arrest warrants against him. Jethmalani analysed the allegations so far levelled by Justice Karnan and said there is no escape route for him from the contempt proceedings even if he took lunacy as a ground for defence. "I am sorry to tell you that I am convinced you have lost your mind. Your behaviour is that of a lunatic+ and some day that may be the only defence available to you though with no bright chance of success," he said and promised to put some sense into the judge's head if he chose to meet him. Jethmalani said: "As a senior

member of the bar and living in the departure lounge of God's airport, I am advising you to withdraw every word that you have uttered and humbly pray for pardon for every stupid action you have so far indulged in. If you do not know the enormity of your madness do meet me and I might put some sense in your head." Instead of appearing before the SC, justice Karnan had defiantly disobeyed the summons and written a letter to the SC Registrar General requesting transfer of his case to Parliament or postponement of the hearing till the present CJI retired. He had also alleged that he was being targeted because he belonged to dalit community. SC

had rejected the request and finding him to be defiant had last week issued bailable arrest warrants against him. Without giving any instance of his past work, Jethmalani said: "As a lawyer, I have worked all my life for the backward classes and I have great concern and sympathy for them. But you are out to cause the greatest damage to their interests." "Please listen to sensible advice of an old man," Jethmalani appealed being convinced that Justice Karnan faced the prospect of setting the dubious distinction of being the first HC judge to be arrested and produced before the SC on March 31.

College students apply gulal on each others face during the Holi celebrations in Ranchi. (HT Photo)

6 killed, several injured as bus overturns in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur

MuzaffarPur, March 12 (agencieS): At least six people were killed and more than two dozen seriously injured after a bus overturned on the National Highway 57 in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district on Sunday evening. The injured have been admitted to Sri Krishna Medical College for treatment. The bus from New Delhi was heading to Madhu-

bani district. The incident took place soon near Adigopalpur village in Bochaha police station area after the bus left the town. An injured passenger said it was hardly 20 minutes the bus left the bus stand when the accident occurred. “The bus was at high speed. As soon as it reached near chowk, the bus overturned before we could understand anything,” he said

and went unconscious. A local resident, Mumtaz, said they saw the bus took a spin and overturned. “We rushed to the spot and started rescuing people,” he said. He said four bodies were found from the bus. “We also rushed several injured to the hospital,” said Mumtaz. Station house officer of Bochaha reached the spot along with force.

MOndAY 13•03•2017

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Netherlands bars Turkish ministers as rally dispute escalates ANKARA/ROTTERDAM, MARch 12 (REuTERs): Turkey told the Netherlands on Sunday that it would retaliate in the “harshest ways” after Turkish ministers were barred from speaking in Rotterdam in a row over Ankara’s political campaigning among Turkish emigres. President Tayyip Erdogan had branded its fellow NATO member a “Nazi remnant” and the dispute escalated into a diplomatic incident on Saturday evening, when Turkey’s family minister was prevented by police from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. Hundreds of protesters waving Turkish flags gathered outside, demanding to see the minister. Dutch police used dogs and water cannon early on Sunday to disperse the crowd, which threw bottles and stones. Several demonstrators were beaten by police with batons, a Reuters witness said. They carried out charges on horseback, while officers advanced on foot with shields and armoured vans. Less than a day after Dutch authorities prevented Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from flying to Rotterdam, Turkey’s family minister, Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, said on Twitter she was being escorted back to Germany. “The world must take a stance in the name of democracy against this fascist act! This behaviour against a female minister can never be accept-

ed,” she said. The Rotterdam mayor confirmed she was being escorted by police to the German border. Kaya later boarded a private plane from the German town of Cologne to return to Istanbul, mass-circulating newspaper Hurriyet said on Sunday. The Dutch government, which stands to lose heavily to the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders in elections next week, said it considered the visits undesirable and “the Netherlands could not cooperate in the public political campaigning of Turkish ministers in the Netherlands.” The government said it saw the potential to import divisions into its own Turkish minority, which has both pro- and anti-Erdogan camps. Dutch politicians across the spectrum said they supported Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s decision to ban the visits. In a statement issued early on Sunday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey had told Dutch authorities it would retaliate in the “harshest ways” and “respond in kind to this unacceptable behaviour”. Turkey’s foreign ministry said it did not want the Dutch ambassador to Ankara to return from leave “for some time”. Turkish authorities sealed off the Dutch embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul in apparent retaliation and hundreds gathered there for protests at the Dutch action. Erdogan is looking to the

large number of emigre Turks living in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, to help clinch victory next month in a referendum that would give the presidency sweeping new powers. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will do everything possible to prevent Turkish political tensions spilling onto German soil. Four rallies in Austria and one in Switzerland have been cancelled due to the growing dispute. Erdogan has cited domestic threats from Kurdish and Islamist militants and a July coup bid as cause to vote “yes” to his new powers. But he has also drawn on the emotionally charged row with Europe to portray Turkey as betrayed by allies while facing wars on its southern borders. The Dutch government had banned Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu from attending a rally on Saturday in Rotterdam but he said he would fly there anyway, saying Europe must be rid of its “boss-like attitude”. Cavusoglu, who was barred from a similar meeting in Hamburg last week but spoke instead from the Turkish consulate, accused the Dutch of treating the many Turkish citizens in the country like hostages, cutting them off from Ankara. “If my going will increase tensions, let it be ... I am a foreign minister and I can go wherever I want,” he added hours before his planned flight

to Rotterdam was banned. SANCTIONS THREAT Cavusoglu threatened harsh economic and political sanctions if the Dutch refused him entry, and those threats proved decisive for the Netherlands government. It cited public order and security concerns in withdrawing landing rights for Cavusoglu’s flight and said the threat of sanctions made the search for a reasonable solution impossible. “This decision is a scandal and unacceptable in every way. It does not abide by diplomatic practices,” Cavusoglu told reporters in Istanbul on Saturday evening. Dutch anti-Muslim politician Wilders, polling second ahead of Wednesday’s elections, said in a tweet on Saturday: “To all Turks in the Netherlands who agree with Erdogan: Go to Turkey and NEVER come back!!” Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: “This morning on TV (the Turkish minister) made clear he was threatening the Netherlands with sanctions and we can never negotiate with the Turks under such threats. So we decided ... in a conference call it was better for him not to come.” ‘NAZI REMNANTS, FASCISTS’ Addressing a rally of supporters, Erdogan retaliated against the decision to prevent the Turkish foreign minister from visiting Rotterdam.

Demonstrators with banners of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gather outsidethe Turkish consulate to welcome the Turkish Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, who decided to travel to Rotterdam by land after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s flight was barred from landing by the Dutch government, in Rotterdam, Netherlands on March 11. (REUTERS Photo)

“Listen Netherlands, you’ll jump once, you’ll jump twice, but my people will thwart your game,” he said. “You can cancel our foreign minister’s flight as much as you want, but let’s see how your flights will come to Turkey now.” “They don’t know diplomacy or politics. They are Nazi remnants. They are fascists,” he said. Rutte called Erdogan’s reference to Nazis and Fascists “a crazy remark”. He added: “I understand they’re angry but this is of course way out of line”. Erdogan chafes at Western

criticism of his mass arrests and dismissals of people authorities believe were linked to a failed July attempt by the military to topple him. He maintains it is clear the West begrudges him new powers and seeks to engineer a “no” vote in the referendum. Barred from the Netherlands, Cavusoglu arrived in France on Saturday ahead of a planned speech to Turkish emigres in the northeastern city of Metz on Sunday, a Reuters witness said. Earlier, an official at the Moselle regional prefecture told Reuters there were current-

ly no plans to prevent the meeting from going ahead. A member of the Union of European Turkish Democrats also said on Saturday via a Facebook post that the Turkish foreign minister would no longer come to Switzerland for a planned event on Sunday after failing to find a suitable venue. Zurich’s security department, which had unsuccessfully lobbied the federal government in Bern to ban Cavusoglu’s appearance, said in a statement on Saturday evening it was relieved the event had been cancelled.

Philippines govt & Maoist-rebels Corruption cases in China jumped one-third in 2016 Exercise may cut sideMARch 12 (REagree to resume talks next month BEIJING, effects of chemotherapy uTERs): The number of corrupMANILA, MARch 12 (REuTERs): Negotiators from the Philippine government and Maoist-led rebels have reached an agreement to resume formal peace negotiations next month, a month after an angry President Rodrigo Duterte cancelled talks after rebels ambushed soldiers. The two sides would hold talks in the first of April to work out a bilateral ceasefire, Duterte’s peace adviser Jesus Dureza said after two-day informal talks in Utrecht over the weekend. “I am pleased to announce that the peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front which broke down weeks ago, are now back on track again,” Dureza said on his Facebook post Sunday. “The parties are expected to start discussions on the bilateral ceasefire during the planned resumption of the negotiations during the first week of April, this year.” A second meeting was set for June. The talks are brokered by

Norway to end nearly five decades of conflict, which has killed more than 40,000 people. The communist rebellion is one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies. The firebrand leader scrapped peace talks last month due to the New People’s Army’s increasing attacks in the countryside, a violation of its own unilateral truce. He said he would only agree to resume talks if rebels stopped the attacks and extortion activities on mines and plantations. In Baguio City, a mountain resort city north of Manila, the president said the government will reciprocate the “valor and courage” of soldiers by providing them with modern weapons and financial benefits. “In the next two to three years, the Armed Forces of the Philippines will have flight simulators, fast boats, radars, assault vehicles, as well as new surveillance and fighter aircraft so you can patrol our borders and seas,” he said. He also promised to upgrade the army so it will be “at par with the rest of the world”.

tion cases heard by Chinese courts jumped by about one-third last year, as the country’s top prosecutor vowed on Sunday there would be no let up in China’s campaign against deep-seated graft. Since assuming office more than four years ago, President Xi Jinping has waged war on corruption, warning, like others before him, that the problem is so bad it could affect the ruling Communist Party’s grip on power. Dozens of senior figures have been jailed for corruption and abusing their positions, including a once powerful domestic security chief, Zhou Yongkang. In an annual report to China’s largely rubber-stamp parliament, chief justice Zhou Qiang said Chinese courts in 2016 heard 45,000 graft cases involving 63,000 people, though he did not say how many had been convicted or provide a comparison. Compared with figures he gave in last year’s report though, that represents about a one-third rise for both on 2015. Top prosecutor Cao Jianming said in his work report that anti-corruption efforts will “absolutely not weaken”.

Cao Jianming, procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of China, speaks during the third plenary meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing on March 12. (REUTERS Photo)

“The zero-tolerance stance on corruption will certainly not be changed,” Cao said. Both men also promised to keep up the pressure on separatists, extremists and terrorists. However, they provided no details on the number of people convicted for these crimes in 2016. In 2015, Chinese courts convicted more than 1,400 people for harming national security, including taking part in terrorism and secessionist activities, double a broadly equivalent number given for 2014. Hundreds of people have been

killed over the past few years in China’s resource-rich Xinjiang province, strategically located on the borders of central Asia, in violence between the Muslim Uighur people, who call the region home, and ethnic majority Han Chinese. Officials have blamed the unrest on Islamist militants and separatists, though rights groups and exiles say anger at Chinese controls on the religion and culture of the Uighurs is more to blame for the strife. China denies any repression in Xinjiang.

SKorean liberals likely to win power, may bring softer NKorea stance sEOuL, MARch 12 (REuTERs): The liberal politician expected to succeed disgraced Park Geun-hye as South Korea’s next president could significantly soften Seoul’s stance towards North Korea and possibly delay deployment of a U.S. missile-defence system that has enraged China. A Constitutional Court on Friday dismissed Park from office after upholding her impeachment over a corruption scandal involving “chaebol”, the family-run conglomerates that dominate Asia’s fourth-biggest economy, and which could also face reform under a liberal leader. A presidential election will be held by May 9 and opinion polls suggest South Koreans will opt for change by electing a liberal into the presidential Blue House, ending 9 years of conservative rule. The front-runner is Moon Jae-in, a human rights lawyer who was a top aide to former President Roh Moohyun, an advocate of a “sunshine policy” of engagement with North Korea. Moon has criticised the two former conservative presidents – Park and her predecessor,

pan. Speaking to reporters recently, Moon invoked his old boss, Roh, and Roh’s predecessor, Nobel peace prize winner Kim Dae-jung, the architect of the “sunshine policy”, as inspirations behind his bid for the presidency. The two former liberal presidents both held summits with the North’s then-leader, Kim Jong Il - the only such meetings ever -promising reconciliation and initiating joint projects including the Kaesong Industrial Complex and tours to Mount Kumgang in the North. Both were suspended under conservaMoon Jae-in (C), former human rights lawyer and presidential candidate of the main tive administrations. opposition Democratic United Party, attends a campaign encouraging people to vote, in Seoul. (REUTERS File Photo) DELAY IN

Lee Myung-bak - for derailing the progress made inter-Korean relations during the previous liberal administrations. He calls for a “two-step” approach on North Korea, with talks leading first to “economic unification” and ultimately “political and military unification”. Moon on Sunday stressed the need to “embrace and be united with” the North Korean people, while adding that he could never accept its “dictatorial regime”,

or its trampling of rights. He denounced the North’s “cruel and ruthless behaviour” in the wake of the murder in Malaysia last month of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But he told a news conference there was no choice but to recognise Kim Jong Un as leader. “We can’t deny that the ruler of the North Korean people is Kim Jong Un. We have no choice but to recognise Kim Jong Un as a counterpart, whether we put

pressure and impose sanctions on North Korea or hold dialogue,” Moon said. A conciliatory line might face opposition from main ally the United States where President Donald Trump’s aides are pressing to complete a strategy review on how to counter North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats. North Korea conducted two nuclear tests last year, as well as numerous missile launches, the latest on March 6 when it fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Ja-

DEPLOYMENT? Moon said South Korea should resume operations at Kaesong - where South Korean companies operate factories with North Korean workers on the North Korean side of the border - regardless of North’s nuclear ambitions. Some conservatives have denounced Moon as “proNorth”. He would also face conservative ire if he were to delay deployment of a U.S. missile-defence system. Alarmed by North Korean

weapons tests, South Korea and the United States have agreed to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system in South Korea, angering China which sees its sophisticated radar as a threat to its own security. The first elements of the system arrived in South Korea last week. Moon says a final decision on deployment should be made by the next government, and parliament should approve it. But that could cost him in the polls if defence become a big election issue, said Myongjin University politics professor Kim Hyongjoon. “He’s perceived as lacking a sense of national security,” Kim said. On business, Moon has called for reform of the chaebol, addressing Koreans’ concerns over their influence, and their involvement in the scandal that brought down Park. Moon has said chaebols stifle smaller companies and are detrimental to the economy. But he is unlikely to introduce radical reform, or ramp up corporate taxes, let alone dismantle them, as some critics urge.

LONDON, MARch 12 (IANs): Walking or jogging either three times a week for 50 minutes or five times a week for 30 minutes may help patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer to cope better with the side effects of chemotherapy, a study has showed. Side effects of the chemotherapy may include loss of sensation, weakness, exhaustion, infections or severe diarrhoea, which often causes patients to reduce or even discontinue the programme. The findings showed that as a result of the exercise, muscle mass improved as did functional properties, such as balance, walking speed and leg strength. Further, the toxicity of the chemotherapy could be reduced through moderate activity. “This is important because it is especially due to severe toxic effects that patients with gastrointestinal cancer often have to reduce the dose or even discontinue the chemotherapy altogether,” Katrin Stucher, doctoral student at the Goethe University Frankfurt in Germany, said in a statement. Patients, who were engaged in exercise along with chemotherapy could tolerate the therapy better and experience less disease recurrence (relapses) later on. “We believe that it will make sense in future to offer patients opportunities for physical exercise during chemotherapy. To eliminate adversities through the weather, exercise rooms could be set up in hospitals,” Stucher added.

Poor sleep may lead to behavioural problems NEw YORK, MARch 12 (IANs): Children between age 3 and 7 who do not get enough sleep are more likely to have problems with attention, emotional control and peer relationships, says a study. “We found that children who get an insufficient amount of sleep in their pre-school and early school-age years have a higher risk of poor neuro-behavioral function at around age 7,” said lead researcher Elsie Taveras from the MassGeneral Hospital for Children in the US. “The associations between insufficient sleep and poorer functioning persisted even after adjusting for several factors that could influence the relationship,” Taveras said. As in previous studies from this group examining the role of sleep in several areas of child health, the current study analysed data from Project Viva, a long-term investigation of the health impacts of several factors during pregnancy and after birth. Information used in this study was gathered from mothers at in-person interviews when their children were around 6 months, 3 years and 7 years old, and from questionnaires completed when the children were aged 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 years. In addition, mothers and teachers were sent survey instruments evaluating each child’s executive function - which includes attention, working memory, reasoning and problem solving -- and behavioural issues -- including emotional symptoms and problems with conduct or peer relationships, when children were around 7. Among 1,046 children enrolled in Project Viva, the study team determined which children were not receiving the recommended amount of sleep at specific age categories -- 12 hours or longer at ages 6 months to 2 years, 11 hours or longer at ages 3 to 4 years, and 10 hours or longer at 5 to 7 years. The study, published online in the journal Academic Pediatrics, found significant differences in the responses of parents and teachers to surveys regarding executive function and behavioural problems in 7-year-old children depending on how much sleep they regularly got at younger ages.

MONDAY 13â&#x20AC;˘03â&#x20AC;˘2017

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Sevilla lose ground, while Bayern extend lead as Leipzig, Dortmund lose Atletico beat Granada MADRID, MARCH 12 (IANS): Sevilla lost the chance to close the gap at the top of the La Liga football championship as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Leganes, while Antoine Griezmann scored late to give Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win over Granada. The Saturday draw leaves Sevilla on two points behind Real Madrid with two more games played, and three behind Barcelona, who have played a game less, reports Xinhua news agency. Leganes took advantage of squad rotations by Sevilla ahead of their Champions League clash away against Leicester City to produce a well-organised and hard-working display and if either of the two deserved to win it was the visitors. Leganes opened the scoring in the second minute with a Gabriel Pires back-heel and had chances to double their lead before Stefan Jovetic levelled shortly before halftime. The second half saw Sevilla make changes in search of the win, but they failed to trouble the visitors, who could have taken all three points after a shot from Luciano drifted

Sevilla players applaud fans after the game. (Reuters File Photo)

inches wide. After the match, Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaolli warned his side that they need to put up a much better show against Leicester. "With this performance it's going to be very difficult for us to go through in the @ChampionsLeague," he said, as posted on Twitter by his club. Atletico also looked to be on the verge of losing ground as their game away against Granada looked to be heading for a 0-0 draw. But French forward Griezmann's 13th goal of the sea-

son from a diving header in the 84th minute ensured Atletico stay fourth, while keeping Granada that bit deeper in the relegation mire. "It was a very difficult match. The first half was complicated and we had two chances that the assistant referee read as offside but were not and we could have been more comfortable in the game," Atletico head coach Diego Simeone said in a statement. The second half was an exchange of blows in which either Granada or ourselves

could have won, because we both had chances. We take with us an important and hard-fought outcome." Valencia and Sporting Gijon drew 1-1 at the former's Mestalla stadium in a result which probably helps the home side more than the visitors, who remain second from bottom of the table. Sporting keeper Pichu Cuellar saved his second penalty in two weeks before Duje Cop opened put the visitors ahead on the hour and Munir equalised with six minutes left to play.

Michel Gonzalez made his debut as Malaga coach as his side entertained Alaves, but saw how they fell behind to a Zou Feddal goal at the end of the first half. Malaga reacted well after the break and got a deserved equaliser through Juan Carlos and looked to be on track for a win when Zou Feddal's second yellow side left his side with 10 men. But Edgar Mendez scored a second goal for Alaves against the run of play to seal an unlikely win in injury time.

NZ v SA first test ends drawn after final day washout

LONDON, MARCH 12 (REUTERS): The first test between New Zealand and South Africa ended in a draw on Sunday after heavy rain washed out the fifth and final day's play in Dunedin, leaving both sides frustrated at losing the chance to take a 1-0 lead in the threematch series. The match had been delicately poised entering the final day with South Africa 224 for six in the second innings, a lead of 191 runs, with captain Faf du Plessis on 56 and Vernon

Philander on one at University Oval. Heavy rain that began early on Sunday, however, ensured a delayed start and after the scheduled lunch break was taken at 1 p.m. (0000 GMT), umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Bruce Oxenford decided there was no chance of any play. "I think the game was shaping up quite nicely for all three results," New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said. "The game was certainly in the balance and it's just a shame not to get any play today.

"But it's nice going into the second match with both teams having played some good cricket." New Zealand will enter the second match at Wellington's Basin Reserve without batting stalwart Ross Taylor, who tore his calf muscle during the first innings, while left arm pace bowler Trent Boult is under an injury cloud. "It's a real shame to lose Ross, our premier batter, but therein lies an opportunity for someone else," Williamson added. "(Trent) does have a

little niggle but we don't know how serious it is yet. He will travel with us to Wellington and hopefully he will recover. He is a big player for us." Du Plessis felt his side could also have won the game had they set New Zealand a target of about 250 runs in 60 overs. "It was set up to be a great finish," du Plessis said. "We were looking to get about another 50 or 60 runs and on this wicket the ball is turning nicely and (left-arm spinner) Keshav (Maharaj) got five in the

first innings. "The nature of the wicket was you could either get wickets quickly or it's slow scoring and we were favouring our chances because Ross was not going to bat and Trent was injured." South Africa's opening batsman Dean Elgar, who scored 140 in the first innings and 89 in the second, was named man of the match. The second game in Wellington starts on March 16, before the third match at Seddon Park in Hamilton begins on March 25.

BERLIN, MARCH 12 (IANS): Bayern Munich extended their lead on the table after beating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0, while Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund suffered defeats at the 24th round in Bundesliga. Robert Lewandowski's brace helped frontrunners Bayern Munich to edge resilient Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 and to reap their third win in row on Saturday, reports Xinhua news agency However, it was a stiff piece of work to overcome Frankfurt, who gave the visitors a hard time especially in the opening period. Frankfurt grabbed a good start into the game and almost broke the deadlock through Danny Blum, who forced goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to make a save. The hosts reaped another chance as Branimir Hrgota rounded Neuer before defender Mats Hummels' last-second tackle retained Bayern from a setback with 19 minutes played. Frankfurt paid the price for their wastefulness in the 38th minute when Robert Lewandowski capitalised on Thomas Mueller's assist to mark the opener right footed from close range.

The German giants doubled their lead only three minutes later after Douglas Costa made use of David Alaba's build-up play to volley home the two-goal lead. Carlo Ancelotti's men continued with their clinical chance conversion after the restart as Lewandowski sealed his brace to score his 21st goal of the season putting the result beyond doubt in the 55th minute. In the other match, third-placed Dortmund lost 1-2 to Hertha Berlin as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's equaliser was not enough to secure points in the German capital. Both sides staged an evenly balanced start with promising opportunities at both ends of the pitch. It were nonetheless the hosts who opened the scoring through Salomon Kalou, who tapped in Vedad Ibisevic's square pass from three meters in the 11th minute. Kalou had another two chances to add a second goal to Berlin's lead but the striker's long-range effort was tipped over the bar from custodian Romaen Buerki before Raphael Guerreiro cleared another opportunity off the goal line. Dortmund lacked in

penetration and had a hard time to overcome Berlin's well-positioned defence. Hence, Thomas Tuchel's men had to wait until the 55th minute before Aubameyang was able to restore parity following Shinji Kagawa's assist. Hertha Berlin remained unfazed and had an ace in the hole as Marvin Plattenhardt unleashed a free kick into the top right corner to make the game safe in the 71st minute. Despite the defeat, Dortmund stay on third place whereas Berlin continue on fifth place of the standings. Elsewhere, runners-up Leipzig suffered a surprising 0-1 loss to relegationthreatened Wolfsburg as Mario Gomez' early goal smoothed the victory on the road. Hoffenheim shared the spoils with newly promoted Freiburg following a 1-1 as Andrej Kramaric cancelled out Maximilian Philipp's second-half opener. Last-placed Darmstadt showed a vital sign by courtesy on the firsthalf goals from Aytac Sulu and Sidney Sam that wrapped up a 2-1 win over Mainz, and Ingolstadt and Cologne played out a 2-2 stalemate.

Lajong hold Churchill to goalless draw VASCO, MARCH 12 (IANS): Churchill Brothers stretched their unbeaten run to four games when they were held to a 0-0 draw by Shillong Lajong FC in an I-League encounter here on Sunday. Churchill had the best chances of the match while Lajong mustered a few in the second period. Churchill are at the sixth position in the points table with 16 points from 14 outings while Lajong are fourth with 20 points from 13 matches.

The home side had two good chances to draw early blood. In the 11th minute, Churchill striker Anthony Wolfe robbed the ball off Yuta Kinowaki, turned and let fly a powerful shot which beat Lajong goalkeeper Vishal Kaith before coming off the post. Kaith made another brilliant save to deny Ansumana Kromah's shot on the rebound a short while later. Near the half hour mark, Brandon Fernandes' swipe from long range

disturbed the bar, leaving Churchill coach Derrick Pereira to rue his luck. In the second half, Dipanda Dicka and Fabio Pena had back to back chances for Lajong but both failed to convert. Lajong also came close from Fabio's header which was acrobatically tipped over by Naveen Kumar in the Churchill goal. In the closing stages, Wolfe took another swipe at goal but was blocked by Lajong defender Pritam Singh.

PUBLIC DISCOURSE

Khekiye K. Sema, IAS (Rtd)

n 15th March 2014, this author had presented a thought under the caption "The Final Chapter" when Nagas were still more inclined to be influenced by the 'fear factor' or blind Tribalistic sides without being able to absorb the ground reality of Naga History dispassionately and truthfully. What was said then under trying times remains as relevant now and therefore the same unedited script that had been shared then is now being shared once again to refresh our thinking process in the hope that under a changed circumstance of reduced 'fear factor' the Nagas will be able to see more clearly. It is important for the Nagas to firmly register in our minds that the Naga National Movement (NNM) is not an exclusive preserve of the NNPGs. It is OUR problem too as equal stake holding partners! They had been entrusted to take the responsibility to front the NNM through the Plebiscite 1951. They irresponsibly failed the people by fragmenting the once United House because of their egoistic selfcentred prejudices driven by money mongering priority in the name of Sovereignty. Be that as it may, it still is the will of the people that must remain paramount as the final authority to determine our future. This final solution cannot be achieved in secret with hidden agendas of one Faction or the other...so fellow citizens please revisit "The Final Chapter". "Much of our Naga History has been written and shared in the print media for some time now...views that have either been accepted and acknowledged as the truth or being relegated to the dustbin as a misrepresentation and misinterpretation of facts...continuously subverting the Naga History into the realms of controversy. Finding clarity within this mired confusion is no mean task for

REVISITING "THE FINAL CHAPTER"

sure and yet this is an imperative exercise that each concerned Naga citizen must now decipher in an effort to discover the truth with an open unbiased mind. 67 years has been a very trying time that has been spent in indifference and Nagas must now take a stand to end this confusion without fear or favour... for the sake of our posterity. Truth must be given an honourable space in all our discourse. 1. Nagas began a publically visible journey of self-determination in 1929 with a "leave us alone" representation to the Simon Commission. The 1951 Plebiscite laid the all important foundation of legitimacy to this claim. Mr. Phizo was solely instrumental in awakening the dormant Naga minds to strive for our own separate identity and sovereignty, without which the Naga History could have been entirely different. For this one inspirational act of self discovery, Nagas owe Mr. Phizo an eternal gratitude. The Nagas took the first determined step towards this common goal in complete unabridged unity making super human sacrifices along the way, some more than the others perhaps, nevertheless full heartedly partaken by all the Tribes without exception. Chapter I of Naga History therefore recorded the honourable years of innocence and supreme sacrifices with NNC/FGN in the forefront as a single United Naga House for the ultimate cause. 2. Then came the deluge...the infamous Shillong Accord of 1975. It is about time that the Nagas deal with this issue pragmatically and honestly by accepting the reality that this accord did get enacted on the ground. The argument that it was signed by "Representatives of Underground organization" without the mention of NNC/FGN does not nullify the fact that this agreement was now a reality, seriously considered and reviewed by NNC/FGN in an emergency meeting on the 29th Novem-

ber to December 1st 1975 and Clause 2 of the Accord was officially implemented. Clause 1 and 3 were officially forwarded to Mr. Phizo for his considered view. All these are raw facts of recorded history. Just so that the Nagas put to rest this controversial issue of the existence or nonexistence of this Accord, let us take a peek at what the Mr. Temjen, the sole surviving signatory of Shilling Accord, had to say on August 2013.He issued a declaration of rejection of this accord in these words (Quote) "It is now my responsibility to reaffirm the rejection of the Accord before it is too late so that the tragic legacy may not be passed on to the coming generation." (Unquote). Now ask yourselves this question: what was the need to reject an Accord that they, the Accordists faction, claim did not exist? The Transit Peace Camp (TPC) was born out of Clause 2 of this Accord. Mr. I. Temjen made mention of TPC in this rejection statement of August 2013 as follows:(Quote) "Having clarified the rejection of Shillong Accord, I, I. Temjen further clarify that the Transit Peace Camp, Kohima which belongs to us and its utility cannot be questioned, however, as the same has created a lot of confusion and animosity among the Nagas, we, of our own volition vacate the Transit Peace Camp today for the unity and harmony of the Nagas" (Unquote). Yet on 14th March 2014, Mr. I.Temjen issued a press statement on "Shillong Accord 1975" in the local dallies from this very Transit Peace Camp that they were supposed to have vacated. Such inconsistency only erodes credibility. The desperate effort to exonerate the role of Mr. Phizo in this imbroglio was most unnecessary. No one accuses Mr. Phizo of personal involvement in the signing of this Accord. However history holds him accountable for his inability to condemn it. Therefore, rather than vitiate the atmosphere by trying to find excuses to absolve him,

Nagas should learn to accept this human error forthrightly and move on without demeaning the stature of Mr. Phizo that rightly deserves acknowledgement. Despite the negative ramification of the Shillong Accord, the one positive reality that has often escaped evaluation of the Nagas is that at this critical juncture of History, the Naga National Movement was on the verge of being wiped out. The final remnants of the movement was holed out in the nooks and corners of Kohima District, with fluent communication capability among themselves totally disrupted. All other Districts had fallen. Naga Peace Council brokered this disadvantageous Shillong Accord, which in the end bought crucial breathing space and time allowing the NNM to recuperate and regenerate its lost ground. To that extent it would not be wrong to concur Mr. Temjen's view of a Divine intervention. Imagine the realistic emergent circumstance if Shillong Accord had not stemmed the tide of Indian Army operation ...the end of NNM was an eminent possibility. They say all is fair in love and war. Mr. Phizo had every right to condemn this Accord in the aftermath as a document signed under duress instead of ignoring it as a non-issue. He failed to take stock of the critical cracks that had begun to appear within the ranks at home on account of this accord. His misjudgement of the ground reality was a monumental failure on his part for which there can be no justifiable excuse. The one thing that Nagas must accept is that Mr. Phizo too was a mortal like anyone else, susceptible to mistakes...and that his failure to condemn the Shillong Accord was a mortal disaster for the NNM. No amount of excuses can exonerate him of this default. Inspite of this, the iconic stature of Mr. Phizo cannot be reduced or denied in the pages of Naga History for his invaluable contribution towards defining our birth-

right and identity that the Nagas did not even have a serious inkling at that time. As things stand therefore, it is incumbent upon the NNC/FGN to right this wrong by condemning the Shillong Accord 1957 and most importantly disband the NNC Acordist faction and everything that is linked to this accord... like the TPC, and regroup as NNC/FGN as it once used to be. This is the only option in hand to salvage and reclaim the legitimacy of 1951 Plebiscite. Once this exercise is completed and achieved, NPGs could perhaps give it a serious rethink of coming back to the original fold under the banner of NNC/FGN with acceptable leadership endorsed by all the Factions. Nagas have lived under a democratic norm all these years and would find it awfully uncomfortable under a Chinese Socialistic pattern of governance. The all worrying question in everyone's mind is this: Are the Nagas fighting for independence so as to lose our individual freedom? This could very well be the case if collective leadership and one party hierarchy system is to be the norm of governance. Would individual ownership of property be curtailed to the limits fixed by the Government of the day? With one party hierarchy, will democracy be stifled? There are hundreds of worrisome questions such as these lodged in the minds of the people without a clarity in the form of answers. Perhaps the simplest solution therefore is to conform to the original structure of NNC/FGN where the democratic spirit finds space to thrive and not be restricted. If not, NSCN should clearly specify its intention of governance to the people, should we finally find this elusive solution, to avoid any misgivings. 3. Nagas have consistently displayed an inaptitude for compounding problems rather than solving them in very many critical circumstances. When Mr. Phizo failed

to condemn the Shillong Accord, the legitimate Government had an openended option to demand for his official clarification on this, failing which other alternative options should have been considered within the legitimate framework of the existing Government, rather than form another parallel Government. Whatever be the circumventing circumstances, this, as a matter of historical analysis, was another unfortunate blot in the Naga history that destroyed the momentum...and effectively introduced a crippling division within the NNM. The fact that Mr. Muivah had a plenipotentiary authority invested in him at that time should have counted for something...call for a National Assembly and forthrightly deal with the matter commensurate with the National survival...impeach Mr. Phizo as President of the NNC. The NNM then began its floundering course downhill with one unfortunate fragmentation after another making the original National charted course redundant. With so many undesirable factions... we now own a damning history that we ourselves have begun to see it with absolute revulsion. The NPGs must read the pulse of the people correctly or be damned...now or later. The people are clearly fed up with the current Mafia oppression of unbearable taxation for a make believe sovereignty... negotiation for which we know absolutely nothing about. Finding a realistic solution through such chaotic environment is unimaginable, least of all attainable. If National interest is truly a focused interest of the NPGs, it is incumbent upon each Faction to take a conscious stock of the irreparable damage that they have already inflicted against the NNM by their prioritised self-interest and ego and consider the reconstruction of a United Naga House from whence we all began. It is only then that the Nagas can hope for a fruitful closure of the final chapter of our Naga history".

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.

MONDAY 13•03•2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Kong Skull Island REVIEW Of napalm, old school rock and a giant Ape

SNF releases debut single

NF, a pop progressive rock band based in Dimapur has released their debut single, "Perfect Stranger". Produced and recorded by Temjen Jamir at Jam11 Studio with art work by Akhum Thongz, the song embraces the state of being in oblivion about oneself. Falling in love with a stranger permeates the lyric as a metaphor. SNF is the winner of Hornbill International Rock Contest 2016. Besides, they have won numerous national rock contests and individual accolades including best

NOW SHOWING REVISED TICKET RATES (Silver) : `.120 (Gold) : `. 200 (Recliner) : `. 400 drummer at NIT and SNF is made up of: Albert Jinger- Guitar/Lead VoTechAura rock contest, cals; Wati Imchen- Lead best bassist at TechAura Guitar; Imna Imchenrock contest, best guitarBass; Neil Gonmeiist at TechAura rock conDrums. test.

C M Y K

unfortunately, and a lot of that can be attributed to the fact that Skull Island has more main and supporting characters than any other, non-superhero blockbuster film in recent memory. Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, and John Goodman all turn in fine performances as the film’s main characters, but one of Skull Island’s more prominent flaws is how much more interesting and fleshed out the supporting characters around them appear to be. Shea Whigham gives a particularly stand out performance as Cole, one of the more seasoned and wise soldiers who doesn’t seem to be surprised by or fazed by much anymore. John C. Reilly meanwhile steals the entire show, however, as Marlow, a World War II fighter pilot who crash landed on Skull Island accidentally in the mid-1940s and has been stranded there ever since. On the negative side, the film’s pacing can be spotty at times, especially near the middle when all of the group’s surviving members are trying to regroup and meet back up. Additionally, the directions it takes some of its main characters in (especially Packard and Randa) feel inorganic and rushed compared to the rest of the film. But for what Kong: Skull Island sets out to do, which is deliver a monster movie filled with the kind of action and destruction that audiences have never seen from a King Kong film before, it’s hard to imagine it doing a much better job than it does.

ormer California Republican Governor and Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is reportedly considering a run for the US Senate in 2018, to replace Democratic Senate Dianne Feinstein. Grand Old Party (GOP) political insiders in California said Schwarzenegger is thinking about a political comeback, reports a leading news website. One GOP veteran told Politico magazine that his entry into the 2018 Senate race "would give Arnold the stage to jam Donald Trump for the next 16 months". GOP political consultant Luis Alvarado said: "In politics after (President) Donald Trump, nothing is crazy any longer. We're in third dimension here." Alvarado also said that Schwarzenegger's return to politics would be seen by Republicans as "almost like a silver bullet" to counter the President. "Donald Trump has had the ability to manipulate all the news and cameras to him, and Arnold Schwarzenegger would be like kryptonite, or an anti-matter device, that would somehow restore balance in this universe of madness," he said. Schwarzenegger had earlier this week poked fun at Trump for tweeting about him so much, saying that it appears the President is "in love" with him. Source: IANS

(The Skid Reviewer is a YouTube channel run by two comic book fans from Nagaland who make videos about anything that catches their fancy)

tudio Disney is providing classes for its young stars to help them cope with fame after stars like Britney Spears and Demi Lovato suffered meltdowns. According to a source, the studio has been offering "life skills" and "healthy living" classes to their up-and-coming stars, reports nypost.com. The source added that it is for the first time that the network offers "life skills", and is coaching actors on how to navigate the wilds of social media and pitfalls of fame. "It's the golden handcuffs. They are going through things anyone in high school goes through," said Marlene Wallach, President of Wilhelmina Kids & Teens, who has repped Disney stars. She added: "But it is so magnified and there is so much attention given to them when they're on a Disney show. It's just 1,000 times more intensified than that for your typical kid. The success comes at a cost." Many have seen child stars make the transition from innocent youth to uncontrollable young adults -- Bella Thorne is a

cottish DJ Calvin Harris and singer Rita Ora have reportedly buried the hatchet after he lifted the ban preventing her from performing their collaborated material. The Scottish DJ teamed up with then-girlfriend Ora on hit single "I will never let you down", but following their breakup in 2014 she was not allowed to play it live, or release any of their tracks on her own album. According to a source to The Sun newspaper, the ban has been lifted, reports mirror.co.uk. The source said: "Late last year they got in touch and sorted things out. It was such a relief to both of them that they could move on and put things behind them. At the end of the day they had a lot of good times together and it was sad that was tainted by how bitter the split was at times. "But things are really good now although they are not so close they're heading out to dinner anytime soon or anything." The ceasefire means not only will Ora be able to work with some of Harris' close friends in the industry, but "I will never let you down" can be part of her live repertoire.

Nise Meruno was invited to perform with artistes from Yale University and Julliard which is considered to be one of the most prestigious Music schools. The concert was hosted by the Capital City Minstrels at the Baha'i Auditorium on Sunday in Delhi. Seen here with Meruno is Grammy award winning Conductor Kevin Fox.

more recent example. Judy Taylor, head of casting and talent relations for Disney Channel, said: "We realise these are young people and they are in a transition in their own personal life. Rather than dictate what they can and cannot do, we try to provide resources with these kind of classes and partner with their parents to give them support and guidance." New talent attends a half-day session called "Talent 101", which provides a road map about what to expect on set and how life will change, reports nypost.com. "We talk to them about staying in touch with their friends who knew them before they were on a series . . . just to give (them) a sense of real life and to stay grounded," said Taylor. There are also monthly optional "life skills" classes, which the network has not previously talked about in the press. The courses, which started three years ago, focus on emotional and physical well-being and are taught by a pediatrician and a Ph.D. expert on child development.

10:20 AM, 03:10 PM & 08:15 PM

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Salman Khan to launch his own smartphone brand 'Being Smart'

Disney training young stars to help them cope with fame

THE VERDICT? Some King Kong purists may feel some frustration with Skull Island, but while the aesthetic of this new adventure may be very different, it ends up evoking the same feeling that made King Kong such an icon in the first place. Even if this time, it’s coming to you with roaring electric guitars and napalm rather than Empire State Buildings and damsels in distress. Find the Skid Reviewer at: www. youtube.com/theskidreviewer www.facebook.com/theskidreviewer And at Instagram at the_skid_reviewer

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Calvin Harris, Rita Ora end feud

Arnold running for US Senate in 2018

here are few images more synonymous with classic American cinema than that of King Kong -- a giant ape -- hanging from the top of the Empire State Building in New York City, with some kind of gorgeous blonde nearby. Which is why it might seem strange to say that Warner Bros.’ newest attempt at bringing the King of the Apes to life on the big screen takes place not in a 1930s New York City, but in a psychedelic, napalm-scented, 1970s Southeast Asia. Kong: Skull Island manages to give the King Kong character something that none of the previous live-action films have -- a pre-existing reputation and mythology before he even sets foot off of his beloved homeland. Starting with a brief, fun flashback sequence set in the 1940s; Kong: Skull Island spends most of its time early on in 1973 America, when the US has officially decided to abandon the Vietnam War and the country seems the most divided. The group’s first run-in with Kong is an adrenaline-fueled montage of carnage and destruction that King Kong fans have likely been waiting their whole lives to see. Unlike director Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla, Vogt-Roberts wastes little time introducing Kong, showing off the character’s power and design with a confidence that only makes this version of Kong seem that much more terrifying and dangerous. Aesthetically, cinematographer Larry Fong (Batman v Superman) is borrowing most heavily from Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, but the editing, story, and action of the actual film feels more in line with the work of filmmakers like Edgar Wright and Guillermo del Toro, with a blood-pumping 1970s rock soundtrack to boot. If that sounds like the kind of monster movie you’d want to see, then Kong: Skull Island is for you. There are moments when it feels more like an amusement park ride than a traditional monster movie origin story, taking full advantage of the set piece and stylistic opportunities available -- it’s a thrill ride for people ready to kick off 2017 with a big bang. The film’s characters and emotional moments don’t match up to the visual and stylistic aspects of the film,

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alman Khan, who is one the leading names when we talk about films in India is now gearing up for an off track venture. As per the latest report by Economic Times, the veteran actor is reportedly working on a venture to sell smartphones in India. The famous Bollywood actor has registered the name ‘BeingSmart’ as a trademark for his new venture. These smartphones will be priced at Rs 20,000 and will largely cater most of the middle-class families in India. Currently, Khan is building up an operational management team which will constitute professional resources from the likes of the Samsung and Micromax, said the report. Although not confirmed but Salman is expected to take in a majority of the shareholding or manage it by his family members. Now based on the pricing these smartphones will boast, BeingSmart will potentially compete against the likes of Xiaomi,

Oppo, Gionee, Vivo and several other entry-levels and midrange smartphones. Interestingly, this is not the first time Salman has gone out of the way and done something other than his blockbuster movies. The actor previously introduced his own apparel brand ‘Being Human’ which is actually based on his charity called Being Human Foundation. Apart from Salman, Shah Rukh Khan has also ventured into new businesses before especially with his IPL cricket team ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’ Coming back to Being Smart, we are not aware as to who will lead the designing and manufacturing aspect of the upcoming company, however, given the amount of brand value Salman Khan possess in India, Being Smart will be an interesting ride, it seems. Nevertheless, it is too early to comment on the odds of this new venture being successful.

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Brad Paisley reveals new album track list, Johnny Cash collaboration 'Love and War,' out April 21, also features collaborations with Mick Jagger, John Fogerty and Timbaland

or the first 15 years of his career, Brad Paisley released albums at a rate of about once a year, but it's been nearly three since he released his last album, Moonshine in the Trunk. So the West Virginia native's announcement of the track listing and release date of his 11th studio album Love and War is overdue by his prolific standards. The big news about the 16song Love and War, due to be released on April 21, is the album's array of collaborators and guests – something that he's been plugging since last May. Perhaps most interesting of all is the appearance Source: IANS of Johnny Cash, whose name is

credited on the song "Gold All Over the Ground." Based on an old poem written by Cash and published in the 2016 poetry collection Forever Words, Paisley supplied the music and melody to accompany Cash's words. Paisley previously touted Love and War's all-star guest spots, most notably Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, who co-wrote and appears on the song "Drive of Shame." This isn't the first time the two have shared a mic together, as Paisley joined the Stones onstage two years ago to sing "Dead Flowers" in Nashville. Another Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, John Fogerty, appears

on the title track, while Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson joins Paisley on "Dying to See Her." Paisley also previously mentioned his work with R&B and hip-hop producer Timbaland (Justin Timberlake), who co-wrote and appears on a pair of Love and War tracks. Paisley's current hit single "Today" also appears, but his 2016 Demi Lovato collaboration "Without a Fight" is absent. This weekend, Paisley heads overseas for the Country 2 Country Festival, where he'll play shows in England, Scotland and Ireland. Source: Rolling Stones

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Pospisil sends Murray packing at Indian Wells

C M Y K

CARY, MARCH 12 (REUTERS): World number one Andy Murray was sent packing from the second round of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday after losing 6-4 7-6(5) to Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil. Pospisil delivered the knockout punch in style, whipping a crosscourt winner on his fourth match point in front of the near capacity crowd at Indian Wells that included former boxing champion Mike Tyson. Pospisil, ranked 129th in the world, was rewarded for his aggressive approach, rushing the net whenever the opportunity arose and pouncing on Murray's second serve. "I knew I was a long shot. I've played Andy four times and didn't win a set," the 26-year-old told Tennis Channel. "I felt like I had the ability to (win) but to actually go through is a whole new thing. I tried to bring different tactics ... versus the other times I played him. "I didn't want to give him the same look each time. I wanted to put pressure coming into the net, using my strength, which is my ability at the net and serving well." Pospisil joked that his lowly current world ranking was due to a "mid-life crisis" that saw him endure a lean 2016, after he

Kerber sails, Venus outlasts Jankovic at Indian Wells

CARY, MARCH 12 (REUTERS): Angelique Kerber, who will reclaim the world number one ranking on Monday, breezed to a 6-2 6-1 second-round victory over fellow German Andrea Petkovic at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday. Second-seed Kerber broke Petkovic to open the match and needed only 58 minutes to claim the victory in glaring sunshine in the California desert. "It was not so easy (playing Petkovic)," said Kerber after the match. "We’ve known each other forever. It's always tough to play against a friend." Fourth seed Simona Halep also won emphatically, 6-4 6-1 over Donna Vekic. Halep, the 2015 cham-

INDIAN

W E L L S , ly exit from the ATP Masters event. A break of serve in each CIES): Leander Paes and his Argentine partnerJuan set was enough for Muller Martin de Porto crashed and Querry to pocket the out in the opening round comfortable win. The Indian-Argentine of the men's doubles event to bring an early clo- pair, however, had their sure to India's challenge chances in as they had as at the ATP Indian Wells many as eight opportuniMasters, here. ties to break their oppoPaes and Del Porto nent's serve the second set were no match for Luxem- but failed. bourg's Gilles Muller and In contrast, Muller and American Sam Querry as Querry converted one out they suffered straight sets of the three break point op3-6, 4-6 defeat to make ear- portunities that came their

Mar 11, 2017; Indian Wells, CA, Vasek Pospisil (CAN) hits a ball as he defeated Andy Murray (not pictured) in his 2nd round MARCH 12 (AGENmatch in BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Pospisil won 6-4, 7-6. (USA TODAY Sports Photo)

had made the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2015. Earlier, Italian Fabi Fognini won a battle of expectant fathers when he beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(4) 3-6 6-4. Unseeded Fognini survived a first-set tiebreak and a tense final set before upsetting the seventhseeded Frenchman in a match that stretched nearly two hours and 30 minutes

in the blazing afternoon sun. "I am happy about my performance. It's a good victory for sure," Fognini told Tennis Channel after beating Tsonga for the first time in five career meetings. "Today was really hot so the ball was bouncing a lot. I love playing with sun and good weather." Fognini considered

Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey scores their fifth goal. (Reuters Photo)

pointment in the Champions League. After that we have to respond and we needed players solid mentally. "There was always a level of anxiety because these boys are unpredictable. They knocked out Burnley, Ipswich and Brighton, so we have to respect them. "It was all us in the sec-

ond half but you have to congratulate Lincoln for what they have achieved in the FA Cup." Lincoln became the first minor league side for more than a century to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals when they knocked out top-flight Burnley in round five, having disposed of Championship

Mayweather wants McGregor fight in June Reuters

Floyd Mayweather has declared himself "out of retirement" to fight Conor McGregor and demanded the Irish mixed martial arts champion commit to a crossover bout in June. "I'm not ducking or dodging anyone," American Mayweather told British media. "I'm only coming out of retirement for one person and that's Conor McGregor. "We don't need to waste no time. We need to make this ... happen quickly. Let's get it on in June." McGregor has been challenging Mayweather, who retired in 2015 with a 49-0 record, to a fight for months. The two sides have yet to reach terms and have a number of major hurdles to overcome. Mayweather has asked for a guaranteed $100 million to make the fight happen, with $15 million going to McGregor, while UFC president Dana White has talked of $25 million to each plus pay-per-view money. McGregor, the big-

1-6 7-6(5) 6-1 victory. "It ain't over til' it's over, and I didn't see no fat lady singing," said Williams, who played with her left thigh heavily strapped. Another American, ninth seed Madison Keys, made a winning return in her 2017 debut, triumphing 6-1 7-5 over Mariana DuqueMarino of Colombia. Keys missed the Australian Open in January while recovering from wrist surgery. "It felt really good," Keys said. "I really, really missed competing and being able to go out there and get a win on top of it was amazing." Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki also advanced, the 13th seeded Dane turning back qualifier Magda Linette of Poland 6-3 6-0.

Indian challenge ends with Leander's exit

himself fortunate even to make it to the second round. The Italian dropped the first set to love and was down 5-2 in the second set of his first-round encounter with Russian Konstantin Kravchuk, before roaring back to win 0-6 7-5 6-4. "It is a crazy sport," Fognini said. Fognini's wife, 2015 U.S. Open champion Fla-

via Pennetta, is expecting a child in late May, while Tsonga is also set to become a father next month. In another upset on Saturday, Japanese world number 70 Yoshihito Nishioka beat Croatian veteran Ivo Karlovic 6-4 6-3, but seeds Dominic Thiem, David Goffin and Tomas Berdych won their matches to advance.

Arsenal end Lincoln's Cup adventure with 5-0 romp LONDON, MARCH 12 (REUTERS): Lincoln City's fairytale FA Cup run ended at the quarter-final stage as Arsenal put aside their own problems to crush the fifth-tier side 5-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. It took a labouring Arsenal until first-half stoppage time to take the lead through Theo Walcott but the 12-times winners made their superiority count after the break. Goals from Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey and an own goal from Lincoln skipper Luke Waterfall gave Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger some cheer after the midweek humiliation by Bayern Munich in the Champions League. "Recently we have disappointed our fans. We want to go again to Wembley to win," Wenger, who led Arsenal to back-to-back FA Cup triumphs in 2014 and 2015, said. "We had a big disap-

pion, broke her Croatian opponent no fewer than seven times. "My serve is not that big but I like to return. I’m really proud of it," Romanian Halep said. "I’m not very powerful but I have a little bit the technique and the angles. I love this place. I have great results here." While Kerber and Halep won in quick fashion, American 12th seed Venus Williams beat Serbian Jelena Jankovic in a dramatic battle between former world number ones. Jankovic raced through the first set and seemed poised for an upset, but the second set tiebreak proved pivotal, as Williams survived, staving off three match points en route to a

Mayweather Jr during the press conference. (Reuters Photo)

gest pay-per-view draw in mixed martial arts, is contracted to UFC and the organisation would have to approve any fight. The pair will also have to agree to a format which Mayweather insisted would be straight boxing. "We cannot mix up the rules and regulations because I'm the A side," he said. "He called me out. You call me out, then, we have to go by my rules. "If I called you out

then we'd have to go by your rules. "It's always boxing." The pair have done their part to drum up interest, exchanging a number of verbal barbs at public appearances. Mayweather reiterated his claim that McGregor was all talk and no action. "Conor McGregor, stop ducking and diving Floyd Mayweather. Tell the UFC to let's make this fight happen. I don't want the UFC to look bad."

outfits Ipswich Town and Brighton and Hove Albion. The 9,000 fans they brought to north London were determined to enjoy their day and they had every reason to dream of one of the greatest Cup shocks of all time in the first half as they proved obdurate opponents. Danny Cowley's side even threatened on occasions before eventually getting overwhelmed. "We had a tough second half against world class players," the former P.E. teacher said. "When they scored on the edge of halftime it was always going to be difficult. "But we're the first non-league team in over 100 years to get to the last eight of the FA Cup. We need to be proud of what we've done." Lincoln coped well with the likes of Sanchez, Giroud and Mesut Ozil, who joined the fray early after an injury to Alex

way in the second set to seal the affair in little over an hour. With Leander's loss, India's campaign came to an end in the tournament as Rohan Bopanna and Pablo Cuevas have already been shown the door in the opening round. Bopanna and his Uruguyan partner Cuevas fought hard before losing 6-2, 3-6, 10-7 against Serbian combination of Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki.

LesMills Body Combat launch today

Oxlade-Chamberlain al- DIMAPUR, MARCH 12 (MExN): LesMills Body Combat is officially launching though they had a slice of at PAWF GX Studio, Tetso Arena located in Tetso College Campus, Sovima Village, luck when Walcott was de- Dimapur on Monday, March 13 at 5:30 pm. According to a press release, the first LesMills gym was started in Auckland, New Zealand in 1968. Nearly four decades on, nied by the woodwork. The National League LES MILLS™ workouts are in clubs and gyms across the world, the release claimed. leaders even went close For more information or to schedule a free trial class, call 8258981322. to taking the lead when Nathan Arnold's shot was saved by Petr Cech. It looked as though Lincoln would reach the interval on level terms but Arsenal broke through when Giroud, almost invisible in the first half, laid the ball back for Walcott whose shot deflected past Paul Farman. Giroud side-footed Arsenal's second in the 53rd minute and shortly after any hopes of a Lincoln comeback were snuffed out when Waterfall turned Kieran Gibbs' cross into his own goal. Free of tension it was exhibition stuff after that from Arsenal with Sanchez curling in a fourth and Ramsey walking in a fifth as Lincoln's defence Thierry Neuville (BEL) performs during the FIA World Rally Championship 2017 in Leon, Mexico on March 11, 2017. (Reuters Photo) crumbled.

Warner bites his tongue, hopes to let bat do the talking

NEW DELHI, MARCH 12 (REUTERS): Australia's David Warner is refusing to take the bait after being publicly sledged by India's cricketers, but even if he wanted to fire back the struggling opening batsman has few runs to back up any fighting words. The lefthander has cobbled together just 98 runs from four innings in the first two tests of the series in India and has fallen three times to spinner Ravichandran Ashwin -- twice in last week's defeat at Bangalore, which levelled the series 1-1. Warner has regularly punished India's bowlers on the seam-friendly wickets back home, belting them for nearly 50 runs on average, but he has been neutered by the subcontinent's flat pitches where he averages 24.41. India have seized upon Warner's woes, with toporder batsman Cheteshwar Pujara poking fun at the vice captain's struggles against Ashwin, who has dismissed him nine times in his career, the most by any bowler. "They were always un-

Australia's David Warner is bowled out by India's Umesh Yadav. (Reuters Photo)

der pressure when they walk into bat," Pujara said in a video interview with Ashwin posted on the Indian cricket board's website. "I wanted to make sure their batsmen are thinking about it," Pujara added. "Especially David Warner. Whenever he walks in to bat, Ash is always happy. "So I always keep reminding him that Ash is the one."

Warner plundered India for 457 runs in the 2014/15 home series, which Australia won 2-0, and was involved in a number of verbal battles with the tourists, earning him a code of conduct fine in the second test in Adelaide.

captain Steve Smith, was unimpressed by the video but said the tourists would not respond in kind ahead of the third test in Ranchi this week. "It’s just a rule of the cricketing world you keep everything on the field ... but that’s up to them. From our point of view, we’ll nev'SPIRIT OF CRICKET' Warner, who has since er do that," he said. “At the end of the day shed his image as Australia's chief aggressor under we’re professionals and

you have to move on from that stuff. Hopefully both teams will come out and play with the spirit of cricket.” The Bangalore test ended on a sour note, with India captain Virat Kohli alleging his counterpart Smith and Australia had flouted the rules when deciding to review umpire decisions. Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland labelled the accusations as "outrageous" and the affair threatened to sour relations for the rest of the series before the rival boards called a truce on Friday. Warner said he would be "pretty upset" if any Australian players aired grievances publicly in the manner Kohli had, but he was keen to move on. "There's going to be a lot of niggles here and there around certain things, and I think just a few people got out of hand and I think everyone has reined it back in again," he said. "So we're looking forward to getting out to Ranchi and playing a great brand of cricket."

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