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SaturDaY • March 18 • 2017
DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 74 • 12 PAGes • 5
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ESTD. 2005
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The perfect person uses its mind as a mirror. It grasps nothing. It regrets nothing. It receives but does not keep — Zhuangzi India not happy as world’s largest arms importer: Jaitley PAGE 08
Heroes never die: Gone but not forgotten
Fear, hunger and destruction in Mosul Old City as IS under pressure
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New Riphyim leads the way in environment conservation Since 2015, the efforts of Natural Nagas on a green dream project at New Riphyim village have made long strides; jhum cultivation has reduced and now UNESCO wants the area under its MAB programme imti longchar Wokha | March 17
Located 14 kilometers away from Wokha town, New Riphyim, a small village of 116 households, is leading the way in environment and wildlife conservation in Nagaland and telling the world that there is still hope in the midst of the rampant environmental degradation. Cradled on a picturesque triple peak Mt. Morashen, New Riphyim, which has a commanding view of the Doyang valley and the reservoir, has become a perfect setting for eco tourism, integrated community farming, conservation of forest and wildlife that even the UNESCO has elicited willingness to include it in its Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme. UNESCO’s MAB programme is an Intergovernmental Scientific Programme that combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems, thus promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable. New Riphyim pledged to go
State Service associations firm on 7th ROP demand DIMAPUR, MARCH 17 (MExN): Members of the various State Service Associations today made it clear that the demand for the implementation of the 7th ROP w.e.f March 1, 2017 stands and cautioned that failure to fulfill this demand would compel the start of the proposed pen/tooldown agitation as decided earlier. This was informed to the government during a meeting between the various associations, the Additional Chief Secretary and the Finance Commissioner. Members of the various State Service Associations have been requested to “remain alert and extend cooperation in the larger interest of the State employees.” Meanwhile, the Nagaland Secretariat Service Association (NSSA) has fully endorsed the demands of the State government employees for implementation of the 7th ROP. Informing this, the NSSA in a press release said that its members would totally participate in the agitation which would begin from March 20, 2017 onwards with no exemptions whatsoever, in the event of the government failing to meet the demands of the associations. It also informed that strict attendance in office and full participation of members would be closely monitored during the proposed agitation.
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green on June 5, 2015 on World Environment Day 2015 under the initiative of the Natural Nagas, an NGO with the motto “for the community, by the community and of the community.” True to its oath, the community, within a span of one year has ushered in transformative changes in the village that can only be “wishful thinking” for many stakeholders in the fight for environment conservation. No to jhumming To begin with, the primary focus of the green village project was to discourage and reduce jhum cultivation, a traditional slash and burn method of farming and protect the eco system. Jhumming is one of the main factors leading to the shrinking forest in the Nagaland landscape. It has been difficult to put a complete stop to this agriculture practice because it is closely tied to the culture and ancestry of the people. In a show of willingness to accept to change for a better future, within one year, New Riphyim village has seen a decrease in the practice of jhum cultivation, attested by the village council chairman, Nyimtsemo Odyuo himself. According to Nyimtsemo, jhumming has been reduced
An aerial view of New Riphyim village amidst a spreading green cover. (Morung Photo)
by 50% of the village population as on February 2017. “Jhum is a traditional practice and we cannot stop it in a go. It needs time,” the village council chairman, who himself had quit the jhum practice, however pointed out. The most heartening aspect of this accomplishment is that the village council had not imposed any decree or order on the villagers to stop practice of jhum cultivation. It came as individual decisions from among the villagers, of course, with extensive awareness carried out by the Natural Nagas. “The villagers were apprehensive at first, some openly opposing to the changes be-
ing introduced while expressing fear on the impact to their farming practices and economy which is highly stepped in culture and tradition. The men folk were the toughest to convince, but with the help of the church and the women, their mindsets gradually changed,” Steve Odyuo, founder of Natural Nagas recalled. The village is now exploring the potentials of Integrated Farming System (IFS) to meet the demand of food supply, income generations, employment generation and sustainable development of agriculture by integration of various farming enterprise like mixed
and multiple cropping system, bamboo plantation, animal husbandry, fishery, forestry etc. On the importance of IFS, Steve said the village’s success in completely ending the practice of jhum cultivation depends on the success of the alternative source of cultivation/ farming. To this effect, the Natural Nagas have also undertaken a number of capacity building activities to address sustainable livelihood issues for the villagers- food production, processing and marketing, eco tourism, handloom and weaving, bee keeping, training on bamboo and its products to name a few.
100% economic kitchen, energy reserve and sanitation The success of the village in living up to the green village project is not confined on ending the practice of jhum cultivation alone. With a very receptive community- the village council, church, women hoho and student bodies looking at each other as equal partners, New Riphyim, have transformed into a model village and achieved cent percent success on a number of activities that affect change to the environment. A walk around the village will testify to the claims. All village households utilize the economic kitchen chullah, which according to Steve, saves 70% of firewood for cooking. There is 100% CFL bulb usage in the village to save power consumption, which is an initiative of the village church. Besides the conservation of forest and energy resources, sanitation and cleanliness is also of utmost importance, where the womenfolk play a primary role. There is a strict rule banning throwing of garbage, waste in public places and surroundings and it is mandatory to conduct social work every week by the villagers. Further, every household in the village has a compost pit for degradable waste management and recycling of biodegradable waste product as a source of organic manure. The village is 100% open defecation free. The villagers also cultivate 100% organic vegetables and food grains.
Flame of the forest Another s ig n i f i ca nt achievement of New Riphyim is on forest and wild life conservation. On any given morning, Mt. Morashen, which is a community-reserved forest, will echo with nostalgic chirpings of different species of birds, the only forest in the surrounding area where there is high concentration of the winged visitors. This reserved forest is also a botanical garden for identification, conservation, documentation and multiplication of economic and indigenous wild plant species. On the fringes, the villagers have also ingeniously conserved an area where choral trees like the erythrina or the flame of the forest (to attract winged visitors) and other indigenous trees and plants are planted. New Riphyim village will also be the first village to have the Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) in Nagaland. “As responsible people, we the citizens of New Riphyim have pledged to take this one small step of the thousand steps ahead, to work collectively for conservation and promotion of a healthy environment,” Steve, who also hails from the village maintained. He also points out that “the success in environment conservation has so far been possible because the whole community is talking the path with a single mind.” New Riphyim may not be the first green village in Nagaland, but it is in the forefront of stepping up to the challenge of conserving the disappearing wildlife and environment.
PHED on water quality Hindi teachers call off agitation, govt assures payment of salaries problems in Nagaland our Correspondent Kohima | March 17
Dwelling on water quality problems in the state, Nagaland Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Chief Engineer, Er Kevisekho Kruse has said that there is no major incidence of toxic and heavy metal contamination reported from hilly areas of the state. Er. Kruse, however, said the state encountered bacteriological contamination problems including excess iron and nitrate problems in foothills of Dimapur, Kohima, Wokha and Mon districts. Stating that water can be a major carrier of diseases germs and harmful chemicals, he said health of a community depends upon the status of drinking water supply and sanitation. “We’ll be free from much of water borne diseases if our drinking water supply is safe,” Er. Kruse said and called for ensuring its safety before drinking it. He said the PHED has indigenously developed a Mini Iron Removal Plant for treating a total of 10000 litre per day, sufficient for 250 persons @ 40 lpcd. The process involved includes aeration, filtration and
DIMAPUR, MARCH 17 (MExN): The agitating Hindi Teachers today called off its protest after the Government of Nagaland provided a written assurance to release the pending salaries of the Hindi Teachers under CSS program. In its statement of assurance, Nagaland Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar mentioned that a meeting was held on March 17 at 2:30 with the Chief Minister, Minister of Education and representatives of the Hindi Teachers. The assurance containing three points informed that the pending salaries for two months has been released by the Finance Department for payment to Hindi Teachers during March. It also assured that the remaining pending salaries will be paid
storing up in clear water reservoir. He maintained that this seems to be the best solution for Dimapur citizens dependent on shallow dug wells, commonly called ring wells where water is mostly unacceptable without treatment. The treated water from this plant gives very crystal clear, free from iron, odour etc., he said adding that the cost of one unit comes to approximately Rs. 8.36 lakhs. A large number of these have already been installed in Dimapur. Meanwhile Er Kruse said the PHED has strictly complied with the P&AR standing orders and not allowed appointment of any officer/staff beyond the sanctioned strength of 1640. As per the Work-Charged & Casual Employees Commission directives, the department is continuously phasing out the work-charged employees as they retire/ expire. Present number of WC employee is 1970 which is decreasing year by year. Unlike some years back, payment of wages for work charged employees is not seriMorung Express News ously delayed. They have been paid for up to November 2016 and proposal for release has Dimapur | March 17 been sent to finance department for period Trying to allay apprehensions of the up to February 2017, he said. business community in the state that the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) would be detrimental, Commissioner of Taxes, Government of Nagaland, Asangba Chuba Ao IAS today said: “With the implementation of GST in the entire country, most probably by July 1, 2017, Nagas would be getting an (NPF) and they are scared of coming back opportunity for a level playing field.” to Congress. He was speaking as guest at the “Our culture, our identity is at threat,” 3rd Business Association of Nagas the NPCC President meanwhile warned, (BAN), General Council Meeting at adding that the NPF has become only a fa- Elim Hall, DABA, Dimapur on Friday. cilitator for the BJP. “For the last 15 years, He said under the new tax sysNagas of Nagaland, we are not ruling, we tem, all businessmen have to regisare electing robots to rob us and to supter their business in their own name press us,” he said. “Nagaland is under complete suppres- and hence cannot escape income tax. sion, and people have no voice. We have a Asangba was referring to non-locals robot programme by some unknown peo- running business in Naga names to ple and these are the people leading us, evade income tax. Since Nagas have the advantage they are not themselves, they are robots of not paying income tax, it was in programmed to do something, to do some job, to talk something and they don’t have this context, the Commissioner of Taxes said that the GST system would dreams for the people,” Therie stated. He meanwhile informed that the Con- provide a level playing field for Naga gress plans to file a petition in the Supreme business houses. Asangba also said that the GST Court to do away with the EVM system and instead use ballot papers, alleging there is would eliminate cascading tax or evidence that EVMs can be manipulated. double taxation since it envisages to
within April based on the release of funds by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. In case, there is delay in the release of funds, the State government will release the pending salaries from the State budget two months at a time from April onwards till all dues are cleared. Minister for School Education, Yitachu meanwhile also assured that the State Government would be paying the salaries of the CSS Hindi Teachers from the State Exchequer. In a statement, Yitachu said that the even as the funds for payment of CSS Hindi teacher’s salaries has not been released by the Central government, the same would be paid from the State Exchequer for two months per month starting this month. He assured that
‘GST will provide level playing field for Naga businessmen’
Our culture and identity are under threat: NPCC President our Correspondent Kohima | March 17
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) President, K. Therie today said that the Congress in Nagaland is regional in content and national in outlook. Speaking at the introductory programme for the new team of Nagaland Pradesh Youth Congress (NPYC) here at Congress Bhavan, he pointed out that NPCC is the only Congress Pradesh committee which has a separate constitution to guide and lead by. He therefore said that even All India Congress Committee (AICC) has no authority over the administration and usage of NPCC, as it is also provided under Article 371A. He alleged that there are some people who want to form a third party, and termed them as ‘Suicide party’ as they cannot go back to Naga People’s Front
the payment would continue till their pending salaries are cleared. Nonetheless, expressing hope that the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development would be releasing the funds for payment of salaries to CSS Hindi teachers by next month, Yitachu said “once the fund is received the entire amount of pending salaries would be cleared, while those paid from the state exchequer would be recovered.” Meanwhile, the Minister has acknowledged the State Government and Finance Department for understanding and releasing funds to pay to the agitating Hindi teachers. He also expressed gratitude to the ANHTU for accepting the offer and agreeing to call off the agitation.
Commissioner of Taxes, Nagaland, Asangba Chuba Ao iAs exhorting Naga businessmen in Dimapur on Friday. (Morung Photo)
merge different taxes at central and state levels into a single tax payable at the time of reaching the consumer or destination. He said that the GST would also allow registered businesses to claim tax credit. He further talked about the possibility of closing down business that does not properly comply with the GST. The Commissioner of Taxes asserted that the department would leave no stone unturned to see that all interested persons were trained on the GST. He also expressed willingness to have a separate seminar for BAN to sensitize on the GST.
Asangba said that the state economy was mostly controlled by people who came from outside the state and foreign immigrants which he termed as a “threat.” “It is time to take over our own economy,” he added. He said those who came from outside the state may go back to their homeland if business does not flourish but those who came from abroad would not go back since they have found a home in Nagaland which is far better than the living conditions in their country. Asangba encouraged the Naga business community to do business the right way and put the satisfaction of customer in the first place. BAN Advisor, Ato Yepthomi pointed out that Naga entrepreneurs were suffering since power supply, communication and road which he described it as the “backbone of business” were found wanting. He advised Naga entrepreneurs to have patience and consistency in their business venture. During the programme, BAN General Secretary, Dr. Khekugha Muru presented a report on the activities of the Association while BAN president, Thungbemo Murry delivered the welcome and presidential address.