March 27th, 2017

C M Y K

DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 83 • 12 PAGes • 5

www.morungexpress.com

MonDAY • MArch 27 • 2017

T H e

ESTD. 2005

P o W e R

A person who cannot describe the problem will never find the solution to that problem Contribute to New India, Modi tells people PAGE 08

Yaongyimsen people resolve to uphold ‘one person one vote’

o F

— Confucius

Vettel breaks Ferrari’s F1 drought with victory at Aussie GP

PAGE 02

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Morung Express Feature Phek | March 26

The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion

Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your anSwer to 9862574165 To end backdoor appointment do you agree there must be structural changes? Why? Yes

no

others

Is a new breed of politicians needed to trigger change in Nagaland? Why? Yes

51%

no

28%

others

21%

Details on page 7

NMA appeals DIMAPUR, MARCH 26 (MExN): The Naga Mothers’ Association has appealed to all mothers and women organisations to help the fire ravaged poor families at Khermahal Junction, Dimapur. The NMA team met the leaders of the community and has set up a three member Committee to help the victim families, consisting of the President NMA, Abeiu Meru; Vice President, Sarah Nuh and Advisor, NMA, Dr Rosemary Dzuvichu. A press note from the NMA informed that contributions in cash or kind from women in Dimapur may contact President NMA at 9436000076 and NMA Vice President at 8119000612, and Advisor, NMA at 8974248224 for Kohima contributors.

On an early morning of early March, a group of Gorkha farmers—from the Lepcha and Subbah communities of Kalimpong district, West Bengal—are on a visit to Chakhesang terrace paddy fields in Enhulumi village, Phek district. But it is not the terrace fields that hold the fancy of the guests. It is the uncultivated biodiversity that grows alongside the wet and dry terrace paddy fields that fascinate them—some herb is a cure for kidney diseases, another for stomach ailments; snails, fish and frog have their own stories.

Two women farmers from Enhulumi village showing us around know the local details of every plant; what can be eaten, what not, for what, when, how. They teach us about the Enhulumi community’s water sharing system. They point to a distant hill and show us how their jhum fields are used by the community to grow local plums that have become a market hit.

The North East Net-

work (NEN) Nagaland’s Wekowe-u Tsuhah is facilitating the farmersfield-meet as part of their exposure tour after a Biodiversity Festival on March 8, 2017. Accompanying us are women farmers from the East Khasi Hills who lose no time in emulating their Naga counterparts in current soil-breaking methods on dry terrace paddy fields.

At the Festival, they had exchanged indigenous seeds with farmers from Mesulumi village, Phek district. Most of their seeds will be planted on jhum fields. The group of visiting farmers is thus led to one of neighbouring Chizami’s jhum fields—slipping and sliding down the steep, still dry, slope, we reach Adile Wezah’s (53) field hut.

“I have millets, maize, banana, papaya, ginger, beans,” and a whole lot of other crops, lists Wezah who is accompanied by her sister-in-law on the field.

NEN Nagaland’s Dolly Wotsa and Stephen Gangmei are facilitating the jhum field meet. Climbing a bit more down the slope, the farmers demonstrate how seeds are sown and covered with soil before the rains set in.

“We get to eat nutritious food without buying anything from the market.

We share our produce with the church and the elderly.

I even pay my children’s tu-

ition fee from the surplus,” informs Wezah about the gains she makes from her field.

She has been tending to this patch of jhum field since 2009 and the soil still remains greatly productive.

This piece of land belongs to her husband’s clan, she says. Her father had also gifted her some ancestral land but this was taken away by male clan elders who could not fathom giving traditional land to a woman no matter how much back breaking, sun burning, work she put into it.

Wezah made a different form of investment thus. She maintains her own bank of seeds that were passed on to her by her foremothers. “I try to keep growing even unprofitable crops just so that our ancestral seeds can be preserved,” she tells us, pointing to a tiny patch of local cotton which is not enough for her to make use of in the short run. In the long run though, this is a rich repository of knowledge.

The Gorkha visiting farmers are acutely aware of this. As they pop some corn seeds in a cooking pot at Wezah’s field hut, munching pineapples and papaya from the field, they are awe struck by the agricultural practices of Naga farmers.

“This is the first time we have seen jhum kheti,” says

Gorkha farmers seen here with naga farmers at a jhum field in Chizami village in Phek district, Nagaland in March 2017, as they exchange field notes facilitated by NEN Nagaland. (Morung Photo)

Adile Wezah (seen in the background) tends to her jhum A farmer from East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, tries her hand field in Chizami along with her sister-in-law (seen in the at breaking hard soil on a dry terrace paddy field in Enhufore) in March 2017. (Morung Photo) lumi village, nagaland, in March 2017. (Morung Photo)

Binesh Rai (39) who was leading a team of 8 women farmers from two villages in Kalimpong: Barbot village (Subbah community) and Primtam village (Lepcha community). “We mostly do terrace paddy cultivation, if at all. Our young people have left villages en masse, leaving only the old to tend to fields.

With large scale cash crop plantations for years, like cardamom or ginger, our soil

is becoming disease-borne, degrading and dying slowly,” he explains.

His team finds it “amazing” that cultivators here do not use “non organic manure” and how indigenous agriculture methods have helped maintain the rich agro biodiversity in these hills. The excessive use of pesticides and “big is great” developmental aspirations in Kalimpong

hills, says Rai, have led to quick bucks for a few villages; however, they are now seeing more instances of cancers among adults, and mental and physical deformities in new borns.

While the Gorkha farmers exchanged seeds with Nagaland’s farmers, Rai has a word of caution. “It is better to test seeds from our region on a small patch of land, or get them tested by scientists

for diseases,” he warns, even as he tips us on Ebony and Mahogany chutney recipes for curing certain ailments of the stomach.

As the peach and plum blossoms reached their final phase, the farmer knowledge exchange in Phek district opened up new avenues of thought and collaboration. Next year awaits greater dividend.

Backdoor appointments: ACAUT demands answers from state govt NIDA supports demand for 7th RP implementation

DIMAPUR, MARCH 26 of capable Naga youths?” and in the next general election like responsible people within the (MExN): The Against Corrup- whether the PHQ is ready to re- 1993 episode where more than system can do a lot without the 800 senior people went against us ACAUT or other organizations tion and Unabated Taxation spond to this controversy.

Apart from the 2078 police on the issue of superannuation of resorting to lengthy and expen- DIMAPUR, MARCH 26 menting the 7th ROP from the (ACAUT) Nagaland today asked (MExN): The Nagaland In- Central Pay Commission, it the Nagaland State Chief Minis- appointees, the ACAUT de- age.’ Therefore, it is as crystal clear sive legal options, it said.

Meanwhile, it censured the service Doctors Association should also respond promptly ter, Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu as manded that the NPF govern- that the policy of the present NPF NLA Speaker’s move to expunge (NIDA) has extended its support in a positive manner,” it stated. government is to continue with ment “terminate all the BDOs, to exactly how he would go about The NIDA further asked tackling the “illegal backdoor ap- Senior Lecturers, Medical Offi- the backdoor appointments in the MLAs statement equating to the demands spearheaded by those employees in Nagaland CANSSEA for the implementabackdoor appointments to corall the departments till the next cers, SDOs, JEs, CDPOs and othpointments in the police department and government depart- er gazetted backdoor appointees general elections in 2018,” the ruption. “When politicians make tion of 7th ROP from March 1, state drawing Central Government salary to “kindly support in the RDD, Social Welfare Dept, ACAUT alleged. backdoor appointments, it nec- 2017. ments in general.”

The ACAUT while acknowl- essarily amounts to buying of “As far as the 2078 backdoor Dept of School Education, PWD, “When it comes to taking this demand as we are all afappointment in the police de- SCERT, Higher Education, and edging MLA Mhonlumo Kikon votes; or when jobs are sold in away from the employees, the fected equally by the inflation partment is concerned, the Medical department, etc made for “forcing the government to the Nagaland market for Crores government acts promptly of the market and we all buy bring out the exact status of back- of rupees, or when daughters but when it comes to giving, it from the same shop.”

Home Minister cannot escape in the last several years.”

As NPF President, the door appointment in the Home and sons of politicians/bureau- makes all sorts of excuses,” a responsibility. Secondly, if the It informed that NIDA will Commandants and SPs have ACAUT stated that the present Department,” added that “the crats are accommodated in the press note from the association take part in all forms of activibeen making unauthorized ap- CM had in 2016 “put his foot educated unemployed commu- job market, the Speaker not to said. It reminded that last year ties/agitations proposed in the pointments as alleged on the down against termination of nity would also appreciate if he equate this with corruption when centre reduced the inter- fight for the implementation floor of the Assembly, the ACAUT backdoor appointees in his cir- can initiate measures to strike speaks volumes about one’s ethest rates given to the govern- of 7th ROP. “We have decided asks what action the Home Min- cular dated 20/3/16 to the then down the Office Memorandums ics,” the ACAUT said.

“With all the backdoor ap- ment servants for GPF depos- to take part in the pen-down ister is going to take against these CM TR Zeliang and all the Cabi- of 2008, 2010 and 11/8/16 giving unfettered right to the gov- pointments, scams, nepotism its, the state “promptly acted strike called by CANSSEA. In authorities for making illegal ap- net Ministers.”

“In fact, he wanted regulariza- ernment to make backdoor ap- and corruption in the NPF gov- and reduced the interest rates this regard, hospital work/papointments- a clear case of insubtion of all those backdoor appoin- pointments or to regularize all ernment, perhaps it’s time for for GPF deposits in line with tients care will continue as usuordination,” it questioned.

A press note from the ACAUT tees who had completed 3 years backdoor appointees after 3 young Nagas to ponder whether the centre citing the reason that al but apart from this in all other the NPF party should be allowed we follow Central Pay Commis- functions we will observe penIMPHAl, MARCH 26 further asked whether the Home in service. He had warned that years in service.” down strike along with other While the ACAUT is work- to come back after the 2018 elec- sion.”

(IANS): Manipur Chief Minister would terminate all the unless this is done so ‘more than “So when it comes to imple- associations,” it added.

Minister N. Biren Singh 2078 appointees “in the interest 1000 people will go against you ing to strike down these OMs, tions,” it meanwhile stated. said on Sunday the state’s territorial integrity will be protected. “It is dearer than my life,” he said shortly before emplaning for Delhi.

Biren said that he was going On March 26, Rilan villagers to Delhi to seek a whopping said that tension gripped the boramount as developmental der village after Assam Police (AP) fund from Prime Minister and Assam Forest personnel inNarendra Modi. Despite truded into the village at around assurances in public meet10:00 am and demolished underings by Modi and Home construction structures at a plot of Minister Rajnath Singh land disputed by Assam. The dison the framework agreeputed site is located overlooking ment the central governa camp of the AP and a village rement had signed with the cently established allegedly under Naga group NSCN-IM on the patronage of the Assam Forest August 3, 2016, the outfit’s department. leader Thuingaleng MuiThe armed personnel numbervah claimed on March 21 ing around 50 demolished foundathat the agreement envistion pillars meant for a Primary ages the “Naga integrity”.

Health Centre and fences sparkUnification of the Nagaing an over an hour long standoff inhabited areas of Assam, between agitated villagers and the Manipur and Arunachal armed Assam Police personnel.

Pradesh with Nagaland is The Rilan village council said a major demand of the outthat the AP personnel withdrew fit. Biren said: “As the Home after more than an hour from the Ministry has clarified the area and also fired shots in the air matter, there is no need while retreating.

The standoff at Rilan border village on March 26. for apprehension. Muivah It maintained that the AP and Morung Express news fringe of Dimapur district border- The Assam Forest department Assam Forest personnel simply merely claimed and it was ing Assam’s Karbi-Anglong Auton- claims it is part of Daldali Reserve cannot intrude without proper clarified by the governDimapur | March 26 car which fell into the Dhansiri river at Purana Bazaar, omous District.

Forest while the villagers claim it is authorisation. “If it is an inter- A ment.” He said that the terDimapur. As per the Traffic police, the accident occurred The dispute over a plot of land well within the village jurisdiction state border issue magistrates around midnight, March 25 after the driver reportedly took ritorial integrity of Mani- An unresolved boundary trouble pur shall be protected and with Assam reared again at Rilan, has been recurring for the past few as demarcated by the Nagaland from both sides should be pres- the old Dhansiri bridge route unaware it has been dismanthere is no doubt about it. tled. The car was reportedly coming from Pfutsero. a village located on the western years with both sides staking claim. state government. ent,” the village council said.

Manipur territorial integrity will be protected, says CM

Boundary trouble with Assam recurs at Rilan

C M Y K

PAGE 12

Farm diaries—exchanging field notes in Nagaland

Indigenous agri methods promote agro biodiversity

That’s our school, thanks to our education minister we now have a new school building. We ought to be very grateful ...even if it is only a small thatch house.

T R u T H

2

MOnDAY 27•03•2017

NAGALAND

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Yaongyimsen people resolve to National cultural festival in Nagaland uphold ‘one person one vote’

Mokokchung, March 26 (MExn): Members of Yaongyimsen Baptist Church, who attended a two-day seminar on Clean Election recently, have resolved not to succumb to the forces of coercive methods and electoral malpractices, but uphold the principle of one person one vote during the election. They also resolved to vote for God fearing and upright candidate who has thoughtful heart for people and ability to speak and work for them selflessly, according to a press release.

The two-day seminar held from March 22-23 was organized by the Yaongyimsen Baptist Church under Mokokchung district with the Senior Pastor of Nagaland Christian Revival Church and Educationist Rev. Dr. Imchayanger and the Editor of Tir

Audience at the Clean Election seminar at Yaongyimsen village on March 23.

Yimyim, K. Temjen Jamir as resource persons.

Speaking on the occasion, Rev. Dr. Imchayanger reminded the audience that the purpose of God’s creation of men was to keep earthly wealth un-

der their control and have dominion over them. He, however, observed with regret that the people in present generation have become so materialistic that instead of keeping the wealth under their control

they have allowed the love of money to have dominion over them. “That is the root cause of electoral malpractices today,” he said.

He further cautioned the people about the adverse consequences of malprac-

UBC presents Children’s Concert

Children’s Choir of Union Baptist Church perform at the concert on March 25.

kohiMa, March 26 (MExn): The Sunday School Department of the Union Baptist Church (UBC), Kohima organized their Children’s Concert on March 25 within the church premises. The concert is a periodical event, first conceived in 2014, and is a quasi-celebration of the extensive musical repertoire of R. Kevichusa, according to a press release.

The concert saw 79-memberstrong Children’s Choir, a second

choir consisting of the Path Finders and Trail Blazers classes of UBC, two male-voice groups, and soloists performing an assortment of 17 songs written and composed by R. Kevichusa between the years 1974 and 2009.

Along with the Children’s Choir conductor, the sound technician, the videography and photography teams, Sunday School Teachers and additional stage-hands, the evening saw the involvement of 175 individuals in

total, the release added. The event was also graced by Medongulie Tseikhanuo, who presented two solo numbers.

“With a strong message of restoration in faith-building underscoring each of the songs, the concert was much like a salve for all that the town has had to endure in recent times, and an incontrovertible opportunity for all present to find an inspired resurgence of hope and faith in the Almighty.”

Health mela held at Rengmapani village

kohiMa, March 26 (MExn): The office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Kohima along with District Health Society, Department of Health & Family Welfare, NHM conducted health mela at Rengmapani village on March 24.

Altogether, 307 Rengmapani inhabitants availed the services. 28 patients had eye check-up, 26 dental procedures were done, four children were immunized, two pregnant mothers provided ANC, and two IUCD insertions were done. Further, 42 blood slides were collected and tested for malaria while 13

for HB and sugar testing.

The health mela was conducted by a team of eight doctors of various disciplines with staffs from CMO office and DPMU, Kohima.

Dr. Avino Metha, CMO encouraged the gathering to avail all the services and take part in various group discussions for a healthy lifestyle and to practice better health seeking behavior. The CMO informed the gathering that the village was selected since there is no Sub-Centre there.

She further stressed that at the community level, the VHC should take

initiative for Village Health & Nutrition Day (VHND) and channelize for visit of Medical Officer to the village once a while. She also pointed out that Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) & Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) have drastically reduced due to awareness.

Health camps, she added, are platforms for people to avail the service provided by the Department of Health & Family Welfare.

Dr. Avile Zao, DIO meanwhile maintained that villagers should avail the immunization schedule on time for a healthy lifestyle.

Besides administering

health check-up, health talk on NIDDCP and NLEP was delivered by ZLO, Dr. Aseno Rhetso. She stressed on the importance of having iodised salt to prevent goitre, deafness, blindness or abnormality. She further emphasized that leprosy is curable, adding “Early diagnosis can cure leprosy and prevent disability”. She also mentioned about Multi Drug Therapy (MDT) treatment, where medicines are distributed free of cost in any DLOs or Chief Medical Officer’s office in the districts. Meanwhile, Dr. Aseno insisted the mothers to go for institutional delivery.

tices during election, the release added.

While presenting his thoughts on Clean Election, K. Temjen Jamir urged the people to understand the value of good citizen while exercising one’s own political rights. He encouraged them to make meaningful and contributing lives instead of making their lives just for living.

“If we think just to make a living instead of making a worthy life, we will not hesitate to sell the truth; we will face the moral bankruptcy, we will seek for monetary gain instead of wisdom and we will ask for fish instead of idea to catch the fishes,” Temjen maintained.

The two-day seminar, organized for the citizens below 65 years of age, was attended by more than 200 people.

Aoleang festival at Mopong Mon, Mar ch 26 (MExn): The Mopong Hongkong Educated Unemployed Youth (MHEUY) is organising the Aoleang festival 2017 at its HQ Mopong with the theme ‘Social and cultural awakening’. Khekaho Assumi, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Resources and Sports, Nagaland will be the chief guest on April 1.

A press release from A. Moba Konyak, General Secretary, MHEUY informed that all the students' unions of Mopong Hongkong, village councils, GBs' association, KNSK and KU (Mopong unit) will be participating in the event along with the rest of Mopong Hongkong youth.

Highlights of the event include cultural song and dance (both women and men), beating of log drum, and traditional folklore to be performed by the KNSK Mpong unit.

The motive behind the celebration, according to the release, is to “preserve and promote the rich cultural and traditional value, to motivate and strengthen the unity and integrity of the people of the area and to rebuild the fragmented society, and to give away the social indifferences in all aspects.” The organisers while extending warm welcome to one and all have also appealed to all the gazetted officers of Mopong Hongkong, intellectuals and invitees to attend the celebration and make it a grand success.

Apeinuo & Group presenting an Angami ‘Tati’ folk song at Rashtriya Sanskrit Mahotsav at Holy Cross HSS auditorium, Dimapur on March 26. (Morung Photo)

DiMapur, March 26 (MExn): The Nagaland Chapter of Rashtriya Sanskrit Mahotsav (RSM) – North East began here on March 26 evening at Holy Cross HSS auditorium. The inaugural programme of the three-day cultural festival was graced by Director, South Zone Cultural Centre, Tahnjavur, Dr. Sajith EN as chief guest.

RSM - North East is being organized from March 23 to 31 covering all the eight North East states. It was inaugurated at Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh on March 23.

In Nagaland, the festival will end on March 28. It will see around 500 artists representing several tribes of Nagaland exhibiting their cultural traditions. Apart from the Nagaland artists, 100 artists from across the country have also been invited to showcase folk and classical

dance and music, informed a press release from Dr. Om Prakash Bharti, Director (I/C), NEZCC, Dimapur.

A ‘Sanskritik Yatra’ is also being organized, in which artists will meet and interact with several communities residing in different villages of Nagaland thereby proliferating cultural exchange. The Yatra will cover 100 villages of North East India.

The festival is being implemented through the seven Zonal Cultural Centres and in collaboration with other cultural organizations of different states of North East India. The North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur has been entrusted with the responsibility as the nodal agency to carry forward the execution of the national cultural festival, the release added.

The essential thrust of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahot-

sav – North East, according to Dr. Bharti, is to present rich diversity and uniqueness of Indian culture and bind the country in a single thread of culture and also to promote cultural inter-linkages amongst the people of North East India thereby strengthening national integration. RSM was conceptualized in 2015 by Ministry of Culture, Government of India to celebrate as well as promote and preserve the spirit of tradition, culture, heritage and diversity of India.

In other states of North East, the festival will be organised at Majuli (Assam) from March 27 to 29, JNMDA Complex in Imphal (Manipur) from March 27 to 29, Aizawl (Mizoram) from March 28 to 30, Gangtok (Sikkim) from March 28 to 30, Shillong (Meghalaya) from March 29 to 31, Khowai (Tripura) from March 29 to 31.

Hazi Park, Hongkong market area cleaned

DiMapur,March26(MExn): With the monsoon season around the corner and the drains in and around the Hazi Park and Hongkong market area clogged, the Hazi Park Businessmen Welfare Committee (HPBWC) undertook a cleaning drive on March 26.

The drains in the area were cleaned and the garbage cleared under the initiative of the Committee. “These sorts of activities are undertaken from time to time for the convenience of both the business community and the visitors to the market,” stated a press release from Hukato V Achumi, President, HPBWC. “This market area is one of the busiest places in entire state of Nagaland and is also visited by people from other parts of the Northeast Region. The vibrancy of the market is the pride of Dimapur and efforts are being carried out from time to time to make it customer friendly,” the release added.

It further stated that the Committee will continue its efforts to serve the people and uphold the pride of Dimapur in the days to come. “We also look forward to the support and cooperation of the people to serve them better,” Drains around Hazi Park and Hongkong market area being cleaned under the initiative of HPBWC on March 26.

HPBWC said.

‘Way of the Cross’ in Kohima Piano recital at Nagaland Conservatory of Music today DiMapur, Mar ch 26 (MExn): Piano recital featuring Noel De La Rosa, organized by Nagaland Conservatory of Music (NCM) will be held on March 27, 4:30 pm at Northern Lights Chapel (NCM campus).

Noel De La Rosa, the Director of Studies and Piano faculty at NCM is an accomplished musician trained in the most prestigious Conservatories in the Philippines

and Austria, stated a press release received here. He has won several international piano competitions such as Asean International Opera Competition, Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, Chopin International Piano Competition (finalist) and Jose Iturbi International Piano Competition.

He will be performing piano pieces from Romantic era featuring pieces by Franz Schubert, Jo-

hannes Brahms, Robert Schumann and Frederick Chopin.

Nagaland Conservatory of Music (NCM) located at Darogapathar, Full Nagarjan Road, Dimapur, is a premiere academy of Nagaland Music Education and Arts Society that offers Bachelor of Performance Arts (4 years), Diploma Associate in Music (2 years) and tuition classes under NCM extension program. The release

added that NCM is designed and committed to help students grow into the finest musicians/teachers possible by facilitating them to achieve a high musical potential while imparting them leadership skills necessary to guide the musicians of tomorrow.

Inaugurated on August 24, 2012, NCM is affiliated to the Martin Luther Christian University, Meghalaya.

GMS Old Jalukie gets additional classrooms

pErEn, March 26 (MExn): Assistant District

Angami Catholic Youth Association members at Cathedral Church premises in Kohima Coordinator, DMA (SSA) Peren, Joseph Vikietuo inaugurated the newly constructed two-room on March 25.

kohiMa, March 26 (MExn): The Angami Catholic Youth Association (ACYA) held ‘Way of the Cross’ on March 25 at Cathedral Church premises in Kohima.

In his address, Medoneisa Marcus, ACYA President urged the faithful to reflect and meditate on the agony of Jesus carrying his cross to Mount Calvary.

“Way of the cross is one of the best ways for the Catholic to experience the sufferings of our Lord Jesus and His Love for us,” he stated.

After ‘Way of the Cross’,

a thought for reflection was delivered by Spiritual Director, ACYA Rev. Fr. Vemedo Joseph Kezo, who exhorted the youth to be always prompt to say yes to the Holy Spirit, a press release from ACYA stated. “Evangelization in the church was brought by the youth. It was not by the priests, pastors, nuns but by the zealous youth.

Therefore, youths present are commission to evangelize in each own respective parishes or villages.

Youths are the backbone of the church and the society.

Youths are the future leaders,” he added.

Earlier, the programme was chaired by Kevizase Edward, ACYA representative to Nagaland Catholic Youth Movement (NCYM).

Medochü-o Martin invoked God’s blessing and Petekhriezo Francis, Catechist, SFS Church, led the benediction.

Altogether, 145 delegates from 5 Angami Catholic Regions participated in the ‘Way of the Cross’, which marks the 40 days of Lenten Season, it was informed.

extension of Government Middle School, Old Jalukie on March 25.

The two rooms were constructed through community contribution under the joint effort of the Village Education Committee (VEC) and Village Council of Old Jalukie, informed a press release from VEC, Old Jalukie Village.

Vikietuo thanked the villagers for their contribution towards the school. Maintaining that school is the “second church”, he also encouraged the villagers to carry on the good work that they have done and at the same time assured that his department will assist them in whatever way possible.

Earlier, Pastor Zieroying dedicated the newly constructed classrooms, Bonny, VEC chairman conducted the programme, Hainkeing, Old Jalukie Village chairman and Namsoraing, ex-VEC chairman delivered short speeches, and Keyidi- Officials, village leaders, VEC members and teachers after the inauguration of the two-room extentung, Head Teacher delivered vote of thanks. sion of Government Middle School, Old Jalukie on March 25.

Monday 27•03•2017

NORTH-EAST 3

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

North East important part of WW-II reconciliation process: Japan Ambassador New Delhi, March 26 (PTi): With its many remnants of World War-II, North East India, especially Manipur and Nagaland, is an important part of the reconciliation process between Japan and Britain, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu has said.

He made these comments during a special screening of "Memories of a Forgotten War", a feature-length documentary directed by Utpal Borpujari and produced by Subimal Bhattacharjee.

Hiramatsu, who is a keen advocate of the reconciliation process for several decades now, has visited Manipur, Nagaland and Assam in the recent past and is planning to visit Manipur again to participate in the annual World War-II commemoration programme in the state in May. The screening on Friday evening was hosted by Hiramatsu at his official residence for the senior officials of his embassy as well as representatives of a few

ing, Bhattacharjee said the film was an effort to bring out a positive aspect of the North East and tells an important historical narrative of the region that is often projected in a negative way in the rest of the country.

Borpujari said the film was part of his continuing efforts to bring out untold stories from the North East through the medium of cinema.

Among those present at the screening were senior Embassy officials such as Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission Yukata Kikuta, Minister (Political Affairs) Hideki Asari, First Secretary Kenji Aya, First Secretary Daisuke Kodama, Deputy Head (Political Section) Shunichi Inoue, Japan Information Centre director Mizuho Hayakawa, JICA senior representative Takayoshi Tange and representative Yoshiki Ehara.

Also present at the screening was the film's executive producer Joyeeta Bhattacharjee, the release said.

Assam Chief Minister meets Rajnath GuwahaTi/New Delhi, March 26 (iaNS): Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday asked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to order that the Indo-Bangladesh border fencing, including in the riverine section, be completed at the earliest.

Sonowal, who called on Rajnath Singh at his residence in the national capital, also asked for installations of new fencing with modern design, and that the border fencing in Assam's neighbouring states

should also be completed soon, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said in Guwahati.

The Home Minister agreed to re-examine the entire matter of Indo-Bangladesh border fencing in a time-bound manner, it added.

The fencing of IndoBangladesh border is one of the main poll planks of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which came to power in Assam last year.

The Home Minister had earlier assured that the Central government would

take up steps to seal the India-Bangladesh border to end the illegal infiltration problem.

Sonowal, during his nearly two hour-long meeting with Rajnath Singh, also apprised him about the critical issues of the state, including expeditious updation of National Register of Citizens, implementation of the Assam Accord, granting of Scheduled Tribe status to six communities, Bodoland, police modernisation and deployment of additional security forces.

ONGC's exploration mission begins in NE: Official

aGarTala, March 26 (iaNS): State- projects, generating employment opporowned ONGC has begun exploration tunities and promoting cooperation with works in northeast India to attract more neighbouring countries.

Mahawar said exploration in Nagaland gas based industries in the region, top of(Left to Right) Producer Subimal Bhattacharjee, Ambassador of Japan in India Kenji Hirahas been halted due to some "loyalty and ficial said. matsu and Director Utpal Borpujari after a special screening of the ‘Memories of a Forgotten land related" issues. However, talks are on "ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas CorporaWar’ at the Embassy of Japan, New Delhi. tion) has vigorously embarked on explo- to solve the disputes.

Japanese organisations, bones of dead Japanese solHe appreciated the In Arunachal Pradesh, however, the ration works to explore more natural gas," including Japan Interna- diers from various parts of the unbiased and humanitarONGC Director (Onshore) V.P. Mahawar progress has not been encouraging. tional Cooperation Agency region. He said it would be an ian approach of the film, Though gas reserves are available in the told reporters here on Saturday night.

(JICA) and Japan Informa- ongoing process aimed at en- which had its world preHe said: "The ONGC has targeted to state, more exploration activities are retion Centre, a release is- abling the soldier's families miere as part of the Indian drill 31 wells in this fiscal in different parts quired to be undertaken, Mahawar said. sued by the director of the and the people of Japan to Panorama at the 47th InIn Tripura, the ONGC has already of Assam, but the company by the end of film said. pay their last respects to those ternational Film Festival of outgoing financial year (2016-17), would drilled 220 wells.

Hiramatsu also stressed who laid down their lives for India (IFFI), Goa last year.

"The ONGC has established 40-45 bildrill 33 wells." on the efforts to collect the the nation.

Addressing the gatherThe official said that the ONGC as part lion cubic metre (BCM) gas reserves in of the government's "Hydrocarbon Vision Tripura and 13 BCM has been producing 2030 for North-East India" working more now," he added.

"With the addition of new rigs, the numenergetically to discover gas and oil in new ber of wells drilled in the state has gone up areas of the resource-rich region.

The initiative launched last year, aims from 10-12 wells in 2015-16 to 15 wells in Newmai News Network No untoward incident was re- was opened legally by conclud- to carry out trade in the state sub- to double oil and gas production by 2030, 2016-17. It plans to drill 22 wells per year in ported during the Saturday sit-in- ing certain agreement with the sequently leading to economic as- making clean fuel accessible, fast tracking the next three years," Mahawar added.

Aizawl | March 26 demonstration.

Mizos. At present, 64 staffs in- similation of the Mizos.

Executive members of Mizoram Leaders of MIMA alleged that cluding security guards and The proposed opening of Vishal Merchant Association (MIMA) opening of Vishal Mart will open sweepers have been recruited Mega Mart in Aizawl gave rise to General Headquarters and MIMA door for non-tribals to engage in by Vishal Mega Mart to open its intense debates on social media. affiliated associations on Saturday trade and thereby lead to social shop in Aizawl.

While some sections of people are staged sit-in-demonstration in and economic assimilation of the Meanwhile, the apex students' against the opening because of the front of LRM building at Bawng- Mizos. They further claimed that body in Mizoram, Mizo Zirlai Pawl apprehension of economic assim- BalijaN, March kawn in Aizawl, protesting against opening of the retail store might (MZP) also opposed to the open- ilation, there are also people who 26 (MexN): The Balijan Youth Club, a village based the opening of Vishal Mega Mart in have little impact initially, but in ing of Vishal Mega Mart in Aizawl argue in favor of the store.

Mizoram. the long run will result in many alleging that it was an attempt by The group who was in favour youth organization, ofThe merchant body also decid- companies run by non-Mizos to non-tribals to run illegal trade in said that consumers would now ficially opened its office ed to intensify its protest by shut- engage in trade in Mizoram and Mizoram. It alleged the owners of be able to enjoy goods in cheaper building here at Balijan(A), ting down all business establish- “therefore the future of Mizos the retail chain tried to open their price which was not possible with under Bokajan sub division ments on Monday. “All business would be similar to those peoples shop by borrowing Mizo name the local merchants who allegedly of Assam, on Sunday. Philestablishments and small shops in the Northeast who have been which is illegal. charge exorbitant rates and also ip Teron, VDC Chairman shall remain closed on Monday to economically assimilated by nonThe student body said that it claimed that the opening of Vishal Borjan constituency inauprotest the opening of Vishal Mart tribals in their own lands.” will strongly oppose the opening Mega Mart will create price com- gurated the BYC office and in the state,” MIMA President PC However, owners of Vishal of Vishal Mart in Mizoram as it petition between owners of the unfurled the flag.

In his address, Teron Laldinthara told reporters.

Mega Mart claimed that the store would pave the way for non-Mizos mega store and local merchants. urged the organization to act as a “watchdog” and bring to attention govern- Philip Teron, VDC Chairman and others following the unveilmental works which do not ing of the plaque of Balijan Youth Club office on Sunday. speak quality. Pointing to even after 5-6 years. Further submitted a copy of memothe Balijan open stage and pointing out that the gov- randum demanding refusBalijan ground, Teron re- ernment is bringing lots of al/cancellation for licenses gretted that some govern- schemes, he asked the vil- of liquor shops in the vilNewmai News Network He said stronger form of agitation mental works, especially in lage people to form self help lage and that government iMPhal, March 26 (PTi): The 17Imphal | March 26 hour state wide strike called by a student would be taken up after the ongoing Board Balijan, remain incomplete groups to avail the schemes. be transparent in their examination ends if the N Biren Singh-led and in messy conditions Sharma village later work affairs.

Following the decision of the Manipur Cabinet meeting organisation to protest the induction of Ingovernment fails to comply with their dedependent MLA Ashab Uddin as parliaheld on March 24 to set up Anti-Corruption Cell, the mentary secretary partially affected nor- mand.

Manipur government has appointed P Gojendra Singh, The Manipur Chief Secretary, O mal life in the state capital today.

MCS and Hemanta Singh, MPS as officers of the AntiNormal life was partially affected in Nabakishore had yesterday appealed to BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED Corruption Cell set up at the office of Chief Minister of Imphal and in adjoining areas with less ve- DESAM to call off the bandh in the inter(A GOVT. OF INDIA ENTERPRISE) Manipur. hicles on the road and many shops closed. est of the general public.

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL MANAGER, TELECOM, NAGALAND SSA The officers will be responsible for looking into the DIMAPUR- 797112 NAGALAND In a press release, issued yesterday, There was no report of any untoward complaints received from the general public. They will incident, official sources said.

No: GMTD/NLD/MKTG-General/16-17/37 Dated: 17-03-17 Nabakishore reminded that the Supreme maintain a register and will enter the details of the comBSNL TO OFFER 2GB DATA /DAY The Democratic Students Alliance Court and High Court have passed judgeplaint along with the full details of name and contact de- of Manipur (DESAM) had called for the ment declaring bandh as illegal as it inWITH UNLIMITED CALLING @ Rs.339/- Only tails of the complainant, a DIPR release said today.

17-hour strike to protest the induction of fringes upon the fundamental rights of a BSNL New Plan Voucher of Rs.339/- Unlimited Local/STD BSNL to BSNL + The Cell will report the same to the Secretary to the Independent MLA Ashab Uddin as a par- citizen and is liable for punishment under Unlimited Local/STD BSNL to Other Network (With FUP of 25 Min/day and 25P/ Chief Minister for onward submission to the Chief Min- liamentary secretary and the allocation of appropriate laws. ister.

Min after FUP) + unlimited Data (With FUP of 2 GB/Day with no speed restriction It also maintained that the "state govEducation portfolio to him.

Identity of the complainant will be kept confidential. and thereafter with speed restriction of 80Kbps). Validity 28 days under GSM The strike started from midnight last ernment cannot remain silent spectators" The status of complaint or grievance lodged will be main- night.

Prepaid Mobile Services. when people are suffering and urged the tained in the register. All the complaints received in the DESAM had alleged that Uddin "is a public to assume their normal activities.

This promotional offer is on PAN India basis for all customers and customers Anti- Corruption Cell shall be placed for screening and non-indigenous person" in the state.

The strike called by DESAM is being of other operator who want to port out their number and join BSNL under MNP. suggesting further course of actions before the ScreenUddin had won from the Jiribam seat. strongly opposed by United Muslim OrThis will be available through our entire channel partner i.e. Franchises, Retailer ing Committee consisting of the Chief Secretary as Chair- The Jiribam MLA claimed that his family ganisation while some other civil bodies Distributors and also in Customer Service Centre. man, two senior most Additional Chief Secretaries and came to the state in 1906. have supported it.

AGM (Marketing), O/o GMTD NLD SSA, BSNL, Dimapur.

Administrative Secretary (DP) as members.

The All Manipur Bengali Students AsDESAM president Nameirakpam EdiThe meeting of the Screening Committee will be held son, on Friday, had maintained that the sociation, Jiribam and All Manipur Muson 1st and 16th of every month. If it falls on a holiday, it newly formed BJP coalition government lim Organisation Co-ordinating Commitwill be held on the next working day. should withdraw the portfolio of Educa- tee had asked DESAM to withdraw the The dedicated cell number of the Anti-Corruption tion to Uddin. boycott imposed against Uddin.

Cell is 9402150000, the release said.

Mizo merchant body protests opening of Vishal Mega Mart

Balijan Youth Club office inaugurated

Anti-Corruption Cell officers DESAM strike partially appointed in Manipur affects normal life in Imphal

Manipur should develop its own economy: writer BSF on high alert after ThiruVaNaNTha- lines of the Northeast and On Irom Sharmila twin blasts in Bangladesh PuraM, When asked about March 26 Southern Writers’ Meet, orShilloNG, March 26 (iaNS): The Border Security Force (BSF) has been put on high alert along the IndiaBangladesh border following twin blasts in Bangladesh's Sylhet city, an official said on Sunday.

"Our troopers are on high alert along the IndiaBangladesh after a series of blasts in Bangladesh," BSF Inspector General, Meghalaya frontier P.K. Dubey told IANS. BSF officials have shared intelligence inputs with Meghalaya Police following the explosions, he added.

"We are not taking any chances with such activities and all necessary measures have been taken to prevent perpetrators from entering our side of the border," Dubey said.

The six dead in the two blasts on Saturday near a militant hideout in Sylhet includes two Bangladesh police officials. The blasts came a day after a suicide bomber blew himself up at a security checkpoint near the Dhaka airport in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

A Meghalaya Police official also said that they had also taken necessary measures.

"We have instructed our personnel posted close to the border to remain and to keep strict vigil in close coordination with the BSF," the official said.

India has a 1,880 km border with Bangladesh along four states -- Tripura (856 km), Assam (263 km), Meghalaya (443 km), and Mizoram (318 km).

(The hiNDu): Beneath the socio-political turmoil that the northeastern State of Manipur has been known for, lies a land with a rich indigenous culture. To Manipuri writer Thounaojam Chanu Ibemhal, it is the survival of this land that matters, over and above the storms that shake it up.

For the past few decades, Memchoubi, as Ms. Ibemhal is known, has been exploring the mythology and folk culture of Manipur, reviving stories and imageries found in old scriptures and folktales.

Recipient of the Kendra Sahitya Akademi award and the Manipur State Kala Akademi award, among others, her published works include poetry, short stories, literary criticism and travelogues. Talking to The Hindu on the side-

ganised by the Kendra Sahitya Akademi on Saturday, Memchoubi was solemn yet hopeful as she shared her reflections on the current political situation in her State.

“Do not speak to me about the BJP and Congress,” she said, “for both are only concerned about their business.” The fact that the Chief Minister of the new BJP government was earlier a member of the Congress party vindicates this, according to her. While the people of Manipur vote for one or the other, in the hope that support from New Delhi would bring about economic development in the State, what they actually need is to stand on their own feet and to develop an independent economy, she said.

Irom Sharmila, Memchoubi's face lit up. “I have been fighting on her behalf!”

She may have only got 90 votes in the Assembly election, but it is the birth of a promising new journey, according to Memchoubi.

That Sharmila would fail the election, however, was a foregone conclusion, the writer said, since the Manipuri people, who held her sacred, were shocked by her ‘descent to the dirty field of politics’.

“Elections are like festivals in Manipur, since it is typical for candidates to pay voters, who then go shopping with that money.” But if Sharmila considers her failure a stepping stone, and perseveres in her journey, then one day she may hopefully succeed in changing the mindset of the voters, Memchoubi said.

4

monDAY 27•03•2017

business

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Short of track, Indian Rlys eyes private suppliers in blow to state steel firm New delhi, March 26 (reUTerS): Indian Railways is considering ending state-owned Steel Authority of India Ltd’s (SAIL) virtual monopoly on supplying steel for standard rail tracks, opening up annual purchases worth up to $700 million to the private sector, people close to the matter told Reuters.

The vast state rail operator is undergoing a $130 billion, five-year overhaul to modernise the world’s fourth-largest network, which is blighted by ageing track and saturated capacity.

The government has also launched a $15 billion fund to improve rail safety. Train accidents due to track defects have risen 25 percent in the last two years, the railway ministry told parliament last week.

In the current fiscal year, SAIL is set to fall around 250,000 tonnes of rails short of its 850,000 tonne target, according to the company’s data - its eighth shortfall in 10 years, and its biggest.

SAIL executives said a

The rails shortfall has slowed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plans to revamp the network, and highlights how his infrastructure investment drive is forcing government units to get tough on suppliers.

The biggest likely winner from opening up to private suppliers is Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, which has already exported rails to Iran and has tried for years to muscle in on SAIL’s business.

Jindal Steel wrote to Indian Railways on March 6, offering to step in, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters. A spokesman for Jindal Steel said the firm was keen to help the railA worker fixes a railway track in Ahmedabad on March 24. (REUTERS Photo) ways with steel for its modsudden jump in demand Losing even a small part quoting from a Jan. 11 let- ernisation. for steel - up 45 percent of its sales to the railways - ter from the railways to the since 2015 - to replace old its top customer - would steel ministry that oversees I N F R A S T R U C T U R E tracks and lay new ones be a blow to SAIL, which SAIL, threatening to sever RAMP-UP meant it was struggling to has lost money in seven a deal to buy rails almost The railways are already meet production targets. straight quarters. exclusively from the com- looking at bringing in alterThe company said the “SAIL’s performance pany. native suppliers gradually launch this year of a long- has been very poor and Two other government by issuing new tenders for delayed new rolling mill at given that we have a MoU officials confirmed the rails. its main plant at Bhilai, in (Memorandum of Un- railways’ threat. All three “Even after giving sufeastern India, would boost derstanding), any failure officials declined to be ficient time to SAIL if the its capacity by around will not be appreciated,” a identified because of the shortfall continues, the 100,000 tonnes. government official said, sensitivity of the matter. ministry of railways may

Impact of demonetisation, GST on government’s tax revenue under CAG scanner

explore the possibility of outsourcing some supplies,” Indian Railways spokesman Anil Kumar Saxena said.

Modi has made increased infrastructure spending a key part of his economic plans since coming to power in 2014.

State expenditure on roads and rails is at a record high.

“We need more steel because we are increasing laying of lines, gauge conversion and completing a backlog of work,” said A.K. Mittal, the railways’ board member in charge of track procurement. “We have seen a shortfall in the last year because of some issues at Bhilai. The existing rolling machine is an old one.”

Two steel ministry officials said SAIL has offered to import 150,000-200,000 tonnes of rails to fill this year’s shortfall. But ministry officials had noted there was nothing to stop the railways themselves importing, and cutting out SAIL, one of the two officials said.

A ministry spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

India becomes 3rd largest ‘SBI may reduce workforce by nearly 10% by 2019’ He said there would be some ac- 5,000-6,000 recruitment every year,” he delhi, March 26 (iaNS): aviation mkt in domestic traffic New The total workforce of the country’s tual reduction in headcount along said. “We cannot stop new hiring beNew delhi, March 26 (PTi): India has become the third largest aviation market in terms of domestic passenger traffic, beating Japan, an industry report has said.

India’s domestic air passenger traffic stood at 100 million in 2016 and was behind only the US (719 million) and China (436 million), Sydney-based aviation think-tank Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) said in its latest report.

India acquired the third spot globally by unseating Japan, which flew 97 million domestic passengers in 2016, CAPA said.

Domestic air traffic has shown a consistent growth of 20 -25 per cent throughout 2015 and 2016, peaking in January this year at 25.13 per cent.

However, the domestic travel demand rose 16 per cent in February this year, ending the long streak of over 20 per cent.

According to CAPA, India which enjoyed the fourth position in terms of overall air passenger traffic (both domestic and international) along with the UK, has also inched closer to becoming the third largest one by March next year. “India will become the third largest market 2-3 years ahead of what was projected. This is because the growth has been much higher,” Kapil Kaul, head of CAPA India, said.

largest lender -- State Bank of India (SBI) -- will see a reduction over the next two years, after the merger with six entities, owing to attrition, reduced hiring and digitisation, a top official said. “Manpower will go down with the period of time. Around 10 per cent reduction in two years may be a possibility,” Rajnish Kumar, SBI Managing Director, told IANS in an interview.

The public lender currently has around 207,000 workforce and the merger of 6 entities -- SBBJ (State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur), SBM (State Bank of Mysore), SBT (State Bank of Travancore), SBP (State Bank of Patiala) and SBH (State Bank of Hyderabad), Bharatiya Mahila Bank -- from April 1 will add approximately 70,000 employees. “Post-merger we will be at 2,77,000 people in SBI. This may come down to 2,60,000 by March 2019. So it may be less than 10 per cent. Let us first merge and see the impact of the key process changes,” Kumar said.

leisure

CROSSWORD # 3898

SUDOKU

Answer Number # 3893

cause it creates a lot of gap in the middle management down the line. But full replacement may not be required.

If 13,000 people retire in a year, we may recruit 7,000-8,000 in a year,” he added. Kumar said the bank will continue with its policy of branch expansion, and the associate bank branches will be merged. “There is a policy of branch expansion, we are governed by that.

We keep on opening new branches depending on the business potential, that will not stop. We are working on the plan as to how many branches we will open in next two years,” he said.

SBI MD said there would be ample benefits from the merger in terms of cost-efficiency and rationalisation.

“Treasury integration, risk management optimisation will happen. It will result in efficiency gains for the bank.

Continuously supporting them with capital will not be required. Initially, the costs may go up, but in the next two years... the rationalisation efficiencies will surface,” he said. std code: 03862

DiMaPUR ACROSS 1. Hurried 5. Chalk 10. Hairdo 14. Killer whale 15. Angers 16. Family group 17. Bagpipes (archaic) 19. French for “Head” 20. Hole-making tool 21. Concerning (archaic) 22. Carnival attractions 23. Lithesome 25. Unpaid 27. Snake-like fish 28. Catches eels 31. Cut off 34. Nincompoops 35. Nigerian tribesman 36. Vagabond 37. Guarantee 38. A round handle 39. Sick 40. Small cities 41. Indications 42. Whinnying 44. Bird call 45. Annuls 46. This evening 50. Assumed name 52. Got along 54. 52 in Roman numerals 55. Plunder 56. Flip 58. Chills and fever 59. Of a pelvic bone 60. Mobile phone 61. Thorny flower 62. Hockey footwear 63. Being DOWN 1. Soft drinks 2. Walk in a stealthy manner 3. French school 4. Father 5. A type of curved shape 6. Part of a stair

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

Game Number # 3894

with re-assignment of the roles, but lay-offs are not an option. “We have offered voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), there would be natural attritions and every year we may not replace head by head (replacement recruitment). Manpower will also reduce as a result of digital initiatives.

There will be a combined effect,” he added. Ruling out layoffs, he said the question does not arise.

“Two years down the line, these efficiencies will start showing. Reduction in manpower will depend on efficiency of the merger and branch networks. Lot of duplication happening will be removed and we will have more feet on the street (customer outreach programmes),” Kumar told IANS. Hiring in SBI may not be halted, but will reduce by 50 per cent in a year, he said. In 2016-17, SBI hired 19,000 people.

“It will come down from the previous average of hiring. It could be reduced by 50%. We will return to usual

std code: 03871

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222246 222491

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Airport Indian Airlines

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Apollo Hospital Info Centre 230695/ 9402435652

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Chumukedima Fire Brigade 282777

CLAIM

New delhi, March 26 (PTi): The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) plans to audit the impact of note ban and the affect it has had on government tax revenues, said CAG Shashi Kant Sharma.

In an interview to PTI, he said the auditor is gearing up to audit tax revenues under the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime and has started capacity building and reorienting its audit methodology and procedures.

Among the special audits, CAG has already completed audit of agricultural crop insurance scheme and flood control and flood forecasting and is now engaged in several important audits like Right to Education, National Rural Health Mission, defence pensions and Ganga Rejuvenation, he said. “These reports should be ready by the end of the current year.”

Sharma asserted that CAG has audit jurisdiction over any body or authority which has any relation to government revenues and expenditure and resistance by some like city development bodies, Discoms and metro corporations will wither away.

“We plan to audit certain issues related to fiscal impact of demonetisation, largely its impact on tax revenues,” he said.

The government had withdrawn old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes from circulation on November 8 last year, and announced a new tax amnesty scheme for those holding unaccounted junked currency.

CAG audit may look into expenditure on printing of notes, the Reserve Bank of India dividend payout and banking transaction data.

The auditor has also conveyed to the government its stand on the recent move of the GST Council to delete section 65 of the preliminary draft that authorised CAG to audit GST. “Our mandate covers GST just like the earlier taxation regimes were covered. We have already started work on restructuring of our revenue audit arrangements to meet this likely challenge when GST is introduced. This exercise would include issues of capacity building, data access and analysis, reorientation of audit methodology and procedures and developing end-to-end IT solutions,” he said.

Sharma said executive, legislature, judiciary and audit have clearly demarcated roles and responsibilities.

“The framers of our Constitution were fully aware of the concept of checks and balances and hence you find the mention of Judiciary and CAG in the fifth part of the Constitution along with legislature and executive,” he said, adding, “The CAG’s DPC Act of 1971 provides the details of the mandate and scope of audit available to us.”

Stating that there are no lacunae in CAG’s empowerment but with advent of time, the governance models have undergone changes.

The September 2014 judgement of the Supreme Court in the telecom case “reinforced an important principle that wherever public resources are being used by private companies for revenue generation, CAG will have a duty to examine as to whether the government is getting due share of such revenue,” he said.

“So, I can say that the bodies and authorities which have any relation to government revenues and expenditure are under the audit jurisdiction of CAG,” he said.

City development bodies, electricity distribution companies and metro corporations “resist” CAG audit on the ground of being autonomous or on the ground of getting no support of the government although they perform the functions which were earlier being performed by the government departments, he said.

“I believe the situation will settle down with passage of time and such resistance will wither away,” he added.

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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

63.91 79.68 7.96 48.84 45.58 47.88 57.07 68.87 1.78 0.0552 16.84 9.00

66.81 83.56 8.87 51.24 47.83 50.23 60.30 72.20 1.99 0.0615 18.76 10.02

Monday 27•03•2017

NAGALAND

Ex-MLA Wokshing Phom no more Dimapur, march 26 (mExN): Wokshing Phom, an ex-MLA, passed away today after at the Zion Hospital, Dimapur after a brief illness. He was 80. He is survived by his wife, 4 sons and 1 daughter.

Born in January, 1937, late Wokshing was elected Member of Legislative Assembly in 1974 from Tamlu Assembly Constituency.

Prior to entering politics, he had served as a Pastor.

CM, Speaker mourn Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu and Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker Dr. Imtiwapang Aier have expressed grief to hear of the demise of Wokshing Phom.

In a condolence mes-

sage, Dr Liezietsu termed late Wokshing “an old colleague of mine” and called to mind the turbulent period during the early 1970s when the government of India carried out massive operations to flush out the Naga insurgents from their hideouts.

“It was a time when the people could not really decide if they should participate in the Indian elections or support the Naga movement for self determination. However, many of us were of the considered view that we should be part of the Indian electioneering process to ensure return of normalcy to the land,” Dr Liezietsu recollected and added that late Wokshing was also

one among those sharing the same view.

“When party leaders of the United Democratic Front interacted with the general public of Tamlu Constituency, they found that he was quite popular with the grassroots people and the party ticket was allotted to him with which he won the elections in 1974.

However, within a year, national emergency was declared and President’s Rule was imposed all over the country,” Dr Liezietsu recalled.

“I haven’t met him for quite some years but heard from my party functionaries earlier this year that he was in good health and had made plan to catch up with him one of these days.

However, this was not to be and I grief his demise,” Dr Liezietsu rued in his message.

Stating that Nagas have lost a politician “who was truly concerned for the uplift of the general mass and stood for what he believed in”, the Chief Minister on behalf of the government and people of Nagaland, conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prayed that the Almighty grant them solace and comfort at this hour of grief.

In a separate message, NLA Speaker Dr. Imtiwapang Aier on his own behalf and on behalf of the state Legislative Assembly conveyed heartfelt condolences.

CYOK condemns PSU elects new team, alleged assault inaugurates community toilet Kohima, march 26 (mExN): The Chakhesang Youth Organization Kohima (CYOK) today alleged assault on Pothita Phesea-o, son of the late Chief Minister Vamuzo, and vehemently condemned the same.

In a statement, the youth body alleged that the incident took place on March 3 at Fellowship Colony Dimapur when Pothita “was carrying out developmental activities well within his own plot of land”.

Terming the alleged assault a “heinous and barbaric” act, CYOK maintained, “Such senseless assault and negative attitude is unacceptable to a civilized society.”

The CYOK also strongly condemned the verbal assault demeaning “our cherished leader” late Vamuzo, former Chief Minister of Nagaland. Towards this, the CYOK “challenged” the defamatory remark “for tarnishing and putting a blot on the escutcheon upon one of our prominent leader”.

Further, the youth body called upon the police and law enforcing agencies to take the case with utmost seriousness and punish the perpetrator(s) as per the law of the land without any delay. The CYOK also called upon all sensible and right minded individuals and civil bodies to condemn the “heinous act”.

Peren Students' Union officials with ADC Peren and others during the inaugural function of community toilet in Peren Town on March 25.

pErEN, march 26 (mExN): The Peren Students' Union (PSU) Nagaland held its general session and election on March 25 at Perenkipeuzang Village Council Hall.

The new executive members of PSU for the tenure 2017 to 2019 will be headed by Rampauyi Ndang as President

and Peidodibe Herie as General Secretary, a press release from PSU informed. On the same day, ADC of Peren, S. Tainiu inaugurated the community toilet constructed by Peren Students’ Union under Swachh Bharat Mission 2015-2016 (PHED Peren) in Peren Town.

Assam Rifles provide scholarship, conduct lectures Dimapur, march 26 (mExN): Assam Rifles under the aegis of Headquarters IGAR (N) continued with its series of programmes in different districts of Nagaland recently.

32 Assam Rifles provided scholarships to meritorious students from remote areas of Nagaland. The students – 12 of them – from Zeme Baptist Church members leading praise and worship service during the 25th anniversary of Baptist Youth Fellowship Dimapur at DABA on Sunday. (Morung photo) various districts were imparted coaching at Excel Coaching and Computer Centre, Dimapur for two months from January to March 2017, informed a

press release from Assam Rifles. The classes were planned to assist students for successfully appearing in competitive exams like UPSC for NDA/ CDS, Bank PO, Railways and SSC, it added. The classes ended on March 15.

Meanwhile, a lecture on health and hygiene was conducted at Shamator village by 15 Assam Rifles on March 18. It was attended by 24 men, 18 women, and 12 children. Captain PC Rai, RMO, 15 AR addressed the public regarding health related issues

and hygiene with an aim to maintain sound health and hygiene by all villagers, AR informed in a press note.

The doctor emphasized on the measures to be taken against prevalent diseases.

At Anatongre village in Kiphire, 15 Assam Rifles inaugurated a borewell on March 17 and handed over the same to the village council members. The water supply was inaugurated

by Major Ashish Pareek, 15 Assam Rifles. The village council had earlier projected constraints of water to Assam Rifles towards which

160 people get free treatment at Wozhuro

Satya Prakash Tripathy, Chief Wildlife Warden of Nagaland, graced the valedictory function of one week theme based Refresher Course on ‘Forest Management Planning with reference to Nagaland’ for Forest Range Officers organised by State Environment & Forestry Training Institute (SEFTI), Dimapur. Forest Range Officers from ten Forest Divisions attended the programme which was held from March 20 to 25 at SEFTI.

Wozhuro, march 26 (Dipr): A free medical camp was organized

by Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), Wokha unit at Wozhuro Town on March 25. The team was led by Deputy Commissioner and Chairman IRCS Wokha unit, Wezope Kenye, who was accompanied by Chief Medical Officer, Medical

Superintendent of Wokha and other officials.

Around 160 patients from Phiro, Shaki, Sankitong, Totsu and Merayan villages availed of the free services available at the camp conducted by ten doctors from District Hospital Wokha. Free medicines were also distributed to the patients.

the work was executed, a numerous career options separate AR press note said. available in the Assam Rifles.

The events also included disWeapons display, play of wide array of military motivational lecture equipments and weapons. In Assam Rifles conducted Kohima, the programme was motivational lecture cum conducted at Dainty Buds weapon display programmes School by 3 Assam Rifles on for students in Pfütsero March 21 to motivate stuand Kohima respectively. dents to join the armed forc9 Assam Rifles organized es. 760 students who attendthe programme at Baptist ed the event were briefed School and Pfütsero College about the methodology in in Pfütsero on March 21 and joining the Indian Armed 22 respectively. In both the Forces along with eligibilinstitutes, students were in- ity criteria like age qualificaformed about various types tion and physical standards of entry schemes, pay and for joining NDA & TES after emoluments, training and Class XII and graduation.

LEED general meeting

Lotha Eloe Ekhung Dimapur (LEED) has convened its general meeting on March 27, 2:00 pm at Lotha Hoho District Administration, Ki. All the members have been requested to attend the Chief Medical Officer, and meeting with traditional attires.

IRCS Wokha unit thanked Deputy Controller of Drugs Info on HCV treatment subsidy Dr. Thungchanbeni Kikon for providing free medicine available at Kripa Foundation during the camp.

The DC further stated Kohima, march 26 (mExN): Kripa Foundation Nathat such type of camps will galand, Kohima has informed those seeking information not end here but will con- on subsidy of diagnostics and treatment of Hepatitis C tinue in other areas of the (HCV) to contact its office.

A press release from the Foundation informed that district in future. treatments for HCV have evolved with highly effective and safe medicines “Direct-Acting Antiviral” (DAA). However, it pointed out that the biggest challenge to accessing HCV treatment is the cost of diagnostics and medicines. The high prices of HCV diagnostics and treatment cost in the market remain a major barrier for many, it added.

However, the foundation informed of many Pharma companies providing subsidies for diagnostics and treatment and in this regard, asked those concerned to collect the necessary information from its office during working hours.

WTCYA conducts ‘Work & Earn Day’ in Wokha

BJYM Kma holds 4th executive meet Village leaders from 14 villages under Dhansiripar block and staff of Prodigals' Home during a learning and exposure trip to Khonoma on March 25. The visit, supported by TEAR Australia, was primarily to learn about conservation and maintenance of cleanliness in relation to effective local self governance of Khonoma village, the first "Green Village" in Asia, a press release informed.

The Wokha Town Catholic Youth Association team after the ‘Work and Earn Day’ held in and around Wokha Town on March 25.

WoKha, march 26 (mExN): Wokha Town Catholic Youth Association (WTCYA) organised ‘Work and Earn Day’ on March 25 in and around Wokha Town.

WTCYA Desk in a press release said that the youth were divided into six groups led by each group in-charge and headed towards six different colonies, namely Suren Colony, PWD colony, Orchid colony, Police Project colony, Midland colony and NST colony respectively. They visited each household and carried out services The Department of Management Studies, ICFAI University Nagaland organized an In- according to their needs.

WTCYA, President, Wobenthung J. dustrial Tour to Cement Corporation of India (CCI), Bokajan, Assam on March 25 for its Patton briefed the youth before comManagement students as part of their course requirement.

mencing the work about the purpose and objectives of organizing such an activity. He emphasized on dignity of work and the love for doing social service to the community that one lives in. In addition, he also asked the youth to spread awareness to the people to keep their surrounding clean and tidy so that we live in an environment that is healthy.

WTCYA, General Secretary, Subemo Patton instructed the youth to maintain strict discipline during the working hour and learn to work as a team.

Altogether, 85 youth attended the ‘Work and Earn Day.’

Kohima, march 26 (mExN): The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Kohima district held its 4th executive meeting on March 24 at BJP Kohima head office. Dr. Khriezovolie Kesiyie, President, BJP Kohima district, who was the main speaker, emphasized on how the BJYM could take initiatives to help the people of the society either directly or indirectly, informed a press release from BJYM President, Mahe Kin and General Secretary, Nelson Semy.

Speaking on matters like Swachh Bharat, Janta Yojana Schemes, Mudra loans, zero balance accounts, Aadhaar card etc, the BJP Kohima President directed the Yuva Morcha to approach the departments concerned and sort out means to avail the opportunities and provide the general public the shares which are rightfully theirs to obtain.

Meanwhile, he asserted that the BJP Kohima “must stand and will stand for what is right and set goals to help the people of the society”. In this, Dr. Khriezovolie urged the BJYM to work harder to achieve the goals under the leadership of Visasolie Lhoungu, BJP State president. The meeting was chaired by Kohima BJYM President Mahe Kin and invocation prayer said by Seyiekhrielie Nagi, General Secretary, BJP Kohima district.

Ekarikthin – State’s largest techno-cultural fest from March 31 Dimapur, march 26 (mExN): The National Institute of Technology, Nagaland, is set to hold its annual techno-cultural fest, Ekarikthin. The three day fest will kick off on March 31 with Parliamentary Secretary Higher and Technical Education Deo Nukhu as Chief Guest, a press release informed.

Organisers of the fest hope to push the boundaries of entertainment and expect the audience turnout from all parts of Nagaland and the entire NorthEast region to increase significantly.

Apart from all the events that were organized in the previous years, the number of events and competitions has been increased this year with the addition of a plethora of cultural and technical events.

Preparations for the

third edition of Ekarikthin are in full swing at the institute and the excitement can be clearly seen in the students of the college.

Encompassing everyone from fashion enthusiasts to nerdy engineers and from musical gurus to scientific folks, the organisers assure that Ekarikthin has something to offer to everyone.

The highlight of Ekarikthin this year will be Cosplay on April 1 organized

by Nagaland Anime Junkies – their first on a grand scale in Dimapur.

Another innovative and enthralling event to be held this year will be Nagaland Beatbox Battle in collaboration with Indihut on the same day. The event will be judged by internationally acclaimed beatboxer and CEO of Beatbox Without Borders, MC Eucalips. The

other judges of this event will be Ishan Nagia, the 1st runner up of India Beatbox national championship, and Yanpvou Kikon, founder of India Beatbox championship.

A number of bands from all over India will also be performing during the fest. The Magdalene, a rock band from Mizoram will be setting up the temperament for the fest while SPUNK band with their power packed and high energy gigs will be performing on April 1. The highlight of the musical section of the fest will be Alobo Naga who will perform on April 2.

In the fashion segment, the third edition of Ritzy, a pivotal event for aspiring male and female models, will be held on March 31.

The contest will be a three round competition - cultural wear, casual, and for-

mal wear. The competition will be judged by Gihutoli Khulu, director of Ethnic Trendzana, Nzanthung Ngullie, Deputy Registrar of NIT Nagaland, and Alika Zhimomi, 1st Runner-Up Miss Nagaland 2014.

The designer for the event will be Odiren Walling and Sanjeev Tamang. Chow Poran J. Gogoi who is a fashion associate at IECEN Milano, Milan, Italy for the North-East zone will groom the contestants and be the choreographer for Ritzy.

The winners will be presented with cash prizes and a glut of gift hampers (including designer wears) for a number of sections.

Mornings and afternoons will be filled with dance and singing competitions to encompass the competitors with tangible voices and proficient movements.

Apart from this, there are a number of events for school and college students like pencil sketching, science exhibition, origami competition, spellcraft, variety of quizzes, treasure hunt and a lot more.

Keeping the tradition intact, Ekarikthin will be presenting Rockville (battle of the band) on April 2, an arena where bands from the entire north-east will be participating. Cash prizes worth Rs. 50,000 will be given to the winners.

The three-day fest will conclude with a DJ night.

NIT Nagaland being a technical college, the engineering and scientific events form a major part of Ekarikthin. Students and engineers from all over Nagaland as well as from other NIT’s and colleges from North-east are expected to participate in the technical

part of the fest.

Autonomous mobile robotics competition is the highlight of the technical events in which an automatic line follower robot is designed by the students and set for competition. A quadcopter designed by the students of NIT Nagaland will also be put on display.

A number of other robotic events like pick and place, mud race and other manual and automatic robotic competitions will be held.

For the gaming aficionados, NIT Nagaland is hosting gaming carnages with a surplus of computer games like FIFA, counter strike, DOTA and a lot more running on the state of the art computers of NIT Nagaland.

For the hackers all over the country, Ekarikthin has a number of coding cham-

pionships with winners being presented with cash prizes.

And if this collection of technical and cultural events were not enough, Ekarikthin has other miscellaneous events like Roadies, treasure hunt, gully cricket, type master and many more which will challenge the participants in a variety of fields.

“NIT Nagaland understands that while enjoying and partying is necessary it is imperative to look towards our society and return what we have been endowed with,” the release informed. In this regard, a number of social initiatives like Blood Donation camp and “Coin for a Smile” have been organized, it stated.

In addition, this year Ekarikthin have Food Carnival, it informed assuring that the crowds won’t enjoy

the fest with empty bellies.

“With this collection of events and considering the organization of the previous two editions, Ekarikthin 2017 is expected to beguile the people in Nagaland and the entire North-East for there is no harm in taking a break once in awhile and adding a tinge of excitement and merriment,” the press release stated.

The National Institute of Technology Nagaland was set up by the Central Government as part of the eleventh five-year plan for imparting technical education in the state of Nagaland and bring about all round development in technical field in Nagaland and the entire North-East. It is one of the 31 institutes of national importance in India and the first centrally funded institute in Nagaland.

6

MONDAY 27•03•2017

IN FOCUS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express VOLUME XII ISSUE 83

By Moa Jamir

Ban ‘the ban on backdoor appointments’

“I

t has come to the notice of the Governor that some cases of direct recruitment has (sic) been made without publicly inviting the application for the posts… The undersigned is, therefore, directed to request all concerned that no Direct Recruitment should be made without publically inviting applications…” goes a Government of Nagaland “Office Memorandum” (OM) dated as early as July 7, 1976.

Since then, the government has unfailingly issued circulars and OMs to that effect at regular intervals. By all account, the government always has had the ‘honest’ intention to curb the malaise of irregular appointments, commonly referred to as backdoor appointment in Nagaland, but suffers from serious implementation problem.

In the latest OM issued on June 6, 2016, the government ‘once again’ banned all ad-hoc/casual/temporary/workcharged appointments. “Over the years, the pre-conditions for making appointments on contract basis were not adhered to in most cases, resulting in irregularities in such appointments and their extensions,” it noted.

Thus, an acute sense of déjà vu prevails when the 15th Session of 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly detouring from the usual nonchalance, decided to discuss the issue on March 23. The Home Minister revealed that out of 2360 appointments made under his department from 2013-17, only 382 were made through open recruitment, while 2037 were made directly without following any laid down procedures.

However, like an ostentatious lawyer arguing an indefensible case, he atrociously justified the same to previous compelling precedents, adding that “there was excess appointment of 1600 posts in the department when he took over” and gloated over the reduction of “excess posts” to 850 during his tenure. He also cited a 2010 OM which exempted the department from the ban on “random appointments.”

On further queries regarding corrective measures, he said, “We will look into it and if they have done through backdoor, we will try to find out the reason why they have done then.”

The replies of the Roads & Bridges and Health & Family Welfare Ministers regarding appointments in their respective departments from 2014-17 also highlighted many cases of “adhoc” recruitments. Such discrepancies frequently hit the limelight yet seldom generate corrective action.

Self-evidently, lip-servicing become convenient modus operandi for the government to quell any iota of public indignation over the issue. One is lost at ascertaining whether those at the helms of affairs suffer from selective amnesia or an aura of infallible impunity as repetitive declaration do not elicit any positive and tangible outcome.

However, a deeper analysis of the issue would reveal that, for aspiring as well as active politicians, such actions are gainful electoral gambits, which serve them in the long process.

Besides the alleged fincancial incentives, such actions also help to, among others, maintain their influences and prestige in the society.

Therefore, time is ripe to drop any false pretense and completely ban ‘the ban on backdoor appointments’ for good. It will shatter many false halos.

For any comment, drop a line to moajamir@live.com

LEFT WING |

Lyndal Rowlands Inter Press Service

Discrimination Compounds Global Inequality: UN Report

D

espite 25 years of impressive global development, many people are not benefiting from progress due to persistent discrimination, according to a UN report released Tuesday.

The 2017 Human Development Report found that overall human development has improved significantly across all regions of the world since 1990. Yet despite these general improvements, poverty and inequality have persisted.

“The world has come a long way in rolling back extreme poverty, in improving access to education, health and sanitation, and in expanding possibilities for women and girls,” said UN Development Program Administrator Helen Clark at the report’s launch. “But those gains are a prelude to the next, possibly tougher challenge, to ensure the benefits of global progress reach everyone.”

The report described how poverty and exclusion have remained, even in developed countries, where over 300 million people – including more than one-third of all children – live in relative poverty.

The reasons for poverty and exclusion are often related to discrimination based on race, gender or migration status, the report found. Some of those most likely to live in poverty include indigenous people and people with disabilities. Meanwhile, more than 250 million people worldwide face discrimination solely on the basis of caste or another similar inherited lower status within society.

“By eliminating deep, persistent, discriminatory social norms and laws, and addressing the unequal access to political participation, which have hindered progress for so many, poverty can be eradicated and a peaceful, just, and sustainable development can be achieved for all,” Helen Clark said.

The largest group to be discriminated against globally is women and girls. Women are still poorer and earn less than men in every country globally and in 18 countries, women need their husband’s approval to work, the report found.

Women now make up slightly less than half of the world’s population due to discrimination before and at birth through sex-selective abortion and infanticide.

“We place too much attention on national averages, which often mask enormous variations in people’s lives,” said Selim Jahan. “In order to advance, we need to examine more closely not just what has been achieved, but also who has been excluded and why.”

Other examples in this years report include the indigenous Parakanã, Asurini and Parkatêjê peoples of Brazil who were among more than 25,000 people forced to relocated due to the construction of the Tucuruí Dam in Brazil.

“Poor resettlement planning split up communities and forced them to relocate several times,” the report found.

Norway, Australia and Switzerland again topped the annual report as the world’s three most developed countries.

Those countries with the lowest levels of human development were mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific. Syria was

C O M M E N T A R Y

Vanessa Baird New Internationalist

Five paradoxes about the state of the media Baird explores the contradictions of today’s media landscape

W

e are living in a time full of threats – and unprecedented possibilities, especially when it comes to the state of the media. Let’s consider five paradoxes, in no particular order.

Is print dead or reviving?

Rumours of the death of print magazines and newspapers have been circulating for years – but many of us are still here. What’s more, we are seeing signs of a renaissance in independent, alternative print magazines and hyperlocal newspapers.

The internet, that great disrupting technology, has prompted print’s decline, cannibalizing the revenue of publishers. After all, why buy news in print when you get it all for free online? The proportion of readers actually prepared to pay for news online (nine per cent) cannot replace those who used to buy print.

But the internet has also been amazing for media like ours. In the days before the worldwide web, we never imagined that two million people a year would be reading our content and getting our kind of journalism, rooted in social, economic, global and environmental justice.

Vast sums are generated by online media activity, but the lion’s share lands in the pockets of the tech companies (Facebook, Google, et al). Although they don’t say so, these digital titans are de facto advertising agencies and publishers, profiting from content produced by others who have seen their income streams dry up in the process.

profitable than the truth. Lies, such as Breitbart’s report that a 1,000 strong mob of Muslims attacked and set fire to the cathedral in Dortmund, Germany, do better still. This piece of pure fiction, parading as news, went viral around the world on New Year’s Eve, raking in ad dollars as it went.

Couple this with the hands-off (‘we are not the media, we are just the technology’) claims of Facebook, Google and Co, and the whole system appears to be spinning out of control.

Most of the extremist sites that have emerged in the US since 2010 are on the Right, politically. But here’s another twist: two ‘hyper-partisan’ sites, the leftwing Liberal Society and the rightwing Conservative 101, are both owned by the same company, American News LLC of Miami. This is the publisher of the viral made-up story that Denzel Washington endorsed Donald Trump.

The company now appears to be expanding into religious clickbait, registering the domains DevoutAmerica. com and EthicalAmerican.com.

Is the media hated or loved?

In recent times, the media has been under attack on an unprecedented scale.

The ease with which Donald Trump and his special advisor Steve Bannon, master purveyor of ‘fake news’, have turned the same accusation against outlets reporting unpalatable truths, is quite stunning.

But now we are seeing a reaction against such assaults. Donald Trump’s animosity towards The New York Times and others has been cause for celebration in their subscription departments, as people buy papers (yes, buy them) as an act of support and defiance. Being hated by Trump, or banned from A cover up or a clean up? presidential news briefings, has beNews outfits that tell lies, misincome a badge of honour. form, or in others ways abuse the press freedom they enjoy, are not new or Is news fake or real?

But still, there is tremendous public solely digital.

The tabloid press – especially, but mistrust of journalism. not exclusively, titles owned by Rupert Anxieties over ‘fake news’ have reinforced the notion that the media Murdoch – has long had a slippery re– and those who manipulate it – just lationship with the truth and a readiness to invade personal privacy. tell lies.

Britain’s phone-hacking scanIt is incredibly easy to spread misinformation today – and for total fab- dal (centring on murdered teenager rications to get around the world, un- Milly Dowler) and the first part of the impeded, in record time. In fact, the Leveson Inquiry that ensued, exposed some of the rot. technology favours lies over truth.

When certain big players repeatIt’s all in the algorithms. The internet has enabled crafty operators to edly pollute the pool of press freedom, push out false and eye-catching stories it affects the entire media environment.

Polls show that trust in the media has as clickbait for advertisers.

And lies, it turns out, are far more plummeted, with confidence in journal-

ists languishing at 25 per cent, on a par with estate agents. In some sectors of the tabloid press it’s down to 11 per cent.

But this sorry state of affairs has produced another reaction – that of active public interest and engagement. Concerned citizens and journalists have been uniting within the Media Reform Coalition Last December, its Media Democracy Festival at Birkbeck College, London was crammed to capacity.

Pressure is growing on the industry to clean up its act. One reason the British tabloid press has got away with so many abuses is that its system of self-regulation is ineffective. And the industry big beasts are still trying to dodge the bullet, crying that Lord Justice Leveson’s recommendations are tantamount to censorship and violation of press freedom.

The Daily Mail, Murdoch-owned papers The Sun and The Times, and The Express, have joined the Independent Press Standards Organization, a toothless body of their creation.

Their ‘misleading’ press campaign against Leveson’s low-cost arbitration system (adopted by the officially recognized monitor, IMPRESS, and ourselves) was slammed by the UK Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

Veteran campaigning editor Sir Harold Evans added his voice, recently calling for The Guardian, The Financial Times and others sitting on the fence to sign up to IMPRESS which, he said, offered ‘the best protection for serious news reporting and investigations into corruption and the abuse of power.’

Owned by the many – or the few?

The final paradox relates to who owns the media. Australia and New Zealand/Aotearoa have some of the most concentrated media ownership

in the world. Britain follows not far behind, with three companies owning 70 per cent of national newspapers, and six companies owning 80 per cent of local titles. The trend is mirrored worldwide and exacerbated by the economic conditions of the internet, which favours large, highly capitalized companies.

This reduced pluralism shrinks democracy. The internet and social media may give an impression of diversity, but it is an illusion. Much of the material circulated and recirculated, comes from the same small pool of dis-proportionately powerful content producers and influencers. The media-baron owners often have holdings across different media types – press, broadcasting, online – and cultivate close connections with government to expand their power and profits. Social media, for all its vitality, cannot replace the need for professional journalism that holds power to account.

But there are signs of change. Independent hyperlocals are popping up, set up by journalists who want to do a proper job. Crowdfunding is becoming a more common means of supporting independent investigations.

New media-ownership models are emerging, like this magazine’s community share offer. The role of media is to inform to the best of its ability and to speak truth to power. It needs to be accountable. This new media model, based on collective ownership rather than by one tycoon, has journalistic ethics and accountability at its heart.

These are times of danger and turmoil for independent media, as we battle through a stormy and unpredictable landscape.

But they are also the most exciting, raw and democratically vibrant of times. And you can be part of it.

What Every Country Can Do to Make Schools Safe

Schools should be safe places for children — even during wartime Emina Cerimovic Foreign Policy in Focus

O

n an autumn afternoon in 1993, following heavy artillery fire, my older sister Edina gave me a backpack and rushed me through deserted streets to a local school in Visoko, a town 30 kilometers outside of Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, where we lived with our mom as internally displaced people.

The shelling had further battered the already damaged school, making it possible for us to sneak in through what looked—to a 9-year-old me—like an exciting tunnel made of rubble.

Inside, an eerie silence filled the corridors and the empty classrooms.

Holding each other’s hands, we walked through the debris until we found our way to what once was a library, where books had neatly lined white shelves a year before, and now hundreds of books were scattered on the floor. I watched as Edina got to her knees and started to collect some books and put them in her backpack. I bent down and started to do the same. Half an hour later we left the school with two backpacks full of stolen books.

Our local school was closed the first time in fall 1992, because local authori-

ties saw that it was no longer safe after it was hit by artillery fire. For a while, teachers would gather a few students together and teach in the basement of a local post office or in houses that were considered safe. Sometimes, in the nearly four years of war, the school would open its doors and allow us to study in classrooms looking out on the inner garden – hoping there was less of a chance in the interior to be killed from a mortar or artillery fire. But overall, together with thousands of other children in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I spent more years in basements trying to survive the shooting and cold and hunger than in school.

During the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 until 1995, instead of being safe places for children to learn, play, and make friends, schools were often places of summary execution and unlawful detention of civilians, where women, men, and children were subjected to torture, inhuman treatment and sexual violence. A high school in my hometown, Foca became the place where many women and girls from the area were held as sex slaves.

According to the World Bank, 50 percent of the schools in Bosnia were dam-

aged or destroyed. They often came under deliberate fire, were burned down, taken by the army and converted into barracks or weapons storage, or used as shelters for displaced families.

There is no data on how many children grew up without receiving a proper education during the Bosnian war.

What I do know is that for the kids in my neighborhood, the books that my sister and I stole from the school were one of the rare sources of education in the winter of 1993 and the following year.

The books were not only a source of knowledge. Having a book during the war was like a window to another world.

The books and stories kept us alive.

More than 20 years have passed since the Bosnian war. However, today, nearly 24 million children worldwide cannot go to school and receive an education because their schools – just like schools during the war in my country – are not safe due to war or insecurity.

However, there is reason for hope.

It’s called the Safe Schools Declaration, a new international commitment by countries to do more to ensure that schools are safe places for children,

WRITE-WING

even during war.

To date, 59 countries have endorsed the Declaration. This includes the majority of both all European Union and NATO member states. It shouldn’t be difficult for other countries to sign too.

By joining the declaration, countries pledge to restore access to education when schools are bombed, burned, and destroyed during armed conflict, and make it less likely that students, teachers, and schools will be attacked in the first place by investigating and prosecuting war crimes involving schools, and minimizing the use of schools for military purposes so that they do not become targets for attack.

Preparations are under way for the Second International Conference on Safe Schools, hosted by Argentina in Buenos Aires in March. The conference is an opportunity for governments around the world that haven’t yet joined, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, to sign the Safe School Declaration, and firmly stand together committed to prevent children from ever again having to risk their lives to get books and education.

Emina Cerimovic is a researcher in the disability rights division at Human Rights Watch

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

MONDAY 27•03•2017

PERSPECTIVE

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

7

Asia’s Water Politics Near the Boiling Point Manipadma Jena

I

Inter Press Service

n Asia, it likely will not be straightforward water wars.

Prolonged water scarcity might lead to security situations that are more nuanced, giving rise to a complex set of cascading but unpredictable consequences, with communities and nations reacting in ways that we have not seen in the past because climate change will alter the reliability of current water management systems and infrastructure, say experts.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2016 said a water crisis is the most impactful risk over the next 10 years. The effects of rising populations in developing regions like Asia, alongside growing prosperity, place unsustainable pressure on resources and are starting to manifest themselves in new, sometimes unexpected ways – harming people, institutions and economies, and making water security an urgent political matter.

While the focus is currently on the potential for climate change to exacerbate water crises, with impacts including conflicts and a much greater flow of forced migration that is already on our doorsteps, a 2016 study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) warns Asia not to underestimate impact of industrial and population growth, including spiraling urban growth, on serious water shortages across a broad swath of Asia by 2050.

Asia’s water challenges escalate To support a global population of 9.7 billion by 2050, food production needs to increase by 60 percent and water demand is projected to go up by 55 percent. But the horizon is challenging for developing regions, especially Asia, whose 3.4 billion population will need 100 percent more food – using the diminishing, non-substitute resource in a warming world said the Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO) 2016, the latest regional water report card from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

More than 1.4 billion people – or 42 percent of world’s total active workforce – are heavily water dependent, especially in agriculture-domi-

Clean drinking water is available to no more than half of Asia’s population. Water is fundamental to the post-2015 development agenda. (Manipadma Jena/IPS)

nant Asia, according to the UN World Water Development Report 2016.

With erratic monsoons on which more than half of all agriculture in Asia is dependent, resorting to groundwater for irrigation, whose extraction is largely unmonitored, is already rampant. A staggering 70 percent of the world’s groundwater extraction is in Asia, with India, China and Pakistan the biggest consumers, estimates UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

By 2050, with a 30 percent increase in extraction, 86 percent of groundwater extracted in Asia will be by these three countries, finds the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.

Together India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal use 23 million pumps with an annual energy bill of 3.78 billion dollars for lifting water – an indicator of the critical demand for water, and to an extent of misgovernance and lack of water-saving

technologies (AWDO 2016).

AWDO sounds alarm bells warning that we are on the verge of a water crisis, with limited knowledge on when we will tip the balance.

Analysts from the Leadership Group on Water Security in Asia say the start of future transboundary water conflicts will have less to do with the absolute scarcity of water and more to do with the rate of change in water availability.

‘Resource nationalism’ already strong in water-stressed Asian neighbours With just 30 days of buffer fresh water stock, Pakistan’s renewable internal freshwater resources per capita in 2014 measured a perilous 297 cubic metres, Bangladesh’s 660m3 India’s 1116m3 and China’s 2062m3. When annual water access falls below 1700m3 per person, an area is considered water-stressed and when 1000m3 is breached, it

faces water scarcity.

ADB describes Asia as “the global hotspot for water insecurity.

By 2050 according to AWDO, 3.4 billion people – or the projected combined population of India, China, Pakistan and Bangladesh in 2050 – making up 40 percent of the world population, could be living in waterstressed areas. In other words, the bulk of the population increase will be in countries already experiencing water shortages.

Underlying geo-political standpoints are slowly but perceptibly hardening in Himalayan Asia nations over shared river basins, even if not intensifying as yet, seen in the latest instances last year. They are, as water conflict analysts predict, spurts of bilateral tension that might or might not suddenly escalate to conflict, the scale of which cannot be predicted. The following, a latest instance, is a pointer to future scenarios of geographical in-

How far should a journalist go to protect a source? The Morung Express Abhinandan Sekhri

"I

NewsLaundry

f journalists cannot be trusted to guarantee confidentiality then journalists cannot function and there cannot be a free press."

That is what Judith Miller told Judge Hogan when asked to reveal her source before she was taken to prison. I do urge you to read this piece after you’re done with this one. Judith Miller served 12 weeks in prison and only revealed her source to the court after her source agreed to be identified and gave her permission to name him.

Indian Express on March 24 had this report on page 9. The bit that troubled me the most was: “According to police sources, the journalist has shared all details, including the contacts who helped her enter the Deolali cantonment where the sting operation was carried out.

‘She has given us a chronology of the events leading to the sting operation, and has also shared details of the contacts within the Army who helped her get inside the prohibited area. She has even shared her chats with various jawans whom she had spoken during the course of her story on an app-based messenger service. We have taken a copy of those chats,’ said the officer.”

I don't want to conflate several issues so this is not about the ethics of the sting-op itself, whether that was responsible journalism or journalism at all. My colleague Manisha Pande has written an excellent report on this and I pretty much agree with how she has presented the case.

This piece is about journalists protecting sources. In that context, the journalist in question Poonam Agarwal might have let us all down.

I do not want to be in a hurry to condemn or pass judgment on this but I do want to raise some serious questions on the implications of this development. Do we as news professionals give away our sources so easily? Or to put it in pop lingo -do we rat out members of our team when the heat is on us?

Let’s face it, in India we fear the government way more than any Western democracy. Fifty-six inch chest-thumping notwithstanding, we are light years away from comprehending and embracing the concept of freedom of expression or genuinely appreciating the value

of a free press. No government has wanted a free press and none in the near future will. That pushback has to come from news professionals and news consumers.

In India, every little day-to-day activity in running an enterprise can potentially be used to destroy you with frightening ease by government agencies. And in the present climate even be cheered on by a polarised and easily biddable support base, depending on who does the bidding. Less government and more governance may be a great slogan but anyone who conducts any business can tell you (but will not because that could trigger exactly what they complain about) that the only reason your enterprise has not yet been destroyed is not because it can’t be done, it’s because the government does not find you worth going after…yet.

It is in this environment that journalism becomes even more important and those sources that get us access to public interest stories become even more valuable. Sources will help journalists only if they know they will be insulated from consequences. It is the management’s responsibility in news organisations to insulate reporters from pressure so they can do their jobs without fear.

It's the reporter’s job to protect their source and those that help them get stories in public interest.

Whether you and I consider Quint’s report journalistically responsible or not is not the point, the fact is they did and their reporter did. If that is the case then the source for this report should be worthy of being protected. The jawans who spoke to Poonam will be in trouble if indeed all the footage has been surrendered to the police. Careers will be destroyed and more lives ruined.

I don't know if she has given them all the footage she had. It is possible she was smart and did not give it all away. I know my boss at Newstrack, Madhu Trehan, did that with an aggressive security officer when the Pokhran nuclear tests happened in 1998. Madhu was in Rajasthan with cameraman Ashok Bhanot to get a report from as close to the action as possible. As they were driving back from Pokhran, a team of uniformed men stopped them. An impatient officer said in no uncertain terms that he had the authority to open fire at the Newstrack team because of where they had trespassed. After much negotiating, a bargain was struck that Madhu and team will

be allowed to go and not taken into custody provided they surrender the footage. The camera was switched on and the tape ejected and surrendered as was another tape lying in the car’s front seat. But the tape in the camera was blank as was the other one.

The footage that had been shot was in another cassette in Ashok’s bag.

They got out of there, the footage was safe, nothing was given away about which village they reached through and who got them there.

Now, I don't know if Poonam has done that with the police and not surrendered the entire footage, but I will be optimistic and not rule out that possibility for the sake of the jawans on her footage and others she spoke to.

I did discuss this case with Madhu Trehan and this is what her reaction was. “Hey, girl, have you lost your mind? First you dupe a jawan into an interview without his knowledge, now you give away all your sources?

You have set a precedent that endangers every journalist and their sources. Who will speak to us if journalists cannot be trusted to not reveal identities? We will be told by authorities, 'Poonam Agarwal gave her sources.

No reason why you can't'. I believe the journalist community would have stood by her if she had refused to reveal the sources.”

Another question to be asked is this. While as news consumers or reporters we expect journalists to protect their sources, would management protect reporters and act as the wall between potential harassment by governments and security agencies, to build confidence among reporters?

And for such confidence to emerge will the political class that doesn't tire of singing paeans of freedom of the press and the cherished ideals of democracy, protect news organisations from being unfairly harassed? Or will news organisations continue to be pushed around because of vendetta?

Who will be the first to act in public interest and not self-interest? The reporter? News management? The government? To expect the government to act fairly is unrealistic.

"The freest and fairest societies are not only those with independent judiciaries, but those with an independent press that works every day to keep government accountable by publishing what the government might not want the public to know."

That's Judith Miller again, to the judge when she was asked to surrender her source.

terdependencies that riparian nations can either reduce by sensible hydro-politics or escalate differences by contestations.

There was alarm in Pakistan when Indian Prime Minister took a stand in September last year to review the 57-year-old Indus Water Treaty between the two South Asian neighbours. India was retaliating against a purportedly Pakistan terrorist attack on an Indian army base at Uri in Kashmir that killed 18 soldiers.

By co-incidence or design (several Indian analysts think it is the latter), at the very same time China blocked a tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo River which is the upper course of the Brahmaputra in India, as part of the construction of its 740-million-dollar Lalho hydro project in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The Yarlung Tsangpo River originates in the Himalayan ranges, and is called the Brahmaputra as it flows down into India’s Arunachal Pradesh state bordering Tibet and further into Bangladesh.

China’s action caused India alarm on two counts. Some analysts believed Beijing was trying to encourage Dhaka to take up a defensive stand against India over sharing of Brahmaputra waters, thereby destabilizing India-Bangladesh’s cordial ally status in the region.

The second possibility analysts proffered is an alarming and fairly new military risk. River water, when dammed, can be intentionally used as a weapon of destruction during war.

Pakistan had earlier raised the same security concern, that India may exercise a strategic advantage during war by regulating the two major dams on rivers that flow through Kashmir into Pakistan. Indian experts say China is more likely than India to take this recourse and will use the river water as a bargaining chip in diplomatic negotiations.

South Asia as a region is prone to conflict between nations, between non-state actors and the state. Its history of territorial issues, religious and ethnic differences makes it more volatile than most other regions. Historically China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have had territorial wars between them. The wary and increasingly competitive outlook of their relationships makes

technology-grounded and objective discussions over the erupting water disputes difficult.

China already plays an increasingly dominant role in South Asia’s water politics because it administers the Tibetian Autonomous Region with the Tibetan Plateau, around which the Himalayan mountain range contains the largest amount of snow and ice after Antartica and the Arctic. The glacier-fed rivers that emanate from this ‘water tower’ are shared across borders by 40 percent of world population, guaranteeing food, water and energy security to millions of people and nurturing biodiverse ecosystems downstream.

The largest three trans-boundary basins in the region – in terms of area, population, water resources, irrigation and hydropower potential – are the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra.

Both India and China have embarked on massive hydropower energy generation, China for industrialization and India to provide for its population, which will be the world’s largest by 2022.

With growing food and energy needs, broad estimates suggest that more than half of the world’s large rivers are dammed. Dams have enormous benefits, but without comprehensive water-sharing treaties, lower riparian states are disadvantaged and this could turn critical in future.

While there are river-water sharing treaties between India and Pakistan, and with Bangladesh, there is none with China except a hydrological data sharing collaboration.

Security threats emerge when it becomes difficult to solve competition over scarce natural resources by cooperation. Failure may result in violent conflicts. A ‘zero-sum’ situation is reached, when violence is seen as the only option to secure use of the resource, says a 2016 report by the Global Military Advisory Council on Climate Change.

When drivers in Asia, like population growth, the need for economic growth, poverty reduction, energy needs, the impact of high rate of urbanization and changing lifestyles, confront resource scarcity, it could bring a zero-sum situation sooner than anticipated.

POLL RESULTS

Is a new breed of politicians needed to trigger change in Nagaland? Why?

Some of those who voted YES had this to say: • Yes. Definitely we need a new breed of politicians that are willing to serve the people and not their own self interest. This new breed of politicians can come only when the voters also start casting their vote in a responsible manner.

• We rather have new breed of voters... to create new breed of politicians... Yes is my answer..

• Yes, and to see leaders like M. Kikon leading the path of change, we Nagas are not too far behind to a total new set up of leaders minus corruption.

• Definitely yes. We need refined politicians who are responsible, upright, fully dedicated social worker (volunteer) and above all God fearing, whom the voters can confidently vote for.

• Present politicians are hardcore pilferers. Their itchy fingers will never stop itching. Therefore, a new breed of younger politicians must be allowed to take over the reins and see what changes take place. If the same trend continues even after that, well, we’ll know that Nagaland is going into the drains.

• Yes, provided they become crusaders of anti-corruption which is ailing our society among many others.

• Yes, Nagaland has tried the present ones but they don't work.

Seeing the needs, many Nagas, especially the younger generation who are more competent in every way are now impatiently wanting to serve and change Nagaland into what it should be in the 21st century.

• Yes, because we the people had seen the much corrupted politicians of the old breed, unable to change our state inspite of attaining 50 years of statehood. So we should also give a chance to the new breed once.

• Yes, Nagaland desperately needs a new younger breed of politician that is more liberal in its approach towards the democratic governance. A political party that

is more rational with broad based Some of those who modern concept to take Nagaland voted OTHERS had this to say: to the next level to be a part of the • New breed of politicians with rest of the world, for the times are strong and clear commitment to fast changing and Nagaland canserve people of Nagaland is a welnot afford to lag behind with the come move. But non will be electpresent outdated version. ed because people, be it common• Yes. It is high time. We cannot and ers or village councils, understand should not keep electing the same only the colour of money. We canpeople over and over again. In the not accuse the elected members upcoming elections in 2018, we because we all have become slaves must educate the voters to vote to them. New breed of politicians honestly for the right candidate. with very strong commitment and honest public can only trigSome of those who ger a change in Nagaland. But as of voted NO had this to say: now, sadly, we are not only a slave • No, we need genuine leaders not but a chained slave in the hands of politicians. elected members.

• Not really. We have some cur- • Saab ka Saath Saab ka Vikas...Virent new breed of politicians sion required. in the present NLA and all they • The citizens have the right to vote. have done is to behave like a The decision is solely dependent on the voters.

51% The citizens need to get enlightened and break the barrier of 'money madness'. One just can't keep complaining after voting 28% by himself. When the society changes, the 'money 21% lords' will no longer occupy the hereditary political power but will go on to the capable ones, willing to YES serve the people.

NO OTHER • Why colour the present politicians as the mother of all evils.

As of now, even new breed typical politician. I dont foresee of politicians with strong commitany changes until and unless ment to serve common people will the public changes and demand not help because people will not their politicians to behave like elect them. Naga public underresponsible people. stands only Money talk. Just wait • No, because the mentality reand watch, though BJP is hundred mains the same. We need to percent Hindu religious party, change the culture of elections in the next election in Nagaland will Nagaland. be dominated by BJP because • No, not the present type of polilike in UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur tician per se, but a Statesman, a and Goa, they are going to use big Thinker, a Visionary for the genmoney and all of us will smile... erations to come for wellbeing of • For good crops you need good all the Nagas (above the mindset quality of seeds. What Nagaland of narrow tribalism)and one who needs is person with sound ideothink for the good of all including logical thinking. But it has failed the neighboring community. in Nagaland as you can't even • No, we do not need a new breed of trust churches because they are politicians, what we need is new more loyal to their tribe then Jebreed of voters. A new breed of votsus. Recently some organization ers will elect their right representahad come up, but they are also tives who will perform according not different; so you will wait till to the need of the situation.

God's coming.

Readers may please note that, the contents of the articles published on this page do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.

8

MOnDAY 27•03•2017

INDIA

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Contribute to New India, Modi tells people New Delhi, March 26 (iaNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India was marching from "Swaraj to Su-raj" and urged the 125 crore people to contribute towards creating a "New India".

In his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat', Modi exhorted all Indians to fight black money and corruption by opting for digital payments than cash transactions.

Calling for continuing the war against corruption and black money, Modi said India can see 2.5 crore digital transactions within six months rather than wait for a year.

"Within two months of its launch, there had been 1.5 crore downloads of BHIM app, this is commendable...," Modi said.

"If 125 crore citizens make a resolution, then we can achieve the target of 2.5 crore digital transactions

within six months and not wait for a year."

He added that after the November 8 demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, there had been a huge increase in digital transactions.

"Just make sure you submit school fee of your children, do railway or airline bookings and other transactions through the digital mode," he said and enumerated government initiatives to promote digital payments.

Modi also wished prosperity for Bangladesh on its Independence Day on March 26 and recalled the common memories of Nobel laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore shared by India and Bangladesh.

He assured India's commitment as a strong partner of Bangladesh and asserted the two nations will work shoulder to shoulder

'Non-BJP parties should accept Nitish as leader'

PaTNa, March 26 (iaNS): Bihar's ruling JD-U on Sunday urged all non-BJP parties, including the Congress, to accept the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to challenge the party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Janata Dal-United state president Vashisht Narain Singh told media here that the time has come that all nonBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parties should come together at a platform and declare Nitish Kumar as their leader.

"In the changed situation in the country, Nitish Kumar is the only alternative to Modi," he said. Nitish Kumar is the president of JD-U. Last year and this year as well, JD-U leaders and workers publicly tried to project Nitish Kumar as the prime ministerial candidate in the 2019 general election against Modi. According to senior JD-U leaders here, Nitish is keen to be projected as prime ministerial candidate of the combined opposition to counter Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

in ensuring peace, security and progress.

Modi, who earlier dubbed the March 11 assembly results in five states as the foundation for a

"New India", called upon citizens to be more responsible and contribute in their own ways towards realizing the dream of a transformed India by 2022 -- the

75th year of independence.

"New India is neither a government project nor a manifesto of a political party. It is the joint call and desire of 125 crore Indians to transform India.

"Everything is not linked to the budget or government funds. If every citizen pledges to be more responsible, performs his duties, then this dream of a new and transformed India can be easily realised," he said.

This was Modi's first radio address after the Bharatiya Janata Party took power in Uttar Pradesh and three other states.

"Service is the core of our values. If we obey traffic rules, pledge not to use petrol or diesel once a week, resolve to be more responsible, if we do things step by step, we can achieve a new India," he said.

Modi also paid tributes

to martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, reminded people about the immense enterprise and organisational skills of Mahatma Gandhi.

"Year 2022 will be India's 75th year of independence; let's all remember Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. Let us remember the Champaran movement and resolve to be disciplined in our journey from Swaraj to Su-raj."

The Prime Minister expressed concern over food wastage and called on the nation to fight this.

Ahead of the World Health Day on April 7, Modi stressed the need to change society's mindset towards "depression" and to encourage victims to speak up. He said depression was not an incurable ailment and one can get rid of it if a right psychological environment was built

Aadhaar verification mandatory soon for all existing mobile phone users

New Delhi, March 26 (PTi): All existing subscribers of mobile services will have to go for Aadhaar-based re-verification soon, with the government instructing telecom operators to initiate the process.

Cellular operators’ body COAI said its members may meet this week to discuss the modalities of rolling out the verification process for the existing one billion-plus mobile phone users. “... all licencees shall reverify all existing mobile subscribers (pre-paid and postpaid) through Aadhaar-based eKYC process...,” a notification issued by the telecom department said.

It added that all licencees will have to inform existing subscribers -- through advertisements in print and electronic media as well as SMS -- about the order of

the Supreme Court for re-verification activity. They have also been asked to upload the details of the exercise on their website.

The Supreme Court, in an order in February this year, had observed that, “an effective process has been evolved to ensure the identity verification, as well as, the addresses of all mobile phone subscribers for the new

subscribers. In the near future, and more particularly within one year from today, a similar verification will be completed, in case of existing subscribers”.

The telecom department has said the operators will use and share common device eco-system through mutual agreements, and will work out mechanisms to avoid public in-

convenience and long queues.

When contacted, cellular operators association COAI said that the industry supported the move, but pointed out that the entire exercise will cost Rs 1,000 crore for infrastructure and training, which will have to be borne by the operators. “The issue of fake subscribers will go away.

We will try our best to cover the entire base within the stipulated time frame of one year but in case we cannot, we may ask DoT for an extension,” COAI director general Rajan Mathews said.

For re-verification through Aadhaar-based eKYC process, the operator will send a verification code to the mobile number of the subscriber. Prior to starting the eKYC, the operator will verify this code from the subscriber so as to confirm the SIM card of the mobile connection is physically available with the subscriber.

'I was born in Karachi but was Number of blind to come down by 4m as disciplined, educated by RSS' India set to change blindness definition

MouNT abu (rajaSThaN), March 26 (aNi): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran leader L.K. Advani on Sunday said he was born in Karachi but learnt discipline and got education from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

"I was born in Karachi but learnt discipline and got education from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). I learnt from the RSS that we should never promote wrongdoings.

We get to learn about devotion and dedication towards country through RSS," Advani said here.

Thousands of dignitaries from all over the country have arrived here to take part in the 80th anniversary celebrations of the Brahma Kumaris, which is expected to be inaugurated

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the four-day event from Delhi by video conferencing.

Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha P. J. Kurien, Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L. K. Advani, several Central ministers, respective Governors of Assam and Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh Chief

Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu are among the prominent people who will attend the Shantivan campus of the Brahma Kumaris, the venue for the 'International Conferencecum-Cultural Festival on God's Wisdom for World Transformation.'

Besides these prominent leaders, media person Rajat Sharma and Bollywood actors Raveena Tandon and Gracy Singh will also attend the conference.

Several other members of the Parliament, state legislators, senior judges, industrialists and celebrities will also attend the celebrations, which mark the latest milestone for the world's largest spiritual organisation led by women.

The administrative chief of the Brahma Kumaris, 101-year-old Dadi Janki, and Dadi Hridaya Mohini, the additional chief, will grace the occasion with their presence and blessings. Brahma Kumaris, headquartered in Mount Abu, is a spiritual movement dedicated to personal transformation and renewal and was founded in 1937. It runs more than 8,500 meditation centres worldwide.

New Delhi, March 26 (aGeNcieS):The government is set to change a fourdecade-old definition of blindness to bring it in line with the WHO criteria and ensure the Indian data on blindness meets the global estimates. The change in definition will bring down the number of blind persons by 4 million in India.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines blindness as visual sharpness of less than 3/60, or a corresponding visual field loss to less than 10 degrees in the better eye, even with the best possible spectacle correction. The National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) in India, on the other hand, defines blindness as vision of 6/60 or less and a visual field loss of 20 degrees or less in the better eye, after spectacle correction.

This means a person unable to count fingers from a distance of six metres is categorised as “blind” in India,

against the WHO’s stipulation of three metres.

“With the NPCB definition, we will be addressing an extra 4 million individuals, blind due to refractive errors. By adopting the blindness criteria of the WHO, India can achieve the Vision 2020 goal,” said Dr Praveen Vashist, in-charge of community ophthalmology at Dr RP Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at AIIMS. Under Vision 2020, India has to reduce the prevalence of blindness to 0.3% of the total population. India projects a higher number of blind people at international forums because of its definition. India currently has around 12 million blind people against 39 million globally -- which makes India home to one-third of the world’s blind population.

“We will bring the definition of blindness at par with the WHO’s criteria. Because of the current definition, we project a higher figure of blind

people from India at any international forum. Thus India gets presented in a poor light compared to other countries,” said NPCB deputy director general Promila Gupta.

Also, she said, the data “we generate under the programme cannot be compared with the global estimates as other countries are following the WHO criteria”.

Uniformity in the definition across various regions of the world is a pre-requisite for facilitating collection of population-based data on prevalence of blindness and estimating its global burden, Gupta said.

The health ministry is also planning to change the nomenclature of NPCB to the National Programme for Control of Visual Impairment and Blindness. “The idea is to further strengthen the programme by focusing not only on the blind persons but also those with some kind of visual impairment,” Gupta added.

'Over 70% of country's water aquifers are overdrawn' New Delhi, March 26 (iaNS): At 76 million, India has the largest number of people living without access to safe water in the world, and experts warn of a looming crisis as over 73 per cent of the country's aquifers are being overdrawn.

"About 73 per cent of the ground water aquifers are in 'overdraft', which means we have taken more water than the recharge," Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh, known as India's Water Man, told IANS, adding that small rivers and streams which used to be sources of clean water are drying up, while the large rivers are facing the menace of pollution.

And despite this, "of all the rain that falls, we harvest only 12 per cent of water", he said.

According to a 2016 WaterAid report 75,777,997 people, or about six per cent of India's population,

water. The report added that while aquifers provide 85 per cent of drinking water, their levels are falling in 56 per cent of the country.

Th e g ove r n m e nt, meanwhile, has announced that it will spend Rs 25,000 crore (almost $4 billion) to connect about 28,000 affected habitations with safe drinking water by March 2021.

Union Minister for Rural Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation Narendra Singh Tomar made the announcement while launching the National Water Quality Sub Mission on Arsenic and Fluoride.

"There are about 17.14 lakh rural habitations in India, of which about 77 percent have been provided with safe drinking water of more than 40 litres per person per day and about four percent of the habitations are suffering from problems of water quality," the

Tomar added that by 2030 every household shall be connected by the tap water.

However, Rajendra Singh said government figures are often underreported. "Many villages, where either a pipeline has reached or a hand pump has been installed, are considered to be connected with water supply, but the ground reality is a bit different... the scenario is that about 50 per cent of the population in all the states doesn't have access to drinking water," Singh pointed out.

Sharing some rough figures, Singh estimates about 265,000 villages in India don't have access to clean water.

The current availability of water per person per year in India is placed at roughly 1,745 cubic metres. For water-stressed, the figure is 1,700 and at 1,000

Two terrorists killed in encounter in J&K's Pulwama

SriNaGar, March 26 (PTi): In a swift action, two terrorists were on Sunday killed when they tried to ambush a police party that included three officers of the rank of superintendent of police in south Kashmir. The incident happened at Padgampora when a cavalcade of senior superintendents of police of Pulwama and Awantipora Raees Ahmed and Zahid Malik was going along with the district's additional superintendent of police Chandan Kohli. The terrorists, who were travelling in a car, came from behind and started firing at the vehicle carrying Kohli in the area on the border of Awantipora and Pulwama, officials said. All the police personnel quickly took cover and retaliated the fire in which two terrorists were killed, they said. The police have seized two weapons and the identity of the terrorists is being ascertained, Deputy Inspector General of Police (South Kashmir) S Pani said here. He lauded the role of the police force which swiftly neutralised the two terrorists.

Kerala minister resigned on moral grounds: NCP

MuMbai, March 26 (PTi): The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today welcomed the resignation of its leader and Kerala transport Minister A K Saseendran and said action will be taken against him if found guilty in the audio-clip row. Saseendran today announced his resignation from the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala after a purported audio clip of him speaking in sexual undertones to a woman emerged. "The Kerala Minister has resigned over high morale ground and we welcome it," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told PTI. "If he is found guilty in an inquiry, we will take appropriate action against him," he said. Saseendran, a member of NCP, which is a part of the ruling LDF, said he had already informed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who he said had not sought his resignation.

The audio clipping was released by a Malayalam television channel this afternoon. The minister said his resignation should not be seen as an acceptance of guilt.

"My resignation is to uphold political morality", he told reporters in Kozhikode

Truckers warn of countrywide indefinite strike from April 1

KolKaTa, March 26 (iaNS): Truckers on Sunday threatened to remain off the road across India indefinitely from April 1 in protest against the sharp increase in third party insurance premium and government charges. The strike has been called by the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicles Owners' Association, its executive member Subhas Chandra Bose told IANS over phone. Bose said the insurers have raised the third party insurance premium for trucks by over 50 per cent, while the Central government has jacked up various fees including that for permits. "These two rate hikes have made goods vehicles financial unviable," said Bose, also the General Secretary of Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators' Association. The strikers have sent letters to all governments departments and ministers. Milk supply and some other emergency services have been kept outside the ambit of the strike.

$100,000 given to American who tried saving Indians

waShiNGToN, March 26 (iaNS): The Indian American community in Houston has presented $100,000 to Ian Grillot, a 24-year-old American who was shot while trying to save Indian techies Srinivas Kuchibotla and Alok Madasani during a shooting in Kansas. The Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, presented the cheque to Grillot at the annual India House gala in Houston on Saturday evening, The American Bazaar news portal reported. Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed when Adam W. Purinton, a white man, shot the Indians at the Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe on February 22. Madasani and Grillot, who tried to stop the killer, survived with injuries.

A statement posed on the official page of India House Houston said: "On behalf of the Indian-American community in Houston, India House recognised this selfless act beyond the call of duty and has extended the community's gratitude to Ian Grillot by helping him to buy a house." Speaking at the event, Grillot said: "I don't know if I could've lived with myself if I wouldn't t have stopped or attempted to stop the shooter because that would've been completely devastating. "I do now have a very powerful message and if I can help empower people and spread hope and love, then why not? "I am honoured to be at India House that serves so many families from so many communities in the Houston area," The American Bazaar quoted Grillot as saying. Jiten Agarwal, a prominent Indian American in Houston and chair of the annual gala, said: "It is not every day that one meets a genuine hero, a person who risks his life for another, and takes a bullet for a complete stranger. "Ian Grillot is a man who reminds us of the promise of America and its greatness." Agarwal, with the help of its trustees, mobilized the community to come together to honour Grillot and raise funds.

No plans to introduce new denomination notes: RBI

Women washing clothes in a open drain at a refugee settlement in New Delhi. (IANS Photo)

According to the Central Water Commission, over the past five decades, availability of fresh water has dropped from 3,000 cubic

tres today.

According to Dr S.K. Sarkar, Director of Water Division at The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri),

scarce.

At present about 1,123 billion cubic metres of fresh water is available in India of which 84 per cent is used in

KuMbaKoNaM, March 26 (iaNS): The Reserve Bank of India currently has no plans of introducing new denomination currencies, a senior RBI official said on Sunday. "Presently RBI has no idea to introduce currencies of new denominations. The central banking institution wants to encourage cashless transactions, which are helpful to the people", RBI Deputy Governor N.S. Vishwanathan said while speaking at a lecture here on "Credit culture and the financial system". In this connection, Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal had told Parliament on Friday that the government is not planning to print Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 currency notes. Referring to banks' non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, Vishwanathan said here that these are affecting the income and profit of banks. "Banks cannot escape from the responsibility of controlling NPAs in their balance sheets," he said. Banks are expected to base their lending decisions on a careful and prudent assessment of the financial position and repaying capacity of the borrower, while credit should be given to only the right people, he added. The magnitude of the problem can be guaged from the NPA figures of state-run banks, which at the end of the current fiscal's second quarter that ended in September, rose to Rs 6.3 lakh crore, as compared to Rs 5.5 lakh crore at the end of the first quarter.

MondAY 27•03•2017

WORLD

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Hong Kong chooses new Beijing-backed leader HONG KONG, MarcH 26 (reuters): A Beijing-backed civil servant, Carrie Lam, was chosen to be Hong Kong’s next leader on Sunday amid accusations that Beijing is meddling and denying the financial hub a more populist leader perhaps better able to defuse political tension.

The majority of the Chinaruled city’s 7.3 million people have no say in deciding their leader, who is chosen from among several candidates by a 1,200-person “election committee” stacked with pro-Beijing and pro-establishment loyalists.

Lam, who will become Hong Kong’s first female chief executive when she takes office on July 1, won 777 votes compared with 365 for her closest rival, former financial secretary John Tsang, who polls show is more popular.

There were several invalid protest ballots including one that carried an obscenity.

“Hong Kong, our home, is suffering from quite a serious divisiveness,” Lam said in a victory speech.

“My priority will be to heal the divide and to ease the frustration, and to unite our society to move forward.”

Lam also pledged to follow through on election promises including introducing a “twotier” profits tax, reducing tax to spur research and development, tackling the high cost of housing by increasing land supply and boosting education spending.

She also promised to defend the rule of law and freedom of expression as integral to underpinning prosperity.

“Hong Kong needs new thinking,” she said.

Candidates Woo Kwok-hing, Carrie Lam and John Tsang (L-R) pose for picture as they greet election committee members during the election for Hong Kong’s next Chief Executive in Hong Kong on March 26. (REUTERS Photo)

metal barricades to keep the demonstrations well away.

The activists denounced Beijing’s “interference” amid widespread reports of lobbying of voters to back Lam, rather than Tsang.

Some protesters chanted “I want universal suffrage” and unfurled yellow umbrellas, a symbol of the civil disobedience “umbrella movement”, when the result was announced.

“Lies, coercion, whitewash,” read one banner. A big yellow banner calling for full democracy was hung from the Lion Rock peak overlooking the city.

“The central government has intervened again and again,” said Carmen Tong, a 20-year-old student. “It’s very unjust.”

TENSIONS Hundreds of Lam’s supportSome scuffles broke out outside the voting centre between ers waved Chinese flags and protesters and police, who used cheered inside and outside the

Ohio nightclub shooting leaves 1 dead, 14 wounded

venue after her win.

Since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997, Beijing has gradually increased control over it even though it promised wideranging freedoms and autonomy not allowed on the mainland under the formula of “one country, two systems”, along with an undated promise of universal suffrage.

Many, including opposition democrats, fear Lam will stick to the tough policies of staunchly pro-Beijing incumbent Leung Chun-ying, who ordered the firing of teargas on pro-democracy protesters in 2014 and who was not seen to be defending Hong Kong’s autonomy and core values.

“She doesn’t have a strong foundation, nor will she have a honeymoon after she’s elected,” said political scientist Ivan Choy.

“But whether she will further divide society we still have to wait and see what she does, whether she will continue the approach of Leung.”

All of Hong Kong’s three other post-handover leaders have struggled to balance the demands of China’s stability-obsessed Communist Party leaders, with the wish of many residents to preserve the global financial hub’s liberal values and rule of law that have long underpinned its economic success.

In 2014, parts of the city were paralysed when tens of thousands of protesters blocked major roads for nearly three months to demand Beijing allow full democracy; demands that were ignored amid some violent clashes.

China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office congratulated Lam, saying she should not dis-

appoint the people and should seek to “comprehensively unite all sectors of society”, strengthen development, and “work hard to forge a new situation”, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Some city residents see China’s creeping interference in business, media, politics, academia and the judiciary as tarnishing the city’s international business allure.

The detention in 2015 of five Hong Kong booksellers who sold material critical of Beijing also dismayed many residents.

The upheavals over the city’s autonomy and democratic reforms have roiled a new generation and weighed on the city’s economy, ranked 33rd globally by the World Bank in 2015.

Hong Kong’s richest man, Li Kashing, warned this week the city couldn’t afford another five years of strife.

Hong Kong had been presented with a reform package, offering the possibility of a direct vote for this leadership race, though only of candidates essentially pre-screened by Beijing.

The blueprint was vetoed in 2015 by pro-democracy lawmakers as “fake” Chinese-style democracy.

Political and social divisions have led to some legislative and policy-making paralysis and the stalling of major projects, including a cultural hub and highspeed rail link to China.

While Hong Kong’s proximity to China has been a boon, bringing investment and spending, businesses have also faced growing competition from mainland firms in sectors like services and property.

Housing prices, now among the world’s highest, are widely seen to have been pushed up by a wave of buying from rich Chinese, intensifying anti-mainland China sentiment.

9

6 killed in blasts in Bangladesh DHaKa, MarcH 26 (IaNs): At least six persons, including two police officers, were killed in two explosions in Bangladesh’s Sylhet city, police said on Sunday. More than 40 others were injured in the blasts on Saturday near a militant hideout in the city, some 240 km from capital Dhaka.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner Zedan Al Musa said the explosions came a day after a suicide bomber blew himself up near the country’s main airport in Dhaka. That attack was claimed by Islamic State. The seriously wounded include Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Intelligence chief who has been flown to Dhaka for better treatment. One of the injured, Gulzar Ahmed, told bdnews24.com that some onlookers stopped a person carrying a black polythene bag. “The blast occurred just after he said that there was red spinach in the bag. Five to six people were injured in the explosion,” he said.

“Another large explosion occurred when police and RAB rushed to the scene. Around 25 people were injured in the second blast,” he added. Witnesses earlier blamed two people riding a motorcycle for the explosion at one end of the street where the militant hideout is located. The blasts came within an hour of a media briefing on a raid at the hideout housing two buildings - one five-storey and the other four-storey.

Iran sanctions 15 US firms, citing human rights abuses & Israel ties DuBaI, MarcH 26 (reuters): Iran has imposed sanctions on 15 U.S. companies for alleged human rights violations and cooperating with Israel, the state news agency IRNA reported on Sunday, in a tit-for-tat reaction to a move by Washington. The agency quoted Iran’s foreign ministry as saying the companies had “flagrantly violated human rights” and cooperated with Israel in its “terrorism” against the Palestinians and the expansion of Jewish settlements.

It was not immediately clear if any of the companies, which included defence technology firm Raytheon, had any dealings with Iran or whether they would be affected in any way by Tehran’s action, which IRNA said would include seizure of their assets and a ban on contacts with them. The sanctioned companies also included ITT Corporation, United Technologies and speciality vehicles maker Oshkosh Corp.

The Iranian move came two days after the United States imposed sanctions on 11 companies or individuals from China, North Korea or the United Arab Emirates for technology transfers that could boost Tehran’s ballistic missile programme. Iran would face tighter U.S. sanctions over ballistic missile launches and other non-nuclear activities under a bill announced on Thursday by a bipartisan group of senators, echoing a harder line on Tehran espoused by Republican President Donald Trump.

Snap election to test Bulgaria’s divided loyalties sOFIa, MarcH 26 (reuters): Bulgarians were voting in a snap general election on Sunday, with the centre-right GERB party challenged for power by Socialists who say they will improve ties with Russia even if it means upsetting the country’s European Union partners.

Many Bulgarians feel a strong cultural affinity for Russia, with which they share the Cyrillic script and Orthodox Christianity and a decade after joining the EU, the Balkan country remains the bloc’s poorest member with corruption rife.

The Kremlin’s most loyal satellite during the Cold War era, Bulgaria remains a popular holiday destination for Russians attracted by its Black Sea beaches and low prices, and it is also almost entirely dependent on Russian energy supplies.

Opinion polls put the GERB party of former prime minister

OHIO, MarcH 26 (reuters): Fifteen people were shot, one fatally, at a nightclub in Cincinnati, Ohio, early on Sunday, and police said they believed at least two shooters may have been involved. The shooting took place around 1 a.m. when hundreds of people were reported at the Cameo Nightlife club, which the Cincinnati Police Department said has had “multiple problems” in the past.

“At this point it’s unclear exactly what instigated the shooting,” Captain Kimberly Williams said at a televised briefing. “We believe that there were at least a couple of shooters involved.” “Just a lot of chaos when the shots went off,” Williams added. The suspects were at large and police do not have good descriptions of them, in part because witnesses were reluctant to cooperate, Williams told WCPO. Several of the victims had life-threatening injuries, WLWT-TV reported on its website, quoting Assistant Police Chief Paul Neudigate, who said hundreds of people were in the nightclub at the time of shooting. Authorities have said nothing yet about a possible motive for the shooting, which comes less than a year after a gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people. It was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center admitted eight people early Sunday, a spokeswoman told ABC News, but she did not say specifically whether the patients were connected to the nightclub shooting. A representative of the hospital could not be reached immediately for comment.

Cameo Nightlife’s Facebook page says it features “Col- PattaYa, MarcH 26 lege Friday’s” for students 18 and older and “Saturday’s (reuters): With mas21+ grown and sexy night.” cots dressed as smiling fish and a police rock band, Thai authorities launched a “Happy Zone” at the weekend to improve the image of a city notorious for sex tourism.

Stung by foreign headseOul, MarcH 26 (IaNs): North Korea on Sunday warned South Korea and the US against any attempt to lines portraying the seastage a “special operation” to hit the Pyongyang lead- side resort of Pattaya as “Sin ership and military installations, including the nuclear City” and “The World’s Sex Capital”, Thailand’s junta arms base.

A North Korean military statement said it was ready has begun a new effort to to “mercilessly smash the enemy’s moves... now that the re-brand it.

But the contradictions sinister aim of the US imperialists and the South Korean War maniacs’ ‘special operation’ to hurt the dignity of the in Pattaya highlight ThaiDPRK’s (Noth Korea) supreme leadership has become land’s challenge in tackling clear, and they disclosed even the dangerous attempt at a side of its tourist industry that remains economically ‘preemptive attack’”.

The military accused the US and South Korea of being vital while being officially “busy staging madcap joint military drills for aggression excoriated.

“I want people to see involving more than 300,000 troops, US nuclear carrier Carl Vinson and B-1B and other nuclear strategic assets”, that we are not like what they say. We are not allowYonhap news agency reported.

“The situation has reached an extreme phase which ing prostitution in these entertainment places,” should not be overlooked,” the statement said.

It urged Washington and Seoul to think twice about provincial governor Pakthe catastrophic consequences to be entailed by their karatorn Teianchai told reporters on the infamous outrageous military actions.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff in a response Walking Street in Pattaya, warned North Korea of consequences of its provocation. southeast of Bangkok.

Less than 10 metres “If the North provokes, our military will sternly retaliate as we have prepared and ensure such an action leads (yards) away, women acto self-destruction,” Army Gen. Lee Sun-jin said in a state- costed foreign men to offer sex for 2,000 baht ($60). ment.

On March 13, combined forces of South Korea and the Others lined up with numUS kicked off the annual command post exercise, follow- bers so customers could ing the launch on March 1 of the joint field training drill take their pick. Masseuses in miniskirts offered with the code-name of Foal Eagle.

North Korea has denounced the joint military exer- “happy ending” massages whose euphemistic title cises as a dress rehearsal for northward invasion.

Boiko Borisov, 57, only narrowly ahead of the Socialists (BSP), who have seen their popularity rise since the candidate they backed, Rumen Radev, won the presidency in November.

Voting in the country of 7.2 million people got underway at 7 a.m (0400 GMT) on Sunday with the turnout by 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) 8.4 percent, slightly up from the previous parliamentary vote in 2014, the central electoral commission said.

Borisov resigned in the wake of Radev’s victory, triggering Bulgaria’s third parliamentary election in just four years.

While Bulgaria historically has had strong ties with Moscow, Borisov’s GERB party is strongly pro-EU and has supported the bloc’s sanctions imposed on Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis.

“BSP is quite right. Who, if not Bulgaria, should be Russia’s clos-

est partner? Why don’t we remember what Russia did?” said Georgi Kasabov, a 69-year-old pensioner.

“It liberated us, it helped us build so many factories,” Kasabov said, referring to the end of Ottoman rule in 1878 and industrial development during the Communist era.

The Socialists, led by 48-yearold Kornelia Ninova, have vowed to vote against continuing the sanctions, posing another potential headache for the EU as it grapples with Britain’s move to leave, the rise of right-wing populists and the future shape of the bloc.

Bulgaria takes over the EU’s rotating six-month presidency in January 2018.

“The GERB party, to a much greater extent, will maintain Bulgaria’s Euro-Atlantic orientation and integration,” said Boriana Dimitrova, an analyst with poll-

ster Alpha Research.

“If Bulgaria begins giving up on participation in a number of EU integration policies, underlining its specific interest and privileged relations with Russia, that wouldn’t just put it on Europe’s periphery, it would move it into a different orbit.”

FRAGILE COALITION The latest opinion poll put the GERB party on 31.7 percent and the Socialists close behind on 29.1 percent.

If it retains power, the GERB party is expected to maintain a tight rein on public spending – key to Bulgaria’s currency peg to the euro – in contrast to the Socialists who have pledged to raise wages and pensions and expand public spending.

“GERB deserves another chance to complete the good things it started,” said voter Radoslava Kamenova, 57, after cast-

ing her ballot in a Sofia suburb polling station.

“It is a modern party, which takes care of the young who are the future of this country,” she added.

Neither party, however, is likely to win enough votes to govern alone and will struggle to form what analysts expect to be a fragile and diverse coalition.

They will almost certainly have to court the United Patriots, an alliance of three nationalist parties polling third before the election thanks to widespread anger over the flow of migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia trying to reach Western Europe via the Balkans.

On Friday, the nationalists blocked Bulgaria’s border crossings with Turkey, saying they would stop Turks who hold Bulgarian passports from trying to vote to sway the election.

“Sin City” tag frustrates Thai junta

N Korea warns US, S Korea against targeting leadership

has nothing to do with the Happy Zone of the authorities.

“Everyone is here to make a living,” said one 35-year-old woman who came originally from a village in central Thailand.

Tagged with the number “136”, she declined to give her name.

“I would rather be a waitress, but then I couldn’t send my children to school and I want them to have a better future than this,” she said.

In fact, sex tourism is not growing as fast as other aspects of Thailand’s tourist industry - the only bright spot for an economy whose expansion has been by far the slowest among major Southeast Asian economies since the 2014 coup.

No official figures show its scale.

But there is an indication in the balance of male to female visitors. In 2012, there were nearly 6 men for every 4 women. In 2015, the numbers were pretty much even, according to figures provided to Reuters by the tourism ministry.

Sex tourism began in Pattaya when it became an R&R spot for U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War, though prostitution is just as evident in parts of Bang-

kok and other resorts.

The number of female sex workers in Thailand was put at over 120,000 in a 2014 UNAIDS report. Some estimates run to double that and not all the women who get paid for sex are fulltime prostitutes.

Given a 305 baht ($8.80) a day minimum wage, the chance of earning several times more is an obvious lure, particularly in poorer rural regions.

CRACKDOWN The latest of many crackdowns in Pattaya happened after foreign newspaper reports last month, which drew an angry response from junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, for whom bringing order is a mantra.

A handful of bars were raided. Bar owners and working women were fined. Scared to venture out, tourists looking for sex stayed in hotels. Street vendors and shops saw sales tumble. The money which flows to all levels in the city - including law enforcement agencies - fell off.

The Happy Zone approach is a softer way to try to show that something is being done. If it works on Walking Street, the idea will be spread to the less sani-

Women dance in a go-go bar in Pattaya, Thailand March 25, 2017. (REUTERS Photo)

tised side streets - the sois.

Businesses in the Happy Zone are asked to make the area feel safer, there are increased security patrols, police launched a mobile phone app for visitors to summon them in emergency.

“This is a pioneer project to organise a tourist destination and elevate it to promote Thailand’s quality tourism,” Apichai Krob-

petch, chief of Pattaya city police, told Reuters. “We will also stamp out prostitution in the area.”

There was no sign of that at the weekend.

In fact, Pattaya’s sex industry has become an attraction in its own right for the millions of Chinese who make up about one in three visitors to Thailand.

Led by guides with pennants, the Chinese

tour groups thread quickly along Walking Street, past the go-go bars and the beer bars where young Thai women sit down with foreign men.

They only pause to take pictures. “We just came here to see. That’s all,” laughed twentysomething saleswoman Linda Sieng in a group of 11 tourists from Guaghzhou in southern China.

10

MONDAY 27•03•2017

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

De Kock bats through Wizards shine; Clippers, pain to to have Test even Raptors clinch playoff spots

LOS ANGELES, MARCH 26 (AFP): John Wall tallied 37 points as the Washington Wizards defeated LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers 127-115, tightening the race atop the Eastern Conference standings on Saturday night.

The Wizards now trail the Boston Celtics by two games and the defending NBA champion Cavaliers by 2 1/2 for first place. Also, Cleveland's lead over Boston is now just a half-game.

Wall delivered 18 of his 37 points in the first quarter shooting eight-of-eight from the field.

"You don't want to go into the playoffs knowing you have to face those guys and you never won against them in the regular season," Wall said. "To come here and win in a tough place, it's definitely a boost."

Bradley Beal added 27 points for the Wizards, who are now 19-7 when all five starters score in double figures.

Superstar James shook off the eye injury suffered Friday night to score 24 points, grab 11 rebounds, and hand out eight assists.

"I haven't been in too much light the last 24 hours, I mean all day since I got home last night and today I stayed away from it because it was bothering me a little bit too much," said James, who suffered a corneal abrasion to his right eye.

"But I kind of warmed up to it, so that's a good sign."

James started Satur-

14 and DeAndre Jordan grabbed 15 rebounds for the Clippers. Joe Johnson came off the bench to score 17 for the Jazz.

John Wall of the Washington Wizards drives past Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Quicken Loans Arena (AFP Photo)

day's contest wearing plastic goggles but took them off with about three minutes left in the first quarter.

James needed seven assists to pass Maurice Cheeks (7,392) for 12th place in NBA history, which he reached with his first assist in the fourth quarter.

Elsewhere, Jamal Crawford came off the bench to score a game-high 28 points and power the Los

Angeles Clippers over Utah 108-95.

The Clippers improved to 44-30, moving within onehalf game of the Jazz (44-29) for fourth place in the Western Conference and clinching a playoff berth for the sixth season in a row.

The teams would be first-round playoff foes if they keep their spots with the superior record conveying a home-court edge

in the series.

French centre Rudy Gobert scored 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Jazz, who lost to the Clippers for the third time in four meetings so far this season and the 18th time in the team's past 20 meetings.

Gobert also stretched his streak of games with at least one blocked shot to 41.

Blake Griffin had 15 points, Chris Paul added

- Selfish players hurt Jazz After the game Gobert blasted some of his teammates for putting more importance on padding their scoring stats than trying to win games. He did not mention any names.

"We've got guys that compete, but some of us don't compete. Some of us just think about scoring," Gobert said of Utah's fourth loss in its past five games.

"That's what it is.

"I think everybody needs to think about making plays for the team, making winning plays, before thinking about how many points we're going to score and stuff like that."

"There's going to be some games where you don't score. But are you going to take a charge for a teammate?"

In Dallas, the visiting Toronto Raptors clinched a playoff spot with a 9486 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center arena.

Toronto won their 44th game of the season and their fifth in a row as they head home to begin an important string of four games at Air Canada Centre.

DeMar DeRozan, coming off consecutive 40-point games, and forward Serge Ibaka each scored 18 points to lead the Raptors. DeRozan was eight of 17 from the floor with six assists.

FIFA expresses satisfaction over Guwahati stadium for U-17 World Cup GUWAHATI, MARCH 26 (IANS): A delegation of the world football governing body FIFA, accompanied by members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), on Sunday visited the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here to assess the preparedness of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup venue.

The delegation was pleased with the preparations at the venue and the eagerness shown by the Assam government, accord-

ing to a release.

Addressing the media after the inspection, FIFA Head of Events Jaime Yarza was happy with the progress at the venue.

"The state government is wonderful and their eagerness to be a great venue for the first FIFA tournament in the country is worth lauding. We know how passionate the supporters are in this part of the country and hence, we're very happy to see the developments and prepa-

rations here in Guwahati," he said.

"There are minor issues to sort out -- like development of a new hotel for teams but I believe we are well on schedule for the tournament."

Tournament Director of the LOC, Javier Ceppi, was also pleased with the progress shown.

"The state government of Assam has really taken the leadership when it comes to making the World Cup a huge effort in

their state. We are already working on all operational and promotional matters to make sure that all the people of Assam and of the neighbouring north-eastern states can enjoy World Cup matches in the north-east," Ceppi reckoned.

Speaking about the venue which includes the stadium as well as training sites, he added: "The development in the stadium is very satisfactory and we are sure that the FIFA U-17

World Cup will do justice to the vision of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of making Guwahati the sports capital of India."

Also present at the venue were Assam Sports Department Commissioner Ajay Tewari, Assam Football Association President Hemendra Nath Brahma and LOC Project Director Joy Bhattacharjya.

The delegation will finish their weeklong inspection at Kolkata on Monday.

Quinton de Kock of South Africa takes a shot on the day two of the third Test cricket match between New Zealand and South Africa at Seddon Park in Hamilton on March 26, 2017. (Getty Images)

HAMILTON, MARCH 26 (AFP): Quinton de Kock batted through the pain of a damaged finger to bolster South Africa with a defiant 90 as the deciding Test against New Zealand was evenly poised at the end of day three in Hamilton on Sunday.

In the rain disrupted Test, New Zealand were 67 without loss at stumps, with a rejuvenated Tom Latham on 42, in reply to South Africa's 314.

The injured De Kock and previously out-of-form Latham were the individual stars in the deciding Test with South Africa 1-0 up and New Zealand needing a win to draw the series.

De Kock, playing with damaged ligaments in his right index finger, went to the middle with South Africa 148 for five and he held the innings together while the bottom half of the batting order added a further 166.

South African batting coach Neil McKenzie described de Kock as "a unique player" who needed painkillers to get through the day.

"We're threatening to get bowled out for around 200 and he comes and gets a really quality 90," McKenzie said.

"There's a few tablets,

PUBLIC DISCOURSE

Customary law – review needed?

Sedevi Angami

I

Dimapur

have been struggling with the understanding of Naga customary law. I have also been trying to read as much about it. On several discussions with lawyers and sociologists, the same issues pop up.

• It is not codified and difficult to do so.

• It is very heterogenous – varies from tribe to tribe and village to village • To get a unified homogenous, user friendly and just law that is acceptable to all sections of Naga society is a huge task • There are good possibilities of it being biased and subjective.

We all understand the benefits of customary law as well as the problems with it. If we have lived for a reasonable time in Nagaland, we have been affected or benefited from it sometime or the other.

The Indian legal system can be expensive, exhausting, difficult to access or the proceedings gets prolonged indefinitely at times. It is coded, comprehensive, objective, rational and time tested. However, like any man made system, it is not foolproof and can be manipulated by the rich and powerful.

The customary law practices are more accessible, user friendly, less expensive and rapid in dispensation of justice. On several occasions, it has protected us from being overrun by the mainland. However, it is also not foolproof and can be manipulated or biased and subjective. It is not comprehensive enough and open to a wide range of interpretation due to its oral nature of transmission.

The questions that arise are • Shouldn’t any law be codified and standardized?

• Who is the guardian/ custodian of Customary law?

• What is the court of appeal when we feel that some injusticehas been dispensed by customary courts?

• What is the jurisdiction of customary law? Does it cover everything that Naga society undergoes? What does it not cover? What is the geographical area of coverage? Can my village law cover me if I live in Dimapur or in Shillong?

• What is the training provided to the guardians of customary law?

Is there a standard curriculum for training like the LLB or LLM? Is training necessary at all?

• If it is transmitted by word of mouth, could there be a mis-transmission in the process. How do we safeguard against this?

• Is the customary law infallible? Where are the gaps in the customary law?

• Is customary law always just?

• Is it biased towards a particular gender and unfair towards another?

• Can it be amended in times to come or do we continue with it 200 years from now? Naga society is fast changing. Would my great great grandfather’s wisdom in his original context be relevant to us in a globalized, different world 50 years from now?

• What is the process of amendment?

Who should amend it?

• When is a good time to get it amended and under what circumstances should this be done? What should the process of amendment look like?

• What is the criteria for excommunication? Who has the right to ex-

communicate? Village chief/council or Tribal Hoho?

• What is range of issues for which a person should be excommunicated.

Would it be adultery, drug peddling, murder, deceit, theft, marrying out of the clan’s norms, refusal to vote for the village choice for a certain candidate or just being antiestablishment? Is there a role for a difference of opinion and freedom of speech under customary law? Do we all have to conform compulsorily?

• In olden times, Naga villages were sovereign, fiercely independent and did not come under any other authority. We did not have towns.

Tribes were not aggregated together under one group/ Hoho. Can the tribal Hoho now take authority over the village council? With the bewildering present number of organizations coming up, who really represents the Nagas?

• In Naga Christian society, would some of the customary laws actually be against Christian principles?

• Naga society is still partly animistic though a very small minority.

Can customary law be recreated in a way that is comprehensive and covers both groups of people?

• When do we apply customary law and when do we apply the Indian legal system? Is there a role for having a hybrid system that is unique for Naga society?

• What has happened to other cultures around the world who have customary law? Do they retain and hold on to it in its original form or do they also adapt and evolve in their customary laws?

The number of questions are many and will continue. I am sure others

will have several more unanswered questions to ask.

Most folks I have met agree that there needs to be some sort of codification and standardization required.

The status quo cannot continue.

There has to be courage to face this head on and take up the challenge of restructuring customary law.

Customary law has a lot of good useful stuff, which should not be thrown away.

The issue is who should take up the task of restructuring customary law in a way that is acceptable, just, objective and comprehensive.

Should it be a combination of the Church, expert lawyers, anthropologists, researchers and sociologists?I do not know.

My suggestion is if the Bar association of Nagaland or the church initiate the process, that would be a starter. Finally, the Government of the day needs to take responsibility.

I would suggest that an expert group initiated by the Government composed of Naga scholars – both within and abroad, credible intellectuals, lawyers, Church, sociologists start the process by recording the spectrum of customary law across Naga society, tribes and villages.

They can then draft an initial document and invite debate or opinions from Naga society before finalizing on a proper codified standard.

The task will be huge and so if they could start by at least embarking on 10 most contentious issues in Naga society today, that would be a beginning.

Not to do so would be postponing inevitable future chaos. Especially when the present generation of experts in customary law have moved on.

anti-antiinflammatories and that sort of stuff but Quinton doesn't mind he just gets on with it.

"But I definitely see he was very uncomfortable."

Latham, who managed 24 in total in three previous innings in the series, put his string of low scores behind him to ensure a positive start to Zealand's reply with Jeetan Raval who was 25 not out at stumps.

New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen said Latham was buoyed by a standout performance in the field highlighted by an instinctive catch at short leg to remove Faf du Plessis.

"I think the game's evenly poised. The two openers have set us up with a good start," Jurgensen said.

Latham "got a lot of confidence from his fielding. He took that into his batting today. He's got some confidence".

Just as de Kock's 91 in the first innings in Wellington set South Africa up for an eight-wicket victory, he again tormented New Zealand with his trouble-free approach.

- Smart fielding His 90 came off only 118 balls, highlighting why captain Faf du Plessis was determined to have him play despite the wicketkeeper-

batsman's injury.

He hit 11 fours and two huge sixes, one off New Zealand's best performed bowler Matt Henry and one off Jeetan Patel, as he dominated the off-spinner who had claimed his wicket cheaply in the drawn first Test.

But 10 runs short of his century he played across the line to Neil Wagner and was out lbw.

South Africa resumed the day at 123 for four and after Henry removed Temba Bavuma for 29, du Plessis progressed to 53 before a smart piece of fielding by Latham at short leg.

On the third ball of Mitch Santner's opening over, Latham anticipated du Plessis was going to sweep and before the shot was played he was moving to his right where he flung out an arm to take the close-range catch.

Latham took another classy catch, just above ground level to his right at second slip to remove Vernon Philander for 11 off Henry.

Henry equalled his career best figures with four for 93, while Neil Wagner, who took three for an expensive 104, ended the South Africa innings with the wicket of the hard-hitting Kagiso Rabada who scored 34 off 31 deliveries.

The NPSC Trap

Y

Kevitho Kera

ou have been good in studies ever since you were a kid. You have passed out high school first class and also 10 +2 with first class. You went ahead and graduated with first class again. You are fresh out of college and you get the first whiff of the NPSC calling. You have seen a smart young Dysp in town with a driver and a bodyguard with a gleaming black AK 47 rifle, the three stars on his shoulder, the beret on his head and his black aviator he is donning has planted the first seeds on your heart.

You prepare half heartedly for your first attempt and lo! And behold!

You have failed to clear prelims. Your first taste of failure in life. The first signs of disappointment you see in your parent's faces. You can't believe it. You are supposed to be good in studies but why ?

Reality kicks in and you buy your first TATA MCGRAW Hills handbook.

You stopped hanging out with your friends and you hear the all too familiar sayings, “Officer hoile saathi bishi pabo ". You have broken up with your girlfriend and again you hear them say, “Officer hoile maiki sundur bhorta pabo ". You cut off social activities and you bury your head into the book.

The next attempt you have cleared prelims. Now your villagers and relatives spreads around the word that you are the next big thing from your village. “He will surely become an EAC and make our village proud ". The pressure has started building. But sadly you failed to clear Mains Exam.

You can't understand why? This time you also buy Spectrum handbook and a myriad of other books.

You go around asking for advices.

The obsession has begun. You devour Morung Express in the morning during breakfast. You stop eating properly. You stopped going to Church. You are becoming eccentric.

Yes you have cleared Mains exam in your next attempt and is going to face the Interview boards. Now let me stop here.

Some goes and clears the interview and become officers. Some become Secretariat assistants and below. But only a few succeeds. Some fails to clear and becomes depressed and frustrated and becomes overage. They have missed out on other exams like bank exams, CAPF exams, etc... Life has taken a beating.

He has become a loser, he lost interest in life and eventually becomes an alcoholic.

Why did I write this article? My friends, if NPSC is really your calling don't give up, i say give it till you are 35. But if it is not your dream but someone else's dream imposed on you. Stop and pause. What exactly is your passion you ask yourself. Music?

Carpentry? Am just naming these two for examples. I say follow your passion. Live your dream by following your passion. Government jobs is not everything. White collared jobs is not everything. There are so many Nagas who are following their passion and enjoying it to the fullest. Very soon corporate world will be the in thing in Nagaland. Come down to Dimapur and start a business or something related to your passion. Get out of the NPSC Trap !!!

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 27•03•2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Not leaving Bollywood for Hollywood, says Deepika

A

ctor Deepika Padukone, who made her debut in Hollywood with xXx: Return of Xander Cage in 2017, says working in the West is an extension of her creativity and talent, adding that she will never forget her roots. “I am very well aware of my home and my roots, so that’s never going to change. I look at it (working in Hollywood) as an extension of my creativity and the ability to work in a different environment with different people,” Deepika said in a statement.

She added: “But I think that the people in the film industry come together to tell amazing stories to touch and influence lives through the work that we do and that was one such opportunity for me.” The actor talked about her career when she was honoured with the Entertainment Leader of the Year Award at the 12th edition of CNBC-TV18 India Business Leader Awards, held on Thursday night in New Delhi.

When asked to pick between superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Hollywood a c tion icon Vin Diesel, Deepika said: “Both.”

The actor, who made her foray into Bollywood in 2007 with Om Shanti Om, went on to say that Shah Rukh gave her the platform in Bollywood, and on the other hand she started her career in Hollywood with Diesel.

The Piku star shared that her finances are managed by her father Prakash Padukone, also a celebrated badminton player. She said that he takes care of the investments while her focus is only her work. Deepika will next be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati, which also features Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor.

Source: IANS

Liam Payne and Cheryl welcome baby boy

Iron Fist REVIEW: Boring, tiresome and tedious

M

C M Y K

arvel’s Iron Fist is deadly — in all the wrong ways.

Quite a few dramas in the streaming arena have pacing problems, and even Netflix’s better Marvel programs have displayed an affinity for contrived, time-killing subplots.

But Iron Fist is the most frustrating and ferociously boring example of Netflix Drift in some time.

Not one element of this plodding piece works. The action scenes lack spark, snap, and originality. None of the flat, by-the-numbers characters makes any lasting impression. And as origin stories go, the tale of Danny Rand (Finn Jones), at least as rendered by this creative team, is about as exciting as watching paint dry.

It takes forever for anything to happen on “Iron Fist,” and as it stumbles along, the uninspired production design, unexceptional cinematography, and painful dialogue fail to distract the viewer from the overall lack of depth, detail, or momentum.

The foundations of Iron Fist are very familiar, but, of course, that’s not necessarily an obstacle to the success of a big-screen or small-screen comic-book story. Given a bit of verve and originality, not to mention excellent casting, even the most well-worn grooves of a superhero story can provide enjoyment or, at the very least, competent escapism.

But this time around, the pillars of the Iron Fist story aren’t given much of anything except a very slow rollout. The once-wealthy Rand is the hollow center of a fish-out-of-water tale: He has been presumed dead for 15 years when he returns to Manhattan to reclaim the legacy of his parents, who are also thought to have perished in a plane crash. We get repetitive scenes of characters not believing that Rand is Rand (and pointing out that he’s forgotten to wear shoes), but there’s not much point in making this TV show if the lead character isn’t Rand, and that fact helps drain the early installments of any suspense.

The story of a rich young orphan who is called to a higher purpose or acquires superpowers is a pop-culture scenario

that’s been seen many times before, but everything from The Lego Batman Movie to the early seasons of Arrow are proof that, in the right hands, there’s life in that premise. Jones, however, is so bland and charisma-free in the lead role that one longs for scenes in which Jessica Henwick turns up as a martial arts instructor. But Henwick, who is saddled with an underwritten role, and fellow cast member David Wenham, who was great in Top of the Lake, can’t free this show from the atmosphere of dry, meandering tedium that continually envelops it.

Why couldn’t Henwick be the star of Iron Fist? Or another actor of Asian descent? After all, part of what made Jessica Jones and Luke Cage stand out were the distinct identities and concerns their protagonists carried into battle.

Imagine an Iron Fist in which an Asian actor with a great deal of presence and real fighting chops (which Jones lacks) plays a man trying to reclaim his business empire from a group of white characters who don’t trust him and underestimate his skills. Those kinds of social, political, and moral clashes among specific characters and cultures could have amped up the drama — assuming the episodes didn’t take forever to establish relationships and dilemmas.

Even if you can put aside issues of cultural appropriation — and the hamfisted Iron Fist doesn’t make that easy, given that it feeds its yoga-bro lead character a series of inert lines about Shaolin wisdom and Buddhist teachings — this superhero drama just feels inessential.

“If you want to see the truth, then hold no opinions,” Rand intones at one point. Well, it’s part of this gig to issue assessments, and the truth is, Iron Fist is as disposable as aluminum foil.

Find the Skid Reviewer at: www youtube.com/theskidreviewer www.facebook.com/theskidreviewer And at Instagram at the_skid_reviewer (The Skid Reviewer is a YouTube channel run by two comic book fans from Nagaland who make videos about anything that catches their fancy)

T

he One Direction singer took to his Instagram page on Saturday (25.03.17) to share a picture of himself cradling the newborn baby. He wrote: ''My close friends and family know there are very few times when I'm left speechless... wow! ''I'm incredibly happy to welcome our new baby boy into the world, it's a moment that I will never forget for the rest of my life and my favourite memory I have so far. ''I'm completely in awe of his incredible mother and how she has been the whole way through this, she's really made my dreams come true. We haven't named him yet but he's already capturing hearts including mine. I feel very blessed. ''Happy Mother's Day everyone! (sic).''

Cheryl, 33, also shared the picture, revealing that the tot was born three days previously. She wrote: ''On Wednesday 22nd March Liam and I became parents to

an incredibly beautiful, healthy baby boy, weighing 7lb 9 and looking like a dream. Although he still doesn't have a name he is already stealing hearts. We are all madly in love and overwhelmingly happy with our little arrival. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers around the world. A day that now has a different meaning to me forever (sic).''

Liam, 23, recently gushed about his ''dream girl'' Cheryl and said this is a ''precious time'' for them both.

He said: ''This is the thing. In a non-cliché way, it's weird waking up every day and literally living out your dream.

You wake up in the most beautiful places. ''Obviously I have the most beautiful girlfriend in the world and she's absolutely amazing. She's been my dream girl since I was younger. She's so ace. ''We're super happy. It's a very personal, precious time for us.''

S

Source: PTI

REVISED TICKET RATES (Silver) : `.120 (Gold) : `. 200 (Recliner) : `. 400

10:40 AM, 03:10 PM & 07:55 PM

Source: Contactmusic

Ed Sheeran saves young beating victim in Liberia

E

d Sheeran dug deep during his recent Comic Relief trip to Africa, paying for a hotel to rescue six children from abuse.

The singer presented his film about life for the impoverished children of Liberia as part of Britain's Red Nose Day telethon on Friday (24Mar17) and then revealed he couldn't just shoot the footage and chat to the kids, many of whom had been raped and beaten.

In one touching clip, he sobbed as a young girl called Peaches, who had lost her father during the Ebola crisis, sang to him. "The last thing I always wanted this trip to be was be a celebrity that comes to Africa and cries on TV," he said.

"I really wanted to come

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away saying everything is positive and everything is great and then I was just singing with that girl and she was all smiling and then she started crying.

"Her dad taught her how to sing and she got really choked up about it. I watch Comic Relief every single year and this is always what celebrities do."

Viewers watched as the emotional Shape Of You singer, 26, fought back tears and debated what he could do to help the troubled desperate, young Africans after meeting a young boy being beaten by an older man.

He opted to pay for the boy and his five friends to be housed in a nearby hotel and schooled.

Harry Styles' announces debut solo record

inger Harry Styles has teased his new music with a mysterious video. The former One Direction star is set to debut his solo single next month, according to a 30 second-long clip which aired in the UK on March 25, reported Billboard. At the end of the video, the singers eyes gaze into the camera, just before the date April 7 flashes on the screen.

Styles announcement came after iHeartRadio DJ Elvis Duran revealed he had heard the single and said it would be released in April. Styles, 23, signed a solo recording contract with Columbia Records, the same label behind his former band.

NOW SHOWING

"It doesn't matter how much it costs," he said. Earlier in the evening, Sheeran got this year's (17) Red Nose Day telethon off to a great start by kissing comedian Greg Davies after the funnyman insisted Comic Relief rules stated the event's musical guest had to kiss the tallest host.

Source: Contactmusic

Ward 5 (6) Burma Camp, Landmark - Near J.K Hospital Dimapur.

Power House.

Hillstar NOW SHOWING PHILLAURI

By:

Vikheho Swu

(Cabinet Minister, Government of Nagaland)

Khesheli Chishi

(OSD & Principal Secretary, Department of Justice & Law, Government of Nagaland)

YouthNet

Clean Election : Framing the issues in Nagaland Please note: Registration is free but seats are reserved on a first-call/email, first-serve basis. This advertisement is an official invite to anyone willing to participate.

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: Saturday, April 8, 2017 : 12:00 pm – 03:00 pm : DABA Elim Hall Duncan Bosti, Dimapur

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The Morung Lectures is an initiative of The Morung for Indigenous Affairs & Just Peace, and The Morung Express

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MONDAY 27•03•2017

SPORTS

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

Sebastian Vettel breaks Ferrari's F1 drought with victory at Aussie GP

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany (C) celebrates alongside Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain (L) and team mate Valtteri Bottas of Finland. (Reuters Photo)

C M Y K

MELBOURNE, MARCH 26 (AP): Sebastian Vettel jumped onto the podium at the Australian Grand Prix and held up his right index finger, celebrating the end of Ferrari's Formula One drought and a break in the Mercedes dominance.

It was back to No. 1 for Ferrari, at least after one race to open the season.

Ferrari hadn't won an F1 GP since Vettel's victory in Singapore in September 2015, and so his unrestrained joy on Sunday signaled renewed confidence from him.

“For now, we're just over the moon,” four-time world champion Vettel said after holding off Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. “It's

been a great day for us. The team has been working so hard at the track as much as back at the factory. It's a great feeling.”

“Grazie mille,” he added, a nod to the Italian manufacturer, “you can't say much more.”

With regulations designed to make the 2017 F1 cars faster - wider tires, greater aerodynamics, bigger fuel loads and increased downforce - Vettel proved Ferrari's extra pace in preseason testing was genuine.

“It's good to know we have a great car but it's just the beginning ... with new regulations, a new generation of cars,” Vettel said.

“Mercedes have a great engine and a great car the last couple of years - we're the

ones who've had to catch up.

Whatever happens this year, the race today doesn't hurt.”

Vettel finished in 1 hour, 24 minutes and 11.672 seconds, almost 10 seconds clear of Hamilton, to give Ferrari its first win in Australia since Kimi Raikkonen took the title in 2007. Raikkonen, in the second Ferrari, finished fourth this year.

For the second year running, Hamilton started on pole position at the Albert Park circuit and placed second. Last year, he lost to then Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, who went on to edge him for the world championship before retiring. This time, Vettel took the lead when Hamilton pitted for new tires on lap 18 and then got stuck

in traffic behind Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.

Vettel was able to pit much later and gradually build up his lead as Hamilton drove conservatively on older tires to ensure he finished the race.

“That's motor racing,” Hamilton said of the holdup, adding it was his decision to pit and change tires.

“A big congratulations to Sebastian and Ferrari.

“This shows we've got a real race on our hands this season and it's a challenge we will relish. It's going to be great for the fans.”

Mercedes won 19 of the 21 GPs last season, and Red Bull won the other two. But Red Bull was well off the pace in Melbourne, with Verstappen placing fifth - almost 29 seconds behind Vettel - and local hope Daniel Ricciardo failing to finish.

In fact, the Australian driver almost didn't start.

Ricciardo's day started badly and kept getting worse as he got a grid penalty, missed the start after a mechanical failure in the warmup, and then retired after 28 laps.

He was among seven drivers who retired during the race. Former champion Fernando Alonso continued to struggle in his McLaren, retiring on the 50th of 57 laps, while 18-year-old Canadian rookie Lance Stroll was handed a grid penalty after needing an unscheduled gearbox change after a crash in practice and was

wayward in his 40 laps on debut for Williams.

Felipe Massa earned points for Williams with a sixth-place finish, while Force India teammates Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon were 7th and 10th in their pink cars and finished either side of Toro Rosso drivers Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat.

Antonio Giovinazzi placed 12th on his F1 debut for Sauber, a late replacement after Pascal Wehrlein withdrew following the opening practice sessions on Friday.

“I want to thank Sauber and Scuderia Ferrari for this opportunity,” Giovinazzi said. “It was an amazing race weekend for me.”

Ferrari leads the constructors' standings by four points from Mercedes, with Formula One moving to Shanghai next month for the Chinese Grand Prix.

“Overall, I think not a disaster, first race weekend with the team,” said Bottas, who joined Mercedes for 2017 as a replacement for Rosberg. “It's good to start with a podium this season and with a new team. Every position is important for the championship itself.”

Hamilton set the lap record with his qualifying run to take pole on Saturday, and there were expectations that the cars would go faster Sunday. But Michael Schumacher's racing lap record from 2004 stood up, with Hamilton predicting the 2017 cars would go faster as the year progressed.

SASRD holds 4th Inter-Class Outdoor C’ships 2 Russian football fans stabbed in Serbia

MEDZIPHEMA,MARCH 26 (MExN): Nagaland University, SASRD campus, Medziphema under the aegis of the Student’s Union of SASRD held the 4th Interclass outdoor games championship from March 18 to 23 on the theme: “Into Oneness, onto Victory”.

Seven classes competed in the various games which played included football, basketball and volleyball. At the end of the tournament, the M.Sc 1st Year (Osiris) emerged as the overall champion while the B.Sc 2nd Year (Infinitos) and B.Sc 4th Year (Au-

dacia) bagged the first and second runners up respectively.

Individual award for the title “MVP of the tournament” was awarded to Bikram Ghimere in the men’s category while Wonchibeni N. Odyuo won the award in the women’s category.

India frustrated as Lyon bites back

BELGRADE, March 26 (AP): Two Russian fans have been hospitalized with serious injuries after being stabbed following a friendly soccer match between Red Star Belgrade and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said Sunday police were looking for the knife-wielding perpetrators who attacked a group of Lokomotiv fans in downtown Belgrade late Saturday.

Serbian media reports said the Russian fans were attacked by supporters of Red Star's rival Partizan Belgrade. The match, which Red Star won 2-1, was meant to promote Serbia's traditional friendship with Russia.

Serbia has seen a surge of fan violence inside and outside stadiums. In 2009, a French football fan was fatally beaten in Belgrade.

Change in sports infrastructure soon: Khekaho

Parliamentary Secretaries Khekaho Assumi, Kriehu Liezietsu and Managing Director NE United Football Club Randeep. (DIPR Photo)

DIMAPUR, MARCH 26 (DIPR): Parliamentary Secretary Sports & Youth Resources, Khekaho Assumi has informed that there will be tremendous changes in infrastructure, coaching camps, trainings, seminars etc once funds under the “Khelo India” project is approved by Niti Aayog – the country’s Planning Commission.

He also assured for equitable distribution of funds once the Khelo India scheme is approved.

‘Khelo India’ is a national programme which aims to promote sports at grassroots level and also help create sports infrastructure in the country.

Assumi was speaking during the inaugural of the Under-18 Futsal Tournament at the A1 Powerplay Arena.

Addressing a packed audience of sports-lovers, participating teams and well wishers, Assumi assured to take initiatives to ensure that sporting talents are tapped at the grassroots level. He added that broadbased ideas would be formulated to make sports sustainable and actionable.

The Parliamentary Secretary further expressed appreciation to the North East United Football Club for taking the initiative to come to Nagaland for scouting local talents,

thereby boosting the morale of youngsters in the State and making them discover the joy of football.

On the occasion, an exciting exhibition match to promote peace and Futsal was played between Young Naga Personalities and Western Sumi Student Leaders. The match ended 3-3.

Parliamentary Secretary MTF & Lotteries Kriehu Liezietsu was also present on the occasion.

All together 16 teams registered to play for the U 18 Futsal tournament. The tournament is an initiative of A1 Powerplay in collaboration with the Department of Youth Resources and Sports.

Grassroots Football Camp from today KOHIMA, MARCH 26 (MExN): A five day long Grassroots football coaching camp under the aegis of Nagaland Football Coaches Association will be held from March 27 to 31 at the State Stadium, near DC Court, Dimapur.

The inaugural function will begin at 3:00 pm on March 27. In this regard, players have been requested to report at the venue by 2:45 pm.

Earlier, the NFCA conducted orientation and refresher course for ‘D’ AIFF Certificates holders in Dimapur on March 25 last. The course was conducted by NFCA president Roko Angami, a former international & professional player and AFC Asian Football Confedera-

NFCA instructor Roko Angami at the practical session for Basic chest control during orientation and refresher course in Dimapur on March 25.

tion Licence Holder.

Altogether, 12 ‘D’ AIFF Certificates Holder Coaches attended the course programme. The coaches include: Ayeto Ayemi,

Bijoy Rongmei, Gaganpou, Zakie, Neizokhrielie, Likhumpi, James, Diethozotuo, Lanshailung, Brando Kamson, Olando, and Kadilinbo.

Ronaldo hits 70 int. goals, Dutch stunned in WCup qualifiers the other goals came naturally,'' Ronaldo told Portuguese television.

Portugal strengthened its hold on second place with 12 points, opening a gap over Hungary, which stayed with seven points in third.

Switzerland earned a fifth win in as many matches after beating Latvia 1-0 to remain on top of the group with 15 points.

Still stuck at the foot of the table, Andorra nevertheless savored the end to a losing streak that had lasted 58 competitive matches stretching over 11 years after drawing with Faroe Islands 0-0.

Joseph Wilson Associated Press

Nathan Lyon celebrates the dismissal of India's Cheteshwar Pujara during the second day of their fourth test in Dharmsala, March 26. (AP Photo)

DHARAMSALA, MARCH 26 (REUTERS): Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon claimed four wickets in the final session to halt India's progress and help restrict the hosts to 248 for six on the second day of the fourth and final test on Sunday.

At 157 for two, and with the dependable Cheteshwar Pujara and stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane looking set in the middle, India appeared to have the upper hand before Lyon (4-67) intervened after the tea break.

In the first over of the final session, Lyon sent back Pujara for 57 and went on to dismiss Karun Nair, Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin to deflate the hosts.

Ravindra Jadeja clobbered a couple of sixes and was batting on 16 at the close, while Wriddhiman Saha was on 10, having survived two reviews and a dropped catch.

India are still 52 runs behind Australia's first innings total of 300 in the de-

cider of the four-test series which is level at 1-1.

Pat Cummins and new ball colleague Josh Hazlewood were aggressive in the morning session on a pitch which offered wholesome bounce to the pacemen.

Hazlewood was rewarded for constantly attacking the line outside the off-stump when Murali Vijay edged him to Matthew Wade to depart for 11.

Fellow opener Lokesh Rahul, then on 10, edged Cummins but the ball brushed Matt Renshaw's finger tips at first slip before racing to the boundary.

Rahul was hit on the index finger of his right hand by a Hazlewood delivery but the right-hander recovered to score 60 and give India a strong start.

The 24-year-old left well, drove elegantly and slog-swept Steve O'Keefe for a six en route to his fifth half-century of the series.

The second-wicket partnership was worth 87 runs and was looking omi-

nous until Rahul went for a wild hook, with the bouncer hitting the toe end of his bat before finding David Warner at mid off.

Rahane found himself in the line of fire and the otherwise dependable batsman made things difficult for himself by trying to pull and hook his way out of trouble.

Pujara, who batted for more than 11 hours in the drawn third test in Ranchi for his 202, played with characteristic calmness at the other end and brought up his fifty with a boundary off Lyon.

The off-spinner claimed a major breakthrough when he ended Pujara's nearly three-and-half hour vigil by getting him caught at short leg.

Leading the side in absence of injured regular skipper Virat Kohli, Rahane fell to Lyon for 46 with Australia skipper Steve Smith taking a sharp catch at slip.

Ashwin made 30 before he was trapped leg-before

by Lyon.

While Cristiano Ronaldo kept moving up Europe's all-time scorers list on Saturday, a demoralizing loss to Bulgaria endangered the Netherlands' World Cup qualification.

With two goals in Portugal's 3-0 win over Hungary, Ronaldo moved into fourth place on the alltime scorers list for European nations.

Ronaldo's 70 in 137 appearances trail only Miroslav Klose (71), Sandor Kocsis (75) and Ferenc Puskas (84).

Here is a look at World Cup qualifiers in Europe: GROUP A Teenager Matthijs de Ligt's dream debut for the Netherlands quickly turned into a nightmare as he handed Bulgaria an early goal.

Just five minutes into the match De Ligt let a speculative ball fall over his shoulder before he collided with goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet, allowing Spas Delev to tap in.

Delev made it 2-0 in the 20th when he curled a shot past De Ligt's attempted block and into the bottom corner of Zoet's goal.

Injuries had forced coach Danni Blind to make the risky choice of De Ligt who, at 17, became the youngest Netherlands debutant since Mauk Weber in 1931.

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo shooting for the goal. (Reuters Photo)

After the stunning loss, the manager took the blame. ''I blame myself,'' Blind told national broadcaster NOS, adding that, ''It can't go on like this. Things have to change.''

The Netherlands, which failed to qualify for the European Championship last year, looks likely to struggle to reach the World Cup in Russia.

France stayed on top

of the group with 13 points after beating Luxembourg 3-1 thanks to Olivier Giroud's double and a penalty

by Antoine Griezmann.

Sweden is second with 10 points after thrashing Belarus 4-0. The Netherlands slid to fourth with seven points, behind Bulgaria with nine.

Silva.

The 21-year-old striker scored Portugal's opener in the 32nd before quickly getting Ronaldo on track.

Ronaldo struck both goals from outside the area, first slashing home a left-footer off Silva's pass, followed by a right-footed free kick from an angle to seal the win in Lisbon.

GROUP B ''We started off slowly, Ronaldo appears to have found his ideal part- but the first goal gave our ner up front for in Andre confidence a boost and

GROUP H Romelu Lukaku saved Belgium's place at the top of Group H, snatching a 1-1 draw in Brussels after being frustrated all night by an unyielding Greece defense. Lukaku chested down the fall and fired past goalkeeper Stefano Kapino with only two minutes of regular time remaining.

Greece finished the game with nine men, but surprised the favorites just 20 seconds into the second half when Costas Mitroglou caught defenders off guard and scored.

Belgium was left with 13 points to Greece's 11.

Bosnia closed to 10 points after a 5-0 rout of Gibraltar with zero points.

Estonia and Cyprus have four points each after a 0-0 draw.

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