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SaturDaY • March 04 • 2017
DIMAPUR • Vol. XII • Issue 60 • 12 PAGes • 5
T H e
ESTD. 2005
If you run after two hares you will catch neither The Morung Story: Rugged journey to a shared future
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Fire at puffed rice unit Morung Express news Dimapur | March 3
A fire razed a puffed rice making unit at Kuki Basti near the Signal Basti Evening market on March 3. The cause of the fire was reported to be an electrical short circuit. A bamboo structure, the house was completely burned before the flames were doused by Fire personnel. It took four Fire trucks around an hour to control the flames. There was no report of any casualty.
Strong winds snap power lines in Kohima our Correspondent Kohima | March 3
Strong winds lash the state capital Kohima and its adjoining areas today, snapping several power lines; and damaging billboards and banners. The winds lashed as fire service personnel managed to control two wild fires; one at Kisama, which was caused due to the burning of a transformer; and another at Forest Colony. The weather also forced the venue for the final volleyball matches of the ongoing ASA golden jubilee tournament to shift to the Indira Gandhi Stadium from Kohima Local Ground.
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— African Proverb
Course on ‘Landslide and debris flow systems’
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The Morung Express Poll QuEsTion
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Kohli assures of turnaround in remaining three Tests vs Aussies
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Prez backs reservation NagalaNd VisioN 2030 for women in Parliament Key areas for industrialization our Correspondent Kohima | March 3
The Nagaland State Government, in its Vision 2030 document, has highlighted several key areas on which the state can focus to develop industry, with agriculture and exploitation of mineral recourses as key focus areas. The document pointed out that the largest potential for industrialization is the rich mineral resources comprising of oil, coal, limestone, magnetite bearing nickel, cobalt and chromium, copper, zinc and recent reports of deposits of platinum. “These resources offer very high scope for development of mineral based industries,” it stated adding that the reported reserves of around 600 million metric tonnes of crude oil, 20 million metric tonnes of hydrocarbon, 315 million metric tonnes of coal reserves and 1, 038 metric tonnes of limestone mixed with decorative and dimensional stones have to be viewed seriously for exploitation. “Such exploitation will also lead to a number of ancillary mineral based industries that can be promoted in the state such as cement, hydrated lime, calcium carbide, bleaching powder, decorative dimensional stones, ceramic crockery. With regard to coal, the best approach would be to privatize the thermal power sector and open it up for private investment for generation of the much needed power in the state,” the vision document pointed out. However, the document said that the first possible area of industrialization in Nagaland is the initiation of specialization in agriculture and commercial scale production which will lead to processing that will eventually scale up agro based industries. “Farming in the state is organic
Coal deposit extracted from Mangkolemba subdivision area under Mokokchung district kept at a coal depot to be transported outside the state. According to Vision 2030 document, with at least 315 million metric tonnes of coal reserves, there is very high scope for development of this mineral industry in nagaland. (Morung Photo)
by default. This provides for a niche market for organic processed food products,” it pointed out. The document said that some potential food processing industries that can be promoted are: packaged cereal food items, canned fruits and vegetables, processed spices, with floriculture also being considered as a viable industry. It also observed that agro industry could include processing of the envisaged plantation crops such as rubber, tea and coffee. The state has 650 indigenous species of medicinal and aromatic plants identified so far. There are possibilities of existence of more high value bio-diverse flora in the state, it stated, while stressing on high value and low volume products that are defined as the basic ingredients for development of industries in the mountains. Promotion of medicinal and aromatic plants at commercial scale will eventually lead to pharmaceutical industry coming in the state as is happening in Sikkim,
the document observed. Honey production in the state is reported at 400 MT during 201415 and there is a production potential of 5000 MT that can be achieved by 2030. This, the document said, will be a substantial base for a honey based industry to flourish. With particular reference to bamboo, the revival of the Nagaland Pulp and Paper Company Limited (NPPC) needs urgent attention as there is a lot at stake, it observed. Apart from the direct income to bamboo farmers through the supply of 3 lakh MT of bamboo annually to the Paper Mill, the document also pointed to benefits accrued by the people involved in the ancillary activities such as its transportation and so on. The meat production industry was another focused on by the document, stating that one of the advantages that the state enjoys is that there is no sensitivity to various meats like in the other parts of the country. There is, therefore
large potential for the development of meat based industries as one of the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of the state, it observed. Further, it stated that Nagaland has enormous potential in raw silk production. The aim therefore is to increase silk production to 1, 700 MT by the end of the 12th Five Year Plan period. The handloom and the handicraft sector with special focus on basketry and loin loom; and the tourism industry were other sectors included in the document. The Apparel and Garment Making Centre at Dimapur has three production units with requisite machineries. With available modern technology and provision of adequate inputs customized with local traditional designs/materials, these units have the potential to cater to the niche market, it added. The document also pointed to the potential for the music and entertainment sectors to develop as an industry.
CHENNAI, MARCH 3 (PTI): No society can call itself civilised if it does not honour women, President Pranab Mukherjee said today as he emphasised on providing reservation for women in Parliament. Addressing a function here, Mukherjee said the recognition of women in the country’s growth has not been taken into account while calculating the GDP, which reflects the attitude of discrimination of the society. “It’s really a dichotomy in our society where we call women as a source of power, embodiment of motherhood. We worship women as deities. Our core civilisational values tell us to respect a woman. “But unfortunately, we are really disturbed when day-in and day-out we are confronted by news of brutalising of women. Sometimes we wonder. Today we are called as civilised society. Can any society be described as civilised if it doesn’t honour its women?” Mukherjee asked. “The primary objective of civilisational values is to respect the women but we still have to walk many miles to achieve it,” he said. The contribution which the women make is unique but it is not recognised, the President noted. “When we calculate our GDP (Gross Domestic Product), we take into account various factors. But we do not take into account the contributions made by our womenfolk in whatever capacity they may work.
“It is truly reflective of the attitude of discrimination and non-performance on behalf of the society,” the President said while inaugurating the centenary celebrations of Women’s Indian Association. He said despite equal rights, the representation of women in Lok Sabha is just 11.3 per cent against the global average of 22.8 per cent. Mukherjee said without appropriate reservations, representation of women will be difficult to achieve on basis of voluntary actions by political parties and institutions, as reservations provide Constitutional guarantees and earmarking of constituencies to be represented by women. He said in order to have true representation of women in all decision-making bodies, and not making one or two exceptions by making isolating cases of brilliance, opportunities need to be given to them. “It is good that scope of education has expanded. The scope of opportunities for employment has expanded. But it will have to be expanded in many other areas,” the President said. He said there is aspiration of women that opportunities are to be created for them in society. The Women’s Indian Association is working towards empowerment of women. The President also paid floral tributes to Annie Besant and Muthulakshmi Reddy, founders of the association.
Manipur goes to polls today Demand grows for release of teacher’s salaries
IMPHAl, MARCH 3 (IANS): Imphal, March 3 (IANS) Manipur goes to the polls on Saturday in the first of its two-phased elections across 38 Assembly constituencies. The remaining 22 constituencies go to the polls on March 8. Chief Election Officer V.K. Dewangan said all preparations have been made to conduct incident-free polling in the 1,643 polling stations in these constituencies. There are 5,44,050 male and 5,75,220 female voters for the first phase polling. Besides 5,169 male and 1,915 female service voters are expected to cast votes. Out of the polling stations, 839 have been identified as critical and 527 as vulnerable stations. Dewangan said that 280 companies of central paramilitary forces will be used on elec-
tion security duty. No state force personnel will be deployed in polling stations. CCTV cameras will be installed at 71 check posts. He said 47 EVMs and personnel will be airlifted to five polling stations in Tamenglong district where road connectivity is very poor. Security and polling personnel in some hill areas have to use canoes or trudge in the mountain bridle paths along with poll materials. Postal ballot papers will be provided to 2,228 inmates of 14 designated camps who had come overground after signing MoU and suspension of operations. Official sources said they shall not be allowed to venture out of the designated camps till the end of the polling in the second phase. Meanwhile, district admin-
istration announced on Friday that the international border between Chandel district and Myanmar has been sealed and shall remain so till March 11. A district officer told IANS that it has been done to check inflow of foreigners who may cast votes in some tribal areas through impersonation. As a result, the legalised border trade at Moreh in Manipur and Namphalong in Myanmar is paralysed. For the first time, women security personnel and polling officials shall be deployed at 10 polling stations in Imphal east district and six polling stations in Bishnupur district. There are 168 candidates in the fray for the Saturday polls. Seven of them are women. The campaign for the 38 constituencies ended at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
Scorpio rams autorickshaw, one injured
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one person was injured in a road mishap in Dimapur on March 3. The accident occurred near the old sM College building at around 8:30 pm. As per an eyewitness account, a speeding Mahindra scorpio (nl 07H 3978) hit an autorickshaw before ramming onto a shop on the side of the road. The autorickshaw without passenger was reportedly ahead proceeding towards the West Police station area when the scorpio rammed it from behind hurtling it towards a side alley on the left. The scorpio then veered towards the right smashing onto a closed shop on the edge of the right lane. The autorickshaw driver was injured while the occupants of the scorpio reportedly escaped unhurt. The condition of the injured could not be ascertained till the time of filing the report.
• SSA teachers without pay for 4 months • 1379 CSS Hindi teachers without pay for 9 months
DIMAPUR, MARCH 3 (MExN): The Wokha and Peren units of the All Nagaland Hindi Teachers Union (ANHTU) today extended support to the demand for release of 9 months pending salaries for 1379 CSS Hindi teachers at the earliest. A press note from the Wokha unit of the ANHTU urged the Department of School Education to act on this matter and informed that “school children’s admission
were still pending due to delay of salaries.” The Peren Unit, in a separate press note, demanded that all pending salaries with arrears be released at the earliest. “Having concern for student’s future, we have performed our duty for nine months without pay,” it stated. Meanwhile, the Nagaland SSA Teacher’s Association (NSSATA) Wokha unit today informed that it would boycott classes if the concerned authority fails to release the four month salary (November, 2016 to February, 2017) for SSA teachers along with pending arrears by March 10. It appealed to the Nagaland Minister for School Education;
Kohima DC cautions against selling of and encroachment on govt land KOHIMA, MARCH 3 (DIPR): The Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, Rajesh Soudararajan, IAS has informed all concerned in Kohima town that a number of complaints and reports are being received relating to rampant selling and encroachment of Government land—public land having projects installations for public service delivery. This, he stated, is being viewed seriously by the government. In a notification, the DC stated that the government’s endeavour is to provide all requisite support to safeguard the rights of the genuine landowners. At the same time, it cautioned that illegal activities of encroachment on government land or government quarters will be dealt with sternly as per the provisions contained in section 5 (1) and Section 6 (1) of the Nagaland Eviction of persons in authorized occupation of Public Land Act 1971 which entails issuing notice, eviction etc and in case of illegal occupation may invite imprisonment and fine. Further in the matters of sale and purchase of land within the government acquired land, both the buyer and the seller will be liable for action as this is tantamount to illegal transaction and will attract penalty under appropriate section of law, it warned. In this connection, the DC has directed any private person or group approach for purchase of land in Kohima town to take necessary clearance and to first obtain from the Deputy Commissioner’s office, “without which the seller as well as the buyer would be doing so at their own risk and necessary penal action will be initiated as per the relevant provisions of law.”
Commissioner and Secretary for School Education and the Additional Director (HOD) for School Education to uphold the written assurance given by the concerned authority on November 2, 2016. A press note from the unit stated that SSA teachers were made to suffer “untold hardship since the time of issuing appointment order where teachers had to face court case to get appointment order even after duly recruited through open state competitive exam. Teachers have been experiencing unpleasant and embarrassing dry Christmas and New Year for four consecutive years now due to irregular payment of salary.” It reminded that the SSA
is a centrally sponsored flagship programme in a mission mode to achieve the goal of education for all children from 6 Years to 14 Years of age throughout the country and is being funded by the union Ministry of Human Resource Development. Reiterating that state government only needs to contribute 10% share in order to carry out the SSA mission, it felt that the SSA teachers should get regular salary. “However, the concerned state government fails to smoothly deliver even the salary component meant for teacher’s monthly hard earned wages there by threatening the livelihood of SSA teachers,” it lamented.
Another tribal body in the making Morung Express news Dimapur | March 3
Another Nagaland state based tribes body is in the offing. The formation of a tribal body comprising the tribes of Nagaland state was mooted at a consultative meeting of Nagaland tribe hohos in Dimapur on March 3. At the meeting today convened by the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) and the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC), the “apex hohos unanimously resolved in principle for forming a Nagas of Nagaland platform,” stated JCC convenor Supu Jamir. It was not clear whether the proposed body would exist in tandem with the Nagaland Tribes Council or replace it. Jamir stated that the “apex” hohos of the respective tribes have been entrusted the responsibility to work out modalities for forming the body. The meeting also resolved to reaffirm the demands of the JCC/ NTAC, Jamir said. An ultimatum demanding the suspension of
the former Commissioner of Police, Dimapur and police officials at Longleng and other “erring personnel involved in the indiscriminate firing incident of 31st January 2017” will be submitted to the Nagaland state government. As per Jamir, the ultimatum with a 7-day deadline will be submitted by next week. The state government was warned of the JCC/NTAC resorting to “stern action” if the former fails to meet the deadline. “The government immediately suspended the DC and SP Dimapur following the March 5, 2015 incident. Why not in this case,” Jamir questioned. Demand for revoking the Nagaland Legislative Assembly resolution of November 22, 2016 and amending the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001 by safeguarding the powers conferred under Article 371(A) was re-endorsed at the meeting, Jamir said. He further said that the NMA will be approached to withdraw the Special Leave Petition pending at the Supreme Court.