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www.morungexpress.com
The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 291
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www.morungexpress.com
Wednesday, October 22, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4
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Intelligence is not to make no mistakes, but quickly to see how to make them good
Omar Abdullah hopes Modi will look to revoke AFSPA
Ariana Grande cancels Spain trip over Ebola fears
Remembering martyrs on Police Commemoration Day
[ PAGE 08]
[ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 09]
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
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[ PAGE 2]
Hong Kong: No breakthrough in talks
–Bertolt Brecht
Pistorius sentenced to 5 years in prison [ PAGE 12]
FliGHt OF tHE FAlCONS HoMecoMinG: Hunters turned protectors welcome Amur falcons Imti Longchar
Doyang | October 21
Here is only the signboard; his shop is located somewhere in Dimapur Nagaland.
Heart attacks not connected to family history: researchers NEw YORk, OCTOBER 21 (IANS): Your lifestyle choices and environment decide whether you will have a heart attack or not, not your genes, said a study. Researchers have found that heart attacks are not as connected to family history and genetics as may have been previously believed. These new findings may help those with a family history of coronary disease and diagnosed with narrow coronaries realise that heart attacks are not inevitable. “Because coronary disease and heart attacks are so closely related, researchers in the past have assumed they’re the same thing,” said Benjamin Horne from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City, US. “They thought that if someone had coronary disease, they would eventually have a heart attack. This finding may help people realise that, through their choices, they have greater control over whether they ultimately have a heart attack,” Horne added. The findings were presented at the 2014 conference of the American Society of Human Genetics in San Diego.
How to avoid weight gain this festive season
NEw DElhI, OCTOBER 21 (IANS): Worried about weight gain during festive season? Here are some healthy tips to bail you out. Chirag Sethi, director of Battle of Bulges, doles out tips to help people stay fit while you enjoy the food fiesta during the festive season.
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• Start by calculating and making your meal plan for the day. If you starve the whole day, the chances of bingeing and adding extra calories are high. Be sure to eat in moderation throughout the day. • Avoid soft drinks when thirsty, have water or coconut water instead. • In case of overeating, compensate by cutting calories the next day. • Avoid having sweets right after meals as it can increase the chances of weight gain. • Those with the sweet tooth should indulge in sweets in the morning as the liver’s stores are empty at this time and chances of gaining weight are slim. • Compensate for a skipped workout session by walking more than you usually do or by climbing a flight of stairs as opposed to taking the lift. • Keep some almonds handy, a full stomach is the key to staying away from the calorie-filled box of sweets.
It is near dawn at the banks of Doyang Hydro-electric project reservoir. The Doyang River reflects the monochrome sky set under dark silhouettes of the surrounding hills. Suddenly a flurry of activity appears to life into the sky from the hills below. Thousands of winged dots dim the monochrome sky. The airborne creatures scuttle the air, the surrounding trees and shrubs. They perch in comradeship on the kilometres long high tension electric wires. It is an awe inspiring sight. In the midst of the spectacle, the rising sun lights into an azure sky reflecting the pied coats of the winged creatures. The Amur Falcons also known as Osum Voru in Lotha dialect (meaning birds migrated from the plains) have woken up for yet another day of feeding. All the way from Mongolia, the migratory raptors are here at Doyang reservoir, Pangti village area, Wokha to roost and fatten before they make their astonishing 4000 kilometre long journey to South Africa. Two kilometres away, some thirty members donned in a green polo shirt, gather at a make shift waiting shed, armed with knives and walking sticks. A flex put up in front of the shed reads: ‘Welcome to Amur Falcon capital, Pangti village.’ A smaller flex read: ‘Amur Falcon reception point.’
(LEFT) Amur Falcons spotted at Pangti village, Doyang hydro electric project, Wokha. (RIGHT) The falcons flock at one of the roosting sites. Photos by Imti Longchar
These men from Pangti village are volunteers, also known as protection squad, representing the Amur Falcon Roosting Area Union (AFRAU). They are also hired as guides and translators by visitors and tourists alike. Two year back, most of them were hunters of the migratory raptors. With the intervention of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), the Forest Department and NGOs like the Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust (NWBCT) and Natural Nagas, from predators, they have turned to protectors. The birds have two major resting sites at the vicinity of the Doyang reservoir namely Aasha area and Makothung Tongti where they spend the mornings and nights. In the daytime, they explore as far as Mo-
kokchung and Zunheboto district for insects which is their main diet. Before 2012, Doyang was dubbed as a tragic resting site for the Amur Falcons. An outraged world woke to the reported massacre of an estimated 1, 20, 000 birds every year for consumption and commercial purpose, after international and national media widely published the killings. One of the hunters, Akhathung hunted and trapped the winged visitors till 2012. However, with education and awareness from the WTI to protect and preserve the birds, he quit hunting the birds altogether. “On any given day, I used to kill 100 of these birds with airgun and 600 of these birds if I used net them from the trees,” he reveals.
A changed man so as far hunting the falcons is concerned; Akhathung is now an executive in the Amur Falcon Roosting Area Union which is the main organization from Pangti village working towards protection of the bird. Hunters here say the surrounding villages at Doyang had begun hunting the falcons in major scale since 2001 onwards. “Before the birds were not in large numbers, so mass hunting did not take place,” another hunter turned volunteer says. Zhanthungo Shitri, president of the AFRAU and also president of Fishermen Union Doyang recalls how they began hunting the falcons commercially to enhance their income. “There were no NGOs to educate us and provide awareness from
such mass hunting and killing. Even the State government did not say anything.” He said with growing demand, the birds were bought even by neighbouring villages to be sold at much higher rates in other villages and towns. “During first week of October when the birds had begun to arrive, they cost only Rs 10 a piece because they were scrawny and beginning to feed, but by late October and early November, the price increased according to the fattening in them,” maintains Shitri. “But it’s been two seasons since the slaughter and selling of the birds have stopped,” claims Shitri who heads the protection squad every morning to monitor the roosting area against hunters. Villagers have even
stopped terrace cultivation in nearly 800 acres around Doyang so that the forest areas are kept intact for the winged visitors to roost. Of course villagers are compensated by the WTI per the quantity of harvest expected from their respective fields,” Shitri adds. The church is also keenly involved in the protection of the birds. Pangti Village Baptist Church even has a calendar printed with images on the winged visitors. A team from the Department of Forest, Ecology, Environment and Wildlife, Nagaland which include Forester 1 officers have also been deputed to assist the protection squads in monitoring the falcon roosting area. “So far there have been no reports of hunting, we are actively monitoring the roosting sites,” Zaremo and
Oponthung, both forester 1 officers informs. “During earlier season when hunting was rampant, the birds became easier target for trigger happy hunters and trappers during November when they have fattened up and laze around in easily accessible tree branches instead of the far up electric wires and tree tops,” they add. But so far so good for the winged creatures even though they have only just arrived. With conservation initiatives of individual and groups, Naga hunters are making efforts to lay down their hunting weapons and protect them instead. Green groups say some 50, 000 have already reached Doyang. More, numbering up to a million are expected to arrive by October end and November first week.
AncsU urges nagaland govt to Time for NE people to stand constitute High Power committee together politically, says NNC Our Correspondent Kohima | October 21
The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU), in its emergency presidential meeting here today, resolved to stand firm by its representation which was recently submitted to the Nagaland state Chief Minister “against irregularity in the functioning of the technical education department.” It demanded the state government constitute a High Level Committee (HPC) to probe the entire episode of lapses and to further come up with recommendations for streamlining the system. Addressing a press conference here this afternoon, ANCSU president Tsukjem Longkumer informed that the Union met the Chief Minister yesterday and received a positive response. In its earlier representation submitted to the CM, ANCSU had alleged that there are serious irregularities and loopholes in the functioning of the technical education department which needs “a thorough probe to detect where the problems lies, check and plug the lacunae, take punitive actions if necessary, and adopt solid steps to upgrade its delivery system with transparency and clarity.” The Union further said stated that it undertook meticulous research and found that there are series of lapse and loopholes more so since 2010 in the technical edu-
cational department. “It has also come to our notice that handling of official documents, issue of notifications and official communication between departments of the state, including NEC and others are not being channelized properly,” the Union stated adding that this has created unwanted situations with unnecessary issues cropping up even in the past between departments. Further, the union said it was highly discouraging that some conditions laid down in a recent official
tuted to find the irregularities in the functioning of technical education department, Convener of the committee, O Wati Jamir said that ANCSU also covers the polytechnic institutions in and around Nagaland and that it is the duty and responsibility of ANCSU to see that the technical education department, the nodal department for conducting various examinations like JEE and AIMPT, are thoroughly examined and authenticated to find the loopholes and lapses in their functioning. “This year they have conducted AIPMT, subsequently since none of the students qualified, another NSPMT had to be conducted which was contradicting their own notification. That is the seriousness with which the technical education department is looking after the student’s welfare.” Jamir said. The Union also felt the necessity of a separate technical education department from that of higher education department to be superfluous. “For better delivery of service to the students, both the technical education and higher education department should be under an amalgamated institution with one distinct department principal director as is the practice in other states of the North East,” it stated. The ANCSU has urged upon the state government to pursue their demands immediately in the interest of the students community.
Threatens to stage mass protest on October 28 notification even demeans the students of the competitive spirit, while appearing for the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) main and All India Pre- Medical Test (AIPMT). After a series of discussion with all the college representatives today, in regard to certain agendas pertaining to the student’s welfare, it decided to intensify the issue in regard to the representation submitted to the Chief Minister. It was also resolved that failure on the part of the government to give assurance within six days to constitute the HPC, would compel the Union to undertake a mass rally on October 28 and agitate outside the directorate of technical education. While clarifying that the Fact Finding Committee was consti-
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 21 (MExN): The Naga National Council (NNC) today asserted that “this is the best time for all the people of the North East to stand politically together…” A press note from the Information and Publicity Wing of the NNC further called upon people of the region to “voice against India and fight together for the very political freedom of sovereignty to govern ourselves, protect ourselves, defend our land, develop our North East Region politically, economically, culturally for
peace and prosperity…” The NNC further appreciated those “politicians specially from Manipur, Arunachal, Mizoram and Nagaland that they boldly spoke out against racial attacks and hate crime meted out to the North East people by the Indians in different places especially New Delhi the Capital city of India and amply stated fragmentation, separation, etc. from India.” Terming this as a “welcome political statement from those state leaders,” the NNC
said “this is high time that the state politicians of the North East states take this right step at this right stage for our political freedom of sovereignty from the political bondage of India…” It added that “… we the North East people have seen more than enough the killing, oppression, suppression, racial attack, hate crime…and the arrogant Indians who are racially hateful against the people of the North East will never change their minds and hearts of superiority complex.”
longest railway tunnel in north east scooped out
hAflONg, OCTOBER 21 (PTI): The longest railway tunnel in the north east on the newly constructed LumdingSilchar broad gauge line in Assam has been scooped out, said Northeast Frontier Railway officials. The tunnel is situated near New Haflong station building and passes below Haflong town and the underground excavation work from both ends met each other on Sunday in Dima Hasao district, said NF Railway senior public relations officer (construction) Md M M Y Alam. The 3,235 meter long tunnel connects the newly built New Haflong railway sta-
tion with Jatingalumpur railway station, he said adding it is considered as one of the most critical tunnel in the 210km broad gauge track. It was scooped out with great difficulty due to soil conditions of the area and geological issues. Adverse geological conditions were encountered during underground excavation of the tunnel and its completion has been seen as a major challenge for the construction engineers of NF Railway, he told reporters Monday. A high level team of the Construction Organisation comprising its Chief Executive Administrative Officer Ajit Pandit, Chief Engineer R K
Ginger and others inspected the tunnel yesterday. Terming it as a feat of the Railways in 2014-15, Alam said Construction Organisation has in a major breakthrough made the much awaited and difficult tunnel gauge conversion project. Though work on the tunnel had begun in September 2005, it did not progress well initially due to several geological problems. However, from 2012 onwards the work resumed and now the tunnel has been opened, Alam said adding, the remaining work of benching, lining and invert is scheduled to be completed by January next year.
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