PM inaugurates NE’s first AIIMS in Guwahati

GUWAHATI, APR 14

(PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated North East’s first All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), built at a cost of Rs 1,123 crore here at Guwahati. The super-speciality hospital will provide healthcare to people from Assam and other North Eastern states. The hospital will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students every year and have capacity of 750 beds, including 30 AYUSH beds.

It may be noted that the foundation stone for AIIMS Guwahati was laid by Modi himself in May 2017. Modi also virtually inaugurated three medical colleges at Nalbari, Nagaon and Kokrajhar.

Each medical college has an attached 500 bedded teaching hospitals with OPD/IPD services including emergency services, ICU facilities & OT facilities.

Modi, who was speaking at a function to dedicate the North East’s first AIIMs, asserted that his government had worked hard to bring the northeast into the national mainstream and accused the opposition of “neglecting” the region and being “credit hungry”.

Modi said his government on the other hand formulated policies by placing people first. Attacking the opposition, Modi asserted, “We make our policies on the basis of countrymen first ... (but) the opposition is credit hungry and credit hungry people destroy the nation.”

He added, “We work with ‘Seva Bhaav’ (spirit of service) and ‘samarpan’ for the people”. Modi also stressed that his government had worked hard to ensure dramatic improvement in social infrastructure in the Northeast over the last 9 years. “The Northeast was distant for earlier governments...we have served with dedication to bring it near,” Modi said.

“Social infrastructure has significantly improved in the North East in the last nine years,” Modi said.

He added “what people find amazing is the expansion of the educational and health infrastructure in the region”.

Modi said he was happy “to note that the people of NE have come forward to take the reins of development in their own hands and are marching ahead with development as their mantra”.

Modi claimed that the Northeast had “suffered for decades under family-controlled politics, regionalism, corruption and insecurity” under which development

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was not possible and the region paid a “huge price” for this.

He said his “government has worked hard to enhance medical infrastructure and increase in medical professionals.” Prior to 2014, there were only 150 medical colleges in the country but during the last nine years this had increased to 300. Similarly, the number of seats in medical schools had been doubled.

During his one-day visit, Modi also laid the foundation of the Rs 546 crore Assam Advanced Healthcare Innovation Institute (AAHII), a joint initiative of the state government and IIT Guwahati.

The prime minister also launched the distribution of 1.1 crore Ayushman cards to beneficiaries who will be able to avail cashless healthcare medical treatment benefits up to Rs five lakh with these cards.

Trial run for over bridge repair causes worst traffic snarl

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, APR 14

(NPN): In order to assess the traffic flow before commencement of actual rehabilitation works on the road overbridge (ROB) near Hotel Tragopan, the two-day trial run began on Friday during which the city roads witnessed huge traffic snarl.

Some of the worst hit areas were Nyamo Lotha/ Church Road, District Hospital/Railway station area, Nagarjan Road and Walford Colony. Most of the four wheelers took around three hours from Nagarjan bridge to reach the Super Market police point junction, which

Mercury rises to nearly 40oC in many places of NE

GUWAHATI/AGARTA -

LA, APR 14 (IANS): People in several states across the North Eastern region have been experiencing a change in weather with the mercury hovering around 40 degrees Celsius in many places, Met officials said on Friday.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said that maximum temperatures in many places have been varying between 36 to 40 degrees Celsius, which is 5-6 notches above average for this time of the season.

The weather officials also noted that the minimum temperature in many places hovered between 20 to 23 degrees Celsius-- 2-3 notches above the season’s average.

This is it!

India records 11,109 fresh Covid cases; highest since August 21

NEW DELHI, APR 14 (PTI/IANS): India recorded 11,109 new coronavirus infections, the highest in 236 days, while the active cases increased to 49,622, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The death toll climbed to 5,31,064 with 29 deaths. While three deaths each were reported from Delhi and Rajasthan, two each were from Chhattisgarh and Punjab and one each from Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh besides nine reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 5.01 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was pegged at 4.29 per cent.

The active cases now comprise 0.11 per cent of the total infections and the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.70 per cent, the ministry said.

Can Omicron, influenza co-infection turn deadly? With India currently seeing a rise in both Covid and influenza cases, many people are likely to be co-infected by the viruses, which can turn fatal if not treated on time, health experts said on Friday.

Increasing genome surveillance and active follow-up may also help, they noted.

“Covid and influenza can coexist in some patients. Flu and all viral infections are virulent if not detected on time and can lead to severe problems, including hospitalisation,” Kuldeep Kumar Grover, head of critical care & pulmonology at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, told IANS. “While both are primarily viral infections, with dual infection patients will be having more cough and nasal symptoms. But if patients are immunocompromised and their immunity is low, they are more likely to have respiratory issues such as breathlessness. These patients normally end up in ICU with severe complications,” he added.

According to biologist Vinod Scaria, the estimates of co-infection between Covid and influenza “are variable, and possibly not so rare as we believe it could be”.

“Co-infections have been associated with a higher rate of morbidity and mortality…,” said Scaria, a scientist at CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology.

He stressed the importance of “active case surveillance, follow-up and molecular confirmation of infection”.

All schools to be ‘tobacco-free’ zone from May 1

Correspondent

KOHIMA, APR 14 (NPN): normally took 20 to 30 minutes during peak hours. In the same manner, it took nearly an hour from the Super Market police point junction to reach the traffic booth near DHD, which normally took less than five minutes on foot. A commuter informed this reporter that it took over 10 minutes for his vehicle to move from Popular Bakery to Holy Cross Higher Secondary School.

State health and family welfare (H7FW) department on Friday launched “tobaccofree school to tobacco-free home” campaign at Little Flower Higher Secondary School, Kohima with commissioner and secretary, H&FW, Y Kikheto Sema as special guest.

Traffic personnel were seen regulating vehicular movement even after 10 p.m. as there was heavy jam along Circular Road, NL Road and New Flyover.

A traffic personnel on duty claimed that they were trying their best to control the traffic, but remarked that nothing much could be done if citizens did not cooperate.

Commissioner of Police

Dimapur police to crack the whip on illegal street vendors

DIMAPUR, APR 14

(NPN): Dimapur police cautioned that punitive action would be taken against street hawkers/vendors illegally occupying the public footpath and roadside vehicle parking areas with immediate effect.

In a notice, PRO Dimapur police noted that public footpath and roadside vehicle parking areas were being illegally occupied by street hawkers/ vendors; especially along Nyamo Lotha Road, New Market, Circular Road and City Tower areas.

Acknowledging that every citizen has the right to a means of livelihood, the police, however, said that such activity should not obstruct or encroach upon any public utility space/ road.

Further, police noted that many street hawkers/ vendors have set up their stalls along the roadside vehicle parking areas which protrudes to the main road, thereby posing obstruction to the smooth flow of traffic.

Also, hawkers/ vendors operating on the public footpath have caused the pedestrians to take the main road; which was hazardous. Therefore, the Dimapur police in the interest and safety of the general public and for smooth flow of vehicular traffic, has notified that any street hawkers/ vendors found to be illegally occupying the public footpath and roadside vehicle parking areas would be caused to remove such obstructions and defaulters would be liable for punitive action under relevant provisions with immediate effect.

DIMAPUR, APR 14 (NPN): Drawing attention to the statements issued by various organisations against the Naga Mothers Association (NMA) for what it termed as “instances to sabotage the common interest of our people” Angami Youth Organisation (AYO) has said it could no longer remain “a mute spectator” when some individuals repeatedly defy and go against the “ appeal and directives of our tribal hohos.

(CP) Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie, informed Nagaland Post that additional forces were deployed to regulate the traffic. As it was the first day of the trial run, he assured that appropriate measures would be put in place to ease the flow of traffic.

Speaking at the launching programme, Kikheto Sema disclosed that 700 new cancer cases are registered in Nagaland and 43% of children between the age of 13-15 were tobacco users.

Describing the trend as “alarming”, the com - missioner & secretary said that the state government has, therefore, declared all educational institutions both government and private in the state of Nagaland as “tobacco-free zone” with effect from May 1, 2023.

He said that out of about 2684 schools in Nagaland, so far only 356 schools in Nagaland were tobaccofree schools comprising only 13.26%. Kikheto said that tobacco was one the biggest causes of preventable deaths

NSF to boycott personal interview of CSRE

DIMAPUR, APR 14 (NPN): Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on Friday announced its decision to boycott the personal interview of the Combined Staff Recruitment Exam (CSRE) 2022 scheduled on April 17 & 18 and also resort to other forms of democratic agitation until the genuine demand of the students and youth was addressed by the authorities concerned.

In a press release, NSF president Kegwayhun Tep and education secretary Medovi Rhi also requested all the aspirants who have qualified for viva-voce to abstain from reporting for the same. They further appealed to the general public, federating units and subordinate bodies of NSF to extend their full co-operation in the event of the federation resorting to any form of democratic agitation.

NSF reminded that the federation, through an official communique to the chief secretary on November 16, 2022, had demanded reduction of marks for vivavoce component in the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) from the proposed 12.5 % to 5% of the total marks, and the same was reiterated through a reminder on March 8, 2023.

NSF termed the justification given by the board that the allocation of 12.5% of the total marks could not be rolled due to the provisions enshrined in the Nagaland Staff Selection Board Regulation, 2022 as misleading, since section 45(10) only dealt with the maximum limit of marks that could be allocated to personal interview and that the regulation absolutely did not make any mention of the minimum threshold.

Despite this legitimate demand by the NSF in the interest of the student and youth community that was still unresolved, the NSSB announced the schedule on April 12, 2023 for personal interview of the candidates

AYO debars NMA activities within Angami area SH firm with protecting customary rights, identity

sist from associating or give any kind of platform to the individuals who claim to represent the Naga Mothers’ Association.”

“Frankly, we won’t benefit if we stage a coup. That’s because Pakistan is totally bankrupt.”

In the light of the above, AYO president Kesosul Christopher Ltu and general secretary Neidilhoutuo Sechü declared that AYO: (1) “shall not allow any activities of the Naga Mothers’ Association within Angami jurisdiction; and (2) appeal to the state government, organisations and forums, to “de-

AYO said it was an undeniable fact that many organisations have contributed for the welfare and cause of the people and so also contributions from women have been immense in the course of history. AYO however noted that for the past many years, NMA, which once championed the cause of women, “is now seen to be visibly going astray from its purposes and priorities, with repeated attempts and instances to sabotage the interest of our people.”

Further, AYO said it was of the firm conviction that the role of the present NMA in society has proven to be “detrimental rather than being constructive” and has compelled almost every tribal women organisation to withdraw its mandate and affiliation from the Naga Mothers’ Association.

AYO pointed out the recent statements by tribal hohos and in particular the stand of the Angami Public Organisation with regard to NMA which it said, evidently conveyed that the present NMA “is being hijacked by some few individuals who have self-appointed themselves as officials and even going to the extent of carrying out the organisation’s activities, according to their whims and fancies.” AYO maintained that its decision “shall remain in force until such a time a mandated team of Naga Mothers’ Association is brought about.”

DIMAPUR, APR 14 (NPN): Sumi Hoho reminded that Nagaland state has been uniquely created out of political compulsion with special provisions to safeguard the indigenous social and customary practices and therefore, it firmly stand in solidarity with all tribal hohos of Nagaland “to protect the rights and identity of the Nagas”.

SH president I.Nikheto Jimomi and general secretary Dr.Vihuto Asumi said the Hoho reiterated the January 13,2023 resolution of tribal hohos of Nagaland that : “Any organisation claiming to represent and stand for the interest of the Nagas, should be routed and mandated through the tribal apex bodies”.

In this regard, the SH leaders reminded that the hoho had recalled “Sümi Totimi Hoho, the apex Sümi women’s body from Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) on February 4,2017 as it became evident that the NMA has lost direction and the SH felt that the good who qualified for CSRE, 2022.

Consequent to this unfavourable development, they declared that they were compelled to take forth the resolution adopted at the 4thPresidential Council Meeting of the NSF that the federation would resort to democratic forms of agitation and also boycott the personal interview, if the demand for the viva-voce component in all categories was not reduced to 5% of the total marks as against the proposed 12.5 %. They said the units would extend full support to the federation as and when called for the same.

Pochury Mothers’ Association asked to disassociate from NMA

DIMAPUR, APR 14 (NPN): : Pochury Hoho (PH) has directed the Pochury Mothers’ Association (PMA) to immediately disassociate from Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) till such time all agree to come together in the interest of the Nagas.

PH president Chonpa Jurry and general secretary Sierhosie Kajiri also clarified that any individual speaking or releasing any press statement in support of NMA’s agenda from Pochury community with respect to urban local bodies does not reflect the stand of the tribe as they were doing so in their own individual capacity. According to PH, a coordination meeting with its frontal organization including PMA on March 23, 2023 thoroughly discussed on Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 and ULB issue.

PH said it was not against the 33% women reservation on ULB. However, the hoho expressed apprehension that if amendment of the NMA, 2001 was not done, Article 371 (A), which protects the rights and privileges of the Naga Customary Laws and tradition, would be breached.