Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXXII No. 49
DIMAPUR, TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2022 Pages 12 ` 5.00
Ukraine crisis: war fears heighten
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INTERNATIONAL, PAGE 9
NLA border panel holds crucial meet
Rio says NagalandAssam ready for outof-court settlement Four committees to be set up to chalk out modalities Correspondent/PTI
KOHIMA, JAN 24 (NPN): Nagaland Assembly select committee to examine the Nagaland-Assam border issue on Monday reiterated to resolve the longstanding border issue with Assam out of the court. Sources informed Nagaland Post that during the meeting of the select committee, it was decided to constitute four committees to examine and work out the modalities. Each committee will comprise of the local legislators, government officials and civil society organizations. One committee will look into the border issue in
State logs 69 fresh cases, 2 Covid deaths DIMAPUR, JAN 24 (NPN): Nagaland on Monday recorded 69 fresh Covid-19 positive cases while two more fatalities due to Covid-19 were reported during the day. Of the fresh cases, 38 were from Dimapur, 15 in Kohima, six in Wokha, five in Mokokchung, three in Peren and one each in Phek and Tuensang, taking the total caseload to 33654. Further, two more patients succumbed to the virus in Dimapur, pushing the death toll to 706 (including 16 non-Covid deaths but with positivity). PTI: I n d i a l o g ge d 3,06,064 new Covid cases taking the total tally of cases to 3,95,43,328, while the death toll climbed to 4,89,848 with 439 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
Rio and Sarma during the meeting in Guwahati on Sunday. (Twitter)
Dimapur, Peren and Nuiland districts, one for Wokha, one for Mokokchung and one committee for Longleng and Mon districts, sources added. Sources said that union home minister Amit Shah had categorically urged all the states in the region to solve their boundary disputes by August 15, 2022, when the country will be celebrating 75 years of its Independence. Meanwhile, talking to media persons after the meeting, chief minister Neiphiu Rio informed that he, accompanied by deputy CM Y. Patton and NPF legislature party leader TR Zeliang, held a fruitful discussion
with Assam chief minister on the border issue at the latter’s official residence in Guwahati on Sunday. He said that both the states were prepared to settle the border issue amicably out of the court. “Both the state governments are in favour of an out-of-court settlement,” he stated. Rio also said that he and Sarma had also met Amit Shah in Delhi on December 23 last year to discuss about the border issue. Therefore, in order to discuss the modalities, Rio said that a delegation, comprising of representatives from both Nagaland and Assam governments, would be
This is it!
meeting Shah in Delhi likely by next month. “Our delegations will meet Shah likely in the first week of February to discuss on how to go about it,” Rio said. On the issue of royalty on petroleum and natural gas along the border, Rio said: “If we resolve the border dispute and the issue of royalty, it will be good for both sides as we are going to remain neighbours.” No more district creation: Asserting that Nagaland state motto was “Unity”, Rio said it was not in the interest of the Nagas to further fragment the tribal population. Therefore, Rio reiterated that the state government had decided to not divide any tribal district that was already in existence. “There are demands for division of Mon, Mokokchung, Zunheboto, Wokha and Phek districts. But the fragmentation of tribal districts is not in the interest of Nagas. I appeal to various tribal organisations to understand this policy of
DIMAPUR, JAN 24 (NPN): Aboi District Demand Committee (ADDC) has resolved to impose an indefinite total bandh band from January 25 in protest against the non-declaration of the long pending demand of upgrading Aboi sub-division to a full fledged district. ADDC media cell in a press note asserted that the committee will not remain quite till their demand was fulfilled by the state government, adding that this was a “public demand without any differences and division within the tribe.” ADDC said that the committee also successfully completed its first phase of bandh in Aboi Hq, Chen Hq and Longchang Hq by picketing government offices and restriction on movement of government vehicles. The committee urged the state government to listen to the call made by the common public “without making any excuses on (Cont’d on p-8) any tribal aspects.”
DIMAPUR, JAN 24 (NPN): To protest the imposition of the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has asked Naga youth and student community to refrain from taking part in the upcoming Republic Day celebrations. Federation’s president Kegwayhun Tep and general secretary Siipuni Ng Philo in a press communiqué reiterated that Naga people should disassociate themselves from such celebrations as long as the Central government continued its policy of “militarising our Naga homeland”.
They explained that this was not in defiance of any forces on earth, but the assertion that the voice of Naga people cannot be muted despite continued subjugation by forces reeking of colonial ideologies and practices. They further reminded federating units and subordinate bodies of NSF to comply with the earlier directive to restrict their members from associating with Indian armed and paramilitary forces and also from accepting any form of humanitarian aid from them, adding that such efforts would not be able to
purchase the rights of Naga people nor mitigate the effects of the evil perpetrated upon them by the forces. The duo also appealed to the State government to ensure that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report pertaining to the Oting massacre was made public and the culprits awarded befitting punishments at the earliest. They asserted that NSF stood with the family members of the Oting massacre and all other victims of army excesses in Naga homeland and would continue to strive with them until justice was delivered.
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SPORTS, PAGE 12
WHO chief warns against talk of ‘endgame’ in pandemic GENEVA, JAN 24 (AP): The head of the World Health Organisation is warning that conditions remain ideal for more coronavirus variants to emerge and says it's dangerous to assume omicron is the last one or that “we are in the endgame”, while saying the acute phase of the pandemic could still end this year — if some key targets are met. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's directorgeneral, laid out Monday an array of achievements and concerns in global health over issues like reducing tobacco use, fighting resistance to anti-microbial treatments, and risks of climate change on human health. But he said “ending the acute phase of the pandemic must remain our collective priority”. “There are different scenarios for how the pandemic could play out and how the acute phase could end. But it's dangerous to assume that omicron will
D I M A P U R , JA N 2 4 (NPN): Western Sumi Kukami Hoho (WSKH) has expressed apprehension of a “factional clash and social unrest”, which could further escalate into bloodbath, in the three districts of Dimapur, Niuland and Chümoukedima if immediate measures were not taken. Reacting to the statement of ‘declaration’ by Akato Chophi-led group of NSCN/GPRN pertaining to ceasefire, WSKH general secretary X Kawoto Aye in a memorandum, copies of which were marked to Union home minister Amit Shah, Ceasefire Supervisory Board and Ceasefire
Monitoring Group chairman, Centre’s interlocutor for Naga talks, Intelligence Bureau director, governor, chief minister, deputy chief minister, director general of police, GOC-in-C Eastern Command and NGOs/ CSOs, said they viewed the content of the ‘declaration’ very seriously. Observing that some long-pending internal conflicts within NSCN (R) leading to the split, with one group under Wangtin/ Tikhak and another led by Akato Chophi coming into existence, WSKH said the group led by Akato Chophi announced the split and declared “unilateral ceasefire”
Kaito inaugurate 3 laboratories in Dimapur
Kaito and Kashiho with officials at the inaugural programme. (NP)
Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, JAN 24 (NPN): Agriculture and cooperation minister G Kaito Aye inaugurated Static Soil Testing Laboratory (STL), Fertilizer Quality Control Laboratory (FQCL) and Bio Organic Quality Control Laboratory (BOQCL) of Department of
Soil & Water Conservation (DSWC) at the department’s office here on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, Aye stressed on having soil testing lab facilities in every district to help farmers determine fertility of the soil. He asked DSWC officials to give importance on testing soil, while encour-
aging farmers in Dimapur to utilise the testing lab so as to maximise quantity and quality of production. He also asked officials to encourage farmers to get their soil tested, besides hosting activities to evince interest among the farmers, adding “Farmers are the backbone of the country”. Later, when asked whether the state government had provided any compensation to farmers who had faced drought-like situation in the State, Aye maintained that the state government had not committed to compensate the farmers. He pointed out that the drought-like situation was a natural calamity and that no institution or govern-
Tedros Ghebreyesus
be the last variant or that we are in the endgame," Tedros told the start of a WHO executive board meeting this week. “On the contrary, globally, the conditions are ideal for more variants to emerge.” But he insisted that “we can end Covid-19 as a global health emergency, and we can do it this year,” by reaching goals like WHO's target to vaccinate 70 per cent of the population of each country by the middle of this year, with a focus on people who are at the highest risk of Covid-19, and improving testing and
sequencing rates to track the virus and its emerging variants more closely. “It's true that we will be living with Covid for the foreseeable future and that we will need to learn to manage it through a sustained and integrated system for acute respiratory diseases" to help prepare for future pandemics, he said. “But learning to live with Covid cannot mean that we give this virus a free ride. It cannot mean that we accept almost 50,000 deaths a week from a preventable and treatable disease.” In stark terms, Tedros also appealed for strengthening WHO and increasing funding for it to help stave off health crises. “Let me put it plainly: If the current funding model continues, WHO is being set up to fail. The paradigm shift in world health that is needed now must be matched by a paradigm shift in funding the world's health organisation,” he said.
ment could be blamed for that. He however claimed that in view of the situation, advance supply of seeds and inputs were being extended to the farmers. When further asked about his views on government’s plans for developmental activities at Agri Expo apart from the AC Market, he said that a 150-capacity (men and women) hostel for farmers was under construction and would be completed by March this year. Meanwhile, soil & water conservation, geology & mining minister and NSMDC chairman V Kashiho Sangtam said that the State now had enough soil testing labs and (Cont’d on p-8)
with the Centre on November 19, 2021. While expressing regret for the “unprecedented” split, WSKH however said it was apprehensive about possible outbreak of factional clash. Stating that Akato was a bonafide founding member of many Western Sumi organisations, unions, association, hoho, etc, and responsible for many upliftment works in the society and a brainchild of many creative conducts, WSKH said Akato was one of the most important figures and an asset of Western Sumi areas. As such, WSKH said it would not remain a mute
spectator when one of its most important member was treated unfairly and given step-motherly treatment. Referring to its November 22, 2021 declaration extending full and unconditional support to Akato Chophi, WSKH reiterated the resolution and said the hoho stood firm on its decision. Meanwhile, considering all these impending issues, WSKH appealed to competent authorities to take into consideration the offer for maintaining ceasefire by NSCN/GPRN (Akato) and immediately address the issue of signing a ceasefire agreement and (Cont’d on p-8)
NVCO NVCO firmly demanded the State Government to set up a competent ‘Investigating Agency’ to assess the intending candidate’s properties of disproportionate assets of whom they accumulated so much of wealth while in service as a bureaucrats/public servants before been appointed as Upa-Lokayukta. The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) once again firmly demanded the state government to set up a competent ‘Investigating Agency’ to assess the intending candidate’s properties of disproportionate assets especially for those who had accumulated so much of wealth while in service as a
bureaucrats/public servants before appointing as UpaLokayukta. The NVCO strongly suspects that the state government particularly the politicians/cabinet ministers are only supporting and recommending corrupted retired bureaucrats/public servants who had accumulated so much of wealth while in service to be appointed as Upa-Lokayukata and a cabinet minister openly lobby for this type of corrupted retired bureaucrats/ public servants. However, Lokayukta is to check corruption and therefore, the corrupt retired bureaucrats/public servants who were likely to be appointed as Upa-Lokayukta
cannot check the present or retired corrupted public servants. The NVCO strongly voiced to the state government particularly the two-member search committee to find a competent person to be appointed as Upa-Lokayukta where he or she was not having record of corrupt practices and no pending cases against them with scam and importantly not having political party affiliation. Having so much of genuine concern for the appointment of Upa-Lokayukta, the NVCO warned the state government particularly politicians/cabinet ministers not to commit the same mistake as the first Upa-Lokayukta was ap-
Lack of awareness biggest stumbling block in keeping Dmu clean DSUN opposes bifurcation Staff Reporter
“Stop cribbing about us supposed to be the elite commando unit. Remember we can do anything?”
District demand: ADDC to impose indefinite bandh
Liverpool edge closer to City, Chelsea back to winning ways
NSF asks youth, students to boycott R-Day WSKH fears of ‘factional clash, social unrest’
DHD suspends non-Covid services
DIMAPUR, Jan 24 (NPN): In view of the increasing number of Covid-19 cases among the staff at District Hospital Dimapur, all routine non-Covid services have been suspended with effect from January 24 till further order. In an order, medical superintendent DHD, Dr. Khrelasanuo said that the services have been suspended with the approval of the principal director Health & Family Welfare.
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DIMAPUR, JAN 24 (NPN): Garbage thrown by pedestrians, houses and shop owners virtually everywhere except at designated places has emerged as the biggest hurdle in keeping the commercial hub of the State clean. Confirming this to Nagaland Post, Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) administrator Albert Ezung said “behavioural wastes” were largely avoidable, provided an efficient refuse
A clogged drainage in the heart of Dimapur. (NP)
collection service was in operation and litter bins were provided for use of pedestrians. But for this to happen, public awareness was required, he added.
He mentioned that more than 140 cleaners were covering more than 90 colonies under the municipal council as well as market areas to keep the
city clean. For cleaning of drains, Ezung claimed that DMC has tied up with colony authorities to sensitise, check and impose fine to those found littering the drains. Yet, he lamented that people still continued to litter. He pointed out that the cleaners who collected garbage from the colonies have been assigned to clean the drains as well. “The sludge that accumulates at a particular place is being removed with excavators (JCB) to make
enough room for the water to flow,” he added. He remarked that undeterred use of polythene bags by residents and shopkeepers alike and which later found their way to drains, blocking them, affected the council’s efforts to keep the city clean. Mentioning that generation of waste was a continuous process as waste was produced each day, Ezung claimed that DMC strived to cope with it through collection, transportation and disposal daily.
of 7 Dimasa Kachari villages
DIMAPUR, JAN 24 (NPN): Dimasa Students Union Nagaland (DSUN) has strongly opposed the bifurcation of seven Dimasa Kachari villages from Dimapur district by the State government while announcing creation of new districts recently. Observing that another new district were created and a tribe was officially recognised overnight by overlooking their appeal, union’s president Faihamti Longmailai and general sec-
retary Hamrongdau Difoe in a press release said they were deeply disheartened that their cries for their rights based on history were being ignored. They said the creation of new districts were an injustice to the whole Dimasa community due to segregation of seven Dimasa villages from Dimapur despite the fact that Dimapur ruins, also called Kachari Rajbari and looked after by Archaeological Society of India (ASI), (Cont’d on p-8) K Y M C