July 11, 2020

Page 1

Nagaland Post

Watch us on YouTube

www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXX No. 215

DIMAPUR, SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2020 Pages 12 ` 5.00

Manchester United ease to another win at Villa sports, Page 12

Follow us on @Nagaland_Post

nagalandpostofficial

Nagaland lockdown extended till July 31

Meeting of the High Powered Committee members with senior officials in Kohima on Friday. (Twitter)

Correspondent

KOHIMA, JUL 10 (NPN): The High Powered Committee (HPC) for COVID19 under the chairmanship of chief minister Neiphiu Rio Friday took exception to the rise of COVID-19 positive cases in the State and decided to continue the lockdown till July 31, 2020. Infor ming this to newsmen after the HPC meeting here on Friday, committee’s spokesperson and Information Technology, Science & Technology and Renewable Energy Resources adviser Mmhonlumo Kikon said the lockdown would be extended with the existing relaxation norms in place. The HPC reviewed the existing lockdown

JTH reiterates solution before delimitation’ DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): Joint Tribal Hohos (JTH)--a conglomerate of 11 apex tribal bodies, on Friday resolved to stand by its earlier demand for “solution before delimitation”. At the meeting held in Kohima on July 10-- attended by at least 10 apex tribal bodies, JTH also decided to request the Lotha Hoho to avoid any undue misunderstanding among the Naga tribes because of the current situation. It said that the stand of the 11 tribal hohos was not against delimitation, but to pave way for an early solution which would then facilitate the delimitation process in larger interest of all. Further, JTH demanded NPP member Hayithung Bill Lotha to name those tribal leaders (of 11 Naga tribes) whom he had termed as “so-called self-styled leaders” in his letter to minister Imna Along. Asserting that such statement was unacceptable, JTH demanded Bill to publicly apologize within three days, failing which it warned of legal action. JTH media cell stated that the tribal hoho leaders, mandated by the respective tribes, at no point of time influenced or incited anyone to act on behalf of them.

This is it!

“Ban on dog meat is against my right as per Article 371A(1)(a)(i).” K Y M C

measures in the State and also the modified plan submitted by the Health department, for declaring containment zones and the protocols to be followed. No total lockdown for Kohima: Following a proposal from Kohima deputy commissioner for total lockdown in the State Capital, Kikon said the HPC meeting deliberated on the matter and after examining all the relevant presentations made on the occasion by the Kohima district administration and Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) de par tment, ruled that total lockdown was not warranted now. Instead, he said he committee decided to enhance contact tracing and surveillance, while strictly enforcing containment

zone measures in areas where COVID-19 positive cases are detected. The spokesperson said with the new containment plan, strict protocol would be put in place and assured of extra effort for rigorous contact tracing, even as active surveillance would be carried out and take all necessary activities for containing the virus. Rs 24.15 cr spent on QCs: Kikon also announced that the State government had spent around Rs 24.15 crore in setting up and managing the quarantine centres (QCs) across Nagaland. Stating that almost all citizens of Nagaland stranded in various parts of the country and had registered had returned, he said QCs were getting less

crowded now as many of the returnees after testing negative were released for home quarantine. QCs, testing on payment: He said that the government has decided to shut down some of the QCs and convert them into paid centres while also making COVID-19 testing payable. For this the government will work out a cut-off date to implement, he added. New SOP for entire state: The state government has also decided to issue a new uniform Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all districts, Kikon said, adding that the new SOP would be released in a day or two. The spokesperson explained that the decision was taken after comparing the protocols and SOPs

Nagaland COVID-19 cases cross 700-mark

China vows retaliation against US

nagalandpostofficial

with other North Eastern States. Also, as Nagaland had spent a huge amount of money in managing the QCs, he said it was felt to follow protocols like other North Eastern States. On self-declaration by govt employees: Against the backdrop of the state government issuing order to the administrative heads and heads of departments to obtain information on self-declaration forms from government employees having family members and relatives in underground groups (UGs), principal secretary (home) Abhijit Singa said the exercise was meant for “records”. Asked the reason for issuing the order, he refused to comment asserting that the government could ask any information from its employees, adding it was advisable to collect such information from the government servants. He said further decision on the matter would be taken once the information was collected by August 7, reiterating that the exercise was meant for the records.

India’s COVID19 tally crosses 8-lakh mark

international, Page 9

Tuensang fiasco forgiven, not forgotten: ENPO on govt apology Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): Two days after Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) minister S Pangnyu Phom tendered an apology on behalf of the State government and the H&FW department for the May 26 Tuensang incident, Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) accepted the apology but said that the incident might be forgiven but “cannot be forgotten in any manner”. A joint consultative meeting of ENPO with six tribal bodies and frontal organisations here on July 7 unanimously resolved to forgive the government over Tuensang fiasco, but provided the public apology was tendered through the media within three days. Addressing the media after a meeting at the residence of ENPO treasurer PFK Tochu here on Friday, organisation’s president T Kekongchim said ENPO took the decision to forgive as the Christians always talked and preached about forgiveness, adding they

Will not remain passive in future if injustice is meted out the people of Eastern Nagaland

chose to practice what they preached. “Rest of the Nagas call ENPO members as backward, but backwardness does not mean that we are uncivilized. We may be economically and socially backward, but we are not uncivilized,” he asserted. “There was discrimination on the people of Eastern Nagaland right from the day of attainment of statehood. We have been watching and speaking on behalf of the people of Eastern Nagaland. We don’t get our rightful share. We need to get them through confrontation only, and this has been continuing till date,” he lamented. Reacting to comments from certain quarters that ENPO choosing to forgive the government was a sign of weakness, Kekongchim asked “If we are to continue fighting among ourselves without the sense of forgiveness, where do you

expect humanity to exist?” The ENPO president, however, warned the government not to expect forgiveness in the future, saying things would be different then. “After the incident, we visited every district headquarters but were not satisfied after seeing the condition of the hospitals and management. So even before the Tuensang incident occurred, we apprised the government to send adequate medical equipment and manpower, to which they assured of looking into the matter,” he claimed. Asserting that ENPO would be watching the gover nment’s response to complaints regarding shortage of manpower and other medical facilities, Kekongchim said if facilities and services were not made available in the ENPO area, it would pursue them. “A written application was given before the incident on the installation of BSL-2 lab, but there was no positive response from the government. (Cont’d on p-8)

JAC Peren reacts to HPC spokesperson had tested negative. JAC then asked whether this was negligence on the part of the government machineries based at Dimapur or “unsatisfactory adherence to norms and protocols by inmates?” Again on June 23, JAC said 96 returnees from Haryana were released from ITI and Polytechnic quarantine centres at Peren without confirming their COVID-19 status as mandated due to their positive contact history. Of the 96, JAC said 32 were later tested COVID119 positive. JA C a g a i n a s k e d whether it was also due to negligence on the part of the government machineries or a result of “unsatisfactory adherence to quarantine norms and protocols by inmates?” JAC pointed out that there were presently 216 COVID-19 cases in Peren district which called for timely and responsive action from the government other-

wise community transmission could take place. It said any attempt to downplay the critical situation by any individual or group including the state government would only aggravate the matter. JAC said such negative reaction could only bring negative results and that casting aspersions on the prevailing situation in Peren could only lead to eruption of violence, backlash leading to disastrous repercussions. JAC agreed that advise and suggestions on the roles of CBOs, FBOs and NGOs was welcomed but said it would have been a wiser approach, if a person like Mmhonlumo assessed the ground reality and assigned roles and responsibilities, instead of making comments from the state capital, without having any participation of CBOs, FBOs and NGOs in the current COVID exercises in Peren.

‘Vaccine could be available by early next year’ UTNA against open competition for recruitment of staff nurse

NCD postpones installation of new team

NAGALAND COVID-19 STATUS AS ON july 10, 2020 ACTIVE CASES Total Recovered Cases Asymptomatic Mild Dimapur 79 3+1# 158 240 Kiphire 0 0 0 0 Kohima 87 0 59 146 Longleng 0 0 0 0 Mokokchung 3 0 0 3 Mon 73 0 0 73 Peren 139 0 76 216 Phek 12 0 1 13 Tuensang 29 0 7 36 Wokha 1 0 0 1 Zunheboto 1 0 3 4 Total 424 4 304 732 Recovery rate 41%. 1# migrated to Dimapur COVID Hospital from Peren District

428 active & 304 recovered cases DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): Nagaland on Friday witnessed the second highest single-day spike of 59 COVID-19 cases, taking the state’s total tally to 732 cases till July 10. In a tweet, Health minister S. Pangnyu Phom said that 20 positive cases were reported from Kohima, 18

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (PTI): A vaccine for COVID-19 is expected only by early next year, a parliamentary panel was informed on Friday. Presentations were given by the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the principal scientific adviser to the government before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Climate on Centre’s COVID-19 preparedness. The panel is chaired by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who, along with six other members, attended the meeting. Sources said it was conveyed to the panel that a vaccine for COVID-19 could be available only by early next year.

in Dimapur, 19 in Peren and 1 each in Wokha and Phek districts. With this the state has 428 active cases and 304 recovered cases. All positive cases have been referred to the respective district designated COVID-19 hospitals for medical care. As per the severity of symptoms, 424 active cases are asymptomatic and 4 active cases are mild. Though there has been no recovery since July

This was the first meeting of the panel since nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the delay in the resumption of parliamentary committee meetings was forced by circumstances beyond control. “I am glad that Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committees have resumed functioning, three and half months since the last sitting of Parliament on March 23rd,” he wrote on Twitter. Naidu said everyone was keen on resumption of work by these committees, “but the delay was forced by circumstances beyond our control”. “Corona pandemic did cast a shadow on the working of these committees, which function on behalf of the Parliament,” the vice president said. Urg-

8, as per Health department bulletin, the state’s recovery rate stood at 41%. Further, the Health department has also put in place active surveillance and contact tracing to prevent further spreading of the infection. As per distribution of cases by domicile district, Peren had the highest number of cases with 292, followed by Dimapur141, Mon- 98, Kohima- 74, Tuensang- 41, Phek- 14, Wokha- 11, Zunheboto- 6, Kiphire- 4, Mokokchung- 3, Longleng- 2 and others- 46. Till July 10, a total of 15,431 samples were sent for testing through RTPCR and results of 14,662 samples received. Out of the 15,431 samples, 9,750 samples were received at the BSL-3 lab (NHAK) and a total of 9,649 were tested, out of which 521 samples tested positive. Further, at BSL 2 Lab (CIHSR), 1174 samples were processed and 73 samples tested positive.

ing Naidu for the holding of virtual meetings, Ramesh, in a tweet, said, “I would still request you Sir to allow virtual meetings given that Parliament is unlikely to meet for the next month at least.” Sources said the other members present at the meet also sought virtual deliberations. A detailed discussion was held at the meeting over government’s preparedness and handling of COVID19. Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs is scheduled to meet on July 15. While members of the panels are demanding virtual meetings, the presiding officers of both Houses of Parliament have said this requires a change of rules and endorsement by the Rules Committee of Parliament as also a nod from Parliament. ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava had

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (PTI): With another big single-day jump in coronavirus cases, India’s COVID-19 tally crossed the eight-lakhmark on Friday, just four days after the number of infections in the country had reached seven lakh. According to Union health ministry figures updated in the morning, yet another record single-day jump of 26,506 COVID-19 cases pushed India’s tally to 7,93,802, while the death toll climbed to 21,604 with 475 people succumbing to the infection. However, a PTI tally showed India’s COVID-19 caseload at 8,14, 898 and the death toll at 22,106. The tally has been compiled as per information provided by respective states and UTs. The number of tests for detection of COVID-19 has crossed 11-million mark.

earlier written to principal investigators of select medical institutions and hospitals to fast-track human clinical trial approvals for vaccine candidate ‘Covaxin’ being developed in collaboration with Bharat Biotech. After criticism by scientists and experts, the ICMR in a statement on July 4 said the letter was meant to cut unnecessary red tape, without bypassing any necessary process, and speed up recruitment of participants. Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has permitted two vaccines -- one developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with ICMR and another by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd -- to go in for phase 1 and 2 human clinical trials. The sites for phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials have been finalised and the trials are yet to begin.

DIMAPUR, JUL 10 ( N P N ) : Jo i n t A c t i o n Committee (JAC)-Covid 19 Peren has taken umbrage to “obnoxious” and “sordid accusations” by spokesperson High Powered Committee(HPC) and adviser Mmhonlumo Kikon in Kohima on July 6 wherein he attributed the high rise of COVID-19 cases in Peren district to “not so satisfactory” adherence to quarantine norms and protocols by inmates at quarantine centres. JAC through its convener Dr. Tumda Newme, said linking the high number of COVID-19 cases with unsatisfactory adherence to norms and protocols was “an overstatement and an attempt to put Peren district in a bad light.” JAC traced the genesis of the current COVID19 crisis in Peren to June 3,2020, when a COVID-19 positive patient from Peren was sent from Dimapur along with 16 others who

Says it distorts the age old tradition of recruitment policy

DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): Appreciating the state government for creation of 143 posts of staff nurse besides 78 posts of staff nurse for Primary Health Centres (PHCs), the Unemployed Trained Nurses Association (UTNA) Nagaland has, however, expressed opposition to the health and family department’s “sudden recruitment policy” wherein 50% of the total post created was put up for open competition. In a memorandum addressed to the state chief minister, the UTNA president Akhrole Tsuhah and general secretary Vikali Wot-

sa said this sudden change in recruitment policy has distorted the age old tradition of recruitment policy. U T NA s a i d t h a t H&FW department was already maintaining a batchwise cum merit seniority list for the unemployed trained nurses who were yet to be appointed. Till date, the association said the trained nurses were being appointed based on batch wise-cum-merit seniority basis as and when vacancies arose through retirement and death. Considering the customary norms followed by the H&FW department for appointment of staff nurse based on batch wisecum-merit, UTNA said the Cabinet issued a memorandum dated June 12, 2020,

(Cont’d on p-8)

DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) Friday said that installation/induction ceremony programme of new team, which was scheduled to take place on July 11, 2020, has been postponed till further notice. In a press release, NCD general secretary Thsapongkyu Sangtam stated that the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) Dimapur has restrained NCD from installing of new councilors and office bearers (2020-2024) tenures through media, but the NCD office has not received the restraining order from court officially. However, respecting the Court order, the NCD said it has decided to post(Cont’d on p-8) pone the programme. K Y M C


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
July 11, 2020 by Nagaland Post - Issuu