July 30, 2020

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXX No. 234

DIMAPUR, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020 Pages 8 ` 4.00

First batch of 5 Rafale jets arrive in India

Follow us on @Nagaland_Post

national, Page 6

nagalandpostofficial nagalandpostofficial

Trump defends use of chloroquine international, Page 7

Public alarmed as COVID cases rise in Nagaland Schools, colleges

‘Unlock 3 guidelines’ issued

Staff Reporter/Correspondnet

DIMAPUR/KOHIMA, JUL 29 (NPN): After 53 fresh COVID19 cases reported throughout Nagaland that included 29 from Dimapur, 19 from Kohima and five from Mon, authorities are grappling with the onslaught of new coronavirus transmissions in various colonies and market places and which has led to pressure from public in Kohima and Dimapur for extension of the current total lockdown.

The 7-day Lockdown in Kohima began on July 25 and ends on July 31 while the 8-day lockdown in Dimapur began on July 26 and ends on August 2.

With public gripped by fears of community transmission, sources said the district task forces of Kohima and Dimapur will have to take stock of the situation in the next few days before deciding on whether or not to extend the lockdown period.

In Dimapur, DC Dimapur Anoop Khinchi told Nagaland Post that the district task force will discuss the matter within the next few days.

He said the decision will be based on realistic assessments of the ground reality.

Lockdown extension in Kohima likely: In view of the spike in COVID-19 cases in the state capital, the District Task Force (DTF)

Myanmar-based NSCN (K) headed for another split DIMAPUR, JUL 29 (NPN): Myanmar based NSCN (Khaplang) appeared to be headed for another split with two factions within the group claiming legitimacy.

While the “plenary meeting” of one NSCN (K) faction chaired by pro-tem speaker “lt. gen.” Niki Sumi removed its president Yung Aung, another NSCN (K) faction expelled three top officials for “their anti-party activities.”

M I P i n - c h a r ge o f NSCN(K) Yung Aung, “lt. col.” Joseph said that “lt. gen.” Niki Sumi, Dy. C-in-C Naga Army; Starson, Kilonser, NSCN /GPRN and “lt.gen.” Nyemlang, General Staff Officer-I, Defence, Naga Army had been “held contempt against the party” for organising “illegal meetings” without authorization from the party; failing to report to Council Headquarters even after repeated callings; heavy misappropriation of party fund and encouraging and spreading “ism” and divisive policies within the party.

The group warned that any party members conniving with the “expelled officials” would be “automatically terminated from the party membership.”

Kohima may extend the ongoing lockdown for another week in the municipal areas.

Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat (AKMWP) sources informed that the DTF during its meeting Wednesday, to review and discuss the impact of the ongoing total lockdown, proposed to extend the total lockdown of Kohima municipal areas for another week. Sources said that the proposal would be forwarded to High Powered Committee on COVID-19 for approval.

More areas sealed in Kma: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie, has ordered sealing of several areas in Kohima after the detection of COVID-19 positive cases.

In a notification, DC Kohima demarcated the following as locations as “sealed area”: Naga Bazaar (Ward No.4), Mission Compound (Ward No. 3), Daklane (Ward No. 7), Lower PWD (Ward No. 11), Midland (Ward No. 9), Lerie (Ward No. 16), New Minister’s Hill (Ward No.16), Lower Forest Colony (Ward No.17), Phezhu Jotsoma, Mima and Chedema in order to contain the spread of the disease/infection and for necessary contact tracing.

Meanwhile, DC Kohima, in a report submitted to the chief secretary, stated that all the COVID-19 positive cases detected were outside the quarantine centres.

MLA, bodyguard & staff test +ve; NLA session deferred

Correspondent

KOHIMA, JUL 29 (NPN): After a legislator was tested positive for COVID-19 including six other staff of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA), the one-day session slated for July 30 has been deferred as per advice made by the Governor.

On Thursday, a legislator, his bodyguard and two other support staff of another legislator were tested positive for COVID-19.

Adviser Horticulture and Border Affairs, Mhathung Yanthan went public and tweeted that he had tested positive for COVID-19. He said: “Although my COVID-19 test rprt came out +ve, I show no symptoms and m doing absolutely fine. Currently I’m in home isolation and under proper care. I’m hopeful that I’ll emerge healthier n stronger. Thank u all for ur concern and wishes.

Keep me in your prayers!”

Mhathung informed Nagaland Post that he was asymptomatic and keeping well. He also appealed to public not to panic but follow all SOPs, guidelines and protocols in order to protect themselves from the virus.

He said since he was asymptomatic, he chose to treat himself at home and exuded confidence to

overcome the virus very soon.

In another tweet, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services and Women Resource Development adviser R Khing disclosed that two of his support staff tested positive and were in COVID Care Centre. “As a precautionary measure, I am on self-quarantine, adhering to the existing SOP & will continue to work from home,” he added.

It may be recalled that the speaker had made COVID test mandatory for all legislators and their support staff who would be accompanying them to the Assembly session. The tests began on July 26 at the State Banquet Hall, Old Chief Minister’s Bungalow here.

NLA session deferred

Commissioner & Secretary NLA, Dr. P.J. Anthony in a ‘general information for members’ stated that due to unforeseen circumstances the Governor “indicated August 13” as the deferred sitting of the Assembly. However, Anthony informed the members that further details regarding the Assembly would be communicated to them.

6 NLA staff test +ve

Six staff under NLA were also tested positive through TrueNat

and confirmation through RTPCR was awaited. All of them have been asked to stay in isolation till confirmation of test.

Meanwhile, sources said the PDA legislators at an emergency meeting held on Wednesday decided to urge the speaker to adjourn the House after the obituary reference.

NLA Sectt sealed

Following the detection of 6 COVID positive cases from among the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) staff, the District Task Force (DTF) Kohima during its emergency meeting on July 29 decided to “close/seal” the office for 48 hours with effect from July 29 as per the Standard Operating Procedure on preventive measures to contain the spread of virus.

Informing this in a letter to Principal Secretary (Home), Deputy Commissioner Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie stated that fumigation and disinfection of office premises is being initiated.

Earlier, NPF legislators had decided to abstain from attending the ensuing NLA session scheduled to be held on July 30.

The Leader of Opposition had also requested NLA Speaker to defer the date of Assembly sitting.

NEW DELHI, JUL 29 (AGENCIES): Announcing ‘Unlock 3’ guidelines on Wednesday, Home Ministry removed restrictions on the movement of individuals during night while allowing yoga institutes and gymnasiums to open from August 5.

However, strict enforcement of lockdown in containment zones have been extended till August 31.

Moreover, there shall be no restriction on inter-state and intra-state movement of persons and goods. No separate permission, approval or e-permit will be required for such movements. Further, schools, colleges and coaching institutions will remain closed till August 31.

Besides, metro rail, cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls shall remain closed.

Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other large congregations are still not permitted.

However, it mentioned that

Nagaland COVID tally crosses 1500-mark Another COVID related death in Dmu COVID-19 STATUS AS ON july 29, 2020 District Dimapur

ACTIVE CASES RecovAsympMild Moderate ered tomatic 404 0 0 167

Death

Total Cases

5*

576

Kiphire

0

0

0

0

0

0

Kohima

300

0

0

127

0

427

Longleng

1

0

0

2

0

3

Mokokchung

8

0

0

5

0

13

Mon

138

0

0

10

0

148

Peren

30

0

0

222

0

252

Phek

13

0

0

15

0

28

According to Health minister, S. Pangnyu Phom the fresh cases were detected from out of the 453 samples-- 29 in Dimapur, 19 in Kohima and 5 in Mon. With this the total tally as on July 29 stood at 1513-913 active, 595 recovered and 4 deaths. As per the severity of symptoms, all 913 active cases are asymptomatic.

India’s COVID-19 tally crosses 15-lakh mark

PTI: India’s COVID-19 tally went past 15 lakh on Wokha 7 0 0 1 0 8 Wednesday, two days after it crossed the 14-lakh mark, Zunheboto 8 0 0 4 0 12 with 48,513 fresh cases reTotal 913 0 0 595 5 1513 corded in a day while the re*4 deaths reported as due to Covid-19 and 1 death is Covid-19 positive but not coveries surged to 9,88,029, due to Covid-19 (paid quarantine center) according to the Union > 2 death reported form Dimapur District Hospital Health Ministry data. The > 1 death reported at Dimapur paid Quarantine center > 1 death reported at Dimapur Nikos Hospital total COVID cases climbed > 1 death reported at Medzhiphema CHC to 15,31,669, while the country’s death toll due to the disease rose to 34,193 with DIMAPUR, JUL 29 (NPN): the 1500-mark after 53 fresh 768 deaths being reported Nagaland’s COVID-19 tally COVID-19 cases were de- in a 24-hour span, the data updated at 8 am showed. on Wednesday surpassed tected.

Tuensang

4

0

0

42

0

46

913 active 595 recovered 5 deaths

DIMAPUR, JUL 29 (NPN): A 45-year old woman was tested positive for COVID-19 after her death in Dimapur Wednesday and this has increased the total number of suspected COVID19 related deaths to seven in Nagaland and all from Dimapur.

O n We d n e s d ay, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dimapur had written to the chairman Aoyimti Village Council (AVC), informing that the deceased woman was initially taken to a private hospital. However, since she did not have a COVID-19 negative report, she was taken to Primary Health Centre, Chümoukedima for testing. It was only after she died that the COVID19 status was confirmed as COVID-19 positive through TrueNat. CMO claimed that the woman was not

brought to the COVID Hospital and after her death, the body was kept at her home at Aoyimti village. It was reported that unknown to all, a funeral service was held for burial.

CMO also urged upon the AVC to identify any person/s who had been in contact with the deceased woman since the past seven days and to keep them under strict isolation/home quarantine.

CMO also advised those who had direct contact with the deceased to self monitor themselves of any symptoms for the next seven days. In this regard, the CMO wrote to the village council to take immediate precautionary measures and issued guidelines.

The CMO office said it was ready to render any assistance to those in need and at the same

Zeliang community forms NZPO as apex body

DIMAPUR, JUL 29 (NPN): Two groups of Zeliang People Organization (ZPO)— one led by Ramdi Meru as president and Kiepeube Zehuny as general secretary and the other led by Kiezen (Cont’d on p-5) Zeliang as president and Kerang Domta as general secretary— have merged and formed a single apex organization of the Zeliang tribe— Nagaland Zeliang People Organization (NZPO).

In a statement, working committee/search committee convenor, Dr. Tumda Newme said that in order to unite the two groups a series of meetings were held with Zeme Council, Liangmai Council and senior leaders of the tribe led by the two MLAs of 6 Tening A/C and 7 Peren A/C, on June 26, 2020, July 11, 2020 and “Dissidence is a culture July 19, 2020. in our party. Without it, Dr.Newme said the there is no excitement.” delegates at the general body

This is it!

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to remain shut till August 31

New office bearers of the Nagaland Zeliang People Organization along with others.

meeting on July 28, 2020 approved and adopted that the new team of NZPO would be led by Kevipele Iheilung as president and Kingudi Joseph as general secretary.

The new team of office bearers was selected for a term of three years by 10-member search committee comprising of a member each from both groups of ZPO. The committee has expressed appreciation to

the leadership of Ramdi Meru and Kiezen Zeliang for “showing positive ways for a single apex organization of the Zeliang tribe after so much confusion in the community for more than 10 years.”

It was resolved that NZPO would be one and only apex organization of the Zeliang tribe in Nagaland and any individual (s) defying the resolutions

adopted at general body meeting on July 28, 2020 would be excommunicated from the community for five years and such person (s) would be barred from holding any posts in Zeliang organization for 10 years.

All agencies, be it governmental or tribe bodies of Nagaland, have been informed that the sole representation of Zeliang tribe in Nagaland was NZPO.

time sought cooperation of public.

It may be mentioned that all the seven suspected COVID-19 deaths in Nagaland were recorded under Dimapur.

However, data as per the state Health department stated that out of five deaths (all COVID positive), four had died due to COVID-- two who died at Dimapur District Hospital; one at Nikos Hospital (from Bokajan); one at Medzhiphema CHC. The department said that a woman (from Assam) who died and tested positive for COVID-19 at a paid quarantine centre in Dimapur, was not due to COVID-19.

Fur ther, another aged male and employee of a gas agency who died due to health issues and tested positive for COVID through TrueNat was not recorded under COVID death tally.

dates of these services would be “decided separately based on the assessment of the situation”.

What’s allowed * Movement of individuals during night hours * Yoga institutes, gymnasiums will open from August 5. A standard operating procedure will be issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) * Independence Day functions allowed with social distancing * International air travel has been permitted in a limited manner under Vande Bharat mission.

What’s not allowed * Metro Rail services * Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places. * Social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other large congregations. * Vulnerable persons, ie people above 65 years of age, people with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below 10 years, are advised to stay at home, except for meeting essential requirements and for health purposes. (Cont’d on p-5)

Would abide by govt directive: NSSA, NCSA Correspondent

KOHIMA, JUL 29 (NPN): In the backdrop of the July 7 home department’s office memo requiring all State government employees to furnish details about their family members or relatives in underground groups through selfdeclaration, Nagaland Secretariat Service Association (NSSA) and Nagaland Civil Service Association (NCSA) have clarified that as government employees they would comply with the directive.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, NSSA president Chubsangla Longkumer however expressed apprehension as, according to him, there was no clarity in the memo regarding the purpose of gathering such information.

Pointing out that the memo had directed AHoDs) and HODs to ask all their employees to submit the information, she said the employees were clueless about the purpose for the declaration as this was possibly the first-of-its-kind exercise. Hence, she said they were little apprehen(Cont’d on p-5) sive.

7-day total lockdown of Pfutsero town till Aug 4

NTC urges govt to withdraw July 7 memo

Correspondents

DIMAPUR, JUL 29 (NPN): The chorus against the controversial July 7 office memo that requires all State government employees to furnish details about their family members and relatives in underground groups through their respective administrative heads of departments (AHODs) and heads of departments (HODs) is only growing louder with Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) now joining the bandwagon.

In a release, council’s president Toniho Yepthomi and general secretary Nribemo Ngullie appealed to the government to reconsider the memo as Government of Indian and NPGs were engaged in political negotiations. (Cont’d on p-5)

KOHIMA, Jul 29 (NPN): After 11 Covid-19 positive cases including eight frontline workers were detected under Pfutsero sub-division, the District Task Force (DTF) Phek has decided to imposed a total lockdown of Pfutsero town with effect from July 29 till August 4.

In an order, DC Phek Sachin Jaiswal, stated that the decision was made during an emergency meeting held on July 29 with Pfutsero block task force and the stakeholders.

In this regard, DC stated that all shops will remain closed except pharmacies, all kinds of construction activities prohibited, while public and vehicular movement have also been prohibited expect exempted categories-medical emergencies, po-

lice, administration, security forces, medical and essential service providers like Treasury, bank including ATMs, PHED, Food and Civil Supplies, Social Welfare, Town Council, Telecom Services, media and LPG supply.

No total lockdown in Phek town: DC Phek has clarified that there was no imposition of total lockdown of Phek town. DC’s clarification comes following reports of a sudden call for total lockdown by some organizations in Phek town. The news created panic amongst citizens of Phek town compelling the DTF to issue a clarification late evening.

DC said that any decision for imposition of lockdown shall be communicated through proper channel after through deliberation of the District Task Force with concerned stakeholders.

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state

2

Launching of digital campaign to mark WDTP

nagalandpost.com Poll Q.: Will induction of Rafale fighters by India make China less aggressive?

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

A

B

A Yes. B No. C Can’t Say.

C

80% 20% 0%

Next poll

Q: Is spread of COVID-19

in the state due to lack of adequate contact tracing?

 Yes.  No.  Can’t Say.

WEATHER FORECAST july 30

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala A shower and t-storm around 32 26 Aizawl

Mostly cloudy

Guwahati Mostly cloudy with a t-storm Imphal

A passing morning shower

27 21 28 25 29 21

Itanagar Showers and a heavier t-storm 25 22 Shillong

A morning shower or t-storm

22 18

Kohima

Mostly cloudy with t-storms

21 18

Dimapur A thunderstorm in spots

27 23

Rather cloudy with a t-storm

23 19

Tuensang A shower and t-storm around

18 15

Mkg Wokha

A t-storm in the afternoon

Zunheboto Mostly cloudy with a t-storm

22 20 20 17

DIMAPUR: State Resource Centre for Women (SRCW) Nagaland, Mahila Shakti Kendra and the 181 Women Helpline Nagaland initiated a digital campaign to mark the “World Day against Trafficking in Persons” (WDTP) to highlight the issue of human trafficking in the state on July 29.

A press release by SRCW Nagaland stated that, commissioner & secretary of Social Welfare, and the administrator of Nagaland State Social Welfare Board, Sarah R. Ritse while launching the digital campaign drew attention to the current economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has adversely affected the livelihood of many. She pointed out that in such a situation, those struggling economically became more vulnerable when prospects in the pretext of free/quality education and

on legal protection against human trafficking and general awareness on the issue have been launched. All these will be disseminated widely through social and print media to sensitize the public on the seriousness of the issue. The video and IEC materials are available on the official pages of the SRCW Nagaland and 181 Women Helpline Nagaland on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channel.

As part of this commemoration, the district administrations and the District Level Centres for Women (DLCWs) and OSCs are carrying out various activities in the 11 districts and reaching out to the masses, creating awareness through their involvement and participation in various activities, such as art/poster contest, photo caption competition, etc.

Inter-district movement of vehicles closed in Wokha

The incomplete and abandoned GMS building project at Keltomi village.

DIRECTORATE OF AGRICULTURE

KSU has lauded the advisor of School Education, who took serious note of this issue and had asked “for the detailed report of the officials involved in the implementation of this project within one week”.

However, it stated that no action has so far been taken against the culprits.

Raising concern over why the district education

NAGALAND: KOHIMA

Agriculture Bulletin

KCCI against illegal taxations on business community

D I M A P U R : Ko h i m a Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) has called upon the government and public to extend unflinching support and solidarity towards the business and trading community during this pandemic, where thousands of families are dependent for their livelihood and survival through business entrepreneurship.

In a release, KCCI president Medozhatuo Rutsa and secretary information and publicity Henry Chisüte also appealed the traders and en(2nd from Right) Sara Ritse along with others at the launch of the digital campaign trepreneurs to cooperate held at Kohima on July 29 with law enforcement to livelihood opportunities that if anyone notice any A short video on eradicate the menace of were presented to them. suspicious situation, they human trafficking in Naillegal collections, harassShe therefore called upon can call the Women Hel- galand “Break the Chainment and extortion. KCCI all to be aware of the cur- pline Nagaland at 181 or Stop Human Trafficking”, stated that along with mass rent realities in the state and 9485239098, or contact the brought out by the SRCW public support it will stand also to be alert in order to Sakhi-One Stop Centres was released. Several inforbeside those who come prevent such unwanted situ- (OSC) which are set up in mation education and comforward to report cases of ations. She further informed the 11 districts of the state. munication (IEC) materials extortion, robbery, hijacking and all sorts of criminal activities, victimizing its members who are working and earning their liveliDIMAPUR: Deputy commis- conferred under Sections 2, 3 and 4 ties, security forces, emergency the driver/handyman with valid hood. sioner, and chairman District Task of the Epidemic Disease Act 1897, medical services and person/ permit and ID card are to be alKCCI also made an Force for COVID-19, Wokha, promulgates the order applicable depts. on bonafide government lowed entry into the district. appeal to all organisations Orenthung Lotha, taking into throughout Wokha district starting duty; Vehicles carrying essential Any person/group of persons - political, social or traconsideration about the reports from August 1 to 7. commodities to be thoroughly acting in violation of this order of positive COVID-19 cases in According to DIPR report, frisked at all the inter-state and shall be deemed to have committed Wokha District, and in view to all inter-district movement of ve- inter-district check gates and the an offence punishable under Seccontain and prevent the spread hicle shall remain closed except for police personnel’s manning the tion 188 of the Indian Penal Code of COVID-19, under the powers movement of essential commodi- check gates are to ensure that only and Epidemic Disease Act 1897.

KSU demands completion AKM shuts down Jio Telecom service in Mokokchung of abandoned GMS buildings

DIMAPUR: Keltomi Students’ Union (KSU) has extended support to the demand of the Eastern Sumi Students’ Union (ESSU) for completion of abandoned Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) school buildings in four villages, namely GMS Kelto, GMS Shevishe, GMS Ngozubo and GMS Viyilho.

KSU in a press release through its media cell stated that, it was working closely with ESSU and monitoring each and every unfolding events in regard to this issue. KSU stated that as per the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, State Mission Authority Nagaland order at the time of issue of work orders, the village education committee/school management committee were directed to implement the school building construction projects, whereby the funds were credited into the bank accounts of the respective village education committee/school management committee. Pointing out that the school building constructions have been kept incomplete and abandoned, the KSU claimed that officials of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) District Mission Authority Zunheboto (DMAZ) “unofficially hijacked the works, the bank accounts, cheque books of these schools and undertook the school building construction against the directive of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, State Mission Authority Nagaland.”

In this regard, the

Nagaland Post, Dimapur THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

Sl No Crop 1 Soybean 2 3 4

officer/district project coordinator and the deputy commissioner/chairman district education committee has not convened even a single official meeting regarding this issue with ESSU, the KSU appealed the concerned authority to understand the seriousness and take measures to meet the demands of the ESSU at the earliest.

DIMAPUR: Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) has imposed indefinite shutdown on Jio Telecom service from July 29 until the company assures stable, consistent and uninterrupted service/network to its consumers.

A press release by Ao Students’ Conference vice president Yimjungsunep and assistant general secretary, Nangjenkala Tzudi stated that, this decision was made during the executive council meeting held on July 29. It stated that Ao Students’ Conference had given an open invitation to the Jio Telecom company to sign an agreement to shutdown Jio service until proper service/connectivity was restored. However, the company officials could not sign the agreement due to reasons best known to them, stated the re-

Time of sowing 1 week of July in lower altitudes st

Yardlong Bean July- Sept.. Aug sowing is found to do better under Nagaland condition.

Sesamum Kharif: June- July Yam The best time of planting is June-July i.e., just beginning of monsoon season.

For further information download Nagaland Local Plants App from Google Play Store.

lease. In this regard, the Ao Students’ Conference has decided that, all Jio Telecom related services shall remain closed/ shut until the concerned company assures uninterrupted service and start restoration work in full strength. It also stated that Ao Students’ Conference does not hold responsibility for any untoward incident against the company thereafter as the company has time and again failed to provide proper service/ connectivity/network to the consumers. AKM stated that officers’ in-charge of Mokokchung district shall be held responsible.

Ao Students’ Conference shall vigilantly monitor till the restoration work is over and meanwhile has appealed all concerned citizens to cooperate and support the cause till the issue is resolved.

Day 5 of total lockdown in Kma DIMAPUR: Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat (AKMWP) informed that Kohima witnessed peaceful and continued complete compliance to the total lockdown on the fifth day in Kohima. While no disturbances or untoward incidents were reported from any of the wards, informed a press release from AKMWP president Neibulie Kiewhuo.

With more cases of COVID-19 outside the QCs being detected and reports of COVID-19 hospitals being saturated cropping up in social media, the AKMWP urged the citizens not to panic but to display a cooperative attitude and to extend all possible assistance to the patients, frontline warriors so as to emerge stronger and safer.

AKMWP also reiterated the importance of precautionary measures which everyone needed to follow to remain safe and also ensure the safety of others.

ditional to abstain from burdening the business community in these extremely difficult times, as they were struggling to make ends meet.

Pointing out that threats, taxation and extortion were on the rise both by members of political groups as well as criminals posing as members of the same armed Naga political groups, the KCCI regretted that a life has also been recently lost in an encounter with law enforcement at Kohima.

KCCI lauded the service of the Police department in particular for efforts to prevent extortion and also nab extortionist who have continuously been harassing the business community and the citizens of Kohima.

KCCI further requested the government and the judiciary to ensure that criminals were rightfully charged and sentenced so that citizens and entrepreneurs can thrive in peace to create employment, wealth and contribute not just to the state but to humanity in the years ahead.

Timing for three categories of shops at Noklak town DIMAPUR: A review meeting of Noklak SubDivisional Task Force on COVID-19 was held on July 28 at the DBs Court Noklak, chaired by the SDO (C), Noklak C. Phuniang.

According to DIPR report, the house after thorough discussion decided that all inter-district movement will be strictly regulated. People coming from outside the state and from the Red-Zone districts (within the state) shall mandatorily produce swab test for COVID-19. There shall be no exemption for any category- govt servants or otherwise. Those arriving without the test report shall be quarantined for 14 days of home quarantine. As entrusted and endorsed by the SDPDB Noklak to access the means to procure TrueNat machines, the house agreed to forward the matter to department of Health & Family Welfare and to appeal the government to

allot 2 TrueNat (Quadro) machines to the district.

Member secretary & SMO CHC Noklak Dr. Victor Lam pressed on the need for exigency preparation of institutional quarantine in the wake of community spread. Regulation of market timing was necessitated to avoid and reduce crowding in the main town, whereby the task force divided 3 categories of shops with effect from July 31: Category 1 pharmacies, hotels, petrol/diesel outlets, bakeries which shall be allowed to open on all days (except Sundays).

However, only takeaway food/items shall be permitted in hotels; Category 2 hardware, groceries, motor parts, pan shops shall be allowed to open only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; Category 3 cloth store, variety stores, cosmetic, electronics, stationeries and others shall be allowed to open only on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Spacing & Seed Rate Lines: 45-60 cm apart, Plant to plant distance: 4-5 cm, Depth of sowing: 3-4 cm.

70-75 kg/ha 60 x 30 cm (Row x Plant), with this spacing 100 gm of seed yield 100 kg of green pods ( SARS, Yisemyong).

Spacing: Lines : 30 cm apart, Sowing depth: 2 cm, Thin plants to 10 cm between plants.

The distance of planting between two hills is 50cm and between two rows is 150cm. With this spacing, about 13,300 tubers or setts / ha Director of Agriculture Nagaland: Kohima

DC-467

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

Manipur activist charged with sedition for FB post

Erendro Leichombam and his FB post

Imphal, Jul 29 (PTI): Political activist Erendro Leichombam has been charged with sedition for a Facebook post on a meeting between newly-elected Rajya Sabha member from Manipur Leishemba Sanajaoba and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, police sources said on Wednesday.

Leichombam shared a photo on July 24 that showed Sanajaoba, the titular king of Manipur, bowing before Shah with his hands folded, and captioned it “Minai Macha” in Meitei that translates to “servant’s son”.

A case was registered on Tuesday against Leichombam under IPC sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups) 124 A (sedition) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), police sources said.

An investigation is underway in the matter, they said, refusing to divulge details.

The photo was clicked when Sanajaoba, a BJP leader, met Shah at his residence during a visit to the national capital recently.

Police went to Lei c h o m b a m ’s T h a n g meiband residence on July 26 but he was not there, his family members said.

O ffic ia ls then in formed them about the charges pressed against him and said they were invoked because of his Facebook post, they said.

“I have been charged with sedition by the government for exercising my freedom of speech. To protect Kangleipak from forceful assimilation is a duty,” he later posted on Facebook.

Kangleipak is the native name of the state.

M’laya not to extend lockdown Correspondent SHILLONG, JUL 29: The Conrad Sangma-led government in Meghalaya on Wednesday decided not to extend the 3-day lockdown in Shillong agglomeration which ends on Wednesday midnight, even as the government reiterated its appeal to the public “not to be complacent”.

However, random testing with Rapid Antigen kit will be aggressively conducted in 71 clusters across the State.

“After taking into consideration all inputs from district administrations as well as the Health and Family Welfare department we have decided not to extend the lockdown,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters after the review meeting chaired

by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday.

“We appeal to the people that nobody should be complacent but remain vigilant and adhere to the laid health protocols and SOPs,” he iterated. Director Health Services (MI),

Dr. Aman War informed that during the three days lockdown health workers have conducted and identified 1,118 such persons have been identified from containment areas itself.

He said that the containment areas will remain until contact tracing has completed.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Alexander Laloo Hek informed that five fresh positive cases were detected in the State in the past 24 hours and during the same period 13 patients recovered.

Out of the five new cases, Hek said East Khasi Hills district recorded two cases both from the armed forces, two Border Security Force (BSF) troopers in West Garo Hills and one case was detected in Ri-Bhoi. With these new detections, Meghalaya has recorded 572 active cases out of which 246 are from the BSF, civilians 291 and armed forces 35.

207 persons have recovered from the viral infection and five others succumbed to the virus.

Leichombam contested the Manipur elections in 2016 from the Thangmeiband constituency after he co-founded the Peoples’ Resurgence and Justice Alliance outfit along with activist Irom Sharmila.

They founded the party and fought the polls after Sharmila broke her 16-year fast for the removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Manipur, but they could not win.

Hitting out at the BJP government over the sedition charges, Leichombam said in a Facebook post earlier in the day that the chief minister was a “puppet of Hinduvta colonialism”.

“MK Gandhi, Tilak, Arundhati Roy & Hijam Irabot. Today, I proudly join them. Sedition 124 (a) is a colonial law. Birenji is a puppet of Hinduvta Colonialism (sic),” he wrote, criticising Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

Leichombam, a Harvard University graduate on economic policy, was arrested in 2018 for posting a video on Facebook containing inflammatory speeches.

Police had asked him to take down the video, which he refused and was accordingly booked for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups.

Assam floods: Death toll rises to 133 as 3 persons drown GUWAHATI, JUL 29 (PTI): Three persons drowned in flood waters in Assam and close to 17 lakh people across 21 districts remained affected despite an improvement in the deluge situation across the state, according to an official bulletin on Wednesday.

A daily flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) stated that one person each drowned in Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Kamrup districts.

With this, the total number of people losing their lives in this year’s flood and landslide across the state has gone up to 133, of whom 107 were killed in flood-related incidents and 26 died due to landslides.

The ASDMA said over 16.55 lakh people are hit by floods in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar and Dibrugarh districts.

Goalpara is the worsthit with over 4.19 lakh people affected, followed

by Morigaon with more than 2.63 lakh people and South Salmara with around 2.50 lakh people hit by the deluge.

16.55 lakh remain affected

National Disaster Respond Force (NDRF) personnel rescue villagers from flood-affected areas, in Dhubri district of Assam. (PTI) Till Tuesday, more than 19.81 lakh people were suffering due to the deluge across 21 districts.

The SDRF, district administrations and the locals have rescued 36 people in 24 hours by deploying 107 boats across the state.

Greta donates Rs 87 lakh for NE & Bangladesh

Greta Thunberg, the teen climate activist who rose to prominence with an impassioned plea to world leaders at the U.N.’s Climate Action Summit, has now come to the rescue of the flood-ravaged countries of India and Bangladesh, reports The Sentinel

Highest single-day spike of 141 new Covid-19 cases

Correspondent IMPHAL, Jul 29: Manipur reported its first coronavirus disease (Covid-19) related fatality on Wednesday after a 56-year-old man suffering from chronic diseases succumbed three days after he was tested positive for the virus. He was the first COVID-19 victim reported in the state and second among the natives of the state after a woman from Imphal East district died at a hospital in Mumbai in May this year.

The woman was in Mumbai for the treatment of her husband, a cancer patient who also tested positive for the virus after he returned to the state but recovered later.

The first COVID-19 death victim hailed from Khongjoam of Thoubal district. He died at the Covid care facility of RIMS hospital, Imphal where he was shifted from the general ward of the same hospital

A photo of police officer Thounaojam Brinda. to grant bail to the BJP functionary. Brinda is also accused of showing her middle finger to the judge – a charge she has denied in her affidavit.

On Tuesday, Inspector General of Police in Imphal K Jayanta said that the police were not surveilling Brinda and that there was no intention to target her, reported The Sangai Express.

He was responding to Facebook posts Brinda had made after the detention.

“Me, Sonia Phairem-

Greta on Tuesday took to her twitter handle to announce that she would donate funds worth €100,000 (87.74 lakh Indian rupees) to multiple organizations that are currently conducting relief efforts in the flood-hit regions of northeast India and Bangladesh.

“Right now millions are suffering from extreme flooding fuelled by the climate crisis in India and Bangladesh - already hit by the devastation of cyclone Amphan and COVID-19”, the 17-year-old wrote in a tweet. “My foundation will donate €100,000 prize money to BRAC, Goonj,

Manipur reports first COVID-19 fatality three days ago. He was infected by the virus while seeking treatment in the hospital on May 22 and tested positive for the virus on July 26 following which he was shifted to the Covid care facility of the hospital.

A statement of the RIMS medical superintendent said that the patient was found COVID positive during a thorough screening for COVID-19 among health care workers and patients of the RIMS hospital.

The screening among the employees and patients of the hospital was done after as many as 18 employees, including doctors, nurses and attendants of the hospital contracted the virus in the last few days.

Medical superintendent Prof Ch Arunkumar Singh said despite intensive treatment, the patient succumbed to kidney failure, infection of kidney and lower respiratory tract. The patient had long stand-

ing Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension.

“COVID-19 is present recently,” he stated.

The patient succumbed around 2 am on Wednesday, hospital sources said.

Authorities of the state government have made arrangement for the disposal of the first COVID-19 death, strictly adhering to government’s COVID-19 dead body management guidelines The body will be cremated at a public crematorium in Imphal’s Sanjenthong, an official source said. Meanwhile, Manipur reported the highest singleday spike of 141 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the state’s tally to 2458, as per status update on COVID-19 of the state health department.

The tally included 805 active cases as the recovered cases tally stood at 1653 with the discharge of 38 patients after they were found free from the virus

cop who named CM in affidavit detained for flouting lockdown IMPHAL, JUL 29 ( AGENCIES): The Imphal West Police on Tuesday alleged that police officer Thonaujam Brinda and two others had flouted lockdown norms put in place to rein in the spread of the coronavirus, reported Imphal Free Press. Brinda and her companions were temporarily detained for violating lockdown restrictions at Sangaiprou Lamkhai on Monday night.

Brinda, who has often been in the crosshairs of the state government, courted fresh controversy earlier this month when she accused Manipur chief minister of foiling an investigation against a former BJP functionary alleged to be involved in drug smuggling.

The police officer made these allegations in an affidavit to the court which had initiated contempt proceedings.

The contempt charges were related to Brinda’s Facebook post, where she had allegedly questioned a special court’s decision

3

northeast

bam and Tenao have been detained since 12.40 am at Kwakeithel FCI Crossing

by Imphal West Police on charge of violating curfew according to a report from Kakching Control Room,” Brinda had posted late on Tuesday. “My husband agreed to pay fine for curfew violation and let us women off as it is night but they have refused.

Po l i c e a r e s ay i n g Lamphel Police is coming to arrest me. We are completely surrounded by armed policemen in

uniform.”

She further alleged in the post that the police had refused to explain the charges for their detention, taken their statements, photographs and let off two hours later.

Brinda also claimed to have been on a “drug trail” in a separate post.

Imphal West district Superintendent of Police K Meghachandra, in a statement, said that a female occupant of the car carrying Brinda had identified herself as the additional superintendent of police.

However, an alert was raised after the vehicle drove away before appropriate verification.

The police have alleged that the occupants of the vehicle had refused to provide details of their travel and also exhibited hostile attitude, reported Imphal Free Press.

Following this, Brinda was called in and the police team was allowed to inspect the vehicle.

“However, they did not disclose where they

went in between as they took considerable time to cover the distance,” the police statement said.

“The objective was to verify if they have visited any person in the containment zones particularly in the five districts they have visited yesterday.”

A challan was issued and Brinda was let go at 2.30 am, the police said.

The statement further accused Brinda of going around five districts with her friends in an irresponsible way.

Following Brinda’s allegations against Chief Minister N Biren Singh, he had filed a petition in court.

Singh had asked the court to pass an order restraining the police officer from making “defamatory” comments against him and the media from publishing them.

In a July 22 order, the court directed Brinda not to make “unsubstantiated and ex- facie defamatory” statements about the chief minister.

during the latest RT PCR test. The 141 new cases were detected during testing of 2,508 samples in the last 24 hours (from 6.30 pm of July 28 till 6.30 pm of July 29).

Of the 141 new cases, 30 of them were from Imphal West, 51 from Churachandpur district, eight from Thoubal district, seven from Imphal East district, two from Bishnupur district, 29 from Senapati district, three from Kakching district and four from Tamenglong district.

Amid the surge in the cases of COVID-19 in the state, 273 passengers including state natives stranded at various parts of the country owing to the COVID-19 induced lockdown arrived in the state. Of them, 192 were arrived in Imphal by air while 81 by surface on NH-2 passing through Mao gate bordering Nagaland, the status update on COVID-19 of the state health department showed.

Action Aid India, and Bangladesh. I’m supporting these NGOs—working tirelessly and in desperate need of funds—to make sure help reaches communities affected as soon as possible”, she added.

Greta urged people to consider making donations to the relief effort and visit the websites of these organizations orchestrating the relief efforts for details.

Greta’s donation has come after floods wreaked havoc in the Northeast Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, as well as neighbouring Bangladesh, which shares a 4,000 km boundary with the region. Over the past

month, the northeast Indian state of Assam has been persistently hit by inundation-causing torrential showers that are partly a manifestation of climate change. In Assam, the death toll due to floods reached 104 on Tuesday with one more casualty being reported. At the same time, many rivers and their tributaries continue to flow above the danger level.

Large swathes of land 21 districts across the state have been inundated.

The f loods in the northern parts of Bangladesh had killed at least 119 people by Monday, July 27. Of the victims, 96 people died of drowning, 13 of snakebites, eight of lightning, and one of diarrhoea. Moreover, nearly 43,78,732 people were affected due to the floods in 31 out of the country’s total 64 districts. The inundation has reportedly caused widespread damage to habitation, crops, roads, and highways across vast swathes of the country.

Meanwhile, rescue and rehabilitation efforts in these regions are well underway, carried out by government forces as well as non-governmental organisations. The donations flowing from global icons like Thunberg is likely to highlight the plight of victims of floods—and climate change on a whole— to the entire world.

Notice to hospital for refusing to admit pregnant woman Correspondent Shillong Jul 29: The Meghalaya government has show-caused the Ganesh Das Hospital in Shillong, one of the oldest maternity centres in NE for not admitting a pregnant woman on Tuesday as she was from a COVID-19 containment zone.

The mother was allowed to deliver the child at the hospital after an intervention by a social organisation, but the newborn expired.

“The government has decided to show cause to understand the sequence of events as hospitals cannot refuse to admit patients whether they are from containment zones or not. We have taken serious note on this matter and directed the health department to showcase and then we will take action accordingly,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters on Wednesday.

“The government assures that we are here to

serve the people but assure that there will not be any lapses from now onwards.

To err is human. We felt bad that the baby passed away and the government has taken serious note of the lapses in this regard,” he said. Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister Alexander Laloo Hek assured action would be taken if there are any lapses.

Director of Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War clarified that the death of the child was due to medical complexities known as “birth affixture”, which had nothing to do with the time of the admission of the expecting mother, even as he pointed out that this was not a case of stigmatization.

He also said that the woman, who had come from a containment zone, was advised to go to other hospitals after it was found that there was no vacant bed in the isolation wards of the Ganesh Das Hospital but those hospitals also refused her admission, he said.

6 BSF, 1 policeman One killed, 17 wounded in among 11 COVID road mishap on NH-2 in Mnp cases in Mizoram Correspondent the Senapati district hos-

Aizawl, Jul 29 (PTI): Eleven people, including six Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and a policeman, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, taking the state’s tally to 395, a health department official said on Wednesday.

Of the fresh cases, 10 were reported from Aizawl district and one from Lawngtlai, he said.

“Swab samples of these people were tested at the Zoram Medical College (ZMC) here and they were found positive for the disease on Tuesday night.

Of the new patients, nine have returned from West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Bihar and Assam and two from Nepal,” the official said.

Of the 395 cases, 197 are active while 198 people have recovered from the disease, he said.

Aizawl district has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases at 215, followed by Lunglei (71), Siaha (26) and Lawngtlai (22) and Mamit (21), he said.

IMPHAL, Jul 29: A passenger died and 17 other injured when a mini-bus met with an accident along Imphal-Dimapur section of NH-2 in Manipur’s Senapati district on Wednesday morning.

Official reports said that the mini-bus (MN01A1082) had an accident at Karong under Senapati police station around 7 am on Wednesday.

The vehicle carrying drivers hired by a Eastern Motors, Imphal for transportation of new brand vehicles of the motor dealer left Imphal for Dimapur early in the morning.

After the driver reportedly lost control while negotiating a corner, the vehicle skidded off the road and fell down into a deep gorge.

The deceased victim, Samurailakpam Sashikumar (27) of Imphal’s Chingmeirong Lei Ingkhol succumbed to his injuries on the post.

The injured passengers were first rushed to

pital from where they were referred to RIMS hospital, Imphal. The conditions of four critically injured passengers were stated to be critical, hospital sources said.

4

OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post

Post-mortem

World day against trafficking in persons

Vol. XXx NO. 234 Dimapur, thursday, july 30, 2020

To police the police

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aga Tribal Union Chümoukedima Town (NTUCT) has been consistently pursuing the illegal backdoor appointments made on February 24,2020 of 1140 constables since early this year but apparently it seems the powers that be have grown thick-skins and are not at all bothered by any consequences.

It may be recalled that NTUCT had in February this year revealed that along with some 208 candidates who were selected after open advertisement for filling up the vacancies, another batch comprising of 1140 were added as “recruits” to undergo training at the Police training centre. NTUCT demanded that the police department furnish details of those backdoor appointees as well as to furnish names, chest numbers and domicile district of those 208 who were appointed through open recruitment. After filing the RTI application with the department and after expiry of the mandated 30-day period for reply, NTUCT then approached the DGP- the Appellate Authority of the department. A hearing was held on June 17 and on the very day itself the DGP reportedly directed the Public Information Officer (PIO)of the department furnish the reply to the RTI. According to NTUCT, instead, the PIO remained defiant to not provide documents as sought for on the plea that they (documents) do not meet public interest under Sec.8(1)(j) of the Act. However, NTUCT maintained that the particular section Sec.8(1) (j) pertained only to personal information which they did not seek and thus, the PIO had incorrectly cited it to justify refusal to provide general information. Besides reiterating their demands on appointment orders of the 1140 including the 208 who were appointed through open recruitment, NTUCT also demanded imposition of penalty on the PIO under Sec.20(1) and or Sec.20(2) with exemplary cost. Now the ball is in the court of the chief information commissioner Nagaland. Backdoor appointments in such a crucial department such as the police which is responsible for maintenance of law and order, has devastating consequences. For one, those who are appointed through backdoor will be beholden to their patrons instead of the rule of law. If there is a problem with ‘law and order’ as it is described, then having those who have cheated their way to get the job as law enforcers is one of the factors. The issue of appointment in the police department was brought by a senior police officer now retired, Toshitsungba Aier IPS during the November 26,2015 NPSA general conference at police complex Chümoudkedima. Aier had said that there were 1500 excess police personnel in the department causing extra burden of around Rs.50 crore annually to the department. He also said Nagaland has the highest police to population ratio at 1:50 as against the national average of 1:500. Aier also pointed out that performance-wise personnel of the IR (NAP) Battalion were more efficient than DEF and other branches of the police. He attributed this to the fact that 60 to 70 percent of IRB personnel were recruited directly on merit and through open competition. Needless to say, the outspoken officer was soon shunted out as incentive. In 2011 alone more than 50% of SIs were recruited without competitive exam, while from 1997 to 2012, 257 ABSIs were recruited without interview and 253 promoted as ABSIs. Such practices have dealt a severe blow on the discipline and the morale of the jawans. Unfortunately, the only thing that has changed are the politicians in power or officers but not the syndrome. Certainly there is need to police the police to promote professionalism and rid of vested interests.

DailyDevotion Do You See Jesus in Your Clouds?

Behold, He is coming with clouds…

—Revelation 1:7 In the Bible clouds are always associated with God. Clouds are the sorrows, sufferings, or providential circumstances, within or without our personal lives, which actually seem to contradict the sovereignty of God. Yet it is through these very clouds that the Spirit of God is teaching us how to walk by faith. If there were never any clouds in our lives, we would have no faith. “The clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3). They are a sign that God is there. What a revelation it is to know that sorrow, bereavement, and suffering are actually the clouds that come along with God! God cannot come near us without clouds— He does not come in clear-shining brightness.

It is not true to say that God wants to teach us something in our trials. Through every cloud He brings our way, He wants us to unlearn something.

His purpose in using the cloud is to simplify our beliefs until our relationship with Him is exactly like that of a child— a relationship simply between God and our own souls, and where other people are but shadows. Until other people become shadows to us, clouds and darkness will be ours every once in a while. Is our relationship with God becoming more simple than it has ever been?

There is a connection between the strange providential circumstances allowed by God and what we know of Him, and we have to learn to interpret the mysteries of life in the light of our knowledge of God. Until we can come face to face with the deepest, darkest fact of life without damaging our view of God’s character, we do not yet know Him. “…they were fearful as they entered the cloud” (Luke 9:34). Is there anyone except Jesus in your cloud? If so, it will only get darker until you get to the place where there is “no one anymore, but only Jesus …” (Mark 9:8; also see verses 2–7).

Quotes

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former. ~ Albert Einstein

Nagaland Post, Dimapur THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

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(“We only have two choices- do something or do nothing” - Tony Kirwan)

very year on 30th Ju ly, t h e wo r l d unites to observe World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, a day designated by United Nations, to recognize human trafficking as a serious crime and a complete violation of human rights.

The United Nations theme for this year is “Working on the Frontline to End Human Trafficking”. This year’s theme focuses on the first responders for human trafficking who despite the pandemic and its situation continues to provide their services which often go unrecognised. As per the research brief published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in May 2020, the economic crisis caused by the pandemic crisis may lead to favourable conditions for the traffickers to continue their operation.

Human trafficking is the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labour, commercial sexual exploitation, slavery, organ removal, or other forms of crime. It is a demand-driven industry that exploits humans by forcing them into sexual and labour slave trades.

Victims of trafficking can be of any age or gender.

However, women and children are the most vulnerable target. Traffickers use different means like physical, emotional and mental abuse, threats and blackmails, coercion, drug addiction etc. to in-

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timidate the victims. The victims are often forced to perform gruesome, dangerous tasks with little rest and food in addition to no pay. The vicious cycle of forced activity and abuse pushes the victims of trafficking into a situation from which they are unable to escape. The International Labor Organization estimates that there 21 million victims of forced labor around the world. All countries are affected by human trafficking, either as countries of origin, transit or destination.

Northeast remains one of the most vulnerable regions in the country due to the disparities in wealth and rise in the rate of unemployment. Northeastern states like Nagaland and Assam are becoming a source point for traffickers to carry out their illegal activities. Many local traffickers operate from within the Northeast with other larger organised trafficking groups in metropolitan cities. In Nagaland, with the growing demand for cheap labour and domestic help, the traffickers simply go into the poor and isolated villages and communities.

They offer better job or education opportunities in big cities and other false promises. During a recent State level Conference on Anti-Human Trafficking organised by the Nagaland Police, it was reported thata person goes missing every fourth day and out of the 87 cases of missing persons registered in the

past three years (2017-19) from different districts of the state, 83% are below the age of 18 years; And 13% of the missing persons in Nagaland have been reportedly trafficked.It is disturbing to observe that Children from neighbouring statesare brought into the state for cheap labour and recruited in hotels, and for manual and daily wage labour. There are cases of children from far flung villageswho are employed as domestic helpers and are being abused by the employers. On the other hand, girls and women from Nagaland and other neighbouring states are trafficked to the big Indian cities for sexual exploitation on pretext of recruitment into the entertainment and service industry.

Poor socio-economic circumstances intensifies vulnerabilities. Hence, the traffickers often target people from these sections of the societies; communities that lack access to opportunities. Limited reporting of trafficking does not mean absence of any trafficking activities.

The lack of awareness about the issue among the public and the stakeholders makes it easy for traffickers to carry out their operations successfully.

In addition, traffickers are using social media for recruitment, posting false advertisements attracting vulnerable people.

There are various laws under the Indian Constitution that address

Representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi

he Naga Hoho representing the Naga people and aspirations irrespective of territorial boundaries extend our good wishes at a time such as this when a pandemic has hit normal life and economy.

In a time like this, the Nagas remember and treasure your words and assurance of 3rd August 2015 on the historic signing of the Framework Agreement when you said, “I have deepest admiration for the great Naga people for their extraordinary support to the peace efforts.” It confirmed our support to the peace efforts and our longing for tangible honourable and acceptable settlement of long-drawn IndoNaga political issue.

However, we are concerned by unfavourable and unexpected developments which we would like to highlight in the following: 1. It has been five years since “Framework Agreement” was signed between Government of India (GoI) and the NSCN/GPRN but no tangible solution is emerging nor is there any progress in the political talk. We feel that the Framework Agreement has been interpreted to suit the interest of the GoI. The Nagas desire the earliest clarification on the progress and position of this framework agreement from the Government of India.

2. While the Naga people, both young and old have been expecting with great hope for a peaceful settlement, the GoI have announced and declared that, formal talks on Indo-Naga Political issue has concluded on 31st October 2019. This is not only surprising but also disturbing and more so with many unwarranted turn of events. Sir, you are well aware that the entire Nagaland is being declared as ‘Disturbed Area’ under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act every six months despite a ceasefire with the Naga political groups. The Indian Army continues to operate against peace and the people and there is a rise in violence, confrontations and killings like the pre-ceasefire period.

The recent case of 11th July 2020 where 6 boys were mercilessly gunned down in their sleep by the 6 Assam Rifles near Nginu village of Longding District, Arunachal Pradesh blots the effort to peace and settlement.

3. We express that all principles and framework agreed upon must be respected and not be changed unitarily. The 2001 Bangkok Agreement clearly stated that

and penalize trafficking.

The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 penalises trafficking for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitations.

Child Labour Act, 1986 and Juvenile Justice Act, 2016 prohibits bonded or forced labour. Indian Penal Code (IPC)prohibits kidnapping and selling minors into prostitution respectively and punishment for such offences are a maximum of 10 years imprisonment.

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 protects children from sexual abuse and exploitations There are multiple schemes under the Ministry of Women & Child Development, GoI that aims to provide services to women in distress, few of which are as mentioned below:  Ujjawala Scheme is a comprehensive scheme for prevention of trafficking and rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of trafficked women and children.  S w a d h a r G r e h Scheme also seeks to address the needs of females in difficult circumstances, including victims of sex trafficking.  Women Helpline181 provides 24 hour toll free telecom service to women affected by violence and seeking support and information. It facilitates crisis and non crisis intervention through referral to the appropriate agencies.  Sakhi- One Stop

Ceasefire shall be without Territorial limit but the ceasefire covers only to the state of Nagaland. The agreement was signed during the Prime Ministership of Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee and is contradictory to the ceasefire currently in place. The Government must clarify the position of the Bangkok Agreement.

4. The Government of India and the Nagas have signed several agreements in the past; however, these agreements did not yield in bringing honourable, acceptable and desired solution so far. The Nagas feel it is due to lack of honest political will and sincerity from the successive Governments of India.

5. The Nagas observe that Governor of Nagaland who is also the Interlocutor to the Indo-Naga Peace Talk is functioning in an autocratic manner without any regard and respect for what has been achieved so far. It is worthwhile to remember and forgetting that the Indo-Naga political issue has taken a huge toll on generations of both sides (India and Naga). With the appointment of Shri. R.N Ravi as the Governor, it was hoped to expedite the peace process. Instead, he is breaking the hard-earned trust and faith of the people and rendering the 23 years of negotiation meaningless by smearing the Naga history and also the political groups with whom the GoI is engaged in a negotiation. The government employees are also mandatorily made to self declare their relationships with member of the Naga political groups. We are concerned that this will lead to profiling the employees and also criminalizing the organizations and the members of these organizations.

6. We feel that peaceful settlement cannot be achieved with an interlocutor without empathy and without understanding our people, our history and our aspiration. We remember Mahatma Gandhi who gave respect and honour to our political rights and we need a similar leader to translate the Indo-Naga negotiation into an honorable solution that will safeguard and protect the interest of one another.

We continue to trust in your leadership and we urge you to look into the matters placed before you as a priority.

With your personal and political commitment, we believe that the solution is not far away.

Naga Hoho President H. K. Zhimomi and General Secretary K. Elu Ndang

Centre (OSCs) provides integrated support and assistance for women affected by violence under one roof with services like medical assistance, police assistance, psycho social support, legal aid, shelter, video conferencing. OSCs are set up in all 11 districts.

Data on human trafficking only reveal the tip of the iceberg since it is a disguised crime. We share a common mission to prevent and ultimately end human trafficking. To raise public awareness to prevent human trafficking and ensure the victims of trafficking receive necessary, comprehensive help and support to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into the community. It is crucial to inform people especially residing in the rural areas about the dangers of human trafficking.

Provisions of quality education and better opportunities in the rural areas can curb the problem of trafficking. Stakeholders play a pivotal role in prevention, protection, rehabilitation of the victims of the crime and prosecution of perpetrators of human trafficking.

If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave- activities like commercial sex, household work, farm or construction work, retail, factory, manual labour or any other activity, contact the Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) which are set up in all the districts

by the Police under Home Department. Women and girls in distress can dial the Women Helpline (181 or 9485239098) for help in any crisis situation or visit Sakhi-One Stop Centres (OSCs) in your respective districts. Your prompt action will help someone in distress. Act now, break the chains and set them free.

To commemorate this day, a state wide digital campaign on the theme, “Break the Chain- Set Me Free” has been initiated by the State Resource Centre for Women, Nagaland (SRCW) and 181Women Helpline (WHL) Nagaland under the Department of Social Welfarein collaboration with the District Administration, Mahila Shakti Kendra and Sakhi- One Stop Centre. The team have come up with IEC (Information, Education and Communication) materialslike poster, f lyer, brochure, video, for dissemination on various social media platforms to raise awareness and have also introduced many other digital activities inviting the general public to participate.

Join the digital campaign to prevent human trafficking.

Share about the risk of falling prey to perpetrators andthe social and human costs of trafficking in persons.Follow official pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagramand YouTube channelof the SRCW Nagaland and 181Women Helpline Nagaland for more information.

State Resource Centre for Women & 181Women Helpline, Nagaland

Observations of a child on COVID-19

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s a young child of age 11 we are supposed to have fun and play with friends and family. But all of a sudden I can’t believe we are somehow like in a part of a horror movie.

Since November 2019, the world has changed so much. We can’t live with ease in our lives, we have to adapt with the conditions or else we are at the verge of extinction.

It is terrifying to see how it’s spreading so instantly throughout the world.

F r o m ( Wu h a n ) China to Nagaland, India, the instant Covid-19 reached (Kohima), the conditions have changed very much. Before the pandemic, I was heading for my goals and towards a brighter future in life but right now I am just like a paper boat floating on water. When Covid19 reached here, I was shivering with fear and so scared to even go outside my house, although I always see my parents going to the office. So, before they leave I tell them to remember the “do’s and don’ts” and always maintain social distancing. That is the only op-

tion to save oneself.

It is hard to believe that the Covid-19 pandemic has killed more than 654,000 people worldwide and it keeps increasing each day.

What I wonder is that throughout the world there are so many scientists and medical professionals but still despite the large number they cannot find the vaccine to this pandemic, I hope they do soon.

In my life I also want to become a scientist and help in finding vaccines.

But I learn and strongly believe that only Christ alone can do everything possible. So we should humble ourselves, trust in Him and pray that God will show mercy on us.

During this pandemic, I have learnt a lot of important lessons which I will never forget in my life. I have understood the importance of life and family too. We must appreciate our parents for their endless hard work to fulfill our needs and keep us happy.

I also appreciate and thank all frontline workers, Government, NGO’s and my teachers who are

working so hard for us even though it is not safe for them to be out there.

In times like these, we should learn the value of food and everyday items in our lives. We have learnt to respect our farmers, vendors and we now realize that we should never waste food because many people are unable to have even a single meal during this lockdown period and if possible we must help people who are in need.

Lastly, this Covid-19 pandemic ‘Lockdown’ gives us many lessons about life. I have learned to handle difficulties with a positive mind and not with a negative thinking.

There is an end to every nightmare and this is one that shall end soon. Let us stand in unity not to a specific country, race or religion but rather to mankind. Let’s all unite together and try to follow the precautions and fight this pandemic.”I choose to live in the 21st Century and therefore I shall try my best, and so what about you “?

Wangshinok Ozukum, New Ministers’ Hill, Kohima

Reader’s Post Extend humanitarian gesture

Sir,

It’s been for many days we all are aware that the flood situation in many districts of Assam has gone from bad to worse, along with this COVID-19 pandemic, claiming many lives and affecting thousands of people there. In such a time, though we already have COVID-19 financial crisis, Nagaland being the neighbouring state to Assam the govt should at least extend financial help.

Different NGOs can also lend a humanitarian gesture as a good neighbour. As the saying goes, love thy neighbour with the heart of gold.

Moalong Kichu, Industrial Estate Colony, Dimapur

Reader’s note: Articles or letters published in any of the columns do not reflect the view of this newspaper nor that of the Editor in any manner.

national/state

Nagaland Post, Dimapur THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

Rajasthan cabinet sends another proposal proceedings if there is a trust vote, and social distancing during the session.

In addition, he had said a short-notice session was possible if a trust vote was on the agenda.

Although the Congress has said it wants to prove its majority in the House, it has been reluctant to state this in the proposal.

Seeks assembly session on Aug 14 JAIPUR, JUL 29 (PTI): The Ashok Gehlot Cabinet on Wednesday sent another proposal to the Governor for summoning the Rajasthan Assembly, saying a session should be called on August 14. Government sources argued that this meets the 21-day notice requirement on which Governor Kalraj Mishra was insisting.

It was not immediately clear if this will end the impasse between the Congress government and the Governor, who has already returned proposals for calling a session three times since last week.

The Cabinet is counting the 21 days from July 23, when its first proposal was sent. But the latest proposal falls short if the notice period is counted from Wednesday. While rejecting the government proposal earlier, Mishra had said a session can be called at short notice if the agenda is to seek a vote of confidence.

Otherwise, 21 days’ notice is needed, he said.

The state government was earlier insisting that the session should begin on July 31. “Neither the Governor nor the government wants confrontation. The Cabinet

Ashok Gehlot

has passed a revised proposal for forwarding to the Governor,” Transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told reporters after the evening meeting.

“We hope that the Governor will accept the recommendation this time and the deadlock will end,” he said. The minister, however, did not elaborate on the contents of the revised, fourth proposal.

Earlier in the day, Mishra returned the government’s third proposal, saying the Cabinet had refused to state the reason why it wanted a session at short notice. The Governor said if the government was not stating the reason for holding a short-notice session, it could call a regular session at 21 day’s notice.

He asked the Gehlot cabinet to resubmit its proposal, giving a ‘solid reason’ for calling a session at short notice.

As the impasse over

calling a session deepened, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held a 15-minute meeting with Mishra at the Raj Bhawan. Hours later, the state Cabinet met to redraft the proposal, setting the new date. “The love letter has already come. Now, I am only going to have tea with him,” Gehlot told party workers at the state Congress office before heading for the Raj Bhawan.

On Tuesday, the state Cabinet had resent its proposal to the Governor the third time, sticking to the July 31 date for holding a session and refusing to mention that it planned to hold a trust vote. In its reaction, the Raj Bhawan said Wednesday that the government had not given clear replies to his previous queries.

It reminded that the Governor had asked the state government to redraft its proposal taking into account three points: a 21-day notice, live broadcast of the

The Governor had also referred to the coronavirus pandemic then, asking the government to make it clear why it wanted the session summoned at short notice under such adverse circumstances.

He questioned why the lives of over 1,200 people be put in danger without any special reason.

Raj HC begins hearing plea against merger of 6 BSP MLAs to Cong The Rajasthan high court on Wednesday began hearing a plea by BJP MLA Madan Dilawar, challenging the state assembly’s Speaker decision to reject his complaint against the induction of six BSP MLAs to the Congress.

After giving a partial hearing to Dilawar’s plea questioning the Speaker’s order to reject his complaint without issuing notice to him and letting him have his say, a bench of Justice Mahendra Kumar Goyal slated the petition for further hearing at 2 pm on Thursday.

While starting the hearing on the BJP MLA’s plea, Justice Goyal also tagged with it a BSP petition challenging the Speaker’s order allowing the merger of all its six MLAs to the Congress last September. The judge said he would hear the two similar petitions together.

BJP MLA Dilawar had on Tuesday filed two petitions before the court.

The first petition challenged a communication from the assembly secretariat informing the MLA that his complaint has been decided and rejected by the Speaker.

The second plea to the high court challenged the Speaker’s detailed order dated July 24 that rejected the MLA’s complaint against the merger of BSP MLAs with the Congress.

The court began hearing the BJP MLA’s second petition as well as the one by the BSP together.

The Six BSP MLAs whose merger has been challenged by the BJP MLA, as well as the BSP, are Sandeep Yadav, Wajib Ali, Deepchand Kheria, Lakhan Meena, Jogendra Awana and Rajendra Gudha.

NTC urges govt to withdraw July 7 memo Myanmar-based NSCN (K) ...

(From p-1) As Government of India had been stating that the negotiations were at an advanced stage and even announced the “successful” conclusion of the peace talks on October 31, 2019, they said the general understanding of the people had been that the final agreement could happen any time now.

Recalling the bloodshed of the past when Indian armed forces killed innocent people and raped women while conducting raids in villages, the council observed that the people now yearned for enduring peace through a lasting solution that would be acceptable to all concerned.

However, NTC feared that the State government, by directing AHoDs and HoDs to obtain information from employees in their respective departments, would only disturb the minds of the peace-loving people and the hard-earned peaceful atmosphere in the State would be at stake. It added that furnishing such information in a self-declaration form was not necessarily the responsibility of the employees.

As the impression of the people was that another round of State atrocities was on the card, the council urged the government to withdraw the memo in the interest of peace and tranquillity in the land.

It advised the government to instead pursue and translate the successfully-concluded political negotiations into a reality, with an agreement that would be honourable and acceptable to all concerned.

Meanwhile, NTC appealed to all citizens of the State to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs)

and all COVID protocols as it was the responsibility of every individual to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, even as it emphasised that healthcare of the citizens was the State’s responsibility.

Hence, the council urged the State government to ramp up efforts in ensuring and strengthening the already existing safety measures of all frontline workers, health service providers, administrative staff and security forces involved in COVID-19 pandemic duties.

Safety of all frontline workers was critical and paramount, and should not be compromised nor neglected under any circumstances in the fight against the pandemic, the release stated.

Referring to the detection of COVID-19 cases from among the general public in the State, the council urged the government to immediately revise/rethink its approach and policies, SOPs and efforts towards mitigating and containing the spread of the virus in Nagaland.

Observing that detection of COVID-19 cases from among the general public indicated the shift in the nature of the spread of the virus in Nagaland from governmentregulated environment/quarantine facilities to general people, the council noted that SOPs and COVID protocols drafted in earlier stages were not effective now. The NTC therefore urged the State government to commit more resources and efforts in conducting tests of the general public to critically assess the nature of the spread of COVID-19 and act accordingly, which had become the need of the hour.

PDALP reiterates call for expediting Naga peace process DIMAPUR, JUL 29 (NPN): Reiterating its stand on the Indo-Naga political issue, the PDA Legislative Party (PDALP) has called upon the negotiating parties to expedite the peace talks and bring about a negotiated political settlement immediately that was honourable and acceptable to the people and uphold democratic political rights of the Nagas.

In a meeting at State Banquet Hall in Kohima on Wednesday, which was also attended by chief minister Neiphiu Rio and deputy chief minister Y Patton, legislators of the ruling coalition observed that the Government of India and the negotiating parties had been having political dialogue with ceasefire for 23 years, signed the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015 and the Agreed Position or Preamble on November 17, 2017 and successful conclusion of talks was announced on October 3, 2019.

Hence, as the masses have been crying for lasting peace through a negotiated political settlement that would pave the way for all-round development and progress, the meeting

stressed that the negotiating parties should make all possible efforts to come to an understanding and formulate a settlement at the shortest possible time.

Further, the PDALP acknowledged the contributions of all frontline workers working round the clock for the past four months in battling the COVID-19 pandemic and making significant sacrifices in the greater interest of the public.

Also appreciating the contributions and sacrifices of all sections of the society, including the medical fraternity, administration and police, all government agencies, tribal hohos, civil societies, church organisations, NGOs, political parties and individuals, the meeting observed that the people of Nagaland deserved to be complimented for extending all-out cooperation in adhering to the guidelines, advisories and SOPs during the lockdown period.

The PDALP also complimented the State government and all its agencies for successfully handling the challenges posed by the pandemic.

(From p-1) Meanwhile, MIP in-charge of another NSCN (K) faction Nikato Pilot Sumi said that the entire civil and military wings at a plenary meeting held on July 28, 2020 had “unanimously” decided to appoint and appointed “lt. gen.(Rtd.)” Nyemlang Konyak Naga as the chairman/president of NSCN/GPRN and Starson Lamkang Naga as general secretary/ato kilonser of NSCN/GPRN respectively.

MIP said the appointment was “mandated and necessitated by the void created and the unbecoming of a president by the former president Yung Aung”, who it claimed had been found in direct contravention of the provisions of the Yehzabo on the various counts.

It said that Yung Aung in violation of the “very fundamental tenets of the Yehzabo” and the conventions of group acted alone without the knowledge or consulting any members of group and “tried to change the official seal of the GPRN” by dispatching a newly self designed seal to be used officially, which once received was rejected outright by all the officials of the group.

Further, it claimed that Yung Aung yet again without any consultation or meetings with concerned officials of group “clandestinely established relationship and connived with NSCN(IM) in trying to sabotage and undermine Naga sovereign rights.”

Despite grave charges against Yung Aung, MIP said the group “patiently waited” nearly two years for him “to come to his senses and do right by the Naga people”.

However, MIP said Yung Aung “on his own violation deserted NSCN/GPRN and unofficially defected to NSCN (IM)”. On all counts, MIP said Yung Aung has been “found guilty of serious dereliction of duty and conniving with elements trying to derail our sovereign Political rights”.

Would abide by govt directive: NSSA, NCSA

(Form p-1) When contacted, NCSA president Honje Konyak informed this correspondent that as government servants with service rules, they were bounded to abide by any order, notification or office memorandum.

To queries whether NCS had any apprehension over the directive, he vaguely said the public must examine and see what would be best for the society.

The memorandum has attracted criticism from various groups, even as the Joint Tribal Hoho termed it as not viable at the present situation unless a final settlement was arrived at, and appealed to the government to withdraw the directive.

5 NIA arrests 3 more in 2019 killing of C’garh BJP MLA NEW DELHI, JUL 29 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA), here on Wednesday, said it had arrested three people in connection with the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Bhima Mandavi in Chhattisgarh on April 9, 2019. The arrested persons have been identified as Laxman Jaiswal, Ramesh Kumar Kashyap and Kumari Linge Tati -- all residents of the Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh.

The official said the agency found that Jaiswal, a grocery owner in Nakulnar, provided electric wires, explosives and other items for the IED blast carried out by CPI (Maoist) cadres.

Kashyap, ex-sarpanch of Kakadi village, and Kumari Linge Tati provided logistic support to the Maoists and were part of the conspiracy that led to the Mandavi’s killing along with four security personnel of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF). The accused, produced before the NIA Special Court in Jagdalpur on Wednesday, have been remanded to 7-day police remand. They were killed in an explosion near Shyamgiri village under the Kuakonda police station. The security personnel’s arms and ammunitions were also looted by the Maoists.

al Political Groups (WC, NNPGs) recognised the political and historical rights of the Nagas “to self determine their future in consonance with their distinct identity.

NGBF has, therefore, urged all the signatories of the agreements to “give sanctity to the historic documents.”

While drawing up the agreements, the federation hoped that all entities have done “in-depth practical evaluation of various aspects of the unresolved political problem.”

Expressing appreciation and gratitude to the signatories, the NGBF maintained that the representatives of all NPGs have put in their utmost effort while drawing up ‘Framework Agreement’ in 2015 and ‘Agreed Position’ in 2017 in the best interest of the Naga people and the Government of India.

“It is time to leave the past behind and concentrate on the present to design and invent a new Nagaland and other Naga areas,” NGBF stated.

CM Rio speaking at the inaugural programme. (DIPR)

DIMAPUR: A programme for inaugurating the New State Banquet hall was held at the Chief Minister’s residential complex, Kohima on July 29, 2020.

According to DIPR report, the state government, in a significant development, introduced a virtual programme for inaugurating the new State Banquet hall which was live streamed and telecast on Youtube and Facebook for the viewers to witness the inauguration as a protective measure to handle the pandemic.

In his inaugural speech, state chief minister Neiphiu Rio said that it was a remarkable day for the State to have a world class banquet hall. He said that the long dream of having a suitable and standard banquet hall could be achieved today ever since the idea of having a permanent banquet hall conceived in the year 2001.

“At this time of achieve-

ment, we remember our pioneers for their contribution who brought our State this far building slowly but surely,” he said.

The chief minister acknowledged the PWDs and contractors for completing the hall at a time when a pandemic began. He said that it would be a privilege and moment of pride to invite the honored guest and other official ceremonies to be observed at the new banquet hall. Rio also said that it would give ample opportunities to the youth and talented people to exhibit and showcase their skill in music and arts etc.

Concluding his address, Rio appreciated Team Nagaland - the department frontline workers, the stakeholders, NGOs, civil society groups, hohos, volunteers and particularly the churches for their prompt response and support to handle COVID-19.

CBI seeks 7-yr jail for former Samata Party prez in graft case

Unlock 3 guidelines’ issued

New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI): The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday sought maximum punishment of 7-year jail term for former Samata Party President Jaya Jaitly and two others found guilty of corruption in a 2000-01 case related to a purported defence deal.

Special CBI judge Virender Bhat, who had held Jaitly, her former party colleague Gopal Pacherwal and Major General (retired) SP Murgai guilty of corruption and criminal conspiracy in the purported purchase of hand-held thermal imagers, reserved the order for Thursday. The case stemmed out of a sting operation ‘Operation Westend’ aired by news portal Tehelka in January 2001. During the proceedings held in-camera, the CBI said the convicts should be dealt with firmly as the crime was of very serious nature and be given the maximum jail term of seven year jail term.

The counsel appearing for the convict persons, however, sought leniency on the ground that they were aged, the court sources said.

The court had held that all the three accused persons, along with Surender Kumar Surekha (who later turned

NGBF lauds ‘political sagacity’ of NPGs, GoI DIMAPUR, JUL 29 (NPN): Nagaland GB Federation (NGBF) has appreciated the “political sagacity” of both the Naga political groups (NPGs) and the Interlocutor, Government of India, in working out “an honourable and acceptable political arrangement to meet the political aspirations and urges of the Naga people.”

In a press release, NGBF president Shalem Konyak, general secretary Shikuto Zalipu and media secretary Akhu Naga recalled the historic and significant statement of the Prime Minister on August 3, 2015, after signing the Framework Agreement with NSCN (I-M) in New Delhi where he said that the “agreement was historical and a milestone in the Naga political struggle.” NGBF added that the prime minister’s voice represents the voice and opinion of the government of India.

The federation also stated that the signing of the Preamble (Agreed Position) on November 17, 2017, between the Working Committee of seven Naga Nation-

Rio inaugurates new state banquet hall

approver), were a party to a criminal conspiracy that took place around December 2000 and January 2001 at Delhi. The court observed that while Jaitly accepted illegal gratification of Rs 2 lakh from Mathew Samuel, a representative of fictional company Westend International, Murgai received Rs 20,000. The illegal gratification was accepted for obtaining supply orders for hand held thermal imagers from the army. All the three accused---Jaitly, Pacherwal and Murgai---were convicted of the offence of conspiracy (Section 120-B IPC read with Section 9 (taking gratification, for exercise of personal influence with public servant) of Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.

(From p-1) Unlock 3.0 guidelines for containment zones: Lockdown in containment zones will remain imposed till 31 August. * Within the perimeters of containment zones, strict social distancing and other norms of containing the spread of the virus shall be maintained and only essential activities will be allowed, MHA said. * These containment zones will be notified on the websites of respective district collectors of the states and UTs and activities taking place in these zones will be strictly monitored by the authorities. States and UTs can impose its own guidelines outside the containment zones, which they deem necessary.

IN THE COURT OF PRINCIPAL DISTRICT & SESSIONS JUDGE DIMAPUR :: NAGALAND S/C. NO. 273/2020 NOTICE

NOTICE INVITING CLAIMS/OBJECTIONS OF OTHER CLAIMANT(S) FOR ISSUE OF SUCCESSION CERTIFICATE UNDER PART-1 OF INDIAN SUCCESSION ACT 1925.

Whereas application under Succession Act 1925 for grant of Succession Certificate for the estate/pension benefits of Late Sakeulak has been applied

by Smti Haizeuyile, D/o. Lt. Sakeulak, R/o Nsong Town, Peren, Nagaland for possession of: 1. GPF, GIS, Leave Encashment and others. 2. LIC Policy No. NE345898P Notice is hereby given that any person having interest in the administration of the estate/pension benefits of the said deceased may if she/ he so desire appear in this Court on or before the said day of 26-8-2020.

Given under the hand and seal of the Court on this the 27-7-2020.

Principal District & Sessions Judge Dimapur :: Nagaland DP-3333

ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES ANSARI NAGAR, NEW DELHI - 110 608 EXAMINATION SECTION Admission Notice No.93/2020

AIIMS-Ph.D. PROGRAMME - JULY 2020 SESSION

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi invites Online applications for Entrance Examination through online (CBT) mode for admission in Ph.D. Programme July 2020 session. The details are given below: Date for Online Registration of applications Name of Course Opens on Closes on Ph.D. Programme 27.07.2020 09.08.2020 at 05:00 PM Date of Entrance Examination Name of Course Date of Exam.

Duration of Exam.

21.08.2020 Ph.D. Programme 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM Important : For Prospectus, detailed information etc. please visit the website www.aiimsexams.org.

All applicants are required to visit the website regularly since all subsequent Corrigendum/Addendum/ Updates will be uploaded on the website only.

ASSISTANT CONTROLLER ( EXAMS) davp 17112/11/0006/2021

DC-466

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national/state

First batch of 5 Rafale jets arrive in India

AMBALA, JUL 29 (PTI): India on Wednesday received its first batch of new multi-role fighter aircraft in two decades with the arrival of five Rafale jets, giving the country’s air power a strategic edge in the midst of a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh and frayed ties with Pakistan.

The aircraft, having an undisputed track record and considered one of the most potent combat jets globally, landed at the Ambala Air Force base at around 3:10 PM to a rousing reception, nearly four years after India inked an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafales.

Each jet was given a special water cannon salute at the strategically-located air base in the presence of top brass of the Indian Air Force including Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria who had played a key role as lead negotiator in procurement of the jets.

Welcoming the arrival of the jets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a tweet in Sanskrit, said there is no virtue like protecting the nation and there is no vow like defence of the nation. “ T h e B i r d s h av e landed safely in Ambala,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted as soon as the aircraft touched down

First five Rafale combat aircraft from France arrive at the Air Force Station, in Ambala, Wednesday. (PTI)

here. The fleet, which took off from Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on Monday morning, had a planned stopover at Al Dhafra airbase in the UAE and began its onward journey this morning.

The Rafale jets established contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata in the Western Arabian Sea and were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.

“The aircraft covered a distance of nearly 8,500 km from France to India. First stage of the flight covered a distance of 5,800 km in seven and a half hours.

French Air Force tanker provided dedicated air-toair refuelling support during the flight. The second stage of the flight covering

over 2700 km was carried out with air-to-air refuelling

by IAF tanker,” the IAF said in a statement.

The NDA government had inked a Rs 59,000-crore deal on September 23, 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets from French aerospace major Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime.

The emergency acquisition was made primarily to check the depleting combat capability of the IAF as the number of its fighter squadrons had come down to a worrying 31 against the authorised strength of at least 42.

The Rafale jets, known

for air-superiority and precision strikes, are India’s first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 year after the Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia in 1997.

The Congress had alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal, claiming that the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost higher than what was finalised by the UPA government during negotiations for the 126 jets.

However, the government and aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation strongly refuted the allegations. In a verdict in 2018, the Supreme Court had given clean chit to the government on the deal.

The political controversy relating to the deal peaked in the run up to the

Lok Sabha polls last year.

IAF has spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after the defence ministry, headed then by AK Antony, cleared the proposal from the IAF. The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin’s F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia’s MiG35, Sweden’s Gripen, Boeing’s F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation’s Rafale.

After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder). In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology. The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

Navy expands deployment in IOR NEW DELHI, JUL 29 (PTI): The Indian Navy has deployed a large number of frontline warships and submarines in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) in the wake of the border row in eastern Ladakh to send out a clear message to China, according to top defence sources on Wednesday.

A source said the message has been “registered”

by China.

The Indian Navy deployed a range of its frontline warships and submarines in the IOR when the border tension escalated after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 in which 20 Indian army personnel were killed.

The defence sources told PTI that the government adopted a multi-pronged approach involving the Army, the Indian Air Force(IAF) and the Navy as well as diplomacy and economic measures to send out a firm and clear message to China that its misadventure in eastern Ladakh was not acceptable at all.

They said the three service chiefs are engaged in deliberations on a regular basis to ensure a coordinated approach in dealing with the situation as well as to make China understand about India’s clear message.

“Yes, our message has been registered by China,” said a source without elaborating. Asked whether China has responded to India’s deployment, the sources said

there was no visible increase in forays by Chinese ships in the IOR. They said the reason could be the PLA Navy’s excessive deployment of resources in the South China Sea following the strong opposition by the US to Beijing’s expansive territorial claims in the region.

The US sent a number of its warships to the South China Sea to demonstrate freedom of navigation and rallying support to countries who have territorial disputes with China over the region.

The Indian Navy is also ramping up its operational cooperation with various friendly naval forces like the US Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force in view of the fast evolving regional security landscape.

In the recent weeks, the Indian Navy has conducted exercises with the US, French and Japanese navies in the IOR, which were seen as sending a signal to China.

The exercise with the US Navy involved its carrier strike group led by nuclearpowered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. The US carrier strike group was transiting through the IOR on its way from the South China Sea. The Indian Navy has also been expanding cooperation with like-minded navies in the region with an aim to keep strategically key sea lanes of communication

safe and free from any influence. India, Japan and the US are part of the influential “Quad” or Quadrilateral coalition which also included Australia.

In November 2017, the four countries gave shape to the long-pending “Quad” coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence.

Following the Galwan Valley clashes, the IAF deployed almost all its frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft in the key frontier air bases in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere along the Line of Actual Control(LAC).

The IAF has been carrying out night time combat air patrols over the eastern Ladakh region in an apparent message to China that it was ready to deal with any eventualities in the mountainous region.

The Army significantly enhanced deployment after the clashes in Galwan Valley. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details.

According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35.

Following the Galwan Valley incident, the government has given the armed forces “full freedom” to give a “befitting” response to any Chinese misadventure along the LAC.

DC Peren issues SOPs and guidelines for COVID-19 Various organisations condemn DIMAPUR: DC Peren, Sentiwapang Aier has issued an order stating that the under mentioned guidelines and Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) with regard to COVID-19 shall continue to remain operational until further notice.

According to DIPR report, the general public shall strictly maintain social distancing norms and compulsorily wear face mask in all public places in the district; All educational institutions shall continue to remain closed with the exception

for normal administrative works or for online classes; Funeral/last rites related gatherings, after obtaining prior permission from the respective administrative officer, shall ensure social distancing and other protocols and maximum number of mourners/well-wishers shall not exceed 20 (twenty) persons; Marriage related gatherings, after obtaining prior permission from the respective administrative officer, shall ensure social distancing and other protocols and maximum number of

Crossword

well-wishers shall not exceed 50 (fifty) persons; Religious places for public in containment zones shall remain closed. Only those outside containment zones will be allowed to open up subject to strict social distancing norms, wearing of face mask and following all the Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) as issued by the govt. with regard to religious institutions; Shops within the jurisdiction of town councils shall be regulated as per the decision of the concerned administrator and according to the state

government’s existing protocols. Stand-alone shops and outlets outside the purview of the town councils shall be permitted to open as per normal hours; Shop owners shall ensure that hand sanitizers are provided at their outlets and service should be denied to those who do not follow social distancing norms and those without face mask; Spitting and the sale/ consumption of tobacco and tobacco products in public places shall continue to be strictly prohibited; There shall be restriction on gather-

ing at public places of more than 5 (five) people; Any form of unauthorized travel: inter-district, inter-state will remain banned till further notice.

All administrative officers shall set up and “enforcement committee” to ensure that the guidelines are strictly followed. Pecuniary penalties/fines and other penalties may be imposed for wilful violators under relevant sections of the National Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Indian Penal Code (IPC).

No. 9639 Yesterday’s solution No. 9638

Sudoku

No. 4258 Yesterday’s solution No. 4257

KAKURO

No. 3282 Yesterday’s solution No. 3281

Across 1. Death-dealing (5) 6. Minimum (5) 9. Ungrudging (7) 10. Undress (5) 11. Umbilicus (5) 12. Wading bird (5) 13. Boxer (7) 15. Lair (3) 17. Nagging, informally (2,2) 18. Numerical symbol (6) 19. Verdant (5) 20. Evoke (6) 22. Savant (4) 24. Manage (3) 25. Disperse (7) 26. Concur (5) 27. Play for time (5) 28. Strong point (5) 29. Spray can (7) 30. Intends (5) 31. Young eel (5) Down 2. Achieve (6) 3. Burning (6) 4. Impudent talk (3) 5. Ague (5) 6. Wool fat (7) 7. Style and vigour (4) 8. Brochette (6) 12. Vital organ (5) 13. Anteroom (5) 14. Street urchin (5) 15. Former gold coin (5) 16. Not ever (5) 18. Showjumping obstacle (5) 19. Laughs nervously (7) 21. Sheen (6) 22. Saunter (6) 23. Mild (6) 25. Spanish man (5) 26. Boy’s name (4) 28. Enemy (3)

robbery incident at Kohima

DIMAPUR: Lazami Village Council (LVC), Lazami Social Welfare Organization Kohima (LSWOK), Lazami Students Union (LSU), Mishilimi Union Kohima (MUK), Mishilimi Village Council (MVC) and Mishilimi Student’s Union (MSU) have condemned the robbery case of July 22 at Kohima.

LVC, LSWOK, LSU: In a joint press release by LVC chairman P. Saluvi Swu, LSWOK president Ngukato K. Tsuipu and LSU president Khuvishe Sema stated that, it was disheartening that two out of the five accused were from Lazami village, thereby bringing bad reputation upon the village image.

While putting on record that such shameful act was against ethical code and not promoted by any village or tribe, the joint release stated that, the unscrupulous act of the accused were unacceptable and totally uncalled for and shall not be tolerated.

It also appreciated the prompt action of the police in apprehending the culprits and strongly appeal to the law enforcing agency to punish the thieves as per the law of the land.

MUK: Mishilimi Union Kohima (MUK) has condemned the involvement of Qhevishe Sheqi of Mishilimi village and a resident of Pughoboto town, who was involved in the robbery case.

A press release from MUK general secretary Kanito Sheqi and vice president, Akato Wotsa, stated that Qhevishe was not a member of MUK but the commission of crime had tarnished the image of all Mishilimi people and Sümi’s in general before the Nagas. MUK stated that it was deeply hurt by the tarnishing of its good image and warned anyone from indulging in or associating with such criminal activities. While such dastardly criminal action should end

Block level task force meeting for COVID-19 at Pfutsero

DIMAPUR: An emergency meeting of Block Level Task Force for COVID-19, Pfutsero Sub-Division was held on July 29 at ADC office along with core committee for COVID-19 of Pfutsero public leaders.

According to DIPR report, COVID-19 situation under Pfutsero sub-division was discussed and the meeting decided to go for total lockdown at Pfutsero town from July 29 to August 4.

During total lockdown, the following are to be strictly observed/implemented: All public and vehicular movement is prohibited, except on medical emergencies; All categories of shops are to remain closed during total lockdown period except for pharmacies; All kinds of construction activities is prohibited; All kinds of public activities including agriculture is prohibited; Inter-district movement is not restricted. However, vehicles passing through Pfutsero town is prohibited for stoppage within the town area.

However, the functioning of the office of the district administration, Police, Security forces, Medical and essential service pro-

viders like Treasury, Bank, PHED, Food and Civil Supply, Social Welfare, town council, telecom services, media, LPG and ATMs are exempted from the purview of total lockdown. Medical department gave a report on contact tracing and informed the members that primary contact tracing and COVID-19 testing is going on. The department also highlighted some issues like shortage of technicians and an ambulance. After discussion, it was decided to request the higher authority to deploy at least two technicians for COVID-19 sample collection and one ambulance for transportation of COVID-19 patients. It was also decided to request higher authority for COVID19 testing from Phek Headquarter apart from Pfutsero.

The members also discussed opening of COVID-19 care centre at Pfutsero Sub-Division. After deliberation, the members decided that at present, focus will be on the containment of COVID-19 and contact tracing. Since, COVID-19 patients have been exposed to the community and there is a lot of public pressure for COVID19 testing.

with the present case, MUK also cautioned that stringent action would be initiated against any member from bringing shame upon the good image of MUK. MVC, MSU: Mishilimi Village Council (MVC) chairman Khulu Wotsa and Mishilimi Student’s Union (MSU) president Pihoto H. Sheqi in a condemnation stated that, very often respectable persons from Mishilimi in particular and Aphuyemi & Sümis in general have to hang their heads in shame due to such wayward individuals. Council and union said it was time for all Nagas to work and eat from the sweat of their own brow, become selfreliant, productive and give up such “parasites habit.” It also appreciated the Kohima Police for their prompt action in arresting the culprits involved and demanded that the accused should be denied bail and awarded exemplary punishment so as to discourage such act in future.

NSCN (R) condolence

DIMAPUR: NSCN (Reformation) president Y. Wangtin Naga has expressed deep pain at the unfortunate demise of late Lemba Konyak CCM/tatar (central council member) on July 29 after prolonged illness.

NSCN (R) president Y. Wangtin in a condolence through MIP stated that, the demise of Lemba has created a huge void to the NSCN (R) and the Nagas in general. He added the nation has lost a gallant and promising leader with the potential to lead and uphold the people’s aspirations.

Late Lemba had joined the Naga national movement in 2015 and was inducted into CCM/tatar through his sheer dedication and he was also one of the signatory of the Ceasefire Agreement with GoI. Wangtin stated that late Lemba possessed patriotic spirit and his contributions were unparalleled, peerless and unfathomable. Wangtin conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members and friends and pray that the departed soul rest in eternal peace.

Trump defends use of chloroquine Says it works in early stages of COVID-19 infection

WASHINGTON, JUL 29 (PTI): US President Donald Trump has again defended the use of hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus, saying many frontline medical workers agree with him that the malaria drug works in the early stages of COVID-19 infection, despite mounting evidence that it is ineffective in treating the disease.

In May, Trump disclosed that he was taking daily doses of hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus after consulting the White House doctor.

“I happen to believe in it (hydroxychloroquine).

I would take it. As you know, I took it for a 14day period, and I’m here.

I happen to think it works in the early stages. I think frontline medical people believe that too -- some, many,” Trump told reporters at a White House news conference on Tuesday.

“But the one thing we know: It’s been out for a long time, that particular

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international

Nagaland Post, Dimapur THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

Donald Trump formula, and that’s essentially, what it is, the pill.

And it’s been for malaria, lupus, and other things.

It’s safe. It doesn’t cause problems. I had no problem. I had absolutely no problem, felt no different.

Didn’t feel good, bad, or indifferent. I tested, as you know. It didn’t hurt me, and it’s not going to hopefully hurt anybody,” he said.

There is no evidence that the drug can fight the virus, and regulators warn it may cause heart problems.

Last month, the US

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned against the use of the drug for treatment of the coronavirus, following reports of “serious heart rhythm problems” and other health issues.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says “there is currently no proof ” that it is effective as a treatment or prevents COVID-19.

“Many doctors think hydroxychloroquine is extremely successful: the hydroxychloroquine coupled with the zinc and perhaps the azithromycin.. But

many doctors think it’s extremely good, and some people don’t. I think it’s become very political,” Trump said referring to the controversy surrounding the malaria drug.

“We know from that standpoint - because it’s been so many years, from a safety standpoint, it’s safe.

I happen to think, based on what I’ve read - I’ve read a lot about hydroxy.

I happen to think that it has an impact, especially in the early years. There were some very good tests at Ford, and the doctor from Yale came up with a very, very strong testament to it,” he said.

There are no FDAapproved drugs for the coronavirus, which has infected more than 16 million people worldwide and killed at least 655,300, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

More than 150,000 Americans have died because of coronavirus and over 4.4 million have tested positive.

Hydroxychloroquine sulfate was first synthesised in 1946 and is in a class of medications historically used to treat and prevent malaria. It is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, childhood arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases.

The drug generated excitement earlier in the year after small studies suggested it could be beneficial, especially when combined with antibiotic azithromycin. Trump promoted it as a potential treatment for the virus and said he used it as a preventive measure against the disease. However, several larger studies showed the drug was not helpful and caused heart issues in some patients.

The drug is not FDAapproved for the treatment of COVID-19 but it has been identified as a possible treatment for the infection and the US government has requested its immediate availability.

Coronavirus has been circulating in bats for decades, says Study NEW YORK, JUL 29 (IANS): An international team of researchers has discovered that the lineage that gave rise to the SARSCoV-2, the virus that is responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic, has been circulating in bats for decades and likely includes other viruses with the ability to infect humans.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Microbiology, have implications for the prevention of future pandemics stemming from this lineage.

“Coronaviruses have genetic material that is highly recombinant, meaning different regions of the virus’s genome can be derived from multiple sources,” said study researcher Maciej Boni from Penn State University in the US. “This has made it difficult to reconstruct SARSCoV-2’s origins. You have to identify all the regions that have been recombining and trace their histories. To do that, we put together a diverse team with expertise in recombination, phylogenetic dating, virus sampling,

and molecular and viral evolution,” Boni added.

The team used three different bioinformatic approaches to identify and remove the recombinant regions within the Covid-19 virus genome.

Next, they reconstructed phylogenetic histories for the non-recombinant regions and compared them to each other to see which specific viruses have been involved in recombination events in the past.

They were able to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships between Covid-19 virus and its closest known bat and pangolin viruses.

The researchers found that the lineage of viruses

to which Covid-19 virus belongs diverged from other bat viruses about 40-70 years ago. Importantly, although SARS-CoV-2 is genetically similar (about 96 per cent) to the RaTG13 coronavirus, which was sampled from a Rhinolophus affinis horseshoe bat in 2013 in Yunnan province, China, the team found that it diverged from RaTG13 a relatively long time ago, in 1969.

“The ability to estimate divergence times after disentangling recombination histories, which is something we developed in this collaboration, may lead to insights into the origins of many different viral pathogens,” said study researcher Philippe Lemey.

Moderna’s vaccine protects monkeys Iran launches underground ballistic missiles during exercise against COVID-19, study finds days apart.

Vaccinated macaques produced high levels of neutralising antibodies directed at the surface spike protein used by SARSCoV-2 to attach to and enter cells, the researchers said.

Animals receiving the 10-µg or 100-µg dose vaccine candidate produced neutralising antibodies in the blood at levels well above those found in people who recovered from COVID-19, they said.

The researchers said the experimental vaccine also induced Th1 T-cell responses but not Th2 responses.

Induction of Th2 responses has been associated with a phenomenon called vaccine-associated enhancement of respiratory disease (VAERD), they said.

According to the researchers, vaccine-induced Th1 responses have not been associated with VAERD or other respiratory diseases.

The experimental vaccine also induced T follicular helper T-cell responses that may have contributed to the robust antibody response, they said.

Italy extends coronavirus state of emergency to Oct 15

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it was first time the Guard had done this, though the paramilitary force is known to have vast underground bases hiding its ballistic missile arsenal.

Separately, drones targeted the bridge of the fake aircraft carrier, according to the state TV report.

The broadcaster did not immediately air footage of the launches or the drone attack, nor did it identify the missiles used in the drill.

However, the drill clearly meant to send a message to the United States.

A semiofficial news agency close to the Guard published a graphic overnight that photoshopped the image of an American carrier into the shape of a casket with a set of crosshairs on it, with a caption quoting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledging to seek revenge for the US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January.

The drill — and the American response to it — underlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the US

In this photo released Tuesday, July 28, 2020, by Sepahnews, a Revolutionary Guard’s speed boat fires a missile during a military exercise. (AP/PTI) after a series of escalating incidents last year led to the January drone strike.

Tehran responded to that strike by firing ballistic missiles that wounded dozens of American forces in Iraq.

While the coronavirus pandemic has engulfed both Iran and the US for months, there has been a growing confrontation as America argues to extend a yearslong UN weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October. A recent incident over Syria

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

involving an American jet fighter approaching an Iranian passenger plane also has renewed tensions.

Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage aired Tuesday from the exercise called “Great Prophet 14.” Antiaircraft guns opened fire on a target drone near the port city of Bandar Abbas.

State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers and a helicopter,

some targeting the fake carrier. A commander said the Guard, a force answerable only to Khamenei, planned to fire “long-range ballistic missiles” as well during the drill that continued Wednesday. “The incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all clear was declared after the threat ... had passed,” said US Army Maj. Beth Riordan, a Central Command spokeswoman.

Both bases are hundreds of kilometers (miles) away from where Iran put the replica aircraft carrier.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

1ST DEATH ANNIVERSARY of our mother/grandmother

Late Yimchang Phom 30-07-2019

Lt. LITANY VADEO

Giuseppe Conte vene quickly if the situation worsens”.

But the extension of the state of emergency does not necessarily mean the specific rules of the current state of emergency will be extended. The terms for the new period will be negotiated by members of the Council of Ministers.

Italy was the first European country hit hard by the coronavirus. Though infection rates and the death toll have improved dramatically in recent weeks, Italy has suffered more than 35,000 deaths, while official figures show nearly 250,000 people have been infected by the outbreak, with nearly 200,000 of them recovered.

You are in our midst always, We share about you still, You have never been forgotten, And you never will.

We hold you close within Our hearts to walk and Guide us through our lives, Until we meet again.

-Children, grandchildren and family members

Born on 6th Feb 1972 – Died on 23rd July 2020 Our gratitudes and thanks are due to everyone who stood by us and shared our pains and griefs over the sudden demise of Lt. Litany Vadeo, who breathed his last on 23rd July 2020 at Naga United Village, Dimapur.

We were so much touched and encouraged by incredibly immeasurable love in action and supports extended to us in the form of cash, materials, services, physical presence, word of encouragement, condolences, prayers etc which cannot be humanly repaid. Therefore we do hope and pray that God's abundant blessing be upon everyone in return for their good deeds.

Without the mention of the following organizations, our acknowledgement would be definitely failing: 1) Chakhesang Baptist Church Naga United Village (N.U.V.) Dimapur 2) Sumi Baptist Church N.U.V Dimapur 3) Village Councils N.U.V Dimapur 4) Children Education Deptt Sumi Baptist Church N.U.V Dimapur 5) Men Deptt, Chakhesang Baptist Church N.U.V Dimapur 6) Youth Organization N.U.V Dimapur 7) Govt of the People's Republic of Nagalim GPRN/NSCN(IM) 8) Chakhesang Region GPRN/NSCN (IM) 9) Tizu Area Welfare Union Dimapur 10) Kutsapo Welfare Union Dimapur 11) Ten Sisters Kutsapo Dimapur 12) Kutsapo Village Baptist Church 13) Local residents and citizens of N.U.V Dimapur 14) David Mero, Kilo Kilonser GPRN/NSCN (IM) 15) Vecipa Vese IPS, Retired DIG and family and 16) Scores of individuals......

We do regret our inability to make a mention of each and every individual and in person.

God bless you all.

Loving Wife, Parents, Family Members and Relatives DP-3334

LATE POU KADUNLUNGPU PHAOMEI

BORN ON : 07/11/1936 DIED ON : 26/07/2020 We the bereaved family of Late POU KADUNLUNGPU PHAOMEI would like to express our profound and heartfelt gratitude to all the families, friends and well wishers who stood by us physically, spiritually, morally and financially throughout the course of his illness till his sad demise on 26th of July 2020.

We convey our special gratitude to: 1. Tangnajeilong TRC (Tingkao Raguang Chapriak) Dimapur 2. Zeliangrong Village Council Dimapur 3. Zeliangrong Youth Club Dimapur 4. Families and friends from Zeliangrong Village and Burma Camp Dimapur 5. Doctor and all the staff of Shamrock Hospital Dimapur 6. Nikos Hospital Dimapur 7. Eden Medical Centre Dimapur 8. District Hospital Dimapur 9. CMO District Hospital Dimapur 10. DC Dimapur 11. Dimapur District Task Force 12. Police Department Dimapur 13. All the Frontline Workers 14. Naga Council Dimapur 15. All the well wishers 16. TRC (Tingkao Raguang Chapriak) Assam, Manipur, Nagaland.

We deeply regret our inability to thank everyone individually but it’s our sincere prayers that the Almighty God Bless you all abundantly.

Loving Sons, Daughter, Son-in Law, Daughters-in Law, Grand children and Relatives.

DP-3332

ROME, JUL 29 (IANS): Italy will extend its coronavirus state of emergency until October 15, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced in the Italian Senate on Tuesday.

The current state of emergency is set to expire on Friday.

“Although the curve of the contagion and the impact (of the coronavirus) on the national health service has reduced significantly, something that encourages us, the data tell us that the virus continues to circulate in our country,” Conte said, Xinhua reported.

The state of emergency gives government officials temporary power to act quickly to tamp down new coronavirus outbreaks and allocate funding, all through the use of emergency decrees. It also includes specific travel restrictions, and requirements for social distancing and maskwearing.

Conte said the extension will assure that the government can “remain on guard and ready to inter-

Four weeks after the second injection, all the macaques were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 via both the nose and the lungs, according to the study.

It found that after two days, no replicating virus was detectable in the lungs of seven out of eight of the macaques in both vaccinated groups, while all eight placebo-injected animals continued to have replicating virus in the lung.

None of the eight macaques vaccinated with 100 µg of mRNA-1273 had detectable virus in their noses two days after virus exposure, the researchers said.

This is the first time an experimental COVID19 vaccine tested in nonhuman primates has been shown to produce such rapid viral control in the upper airway, the researchers noted.

A COVID-19 vaccine that reduces viral replication in the lungs would limit disease in the individual, while reducing shedding in the upper airway would potentially lessen transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and consequently reduce the spread of disease, they added.

DP-3253

WASHINGTON, JUL 29 (PTI): US biotechnology company Moderna’s experimental vaccine to prevent COVID-19 induced robust immune response and rapidly controlled the novel coronavirus in the upper and lower airways of monkeys exposed to SARS-CoV-2, according to a study published on Tuesday.

The candidate vaccine, mRNA-1273, was co-developed by scientists at Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in the US. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, complements recently reported interim results from an NIAID-sponsored Phase 1 clinical trial of mRNA1273.

On Monday clinics around the US began a Phase 3 trial of the vaccine candidate, with the aim of enrolling 30,000 people to test for safety and effectiveness.

In the latest study, three groups of eight rhesus macaques received two injections of 10 or 100 microgrammes (µg) of mRNA-1273 or a placebo.

Injections were spaced 28

TEHRAN, JUL 29 (AP): Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched underground ballistic missiles as part of an exercise involving a mock-up aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported Wednesday.

Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the US military’s Central Command in Qatar, the military said. Troops sought cover during that time.

Al-Dhafra also is temporarily home to five French-built Rafale fighter jets on their way to India for that country’s air force.

It was the latest barrage in a drill that the previous day saw two American bases temporarily go on alert over the launches. Drone footage captured by the Guard showed two missiles blasting out from covered positions in what appeared to be a desert plateau in central Iran, with debris flying up in the air in their wake.

The launches took place on Wednesday, said Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guard’s aerospace division.

He told state television

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sports

Mnp footballer finds ‘peace’ in farming

New Delhi, Jul 29 (IANS): A solitary figure makes his way back home through the paddy fields on the outskirts of Imphal as the day nears the end in the eastern reaches of the Himalayas. The young man dons a jacket and a pair of shorts, which despite being mud-stained, are clearly swankier than the clothes worn by the others he was helping out on the field.

A group of people immediately turn their eyes towards the man who had captained India in the FIFA U-17 World Cup three years back. “Hey, Amarjit! Is your practice over?”

Amarjit Singh Kiyam, who has since made his way through Indian Arrows and now to the senior national team, replies with a smile: “No, my practice was done long back. I was helping my family in the paddy field, farming.”

“There’s no shame in going back to your roots and help your family in the paddy fields,” Amarjit stated. “My family has been farming for generations. But I myself have not paid much attention to farming since I was a kid. I

Community Shield to be held at Wembley on Aug 29 London, Jul 29 (IANS): The Community Shield, which is the traditional curtain raiser for the new season in English football, will be held at Wembley Stadium on August 29, the Football Association has confirmed.

While kick off time is yet to be announced, British media reports state that the match could allow a restricted number of supporters in the stadium.

The 2020/21 season of the Premier League will start on September 12 this year and the final match day will take place on May 23, 2021, the league announced on Friday. “Premier League Shareholders today agreed to start the 2020/21 Premier League season on 12 September, 2020. The final match round of the campaign will take place on 23 May, 2021. The Premier League will continue to consult The FA (Football Association) and EFL (English Football League) regarding the scheduling of all domestic competitions,” said the league in its statement.

Amarjit believes that he has found farming to be an activity that has helped him gain a lot of knowledge about the land. was always too much into football,” said Amarjit. “I find peace in the fields.”

The midfielder may have come a long way in the world of football over the last three years, but when he is back home with his parents and siblings, Amarjit is still a man who likes to stay connected to his roots.

“Normally, I don’t get to be at home for a long time. Even when the season is over, we have been going on some exposure tour or the other with the junior national teams,”

he averred. “So when I do eventually get to come home for a few weeks, it’s generally not the season for cultivation.

“Now I have got the time on my hands to actually go out there and reconnect with my roots.

I feel proud. I’ve learnt the different aspects of farming, and I can tell you it’s quite a draining activity,” the India U-17 World Cup captain quipped. “But I feel quite refreshed after every few hours on the field.”

Apart from reconnecting with his roots, farm-

Inter Milan conquer Napoli 2-0 in Serie A

FC Inter’s Danilo D’Ambrosio (C) celebrates his goal during a Serie A football match between FC Inter and Napoli in Milan, Italy.

Rome, Jul 29 (IANS): Inter Milan completed a double-kill against Napoli in Serie A as they dominated the Coppa Italia winners 2-0 at the San Siro.

Danilo D’Ambrosio put Inter ahead in the first half while Lautaro Martinez sealed the victory after coming off the bench on Tuesday evening, reports Xinhua news agency.

The away side had the most of the possession, but it was Inter that broke the deadlock in the 10th min-

ute as Antonio Candreva’s cross found Cristiano Biraghi, who pulled back for D’Ambrosio to finish with a low-strike.

Inter were under siege later but goalkeeper Samir Handanovic performed well to keep a clean sheet.

The Nerazzurri doubled the lead in the 74th minute when Lautaro surged forward and released a missile that flew into the far corner.

Elsewhere, Atalanta continued their unbeaten

run with a comeback 2-1 victory over Parma.

Ruslan Malinovskyi’s free kick wiped put Dejan Kulusevski’s opener, and Alejandro Gomez scored the winner in the 84th minute.

Inter remain at the second spot with 79 points, one ahead of Atalanta. The Dea will host Inter in the final round on Saturday which will be a head-tohead showdown for the runners-up spot for the season.

Players need to grab opportunities ‘If no action, smaller countries will be playing less’ provided by ISL, says Jeje Lalpekhlua

Jeje Lalpekhlua KOL K AT A , J UL 2 9 (IANS): India striker Jeje Lalpekhlua believes the Indian Super League (ISL) has done whatever it could to promote football in the country and it is now up to the players to take the league in India forward.

The ISL, launched in 2014 is now India’s premier football league. From the previous season onwards, the league winners are awarded a direct group stage spot in the AFC Champions League (ACL), Asia’s marquee club football tournament -- a first for Indian

football. “Compared to our time back in 2007-2008, when I turned professional, we never got such facilities like it is now in the ISL. Now, things have changed.

Players are very important to take Indian football to the next level now. Players now are very lucky to get these opportunities. They need to grab these with both hands and make use of it,” Lalpekhlua told ISL Media.

Much before the ACL berth, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) first accorded the ISL with an AFC Cup playoff spot in

Akmal’s ban halved to 18 months; says will appeal for more reprieve K ara c h i , J u l 2 9 (PTI): Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal’s three-year ban for failing to report corrupt approaches earlier this year was on Wednesday reduced to 18 months.

Akmal’s ban will effectively run from February 2020 to August 2021 after the 30-year-old’s sentence was reduced by independent adjudicator Faqir Mohammad Khokhar. The batsman expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling and vowed to appeal again.

“There have been many cricketers before me who have committed corruption but none of them were given a punishment as severe as mine. I will appeal once more to get my sentence reduced,” Akmal was quoted as saying by the local media here after the fresh decision.

Akmal was handed a three-year ban in April for failing to report approaches ahead of the Pakistan Super League. He had accepted his mistake but tried to justify his position.

He last played a Test

ing is also something that Amarjit believes has helped him give something back to his family.

“Since I’m not always here it’s mostly my parents or siblings who are doing all the farm work. Now that I do have the time on my hands, it does feel great to give something back to them,” said Amarjit.

“They had given me so much and sacrificed so much to help me become a footballer. The least I can do is help them out on the paddy field. It also gives me the opportunity to bond

with my father. It makes them happy to see their son helping out in the farm,” he smiled.

“This is my way of showing that I have not forgotten the hardships we have all faced together previously. If we all work with each other, we all can overcome anything.”

In the hectic domestic and international season, there is barely any time for a footballer to take up any activity other than the ones that help them improve themselves. However, Amarjit believes that he has found farming to be an activity that has helped him gain a lot of knowledge about the land.

“It’s always nice to have some sort of activity as a hobby -- something that helps keep your mind off football for a couple of hours every day. I think farming has done that for me,” he said.

“The amount of knowledge about the land and the crop that you acquire while farming is something that I would never have realised before taking up the activity myself. I’m really enjoying this activity.”

Nagaland Post, Dimapur THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

Umar Akmal for Pakistan in late 2009 but his most recent international appearance was in last October in the T20 home series against Sri Lanka.

The PCB had charged him with two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of its AntiCorruption Code in two unrelated incidents on March 17. The breaches pertain to failure to report approaches from corruptors.

Akmal was provisionally suspended hours

before his Pakistan Super League team Quetta Gladiators was to take on Islamabad in the opening match of the 2020 PSL. He is the younger brother of former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, who played 53 Tests, 58 T20s, and 157 ODIs for Pakistan, and cousin of current captain Babar Azam.

He has featured in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20s, scoring 1003, 3194 and 1690 runs respectively.

Akmal promised a lot after making a hundred in New Zealand on his Test debut, but failed to live up to the high expectations that came with some fine performances early in his career.

Constant run-ins with the authorities also marred his stop-start career.

Akmal had earlier escaped a PCB ban in February for allegedly making crude remarks to a trainer during a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

2018. Chennaiyin’s Lalpekhlua was incidentally the first player to score for an ISL club in Asian competition against Sri Lanka’s Colombo FC. Even the standards of youth development in Indian football has risen with various ISL clubs implementing grassroots programs along with the recently-launched ISL Children’s League, feels the 29-year-old Lalpekhlua.

“In my career, the first proper coaching I got was when I was 17 years old. If I had gotten the coaching earlier like when I was 7-8 years old, surely I could have got much better as a footballer. If they (youngsters) work hard, everything will fall into place. But, mainly, it is up to them to make a career,” he said.

The ‘Mizo Sniper’ has resumed ball-training after recuperating from knee surgery and is in talks with various clubs after the end of his Chennaiyin contract.

The 2020-21 ISL season will kick off in the third week of November in a single venue under a bio-secure bubble.

Manchester, Jul 29 (PTI): West Indies captain Jason Holder feels “relevant” authorities need to ensure that smaller teams get to play regular international cricket as in a world scarred by COVID-19, only India, Australia and England have the resources to stage games in biosecure bubbles.

The cricketing fraternity has lauded the West Indies’ decision to tour England amid the pandemic.

The three Test-series, which England won 2-1 on Tuesday, marked resumption of international cricket.

The series was played in a bio-secure environment increasing organisational costs significantly and Holder said teams like the West Indies are likely to struggle to create a similar environment.

“If something doesn’t happen soon we’ll see less international cricket being played by smaller countries because we simply can’t afford it. We’ve gone from having four, fivematch series, down to two and three,” Holder said

ICC test bowlers rankings: Broad at 3rd spot, Bumrah 8th

Jasprit Bumrah

Stuart Broad

Manchester, Jul 29 (IANS): Veteran pacer Stuart Broad has progressed seven places to reach third position among bowlers in the latest ICC Test Rankings after a stellar show in the final Test against the West Indies, which England won by 269 runs to clinch the three-match series 2-1.

The for merly topranked bowler, who finished with a match haul of 10 for 67 during which he touched the milestone of 500 Test wickets, has reached his best since August 2016 when too he was third.

Another England bowler to advance is Chris Woakes, whose five-wicket haul in the second innings has lifted him to 20th position and a career-best rating

points tally of 654.

Meanwhile, India’s Jasprit Bumrah has dropped down a place and is currently at the eighth spot in bowler’s rankings. West Indies skipper Jason Holder has dropped down by two places and is at the fifth spot.

Broad has also gained seven places with the bat after his 62 off 45 balls in the first innings, the joint-third fastest for England in Test history, and risen three places among all-rounders to 11th.

England opener Rory Burns has also gained in the latest update, gaining 13 spots to reach 17th position after scores of 57 and 90 at the Old Trafford, the first time the 29-year-old lefthander has moved into the top 20.

Jason Holder

financial records.”

The West Indies players and staff have had to take pay cuts due to the financial impact of COVID19 on their board.

“It’s been a tough couple of years in West Indies cricket financially.

We’ve pretty much had to take a pay cut, so if it’s possible to host a tour before the end of 2020, it would probably keep us afloat as an organisation,” Holder said when asked about the current situation.

Despite the challenges posed by this tour, Holder said it was enjoyable.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

It’s the first time I’ve had the opportunity to mingle with, more or less, the A-team players, because I haven’t played much firstclass cricket in the last couple of years.

“I’m not sure right now if Cricket West Indies could afford to have an academy, or something similar to Loughborough here in England, but that is definitely something that would help CWI,” he added.

after the conclusion of the third Test here.

“And it’s very difficult to host any more than that for us, particularly the Caribbean. So yeah, it is a serious dilemma that we’re faced with. I think the relevant personnel really need to sit down and have a look at it,” he added.

The West Indies were confined to just two venues -- Manchester and Southampton -- during the eight-week tour. Both teams stayed on site.

Holder hopes that England too will reciprocate their gesture and tour the Caribbean soon.

“We only really make money from England, and I think India. We break even with Pakistan and Australia, and all the rest of the series we play are losses. But in these trying times only England, Australia and India can probably host cricket,” he said.

“Outside of that, the smaller territories are struggling financially to get cricket on...if there’s an opportunity for England to come over to the Caribbean before the end of the year, I’m sure that would help significantly for Cricket West Indies’

Cristiano Ronaldo is the modern athlete: Pele

500 Test wickets is no joke; Broad you are a legend: Yuvraj

Rome, Jul 29 (IANS): Brazil football legend Pele has congratulated Juventus for their ninth onsecutive Serie A title win and hailed Cristiano Ronaldo, who according to him is “the modern athlete”. 35-yearold Ronaldo finished as Juventus’ top scorer in the league with 31 goals in 32 appearances. “@Cristiano is the modern athlete, who shows everyone that success always comes to those who are dedicated and love what they do. Also, I would like to congratulate my fellow Brazilians @douglascosta, @alxsndro12 and @daniluiz2. Great work winning the @seriea title, @juventus,” Pele wrote on Instagram.

Ronaldo had earlier dedicated the title victory to the victims who have suffered the most during this unprecedented times put forward by the coronavirus pandemic.

Juve got over the line on Sunday by beating Sampdoria 2-0 at home.

This was their 36th title in the Italian top flight.

Stuart Broad and Yuvraj Singh New Delhi, July 29 (IANS): Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh on Wednesday was full of praise for England pacer Stuart Broad after the latter became the seventh bowler to scalp 500 wickets in Test cricket.

Yuvraj also made a special request to his followers on social media to not make fun of Broad by bringing up the six sixes he hit off the latter’s bowling at the 2007 ICC World T20 in Durban.

“I’m sure everytime I write something about Stuart Broad, people relate to him getting hit for 6 sixes!

Today I request all my fans to applaud what he has achieved!” Yuvraj said in a tweet.

“500 Test wickets is no joke-it takes hard work, dedication & determination.

Broady you’re a legend!

Hats off,” he added.

After sitting out of the first Test against the West Indies in Southampton, which England lost, Broad put on a stunning show with the ball in the final two Tests in Manchester, helping the hosts register a 2-1 series win.

He was named Man of the Series as he ended with 16 wickets in just two matches, the highest among the two teams. On the last day of the third Test, he also became the second Englishman after James Anderson to scalp 500 wickets in the format.

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