June 12, 2020

Nagaland Post

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Vol XXX No. 186

DIMAPUR, FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020 Pages 12 ` 5.00

Bayern Munich reach German Cup final sports, Page 12

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No community spread in India: ICMR

nagalandpostofficial

High-level teams to probe Assam gas well tragedy

international, Page 9

State COVID-19 tally rises to 147 Nagaland COVID-19 STATUS as ON June 11, 2020

NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (AGENCIES): There is no community transmission of the coronavirus pandemic in India, the government said on Thursday amid intense speculation over the past week on the spike in cases, especially in Mumbai and Delhi. “India is such a large country and prevalence is very low. India is not in community transmission,” said Balram Bhargava, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The top medical body official underlined that lockdown measures were “successful” in preventing the rapid spread of the disease.

“We found that about 0.73% of the population in these 15 districts showed a prevalence of past exposure to infection. It means that lockdown measures were successful in keeping it low and preventing rapid spread,” added Bhargava.

Community transmission means that the disease is in its third stage and the source of its origin is not known. It is now present in the community and can infect people with no history - either of travel to or contact with infected people and areas. At this point,

everyone is susceptible to catching it.

On Wednesday, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain reiterated that there was transmission in the community in Delhi, but it was up to the central government to declare “community transmission”. The Delhi minister, after a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Authority a day ago, had said that his government was unable to establish the source of infection in 50% of the cases of coronavirus disease in the city.

The high number of cases in cities such as Delhi and Mumbai is indicative of community transmission, say experts. Some commentators say that India went into lockdown early. Other countries, they say, lifted their lockdown when their disease curve had started to deflate, but here the restrictions are being eased as the curve is going up exponentially.

As early as March 28, the Health Ministry acknowledged that there was “limited community transmission” of the novel coronavirus in India. On April 9, the ICMR and Health Ministry researchers - some of them are national task force members for COVID-19 - in

NIA charge sheet against NSCN (I-M) member

support Pandemic should not be the India’s COVID-19 tally nears 2.9 lakh LHforaffirms delimitation

NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (PTI): National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday filed a charge sheet against two persons including Alemla Jamir, a self-styled “cabinet minister” of NSCN(I-M), who allegedly managed its finances through shady deals to cover the money trail, officials said.

The probe agency filed its report before a special court in Patiala House complex under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Jamir and her accomplice Masasasong Ao, they said. NIA had taken over the case from the Special Cell of Delhi Police which had arrested Jamir at Delhi Airport with Rs 72 lakh cash on December 17 last year, officials said.

NIA probe revealed Jamir, who went with the aliases of Mar y Shimrang and Atula Tonger, and Masasasong Ao (subsequently arrested by the probe agency) had entered into a criminal conspiracy and directly raised, collected and layered terror funds through a maze of bank accounts, business entities on behalf of NSCN(I-M), the agency said in a statement.

NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (PTI): Nationwide COVID19 tally neared 2.9 lakh on Thursday with a record one-day increase of nearly 10,000 cases taking the count of infections detected this month to almost one lakh.

K Y M C

The death toll also saw a record single-day increase of over 350 fatalities to move closer to the 8,500mark, more than one-third of which have been recorded in 11 days since June 1 -- the day that marked the beginning of a phased exit

close to 47,000, Union Health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan had said that India’s virus spread had not gone to stage three. While there has been no hesitation in declaring local transmission caused by people who have a travel history, the government has been extremely hesitant to admit community transmission.

The reluctance has surprised many health experts since the total cases reported even on May 10 had already crossed 63,500, and the nature of spread in most cases was through droplet transmission and contact with contaminated surfaces.

In contrast, is the U.S. On February 26, when the total number of cases was just 60, it confirmed community spread following the detection in California of the first case with no travel history or contact with a known positive case. One reason why India refused to confirm community spread early on could be the compulsion to expand testing when the country did not have the capacity to test huge numbers each day. But there is no reason now to continue being in denial, as that erodes public trust in the government.

from most restrictions imposed under a nationwide lockdown with effect from March 25.

In its morning update, the Union Health Ministry said the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen to 2,86,579 after a record number of 9,996 cases were reported in 24 hours since Wednesday 8 AM, while the death toll also saw its biggest singleday increase of 357 in this period to reach 8,102.

However, a PTI tally of figures announced by various states and union territories showed the total number of confirmed cases having risen further to nearly 2.89 lakh and the death toll to 8,485, as of 9.20 PM. India on Thursday went past the United Kingdom in terms of coronavirus cases to become the fourth worsthit country with a caseload of 2,97, 205, according to the Worldometer.

GUWAHATI, JUN 11 (PTI): The Centre and the Assam government on Thursday ordered two separate high-level inquiries into the circumstances leading to a blowout at Baghjan gas well of Oil India Ltd and the fire that killed two persons.

Already two officials of the OIL have been suspended for alleged negligence of duty at the gas well site, while a show cause notice has been to John Energy Pvt Ltd, the outsourced private operator of the well.

A PIL was filed in the Gauhati High Court on Wednesday against OIL, John Energy, the Centre and the state for the PSU major’s Baghjan gas well blowout and successive fire.

An FIR has also been registered against Oil India and its outsourced private well operator John Energy for the blowout, which has allegedly polluted the environment and village surroundings, police said on Thursday. The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas set up a threemember high-level committee, headed by the Director General of Hydrocarbons, to inquire in to the incident.

exercise in state

COVID HOSPITAL Dimapur DH AR Hospital Dimapur Kiphire DH Kohima NHAK Kohima Chedema Longleng DH Mokokchung IMDH Mon DH Peren CHC Jalukie Phek DH Tuensang DH Wokha DH Zunheboto DH State Total

AsympRecovtomatic ered cases 84 4 0 11 9 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 110

8+19 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 37

Symptomatic cases Critical TOTAL Mild Moderate Severe ICU (without ICU (with ICU (OnCASES Oxygen) Oxygen) Ventilator) 0 0 0 0 0 0 111 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 147

*4 recovered are in Chedema, 4 recovered in Tuensang DH, 2 in NHAK, 27 recovered from Dimapur District Hospital.

Dimapur COVID hospital registers 27 negative cases DIMAPUR, JUN 11 (NPN): Nagaland on Thursday registered 19 fresh COVID-19 positive cases while 8 more recovered from the virus at Dimapur COVID-19 designated hospital.

With this the state’s total tally for COVID-19 cases stood at 147-- 110 active and 37 recovered cases.

As per the latest report, Kohima quarantine centres

reported 2 positive cases and Dimapur quarantine centres-17 cases. All the positive persons have been transferred to the isolation units of the designated COVID-19 hospitals for medical care.

Those who have recovered at Dimapur COVID19 hospital include-- 6 males and 2 females. They have been transferred to COVID Care Centre at Tourist lodge, where doctors will monitor their recovery process.

M e a n w h i l e, s t a t e principal secretary Abhijit Sinha, in his daily briefing, informed that out of

excuse to delay solution: Cong

DIMAPUR, JUN 11 (NPN): Even as the entire State is currently focussed on battling COVID-19 pandemic, Congress has reiterated its stand seeking early resolution of the protracted Indo-Naga political issue.

In a statement, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president K Therie asserted that the pandemic should not be an excuse to delay a political solution any longer. Rather, because of the pandemic, solution had become more urgent, he stressed.

Therie pointed out that the BJP government at the Centre had announced on August 3, 2015 that Naga political issue was resolved, before announcing on October 30, 2019 that negotiations had been concluded with all factions on board, after which it (Cont’d on p-8) announced that stakehold-

DIMAPUR, JUN 11 (NPN): Asserting that distribution of assembly seats in Nagaland has not been done fairly, the Lotha Hoho (LH) Thursday affirmed full support for the proposed delimitation exercise in the state.

In a press release, LH chairman Mhondamo Ovung and general secretary S Abenthung Ngullie said that 1971 delimitation seemed to have been “politicised, anarchical, biased and discriminatory” and as though it was done “at the whims of the officials” who were then at the helm of power and in charge of delimitation.

LH said that the nature of disproportionate distribution (of Assembly seats) among the different districts and tribes needed no explanation.

ers would be consulted.

Thereafter, almost all civil society groups were consulted and over 99% had given their opinion with no reservation or fear of what was acceptable and what is not. The talks were thus over, he added.

Urging Government of India (GoI) to change its attitude that there was nothing to lose in delaying a solution, the NPCC president said 24 years of “lethargic negotiations, communalism and racism and stagnant economy” were pushing reluctant Nagas towards “plan B”.

Asserting that people of Nagaland could not be allowed to be taken for ride anymore, he asserted that it was time to rise above religious denominations, political differences and factionalism to find a realistic alternative.

(Cont’d on p-8)

Treatment protocol for Covid patients to be revised Can’t penalize health personnel

NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (AGENCIES): There has been a revision in the treatment protocol for clinical management of Covid- 19 patients, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) (Cont’d on p-8) Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said. “We will put up details on the website on Thursday,” Dr Bhargava told The Indian Express.

According to sources, the apex health research body, ICMR, has been considering the use of Remdesivir, an antiviral drug which has shown improvement in Covid-19 patients in formal clinical trials. Currently, Remdesivir is allowed for emergency/compassionate use in treating severely-ill Covid-19 patients and it is likely to be part of the revised protocol. Remdesivir “Well, I’ve had to learn was granted emergency use the new app and feel like a kindergarten student authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administramyself.” tion last month and has re-

This is it!

a journal paper, provided evidence suggesting the prevalence of community transmission in 36 districts across 15 States.

The sentinel surveillance for community transmission undertaken by the task force among patients hospitalised for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) found 40 of the 102 who tested positive for the virus had no travel history or contact with a known positive case, while data on exposure was not available for another 59 SARI patients.

Dr. Jayaprakash Muliyil, chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Epidemiology and also former principal of the Christian Medical College, Vellore and one of India’s foremost epidemiologists, with decades of experience in the study of infectious diseases had said that the stage of community transmission(when the source of infection for a large number of patients cannot be traced to a confirmed case), has already set in the country, even though the government is reluctant to admit it.

On May 5, even when the nation-wide cases was

‘Nepal will get back land from India through talks’

nagalandpostofficial

ceived approval by Japanese health regulators. According to sources, with the government set to procure the drug, Indian companies are looking at manufacturing biosimilars. “So far, hospitals do not have the drug,” said intensivists at various dedicated Covid hospitals.

According to reports, US-based Gilead Sciences has given a voluntary licence for production of Remdesivir to four companies in the country. Research on the efficacy of Remdesivir in the treatment of Covid-19 is part of WHO’s Solidarity Trial. Recently, researchers also reported in the journal Nature that treatment with the antiviral drug Remdesivir has been found to reduce viral load and prevent lung disease in macaques infected with SARS-CoV-2. The study supported the early use of Remdesivir treatment in patients with Covid-19 to

prevent progression to pneumonia. While doctors said that it has not affected mortality rates related to Covid19, the drug has shown reduction in time to clinical improvement. But the drug is expensive and questions are bound to arise on the availability, sources said.

Dr D B Kadam, chairman of a special task force of specialist doctors for Pune that had recommended Tocilizumab for Covid-19 patients in case their condition worsens, said that till date, no single therapy was cent per cent effective and there was a need to use multiple options. “Various repurposed drugs are in preliminary trials and we need to explore antiviral agents one by one. If the drugs are available, we can use them… importantly, patients need to come in early for treatment,” Dr Kadam told The Indian Express.

According to Dr Parikshit Prayag, consultant at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, which has treated approximately 500 Covid-19 patients, of whom 364 were discharged – it was crucial to identify the underlying mechanism of why oxygen levels were dropping among patients. “So, if the patient worsens, some questions need to be addressed such as whether the virus is promoting clotting of arteries in the patient, if he/she has cardiac dysfunction, or whether there is a direct effect on the lungs (where drugs like HCQS and Remdesivir would come into play). The fourth question would be whether a hyper immune response is damaging the lungs and lastly it would be to check the patient for secondary bacterial infections,” Dr Prayag said, stressing that careful clinical management was crucial.

during such crisis: H&FW secy

Correspondent

KOHIMA, JUN 11 (NPN): Against the backdrop of Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland (ZSUN) demanding prompt action against erring officials for the Peren fiasco, Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) secretary Kesonyu Yhome said penalising health personnel would not be right at this stage when the state has been gripped with the COVID crisis and at the same time require more health professionals.

He however said the officials concerned were reprimanded for the lapses and further direction was issued not to repeat the same mistake. Defending the doctors and health personnel, Yhome, at a recent meeting opined that the health personnel cannot be punished as the incident was uninten-

tional. He said that instead of taking action against them, they rather initiate action against him.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, Yhome pointed out that the concerned official– Dimapur chief medical officer (CMO)– had already issued a clarification and tendered an apology on the matter. Regretting the incident, Yhome however clarified saying: “We are not telling people to condone lapses,” but urged citizens to understand the prevailing situation as the oversight was purely unintentional and without any mala fide intention.

During a press conference on June 7, HPC spokesperson and IT&C, S&T adviser Mmhonlumo Kikon said the government had entrusted the Health department to look into the (Cont’d on p-8) matter.

267 COVID-19 suspected samples tested by Truenat, 218 were negative and results of 49 awaited.

Till date, a total of 5365 samples were sent for testing, out of which 4087 samples were received and the results of 1276 were awaited.

A total 6971 persons are presently under facility quarantine and 8046 have been out of home quarantine, Health department bulletin stated.

In the last 14 days 3680 persons has submitted their self-declaration and till date 6571 persons have been digitally monitored.

Catholic Churches to remain closed

DIMAPUR, JUN 11 (NPN): A day after the state government allowed opening of religious places/places of worship, the Diocese of Kohima Thursday informed that it has decided to continue to maintain the status quo (not opening the religious places) until wider consultation was done. In a statement, Bishop of Kohima, Rev.Dr.James Thoppil, said “Before we decide to open our Churches for public worship, we need to make sure that we are able to adhere to the provisions and conditions stipulated about it.” Diocese of Kohima has, therefore, informed the Churches to maintain the status quo until further information was given out.

Fuel prices hiked

DIMAPUR, JUN 11 (NPN): State-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) increased the prices of petrol and diesel by 60 paise for the fifth consecutive day on Thursday. In five hikes, petrol price has gone up by Rs 2.74 per litre and diesel

by Rs 2.83. After today’s rate revision, petrol price in Dimapur was increased to Rs. 79.44 per litre while diesel price rose to Rs. 70.71 per litre. Meanwhile, in Kohima, a litre of petrol and diesel stood at Rs. 80.29 and Rs.71.39 respectively.

Review decision on COVID cess: MTLT

DIMAPUR, JUN 11 (NPN): Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem (MTLT) has appealed to the state government to review imposition of COVID-19 cess on diesel, petrol and motor spirits at the earliest.

In a memorandum addressed to the chief minister, the MTLT president Imkummeren Jamir, general secretary Lanu Pongen and MTLT grievances cell convener Aolong Imchen said that despite many good initiatives taken by the state government in the fight against the pandemic, the cabinet decision (Cont’d on p-8) K Y M C

2

state

DPDB Kiphire felicitates HSSLC/HSLC toppers

V. Kashiho Sangtam awarding certificate and cash to state topper Chumliba R from Loyola HSS Kiphire on June 10. (DIPR)

DIMAPUR: Felicitation programme for state topper-cumDPDB meeting was held at DC’s conference hall Kiphire on June 10, under the chairmanship of minister of Geology & Mining, Soil and Water Conservation, V.

Kashiho Sangtam.

According to DIPR report, minister congratulated all the students within Kiphire for their successful achievement and especially to the state toppers, Chumliba R from Loyola Higher

Secondary School Kiphire, securing top 1 and Ayushi Pathak 8th rank from Loyola Higher Secondary School, both from Arts stream respectively, and Sumit Sahu from Saramati View Modern School Kiphire securing top 9th in HSLC. They were awarded certificates and cash from various NGOs and the minister’s family. Minister thanked all the toppers for bringing laurels to the society and as well as for the Kiphire citizens and urged them to continue their good work even in days to come.

Kashiho handed over free automatic hand sanitiser for DC office Kiphire and also for District Hospital along with cash of Rs. 100000 (one lakh) to District Task Force for quarantine centre and PS to minister also donated an amount of Rs. 50,000

towards DTF Kiphire. Nagaland Voluntary Working Women Association (NVWWA) donated 20 pairs of boots, 250 face mask and 100 pairs of hand glove to the district. DC Kiphire, Sarita Yadav thanked all the organisations, individuals who were contributing for tackling against COVID-19 including the minister’s family for their contribution towards the DTF. She also mentioned that there were more than hundred returnees from different states and as of now there were three quarantine centres i.e. Zisaji Government College, DUDA guest house and Loyola Higher Secondary School. ADC Kiphire, Nyempo Wallim requested all the heads of offices to follow the roster duty and to be supportive and caring towards all the persons in quarantine centres.

Returnee in Kohima face discrimination news in Brief

Correspondent

KOHIMA, JUN 11(NPN): A returnee from Chennai stated she dreaded going back to her neighbourhood after her family faced discrimination from friends and neighbours.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, she stated that her family had been receiving insensitive remarks from neighbours and friends. Some of them said that since she had come from a red zone, she should be kept away from the colony even after she has returned home.

The returnee who is now in one of the quarantine centres in Kohima shared that she was happy to stay at the centre rather than going back to her district and live with the stigma.

“Some of my friends who have come back from other states and cities and are here in the quarantine centre are from green or orange zone so the parents had asked our colony chairman not to keep me under the same roof with their children after completion of the 14 day institutional quarantine”, she said.

The returnee shared that the parents suggested the colony chairman bring her home in a different vehicle and they had also visited her parents requesting

them to keep her away from their children and to keep her from sharing anything with them as it could lead to a spread.

“My first results were negative and I went for a second testing of which the results are awaited, so I think people should be fair and not look at me differently.

This is a new experience and I never expected such discrimination from my own people”, the returnee who did not wish to be name stated.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, the chairman stated that they would follow rules and guidelines as directed by the government and though people request him to keep red zone returnees in a different house, everyone would be under one roof and provided with different rooms and bathrooms.

He stated that people approached him with complaints but he would treat every returnee equally and would keep a strict check on all, especially on maintaining social distance.

The returnee stated that people should support one another in such a crisis instead of the blame and discrimination. “If we support each other through words of solidarity and prayers, we can all overcome this together”, the returnee stated.

MCD meeting: Muslim Council Dimapur (MCD) has convened a meeting of all the Jama Masjid committees in and around Dimapur district on June 14, 10 a.m at New Market Jama Masjid complex, to discuss on the government guidelines before arriving at a decision to open the masjids.

Till then all the Masjids in Dimapur shall remain closed. Only one representative from each Jama Masjid is requested to attend the meeting.

DAPCU Kohima informs: District AIDS Prevention and Control Unit (DAPCU) Kohima has informed that in view of NHAK Kohima activated as COVID-19 Hospital, the HIV counselling and testing services will now also be available at Urban PHCs at Seikhazou and Potterlane, Kohima for better delivery of HIV services to the people.

Women helpline Nagaland informs: Women Helpline integrated with SakhiOne Stop Centre provides integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof. Women affected by violence may contact at helpline number 181 or 9485239098.

Lost and found: UT, GPRN (NSCN-IM) recovered one two-wheeler, Apache RTR 160, chasis no. MD634BE48J2C19296, Eng No.BE4CJ2749508. Rightful owner has been informed to claim it by producing the original documents within 7 days from the date of this publication. For more details, one may contact at 7085596462.

DIMAPUR: Refuting to the claim made by NPGN/ NNC (N/A) under the news headline “NPGN/NNC (N/A) regions support FA”, the NPGN/NNC (N/A) under the leadership of president T. Ovung has urged all NPGs and Nagas in general “not to entertain this newly formed faction for med by ter minated person Wokhami for his own gain.”

A press release from NPGN/NNC (N/A) kilo kilonser Shikaho Ayemi clarified that “till now there is no tatar hoho, not yet formed so how tatar hoho session was held without my knowledge and our president T. Ovung and elected Mhathung Tsopoe and Kiyelhou Wokhami as acting president and GS respectively by tatar hoho.” In this regard, the NPGN/NNC (N/A) refuted Wokhami’s claim as “false and baseless and NPGN/NNC (N/A) under the leadership of our president T. Ovung is still intact”.

Shikaho Ayemi further stated that, “regions are absolutely under my supervision (kilo-kilonser) and names mentioned by Wokhami as respective region chairmen are all fictitious” as “he was already terminated, now he is not even a member of our organisation.”

In a separate press release by NPGN/NNC (N/A) through its MIP, president T. Ovung stated that, “after his termination Wokhami used a U-turn and talking about F/A as if his own private property which he has no relation with at all that was purely within NSCN (IM) and T. Ovung president NPGN/ NNC (N/A) which is still intact.”

NIDA lauds prompt action initiated by govt DIMAPUR: Notwithstanding the risk and peril during COVID-19 related activities all over the state, the Nagaland In-service Doctors’ Association (NIDA) will continue to serve in line with its motto, “Service to humanity.”

A press release from NIDA president Dr. Ritu Thurr and secretary, Dr. Ahu Sekhose also lauded the government for the prompt action initiated in addressing the issue of acute shortage of man power in the department as pointed out on June 4.

NIDA further lauded its members for the selfless services being rendered and appealed to all to keep up the dedication for the challenges ahead, especially with the increasing number of returnees and positive cases.

1st DEATH ANNIVERSARY

1ST DEATH ANNIVERSARY

In loving memory of

Lt. IMTIWATI JAMIR

who left for his heavenly abode on 12.06.2019

Dad, even though you have left this world for a better place Your memories still continue to be a big and treasured part of our lives We can only imagine how beautiful it must be to be in the presence of our Creator Words can’t express our love for you and we miss you beyond any quantifiable measure.

You are forever in our hearts, until we meet again.

Loving Wife, Children, Grandsons & In-law K-1069

BELOVED LT. I. IMTILEPDEN PONGEN (ALIBA VILLAGE)

Wish it never occurred to us that we'd lose you But now a year has gone by.

The pain and sorrow is real, the void will forever be empty.

Aviti - o There's not a single day that we don't miss you.

Every day is harder than the days gone by.

Recollecting our lives we had; brings tears.

You taught us everything with your strength, wisdom, knowledge, love, compassion and patience.

And never once complained.

Hearts were broken.

The world changed for your loved ones.

That day Heaven called you home.

To light the path for us.

Unseen, unheard but lives in us forever Waiting for the day to meet again in Eternal Home.

DP-2703

NPGN/NNC (N/A) refutes claim of rival group

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

Always yours Husband and Children.

12-06-2019 to 12-06-2020

It’s been one year since you left us for your heavenly abode, but not a day goes by without you in our lives.

The memories and the deeds you have done for us are still fresh.

We miss you beyond measures and you will remain forever in our hearts.

Meet us at the Pearl Gates when Heaven calls for us.

DP-2678

~ Loving Wife and Family Members

5th DEATH ANNIVERSARY LATE CHIMONI HUMTSOE 12-06-2015

Wherever you die I will die and that is where I will be buried, may the Lord's worst punishment come upon me if I let anything but death separate me from you.

Ruth 1-17

K-1077

DP-2607

Loving Husband, Mhonthung Humtsoe, Daughters, Sons, In-laws and Grandchildren.

State

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

COVID-19: Awareness, meetings, visits continue in state

3

DIMAPUR: State legislators and other high ranking officials have been visiting quarantine centres in various districts to update on preparedness level. While returnees are being accommodated in quarantine centres, the COVID Hospitals and PHCs are being equipped with more medical facilities to handle the pandemic situation. Meetings are also being conducted by district administrations as most districts are now receiving returnees for quarantine period. Concerned authority is also ensuring that supply of food to quarantine centres for the inmates are well prepared and hygienic. Civil organisations are also extending helping hand by providing food to quarantine centres and to frontline workers. Meanwhile, the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) teams have been conducting sensitisation programmes on harmful use of tobacco products in relation to spread of COVID-19 through saliva.

Kiphire District

Dimapur District

Lotha community Diphupar constructs quarantine huts

V. Khashiho Sangtam arriving at the PHC Amahator town Setsacho Sangtam VP, ENPO handing cash to DC during his visit to the centre on June 10. (DIPR) Kiphire at DC’s office Kiphire on June 10. (NP)

V. Khashiho visits Amahator PHC/quarantine centre

Minister of Geology & Mining, Soil and Water Conservation, V. Khashiho Sangtam visited PHC and quarantine centre at Amahator town on June 10. According to DIPR report, Khashiho called on people to accept returnees without hesitation and stigmatization. He said this while briefing in respect to inflow of returnees from outside the state. All returnees are youths in the age group of 20 to 30 with most of them asymptomatic.

Naga returnees are around 18000, out of which, minimum numbers are students, while majority were serving in the private sectors, companies and industries, who suffered in the event of lockdown. He said that government of Nagaland has been sincere in assisting them financially to address their grievances and presently was engaged in bringing back the returnees who should be accepted without discrimination. He added that the government has been spending huge amount of money in transportation, quarantine centres and in providing essential provisions.

Minister encouraged all the frontline workers to carry out their given duties with zeal and also spread awareness to the inmates at the quarantine centres.

Khashiho donated Rs 20,000/- for emergency use and automated hands free sanitiser to the PHC authority. He further stated that the government was ready to help in every way possible. He later visited the institutional quarantine centre established at the Government High School building, Amahator.

In a short speech EAC, Chenithung encouraged the citizens to refrain from “fear psychosis” and added that DTF and civil societies were fully prepared to accommodate the returnees in Kiphire town and on exhaustion of space, returnees would be sent to the institutional quarantines prepared under the district. Addl SP Erie Kajire said all the departments were fully engaged in performing COVID duties.

In Kiphire quarantine centres are getting exhausted and more will be set up in GHSS, Mount Shepherd School to accommodate people. He said that the government has institutionalised good quarantine facilities, providing all the food and essential facilities and encouraged the public not to fear.

nagalandpost.com Poll Q.: Is China prepared to go to war with India?

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

A B C

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

A

B

C

Yes. No. Can’t Say.

71% 29% 0%

Next poll

Q: If IPL is played without

spectators, will it rob the contest of its appeal?  Yes.  No.  Can’t say

WEATHER FORECAST June 12

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala Couple of thunderstorms

29 26

Couple of thunderstorms

28 21

Guwahati Couple of thunderstorms

32 25

Aizawl Imphal

Cloudy with a thunderstorm

Itanagar A shower and t-storm around

30 21 28 23

Shillong

Cloudy with a thunderstorm

22 19

Kohima

A shower and t-storm around

24 19

Dimapur Cloudy, a t-storm in spots Mkg

Cloudy with a thunderstorm

Tuensang A shower and t-storm around Wokha

Cloudy with a thunderstorm

30 24 26 19 19 16 26 19

Zunheboto Cloudy with a thunderstorm24 24 18

K Y M C

DTF meeting on COVID-19

The DTF on COVID-19, Kiphire meeting was held at DC conference hall, Kiphire in the presence of minister for Soil &Water Conservation and Geology & Mining, V. Kashiho Sangtam, chaired by the deputy commissioner Kiphire and chairman DTF, Sarita Yadav on June 10. Earlier, minister took stock of the preparedness of the district with matters related to COVID19. They members of the house deliberated on the prevailing situation and took the following decisions and raised certain matters to the minister: The house in the presence of representatives from all apex hohos of the district decided that as and when the Institutional quarantine capacity saturates at Kiphire HQ, returnees to the district will be accommodated in facilities arranged in the sub- divisions; The house requested the minister to expedite the process of delivering of TrueNat testing machines and cartridges. Also taking into consideration the remoteness of the district and lack of facilities for institutional quarantine, the house appealed to the government to provide additional testing machines and kits to help managed the burden of returnees on available facilities in a timely manner; House further deliberated on the need for expanding quarantine facilities. USBLA Retreat Centre under Longmatra circle was identified by the members as feasible for setting up quarantine facility; Requirements for additional funds to manage works related to COVID-19 pandemic, was taken stock of by the minister; Minister also raised the importance of providing counselling to the wards at the quarantine centres keeping in mind the psychological well being. The chair apprised the house that counselling is being provided to the wards through telephonic means.

ENPO officials visit Kiphire

In the aftermate of the government failure to respond according to the demands placed by Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) on May 28, with regard to the mishandling and mismanagement of Tuensang returnees, ENPO officials led by Setsacho VP had a consultative meeting with United Sangtam Likhüm Pümji (USLP) on June 10 at Kiphire town.

Setsacho in an interaction with USLP officials said that demand placed by ENPO will not be compromised in any manner because what happened in Tuensang was a serious crime that needed to be fixed by taking punitive action against the erring officials. Stating that the visit was to keep the USLP in a loop about the action taken by ENPO so far, he informed USLP that as government failed to respond positively according to the demand placed before the government within stipulated time as set by ENPO, the ENPO approached governor for his intervention which yielded positive outcome.

He added that ENPO was invited by state cabinet for a meeting which subsequently took place on June 6 where he stated that ENPO officials told state cabinet that ENPO will not accept the report of Judicial Inquiry Committee (JIC) set up the state government if it was not satisfactory. He said the visit was primarily focused on seeking opinion and suggestions from USLP in the event of government failing to act upon the demand of ENPO and for further course of action. Assuring unflinching support and cooperation towards ENPO, P. Achumse Sangtam general secretary USLP said “USLP will not waver in its support towards ENPO till justice is serve and the wrong remedy against those responsible for Tuensang fascio”. He added that truth has to be unravelled as to what happened in Tuensang cannot be just washed off at any cost. USLP stated that it will stand resolutely with ENPO for further course of action to be initiated by ENPO in the event of government failure to act positively. Meanwhile visiting ENPO team also called upon deputy commissioner Sarita Yadav, Kiphire and extended appreciation towards the district administration, Police, Medical and all front line workers for their selfless services. The visiting ENPO team also expressed satisfaction towards District Task Force (DTF) for effectively managing and maintaining quarantine centres at Kiphire despite of the limited resource. ENPO also donated Rs. 50,000 to DC Kiphire for management of quarantine centres in Kiphire town. (Correspondent)

Deputy commissioner Dimapur Anoop Khinchi applauded the collective effort of Lotha Baptist Church Diphupar (LBCD) and the Lotha community Diphupar for their commendable initiative in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic specially for preventing community transmission.

According to DIPR report, visiting the ongoing construction of quarantine centre located near LBCD on June 11, Anoop said he was impressed with the quarantine huts measuring 10 by 8 with traditional Naga touch, proper electrification, stand fans in each hut, and full floor carpeting of the huts. DC further observed that a kind of bench made of bamboo and placed outside each hut with a separate toilet and bathroom for each quarantinee which has been set in place would be the perfect and comfortable home for the inmates. He even suggested that later on, the huts could be utilised for the visiting tourists for income generation as well as promoting rural tourism.

DC while appreciating the church and Lotha community Diphupar also donated mask and assured to provide disinfectants for spraying in the quarantine area.

During an interaction with DC Dimapur, the chairman of Lotha community Diphupar, Zuchumo Mozhui said that returnees after completion of 14 days quarantine in institutional government quarantine centres has been advised for home quarantine for 14 more days for the safety of all.

However, Mozhui shared that in some cases home quarantine were not found conducive due to the presence of elderly man/woman, pregnant women, children and absence of separate rooms, toilets, bathrooms. Therefore, under the directive of Diphupar Village Council all the respective communities were asked to set up QC for such cases as a preventive measure for community transmission and for which Diphupar Lotha community along LBCD initiated the project with generous donations from Diphupar Lotha Church/community members.

Diphupar Lotha community COVID-19 convenor, Zuben Patton informed that around 15 returnees from Diphupar Lotha community were expected as per the list. So far 5 huts with separate toilets and bathroom facility was almost completed and within 2 days it would be fully ready, Zuben informed. With the generous contribution by the community members action plan has been going smoothly and more huts would be constructed as there was enough space, as the LBCD had generously given permission for using the church land. All construction works are undertaken by the Lotha community members where work distribution has been allotted sector/colony wise. Diphupar Lotha Students and Diphupar Lotha Youth were on the job on June 11 when DC inspected the centre. GB Diphupar Lotha Colony, Thechamo Ngully while expressing concern about the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, appealed to one and all for extending cooperation to the district administration and all frontline workers in the fight against Coronavirus. The initiative of Diphupar Village Council for preventing community transmission by directing the different communities under Diphupar to check the feasibility of home quarantine and to take up alternative arrangements qualifying all criteria/ protocols of QC clearly indicates their commitment for fighting the pandemic unitedly.

Changlangshu PHC receives new medical equipments

Domestic violence and other cases registered during lockdown Apart from the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, Nagaland is also going through various issues like domestic violence, cybercrime, distress, and mentally unsound cases.

Interacting with section of media persons at civil secretariat, state coordinator State Resource Center (SRC) for women Gracy Aye, said there were 30 various cases received during the lockdown period, from March 30 to May 31.

Aye said it has received over 488 calls at Women Helpline-181 during the COVID-19 lockdown period where in Dimapur there were two cases of missing/runaway, five cases distress, two cases of mentally unsound, and three cases of harassment.

Kohima recorded one case of distress, Longleng has two cases of domestic violence, Mokokchung one case each of domestic violence and distress, Mon district has two cases of domestic violence and one cybercrime case. Also Peren district has two cases of domestic violence and one case of harassment while Phek district has one each case of child sexual abuse, distress and harassment, Tuensang has one case of cybercrime and Wokha has one each case of domestic violence, missing/ runaway and cybercrime. Kiphire and Zunheboto

are the only two districts that did not have any cases during this lockdown period.

Aye said Nagaland was one state that has successfully established One Stop Centre (OSC) in all the districts and functioning well. She said the objective of Sakhi One Stop Centre was to provide integrated support and assistance to affected women affected and to facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services to fight against any forms of violence against women.

Aye said OSC provides services like emergency response and rescue service, police and medical assistance, shelter, phycho-social support, counselling, legal aid and video conferencing facility.

According to Aye, OSC has recorded more than 300 cases since inception where over 100 cases were related to domestic violence and even during this lockdown period, the OSC got over 30 cases related to domestic violence.

She reminded that children get affected adversely because when the mother or wife is harassed the child is also affected. She said there are schemes to provide during the time of crisis and basing on the cases they are taken care of accordingly. (Correspondent)

NDRF sanitisation drive at Raj Bhavan

A sub team of 12th Bn NDRF Doimukh, stationed at 4th NAP Thizama, conducted sanitisation drive at the premises of Raj Bhavan Kohima, on June 11. A press release from 12th Bn NDRF Doimukh state that sub inspector, K. P. Singh (team leader) and sub inspector W L Odyuo, with team conducted fumigation drive, spraying sodium hypochlorite water mixed solution in all surroundings of Raj Bhavan, fully equipped with their protective equipments. UCRC Kohima provides food to frontline workers and hospitals: Union Christian Revival Church (UCRC), New Market road in Kohima distributed food to the COVID-

19 designated hospitals and also served tea and snacks to the police persons and volunteers on the roadside on June 11. A press release from UCRC Kohima state that, packed food were delivered to the medical team, security personnel and COVID-19 positive patients in COVID-19 designated hospitals, namely Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima and Ayush Hospital, Chedema. UCRC pastor Zhabu Gwirie appreciated all the frontline workers and encouraged the people not to panic, but to pray to God in faith. He also appreciated the churches for positively responding and contributing their services during these pandemic times.

4 beds vacant at COVID hospital Dimapur

Presently, 84 COVID-19 cases are admitted at the 100 bedded capacity at COVID-19 Hospital Dimapur, out of which 60 are male and 24 female.

According to DIPR report, with the occupation of 84 beds, six reserved for paediatric cases and six being ICU beds, vacant status of COVID-19 Hospital Dimapur remains at four beds according to reliable resources. 12 positive cases admitted at COVID-19 Hospital Dimapur tested negative for the second time. They were recovered and shifted to Tourist Lodge Dimapur. TrueNat, commissioned on June 8 at Dimapur is being manned 24x7 by nine lab technicians who have been trained by pathologists from ICMR. Meanwhile two COVID-19 positive cases (husband and wife), who were kept in isolation unit Dimapur have been shifted to Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) Wednesday evening by ambulance on humanitarian grounds.

The couple were asymptomatic and were found fit to travel and had to be shifted as the wife, a cancer patient had a primary problem in need of urgent medical attention with NHAK having a cancer unit.

Mon District

Changlangshu Primary Health Centre (PHC) has been installed with newly purchased medical equipments on June 11. A press release from village health committee (VHC), Changlangshu chairman Pongchai Konyak stated that a brief dedication programme was conducted

by Khozang, pastor, Changlangshu Baptist Church, in the presence of Kaiba Konyak, MO and the village council members. The listed equipments are CBC blood analyzer, chemical analyzer, portable ultrasound machine, OT table and OT lamp were purchased by the Changlangshu village council and the village health committee, through the facilitation of Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS), Longpang. Changlangshu VHC also thanked the department of Health and Family Welfare, Kohima and the ECS, Longpang for supporting the PHC staff under HCL Grant.

Kohima District

DC Dimapur Anoop Khinchi (R) with DPRO Dimapur and leaders of Lotha community Diphupar on June 11. (DIPR)

Chen conducts COVID-19 preparedness meeting

Awareness and preparedness strategy on COVID-19 meeting was held between C.L. John, MLA 45th A/C Tehok with officers of Chen Hq CASU and Konyak Union Chen branch president on June 10 at SDO (C) complex Chen town.

According to DIPR report, the MLA called urged the gathering not to panic and also not to take the pandemic lightly while urging the public to strictly follow guidelines. He also requested them to cooperate with authorities while fighting. BDO, Yae-i, who is also the official in-charge of three quarantine centres at Chen town said that despite shortcomings in transportation and communication, three quarantine centres have

Longleng District

Returnees arrive at Longleng

17 returnees, 10 females and seven males arrived at Longleng from Dimapur on June 9 and received at Yingli quarantine centre by district administration, police and medical team at around 5 p.m. According to DIPR report, after registration and screening, the returnees were sent to their respective rooms where they would spend a period of 21 days institutional quarantine. Through medical team, MSKDLCW & DTF BBBP Longleng provided emergency kits to the returnees. Meanwhile, six inmates at Yingli quarantine centre in Longleng were discharged after completion of 21 days of institutional quarantine as the results of discharged inmates had tested negative. Results of 85 samples are further awaited.

Phek District

TrueNat testing laboratory inaugurated at DH Phek TrueNat testing laboratory at District Hospital (DH), Phek was inaugurated by chief medical officer (CMO) Phek, Dr. Vibeituonuo Mepfuo on June 11. A press release from NHM Phek district media officer, Kutolu Nakro stated that, Dr. Mepfuo expressed gratitude to the department for setting up testing facility at Phek district which was the need of the hour to fight against the current pandemic. Short briefing on the machine and testing guidelines was done by Dr. Rongsen while dedicatory prayer was pronounced by Phek Town Baptist Church pastor Thepucuyi Khesoh. The lab was inaugurated in the presence of representatives from civil bodies of Phek town.

been set up with minimum basic facilities. Meanwhile, chairman of the meeting, SDO (C) Chen Samuel Konyak stated that there was no COVID-19 case in Chen area and acknowledged Chen Town Students’ Union (CTSU) and public for their initiative and helping in constructing fencings in quarantine centres at Chen town and Chenwetnyu village and for contributing one bamboo each from every household. Further, he expressed gratitude to the officers of Chen Hq. for voluntarily contributing monetary help for constructing three toilets, water connections and their storages, pits for wastes, power connections and other basic amenities in QCs along with concerned departments.

Mokokchung District

DTCC Mokokchung visits quarantine centre District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) Mokokchung visited quarantine centre and hospital at Impur Mission Centre (IMC) on June 11. A press from chief medical officer (CMO) office stated that the team raised awareness on spitting, smoking and chewing of tobacco products by providing IEC posters at the quarantine centres for the inmates to paste in their respective rooms. Further, Dr. Taliwaba, district nodal officer National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) Mokokchung, gave a briefing about “Tobacco use and its effects relating to COVID-19” at Impur Hospital and quarantine centre. The team also provided 100 mosquito repellent, 50 tissue rolls and 5 dustbins for quarantine centre use.

Local markets flourishing in Mangkolemba

Various programmes and initiatives such as establishment of SHGs and use of modern-equipped machines for farming and distribution of saplings among farmers in Mangkolemba sub-division has been encouraging groups, individuals and farmers for economic activity during the pandemic, under the leadership of A. Temsu Aier, SDAO, Mangkolemba. A press release from Japukong Union Mangkolemba (JUM) president Tinuniken and secretary Tongpangrepba stated that a weekly bazaar was currently set up at Mangkolemba under A. Temsu Aier’s initiative thereby promoting the platform for organic products to be sold, proving to be beneficial for consumers as well as vendors. The press release stated that the community presently has a great access to locally grown food and that the initiative has boosted the local economy. The people who were solely dependent on other states for food are now starting to be self sufficient as economic activity is taking a new turn with the department making ways for the locals to understand the benefits of local markets. Further, it stated that the initiative has unfolded opportunities for different groups, individuals and farmers in the sub-division and made people realize the importance of self-sufficiency. Meanwhile, JUM extended its gratitude to SDAO and staff for aiding the locals to be the direct beneficiaries.

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

Assam oil well blaze: 7,000 shifted, 35 houses destroyed

G u wa h a t i / TI N SUKIA/ DIBRUGARH/ J u n 1 1 ( IA N S / P TI ) : Around 7,000 people have been evacuated while the inferno completely and partially burnt more than 35 houses as the fire fighters, NDRF, and engineers intensified their efforts to douse the oil well fire in Assam for the third day on Thursday, officials said.

At least two fire fighters of Oil India Ltd (OIL) were killed and four others including one from ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) were injured near the oil well blowout site in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Wednesday.

The inferno was so intense that it could be seen from as far as 10 km away.

OIL spokesman Tridiv Hazarika said that Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a review meeting with the crisis management team and OIL officials through video conferencing on the fire in the OIL’s gas well. It has been reported that except at the well plinth area, the fire around the site has mostly extinguished. However, the burning of gas at the well mouth would continue till the well is capped.

The fire in around 200 meters periphery has completely burnt about 15 houses, while another 15 houses have been partially affected.

“Over 7,000 inhabitants adjoining the oil well

fire site have been shifted to the 12 relief camps set up by the OIL,” Hazarika told IANS. A senior official of the Tinsukia district administrations said that it would take at least four weeks or a month to completely control the blaze.

The massive fire broke out at the leaking natural gas producing well of the stateowned OIL in Tinsukia district on Tuesday even as an expert team from a Singapore-based emergency management firm was trying to plug the leakage of gas and oil condensate for the past 16 days, prompting the state government to seek the Indian Air Force’s help to douse the blaze.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday dialed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him about the latest developments regarding “oil well explosion incident”. “The Prime Minister assured all help towards the people in the affected area,” an Assam government release said.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) tweeted that Modi discussed the situation in Baghjan fire tragedy in a telephonic conversation with Sonowal and “assured all possible support from the Centre”.

Sonowal had on Tuesday spoken to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh seeking

Such fires have taken place in Iran also,” he told the aggrieved people at one of the relief camps. Though no journalists were accompanying him, one of the villagers made a video of his interaction with the people and shared it with some local reporters on Thursday.

“In oil, this is not the only fire. Tripura had a bigger fire than this. In 2012, we had a similar fire in Dibrugarh district’s Dikam,” the industries and commerce minister said. In the video, people can be seen requesting the minister not to compare the Baghjan tragedy with that of any At least two fire fighters of Oil India Ltd (OIL) were killed and four others other country. including one from ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) were injured.

“Sir, please do not compare it with others.

How the Russian governhelp from the IAF to douse Central paramilitary actions initiated by OIL. the blaze, officials said. An troopers, NDRF, OIL and Protests erupts as minister ment will compensate, the Indian government will not OIL spokesman said that the ONGC engineers and exdownplays tragedy do that,” one of the villagfire has been kept controlled perts are on a war-footing Protests were held ers said. in a 1.5 km radius but it is exercise to douse the fire. still raging as the “unconThe oil well at Baghjan across Tinsukia district of Assam CM orders trollable” natural gas is be- in Tinsukia, around 550 km Assam on Thursday and high-level probe ing fed by the well’s oil. east of Guwahati, had been effigies of state minister Assam Chief Minister Local people said that leaking gas accompanied by Chandra Mohan Patowary the inferno has left a trail oil condensate since May 27, were burnt, a day after he Sarbananda Sonowal on of devastation in the ad- causing enormous damage tried to downplay the fire in- Thursday ordered a highjoining areas, including a to the region’s wildlife, wet- cident at Oil India Limited’s level inquiry into the circumstances that led to a famous lake. Farmlands lands and biodiversity. OIL gas well in Baghjan. with standing crops, as well Chairman-cum-Managing While interacting with blowout at a gas well of as ponds and wetlands in the Director Sushil Chandra the affected people at a Oil India Limited (OIL) adjoining villages have also Mishra had a detailed dis- relief camp, Patowary said in Tinsukia district and been badly affected and the cussion with Assam In- on Wednesday night that the subsequent fire, a day threat is growing with every dustries and Commerce the fire incident at Baghjan after the bodies of two firepassing day.

Minister Chandra Mohan was nothing compared to fighters were found in a Experts, environmen- Patowary, who is camping oil blaze in countries such wetland abutting the site, officials said. Meanwhile, talists and wildlife activists at Tinsukia, in the presence as Russia and Iran. are worried as the Dibru- of Deputy Commissioner “In Russia, a massive the blaze on the periphery Saikhowa National Park, (Tinsukia) Bhaskar Pegu, fire continued to burn for of the well that started on known for its feral horses, is and appraised the latest almost 80 days. This is noth- Tuesday has been put out, less than two km away. status of the blowout and ing in comparison to Russia. and three experts from the

US and Canada will reach Assam on Saturday to assist in the efforts to extinguish it completely, an official of the state-run company said.

The probe will be conducted by Additional Chief Secretary Maninder Singh, who has been asked to submit the report within 15 days, a senior official at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) told PTI. Two officials of the OIL have already been suspended for alleged negligence of duty, while a show cause notice has been issued to John Energy Pvt Ltd, the outsourced private operator of the well.

A PIL was filed at the Gauhati High Court on Wednesday against OIL, John Energy, the Centre and the state over the blowout and the subsequent fire.

Fire in gas well periphery doused

The fire in the periphery of Oil India’s gas well in Assam’s Tinsukia district has been doused after sustained efforts of fire fighters and at the moment only flowing gas is burning at the mouth of the well, a senior official of the PSU said on Thursday.

Though no peripheral burning is taking place at the moment at the well’s site at Baghjan, the company has declared an area up to 1.5 km radius as “red zone” to avoid any untoward incident and harm to the general public. “Now only

the flowing gas is burning at the mouth of the well.

We have declared an area with 1.5 km of radius as a red zone so that no outside person comes near the site.

It is being done as a safety measure,” Oil India Ltd (OIL) Senior Manager (Public Affairs) Jayant Bormudoi told PTI. The official said three more foreign experts from the US and Canada will reach Assam in two days to control the blaze caused by a major blowout at the gas well on Tuesday.

Currently, three experts from Singaporean firm Alert Disaster Control are working at the site since Monday to stop the gas leak.

“We have contacted three more experts and they will be joining us the day after tomorrow. Two of them are from the USA and one is from Canada,” Bormudoi said.

The visa and all other regulatory approvals are completed and they will be flying very soon from their respective places, he added.

Bormudoi informed that the gas is flowing uncontrollably at a pressure of 4,500 psi (pounds per square inch) and it is “very very high” to control the leakage.

When asked about repeated tremors felt by people in the area Wednesday night, the OIL official said it was not from underground sources but produced overground.

Manipur CM fetes lady auto-driver for noble deed AR recover huge cache of arms in mnp Correspondent IMPHAL, JUN 11: A woman auto-driver who volunteered to drop a recovered COVID-19 patient to her native village in Kamjong district was rewarded with Rs 1,10,000 on Thursday.

Chief minister N Biren Singh handed over the cash reward to Laibi Oinam at a simple function held at the chief minister’s bungalow.

The cash reward sponsored by some entrepreneurs from Manipur along with Manipuri Diasporas from US, UK, Canada and Singapore.

The entre preneurs sponsored the reward as a reward for her humane and heroic act and service.

Laibi who is also a street vendor had volunteered to drop a 22-year-old girl who recovered from COVID-19 at JNIMS hospital, Imphal till her native village in the hill district Kamjong which is around eight hours long journey,

Manipur CM N Biren Singh handing over a cash reward of Rs 1.10 lakh to the lady auto-driver. and that too, during the night. On the intervening night of May 31 and June 1 the recovered girl was dropped in Imphal’s Khuman Lampak by an ambulance of the government hospital instead of dropping either to her native village or

district headquarters Kamjong for quarantining for 14 days as per COVID-19 protocol.

When no vehicle or taxi was willing to transport her to Kamjong after knowing her case, the female auto driver from Pangei of

Imphal East district volunteered to drop her.

She drove around 100 km in mostly hilly terrain in the night to drop her to her native village. After driving the whole night of the fateful day (May 31), she managed to reach Skipe village in

Miscreants hurl bomb at NHIDCL office

Correspondent

SHILLONG, JUN 11: The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) office in Shillong was attacked with a petrol bomb while a vehicle of a government official torched at Mawkyrwat, South West Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya on Thursday, police said.

No one was however injured in the two separate

incidents. Police said that the incident of the alleged petrol bomb attack came to light this morning when staff went to the office here at Kharmalki. The accountant’s room was partially damaged.

Superintendent of Police East Khasi Hills district, Claudia Lyngwa said that investigation is on to identify those behind the attack.

“We are investigating the case from all angles to

find out the perpetrators and their motives behind the petrol bomb attack,” Lyngwa said.

The NHIDCL office attack comes close on the heels on the assault of an NHIDCL engineer Sujit Kumar Singh and his driver by a group of about 10 to12 unidentified persons at Nonglang village in South West Khasi Hills district on Sunday.

One Rutherford Lyn-

g d o h wa s a r r e s t e d o n Wednesday in connection with the assault of the NHIDCL engineer and a man-hunt is on to nab the other co-accused.

Meanwhile, a government vehicle of District Social Welfare Officer of South West Khasi Hills district, L Lyngdoh was set ablaze at Mawkyrwat market this evening. Police said an investigation is on to nab the culprits.

the wee hour of the next morning around 2.30 am on June 1. MLAs L Susindro, H Dingo, Th Satyabrata, filmmaker Meena Longjam who directed the documentary film “Auto Driver” and sponsored the cash incentive were among others who attended the programme.

Laibi, a resident of Pangei Bazar in Imphal East is a mother of two sons and is the sole breadwinner of her family.

A documentary film based on her life titled “Auto Driver” won many accolades including best social issue film in the non-feature category at the 63rd National Film Awards in 2015 and Best Short Documentary in the Audience Choice category at the 2017 Women’s Voices Now Film Festival.

Apart from this, a number of articles have been published about her in many national and local newspapers and journals for breaking gender stereotypes.

A 67-year-old cancer patient, who recently returned from Mumbai, died due to COVID-19 at Tezpur Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday, and another Chennaireturnee succumbed to the disease on Monday.

Of the total 3,319 cases, 2,061 are active patients, 1,249 have recovered, six have died and three migrated out of the state.

As many as 152 more patients were discharged on Wednesday, while the highest single-day recovery was recorded on Tuesday, with 313 patients reported cured of COVID-19.

Assam has witnessed a surge in COVID-19 cases since inter-state movement of people was allowed on May 4, with more than 3,000 cases being registered since then. Prior to that, it had just 42 coronavirus cases.

The state breached the 1000-mark in coronavirus cases on May 29, and the 3000-mark in just about 10 days, on June 9.

Assam currently has 86 containment zones, with Cachar having the maximum number of such areas at 33, followed by Kamrup (Metro) at 19, Golaghat at six, Dhubri

and Darrang five each, Goalpara, Kamrup (Rural) and Majuli three each, Karbi Anglong two, and Charaideo, Karimganj, Kokrajhar, Hojai, Nagaon, Baksa and Bongaigaon one each.

As many as 1,69,842 samples have been examined till date, of which 1,59,7600 have tested negative, the state Health and Family Welfare Department said in its bulletin.

Meanwhile, keeping in view the rise in COVID19 cases, the health department said it would conduct the second round of Assam Community Surveillance

KOHIMA, JUN 11: Troops of Assam Rifles along with Manipur Police recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunitions near Karongthel in Tengnoupal district of Manipur on June 10.

A press release by PRO ( Defence) stated that based on multiple inputs regarding concealed weapons and

Mizoram Covid-19 case count crosses 100-mark, total tally 102 Aizawl, Jun 11 (PTI): With the detection of nine COVID-19 positive cases in Mizoram, the number of active cases has crossed the 100-mark in the northeastern state, an official of the health department said.

With this, the COVID19 positive tally in the state has climbed from 1 to 102 in just 11 days.

As many as 135 samples were tested of which nine

34 more test positive for COVID-19 in Assam; total count 3,319

Guwahati, Jun 11 (PTI): At least 34 more COVID-19 cases were reported in Assam on Thursday, taking the tally in the state to 3,319, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Of the 34 new cases, 15 are from Nagaon, six from Golaghat, three each from Barpeta, Baksa and Sonitpur and one each from Chirang, West Karbi Anglong, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur.

Two persons have died of the disease this week, raising the death toll to six in the state, the minister said.

Assam Rifles and Manipur police with the cache of arms and ammunitions.

Programme (ACSP), covering all villages and wards of the state. The health workers will visit people’s homes to identify flu-like cases, respiratory infections like Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI), influenza-like illness (ILI) and vector-borne diseases such as Japanese Encephalitis, malaria and dengue.

The first round was held last month and 29,771 villages were covered during the session, with only 26,000 people showing signs of fever, but no case of COVID-19 was reported, the minister had earlier said.

tested positive at the Zoram Medical College (ZMC) on Wednesday night.

Among the fresh cases, five persons had returned from Delhi, three from Maharashtra and one from West Bengal, he said.

war like stores, the joint team launched a search operation in the area to seize the weapons.

During the detailed search, the troops recovered two well concealed plastic bags containg the stores. The recovered stores included one SLR with magazine, one Bolt Action

Rifle with magazine, three Point 32mm pistols, 3910 rounds of assorted ammunition and one YESU Radio Set. The recovered arms, ammunition and war like stores have been handed over to Tengnoupal police station for further investigations.

BEFORE NOTARY PUBLIC / OATH COMMISSIONER NAGALAND Regd. No. 244/20

DIMAPUR : NAGALAND

AFFIDAVIT

Dt. 11/6/20

I, Shri, J. Lunso, the legitimate father of Mr. Jato (Kihoto) resident of Tokishe Village Niuland Sub-Division Dimapur District Nagaland, do hereby solemnly affirm and declare on oath as under:1) That I am lawful father of Mr. Jato formerly known as Mr. Kihoto, a minor boy, and I have changed the name of my said son from Kihoto to Jato in order to escape all kind of sicknesses which he faced in the past.

2) That the names Jato and Kihoto are one and the same person of my son's name, but now he will be known as Jato for ever and for all purposes.

3) That the contents of this Declaration are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

DEPONENT Solemnly affirmed and declared before me by the Deponent.

Notary Public / Oath Commissioner : Nagaland Dimapur : Nagaland DP-2711

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND OFFICE OF THE COMMANDANT 11 NAP (IR) BATTALION RÜZAPHEMA : NAGALAND NO.11NAP (IR) BN/RO-14/20-21/1028

Dt.Rzpma. the 10th June, 2020

To, Shri :- Nungsangsashi Ao Regtl. :- NO. 111382 Rank :- Constable S/O :- Pangersowa Vill. :- Sungratsu P.O/P.S :- Kubolong Dist. :- Mokokchung Sub :- CALLING NOTICE Whereas, you have been found absent from bonafide Govt. duty w.e.f. 21/02/20 (FN) without any leave or permission from the competent authority till date.

And whereas, your failure to respond on 3 (Three) consecutive Calling Notices served to you vide this office Letter of even No. Dated (1) 23/03/20, (2) 09/04/20 and (3)24/04/20 and your failure to respond on the subsequent "Show Cause" Dated 04/05/2020 within 30 (thirty) days is found to be tantamount to negation of relevant conduct rules and applicable laws.

Now therefore, the undersigned directs you to report back within 7 (Seven) days from the publication of this calling notice.

Upon failure to report within the stipulated timeframe, Department Enquiry will be conducted against you ex-parte without any further notice.

Commandant 11 NAP (IR) Battalion Rüzaphema, Nagaland DP-2714

national

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

5

harmony, tolerance in DNA COVID crisis should turn into opportunity: PM Communal of India, majority community: Rijiju

COVID-19, including floods, locust attack, earthquakes...

We have to turn crises into opportunity for creating an Atmanirbhar and take steps to ensure that products which we import from elsewhere are manufactured in India,” Modi said.

Now is the time to make each village, each district of the country selfreliant, he said.

Quoting Swami Vivekananda, who had once written that Indians should produce for themselves and find markets in other countries, the prime minister said they had for long wished the country to become selfreliant in areas like medical equipment manufacturing, defence manufacturing, coal and minerals, edible oil and many more.

Lauding the resolve of the countrymen to turn disaster into opportunity, the prime minister said the pandemic “will be a turning point for the country”.

“We have to make it a big turning point.....a turning point for creating a selfreliant India,” he asserted.

The prime minister also said that the country has already ushered in several reforms like changing the definition of MSMEs, decriminalising certain things (under the Companies Act), introducing Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, bringing in more competition in coal mining, altering the APMC and the Essential Commodities Act. Citing the campaign to free the country from single use plastic, Modi said it will benefit West Bengal by giving a fresh impetus to the jute industry.

He said time has come to revive Bengal’s historical pre-eminence in manufacturing.

Modi said banking services have now reached the “have nots”. Initiatives such as Jandhan accounts and Aadhaar have made it possible to reach necessary support to millions of people without leakage.

Referring to the efforts to develop the North-East

as a hub of organic farming, Modi said the government’s current cluster-based approach to local produce will provide opportunity for all.

Along with this, clusters will also be created for bamboo and organic products. Like Sikkim, the entire North- East can become a huge hub of organic farming. Organic farming can become a huge movement in the North-East and dominate the global market, he said.

Underlining that people, planet and profit are interlinked, Modi said all three can simultaneously co-exist and flourish.

He cited the example of the reduction in price of LED bulbs over the last six years. Its extensive use has resulted in savings of about Rs 19,000 crore in electricity bills every year.

The prime minister urged the industry to invest in research and development, and manufacture better batteries to increase the storage capacity of solar panels for enhanced energy efficiency.

He also highlighted how small self-help groups and MSMEs can benefit from providing their goods and services directly to the Government of India on the GeM platform.

minorities,” he said.

Samuel Brownback, the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, said on Wednesday that India has been a country area that spawned four major religions itself.

“We do remain very concerned about what’s taking place in India. It’s historically just been a very tolerant, respectful country of religions, of all religions,” he said. The trendlines have been troubling in India because it is such a religious subcontinent and seeing a lot more communal violence, Brownback said.

His comments came after the release of the ‘2019 Inter national Religious Freedom Report’.

Mandated by the US Congress, the report documenting major instances of the violation of religious freedom across the world was released by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the State Department.

India has previously rejected the US religious freedom report, saying it sees no locus standi for a foreign government to pronounce on the state of its citizens’ constitutionally protected rights.

“India is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy and a pluralistic society with a longstanding commitment to tolerance and inclusion”, the government had said earlier.

India, China maintaining engagements to resolve standoff at earliest, says MEA

India lifts export ban on Trumptouted drug HCQ

We feel insulted: 71 defence veterans slam Rahul Gandhi on Ladakh tweet

Congress sends Surjewala to meet Rajasthan MLAs

BENGALURU, JUN 11 (AGENCIES): India has lifted an export ban on hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug touted

by U.S. President Donald Trump as a potential “game changer” in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, a minister said late on Wednesday.

“Department of Pharmaceuticals has approved the lifting of ban on Export of Hydroxychloroquine API as well as formulations,” India’s minister for chemicals and fertilizers, Sadananda Gowda, said here on Twitter. Manufacturers, except export-oriented units and those in special economic zones, would still have to supply 20% of their production to the domestic market, Gowda said.

The country, a leading exporter of generic medicines across the world, banned the export of the drug and its formulations in March as the coronavirus outbreak disrupted supply chains. But India eased some of these restrictions in April and shipped 50 million tablets of the drug to the United States that month, Reuters reported.

NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (IANS): After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed the Chinese have taken possession of Indian territory in the Ladakh region, as many as 71 Armed forces veterans have issued a strong statement against the former Congress president, questioning his “motivation” for making the controversial statement.

“At the outset, we wish to condemn such undesirable and deplorable tweets/ comments by a person who has no idea as to how our soldiers work in the world’s most difficult and unfriendly terrain,” read the statement. It added, “Rahul Gandhi should never forget 1962, when the country was headed by none other than his great grandfather Shri Jawaharlal Nehru and we were not only caught totally unprepared but had to suffer very humiliating defeat at the hands of China, despite the fact that our soldiers fought valiantly and caused huge casualties to China.”

Resurrecting his controversial meeting with Chinese officials during the Doklam face-off, the veter-

ers, goes on to state that the Congressman’s statements on Pakistan have been verbatim used and supported by the Pakistani government and military in the past and thus stands a risk in this case as well. “Such twisting of issues of military importance for petty political gains are highly deplorable,” they said. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “The Chinese have walked in and taken our territory in Ladakh. Meanwhile, the PM is absolutely silent and has vanished from the scene.”

Calling it “petty politicisation”, the veterans said, “We, the veterans, who are party to this statement have been in the field and have participated in several operations/ actions and, therefore, we all feel insulted and humiliated by such low level politics resorted to by Shri Rahul Gandhi.”

The Indian and Chinese Army have been in a standoff in the eastern Ladakh area, where the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has created a major military buildup along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (AGENCIES): The crisis concerning the Congress members in the Rajasthan Assembly ahead of the June 19 Rajya Sabha elections could be related to the party’s internal politics, a senior Congress leader said on Thursday.

However, with the first signs of trouble in the State on Wednesday, the Congress sent its chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala to Jaipur by a special chartered flight to reach out to the party MLAs. Mr. Surjewala was appointed an observer earlier and had been to Jaipur once before but the latest developments have lent a sense of urgency in the Congress camp. However, a senior Congress leader claimed the crisis was a “manufactured one”, aimed at “projecting some leaders as saviours while others as working against the party”.

In the 200-member Assembly, the Congress has 107 members after six MLAs elected on the Bahujan Samaj Party ticket joined the party. Another 12 independent MLAs support the Ashok Gehlot government.

KOLKATA, JUN 11 (PTI): Insisting that the COVID-19 crisis should be turned into an opportunity to create an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said this is the time to make bold decisions and investments.

Addressing the 95th annual plenary session of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata through video conference, he said, steps have to be taken to ensure that products imported from abroad are manufactured in the country and exported.

“In the last five-six years, India’s goal of self- reliance has been paramount in the policy and practice of the government. The COVID-19 crisis gave us lessons on how to speed up efforts in that direction.

It is from this lesson - Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) campaign has started.

It is time for bold decisions and bold investments, and not for conservative approaches. This also is the time to move from command and control economy to plug-and-play and to build a competitive global supply chain,” he said.

The Prime Minister said everybody must work towards making India an

NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (AGENCIES): The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday India and China were maintaining military and diplomatic engagements to peacefully resolve the border row at the earliest even though it did not respond to reports on troops moving back from standoff positions in the Galwan and Hot Spring areas of Ladakh.

MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said both sides had agreed to work for an early resolution to the issue in keeping with broader guidance provided by leaders of the two countries for ensuring peace and tranquillity along the border areas.

“A meeting was held between core commanders of India and China on June 6. This meeting was in continuation of our diplomatic and military engagement which both sides maintained in order to address the situation in areas along the IndiaChina border,” Srivastava said in a media briefing.

On June 6, XIV Corps Commander Lt General Harinder Singh and South Xinjiang Military District Commander Major General

Narendra Modi delivering speech at the 95th annual plenary session of ICC via video conference. (video grab/PTI)

exporter of all products which it is currently forced to import.

Appreciating the efforts of small traders, he said, that when we buy local produce from them, we are not just paying them for their goods and services, but are rewarding their contributions.

While noting that people-centric, people-driven and planet-friendly development has become part of the BJP-led central government’s way of governance, the prime minister said recent decisions by the Centre had freed the farmers and rural economy from years of “slavery” as they now have the freedom to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

“India is fighting multiple challenges along with

Liu Lin held a meeting at the Chushul-Moldo border point for nearly three hours before delegations were brought in.

The two sides also held Major General-level talks, which lasted over four hours, on Wednesday. Sources said the Indian side pressed for restoration of status quo ante, reiterating that troops should move back to the positions held in April-end, before the standoff began.

The Indian side also sought reduction in the number of Chinese troops in the region.

“The two sides are, therefore, maintaining military and diplomatic engagements to peacefully resolve the situation at the earliest and also to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas. This is essential for further development of IndiaChina bilateral relations,” the MEA spokesperson said.

On Wednesday, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed that the two sides were taking steps to “ease” the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) when asked about reports of troops disengaging and moving back to their

previous positions.

“Recently, the diplomatic and military channels of China and India held effective communication on the situation along the border and reached positive consensus. The two sides are following this consensus to take actions to ease the situation along the borders,” the spokesperson said.

From the Indian side, officials cautioned that this should be seen as a “first step” towards a long, phased and gradual process of disengagement, and there should be no expectation of immediate or quick withdrawal of troops and weaponry.

The disengagement process may take weeks.

“Physical verification as well as satellite imagery will help us in complete disengagement,” sources told The Indian Express.

While troops are stepping back in other areas, the standoff continues in the contested Fingers area on the north bank of Pangong Tso where Chinese troops are not allowing Indian patrols beyond Finger 4 – it is 8 km west of Finger 8 which India says denotes the LAC.

NIRF rankings: IIT Madras best institution in country

DC-513

Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Mohali, stood third.

In the medical colleges category, AIIMS Delhi bagged the top spot, followed by PGI, Chandigarh, and CMC, Vellore.

The annual rankings are usually announced in April but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These rankings act as Indian Institutes of Technology, Madras. a guide to students for selecNEW DELHI, JUN 11 been ranked as the top B- tion of universities based (PTI): IIT Madras, IISc School in the country, fol- on a set criteria and helps Bangalore and IIT Delhi lowed by IIM Bangalore and bagged the top three posi- Calcutta. tions among educational Union HRD Minister institutions in the country Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in the HRD Ministry’s Na- announced that Miranda tional Institutional Ranking College bagged the top rank Framework (NIRF) an- among colleges, followed by nounced on Thursday.

Lady Sri Ram College for The top 10 higher edu- Women, Hindu College and cation institutions in the St Stephen’s College. country included seven InAs per the rankings, dian Institutes of Technol- the top three engineering ogy (IITs). colleges in the country are As per the annual rank- IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and ings, the top three univer- IIT Bombay. sities are IISc Bangalore, In the pharmacy catJawaharlal Nehru Univer- egory, the top institute is Jasity and Banaras Hindu mia Hamdard in Delhi, folUniversity. lowed by Panjab University, IIM Ahmedabad has Chandigarh. The National

universities to improve their performance on various ranking parameters and identify gaps in research and areas of improvement. This exercise has also created a habit of organising data by the institutions and most of all these institutions attempt themselves to become more competitive,” Nishank said.

The ranking framework evaluates institutions on five broad generic groups of parameters -- Teaching, Learning and Resources (TLR), Research and Professional

Practice (RP), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) and Perception (PR). Ranks are assigned based on the total sum of marks assigned for each of these five broad groups of parameters.

The Dental colleges in the country were ranked for the first time by NIRF. Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, Manipal College of Dental Sciences and DY Patil Vidyapeeth were ranked the top three dental colleges.

NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (PTI): Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said the religious and constitutional rights of minorities are absolutely safe in India and it does not need any certificate from anyone as communal harmony and tolerance are in the DNA of the country and its majority community.

Comments of Rijiju, a Buddhist, came after a top Trump administration official has said that the US is very concerned about what is happening in India in terms of religious freedom.

“India doesn’t need certificate on communal harmony and tolerance which is in the DNA of India and the majority community in India,” Rijiju, who holds the charge of the Union minister of state for minority affairs besides being the union sports minister, said in a statement.

Rijiju said the social, religious and constitutional rights of minorities are absolutely safe in the country.

“A few politically intolerant people are trying to create an atmosphere of fear and intolerance. As a member of the minority community, I feel India is the best country in the world for the

Rahul Gandhi ans made a stinging attack on Gandhi.

“Whatever may be the motivation of making such statements, it is apparent to everyone that the same are devoid of correct facts and are against national security, which is our main concern.

Everyone knows that Shri Gandhi was hobnobbing with Chinese diplomats when there was a standoff between India and China in 2017 in Doklam. No sane Indian is expected to make statements against his own country and military, which undoubtedly support the enemy countries,” the statement said.

The veterans included AVM Sanjib Bordoloi, Air Cmde S.S. Saxena, Brig.

Dinkar Adeeb among oth-

Kiren Rijiju

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND

DIRECTORATE OF SCHOOL EDUCATION NO.: ED/AEI-18/2020

NOTIFICATION

Kohima, the, 11th June 2020

In continuation of this office notifications of even number, dated, 4th June and 9th June 2020, the following instructions are issued in regards to the Class XI Admissions( Both Online & Offline modes) in all Govt. Higher Secondary Schools in the State of Nagaland.

1. Students/Parents shall Login into the ‘Online Admission Portal’ through the link given at the department’s website https://education.nagaland.gov.in and submit applications for schools and streams of their choice following the guidelines given at the portal.

2. One student can apply for admission to any number of schools and streams of his/ her choice.

3. The portal will be kept opened from 15th to 22nd June 2020 for submission of applications.

4. Students/Parents facing difficulties for using the online facility may download the Application Form from the portal and submit the duly filled in Forms to the respective schools on or before 22nd June 2020.

5. School wise List of Selected Candidates along with Waiting List will be published at the ‘Online Admission Portal’ on 27th June 2020.

6. Details of Admission Fee to be paid and particulars of bank accounts of respective schools will be made available at the portal.

7. Selected Students can pay the admission fee using any mode of online payment to the bank account of the respective school or pay cash directly at respective schools from 27th June to 4th July 2020.

8. Students making online payments will have to forward proof of payment such as Receipts, Screenshot of Payment Confirmation etc to the WhatsApp Number/ Email ID of respective Schools provided at the portal.

9. Class XI Repeaters ( 2019-20) of GHSSs need not submit applications. They can directly pay the Admission Fee to the bank accounts of respective schools as per the procedures given in Sl. Nos. 7 & 8 above from 15th to 22nd June 2020. The proof of payment should be forwarded to the respective schools before 4 p.m of 22nd June 2020.

10. All candidates are advised to preserve proof of forwarding copies of payment receipts to the WhatsApp Number / Email ID given at the portal till they get Admission Confirmation Message from the respective school email IDs. 11. Submission of application at the portal does not guarantee admission. Selection of candidates will be done by the respective schools as per their intake capacity in order of merit.

(SHANAVAS C) IAS Principal Director DC-XXXX Issued by DIPR

6

OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post Vol. XXx NO. 186 Dimapur, FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

Heart of the matter

A

ssam has been witnessing spike in COVID19 cases during the two months especially May and June where the numbers have been quadrupling to take the present tally, as on June 11 to 3,285. It may also be noted that COVID-19 cases in April was only 42 but in May the number rose by 1,298 and during the current month and as on June 11, another 1924 new cases were confirmed for COVID-19. The figure of 3285 also included 1,252 recoveries (inclusive of migrations) and six deaths. The sudden spurt during May at 1,298 and 1924 from June 1 to -11 clearly indicates that the situation has become grimmer. As per the definition of epidemiologists, when those tested positive had no travel history nor contact with those infected with COVID-19 pandemic, then the only conclusion would point to community transmission at least in Guwahati. This was officially admitted by Assam health minister Himata Biswa Sarma on June 10.

During his regular press briefing, the Assam minister confirmed that community transmission of COVID19 has already taken place in the state. Sarma’s basis for coming to the conclusion was the case of 13 individuals in Guwahati city who had tested positive for the virus and who had no travel history. It was pointed out that COVID-19 cases were detected from localities in Guwhati city particularly from Pan Bazar area, a busy commercial centre. A majority of those tested positive had been to some shops in Pan Bazar area but who had no travel history nor known contact with infected persons. As a consequence of the rapid spike in COVID-19 cases, the government of Assam has declared several areas under Guwahati city as containment zones such as in - Harishabha at Pan Bazaar; Sankar Nagar in Lalganesh; Athgaon-II; Dhirenpara; Hirapara village under Azara Revenue circle; Shantipur; Bishnupur (Bharalumukh); Satgaon and Christian Basti. As definition, community transmission or spread is said to be taking place when the source of the contagion is not known, i.e. when one is unable to trace an infection back to a carrier who has travelled in an affected area, or through contact with a person who has the disease. A state of community spread implies that the virus is now circulating in the community, and can infect people with no history - either of travel to or contact with affected people and areas.

At this stage, it is theoretically possible for everyone to catch the infection. In order to stop further spread, the government of authorities many declare certain areas as containment zones where suspected community spread has taken place. The perimeters of the containment zone are decided based on the number of positive cases in the area, contact tracing history and population density. Police will seal the perimeter around a containment zone and restrict outward movement of people except for essential services (including medical emergencies) including vehicles.

All roads to containment zones shall be barricaded and manned by police personnel and only those with passes will be permitted to move in or out. That community transmission in Guwahati has taken place is a very disturbing matter especially for the people of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram since the city is the main transit route by air, road and rail, a marketing centre and a destination for medical treatment for them.

DailyDevotion Getting There (1) Come to Me… —Matthew 11:28 Where sin and sorrow stops, and the song of the saint starts. Do I really want to get there? I can right now. The questions that truly matter in life are remarkably few, and they are all answered by these words— “Come to Me.” Our Lord’s words are not, “Do this, or don’t do that,” but— “Come to me.” If I will simply come to Jesus, my real life will be brought into harmony with my real desires. I will actually cease from sin, and will find the song of the Lord beginning in my life.

Have you ever come to Jesus? Look at the stubbornness of your heart. You would rather do anything than this one simple childlike thing— “Come to Me.” If you really want to experience ceasing from sin, you must come to Jesus.

Jesus Christ makes Himself the test to determine your genuineness. Look how He used the word come.

At the most unexpected moments in your life there is this whisper of the Lord— “Come to Me,” and you are immediately drawn to Him. Personal contact with Jesus changes everything. Be “foolish” enough to come and commit yourself to what He says. The attitude necessary for you to come to Him is one where your will has made the determination to let go of everything and deliberately commit it all to Him. “…and I will give you rest”— that is, “I will sustain you, causing you to stand firm.” He is not saying, “I will put you to bed, hold your hand, and sing you to sleep.” But, in essence, He is saying, “I will get you out of bed— out of your listlessness and exhaustion, and out of your condition of being half dead while you are still alive. I will penetrate you with the spirit of life, and you will be sustained by the perfection of vital activity.” Yet we become so weak and pitiful and talk about “suffering” the will of the Lord! Where is the majestic vitality and the power of the Son of God in that?

Quotes

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. ~ Indira Gandhi

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

Creating global Indian brands: The next frontier A s we look to restart the economy and build on India's competitive advantages in the future, it is time for Indian businesses and investors to focus on building Indian brands for the global stage. Despite the issues the pandemic has thrown up, the plethora of investors who have evinced interest in being part of the Indian recovery like in the telecom sector linked companies in India demonstrates that global interest in the Indian consumer market is strong.

The interest is an indication that over the next two decades, the Indian consumer story is one in which businesses will need to partake, not because they want to, but more because they have to. Incidentally, in the context of Indian businesses, the retail sector

has attracted significant interest both from domestic and international players.

While the platforms for sales in both physical and ecommerce driven retail have seen considerable interest and investments, more attention towards creating Indian retail brands for the global stage is warranted.

India has been a component of the retail export market in the past two decades catering to brands and retailers across the more developed economies, especially post-1991 economic liberalisation. In today's world, Indian companies must move up the value chain and create "Indian brands" that can be exported to the world and, more importantly, can cater to the large Indian consumer market. Thus, Indian brands are the next frontier for entrepreneurs and inves-

tors (both international and domestic ones) alike. As the platforms that can facilitate the sales is a space that has already been consolidated with large players bestowed with deep pockets, the next frontier of opportunity lies in creating brands that can create sustainable economic moats, strong cash flow profiles and significant pricing power to serve the needs of the Indian consumer and eventually the global consumer.

Primarily, investors must focus on businesses that can fulfil consumers' preferences and hence generate value by tapping into the 'discretionary consumer' spending needs in the years to come. The ability to operate and finance businesses that can create brands that deliver exceptional consumer value while allowing the brand significant pric-

ing power will be the key going forward. The investment dollars that India has seen and investments that have captured the imagination are those that have, in general, built the market infrastructure for facilitating the flow of goods, data and information.

Now is the time to build and scale-up brands in the "discretionary-consumption" space in India.

It must be underscored that in an economy of the size of India, there are brands that have delivered value in the "discretionary-consumption" space such as Titan. The key is that going forward, more and more brands in the "discretionaryconsumption" space will be the value creators and return generators. One of the most critical components of understanding the discretionary-consumption

play in India is that there are "markets within a market".

The crucial element for brand building businesses will be to create a product that satisfies consumer needs to the extent that allows the brand to compete in "blue oceans" within the market where margins are healthy and yet volumes are significant.

Fundamentally, for brands to succeed in the "discretionary-consumption" space in India, value delivery through product quality will be vital and a strategy built around charging lower prices isn't sustainable. For the next generation brands to be built, it is also important to realise that India as a market might require brands not just to establish the product branding but also create the retail infrastructure. While vertical integration is a

concept utilised by brands globally, the significance in an Indian context cannot be overstated. Mainly, differentiated products in the discretionary consumption space will need varied retail infrastructure and strategies. Therefore, brands will have to utilise an omnichannel approach to deliver returns and results.

While the demand recovery from the Corona-induced lockdown will perhaps be 'U Shaped', for investors with long-term "expectational" horizon, a strategy of brand building or platforms to accumulate attractive brands will have to be utilised effectively. Shortterm market and economic cycles must be looked at in the perspective of structuring attractive business opportunities in the long run.

(IANS) Taponeel Mukherjee

Post-mortem The need is brains rather than brawn

O

f late, in the fight against COVID-19 in Nagaland, instances have been that majority of the knowledgeable people together with the less knowledgeable have been more enthusiastic, yet slapdash to take no notice of the thin line of conscientiousness between what only the medical professionals could do and not otherwise. The idiom brains and brawn seems central today and brawn is better if we need to solve a problem quickly and the problem is solvable by brawn. But brains definitely are only better here because the problem is a disease which isn’t solvable by brawn. We all want to understand things, and if we need more power to solve the problem than one body is capable of exerting than the need is brains than brawn.

The Zeliang People’s Organisation (ZPO) has the realisation that under these compelling circumstances and in its incompetent professionalism to handle any issue connected with the terrifyingnovel Corona virus COVID-19 pandemic, and yet to stylishly act as efficient would have been totallyagainst the law. In a time like this, more than having reliance on the authority and conforming to the guidelines provided, the citizens to even form any platform such as action committees and so onare equally ambiguousunless there is a hidden agenda to confront and put up diametrically opposed stance over any little lapse perhaps. Regardless of what opinionspeople are understood to put across unappreciatively in any medium, the ZPO on behalf of the people from Peren

T

District seizes this opportunity to express whole hearted gratitude to all the dedicated souls involved in rendering valuable services to our people as Returnees from the day they landed back home in Nagaland. We desire to acknowledge everyone in the bottom-up pattern starting from the frontline workers especially the most unrecognised lot, who are the sanitation workers, cleaners and drivers, the security personnel and essential service providers. We are thankful to the physically powerful medical teams at all levels be it in the Quarantine Centres or COVID-19 Hospitals and also a very big ‘Thank you’ to all government officers on COVID -19 duty round the clock.We all know that the novel Corona virus is here to stay and we are to learn to live with it but what overwhelms us is that fact that many of our people, our children, our brothers and sisters are circumspectly brought back home while many more, still outside the state are being seen provided assistance in a timely manner. For all these, we thank the Government of the day and its leadership for well-timed intervention over the situations.

The ZPO also extend our appreciation to the District Task Force for the awareness created in such a short span of time and mobilizing support base involving various Civil Society Organisations, leaders of the locality and the Church bodies in the fight against COVID-19 in our Peren District.

What is felt coherently needed now is our cohesive strength and sincere prayers, so help us God. ZPO media cell

I

Who’s watching the poor ?

t wrenches my heart to see world’s largest democracy brew on the cup of inequality by layering people as haves (the creamy section) and have nots (the non-creamy section). Civilization has come along a long way, we have drifted many things apart but what we have not drifted is the shallow ideology of inequality based on income, caste, religion- a tranquillity which has hampered many uncountable minds.

The present scenario has exposed the inherent inequality once again which was hidden in our society. All thanks to covid-19 and other related events of 2020 that has churned up the issue back to existence.

Credit needs to be awarded where it is due but a blatant claim that corona cases are spreading more due to the arrival of the migrant labourers is absurd in true sense. The pandemic was an imported disease by the upper and middle privileged classes for which the real price had to be paid by the poor/migrant labourers. Instead of empathizing with the migrant workers, most of the governments and governmental institutions are treating and questioning them as a potential carrier of the virus.

What needs to be questioned is that could the government analyse the impact of nationwide lockdown before implementing it, for which the lives of many went to a vulnerable state as there was starvation all around. In absence of adequate support when the workers decided to return to their native villages so that they could afford meal of at least two times

‘Fiasco in policy making’

he recent decision taken by the government to bring the stranded Nagas outside the state without first implementing certain mechanism and modalities to tackle the issue shows how irresponsible the present government is in decision and policy making.... This is a life issue and not mere problems to be addressed upon. I feel sorry to speak against the government at this distressed times but sometimes the truth must prevail for the general wellbeing... I know that as the virus entered the state the government and frontline workers are trying their best to fight this pandemic of which I apprise them but the initial policy making when there was no single case needs to be scrutinized at first hand. Now, apparently due to the ill preparedness of the government is creating another chaos and confusion in the state....

The government had made a serious mistake in bringing the stranded people back at a one go. I don't mean the stranded people shouldn't come, they deserved to be back home but not at odd times when the government is not readily prepared at first hand which shows the buffoonery of the policy

makers. By preparedness , it literally means adjusting the environment first for quarantine facilities with proper channels of mandatory swap testing and not only screening test which may only gives the impression of body temperature results. The grounds maybe used for building of temporary quarantine centres in Dimapur district and even in the remote places of Dimapur district as Dimapur is the entry point of all returnees.

I'm sure the public would assist in lending their helping hands in preparing Proper quarantine centres. It is better for them to be installed in Dimapur district at first for the safety of the general population of the Nagas.

And after passing certain stage of testing and days of quarantine, they should be sent to their respective districts. And the respective districts must also have provision for 14-21 days or even more within their own framework guidelines. Now, coming to the shortage of frontline workers to tackle the huge returnees, it is imperative that the government issue an order of sending frontline workers including the police force and medical professionals from different districts to Dimapur district

for effective protocols. This could take up to a month or two but in the meantime the stranded people should be given capacity financial assistance and Medical expenses aids if any during those times when the government and the public are preparing for curb the menace of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As we are aware that a considerable money amounting approximately upto 300-400 crores or even more (if I'm not mistaken) as financial aids are being poured in the state by the Central Government and this money is enough for a small state like Nagaland to curb the pandemic possibility cases in the initial stage.Certain protocols and guidelines are to be strictly enforced by the government and the citizens too must comply with the guidelines. I know it would take time to make such hectic steps but with these steps as mentioned above could eventually curb the pandemic . . . . Anyhow, it is not the right time to do blame game. It also the responsibility of every citizen to adhere certain guidelines given by the experts until we overcome this pandemic.

May God save the Nagas!

Kuknalim!

Bito Tetseo, Dimapur

for their families, the government deprived them of all the rights (right to movement, right to assemble etc. among others) and most importantly a class divide.

While the migrants were sent back to their home in buses and trains they were simply treated just like any other factors of production, the rich were treated with utmost care. We see two worlds, a world for the upper and the privileged middle class and the other for the deprived ones.

On one side we see the biggest challenge of work from home, boredom, depression, and dilemma about what meal to cook next, which movie to watch, what to post on social media and which viral trend to follow next. But on the counterpart, it was a question of basic survival.

Although various relief packages have been provided by the government but these went in vain as real help was never led to the needy. Many individuals, NGOs have come up to serve these migrant workers but their service is of limited impact until and unless it is backed by governmental support which has turned to a failure.

We also see a transparency gap when asked about PM-CARES fund, to which the government befittingly replied that is not a public authority in the sense that it is not established by or under the constitution, by any act of the parliament, or any other law made by the state legislature so the government could not provide any internal information. But we all know that the PM National Relief Fund was a public authority, why

wasn’t all the money put under this fund and what was the need for PM-CARES fund when we already had the relief fund.

I know that there is a pandemic all over the nation and world but this does not mean that the government should not be held responsible and accountable for every decision it takes.

And most importantly, being a parliamentary democracy, government is bound to be held accountable for its actions by law too. In countries such as UK, Canada, Brazil, France and even the most affected Italy government held a videoconferencing meeting of its parliamentary committee to be accountable for each and every action that they are liable to the public. Why is not the Indian Government doing so? Why is not the Indian Government conducting any videoconferencing summoning the topics like on what basis the country wide lockdown was imposed, how they are dealing with the pandemic, what are the strategies, what are the expenditures that have been made so far, recent privacy concerns regarding Aarogya Setu app and police brutalities amidst the lockdown.

In a country where article 85 of the Indian Constitution gives the Government and the President to summon a parliamentary meeting between the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha at any time and place, which he thinks fit. It’s high time that the government answers to these questions. So if we want to go ahead, we must get started.

Deepraj Das, Xuvihe Colony, Dimapur

Reader’s Post

Negative impact of COVID 19 in Nagaland

Sir,

The opposition parties are so adamant that the present Government (Particularly as in Mr. Rio our present Chief Minister) should step down because they are not being able to handle this crisis. My question is to those who are criticizing the present Government “Can you handle the situation?”. We don’t pay taxes (except to the so called freedom fighters to pay taxes also by force) also we have no revenues. In fact, we are dependent on the Government of India. At this period of time we are supposed to collaborate and give support to each other instead of pointing our ugly fingers to each other. And this goes to the returnees. be grateful that the Government of Nagaland (Though corrupted) has paid your dues and also paid for your journeys be thankful instead of complaining. Salute to the Doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, the Police, NST drivers and also to the volunteers for your undying sacrifice and keeping us safe.

Because of this crisis we Nagas have eventually learnt about our mentality, we take pride in our Naga hospitality, but now we are not being hospitable towards our own people. Finally “it is imperative that we should be one at this time of crisis.”

Myingthungo (Mying) Ovung, Lotha Colony, Dimapur

We are not gullible

Dear netizens, In a series of events, we had witnessed numerous hatred, love, and appreciation from all the concern fellow Nagas which is laudable because we live in a Democracy system of Government where we are allowed to express our genesis adulation and criticism but that does not mean we can rampantly libel or slander anyone without ascertaining the veracity. We talk about Article 19 (Freedom of Speech and expression) but we tend to ignore that the same Article forbids us to use in a restricted manner so that we can forbear our attitude towards any sensitive issue or contents. With contemporary techno world, giving us awing to access into a colossal data and the ability to reach a selective audience, thus, taking such advantage some social media’s warriors being inspired by Movies and acting like a protagonist whereby spreading discriminatory remarks and allegation which create disharmony in the society not knowing that it can invoke Cyber Crime and various other penal codes yet oblivious thereof many netizens fall prey. Let us be more vigilant and scrupulous in our approach while libeling or slandering to any issues so that we may not repent later, let us restrain ourselves from being gullible and say we are not gullible.

Zelhoulie Angami, 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

7

SC asks DoT to reconsider Rs 4L cr claim on PSUs

NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to reconsider seeking Rs 4 lakh crore in past dues from non-telecom PSUs such as GAIL, saying raising such a demand using its verdict on dues of telecom companies was “totally impermissible”.

It also asked telecom companies, including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea Ltd, to file affidavits explaining the time needed by them to clear the remaining statutory dues that arose from the court verdict of including non-telecom revenues for calculating dues to the government.

A bench of Justice Arun Mishra, S Abdul Nazeer and M R Shah sought the government’s response on guarantees that can be sought to ensure telecom companies abide by a timeframe and payment schedule.

“Our judgment could not have the basis for demands on PSUs,” the bench observed. “We would request you (DoT) to withdraw this otherwise we will take strict action.”

“This is wholly and totally impermissible,” it said while referring to the demand raised against the

Supreme Court of India

PSUs. Following the apex court’s October 2019 verdict on the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to be used for calculating government dues such as license fee and spectrum charges, the DoT had sought Rs 4 lakh crore in past dues from gas utility GAIL India Ltd, electricity transmission firm PowerGrid, Oil India Ltd, Delhi Metro, and others.

The state-owned firms challenged the demand saying telecom wasn’t their core business and revenue from licences such as ISP formed a meagre part of their revenue.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for DoT, told the bench that the department would file an affidavit explaining as to why the AGR demands were raised against the PSUs. On the government

request for allowing telcos up to 20 years to pay the remaining Rs 93,520 crore in AGR dues, it sought to know the rationale for such a long time period and wanted to know what guarantees the company and their directors can provide.

The court will hear the case next on June 18.

After the apex court rejected pleas by Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Tata Teleservices seeking review of the October 24 verdict that widened the definition of AGR by including nontelecom revenues as well as condoned reopening of dues payable by doing selfassessment, the DoT had in March moved a plea seeking staggered payment over 20 years of dues.

The plea also asked that telcos not be charged a penalty and interests on pen-

Army jawan killed, civilian injured as Pak shells villages in J&K

Photo of Army personnel in action for representation.

JAMMU, JUN 11 (PTI): An Army personnel was killed and a civilian injured as the Pakistani Army heavily shelled villages and forward posts along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts on Thursday, officials said.

This is fourth consecutive day of firing and shelling by the Pakistan Army.

Officials said the Pakistan Army opened fire and

shelled civilian areas and forward posts in Nowshera sector this morning, leaving an Army man dead and a villager injured.

Indian troops guarding the borderline retaliated resulting in heavy exchanges, they said.

Several houses were damaged as Pakistani troops on Wednesday night opened fire and shelled mortars.

Pakistan targeted over

a dozen villages along the LoC in Nowshera and Balakote sectors late Wednesday night with heavy mortars and guided missiles, they said.

People living in border hamlets took shelter in bunkers, they said.

The heavy shelling has triggered panic among border dwellers, who have asked authorities to provide them with more bunkers.

alty and principal beyond the date of the judgement.

During the hearing conducted through videoconferencing on Thursday, Mehta told the bench that the government has extensively examined the issue of AGR dues and it would be difficult for the telecom companies to pay the amount in one go. The bench asked the DoT about the time frame within which the telecom companies would pay the AGR dues.

Mehta told the bench that telecom firms should give an undertaking on the issue of payment of dues.

The bench questioned the demand raised against PSUs and said that its verdict had not dealt with this issue.

When Mehta said that PSUs held the telecom spectrum, the bench asked why no such demands were made earlier from them and how it was made after the apex court’s verdict.

Mehta, however, said PSUs need to be treated differently as they are class in itself and discharge government functions and they are not providing mobile services like other telecom providers for commercial means.

Obser ving that the

DoT has misinterpreted its judgment, the bench asked Mehta to explain why the “totally impermissible” demand of Rs 4 lakh crore has been raised against PSUs. “We want them to file an affidavit how this could be done by them? We will punish them,” the bench observed.

Mehta urged the bench to clarify that the AGR verdict does not apply to PSUs. The bench, which posted the matter for hearing on June 18, also asked the telecom companies to file affidavits on how will they pay the dues.

At the fag end of the hearing, the bench asked the telecom companies as to whether they have contributed to the relief funds for COVID-19.

The advocates appearing for the private telecom companies apprised the bench that these firms have contributed towards COVID-19 relief including in the PM CARES Fund.

Of the Rs 43,980 crore dues, Bharti Airtel has paid Rs 18,004 crore. Vodafone Idea has paid only Rs 6,854 crore out of its dues of Rs 51,400 crore. Tata Group has paid Rs 4,197 crore out of due of Rs 16,788 crore.

Navy ship brings back 233 stranded Indians from Iran

Photo of Navy ship for representation.

AHMEDABAD, JUN 11 (PTI): Under the Indian Navy’s ‘Samudra Setu’ operation, naval ship ‘INS Shardul’ on Thursday brought back 233 Indians to Gujarat from Iran, where they were stranded due to travel restrictions in view of the coronavirus -induced lockdown.

The ship set sail from Bandar Abbas port of Iran on June 8 with these 233 Indians, mostly fishermen from Valsad district of the state, and arrived at Por-

recommended the use of hydroxychloroquine in combination with azithromycin on COVID-19 patients who require ICU management.

“Since COVID-19 is a new disease and there is no drug or vaccine for it as of now, treatment protocols are being revised from time to time based on emerging evidences,” a source said.

Tocilizumab, an immunomodulatory drug that modifies the immune system or its functioning, will be used on experimental basis. Based on evidence, some more drugs to be used in combination with hydroxychloroquine may be added to the protocol,

but no consensus has been reached regarding them as yet, the source said. The new clinical management guidelines for COVID-19 is in the process of being finalised by the experts of the National Task Force on COVID-19, which last held its meeting on Sunday. India’s drug regulator had last week granted US pharma giant Gilead Sciences the marketing authorisation for its drug remdesivir for “restricted emergency use” on hospitalised COVID-19 in the country, sources said.

The approval process for remdesivir was accelerated in view of the emergency situation and the unmet need

CHENNAI, JUN 11 (PTI): Observing that the COVID19 situation in the city and its suburbs is alarming in view of rising cases, the Madras High Court on Thursday asked why can’t complete lockdown be implemented for some time to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Despite the steps taken by the Tamil Nadu government to contain COVID19 spread, everyday the number of cases is “steeply rising and the situation has become alarming” particularly in the metropolis and its outskirts, a bench of justices Vineet Kothari and R Suresh Kumar said.

“Therefore, we want to know whether the government has devised any special scheme, which includes complete lockdown or curfew to contain the spread in Chennai and surrounding areas for sometime,” the judges asked state government pleader V Jayaprakash Narayan during the virtual court proceedings after concluding listed cases.

The judges made it

for medicines in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

“This medicine, which is administered in the form of an injection, has been approved to be sold by retail on the prescription of specialists for use in a hospital or in institutional set-up only.

It has been approved for use for a maximum of five days,” a source said.

India currently does not manufacture remdesivir. The four companies -- Hetero, Jubilant Life Sciences, Cipla and Mylan NV -- with which Gilead

clear they raised the question about lockdown as citizens of the state and the city in the interest of public and were not initiating any public interest litigation (PIL) proceedings ‘suo motu’ (on its own).

With nearly 26,000 cases, the metropolis accounts for over 70 per cent of the state’s tally and the rising number of deaths (326) too worried the court.

Responding to the court’s query, the pleader sought time till Friday for getting instructions from the government, if any.

However, he pointed to guidelines issued when the government extended the lockdown till June 30 in the state and announced various relaxations, including allowing public transport in other parts of the state.

“No further decision has been taken. I will get instructions from the special officer J Radhakrishnan, who has been appointed to coordinate COVID-19 work in Chennai, and other officials on the latest development by tomorrow,” the pleaded added.

MUMBAI, JUN 11 (PTI): The southwest monsoon arrived in Maharashtra on Thursday with rains lashing some coastal parts of the state, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official here said.

The IMD has forecast heavy rainfall in some parts of the state in next 48 hours.

The southwest monsoon has arrived in Maharashtra. The onset line is passing over Harnai, Solapur, Ramagundum (Telangana) and Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh),” IMD Mumbai centre’s deputy director general K S Hosalikar said.

“Conditions are favourable for further advancement in some more parts of Maharashtra in next 48 hours.

Heavy rainfall warnings are issued, he said.

Rains lashed parts of the coastal Sindhudurg district, which is located at the southern end of Maharashtra, including Amboli, Vengurla and other neighbouring areas, since 11 am on Thursday, another official said.

tired as additional director from the department of Soil & Water conservation.

Late Vengota also served as consultant for UNDP Project Nagaland and was also engaged with Chakhesang Prayer Fellowship at Kohima Science College Phezhu Colony Jotsoma and in various organisations and church ministries. Minister conveyed condolences to the bereaved family and that the departed soul rest

in peace.

CPO: Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) in a condolence stated that late Vengota’s contribution towards Chakhesang people on socio economic ground were manifold and will be cherished and remembered. CPO pray that Almighty God grant solace and comfort to the bereaved family and the departed soul rest in eternal peace with the Lord.

Sciences Inc have entered into non-exclusive licensing agreements are still awaiting permission from the Drug

Controller General of India (DCGI) for manufacturing and distribution remdesivir in the country.

Representational image.

BENGALURU, JUN 11 (PTI): India’s first unmanned mission slated this year as part of its ambitious human space flight venture “Gaganyaan” may face some delay with preparations adversely impacted due to the COVID19-induced lockdown, according to ISRO officials.

Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) had earlier said it has planned two trial flights without crew ahead of Gaganyaan -- the first one around December 2020 and the second around July 2021. “...there are some disturbances because of COVID, but still nothing is confirmed (about delay). We

need to see, still we have got some six months time. We are trying to see if we can reach there,” a senior ISRO official told P T I. He added: “There may be slight up and down (in the schedule), but that will be known only when we do the complete evaluation... it is premature to say anything, because the team that is working (on the project) has not indicated (about delay).”

ISRO plans to carry humanoid “Vyommitra” in the first test flight. The space agency is expected to launch the Rs 10,000- crore “Gaganyaan” in 2022, the year of the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.

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Neiba Kronu, CPO convey condolences

DIMAPUR: Minster of Planning & Coordination, Land Revenue, Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu has expressed grief at the demise of late Vengota Nakro who passed away on June 10 at Jotsoma, Kohima. In a condolence note, the minister stated that late Vengota was a humble, dedicated and efficient officer and served the state government in various capacities and re-

of coronavirus.

He added that doctors and nutritionists along with life-saving equipment were kept on the naval ship to deal with any emergency during the journey.

Earlier, naval ships ‘Jalashwa’ and ‘Magar’ had evacuated 2,874 Indians from the Maldives and Sri Lanka to ports of Kochi and Tuticorin under ‘Samudra Setu’ operation, launched to bring back Indians stranded abroad following the lockdown.

Why can’t Chennai alone be under Monsoon arrives First trial flight of Gaganyaan in Maha; coastal may face delay due to lockdown lockdown? HC asks TN govt areas receive rains

Remdesivir, tocilizumab considered for ‘restricted use’ on severely ill Covid patients NEW DELHI, JUN 11 (PTI): Anti-viral drug remdesivir and tocilizumab, an immunomodulator, are being considered for “restricted use” on severely ill COVID-19 patients on “emergency and compassionate grounds”, according to revised clinical management guidelines to be released soon.

The much-touted antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine will continue to be used while azythromycin may be dropped from the treatment protocol, sources in the know of the developments told PTI. A clinical management guideline issued on March 31 had

bandar port on Thursday, said defence PRO for Gujarat, Puneet Chadha.

“The ship is docked at Porbandar port and passengers are being deboarded.

The local administration has made arrangements to send them to their respective native places,” said Chadha.

He said safety protocols, including pre-boarding health check-up and social distancing during the journey, were followed on the ship to stop the spread

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

BERLIN, Jun 11 (Agencies): Lufthansa admitted that the positions of up to 26,000 employees are surplus to requirements, suggesting many more jobs will be cut at the German carrier than a figure of more than 10,000 flagged a few weeks ago.

Speaking after a meeting with trade unions, a Lufthansa spokeswoman said the airline estimates that it has a surplus of 22,000 fulltime equivalent positions or 26,000 employees.

Lufthansa last week pledged a wide-ranging restructuring, from thousands of job cuts to asset sales, as it seeks to repay a 9 billion euro ($10.26 billion) state bailout and navigate deepening losses in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

It said then that job cuts would be “significantly

more” than the 10,000 figure it had previously estimated.

The company is trying to reach agreement with labour unions to make employees work part-time and other ways to cut personnel costs before it holds an extraordinary general meeting on June 25, when shareholders will vote on the bailout. Flight attendants union UFO demanded that Lufthansa commits to avoiding forced redundancies, but said it was working hard to reach a deal by the time of the meeting.

Meanwhile, the union representing pilots said its members had offered to take a cut in pay of up to 45%, in total amounting to about 350 million euros, but in return it wants the company to try to secure as many jobs as possible.

Crossword

Su doku

KAKURO

Pandemic should not be the excuse to delay solution: Cong

(From p-1) He pointed out that over 20,000 educate youth who had left the State for better livelihood outside were back now after having lost their jobs due to the nationwide lockdown, and they had no hope of getting jobs in the State either as backdoor appointments over the years had left no room for merit.

“The option available for these decent and qualified youth is to quickly join the political movement and become a real force of challenge. Because of division, there is a little confusion which group to join. Moreover, external forces may gain a foothold if increased numbers are available,” he warned.

Therie said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an-

nounced Rs 20-lakh crore to boost the nation’s economy, but regretted that the State government lacked any plan to boost the local economy by creating jobs.

He observed that industrial policies had failed to take off because of multiple taxations and risk to lives, over which the government had no control.

“If one cannot work peacefully with tax concessions and land use permissions as given in other States, we cannot think of creating jobs. The bottleneck towards development is non-resolution of the political issue,” the statement emphasised.

Alleging that the State government’s talk for early solution was a lip service, the NPCC chief said its intention was to recover

election expenditures and collect funds to buy votes for the next election even during this pandemic.

He further alleged that though the cabinet ministers and advisers represented the people and their voice, they were actually dictated by Naga national workers.

Given the situation, Therie stressed that solution was the only way to make a new start.

As one of the major commitments of the current Nagaland Legislative Assembly legislators was to pave the way for solution, he suggested that GoI request the State government to resign on its own to pave the way. If not, the governor was at liberty to dissolve the House and implement the solution under a neutral government, he added.

No. 9591 Yesterday’s solution No. 9590

No. 4210 Yesterday’s solution No. 4209

No. 3235 Yesterday’s solution No. 3234

Across 9. Fizzy drink (9) 10. Ill feeling (8) 12. Datum (4) 13. Hatred (6) 14. Left-winger (7) 15. Biscuit (9) 17. Daring (9) 18. Mexican spirit (7) 20. Sidetrack (6) 21. Competent (4) 24. Knitted jacket (8) 26. Sports shoes (8) 28. Garden tool (4) 29. Beverage (6) 31. Unusual (7) 34. Asian country (9) 36. Clogged pore (9) 38. Aid (7) 39. Vegetable (6) 40. Wound mark (4) 41. Wrong (8) 42. Lengthened (9) Down 1. Air battle (8) 2. Crockery item (6) 3. Pale pinkish-white (8) 4. Zodiac sign (6) 5. U.S. state (8) 6. Diva (5,5) 7. Hug (7) 8. Blue dye (6) 11. Hidden (7) 16. Constructs (6) 19. Charlatan (5) 20. Male offspring (3) 22. Nobleman (5) 23. Weatherproof jacket (6) 25. Take industrial action (2,2,6) 26. Golf peg (3) 27. Trudge (7) 30. Outrageous (8) 31. Photograph (8) 32. Place of great riches (2,6) 33. Boorish (7) 35. Fraud (6) 36. Nocturnal animal (6) 37. Rouse (6)

Review decision on COVID cess: MTLT (From p-1) to impose COVID-19 cess on fuel still remained “an anti-people and antipoor people decision.”

Looking at the ground realities, MTLT said state government’s assertion that COVID-19 cess on petroleum products would not lead to any price rise in the market has been rendered as false.

After the COVID-19 cess was imposed, MTLT said the prices of essential commodities have raised exponentially directly or indirectly affecting the common people.

MTLT has, therefore, reiterated that COVID-19 cess was “totally against the welfare of the people and expressed hope the chief minister and cabinet would review the cabinet decision at the earliest possible time.

DIMAPUR, JUN 11 (NPN): With Southwest monsoon advancing into Nagaland through the eastern arm of the Bay of Bengal, the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) Thursday predicted thunderstorm and lightning with heavy rains in the districts of Kohima, Dimapur, Peren, Phek, Mokokchung, Tuensang, Mon and Longleng.

In a press release, secretary NSDMA Lhouchalie Viya said that moderate showers would, however, continue in the remaining parts of the State, which was likely to become intense.

According to NSDMA, there would be a strong monsoon activity between June 12 and June 17. Heavy monsoon rains could be expected almost daily, mostly in the night

and early morning during this time, it stated.

NSDMA said that second spell of the monsoon rain was also expected between June 21 and June 30, which will last for three-four days.

In view of the heavy rainfall expected during monsoon period, NSDMA has urged the public to be vigilant and not to shelter under large trees and near the river banks. Public have been advised to take necessary precautionary measures to prevent unnecessary risk to life from lightning and flash flood. NSDMA has also requested all the DDMAs and other line departments, which were responsible to attend to any emergencies caused by natural calamities, to remain alert to save lives and properties during this period.

Can’t penalize health personnel at this juncture: H&FW secretary (From p-1) Even though the CMO Dimapur had issued a clarification and tendered an apology for the lapse, the issue soon triggered into a major controversy as organisations took umbrage because of the fact that the incident happened after chief minister Neiphiu Rio took over as chairman of High Powered Committee by dissolving the Empowered Group.

ZSUN served ultimatum to the chief minister demanding prompt action against the erring officials and establishment of COVID hospital in Peren with modern facilities.

The union also demanded that the State government immediately provide adequate tools and machineries to set up a makeshift ICU at the Peren district hospital and post adequate staff to man the hospital.

NIA charge sheet against NSCN (I-M) member (From p-1) “Jamir was occupying the post of kilonser (cabinet minister) in the group. Accused Masasasong Ao and other members of the group helped Jamir in extortion and channelization of terror funds and committing disruptive acts,” it said.

During investigation, the agency seized Rs 2.70 crore cash along with ammunition, prohibited wildlife articles, documents pertaining to modus operandi of extortion by NSCN (I-M), drone, satellite phone, documents connected with land deals among others, they said.

LH affirms support for delimitation exercise...

(From p-1) Seeking to highlight the “disproportionate distribution”, LH drew a comparison between existing Assembly seats distribution among the different districts and the Census of Nagaland state for 2001 and 2011.

With 2001 census population of 19,90,036, LH said that each assembly constituency must have approximately a population of 33,167. If the Census of 2011 was considered with a population of 19,78,502 persons, the hoho said one constituency should have 32,975 persons per A/C. When Census populations of both 2001 and 2011 are considered, LH said the average population per A/C was approximately 33070 persons.

Such being the trend of population per A/C, the hoho said that districts that were “woefully discriminated” in A/Cs distribution were Peren and Wokha among others.

It said that Peren with 2001 population of 90, 766 and with two A/Cs has a population of 45, 383 per A/C and 47,610 per constituency as per 2011 census population of 95, 219 persons.

Wokha district with four A/Cs and with 2001 Census population of 1,61,223, has 40,305 persons per A/C and with 2011 population of 1,66,343 has a population of 41,588 per A/C. However, LH said that the population per A/C in several districts varies from 19,462 to 20,108, which it maintained was not even half of that of Peren or Wokha.

With such being the

discrepancy in distribution of Assembly seats among the districts, LH said the victimised districts cannot always say “yes” to those “unscrupulous elements” who also managed to dislodge the proposed Delimitation of 2001 and hence depriving victimised districts of their benefits for several decades.

It claimed that there were “still some unscrupulous elements” who continue to advocate holding the status quo till the Naga Solution comes “because the unfair distribution of assembly seats serves their vested interests.”

On the claim that delimitation should be done after the solution as more assembly seats would be created once solution comes, the LH said that Naga political talk has taken very long (23 years) time and could take more years to come to a final settlement.

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LL said it would welcome the Naga solution, if it comes, and added that further delimitation or rearrangement could be carried out if more assembly seats come with solution.

According to LH, if the 2021 delimitation was carried out now, it would be more peaceful and easier to do the further delimitation when solution comes.

However, if it was delayed, the delimitation after solution would be difficult, because “with every Political settlement will also come elements of political influence and political high handedness.”

LH has, therefore, asserted that it would be wiser on the part of the Nagas to facilitate the easy rearrangement of constituencies when solution comes, by implementing the delimitation now.

LOST DOCUMENTS I, Mr. David T. Shohe, son of Toluho Shohe am applying for Duplicate certificate for Class 10 and 12 since I have lost them.

Class 10, Roll No. 613056(2006) Class 12, Roll No. 0814551(2008) Registration No. 6315226 DP-2723

LOST NOTICE ADMIT CARD (HSLC)

Name : D. Naomi Phom Father's Name : N. Dopong Mother's Name : Ellen Roll No. : 201813263 D.O.B : 20/02/2005 Institute : Herbert Spencer School, Dimapur-Nagaland,

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Upto 26,000 employees at risk of losing jobs: Lufthansa

sanctioned over Rs 500 crore worth of loans to the MSME segment. Though disbursal from Central Bank of India is relatively lower at around Rs 394 crore, it has distributed the money to large number of accounts at over 47,500.

Bulk of the loan sanctions have gone to industry in the southern states while industrial sectors in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat have also received high quantum of loans from PSBs. In all PSBs have sanctioned loan under ECLGS to over 5.5 lakh accounts so far while disbursals have been made in case of over 2.80 lakh accounts.

The ECLGS scheme is the biggest fiscal component of the Rs 20-lakh crore Self-Reliant India Mission package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month.

NSDMA predicts thunderstorm and lightning with heavy rains

LOST NOTICE HERO XTREME 200R ABS

COLOUR : BLUE BLACK LOST ON : 06.06.2020 PLACE : PM. HOUSE, MARWARI PATTY, DIMAPUR REG NO : AS09G4586 ENGINE NO : MC20AAKGF00882 CHASSIS NO : MBLLCU01XKGG00011 CONTACT : 7005361596

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under the scheme upto June 9. The disbursals have picked up pace lately as the amount for MSMEs stood at Rs 599.12 crore just a day back on June 8.

In a tweet, the office of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “As of 9 June 2020, #PSBs have sanctioned loans worth Rs 24,260.65 crore under the 100% Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, out of which Rs 12,200.65 crore have been disbursed.”

As per the Finance Ministry data, loans have been disbursed to 2,80,926 accounts under ECLGS showing that a wide spectr um of industries are taking advantage of the scheme to meet their immediate liquidity needs.

Apart from SBI, Union Bank is India, Punjab National Bank, Bank of India and Canara Bank have

viral on social media claiming that one inmate of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Lumami quarantine centre was reportedly suffering from COVID-19, district in-charge Dr H Hotokhu Chishi clarified that though the inmate tested negative for COVID-19 by TrueNat machine, a second test would be conducted for confirmation.

Providing details, Dr Hotokhu said the inmate developed fever on Wednesday morning but he did not update his status on the mobile app. When other inmates came to know of this, they informed the surveillance team around 12 noon.

Thereafter, deputy chief medical officer (CMO) and a medicine specialist rushed to the JNV campus in the afternoon and segregated him from other inmates and kept him at another room for observation.

It was learnt that the inmate did not update his health status on the mobile app, saying he did not want other inmates to know about his status to avoid panic in the camp. He also had mild breathing problem due to induced anxiety, as a result of isolation, Dr. Hotokhu said.

As Akuluto primary health centre has only a Maruti Gypsy for transportation of patients, a bigger and proper ambulance was called from Zünheboto district hospital, after which the person was shifted to the hospital in the evening and admitted at isolation ward there.

According to Dr. Hotokhu, the person was now asymptomatic, has no fever, no breathing problem, no cough and his oxygen saturation is 97%, which is normal.

“He is healthy and hopefully will remain non-COVID. Let us not believe on social media posts,” Dr. Hotokhu remarked.

Monsoon sets in over Nagaland

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New Delhi, Jun 11 (IANS): Country’s largest banking institution State Bank of India leads the pack of public sector banks in disbursing emergency loans to the industry and help improve investment climate in the country amidst Covid-19 pandemic.

The bank has cumulatively disbursed loans to the tune of Rs 7,516.64 crore to 66,335 corporate accounts across the country upto June 9. The loans have been disbursed under the the Rs 3 lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) announced by the government for meeting the liquidity needs of the MSME sector in the present crisis.

The SBI’s loan disbursal accounts for over 60 per cent of Rs 12,200.65 crore disbursed by 12 PSBs

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI): Gold prices jumped Rs 477 to Rs 48,190 per 10 gram on Thursday in the national capital, according to HDFC Securities.

The precious metal had closed at Rs 47,713 per 10 gram on Wednesday.

“Spot gold prices for 24 carat in Delhi traded up

by Rs 477 on rupee depreciation,” HDFC Securities Senior Analyst (Commodities) Tapan Patel said.

The rupee depreciated 20 paise to provisionally close at 75.79 against the US dollar on Thursday as strengthening US dollar and weak domestic equities weighed on investor sentiment.

Meanwhile, silver prices rose by Rs 26 to Rs 49,868 per kg from Rs 49,842 per kg in the previous trade.

In the international market, gold was quoting lower at USD 1,735 per ounce and silver at USD 17.86 per ounce.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

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PSB loan disbursal picks up pace amid pandemic

business/state Gold prices Clarification over JNV jump Rs 477; Lumami inmate video silver by Rs 26 DIMAPUR, JUN 11 (NPN): After a video that went

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8

9

international

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

calls for UK government ‘Nepal will get back land from India through talks’ Growing to scrap 2-metre distance rule

K P Sharma Oli

overpowered by one of the men, Muhammad Rafiq.

Manshaus wore a bulletproof vest and a helmet with a video camera in the attack and was armed with a hunting rifle and a shotgun. Judge Annika Lindstroem of the Oslo District Court said Manshaus had plans to kill as many people as possible and set the mosque on fire.

He believed that “Europe is under attack from people of ethnic origin other than his own” and that “the white race is on the brink of extinction,” said Lindstroem, adding that Manshaus claimed he was acting “in self-defense against the enemy.”

China reports 16 new coronavirus cases Beijing, Jun 11 (PTI): China has reported 16 new coronavirus cases, including the first confirmed case in Beijing after 56 days, official media here said.

A local case of COVID-19 in Beijing’s Xicheng district was confirmed on Thursday. The capital had no new coronavirus case for 56 consecutive days, state-run China Daily reported, citing the local municipal government.

The Chinese government has kept a tight lid on the cases by implementing strict quarantine procedures for locals arriving from different cities as well as for people arriving from abroad.

On June 5, Beijing had lowered the COVID19 emergency response, marking the return of normalcy in the capital.

The Beijing municipal government, while relaxing the norms, had said there was no need to wear masks, though people continue to wear them for safety reasons.

C h i n a ’s N a t i o n al Health Commission (NHC) on Thursday said 11 new COVID-19 cases were reported in China on Wednesday and all of them were imported. Of

the new cases, six were reported in Shanghai, three in Guangdong, one each in Tianjin and Fujian.

No new domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland, according to a daily report issued by the NHC. Also on Wednesday, four new asymptomatic cases were reported, the NHC said. A total of 129 asymptomatic patients, including 42 from Wuhan -- the epicentre of the virus -- are under quarantine, it said.

Asymptomatic patients, also known as silent spreaders, pose a problem as they are tested COVID19 positive but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat.

However, they pose a risk of spreading the disease to others.

No death related to the disease was reported on Wednesday, the NHC said. As of Wednesday, the overall confirmed cases on the mainland reached 83,057, including 62 patients who were still being treated, with no one in severe condition.

While 78,361 coronavirus patients have recovered, the disease claimed 4,634 lives, the NHC said.

Daily Mail newspaper.

“The hospitality sector simply can’t make a living at two metres.” Another former Conservative Cabinet Minister, Damian Green, told the BBC that scrapping the 2-metre guidance was the “single biggest change” the government should make in the coming weeks.

“I think that makes a huge difference to many parts of industry, particularly hospitality businesses, restaurants, pubs, and so on,” he said.

“We’ve seen other countries do that, actually

move from two metres to one metre, without any damaging effects so far.”

Green added that he would like to see the move come as part of “a package of ways of making sure that we do get our economy, across the board, open as fast as possible”.

Conservative backbenchers made similar points to Chancellor Rishi Sunak - who admitted the rule makes things difficult for opening up - behind closed doors on Wednesday night, according to the BBC report.

UK slave trader statue retrieved from harbour Germany seeks ‘stable’ ties L o nd o n, J un 1 1 (IANS): A slave trader’s statue in the United Kingdom’s (UK) city of Bristol, which was torn down and was thrown into a harbour by anti-racism protesters, was retrieved from the water on Thursday, it was reported on Thursday.

Black Lives Matter demonstrators tore down the statue of Edward Colston during a protest in Bristol on June 7, reports the British Broadcasting Corporation.

But Bristol City Council said it needed to be removed from the water because the city had a “working harbour”.

The statue will be taken to a secure location to be hosed down before becoming a museum exhibit.

It was fished out at about 5 a.m. because the Council “didn’t want anybody to get hurt if there was a crowd there or anyone looking”.

“We’ve had a diver down there who attached the ropes to crane it out of the water and take it away,” Ray Barnett, head of col- In this photograph made available by Bristol City lections and archives at Council, the statue of Edward Colston is recovered from Bristol City Council, said. the harbour in Bristol, Thursday. (AP/PTI)

OFFICE OF THE

NAMCHONG BUHU PANGTHAI, KOHIMA FELICITATION

We, the NAMCHONG BÜHÜ PANGTHAI Kohima would like to convey our deepest congratulations to our bonafide members for their great achievement.

1) Shri. B. Baüong Phom on being promoted to the post of Asstt.

Director under School Education, Govt. of Nagaland.

2) Shri. S. Atok Yanpai on being promoted to the post of Junior Section Officer (JSO) (Class II Gazetted) under Civil Secretariat, Govt. of Nagaland.

We appreciate you for the patience, hardwork and determination, you endured to achieve the higher post and we look forward for your valuable contribution for the upliftment of our society.

We wish your good health, more wisdom and more successes in future endeavour.

H. BAÜONG PHOM L. ONGPA YANPAI President Secretary

WORDS OF GRATITUDE

Livingstone Foundation International (LFI) Quarantine Center, Dimapur is a place where every returnee would love to stay. The hospitality is overwhelming and we are touched beyond words for your act of love and kindness as true believers in Christ during this time of great unrest due to Covid-19 pandemic.

We take this opportunity to thank especially: 1) Western Sumi Hoho (WSH) and Western Sumi Baptist Akukuhou Kuqhakulu.

2) Dr. Andrew Ahoto and the entire administration of Livingstone Foundation International.

3) Thahekhu Village Council and the community people.

4) Church workers and believers from various Sumi churches who would come every day and preach the word of God. 5) Volunteers and staff for tirelessly working; leaving behind their families back at home.

6) Volunteers and cooks for tirelessly making food during this hot weather so that we can have a comfortable stay.

7) Well-wishers and generous givers who blessed us in many ways.

We thank you all profoundly and it is our humble prayer that our God Almighty bless you all richly and abundantly.

THANK YOU Returnees from Zeliang Community (Peren District) at LFI Quarantine Center Dimapur DP-2724

“The ropes that were tied around him, the spray paint added to him, is still there so we’ll keep him like that.”

Barnett said the statue would be hosed down to remove the mud and ensure “we preserve him as he was tipped into the dock, while the decision is made how to move on for there”.

Since the statue of Colston was toppled, calls have been made to remove others around the United Kingdom.

The statue of noted slaveholder Robert Milligan was removed from its place outside the Museum of London Docklands on Tuesday, said the British Broadcasting Corporation report.

The University of Liverpool has agreed to rename a building named after former Prime Minister William Gladstone due to his links to the slave trade.

Campaigners also want the statue of imperialist Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College at Oxford taken down, saying the university had “failed to address its institutional racism”.

Office of the Kitami Kiphimi Kuqhakulu Pughoboto : Zunheboto.

Felicitation

The Kitami Kiphimi Kukhakulu would like to congratulate all those students for their success in the recent HSSLC and HSLC examination and would like to further wish each of you all the best in your future endeavours and God be with you.

President, KKK. Kakiye Swu

General Secretary, KKK. Lovito Tsuqu

CHUMOUKEDIMA TOWN STUDENTS’ UNION INFORMATION With the increasing number of covid-19 positive cases in our State and the mushrooming of Tobacco sellers in and around Chümoukedima Town and keeping the welfare of the students’ community. The Chumukedima Town Students’ Union, would like to inform the following guidelines: 1. That Supplying/Distribution/Selling of Tobacco is strictly prohibited and if anyone found doing so will be strictly dealt with.

The union further request all the citizen to extend co-operation and help to fight against the virus by wearing face mask and maintaining social distancing in all public places.

2. Number of students in private tuition should not exceed 7 in a batch. Teachers should not supervise more than one batch in a given hour. Tuition should be 5 days a week and of one hour duration, tuition fee should not exceed Rs. 500 /- per Students.

3. Cyber cafe owners are asked not to entertain students in uniform during school hours.

4. Home tuition fee should not exceed Rs. 3000 /- per batch.

5. For the security and safety of the students and parents alike, all the school buses are to equip with safety measures.

The Union also congratulates all the successful candidates of HSLC/HSSLC and wish them thriving endeavors in days to come.

The directives issued by the Union are strictly to be adhered to.

Failing to comply, will lead to serious action against the defaulters. for any information and complain contact:1. Zakieto Shüya (V.P CTSU) :- 9862227310 2. Kelevi Naleo (Tribunal Court CTSU) :- 9366917750 3. Letsol Thakro (Joint Secy. CTSU) :- 8729917679 Kezhawelie Richa President Chümoukedima Town Students’ Union

Kenivi Yhoshu Secretary Chümoukedima Town Students’ Union

with China, EU investment deal

Berlin, Jun 11 (AP): German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country wants stable relations with China and greater access to the Chinese market for foreign companies.

In a statement, her office said Merkel stressed Germany’s interest in “rules-based and free multilateral trade” during a video call on Thursday with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

It said she also noted Germany’s desire to “strengthen the World Trade Organisation and in stable bilateral relations” with China.

European Union officials have emphasised the need to maintain good ties to China, a growing economic, political and military power, as relations with the EU’s old ally, the United States, have been strained during the Trump presidency.

German had planned to host a summit in September with all EU leaders

Angela Merkel

and China, but that was recently postponed due to the pandemic.

According to Merkel’s office, the German chancellor raised the vir us outbreak, the situation in Hong Kong and the human rights situation in general during her call with Li. On trade, Merkel “noted the need for further steps on market access, reciprocity and equal treatment for foreign companies” in China, it said.

“The conclusion of an ambitious investment agreement between the EU and China would be an important element there,” Merkel’s office said.

WESTERN VIYIXE VILLAGE UNION FELICITATION

With extreme joy and pride, the Western Viyixe Village Union Dimapur would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to all the successful students of HSLC & HSSLC Exam 2020.

The union wishes all of them best of luck and success in their future endeavors.

Katoshe Yeptho Kutoho Chishi President Gen. Secy

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Philip Manshaus

Conservative party leaders have urged Ministers to move to a 1-metre policy - in line with WHO guidance

FELICITATION The Dimapur Meetei Council (DMC) expresses its profound appreciation and extends heartiest congratulations to Mr. RAJKISHOR NINGOMBAM of St. Joseph's Hr. Sec. School, Chumukedima, S/o. Mr. N. Premkumar Singh & Mrs. Rajkumari Prava Devi R/o. Patkai Christian College Complex Chumukedima, Dimapur for securing the Top-16 (d) position in the recently declared HSLC Examination 2020 conducted by NBSE and bringing laurels to the Meetei Community. We wish him the best in all his future endeavours.

The Council also congratulates all the successful candidates in the recently declared HSLC/HSSLC and equivalent examination 2020 and wishes for a bright future ahead.

Sarat Thangjam L. Indrojit Singh President, DMC Gen. Secretary, DMC

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Copenhagen, Jun 11 (AP): A white nationalist Norwegian who killed his stepsister and then stormed an Oslo mosque and opened fire, hitting no one, was found guilty on Thursday and sentenced to 21 years in prison, the longest jail term under Norwegian law.

Philip Manshaus, who had said in court that he regretted not having caused more damage, “has proven to be an extremely dangerous person,” prosecutor Johan Oeverberg said as he demanded the maximum penalty.

On August 10, 2019, Manshaus, 22, killed his 17year-old stepsister, Johanne Zhangjia Ihle-Hansen, by shooting her four times with a hunting rifle at their home in the Oslo suburb of Baerum. Ihle-Hansen was adopted from China as a 2-year-old and her mother later married Manshaus’ father.

Then he drove to a nearby mosque where three men were preparing for Eid al-Adha celebrations.

Manshaus fired four shots from a rifle at the mosque’s glass door before he was

L o nd o n , J un 1 1 (IANS): The UK government is facing calls from former Conservative Party members to drop the 2-metre social distancing rule in England, saying that keeping the measure will significantly impede recovery, media reports said on Thursday.

Former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith has warned of dire economic consequences, with public transport running quieter than necessary and pubs, restaurants and cafes unable to stage a proper recovery or even open, reports the BBC. He has urged Ministers to move to a 1-metre policy - in line with World Health Organization guidance already followed by countries including France, Denmark and Singapore.

“The number one and single most important priority to unlock the economy is getting the distance down to one metre,” Smith was quoted as saying to the

DP-2716

Norwegian man gets 21 years for slaying & mosque attack

over the area before 1962, when the India-China war took place. At that time India stationed its army seeking permission from then Nepalese rulers for temporary purpose, but it never removed its forces, they claim.

Although there are border issues in other areas such as Susta but the government has given priority to Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as Nepali territories have not been captured by deploying army in other parts of its

territorial integrity if we remain firm,” he said.

Prime Minister Oli also raised objection to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s reported remark that Nepal should not repeat the mistake which Tibet made.

“If Adityanath spoke about that, it was not appropriate,” he said.

“It is not appropriate to threaten Nepal in that way... This should not have been spoken by a chief minister of UP,” he said.

“It is a deplorable matter, if he spoke so.”

Oli also complained about India’s unwillingness to receive the joint report prepared by Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG) of India and Nepal. Nepal is ready to receive the report, but it would be meaningless unless both the governments receive it, he said.

“As per the condition, India should first receive the report but it has not shown any interest to receive the report which was prepared two years ago,” he claimed.

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dia and Nepal came under strain after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.

Nepal reacted sharply to the inauguration of the road claiming that it passed through Nepalese territory.

India rejected the claim asserting that the road lies completely within its territory.

Nepalese officials say that Nepal had control

international border, Oli said in response to a question in Parliament.

Earlier this week, the Nepalese Parliament unanimously endorsed a proposal to consider a constitution amendment bill to pave way for putting the new political map that includes Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura in Nepal’s national emblem.

A discussion on the issue started in the Parliament since Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Shivamaya Tumbahanfe tabled a bill for the second amendment to the Nepalese Constitution to incorporate the new political map of Nepal on May 31.

Prime Minister Oli said he was happy to learn that the unprecedented unity has been shown both within and outside the Parliament on the issue of national unity and territorial integrity.

“Our ancestors founded and saved this country through their struggles. We will be able to establish our

K-1075

KATHMANDU, JUN 11 (PTI): Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has said that his government will seek a solution to the Kalapani issue through diplomatic efforts and dialogue on the basis of historical facts and documents.

“We will get back the land occupied by India through holding a dialogue,” Oli said while responding to questions in Parliament on Wednesday.

He claimed that India built a Kali temple, created “an artificial Kali river” and “encroached the Nepalese territory through deploying the Army” at Kalapani. The river defines the border between the two countries.

Oli’s claim comes in midst of a raging boundary row between the two countries with India sternly asking Nepal not to resort to any “artificial enlargement” of territorial claims after Kathmandu released a new political map laying claim over Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura.

The ties between In-

FELICITATION

The Kuki Students' Organisation Nagaland, congratulates all the successful HSLC and HSSLC candidates and also the following individuals for achieving greater heights from their respective posts.

1. Dr. Dennis Hangsing - Additional Director, Health and Family Welfare Dept. GON 2. Mr. Henlal Haolai - Scale III (Manager) SBI Bank 3. Mrs. Nemneiching Khongsai - Assistant Manager, UBI Bank 4. Mrs. Mengsi Lenthang - Assistant Manager, SBI Bank 5. Ms. Chinchonghoi Sitlhou - Assistant Manager, SBI Bank 6. Mr. Paotinngul Hangsing - Assistant Manager, SBI Bank.

The organisation further wishes them good health and more success in their future endeavours.

Media Cell, KSON DP-2720

Infotainment

10

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

Big B arranges flight for migrants A T fter days of facing uncertainty in Mumbai, there was a sense of relief among the 180 migrant workers who arrived at the airport in Lucknow on Thursday morning by a special flight arranged by megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

Migrants hailing from Gonda, Ambedkar Nagar, Unnao and other parts in Uttar Pradesh were looking forward to reach their homes.

Coming out of the airport after due testing, Abdul Jalil Khan of Gonda who lives in Bandra in Mumbai, said he had boarded the flight with his wife and children.

Khan said he failed to register for a train journey and then came to know that Bachchan was making travel arrangements for migrants in the area.

“We were stranded there since the lockdown began and there was nobody to help. We came to know that Amitabh Bachchanji is making arrangements through Mahim trust and Haji Ali Dargah for helping people return home and we filled the form. I am an imam at a mosque and would pray for

his long life,” Khan said.

Unnao’s Ilyas, who worked as a tailor in Bandra area, said he got to know about the flight from a friend and applied.

“There was no money and we were facing issues

even for food. I was trying to get a train ticket but now, we got the chance to travel by air. Thank god and Amitabh saheb for sending me back to my family,” he said.

Airport Director, AK

Kanye West defends Michael Jackson in new interview

International show ‘Black Widows’ to get Indian remake

Sharma, said 180 passenger arrived by the special flight.

There were six flights scheduled to take off from Mumbai, and on Wednesday four flights with about 700 people took off for Allahabad, Gorakhpur and Varanasi.

The remaining two flights left for Lucknow and Allahabad on Thursday, sources close to the actor said.

The flights were organised on Bachchan’s directive by his close aide Rajesh Yadav, managing director of his home production company AB Corp Ltd, who collaborated with Haji Ali Trust and Mahim Dargah trust under ‘Mission Milap’ to send migrants home.

The actor originally wanted to book a train for the migrants, but decided to arrange for special flights after logistics for train travel did not work out.

Yadav, on Bachchan’s behalf, had also recently flagged off 10 buses for 300 migrants to reach their villages in Lucknow, Allahabad, Bhadohi and other places in Uttar Pradesh.

(PTI)

K

he international show “ Black Widows” is all set for an Indian adaptation.

The crime drama created by Roope Lehtinen and Mikko Polla, and it tells a dark comic story of three best friends who try to kill their husbands. The Indian version will be the eighth international remake following versions in Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, the Middle East, Mexico, Scandinavia and the Czech Republic.

The cast of the original version included Beate Bill, Cecilia Forss and Synnove Macody Lund. The Indian version’s cast has not been revealed yet. “ ‘Black Widows’ is an engaging story featuring strong female protagonists, plenty of suspense and a large dose of dark humour.

We could immediately see its appeal for Indian audiences. I am certain that this could prove to be a hugely popular, binge-worthy series when it launches later this year,” said Tarun Katial, CEO, ZEE5, the platform that brings the show to India along with Big Synergy on a two-season deal.

(IANS)

anye West has defended Michael Jackson in a new interview, saying “companies” and “documentaries” shouldn’t be allowed to “tear down our heroes.”

In a conversation with Pharrell Williams for i-D Magazine, West appeared to reference the Dan Reeddirected documentary Leaving Neverland. That film focused on testimony by Wade Robson and James Safechuck, both of whom claimed that Jackson sexually abused them when they were children. Jackson denied any wrongdoing before his death in 2009.

Speaking about Jackson and seemingly referring to the documentary and the subsequent fallout, West said: “We should have something that says we can’t allow any company to tear down our heroes. Not on The Shade Room, not on social media and especially not in documentaries.”

He also went on to compare his own treatment in the media with that of Jackson’s, saying: “I’m like every time the media isn’t happy with me it’s like, ‘Here they go. They’re gon-

na come and Wacko Jacko me.’ Which in some ways, they’ve tried to do.”

In the same interview West also compared Williams to Jackson, saying that both artists “tore down the walls and the doors” in music and culture.

West said: “It felt like you [Williams] really tore down the walls and the doors much like Michael Jackson did a generation before. In a way, he’s very similar to Michael Jackson, in the ways where Michael Jackson was doing covert, super gangsta stuff, like he’d just pop the needles off.

“He kissed Elvis Presley’s daughter on MTV. Black culture used to be…

we used to be fronting all night, but Michael was doing stuff that was different to what we were programmed to understand as being what we should do.”

Last week (June 5), it was revealed that West had set up a college fund to cover future tuition fees for the young daughter of the late George Floyd, as well as donating over $2 million to charity. West also joined protesters in Chicago to rally against Floyd’s death.

He joined Chicago Public Schools students to protest, as well as demanding that CPS cancel their contract with the Chicago Police Department.

(NME)

Ukrainian rock band reinvents concerts Disney to reopen California theme parks next month

coronavirus still prevalent in Ukraine, the band was forced to look for creative ways of playing.

“It was absolutely wonderful as we understood that we cannot perform without our audience, without our fans. It is strange without them,” Green Grey co-founder and lead guitarist Diezel said after the concert.

“I personally tried to watch concerts of the bands I like, I watched streams

D

isney theme parks in Anaheim, California, will begin a phased reopening from July after being closed nearly three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said.

The Disneyland Resort, which is home to two theme parks -- Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park, will reopen on July 17, pending state and local government approvals, Xinhua news agency quoted the company as saying in a statement on Wednesday.

July 17 is the 65th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland Park.

Additionally, Downtown Disney District will begin reopening on July 9 and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s Paradise Pier Ho-

tel plans to reopen on July 23, said the company.

“Once approved, the Disneyland Resort will reopen with enhanced health and safety measures,” it added in the statement.

Certain experiences that draw large group gatherings, such as parades and

LA movie theatres fail to get green light to reopen

night-time spectaculars, will return at a later date.

While character meet and greets will be temporarily unavailable, characters will be in the parks in new ways to entertain guests, the company said.

According to Disney, theme park capacity will

FELICITATION

lease Christopher Nolan’s thriller “Tenet” on July 17, and Walt Disney Co aims to debut the action movie “Mulan” on July 24.

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc, the world’s largest movie theater operator, said on Tuesday it was expecting to reopen almost all its U.S. and UK theaters in time to showcase the two movies.

Cinemark Holdings Inc plans to open five theaters in Texas on June 19 to test new safety procedures.

Cineworld Group Plc owner of Regal Cinemas in the United States, said it believes all of its theaters will reopen in July.

(Reuters)

FELICITATION

We, the Seyochung Village Union Dimapur with immense pride and honour would like to felicitate Mr. K. Chemseli Sangtam, son of Khaliba Sangtam for bringing laurels to the people of Seyochung village in particular, Sangtam community and Nagas at large on being appointed as an ISF Nagaland Chapter State Coordinator by the Indian Speaker's Forum (ISF).

The union further prays and wishes the best in your newly assigned task and in your future endeavours as well.

(ACHOPA SANGTAM) (KYUSEPI SANGTAM) President, SVUD General Secretary, SVUD OFFICE OF THE

HURUOTSUMIA YOUTH ORGANISATION KOHIMA VILLAGE

K-1073

Mr. Rokovotuo Kire Miss Khrietuonuo Kire The Kire Clan of Kohima Village with immense pride and honour extend our heartfelt congratulations to the following candidates: 1. Mr. Rokovotuo Kire, S/o Vitsothie Kire for securing top 20th position in the HSLC Exam 2020 2. Miss Khrietuonuo Kire, D/o Keneikietuo Kire for securing subject topper in Tenyidie in the HSSLC Exam 2020 The Kire Clan wishes you both the best for your future endeavours.

We would also like to extend our congratulations to all the successful candidates of our Clan members in HSLC and HSSLC Exam 2020.

Dr. Kikrukuolie Kire Vilavotuo Kire Chairman, Kire Clan General Secretary, Kire Clan D. Khel, Kohima Village D. Khel, Kohima Village

be significantly limited to comply with governmental requirements and promote social distancing, and all guests will need to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance.

Disney announced at the end of last month that another flagship theme park in North America, the Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, will begin a phased reopening next month.

As a result of COVID19, Disney closed its North American parks and resorts, cruise line business and Disneyland Paris in mid-March, while the company’s Asia parks and resorts were closed even earlier.

The Shanghai Disneyland reopened on May 11 under a slew of healthy and safety measures, becoming the first among six Disney theme parks worldwide to welcome visitors again.

(IANS)

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krainian rock band Green Grey says it has reinvented the concert hall so it can perform for fans while they are social distancing.

In a show on Sunday that organizers dubbed “the world’s first vertical concert”, the band played on the roof of a small building, while the audience watched from dozens of balconies, each taking up to 4 people, on the upper floors of a hotel directly opposite.

With

and I did not like them.

That is why we wanted to do something different,” vocalist Murik added.

Fans had to check in at the hotel reception to get keys for the rooms, which were closed for regular guests. “We saw each of you, everyone who attended the concert, as if we were face to face. And I believe it is an absolutely new, cool feeling,” Diezel said.

Kiev’s Hotel Bratislava, which hosted the concert, was not a random choice.

Back in 1993, Diezel had his hair styled in dreadlocks there. A rooftop stage will remain in place for outdoor summer concerts by other musicians. As tickets sold out within days, Grey Green saw scope for expansion.

They plan to build stages in front of hotels in other Ukrainian cities.

(Reuters)

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OFFICE OF THE

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their doors around the world in mid-March to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, and movie and television production also ground to a halt.

In a press release on Wednesday, Los Angeles County said that while day camps, museums, hotels and gyms could reopen as soon as Friday, movie theaters would remain closed.

Officials did not say why. They announced 61 new deaths from coronavirus in the county, bringing the total to 2,768 deaths and 67,064 positive cases.

Television and film

production, much of it centered in the Los Angeles area, can restart under guidelines drawn up by an industry-wide task force.

They include extensive coronavirus testing and daily symptom checks for actors and crew members.

Despite the green light, production on most Hollywood films and television shows is not expected to resume until September.

Hollywood movie studios have been hoping that enough theaters will be open to hold a latesummer blockbuster season. AT&T Inc’s Warner Bros. currently plans to re-

F E L I C I TAT I O N

The Yorubami Village Council on behalf of the Yoruba Village would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Miss Azizi Phesao, daughter of Rev. Dr. Vevo Phesao and Mrs. Bendangla Aien Phesao who secured top 5th Position in the recently conducted HSLC Examination 2020.

The Village Council is proud of her commendable achievement and grateful to the Almighty God for bringing laurels to the community.

Furthermore, the Village Council also congratulates all the successful candidates and wishes them success in their future endeavours.

ZAPOZO LOHE Village Council Secretary

MÜDIHI LOHE Head G.B.

VESOLHÜ VESWÜH, Village Council Chairman

The Huruotsumia Youth Organisation is happy and proud of the success of Miss Neitsonuo Elizabeth Sorhie, D/o Neitho Sorhie who secured 4th Position Arts in the recently declared HSSLC results. The organization wishes her all the best in her future endeavour. May God’s name be glorified through your achievement and may He lead you to scale greater heights in the days to come.

President (THEJAZHAZELHOU SORHIE) Huruotsumia Youth Organisation Kohima Village

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L

os Angeles County officials said on We d n e s d ay t h a t movie and TV production could resume on Friday, but movie theaters in the biggest market in the United States must remain closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

California state officials said earlier this week that movie theaters could reopen as early as Friday, pending approval from local officials, with attendance capped at 25% of capacity and other hygiene and social-distancing protocols.

Movie theaters closed

P.O/ P.S - Chozuba- 797104. Dist. Phek, Nagaland.

Motto: - “To Live, Revive, Preserve Alive

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Smoke rises from a wildfire in the Hollywood Hills area, behind the iconic sign in Los Angeles, California, U.S. (Reuters)

YORUBAMI VILLAGE COUNCIL

General Secretary (LHOUDIKUOLIE LIEZIETSU) Huruotsumia Youth Organisation Kohima Village

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Man Utd can get even better: Fernandes

L o n d o n, J u n 1 1 (Agencies): Br uno Fernandes believes Manchester United can take their game to even greater heights when Premier League football resumes, with a spark having been found prior to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Portugal international midfielder helped to deliver that on the back of his January arrival from Sporting.

A winter addition at Old Trafford has quickly become a talismanic presence, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side looking more assured and consistent with Fernandes pulling the strings.

He could have even more assistance when topflight action restarts from June 17, with fit-again Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford set to slot in alongside him.

That should help to carry the Red Devils towards their top-four target, with Fernandes confident that there is more to come Bruno Fernandes from a team that still boasts plenty of potential to un- finished,” Fernandes told very important and the first lock.

United’s official website. game for us is a good op“Maybe doing better portunity to look forward “I am looking forward to starting again like we than we did. I think it’s to doing very well to finish

the season.”

United have been stuck on the sidelines, along with the rest of the sporting world, since the middle of March.

They will return to the field when taking in a trip to Tottenham on June 19, with Nemanja Matic another of those who is eager to get going.

He said, “I miss football and I miss the pressure before the game. It’s going to be strange, playing without supporters, but we have to adapt. At least we can compete with other teams and, hopefully, can start well.”

United have been back in training for a couple of weeks, with initial social distancing rules having been relaxed to allow full contract and training games to be introduced.

“It’s easy,” Matic added.

“The new routine is to check our temperature every morning, wash our hands and keep our distance, as much as we can.

But training is normal - we are now allowed contact training so it’s more or less the same. There are just a few different things before the training.”

Djokovic, Thiem to headline Adria Tour

Man City’s European ban verdict in July

Novak Djokovic

New Delhi, Jun 11 (IANS): World No.1 Novak Djokovic will headline the Adria Tour which will mark the return of men’s tennis in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

The ATP Tour remains suspended till July 31 but Djokovic, along with other stars, have agreed to take part in the exhibition matches.

The Adria Tour, supported by the Novak Djokovic Foundation, will feature Djokovic, Austrian Dominic Thiem, Bulgarian star Grigor Dimitrov and Croatian pair Borna Coric and Marin Cilic.

Dominic Thiem

T h e o p e n i n g t wo rounds of the tournament will see matches played in Belgrade, Serbia (13-14 June) and Zadar, Croatia (20-21 June). Each match played at the event will be best of three sets, with four games in each set. “ T h e e xc i t e m e n t around live tennis’ return has been building and the coming together of the world’s best tennis talent this weekend is a chance for fans to see how the preparations of best players in the world are faring ahead of the Grand Slams in August and September,” Andrew Georgiou,

11

sports

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

President, Eurosport and Global Sports Rights & Sports Marketing Solutions, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“We are uniquely placed to amplify this moment by harnessing the scale of our channel and platform portfolio, Coupled with our deep and rich history in telling the stories from tennis that matter, means we are set to continue creating rewarding experiences for fans to enjoy.” Match schedule for the tournament is still to be confirmed and it will be broadcast on June 13-14 and June 20-21.

Lo n d o n, J u n 1 1 (IANS): A verdict on Manchester City’s appeal against UEFA’s decision to ban the club from European competitions could be announced in July, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said on Wednesday.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport set the target of “during the first half of July” to publish the decision of its three-judge panel.

“At the end of the hearing, both parties expressed their satisfaction with respect to the conduct of the procedure,” read a statement from CAS. “The Panel of arbitrators in charge of the matter, composed of Mr Rui Botica Santos (Portugal), president, Prof. Ulrich Haas (Germany) and Mr Andrew McDougall QC (France), will start its deliberations and prepare the Arbitral Award containing their decision. The decision is expected to be issued during the first half of July 2020.”

City were slapped with a two-year ban earlier in the year for breach of FFP rules between 2012 and 2016.

Birmingham 2022 dates changed by 24 hrs London, Jun 11 (IANS): The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has announced a 24-hour change to the dates for the 2022 Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham. The Games will now take place between July 28 and August 8, instead of July 27 and August 7 in 2022.

“The joint announcement from the CGF and Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee comes after the significant impact to the international sporting calendar caused by COVID-19,” CWF said in a statement.

“It ensures that Birmingham 2022 will now boast two full weekends of Commonwealth Sport whilst extending the rest and recovery period for those athletes competing in the World Athletics Championships.”

The alteration to the opening ceremony date also avoids a potential clash with the semi-finals of the recently rescheduled UEFA Women’s Football Championships. The Birmingham 2022 is expected to be the first major multi-sport event in history to have more women’s medal events than men’s events.

‘IPL could be held in empty stadiums’

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI): BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has indicated that this year’s IPL could be conducted in empty stadiums, insisting that all possible options are being explored to ensure that the suspended event does take place despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter to all the affiliated units sent late on Wednesday after the ICC Board meeting, Ganguly seemed confident of an IPL this year despite its current status of being indefinitely suspended because of the raging pandemic, which has claimed more than 8,000 lives in India.

“The BCCI is working on all possible options to ensure that we are able to stage IPL this year, even if it means playing the tournament in empty stadiums,” Ganguly wrote.

“The fans, franchises, players, broadcasters, sponsors and all other stakeholders are keenly looking forward to the possibility of IPL being hosted this year.

“Recently, a lot of players both from India and other countries, participating in the IPL have shown keenness on being part of this year’s IPL. We are optimis-

Sourav Ganguly

tic and the BCCI will shortly decide on the future course of action on this,” the former India captain said.

It is widely speculated that the IPL is eyeing the October event if the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in Australia at that time is postponed. The ICC has deferred a decision on the World Cup’s fate until next month.

Ganguly also said that the BCCI is working on the domestic schedule while exploring various formats which would make tournaments like Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Vijay Hazare “competitive and feasible”. “Moving ahead,

the BCCI is in process of planning the domestic competitions for the next cricketing season. We are working on various options and formats in our endeavour to ensure that various domestic tournaments are held, they stay competitive and participation feasible,” said the former India captain.

“The BCCI will come up with more details in next couple of weeks,” he added.

He also informed that BCCI is preparing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for resumption of cricket in all state units to ensure medical safety of those involved.

MotoGP 2020 Wolves-linked Gueye rules out PSG exit season to start on

Paris, Jun 11 (Agencies): Idrissa Gueye is giving little credence to talk of a move away from PSG, where he has enjoyed a fine first season.

Gueye joined PSG from Everton in a €32 million deal last summer and quickly established himself as a key man in the Ligue 1 giants’ midfield.

However, the Senegal international has been linked with a transfer back to the Premier League with Wolves in recent days.

“I’m used to these rumours. For each transfer window, it’s like that for me,” Gueye told Emedia.

“Even in January, six months after I arrived at PSG, I was already linked to Chelsea, so I’m used to it.”

“Everything is going well for me at the club, and I am often in contact with the sporting director [Leonardo] and there was never any question of a departure.

He never spoke to me about transfers or letting me go.

So, to me, these are just rumours in the transfer market because there isn’t much happening at the moment.”

Gueye and PSG were awarded the Ligue 1 title after the season was cur-

July 19 in Spain

Idrissa Gueye

tailed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but they are set to return to action later in the campaign for the Champions League quarter-finals.

The French outfit impressed as they rallied past Borussia Dortmund in the last 16, yet Gueye acknowledges a lack of match action could work against them now. “Once we have resumed training, we must be ready to resume immediately and fight to go as far as possible, even if we are a little disadvantaged by the fact that the other

leagues have resumed for some time,” he added.

“They will have had a lot more competition than us, but if we try to turn that into our favour, that is to say not to ask questions, to say the others have started again and not us, we can turn that on our side.” “[PSG can] tell ourselves that we will arrive much fresher than the others because they will have played a lot of games, and that we will be fresher to put them in difficulty and win as many games as possible.”

Madrid, Jun 11 (Agencies): The 2020 MotoGP season will start on Friday, July 19, with two back-toback races scheduled at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain, following the coronavirus shutdown, it was announced on Thursday.

There will be a minimum of 12 races, this season, after the opener in Qatar was called off, earlier.

However, there could be a maximum of 17 rounds taking place with four races potentially on the cards outside of Europe between November 22 and December 13.

Whether or not spectators will be allowed depends on host’s regulations.

Spain will host seven races in total. The Catalunya GP will take place in Barcelona on September 27.

Aragon and Valencia will be hosting two races each, in October and November respectively.

The Czech GP is to be organised on August 9, before we see two races at Austria’s Red Bull Ring and two in San Marino. Le Mans will be hosting the French GP on October 11.

Sanjita Chanu hopeful of getting Arjuna Award ‘ATP selfish to make US Open happen’ New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI): Her name cleared of doping charges, two-time Commonwealth Games champion Sanjita Chanu is hoping to receive the recognition she deserves, starting with the prestigious Arjuna Award which has eluded her.

The Inter national Weightlifting Federation (IWF), on the recommendation of World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) dropped the doping charge against Chanu after more than two-and-a-half years of investigation, making the 26-year-old eligible to apply for the prestigious Award.

“I applied for Arjuna first in 2016 but I was not given it then. I was ignored again in 2017 despite having the points,” Chanu told PTI from Manipur.

“But then because of this dope case I was ineligible. I am going to try and get it now.”

Chanu, who won gold at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games in 48kg and 53kg respectively, has been trying for the prestigious Award for the past four years. After she was K Y M C

Sanjita Chanu

ignored for a second time in 2017, she filed a written petition before the Delhi HC, challenging the decision of the Awards Committee to exclude her name from nomination.

The High Court in its order had directed the Awards Committee to consider Chanu for the Arjuna Award and keep its decision in a sealed cover to be disclosed only if she is absolved of the doping charges which happened on June 8.

Chanu, 26, had applied for the award last

month as her provisional suspension was revoked and IWF had allowed her to compete in tournaments. However, since her case was not closed, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) informed her that she was ineligible for the sports awards, which cannot be given to dope-tainted athletes. But on Wednesday, the IWLF wrote to the sports ministry to comply with the High Court order.

“I have always performed well and have two medals in the Common-

wealth Games in Glasgow and in Gold Coast without doping. I am lifting for 1112 years. I don’t know why I have been ignored for this award till now,” Chanu added.

The deadline for submitting applications for the national sports awards has also been extended till June 22 by the sports ministry.

Chanu, who holds the CWG snatch record in the 53kg weight category, is happy after being exonerated of the doping charges that once pushed her to

the brink of quitting the sport, but the weightlifter says the final verdict feels bitter-sweet as she’s still struggling to find closure.

“I am very happy. I was waiting for this day for so many years. But the result is also sad as my life has changed completely. It has been ruined because of this case,” she said.

After demanding answers and explanations for over a year and a half since her provisional ban was lifted last year in January, on Tuesday night, Chanu received an email from IWF just stating the case was “closed” and the “IWF has decided to withdraw the charges.”

In a case that was marred with discrepancies at every level, Chanu is now demanding an apology and compensation from the IWF for causing her mental trauma.

“Obviously an apology won’t take away my suffering. But I want an explanation because there is still no clarity about my case. I will file case against the IWF to Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS),” she said.

New York, Jun 11 (IANS): Nick Kyrgios slammed the ATP for pushing on with the 2020 US Open despite the coronavirus situation in the country and the social unrest that has followed the death of George Floyd.

“The ATP is trying to make the US Open go ahead. Selfish with everything going on at the moment. Obviously Covid, but also with the riots, together we need to overcome these challenges before tennis returns in my opinion,” tweeted the Australian star on Thursday.

The ATP and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) are considering numerous possibilities with the aim of ensuring that the US Open takes place on the dates that were originally alloted for the Grand Slam.

The USTA said that its “top goal” is to ensure the US Open is held on the scheduled dates and it is mulling restricting the access of fans to the tournament venue.

“The USTA continues to model many different scenarios regarding the 2020 US Open,” said Chris

Nick Kyrgios

Widmaier, the USTA’s head of communications.

“Our top goal is to conduct the US Open in New York in our scheduled dates. To that end, we are modeling many potential scenarios which include both limited fans and potentially no fans on site for the event.”

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have both expressed their concerns about playing the Grand Slam. While Djokovic said that the rules to follow for participating are very restrictive, Nadal said that he won’t consider it safe to play again until a vaccine is found for COVID-19.

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Bayern Munich in German Cup final

Players of Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt fight for the ball during their German Cup semi-final match.

Berlin, Jun 11 (Agencies): Bayern Munich remain on course for the double after the Bundesliga leaders squeezed past Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in Wednesday’s German Cup semi-final behind closed doors.

Bayern’s early goal by Ivan Perisic was cancelled out by a second-half equaliser from Frankfurt’s Danny da Costa, who had only been on for three minutes at the Allianz Arena.

However, Robert Lewandowski settled the matter with the winner 16 minutes from time to claim his 45th goal this season in all competitions. Bayern will face Bayer Leverkusen, who beat fourth-tier side Saarbruecken 3-0 on Tuesday, in the final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on July 4.

Eintracht wore playing shirts supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, while Bayern warmed up in T-shirts bearing the same anti-racism message.

It was the latest show of solidarity in German football following the death of George Floyd in the United States in late May. Bayern routed Frankfurt 5-2 also at the Allianz Arena, when the sides met in the league just over a fortnight ago, and once again the hosts wasted no time asserting their authority.

Frankfurt midfielder Dominik Kohr cleared Mueller’s header off the line with only six minutes gone.

Bayern took the lead when Mueller chipped the defence and Perisic powered his header past Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp on 14 minutes. The Germany goalkeeper had to pull of a point-blank save to deny Lewandowski moments later.

It stayed 1-0 at the break, but Bayern found themselves under pressure in the second-half.

Frankfurt’s shock 5-1 drubbing of Bayern last November led to the sacking of Niko Kovac, Flick’s

predecessor as head coach, and the visitors started to win more ball in midfield.

With 66 minutes gone, Frankfurt coach Adi Huetter boosted their attack with double substitutions bringing on Japan midfielder Daichi Kamada and Da Costa.

The move paid off almost immediately. Kamada managed to beat three defenders in the area before his speculative pass across goal found de Costa, who smashed his shot past Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer on 69 minutes.

It was no more than Frankfurt deserved, but Bayern responded by moving up a gear. Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies beat the defence in the area and squared to Lewandowski who was waiting to fire home his 45th goal in 39 matches this season.

The referee checked for offside with VAR, but the goal stood and Bayern are into their 25th German Cup final.

sports India’s tour of Sri Lanka called off

New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI): India’s limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka was on Thursday called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic with both the Boards saying that the situation is not feasible for the games to go ahead.

India were scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20s starting June end and continuing till July in Sri Lanka. The dates for the matches had not yet been finalised.

“It is not possible to tour Sri Lanka in July in the current scenario,” the source told PTI. A media release from Sri Lanka also confirmed the development.

“The BCCI informed Sri Lanka Cricket that due to the prevailing circumstances revolving around COVID-19 pandemic, the cricket series, which included 3 ODIs and 3 T20I matches will not be feasible,” the SLC stated.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020

Sports to be a part of curriculum: Rijiju

Mumbai, Jun 11 (PTI): Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju wants to make sports a compulsory part of school syllabus and said the country’s new education policy will have sports as part of it and not as an extracurricular activity.

“The new education policy of India is also going to have sports as a part of education (and) sports not as extra-curricular activities,” Rijiju said on Thursday during the inaugural session of the ‘’International Webinar on Olympism and Olympic Education in the 21st century’’.

“I always believe in that, education is one, sports is one. It is the same,” he added. Rijiju said sports cannot be treated as an optional subject and it has to be accepted as a part of education.

“Sports is also an education, so sports cannot be extra-curricular activities.

Thereby sports cannot be

Kiren Rijiju

treated as an optional subject ... sports as part of education has to be accepted by all,” he said.

“The new education policy of India is not officially declared yet, but it is almost in the final shape.

My ministry has already pushed very strongly during our interaction and my participation in the national committee to make sports an integral part of

the education system.”

Rijiju said he has formed a high-level committee for the formation of the National Sports Education Board.

“I am very happy to share that we have already announced our National Sports Education Board.

Now it is in a formation stage and I have constituted a very-high level committee and this committee is under

discussion on how to bring the national sports education board into shape,” he said.

Rijiju is also keen to have an “Olympic Museum” for the country and said discussions regarding it would take place once situation normalises post the COVID-19 pandemic.

“About the Olympic Museum, I personally feel that the Olympic Museum is a very important treasure.

We need to have in every country and a country like India, we have a good legacy, we must have that,” he said.

“So may be after this COVID-19, when everything is over, we will discuss about having a beautiful (and) worthy of calling it (an) Olympic museum, may be in Delhi, may be in our National Stadium ... I am very keen to have an Olympic Museum in India.”

Saliva ban won’t make much difference in ODIs, T20Is: Karthik Ko l kata , J u n 1 1 (IANS): The ban on the use of saliva to shine cricket balls won’t have too much of a bearing in shorter formats but it will definitely affect the bowlers when they operate with the red cherry during Test cricket, feels India wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Karthik.

The Inter national Cricket Council (ICC) recently confirmed interim changes to its playing regulations, which include the ban on the use of saliva to shine the ball.

Karthik, who is the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, said while it won’t be a worry during ODI

and T20 games, bowlers will find the going tough when it comes to five-day matches.

“In ODIs and T20s, it won’t make much of a difference but definitely in Test cricket it’s going to be a massive challenge for a lot of the bowlers,” Karthik said during a video conference.

“Simply because, especially when the ball is new for the first 20-30 overs in most parts of the grounds of the world, I think conventional swing is what they look for and if they don’t apply saliva it’s going to be a tough ask for them to swing a ball,” said Karthik.

The 13th edition of the IPL has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are talks of the high-profile league happening during the October-November window provided the T20 World Cup, slated to take place during that period, does not see the light of the day.

Asked if a break from the rigours of an IPL has actually helped him extend his career, Karthik who recently celebrated his 35th birthday, said, “I don’t think it’s a concern of my career or anybody else’s career. Nobody wants these devastations and catastro-

Dinesh Karthik

phes to happen. Anyday, I am happy to go through the IPL over a catastrophy...not only COVID-19 but also cyclone Amphan.

Anyday I will take an IPL over that.”

Karthik also said

if KKR win a third IPL crown, they will dedicate it to the people affected by Cyclone Amphan.

“That would be the least we can do for the state.

We are emotionally very attached to Kolkata.”

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