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Vol XXX No. 91 DIMAPUR, SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2020 Pages 12 ` 5.00

Clothed in strength and dignity Women’s Day Special Sunday Po t Su lement

Chennaiyin FC through to ISL final ort , Page 12

COVID-19 cases: world total over 100,000 international, Page 9

Spl. Correspondent/Agencies NEW DELHI/GUWAHATI, MAR 7 (NPN): Three more cases have been found positive for COVID19. These include two from Ladakh with travel history to Iran and one from Tamil Nadu with travel history to Oman. With these new cases, total number of confirmed cases now stands at 34 in the country.

According to the health ministry, 31 cases were being treated in hospitals and were stable. It may be mentioned that the earlier three from Kerala have been discharged. Concerning the American national found positive in Bhutan, the ministry said that more than 150 contacts have been put under IDSP surveillance.

In addition, 108 samples have been received from Iran Saturday morning, the ministry said, adding that those samples were being tested at the laboratory in AIIMS. Also, six scientists from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have been stationed in Iran. Equipment and reagents, worth approximately Rs.10 crores have been dispatched to enable them to setup a lab COVID-19 cases climb to 34 in India A medic uses thermal screening device on passengers arriving at Guwahati Airport, Saturday. (PTI) there, the health ministry stated.

PM directs officials: As the government stepped up efforts to combat COVID19, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi directing officials to identify places for sufficient quarantine facilities and make provisions for critical care.

Modi, who reviewed the coronavirus situation in the country at a meeting with officials of all ministries and departments concerned, also directed them to identify locations for sufficient quarantine facilities.

He told them that in view of expert opinion, people should be advised to avoid mass gatherings as much as possible and made aware of the do’s and don’ts. While complimenting all departments for the work done so far, Modi stressed that as the coronavirus scenario evolves, India has to be prepared in its response. Assam sounds high alert; 127 people quarantined The Assam government has sounded high alert across the state after a person tested positive for coronavirus in Bhutan, after travelling from Assam.

On Friday, the Bhutan Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the report and said that one case of COVID-19 was confirmed at 11 p.m. on March 5 and the result was validated at 12:30 a.m. on March 6.

According to the report, the patient is 76-year-old, from the US and had entered Bhutan from Paro-International Airport, after embarking Drukair flight from Guwahati in Assam on March 2.

The US tourist had also spent a few days in Assam and took a 7-day Brahmaputra river cruise before leaving for Bhutan. The Assam government has identified as many as 127 people who have come in contact with the US tourist and they are being quarantined.

Assam Minister of State for Health Pijush Hazarika said: “We have identified all hotels, resort and the particular cruise where he stayed. We have also identified as many as 127 people who had come in contact with him and they are being quarantined.”

“The US tourist reached in Jorhat on February 22 and left for Bhutan on March 2. We are very serious over the issue. Till now, no positive case has been identified in our state. We are seriously monitoring the overall situation. The entire floor of the hotel in Guwahati has been isolated where he stayed,” Pijush Hazarika said.

Pijush Hazarika also said that one more foreign tourist is being quarantined in the Sonitpur district of Tezpur and took his blood sample on Friday.

Hazarika further said that the state government has taken preventive measures at all the land ports bordering with Bhutan and Bangladesh and has even deployed medical teams in the areas and screened all people coming from the neighbouring countries. Staff Reporter DIMAP U R , M A R 7 (NPN): Government of India’s Representative and Interlocutor for Naga Peace Talks, R.N Ravi and Working Committee (WC) of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) held a closed door meeting Saturday in New Delhi and deliberated on the proposed “Upper House”.

Highly placed sources informed Nagaland Post that the meeting was held between the 20-member WC NNPGs delegation led by its convenor, N Kitovi Zhimomi and Ravi, who is also the Governor of Nagaland.

The source informed that the issue of the proposed “Upper House” in Nagaland dominated the meeting and that the negotiating parties deliberated, in detail, the composition and functions of the “Upper House”. “The meeting was mainly around the details of the proposed Upper House. We are working on the details so that a draft agreement could be finalised at the earliest,” said the source.

It may be recalled that after concluding the negotiations over contentious issues on October 31, 2019, the negotiating parties have been working to smoothen the rough edges of the final agreement. Earlier on February 24, 2020 meeting, Ravi had asked NNPGs to “come clear on composition of upper house” and to “work on finalising their draft”.

Post February 24 meeting, in an exclusive interview to Nagaland Post, both Ravi and Kitovi had admitted that the negotiating parties wanted “detailed clarity on few issues to finalise the draft agreement”.

Kitovi had told Nagaland Post that whatever the two negotiating parties have agreed in principle during negotiations, that concluded on October 31, 2019, have to be finalised and then the same would be forwarded to the Parliament. Earlier on February 23, Kitovi had rubbished speculations that NNPGs were negotiating only for Nagas of Nagaland. He reiterated that special status like separate Regional Territorial Council has been worked out for Nagas living outside Nagaland. ‘Upper House’ dominates Ravi, NNPGs meet in Delhi (More on p-8)

JCPI clarifies on ILP drive D I M A P U R , M A R 7 (NPN): Joint Committee on Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) said as the December 9, 2019 notification had set 90 days to obtain Inner Line Permit (ILP) for people requiring it, imposing fines on one pretext or the other and during the pendency of its ultimatum was untimely.

Reacting to the reported ILP drive conducted by Dimapur district administration on February 27, the committee said the joint meeting held on March 3 had lauded the efforts of Dimapur deputy commissioner to effectively implement ILP and agreed to have better coordination. In the meeting with chief secretary Temjen Toy on the same day, JCPI said it reiterated the March 15, 2020 deadline for having December 1, 1963 as the cutoff date for RIIN and implementing ILP on the basis of RIIN’s cut-off date.

The committee said it also reminded the chief secretary to set up Foreigners Tribunals as per Foreigners Act, 1946 and to physically implement ILP with necessary infrastructure, modalities and standard operating procedures as per the new guidelines.

AR apprehends NSCN (I-M) cadres

DIMAPUR, MAR 7 (NPN): Assam Rifles on Friday arrested 12 newly recruited cadres of the NSCN (I-M) from Super Market area.

According to reports, the AR troops, based on specific inputs, carried out a search at a hotel near Super Market area and apprehended the cadres. However, they were not in possession of arms, ammunitions etc. The cadres were later handed over to East police station. NSCN (I-M) reacts Reacting to the incident, a NSCN (I-M) functionary, when contacted, refuted the claims that the apprehend cadres were newly recruits. The functionary clarified that the cadres were being transferred out of Dimapur for which they had to stay in a hotel to board a bus early next morning.

“Are NSCN cadres not allowed to stay in a hotel? Are we not allowed to travel? What right do they have to detain our unarmed cadres?” NSCN questioned.

The functionary also accused AR of “specifically targeting” them. Reminding that NSCN and government of India have been in ceasefire and engaged in a political dialogue for over two decades, the functionary cautioned that such unwarranted action by AR would affect the ongoing talks.

This is it!

CS shocked at lack of civic sense in rural areas

Temjen Toy inspecting waste management facility. (DIPR)

D I M A P U R , M A R 7 (NPN): Nagaland chief secretary Temjen Toy has expressed shock at the lack of basic civic sense in remote areas of the State.

Inspecting the newlyinstalled hydraulic bailing press machine and material recovery facility unit of Chumukedima Town Council (CTC), the chief secretary observed that solid waste management and treatment of sewage had become a big issue. He felt that solid waste management had not been given due attention until now.

But he stressed that it was not the job of the government alone to manage and urged the people to have civic sense.

“Time has come for everyone to be more responsible even as urban municipal bodies would be initiating a number of actions to address the issue,” he added.

Toy lauded CTC for taking the initiative in waste management by installing hydraulic bailing press machine and material recovery facility unit and encouraged the council to continue in its efforts. He said he was satisfied with the initiative of CTC and, basing on its experience, material recovery facilities would be set up in all district headquarters.

Assuring to address the problems faced by safai karamcharis, he appreciated them for working with dedication despite health hazards they face. He said their working conditions would be improved and welfare in the form of insurance, health and housing would be provided.

Urban development and municipal affairs principal secretary Himato Zhimomi, who too was present on the occasion, emphasised recycling of bio-medical wastes. Recycling of biomedical wastes must be accorded top priority, he stressed.

(Cont’d on p-8) DIMAPUR, MAR 7 (NPN): National People’s Youth Front (NPYF) of the National People’s Party (NPP) Nagaland state unit has appealed to the Indian armed forces to cease all air exercises over populated areas in Nagaland including Dimapur as citizens were being exposed to “far reaching consequences like shock, uneasiness and borderline agitation” due to the consistent sonic boom.

In a press release, NPP youth wing general secretary (org) Jaser Meru stated that the Indian Air Force has been conducting “combat aircraft manoeuvres” over the past few weeks on multiple occasions, adding that there was a sense of unease when a large explosion rocks the very foundations of buildings.

NPP state youth wing maintained that the lack of notification to the public of when they would have to endure the shocks of sonic booms could startle everyone. It stated that the unannounced shocks could have detrimental consequences on the general public. “Such shocks can threaten the life of heart patients causing undue trauma,” NPYF stated.

Further, NPP youth wing maintained that shocks of sonic booms could also lead to several psychological problems to many people especially pregnant women, new-born babies and old people. “It may cause road accidents and even make surgery a life threatening event due to surgeons cutting his/her patient out of shock by mistake,” NPYF stated. Other possible ramifications of those explosions, NPP youth wing said could include damage to standing buildings and shattering of glass panes causing lifethreatening situation. It claimed irreparable cracks have developed in buildings due to tremor waves of the sonic boom.

In light of the above, NPYF has urged the responsible armed forces to cease its exercises over Dimapur and adjoining areas including other places in Nagaland and conduct its exercises in unpopulated areas. Sonic boom: NPYF urges armed forces to cease all air exercises

Dimapur prepares to tackle COVID-19 outbreak DIMAPUR, MAR 7 (NPN): An isolation ward with three beds has been set up at Dimapur District Hospital, while some more beds have been identified at Referral Hospital for dealing with any exigencies vis-à-vis coronavirus (COVID-19). Mentioning this at a meeting of District Taskforce on Coronavirus held at the conference hall of deputy commissioner’s (DC) office here on Saturday, chief medical officer (CMO) Pangjung Sangtam said military hospital had also been kept ready with ICU and isolation ward. He said 40 beds were also kept ready at the district welfare office at Chümoukedima.

While rapid response team had been activated and passengers at Dimapur airport were being screened on arrival, he said an isolation room had been identified at the airport and every passenger would be scanned by thermal scanner. Briefing members on the formation of district taskforce on COVID 19, the CMO explained that the taskforce was constituted on February 26 but reconstituted with co-opted members DIMAPUR, MAR 7 (NPN): All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) and Khelhoshe Polytechnic Teachers’ Association (KPTA) have condemned the act of vandalism at Khelhoshe Polytechnic Atoizu (KPA) by miscreants on the intervening night of March 4 and 5.

ANCSU in a statement issued by its general secretary Imnameren N Jamir and education secretary Keneitsituo Kense appealed to law enforcing agencies to investigate the matter and book the culprits.

Recalling the burglary at KPA in the evening of June 23, 2019, ANCSU claimed that it had on several occasions in the past raised the issue with the State government. It also claimed of having asked for a police outpost to curb such acts, but regretted that despite the hue and cry, the State government seemed to be relaxed and had no concern.

ANCSU questioned the government till how many robberies and vandalism would it wait before setting up the police outpost.

During its “Education 2020”, the union said it had visited KPA on February 11 and raised the issue of setting up police outpost on priority basis with the government. However, it lamented that due to the insincerity of the government, the institute had once again become the target of miscreants.

ANCSU suspected that the incident at KPA was pre planned and carried out with an intention to sabotage the proposed upgrade of the institute. At a time when the institute was preparing itself for the proposed visit by All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) officials for assessment for its possible upgrade to a fully fledged government engineering college, the union said such anti-social elements had hurt sentiments of the student community. KPTA: KPTA too has strongly condemned vandalism at the institute’s chemistry laboratory and the robbery in staff quarters and breaking windows and forcibly opening cars in which many pen drives and important documents related with the ongoing upgrade process were lost.

In a statement, KPTA president Er Ruokuobeilie Mere and general secretary Er Yibenthung Odyuo pointed out that though members of the teaching community were giving their best and working tirelessly, such incidents at the institute made them feel demoralised and insecure. KPTA said it had concern for the teachers’ safety and security, not only of their belongings but also for themselves as the incident happened in their presence. It regretted that despite several representations to the authority concerned for stationing security personnel at the institute, no such arrangement had been made till date.

Hence, KPTA once again requested the authority concerned to look into its grievance and make necessary arrangement to ensure safety and security, besides calling for booking the culprits at the earliest and giving them befitting punishment as per law.

Further, despite the discouragements and challenges, KPTA expressed its sincere gratitude to minister Temjen Imna Along for showing his concern and support. It also appreciated and thanked local councils, society, NGOs, civil administration and everyone for extending their support and cooperation. ANCSU, KPTA condemn vandalism at KPA

(Cont’d on p-8)

MYK C Covid-19: KU appeals to govt DIMAPUR, MAR 7 (NPN): In view of the speared of Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country and around the globe, the Konyak Union (KU) has urged the responsible authority and the government to take immediate precautionary measures. In a press release, KU general secretary Wango Konyak and press secretary Pangmei Konyak also urged the government to ban the inflow of foreign and national tourist to Mon district particularly during Konyak Aoleng festival. Further, KU has requested the district executive force and the district administration to strictly monitor and check at every entry point of the district.

Directives to medicine dealers DIMAPUR, MAR 7 (NPN): Assistant drugs controller Dimapur Zone under the establishment of chief medical officer (CMO) Dimapur has directed all the medicine wholesalers, stockists and retailers that any types of face masks including surgical masks and hand sanitisers have to be sold not exceeding MRP and there should be no hoarding in the market. In a press release, assistant drugs controller C Thungchanbeni Lotha stated that the directive was being issued for strict compliance. Meanwhile, the Nagaland Medicine Dealers Association has issued similar advisory to all its members (wholesale/stockist/retailers).

DVC bans illegal ‘tax collection’ DIMAPUR, MAR 7 (NPN): Taking note of illegal tax collection by various Naga Political Groups (NPGs), Darogapathar Village Council (DVC) affirmed to reinforce its August 18, 2016 resolution to ban any sort of tax collection within its jurisdiction. In a press note, DVC council chairman, Nungtok Meren Jamir, secretary, A Ado Bizo claimed that the council had received information regarding collection of daily, weekly and monthly tax by various NPGs. DVC warned that any individual/ group involved in such activities will be dealt with seriously as per the law. DVC also reiterated its stand on “one government, one tax”.

Govt directs institutions DIMAPUR, MAR 7 (NPN): In view of the emerging global scenario regarding COVID-19 and in the interest of public health and safety, chief secretary Temjen Toy has directed all government establishments including private educational institutions to provide hand sanitizer solutions in all biometric device stations for hand sanitization before and after use of such devices with immediate effect.

Mar 9 Peace rally: NCD appeals DIMAPUR, MAR 7 (NPN): Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) has appealed to all Naga tribe organisations, senior leaders and tribal intellectuals to participate in the proposed peace rally being called by Nagaland GB Federation on March 9, 2020 from 9:30 a.m. at DC Court junction Dimapur. In a press release, NCD general secretary Thsapongkyu Sangtam also appealed all responsible to attend the rally in their respective tribal attires. NCD informed that public gathering for peace rally would commence from 9 a.m. onwards.