15 March 2023

Nagaland to host G20 Business

Summit on Apr 5

DIMAPUR, MAR 14 (NPN): As part of India’s G20 Presidency, Nagaland would host G20 Business Summit at Kohima on April 5, 2023. According to a DIPR report, 80 to 100 delegates from various member countries were expected to participate in the summit.

In this regard, a coordination meeting was held in Kohima on March 13, 2023 under the chairmanship of state chief secretary J Alam,

The chief secretary stated that Nagaland needed to showcase the best. He called upon the state government departments and all stakeholders to commit towards the success of the Business Summit. Alam reviewed the last meeting minutes and the progress made for the preparation.

Rainfall likely over NE region

DIMAPUR, MAR 14 (NPN): India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall activity with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds (speed 3040 kmph) over North East region March 15-18.

In its daily bulletin, IMD has predicted rainfall activity with isolated hailstorm over the region on March 15, 2023. Further, the Met department stated that isolated heavy rainfall was likely over Arunachal Pradesh on March 15, 2023.

It stated that thunderstorm accompanied with lightening was likely at isolated places over Assam & Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura on March 16, 2023. IMD said that moisture incursion was very likely to occur due to Strong low-level Southerly/ Southwesterly winds from the Bay of Bengal to North East region. Under its influence, IMD said scattered to fairly widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy rainfall/ thunderstorm lightning with gusty winds/hail storm is very likely over northeast region during March 14-16.

BAC meet on Mar 16

DIMAPUR, MAR 14 (NPN): Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) pro-tem speaker and Business Advisory Committee (BAC) chairman Mhathung Yanthan has convened a meeting of the BAC on March 16, 2023 at 12 noon in the Committee Room, Assembly Secretariat to finalise the provisional programme for the First Session of the 14th NLA scheduled to commence from March 20, 2023.

Nagaland Post

La Liga: Morata late goal help Atletico beat Girona

Guidelines on medical negligence under consideration: Health Min

NEW DELHI, MAR 14 (PTI): Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken up for consideration the healthcare sector’s long-standing demand to frame guidelines for determining medical negligence cases, a reply to an RTI query revealed. Though there is no guideline at present, the matter is under consideration, the ministry said in response to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act on behalf of PTI.

“So far, no guidelines have been framed. It is under consideration,” said Sunil Kumar Gupta, undersecretary in the ministry’s medical education policy section. Gupta, who is also the central public information officer, gave a written response to PTI when asked to provide information on “if the Union Health Ministry has framed any guidelines to handle cases of medical negligence in the country”.

It has been more than 17 years since the Supreme Court, for the first time in the Jacob Mathew case in 2005, directed the Centre to frame statutory rules in consultation with the-then medical education regulator Medical Council of India (MCI) to deal with medical negligence cases as it impacts both doctors and patients.

While patients have to run from pillar to post to get justice against erring doctors, frivolous allegations and malicious proceedings cause harassment to medical practitioners. According to legal and medical experts,

a proper statutory framework will not only protect the interests of patients but also check cases of violence against doctors.

As a stopgap arrangement, the apex court had framed certain guidelines, according to which the investigating officer should, before proceeding against a doctor accused of a rash or negligent act or omission, obtain an independent and competent medical opinion. The opinion should preferably be from a doctor in government service and qualified in that branch of medical practice who can normally be expected to give an impartial and unbiased opinion, according to the guidelines.

“Unfortunately, this direction hasn’t been complied with. Investigating officers don’t know whom to approach, so they get in touch with the state medical councils. “This leads to court cases as aggrieved patients feel that getting an opinion from the state medical councils amounts to conflict of interest,” said Ajay Kumar Agarwal, a Delhi High Court lawyer who deals with medical negligence cases. Medical experts also rued the delay and said it shows apathy

on the part of governments.

MCI passed a resolution for the first time on October 31, 2017, proposing to the government to constitute medical boards with doctors specialising in respective fields of medicine.

When the National Medical Commission (NMC) replaced the MCI, it again wrote to the Health ministry on September 29, 2021, suggesting the constitution, terms of members and functioning of such medical boards at district and state levels. “The prosecuting/ investigating agency on receipt of the recommendation of the district/state medical board may further proceed in the matter in accordance with law,” the NMC said in its communication.

“IMA stands for requesting the government to establish a separate medical tribunal comprising learned doctors to deal with such cases in a timebound manner. It also demands that the government should proactively come forward to frame these guidelines, in discussion with the NMC and other medical statutory bodies,”Prof Dr JA Jayalal, former IMA president and current Commonwealth Medical Association secretary.

H3N2 virus: Health experts call

for

masks, better hygiene & flu shot

NEW DELHI, MAR 14

(IANS): Even as India is seeing a spurt in Influenza cases, caused by H3N2 virus, health experts on Monday have suggested people to take precautionary measures such as use of masks, better hand hygiene, as well as an annual flu shot.

A total of 3,038 labconfirmed cases of various subtypes of influenza including H3N2 have been reported till March 9 by the states, as per the latest data available on IDSP-IHIP (Integrated Health Information Platform).

“In my opinion, for

Hundreds dead as Cyclone Freddy wrecks Malawi and Mozambique INTERNATIONAL, PAGE

Govt employees

Correspondent

KOHIMA, MAR 14 (NPN): State government employees under the banner of Confederation of All Nagaland State Service Employees Association (CANSSEA) and Nagaland National Pension System Government Service Employees Forum (NNPSGSEF) staged a protest demonstration outside Civil Secretariat, here on Tuesday demanding restoration of old pension scheme (OPS) and scrapping of National Pension Scheme.

After the protest, the CANSSEA president Dr Ilang and general secretary Dr. Hovithal Sothu submitted a representation to the chief secretary Nagaland.

In the representation, CANSSEA demanded that NPS of the state government be scrapped and restore the OPS for its employees. The association described NPS as “tyran-

want restoration of old pension scheme

nical, neoliberal policy and a Privatized Pension Scheme”, which it said was disastrous to the employees.

The representation urged the state government to roll back to the OPS like the states of Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Punjab.

The representation stated that dharna was carried out as per the declaration of the Joint National Convention of the All India State Government

Employees Association (AISGEF) and Central Government Employees & Workers (CGEW) made on December 8, 2022 at Talkotora Stadium New Delhi, which came up with seven-point charter of demands to be carried out all over the country.

The demands included Annul PFRDA Act, Scrap NPS, Constitute the VIII Central Pay commission, release all DR/DA including confiscated arrears, regularize all contractual/

SEC tells SC, Nagaland to

NEW DELHI, MAR 14 (AGENCIES): Nagaland State Election Commission (SEC) on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that the local body elections in the State have been notified and would take place on May 16, 2023. According to LiveLaw report, the Apex Court directed that the election schedule notified by the commission should not be disturbed at any cost.

A Bench comprising Justice SK Kaul, Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice Aravind Kumar was hearing a petition filed by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and women rights activist Rosemary

SH flays firing at residence of exMLA Pukhayi

the time being the government can again make masks mandatory at least in highly vulnerable zones like public transports, hospitals, airports, railway stations and other public conveyances. People should avoid visiting crowded places, or wear a mask whenever in public,”

Dr. S Sekri, associate consultant- Internal Medicine, Max hospital, Gurugram, said. The respiratory virus “spreads through droplets, so which means that the secretions can spread from person to person, and most people touch their nose and mouth at some point, or that

secretions can remain on the fingers and when they shake hands with other people”, it can likely spread, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian Medical Association’s National Covid-19 Task Force, making a case for the need of masks particularly in crowded indoor gatherings.

According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data, there has been a combination of respiratory viruses ranging from Covid-19 virus, swine flu (H1N1), H3N2, and the seasonal Victoria and

DIMAPUR, MAR 14 (NPN): Sümi Hoho (SH) has condemned the firing incident involving some miscreants at the residence of former MLA, Pukhayi Sumi, located at Diphupar ‘B’ village, Chümoukedima district on March 6 midnight.

In a joint statement, SH president I Nikheto Jimomi, general secretary Dr. Vihuto Asumi and Sümi Kükami Hoho president Kashito Yepthomi have urged the law enforcing agencies to act swiftly and apprehend those responsible.

Dzuvichu challenging the Nagaland Assembly’s resolution dated September 22, 2021 exempting operation of Part IXA of the Constitution of India, which mandates 33% reservation for women, in Municipalities and Town Councils of the State. Advocate General for Nagaland, KN Balgopal beseeched the Bench to pass orders to ensure that no or-

daily waged employees and fill up vacancies in state government, stop privatization/corporatization of PSUs, remove all riders and restrictions on compassionate employment and ensure democratic trade union rights.

Speaking at the protest site, CANSSEA president Dr Ilang said the government has to repeal the Act passed as PFRDA Act, the regulatory Act, governing the NPS of the employees.

hold ULB

ganization or individual can obstruct others from voting; impeding the mandate of free and fair elections.

He submitted that from past experiences it has been observed that such obstructions are common. Considering the same, the Bench directed - “The State Election Commission and the State are to make necessary arrangements to ensure free and fair elections…Any authority/citizen in breach thereof would be in breach of orders of this Court.”

In conclusion, with respect to women’s participation in elections, Justice Kaul reckoned - “Society is egalitarian in many ways,

polls

but some of these issues regarding gender still remain a sensitive issue…” Senior Advocate, Colin Gonsalves remarked that it was not the society, but the inaction on the part of the Government that is to be faulted. However, Justice Kaul opined that women have to also take initiative and contest elections. “How many women contested? 4 contested, 2 got elected. Women also have to come up and contest elections. That is the problem. But, for the first time a woman Cabinet member in the State.” The matter has been listed for direction on May 18, 2023.

SBI Pfutsero staff held for fraud

DIMAPUR, MAR 14 (NPN): One State Bank of India (SBI) staff of Pfutsero branch has been arrested for allegedly committing fraud on a customer.

According to reports, a lady lodged an FIR at Pfutsero Police Station on March 11 this year stating that she had fix deposited (STDR) Rs 10 lakh from her savings bank account at SBI Pfutsero branch on November 24, 2020 for one year at an interest rate of 5% per annum.

Upon maturity of the principal amount with interest, she re-deposited the entire amount of Rs 10,40,908 for another year

at an interest rate of 5% per annum on November 24, 2021.

After the amount matured to Rs 11,28,053 on November 14, 2022, she went to the bank to withdraw her matured fix deposit on December 5, 2022, but was requested by bank officials to come another day as there was a huge rush that day at the bank. She went again to the bank on January 24 this year and approached the bank officials. But, to her utter surprise, the manager told her that there was no such fix deposit account. After she showed the receipt, the manager assured

her that the matter would be looked into. But till the date of filing of the FIR, the bank could not refund the money or solve the issue.

Following the lodging of FIR, an inquiry was launched and it was found that a dealing clerk – Veluvo Soho, son of Shenutso Soho of Phek, who was currently posted at SBI (RACC) Mokokchung – had withdrawn the money in 2020 and that no money was deposited/ transferred to the fixed deposit account. All related documents were obtained and verified. Fake fix deposit receipt was also seized from the victim.

Man sentenced to 20 years RI for raping minor NSF concerned over delay in functioning of NIMSR

DIMAPUR, MAR 14 (NPN): A man was convicted by Fast Track Special Court (POCSO) Dimapur on Tuesday for raping a minor girl has been sentenced to 20 years rigorous imprisonment under Section 376 AB and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000. If the convict defaulted payment of fine, the court ruled that he would undergo rigorous imprisonment for eight months.

Special judge under PoCSO Act Khrulto Koso found Izierangbe Yalie of Bank Colony Dimapur guilty under sections 376 AB, 376 (2) (f) (i) (m) of Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 and under Section 6 of Protection of

Children from Sexual Offences (PoCSO) Act, 2012 vide section 235 (2) of Code of Criminal Procedure.

As per the order, Yalie was also found guilty under Section 376 (2) ) (f) (j) (m) of IPC and sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and imposed Rs 10,000 as fine and a rigorous imprisonment of one year in case of default in paying the fine.

He was further found guilty under Section 6 of PoCSO Act and sentenced to 20 years rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 and one-year rigorous imprisonment in case of default. The special judge ordered that all

sentences would run concurrently. The crime came to light after an FIR was received by Childline on July 9, 2021 and victim was the niece of the perpetrator Since the accused had not gone on bail, the court ruled that there was no question of discharging his bail bond, though he had been informed of his right to appeal. As there was no property/documents recovered as per the list of articles seized, no order was issued to that effect.

Out of the amount of fine, if paid any by the accused or realised, Rs 15,000 would be given to the victim on due verification for de-

fraying the expenses of prosecution as provided under Section 357(1) (a) Criminal Procedure Code. The payment of such fine was however subject to conditions laid down in Section 357(2) of Criminal Procedure Code.

By invoking provisions of Section 357-A (2) (3) Criminal Procedure Code, the court asked Dimapur Legal Services Authority to initiate necessary steps to compensate the victim from the Compensation Scheme for Women Victim/Survivors of Sexual Assault/other Crimes, 2018 sanctioned by the Home Department, Relief & Rehabilitation, Nagaland.

K OHIMA, MAR 14 (NPN): Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) expressed concern over the delay in functioning of Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kohima, Phriebagie which was yet to take off even after 10 years of laying of foundation stone.

The NSF delegation led by its president K. Tep conveyed this to Health & Family Welfare minister P Paiwang Konyak when the members paid a courtesy call here on Tuesday evening.

NSF delegation with Paiwang Konyak in Kohima.

service in the State under his guidance as they expected him to discharge his duties effectively and efficiently without any bias or favour.

Government employees stage protest outside civil secretariat, Kohima on Tuesday (NP)

Oral health awareness for students of Pungro

DIMAPUR: To commemorate “World Oral Health Day 2023”, Community Health Centre (CHC) Pungro led by Dr. Weri Mero, dental surgeon, conducted an oral health awareness camp on March 13 at Christian School, Pungro, Kiphire district.

In a press release, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kiphire office informed that at the awareness camp, many patients were screened, and

dental check-ups, tooth extraction and temporary fillings, fluoride application to prevent cavities, among other services, were carried out.

During the camp, Dr. Mero briefed about the importance of oral hygiene for maintaining overall health benefits. He also stressed on the ill effects of consuming tobacco products, especially smoking and chewing gutkha.

The medical team also

demonstrated proper brushing techniques to the participants.

Meanwhile, CMO office said the oral health camp was conducted to educate students and public about the importance of good oral health and dental hygiene keeping in mind that an unhealthy mouth, especially gum disease could increase risk of serious health problems.

NPF to hold felicitation programme: Naga People’s Front (NPF) will be organizing a felicitation programme for the two elected NPF MLAs on March 18 at 11 am in the Central Office, Kohima. In this connection, the party president, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, has invited all the working committee members, central office bearers, central executive council members, central frontal and cells office bearers, NPF official candidates in the general election to the 14th NLA, Manipur State Unit office bearers and divisional unit presidents and working presidents to the felicitation programme.

NSCN (I-M) budget session: NSCN (I-M) through its MIP has informed that the “Tatar Hoho’s budget session” would be held on March 22. It said agenda can submitted to the Tatar Hoho Secretary latest by March 19.

NSCN/GPRN (Isak) discharges: NSCN/ GPRN has informed that it has discharged its deputy kilonser under Union Territory-I (UTI), Tokheyi Sumi of Burma Camp, Dimapur from both primary and active “national service” on the ground of “unavoidable family problem”.

Tuensang Bn holds security meeting: Tuensang Battalion of Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) organised a security meet on March 13 at Wangti village, Mon district with village council, GBs, student union and local population, wherein the prevailing security aspects were discussed.

ACID’s training on ‘jewellery making’ concludes

DIMAPUR: A 45-day

skill training programme on “jewellery making” organised for nine Self Help Groups (SHGs) in three different areas by Assisi Centre for Integrated Development (ACID) under Livelihood Enterprise and Develop -

ment Programme (LEDP) concluded in a valedictory programme on March 13.

A press release by ACID informed that District Development Manager (DDM) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD),

Workshop on ‘elderly issues’

Bendang Aier encouraged the trainees to make best use of the training to improve their financial condition. He also advised them to deliver quality products and look for agencies that could market their products including online marketing.

Lead District Manager, Naveen Basumatary encouraged the trainees to keep honing their skills and not to remain complacent but to work hard and earn livelihood. He also suggested online marketing. ACID director, Sr.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

IMFL seized during assembly election destroyed at Pfutsero

Correspondent

KOHIMA, MAR 14(NPN): A two-day workshop on “elderly issues” was organized by the Good Samaritan Women Society (GSWS), in collaboration with Integrated Rural Development Educational Organisation (IRDEO-RRTC(Ag)-NE, Wangbal Thoubal, Manipur at Panchayat hall, Tsiesema village from March 13 -14.

Speaking as the resource person Padma Shri awardee, Dr P. Kilemsungla highlighted on the common problems and basic needs of the elderly people.

Dr Kilemsungla also highlighted some common problems which the elders faced irrespective of caste or creed in the advanced

‘Dak Adalat’ in Kohima

DIMAPUR: Office of the Superintendent of Post Offices (SPO) Kohima has informed that “Dak Adalat” for redressal of public grievances on postal matters would be held on March 17 at the Chamber of SPO, Nagaland Division Kohima.

All complaints, grievances, suggestions, if any, related to postal services for discussion in the “Dak Adalat” have been asked to be sent to the office of Superintendent of Post Offices, Nagaland Division Kohima – 797001 or by an e-mail at sponagaland@ gmail.com on or before March 17.

world as well as in developing world, including Health-issues, memory loss, physical injury, financial insecurity, loneliness, difficulty of mobility etc.

She said the awareness was the need of the hour.

Resource person, Field team Lead, Elder line Nagaland, Benrilo Shitri, spoke on the National helpline for senior citizens.

During the second session, elderly issues/ elderly abuse and maintenance and welfare of the parents and senior citizens act, 2007 was discussed and GSWS, Neithonuo Liegise, chaired the programme.

The two-day workshop was initiated by the Ministry of Social justice and Empowerment.

Late Lothungbeni Ngullie

12/12/1993 – 10/03/2023

We, the family members of Late Lothungbeni Ngullie express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all individuals, groups, institutions, organizations/unions, friends and well-wishers for sparing us your precious time, and for extending material, financial, and prayer support at our dearly beloved Kaka’s untimely departure for her heavenly journey on 10/03/2023.

We pray that our Almighty God bless you all continuously and abundantly for extending us the much needed love and comfort in this our hour of grief.

wc-50/23

- Loving Mother, Brothers & Family

Pramila spoke on the importance of continuing the learnt skill and to enhance their economic stability. The programme was moderated by Vanbeni Yanthan, Savitri invoked God’s blessings and the vote of thanks was delivered by Nithi Kalkho.

DIMAPUR: Chakhesang Mothers’ Association (CMA) in collaboration with the law enforcing agencies of Pfutsero destroyed IMFL seized by the volunteers during election, at the premise of ADC office on Tuesday.

The IMFL were seized by the volunteers of CMA manning the check gates at the recently concluded state assembly election.

Additional Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer, Japheth Woch, who was present at the destruction of the liquor, said Pfutsero Constituency was one of the “most peaceful” election with no hiccups.

He appreciated Chakhesang Clean Election Move ment under

A C know L edge M ent

whom CMA spearheaded the activities during the election.

OC Pfutsero Police Station Lulun Singson informed that the IMFL destroyed were “unclaimed”.

He added this was the second time that IMFL were destroyed in Pfutsero and said that the seizures were made due to team work.

He appreciated the initiative of the Pfutsero Mothers’ Association.

CMA president Zhon-

elu Tunyi said the check gate initiative was started with zero budget but with contribution from the Chakhesang Baptist Church Council and various other organisations and individuals.

CPO president Vezuhu Keyho and CCEM chairman Rev. Vezopa Rhakho also spoke at the destruction programme. Earlier, executive secretary of CBCC, Chekrovei Cho said the prayer before the IMFL were destroyed.

1st Death a nniversary of our beloved Mr Matathung humtsoe

A year has passed since our Almighty God had called you home and there is not a moment where a day does not pass without remembering you.

We all love you and miss you a lot.

dp-1056/23

Late Zevino Chuse

1929 – 12.03.2023

Aged 94

We the family of Late Zevino Chuse, W/o Late Vido Chuse of Phesama Village who died on March 12, 2023 would like to thank most sincerely all those who sympathised us on our great loss.

To everyone who reached out to us during our time of mourning, we are grateful for your continued support and love during our time of need. She will be missed dearly by all who knew her.

K-531/23

Loving Family Members

Died on 15.03.2022

Loving family members

05/05/1934 to 07/03/2023

“A Great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies.”

The Family members of Late o nenlila deeply appreciates and gratefully acknowledges all the neighbours, friends, well-wishers, organizations, councils and churches for your continued gestures of love through prayers, resources, moral and material support during the brief illness and final days of our beloved mother, grand-mother and a great grandmother

Words are not enough to express our gratitude. We can only pray that the Lord Almighty Bless You all.

Medical officials, students and others at the oral health awareness at Pungro.

Dr Kilemsungla addressing the gathering as resource person on Tuesday. (NP)

Officials, members of CMA and CCEM at the destruction of IMFL at Pfutsero.

Q.: After a long period, are recent border incidents signs that Assam is sending a strong message?

Kruse holds thanksgiving programme at Kiruphema

Cor respondent KOHIMA, MAR 14(NPN): Salhoutuonuo

Kruse, one of the two first women legislators, who has been inducted as the first woman cabinet minister, held thanksgiving programme at Kiruphema ground from Peducha on Tuesday.

NEXT POLL

Kruse was elected from 8th Western Angami Assembly Constituency and has been allotted as minister for Women Resource Development & Horticulture.

Addressing the thanksgiving programme, Kruse expressed gratitude to everyone for their support, and the leadership of NDPP party led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, president Chingwang Konyak and secretary general Abu Metha for their constant support and allotting her the cabinet status.

She also thanked the NPF and BJP of 8th Western Angami A/C for the continuous support. Kruse also acknowledged the citizens for electing her the first woman from 8th Western Angami Assembly Constituency and s hared her

DC Kohima issues directives

DIMAPUR: In view of the construction materials causing obstruction and pollution, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kohima, Shanavas C has directed all the owners to keep the construction sites covered/barricaded/ screened with green shade net/tarpaulin/CGI sheet till the completion of the construction work.

According to a DIPR report, the DC said construction materials left exposed in the open are posing hazard to passersby.

DC said debris/dust/ smoke/noise from construction sites has created undesirable levels of noise and air pollution and the exposed construction sites are degrading the aesthetics of the city making it unwelcoming, unappealing, and unhygienic.

Trainings on food processing and mushroom cultivation

ensure better livelihood opportunities.

visions and appealed to the citizens to work together as a team to acheive the vision.

Earlier, the programme was chaired by Kuobou Mezhünyü, Working President 8th Western Angami A/C and invocation by Vileto Vielie, pastor Kiruphema Baptist Church. Short speeches were delivered by Khrielievi Chüsi, campaign director, Ali Tungoe, women A/C president, Aleto Kruse,

GNF helps fire victims of Solo Chiu Village

youth A/C president, Kepelhoutuo Chüsi, president Western Angami Public Organisation, Vilazosie Punyü, head GB Khonoma village and Kechangulie Kense, general secretary NDPP Kohima Region. Welcome address was delivered by Mhiesilhoukho Yalie, president 8th Western Angami A/C, and special song was presented by the Vocal Band and tribute from Nise Meruno.

ADC and RO Mokokchung informs on municipal election

DIMAPUR: Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) and Returning Officer (RO) Mokokchung Municipal Council, Chumlamo Humtsoe has issued notification in related to the ensuing election of Mokokchung Town Municipality (MTM) on May 16.

According to a DIPR report, the ADC and RO has informed that an election was to be held of a member to Ward No. 1,2,4,5,7,8,10,11,13,14,16 & 17 of the MTM with Ward No. 3,6,9,12,15 & 18 reserved for women.

ADC and RO has informed that nomination papers may be delivered by the candidate or his/her proposer to the Mokokchung Municipal Council (MMC) Returning Officer of ADC (Hq) & RO between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on any day (other than public holiday) from April 3 but not later than April 10, 3 p.m.; forms of nomination papers may be obtained at the place and times aforesaid; the nomination papers will be taken up for scrutiny on April 1213 at the Office of the ADC (Hq) & RO Mokokchung Municipal Council (MMC).

Therefore, in the interest of public safety, the DC has directed all the owners to follow the directive.

DIMAPUR: Skill trainings on food processing and mushroom cultivation under skill development was carried out by ANMA Integrated Development Association (AIDA) - Don Bosco, SBI Gram Seva programme Dimapur under skill development. A press release by AIDA informed that the trainings were held for the five adopted villages namely Khriezephe, Diezephe, Tsithrongse, Urra and Bade.

The training for Self Help Groups (SHGs) of meat and pickle selling point of Khriezephe and Diezephe was held on March 14 at Life Ministry Learning Centre (LMLC), and Mushroom cultivation at Mushroom Farmers club, Bade Village through Mushroom Development Foundation (MDF) Guwahati. AIDA said these trainings were carried out to provide skilling for unemployed youth, women, SHG members in order to

AIDA said one day of food processing and two days of mushroom training for women, SHG members was to focus on inclusive and maximum growth and address the challenges faced by the members. Trainings and exposure visits for the women, SHG members to different learning centres in convergence with different organizations/departments help in cross-learning and sharing knowledge among each other.

It said the 27 participants of the meat and pickle selling point SHGs were taught food quality assurance, quality control, food processing and preservation for the food processing training.

The 50 participants of mushroom training were taught the construction of the mushroom house, preparation of straw, incubation/ spawning and casing soil, etc.

NCC cadets visit orphanage and destitute home

DIMAPUR: A team of 15 National Cadet Corps (NCC) Cadets of Sazolie College, Jotsoma affiliated to 1 Nagaland Girls Bn NCC Kohima under the aegis of NCC Group HQ, Kohima visited the Kohima Orphan-

age and Destitute Home at Phezu, Jotsoma on March 14. According to PRO (defence), during the visit, the team interacted with the inmates of the Children’s Home and various essentials items

were distributed. The cadets also shared the stories of being in National Cadet Corps and motivated the inmates to keep studying hard for a better tomorrow.

‘11th Canaan farmers school training’ culminates

DIMA PUR: The “11th Nagaland Canaan farmers school training” jointly organised by the Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM), Impur and CEdge College in collaboration with Life Ministry Learning Centre (LMLC) which began on March 8 culminated on March 10 at LMLC, Naga United Village.

A press release by CEdge College informed that the trainers were DPO, Land Resources department (Mokokchung), Dr. Sashiyangba and DABA pastor Rev. I Wati Jamir, while resource persons from ABAM were executive secretary, Rev. Dr Mar Pongener, PS to executive secretary, Panger Ozukum, Sunday School promoter, Imsentiba, coordinator social concern, Limasangwa and member NCFS committee, Meralong Langu.

inculcate the Canaan Spirit of pioneering spirit and hard work for community transformation.

enable them to eradicate poverty and attain economic prosperity.

DIMAPUR: In response to the appeal for the fire ravaged Naga village of Solo/Chiu village, Myanmar, Global Naga Forum (GNF) carried out a relief mission to help the villagers.

A press release by GNF stated that a seven member GNF relief mission team led by GNF co-convenor and chair, GNF for Nagas in Myan-

mar, professor Rosemary Dzuvichu, GNF advisory board member, Abeiu Meru, Miriam Rengma, Kevitho Kera, Azo Wetsah, Chungtin Khiamniungan and Mutsoi Khiamniungan reached Solo Village on March 12.

The team was received by the village chairman and villagers, who were then handed over the relief materials for the fire victim families.

It has been informed that notice of withdrawal of candidature may be delivered by a candidate or his/her proposer or his/her election agent (who has been authorized in writing by the candidate to deliver it) to MMC office before 3 p.m. on April 24. In the event of the election being contested, the poll would be taken on May 16, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., informed the ADC and RO.

State-level w’shop on ‘Technovation Nagaland’

SDG Nodal Officer, Nay-

During the training, former Executive Secretary ABAM, Rev. O Alem spoke on the history and relevance of Canaan Farmers School, credited with bringing the program to Nagaland from South Korea.

The release informed that the training seeks to

It said the ideology of CFS was, “Work, Service, Sacrifice” and the motto was, “Learn to Master, Work Diligently, Humbly Serve.” Based on which, the people are called to be pioneers with the clear dream of always achieving a better life.

The release stated that Nagaland Canaan Farmers School under the ABAM believes that the Nagas today need such a spirit to

LFI College field visits to Precious Gems School

During the training, trainees were introduced to stringent discipline and understanding of the Canaan Spirit.

Participants were students and staff from C-Edge College, staff of LMLC, farm manager of ABAM Resource Centre and two representatives from Naga United Ao Baptist Church.

DIMAPUR: A state-level workshop for technology innovations, “Technovation Nagaland 2023” by Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) SELCO Foundation and SDGCC, Planning and Transformation department was held at Hotel Vivor Kohima, Tuesday.

According to a DIPR report, in his address, assistant manager, Nagaland Tool Room and Training

Center (NTTC), Er Awalo Keppen gave a brief highlight on the working and functions of NTTC.

He said the center, a society of government under the department of Industries and Commerce established in 2006, was also selected as one of the startup incubators under Startup Nagaland and that it has been helping businesses to build up their

visions.

Senior Scientific Officer, Science & Technology, Er. Kevitso Kenneth, while thanking AIC, SELCO, SDGCC, Planning & Transformation for organising the workshop, expressed the hope that it would give an insight into scouting, supporting, and spawning local innovators.

In a keynote address, IES, OSD (Planning) &

antara Sasikumar lauded AIC central foundation for inspiring the people. She also appreciated all the innovators, representatives, and local organizations. She expressed delight for the sustainable innovations being initiated such as the SDG innovations, participatory action, and research initiatives, though it was a small initiative started last year. Sasikumar maintained that through this initiative foundation and SDGCC with the support of the relevant government departments and local organisations, innovators would come up with their proposals and become successful entrepreneurs. The event included expert sessions on building an ecosystem for technology innovators and startups which was conducted by Youth Net.; discussion sessions and innovator diagnostics.

Earlier, welcome address was delivered by AIC Team, Gaurav Barthakur.

DIMAPUR: The department of Psychology and Education, Livingstone Foundation International College, Dimapur, carried out a field visit to Precious Gems School, Christian Institute of Health Science and Research, on March 14.

It may be noted that Precious Gems School was started in 2016 with a vision to help children with intellectual and developmental disabilities alongside their parents. There are also special classes for the parents so as to equip them with the knowledge required

to understand the unique needs of their children.

Dr. Y. Simpson, Head of Developmental Pedeatrics Department, welcomed the students and oriented the gathering on the different types of intellectual and developmental disability, its symptoms, causes and treatment.

He also highlighted the misconception public has on intellectual disability.

After the orientation, the students were allowed to observe and interact with the Children and their parents.

Officials the Naga Council Dimapur led by its president called on H. Tovihoto Ayemi, Advisor Tribal Affairs and Election Department, Nagaland at his residence on Tuesday and discussed various issues pertaining to Dimapur district.

Salhoutuonuo Kruse addressing the thanksgiving programme on Tuesday. (NP)

Members of GNF with the villagers at the relief mission.

Officials and participants of the Technovation Nagaland 2023 in Kohima. (DIPR)

Resource persons and members of ABAM and C-Edge College at the Canaan farmers school training.

Participants at the training programme.

Students of LFIC during the visit to Precious Gems School.

Assam question paper leak: 22 people detained

GUWAHATI, MAR 14

(PTI): At least 22 people have been detained, including teachers and students, from across Assam for questioning related to leak of general science question paper, meant for Class 10 state board examination, leading to cancellation of the test, a top police officer said.

State Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, however, said some people have been arrested. He did not share details of the arrests, citing the ongoing probe.

The Assam Police registered a criminal case and the CID was handed over the investigation on Monday.

Assam Director General of Police Gyanendra

Pratap Singh said a total of 22 persons have been detained from Guwahati,

North Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sadiya, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

“Further lawful action as mandated by law is being taken against them. We remain committed to unearth the network of people involved in leakage of the question paper and the conspirators,” he tweeted.

“A probe is going on, so l can’t share much details about the case,” the state

education minister told reporters outside the Assam Assembly.

He said that some teachers have also been arrested and termed the development as “unfortunate”.

Pegu had on Monday said: “There is no question of involvement of teachers. The papers are kept at police stations and taken to examination centres only on the morning of the test day.”

The minister also appealed to the people to share any information related to the case with the police.

The general science examination, which was scheduled to be held Monday, was cancelled by the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) on Sunday night following reports that the question paper had been leaked.

Flight services resume at Pakyong airport; regular service from Mar 26

41,946 crore. Our state is not far from experiencing an economic catastrophe like to the one currently affecting Sri Lanka,” he said.

GUWAHATI, MARCH

14 (IANS): Sivasagar

MLA Akhil Gogoi has claimed that Assam’s economic situation will soon be like that of the crisis-hit Sri Lanka.

Gogoi, leader of the Raijor Dal party, also alleged that the Centre had ceased approving loans to the state government due to the size of the latter’s debts.

“As of November 2022, the Assam government owes a total of Rs 1,27,073 crore. The total debt as of 2016 was Rs

Mnp based Naga body wants socio-political issues

Correspondent

IMPHAL, MAR 14: A

Naga based civil society on Tuesday urged concerned authorities of the Manipur government to identify and delete the fictitious villages, bogus population, bogus Aadhar Cards and voter identity cards.

Naga Youth Forum

Manipur (NYFM), in a statement signed by its president Amu Pamei, also demanded de-recognition of chieftainship heading multiple villages and to enact appropriate laws for new village recognition, while expressing serious concern over the present socio-political issues of Manipur.

It also called for a mass social movement while highlighting issues plaguing the state, particularly the massive loss of forest cover that affected the whole Manipuri society.

Manipur has been in the national news recently for the massive loss of forest cover. According to India’s Forest Report 2021, Manipur recorded a loss in forest cover of 249 sq. km in 2021. In 2019, forest cover loss was 499 sq. km

Over Rs 3.68cr spent on Assam Cabinet meetings

GUWAHATI, MAR 14

(PTI): The Assam government has spent over Rs 3.68 crore for holding Cabinet meetings in nine districts since September 2021, Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass said on Tuesday.

The highest expenditure of Rs 1,13,92,399 was incurred for a Cabinet meeting held at Haflong in Dima Hasao district, he said.

Replying to a question by Congress legislator Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha in the Assembly, the General Administration Department minister provided the information on the amount spent for hosting the Cabinet meetings in these nine districts.

The expenditure incurred in some of these meets include Rs 55,54,034 in Bongaigaon, Rs 48,42,173 in Jorhat and Rs 35,15,912 in Dibrugarh.

An amount of Rs 21,79,129 was spent on holding a Cabinet meeting in Kamrup Metropolitan district, where state capital Dispur is situated.

The total expenses incurred by the state exchequer is Rs 3,68,30,116, as per the data submitted by Dass.

The minister, however, did not specify the number of Cabinet sittings for which the amount has been spent.

as compared to the previous assessment in 2017. From 2017 to 2019, Manipur lost a total forest cover of 758 sq. km.

“This is in contrast with the increase of 2,261 sq. km in the total forest and tree cover for the whole country during 2019-21,” the forum pointed out.

The NYFM observed that deforestation to facilitate poppy cultivation has been mainly responsible for most of the forest cover loss during this period.

Correspondingly, drug trafficking has also been on the rise as evidenced by massive seizure of drugs in the state, it added. Drugs originating from the neighbouring countries and trafficked through the state have also been seized in other parts of the country.

Responding to the critical situation, the Manipur government under the leadership of chief minister N Biren Singh has been undertaking a massive campaign against drugs under the banner of “War on Drugs” since November 2018. In the process of the drive against poppy cultivation, it was found

that many areas under the reserve forest and protected forests are under poppy cultivation.

Many illegal encroachers were also found within these forest areas which led to investigation into the existence of many illegal settlements within forest areas.

For instance, K Songjang village evicted recently from ChurachandpurKhoupum Protected Forest was a new settlement established in 2021.

As per the statement of the forest department, the establishment of a new village inside a protected forest area violated section 30 (C) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, Rule No. 73 (4), 73(5) of Manipur Forest Rules 2021, Section 2(ii) of Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and Supreme Court order dated 12.12.1996 passed in WP(C) No.202 of 1995 and was treated as encroachment in the protected forest.

Besides, the long-term impact of climatic change, another immediate big impact of deforestation is that Manipur is facing floods during the rainy season and drought and shortage

of drinking water during winter.

The massive herbicides and fertilizers used for poppy cultivation have become a big cause of health hazards.

Many new villages, both recognized and unrecognized, have been detected in the follow-up investigation. There have been instances where more than 10 villages in different districts under a single village chief are recognized.

The villages were also found to be named after their forefathers and not by location. It is also very alarming that many villages with fictitious populations, Aadhar cards and voter ids have also been found.

The process of timely streamlining has so far been blocked by the elected representatives for their selfish ends. Sadar Hills (present Kangpokpi) had 179 villages in 1969 which has grown into massive 534 villages in 2021, an impossible growth of 198%.

This can be compared to the growth of villages in Senapati District with 126 villages in 1969 and 140 in 2021, a growth of 11% growth. Similarly, Chura-

On the opening day of the Assam Assembly’s budget session last week, the MLA launched an attack on the state government, saying it had consistently attempted to stifle essential topics. He continued by referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as the two “Hitlers” of India.

The Sivasagar MLA also criticised Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s address, calling it utterly false and full of errors. He claimed that the address should not have included a discussion of “Assam’s quest” to break a world record with a unique Bihu performance.

addressed

chandpur had 216 villages in 1969 and 544 villages in 2021, a growth of 150%. Tengnoupal and Chandel had 232 in 1969 and it has increased to 446 in 2021, a growth of 100%.

Tamenglong and Noney recorded a growth of 29%. Ukhrul and Kamjong district have recorded a negative growth of 6% in the number of villages.

Correspondingly, an attempt to control land and resources has been translated into a political movement demanding a separate political status.

The NYFM said that this has resulted in sociopolitical issues in Manipur. This is evidenced by the recent agitation launched by some sections of people in support of the illegal encroachment in the reserve and protected forests.

A mass social movement is the need of the hour to address the present artificial socio-political issue created by vested interests.

It is the moral responsibility and bounden duty of all those who desire a peaceful and prosperous society, irrespective of their caste, creed or ethnic affiliation, the NYFM asserted.

GANGTOK, MAR 14

(PTI): Flight services at the Pakyong airport in Sikkim resumed on Tuesday as a Spicejet plane took off for Delhi, officials said.

The flight services at the table-top airport were suspended in October last year due to operational difficulties, they said.

The suspension of services inconvenienced people of the state, besides

adversely affecting the tourism industry of Sikkim, they added. The Spicejet flight landed at the Pakyong airport with 12 passengers and then, took off for Delhi with 43 passengers.

Regular flight services will start on March 26 with a daily flight to Delhi for now, officials said.

Before suspending its operations, SpiceJet used to operate daily flights to Delhi

and Kolkata from Pakyong.

Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang had earlier written to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for resuming flight services.

Pakyong airport is located at a distance of 26.8 km from state capital Gangtok. The busy Bagdogra airport in West Bengal’s Siliguri is around 123 km from Gangtok.

1st M’laya Intl Film Festival underway

Correspondent

SHILLONG, MAR 14:

The first ever International Film Festival, organized by the Meghalaya Filmmaker’s Association in collaboration with Meghalaya Tourism got underway at the U Soso Tham Auditorium, State Central Library here on Tuesday evening.

After formally inaugurating the festival, Arts and Culture Minister, Paul Lyngdoh said that Meghalaya apart from being known as “abode of clouds” is also an “abode of talents and

Assam police arrest Tripura youth for links with Rohingya trafficking

AGARTALA, MAR 14

(PTI): A team of Assam police arrested a youth from South Tripura district for his alleged link in Rohingya trafficking from Bangladesh, a police officer said on Tuesday.

The Assam police team arrested Dipanjan Baidya from his residence in Hrishyamukh area under Belonia

sub-division on Monday and took him to Karimganj for investigation into a Rohingya trafficking case, the officer said.

Recently, a group of Rohingyas were arrested by police of Bazari police station in Assam’s Karimganj district.

“In course of the investigation, cops found Di-

panjan’s name in one of the arrested Rohingya’s phones. Based on the inputs, a team of police headed by DSP G D Sharma (Assam police) landed at Hrishyamukh and sought help from the local police station”, SubDivisional Police Officer (SDPO) Abhijit Das told PTI over telephone. He said a joint team

Athawale’sRPI(A)planstocontest 2024LokSabhapollsfromAssam

GUWAHATI, MAR 14

(PTI): Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas

Athawale on Tuesday said

Republican Party of India

(A), led by him, is looking to contest two seats in Assam in the Lok Sabha polls next year.

The leader of the Maharashtra-based political party said it is aiming to contest from Barpeta Lok Sabha seat and another constituency in Assam having a sizable Muslim population after its recent success in Nagaland assembly polls.

“We have won two seats in the recently held Nagaland Assembly elections. With this, we have opened our account in the North East. Our next plan is to contest in the Lok Sabha polls in Assam,” Athawale said at a press conference here. The RPI(A) is looking to contest from Barpeta, cur-

rently represented by Congress MP Abdul Khaleque, and one more seat in Assam during the general elections for Lok Sabha in 2024, he added.

“We are aiming at Muslim priority seats. We will contest as an NDA constituent. We will speak to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on this,” Athawale said.

He also said that various central government schemes worth Rs 350 crore are being implemented in Barpeta constituency.

Criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks on Indian democracy in the UK, Athawale demanded an apology from the opposition leader.

“He went abroad and defamed India. We should praise our country when we go to a foreign country. We should highlight the

economic growth and developmental works, but Rahul Gandhi went to London and said that Indian democracy is at stake.” the RPI(A) leader said. During his recent visit to the UK, Gandhi at various interactions alleged that the structures of Indian democracy are under attack and that there is a “full-scale assault” on the institutions of the country.

Gandhi had also told British parliamentarians in London that microphones were often ‘turned off’ in the Lok Sabha when any opposition member raises important issues. The opposition leader’s remarks triggered a political slugfest with the BJP accusing him of maligning India on foreign soil and seeking foreign intervention, and the Congress hitting back by citing instances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi raking up internal politics abroad.

carried out raid in the residence of Dipanjan at Hrishyamukh and arrested him for his alleged link in Rohingya trafficking on Monday. The arrested person has already been taken to Karimganj for investigation and follow up action.

However, the SDPO refused to divulge further details on the case. But

he said there are reports of Bangladeshi infiltration through Hrishyamukh and Mati area of Belonia subdivision.

“Over 10 Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended in the sub-division for illegal entry into Indian territory during the past one year. All of them were pushed back”, he added.

IN the Court of DIstrICt & sessIoNs JuDge ZuNheboto: NAgAlAND

No.JUD/SUCC-34/2020-21/12

Whereas

creativity”. “The international film festival is the celebration of Meghalaya’s potential in producing artists and arts in the form of films which will enable the state to compete on the national stage and beyond,” the minister observed.

Lyngdoh said that the international film festival is a great opportunity to showcase a unique and rich culture and tourism potential basket of the state. He also encouraged the youth to learn and be inspired through the film festival, which can go a long

way in transforming the film industry in the state.

“The government is committed to setting up state of the art cinema halls which will further boost the film industry in the state. The sparks lit today will eventually lead Meghalaya to be an inferno of talent, creativity and huge potential,” Lyngdoh expressed optimism. The 1st Meghalaya International Film Festival will continue for five days across four venues in which over 40 films will be screened.

Affid A vit

I, Nungshilemla Aier , a resident of H/No.235, Grace Colony, Lengrijan Firing Range, Dimapur, Nagaland declare through an affidavit No. 1162/2023 dated 14.03.23 that I relinquish the use of my former name ‘Nungshilemla’ and hereafter I assume the name of ‘Nungshilemla Aier’. Henceforth I will use my name as ‘Nungshilemla Aier’ for all official and other purposes.

dp-1096/23

Dated Zbto

Affid Avit

2)

3)

4)

the said claim(s) within 30 (thirty) days from the date of publication to this notice.

District & sessions Judge Zunheboto: Nagaland K-527/23

Regd. No. : 44/2023

I, Smt. Hushili, W/o Khehuto Yeptho a resident of 4th Mile, Diphupar Village, Chumoukedima, Nagaland declare through an affidavit No. 181/2023 dated 13.03.2023 that my name has been recorded as ‘Hushili Yeptho’ in Aadhaar, PAN card, Bank etc. and as ‘Hushili’ in my Appointment order and Service book. Hushili Yeptho and Hushili are the name of same person i.e. me. Henceforth I will use my name as ‘Hushili’ for all official and other purposes.

dp-1093/23

Date : 09/03/2023

AffidAvit (Correction of Name)

I, Shri. thinuosalie Rüvieo, S/o Late Vilhousa Rüvieo, aged about 60 years, presently residing at Rusoma Village, Kohima, Nagaland, do hereby solemnly affirm and declare as follows:

1. That I am a bonafide citizen of India.

2. That my official name is Thinuosalie Rüvieo.

3. That some discrepancies arose in view of entry of my name as Thinuosalie Rüvieo and Thinuosalie Angami in different Documents. However, the names Thinuosalie Rüvieo and Thinuosalie Angami are one and same person.

4. That this affidavit may be treated as a piece of evidence that Thinuosalie Rüvieo and Thinuosalie Angami is the same and one person. However the official name Thinuosalie Rüvieo shall be used for all official purposes in future.

5. That the statements made in paragraphs I to 4 are true to my knowledge and I have not suppressed anything.

And I sign this affidavit on this the 9th day of March. 2023 at Kohima.

d e CLARAti ON

Regd. No. 309/2023

Date 13/03/2023

I, Smti Y. INAHOLI KIBA, Daughter of Shri. Yehoshe Kiba, permanent resident of North Point, Zunheboto : Nagaland and presently residing at Sangtam Tilla, Dimapur : Nagaland do hereby solemnly affirm and declare on oath as under :

1. That I am a bonafide citizen of India and resident of above mentioned address.

2. That my correct and official name is “Y. Inaholi Kiba”.

3. That however in my service documents my name has been entered and recorded as “Y. Inaholi Kiba” and “Inaholi”.

4. That my name “Y. Inaholi Kiba” and “Inaholi” refers to the name of one and same person i.e. myself.

5. That this affidavit is made to declare that my real and official name i.e., “Y. Inaholi Kiba” and the same should be used for all official purpose, future correspondence and references.

6. That the statements made from para 1-5 are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief and nothing false has been stated therein.

of

‘Assam’s economic situation will soon be like Sri Lanka’

DGP Gyanendra P Singh

Akhil Gogoi

Artists at the U Soso Tham Auditorium

File photo of Sikkim’s Pakyong airport.

SNIPPETS

India’s 63 police stations

don’t have vehicle: Govt

NEW DELHI, MAR 14 (PTI): As many as 63 police stations in the country do not have any vehicle, 628 police stations do not have telephone connection and 285 police stations don’t have a wireless set or mobile phone, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand

Rai said there are 17,535 police stations operating in the country now.

A total of 63 police stations don’t have any vehicle, 628 don’t have any telephone connection and 285 don’t have a wireless set or mobile phone, he said in a written reply to a question.

11th edition of Delhi lit fest to begin on March 17

NEW DELHI, MAR 14 (PTI): Historian William Dalrymple, film maker and designer Muzaffar

Ali, singer Hans Raj Hans, and writer Anand Ranganathan are among the well-known names attending the 11th edition of the Delhi Literature Festival (DLF) starting here on March 17.

The three-day festival will be held at the India Habitat Centre (IHC) and DLF Avenue, Saket. It will be inaugurated by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav.

Students protest outside JMI, demand CUET for admission

NEW DELHI, MAR 14 (PTI): A group of students staged a protest outside Jamia Millia Islamia demanding admission in all courses through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).

The CUET was introduced last year for admission to graduate and postgraduate courses by the University Grants Commission (UGC). However, earlier this month, the JMI announced that it will stick to its own admission process. The protest was organised by RSS-affiliated ABVP.

The protesting students, holding saffron flags and placards saying ‘End the admission scam’ and ‘Bring CUET’, raised slogans demanding the adoption of CUET for all courses.

UP man arrested for killing wife over petty dispute

ALIGARH (UP), MAR 14 (PTI): A man has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife over a petty dispute here, police said on Tuesday. The incident happened in Ghazipur village under Barla police station area on Monday, killing Sapna (28), they said. According to police, the accused Mohit Kumar murdered his wife for dressing inappropriately in public, police said.

India should have educated PM: Kejriwal on Sisodia’s arrest

BHOPAL, MAR 14 (PTI):

Sounding the poll bugle in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took swipes at Narendra Modi over the arrests of his colleagues and said the country needed an “educated prime minister”.

Speaking at a `Jansabha’ gathering here, he promised free electricity, education and health facilities if his party came to power in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh where Assembly elections are due by yearend. He was accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

“People of Madhya Pradesh have given enough opportunities to both the Congress and BJP which ruled the state for 45 and 30 years, respectively. Just give a chance to AAP, and as in Delhi and Punjab, we will provide free electricity, edu-

cation and health facilities to the people of the state,” Kejriwal said. He then referred to his party colleague and former Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia’s arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation in an alleged corruption case.

“The day the Prime Minister sent Manish Sisodia to jail, I felt it is absolutely necessary to have an

Stalin slams ‘political forces’ misusing tech to spread rumours

CHENNAI, MAR 14

educated prime minister in the country to understand the importance of education,” he said. Taking a jibe at Modi over his appeal to beat plates during the COVID-19 crisis (to express solidarity with health workers), Kejriwal further said, “If the prime minister is less educated, someone comes to him and advises him to make people beat plates to

Kejriwal cannot escape responsibility for liquor scam under his govt: BJP

NEW DELHI, MAR 14

(PTI): The BJP fired a fresh salvo at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, saying he cannot escape responsibility for the “liquor scam” under his government.

Delhi BJP’s working president Virendra Sachdeva said Kejriwal never cared to reply to the “grave questions” raised by the saffron party over the “liquor scam” and defended former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is currently in jail in connection with a case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the excise policy for the national

AHMEDABAD, MAR 14

(PTI): The Gujarat High Court has sought the state government’s reply on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on the use of loudspeakers for reciting ‘azaan’ (call to prayer) in mosques. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice A J Desai and Justice Biren Vaishnav on Monday allowed Shaktisinh Zala, a Bajrang Dal leader, to join the PIL after the original petitioner Dharmendra Prajapati sought to withdraw it citing threats. Zala’s lawyer urged the court to allow him to join the litigation in the absence of the original petitioner.

The court listed the matter on April 12 while directing the government to file a reply.

capital. Sachdeva asked Kejriwal why the wholesale liquor business in Delhi was handed over to private players, despite a technical committee’s recommendation that it should be handled by the government.

Why was the commission of wholesalers raised from 5 per cent to 12 per cent

against the recommendation of the committee, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader asked. “Kejriwal is the mastermind of the liquor scam and he cannot escape the probe,” he said, citing a statement of Sisodia’s personal assistant that the decision to raise the commission was taken at a meeting at the chief minister’s residence.

Sachdeva also sought Kejriwal’s clarification on whether an amount of Rs 100 crore earned from the “scam” was used by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Goa Assembly polls held last year and the party’s connection with a private media company.

shoo away coronavirus. He made people do that, but did coronavirus flee? Therefore, it is necessary for the prime minister to be educated,” he said.

Criticizing the prime minister further over the arrests of Sisodia and Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain, Kejriwal said the two had transformed the education and health sectors in the national capital. But the prime minister did not like it as it was against private players’ interests, he alleged.

Modi will not put behind bars corrupt politicians belonging to the BJP, the AAP leader claimed.

Referring to the `Vyapam scam’ related to admissions to medical colleges and recruitment in government jobs in Madhya Pradesh and a scam in the Women and Child Development department in the state, Kejriwal said nobody was sent to jail in these cases.

(PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday took a veiled swipe at the BJP by saying that ‘some political forces’ utilise technology for spreading rumours and cause deterioration of law and order.

In his address, inaugurating the 50th edition of ‘Bridge (Building human capital for a trillion dollar digital economy)’ conference, an initiative of the ICT Academy Stalin said all steps are being taken by the State government to take Tamil Nadu to the numero uno spot in the country in Information Technology sector. Technology has two sides to it and the objective for which it is used decides its usefulness. “The younger generation should use technology for their growth and must not become its slaves. Crimes, involving use of technology for duping people are more,” he said.

“Some political forces utilise

it for spreading rumours and spoil law and order,” he said without naming anyone.

Recently, fake information was spread in social media that migrant workers were attacked in Tamil Nadu leading to unrest among labour force belonging to States including Bihar. The government had to reach out to workers to calm them that the claims were false and cases were registered by police including one against a Hindi daily and a BJP spokesperson as well.

The CM further said, “obscene websites are also on the rise and human lives

are becoming fatalities in online card game Rummy.” Hence, the youth should grow in thier lives by using technology in the right manner and work for the nation’s development.

The Raj Bhavan had on Wednesday returned a Bill banning online Rummy to the Tamil Nadu Assembly for reconsideration.

Stalin said Tamil Nadu is a pioneer in successfully implementing National eGovernance Plan and State government e-Governance initiatives.

Underscoring various government initiatives during 1996-2001, when late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister, including coming up with a IT policy in 1997, he said such pioneering initiatives is behind the achievements the State has made in the field. His government, working on the social justice-led Dravidian model of governance is continuing such work.

Registration of organ transplantation in any state: Govt

NEW DELHI, MAR 14 (PTI): The government has done away with the requirement of state domicile for registration of patients requiring organ transplantation, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Now such patients will be able to go to any state of the country and register themselves for organ transplantation, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply.

The government is working with the aim of “One Nation, One Policy” for organ donation and transplantation in consultation with the states, she said.

“In this regard, it has

been decided to remove the requirement of domicile of the state for registration of patients requiring organ transplantation from deceased donor. “Now such patients will be able to go to any state of the country and register themselves for organ transplantation,” she said.

According to the new government guidelines, the upper age limit of 65 years as eligibility for

MP assembly: Cong stage walkout against BBC censure

BHOPAL, MAR 14 (PTI): Congress MLAs on Tuesday walked out opposing a censure motion that the Madhya Pradesh assembly passed against the BBC for allegedly showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a bad light in its documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The House on Monday passed the censure motion against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) after it was introduced as a private member resolution. It came days after the Gujarat assembly passed a resolution requesting the Centre to take strict action against BBC for “tarnishing the image and popularity of PM Modi”.

As the house convened on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition Dr Govind Singh quoted news articles saying it was reported that the censure motion was ap -

proved “unanimously” by the House, though the Congress had not supported it.

It is incorrect to say that the motion was approved unanimously as it was brought during “Zero Hour’ without prior notice, Singh said. Also, the motion was not brought before the House business committee for discussion, which he said was against democratic norms.

The Opposition leader said that the Congress legislature party was opposing this censure motion.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Narottam Mishra, however, countered the charge saying most of the Congress MLAs, except for the party’s state chief Kamal Nath, were present when the motion against BBC was passed in the House. But the leader of opposition didn’t speak

then, he said. Dr Singh claimed that he had opposed the censure motion at the time but it was not recorded. Some Congress MLAs, including Sajjan Singh Verma, also started speaking about the resolution related to the BBC documentary. With several members speaking together, the leader of the opposition announced that the Congress legislature party was staging a walkout against the motion.

As the Congress members walked out, Speaker Girish Gautam clarified that the censure motion against BBC was passed with a voice vote and not “unanimously”.

On Monday, the motion against the UK broadcaster was introduced as a private member resolution moved by ruling Bharatiya Jana ta Party (BJP) MLA

Shailendra Jain and seconded by minister Narottam Mishra. Before the motion was passed by voice vote, MLA Jain said the BBC had telecast an objectionable documentary by misinterpreting the 2002 Gujarat riots and portrayed then chief minister Narendra Modi in a bad light. He said the documentary had also cast aspersions on the country’s judiciary which amounts to contempt of court and added that the judiciary works independently and freely in India.

registration to receive deceased donor organ has been removed.

Now, a person of any age can register for receiving deceased donor organ, the minister said.

The minister said the government has enacted the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 1994 and notified the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules 2014.

The aforesaid Act and Rules provide for a broad uniform policy for organ donation and transplantation in the country, she said.

The Act and Rules are applicable in all Union territories and have been adopted by all states under

article 252 (1) except the Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Meghalaya and Tripura, the minister said. Responding to another question, she said the government is taking several steps to increase awareness on organ donation in the country. These include dissemination of information by NOTTO, ‘Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs)’ and ‘State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (SOTTOs)’; three tiered structure set up under the National Organ Transplant Program (NOTP); a website www. notto.gov.in; a 24x7 call centre among others.

LUCKNOW, MAR 14

(PTI): After cases of drunk flyers urinating on co-passengers, an off-duty train ticket examiner has been accused of relieving himself on a woman on the KolkataAmritsar Akal Takht Express. The alleged incident occurred on the night of March 13.

Munna Kumar, the accused train ticket examiner (TTE), has been arrested, a Government Railway Police (GRP) official said on Tuesday. He was said to be under

the influence of alcohol. A resident of Begusarai in Bihar, the accused was posted as a TTE in Saharanpur, the offcial said.

Kumar was not on duty at the time of the alleged incident.

Navratna Gautam, the GRP inspector in Lucknow, told PTI that according to the complaint lodged by the passenger, he and his wife were travelling from Kiul in Bihar to Amritsar.

On the night of March 13, Kumar allegedly urinated on his wife’s head, he said. Kumar was arrested from Charbagh station after a complaint was lodged with the GRP (Charbagh Lucknow), Gautam said.

He added that a probe will be conducted to ascertain if the accused was drunk at the time of the alleged incident.

THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (THE HIGH COURT OF ASSAM:NAGALAND:MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)

KOHIMA BENCH QUOTATION

Dated Kohima, the 14th March’ 2023. NO.HC(K)14/2023/Estt/679 ::: Sealed quotation are hereby invited from intending local suppliers having permanent stationery shops within Kohima Municipal Area at Kohima for supply of office stationery & other items to the office of the undersigned. Details may be downloaded from www.kohimahighcourt.gov.in (NEIKO AKAMI, NJS) Registrar Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench DC-280/23

State Institute of Hotel Management

(Operated by Saksham Educational Foundation under PPP mode) Purana Bazar ‘B’ Village, Block-5 on Miya Bazar Road, Dimapur-797116, Nagaland Phone No: +918132877406 E-mail id: info@saksham.co.in

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India is pleased to announce job oriented hotel & restaurant related courses (HUNAR SE ROZGAR TAK) in the trades of with minimum qualification required given in bracket against each course:-

A. Multi-Cuisine Cook (8th Class Pass)

B. Food & Beverages Services (10th Class Pass)

C. Room Attendant (5th Class Pass)

D. Front Office Associate (12th Class Pass)

The Courses would be delivered by State Institute of Hotel Management, Dimapur, Under Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. There is no courses fee. Limited seat of 30 in each course, hence first cum first serve basis Interested candidates having a minimum of 18 years of age (no upper age limit) for all the courses except item may apply mentioning their name, address, contact no. bank details, qualification, experience etc. along with two passport size photograph to the Principal, State Institute of Hotel Management, Dimapur on or before 20th of March 2023.The class will tentatively commence by the 3th week of March 2023 Principal State Institute of Hotel Management, Dimapur.

Bharati Pravin Pawar

Arvind Kejriwal addresses party workers during a convention, in Bhopal, Tuesday. (PTI)

M K Stalin

Virendra Sachdeva

New low on legality

India is at a critical junction on which way it would take - whether to reject or accept the plea filed by various petitioners for same sex marriage; while the centre and the supreme court appear to be headed towards different directions. The petition had pleaded for making same sex marriage in India legal. It may be recalled, that India had decriminalised homosexuality in 2018. On September 7, 2018, a 5-judge constitutional bench of Supreme Court of India invalidated part of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, hence making homosexuality legal in India. India does not recognise registered marriage or civil unions for same-sex couples, though samesex couples can attain equal rights and benefits as a live-in couple (anagolous to cohabitation) as per a Supreme Court of India judgement in August 2022.In response to a batch of petitions seeking recognition of same sex marriages under the law, the Supreme Court of India had issued notices on these petitions in November last year and in January this year. The apex court had, on January 6,2023 clubbed and transferred to itself all such petitions pending before different high courts, including the Delhi High Court and fixed the hearing on March 13,2023. The Centre in a filing to the Supreme Court on Sunday stuck to its earlier stand that same-sex marriage is not compatible with the concept of an “Indian family unit”, which it said consists of “a husband, a wife, and children which necessarily presuppose a biological man as a ‘husband’, a biological woman as a ‘wife’ and the children born out of the union between the two - who are reared by the biological man as father and the biological woman as mother”. The Centre said that “a plain reading of” various laws on the subject “makes plain that the legislative intent was to recognise marriage as being the union of one man and one woman only”. Urging the court to leave the issue to Parliament, the Centre asserted that any “recognised deviation…can occur only before the competent legislature”. It also said that “despite the decriminalisation of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Petitioners cannot claim a fundamental right for same-sex marriage to be recognised under the laws of the country”. On March 13 when the matter was heard, the Supreme Court referred the pleas to a 5-bench constitution bench and which will hear the plea on April 18. Article 145(3) mandates that cases involving substantial questions and interpretation of the Constitution should be heard by a Bench of at least five judges. Chief Justice Chandrachud said the case involves an “interplay” between constitutional rights of life, liberty, dignity, equal treatment of members of the LGBTQ+ community members and specific statutory enactments which considers only a married union between a biological man and woman. A growing number of governments around the world are considering whether to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriages. So far, 30 countries and territories mostly in Europe and Americas have enacted national laws allowing gays and lesbians to marry. India’s stand on the issue is based on the universal principle that marriage is between opposite sexes of which, procreation being a natural corollary to sustain life on this planet. Today it is about same sex but no one can never predict what tomorrow holds.

DailyDevotion Yielding

…you are that one’s slaves whom you obey…

—Romans 6:16

The first thing I must be willing to admit when I begin to examine what controls and dominates me is that I am the one responsible for having yielded myself to whatever it may be. If I am a slave to myself, I am to blame because somewhere in the past I yielded to myself. Likewise, if I obey God I do so because at some point in my life I yielded myself to Him.

If a child gives in to selfishness, he will find it to be the most enslaving tyranny on earth. There is no power within the human soul itself that is capable of breaking the bondage of the nature created by yielding. For example, yield for one second to anything in the nature of lust, and although you may hate yourself for having yielded, you become enslaved to that thing. (Remember what lust is— “I must have it now,” whether it is the lust of the flesh or the lust of the mind.) No release or escape from it will ever come from any human power, but only through the power of redemption. You must yield yourself in utter humiliation to the only One who can break the dominating power in your life, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. “…He has anointed Me…to proclaim liberty to the captives…” (Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61:1).

When you yield to something, you will soon realize the tremendous control it has over you. Even though you say, “Oh, I can give up that habit whenever I like,” you will know you can’t. You will find that the habit absolutely dominates you because you willingly yielded to it. It is easy to sing, “He will break every fetter,” while at the same time living a life of obvious slavery to yourself. But yielding to Jesus will break every kind of slavery in any person’s life.

Quotes

Women on the frontline of peace

Women face specific and systematic gender-based issues in conflict situations. The challenge is how to empower more women in the peacebuilding process.

More and more women are taking up combat roles on the front line, playing a key role a year on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But this hasn’t always been the case.

All military roles available to men were only opened to women last year, with a wave of new recruits joining after the February 2022 invasion.

Gender-inclusive reforms in 2018 gave women the same legal status as men in the armed forces and ended bans on women holding 450 different occupations in Ukraineincluding welding, firefighting and many defence roles - in an attempt to abolish Soviet-era stereotypes maintaining that some work was damaging to reproductive health.

Women and girls in conflict environments, in combat roles or otherwise, may seem to face the same dangers as men. But in the lead up to International Woman’s Day this week, we’re reminded that females face specific and systematic gender-based issues like sexual violence, human trafficking and maternal deaths. The UN special advisor to the secretary-general on gender issues estimates 70 per cent of non-combatant casualties in recent conflicts are mostly females.

In 2000, the United Nations adopted the landmark Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, recognising the need for women’s participation in peace building processes and the importance of their role in global peace and stability. It also recognised that women are not just victims, but active participants as peacebuilders, negotiators and peacemakers.

But more than a decade later the resolution has fallen

In the age of information and digitisation, the paradigms that define a leader, the workforce and productivity stand altered and some vital requisites have particularly been added to the call of leadership. The traditional ‘leaderfollower’ equation or the ‘boss-subordinate’ relationship does not hold because the yardstick of leadership is not determined by the number of followers alone nor would a ‘boss’ command the respect even of the limited count of subordinates one had, unless he or she was also a ‘leader’.

Working online and from home, brings in a new challenge of oversight and control being exercised from a remote end and pushes to a new level the importance of the ‘emotional intelligence’ of the leader - reputations could be made or marred by any perceptible ‘flaw’ in these spheres.

Equally important is the communication skill of the leader - the messaging has to have clarity, brevity and logical sequencing regardless of whether it was done verbally, telephonically or online.

The thought that all businesses or professional ventures are ‘human activity’, has been revalidated and the concept that the ‘individual was the centre of all productivity’ has been reinforced despite the rise of technology.

‘Smart’ working has received newfound importance since being smart means being able to produce more per unit of ‘resource’ - whether of money, manpower or machine - the exalted level of ‘competition’ in a fast-moving world, had made ‘time’ a new resource as well.

short of expectations - violence against women persists, and many barriers, both cultural or societal, remain for women to be fully involved in building and maintaining peace.

In Afghanistan, historical patriarchal norms and attitudes have posed significant challenges to the overall development of women and their participation in any constructive activity. “People in Afghanistan believe that a woman is born only to give birth and care for her children and husband. She should not be doing anything else,” said Fatima (not her real name) an Afghani student studying overseas. “Many women work for peace, albeit secretly in most cases. I, too, worked as a teacher for the UNHCR.”

Between 2005 and 2020, nearly 80 percent of peace talks in Afghanistan have excluded women, with women participating in only 15 of 67 meetings and negotiations, according to Manzoor Hasan and Arafat Reza at the Centre for Peace and Justice at BRAC University, Bangladesh.

“With limited access to education and deliberate exclusion from decision-making processes exacerbated by [a] patriarchal mindset, it is unsurprising that the path before Afghan women to make any meaningful contribution to peace-building and conflict prevention is fraught with countless obstacles,” they said.

“Afghan women have played an important role in preventing violence and building peace with the help of some local and international organisations. They are involved, among other things, in raising public awareness about the importance of education and peace, women’s rights, and countering extremist beliefs.”

But with the Taliban back in power, many women are likely to fear participating at all.

Research suggests that the

ductivity’ were becoming relatively freer of how well you were ‘dressed for work’, bound by ‘office hours’ and placed in the vertical hierarchy of the organisation.

A leader today has to have a ‘comprehension’ far greater than what one could do in earlier times and has to be far more effective than before in a situation of operational ‘remoteness’ and reduced ‘visibility’ forced by digitisation. At least five prerequisites of leadership have to be met for the latter’s success. The first is the ability to take knowledge-based decisions and to ensure that an unwarranted gap between ‘decision’ and ‘action’ did not result in failure of the project. With this goes the competence about initiating a mid-course correction should this become unavoidable in the interest of the mission.

A successful leader has to have flawless communication - verbal, audio based or digital - since inadequate or faulty communication from the top can be the cause of failure too.

A leader has to be a well-informed person - being well-informed means having the right information at the right time, having the information that made a difference between a decision and a ‘guess’ and accessing ‘complete looking’ information since ‘knowledge’ came in ‘integral packaging’ all components of which had to be understood.

As an illustration, the CEO whose organisation employed women workers must in addition to his professional ability to manage the business, know that an adequate system had to be in place to prevent and look into any case of harassment of a woman at the workplace, as required

presence of civil society organisations, including women’s organisations, reduces the possibility of peace agreements failing by 64 percent.

But there is still progress to be made even in the leading global peace organisations like the UN. Eleanor Gordon, senior lecturer at Monash University, said mothers can face a dilemma in continuing their career in the sector due to “organisational, work culture issues and gendered assumptions about who does peace and who does care work.”

Gordon previously worked for the UN for a decade before leaving to have her son. “Women with children are often disinclined to raise issues about their caring responsibilities for fear they will be judged as unprofessional or not committed,” she said.

“Conversely, women with children may sometimes be judged as poor mothers when they choose to work in this sector, seemingly prioritising the needs of their work above their children. “These barriers to the engagement of parents in peacebuilding is a significant factor in the underrepresentation of women in the [peacekeeping] sector.” She said reccomendations to improve the culture to be more supportive towards caregivers include more parental leave, re-engagement support for returning employees, transfering spouses to the same mission and prioritisation of family duty station posts. “Crèches and safe spaces for nursing mothers, flexible work schedules and more part-time and job-sharing opportunities, work-life balance messaging and practice, and transparent disciplinary procedures to guard against discrimination [would also help],” she added.

On a national basis, women’s full and equal participation in public life is critical to building and sustaining strong democracies. Yet in conflictaffected or post conflict coun-

The importance of ‘World Consumer Rights Day’

tries, their representation in parliament is lower than 21 percent, according to the UN.

Even in partriarchal societies like Malaysia and Thailand, some women are bucking the trend, with their involvement crucial to advancing gender equality.

For decades, Thailand’s southernmost regions have been plagued by armed conflict and insurgency. Despite numerous failed attempts at resolution, women have been absent from formal peace negotiations, but the appointment of the first female Muslim governor in Pattani province, Pateemoh Sadeeyamu, may change that.

“Her leadership style is about bridging divides between communities; she embraces both Muslim and Buddhist communities, youth and seniors, political and non-political agendas,” said Anna Christi Suwardi, lecturer at Mae Fah Luang University.

“Southern Thai Muslims — whose ethnicity, culture and language differ from the Buddhist majority — believe they are treated as second-class citizens.”

Since the escalation of violence in 2004, women’s groups in the three Thailand border provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat have been trying to engage in peacebuilding initiatives. “Peace negotiators in Thailand’s deep south could learn from the peace process in Mindanao, the Philippines, that included women at decision-making level,” Suwardi said.

Consolidating women’s groups can unify their voices to become a bridge between the security sector and their wider communities. “When women are part of the negotiations, they will ensure that the peace agreement is fair and takes into account the needs of both men and women,” she said. (360info.org)

By Tasha Wibawa, 360info in Melbourne

The call of leadership

by law. A good leader realises that ‘though nobody knows everything, everybody knows something’ about how the business was doing and makes arrangements to garner this tacit knowledge available within the organisation. This helps the leader to remain wellinformed.

Successful corporate bodies establish a wellfunded ‘Intelligence and Analysis’ unit to systematically collate and analyse information about the external environment - besides the internal feedback - to help knowledge-based decisionmaking. This is also the reason why major players in a business participate in the intra-industry get-togethers and business conferences within the country and outside - this is an exercise to keep the leadership wellinformed.

The second important trait of a successful leader is the capacity to ‘distinguish essentials from nonessentials’ or in other words to practice ‘effectiveness of differentiation’.

Pareto’s law famously said: “There are a significant few amongst the insignificant many”. A leader should be able to see the difference between a major problem and a minor irritant, between the ‘macro’ and the ‘micro’, between the long term and the short term, between the ‘journey’ and its destination and between the decision and its implementation.

Steve Jobs - founder of Apple - is said to have remarked: “Don’t let something that does not matter cause you to lose something that does”. Somewhere, the leader has to have the capacity to see things from their larger perspective - a bird’s eye view helps to realise how something that

In course of the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation(NVCO) two-week long observation of World Consumer Rights Day, NVCO President Kezhokhoto Savi stressed on “the importance of observation of World Consumer Rights Day”. World Consumer Rights Day, celebrated on March 15 every year, is a global event that aims to raise awareness about consumer rights and needs. Consumer rights mean that every person who buys various products, goods, and services, has the right to have information on the quality, purity, price, and standard of those products. Did you know that you have the right to file a complaint from anywhere, anytime as consumer? Most people are not aware of their rights as consumers, so by celebrating this day, we make others aware of the right to demand protection and stay safe from fraudulent activities in the marketplace. The day is celebrated to help all global consumers realise their rights and speak against market injustice. Global consumers suffer from inadequate products, unfair terms of sale and poor after-sales service. Therefore, this day is celebrated to protest against these unfair practices and to demand better consumer treatment and service. The global theme of world consumer rights day 2023 – “Clean Energy Transition”. The first world consumer rights day was celebrated in 1963 and since then, the World Consumer Rights Day has grown in popularity and is celebrated every year with a specific theme. One of the most interesting themes, ‘Tackling Plastic Pollution’, aimed to raise awareness of sustainable consumption and practices focusing on the manufacturing and usage of plastics and their impact on the environment. Knowing our rights as consumers is crucial because we can only identify whether we are getting fooled or cheated if we know our consumer rights. Most importantly, we can raise our voices and take legal action against any product or service purchase that goes against our rights.

In Nagaland, there is an alternate mechanism where before approaching District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission or State Commission, one can call up Nagaland Consumer Helpline through Toll Free No. 1800 – 345 – 3701 and seek help or guidance as to how to solve one’s consumer grievances. Kezhokhoto Savi in his special message to the citizens/consumers of the state – “If all the people in Nagaland act together and raise awareness about consumer rights, our society as well as government agencies will change for the better when it comes to consumer rights”.

Press & Media Cell, NVCO

Kezhokhoto Savi, Advocate Recipient of First Prize National Youth Award

looked ‘big’ in proximity became small in a comparative showing. Also, ‘awareness’ when ‘complete’ leads to ‘acceptance’ of what the reality was and allows for a stress-free mind at the leadership level.

It is the remit of the leader to establish an environment of peace within the organisation so that everyone was able to work with concentration and enhance productivity - the relationship between ‘concentration’ and ‘output’ per unit of time is not difficult to fathom.

A leader while assessing a person who worked for him can see the relative value of ‘brilliance’ and ‘hard work’ and draw a line between an apparent ‘dynamism’ and the test of ‘delivery’.

Being seemingly busy is not the same as being productive. A healthy sense of discretion in the exercise of authority sets apart a leader of distinction from others in the pack.

Thirdly, a leader wields the power of ‘authenticity’ - not merely the strength that the chair provides - and this can be developed with a conscious effort.

A person at the top must remember that there was a ‘leader’ in him or her and that ‘all leaders could manage but all managers could not lead’.

Credulous people never look powerful. A leader must act only on reliable information - not taken in by gossip, live in integration with certain principles and values and function out of self-esteem, not ego. These qualities show up on their own. The leadership of the organisation creates the right ‘boss-subordinate’ relationship down the line. The senior must provide nurtural supervision and al-

low the junior to express his opinion while retaining his right to overrule the latter with a logical explanation. A boss should not be short on listening and long on dictating.

A leader distinguishes the failure of ‘result’ from the failure of ‘effort’ and faults the ‘action’ of a subordinate without attacking the ‘persona’ of the latter.

A good leader is ‘respected’ more than he is ‘feared’.

A fourth dimension of leadership is inevitably linked with the way the latter handles interactions within the organisation since - as already mentioned - all business is human activity. This traverses the entire range of situations from assembling the team to the perceptions about credit-sharing in the enterprise.

No two persons are equal in every respect and therefore leveraging individual strengths and remembering that a multicultural group can be a powerhouse of creativity, would be very useful while constituting a team.

A leader realises the importance of the ‘power of relationship’ that manifests itself when within the organisation members give and seek legitimate help. Leadership must understand how emotions shaped the responses of any person - this will help a senior with the right EQ not to misread the doing of an employee who possibly could be under some stress caused by a situation in the family and to note the body language of the latter at the same time. The success of a leader lies in getting more from a team and retaining the organisational loyalty of the workforce.

Finally, the leaders today should not miss the trend that there is an evolution of

management- particularly because of the COVID experience- whereby organisations were becoming flat needing a participative role of leaders, a downward shift of decision-making and a greater requirement for the seniors to know their men closely. Vertical interaction is a means of creating a grid for maximising production. Bosses can not afford to be aloofist in exercising control of the operations as they had to be ready to provide guidance to any team member who would ask for it.

The world economic and geopolitical scene was prone to quick changes and the leaders were required to take responsibility upfront for course correction, monitoring of demand and supply and the fixing up of the supply chain both within the country as well as globally.

The strategy of undertaking re-skilling or upskilling programmes, promoting multi-tasking and framing a flexible policy for a Hybrid Work Environ (HWE) - all need the direct involvement of the leadership at the top.

Leaders have to be confident of themselves - there is a saying that ‘courage is a love affair with the unknown’. Perhaps they should remember also that doing the right thing is always the right thing.

Above all, today’s leader has to develop a new level of identification with the workers since in a situation of dispersal, the importance of the individual becoming the anchor of productivity beyond technology, had shown up on a stronger note.

D.C. Pathak

(The writer is a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Views expressed are personal)

“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”

~ Suzy Kassem

SNIPPETS

Karni Sena founder

Lokendra Singh Kalvi dies in Rajasthan

JAIPUR, MAR 14

(PTI): Rajput leader and Karni Sena founder

Lokendra Singh Kalvi passed away at a staterun hospital here on Tuesday. Family sources said he suffered a cardiac arrest late in the night and breathed his last. Kalvi was admitted to the Sawai Man Singh Hospital for the past few days. His funeral was conducted at his ancestral village, Kalvi, in Nagaur district. His elder son Bhawani Singh lit the funeral pyre.

No proposal under govt’s consideration for new state: MoS

NEW DELHI, MAR

14 (PTI): There is no proposal under the central government’s consideration for creation of any new state, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said this while replying to a written question on whether the government has received any proposal for the constitution of Bundelkhand state.

5 killed, 9 hurt as car rams into SUV in UP

FIROZABAD (UP), MAR 14 (PTI): Five people were killed and nine injured when a speeding car rammed into a parked SUV on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway in Nasirpur on Tuesday, police here said. Superintendent of Police (Rural) Ranvijay Singh, who visited the spot, said the passengers in the SUV -- on its way to Jaipur from Gorakhpur -- had got down to relieve themselves when the car rammed into their vehicle around 9.30 am. The car was on its way to Ambedkar Nagar, he said. Four passengers of the SUV and one in the other car were killed, Singh said.

Terrorist arrested in J&K’s

Sopore

SRINAGAR, MARCH 14 (IANS): Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore have arrested an active terrorist, an official said on Tuesday, adding arms and ammunition were also recovered from his possession. The terrorist has been identified as Owais Ahmad Mir. A police officer said that based on specific input regarding the presence of a terrorist in Madina Bagh Moh at Dangerpura area, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Sopore Police and the Army (22RR).

Grounded in tradition: Rijiju on same-sex marriages

NEW DELHI, MAR 14 (AGENCIES): Marriage is an institution that has to be regulated by certain laws enacted by parliament which reflects the will of the people, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday, days after the government opposed in the Supreme Court legal validation of same-sex marriage, reports ANI.

“The only issue with the government is marriage is an institution, it has sanctity and it must be backed by law which takes into account our traditions, our ethos, our heritage -- There are so many things in our country,” he said at the Lokmat National Conclave.

He said as a government, “we are not opposed to any kind of activities done by anybody as a citizen. As a citizen, as long as you follow the law of the land, you are free to do whatever you choose to do”.

A person of any sex can also choose to lead a particular life which is suitable to him or her, he observed.

“But when you talk about marriage, marriage is an institution. Marital institutions are guided by different specific laws ... When

it comes to institutions, it has to be regulated by certain laws. The law must be enacted by Parliament of India. Because Parliament of India reflects the will of the people,” he said. Courts, Rijiju pointed out, can definitely interpret many things.

The courts can also go into certain issues which require some clarity in terms of correct interpretation, he said, adding that “we have no issue on that”.

India, the minister said, is not a country which emerged suddenly. It is an ancient country with rich cultural traditions and all customary practices.

“So, that is why our position is very clear on that,” he said in response to a question on the issue of same-sex marriage.

The Centre has opposed in the Supreme Court a batch of pleas seeking legal validation of same-sex marriage, saying it would cause complete havoc with the delicate balance of personal laws and accepted societal values.

Despite the decriminalisation of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, the petitioners cannot claim a fundamental right for same-sex marriage to be recognised under the laws of the country, it said.

In its affidavit, the Centre said the institution of marriage between two individuals of the same gender is neither recognised nor accepted in any uncodified personal laws or any codified statutory laws.

The state does not recognise non-heterosexual forms of marriages or unions or personal understandings of relationships between individuals in society but the same are not unlawful, it said.

On Monday, the Supreme Court referred the pleas seeking legal validation of same-sex marriages to a five-judge constitution bench for adjudication, saying the issue is of “seminal importance”.

Maharashtra govt employees launch indefinite strike for OPS; services hit

pension amount was given by the government, must be restored.

Since 2004, government employees (barring armed forces personnel) are covered under the National Pension System (NPS), a contributory scheme where the payout is market-linked and return-based.

MUMBAI, MAR 14 (PTI):

Lakhs of employees of the Maharashtra government went on an indefinite strike from Tuesday seeking restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), affecting services, including in state-run hospitals, a day after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced to set up a committee to look into the demand.

Paramedics working in hospitals run by the state government, sanitation workers and teachers have also joined the strike which comes at a time when board examinations for Classes 10 and 12 are underway.

Employees raised slogans like “Only one mission,

39 Indian cities among world’s 50 most polluted: Report

NEW DELHI, MARCH

Amid the ongoing debate over same-sex marriage in the country, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Tuesday toed the line of the Centre stating that it considers marriage as ‘Sanskar’ in the Hindu life which is neither for enjoyment or contract but for social good.

This comes after the Centre, in its affidavit, had opposed the plea seeking legal recognition of samesex marriage, saying that living together as partners by same-sex individuals, which is decriminalised now, is not comparable with the Indian family unit and they are clearly distinct classes which cannot be treated identically.

Speaking to reporters, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said that marriage can take place between two persons of opposite gender.

“Marriages can take place between two opposite genders. In Hindu life marriage is ‘Sanskar’, it isn’t for enjoyment, neither

is it a contract.

Living together is different, but what is called marriage is a ‘sanskar’ in Hindu life for thousands of years, which means that two individuals get married and live together not only for themselves, but for the family and for the social good. Marriage is neither for sexual enjoyment nor a contract,” he said. The Centre filed the affidavit countering the demand made by various petitioners seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage.

In the affidavit, Centre opposed the plea and said that pleas seeking legal recognition of same-sex ought to be dismissed as there exists no merit in these petitions.

Same-sex relationships and heterosexual relationships are clearly distinct classes which cannot be treated identically, the government said as its stand against the petition seeking legal recognition of LGBTQ marriage.

14 (IANS): The Swiss firm IQAir in its ‘World Air Quality Report’ released on Tuesday ranked India the world’s eighth most polluted country in 2022, dropping from fifth place the previous year. In the list of most polluted cities in the world, out of the 50 cities, 39 are in India.

Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Kuwait, India, Egypt and Tajikistan were the top 10 most polluted countries while Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, and New Zealand met the World Health Organization (WHO) PM2.5 guideline (annual average of 5 Aug/m3 or less).

The data from 131 countries was taken from over 30,000 ground-based monitors, either government or non-government operated. As per the report, In India, the transportation sector causes 20-35 per cent of the PM2.5 pollution while other sources of pollution are industrial units, coal-fired power plants and biomass burning.

After the two top mostpolluted cities, Lahore in Pakistan and Hotan in

China, Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi is in third place and Delhi ranked fourth. Delhi’s PM2.5 level is almost 20 times the safe limit, the report stated.

Delhi has so far been the most polluted capital in the world and the report made a distinction between ‘greater’ Delhi and New Delhi the capital. Both are in the top 10 and the infamous distinction of being the world’s most polluted capital goes to Chad’s N’Djamena. National Capital’s peripherals-- Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad have seen a decline in pollution levels. The report said that there is a 34 per cent decline in Gurugram to 21 per cent in Faridabad if compared to the average PM2.5 levels reported in previous years.

Delhi has seen a decline of eight per cent. The report said that worldwide, poor air quality accounts for 93 billion days lived with illness and over six million deaths each year.

According to the report, 31 cities including 10 cities in Uttar Pradesh and seven in Haryana, have seen a steep percentage decline in pollution levels.

India will be ‘akhand Hindu rashtra’ by 2026: BJP MLA

weeks.

Caseregisteredagainst MLAforhatespeech

PUNE, MAR 14 (PTI): An offence has been registered in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar against suspended BJP MLA from Telangana T Raja Singh after a video of his vitriolic speech targeting Muslims went viral on social media.

Islamic countries and more than 150 Christian nations, why can’t India be declared a Hindu Rashtra given that Hindus constitute a majority of its 100 million people?

restore old pension” outside government offices and hospitals. Vishwas Katkar, the convenor of a committee of nearly 35 unions representing state government employees, semi-government staffers and teachers, said their members in all 36 districts of Maharashtra are participating in the stir.

“Services in hospitals, educational institutes, government establishments, tax offices and even the district collector offices were completely shut,” Katkar claimed.

He asserted there will be no compromise on the issue and demanded that the OPS, under which the entire

Sumitra Tote of the Maharashtra Nurses Association said its members from 34 branches across 30 districts participated in the strike on Day one.

However, government services in Mumbai, including in hospitals, remained largely unaffected.

In the state-run JJ group of hospitals, which controls four medical facilities in Mumbai, services were mostly unaffected, said Dr Pallavi Saple, dean, JJ Hospital.

“Major surgeries took place at two of our hospitals. But we have started planning for the coming days. We are roping in nurses from the BMC (Mumbai civic body). We also have nursing students, Class four workers who are on contract,” she said.

The MLA was also recently questioned by Latur police in Maharashtra over another provocative tirade of his, officials said.

“Whoever speaks against Hindus, we will not spare them,” Singh is heard telling the sizeable crowd comprising mostly youth in Rahta tehsil in Ahmednagar district at a recent public meeting.

“In our Hindu Rashtra you won’t even get a loudspeaker to do what you do five times a day,” he said, in an apparent reference to Muslims offering prayers.

Singh also claimed that in a media interview several years ago, Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray had spoken of “eliminating” insects and cockroaches (Muslims) with a spray.

Singh is heard saying

UP health officials on alert as H3N2 cases rise

LUCKNOW, MARCH 14

(IANS): The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has put all medical facilities on alert in view of rising cases of H3N2 virus in the state.

The health depart -

Budgammurder:J-KCongdemands exemplarypunishmentforaccused

SRINAGAR MAR

14

(PTI): Jammu and Kash -

mir Congress on Tuesday condemned the killing of a woman in Budgam district and demanded exemplary punishment to the accused.

The “shameful” incident has shook the conscience of the society and it should work as a wake up call, the JKPCC said in a statement.

The remarks came after a woman was murdered in Soibugh area of the central Kashmir district and her body cut into several parts which were hid at different locations. Police has already arrested a person in connection with the murder.

Expressing deep shock and anguish over the gruesome killing of the woman in Soibug area, the Congress termed the incident a black spot on the society’s face.

Though there was a massive outcry as expected against this heinous crime, the society needs to take collective efforts to contain the crime, it said.

Besides, the administration, especially J-K Police, must keep a vigil over such activities and contain these with iron hands, the statement said.

JKPCC appealed to the people to wake up before crime engulfs the entire society leading to the ugliest situation. The party extended deepest condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for their courage to bear the loss.

Kashmiriyat was a symbol of humanity and services, but, unfortunately it has received serious setbacks due to some handful of black sheep roaming in the society, the JKPCC said.

ment has issued an alert in the state and a separate nodal officer will soon be nominated for this in every district.

The state government has also issued guidelines, asking officials to be vigi-

lant about influenza-like illness. According to the official spokesman, a 10-bed isolation ward will be set up in every district hospital while OPD will also have a separate room for patients

suspected of influenza, so that they can be prevented from coming in contact with other patients. Special vigilance will be in place for children, the elderly and those with serious illness.

that if someone wants to beat ‘lande’ (a derogatory reference to Muslims), he should join Bajrang Dal. He is also heard seeking the support of youth to make India a ‘Hindu Rashtra’.

“Let the ‘lande’ of Maharashtra know that the army of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is ready. Let those who talk against Hindus or slaughter cows know that we are ready,” he is heard saying. India will be declared as “akhand Hindu rashtra” by 2026, Singh said.

The names of Ahmednagar and Hyderabad (capital of Telangana) cities will be changed to Ahilyabainagar and Bhagyanagar, respectively, he said.

“Hindus are demanding the country be made an ‘Akhand Hindu Rashtra’. If there can be more than 50

“Come what may, in 2025 and 2026, India will be declared as ‘Akhand Hindu Rashtra’. I am not saying this, this is the roar of all sadhus and sants and it is their prophecy,” said Singh, amid cheers by the crowd. A senior official of Ahmednagar police on Tuesday said they have registered a case against the MLA.

“Based on a complaint, we have registered an offence against Singh and the organizers of the event under sections 295 A (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 504 (Intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code,” he said.

Singh, who has a history of making incendiary communal speeches, was arrested last year for remarks against Prophet Mohammed.

In Maharashtra, he has addressed rallies in Solapur, Amravati, Latur, Karad, Pune and Mumbai in recent

At a rally in Latur on February 19, Singh said, “Teach a lesson to Afzal’s illegitimate sons. Nobody propagating love jihad should be alive on Maharashtra’s soil.”

On February 27, Latur police booked Singh for his speech under sections 295-A and 153 (provocation with intent to cause rioting) of the IPC.

Latur’s Superintendent of Police Somay Munde said a first information report was filed and police are investigating the matter.

Another police official in Latur said that police have questioned Singh and are in the process of filing a charge sheet against him.

The MLA from Goshamahal in Hyderabad is known for his controversial remarks against Muslims.

Following an uproar over his remarks against Islam and Prophet Mohammed, the BJP had suspended Singh from the party in August 2022.

Singh was arrested in connection with the case and secured bail.

Singh faces several police cases in Hyderabad including those related to alleged communal offences.

Mumbai Municipal employees protest for old pension scheme, at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. (PTI)

T Raja Singh

Kiren Rijiju

Dattatreya Hosabale

‘MarriageinHinduismis‘sanskar’, notcontractorenjoyment’:RSS

Wholesale inflation eases to over 2-year low in Feb

NEW DELHI, MAR 14

(PTI): The wholesale pricebased inflation declined to over two-year low of 3.85 % in January on easing prices of manufactured items, fuel and power, even though food articles remained expensive.

This is the ninth straight month of decline in the rate of wholesale priceindex (WPI) based inflation. The WPI inflation was 4.73% in January and 13.43% in February, last year.

“Decline in the rate of inflation in February 2023 is primarily contributed by fall

(From p-1)

in prices of crude petroleum & natural gas, non-food articles, food products, minerals, computer, electronic & optical products, chemicals & chemical products, electrical equipment and motor vehicles, trailers & semitrailers,” the commerce and industry ministry said on Tuesday.

The 3.85% WPI inflation is the lowest since January 2021, when the rate of price rise on wholesale basis was 2.51%.

The decline in the rate of price rise was mainly due to a favourable base effect, economists said, adding that

going forward, softening commodity prices would help ease WPI inflation further. However, the future course of food inflation would depend on weather related conditions and timely monsoon.

Although inflation in manufactured items softened, in the case of food articles it rose to 3.81% in February, from 2.38% in January.

Inflation in pulses was 2.59%, while in vegetables was (-)21.53 %. Inflation in oil seeds was (-)7.38% in February 2023.

SBI Pfutsero staff held for fraud

Later, the accused bank clerk was asked to report to Pfutsero police station and was arrested when he appeared. He is currently in police remand as the case is being investigated.

Meanwhile, SBI has appealed to its customers and public to check and verify all related documents before leaving bank counters. It also appealed to the customers to count cheque leaves whenever any new account was opened or a new cheque book was received in order to avoid such incident in the future.

Gold climbs Rs 480; silver zooms Rs 2,150

NEW DELHI, MAR 14 (PTI):

Gold prices climbed Rs 480 to Rs 57,380 per 10 grams in the national capital on Tuesday amid strong global trends, according to HDFC Securities.

The precious metal had ended at Rs 56,900 per 10 grams in the previous trade.

Silver also zoomed Rs 2,150 to Rs 66,900 per kg.

“Spot gold price in the Delhi markets was at Rs 57,380 per 10 grams, up Rs 480 per 10 grams,”

Saumil Gandhi, Senior AnalystCommodities at HDFC Securities, said. In the overseas markets, gold and silver traded higher at USD 1,909 per ounce and USD 20.80 per ounce, respectively.

“Gold prices hover around the key level of USD 1,900 as expectations of less aggressive Federal Reserve rate hikes after the collapse of two big US regional banks lifted non-yielding bullion’s appeal,” Navneet Damani, Senior VP - Commodity Research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, said.

(From p-1) He said NPS should be scrapped and give the employees their due rights. Besides seven charters of demands, Dr. Ilang said CANSSEA was focused on NPS, which Nagaland has around 40,000 employees, adding that NPS must be scrapped. Describing NPS as “a privatized company”, he said the employees did not know where the money goes and whether the employees would be getting pension.

Therefore, he said the government of India should scrap the Act and roll back to OPS “one nation, one pension”. When the states like Punjab, Chhattisgarh,

Jharkhand and Rajasthan had already scrapped the NPS and West Bengal had never implemented, he said there was no reason why Nagaland should not scrap the scheme. He affirmed that CANSSEA would not stop until and unless government repealed the Act.

CANSSEA vice president Chuba Yanger said it was because of the neoliberalization that the private party was given more authority leading to poor economy of the state and society was in danger.

Even those under OPS, Yanger said was not sure what would happen. He said the fate of those employees under NPS lay in the hands of the private companies.

NSF concerned over delay...

(From p-1)

On his part, the minister thanked the student body delegation for the visit and assured to reach out to every section of the society through deployment of adequate numbers of doctors and nurses and meeting other requirements at district hospitals. While seeking cooperation from NSF, Paiwang also appealed to public through NSF for using generic medicines that were being made available through Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) at affordable prices.

H3N2 virus: Health experts call for masks, better...

(From p-1) Yamagata lineages of influenza B viruses in circulation.

H3N2 and H3N1 are both types of influenza A viruses, commonly known as the flu. Some of the most common symptoms include prolonged fever, cough, running nose, & body pain. But in severe cases people may also experience breathlessness and/ or wheezing.

Meanwhile, the Covid infection has also reported a spike after four months as 524 daily Covid cases were reported on Sunday.

“For the last three years we have learned how respiratory infections can be prevented. Because the infections go out and come in from the nose and mouth, you need to cover this

area and that is masking. Proper masks are needed, particularly when you are in crowded places,” said Dr. Iswar Gilada, an infectious disease expert.

“Masking is important particularly for those who are both with comorbidities and the family members of those who are having such kind of people at their home,” he said.

The experts also suggested people to wash their hands before eating or utilising any public transit with soap or sanitiser to minimise the risk of infection.

Another thing is flu shots, that need to be taken annually to help boost immunity. It is because, “a vaccine that you took last year might not necessarily cover the influenza virus that’s going to come next year

or the year after. It will give you some baseline protection but it may not give you the best protection”, Dr. Jayadevan told IANS.

Meanwhile the experts also stated that antibiotics should be avoided in treating the flu as it works only against bacteria and not viruses.

“Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections like influenza or Covid-19. Antibiotics are designed to target and kill bacteria, not viruses. In some cases, antibiotics may be prescribed if a bacterial infection is suspected or if there is a secondary bacterial infection, such as pneumonia, that develops as a result of a viral illness,” Dr Laxman Jessani, Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, told IANS.

“However, it is important to use antibiotics judiciously and only when they are truly necessary to help prevent the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” Jessani added.

(From p-1) Stating that recently there had been instances of miscreants firing at the residences of public leaders, the hoho said “such act of life attempt is an act of cowardice which is condemnable by every sensible citizen.” SH stated that “such act of lawlessness” have no place in a civilized society. According to sources, police have visited the incident site and initiated the investigation. An FIR has also been registered in connection with the incident. It may be mentioned that on the same night, some miscreants had reportedly fired shots at the Lok Sabha MP Tokheho Yepthomi’ residence at Naharbari, Dimapur.

CoMMerCIaL

UrgenT ForeST L and For SaLe

It is notified for the information that I Mrs. Kainali sumi, w/o Late

Assumi a resident of Thahekhu Village Dimapur state that my appointment order No. ED/SE/B/16/88-89 dated 22/05/1989 for Primary Teacher has been misplaced from home.

may please contact

SNIPPETS

Japan approves bill to raise age of consent

TOKYO, MAR 14

(IANS): Japan’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved a bill to amend the country’s Penal Code regarding the age of sexual consent and a range of sexual offence charges. According to the bill aimed to be passed during the current parliamentary session, the age of sexual consent in Japan will be raised from 13 to 16, reports Xinhua news agency. Sex with children under the age of 16 will be criminalised by raising the legal age of consent, with Japan having long been under pressure from child consultation centres here which deal with abuse, as well as international human rights organisations, for the legal age of consent to be raised.

China to reopen to tourists, resume all visas

HONG KONG, MAR

14 (AP): China will reopen its borders to tourists and resume issuing all visas on Wednesday after a three-year halt during the pandemic as it sought to boost its tourism and economy. China is one of the last major countries to reopen its borders to tourists.

The announcement on Tuesday came after it declared a “decisive victory” over COVID-19 in February. All types of visas will resume from Wednesday. Visa-free entry also will resume at destinations such as Hainan Island as well as for cruise ships entering Shanghai that had no visa requirement before COVID-19.

10 killed in Al-Qaeda attack in Yemen

ADEN (YEMEN), MAR 14 (IANS): At least 10 people were killed on Tuesday in an attack by Al-Qaeda terrorists on members of government forces in Yemen’s Shabwa province, the media reported, citing officials.

“A group of gunmen of the Yemen-based alQaida branch launched an attack on Al-Safra point of the Fifth Brigade of Shabwa’s local defence troops,” an official told Xinhua news agency on the condition of anonymity. “The militants launched an attack on the checkpoint, using heavy weapons and grenades, surrounding the soldiers and cutting off their escape routes,” he said.

“However, reinforcements from other government troops in Shabwa arrived quickly on the scene and provided timely intervention support to the beleaguered troops,” he added.

The reinforcements engaged the attackers in a fierce fire-fight, eliminating at least six terrorists and bringing the situation under control.

Hundreds dead as Cyclone Freddy wrecks Malawi and Mozambique

BLANTYRE, MAR 14

(AP): The devastating Tropical Cyclone Freddy which has devastated southern Africa in a rare second landfall has killed at least 216 people in Malawi and Mozambique since Saturday night, with the death toll expected to rise.

Heavy rains that triggered floods and mudslides have killed 199 people in Malawi, authorities said Tuesday. President Lazarus Chakwera declared a “state of disaster” in the country’s southern region and the now-ravaged commercial capital, Blantyre. Some 19,000 people in the south of the nation have been displaced, according to Malawi’s disaster management directorate.

“Power and communications are down in many affected areas, hindering aid operations,” said Stephane Dujarric, the U.N. Secretary General’s spokesperson at a press briefing Tuesday afternoon. The most affected re-

Garbage tarnishes Paris luster as pension strike continues

PARIS, MAR 14 (AP):

era outbreak when Freddy struck.

“It is clear that the official death toll will rise in both Malawi and Mozambique, as will reports of wrecked infrastructure,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s east and southern Africa director. “The affected countries must also be compensated for loss and damage caused by the cyclone.”

The City of Light is losing its luster with tons of garbage piling up on Paris sidewalks as sanitation workers strike for a ninth day Tuesday. The creeping squalor is the most visible sign of widespread anger over a bill to raise the French retirement age by two years.

Tropical

road connecting the two cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe, in Malawi. (AP) gions remain inaccessible so the full extent of the damage is so far unknown.

Reports from Mozambique’s disaster institute on Tuesday confirmed that 17 people have died in the country and 1,900 homes have been destroyed in the coastal Zambezia province. Tens of thousands of people are still holed up in storm shelters and accommodation centers.

Freddy will continue to thump central Mozambique

and southern Malawi with extreme rainfall before it exits back to the sea late Wednesday afternoon, the U.N.’s meteorological center on the island of Réunion projected.

Human rights group Amnesty International has called on the international community to mobilize resources and boost aid and rescue efforts in the two countries. Relief efforts in the nationsare strained and were already battling a chol-

Armenian PM critical of Moscowdominated security pact

YEREVAN (ARMENIA), MAR 14 (AP): Armenia’s prime minister on Tuesday accused the Moscow-dominated security alliance of leaving his country in the cold in the face of a threat of renewed hostilities with neighbouring Azerbaijan.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has been repeatedly critical of what he described as the failure of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO, to protect member Armenia amid a standoff with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Pashinyan said at a news conference that it wasn’t Armenia that is pulling out of the CSTO, but, on the contrary, “the CSTO is pulling out of Armenia, whether it wishes so or not.”

“We are concerned about that,” Pashinyan said.

He emphasized that “the threat of escalation

LONDON, MAR 14 (PTI): Britain’s Indian-origin Home Secretary Suella

Braverman is facing increasing pressure over the government’s new plans to clamp down on illegal migration, with a former Home Office adviser branding the policy as “racist” and a former minister raising serious concerns in Parliament.

Nimco Ali, a one-time campaigner for the governing Conservative Party who left her job as a government adviser in December last year, told the ‘Guardian’ that Goan-origin Braverman was “the

along Armenia’s border and in Nagorno-Karabakh is very high now,” noting “increasingly aggressive rhetoric from Azerbaijan”.

Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan soared in December when Azerbaijani protesters claiming to be environmental activists blocked the socalled Lachin corridor, the main road between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, leaving its 120,000 residents short of food and other basic supplies.

wrong person not just for the Conservative party but for the country” as she makes the Tories seem “cruel and heartless”.

The child refugee from Somaliland was scathing in her criticism of the government’s failure to widen migration routes open to Ukrainians over the ongoing Russian conflict. “As a former refugee of colour, if we can provide generous help to Ukrainians escaping war then I think we need to look at ensuring that we also provide routes to anyone escaping conflicts,” Ali told the newspaper.

Office Of the NAtiONALiSt DeMOcRAtic PROGReSSiVe

25 Mongoya Assembly Constituency

"Facta Non Verba" Regd No. 56/222/2017-17/PPS-i

WORD OF GRATITUDE

Last month, the United Nations’ highest court ordered Azerbaijan to allow the resumption of free movement along the road, but the situation has remained tense.

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994. In 2020, Azerbaijani troops routed Armenian forces in six weeks of fighting that ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal allowing Azerbaijan to take a significant part of Nagorno-Karabakh and reclaim nearby areas which had been in Armenian hands for nearly two decades.

During the latest standoff, Pashinyan and other Armenian officials strongly criticised Russia and the Moscow-dominated CSTO for the failure to ensure a free transit via the Lachin corridotor.

PARtY

The Office of NDPP 25 Mongoya A/C takes the privilege to share a word of gratitude through this platform. We sincerely share our appreciation to Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri. Neiphiu Rio and Shri. Chingwang Konyak, President, NDPP Nagaland, for alloting NDPP ticket in the 14 th Nagaland Legislative Assembly Election to Shri. Imkongmar from 25 Mongoya A/C and particularly having trust in him to serve as Advisor Minority Affairs and Sericulture Department, Government of Nagaland.

The party functionaries and all the workers of 25 Mongoya A/C undertake the oath for greater unity and further strengthening the party and pray for blessing and guidance of the Government under the able leadership of our Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri. Neiphiu Rio.

Sd/- Sd/-

YIMYA JAMIR TALIMEREN

President Vice President

In November last year, nations agreed to compensate countries affected by extreme weather exacerbated by human-caused climate change. Cyclones are wetter, more frequent and more intense as the planet heats up, scientists say.

“Mozambique and Malawi are among the countries least responsible for climate change, yet they are facing the full force of storms that are intensifying due to global warming driven mostly by carbon emissions from the world’s richest nations,” Chagutah added.

The malodorous perfume of rotting food has begun escaping from some rubbish bags and overflowing bins. Neither the Left Bank palace housing the Senate nor, across town, a street steps from the Elysee Palace, where waste from the presidential residence is apparently being stocked, was spared by the strike.

More than 5,600 tons of garbage had piled up by Monday, drawing complaints from some district mayors. Some piles disappeared early Tuesday with help from a private company, the TV station BFMTV reported.

Other French cities are also having garbage

problems, but the mess in Paris, the showcase of France, has quickly become emblematic of strikers’ discontent.

“It’s a bit too much because it was even hard to navigate” some streets, said 24-year-old British visitor Nadiia Turkay after touring the French capital. She added that it was “upsetting to be honest” because on “beautiful streets ... you see all the rubbish and everything. The smell.”

French protests push for withdrawal of Macron’s pension plan

Turkay nevertheless sympathized with striking workers and accepted her discomfort as being “for a good cause.”

Even the strikers themselves, who include garbage collectors, street cleaners and underground sewer workers, are concerned about what Paris is becoming in their absence.

“It makes me sick,” said Gursel Durnaz, who has been on a picket line for nine days. “There are bins everywhere, stuff all over. People can’t get past. We’re completely aware.”

Protests in major Pak cities at the call of Imran

tle all my life, and I will continue to do so,” he said.

“If something happens to me and I am sent to jail or if I am killed, you have to prove that you will struggle without Imran Khan and not accept the slavery of these thieves and of the one person who has been making decisions for the country,” he said.

LAHORE, MAR 14 (PTI):

Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan Tuesday asked his supporters to stand up for their rights and continue the struggle even if he is killed or arrested, hours after clashes erupted between the police and his party workers who gathered outside his residence here to foil his arrest in the Toshakhana case.

Khan’s video message was released by his party on social media as police arrived at his Zaman Park residence to arrest him.

Police fired tear gas

and used water cannons to disperse Khan’s supporters, who reportedly hurled stones at policemen, resulting in injuries.

In the video message, Khan urged his supporters to come out for real freedom as police arrived to arrest him. “They think that after my arrest, the nation will fall asleep. You have to prove them wrong,” 70-year-old Khan said in the video.

“God has given me everything, and I am fighting this battle for you. I have been fighting this bat-

Office Of the LOK JANShAKti PARtY (RAM ViLAS)

36 Assembly constituency, Satakha ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The President, colleagues and party workers of LJP, 36th Assembly Constituency, Satakha would like to thank all the individuals, well wishers and social organizations who have rendered their valuable contributions and aid towards the victims of ill fated bus accident ferrying 32 party workers to Satakha which occurred on 25 th February 2023 at Kohima. The LJP would like to bring to your notice that by the Grace of God and your fervent prayers, the patients admitted are out of danger and are in safe hands with theirs families. The LJP expresses our profound and sincere gratitude to all and pray that the Almighty God bless all abundantly.

Here is a list of all those who have generously contributed and aided the victims.

Name

Amount (Rupees)

A senior police officer of Islamabad police said that his team has come here to arrest the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman in the Toshakhana case. Khan has been in the crosshairs for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana and selling

them for profit.

TV footage showed police slowly approaching the Zaman Park residence of Khan behind an armoured vehicle that was dispersing his supporters with a water cannon. Khan’s supporters, who had covered their faces with pieces of cloth, pelted stones at policemen.

According to reports, Islamabad Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Shahzad Bukhari, who was leading the police team, was injured. He was seen walking with the help of two officials. Both Khan’s supporters and policemen were injured in the clashes. PTI leader Shireen Mazari shared a video in which tear gas could be seen entering Khan’s residence.

OFFICE OF THE WAROMUNG STUDENTS' UNION FELICITATION

Through this column, the Waromung Students' Union (WSU) with immense pride and gratitude extends our heartiest congratulations to :

1. Mr. Limasunep Longkumer, S/o Prof. L. Tongpang Longkumer and Mrs. Imtila Pongen for achieving Doctorate of Philosophy on the thesis - "Development of Seedless Bhimkol (Musa balbisiana, BB genome) through CRISPR/CPF1" from Assam Agricultural University.

2. Dr. Aokumzuk, S/o Mr. Temjenliba and Mrs. Talilemla for successfully completing Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) under King George Medical University, Lucknow.

The Union further wishes them great success in their future endeavours.

Meyawapang Ozükum Bangjungkala Longkumer President General Secretary WSU WSU db-331/23

Office Of the RiONGSANGeR PUtU

(ViLLAGe cOUNciL)

MOKOKchUNG - 798601,

The Mokokchung Village Council would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation to Shri. Neiphiu Rio, Hon'ble Chief Minister for having full confidence and appointing Shri. Imkongmar Longkumer of Mokokchung Village, the elected representatives from 25 Mongoya Constituency in this 14 th NLA as Advisor and allotting Minority Affairs and Sericulture Department.

The Council wishes our Hon'ble Chief Minister great success in leading his people towards peace and development. May God bestow him with good health, wisdom and understanding to take the people of our state far beyond.

Nikol Pashinyan

Cyclone Freddy damages

A man walks past piles of garbage in Paris, Monday. (AP)

A supporter of Imran Khan’s party scuffles with riot police outside Khan’s residence, in Lahore on Tuesday. (AP)

UK minister Suella Braverman’s migration policy branded ‘racist’

Sen receives messages of support after Oscars loss

“All That Breathes” director Shaunak

Sen says he has been flooded with messages of “encouragement/support” after his climate change documentary lost out to “Navalny” at the Oscars.

“Naatu Naatu” from “RRR” and documentary film “The Elephant Whisperers” emerged as winners in the Original Song and Documentary Short Film categories at the 95th Academy Awards, held in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Sen said his “brain is still to wrap around the fact that this is the end of this chapter” for the film, which was nominated in the Documentary Feature Film segment.

“So many chin-uppy messages of encouragement/support since yesterday. We were low for about an hour, but we’re soon distracted into equanimity amidst the whirl of glittery people and things. Brain is still to wrap around the fact

that this is the end of this chapter,” the director wrote on Instagram alongside pictures with his team.

“All That Breathes” is a Delhi-set documentary that follows two siblings, Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad, who have devoted their lives to rescuing and treating injured birds, especially black kites.

The critically-acclaimed documentary previously won the ‘World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary’ at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and the Golden Eye award

for the best documentary at the 2022 Cannes.

The film is yet to release in India and Sen said his next agenda is to figure out the distribution in the country.

“Next we’ll be working hard to figure India distribution (HBO has ended it’s deal in India with Hotstar it appears, and we’re figuring out which platform it’ll come out on now). For now, very very nice to share this bizarre, swollen day with the brothers, and so many members of our crew. Hugest congratulations to all the winning films from India!” he wrote.

At the Academy Awards, “Naatu Naatu” from SS Rajamouli’s period action movie “RRR” won the Original Song trophy and Kartiki Gonsalvesdirected “The Elephant Whisperers” topped the Documentary Short Film category. The docu-short is produced by Guneet Monga. (PTI)

Sleep masks can boost brain function: Study

Wearing an eye mask can potentially enhance cognitive functions of the brain as it blocks ambient light while we sleep, suggests a study.

same age group used a wearable device to monitor sleep with and without the mask.

Streamer Netflix on Tuesday ordered third seasons of their critically-acclaimed and popular shows, including “Delhi Crime”, “Mismatched” and “Kota Factory”.

Netflix has also announced third seasons of reality TV series “Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives” and Imtiaz Alicreated “She”.

The streamer shared the news in a teaser video posted on Instagram.

“Shway Shway! It’s time to refill your coffee cups because these favourites are coming back for a NEW SEASON with a whole lotta twists, crime and drama!” Netflix wrote

Telescope to search for ancient radio waves on dark side of Moon

Ateam of scientists in the US Department of Energy (DOE) and NASA are developing a novel radio telescope that will be landed on the far side of the Moon and help probe an unexplored era of the early universe.

The Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment-Night (LuSEE-Night) telescope aims to help cosmologists unravel answers to some of the universe’s biggest mysteries, such as the nature of dark energy or the formation of the universe itself.

The lunar far side is an inhospitable place where there’s enough radio silence for the dark ages signal to be detected. The dark ages are an early era of cosmological history starting about 380,000 years after the Big Bang, and there were no stars or planets.

But the treacherous environment on the lunar

far side gives little chance for scientific equipment to survive -- let alone transmit data back to Earth.

The lunar far side is in total darkness for 14 Earth days followed by 14 days of brutal sunlight. That causes temperatures to fluctuate between 250 and -280 degrees Fahrenheit -- and a dramatic change can happen in a matter of hours.

“The Moon is easier to reach than Mars, but everything else is more challenging,” said Paul O’Connor, a senior scientist in DoE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory and LuSEE-Night Project Instrument Scientist.

“There’s a reason only one robotic rover has landed on the Moon in the last 50 years, while six went to Mars, which is 100 times farther away. It’s a vacuum environment, which makes removing heat difficult, and there’s a bunch of radiation,” he added.

LuSEE-Night must reject heat in a vacuum environment during the day and keep itself from freezing at night -- all while powering itself through 14 days of continuous darkness and conducting first-of-its-kind science.

“The power has to come from a battery, which

CONGRATULATORY NOTE

The ANI-U, RHO-U and ÜLALHU (ARÜ) KIKRAMIA of Khonoma village conveys our heartiest Congratulations to Smti. Salhoutuonuo Kruse on being elected to the house of 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly from 8 th Western Angami Assembly Constituency. We, the age group members, share our immense joy in witnessing her remarkable and historic feat as the first women MLA in her constituency and first women Minister of Nagaland. May your success be a beacon of hope and inspiration.

In this momentous occasion, we also extend our profound gratitude to the Honourable Chief Minister Shri Neiphi-u Rio on inducting Smti. Salhoutuonuo Kruse as Minister of Women Empowerment and Horticulture Department Nagaland.

May the Almighty God bless you both and guide you. ANI-U, RHO-U and ÜLALHU (ARÜ) KIKRAMIA, KHONOMA

OFFICE OF THE WAKCHING UNION KOHIMA NAGALAND: KOHIMA

FELICITATION

SHRI. W. CHINGANG KONYAK

MLA & Advisor Geology & Mining, DUDA Govt. of Nagaland

We the Wakching Union Kohima (WUK) would like to convey our heartiest congratulations to Shri. W. Chingang Konyak, who had secured the mandate of the electorates of 42 Wakching A/C and being elected to the 14 th Nagaland Legislative Assembly. May Almighty God grant him good health and wisdom. We hope that many positive changes will take place for our community under your able leadership.

k-532/23

can only be so efficient based on its size,” O’Connor said.

Further, Brookhaven physicist Anze Slosar stated that “LuSEE-Night is not a standard radio telescope,” but will be “more of a radio receiver”.

“It will work like an FM radio, picking up radio signals in a similar frequency band. The spectrometer is at the heart of it. Like a radio tuner, it can separate out radio frequencies, and it turns signals into spectra.”

After touching down on the lunar far side, LuSEE-Night’s lander will turn off permanently so it does not produce any interference. The telescope will then deploy four threemetre-long antennas, on a turntable for data collection. Then, LuSEE-Night must face its greatest challenge: surviving its first night on the lunar far side.(IANS)

in the caption. “Delhi Crime”, fronted by Shefali Shah, follows the officers of Delhi police as they investigate high-profile crimes in the national capital. The show’s first two seasons were inspired by both real and fictional events.

Based on Sandhya Menon’s 2017 novel “When Dimple Met Rishi”, “Mismatched” is headlined by Prajakta Koli and Rohit Saraf.

It follows Rishi (Saraf), a die-hard romantic who believes in traditional ways of dating, who falls for Dimple (Koli), a gamer, and eventually wants to marry her. (PTI)

Sleep is crucial for alertness and for preparing the human brain to encode new information. However, ambient light, like an outdoor street light shining through your window, can influence sleep structure and timing.

The study, published in the journal Sleep, showed that wearing an eye mask blocks light during night sleep and improves memory and alertness.

“Our findings suggest that wearing an eye mask during overnight sleep can improve episodic encoding and alertness the next day,” wrote Viviana Greco, from School of Psychology at University of Cardiff, along with other researchers in the paper.

The team conducted two experiments to understand how sleep masks help.

In the first experiment,

BHARATIYA JANATA YUVA MORCHA

4 GHASPANI-1 AC CONGRATULATORY NOTE

With immense pride and joy, the BJYM 4 Ghaspani-1 congratulates Shri. Jacob Zhimomi Honorable Minister for being appointed as Minister Public Health Engineering & Corporation, Government of Nagaland.

Our prayer that God's wisdom and knowledge be upon you and your leadership.

DP-1091/23

President BJYM

Mr. V. Khetoho Zhimomi

94 people in the age group of 18-35 wore an eye mask while they slept every night for a week and underwent a control condition in which light was not blocked for another week. Five habituation nights were followed by a cognitive battery on the sixth and seventh day. This revealed superior episodic encoding and an improvement on alertness when using the mask, the researchers said.

In the second experiment, 35 people of the

This replicated the encoding benefit and showed that it was predicted by time spent in slow-wave sleep.

Furthermore, the benefit to memory was predicted by the time spent in slow-wave sleep while wearing the mask.

This suggests wearing an eye mask during sleep is an effective, economical, and noninvasive behaviour that could benefit cognitive function and lead to measurable impacts on everyday life, the researchers said. (IANS)

Blessed 95th Birthday

The

wishes to convey its best gratitude as you all take up new responsibility to bring a new dawn of change in Dimapur District and the Nagas in general. May God bless you all with divine wisdom and good health!

TRINITY THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

The Community of Trinity Theological College, Thahekhu, would like to Congratulate Rev. Dr. Kavito Zhimo on being appointed as the General Secretary, BSI. This is a testament to your hard work, dedication & commitment in the Lord’s Vineyard. Your new role will provide you with exciting challenges and opportunities for growth. And we have no doubt that you will excel in this new responsibility. We pray that God’s wisdom and providence will lead you to heights for His Glory. Once again, congratulations and God Bless!

DP-1102/23

Trinity Theological College Community

OFFICE OF THE LERIE WOMEN ORGANISATION KOHIMA : NAGALAND FELICITATION

The Lerie Women Organisation, with immense pride and joy, would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to Mrs SALHOUTUONUO KRUSE on being elected as the first Women Cabinet Minister in the recently concluded 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly election. We further extend our prayers and wishes that our Almighty God continue to guide and lead her in the days to come.

Sd/- Sd/Hevili Swu Vizokhonuo Suohu President, L WO General Secretary, LWO

k -535/23

I KIVIXU CHISHI

Grey hair is a crown of glory, it is obtained by following a righteous path (Proverbs 16:31) With prayer and wishes from Wife, Children, In-laws & Grand Children

DP-1108/23

OFFICE OF THE KULOLAU LITTAMI

KUPOSHUKULU

H.G. Dimapur - 797112, Nagaland FELICITATION

The Littami Union Dimapur with immense pride and honour extends our heartiest congratulations to Shri. Kazheto Kinimi , BJP Candidate from 31 A/C Akuluto who was elected unopposed to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly.

The Union also extends our thanks and appreciation to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri. Neiphiu Rio for reposing faith and confidence upon Kazheto Kinimi and elevating him as Advisor, Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services (AH& VS) Govt. of Nagaland. The Union further prays and wishes that God grant good health and wisdom to our Hon'ble Advisor in all his future endeavours.

President General Secretary (Tokiye Kiba) (Akito Assumi) K.L.K K.L.K

The Office of the Dimapur District GBs Association

would like to

felicitate Shri H. Tovihoto Ayemi Shri Moatoshi

Longkumer Smt.

Hekani Jakhalu, Shri

Jacob Zhimomi and Shri

Zhaleo Rio for their tremendous victory in the recently concluded 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly Election.

Union

Shaunak Sen

Netflix announces third seasons of ‘Delhi Crime’, ‘Mismatched’, ‘Kota Factory’ and others

Prannoy makes winning start at All England Championships

BIRMINGHAM, MAR 14

(PTI): India’s HS Prannoy survived some anxious moments before advancing to the second round of the All England Championships after registering a straightgame win over Chinese Taipei’s Tzu Wei Wang in the men’s singles competition here on Tuesday.

The World No. 9 Indian eked out a 21-19 2220 win over Wang in the 49-minute opening round clash to take his overall tally to 5-3 over the Taiwanese.

The 30-year-old from Kerela will meet either third seeded Indonesian

Office of the MOKOKCHUNG TOWN LONGSA SENSO TELUNGJEM Mokokchung: 798601

Felicitation

The Office of the Mokokchung Town Longsa Senso Telungjem (MTLST) extends our heartiest congratulations to Shri. Metsubo Jamir on being elected to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly from the 27 Mokokchung Town Assembly Constituency for the second time.

The MTLST congratulates the voters of 27 Mokokchung Town A/C for choosing Shri. Metsubo Jamir. We are confident that our leader would live up to the expectations and ambitions of the people by serving as a Cabinet Minister for the Nagaland government.

MTLST also expresses our heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland, Shri. Nephiu Rio, for reposing his trust in the competence, the caliber, and the political fortitude of Shri. Metsubo Jamir, thereby allotting him a cabinet berth as Minister for Rural Development and SIRD in the new government. The MTLST will remain grateful to our Hon’ble Chief Minister for this recognition.

The MTLST wishes our Longsa son, Shri. Metsubo Jamir, the utmost best as he continues his service to the Naga people. We ask the Almighty God to bless Shri. Metsubo Jamir and all of his deserving colleagues, the MLAs and Ministers, headed by the Hon'ble CM in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, with wisdom and long life.

Most of all, we wish Shri. Metsubo Jamir the very best in all his endeavors as he discharges his duties and responsibilities for the welfare of the people.

Sd/- Sd/(IMTITUBA) (MOLODONGBA) President Secretary

Anthony Sinisuka Ginting or Thailand’s Kantaphon Wangcharoen next.

Prannoy looked in good touch as he reeled off five points on the trot to zoom to a comfortable 11-4 lead. However, the Indian was guilty of missing the lines twice and also found the net, allowing Wang to cut down the deficit to three

points at 11-14.

Prannoy managed to pull away to 18-12 with four straight points before Wang broke the run of points with an aggressive return after a fast-paced rally.

Wang then punished Prannoy for his weak returns and moved to 16-19 with a deceptive net return. A backhand going wide

and then another one going long from Prannoy brought Wang to 19-19.

Prannoy then unleashed a cross court smash to move to game point and then sent down another straight smash to close the game.

The second game was a tightly fought battle from the word go as Wang

WORDSOFGRATITUDE ANDFELICITATION

opened up a 7-2 lead. Prannoy levelled the scores, only to miss the lines at his opponent’s forehand corner twice.

He eventually brought down a booming smash to eke out a one point lead at the break. The two engaged in a slugfest next, moving neck and neck till 16-16.

Two venomous returns

gave Prannoy a 19-17 lead but he once again squandered it as Wang made it 19-19. The Taiwanese went long next to hand over a match point to the Indian, who wasted it.

However, a determined Prannoy ensured there was no last-minute hiccups as he rejoiced once Wang went to net.

GRATITUDE

32 A/C Atoizu

My heartfelt gratitude goes out to all my supporters, Party workers prayer warriors & well wishers who worked tirelessly through thick and thin in pursuit of our common vision of development and youth empowerment for 32 Assembly Constituency, Atoizu. I also thank friends and colleagues who extended their support through various means in the recent concluded Nagaland Legislative Assembly General Election.

Although the end result was not in our favor this time, we have fought bravely and given our best for the cause. It has been a truly overwhelming, eye-opening learning experience for me and my family.

TherankandfileofNCP,NagalandUnitacknowledgesandexpresses humblegratitudetotheenlightenedelectoratesofNagalandstateforthe overwhelmingsupportrenderedtotheNCPcandidatesintheelectionto14th NagalandLegislativeAssembly.

Wealsoheartilycongratulatetheseven(7)NCPcandidatesfortheir exceptionalperformacesandemergingvictorious.Thepartyisconfidentthat theywillfulfillthefaithreposedinthembythepeopleandtheparty.Equally, wealsoprayerfullyconveybestwishestothosefive(5)candidateswho madeagoodcontest.

LONG LIVE NCP

VanthungoOdyuo President NCP,Nagaland

I express my respect and gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, BJP National President, Shri, JP Nadda, Union Home Minister, Shri, Amit Shah, for allotting me BJP ticket in the recently concluded 14th NLA elections.

I am indebted, and immensely thankful to Shri, BL Santhosh, BJP National General Secretary (Org); Shri Rituraj Sinha, BJP National Secretary Shri Nalin Kholi, BJP National spokesperson & State Prabhari; Smti S Phangnon Konyak, Hon’ble Member of parliament; Shri Y Patton, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, and Shri Temjen Imna Along, Hon’ble minister & State BJP President for having faith in me and supporting me wholeheartedly as BJP lone woman candidate. I also thank Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland, Shri Neiphiu Rio and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma for campaigning for me.

Last and most importantly, I thank Almighty God for enabling me to conclude this election in sound health and mind.

dP-1089/23

Er. Kahuli Sema BJP Candidate 32 Atoizu A/C Zunheboto District

Prannoy H. S. in action against Wang Tzu-wei. (AP/PTI)

La Liga: Atletico Madrid Beat Girona 1-0 Bangladesh whitewash world champion England in T20 series

MIRPUR, MAR 14 (AP): Bangladesh whitewashed world champion England in their Twenty20 series by winning the third game by 16 runs on Tuesday.

Opener Liton Das hit a career-best 73 and Najmul Hossain Shanto 47 not out for Bangladesh to put up 158-2 on a slow Mirpur pitch.

Dawid Malan and skipper Jos Buttler had England on track to avoid being swept until their dismissals in consecutive deliveries. England slumped to 142-6.

Bangladesh earned its first T20 sweep of major opposition, while England was swept for only the third time after Australia in 2014 and South Africa in 2016.

“We talked about showing character ahead of the series and that’s what we showed,” Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said.

GIRONA, MAR 14 (AGENCIES):

Alvaro Morata snatched a 94th minute winner to earn Atletico Madrid a 1-0 victory at Girona on Monday and tighten their hold on third place in La Liga, reports News18.com.

After La Real, fourth, drew at Mallorca on Sunday, Atletico moved three points clear of the Basque side with their last-gasp victory at Montilivi.

Morata turned home from close range after a corner was flicked on to him by Angel Correa, with Atletico surviving a long VAR check to see if the striker had strayed offside. “For me it was very clear (that it was valid), but if it wasn’t I’d have gone home by bicycle,” Morata told DAZN.

“(My team-mates) were annoyed because I touched it, but VAR gave it, so I am happy. “It’s hard to see it there and not touch

it, maybe they would have been more annoyed if I didn’t touch it and it didn’t go in.”

Girona, 12th, started brightly and thought they had won a penalty when Stefan Savic handled in the box, but striker Taty Castellanos was offside.

After Atletico’s 6-1 thrashing of Sevilla last weekend, Simeone kept faith in the Memphis Depay and Antoine Griezmann strike partnership.

The pair combined early on, with Depay teeing up Griezmann, whose effort was saved by Paulo Gazzaniga.

Then Griezmann turned creator and crossed for Depay, who volleyed narrowly over from close range. Yannick Carrasco also tested Gazzaniga in the first half, playing well on the left flank and getting forward at

every opportunity. Depay fired another effort over as Atletico took control of the game.

Early in the second half Griezmann, one of the league’s most in-form players, set up Marcos Llorente but he too was denied by Gazzaniga.

Atletico appealed for a penalty when Oriol Romeu handled but the referee spotted Rojiblancos defender Mario Hermoso pushing the Girona midfielder into the ball when watching the VAR replay. Jan Oblak was called into action for the first time to deny Viktor Tsygankov, and then again to deny David Lopez, who tried to lob him from range.

Atletico’s Slovenian goalkeeper made another fine save to deny Rodrigo Riquelme late on, with the on-loan midfielder almost scoring against his parent club.

“We were put into a tough position but won the game. That’s the thing that will give us the confidence as we are build a team for the 2024 T20 World Cup.”

Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam, on debut, struck with his third ball when he removed opener Phil Salt for a duck.

Then Malan hit a 47ball 53 with six fours and two sixes and put on a 95run stand with Buttler, who appeared to be in supreme touch with 40 off 31, including four fours and a six.

But Malan edged behind to give pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman his 100th T20 wicket, and Mehidy Hasan ran out Buttler with a direct hit from point.

Saint John’s School holds annual sports cum investiture

DIMAPUR, MAR 17 (

NPN): Saint John’s School

Diphupar’B’ hosted its Investure cum 18th Annual Sports Meet opening ceremony in its campus on March 14. Headmaster of the institution, Johnny Abraham, extended the welcome speech by encouraging students to let their actions inspire others to dream and learn more. He also gave a deep elaboration of the term ‘Leadership’ by stating that ‘Leadership is not something we do for people but it’s something we do with people’.

England collapsed from there, trying to maintain the asking run rate. “Our fielding was top notch. Those two wickets in two balls changed the game completely,” Shakib said.

England coach Mathew Mott agreed. “The turning point was the run out, it was an amazing piece of fielding,” Mott said. “You’d back yourself with Jos set at the back end there, got his eye in, and was ready to go. It really turned the game.

“We lost two wickets

in the over. I thought we had enough of a platform that, if one of those two batted through, we would have given it a big shake at the back end.” Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed took 2-26 to receive man of the match and, when England needed an unlikely 27 off the last over, Hasan Mahmud conceded just two boundaries. England also bowled superbly at the death, giving up only 27 runs in five overs to Bangladesh, and only one four.

But Bangladesh capitalized on dropped catches to build a competitive total.

Opener Liton Das, who made just 26 runs in the last five matches against England, returned to form with a 57-ball 73 studded with 10 fours and one six.

Liton brought up his ninth fifty off 41 balls, then was dropped on 51 by Ben Duckett. Rony Talukdar was dropped by Rehan Ahmed off Jofra Archer but the damage was limited.

Liton and Talukdar shared 55 in the opening stand before Talukdar gave legspinner Adil Rashid a return catch, and Liton and Najmul Hossain Shanto combined for 84 for the second wicket. Liton was finally fooled by a slower ball from Chris Jordan which carried to Salt. Shanto saw the innings out with an unbeaten 47 off 36.

Brief scores: Bangladesh- 158/2; Litton Das -73, Najmul Hossain Shanto-47 England: -142/6; Dawid Malan-53, Jos Buttler (c)- 40.

Baptist HS Tening holds annual sports

The speech was followed by oath taking ceremony by the School and House captains namely Lam.Y (boys captain), Mughakibe (girls captain), Nokngia and Limeka (green house), Vikibe and Pikali (blue house), Anuzo and Sungtiben (red house) and Yampothung Michael and Imnatula (yellow house). The opening ceremony was chaired by Imsenkhala and vote of thanks was proposed by mercy of class- 8. The sports week will be held from March 14 to 17 .

DIMAPUR, MAR 14 (NPN): The Baptist High School Tening organized its 31st annual sports week from March 14 to 18thin its school premise. According to a press release by headmaster

Kenkhambo, the program was chair Menaidinbo and the inaugural program was grace by Captain Surya kant Singh 25 Assam Riffle Tening. Other highlights were greetings by headmaster Kenkhambo,

solo,choreography and parade from four contingents followed by exhibition match between up school staff vs down school staff. The sports week include both outdoor and indoors games.

Alvaro Morata scored in the 94th minute.

Bangladesh players celebrate with the winners trophy after the third and last T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and England in Dhaka, Bangladesh.(AP/PTI)

Students taking pledge at the opening ceremony.

GIRONA, MAR 14 (AGENCIES):

Alvaro Morata snatched a 94th minute winner to earn Atletico Madrid a 1-0 victory at Girona on Monday and tighten their hold on third place in La Liga, reports News18.com.

After La Real, fourth, drew at Mallorca on Sunday, Atletico moved three points clear of the Basque side with their last-gasp victory at Montilivi.

Morata turned home from close range after a corner was flicked on to him by Angel Correa, with Atletico surviving a long VAR check to see if the striker had strayed offside. “For me it was very clear (that it was valid), but if it wasn’t I’d have gone home by bicycle,” Morata told DAZN.

“(My team-mates) were annoyed because I touched it, but VAR gave it, so I am happy. “It’s hard to see it there and not touch

it, maybe they would have been more annoyed if I didn’t touch it and it didn’t go in.”

Girona, 12th, started brightly and thought they had won a penalty when Stefan Savic handled in the box, but striker Taty Castellanos was offside.

After Atletico’s 6-1 thrashing of Sevilla last weekend, Simeone kept faith in the Memphis Depay and Antoine Griezmann strike partnership.

The pair combined early on, with Depay teeing up Griezmann, whose effort was saved by Paulo Gazzaniga.

Then Griezmann turned creator and crossed for Depay, who volleyed narrowly over from close range. Yannick Carrasco also tested Gazzaniga in the first half, playing well on the left flank and getting forward at

every opportunity. Depay fired another effort over as Atletico took control of the game.

Early in the second half Griezmann, one of the league’s most in-form players, set up Marcos Llorente but he too was denied by Gazzaniga.

Atletico appealed for a penalty when Oriol Romeu handled but the referee spotted Rojiblancos defender Mario Hermoso pushing the Girona midfielder into the ball when watching the VAR replay. Jan Oblak was called into action for the first time to deny Viktor Tsygankov, and then again to deny David Lopez, who tried to lob him from range.

Atletico’s Slovenian goalkeeper made another fine save to deny Rodrigo Riquelme late on, with the on-loan midfielder almost scoring against his parent club.

MIRPUR, MAR 14 (AP):

Bangladesh whitewashed world champion England in their Twenty20 series by winning the third game by 16 runs on Tuesday.

Opener Liton Das hit a career-best 73 and Najmul Hossain Shanto 47 not out for Bangladesh to put up 158-2 on a slow Mirpur pitch.

Dawid Malan and skipper Jos Buttler had England on track to avoid being swept until their dismissals in consecutive deliveries. England slumped to 142-6.

Bangladesh earned its first T20 sweep of major opposition, while England was swept for only the third time after Australia in 2014 and South Africa in 2016.

“We talked about showing character ahead of the series and that’s what we showed,” Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said.

“We were put into a tough position but won the game. That’s the thing that will give us the confidence as we are build a team for the 2024 T20 World Cup.”

Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam, on debut, struck with his third ball when he removed opener Phil Salt for a duck.

Then Malan hit a 47ball 53 with six fours and two sixes and put on a 95run stand with Buttler, who appeared to be in supreme touch with 40 off 31, including four fours and a six.

But Malan edged behind to give pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman his 100th T20 wicket, and Mehidy Hasan ran out Buttler with a direct hit from point.

Saint John’s School holds annual sports cum investiture

DIMAPUR, MAR 17 (

NPN): Saint John’s School

Diphupar’B’ hosted its Investure cum 18th Annual Sports Meet opening ceremony in its campus on March 14. Headmaster of the institution, Johnny Abraham, extended the welcome speech by encouraging students to let their actions inspire others to dream and learn more. He also gave a deep elaboration of the term ‘Leadership’ by stating that ‘Leadership is not something we do for people but it’s something we do with people’.

England collapsed from there, trying to maintain the asking run rate. “Our fielding was top notch. Those two wickets in two balls changed the game completely,” Shakib said.

England coach Mathew Mott agreed. “The turning point was the run out, it was an amazing piece of fielding,” Mott said. “You’d back yourself with Jos set at the back end there, got his eye in, and was ready to go. It really turned the game.

“We lost two wickets

BHS

The speech was followed by oath taking ceremony by the School and House captains namely Lam.Y (boys captain), Mughakibe (girls captain), Nokngia and Limeka (green house), Vikibe and Pikali (blue house), Anuzo and Sungtiben (red house) and Yampothung Michael and Imnatula (yellow house). The opening ceremony was chaired by Imsenkhala and vote of thanks was proposed by mercy of class- 8. The sports week will be held from March 14 to 17 .

in the over. I thought we had enough of a platform that, if one of those two batted through, we would have given it a big shake at the back end.” Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed took 2-26 to receive man of the match and, when England needed an unlikely 27 off the last over, Hasan Mahmud conceded just two boundaries. England also bowled superbly at the death, giving up only 27 runs in five overs to Bangladesh, and only one four.

But Bangladesh capitalized on dropped catches to build a competitive total.

La Liga: Morata late goal help Atletico beat Girona Bangladesh whitewash world champion England in T20 series

Opener Liton Das, who made just 26 runs in the last five matches against England, returned to form with a 57-ball 73 studded with 10 fours and one six.

Liton brought up his ninth fifty off 41 balls, then was dropped on 51 by Ben Duckett. Rony Talukdar was dropped by Rehan Ahmed off Jofra Archer but the damage was limited.

Liton and Talukdar shared 55 in the opening stand before Talukdar gave legspinner Adil Rashid a return catch, and Liton and Najmul Hossain Shanto combined for 84 for the second wicket. Liton was finally fooled by a slower ball from Chris Jordan which carried to Salt. Shanto saw the innings out with an unbeaten 47 off 36.

Brief scores: Bangladesh- 158/2; Litton Das -73, Najmul Hossain Shanto-47 England: -142/6; Dawid Malan-53, Jos Buttler (c)- 40.

Tening annual sports week begins

DIMAPUR, MAR 14

(NPN): The 31st Annual Sports Week of Baptist High School (BHS) Tening under Peren district kicked off at School premises on Tuesday.

In a press release, BHS Tening headmaster Kenkhambo informed that

the sports week, which include both outdoor and indoor games, would culminate on March 18.

The inaugural session was graced by Captain Surya Kant Singh of 25 Assam Riffle Tening while school headmaster Kenkhambo delivered

greetings. Highlights of the programme, which was chaired by Menaidinbo, included solo song and choreography. Four contingents participated in march-past. There was also exhibition match between up school staff and down school staff.

Alvaro Morata scored in the 94th minute.

Bangladesh players celebrate with the winners trophy after the third and last T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and England in Dhaka, Bangladesh.(AP/PTI)

Students taking pledge at the opening ceremony.