May 16 2021

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

DIMAPUR, SUNDAY, MAY 16, 2021 Pages 8 ` 4.00

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AdministrAtion rAcing AgAinst time to rAmp up heAlth infrA in dimApur

100-bedded Covid hospital to be setup at IHM Staff Reporter D I M A P U R , M AY 1 5 (NPN): In a race against time to provide a boost to healthcare infrastructure in Dimapur district, the district Covid committee is leaving no stone unturned to achieve the feat in converting the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) amid huge surge of Covid-19 cases.

Speaking to Nagaland Post the Dimapur district nodal officer for managing Covid-19 activities and agriculture production commissioner (APC) Y Kikheto Sema remarked that the “war has just begun.”

Kikheto, who had recently taken over as nodal officer of Dimapur for Covid-19 for the second time, said he, along with deputy commissioner (DC) Dimapur Rajesh Soundararajan, commissioner of police (CP) Dimapur Rothihu Tetseo, chief medical officer (CMO) Dimapur and other officials, had inspected and identified few sites (government buildings) on Saturday for increasing bed capacities.

(L-R) R. Tetseo, Kikheto Sema and R. Soundararajan during the coordination meeting on Saturday.

Accordingly, he said Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) was identified to be converted it into a 100-bedded Covid hospital.

He added that the institution’s bed capacity would be further increased to 200 or 300 in the near future.

Acknowledging that bed capacities in almost all Covid hospitals in Dimapur were fully occupied, he expressed hope that the 100-bedded Covid hospital too would be ready within the next 10 days.

The nodal officer also appreciated the State government for issuing the directive to withdraw one doctor and two nurses from

each district, excluding Kohima, for deployment at Dimapur.

Later, at a coordination meeting held at DC’s conference hall, the nodal officer had directed the district officials, power, PHE, housing etc. to ensure that the building for the proposed 100-bedded hospital was functional within the timeframe. It was learnt that nine doctors and 18 nurses, pulled in from other districts, will be deputed to man the proposed 100-bedded hospital at the initial stage.

With over 2,000 active cases, he said Dimapur’s current challenge in fighting the pandemic was much big-

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ger than that all the districts combined together.

In this regard, he appealed to all citizens to extend cooperation to the authorities by being selfdisciplined and following the SOPs. He was of the view that if one could not contribute in taking care of Covid patients, the least he or she could do was follow SOP and maintain selfdiscipline.

Kikheto also thanked Army authorities for providing the tents, the Sikh community for providing free meal to attendants at District Hospital Dimapur (DHD) and Western Sumi Baptist churches for coming forward to bear the cost of coffins for the poor and the needy succumbing to Covid-19.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by the Dimapur DC stated that a committee headed by SDO (Civil) Thejavizo Nakhro and eight other members was constituted to undertake all necessary preparations in converting IHM, Dimapur into a 100-bedded Covid-19 hospital.

It may be recalled that the principal director of Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Neikhrielie Khimiao on May 12 admitted that the situation in Dimapur and Kohima was quite alarming for which the Peace Zone Committee (PZC) decided to recall one doctor and lab technician each, besides two nurses, from each district to fill up the gaps in manpower to manage the crisis in Kohima and Dimapur.

He explained that the district chief medical officers (CMO) were empowered to recall doctors, nurses, fourth grade staff or lab technicians from any health units to assist them in their work in consultation with district task forces (DTFs).

Meanwhile, in a tweet, Health minister S. Pangnyu Phom had said that the work for the oxygen concentrator plant at Mokokchung district hospital was under process.

“We are expecting to complete the installation process within three days,” he said.

Pangnyu also informed that the department has sought certification for Dimapur plant.

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Modi asks states to report cases, deaths transparently NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for augmenting healthcare resources in rural areas to focus on door to door testing and surveillance, and asserted that localised containment strategies are the need of the hour, especially in states with high positivity rate in districts.

Chairing a high-level meeting, Modi said states should be encouraged to report their COVID-19 numbers transparently “without any pressure of high numbers showing adversely on their efforts”, remarks that come amid reports that many states have been under-reporting their case and fatality tallies.

Modi also directed that a distribution plan for ensuring oxygen supply in rural areas should be worked out, including through provision of oxygen concentrators, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. He said necessary training should be provided to health workers in the operation of such equipment,

Narendra Modi (PTI)

and power supply should be ensured for smooth operation of such medical devices, it said.

Unlike the first wave of COVID-19 cases last year when rural India was not badly hit, the region has been seriously affected by the second wave in several states.

Prime Minister Modi sought empowering ASHA and anganwadi workers with all necessary tools.

Testing needs to be scaled up further, with use of both RT-PCR and rapid tests, especially in areas with high test positivity rates, he added. The PMO noted that testing has gone up rapidly in the country, from around 50 lakh tests

per week in early March to around 1.3 crore tests per week now.

Modi was briefed about the gradually decreasing test positivity rate and increasing recovery rate, it said, adding that cases had gone over four lakh per day and are now coming down as a result of the efforts of healthcare workers, state governments and the central government.

Officials gave a detailed presentation on the state and district level situation of COVID-19 testing, oxygen availability, healthcare infrastructure and vaccination roadmap.

The prime minister also took serious note of some reports about ventilators lying unutilised in storage in some states and directed that an immediate audit of installation and operation of ventilators provided by the central government be carried out.

He added that refresher training for properly operating ventilators should be provided to healthcare workers if necessary, the PMO said.

304 fresh Covid cases; 6 deaths in Nagaland Army sets up tents at eden medical centre, faith hospital D I M A P U R , M AY 1 5 (NPN): Nagaland on Saturday recorded 304 Covid19 positive cases and six more fatalities from across the state. Of the positive cases, Dimapur reported 148 cases, Kohima- 121, Mokokchung- 11, Tuensang- 10, Mon- four, Phek and Wokha- three each, Zunheboto- two while Longleng and Kiphire reported one case each, taking the total caseload to 17853.

With this the active cases rose to 3985.

With six more Covid fatalities reported on Saturday, the death toll in the state neared the 200-mark.

Of the six cases, two deaths each were reported from Dimapur and Kohima while one death each was reported

from Mokokchung and Zunheboto. The death toll as on May 15 stood at 196-185 Covid deaths and 11 non-Covid deaths but with Covid positivity.

PTI: India recorded

highest new cases, deaths recorded in a single week, says health deptt

Nagaland recorded 1951 Covid positive cases (an increase of 22%) and 67 fatalities (272% increase in deaths) this week-- the highest single-week spike recorded in the State, Health & Family Welfare department stated in its weekly bulletin.

Out of 252 weekly Covid-19 hospital admissions, 79% were from Dimapur followed by Kohima 19%, Mokokchung and Zunheboto 4% each and others 5%.

Dimapur also has 63% active cases in the state, the H&FW added. Further, the department said out of the 67 deaths reported this week, 55 were from Dimapur (82%).

Meanwhile, the department said that 8,385 samples were tested during the past week with a positivity rate of 23%.

Police personnel checking a motorist on Saturday. (NP)

D I M A P U R , M AY 1 5 (NPN): Around 20 persons were penalized for violating the lockdown rules in Dimapur, Saturday. Police personnel have been deployed at

This is it!

“We’re over armed to fight Covid but it cannot be stopped by weapons alone”.

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3,26,098 Covid-19 cases in a day that took the tally to 2,43,72,907, while 3,890 new fatalities pushed the death toll to 2,66,207, Health ministry stated on Saturday.

strategic locations to enforce strict lockdown measures.

Meanwhile, Dimapur police urged citizens to cooperate and follow the lockdown measures.

Staff Reporter

D I M A P U R , M AY 1 5 (NPN): To augment healthcare infrastructure to cope with the ever-increasing demand for hospital beds for treating Covid-19 patients, 3 Corps headquarters of Indian Army has set up tents at Eden Medical Centre and Faith Hospital & Institute of Medical Sciences here.

Eden Medical Centre director Dr Lima Imchen told Nagaland Post that the Army personnel had set up a 30-bedded tent outside the hospital premises, which would be used to treat Covid-19 cases.

He, however, added that the tents would be functional likely by Monday only once all amenities like

(L-R) Army personnel setting up the tents outside Eden hospital and tents setup outside Faith hospital, Saturday.

oxygen support, manpower, etc, were set up.

Speaking over telephone, Faith Hospital & Institute of Medical Sciences managing director Dr Sukhato too confirmed that

the army had set up a 10bedded tent at the hospital premises. He said the hospital would be providing free services, including oxygen, to the patients admitted to these tents.

Responding to the State government’s request to private hospitals to provide beds for Covid-19 patients, Sukhato said the hospital had provided 41 beds for for Covid patients. He said all

the 41 beds were currently occupied by Covid patients, while two have been accommodated to the tent set up by the army. He added that many more patients were on the waiting list.

should have deferred vax age group expansion: panel health minister appeals for public cooperation to combat covid-19

NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (AGENCIES): India had prioritised Covid vaccination by age-group primarily to reduce mortality, but the expansion of that criteria has now caused a shortage, the chief of the Centre’s COVID-19 working group has said. There is enough vaccine even now for the earlier target group, according to Dr NK Arora, chairman of the central panel.

“Expanding the age group to 18-45...clearly there is no vaccine available, there is a shortage. I

would say this (expansion) should have been deferred for a while,” Dr Arora told NDTV. “In a simple way, prioritisation was done sometime in September October last year. And it was very clear, as per the availability, that the immediate purpose of vaccination will be to reduce morbidity and mortality. And, obviously, the highest-risk population is to be targeted,” he said.

That is why 45 years plus, plus frontline workers were picked,

according to Dr Arora, who is also a member of India’s National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.

Importantly, he emphasised, vaccines are not available even abroad now. “Many of us feel that vaccines will come if we put out tenders, but that is not correct.

There is hardly any vaccine available globally because these are highly committed manufacturing, cornered by some of the highincome countries,” he said.

Cyclone Tauktae likely to intensify into ‘very severe storm’ N E W D E L H I , M AY 1 5 (AGENCIES): Cyclone Tauktae (pronounced as Tau’Te) is likely to intensify into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ in the next 12 to 15 hours with a wind speed of 120 to 130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph, according to the India Meteorological Department.

It is also expected to move north north-westwards and cross the Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Naliya as a very severe cyclonic storm around May 18 afternoon or evening.

Tauktae intensified very rapidly from a depression to a cyclone on Friday. “The cyclone

track is very similar to the 1998 Gujarat cyclone except that storm had crossed Kandla. We noticed rapid intensification of Tauktae because of various favourable atmospheric and oceanic parameters,” said Sunitha Devi, in charge, cyclones at IMD. Independent experts said rapid intensification of cyclones over Arabian Sea is linked to a marked rise in sea surface temperatures due to climate change.

“The frequency and intensity of cyclones in the Arabian Sea have increased in recent years. This is because of the rapid warming that has made

the relatively cooler Arabian Sea (compared to the Bay of Bengal) a warm pool region that can actively support cyclone formation.

Climate projections indicate that Arabian Sea will continue warming under increased carbon emissions, resulting in more intense cyclones in the future,” said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology on Saturday.

More than 50 teams of the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) are on duty in five states - Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Very heavy to extremely heavy

rainfall “causing flash floods and landslides” over the coastal districts of Kerala, Karnataka and Goa till Sunday and Saurashtra, Kutch in Gujarat on Tuesday and Wednesday is expected, IMD has said.

Red and orange alerts have been sounded in various parts.

Low-lying areas of the Islands of Lakshadweep are likely to get flooded. More than 300 people have been relocated from disaster-prone areas to relief camps in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, one of the areas where a red alert has been issued.

DIMAPUR, MAY 15 (NPN): Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) minister S Pangnyu Phom has urged all citizens to cooperate with Covid-19 warriors in all possible ways, besides continuing to pray and seek God’s divine intervention to heal “our land” sooner than later.

In an appeal on behalf of the State government and H&FW department to all citizens seeking their cooperation and support, the minister acknowledged the inconvenience that they would undergo during the course of lockdown.

However, he pointed out that the decision for a lockdown was taken after considering the health safety of “our people”.

As the State entered the second lockdown to contain the spread of second wave of Covid19, he stressed that it was the responsibility of all citizens to help the government, the H&FW department and frontline workers in this battle against the pandemic.

Recalling how the first wave of Covid-19 was effectively managed through collective effort, Phom acknowledged the contribution and active participation

of health workers, fontliners, civil society groups, churches, media, NGOs and all individuals involved along with the government in the fight.

“The optimistic approach of our people during such crisis is truly inspiring and motivates all of us,” he added.

As Covid-19 was not over yet, he said everyone should understand that this would be the new normal and that all citizens must act responsibly as the battle against the pandemic continues.

He called for obser ving Covid-appropriate behaviours and taking vaccine to protect oneself as well as “our loved ones”, family, co-workers and the community.

The minister urged those showing influenza-like illnesses to come forward for testing and cooperate with surveillance teams in contact tracing.

Pointing out that the frontline workers were sacrificing everything and putting their own lives and their families at risk for the sake of saving lives of others, he emphasised that they needed utmost cooperation and support.

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A

B

C

A Yes. B No. C Can’t Say.

62% 33% 5%

Next Poll

Q: What inhibits covid

testing among people by and large?

 Lack of confidentiality.

handling by  Insensitive health workerst say.  Can’t Say.

WEATHER FORECAST MAy 16

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala A t-storm around in the a.m.

35 23

Aizawl

Pleasant with clouds and sun

28 17

Guwahati A morning thunderstorm or two 32 22 Imphal

A stray morning thundershower 31 16

Itanagar A couple of morning showers

28 19

Shillong

A stray morning thunderstorm 24 15

Kohima

A thunderstorm or two

26 15

Dimapur A strong morning thunderstorm 32 19

Periods of sun with a t-storm

26 15

Tuensang Mostly cloudy with a t-storm

19 11

A morning t-storm in the area

25 18

Zunheboto Periods of sun with a t-storm

23 13

Mkg Wokha

Random sampling carried out in Kohima.

DIMAPUR: District administrations and civil society organisations (CSOs) have issued information and directives to the general public in order to contain further community spread. The deputy commissioners (DCs) have also designated persons and constituted teams for effective implementation of COVID-19 related tasks in their respective districts.

Kohima: With concerns over the spread of COVID-19, DTF Kohima on COVID-19 and chief medical officer (CMO)

Kohima on the request of the Naga hospital colony panchayat and youth organisation conducted random sampling collection for COVID-19 test within the colony on Saturday.

Informing this, Naga hospital colony youth organisaiton president Vikehelie Suohu said that altogether, 41 samples of shopkeepers and colony residents voluntarily coming forward were collected and sent for testing. Meanwhile, he also informed that the first day of the week-long total lockdown passed peacefully.

Police nab 2; AR seize contraband items

(L) Arrested persons along with the suspected brown sugar. (R) Illegal drugs seized in Wokha. (DIPR)

DIMAPUR: A combined team of Wokha police station and women police station intercepted one Getz vehicle (AS-23-0-7843) from Doyang Bridge (NH-61) on May 12.

According to DIPR report, the team found 23 grams (approx) of suspected brown sugar from the possession of two occupants of the car, one Zuchanthung Tsopoe (40) and one

More condemn May 6 incident at Chumou

Libemo Tsopoe (31) In this connection, the two persons were arrested and a case was registered at women police station, Wokha under section 22 (b) NDPS act for further investigation.

In another incident, 40 Assam Rifles, Wokha battalion conducted a raid at Tsumang “A” colony, Wokha town on May 14.

The battalion seized

115 capsules of spasmo proxyvon, 34 packets (approx) of suspected sunflower five grams and 90 grams of suspected brown sugar from the possession of one Zuchilo Ezung (45) and one Nzanbemo Murry (39).

According to DIPR report, the accused individuals along with the illegal drugs were handed over to Wokha police station for further investigation.

ANSU Dimapur supports campaign for road connectivity DIMAPUR: All Nchangram Students’ Union (ANSU) Dimapur unit has extended support to the ongoing banner and poster campaign of the joint student unions and youth organisations under Tening area for good connectivity of 52 km road from Peren to Tening, which was left abandoned since 1984.

In a press release, All Nchangram Students’ Union Dimapur unit president, Kaichunlungbo Nring and general secretary, Pakethiwi Newmai said it was quite perturbed to know as to why the government of the day should continue to lend its deaf ear to the immediate demand of the joint bodies inspite of having served an ultimatum and

repeated appeals through local dailies.

The union expressed displeasure over the lackadaisical approach of the government by not fulfilling the demand of the joint bodies.

All Nchangram Students’ Union Dimapur unit has also extended full cooperation to the joint bodies in their democratic fight against the government for good roads.

Further, the unit has reminded all its federating units under Tening area to continue rendering their selfless support to the common cause initiated by the joint bodies, under any circumstances, until the state government releases fund for complete blacktopping of roads and start executing the work.

TRKU demands doctor, better health care

D I M A P U R : To k i y e Range Kukami (GBs) Union (TRKU) has demanded for deployment of doc tor a nd better health care service at Public Health Centre (PHC) Tokiye under Aghunato sub-division, Zunheboto.

In a letter addressed to the principal director, Health and Family Welfare (H&FW), TRKU chairman, Kasuho P Yepthomi and secretary, Kakheto Yepthomi have expressed utter dismay over the transfer of lone doctor at PHC Tokiye without a replacement.

The union pointed out that second wave of

COVID-19 pandemic has been alarming and that it was time where even the remote areas of the state should be logically and pragmatically prepared with the machineries to combat the pandemic.

In such a situation, TRKU said it was shocked when the lone doctor was transferred without due replacement.

Stating that PHC Tokiye provides health care services to Tokiye town and seven villages, TRKU said that the PHC without any doctor at this time would cause immense hardship to the people of the area.

DIMAPUR: Various organisations have condemned the assault incident that took place on May 6 in Chümoukedima area.

YSUD: Yimchungr ü Students Union Dimapur (YSUD) has condemned the assault incident and stated that it was disappointed to witness such barbaric act displayed.

In a condemnation note, YSUD through its media cell urged the leaders especially the youth not to just follow the herd of fools but to direct the inappropriate and have responsibility as youth were the society builder of today and tomorrow. The union also condemned such act of taking law into one’s own hands and requested the higher authority to investigate the matter and punish the culprits according to law.

Further, YSUD extended its sincere prayer to the family and wished for a speedy recovery.

SUK: Sangtam Union Kohima (SUK) has vehemently condemned the unwarranted “attempt to murder” of two brothers by some members of the CVYS on May 6.

In a condemnation note, SUK said the terrorising and dehumanising act was never expected from the leaders of a well-established and reputed society. SUK has demanded the law enforcing authority to immediately book the culprits and not to grant bail under 45 Assam Rifles conducted an awareness campaign circumstances. on COVID-19 at Wapher village on May 13.

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Peren: DC Peren, Sentiwapang Aier has designated Nzangbeu, CHC Jalukie (COVID Hospital) as in-charge to man the district COVID-19 helpdesk with immediate effect.

The DC has informed that the aforementioned would ensure that updated information on bed occupancy, ambulance services and other vital information for health facility is kept readily for the public 24x7.

The order also stated that all concerned may contact at 8732841972 and

9402728560 helpline numbers/district control room for any assistance related to COVID-19.

Tuensang: DC & chairman DTF for COVID1 9 Tu e n s a n g, Ku m a r Ramnikant has informed that in order to provide technical and spiritual support to the COVID19 positive patients by facilitating telephonic counseling platform, district counseling team for COVID-19 has been constituted with counseling doctors: Dr. Senilo Magh 7005423078; Dr. Ngukato 8826800714; Dr.lmlong 8974503411; Dr. Zerila 8800597807; Dr. Noklangkumla 8131948341 and Dr. Emmanuel 9862537892.

Meanwhile, counseling pastors/religious leaders were constituted with: Achila Achu 8787767532; Rev. S a n g k a p, T T B C 9856522201; Moa, ABC 9862184446; Rev. Chonghen, Sakshi 8787524452; Imsu SBC 8730886750; R e v. S o m b a , D E F 8413877817; Rev. Akum, YBC 7085586933; Meno, KBC 8731892499; Yongkai, PBC 8974728066; Sema SBC 8974651666; Ahoshe SBC 9863543497; Rev. H a n k i u Y B C ( S ) 8974127790, Chongma, KBC(S) 7005508627,

The union further pointed out that due to the economic condition of the people they were unable to travel out of the sub-division for treatment.

Maintaining that good health care service was the basic right of people, TRKU said the citizens of the sub-division were in no way inferior to the rest of the citizens of the state.

In this regard, TRKU has asked the department to immediately deploy a doctor to PHC Tokiye failing which it would be “objectively constrained to pursue for our right”.

NPGN NNC/ NA/(MK) terminates one DIMAPUR: NPGN NNC/NA/(MK) has informed that its collective leadership has resolved to “terminate” one ‘col’ Iheto Aye “for anti-government activities and trying to create misunderstanding among the members”.

The group through its MIP has, therefore, informed all the HoDs and business community not to entertain former ‘col’ Iheto Aye for any kind of financial assistance in the name of NPGN NNC/ NA/(MK).

A m o n g, C B LT 8974801714, Yangten Nagamese church 9612457029, Imam, Muslim Community 7005875770 and Pandit, Hindu Community 6203928625.

The DC further informed that this is a temporary arrangement purely to facilitate Covid-19 positive patients. Patients Wards/ Guardians may call the listed Doctors/Pastors/ Religious leaders only on Covid-19 related issues.

WSBAK: As par t of its social responsibility, Western Sümi Baptist Akukuhou Küqhakulu (WSBAK) has informed that it would sponsor procurement of coffins for the poor and needy succumbing to Covid-19 at District Hospital, Dimapur.

ZVC: Zeliangrong village council (ZVC) held its emergency meeting on May 15 at Zeliangrong village council hall, Dimapur.

In a press release, ZVC chairman, ZVC general secretary and Zeliangrong village GB informed that the council in its meeting resolved to revoke the resolution no. 3 of May 13, whereas, resolution no.1 and 2 would stand still and valid till the lockdown period.

YAA backs CSOs’ 14-day ultimatum on H&FW DIMAPUR: Yimchungrü Akherü Arihako (YAA) has extended support to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) of Shamator 14-day deadline for the Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) department to deploy adequate manpower and provide necessary infrastructure at Shamator Community Health Centre (CHC).

In a press statement, YAA president, Achung Jangleh and general secretary, Donan S Yimchunger said that it was quite disheartening that those at the helm of affairs have outrightly ignored constitutionally guaranteed “right to live” despite repeated pleas.

With the resurgence of the deadliest second wave of pandemic, YAA said the public was in “helterskelter” where thousands of lives are now left at nature’s mercy.

YAA pointed out that the Shamator CHC was upgraded from PHC in 2014 to cater better health amenities for the people of this region. However, it expressed dismay that no visible upgradation could be seen as the lone CHC for the entire sub-division was “haphazardly functioning” with just few nurses and fourth graded employees.

YAA said CSOs Shamator recounting the lost of five precious souls during the recent transfer and postings of medical officer at Shamator has raised eyebrows and added that it was nothing short of sheer negligence and step-motherly treatment meted out by the state government.

In this regard, YAA expressed hope that the state government would initiate necessary remedial measures without any delay to thwart the recurrence of similar incidence.

YAA also expressed concern that many health centers in Yimchungrü’s jurisdiction exist without any proper health amenities and health workers.

Therefore, YAA said that the government of the day should ensure that health centers including the village sub-centers, HWC/ PHC/CHC are functional with requisite staff and medicine especially during the pandemic period.

With COVID-19 positive cases rising exponentially, YAA said the state government was expected to gear-up and equipped health sectors and other related agencies to contain the spread of COVID-19 lest the situation blown out of proportion.

NVBDCP on taking preventive measures against dengue

DIMAPUR: The state National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) has urged the general public to take preventive measures against dengue.

In view of the National Dengue Day which is observed on May 16 every year, joint director & SPO, NVBDCP, Dr. Neisakho Kere informed that water in all the containers around the house such as flower pot bases, empty vessels, coolers, tyres, buckets etc., should be emptied out into a dry area as dengue mosquitoes breed in stagnant clean water and that the eggs hatch in a week.

“Keep all water filled vessels and tanks tightly covered and remove any rubbish lying around like plastic cups, old containers, tyres, coconut shells

1st DEATH ANNIVERSARY

etc. and check around the compound every week”, he informed.

He also advised the public to ensure that they sleep under the mosquito net, especially pregnant women and children.

In case of high fever, the doctor advised the pub-

We, the bereaved family members would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our relatives, prayer partners, well wishers and friends who stood by us spiritually, physically and financially at the demise of Lt. Helen Achumi on 14th May 2021.

It is our sincere prayer that our Almighty God bless you all abundantly.

Loving husband, son, family members and loved ones

of our beloved Lt. Rendijongshi

“A year has passed since you left us to be with our Heavenly Father yet, you are deeply missed.

Man is mortal but the love for them is immortal.

Though you are no more here with us your sweet memories are engraved in our hearts forever.

God has you in His arms, we have you in our hearts.”

lic to consult a doctor immediately.

It may be mentioned that common symptoms of dengue are severe headache and high fever, pain in muscles and joints, pain in rear portion of eyes, nausea and vomiting, measles like rash etc.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

3rd DEATH ANNIVERSARY of our beloved

Lt. VIHESHE ASSUMI (1937 to 16/05/2018)

Ipuh, your charming smiles always remain fresh in our hearts.

We deeply miss you in silence; the only solace is that you are in a better place, singing with the angels.

Loving Wife, Daughters & Relatives

DP-2428

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

COVID-19: Information, directives & advisories

K-962

nagalandpost.com Poll Q.: Is the Odd-Even rule for vehicles in Dimapur during lockdown logical?

NagalaNd Post, Dimapur SuNDaY, maY 16, 2021

DP-2427

2

16th May 2020

Remembering you today and always Loving Wife, Children, In-laws & Grandchildren

2nd DEATH ANNIVERSARY of our beloved father

LATE T. LOLEN JAMIR 16-05-2019

It’s been two years since you left us for the heavenly abode but your fingerprints still remain fresh in our hearts. Daddy, you are one of the Lord’s greatest blessings for us and every day we are thankful to our Creator for the wonderful Dad we once had. Rest in the loving arms of our Lord’s Almighty till we meet again.

DP-2425

Loving wife, children, in-laws & grandchildren K Y M C

ULFA-I announces unilateral CF for 3 months

GUWAHATI, MAY 15 (IANS): Days after Himanta Biswa Sarma, the new Assam Chief Minister, appealed to militant outfits to shun violence and join the mainstream, the outlawed The United Liberation Front of AsomIndependent (ULFA-I) on Saturday announced a unilateral ceasefire for three months with immediate effect.

ULFA-I, led by selfstyled commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, in a statement, said that in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the outfit has “unilaterally suspended all kind of military operations in Assam for three months from May 15”.

The statement, in Assamese language, also alleged that the security forces had hatched a clandestine plan to malign the ULFA-I. After 2006, this is

ULFA-I, self-styled commander-in-chief, Paresh Barua. (IANS)

the second time the antitalk banned outfit has announced a unilateral ceasefire in the state.

T h e U L FA - I a n nouncement came five days after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to ULFA-I supremo Barua and other extremist outfits to come forward for peace

talks.

After taking oath as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam, Sarma on Monday had urged ULFA-I led by Paresh Barua and other militant groups to shun the path of violence and join the mainstream.

“Through negotiations and talks all problems are expected to be

solved. Killings and abduction turn the situation more complicated,” he had said.

Sarma on Thursday said that the state government is taking all possible steps to rescue ONGC engineer Ritul Saikia from the captivity of the outlawed ULFA-I. Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, met Saikia’s wife and younger brother, during his visit to Majuli on Thursday.

The ULFA-I on April 21 had kidnapped three engineers of the state owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation from a drilling site at Lakwa in eastern Assam’s Sibsagar district.

The Army, along with Assam Rifles troopers rescued two hostages from captivity following a fierce encounter with militants on April 23 night, but Saikia (the third engineer)

is still missing.

The anti-talk outlawed ULFA-I had recently released radio operator Ram Kumar, a resident of Bihar, and drilling superintendent Pranab Kumar Gogoi of Sivasagar district, more than 100 days after the two employees of Delhi-based private oil and gas exploration company Quippo Oil and Gas Infrastructure Ltd were abducted from Arunachal Pradesh last year.

Demanding a sovereign Assam, ULFA was formed in 1979 and has been carrying out insurgency in the northeastern state since then.

In 2011, another faction of ULFA, under Arabinda Rajkhowa, had announced a unilateral ceasefire for political negotiation and joined the peace process but the move was strongly opposed by Paresh Barua.

Curfew timing Hospital bed occupancy ‘nearing 6 policemen injured as mob attacks police station in Tripura advanced to 12 saturation’, says M’laya govt

AGARTALA, MAY 15 (PTI): Six policemen were injured when a mob pelted stones and attacked the law enforcers with sticks after storming the Ganganagar police station in Dhalai district.

The attackers were angry with the police for arresting three persons for their alleged links with the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and demanded their release, a police officer said.

The mob vandalised three police vehicles and attacked the police personnel, prompting them to lob tear gas shells to disperse the unruly crowd from the complex on Friday, he said.

When contacted, Mrinal Kanti Reang, Officerin-Charge of Ganganagar police station, said trouble started after three persons were arrested from a forest on Friday evening for their collaboration with the banned NLFT. “Soon after their arrest, a group of people

assembled and ran amok in and outside the police station demanding the immediate release of the three persons.

“They attacked the police station and also vandalised three police vehicles, including a bus and official vehicles of the additional superintendent of police and the sub- divisional police officers of Ambassa,” Reang said.

T h e i n j u r e d we r e given first aid in a local hospital, he said.

Dhalai district Superintendent of police Kishore Debbarma said they registered an extremist-related case at Ganganagar police station based on which the three persons were picked up and interrogated on Friday.

“We had information and during interrogation, we received some evidences, including exchange of sim cards with insurgents, which proved that these persons have contact with the militant group following which they were arrested,” Debbarma said.

He also said that the local people wanted the release of the arrested persons which was illegal.

“We tried to make them understand but they did not listen and attacked us,” the SP said.

noon in Assam

GUWAHATI, MAY 15 (IANS): To check the alarming rise in the number of Covid cases, the Assam government on Saturday advanced the curfew timings across the state from 2 pm to 12 noon besides imposing various other restrictions, including limited movement of people and private vehicles, officials said.

Assam chief secretary Jishnu Baruah notified in an order that there will be a total ban on the movement of people from 12 noon to 5 am, with exemptions for those going for vaccination, medical emergencies or are involved in providing essential services.

“All shops and commercial establishments must be shut by 11 am on all days in the urban areas and those within 5 km radius of the periphery of municipal bodies and revenue towns,” the order said.

Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Saema has entrusted each of the 13 cabinet ministers to oversee Covid management in at least two districts, while he himself would look after the pandemic-related actions in Majuli district.

The number of active cases in Assam rose to over 44,008 on Saturday night, after reporting 25,027 active cases on May 1.

Correspondent

S H I L L O N G , M AY 15: With the number of Covid-19 cases continuing to rise sharply, hospital bed occupancy in Meghalaya is “nearing saturation”, the state government said on Saturday and issued a revised consolidated order in respect to containment measures to be effective from May 17 until further orders even as lock-down will be further extended in the East Khasi Hills from 5 a.m. of May 17 to 5 a.m. of May 24.

“Political, public, social and religious gatherings are not permitted, including conferences, meetings and trainings.

Entry of tourists from outside the state shall not be permitted and all tourist spots shall remain closed. International border trade shall be suspended and sports activities are not permitted,” State chief secretary M.S. Rao noted in his order As per the order, inter-State movement of persons will be restricted but this will not apply for transit vehicles of Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram.

Inter-district movement of persons from and to East Khasi Hills

Assam CM visits Tingrai blast site; announces ex-gratia

CM Sarma having a conversation with family members of late Surajit Talukdar, who was killed in a dastardly grenade blast at Tingrai market in Digboi on Friday. (The Sentinel Assam)

DIGBOI MAY 15 (AGENCIES): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Tingrai market in Digboi on Saturday and inspected the place where a grenade blast took place on Friday killing two persons and seriously injuring two others. He condemned the act and announced Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the deceased, The Sentinel Assam reported.

“I strongly condemn the incident. It was a very unfortunate incident. Sanjiv Singh and Surojit Talukdar died in the grenade attack.

We will not peace in the state be disturbed at any cost. I have already directed Assam Police to take strict action against those involved in the grenade attack,” CM Sarma told reporters at the blast site.

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Northeast/state

NagalaNd Post, Dimapur SuNDaY, maY 16, 2021

CM Sarma announced Rs 5 lakh each for the next of kin of the two people who died due to the grenade blast and said that the government will take care of the treatment of the two injured people who are undergoing treatment in Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh.

MP Rameswar Teli and Digboi MLA Suren Phukan are already in touch with the injured people, CM Sarma said.

CM Sarma who reached Tingrai market at around 10.45 AM on Saturday morning took stock of the security arrangements in the market and in Digboi. After that, he also met the families of the deceased in Digboi.

Asked about the whereabouts of kidnapped ONGC employee

Ritul Saikia and what the government is doing about his release, the Chief Minister said that Ritul Saikia is in Myanmar and he his in good health, according to Army sources.

Assam government is takig steps for his rescue.

Ritual Saikia was abducted on April 21 from ONGC’s Lakwa oilfield in Sibsagar, along with tweo other ONGC employees. The other two wmployees were rescued.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Minister for Tea Tribes Welfare and Labour and Employment Sanjay Kishan and Naharkatia MLA Taranga Gogoi.

ULFA-I commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah has denied any involvement of the militant outfit in the Tingrai market grenade blast.

will be restricted and all major markets in the district, including Shillong will remain closed, while essential goods will be made available through shops in the localities.

All Central and State government offices, other than those already exempted will be closed and exempted offices will function with limited staff strength and close by 4 pm.

“E-commerce and home delivery services for all goods are permitted, subject to regulation by the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills district. Places of worship shall remain closed and weddings are not permitted during the lock-down period.

Funeral gathering to be restricted to 15 persons with prior permission of the Deputy Commissioner,” the order specified.

Week-end lock-down will be enforced in other districts of the State from 5 a.m. of May 22 till 5 a.m. of May 24.

Health services, including emergency services and vaccination, banks, post and telegrah, fire and print and electronic media and other important services will be exempted, the order said.

Mizoram minister sets example, mops hospital floor AIZAWL MAY 15 (PTI): Leading by example, Mizoram’s power and electricity department minister R Lalzirliana was on Friday seen mopping the floors of a hospital, where he is undergoing treatment for COVID-19 along with his wife and son.

The minister’s action was not to embarrass medical staff or authorities but to set an example for others. He said sweeping and mopping the floors are not new to him as he used to do such chores at his homes and other places.

For a state which denounces VIP culture, Mizoram had witnessed several instances of ministers living as common men by performing household chores, traveling in public transport or motor bike, participating at community works and serving as a cook for community feast during festive season like Christmas and New year in the past.

“My motive in mopping the floors was not to embarrass the nurses or doctors but I want to educate and lead others by setting an example,” Lalzirliana told PTI. He said that he called the sweeper as their

R Lalzirliana is seen mopping the floor of a hospital on Friday.

room was messy.

But, the sweeper could not come and respond to his call, which prompted him to do the job himself, he said.

“Sweeping, mopping the floors or performing household chores are no new jobs to me. I used to do at home and other places when it is required to do so,” the minister said, adding that he did not keep himself above others for being a minister.

The minister had once cleaned and mopped the floor at Mizoram house in Delhi during his visit

to the national capital in the past.

The 71 year-old veteran politician and Mizo National Front (MNF) leader and his wife Lalthangmawii (59) were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection on May 11. His son was also found infected with Covid on May 8. The three of them were initially placed under home isolation.

They were shifted to the states lone dedicated COVID-19 hospital- Zoram Medical College (ZMC) on May 12 when Lalzirliana showed a sudden drop in oxygen level.

Arunachal mountaineer is first Indian woman to scale Everest this year NEW DELHI, MAY 15 ( AG E N C I E S ) : U n i o n Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated Tashi Yangjom on Saturday for successfully scaling Mt Everest and becoming the first Indian woman climber to summit the world’s highest peak this year.

From Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh, she was trained at the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) in the village. The ninth climber from the institute to scale Mt Everest, the 37year-old reached the peak on May 11, showing the world what human determination can achieve even during a pandemic. The minister also shared a photographs of Ms Yangjom at the Everest peak with the Indian flag, and at the base camp.

In a congratulatory message, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu said regular training at the Dirang institute has made her “a strong mountaineer with blitzkrieg speed”. And

the official Twitter handle of the government of Arunachal Pradesh said Ms Yangjom is the ninth instructor from NIMAS to scale the peak in three years.

Several others, including NIMAS, also send their congratulations to the mountaineer.

Tashi Yangjom’s tre-

mendous feat has come nearly two weeks after reports said that the COVID19 infection has reached the Mt Everest base camp in Nepal and multiple climbers have tested positive for the virus. The process to evacuate hundreds of climbers, including foreigners, camped there has been ok.

state

UZYF rejoinder to WSYF statement DIMAPUR: Reacting to the press statement issued by the Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) media cell, United Zeliangrong Youth Federation (UZYF) it was “bereft of any facts”. In a statement, UZYF media cell said that the statement made by WSYF “what was once a village boundary dispute has been made into an inter-tribal spectacle” was well appreciated. However, it alleged that the purported “handwritten notes in redink” found alongside the three dead bodies spoke otherwise, adding that the notes and its contents could also be verified from the police department.

While not denying that “Kiyevi village was established in 1939 in Lamhai land after taking due permission from the landowner by exchanging the Naga customary obligations between Lamhai and Kiyevi dwellers”, UZYF claimed that “Kiyevi village was established within a specified well demarcated land boundary bounded by natural streams and ranges, and the same permitted boundary was confirmed and reiterated time and again in 1941 (July), 1945 (November), 1954 (April)

and 1976 (June).”

It further claimed that as a result of such “orders and rulings” about Kiyevi land boundary, Kiyevi village prayed to the then DC Kohima in 1977 for permission to shift the village to bigger land in Rangapahar area stating in the application-- “The land dispute was finally settled by the then ADC, Peren on 2nd June ’76 upholding the decision of Shri. Kinaram Bora, ADC Dimapur in 1954. By these decision we stand to lose all our Pani Khetis and Jhum land. The boundary runs near the village compound and we do not have land ever for animal grazing not to speak of for cultivation” .

In this regard, UZYF said that “Kiyevi village was not established in limitless land by any Britishers/ landowner”. It claimed that Lamhainamdi village was established on May 31, 2019 in the land authorized by the landowner Lamhai village in the area below the Kiyevi boundary line.

“Not an inch of permitted Kiyevi land was touched or encroached upon by Lamhainamdi.

However, the Govt. of Nagaland imposed restriction

on Lamhainamdi at the behest of illegal intruders by issuing Status Quo order on the 25th of June, 2019. The representation to immediately revoke the said order was not heeded by the govt. denying the basic right of the landowner over his own land. But the request of the Home Commissioner to maintain Status Quo till the demarcation of interdistrict boundary following constitution of the cabinet sub-committee on boundary issue was heeded to by Lamhainamdi village with the demand that Status Quo be imposed equally on all the unrecognized settlements in the area,” UZYF stated.

However, UZYF regretted that the government “failed to check activities in all illegal settlements while putting total restrictions on Lamhainamdi”, adding it “can no longer remain mute spectator to such one-sided order of the govt.”

UZYF said that no amount of valor or bravery can make anyone an ancestral landowner of what is not ancestrally theirs.

It said that “in the spirit of Naga brotherhood, the Zeliangrong people under the aegis of Zeliangrong

Baudi Nagaland stood for peaceful resolution of the land dispute”.

UZYF claimed that at the meeting held on September 25, 2020 at Jalukie Town, “the 15 member strong WSH team acknowledged the traditional boundary of Chakhro Angami of Dimapur and the Zeliang of Peren and the Sumi settlers would acknowledge ownership of land in due course of time for peaceful co-existence between the two communities was agreed.” However, on the second co-ordination meeting held February 19, 2021 at Tahekhu village, UZYF claimed that the Western Sumi Hoho had “totally rejected the acknowledgment of land ownership” and rather cautioned Zeliangs to “not mention again that the Sumi villages are within the ancestral Zeliang land”.

To this, UZYF said WSYF could explain about peaceful resolution.

Meawnhile, UZYF opined that WSYF as a responsible body could “find out the perpetrators and discourage them instead of countering the Zeliangrongs and the others for the comments on the social media..”

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OPINION/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post Vol. XXXI No. 159 DImapur, SuNDaY, maY 16, 2021

A

Customary cut

t a time when the state is reeling under the onslaught of the second wave of coroconavirus, the state government has decided to cut down 20% of non-development expenditure of departments to effect savings and use the money to provide free vaccines for all and other related activities. according to an official source, the 20% cut expects to mobilise around rs 47.68 crore of non-development expenditure ranging from travel and office expenses, motor vehicles and maintenance costs. it may be noted that rs.47.68crore is not an ordinary sum even though politicians and bureaucrats may find is a pittance. Cuts as mentioned above to save money will be difficult to implement practically and it can be done only when the finance department deducts the amount at source.

This is not unusual in Nagaland as cuts in budgets at higher levels are not done transparently. Some projects particularly construction works which have long overshot their scheduled completion by a year or more, are still allowed to go ahead. This is the main ‘juice’ of construction in Nagaland called ‘price escalation.’ a construction project that is awarded through table tender for say, rs,10crore eventually ends up at rs.100 crore in the next two years or more. Extension period could be considered under very unusual circumstances such a natural calamity. processing fresh proposals over the original one and then adding more items of work is a regular practise. Earlier also in 2020 covid cess was levied on petrol and diesel which had made the plight of the overburdened public worse. The government of india has been funding hundreds of crore rupees to various states including Nagaland for covid management. Huge amount of money has been wasted in purchasing sub-standard kits and other equipment at exorbitant rates. if the state government is committed to really fight the covid pandemic, then it should emulate states like mizoram, manipur,meghalayaetc which have utilised funds judiciously in a transparent manner. The medical fraternities in these states don’t act like sahebs but are on the ground working and monitoring the situation. The Nagaland pradesh Congress Committee(NpCC) attacked the government’s austerity as motivated. NpCC alleged that the government seemed to find enthusiasm only in attaining more personal wealth siphoning off funds and withdrawing from the state exchequer in the guise of additional funds for development, thus rapidly increasing the burden of fiscal deficit in the State. it may be too naïve to believe that the government is involved in wide scale manipulation and irregularities. However, as huge amount of funds were allotted since 2020 and 2021, the infrastructure and manpower should be equipped to handle the problem. if proper utilisation of funds is effected for covid war, there should be hardly any need to cut budgets of departments. Certainly, some people seem to believe the pandemic is their moment to make money and unfortunately no one is raising any voice.

dailydevotion

The Habit of Rising to the Occasion …that you may know what is the hope of His

calling… —Ephesians 1:18 Remember that you have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your body (see 2 Corinthians 4:10). Direct the total energy of your powers so that you may achieve everything your election as a child of God provides; rise every time to whatever occasion may come your way.

You did not do anything to achieve your salvation, but you must do something to exhibit it. You must “work out your own salvation” which God has worked in you already (Philippians 2:12). Are your speech, your thinking, and your emotions evidence that you are working it “out”? If you are still the same miserable, grouchy person, set on having your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.

God is the Master Designer, and He allows adversities into your life to see if you can jump over them properly— “By my God I can leap over a wall” (Psalm 18:29). God will never shield you from the requirements of being His son or daughter. First Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you….” Rise to the occasion— do what the trial demands of you. It does not matter how much it hurts as long as it gives God the opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus in your body.

May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality— a readiness to face anything He brings our way. The only proper goal of life is that we manifest the Son of God; and when this occurs, all of our dictating of our demands to God disappears.

Our Lord never dictated demands to His Father, and neither are we to make demands on God. We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others.

Quotes

“It’s when ordinary people rise above the expectations and seize the opportunity that milestones truly are reached.”

~ Mike Huckabee

NagalaNd Post, Dimapur SuNDaY, maY 16, 2021

Post-mortem

Speeches on ‘70th Naga Plebiscite Day’

G

reetings to you all on this historic landmark day of the Naga nation. In a way, it is regretted that we are unable to have a public gathering to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Naga Plebiscite Day as planned due to surge of the Covid – 19 positive cases in our land in recent days. However, in time like this we all have to be careful for personal safety and public welfare, and pray to the Almighty God that the pandemic is controlled.

At the right time, under the leadership of the then NNC President A.Z. Phizo

organized and brought the Naga people to a plebiscite, given an opportunity to openly decide on their own free will to stay independent or to join India. The result was 99.9% to stay independent.

When a copy of the outcome of the Naga Plebiscite was given to India, the then Prime Minister Mr. Nehru was furious and said “I will not allow Nagas to be independent.”

When the Naga delegation told him they are “not asking independence from India”, then he got more furious.

And that was how the history of conflict began with India ever since.

T

oday is the 70th Naga Plebiscite Day. And on this auspicious day I would avail the privilege to exhort the Nation with a few choice words. First of all, I ascribe all praise and gratitude to God Almighty. I also greet and salute my fellow Nagas most emphatically sincere.

The Nagas through the offices of the Naga National Council (NNC) had declared our highest aspiration by announcing our “Independent” status on August 14, 1947, one day ahead of India; stating thereby in most sober and solemn terms that the Nagas had never been Indians nor would we ever be, and would continue to remain an Independent Sovereign Nation with her unique identity sublime.

Then on May 16, 1951, in order to further fortify and buttress the profound eternal stand, the Naga Plebiscite was undertaken.

The result had been an astronomical figure of 99.9% of Nagas vouching for full Sovereignty. In this singularly spectacular exercise in History the will of the people had been most gloriously manifested thereby proving beyond any shadow of doubt that we were not Indians nor would we ever become Indians: neither by birth nor

M

y dear beloved Nagas, Greetings to you all in the name of our Almighty God. It is a great privilege and an honour to address you all on this historic day, on the momentous occasion of the Naga Plebiscite Day. It was on this day in 1951, the Nagas under the banner of the Naga National Council made a solemn and irrevocable vow and symbolically declared to the world, the desire and aspiration to live as a free and sovereign nation which is popularly known in Naga history as the Plebiscite of 16th May 1951. A remarkable feature of the Plebiscite was the overwhelming 99.9% voting in favour of Naga Independence which stands as a testimony of the unity of the Nagas and at the same time serves to express our continued affirmation of both the historic Memorandum to the Simon Commission of 1929 and the declaration of Naga

D

ear Naga people, We the Naga National Council on this occasion greet all the Naga people in the Homeland and abroad as we observe and remember our 70th National day anniversary. This democratic right of the Naga people was officially conducted by the NNC by informing the Government of India in advance and also by requesting it to send its representatives to Nagaland to observe and witness the holding of Naga plebiscite vide NNC letters dated March 30th and April 11 1951. The result of the

Nagas are not Indians, and Nagaland is not Indian territory. As such, we are not “rebels” or “underground”.

Nagas are living in their own country since time immemorial. Not only that, Nagas have a unique history of not entering into any written treaty with any foreign power.

As Indians saw the Nagas determination they became hostile to our people. We got the information that they wanted to capture NNC President, A.Z. Phizo‘Dead or Alive’. And when that failed, India invaded Nagaland and committed

atrocities on our people to frighten us to submission but nobody surrender. Then they burnt down our villages and granaries to force our people to become refugees, but unlike other countries our people returned with community spirit of helping one another and rebuilt their villages. We are proud and immensely grateful to our people in the villages for their patriotism and tenacity.

Coming to the role of the Naga Army, wherever they fought with the enemy, there is no record that they were defeated. They defended the nation very well against

immeasurable hardships in terms of numerical strength and superior weapons of the enemy. This year we have entered the seventy four year of conflict with India since it gained its independence from Britain. We wonder how could India behave to the small Naga nation in this manner. Whatever may be, we love our country and we care for our people, and the Right is on our side.

In failing to subdue the Nagas, the Indian Government is using few Naga factions in their political game against us, forgetting their past history of under foreign

occupation. Nagas and Indians have no shared history in anyway. We never had any political problem nor territorial dispute with India at any time in the past. As such, Nagas are not demanding anything from India, except to leave us alone. In an occasion like this we are reminded more of God’s guidance and protection to the Nagas in all these difficult times, for which we are immensely grateful to Him. May God continue to bless Nagaland.

U R R A U V I E. adinno phizo, president Naga National Council urra : Nagaland

by choice. Even then, Government of India (GOI) insisting that the Nagas would be made Indians imposed her General Election of 1952 on us. But the Nagas in keeping with her declared political stand, most faithfully asserted that she didn’t have anything to do with the Indian election and did not cast even one single vote. This momentous act had gone on to further demonstrate our eternal stand all over again: “double proved”, if you would.

In such magnificent ways God had been guiding us to register, consolidate and stockpile our eternal rights while the giant Nation of India had been slumbering most soundly away. And with these God-given rights as our weapons we could most victoriously prevail against the GOI from 1947 right up to 1956 in this epic ‘non-violence and non-cooperation’ war.

Then the GOI came to realise to her utter horror that she had absolutely not even an iota of rights, be it political, moral or any others in this conflict through peaceful means.

So she resorted to the immoral, cowardly barbaric path of “might is right” policy and unleashed her unbridled military might upon the unfortunately defenseless Nagas in

order to intimidate us into submission: naked invasion in Historical language. The blatant aggression of India thereby compelled the NNC to set up her Government – the Federal Republic Government of Nagaland (FGN) on March 22, 1956 and thence on began the actual physical war of repulsion.

The action of the NNC’s in setting up her Government had been one mighty risk of very grave consequences. It had been a mortal question of “do or die” proportions.

Eternal gratitude would continue to be accrued to the NNC for arriving at and executing the right and timely decision.

Had NNC not taken this bold drastic measure, it would have been a case of tame surrender, God forbid. The Naga Case could then have ended right then and there: born dead. However, paradoxically on hindsight, the detested invasion of India on the Nagas had come to us as the profoundest of “blessings in disguise”! Whereas the naïve Nagas had been lolling in blissful innocence, India most unwittingly awakened in us the need to gird up; and that too with utmost immediate urgency! Due credit is being accorded to the GOI for her

(unintentional!) paramount role in uniting the Nagas and forging one formidable Force out of them, thank you very much.

The GOI deployed her welltrained and heavily-sophisticated armed Forces against the deplorably untrained and virtually unarmed Nagas. She had the very wrong notion that the Nagas would easily and quickly be intimidated and overpowered. But most to her horror and consternation, the bravery and grit of the Nagas compelled her to re-visit her haywire plans and after nine (9) years of tenacious military campaigns, entered into the Ceasefire on September 6, 1964 with the FGN. However, Power Politics and not Political Science appeared to have been the guiding principle hereabouts too; since the GOI chose to first grant the State of Nagaland before entering into the Ceasefire, the act of which turned out to be yet another blunder and she had to back out from the honourable agreement and unilaterally abrogate the Ceasefire to her eternal shame and disgrace. In actual reality: the Nagas had won both the battles many times over, be it on the moral as well as the physical fronts. The GOI had never conquered the Nagas, no, not

even for a short instance. The Nagas had never relinquished her rights nor would she ever do so. India’s prolonged unwelcomed presence in Nagaland is but the obnoxious imposition of her monstrous brute oppressive physical power, virtually sitting on us. But for how long would such an insensate force be allowed to continue unchallenged?

Today the civilized World is changing fast. These Global changes would invariably affect India’s policies which in turn would of necessity percolate down to affect the Nagas too; and the changes I could perceive are all moving in favour of the Nagas, the observance of which brings me much delight without end.

My most ardent prayers at this hour: Let India no longer play childish games with the Nagas; and the Nagas to no longer allow themselves to be played games with by India.

And yes, whomsoever Nagas are pursuing anti-National paths and activities may please sincerely repent and make amends before it is too late; both for the ‘here and now’ but more so for the ‘then and there’.

Thank you and KUKNALIM. Gen (retd) Thinoselie m Keyho president, NNC

Independence of 14th August, 1947. The basis of the Naga Political stand fundamentally lies in the Naga Plebiscite of 1951, the reason being - it expresses the Naga aspiration in the clearest term. There has been Indian rhetoric time and again that only a section of misguided Nagas are fighting for freedom. Contrary to this, the plebiscite has clearly shown that the Naga people are aware of their rights and want to claim their rights. It was a political statement and declaration of our aspiration and that the Naga National Movement is a peoples’ movement for liberation.

The Plebiscite was necessitated in the first place due to the nature and failure of Nagas’ relationship with India. Our ancestors were honorable people and their words used to be their law. It is shameful and disgraceful to dishonor their own words. The British recognized this custom and treated the Nagas

as honorable people. Despite several conflicts and agreements between the two, no written document was necessitated. And so we respected each other for what each was. But when the Indian leaders made the first agreement with the Nagas, they neither honored our customs nor their promises. We had to make a written agreement - the 9 point agreement (Hydari agreement).

Even after getting written assurance from the representatives of the Government of India, a letter signed

by Bordoloi and Hydari themselves, the agreement never saw the light of day. Moreover, successive Indian leaders failed to uphold even the promises made to the Nagas by their most venerated leaders like Gandhi and Rajagopalachari. These were extremely valuable lessons for the Nagas. It made us to wonder what we are up against, a people whose honor is questionable.

In short, the Naga experiences of betrayal and treachery by the

Indian leaders was educative. The NNC had to recourse to extreme measures and precaution. We had to mobilize ourselves for a political action, to empower ourselves.

This realization necessitated the plebiscite. And in the context of the Plebiscite, it was more than a declaration. It was an oath. Some gave their thump impression with blood. This was to show their utmost seriousness, that it is a matter of life and death. It may be recalled that oath is the final judgment in our traditional context.

The occasion is an opportunity for our people to ponder on our foundational and fundamental beliefs, the legitimate right of the Nagas to choose our own destiny.

We remain proud and continue to live with dignity because on this day, Seventy years ago, the citizens of Nagaland, from the mountain tops to the valleys, courageously registered themselves to live as a free and independent nation.

Today, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought the entire world to a state of anxiety and panic. Unfortunately, it has also made the atmosphere not conducive to celebrate this historic occasion in a grand and befitting manner. However, as we commemorate and celebrate the Plebiscite Day, I appeal to our people to pray for protection from the disease and for our leaders and the Naga Cause. I pray that the Almighty God will protect us all and that we may emerge stronger, wiser, more united, more vigorous and with more enthusiasm.

And may the Almighty God who guided and gave courage to our pioneers and our people in the past continue to guide us and instil the same patriotic spirit in each one of us. Kuknalim.

Senka ao president, Naga National Council oking: Nagaland

Plebiscite finally tabulated was 99.9 percent that voted for a sovereign independent Naga state. This democratic right of the Naga people was and is very well known to the Government of India and also known to the world, and hence cannot be denied nor dismissed by anyone as this is the truth. This is the Naga people’s right of truth for the freedom of sovereignty.

The NNC on this occasion remember and salute all the Naga martyrs who sacrificed for this right of truth for a sovereign state of Nagaland.

May the national workers and the people continue to stand and fight for the achievement of our right of sovereignty unitedly as this is our desired goal and what we stand for.

The NNC at this severe crisis of pandemic appeal to all the Nagas and the North East Christian Community to stand unitedly and constantly pray to our Living God to defeat and eradicate this dangerous virus prevailing all over the world. May this time renew our faith in God Almighty and a time where we can resubmit ourselves and

draw closer to Him. The NNC is concerned and watchful as the democratic movement in Burma gets more intense and deadly.

However, the people and the ethic nationality of Kachin, Karen, Shan, Nagas etc are gaining ground for their rights of freedom and we welcome the political support extended by democratic nations like United Nations, European Union, USA etc for the right of the people for democracy.

The Naga people as a whole must stand firm on this political matter of democratic

rights for freedom, this is the right time for Eastern Nagas to exert their right for freedom of nationality as a people and nation in the interest of the whole Naga people.

The NNC also look forward and appeal to the democratic nations of the South East Asian governments to openly support the political rights of the Burmese people as they have been suffering immensely in the hands of their military for the last many years and this is the right time to overcome the military janta’s brute force of domination. The

Government of India being the largest democracy in the world should and must politically support the democratic movement of the Burmese people for their freedom of democracy.

The Naga people of Western region at this political crisis in Burma must stand firmly for the right of freedom of the down trodden Naga Eastern people. May God Almighty bless Naga people.

Kuknalim Yilow Humtsoe acting president Naga National Council (parent Body)

Appeal to hon’ble President of India to postpone construction of Central Vista Project

Respected Rashtrapati Ji, Jai Hind! ir when all legal and moral recourses in our beloved country have failed, we, a group of military veterans who have proudly and selflessly served in our nation’s Armed Forces, considered it appropriate to bring to the attention of our Supreme Commander a burning issue which has been aggravating us for a long period of time, notably the last year. This is in connection to the Central Vista’s re-modeling and reconstruction, the reasons for which are entirely unexplained to the people of our country.

As the worthy President is very well aware, the drive from Raisina Hill to India Gate is one of the world’s most majestic and

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grand avenues, as countless architects, visiting Heads of State, tourists, and others have acknowledged. The march from Raisina Hill to National Stadium through Rajpath on Republic Day was a dream come true for us in the Armed Forces. Sir, we are baffled as to why this illustrious avenue has been knocked apart. All folks who made this decision will not be pardoned by history. Hon’ble President Sir, we are the COVID-19’s worst-affected nation, with millions of people impacted every day, and our medical services are not only overburdened, but also experiencing a catastrophic scarcity of nearly everything.

Is this the time to indulge in such a wasteful spending when our economy is in such a state of flux and

we lack the resources to provide even basic medical assistance to our thronging and suffering millions of Indians? It is unnecessary to elucidate on what the world thinks of us. Respected Supreme Commander, may we veterans from the all three arms of Indian Armed Forces respectfully request that you direct the government to delay this frivolous expenditure for at least the next two years, until the nation has healed from the deadliest pandemic of the century.

In the current challenging circumstances, your decision to delay construction will undoubtedly be in the best interests of the nation.

It will be in the government’s interest to take this decision without considering the implications.

Admitting one’s mis-

take does not tarnish one’s credibility. It simply adds to it. “Acknowledgment of an error is like a broom that sweeps away the dirt and leaves it cleaner than before,” Mahatma Gandhi ji once observed.

We believe you will be able to sway the government to either suspend or postpone the Central Vista Project for at least two years.

With our profound Regards and Salutation. lt. Gen. mC Badhani; air marshal ashok Goyal; air Vice marshal Kapil Kak; maj. Gen. mpS Kandal; maj. Gen. KS Sindhu; maj. Gen. Gaganjit Singh; maj. Gen. Shyam Shrivastava; Brig. aK Jairath; Brig. TS Thakur; Brig Bhagwan Singh; Col anil puri; Col. Zorawar Singh; Col. Bharat Singh; Col. BC

lagwal(Shaurya Chakra); Col. Sunil Chandra; Col. V. George; Col Yadav; Col. prakash Bhatt; Col. arvind malhotra; Col. B. Nair; Col. malikarjuna; maj.

SK Yadav; Capt.G.K. Zhimomi; Capt. pandey; Hony Capt. Balbir Singh rawat;

Hony. Capt. Nr Verma; Sub. Suresh Kumar; Sub. Suryavanshi; Hav Nagjeet Kanwar; Capt. praveen Davar The above names of all ESm represents, all ranks of Defence Forces from all regions of India.

Reader’s Post

Shortage of beds in hospitals

Sir,

Hospitals are running out of beds and rooms lately. With this being said, the regular patients who have been seeking long term medical assistance from certain hospitals have been struck with a lot of problems and tensions. Therefore, I would like to appeal to the concerned authorities to look into this matter and make all necessary arrangements for the accommodation of patients and guardians. mhabemo, Dimapur Reader’s note: Articles or letters published in any of the columns do not reflect the view of this newspaper nor that of the Editor in any manner.

Govt suppressing actual numbers of Covid related deaths, alleges PC

NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (IANS): Senior Congress leader and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday slammed the central government over the issuance of 1.23 lakh death certificates between March 1 to May 10 this year in Gujarat and said that government, in conjunction with some state governments, is suppressing the actual numbers of new infections and Covid-related deaths. Addressing a press conference here virtually, Chidambaram said, “On May 14, DivyaBhaskar, a Gujarati language newspaper, published a news story that sent shock waves throughout Gujarat and the country.” He said that the thrust of the story was that during the period March 1 to May 10 of this year (2021), Gujarat issued about 1,23,000 death certificates as against about 58,000 death certificates issued during the same period last year (2020).

“The increase was an alarming number of about 65,000 death certificates.

This increase cannot be explained as a natural annual increase in the number of deaths. It can only be attributed to a pandemic or any other natural disaster,” the Congress leader said.

P. Chidambaram

He said that the Congress had independently verified the two numbers referred to for the period of 71 days. “We have collected the numbers from 33 districts (including the cities), the sum of the number of the death certificates nearly tallies with the numbers published by DivyaBhaskar -- 1,23,873 in 2021 versus 58,068 in 2020.

“During the period March 1, 2021 to May 10, 2021, the government of Gujarat has officially admitted to only 4,218 Covid-related deaths,” he said. “The difference between the increase in the number of death certificates (65,805) and the official Covid-related deaths (4,218) must be explained. It cannot be explained as ‘natural annual increase’ or ‘due to other causes’. We have a strong suspicion that the bulk of the increased number of deaths is due to Covid

and the state government is suppressing the true number of 18 Covid-related deaths,” Chidambaram said.

Hitting out at the government, Chidambaram said that the party’s suspicions were confirmed by the fact that hundreds of unidentified bodies have been found floating on the river Ganga and nearly 2,000 unidentified bodies have been found buried on the sands along the river Ganga.

“We have a strong suspicion that the Government of India, in conjunction with some state governments, is suppressing the true numbers of new infections and 18 Covid-related deaths,” he alleged.

He said, “If our suspicions are true, this is a grave misdeed apart from being a national shame and a national tragedy.”

Chidambaram said that Central government and the Gujarat government owe an explanation to the people of India. “We demand answers and an explanation,” he added.

Chidambaram also said that the National Human Rights Commission should collect the true numbers from every state about the death certificate issued last year and this year.

Delhi: Oxygen concentrator bank for those under home isolation NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (PTI): Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday announced the launch of an oxygen concentrator bank for COVID patients requiring oxygen support in home isolation or those recuperating after discharge from hospital.

He said despite declining cases and positivity rate in the national capital, there would be no laxity in the fight against the virus.

Each district in Delhi will have a stock of 200 concentrators that will be rushed to the doorsteps of the patients requiring oxygen within two hours, Kejriwal said at an online briefing.

Those requiring oxygen concentrators can call on the helpline number -- 1031 -- and it will be provided free of cost after it is recommended by the doctors, he said.

“The oxygen bank will have 200 oxygen concentrators in each of the 11 districts for COVID patients under home isolation and for patients who have returned home after recovery from hospital but require oxygen support as recommended by the doctors,” said the chief minister.

The COVID patients who are not enrolled under home isolation protocol of the Delhi government may call 1031 and avail of the oxygen concentrator facility, he said.

Delhi Health minister Satyendar Jain in a tweet said the COVID patients under home isolation or those discharged from the hospital can avail the facility of the first oxygen concentrator bank in Delhi, after it is prescribed by the doctors.

Oxygen concentrators are portable devices that enrich oxygen content in the air breathed by a person.

According to the Delhi government’s health bulletin on Saturday, there are 42,482 COVID patients under home isolation out of 66,295 active cases.

Kejriwal said often oxygen level drops in COVID patients and they can be saved from further deterioration if oxygen is given immediately .

“If patients under home isolation require oxygen, our team will ensure the oxygen concentrator reaches them within two hours. A technician will also accompany the team to explain to the family members how to use the the device.”

Go for another test if symptoms India needs proper vaccine strategy: Rahul persist after RT-PCR: AIIMS SAyS GOveRnMenT’S ‘DISASTROuS POlICy’ WIll enSuRe 3RD WAve

NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (IANS): If the RT-PCR test comes out negative, but symptoms are present, it is recommended to go for another test, suggested All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Saturday. The Central government institute also suggested to “immediately isolate yourself from others” if fever, dry cough, tiredness and loss of taste or smell, irritation in throat, headache, body ache, diarrhoea, rash on skin and redness is observed, clarifying that these are commonly observed symptoms among Covid19 patients. “80 per cent of infected patients experience very mild symptoms,” said the AIIMS. Addressing a webinar on “Medication and Care in Home Isolation” for patients who are tested positive for Covid19, Dr NeerajNishchal of AIIMS (Delhi) said: “The webinar was organized by the Centre of Excellence of the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.”

“The medications are to be taken in proper quan-

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NagalaNd Post, Dimapur SuNDaY, maY 16, 2021

tity and at accurate timing.

Knowing about the medicine is not enough; patients should also know how and when they are to be taken, only then would it prove to be beneficial,” said Dr Neeraj.

“The decision of home isolation for patients above 60 years and with co-morbidities like Hypertension, Diabetes, Heart Disease, chronic ailments related to kidneys and lungs, should be taken only after consulting doctors.”

Explaining about some measures Covid-19 positive patients need to take, as part of managing the infection, the doctor said regular medicines should be taken and requirements for sanitization and cleanliness should be met.

“Medical grade masks should be stocked in advance. We should plan for daily essentials and prepare list of contact numbers for health-related information, health workers and hotlines.

“Along with this, contact numbers of friends, other family members and neighbours should also be kept handy for emergency situations.

NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (PTI/IANS): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday called for a national vaccine strategy and claimed that the government’s “disastrous” inoculation policy will “ensure a devastating third wave” in the country.

He also accused the prime minister of making “mother Ganga cry” after bodies of suspected coronavirus victims were found floating in the river.

“The Government of India’s (GOI’s) disastrous vaccine strategy will ensure a devastating third wave. It can’t be repeated enough - India needs a proper vaccine strategy,” he said on Twitter.

Tagging media reports claiming that over 2,000 bodies have been found in 1140 km area along the Ganga, he alleged, “One who used to say ‘Ganga’ has called him has made Mother Ganga cry.”

Gandhi and the Congress have been attacking the prime minister and his government over its vaccine strategy and handling of the

Rahul takes potshot at Modi over dead bodies in Ganga

Rahul Gandhi

pandemic.

In yet another tweet, Gandhi appealed to people to stay safe after cyclone Tauktae warning was issued by the government in many states. He also appealed to Congress workers to provide all assistance to those in need.

“May 15 Cyclone Alert has been issued in Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka. Cyclone Tauktae is already causing heavy rains in many areas.

“I appeal to Congress workers to provide all possible assistance to those in need. Please stay safe,” he said on Twitter.

After several decomposed bodies were found floating in the river Ganga in several cities of Uttar Pradesh, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday indirectly took a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the one who said that Mother Ganga has called him, has made it cry.

In a tweet in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi said, “The one who said Ganga has called him, has made the Mother Ganga cry.”

He also attached a news report which claimed that on the 1,140 km long banks of river Ganga about 2,000 dead bodies have been found.

In the last few days several dead bodies have been found floating in the river or buried near its banks in several districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

India remains hugely concerning: WHO GENEVA/NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (IANS): India remains hugely concerning, with several states continuing to see a worrying number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

Tedros AdhanomGhebreyesus, WHO Director General said in a briefing that WHO is responding and has shipped thousands of oxygen concentrators, tents for mobile field hospitals, masks and other medical supplies. “And we thank all the stakeholders who are supporting India,” he said.

“COVID-19 has already cost more than 3.3 million lives and we’re on track for the second year of this pandemic to be far more deadly than the first,” Tedros said.

Tedros AdhanomGhebreyesus

However, it’s not only India that has emergency needs, he added. Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Egypt are just some of the countries that are dealing with spikes in cases and hospitalizations.

He added that the fact that so many are still not protected is a sad reflection on the gross distortion in access to vaccines across the globe. “In January, I spoke about the potential unfold-

ing of a moral catastrophe.

Unfortunately, we are now witnessing this play out. In a handful of rich countries, which bought up the majority of the vaccine supply, lower risk groups are now being vaccinated,” he said.

“I understand why some countries want to vaccinate their children and adolescents, but right now I urge them to reconsider and to instead donate vaccines to COVAX,” WHO said.

“Because in low and lower-middle income countries, vaccine supply has not been enough to even immunize health and care workers, and hospitals are being inundated with people that need lifesaving care urgently.

At present, only 0.3 per cent of vaccine supply is going to low-income countries,” he added.

15 arrested, 17 FIRs filed over posters critical of Modi NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (AGENCIES): Delhi Police has registered 17 FIRs and arrested 15 people for allegedly pasting posters critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the vaccination drive against COVID-19, officials said on Saturday.

The posters reading “Modiji humare bachon ki vaccine videsh kyu bhej diya (PM why did you send vaccines of our children to foreign countries?)” were pasted in several parts of the city,

Staling orders to book hoarders, black marketers

C H E N NA I , M AY 1 5 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday ordered to book those who hoard and sell Remdesivir injection in black market under the Goondas Act. He also ordered to book those who sell oxygen cylinders at premium rates under this Act. In a statement issued here, Stalin said the police have been ordered to book hoarders and black marketers of Remdesivir injection and those who sell oxygen cylinders at a high price, under the Goondas Act. He said even poor people despite their livelihood being affected are cooperating with the state government’s lockdown restrictions.

But some anti-social elements are hoarding the Remdesivir injection and sell it in the black market at high rates.

they said. On Thursday, police received information about the posters following which senior officers of the districts were alerted. And based on further complaints, as many as 17 FIRs were registered under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant sections including section 3 of the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act across various districts of the Delhi Police, the officials said.

Making fun of India’s culture is Tharoor’s favourite pastime: BJP NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (IANS): The BJP slammed former Union Minister and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for questioning the progress the country made in recent years. The saffron party leaders said that making fun of the country is Tharoor’s favourite pastime.

In a tweet, Tharoor said, “Since the BJP is so obsessed w/our image, reflect: For decades, the world saw India as a land of snakecharmers and fakirs lying on nails. In the last 25 yrs India became the home of doctors and computer geeks. Now we’re a land where people drink cow urine and bathe in cow dung. Progress?”

Quoting screenshot of Tharoor’s tweet, BJP Rajya Sabha member Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said, “Making fun of India’s culture, traditions and heritage has been your favourite pass time.”

In another tweet sharing a news report, Sahas-

Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe

rabuddhe said, “Now you must stop this Shashi Tharoorji, just in case you have an open mind to listen to your senior party colleague Oscar Fernandesji.”

In the report shared

by Sahasrabuddhe, former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Fernandes talks about an anecdote about a man in Meerut who claimed to have cured his cancer by drinking cow urine and how by doing ‘Vajrasana’ he cured his knee pain when doctors had suggested for replacement surgery.

FELICITATION

LONGKONG VILLAGE COUNCIL MEDEMSANGER PUTU

P.O. Chuchuyimlang, B.P.O. Longkong.

DEEP GRATITUDE

Mokokchung Town Ao Baptist Arogo.

Tuensang Town Ao Baptist Arogo.

Mr. & Mrs. T. Nϋngsang Imsong, Tuensang.

Mrs. J. Amenla Molongkimong, Tuensang.

Mrs. Sentila Ungma, Tuensang.

Mr. & Mrs. Sashi Merangkong, Tuensang.

Mr. & Mrs. Meyitemsϋ Changtongya, Tuensang.

Longchara Baptist Arogo.

Changtongya Town Baptist Arogo Akhoya Yimten Aser Akhoya Baptist Arogo.

Marepkong Baptist Arogo Yaongyimsen Village Council.

Mr. & Mrs. Lipokmeren Jamir, Longsa, Sangtemla Ward, Mokokchung.

14. NDPP Women Organization Mokokchung Region.

15. Merangkong Village Council.

16. Mr. & Mrs. R. Mayang Amri, Changki, Mokokchung.

M. Lepden Jamir Chairman Longkong Village Council

P. Imkong Aier Pastor Longkong Baptist Arogo

DP-2429

With immense pride and honour, the Changkiri Anoti Kin Telongjem Dimapur would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to Dr. K. Limatola Changkiri, daughter of Late Katikaba Changkiri on being promoted to Medical Superintendent, District Hospital Peren.

We appreciate you for bringing laurels to our community and wish you a prosperous future ahead.

DP-2431

NAGALAND UNIVERSITY (A Central University Established by an Act No. 35 of Parliament 1989) School of Agricultural Sciences & Rural Development Medziphema Campus - 797 106 (Nagaland)

Sd/(M. SHAYUNG PHOM) Deputy Commissioner, Longleng

FELICITATION

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The Officers and staff of District Administration, Longleng take immense pleasure in congratulating Shri. Nuklu Phom for winning the prestigious Whitley Award 2021 for his work- “Establishing a Bio-Diversity Peace Corridor”. Further, we applaud and congratulate the Yaongyimchen village community for proactively participating and cooperating with Shri. Nuklu Phom in the preservation, conservation and regeneration of bio-diversity in the region.

Recognition of his work on a global platform has not only brought laurels to Longleng district but to the state and the nation as a whole.

We wish him the best as he expands his works to other regions and also urge the people to continue to support him and participate in the noble act of bio-diversity conservation.

May God guide and direct him to succeed in the tasks that lie ahead.

Wabangla Changkiri President C.A.K.T.D

NO.SAM N/ADM N-PRJ/E-172/21Dated 12.05.2021 Interested qualified candidates are invited for a walk-in Interview for the under mentioned posts under Government of India Ministry of Science & Technology Department of Biotechnology funded project entitled Collection Conservation & Morphophenological Characterization germplasm of North East Region, to be conducted on 28-05-2021 at 11:00 A.M at Conference Hall, SASRD, NU, Medziphema campus. Candidates are required to bring with them the documents supporting educational qualification and experiences in original with one set photocopies to be retained by the institution.

Sl. No. of Educational Qualification Honorarium Per Month No Name of the Post Post Research Associate 1 M.Sc (Ag) in Horticulture Rs. 30,000+10% HRA 1.

(Fruit Science with NET) Field workers 1 10+2 in any discipline with Rs. 20,000/- (Fixed) 2. (Plant Propagator) experience in citrus grafting & budding Field Workers (MTS) 1 Minimum of 5 years field works Rs. 15,000/- (Fixed) 3. experience in research plots NOTE: 1. No TA/DA will be admissible to the candidate appearing the interview.

2. The above post is purely temporary and co-terminus with the project.

DC-440

Sd/(M. Aleminla Ao) Pro-Vice Chancellor

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national

15-day complete lockdown in WB from today

KO L K ATA , M AY 1 5 (PTI): West Bengal will go under a complete lockdown from Sunday till May 30, the state government announced, as it put in place a host of stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, including prohibiting vehicular movement and disallowing all kinds of gathering.

Chief Secretary AlapanBandyopadhyay said the lockdown will take effect from 6 am on Sunday till 6 pm of May 30.

“Additional restriction measures to cut down mobility of people and limiting human contact through assembly and congregation is essential to cut the transmission chain of the virus and to contain the pandemic,” he said.

During this period, all government and private offices, shopping complexes, malls, bars, sports complexes, pubs, cinema halls and beauty parlours will remain closed other than those relating to emergency and essential services, in-

Sanitation is carried out by a mist cannon machine in Kolkata.

cluding healthcare, law and order, courts, power, drinking water and media.

Movement of private vehicles, taxis and autorickshaws will be prohibited except to and from hospitals, diagnostic and vaccination centres, airports and media houses, the top government official said.

“All intra-state local trains, bus services, metro railway and inland water transport shall remain closed

for the 15-day lockdown period, barring movement of emergency and essential services personnel,” he said.

Intra-state movement of trucks and goods carriers shall also be prohibited except relating to medical supplies, oxygen and essential food commodities.

Bandyopadhyay said petrol pumps, auto repair shops, LPG gas offices and distribution centres will remain open, while banks will

operate from 10 am-2 pm.

Sweetmeat shops will be allowed to open between 10 am and 5 pm, and jewellery and saree shops from 12 pm-3 pm.

“All gatherings be it administrative, entertainment, political, cultural, and religious gatherings shall be prohibited,” he said, adding that all industries and manufacturing units, other than those relating to medical supplies, will be

under the purview of the directive.

Whereas tea gardens will be allowed to operate with 50 per cent workforce in each shift, jute mills can do the same with 30 per cent of its strength, the chief secretary said in an official order.

E-commerce and home delivery services of all commodities shall be allowed, it said.

“District administrations, police shall ensure strict compliance of the directive, Anyone found violating the restrictions will be liable to be proceeded against as per provisions of the Disaster Management Act and under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code,” the order said.

West Bengal has been witnessing a surge in Covid cases since the first week of April, amid the eightphase assembly elections and high-octane campaigning by political parties.

Till Friday, the state registered 10,94,802 COVID-19 cases and 12,993 deaths.

NagalaNd Post, Dimapur SuNDaY, maY 16, 2021

Chitrakoot jail shootout: 5 officials suspended LucKnOw, M AY 15 (IAnS): The UP Government has taken serious note of the shootout in Chitrakoot jail in which at least three undertrials were killed on Friday. On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, five personnel including Chitrakoot Jail Superintendent S.P. Tripathi and jailer Mahendra Pal have been suspended.

Director General Jail (DG) Anand Kumar said that five personnel including Jail Superintendent Tripathi and jailer Mahendra Pal have been suspended. A new superintendent and jailor have been posted in their place.

Ashok Kumar Sagar has been appointed as Jail Superintendent and C.P. Tripathi as the new Jailor.

Officials say how the pistol reached the jail is not yet clear. There will be a judicial inquiry into the incident, the process of which has been started.

Chitrakoot police has registered an FIR and a through and detailed investigation will be carried out into the incident.

Security personnel outside Chitrakoot jail after the shootout on Friday.

Among the suspended personnel are the head warder of the jail and a PAC soldier posted in security arrangements. DG Jail Anand Kumar said that investigations will be conducted from all possible angles.

To investigate the incident, a team comprising Commissioner Chitrakoot D.K. Singh, IG Chitrakoot, K. Satyanarayana and DIG Prison Headquarters Sanjeev Tripathi has been constituted. The report will be submitted directly to the Chief Minister.

As per reports, an un-

dertrialAnshul Dixit had opened fire at another gangster Mukeem Kala who died on the spot. In the shootout, another criminal, Mirajuddin, also received gunshot injuries and died.

Mirajuddin is said to be a close confidant of mafia don and BahujanSamaj Party MLA Mukhtar Ansari.

The police asked Dixit to surrender but he fired at the police who then also opened fire in which Dixit was killed.

Several rounds were fired inside the jail during the incident.

Black fungus declared notified Yogi, Capt spar over Punjab naming Malerkotla as district ‘People, govt became negligent DELHI/cHAnDI- Adityanath said any Lambasting the ruldisease in Haryana: Anil Vij nEw after 1st Covid wave’: RSS chief GARH, MAY 15 (AGEn- kind of discrimination ing Congress in Punjab,

cHAnDIGARH, MAY 15 (PTI): Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Saturday said that black fungus has been declared a notified disease in the state. Now, if any cases of this disease are found, the doctors will have to report them to the concerned chief medical officer (CMO), Vij said in a statement here. The black fungus infection, also known as mucormycosis, is caused by a fungus called mucor. Black fungus has been declared a notified disease in Haryana, Vij said.

Now, if a patient is diagnosed with black fungus in any government or private hospital of the state, it will have to be reported to the CMO of the concerned district so that appropriate steps can be taken to prevent the disease, he said. Senior doctors of PGIMS, Rohtak will

Anil Vij

conduct meetings through video conferencing with all the doctors who are treating coronavirus patients in the state and inform them about the treatment of black fungus. Recently, several states have flagged cases of COVID-triggered mucormycosis, especially among diabetic patients. Earlier this month, Niti Aayog member (health) V K Paul had ruled out an outbreak of COVIDtriggered mucormycosis and said that the situation was being monitored.

cIES): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday hit out at the Punjab government for declaring Malerkotla as an independent revenue district of the state.

In effect, the full spectrum of the past and present political circumstances leading up to announcement of Malerkotla as the 23rd district of Punjab, and the retaliatory retort from Adityanath is harbinger of the blowing gentle political winds of the forthcoming assembly elections in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, which will be held during next spring season. The election in the two states along with Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa are simultaneously due in February-March next year. Taking exception to the declaration of Malerkotla as a separate district,

based on ideology and Yogi said the creation religion is against the of Malerkotla as a disfundamental spirit of trict at this juncture was the Constitution. testimony to Congress’ Slamming Yogi policy of divisive poliAdityanath over his tics. “Ideological and “inflammatory” tweet Capt. Amarinder Singh Yogi Adityanath religious driven discrimon the declaration of ination of any kind is actively promoting commuMalerkotla as the 23rd nal discord in the state for against the basic spirit of the district of Punjab, Chief the past over four years.

Constitution,” Adityanath Minister Amarinder Singh “What does he (Yogi tweeted and added that termed it an attempt to Adityanath) know of Pun- creation of the district is incite communal hatred in jab’s ethos or the history testimony to the Congress the peaceful state as part of of Malerkotla, whose rela- policy of divisive politics. the Bharatiya Janata Party’s tionship with Sikhism and Creation of Malerkotla was divisive policies. its Gurus was known to an electoral promise of the Contrasting the com- every Punjabi? And what Congress, made during the munal harmony in Punjab does he understand of the last Assembly election in with the divisiveness being Indian Constitution, which Punjab. Malerkotla townpromoted by the Yogi Adi- is being brazenly trampled ship and the assembly conyanath government in Uttar every day by his own gov- stituency are preponderated Pradesh, Amarinder Singh ernment in UP?” asked the with Muslim population. asked the former to stay out Chief Minister, in a strong Punjab Chief Minister of his state’s affairs, which reaction to his UP coun- Capt Amarinder Singh anare in much better shape terpart’s tweet, describing nounced Malerkotla as a than those in UP under the Malerkotla’s new status as a new district of the state on divisive and destructive BJP “sign of the divisive policies Friday on the occasion of government, which has been of the Congress.”

Eid-ul-Fitr festival.

No. 9918 Yesterday’s solution No. 9917

Su doku

No. 4537 Yesterday’s solution No. 4536

No. 3561 Yesterday’s solution No. 3560

Across 1. Coils, spins (6) 7. Think carefully about (8) 8. Fish (4) 10. Make deeper (6) 11. Boy’s name (6) 14. Falsehood (3) 16. Great fear (5) 17. Gentle (4) 19. Golf term (5) 21. Thin biscuit (5) 22. Fabric type (5) 23. Male voice (4) 26. Keen (5) 28. Embrace (3) 29. Easily bent (6) 30. One’s professional life (6) 31. Second-hand (4) 32. Perforated pan (8) 33. Bursts out (6) Down 1. Bicycle for two (6) 2. Simple-minded (6) 3. Look over quickly (4) 4. In pieces (7) 5. Love intensely (5) 6. Throng (5) 8. Let know (4) 9. Born (3) 12. Opposite of wet (3) 13. Noblemen (5) 15. Bulgarian capital (5) 18. Perfect (5) 19. Nocturnal mammal (3) 20. Information (3) 21. Advice to beware (7) 22. Body of water (3) 23. Writing desk (6) 24. Elderly (4) 25. Homeless dogs (6) 26. Era (5) 27. Breathing organs in fish (5) 28. Possesses (3) 30. Heal (4)

nEw DELHI, MAY 15 (AGEncIES): RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today called out the negligence displayed by all sections of the nation following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic which led India into the ongoing nationwide medical crisis.

“After the first wave, we all became negligent.

People, governments, administration. We all knew this is coming. Doctors had warned us. Still we were negligent,” Mr Bhagwat said today.

“Now they tell us a third wave could be here.

So should we fear it? Or have the right attitude to fight and win against the virus?” he said as part of the ‘Positivity Unlimited’ series of lectures organised by the RSS to infuse confidence and positivity among people

Mohan Bhagwat

as they fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

He sought to channelise the nation’s focus towards the future so that the people and the government will be prepared for it by learning from the current experiences. Brushing aside the difficulties faced by India, Mr Bhagwat encouraged Indians to develop the confidence to face a potential third wave by learning from today’s mistakes.

Maha Corona crises: Fadnavis complains to Sonia Gandhi M u M B A I , M AY 1 5 per cent of the deaths in the (IAnS): Marking an unongoing second wave. precedented step, MahaFadnavis points out rashtra Bharatiya Janata that though there is no BJP Party’s Leader of Opposigovernment in the state, the tion Devendra Fadnavis Centre has been giving full here on Saturday shot off a help to Maharashtra by way detailed letter to Congress of 1.80 crore vaccine doses, President Sonia Gandhi 800,000-plus Remdesivir highlighting the acts of injections, 1,750 tonnes of commission and omission oxygen, and other assisby the state government in tance, but in order to hide dealing with the Covid-19 Devendra Fadnavis their shortcomings, some crisis. and 14 per cent of all active leaders keep targeting the Fadnavis said he felt cases in the country, and 22 Modi government. compelled to pen the letter after Sonia Gandhi’s recent OFFICE OF THE letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the reac- PFUCHATSUMIA YOUTH ORGANISATION KOHIMA VILLAGE tions of various Congress leaders and since she was This is to inform all the concern, that the Raffle Draw of not apprised of certain the Pfuchatsumia Youth Organsation (P.Y.O.) which was issues pertaining to the scheduled on the 22nd May 2021 has been postponed due to same which he sought to the unavoidable circumstances caused by the steep rise in highlight.

COVID 19 cases in the state and the subsequent lockdown In the 4-pager letter in issued by the state government.

Hindi, the BJP leader has The draw date will be fixed in the later days and published targeted the Congress, the in the local dailies after the state government eases lockdown MahaVikasAghadi (MVA) restrictions. We regret for the inconvenience caused. government in the state and Sd/sought to defend the Centre Convenor and Modi.

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China succeeds in first Mars landing

Beijing, May 15 (ianS): The lander carrying China’s first Mars rover has touched down on the Red Planet, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed on Saturday.

It is the first time China has landed a probe on a planet other than Earth, reports Xinhua news agency.

“The Mars exploration mission has been a total success,” Zhang Kejian, head of the CNSA, announced at the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre. “It’s another important milestone for China’s space exploration,” he said. The Tianwen-1 probe touched down at its pre-selected landing area in the southern part of Utopia Planitia, a vast plain on the northern hemisphere of Mars, at 7.18 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Saturday, the CNSA announced.

It took ground controllers more than an hour to establish the success of the pre-programmed landing. They had to wait for the rover to autonomously unfold its solar panels and antenna to send the signals after landing, and there

1st repatriation flight from India lands in Aus canBerra, May 15 (ianS): The first repatriation flight from India landed in Australia on Saturday after the government’s controversial travel ban to the Covid-battered country ended. The Qantas jet carrying approximately 80 Australians, who were stranded in India, touched down at a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base in Darwin earlier in the day, reports Xinhua news agency. The flight was scheduled to carry about 150 passengers but dozens were blocked from boarding after 40 tested positive for Covid-19 and 30 were deemed close contacts of the positive cases, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Those that were able to board will quarantine for 14 days at the Howard Springs facility outside of Darwin.

They are the first people to enter Australia from India since the federal government made it a criminal offence to do so at the end of April in response to the surging coronavirus crisis in the South Asian nation.

In this photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, Zhang Rongqiao, chief designer of China’s first Mars landing mission, speaks at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, Saturday. (AP/PTI)

was a time delay of more than 17 minutes due to the 320-million-km distance between Earth and Mars.

Tianwen-1, consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of southern China’s island province of Hainan on July 23, 2020. It was the first step in China’s

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planetary exploration of the solar system, with the aim of completing orbiting, landing and roving on the red planet in one mission.

The name Tianwen, meaning ‘Questions to Heaven’, comes from a poem written by the ancient Chinese poet Qu Yuan (about 340-278 BC). China’s first Mars rover is named

Zhurong after the god of fire in ancient mythology, which echoes with the Chinese name of the red planet: Huoxing (the planet of fire).

The spacecraft entered the Mars orbit in February after a journey of nearly seven months through space, and spent more than two months surveying potential landing sites.

In the early hours of Saturday, the spacecraft began to descend from its parking orbit, and the entry capsule enclosing the lander and rover separated from the orbiter at about 4 a.m. After flying for approximately three hours, the entry capsule hurtled toward the red planet and entered the Mars atmosphere at an altitude of 125 km, initiating the riskiest phase of the whole mission.

First, the specially designed aerodynamic shape of the entry capsule decelerated with the friction of the Martian atmosphere. When the velocity of the spacecraft was lowered from 4.8 km per second to about 460 meters per second, a huge parachute covering an area of about 200 square metres was unfurled to continue reducing the velocity to less than 100 meters per second.

The parachute and the outer shield of the spacecraft were then jettisoned, exposing the lander and rover, and the retrorocket on the lander was fired to further slow the speed of the craft to almost zero. At about 100 metres

above the Martian surface, the craft hovered to identify obstacles and measured the slopes of the surface. Avoiding the obstacles, it selected a relatively flat area and descended slowly, touching down safely with its four buffer legs.

The craft’s plummet through the Martian atmosphere, lasting about nine minutes, was extremely complicated with no ground control, and had to be performed by the spacecraft autonomously, said Geng Yan, an official at the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the CNSA. After separating from the entry capsule, the orbiter, with a designed lifespan of one Martian year (about 687 days on Earth), was lifted to return to its parking orbit and helped relay communications between the landing vehicle and Earth.

The rover Zhurong will take a further seven to eight days to detect the surrounding environment and conduct self checks before moving down from the lander to the Martian surface, according to Geng.

Two killed, six injured in explosions across Myanmar

Security personnels inspecting the blast site.

ya n g o n, M ay 1 5 (ianS): At least two people were killed and six others injured in explosions of handmade bombs across Myanmar on Friday, staterun media reported.

According to the report, two people on a motorbike threw a handmade bomb at security personnel near a university located in Ayethaya town of Shan state, killing two civilians who were at the scene on Friday.

On the same day, explosions of handmade bombs took place near a bank in

Instagram will US embassy in Kabul warns soon Israel strike in Gaza destroys let users post of increase in violence from its website building with AP, other media

KaBuL, May 15 (ianS): The US embassy in Kabul on Saturday warned American citizens to exercise caution in places where people are known to congregate, saying that “historically, violence has increased in Afghanistan following the Eid holiday”.

“The US government remains concerned that insurgents are intent on targeting foreigners via kidnapping schemes and attacks at locations such as hotels, residential compounds, security checkpoints, government facilities and airports,” it said in a security alert.

Last month, the US State Department ordered some of its employees whose functions can be performed elsewhere to depart from the American embassy in Kabul, reports dpa news agency.

Ross Wilson, the acting US Ambassador to Afghanistan, said that the decision was made “in light of increasing violence and threat reports in Kabul”.

The Department had

also advised US citizens not to travel to Afghanistan due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed conflict and the coronavirus, adding that American nationals already in the country should consider departing.

Afghanistan is in a state of uncertainty after US President Joe Biden announced that American troops will pull out from the country by September 11. NATO also said it will abide by the decision.

The international forces already began the official process of withdrawal on May 1.

The Taliban have intensified attacks on provincial capitals, districts, bases and checkpoints since international troops began to withdraw.

Currently, both the Taliban and the Afghan g ove r n m e n t h ave a n nounced that they would observe a three-day ceasefire for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr that started on Thursday, but the violence continues.

San FranciSco, May 15 (ianS): Facebookowned photo-sharing platform Instagram is reportedly working on an update to its desktop website that will allow users to create posts from there as well.

The update brings the post creator to the web version of Instagram -- which was previously only available on the mobile Instagram website besides the official app, 9To5Google, citing developer and app analyst Alessandro Paluzzi, reported.

Paluzzi managed to enable the new option on his profile through undisclosed methods, and he shared some images on Twitter of how Instagram’s post creator will work on the web, the report said. The interface has been tweaked with a preview of the content next to the publishing options. Users will also find options to crop the image, apply filters and set a description. The company recently announced to let users add up to four pronouns to their profiles, which they can then display publicly or only to their followers.

gaZa/TeL aViV, May 15 (agencieS): An Israeli airstrike has destroyed a high-rise building that housed The Associated Press offices in the Gaza Strip. The airstrike Saturday came roughly an hour after the Israeli military ordered people to evacuate the building. There was no immediate explanation for why the building was targeted. The building houses The Associated Press, Al Jazeera and a number of offices and apartments.

T h e d eve l o p m e n t comes hours after an Israeli air strike in Gaza city on Saturday killed at least 10 Palestinians, a majority of whom were children, AP reported.

As the conflict between Israel and the Hamas continues to escalate, Palestine witnessed some of its most widespread protests in years. Hundreds of young demonstrators clashed with Israeli troops, leading to the death of at least 11 people so far, AP reported.

M e a n w h i l e, S a u -

A building housing various international media, collapses after an Israeli airstrike on Saturday. (AP/PTI)

di Arabia has called for foreign ministers of the world’s largest body of Muslim nations to hold a meeting Sunday.

The gathering is to discuss Israeli acts of violence against Palestinians and the Israeli police’s use of force against protesters at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

The kingdom will host the virtual summit, gathering ministers of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation “to discuss the Israeli aggression in the Palestinian territory,” particularly acts of

violence in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the body said Saturday.

At least seven Palestinians were killed on Friday after Israel launched an airstrike on a house in Gaza City. The West Bank violence comes as Israel unleashed a heavy barrage of tank fire and airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Friday. Israel said it was clearing a network of militant tunnels ahead of a possible ground invasion. The West Bank violence signals a new wave of unrest there as part of the Israel-Gaza escalation.

Myitkyina township, at a township administration office in Moe Mauk township of Kachin state and at a shop in Pakokku township of Magway region, respectively.

Six people including one security personnel were injured in the explosions, the state-run media said.

Several events of handmade bombs and mines explosions recently took place in Myanmar’s regions and states while martial law orders were imposed in six townships of Yangon region and one in Chin state.

Pakistan reaffirms support for Afghan peace process iSLaMaBad, May 15 (ianS): Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reaffirmed his country’s support to the Afghan peace process for a sustainable political settlement in the war-torn neighbouring country.

The intra-Afghan negotiations provide a historic opportunity to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan for ending the longlasting conflict, Qureshi said during a call on with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said Pakistan welcomed the announcement of the three-day Eid-ul-Fitr ceasefire by the Afghan parties recently, adding that efforts should continue for a permanent ceasefire.

Both sides also agreed to maintain high-level bilateral exchanges and work together for the further consolidation of PakistanAfghanistan relations.

n e w yo r k , M a y 1 5 (ianS): New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that the city will tap into its stockpile to send Covid-19 test kits, swabs, ventilators, BiPap machines, pulse oximeters, and other medical supplies to India, which is currently battling a devastative second wave of the pandemic.

However, de Blasio didn’t disclose the quantity and schedule about the transnational aid, reports Xinhua news agency.

“Now, it is our turn to step up and help India in its moment of crisis. We are sending vital medical equipment to India to send a clear message: nobody is in the fight against COVID19 alone.

“Together, we can save lives and beat back the pandemic,” the Mayor said in a statement issued on Friday.

New York City Health Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi, an Indian-American, said: “Our city, home to thousands of Indianborn New Yorkers, and our country have a moral imperative to demonstrate global solidarity in order to overcome this devastating pandemic.”

Chokshi appealed to K Y M C

the White House to take further action to waive Covid-19 vaccine patents and said that all research, technology and techniques for producing the jabs should be publicly shared.

“New York’s thousands of Indian-Americans are filled with anger and helplessness as they witness the unnecessary tragedy back in the country that shaped each of us as a child,” said Harpreet Singh Toor, co-founder and president of South Asians for Global Empowerment.

Toor said it is the right time to call for a full-scale effort to donate vaccines, Covid-19 test kits, swabs, ventilators, pulse oximeters, and every other type of relief possible to India.

The US has delivered six plane-loads of emergency medical supplies to India in fighting against a Covid-19 wave, according to a release by the US Agency for International Development on May 6.

As a devastating wave of infections caught India off guard, more than 10 countries have offered to help India with aid.

The Red Cross Society of China recently donated oxygen concentrators and ventilators to India with delivery on Monday.

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New York City to aid India’s Covid battle

K Y M C

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Italian Open: Djokovic outlasts Man City win thriller against Newcastle Tsitsipas in ‘toughest match’ of year

L O N D O N, M AY 1 5 (AGENCIES): Ferran Torres scored his first Manchester City hat-trick as the Premier League champions beat Newcastle United 4-3 to claim an English record 12th consecutive away league win on Friday.

With Pep Guardiola’s City having already bagged the title and Newcastle safe, there was nothing riding on the fixture but it served up some rich entertainment with Spaniard Torres especially enjoying himself at St James’ Park.

“Incredible numbers and goals in his first season in the Premier League,” Guardiola said of the 21year-old signed from Valencia for 20 million pounds ($28.20 million) last August.

“He is so young and clinical. He is a guy brought as a winger but maybe we have to think as a striker.”

Twice City had to come from a goal down as they extended the gap at the top of the table to 13 points.

Guardiola rested firstchoice goalkeeper Ederson

Ferran Torres (right) helped Manchester City establish an English league record of 12 successive away victories.

and handed 35-year-old former England player Scott Carson his first appearance for the club.

Carson’s first action was to pick the ball out of the back of his net after Emil Krafth found space to head home Jonjo Shelvey’s

cross in the 25th minute.

Joao Cancelo’s deflected drive levelled it up in the 39th minute and Torres put City ahead with a superbly improvised flick to direct Ilkay Guendogan’s cross into the net.

But Newcastle were

Aus IPL contingent Women may land in boxers Sydney: Report

hit roadblock ahead of Asian championships NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (IANS): Half of 10-member women’s team is doubtful to compete at the Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai starting May 21 after strict Covid-19 protocols at Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune didn’t let them join the ongoing national camp.

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) had planned collective training for the 10-member squad at ASI ahead of the tournament.

However, ASI has allowed boxers to join only in batches. While five, including MC Mary Kom, had joined till Friday, the remaining five had been allowed to move into ASI only next week.

Sonia Lather (57 kg) Simranjit Kaur (60 kg) and LovlinaBorgohain (69 kg) are among those who have joined the camp.

“The remaining five

boxers are expected to join the camp next week,” said a boxing coach.

BFI said that strict protocols at ASI have made things tough.

“Boxers are joining the camp in Pune as per Covid-19 protocols of ASI,” HemantaKalita, secretary-general of BFI, told IANS. Asked if it would be too late, Kalita insisted that the boxers will fly to Dubai. “Indian team will participate in the Asian meet in Dubai,” he said without confirming how many will eventually fly.

Last month, several boxers in the women’s camp at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex tested positive for Covid-19 forcing the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to close down the camp. Initially, BFI wanted to shift the camp to Patiala but later opted for the ASI campus in Pune.

SYDNEY, MAY 15 (IANS): The Australian cricket contingent that was part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will return home within a day or two and quarantine in Sydney with the Indian cricket board (BCCI) likely to foot the bill for travel and quarantine.

The Australian prime minister Scott Morrison had announced last week that the flights to repatriate Australian citizens stranded in India will start from May 15, Saturday. The first flight carrying the Aussie citizens reached Darwin on Saturday, though many of them were not allowed to board it since they tested positive for Covid-19.

The Aussie players and members of the support staff, however, are still in Maldives as they seek return. They could return late on Saturday or Sunday.

According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, ‘the Indian cricket authorities will foot the bill of the returning Aussies who are likely to quarantine in Sydney’.

As many as 38 Australians, including cricketers and support staff, had to quarantine in Maldives after departing India following the postponement of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

level in first-half stoppage time when Joelinton thumped a penalty past Carson after a complex VAR decision. Joelinton was clearly taken down

by Nathan Ake in the box but VAR was required to decide whether Allan Saint-

Maximin had been offside in the build-up.

It was proving a busy night for Carson and he faced another penalty just past the hour when Kyle Walker barged over Joe Willock in the area.

Carson saved Willock’s effort but the Arsenal loanee turned in the rebound.

But City were in no mood to offer any gifts and were level again within two minutes as Torres converted a cross by Raheem Sterling on the stretch.

Two minutes later he completed his hat-trick when he showed great balance to volley home a rebound after Cancelo struck the woodwork with a fierce drive from outside the area.

Torres now has 13 goals in all competitions for City this season and while Carson’s contribution has been far less, Guardiola was full of praise for his stand-in keeper, too.

“We are incredibly happy for him. He is an important player for us. He is a real leader and today was an exceptional day to let him play,” the Spaniard said.

Grosjean claims first IndyCar pole position

L O N D O N, M AY 1 5 (AGENCIES): RomainGrosjean took his first IndyCar pole position in his third race since joining the series this year.

The 35-year-old Frenchman was 0.126 seconds faster than Josef Newgarden at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

“I’m happier than I have been in a very long time,” said Grosjean.

He left Formula 1

after a horrific accident at the Bahrain Grand Prix in November, but will make a one-off return for a demonstration run at the French Grand Prix in June.

Grosjean, who drives for Dale Coyne Racing, will head a 25-strong field for the race, which starts at 19:00 BST on Saturday on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

N o v a k D j o k o v i c ROME, MAY 15 (AP): Top-ranked Novak Djokovic regained his cool after throwing his racket off the court in a grueling, rain-delayed 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 quarterfinal victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Italian Open on Saturday.

Djokovic fought back from breaks of his serve in each of the final two sets to reach his eighth consecutive semifinal at the ForoItalico — where he has lifted the trophy five times, most recently last September when the tournament was moved to later in the year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m just really, really glad to overcome this challenge,” Djokovic said.

“It’s probably the toughest match of the year for me so far.”

Djokovic didn’t have much time to rest before he faces home favorite Loren-

Roger Federer

File photo of Indian football team.

reckoning for a 2022 FIFA World Cup berth but is still in contention for a 2023 Asian Cup spot in the joint qualifiers. The remaining three matches -- against Qatar (June 3), Bangladesh (June 7) and Afghanistan (June 15) -- are crucial for Asian Cup qualification.

Qatar was picked by the Asian Football Confederation in March as the centralised venue to host the remaining Group E matches owing to the coronavirus-related travel and quarantine restrictions.

Das had on Wednesday said the national team

to reach his first Masters semifinal. Their match was washed out Friday.

Fans were allowed to fill 25% of capacity as part of the Italian government’s reopening plan.

It was Sonego’s second consecutive win over a top-10 player, after also eliminating No. 4 Dominic Thiem.

Sonego stuns Rublev to set up Djokovic semi

Lorenzo Sonego defeated world number seven Russian Andrey Rublev on Saturday, continuing his dream run at the Rome Masters and becoming the first Italian semi-finalist at the event in 14 years with a come-frombehind 3-6 6-4 6-3 win.

Following his wins over U.S. Open winner Dominic Thiem and former world number six Gael Monfils in previous rounds, the 26-year-old Sonego becomes the first local man in the semi-finals of the Masters 1000 event since Filippo Volandri in 2007. “(This is) my favourite tournament in the world.

I’m with my people here,” Sonego said. “I am so happy for this.”

The 33rd-ranked Italian will have loud support from the stands when he returns to the court for his semi-final later on Saturday against top seed Novak Djokovic.

Federer calls for end to Tokyo Games uncertainty ZÜRICH,MAY 15 (AGENCIES): Tennis great Roger Federer has called on Olympics organisers to end the uncertainty around the Tokyo Games, with the 20-times Grand Slam winner saying he was still in two minds wheth- er to compete.

The Olympics are set to run from July 23 to Aug. 8 after being postponed in March last year over the coronavirus pandemic.

But Japan, battling a surge of infections, has extended until the end of May a state of emergency in its capital, Tokyo, and three areas.

“Honestly I don’t know what to think. I’m a bit between the two,” Federer, who won a doubles gold in the 2008 Beijing Games and a silver in singles four years later in London, told Swiss television sta-

Indian football team to leave for Qatar on May 19 for WC Qualifiers NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (PTI): The Indian football team will leave for Qatar on May 19 after the gulf country, in a big relief, accepted All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) request to allow its players to train there ahead of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers next month.

Not only that, Qatar has even agreed to the AIFF’s request to waive the mandatory 10-day hard quarantine after reaching there. The players will have a preparatory camp of nearly two weeks in a bio-bubble in Qatar before the first match on June 3.

“We are planning to fly the team on May 19 evening. There will be no quarantine (of the players) and they will be in a bio-bubble,” AIFF general secretary Kushal Das told PTI on Saturday.

He said the players will assemble in New Delhi and they will be tested for COVID-19 before their departure to Qatar.

India is already out of

zo Sonego later Saturday for a spot in the final.

“I haven’t played too many matches this year, so I don’t feel too exhausted,” Djokovic said. “I’m pumped to get another win today.”

Sonego was backed by a loud crowd when he rallied past seventh-ranked Andrey Rublev 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

cannot train in the country right now given the COVID-19 surge and it was considering foreign options for a camp ahead of the World Cup qualifying round matches.

A national camp under head coach Igor Stimac was earlier planned

in Kolkata from May 2 to 21. After that, the team was to leave the country on May 22 for Dubai where a week-long camp as well as a friendly match -- not international -- was planned.

But all those plans were put to rest in view of the devastating second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The Indian team is currently fourth in the group standings with three points from five matches.

From the remaining fixtures, the team will hope to collect as many points as possible and finish third so that it can seal automatic qualification for the 2023 Asian Cup qualifying third round.

In March, India played their first international matches since November 2019 -- friendly games against Oman and the UAE in Dubai.

India held Oman 1-1 on March 25 but suffered a 0-6 defeat against the UAE on March 29.

tion Leman Bleu on Friday.

“I would love to play in the Olympics, win a medal for Switzerland. It would make me especially proud. But if it doesn’t happen because of the situation, I would be the first to understand.

“I think what the athletes need is a decision: is it going to happen or is it not going to happen?

“At the moment, we have the impression that it will happen. We know it’s a fluid situation. And you can also decide as an athlete if you want to go. If you feel there’s a lot of resistance, maybe it’s better not to go. I don’t know.”

A petition calling for the cancellation of the rescheduled Games garnered 350,000 signatures in nine days and was submitted to organisers on Friday, raising new questions about whether the Olympics should go ahead.

Rafael Nadal, who is tied with Federer at 20 for the most Grand Slam singles titles in men’s tennis, and 23-times Grand Slam winner Serena Williams this week said they were still unsure of competing in Tokyo.

Japan’s top-ranked women’s and men’s tennis players - Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori - also added their voice to the concerns, saying the risks of holding the Olympics amid the pandemic should continue to be carefully discussed.

Federer, a father of four, said he had taken the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

“I’m glad that I could do it, with all the travelling I do,” said Federer, who will play the Geneva Open next week, his second tournament since returning in March after a year out due to knee problems.

India football forward Jeje Lalpekhlua scores on ‘riverfront’

NEW DELHI, MAY 15 (IANS): India football team striker, Jeje Lalpekhlua, and a bunch of youth from his Mizoram village are making an effort to preserve the ecosystem of a river whose biodiversity is being impacted by rampant fishing.

The SC East Bengal player has formed a group that is working relentlessly to keep a vigil on Tuichang River near their home in Mode l Ve n g Hnahthial village to preve n t un-

authorised fishing. “ O ve r f i s h i n g h a s greatly reduced the number of fishes in the Tuichang River over the years. It was turning out to be a big problem, even for the local fishermen who depend on the river for their livelihood,” Lalpekhlua told the-aiff.com The locals have identified a

500metre stretch along the banks of the Tuichang where the fish are believed to have their s p aw n i n g ground.

They h a v e set up a 24-hour patrol to ensure no fishing

activities go on.

“Over the last year, we have all taken turns to patrol this stretch to make sure that nobody catches fish in this area. It’s very important for us to leave the fish alone, at least in the spawning areas. Just with this small step we are already seeing the results,” said Lalpekhlua.

“There are so many fish in the river now. Local fishermen say that they haven’t seen so many in the river for years,” he said. “The guys in the village have really worked hard to ensure that this happens. They have all taken turns around the clock to keep an eye on the river banks. I have also been helping out whenever I’ve been in town.

Of course, it’s not always possible during the season, when we had to spend five months in the bio-bubble in the ISL.”

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