May 9 2021

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXXI No. 152

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India’s world record of 4187 singleNagaland records highest ever one-day day Covid deaths; over 4L new cases spike of 333 Covid-19 cases, 15 deaths Highest Covid tally of 1064 new cases, 18 deaths in one week Staff Reporter/Correspondent

DIMAPUR/KOHIMA, MAY 8 (NPN): Nagaland on Saturday reported the highest ever single-day spike of 333 Covid-19 positive cases since the outbreak of the pandemic last year, pushing the total caseload to nearly 16,000 cases.

The department also recorded 15 more deaths from across the State on Saturday taking the death toll to 137 (10 non-Covid).

Meanwhile, of the fresh cases, Dimapur recorded 204 cases, 116 in Kohima, six in Mokokchung, four in Mon, one case each in Tuensang, Peren and Longleng, taking the total caseload to 15913. With this, the state currently has 2711 active cases while 19 more patients

COVID-19 STATUS AS ON MAY 8, 2021

District

AsymptomModatic Mild erate

Dimapur 1596 Kiphire 4 Kohima 700 Longleng 11 Mokokchung 35 Mon 52 Peren 7 Phek 7 Tuensang 26 Wokha

ACTIVE CASES Symptomatic Critical-ICU Se- With- With On vere out Oxy- VentiOxygen gen lator 68 0 11 8 0 0 0 0 3 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

84 0 6 5 10 15 1 0 4

25 0 11 0 3 0 0 0 0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0 39

1 71

0 0

0 16

0 9

3

Zunheboto 10 0 Total 2451 125

Death MiRecovunder Total Death gratered InvestiCases ed gation 6625 40 4088 13 195 595 508 61 259

98 1 25 0 5 3 0 1 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

391 0 74 9 15 9 1 0 2

8906 45 4912 38 263 674 517 69 293

36

1

0

2

43

139 0 12559 137

0 0

3 153 506 15913

*10 deaths not due to Covid-19 *0 deaths under investigation

have recuperated from the dreaded virus.

State Health department has also pointed out that the State recorded 1604 positive cases-- highest new cases in a single week and 18 deaths-- highest death recorded in a single week.

According to the department’s weekly bulletin released on Saturday, one superspreader event was reported from a religious event

in Mon. It said that a Church revival camp held between April 21-25 turned into a super spreader event in Mon district as 45 persons tested positive out of 69 samples, with a positivity rate of 65%.

The department said that testing and contact tracing was still underway, while the district administration has directed all attendees to self-isolate and turn up for testing.

Random sampling shows high positivity rate in Kohima: H&FW

As District Task Force Kohima began stringent implementation of Covid-19 guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), random sampling carried out in Kohima showed high positivity rate of 61%.

Random testing were carried out amongst local taxi drivers, shopkeepers and vegetable vendors, where many had tested positive.

According to the Health department, out of 122 random samples that were collected from amongst the local taxi drivers 58 returned positive (48% positivity rate) while 70 shopkeepers had tested positive out of 88 samples that were collected (80% positivity).

According to official sources, random samples were collected from cluster of shopkeepers including vegetable vendors in P.R Hill and High School area.

Sources also informed that more random samples were collected on Saturday from Jail Colony and New Minister Hill area and the results were awaited. It added that testing of all random samples were done through RT-PCR. A massive contact tracing has been launched.

Meanwhile, PRO Kohima Police, Talisunep Imchen informed Nagaland Post that around 800 persons have been penalized for violating the Covid SOPs by imposing fine of Rs. 100 till May 7 totalling to Rs. 80,000.

He further informed that over 320 drivers were penalized and around Rs. 1 lakh collected as fine during the week. PRO fervently urged the public to cooperate, stay at home and follow all safety guidelines issued by the government fight against the virus.

NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (PTI): A record 4,187 COVID-19 fatalities in a day took India’s death toll to 2,38,270, while 4,01,078 new infections were reported during the period, pushing the tally of cases to 2,18,92,676, according to Union Health Ministry data on Saturday.

Registering a steady increase, active cases have reached 37,23,446 which comprise 17.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has dropped to 81.90 per cent, the data

updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,79,30,960, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.09 per cent, the data stated.

India crossed the grim milestone of 2 crore cases on May 4 this year.

The 4,187 new fatalities include 898 from Maharashtra, 592 from Karnataka, 372 from Uttar Pradesh, 341 from Delhi, 208 from Chhattisgarh, 197 from Tamil Nadu, 165 from Punjab, 164 from Rajasthan, 162 from

Haryana, 137 from Uttarakhand, 136 from Jharkhand, 119 from Gujarat and 112 from West Bengal.

Of the 2,38,270 deaths reported in the country so far, 74,413 were from Maharashtra, 18,739 from Delhi, 17,804 from Karnataka, 15,171 from Tamil Nadu, 14,873 from Uttar Pradesh, 12,076 from West Bengal, 10,158 from Chhattisgarh and 10,144 from Punjab.

The health ministry has stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths have occurred due to comorbidities.

DCGI approves DRDO’s anti-Covid oral drug A drug to treat coronavirus patients, developed by the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), has been approved for emergency use by the country’s top drugs controller as India battles the second wave of the pandemic that is killing thousands every day.

The drug comes in powder form in a sachet and is taken orally by dissolving it in water. A DRDO lab and Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboratories developed the anti-Covid therapeutic application of the drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG).

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) cleared the drug after clinical trial results showed that a molecule present in the drug helps in faster recovery of hospitalised patients and reduces supplemental oxygen dependence.

A higher proportion of patients treated with the drug tested negative for Covid in RT-PCR tests. In the second phase of trials between May and October last year, the drug was found to be safe in Covid-19 patients and showed significant improvement in their recovery.

Covid+ve report not needed to get Wake up from slumber, mitigate Covid challenges: IMA to Health Ministry hospitalised: Revised guidelines NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (AGENCIES): In a huge relief to those affected by coronavirus, the government on Saturday said the National Policy for Admission of Covid patients to hospitals has been revised to make it more “patient– centric”. The new measures aim to “ensure prompt, effective and comprehensive treatment of patients” suffering from Covid.

The Union health ministry revised the policy for admission of Covid-19 patients to various categories of facilities for them on Saturday, even as a second wave of the deadly infection raged.

“This patient-centric measure aims to ensure prompt, effective and comprehensive treatment of pa-

tients suffering from Covid19,” the policy document said.

The new guidelines will be applicable in all hospitals under the Centre, state governments/Union Territory administrations as well as private hospitals managing such patients.

Here are the key points that the centre has stressed as part of new measures: Requirement of a positive test for Covid-19 virus is not mandatory for admission to a Covid health facility. A suspect case shall be admitted to the suspect ward of Covid Care Centres, Dedicated Covid Health Centres or DHC as the case may be.

No patient will be refused services on any count.

This includes medications

such as oxygen or essential drugs even if the patient belongs to a different city.

No patient shall be refused admission on the ground that he/she is not able to produce a valid identity card that does not belong to the city where the hospital is located.

Admissions to hospitals must be based on need.

It should be ensured that beds are not occupied by persons who do not need hospitalisation.

The health ministry also advised chief secretaries of states/Union Territories to issue necessary orders and circulars, incorporating these directions within three days, which shall be enforced till replaced by an appropriate uniform policy.

SC forms Task Force for oxygen distribution to States

S

upreme Court has set up a 12member National Task Force (NTF) on Saturday to streamline oxygen allocation to states across the country, a move that came in the midst of the second wave of the coronavirus disease that has stressed the health care sector and sent the demand for medical oxygen among Covid19 patients soaring.

Several states have complained of a crippling

This is it!

“I wish you happy Mother’s Day and many more years of service to our family.”

K Y M C

shortage of medical oxygen with reports of deaths due to its non-availability coming in from several parts.

“In order to ensure that the allocation and distribution of oxygen takes place on a rational and equitable basis, it is necessary to constitute a national task force of experts which would

determine the method of allocation and distribution of oxygen across States/ UTs,” the apex court said in its order, adding, “Smaller expert committees or subgroups may look into issues of auditing the manner in which supplies are to be distributed and utilised in each State/UT.”

NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (IANS): Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday slammed the Union Health Ministry, saying it is “astonished to see the extreme lethargy and inappropriate actions” from the department in combating the agonizing crisis caused by the devastating second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Noting that the collective consciousness, proactive cognizance, and requests made by the Indian Medical Association and other professional learned colleagues are put into the “dustbin”, the association said the decisions are taken “without realizing the ground realities”.

In the last 20 days, an IMA statement said,

the association has been insisting on the need for complete, well- planned pre-announced national lockdown rather than few states declaring lockdown ranging for 10 days to 15 days - so as to getting breathing time for the health care infrastructure to recoup and replenish both the material and manpower.

“Lockdown will break

the chain of devastating spread,” said the IMA, a national voluntary organisation of Doctors of Modern Scientific System of Medicine in India.

However, it said, the Central government had refused to implement the lockdown resulting in mounting of new patients beyond four lakhs every day and the number of

moderate to severe cases are increasing to nearly 40 per cent.

Mentioning that “sporadic night curfews have not done any good”, the IMA stressed: “Life is precious than the economy.”

“Wake up from slumber and respond to mitigate the growing challenges in covid pandemic,” the IMA said.

(Cont’d on p-3)

DHD running short of beds for covid patients Work underway for installation Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, MAY 8 (NPN): With daily rise in the number of new Covid cases in Dimapur, the District Hospital Dimapur(DHD) is being overwhelmed with demands for beds everyday and doctors say a saturation point will be reached within a week. Out of 100 beds at DHD, it has six ICUs beds (4 for Covid and 2 reserved for emergency), 11 highdependency unit beds.

A doctor in the DHD told this Reporter that the designated allocation of beds for Covid patients were already full and which has compelled the hospital to add new wards every day which were otherwise, reserved only for emergency cases.

He said if the demands for beds continue at the present rate, then the hospital would be out of beds in couple of days.

In order to tide over the imminent emerging crisis, the doctor felt that the District Task Force for Covid in Dimapur need to look for urgent solution with private hospitals. The doctor said since private hospitals are well equipped to accommodate and care for Covid patients, they could be asked to reserve some wards or beds for Covid patients so as to greatly ease the burden on the DHD. “The pandemic is an international crisis and the medical fraternity is put to test, and if we stand together to fight, we will succeed”, he stated. He held the view that

giving priority for admission of serious Covid patients was critical in the fight against the pandemic second wave.

The doctors also emphasised on strict adherence to Covid protocol behaviour by public in order to make the current containment rules effective to check the spread of the virus.

State government earlier this week had directed all private hospitals to provide treatment for Covid patients and reserve at least 50 percent of their bed capacity in normal wards and ICU for treatment of Covid patients.

For this, senior Health department officials led by principal secretary, principal director and others will be visiting the private hospitals in Dimapur to assess the ground situation.

of PSA oxygen plant in Dimapur

D I M A P U R , M AY 8 (NPN): The installation of medical oxygen plant at District Hospital Dimapur has already been started.

In a tweet, Health minister, S. Pangnyu Phom on Saturday informed that the installation of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Oxygen Generation Plant at Dimapur has begun and will be completed at the earliest for the benefit and welfare of the people.

“We are doing all we can for public safety, in the meantime be cooperative and follow all SOPs to overcome this battle,” he said.

Official sources said that intensified efforts are being made for early comple- Work in progress at DHD Dimapur tion of the oxygen plant. on Saturday. (Pics via Twitter)

Railways suspends train services to Dimapur Revoke closure of NH-29 stretch: TYOD Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, MAY 8 (NPN): In view of rapid increase in the number of Covid-19 positive cases, the State government has requested the Railway authorities to stop all passenger trains at Dimapur station with effect from May 6. In this regard, train services to Dimapur has been suspended, senior divisional commercial manager, Lumding Ashok Kumar Dey informed Nagaland Post.

According to Railway authorities, chief secretary Nagaland had written to the chairman & CEO of the Railway Board requesting the latter to suspend train services to and from Dimapur.

Proposed STOPPAGE (2 Mts) UP DN GHY – DBRT – GHY SPL DAILY BXJ BXJ GHY – LEDO – GHY SPL DAILY BXJ BXJ DBRG – LGH – DBRG SPL DAILY BXJ BXJ LMG – TSK – LMG SPL DAILY RXR KHKT SBC – NTSK – SBC SPL WEEKLY BXJ BXJ RNY – NTSK – RNY SPL FOUR DAYS KHKT KHKT RNY – LEDO – RNY SPL TRI WEEKLY KHKT KHKT CAPE – DBRG – CAPE SPL WEEKLY BXJ BXJ NTSK – RJPB – NTSK SPL WEEKLY BXJ BXJ HWH – DBRG – HWH SPL FIVE DAYS BXJ BXJ ASR – DBRG – ASR SPL WEEKLY BXJ BXJ DBRG – NDLS – DBRG RAJDHANI FIVE DAYS DPU & BXJ DPU & BXJ DBRG – NDLS – DBRG RAJDHANI DAILY DPU & BXJ DPU & BXJ

SN TRN NO TRAIN NAME 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

05669/70 05603/04 05909/10 05901/02 02249/50 05927/28 05967/68 05905/06 03281/82 05959/60 05933/34 02503/04 02423/24

As an alternative measure, the DCM said that except Dimapur station, the stoppage will be at Diphu station, Rangapahar (Assam), Bokajan and

FREQUENCY

Khatkahti station. (See table) Citing the chief secretary’s letter, the Lumding division has also written to the GM/ PRS/CRIS New Delhi to stop

booking of all incoming and outgoing trains at Dimapur to avoid inconvenience to the passengers.

In the letter, the Lumding division pointed out that based on the report of future boarding/de-boarding of passengers from May 9 to September 5, it was estimated that a total of 14573 passengers were expected to travel (7312 boarding and 7261 de-boarding). In Dimapur, an average of 61 passengers board and 60 passengers deboard the trains on a daily basis (data based on 120 days).

Further, the division has also proposed to impose restriction for booking of parcel packages, demand VP and livestock for Dimapur till withdrawal of

DIMAPUR, MAY 8 (NPN): Tenyimi Youth Organisation of Dimapur (TYOD) has appealed to the Dimapur district administration to revoke the order on closure of NH-29 stretch from Patkai bridge to Kukidolong on humanitarian grounds.

In a letter addressed to the deputy commissioner (DC) Dimapur, the Tenyimi Youth Organisation of Dimapur president Thejangulie Kire stated that closure of National Highway-29 stretch under the pretext of carrying four-lane construction works has “tremendously” affected the general public and the locality of surrounding villages in particular.

While blocking of highway due to landslide from time to time brought “untold misery” to the

commuter, the youth body stated that subsequent order to close the highway has economically affected the general public badly.

Further, the youthorganisation claimed that night curfew order and half-day shutter down due to Covid have also “contributed to the factor for causing inconvenience to the public in general and the surrounding villages in particular.”

The youth body said that government-run Community Health Centre and Primary Health Centre were at stake, but those health centres “act as first aid to ease pain of the suffering though “very poorly equipped.”

The youth organisation has, therefore, reiterated that the closure of NH-29 stretch has “brought unbearable misery to this locality.”

K Y M C

2

State

nagalandpost.com Poll Q . : Will Himanta Biswa Sarma become the next CM of Assam?

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

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunday, may 9, 2021

‘World red cross day’ celebrated across the state Kohima

Longleng

Mon

Zunheboto

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A

B

C

A Yes. B No. C Can’t Say.

51%

victims of war was immortalised in the formation of Red Cross Movement globally.

Earlier, the programme was chaired by EAC Hq. Longleng, Pechano Kikon, Bible reading prayer by Police Baptist Church Longleng, pastor Chingthai Phom while vote of thanks was delivered by IRCS Longleng treasurer H. Leisha Phom.

Zunheboto: ICRS Zunheboto branch observed WRCD at DC’s conference hall on the theme “wear mask to protect yourself and others and stop the spread of COVID-19” adhering to all safety protocols.

According to DIPR report, while delivering the welcome address, honorary secretary Dr. Hokishe Kiho briefed about all the activities carried out by IRCS Zunheboto branch such as assistance to the returnees from outside the state, financial assistance to families

affected by landslides, material assistance while visiting villages affected by natural calamities and others.

Meanwhile, DC and chairman of IRCS, Zunheboto branch, Peter Lichamo said that assistance provided by the Red Cross societies all over the world was well acknowledged because of the exemplary contributions the society provided to the needy at times of crisis and which he said was why the Red Cross Society was one the premium organisations that was respected and honoured.

He also said that the district branch should prepare itself in case of a worst blow during the pandemic.

He appealed the members to always be ready and to make themselves available for the needy.

Speaking on the theme of the programme, CMO Zunheboto Dr. Akaho Sema stated that India was now

LRD distributes coffee machineries to farmers

KSU to conduct departmental inspection

34% 15%

Next poll

Q: Will it be necessary for

the state govt enlist help of private practitioners to tackle Covid-19?

 Yes.  No.  Can’t Say.

WEATHER FORECAST may 9

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala A t-storm in the morning

35 23

A morning thunderstorm

29 18

Aizawl

Guwahati A t-storm around in the morning 30 20 Imphal

A t-storm around in the morning 30 17

Itanagar Partly sunny with a t-storms 27 19 Shillong

A stray morning t-storm

21 14

Kohima

A morning thunderstorm

20 14

Dimapur A couple of thunderstorm

29 19

A thunderstorm in spots

25 15

Tuensang A thunderstorm in spots

19 12

Mkg Wokha

Clouds and sun with a t-storm 24 18

Zunheboto Partly sunny, a stray t-storm

22 13

DIMAPUR: World Red Cross Day (WRCD) is celebrated every year on May 8 to acknowledge the beliefs of the Red Crescent Movement and the International Red Cross. The day also signifies appreciation for the volunteers who are always ready to help the needy. In Nagaland, various Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) branches across the state celebrated that day under the theme, “unstoppable”.

Correspondent LONGLENG, May 8 (NPN): IRCS Longleng branch celebrated WRCD on Saturday at DC’s conference hall with DC Longleng, M. Shayung Phom as special guest.

Speaking on the occasion, the DC said that Red Cross Society was a voluntary organisation where members sacrificed their lives in protecting and assisting the world in times

of natural disasters, wars, epidemic diseases etc.

DC called upon the gathering to enhance the dignity of selfless service in protecting the lives of humankind in times of emergency such athe present COVID-19 pandemic where people need to extend every possible help, based on the fundamental principles of Red Cross Society which includes humanity, impartiality, voluntary and neutrality.

He also said that observing the day helped people become aware about the organisation and how it played an important role in times of distress.

Meanwhile, honorary secretary of the Red Cross society Longleng, YB Angam Phom highlighted the significance of the day.

He said that “Jean Henry Dunant’s” idea of voluntary, impartial and humanitarian services to

DC Longleng M Shayung Phom, DPO LRD, senior SP and others during the distribution programme. (DIPR)

DIMAPUR: Inauguration of coffee bar & distribution of coffee pulper machines at DPO, office Land Resources Department (LRD) Longleng was held on May 7 with DC Longleng, M. Shayung Phom as special guest.

According to DIPR report, while speaking at the programme, DC congratulated the department for coming up with a new

coffee bar in the district and urged all to strictly follow the SOPs. He said that the district administration, police and medical department were compelled to work for the smooth function of the district, but many villages showed no cooperation with the government during the vaccination drive and only a few got vaccinated.

In this regard, he encouraged the farmers to spread awareness within villages and community to avail vaccination at the earliest.

While encouraging the farmers, the DC maintained that ignorance of the machines would result in negative impact on production and urged them to come forward if they had any doubts and to learn

GBUD and DUCCF appeal F&CS deptt DIMAPUR: GB Union Dimapur (GBUD) and Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation (DUCCF) have appealed to the department of Food & Civil Supplies (F&CS) to allow the priority house hold (PHH) scheme card holders to receive monthly rice quota for the family “without the usual electronic thump impression system”.

In a joint press release, GBUD president

MY Ngullie and DUCCF president, Tsenthungo Nyamo said that the reason was due to the surge in COVID-19 positive cases in Dimapur which had become a serious concern.

The two bodies stated that this procedure would greatly ease and avoid huge crowd gathering thereby maintaining social distance.

They also requested the responsible department authority to include

the GBs/chairmen of the colonies in the rice distribution for monitoring and better distribution system to the general public.

Fur ther, Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation and GB Union Dimapur lauded the department for timely distribution of rice to the card holders and informed that it was ever ready to provide assistance to the department authority as and when required.

from the department officials.

District Project Off i c e r, L R D L o n g l e n g Kughalu Chichi in his keynote address stated that Nagaland is advanced in growing coffee within northeast states and urged the farmers to grow more and to educate the fellow farmers about the plantation and benefits of coffee plantation.

In his short speech, PBCA executive secretary Tialemba said that due to the pandemic, the scenario had changed. He said that people should not only be consumers but producers as well.

Highlights of the programme included inauguration of coffee bar by special guest and demonstration of coffee pulper machines by DPO. It may mentioned that the land resources department Longleng distributed 25 coffee pulper machines to the beneficiary farmers.

DIMAPUR: As discussed in its consultative meeting with subordinates on May 7, the Konyak Students’ Union (KSU) has informed all the departmental offices within Mon district that it would be conducting departmental inspection to check regularity of the staff and proper functioning of the office.

In a press release, KSU president T. Noklem Konyak and general secretary A. Pangnan also urged all the heads of the department and staff to report to their respective posting place and to execute the assigned duties.

Fur ther, the KSU informed that no notification would be served regarding the inspection, as the union would be implementing “no work no pay” against the defaulters defying union’s notification.

PTPF lauds district executive force DIMAPUR: Phek Town Public Forum (PTPF) has lauded the DEF Phek for their the timely intervention and prompt action “in arresting the kidnappers Vevolhu Khusoh and Mutuku Vero who kidnapped an employee of Madhucon project Ltd” on April 26 “for ransom” at Phek town.

In a press release, PTPF president Khosapa Venuh and general secretary Seyieveto Lohe stated that kidnapping for ran-

som was a culture which was alien to the Naga way of life and had no place in the civilized society.

The forum while condemning “such shameful act” requested the law enforcing agencies to punish the perpetrators.

Further, PTPF extended its full support in the fight to curb anti social elements and also extended its cooperation and service to the authorities in the combat against COVID-19 pandemic.

entering the 3rd stage of the pandemic which means that the virus was spreading rapidly and the community spread was now inevitable.

He informed that unlike the earlier stages, contact tracing was no more possible, which was resulting in covid positive detection of more than 4 lakh and 3500 deaths everyday in an average across the country.

He expressed regret that there were still certain sections of the people who advocated against the only practical solutions such as wearing of masks, washing of hands, sanitising and getting vaccinated.

Earlier, IRCS advisor Dr. Huskha Yepthomi spoke on the inception of the Red Cross Society, vote of thanks was delivered by former vice chairman Hokugha Sükhalu who appealed to the IRCS Zunheboto not to be stagnant and to activate itself at this time of crisis

Chief engineer RK Saha felicitating team leader of the motorcycle expedition.

DC & IRCS chairman Mon, Thavaseelan K as special guest.

In a press release, honorary secretary, Nyamto Wangsha stated that during the programme, the special guest lauded the dedicated services of IRCS Mon and expressed his enthusiasm to extend all possible help to them in order to reach to the poor and needy when the need arises.

M e a n w h i l e, C WC chairperson Raju Thapa Magar delivered the PowerPoint presentation on the activities of ICRS Mon branch during the period of 2020-2021 Earlier, the programme was chaired by IRCS Mon executive chairman KS Anil Kumar, invocation by Ashim Konyak and vote of thanks

by Nyamto Wangsha.

To commemorate the day, IRCS Mon presented relief to the differentl abled persons.

Ministers’ Hill Baptist Higher Secondary School (MHBHSS), Kohima conducted an online poster competition for the primary section on the theme “my mother” on the occasion of Mother’s Day. To keep the children engaging during the summer break and lock down-like situation, the school has planned out various co-scholastic activities.

Father of addl CS passes away: CM mourns

DIMAPUR: State chief minister Neiphiu Rio and officers and staff of Nagaland house New Delhi have expressed grief over the demise of Dr. Ravindra Nath Srivastava, father of additional chief secretary & resident commissioner of Nagaland house New Delhi, Jyoti Kalash.

In a condolence note, Rio said that the demise of Dr. Srivastava was a great loss to the literary community of the country and the vacuum created would be deeply felt by all.

61st raising day celebration of Border Roads Organisation DIMAPUR: The 61st raising day of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was celebrated at Hq project Sewak, Dimapur on May 7 with a host of activities. The event was also conducted along with “Azaadi ka Amrut Mahotsav” celebration.

A press release by Dimapur headquarters project Sewak stated that the flagging off in the motorcycle expedition on May 7, chief engineer (CE) RK Saha congratulated the team led by Capt Sumit Dahiya for successfully carrying out the expedition within the project Sewak areas.

It may be mentioned that a motorcycle expedition was flagged off on May 4 to create awareness on road safety measures and COVID19.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief engineer exhorted all the ranks to continue their work with enthusi-

in whichever way possible.

The programme was chaired by vice chairman Kashito Yepthomi and invocation was said by Asheto Kiba.

Kohima: In commemoration of WRCD, IRCS Kohima branch visited the Good Samaritan Old Age Home at Meriema on the theme, “together we are unstoppable” emphasising on the triumphant spirit of humanitarian service worldwide.

In a press release, ICRS Kohima honorary secretary, Thehiechulie Louis Solo stated that the visit was accompanied by the office bearers and managing committee members of the Kohima district branch.

It may be mentioned that the team donated such as blankets, mask, groceries and some amount in cash to the home.

M o n : I RC S M o n branch observed WRCD at DC’s conference hall with

asm and diligence.

He also highlighted the importance of following COVID-19 protocols while carrying out their duties.

While conducting the programme, Col SK Mishra, SM, director (works) shared the details of various activities which were conducted in purview of the celebrations.

He also brought out the details of personnel who had performed various duties during the pandemic.

While appreciating the personnel, the chief engineer later awarded them with prizes and certificate.

Medical camps were also organised across various locations in Nagaland and Manipur under the aegis of Project Sewak where nearby residents were given consultation and medicines were provided to all the patients.

The chief minister said that late Dr. Srivastava would continue to live in the midst of people through the numerous books he had authored.

Fur ther, Rio conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed for God to grant them strength to bear with the irreparable loss.

Officers and staff of Nagaland house New Delhi said that late Dr. Ravindra Nath Srivastava was a renowned Hindi poet and writer who was

a recipient of the Padma Shree award.

They said that late Srivastava was a dedicated writer and his contribution towards uplifting the Indian literature in Hindi would be remembered and missed by all especially those who were closely associated with him.

Further, the officers and staff conveyed their condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed for the Almighty to grant them solace as the departed soul rests in eternal peace.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Dearest Akyo (Grandmother) & Atsu (Great-Grandmother) All these years, things have not gone your way but you were still patience enough to go through everything and made us who we are today. And so, today we would like to thank God for blessing us with two beautiful generations of mothers!

Harishia nte vantokvüka !!

With love, Kaka. k-934

Decision on next Assam CM today

NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (AGENCIES): The decision on who will become the next chief minister of Assam is likely to be taken at a BJP legislature party meeting slated to be held in Guwahati May 9, said health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi on Saturday.

His statement followed meetings Sarma and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal had with BJP president J P Nadda at his residence on Saturday morning.

Home minister Amit Shah and B L Santosh were also present.

The BJP leadership first held separate meetings with Sarma and Sonowal and then with both of them together.

Though both leaders from Assam reached Delhi

5

northeast/State

Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunday, may 9, 2021

Sarbananda Sonowal and Himanta Biswa Sarma

on Saturday morning it Santhosh, sources said. was Sarma who reached BJP top brass may go Nadda’s residence to meet for an alternative face him and BJP general secAccording to Northretary (Organisation) B L east Now repor t, BJP

central leadership held back-to-back meeting with incumbent chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and minister Himanta Biswa

Sarma in New Delhi, however, speculations were doing the round that the party top brass may go for an alternative face.

Party insiders said neither Sonowal nor Sarma but the party top leadership may consider BJP general secretary and Mangaldai MP Dilip Saikia or former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi for the post of chief minister in Assam.

However, former CJI Gogoi, earlier had dismissed the speculation that he would be BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in Assam.

“I am not a politician and have no such ambition or intent. Nobody has mentioned any such possibility to me,” Gogoi, now a nominated Rajya Sabha member, had said.

Shillong hospitals struggle as M’laya sees spike of COVID cases

S H I L L O N G, M AY 8 (AGENCIES): Hospitals across Shillong city are struggling to manage the COVID situation due to the shortcomings in terms of resources, The Northeast Today report stated.

According to some doctors, the situation has not reached its peak yet and the state is already struggling. “All our resources like ventilators are being pushed to the COVID wards and none are left for the general wards,” a doctor on condition of anonymity said. Health professionals observe that with the cases waiting to explode, it will be too much for the hospitals to handle.

Speaking to TNT, director of NEIGRIHMS, Dr P. Bhattacharya said that the hospital has liquefied oxy-

gen cylinders that are refilled and also said that there are oxygen concentrators that act as backup.

Commenting on the current COVID situation, he said that the hospital has trained its doctors and given a crash course in handling patients that need more care, amid the massive number of cases being reported daily.

When asked about ventilators, Bhattacharya informed that the hospital has 50 plus ventilators, and they are looking at both COVID and non-COVID cases.

Another prominent doctor from Shillong, Dr Gordon Rangad from Nazareth Hospital said that the hospital has enough liquid oxygen for now. “As of today, all ventilators are used although there are both COVID and non-COVID

cases admitted, the hospital does not mix the two cases,” he said.

With the increasing number of cases being reported daily, he said that the situation is getting difficult but the people must ensure that they follow protocols.

Joint Director (SS) of Civil Hospital, Dr Andreas Dkhar said that the hospital has oxygen generators and about 17 ventilators as of now. The hospital has requested two more ventilators. At present, the state has over 3000 oxygen cylinders and another 2000 are being procured to meet the shortage. As for the number of patients admitted currently, Dr Dkhar said that there are more than 40 COVID patients now in the hospital and more may be admitted in the coming days.

Meghalaya extends lockdown Manipur announces total curfew in 7 districts from May 8 to May 17 in East Khasi Hills district

Correspondent

SHILLONG, MAY 8: The ongoing total lockdown in the East Khasi Hills, the most COVID-19-hit district in Meghalaya, has been further extended till May 17 with cases of infection and deaths mounting.

Meghalaya on Saturday recorded 11 Covid-related deaths, the highest number of fatalities on a single day, since the onset of the pandemic in the State last year, and 375 new positive cases were also detected.

“The government has decided that the lockdown will continue in East Khasi Hills district till 5 am of 17th May 2021,” chief minister Conrad Sangma said after chairing a review meeting on Saturday.

The State Government had earlier imposed a five-day lockdown in East Khasi Hills district from May 5. The lockdown was scheduled to end on May 10, but due to the “uncontrollable surge of COVID cases” the lockdown was extended.

East Khasi Hills has been the worst affected out of the 11 districts of the state.

Of the total 2,678 active COVID-19 cases, East Khasi Hills district that includes State Capital Shillong has 1,583 cases. Most of the fatalities are also being reported from the same district.

The 11 deaths which were reported during the past 24 hours were all reported from East Khasi districts with hospitals being slowly overwhelmed in the district, health officials said. “The situation in

the state is very serious. Every day we are reporting more than 300 cases for the past 3-4 days. We were not able to reduce the number of active cases,” deputy chief minister, Prestone Tynsong told journalists after a review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.

“In view of the grim situation, we have extended the lockdown in East Khasi Hills district till 5 a.m of May 17,” Tynsong said while urging the citizens to take utmost precautions.

Weekend lockdown which was imposed last night will continue in other district of the State from 10 pm (Friday) till 5 am (Monday), he said. However, during the lockdown, few restrictions will be lifted. Essential commodities’ shops in localities regulated by the Dorbar Shnong (local administrative body) will be open with strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs). Board examinations scheduled on May 11 and 12 have been postponed and the education department will issue the notification, Tynsong said.

Inter-district movement of persons from and to East Khasi Hills district, including the State capital will continue to be restricted.

“Request all citizens to co-operate with us and support us as we battle the ongoing pandemic together. We urge citizens that are above 45 years old to get themselves vaccinated,” the chief minister appealed.

IMPHAL, MAY 8 (PTI): The Manipur government has decided to impose 24hour curfew in seven districts for nine days starting on Saturday to check the spread of the virus. The curfew will be in force in those districts from May 8 till May 17.

For rest of the state, night curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. shall remain in place.

The Home department order issued by chief secretary MH Khan said that “increasing trend in the spread of infection has become even steeper and has spread to other parts of the state necessitating additional restrictions and also in additional areas in the interest of the public health.”

Curfew will come into force in the districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Churachandpur and Ukhrul.

However, the government has allowed “permitted activities” which includes healthcare, essential services and goods

Manipur police personnel checking vehicular movement. (ANI twitter)

vehicles. Imphal airport shall also remain open.

District magistrates have been informed to issue necessary orders as well. The previous May 6 order involving immediate evaluation by respective

District Magistrates and Superintendent of Police that said “issue suitable restriction orders regarding market or movement in their areas” will continue to apply.

The state on Friday

reported the highest ever single-day spike of 600 fresh cases pushing the total Covid-19 cases to 34,333. Two deaths were also reported taking the total death toll to 449.

The state government

had on April 29 declared “containment zones” in Greater Imphal area which comprises Imphal East and Imphal West districts with night curfew being clamped in the whole of state from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

NE’s 15th airport becomes operational, Total lockdown in Mizoram Wake up from slumber, mitigate Covid caters to West Bengal, Bhutan for seven days from May 10 challenges: IMA to Health Ministry

G U WA H AT I , M AY 8 (IANS): With the start of commercial operation of flights from the newly developed Rupsi Airport in western Assam on Saturday, the North Eastern region of India gets 15th airport leading to better air connectivity with the remaining part of the world. The Rupsi airport would cater to the need of air travellers from four western Assam districts and the neighbouring states of Meghalaya, West Bengal and parts of Bhutan as well.

Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials said that with 24 passengers on board, the maiden flight of private Flybig airlines arrived from Guwahati at the

Rupsi airport on Saturday afternoon and subsequently it departed for Kolkata. “As a gesture of welcome, water cannon salute was accorded to the incoming flight by the Rupsi Airport officials. All safety checks and mandatory security arrangements were done prior to the arrival. Considering the Covid-19 guidelines, the proper marking and distancing measures were also ensured for all passengers. On Wednesday a trial flight was tested and operational requirements were checked successfully,” an AAI official said.

Rupsi airport in-charge Jyotirmoy Barua said that the flight operation was started under the Region-

al Connectivity SchemeUde Desh ka Aam Naagrik (RCS-UDAN) scheme of the central government. “It would ensure affordable flying for all especially the lower income group population here. UDAN flight provides cheap air fares for short destinations, connecting the unconnected,” Barua said.

Through a bidding process, Flybig airline was awarded the routes under the UDAN scheme to operate flight services at Rupsi by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The private airliner would operate flights on the Guwahati-Rupsi-Kolkata route on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday as informed by the airline.

AIZAWL, MAY 8 (PTI): The Mizoram government has announced a seven-day “total lockdown” commencing from 4 a.m. of May 10 to curtail the spread COVID19 in the state, a government order said. The “total lockdown” will remain in force till 4 a.m. of May 17 and no resident of the capital and district headquarter towns will be allowed to come out of their homes, it said.

All district magistrates will impose night curfew in their respective district headquarter towns between 7 pm and 4 am, the order said.

All state government offices barring health and family welfare, home, disas-

ter management and rehabilitation, finance, information and public relations, civil aviation, district administrations and offices under the central government will be closed during the complete lockdown, it said.

The order said that the government has decided to enforce total lockdown as it felt that it is necessary to impose more restrictions on the movement of people and their activities to control and prevent the further spread of the pandemic. Intra-state and inter-village movements have been strictly prohibited except under exceptional or very essential case during the period, it said.

COVID-19 information and advisories DIMAPUR: District administrations and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across the state have been issuing advisories, information to the public in order to contain the spread and to assist people during the pandemic. District tasks forces (DTFs) of various districts have also been conducting meetings on COVID-19 preparedness.

Tening SDTF: Tening Sub-Divisional Task Force (SDTF) on COVID19 meeting was held at town hall, Tening on May 7. The meeting was attended by pastors of various Churches and GBs of Tening town.

According to DIPR report, the meeting was held under the chairmanship of additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Tening, Rhosietho Nguori who

is also the chairman of SDTF Tening.

The ADC briefed the members on the situation in the sub-division and also highlighted on the latest SOPs of the government.

After a series of discussion and deliberations, the following were resolved: all forms of Church services in Tening Town would be kept under suspension with immediate effect and till May 16, the matter will be reviewed for necessary action after May 16.

All funeral programmes in Tening town will be observed under laid down SOPs and the programmes would be prepared by the administration & police along with the bereaved family and concerned religious head.

Prior written permission should be obtained

from the ADC office Tening while organising any weddings/birthday party/ etc., and strict SOPs would be enforced; in case any family of Covid positive person(s) was incapable of providing necessary facility for home isolation, all such person(s) would be lodged in the GHS Tening building. In this regard, the concerned family would be responsible for arrangement of food, bedding and other personal requirements.

The police shall reinforce checking of crowding in the bank; compulsory any shops or business establishment found operating without provision of hand wash/sanitiser would be closed down without any further notice.

DC Dmu informs on DTF COVID helpline: De puty commissioner

(DC) Dimapur Rajesh Soundararajan has informed the general public that the Dimapur District Task Force (DTF) helpline has been set up.

The DC has informed the public to contact at WhatsApp numbers at 6009924366 and 7641823998 for any COVID-19 related queries or emergencies.

SCHO informs senior citizens: The Senior Citizens Helpline Office (SCHO) situated opposite head post office, CK arcade building, Kohima has informed that free food items and essential commodities to the poor and needy senior citizens in and around Kohima district would be conducted from May 6-12.

Program manager, Neithonuo Liegise has requested concerned citizens

to identify genuine destitute elders in their respective neighborhoods and call at 03702290278 or toll free call at 14567. The call officers would be online from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

House sealed in Tizit: In order to take effective measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, ADC Tizit, Pakon Phom has ordered the sealing of the residence of Noklem (Neitong Village) adjacent to NH Hotel, Police Ward, Tizit Town till further order.

Any person violating the containment measures would be liable to be proceeded against as per the provision of Sections 51 to 60 of Disaster Management Act 2005 besides legal action under IPC Section 188 and other legal provisions as applicable.

(From page-1) The equitable, accessible, and affordable vaccination for all above 18 years were demanded by the IMA based on scientific facts from April 6 onward and after persistent call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his innovative qualities assured the nation, the vaccination drive was started from May 1, it said. “It is unfortunate, the ministry has failed to make the necessary required roadmap and ensure vaccine stock, resulting in the majority of the places where vaccination could not be rolled out for people above 18 years,” the IMA said.

“When the Prime minister notification is not implemented scrupulously, who is to be blamed?”

Considering differential Covid vaccine pricing system as “unhumanistic”, the IMA said the people of the age group between 18 and 45 years are forbidden to get the free vaccination from the central share of 50 per cent and they are placed under the mercy of the state governments.

“The jeopardy of private practitioners and states to negotiate with manufacturers for pricing and stock resulted in exorbitant price rise and vaccine shortage.”

Giving example of eradication of smallpox and polio in 1997 and 2014, the IMA said it could only happen by adopting the universal free vaccination and not by differential pricing system.

When Rs 35,000 crore were allotted in the budget, the IMA said, with which the maximum required 200 crore vaccine dozes are purchasable.

“Why the central government is shedding its responsibility?,” asked the IMA, adding “unless the government comes out and implements with willingness and steadfastness for equitable distribution, we will not be able the achieve the goal”.

Today for the last seven days, the IMA said, “no vaccine is available in small and medium private hospitals”.

“The crisis of oxygen is deepening every day and scores of people are succumbing to Oxygen mismatch supply and it is creating panic both among patients and fraternity.

Though there is enough production, it is often the distribution which is not proper,” said the IMA. Even after 15 days of the crisis, the IMA said: “The government is not seen at the forefront to solve these issues and resulting in people knocking at the doors of courts to get justice, resulting in judicial activism.

“Health care professional oganisations are neither consulted nor the honourable Health minister in this whole pandemic had time to interact with modern medicine professional organisations to solve this issue. Imported oxygen concentrators and oxygen plants are yet to reach the beneficiaries.”

The IMA later ap-

pealed saying, “as the time is running out with the impending crisis lest we deepen the crisis, solve it on a war footing”.

“Though various mutants are identified yet the real hazard is not explained in actual terms. Dedicated experts shall be designated to study this and propose mitigation measures at the earliest,” the IMA suggested.

The IMA also raised question over the government hiding actual Covid deaths. “Why are we trying to hide actual deaths? If the public comes to know about the actual deaths, their seriousness to adopt Covid-appropriate behaviours will rise.”

The IMA demanded to revamp the entire health care administration with Indian Medical Service (MS) cadets who are “well versed with the technical and administrative skill for effective execution of health care”.

“We also demand to establish a new integrated Ministry to serve in this pandemic with a dedicated, proactive, vibrant, innovative, and altruistic Minister and alleviate the fear of people by leading from the front.

“We propose for augmentation of infrastructure, materials, and manpower by enhancing health care budget to be raised from 1 per cent of GDP to minimum 8-10 per of GDP, and judiciously use the earmarked budget amount for ensuring equitable and affordable Universal vaccination.”

4

OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post

Post-mortem

Mother’s Day tributes and articles

Vol. XXxI NO. 152 Dimapur, sunday, may 9, 2021

The salt of families

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other’s Day observed across the world on every second Sunday of the month of May, provides an occasion to laud and encourage mothers for their selfless sacrifices even in times of deep crisis such as the current coronavirus pandemic raging across the world. A home without a mother is like a lamp without a light. Though both fathers and mothers equally share the responsibility of making a home, mothers play a prominent role in the development of spiritual values in the family. Mothers have been gifted by God with a selfless devotion and undying love for her family. Even those who may not be mothers biologically, have exhibited the best examples of Godly love as in Saint Teresa (earlier Mother Teresa). Motherhood means faithfulness because she is faithful to God .She also reaches out to help those in need. Her inward adorning of character and integrity of heart is what makes her most attractive because inward beauty never fades but becomes more precious with time. Mothers inculcate godliness to their children and are instrumental in leading their husbands to God. Proverbs 31 describes the worth of a godly Mother, whose virtues are priced far above rubies. The praise and success that she brought to her own family and community will be her best eulogy.

In order to encourage mothers to be as God chose them to be, it would also be important to differentiate between a good mother and a godly mother. A good mother is popular with her children, family and friends. A good mother is not interested in the things of God as much as in the things of the world. Thus, a good yet ungodly mother also loves her children and husband but places greatest value on material happiness, does not teach moral and ethical values to her children, chooses to not be accountable, is clever with words and economic with truth and prone to compromises, is not one to sit at home tending to family, may act like a single woman, loves to spend, prone to lose talks, has a damn-care attitude, subtlety pompous and place high premium on fun. The Bible clearly depicts such characters in ungodly women or mothers as -licentious (lack moral and restraint), deceivable (like Eve who lacked spiritual fortitude); materialistic (like Lot’s wife); contentious (openly disrespects the husband like Michal wife of David); corrupt (like Jezebel); discouraging (like Job’s wife); manipulative( like Herodias) and deceitful (like Sapphira). These few women among many in the Bible have only brought ruin to themselves and their families. Contemporary mothers are better educated and also no longer tied to their homes. They have also become partners in bringing bread to the homes. In the past, the traditional concept of a woman was as a child bearer, work horse, wife, cook and mother. Today modern mothers have a more comfortable life but bigger challenges. However when a mother who fears the Lord and lives a virtuous life, she ensures that the spiritual rudder guides her family. A godly mother commands permanent respect and more admiration than a beauty queen. In the present situation, family values have eroded by materialism and adulterated with liberalism. On Mother’s Day, may all mothers be blessed with good health, joy and godly wisdom as they face the day-to-day challenges.

DailyDevotion The Faith to Persevere

Because you have kept My command to persevere… —Revelation 3:10 Perseverance means more than endurance— more than simply holding on until the end. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while the saint says, “I can’t take any more.” Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to God’s hands. Is there something in your life for which you need perseverance right now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).

Faith is not some weak and pitiful emotion, but is strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him. Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the supreme effort of your life— throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God. God ventured His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yet— places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus Christ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, “This is eternal life, that they may know You…” (John 17:3).

The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romance— a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.

Quotes

“If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.”

– Eleanor Roosevelt

Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunday, may 9, 2021

(I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life – Abraham Lincoln)

What would mother earth say on Mothers’ Day? Introduction Each year, the International Mothers’ Day celebration, falling during the spring season reminds us of the caring, nurturing, procreating qualities of mothers – humans, animals, insects and the earth. At this horrific COVID19 second wave, let us have an ecological reflection as we commemorate and thank our human mothers on this special day. A critique of ecologically destructive developmental models (Baviskar, 1999) harmful to mothers is a much-needed reflection for Mothers’ Day without which mothers will cease to survive. Motherhood is sacred but fragile. It is a blessing to the wise but a disaster to the selfish. Let us wish all mothers, to be mothers and mother earth a very happy Mother’s Day. Motherhood in a patriarchal society The Northeast tribes in India are vastly patriarchal as if it is a quintessential social model. Verbally, mothers are depicted as being respected and cared but in reality, they are seldom included as elected representatives or involved in community decisions, excluded in property heritage except for the Khasis, Garos, Pnar/Jaintia who follow matrilineal tradition (Beth, 2018). Largely, it is the menfolk who decide. Women and children just obey. The only option left for mothers is the procreative power that men lack. The agrarian work of sowing, planting, nurturing, flowering, fruiting and harvesting are the ultimate expressions of motherhood (womanhood). This is their power, existential reality and significant sign of their presence in society. This is the social space, the femininity they occupy – powerful indeed but almost de-

liberately ignored by the patriarchal societal arrangement.

Mother earth speaks Mother earth has spoken in varied styles and continues to voice its concern. It has spoken to humans through wind, rain, drought, flood, heat, epidemic, etc. Mother earth says, “I am providing about 550 litres of pure oxygen to a normal adult human being but you are deliberately destroying trees and bamboos which produce oxygen. I am sustaining you with rivers, animals, insects, plants for your existence.

Humans have been plagued by myopic vision of life – gathering and exploiting me for your selfish short visit on this earth. You have been thoughtless about the future of your generations. You have forgotten that you cannot carry anything from this earth at death.

Give me a space that you may live longer with cleaner air quality.

Anthropogenic climate change is a real phenomenon (Chundattu, 2020) affecting all ecosystems.

“Act or I will react.”

Mother earth’s right Mother earth sustains the existence of all beings as far as possible. Tecumseh, a Native American warrior of dignity and domineering personality is attributed to have said when his father (General Harrison) invited him to sit beside him, “My father invites me to a seat? The sun is my father, and the Earth is my mother, and I will repose upon her bosom” (Gerard DeGroot, 2021). At the ultimate time (death), mother earth owns the right of Tecumseh and not Harrison. Human beings ascribe themselves “Human Rights”. It is high time that all animate and inanimate beings are also accorded “Rights” for survival. Bolivia has

established eleven rights for nature among which includes the right to life and to exist; the right to continue vital cycles and processes free from human alteration; the right to pure water and clean air; the right to balance; the right not to be polluted; and the right to not have cellular structure modified or genetically altered. (Vidal, 2011).

This would entail respect for all things on the earth.

What humans can do Increase reverence for mothers and decrease hegemonic patriarchal rule; increase respect for trees and decrease carbon footprint; resurrect the indigenous ecological spirituality of respect for mothers (and mother earth) as partners and not as mere entities for exploitation; remember that “one of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken” (Leo Tolstoy); consider every ecosystem as sacred and realize that the earth can survive without humans but not vice versa; begin a local level of conscious anthropomorphization which is the tendency to ascribe humanlike features and mental states, such as free will and consciousness to nonhuman beings or inanimate agents (Sacch et al, 2013); remember that spending just 20 minutes connecting with nature can help lower stress hormone levels (Frontiers in Psychology, 2019): those who have access to libraries and universities should extend their knowledge to grassroots level for a bottom-up model society.

The author is a PhD research scholar, Department of Sociology & Social Work, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, India.

Email: paulhowkeep20@gmail.com

Mother, my role model: A tribute “Mothers don’t sleep; they just worry with their eyes close” The person whom I look up to, the person who understand me even in silence, the person who constantly prays for me, the person whom I can rely on in any situation, the person who inspires me, the person don’t judge me, the person who is my best friend at all time, is my mother who is also my role model. My mother is a person who sets a good example for me and I get inspired by her. Each one of us has a role model who is a determined person, caring and loving, etc.

My mother is my role model as she has inspired me the most in all sphere of my life. She is the captain who handles all the activities and who is in charge of the house.

She is a home maker.

From dawn till night fall, she worries and thinks best for her family. Starting from the kitchen, she makes the most delicious food and make sure that all her children and husband are content from her cooking skills. She is the nurse for my family. She makes sure that she is available in keeping her family in good health. I can say, after all mothers are a representative of God on earth.

My mother is the first teacher of my life. She may be not that educated and literate like many mothers but, she is our first teacher who teaches us the first basic ways of life.

As dedicated as she is, she also very hardworking. From maintaining the kitchen to teaching us how to live and also work at home, she has been tirelessly

working smilingly. My mother gets up at dawn and her daily routine starts before we get up from our bed. My mother can be called the manager of our family. She manages each and everything in our family. She is the back bone and a strong pillar of my family. She is the one who continuously prays for her family.

I am glad my mother is always there to share and listen to me when I failed to do my chores. She is the best advisor who also considers my choices.

She tried to make me strong person with independent mind. She has given me everything to make my life easier.

I sometimes wonder how she can balance between working and raising a family. Being a homemaker, she feels that it is her responsibility to make sure her family is stable, strong and in good health. Even in sickness, she still would still prepare meals for us.

Indeed mothers are God on earth. It is because of my mother that I could at least be where I am today. It is because of her prayers and support that my family is happily living together and smiling. I wish we continue to know the unimaginable works of our mothers.

A mother always thinks and worries about her family and their well being. I thank God for giving me my mother. May our Almighty God grant good lives to all our wonderful mothers. May they live long and happy and see all their great grandchildren. I love you so much Mother.

Bonglih P Konyak B.A 6th Semester, Modern College Kohima

Mother’s love: How it changed and shaped my life

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’ve heard it said that a person’s first memories can sometimes date back as far as before their first birthday. In my case, I think I was around two and my earliest recollections seem to involve bed time instances with my mother. I can recall her love and tenderness so very clearly and still fondly remember moments when I’d stick my fingers out from the spindles of my crib, reach and call out for her hand. She always responded patiently by holding my small hand in hers until I fell asleep.

She made sure I knew she love me to hear my talk as an infant, was all quite fascinating for my little mind. And while I obviously didn’t understand everything she was saying at first, she repeated these and similar thoughts about her love for me over many months until I eventually began to comprehend how much I meant to her. I knew nothing about comparing worth

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or measuring values, but in time I came to realize she was saying that her love for me outnumbered the infinite number of all those beautiful twinkly things in the sky.

It’s an awesome thing to feel loved, especially to treasure this as one of my earliest memories in life. Never once during my childhood nor during my early years as an adult did I ever question whether I was loved or wanted by either my mom or dad.

I always knew that regardless of how unlovable I had sometimes been, their love for me was unconditional and forever.

Being made to feel loved and valued may be the most substantial thing that any parent can convey to their child. And I know for me, this was the most important foundation of my understanding of God’s love, and helped shape an early attitude of compassion and empathy toward other people around me.

My Mother’s love was fair and impartial; God’s love was equal and impartial toward all mankind. Just like she and dad loved all four of us equally, God loves all His children equally too. She taught us that no one should be looked down upon for such reasons, but that all people should be shown as much respect, love and kindness, as nobody else.

Her love was unconditional and forgiving, finally my mother’s unconditional and forgiving love is what I will always remember and cherish most about her.

Mom could certainly get angry on occasion, and could be pretty stern. As a child, I can remember more than one occasion when she spanked me with a switch she grabbed up in the yard from a fallen branch. And I can even remember instances where she demanded me to go fetch the switch that she would use on me which of course, would generally

Mama, I will always love you

ichael Jordan, a former American basketball player and a businessman wrote this of his mother, “My mother is my root, my foundation.

She planted the seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind.”

This just reminds us of how important our mothers are and the significant roles they play in our lives.

There was this young beautiful lady I knew of when I was in Delhi. I would always talk to her with admiration while at the same time I was also thinking of her mother with deep respect for how well she had raised her daughter. That is because the mother was in a medical condition where she needed a kidney, and that young girl willingly decided to donate her kidney for her mother.

Of course one kidney is still perfectly fine for a person in most cases, but the beautiful thing was the willingness, and more, the satisfaction

and comfort that I saw in the daughter to be able to help her mother. To today, I still think of that as a purest form of love, because it was selfless and sacrificial. But how does it come about?

Well, unarguably because the mother had shaped well her child. It was only a love in return.

It is quite a feeling that almost every child will intrinsically have a deeper longing for their mothers than they do of anyone else. In fact, mothers, for most of us, are the backbone of everything that we are as a person.

It is them that we always run back to at certain times, whether they are the happiest moments, the saddest moments, or the most embarrassing that’s happened to us that we wouldn’t share with anyone else. That is why it is often said by people that a person is a reflection of his/ her mother in a way that the greatest influence in a person is that of his/her mother.

This shows how special our

mothers are to us, they are the ones who have shaped us to the world.

The love of a mother is unparalleled. Just as they physically bore us for nine months in their wombs, they also mentally and emotionally bore us in their hearts and in their very being their whole lives.

There is nothing bigger than their children for mothers, no responsibility more greater than they have for their children, and no love greater, not even the love for themselves, than they have for their children. They sacrifice their lives, their wants and their desires, just to be a mother, and just so they could give you the world.

It doesn’t matter how imperfect you are, your mother will love you just the same. It doesn’t matter how many mistakes you make, your mother will always forgive you. It doesn’t matter how many lies you’ve told, your mother will still choose to trust you. It doesn’t

be the smallest and least painful I could find. But her anger didn’t last long and she would soon wrap me in her arms and tell me how much she loved me again.

I eventually figured out that her spanking hurt her more that it hurt me, and she only disciplined me because she loved me.

Love doesn’t let your kids get by with everything, but love holds them responsibly by correcting me even with painful discipline when necessary.

Regrettably in my later years as a young adult, I deeply hurt both my mom and dad with an outburst of rage and disrespect when they challenged the predacious lifestyle I adopted. I parted ways from them with bitterness and hatred, expressing the kind of words and actions that usually end relationships. However, it wasn’t long that tragedy and difficult caught up with me but instead of letting me languish in my affliction, mom reached out

matter how much wrong you’ve done, she will always be proud of you even for the little good you do. She will always support you in your weakness; she will always love you when you are not worth a dime, and she will always be your strength when you are at your lowest.

Even when the rest of the world would turn their back on you, she will be the one person always holding onto you.

This is why I will never forget you mom. Thank you for being my mother and thank you for loving me just as I am. Thank you for the sacrifices you’ve made just for my sake. And on this Mothers’ Day, I wish you all the happiness life can offer.

May life be kinder to you each day of your life and as you grow older, your hearts grow happier, and your soul finds more beauty to see in everything.

“Happy Mothers’ Day, Dear Mothers”.

Janghaolun Haokip

to me with love and forgiveness, which melted my heart with remorse for how I had treated them. Her continued love and persistent prayers was what turned my life around, which God used to bring me into a relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ. My mother made it clear to me that her love for me was unconditional regardless of the poor decisions I had made in life and even though I would choose not to love her back, she would always love me and forgive me, no matter what.

There could be no greater example of God’s kind of love, who loved us in the same way.

Jesus was sent to suffer and die, offering forgiveness for our sins even while mankind was still rebellious and evil.

My mother’s love is immeasurable.

“Happy Mother’s Day to my momma and to all Mother’s” B. Kontok Phom

Mothers: The unsung heroes

A

ll life created by God is sacred a nd be a utif ul but only mothers are divinely blessed with the miracle of creation through childbirth. Undisputedly, a mother is the ultimate creation of our Almighty God. The basic building block of any nation is a family and without a mother to care, guide and shape a family, there can be no nation, whatsoever. A nation’s greatest asset is a loving and wise mother, nurturing and shaping the children’s future in the right direction and thereby a nation’s future lie in the hands of our mothers.

Therefore, rightly so the nations proclaim themselves as motherland, as without a mother, there can be no na-

tions.

In fact, everyday should be mother’s day as our mothers patiently and tirelessly toil day and night to nurture our children and families.

Despite our inability to thank mothers as often as they sacrifice, yet mothers never waver from selflessly caring or loving us.

Words would not do justice to a mother’s selfless sacrifice. A mother’s love is the only love that comes close to God’s love.

Not only on this day but on all days, may the good Lord bestow all His blessings on all the mothers. Wishing all mothers a very “Happy Mother’s Day”.

Gen. Niki Sumi (Retd.)

President, NSCN/GPRN

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.

5

national

Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunday, may 9, 2021

Gandhi questions SC orders release of prisoners to decongest jails Rahul GST on Covid vaccines NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (IANS): In the backdrop of an unprecedented Covid-19 crisis prevailing in the country, the Supreme Court on Saturday passed a slew of directions to decongest prisons and ordered forthwith release of all those prisoners who were granted bail or parole last year due to the pandemic.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Surya Kant said: “We direct that, those inmates who were granted parole, pursuant to our earlier orders, should be again granted a parole for a period of 90 days in order to tide over the pandemic.”

The top court noted that the Attorney General requested for relaxation of handcuffing of the prisoners as during the present outbreak of Covid19 there is a great danger of spread of the virus to the police personnel who have to hold the hands of the accused while being escorted. “We may notice that India has more than four lakh prison inmates.

It is observed that some

Representational image of a cell.

of the prisons in India are overburdened and are housing inmates beyond optimal capacity. In this regard, we may notice that the requirement of decongestion is a matter concerning health and right to life of both the prison inmates and the police personnel working,” the bench noted in its order.

The bench added that the fight against the pandemic is greatly benefitted by transparent administration. The bench further add-

ed that all those prisoners who were allowed to go out on bail in March last year by the high-powered committees of states and UTs, constituted following top court’s order, be granted the same relief without reconsideration by HPCs to avoid delay.

“In this regard, our attention was drawn to example of Delhi, wherein the prison occupancy is updated in websites. Such measures are required to be considered by other states and should be

adopted as good practice.

Moreover, all the decisions of HighPowered Committees need to be published on respective State Legal Service Authorities/State Governments/High Courts websites in order to enable effective dissemination of information,” said the top court in its order.

The top court said the High-Powered Committee, in addition to considering fresh release, should forthwith release all the

inmates who had been released earlier pursuant to order passed on March 23, 2020 by imposing appropriate conditions. Such an exercise is mandated in order to save valuable time, added the bench.

The top court also noted that there needs to strict control by authorities from arresting accused in contravention of guidelines laid down by the top court in Arnesh Kumar vs. State of Bihar during pandemic.

“The fight against the pandemic is greatly benefitted by transparent administration. In this regard, our attention was drawn to example of Delhi, wherein the prison occupancy is updated in websites. Such measures are required to be considered by other States and should be adopted as good practice,” added the top court. The bench also noted that all the decisions of HighPowered Committees need to be published on respective State Legal Service Authorities/State Governments/High Courts websites in order to enable effective dissemination of

‘Missing’ TRS leader arrested in Andhra Pradesh HYDERABAD, MAY 8 (IANS): Telangana police on Saturday arrested Peddapalli Zilla Parishad chairman Putta Madhu, whose name had figured in the murder of a lawyer couple and was ‘missing’ for nearly a week.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader was picked up by Ramagundam town police in Bhimavaram in Andhra Pradesh. He was being brought to Ramagundam.

The development also assumes significance as he is said to be a follower of

Eatala Rajender who was dropped from state cabinet

by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao early this week over allegations of encroaching farmers’ land.

With the government ordering probe into land dealings by the former minister, Madhu who reportedly had business relations with Rajender went missing. There were also reports that he was in Hyderabad and tried to meet the chief minister.

It was immediately not clear if he was arrested for questioning in the murder

Putta Madhu

case or in connection with probe against Rajender.

Madhu’s name had cropped up during the investigations into the mur-

der of Gattu Vaman Rao and Nagamani.

The high court advocate couple was brutally hacked to death in broad daylight on February 17 this year. Before succumbing to his injuries, Vaman Rao had taken the name of Kunta Srinivas, a local TRS leader. Police had arrested Srinivas and Madhu’s nephew Bittu Seenu The family of the deceased couple alleged that Madhu was behind the murder as they were fighting controversial cases, including a disproportion-

ate assets case against Madhu.

Madhu’s name had surfaced during the investigations after an audio clip came to light in which Srinivas was heard speaking to person who sounded like a contract killer, by taking the name of Madhu several times.

However, the Zilla Parishad chairman was not arrested. Vaman Rao’s father had recently lodged a fresh complaint with the police, seeking a probe into Madhu’s role in the twin murders.

information. “The spread of Covid-19 virus should be controlled in the prisons by regular testing being done of the prisoners but also the jail staff and immediate treatment should be made available to the inmates and the staff. It is necessary to maintain levels of daily hygiene and sanitation required to be improved. Suitable precautions shall be taken to prevent the transmission of the deadly virus amongst the inmates of prisons,” said the top court in its order.

The bench added that appropriate steps should be taken for transportation of the released inmates of the prisons, if necessary, in view of the curfews and lockdown in some states.

The Attorney General also submitted that prisons need to be decongested by release of some prisoners in view of the grim situation. He submitted that the HighPowered Committees may be permitted to adopt the procedure that was followed earlier and release the prisoners on the basis of the guidelines formulated by them last year.

NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (IANS): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed the government over the goods and services tax (GST) on vaccines, saying the lives of can be lost but the Prime Minister’s tax collection should not be lost.

In a tweet in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi said, “Lives of people can be lost, but the tax collection of the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) should not be lost.”

He also used the hash tag of GST. His remarks came after several Congress-ruled states questioned the five per cent GST on the Covid vaccines.

With the five per cent GST on Covid vaccines the state governments have to pay Rs 15-20 extra per dose to the central government.

The Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh governments have opposed the move of collection of GST on Covid vaccines manufactured in India.

Even Odisha Chief

Rahul Gandhi

Minister Naveen Patnaik has written to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for waiver of GST on Covid vaccines.

Rahul Gandhi on Friday wrote to the Prime Minister saying his government’s lack of a clear and coherent Covid and vaccination strategy, as well as its hubris in declaring premature victory as the virus was exponentially spreading, has placed India in a highly dangerous position.

He also slammed the government over the rise in fuel prices.

Kejriwal claims entire Delhi can be vaccinated in 3 months N E W D E L H I , M AY 8 (AGENCIES): Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday that Delhi government can vaccinate the entire national capital in three months if he gets nearly 85 lakh doses a month.

About 1 lakh vaccine doses are being administered in the city every day presently, the Chief MinisArvind Kejriwal ter said, and the daily figKejriwal also said ure needs to be increased the number of Covid-19 to 3 lakh.

vaccination centres will be increased three times in Delhi and demanded that the Centre supply of around 2.6 crore vaccine doses for inoculation of all people in the national capital in the next three months.

Currently, vaccination is going on at 100 centres in Delhi. The number of centres will be increased to 250-300 by the Delhi government, he said in an online briefing.

150 attended burial of Covid ‘India surviving because of Nehru-Gandhi’ family: Sena patient, 21 dead in Rajasthan village JAIPUR, MAY 8 (PTI): Twenty-one people died in as many days at a village in Rajasthan’s Sikar district allegedly after a COVID19-infected corpse was buried without following protocol.

However, officials said that only four deaths have occurred due to the virus between April 15 and May 5.

According to officials, a COVID-19-infected body was brought to Kheerva village on April 21 and about 150 people attended the last rites and the burial was done without following coronavirus protocol.

The body was taken out of the plastic bag and several

people touched it during burial, they said.

“Only 3-4 deaths have occurred due to COVID19 out of 21 deaths. A majority of deaths are from older age group.

We have taken sample of 147 members of families where deaths have occurred to check whether it is COVID-19 community transmission,” Lakshmangarh sub-divisional officer Kulraj Meena told PTI on Saturday.

He said that the administration has carried out sanitisation drive in the village. Villagers are explained about the severity of the problem and now they are cooperating.

Sikar’s Chief Medical and Health Officer Ajay Chaudhary said that a report has been sought from the local authorities following which he will be able to comment on the matter.

K h e e r va f a l l s i n Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra’s assembly constituency.

He had first shared the information about deaths following burial of infected corpse on social media, but later removed it.

“With profound grief, I have to say that more than 20 people have lost their lives and several are infected,” he had tweeted.

M U M B A I , M AY 8 (AGENCIES): The Shiv Sena Saturday said that while smaller countries in the neighbourhood are offering help to India to tackle COVID-19, the Modi government is not even ready to stop the work of the multi-crore Central Vista project in Delhi.

The party also said that the system created in the past 70 years by previous Prime Ministers, including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, has helped the country live through the tough times that it is facing today.

“The UNICEF has expressed fear that there is a threat to the world from India due to the pace at which coronavirus is

spreading in the country.

It has also made an appeal that maximum number of countries should help India in the fight against COVID-19. Bangladesh has sent 10,000 Remdesivir vials, while Bhutan has sent medical oxygen.

Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have also offered help to ‘aatmanirbhar’ India,” the Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.

“In clear terms, India is surviving on the system created by Nehru-Gandhi.

Many poor countries are offering help to India.

Earlier, countries like Pakistan, Rwanda and Congo used to get help from others. But due to the wrong policies of today’s rulers, India is going through that

situation now,” it said.

But while poor countries are helping India in their own way, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not ready to stop the ambitious project of Central Vista worth Rs. 20,000 crore in Delhi, the Sena added.

The party expressed sur prise that nobody feels regret that on the one hand, India accepts aid from countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, while on the other, PM Modi is not ready to stop work on the multi-crore Central Vista project for construction of a new Parliament building and the house of the Prime Minister.

The Sena said that even as the world is battling a second wave of

COVID-19, experts have predicted that the third wave will be more severe.

But the ruling BJP is doing all it can to corner Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal even today.

“A sensitive and a nationalist government would not have thought about the political pros and cons and set up a national panel of all main political parties to discuss ways to defeat the pandemic,” the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.

“BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has demanded that Union minister Nitin Gadkari be given the charge of the health ministry and this is a proof that the current union health ministry has been a complete failure,” it added.

“The country is presently surviving thanks to the development works, projects set up by and the confidence given by the previous governments of Pandit Nehru, (Lal Bahadur) Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh,” it said.

The Prime Minister will have to do a lot of hard work and think of non-political nationalism to help the country come out of the pandemic, it said.

On Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had attacked the Union government over the Central Vista project, terming it a “criminal wastage” and asked the dispensation to focus on people’s lives.

Farmers take out protest march in Punjab against weekend lockdown Petition filed with NHRC over deaths due to lack of oxygen across India

NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (PTI): Farmers took out protest marches at several places in Punjab on Saturday against the weekend lockdown imposed by the state government amid rising cases of COVID-19 infection and fatalities.

Punjab’s 32 farmer unions, protesting the Central farm laws, had an-

nounced to hold street protests against the lockdown in the state and urged shopkeepers to defy the restrictions. The protests were taken out in Moga, Patiala, Amritsar, Ajnala, among other places in the state. “We are appealing to shopkeepers to open their shops. We are with them,” said Bharti Kisan Union

(Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan in Moga.

“Lockdown is not a solution to deal with the COVID-19 crisis.”

Khokrikalan also accused the government of doing nothing to improve the health infrastructure.

Farmers, including women, took out marches

in the markets and appealed to shopkeepers and traders through loudspeakers to open their shops.

However, the shopkeepers kept their shops.

Police personnel in adequate numbers were deployed across the state in the wake of farmers’ protest.

Punjab chief minister

Amarinder Singh on Friday had directed the police chief to strictly enforce the weekend lockdown in the state and deal stringently with any violations in view of the farmer unions deciding to protest the lockdown.

The state government have imposed extensive COIVD-19 curbs in addition to measures like a weekend lockdown and night curfew till May 15.

In Amritsar, a farmer leader said if the state government wanted to impose a weekend lockdown then it should give ration to shopkeepers and waive their electricity bills and other taxes.

A police team took out a flag march in a market in Ajnala with officials saying nobody will be allowed to violate the curbs.

Notably, early this week, traders and shopkeepers in Punjab had held protests against the state government’s order of closure of shops dealing in non-essential items.

GHAZIABAD, MAY 8 (IANS): A petition has been filed against the Central government with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over the deaths caused by Covid-19 due to non-availability of oxygen.

The petition has been filed

by Human Rights activist Vishnu Kumar Gupta.

The petition said, “District hospitals and private hospitals in the country have neither installed oxygen plants nor have oxygen storage facilities whereas Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants can be set up at these places in lesser time and cost in a single month.”

“The PSA oxygen plant

costs exactly the amount which many hospitals spend every year to procure oxygen for themselves.”

“There is a shortage of oxygen due to lack of its buffer stock in our country.

If the government had taken into account the common man’s Right to Life guaranteed in the constitution amid last year’s coronavirus crisis, such a catastrophic situation would not have arisen had the buffer stock of oxygen and its production/supply been taken care of.”

Advocate Gupta said, “The Central government has failed to assess the implications of this pandemic.

The third wave of Covid-

19 is expected in October 2021 so it becomes primary responsibility of the government that keeping in mind the current and future oxygen supply, it must make sure that PSA plants are set up expeditiously in all government district hospitals and private hospitals in the country. “Saving the lives of the elderly and young people suffering from heart, cancer, hypertension and diabetes coupled with Covid-19 should also be the foremost duty of the Central government.”

“Therefore, a request has been made to the NHRC to order the Central Medical and Health Department to get patients suffering from other comorbidities, including Covid-19, vaccinated immediately on priority basis.” Gupta has also sent a letter to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath apprising him of the need to improve the state’s worrisome situation and urgently set up PSA oxygen plants.

6

‘Tried to capture Bengal, nearly destroyed India’

Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA, MAY 8 (PTI): West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday said that the COVID-19 crisis in the country was the result of the Centre “not doing any work” in the last six months as Union ministers and leaders were visiting Bengal daily to “capture” it.

“To set up a doubleengine government in Bengal, they have pushed India to the brink of destruction.

Last six months, the central government did no work and they were all here daily

to capture Bengal,” she said while addressing the Bengal Assembly after Trinamool MLA Biman Bandyopadhyay was elected the Speaker for the third time.

Warning of stern action against communal incitements, Mamata claimed the BJP was provoking violence after failing to win the elections.

“I can challenge that had the Election Commission not helped them directly, they (BJP) could not have won even 30 seats. In this election, rigging took

place in some places under the watch of the poll panel,” Ms Banerjee claimed, stressing the need to reform the Election Commission.

“Now, they (BJP) cannot accept the mandate of the people and are trying to incite violence by posting fake videos,” she claimed.

She directed the administration to take stern action against those trying to provoke violence and communal tensions.

Mamata Banerjee alleged that personnel of the central forces were in the state during the elections without undergoing RTPCR Covid tests, resulting in the spread of the infection.

Mamata Banerjee reiterated the demand for universal vaccination, stating that it should have been the priority of the Centre, instead the government is spending Rs. 50,000 crore on the new Parliament building, PM’s residence and statues, among others.

The opposition BJP legislators boycotted the House proceedings.

national

Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunday, may 9, 2021

Farooq Abdullah Offers Sonia calls for Congress top Rs. 1.4 cr from his MP fund body meet to review poll results

Farooq Abdullah

SRINAGAR, MAY 8 (AGENCIES): National Conference president and Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah on Saturday recommended the release of Rs. 1.4 crore from his MPLADS fund towards improving the COVID care facilities in certain hospitals of Kashmir.

In a letter to Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Aijaz Asad, Abdullah said the funds be utilised for improving the COVID care facilities in the hospitals falling under the jurisdiction of his parliamentary constituency, which is spread over Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts.

“In view of the fact that COVID-19 is spreading at an alarming rate in

Kashmir, I think it most appropriate to use the MPLADS Funds released by the Government of India recently in my favour mainly towards improving the COVID care facilities in the hospitals falling under the jurisdiction of my parliamentary constituency,” he said.

Abdullah-- the MP from Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency -- recommended the release of Rs. 50 lakh in favour of Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, Rs. 30 lakh in favour of Government Chest Diseases Hospital, Srinagar, Rs. 30 lakh in favour of Government SMHS Hospital, Srinagar, and Rs. 30 lakh in favour of SKIMS Medical College Hospital, Srinagar.

NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (AGENCIES): Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has summoned a session of the party’s highest decision making body - Congress Working Committee – on Monday to review the grand old party’s poll performance in the just concluded assembly elections.

“Unfortunately, our own performance in all the states was very disappointing and if I may say, unexpectedly so. The CWC is meeting shortly to review results...,” Sonia Gandhi said at a virtual meet of the Congress Parliamentary Party on Friday, as she congratulated Mamata Banerjee and MK Stalin for their wins.

In the recent polls, the Congress failed to come back to power in Kerala and Assam and was wiped out in West Bengal. It also lost out in Puducherry.

In Kerala, the Congress at least held its ground, losing just one seat from 2016 to finish with 41. The Left front registered a commanding win by claiming 99 seats and also bucked a four-decade

Sonia Gandhi

trend by winning consecutive terms. The BJP won zero seats.

Seen as a Congress stronghold until it was breached in 2016, the Congress did marginally better in Assam, winning 29 of 95 seats it contested. But the opposition alliance failed to challenge the BJP, winning just 50 seats to the ruling party’s 75.

In Tamil Nadu, the party was part of the winning DMK-led alliance and performed relatively better, winning 18 of 25 allocated seats.

The Congress failed to return to power in Puducherry - where its government crashed days before polling

Mayawati attacks Kejriwal on Pappu Yadav demands FIR against Rudy for ‘hoarding ambulances’ migrants fleeing from Delhi

Mayawati

L U C K N O W, M A Y 8 (IANS): Taking a dig at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Saturday said that he is doing exactly the same drama that he did last year when he urged the migrants not to flee from Delhi.

Mayawati on Saturday tweeted, “Just by folding hands, the CM of

Delhi is telling people not to go from Delhi, the same drama he did last year.

This is also being seen in the states of Maharashtra, Haryana and Punjab. Now people are migrating from Ludhiana in Punjab, it is very sad.”

She said that if state governments could take care of their needs in a timely manner by instilling confidence in them, then these people need not have to flee and now the state governments are doing dramatics to hide their shortcomings. They have been exposed.

In a series of tweets, she once again reiterated the demand to provide free vaccines to the poor, dalits and tribal people.

Apart from this, these vulnerable groups must be given financial help at a time when restrictions are in place due to Covid-19.

PAT NA , M AY 8 (IANS): Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, the four time MP and president of Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) has demanded an FIR against BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy under the Epidemic Diseases Act. Yadav was the one who discovered more than 30 ambulances from the office of Rudy on Friday.

He alleged that the MP had kept ambulances under personal capacity despite these being purchased from the MP fund.

“It is extremely shocking that Rudy is giving an excuse for the non availability of drivers. The ambulance was purchased from the money of taxpayers. In this case, the ambulances should be deployed at government hospitals of the district and the state government should appoint the drivers. Under what capacity, Rudy has kept those ambulances in his own office. Why is he

saying that the ambulances were kept inside his premises in absence of drivers,” Yadav said.

“While people of Bihar are struggling for ambulances and other basic health facilities, such an act of Rudy is attributed to insensitivity and heinous crime against humanity.

He is blaming me for doing cheap politics and challenging me to arrange the drivers, I have arranged 40 drivers from my personal capacity. I am also giving a phone number (9334123702) where he or government officials can contact us, our drivers will perform duty as volunteers at the time of this crisis,” Yadav said.

“The ambulances were purchased from MP fund. Hence, Rudy should clarify who benefited from the revenue generated from those ambulances. As per norms, the revenue should go to the exchequer of the state. He should provide

Pappu Yadav addressing the media. (IANS)

financial details of ambulances,” Yadav said.

The ambulances are running in Bihar by medical mafias. They are charging Rs 7,000 to Rs 25,000 to go from one place to another. At the time of crisis, the state government,

instead of offering free services to covid patients, has fixed the charges which is most unfortunate,” Yadav said. “I want to tell him and the NDA government that I am working round the clock on the streets of Bihar to help people,” Ya-

dav said.

Earlier, Rudy alleged that Pappu Yadav is doing cheap politics on it. “He should do politics in Madhepura, people of Saran will not come under the influence of him,” Rudy said.

- after the NR CongressBJP pairing won 16 of 30 seats.

In Bengal, where the Congress forged an alliance with the Left – both parties failed to win a single seat.

By contrast the Trinamool swept to its biggest victory with 213 seats to the BJP’s 77.

Over the past year, a group of party leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Kapil Sibal, have underscored the need for introspection over continuing poor performances in elections and called for “full time” and “visible” leadership to take the party forward.

Haryana to launch vaccination drive for journalists CHANDIGARH, MAY 8 (IANS): Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday announced to launch a Covid vaccination drive for all journalists in the state as they are dedicatedly rendering their services in this hour of crisis.

While presiding over a review meeting of the ongoing Covid situation in the state, the Chief Minister said that during this drive, vaccine shots would be administered to every journalist.

“Every journalist will be given priority during the vaccination drive and preparations for vaccine administration would be made at the media centres in all the districts,” Khattar added.

On Friday, the Delhi government had said in an official statement that mediapersons in the national capital will get free vaccine jabs at their respective workplaces.

CBSE’s ‘dost for life’ app to counsel students from class 9 to 12 9 killed in gelatin stick explosion in Andhra NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (IANS): The CBSE has launched a mobile app with the aim to solve the mental health problems of students from class 9 to 12 during the ongoing Covid pandemic.

With the help of the app, students and parents will be able to get answers to their questions on education, health and social topics. This mobile counselling app of the CBSE is named ‘dost for life’.

According to the CBSE, the app is to be used to improve students’ psycho-social wellness. From Monday, this app will be fully available for students.

Free live counselling sessions will be conducted

for the students through this app, the CBSE said.

At least 83 volunteers have already joined for live counselling. Of these, 66 are in India and the rest 17 are in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Nepal,

Oman, Kuwait, Japan and the USA. The counselling sessions will be held three days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Materials related to education, society, emotion and behaviour will be made available in the app.

The anxiety related to the examinations, Internet addiction disorder, depression

and special learning disability will be removed through the help of this app.

The app contains many features, including counselling sessions, expert advice, guidance on what to do after class XII, mental health tips, and an audiovideo protocol related to Covid-19.

Apart from this, CBSE Board will give another chance to the students of class X to pass the exams.

Students of 10th will pass on the basis of internal assessment and half-yearly examination. Despite this, if a student fails, he/she will be given another chance to take compartmental examination.

AMARAVATI, MAY 8 (IANS): At least nine workers were killed and some others injured in gelatin sticks explosion in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district on Saturday, police said.

The incident occurred near Mamillapalle village in Kalasapadu mandal when the labourers were unloading gelatin stick from a vehicle for using them at a limestone mine.

Such was the impact of the explosion that the body parts of the deceased were blown apart and the vehicle was completely burnt.

The workers hailing from Kalasapadu and Pulivendula mandals were carrying gelatin sticks for

blasting the rocks at the mine.

Police rushed to the spot and shifted the bodies for autopsy. They took up the investigation and were trying to find out if the quarry had license to use the explosives.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the deaths in the explosion. He conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased.

The chief minister enquired about the incident and its reasons from senior officials.

TDP national president and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also expressed deep

shock and grief over the death of several innocent workers in the blast.

He demanded that the government extend all help and announce ex gratia to the kin of the deceased on par with the LG Polymers in Vizag.

In a statement here, the TDP chief demanded immediate steps to provide better medical care to all those who were injured in the blast. It was unfortunate the tragic incident took place claiming so many lives in the chief minister’s own native district. To prevent such incidents, proper safety standards should be followed there. All the workers should be given perfect safety equipment.

Monsoon likely arriving on time, assesses India Meteorological Department T hiruvanan thapuram, MAY 8 (AGENCIES): The SouthWest monsoon, which is about three weeks away from its usual date of onset, will keep its time this year and arrive over Kerala on time around June 1 as per early indications available from national forecaster India Meteorological Department (IMD).

M Rajeevan, Secretary, Union Ministry of Earth Sciences MoES, said in a tweet, which read: ‘Monsoon 2021 update: @ Indiametdept: Extended Range Forecast suggests monsoon will arrive over

Kerala on time, around 1 June. This is an early indication. @Indiametdept official monsoon forecast on 15 May & rainfall forecast update around 31 May. Next forecast dates May 15, 31: The next official monsoon forecast from the IMD on May 15 will come out with more details on this front followed by another on May 31 which would give a rainfall forecast update for the season.

The first long-range forecast issued last month has already indicated a normal monsoon this year.

Meanwhile, the premonsoon activity over

Kerala has intensified with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds being reported most parts of the state these days, an update from the IMD’s Chennai Meteorological Centre.

On Thursday, rain lashed many places over Kerala; a few places over Lakshadweep area, Coastal Karnataka and North Interior Karnataka; and at isolated places over Tamil Nadu, South Interior Karnataka, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and Telangana, the Chennai Met Centre said.

Low-pressure area likely: The pre-monsoon

weather is being favourably influenced by a passing Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) wave, a cloud and rain-bearing wave that travels from West to East over the Indian Ocean periodically.

It impacts the tropical cyclone (low-pressure areas) and monsoon activity in this manner across the globe.

The enhanced rainfall phase of the MJO can also initiate the onset of monsoon seasons while the suppressed rainfall phase can delay monsoon onsets or set up a mid-monsoon ‘break’ evidenced best

when rainfall activity shuts out for a brief or a mediumterm depending on the wave amplitude.

An IMD assessment earlier this week had said that under the influence of the MJO wave, a lowpressure area’ is likely to form over central parts of the South Arabian Sea during May 14-20. There is a low probability of its intensification into a stronger weather system (likely storm/depression).

Pre-monsoon activity: On Saturday morning, the IMD said that the ongoing seasonal thunderstorm activity (Kal Baishakhi) over

North-East India and parts of East India will continue variously over the hills and plains. A similar pattern on view over the South Peninsula too may persist for the next few days as well.

Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday (tomorrow) and Monday; over Assam and Meghalaya on three days from Sunday; over Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura on Sunday and Monday; over the hills of West Bengal and Sikkim from today (Saturday) to Tuesday.

Isolated heavy to very heavy falls is forecast over

Assam and Meghalaya on Monday. Thunderstorms and lightening accompanied with gusty winds is likely over most parts during next 4-5 days.

Seasonal trough, western disturbances: A seasonal but oscillating NorthSouth trough over south Peninsula will trigger light/ moderate scattered to fairly widespread rain/thunder over Kerala, Mahe, Lakshadweep and Coastal and South Interior Karnataka; and isolated to scattered rain/thundershower over the South Peninsula for next five days.

Isolated heavy rainfall

is likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal today (Saturday) and over South Interior Karnataka on Tuesday, the IMD outlook said.

To the North, western disturbances interacting with easterly winds will cause scattered to fairly widespread rainfall/thundershowers very likely over the hills and isolated rainfall/thunderstorms over the plains during next three days. Intensity and distribution of rain may increase over the plains thereafter as moist winds (southwesterlies) blow in from the Arabian Sea.

7

international

Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunday, may 9, 2021

Portuguese PM Antonio Costa Over 200 injured in Jerusalem clashes calls for ‘fair, inclusive’ Europe

JERUSALEM, MAY 8 (IANS): More than 200 people have been injured in heavy clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in Jerusalem, authorities said on Saturday.

The Palestinian Red Crescent gave the number of injured as 205, 88 of whom were taken to hospitals, reports dpa news agency.

Many of them had been hit by rubber bullets.

According to the Israeli police, 17 officers were injured, about half of them needing treatment in hospital.

Clashes occurred between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in the Old City on the holy site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.

There were also clashes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. Thousands of believers had gathered there for prayers on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Israeli police run during clashes with Palestinians, amid tension over the possible eviction of several Palestinian families in Jerusalem’s Old City, May 7. (Reuters)

According to the police, the clashes began when stones and firecrackers were thrown at officers near an access gate.

Police officers then moved into the compound to deal with the rioters. The confrontations continued well into the night.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas blamed

Israel for the escalation. The Islamist Hamas movement, which governs the Gaza Strip, condemned Israel’s actions. It will “pay the price for its aggression”, Hamas said in a statement. There was initially no reaction from the Israeli government.

The US State Department and UN special envoy

Tor Wennesland expressed deep concern about the ongoing violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Both called for moderation. Since the start of Ramadan and the delay of Palestinian parliamentary elections, tensions and violence have repeatedly erupted in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Blasts targeting school in Kabul kill 40, injures dozens

KABUL, MAY 8 (AGENCIES): Multiple blasts at a school in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday killed at least 40 people and wounded dozens more, mostly female students, officials said, in an attack Afghan President Ashraf Ghani blamed on the insurgent Taliban.

A senior interior ministry official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that most of the casualties were students coming out of the Sayed ul Shuhada school.

Footage on TV channel ToloNews showed chaotic scenes outside the school, with books and school bags strewn across a bloodstained road, and residents rushing to help victims.

At a nearby hospital, staff wheeled in injured students while dozens of distressed relatives searched

desperately for their sons and daughters, according to a Reuters witness.

A spokesman for the interior ministry, Tariq Arian, put the death toll at least 30 and injured at 52 but did not specify the cause or the target.

Kabul is on high alert s i n c e Wa s h i n g t o n a n nounced plans last month to pull out all U.S. troops

by Sept. 11, with Afghan officials saying the Taliban have stepped up attacks across the country following the announcement.

No group has claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attack. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the group was involved and condemned the incident.

Saturday’s explosions took place in western Kabul, a heavily Shi’ite Muslim

neighbourhood that has frequently been attacked by Islamic State militants over the years.

The school is a joint high school for girls and boys, who study in three shifts, the second of which is for female students, Najiba Arian, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Education, told Reuters. The wounded are mostly female students, she said. “The horrendous attack in Dasht-i Barchi area in Kabul, is a despicable act of terrorism,” the European Union’s mission in Afghanistan said on Twitter.

“Targeting primarily students in a girls’ school, makes this an attack on the future of Afghanistan.”

President Ghani blamed the Taliban.

“The Taliban, by escalating their illegitimate

war and violence, have once again shown that they are not only reluctant to resolve the current crisis peacefully and fundamentally, but by complicating the situation,” Ghani said.

The Taliban and United States last year signed an agreement to end the 20-year war, which started with U.S. and allied forces invading Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in New York by al Qaeda, whose leader, Osama bin Laden, was being given shelter by the Taliban government.

Under the agreement, Washington was to pull out troops in exchange for Taliban security guarantees and for the group to start peace talks with the Afghan government. Talks began last year but have since stalled.

Israeli security forces had most recently prevented an attack on one of their bases in the north of the West Bank on Friday morning; two attackers were killed.

Unrest was initially triggered by Palestinian anger over Israeli police blockades in the Old City during Ramadan.

A conflict over the possible evictions of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood further exacerbated tensions.

The neighbourhood has been the focus of attention for decades because of property disputes. Both Israeli settlers and Palestinians claim ownership there.

A decision could be made on May 10 in the case of four families. The status of Jerusalem is one of the central points of contention in the Middle East conflict.

Israel claims Jerusalem as its “eternal and indivisible capital”, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as their capital.

78 killed in Afghan flash floods KABUL, MAY 8 (IANS): At least 78 people have died in Afghanistan due to heavy rainfall and flash floods in the past week, the country’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) said on Saturday.

Thirty people have been wounded and another 32 are still missing, ANDMA spokesman Ahmad Tamim Azimi told dpa news agency.

Nearly 2,600 residential houses have been destroyed, either partially or completely, and 3,600 animals have perished, Azimi added.

In addition, transportation routes and more than 5,000 acres of agricultural land are destroyed.

Antonio Costa

LISBON, MAY 8 (IANS): Europe’s post-pandemic economic recovery will only succeed if it is “fair and inclusive”, said Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa.

He made the remarks on Friday as he opened the Porto Social Summit, an event hosted by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), reports Xinhua news agency.

Prime Minister Costa, who chairs the Council of the EU, said that “the time has come to rapidly launch economic and social recovery based on the engines of climate and digital transitions in a sustainable way”.

These transitions “generate opportunities, but they also generate great anguish and much anxiety for millions of workers, as well as fears for small and medium-sized companies that fear losing competitiveness with the new environmental demands”.

“The EU must not forget the flip side of these transitions, the need for a strong social pillar to combat inequality, to create new jobs, to ensure requalification and social protection,”

Costa said.

He also stated that the European Commission’s plans “are not only a response to the current situation, but above all, they are an instrument for the future”.

According to the Prime Minister, the Covid19 pandemic has “revealed the importance of a strong social state,” in addition to “multiple weaknesses that still exist in our societies”.

“A precarious society is not a resilient society. Recovery cannot just meet the present emergency and the time has come to combine emergency with recovery,” he concluded.

Echoing Costa’s message, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasised that Europe is “stronger when it is united by social programs”. “ To ge t h e r we a r e stronger, together we can make our social rules work for all Europeans. Together we can deliver on Europe’s promise,” she said.

According to von der Leyen, the objective of the summit is “to build a social Europe that is capable of realizing our ambitions”.

Thanking Costa for

hosting the Social Summit, von der Leyen said that “the pandemic uncertainty is not over yet and recovery is still at an early stage”.

“Thanks to our single market social economy, we can give people certainty, who now more than ever need tangible and positive changes.”

The two-day summit is attended by President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, the European Council President Charles Michel, the Commission’s Executive Vice Presidents Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrovskis, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, as well as 24 European heads of state and government and other political and institutional leaders, social partners and civil society.

Topping the agenda is the action plan presented by the Commission in March, which sets out three major goals for 2030: have at least 78 per cent of the European population in employment; ensure that at least 60 per cent of adults participate in trainings; and lift 15 million people out of poverty and social exclusion.

Pak Oppn leader stopped from leaving Libyan militias briefly take over Tripoli govt headquarters country despite court permission LAHORE, MAY 8 (IANS): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif, was stopped from leaving the country despite having court orders to go abroad for medical treatment.

Sharif was stopped and offloaded from a Doba-bound flight during early hours of Saturday. After arguments with the immigration officials, he was informed that there was a problem with the system update. The drama at the airport unfolded after the airline issued Shehbaz Sharif a boarding card. However, after arriving at the immigration counter, he was informed that he cannot board the plane, reason being the system had not been updated yet for him to leave the country.

Sharif was granted a one time permission by the Lahore High Court (LHC) to fly abroad on health grounds. He is a cancer patient and had informed the court that he was advised by his doctors to get treatment done in the United Kingdom (UK).

The LHC granted him permission to go abroad on medical grounds from May 8 to July 3, scheduling the hearing on his petition, seeking removal from the blacklist on July 5.

At the airport, Sharif showed the court orders to the immigration officials, who insisted that until the system was not updated, Sharif ’s name remains on the blacklist or the no-fly list. “Shahbaz Sharif was held back at the behest of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shahzad Akbar”, said PML-N spokesperson Mariyum Aurangzeb.

“Restraining him from travelling abroad is in contempt of court. The claim regarding system not being updated is false,” she added.

Mariyum Auranzeb lashed out at the government for coming down to mean maneuvers. “The government has come down to outright mean maneuvers, but this does not make any difference to Shahbaz Sharif,” she said.

CAIRO, MAY 8 (AP): In a show of force, armed militiamen briefly took over a hotel in the Libyan capital of Tripoli that serves as headquarters for the interim government, officials said Saturday.

Friday’s development came after the three-member presidential council earlier this week appointed a new chief of the intelligence agency, Libya’s version of the CIA. The militias, which control Tripoli, were apparently unhappy with the choice of Hussein Khalifa as the new spy chief.

Presidential council spokeswoman Najwa Wheba said no one was hurt in the takeover of Hotel Corinthia, in the heart of Tripoli. The hotel was mostly empty on Friday, the Muslim weekend.

A man walks past destroyed warehouses following Friday’s clashes between Libyan irregular forces and Islamist militias in the eastern city of Benghazi May 17, 2014. (File)

After a while, the militias left the hotel, according to an official at the Interior Ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity under regulations.

Khalifa and the militia

leaders were not immediately available for comment on Saturday.

The takeover underscored the tough road ahead for the interim government, which has been

tasked with steering Libya through general elections due at the end of the year.

The government has struggled to unite the conflict-stricken nation ahead of the vote.

Wheba said the presidential council has no permanent headquarters and that the hotel is one of the places where the council convenes. Videos circulating on social media show militiamen at the entrance of the hotel.

On Monday, Najla al-Manqoush, the foreign minister of Libya’s interim government called for the departure of all foreign forces and mercenaries, including Turkish troops, from the oil-rich North African country. That was seen as a rebuke to Turkey and angered pro-Turkey factions in western Libya.

U.N. Security Council diplomats say there are more than 20,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries in Libya, including Syrians, Sudanese, Chadians and Russians.

Nepali guide breaks own record WH releases first visitor Islamist militants occupy part by climbing Everest 25 times logs since Obama admin of Philippines public market

Kami Rita Sherpa

KATHMANDU, MAY 8 (IANS): Kami Rita Sherpa, a Nepali mountain guide, broke his own record by climbing Mt. Everest for the 25th time on Friday.

“Sherpa reached the summit of Mt. Everest at 6 p.m. local time on Friday,” Mira Acharya, director of Nepal’s Department of Tourism, told the Xinhua news agency.

“It is his 25th summit on the mountain,” the official said.

A leader of the rope fixing team, Kami made his way to the top along with 11 other Sherpas from the Nepali side, becoming one of the first climbers in the season to conquer the 8848.86-meter-high peak situated along the ChinaNepal border, according to a social media post by Seven Summit Treks, one of the leading expedition organising companies in Nepal with which Kami works as a senior climbing

guide.

Kami, 51, scaled Mt. Everest in May 1994 for the first time and he achieved a feat of climbing the mountain twice in a single season in 2019 within less than a week as he reached the top for the 23rd and 24th times.

“His latest success has provided encouragement to the mountaineering community around the world at a time when the world is under the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Mingma Sherpa, chairperson of Seven Summit Treks, told Xinhua.

Kami had planned his 25th attempt to climb Mt. Everest last year but had to give up after the Nepali government, in the second week of March last year, decided to call off all spring expeditions in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak.

WASHINGTON, MAY 8 (IANS): The White House has posted visitor logs for the first time since the administration of former President Barack Obama, a media report said.

The Hill news website quoted the White House as saying on Friday that there has been 400 visits since the first 12 days of the Joe Biden administration.

Cataloguing of visitor logs was dropped under the former Donlad Trump administration. “These logs give the public a look into the visitors entering and

exiting the White House campus for appointments, tours, and official business, making good on President Biden’s commitment to restore integrity, transparency, and trust in government,” the White House said in a statement.

The list includes meetings that happened physically in the White House but omits virtual visits which took place in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The White House said that as the pandemic begins to wane, more visitors will be permitted at the White House.

M A N I L A , M AY 8 (IANS): Islamist militants on Saturday occupied a part of a public market in a southern Philippine town as they fled an offensive by government troops, the military said.

The militants, numbering around 80 men, fired their guns in the air as they swooped down on the market in Datu Paglas town in Maguindanao province, 960 km south of Manila, dpa news agency quoted Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Baldomar, an army spokesman, as saying.

“They took food and threatened the civilians,” Baldovar said. “They were cornered when our forces were deployed in different areas and occupied (part of the market) because of the presence of our soldiers and policemen.”

The militants, who

A view of the Maute group stronghold with an ISIS flag in Marawi City in southern Philippines May 29, 2017. (Reuters)

were members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), fled six hours later when more soldiers arrived, he added.

As they withdrew, the rebels opened fire on a group of commuters along the highway, triggering a firefight with soldiers, Baldovar said.

No civilians or sol-

diers were reported killed or hurt in the violence, said Major General Juvymax Uy, an army division commander.

The rebels were fleeing military operations in the nearby towns of Shariff Aguak, Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Mamasapano over the past two weeks, he said.

8

sports

Impressive Leeds overcome Spurs in EPL

Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunday, may 9, 2021

Real, Barca, Juve denounce ‘intolerable’ pressure to abandon Super League

games in hand. climbed above Aston Villa Leeds, who started and Arsenal - who both play MADRID, MAY 8 (AGENthe weekend in 11th spot, on Sunday - into ninth.

CIES): Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, the three clubs still involved in the proposed European Super League, denounced on SatStriker Callum Wil- hope 10 minutes from urday the “intolerable” presson scored twice to help time. Kelechi Iheanacho sure put on them by UEFA Newcastle United stay made it 4-2 with a low shot to drop the project. above the relegation zone in the 87th minute.

UEFA said on Friday with a stunning 4-2 win With the win, New- that the three clubs will face over Leicester City. castle climbed to 13th sanctions and European socJonny Evans was in- among 20 teams with 39 cer’s ruling body has started jured in the warm-up for points from 35 matches. disciplinary proceedings the home team with Marc They are 12 clear of third- against them.

Albrighton replaced him. from-bottom Fulham, who A breakaway Super Newcastle took advan- have four matches left to League set up by 12 clubs tage as an error by Caglar play. Leicester are in third was announced last month Soyuncu allowed Joe Wil- place with 63 points, five but fell apart after 48 hours. lock to score in the 22nd clear of fifth-placed West The nine other clubs, inminute. Wesley Fofana’s Ham United, who have a cluding six English Premier header was saved at the match in hand.

League teams, backed out other end by Martin DuLeicester manager of the plan and have signed bravka. Paul Dummett Brendan Rodgers had a “Club Commitment Decthen doubled Newcastle’s made two changes to his laration” including a series lead with his third Premier side. While Evans was of reintegration steps.

League goal in the 34th replaced by Albrighton “The founding clubs minute. as a part of a late change have suffered, and continue Wilson’s breakaway to the starting XI as men- to suffer, unacceptable thirdstrike in the 64th minute tioned above, Portugal star party pressures, threats, and made it 3-0. The English Ricardo Pereira replaced offenses to abandon the footballer then added a left-back Luke Thomas. project,” Real Madrid, Barfourth nine minutes later Albrighton took up celona and Juventus said in after his initial effort had a left-sided wing-back a joint statement. rebounded off a post. position, while Timothy “This is intolerable unAlbrighton’s swerving Castagne played as a right- der the rule of law and Trishot gave Leicester some sided centre-back. bunals have already ruled in

Wilson’s brace helps Newcastle shock Leicester City

Rodrigo of Leeds United celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the Premier League match.

LONDON/ LEICESTER, MAY 8 (AGENCIES/ IANS): Patrick Bamford scored for Leeds United in front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate to help dent Tottenham’s European chances in a 3-1 Premier League match on Saturday.

In an absorbing game at Elland Road, Stuart Dallas put Leeds ahead with his eighth league goal of the season, the Northern Ireland midfielder pouncing from close range after

Hugo Lloris’ terrific reaction save to prevent Sergio Reguilon putting through his own net.

The lead lasted 12 minutes, Son Heung-min equalising with a clinical finish after Dele Alli was allowed to run unchallenged before threading a clever pass into the South Korea forward’s path.

But Leeds responded through Bamford, who tapped in Ezgjan Alioski’s cross before substitute Rodrigo confirmed Spurs’

first league defeat in three games under interim manager Ryan Mason.

On a frustrating day for Spurs, Harry Kane had two goals ruled out for offside and hit the bar from a free-kick, while Illan Meslier produced an excellent save to keep out Serge Aurier’s deflected attempt.

With three matches left, sixth-placed Spurs are five points off fourth spot with both teams immediately above them - West Ham and Chelsea - having

favour of the Super League proposal, ordering FIFA and UEFA to, either directly or through their affiliated bodies, refrain from taking any action which may hinder this initiative in any way while court proceedings are pending.”

The Super League argued it would increase revenue for the top clubs in Europe and allow them to distribute more money to the rest of the game.

UEFA, other teams and fan organisations, however, said the league would only boost the power and wealth of elite clubs.

Juve, Real and Barca said they were ready to reconsider the proposed approach of the breakaway

project following the backlash, but said it would be “highly irresponsible” for them to abandon the project.

“We are fully aware of the diversity of reactions to the Super League initiative and, consequently, of the need to reflect on the reasons for some of them,” their statement added.

“We are ready to reconsider the proposed approach, as necessary.

“However, we would be highly irresponsible if, being aware of the needs and systemic crisis in the football sector... we abandoned such mission to provide effective and sustainable answers to the existential questions that threaten the football industry.”

Neymar signs new Paris Canelo Alvarez-Billy Joe Saunders set for unification bout St-Germain contract

BERLIN, MAY 8 (AGENCIES): Neymar has signed a contract extension with Paris St-Germain, keeping the Brazil forward at the French giants until 30 June, 2025.

The 29-year-old said “happiness” was the main factor in signing a new deal.

Neymar, who joined PSG in a worldrecord £200m deal in 2017, had been linked with a move away, including a return to Barcelona. “I have grown as a person here, as a human being and as a player, too,” he told the PSG website.

Neymar was in the final year of his contract, having signed a five-year deal on his initial arrival. He has scored 85 goals and registered 51 assists in 112 games for PSG. However, he has had a difficult relationship with the club’s fans at times and was booed after expressing a desire to move back to Barcelona in 2019. Neymar said he had undergone a “very positive evolution” in his time at PSG. “I have learned a lot. Things have happened that should not have happened,” he said. “We had fights, a few sad times, but I am happy and proud to be part of the history of Paris St-Germain. “I hope to put many more trophies on the shelf for PSG.” PSG, who are chasing a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title, are four points behind leaders Lille with a game in hand.

TEXAS, MAY 8 (AGENCIES): It will finally be about what happens inside the ring for Billy Joe Saunders when he faces Canelo Alvarez in Saturday’s super middleweight unification bout at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The underdog from England has raised concerns this week about everything from the three-judge panel lacking a representative from the United Kingdom to the size of the ring he will fight Alvarez in.

Ultimately, Saturday presents a the biggest opportunity of his career for Saunders (30-0, 14 KOs). All four major titles are on the line against Alvarez (55-1-2, 37 KOs), who is arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Alvarez’s only professional defeat came against

Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders.

Floyd Mayweather eight years ago. The Mexican superstar is a -715 favorite

by BetRivers, where he has been backed by 95 percent of the total fight bets and 96 percent of the total fight handle. Alvarez is an even stronger favorite at DraftKings (-770), where he has

been backed by 82 percent of the bets and 79 percent of the handle.

Saunders, 31, currently holds the WBO belt, and is the decided underdog at +475 by BetRivers and +240

by DraftKings.

A potential crowd of 70,000 people is expected

at AT&T Stadium, with the card also including a title fight between Elwin Soto (18-1, 12 KOs) and Katsunari Takayama (32-8, 12 KOs) for Soto’s junior flyweight belt.

But the night is expected to belong to the 31-yearold Alvarez, who has won six consecutive bounds since a controversial draw against Gennady Golovkin in 2017.

Alvarez, who is fighting for the third time in six months, opened as -580 favorite at BetRivers and has only seen those odds shrink.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said the ringside judging panel will be comprised of judges from neutral countries, with Saunders claiming earlier this week that all he wants is “a fair shake.”

He’s the latest challenger for Alvarez, a world champion in four weight

classes who has defeated six previous English challengers. That streak began with a points decision against Matthew Hatton when Alvarez was 20 years old in 2011, and has continued through a victory over Liverpool’s Callum Smith last December.

That marked the first loss of Smith’s career, and Alvarez is intent on inflicting the same result on Saunders.

The largest bet at BetRivers has been a $10,000 wager on Alvarez at -667 with a potential payout of $11,500.

The largest potential payout by the book is $12,600 on a $100 wager backing Saunders to defeat Alvarez in the fifth round.

Considering Alvarez has never been stopped in his career, the prop bet carries longshot odds at +12500.

Nadal defeated by Alex Zverev in Madrid Open quarters Pettis captures bantamweight title

M A D R I D, M A Y 8 ( I A N S / AG E N C I E S ) : Rafael Nadal was knocked out of the Madrid Open quarter-finals stage 6-4 6-4

by German Alex Zverev on Friday.

Nadal, a five-time winner in the Spanish capital, was the favourite and top seed having lifted the Barcelona Open trophy last month but played below par on a sweltering spring day.

Zverev struggled in the opening exchanges, finding himself 4-2 down before breaking Nadal twice to turn the match on its head and take the first set.

The fifth-seeded German then powered ahead in the second, breaking Nadal’s serve again and

Bopanna-Shapovalov lose in quarters of Madrid Open

G

Alex Zverev and Rafael Nadal.

holding out to seal a careerfirst win on clay against the Spaniard.

He will take on third seed Dominic Thiem in Saturday’s semi-final after the Austrian overcame John Isner 3-6 6-3 6-4.

Later on Friday, Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan plays fellow qualifier Casper Ruud from Norway while eighth seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy faces Chilean 16th seed Cristian Garin.

ermany’s Alexander Zverev and compatriot Tim Puetz beat India’s Rohan Bopanna and Denis Shapovalov of Canada 6-4, 3-6, 10-5 to enter the doubles semi-finals at the Madrid Open here.

While the BopannaShapovalov pair hit five aces compared to three from Puetz and Zverev, the Indo-Canadian duo erred more on double faults.

They had five double faults as against two by the German pair.

The Germans were also better on first serve, with a win percentage of

83 as against 79 by their opponents.

Earlier in the tournament, on Wednesday, the unseeded Bopanna and Shapovalov had taken down top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in straight sets.

The Indian doubles veteran and the 22-yearold Canadian have been a regular partnership on the doubles tour since 2019. They paired up for the first time since Roland Garros in 2020 here in the Madrid Open, where they reached the quarterfinals.

Formula One assessing Turkish travel situation Indian shooters to compete

L O N D O N, M AY 8 (AGENCIES): Formula One is keeping a close eye on the situation in Turkey after the British government on Friday placed the country on a red list for travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sport announced last month that Turkey’s Istanbul Park circuit was replacing Canada on the calendar with a grand prix on June 13. “We are aware of the announcement made

by the UK government regarding travel restrictions for Turkey and are assessing the situation and will provide more details in the coming days,” said a spokesman.

Canada’s race in Montreal was cancelled for the second year in a row due to a mandatory 14-day quarantine imposed on visitors.

The red list designation means travel to Turkey is allowed only in “the most extreme circumstances”

and anyone returning has to pay for compulsory hotel quarantine.

Most of the 10 teams are based in England and Formula One itself is headquartered in London. The race in Istanbul would follow on from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku the weekend before so teams would not be travelling directly to Turkey from Britain.

Formula One has operated in a bubble since the pandemic, with exemptions granted for travel overseas and teams regularly tested with many staff also vaccinated.

Most of the races have been held behind closed doors, including this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

in Zagreb World Cup in June

NEW DELHI, MAY 8 (IANS): The Olympic Games-bound Indian shooters, who are scheduled to train in Zagreb, Croatia, from May 11, will also compete in the World Cup starting there on June 22.

The International Sport Shooting Federation announced on Friday that Croatia would host the last World Cup before the Tokyo Olympics that start on July 23. A 13-member Indian team will also compete in the European Shooting Championships, starting on May 20 in Croatia. The European competition will be organised in rifle, pistol and shotgun events.

“Since the World Cup in Croatia will be organised in both individual and mixed

team events in rifle pistol and shotgun, it will be a good platform to fine tune preparation for Olympics,” said an Indian shooting coach.

Last month, the Baku World Cup, which was scheduled to start on June 22, was cancelled due to rising cases of Coronavirus in Azerbaijan. The Indian shooting squad leaves for Croatia early next week in a charter flight. India has won 15 Olympic quota places, including two in skeet.

The national camp for the core group of shooters was supposed to be held here at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges from the third week of April. But it was postponed due to the pandemic.

Sergio Pettis and Juan Archuleta fight during their Bellator 258 on May 7 night.

UNCASVILLE, MAY 8 (AGENCIES): Sergio Pettis captured the Bellator bantamweight title in Uncasville, Connecticut to follow in brother Anthony’s footsteps by becoming an MMA world champion.

Pettis, 27, outpointed defending 135-pound champion Juan Archuleta in the main event of Bellator 258 on Friday night, earning scores of 50-45, 49-46, 49-46 to extend his unbeaten run since joining Bellator.

It meant Pettis added another world championship belt to the family collection. His Bellator title joins the WEC and UFC lightweight titles previously won by his older brother earlier in his career.

After taking his Bellator record to 3-0, with an overall tally of 21-5, Pettis said he was confident as he awaited the scorecards following the five-round fight.

“He hit me with some good shots, but I knew my shots were hitting a little cleaner, a little bit harder. I

was more calculated, calm,” he said. “He said there was a storm coming, and there’s a heavy water tide, but I was out here, I was water tonight, man. I was flowing, and it was my night.”

Pettis said he would be prepared to face teammate Raufeon Stots in a title defence if that is the fight Bellator mandate for him next. He also said he would love to face Japanese star and former Bellator champion Kyoji Horiguchi for his Rizin FF title in a cross-promotional fight in a bid to emulate his brother by becoming a two-promotion world champion. “I’d like to call out Horiguchi. I would love to represent Bellator against Rizin,” he said.

“Ant’s got two belts, and it would be a great opportunity to get my second belt, as well.” ‘Rumble’ returns with second-round knockout In the night’s co-main event, light-heavyweight contender Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson made his long-

awaited return to the cage and survived an early scare before knocking out late-notice opponent Jose Augusto to progress to the semi-finals of the Bellator light-heavyweight Grand Prix.

Former UFC contender Johnson, who was making his Bellator debut after a four-year hiatus from the sport, looked to be edging toward a first-round stoppage after Augusto appeared to break his right hand early in the fight.

But, as Johnson closed in looking for the knockout, he was badly rocked by a huge Augusto left hand that put the American in big trouble in the closing moments of the round. But ‘Rumble’ survived and came back to knock out the Brazilian with a huge overhand right in round two to book his place in the semi-finals of the Bellator light-heavyweight grand prix, where he will face reigning champion Vadim Nemkov for the 205pound title and a place in the tournament final.

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