April 28, 2020

Nagaland Post

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Vol XXX No. 141

DIMAPUR, TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020 Pages 6 (Online Edition)

Global military spending saw largest increase in 2019

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INTERNATIONAL, PAGE 6

HRD minister interacts with students, parents

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NATIONAL, PAGE 3

Lockdown extension likely in hotspots PM ASKS STATES FOR EXIT PLAN FROM LOCKDOWN AF TER MAY 3

NEW DELHI/DIMAPUR, APR 27 (AGENCIES/NPN): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hinted at another extension of lockdown in COVID-19 hotspots after May 3 during his virtual meet with chief ministers. The PM also lauded the efforts made by states across India to contain the deadly novel coronavirus pandemic while asking them to prepare a lockdown exit policy.

State governments should be able to convert their red zones (districts with high number of COVID-19 infections) first into orange zones (districts with fewer cases) and, eventually, into green zones (districts with no infections), Modi said on Monday while interacting with chief ministers over a video conference.

As India entered the last week of the 40-day nationwide lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told chief ministers that the country will have to give importance to economy as well as continue the fight against coronavirus, in a clear indication that strict restrictions could be limited to COVID-19

Narendra Modi (foreground) interacts with cief ministers of various States/UTs via video conferencing, Monday. (PTI)

hotspots while curbs can be eased gradually in areas not affected by the virus.

Modi stressed on the need for the states to strictly enforce lockdown guidelines in the coronavirus hotspots zones, and strongly pitched for the mantra of ‘do gaz doori’ (a distance of two yards) to protect people from the infection, according to a government statement.

During the meeting, a majority of the chief ministers wanted the lockdown to continue after May 3 and told

Modi that some economic activity should be started slowly, Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy told reporters.

Asserting that “the lockdown has yielded positive results as the country has managed to save thousands of lives in the past one and a half months�, Modi, however, forewarned that “the danger of the virus is far from over and constant vigilance is of paramount importance�.

Several states like-- Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Pun-

Retail shops to open at GS road and Murgipatti

COVID-19 centres ready to use power, says DoPN

DIMAPUR, APR 27 (NPN): The deputy commissioner Dimapur, Anoop Kinchi through an order has allowed retail shops-- dealing with essential commodities and medicines, in Murgipatti and G.S. Road areas to open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with effect from April 28. However, no activity will be permitted in Marwaipatti area, the DC stated. The decision to comes following nondetection of any COVID-19 positive cases during the last 14 days. Earlier, these areas were sealed by the authorities as containment zones, after a resident was detected COVID-19 positive at GMCH, Guwahati.

DC also informed that limited movement of public will be allowed for availing of essential services with strict maintenance of social distancing. The DC further informed that no wholesale activities will be permitted in G.S. Road and wholesale market of essential commodities will continue to operate from designated Godowns as per earlier order. Wholesale vegetable markets will continue to operate from Supermarket area as per earlier order. DC also said that the wholesale medical market will continue to operate as per the April 24, 2020 order.

DIMAPUR, APR 27 (NPN): Department of Power Nagaland (DoPN) Monday informed that the installation of dedicated transformers and associated lines to designated COVID19 hospitals/quarantine centres have been completed and are ready for use.

In a press note, DoPN chief engineer (D&R) Indianoba Tally said the electrical works included 11/0.4KV 500 KVA Transformer for COVID-19 Hospital at Civil Hospital Dimapur; 11/0.4 KV 100 KVA Transformer and LT cabling works for COVID-19 Hospital at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima; 11/0.4KV 25KVA Transformer with associated 11KV and LT lines for quarantine centre at Peren besides installation of 3 phase LT line at State Institute of Health & Family Welfare, Chumoukedima.

Further, Tally said that

This is it!

“Ah. yes First. we give Colona. Now we give quick test kits. Good business no?�

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the department had also inspected and carried out repair and installation works for power connections at various designated COVID19 quarantine and isolation centres across the state.

Considering the urgency of the need and importance of providing power supply to the designated COVID-19 hospitals and quarantine/isolation centres, the chief engineer (D&R) said the department took up the electrical installation works on war footing.

Meanwhile, the power department has expressed gratitude to the law enforcing agencies and the volunteers from various organisations on COVID-19 duty for allowing passage to power department workforce to carry out their duties during the lockdown due to which the department could complete the works on time.

jab, Odisha and Meghalaya etc. have called for extension of lockdown restrictions in hotspot areas beyond May 3.

Modi further asked the states to focus on “rapid response� in dealing with the pandemic, adding wearing masks and face covers would become part of people’s lives for times to come. “We have to give importance to the economy as well as continue the fight against COVID -19,� Modi said, adding it is important for “states to enforce guidelines strictly in the hotspots i.e the red zone areas and the efforts of the states should be directed towards converting the red zones into orange and thereafter to green zones.�

Sources in the government said the lockdown may be lifted in a gradual manner and restrictions are likely to continue in the coronavirus hotspots.

Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, accompanied by deputy chief minister Y Patton, Health minister S Pangyu Phom, Planning & Coordination minister Neiba Kronu, Food & Civil Supplies ad-

Swine Flu: Pig slaughter banned in Bhandari

DIMAPUR,APR 27 (NPN): On receiving news on the outbreak of Swine Flu in nearby Jorhat and Sivasagar districts of Assam, ADC Bhandari has issued total ban on slaughter of pigs within the subdivision without prior health certificate or clearance.

Further, ADC Bhandari Tiameren Chang also cautioned that any person found selling meat and violating COVID-19 lockdown norms shall be penalised as per sections of IPC and Epidemic Disease Act. It may be noted that swine flu has been reported in several parts of Assam such as- Jorhat, Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Nagaon where around 1,300 pigs have reportedly died. In Dimapur, there has been no slaughter of pigs and sale of pork meat during the past week although no information has been issued to public.

viser Phukayi, chief secretary Temjen Toy and other senior officials, participated in the video conference with Modi.

Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio in his tweet said discussed with the Prime Minister and the chief ministers future course of action to tackle COVID-19.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on the other hand accused Centre of making contradictory statements on enforcement of the lockdown, and wanted greater clarity on the recent Home ministry order on reopening shops.

She also informed that restrictions in West Bengal will continue till May 21. Mamata, however, clarified that she was not announcing any extension on lockdown, as that decision will be taken by the central government.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma also informed that the lockdown in the state will continue beyond May 3.

He, however, said some relaxations will be introduced in green zones and non-COVID19 affected districts after the nationwide shutdown has been lifted.

5 North East states coronafree, says DoNER minister Spl. Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APR 27 (NPN): Union Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh Monday informed that five out of eight North Eastern States are corona-free while the other three States have not reported any new corona positive case in the last few days.

Briefing the media in New Delhi, Dr. Singh observed that whereas the North East had emerged as a model of developmental transformation in the past six years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the wake of the present COVID crisis, it has emerged as a model of effective, diligent and disciplined health management.

Elaborating further, the minister said the five North Eastern States of Sikkim, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura were totally corona free, while three other States of Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram had 8, 11 and one corona positive cases respectively, which were waiting to become negative, while no new cases were added till Sunday night. He congratulated the State governments of the region, their chief ministers and also officials of DoNER ministry and NEC for ensuring perfect coordination, which had made this possible.

Singh also informed the media

Dr. Jitendra Singh (File)

about the proposals received and under consideration from different North-eastern States like Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur for new health-related projects devoted to management of infections and corona care, critical care and upgraded healthcare. He assured that these projects would be dealt with priority.

He said the DoNER ministry had placed Rs 25 crore at the disposal of North Eastern States in the initial stage itself, much before the lockdown, as gap-funding for corona related activities. During the meeting, Singh also received updates about various economic activities in recent days in exempted areas, as per the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines, which primarily included bamboorelated activities.

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NEW DELHI, APR 27 (AGENCIES): India’s novel coronavirus count has shot past 28,000 after the country recorded 1,463 fresh cases

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in the last 24 hour. According to the latest Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data, the total number of positive COVID-19 cases

in the country increased to 28,380 Monday.

The death toll due to the highly contagious disease has reached 886 since the outbreak.

Gobal tally crosses 2.9 million: Globally, the novel coroanvirus cases

have surpassed 2.9 million count while the death toll has crossed 206,0000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University Data. United States accounts for more than 965,000 cases while the death toll in the country has neared 55,000-mark.

Nagaland: Results of 16 awaited STATUS REPORT AS ON APRIL 27, 2020 NORTH EAST Nagaland Assam Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram Arunachal Pradesh Tripura

CONFIRMED RECOVERED Nil 36 2 12 1 1 2

DIMAPUR, APR 27 (NPN): Health & Family Welfare department on Monday informed that 16 COVID-19 suspected samples, sent for testing from the State after 3 p.m. of April 26 till 3 p.m. of April 27, were awaited.

Nil 27 2 Nil Nil 1 2

DEATH Nil 1 Nil 1 Nil Nil Nil

H&FW said that 629 (cumulative) samples were sent, out of which 613 samples have tested negative.

A total of 1,090 persons were screened and 31 persons were under facility quarantine, it said.

H&FW dept prepares SOP for burial of COVID-19 victims Centre cancels Chinese test kit orders DIMAPUR, APR 27 (NPN): Following some apprehensions expressed in certain quarters regarding burial of bodies of persons in the unfortunate event of deaths due to COVID-19, the Health & Family Welfare department has prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP) to be followed by everyone concerned for preparation of a body for its safe burial or cremation, as the case may be.

All hospitals and district task forces have been made aware about the details of SOP and they are suitably prepared for the same, principal secretary Home Abhijit Sinha stated.

He expressed happiness that the Naga Council Dimapur, Kohima Village Council, Tangha Village Council in Longleng deliberated on the issue of disposal and burial of bodies of COVID19 patients in the event of unfortunate deaths, and it was conveyed by them to the government that after observing all the standard health safety precautions, the mortal remains would be buried in the cemetery or village or burial ground of the family or church without any discrimination and taking utmost care.

No objection to burial of COVID-19 victims: KVC Affirming that it had no objection to the burial of COVID-19 victims, the Kohima Village Council (KVC) at an emergency meeting held at on April 26, decided that the mortal remains of COVID-19 patients would be allowed for burial in the village/ cemetery/burial ground of the family or Church after observing all the standard precautions.

In a press release, KVC chairman Dr. Neiphi Kire and secretary Zeneizo Rutsa said the meeting was attended by KVC executive body members including Khel presidents, representatives of GBs, KMK, KVYO, KVGOA, VDB and village elders. KVC stated that the purpose of the meeting was “to clarify the controversial issue of burial of COVID 19

victims.� KVC said it was by God’s grace that Nagaland has not reported any COVID infection till date barring the single case in Dimapur.

However, KVC said the meeting held a thorough discussion regarding the disposal and burial of COVID19 patients in the event of an unfortunate death.

It said that house deliberated the dilemma as to whether the dead body should be brought home/ to the village for burial, after being properly put in plastic body bags, disinfecting the coffin and after taking all the necessary safety precautions.

To this end, KVC said the health department “unequivocally made clear� that there would be no additional risk of infection after a dead body was properly

attended and treated as per protocol.

KVC said the meeting, therefore, unanimously agreed in principle that the dignity of the dead, the religious traditions and their families should be respected and protected throughout. “And that after observing all the standard precautions, the mortal remains of the Covid 19 patient would be allowed for burial in the village/cemetery/burial ground of the family or Church, without any discrimination taking utmost care,� the council stated.

Meanwhile, KVC expressed its appreciation to the health department, the district administration and all frontline workers for their tireless effort as they continue to fight the coronavvirus pandemic in the state.

NEW DELHI, APR 27 (AGENCIES): Not a single rupee will be lost to Chinese firms who provided faulty COVID-19 test kits to India as the orders have been cancelled and the payments not made, the government said on Monday amid a controversy over the issue, NDTV report stated.

Coronavirus test kits made by two Chinese companies Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics have been found “underperforming� by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the government said.

It has asked states and hospitals to stop using the kits made by the two companies and since “due process followed (not going for procurement with 100% advance amount), GoI (Government of India) does not stand to lose a single rupee�, an official statement said.

Earlier this month, around 5 lakh rapid anti-body test kits and RNA Extraction Kits were procured by the government and distributed around the country after the ICMR recommended that every resident in coronavirus hotspots - or areas

with a large number of cases - will be tested for the virus. It was decided to use fast-track kits as the regular RT-PCR tests are slow and have to be conducted in laboratories. Many states in the country do not have adequate testing facilities. Several states, including Rajasthan and West Bengal complained about the new test kits, saying they had only 5.4 per cent accuracy. Opposition parties questioned the government’s purchase as well.

ICMR sources said they had agreed to the use of rapid testing kits, widely considered far more unreliable than regular tests even though they are cheaper and faster, after repeated requests from states. On Monday, a controversy flared over the Chinese rapid tests after a legal dispute between the distributor and the importer in the Delhi High Court suggested that India had paid double.

The test kits were bought by the importer, Matrix, for Rs 245 apiece from China. Yet, the distributors, Real Metabolics and Aark Pharmaceuticals, sold the same kits to the government for Rs 600 each, which means a 140 per cent mark-up.

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2

state

Nagaland Post, Dimapur TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020

District-wise reports on COVID-19 pandemic preparedness

DIMAPUR: Amidst the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the state government has allowed limited commercial activities across the state. In this regard, deputy commissioners of the eleven districts have issued an order permitting limited activities, however, emphasised that specified in the lock down measures, National COVID-19 Directives and Standard Operation Procedure, Protocol for social distancing must be ensured. The government and its agencies and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have also been issuing directives, appeals and taking preventive measures to contain the spread of the deadly virus. Several initiatives have been taken up to create awareness on COVID-19 pandemic.

MOKOKCHUNG District

Ozukum and Imnatiba interacting with DTF COVID-19 Mokokchung. (DIPR)

Sub-division sensitization on COVID-19 commences: Sub-division sensitization on COVID-19 pandemic commenced Monday at Town Hall Mokokchung and attended by 18 villages and three units from Ongpangkong Range.

According to DIPR report, the area-wise (subdivision) sensitization is scheduled till May 3, 2020.

Monday sensitization programme was attended by three members representing the village council from every village/unit, pastor from all village/unit and two teachers from every village/unit.

Sensitization team on COVID-19 were chief A.H & veterinary officer,

Mokokchung, Dr B .M. Sunep, ZLO, Dr Yanger and EAC Ongpangkong (South), Sangpangchang Longkumer.

Ozukum, Imnatiba meet DTF; discuss COVID19 preparedness: Legislators from Mokokchung district, minister for housing and mechanical, Tongpang Ozukum and advisor for industries & commerce, labour & employment, skill development & entrepreneurship, Imnatiba, Monday held a meeting with District Task Force (DTF) COVID-19 headed by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mokokchung, Limawabang Jamir.

According to DIPR report, the meeting reviewed

Kiphire District

Students of GMS, Longya ward standing in queue to receive mid-day food grains

Mid-day food grains distributed: Government Middle School (GMS) Longya Ward Kiphire town Monday distributed midday meal food grains to the students and parents.

A press release by the school informed that the distribution was initiated

nagalandpost.com Poll Q.: Are nations spending too much for military and too little for medical research?

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

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

A

B

A Yes. B No. C Can’t Say.

C

56% 22% 22%

Next poll

Q: Will Modi announce

continuation or lifting of lockdown?

 Continuation.  Lifting.  Can’t Say.

WEATHER FORECAST April 28

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala Cloudy with a heavy t-storm

30 22

Cloudy with a thunderstorm

26 16

Guwahati Cloudy with a thunderstorm

31 19

Aizawl Imphal

Showers and a heavier t-storm 26 15

Itanagar An afternoon t-storm or two

28 19

Shillong An afternoon thunderstorm

20 13

Cloudy with a heavy t-storm

22 14

Dimapur Cloudy with a thunderstorm

30 20

A strong afternoon t-storm

25 14

Kohima Mkg

Tuensang A p.m. t-storm in spots

17 10

Cloudy with a thunderstorm

24 18

Zunheboto Cloudy with a thunderstorm

22 12

Wokha

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as per the directive of the government to “enable the students to stay healthy at home” during lockdown owing to COVID-19.

The release stated that the distribution was carried out at the school premises by maintaining “proper social distance”.

and discussed on the preparedness of task force in the district in the eventuality of possible outbreak of COVID- 19 in the district.

The meeting discussed preparedness activities like COVID Hospital status, quarantine facilities and disposal of dead bodies’ return of stranded students/people to the district.

Minister, Tongpang Ozukum called for cooperation from all section of the society to tackle the pandemic. He also assured to address the grievances, if any.

The meeting was also attended by representative from Ao Senden, ABAM, and NGOs. COVID-19 Helpline: In any unfortunate event relating to COVID-19, general public of Mokokchung district have been informed that a dedicated Helpline number has been set up at the Control Room Mokokchung.

According to DIPR report, public has been asked to contact dedicated Helpline Number at the Control Room for COVID-19, district headquarters: (0369) – 2226231 (landline) & 8131836575 (Whatsapp).

Wokha District

Limited commercial activities allowed: Deputy Commissioner, Wokha, Orenthung Lotha has issued an order permitting several commercial activities in the district.

However, the DC has emphasised that specified in the lock down m e a s u r e s, N a t i o n a l COVID-19 Directives and Standard Operation Procedure, Protocol for social distancing must be ensured.

The following activities are permitted with immediate effect: 1. Shops for trucks repairs along the highways with stipulated minimum distancing.

2. All shops, including shops in residential complexes and market complexes, outside the limits of municipalities and town councils, with 50% strength of workers compulsorily wearing mask and social distancing being mandatory.

3. All shops, including neighbourhood shops and standalone shops, shops in residential complexes within the

PereN District

Training on incident response system: Training for all heads of offices and civil societies on the Incident Response System (IRS) was organised by district administration in collaboration with District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and Medical Department, Peren at the Conference Hall of Peren district headquarters, Monday.

According to DIPR report, the programme held under the chairmanship of DC Peren, Sentiwapang Aier was organised in order to institutionalize an effective, orderly and efficient response system in the event of widespread community in the district.

In a PowerPoint presentation, resource person, EAC Ngwalwa, Rumbemo T. Kithan spoke on the general overview of Incident Response System (IRS) structure on COVID-19 for Peren district and the roles and responsibility of various units and teams.

CMO Peren, Dr. Dennis Hangsing gave a brief presentation on COVID-19 and preparedness of the district, action plan, protocols to be followed while handling the COVID-19 dead body as issued by the Ministry of H&FW. COVID-19 cluster containment plan was also briefly highlighted by deputy CMO Peren, Dr. Supongmenla Walling.

DC Peren informed that mock drill will be conducted on April 29 at Stadium Colony, Jalukie and appealed to the district officers to be in station and also to be aware of their roles and responsibilities.

The DC further sought cooperation from the various civil societies in the fight against the global pandemic.

Take extraordinary measures, SASU tells educational institutions

DIMAPUR: Southern Angami Students’ Union (SASU) has asked educational institutes within Southern Angami jurisdiction to take “extraordinary measures” to ensure the progress of the students’ academic curriculum and facilitate the learning process.

In a press statement, SASU president, Virato Naleo, general secretary, Keneivono Paphino and statistics & education secretary, Kevimechie Tsükrü said the hardships which the students would endure in this academic year should be met with extra effort on the part of the teachers, parents and the community at large.

Taking into account the government directive for non-closure of institutional offices, SASU has advised the head of all institutions to encourage the teachers to prepare the syllabus (particularly from class VIII-XII) on a timely basis and disseminate the notes in printed or PDF format, to enable the students to continue their studies.

The union has also asked all institutions to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the board of school education; prepare for any future eventualities and also to sensitise the students and parents against traumatic fear.

SASU has also requested the parents to engage and monitor their children’s educational activities.

SASU has also urged the village education committee, school management committee and student bodies to act responsibly and assist the teachers in the dissemination of the required information to the students.

The SASU has also asked the department of education to facilitate the use of tele/ radio and internet tutoring for Cl. VIII-XII and the usage of e-learning tutorials to enable students to continue their learning at home.

“The exigency of the time has called for an extraordinary role so that the education of students is not hampered by this unprecedented pandemic,” stated the release.

limits of municipalities and town councils, with 50% strength of workers compulsorily wearing of masks and social distancing being mandatory, except shops in market complexes.

4. Salons, dine-in restaurants, eateries and departmental stores shall continue to remain closed. However, home deliveries from dine-in restaurants, food outlets and delivery of online orders of essential commodities shall be permitted.

5. The proprietors of the shops and establishments which are allowed to open will make arrangements for keeping hand sanitizers or provide facilities for hand washing with soap and water for the public as well as for their own staff/workers.

The proprietors of the shops and establishment should also get the door handles. Surfaces and other objects which are frequently touched by people regularly cleaned and disinfected.

Training on dead body management: District Hospital Phek (DHP) Monday conducted training on “dead body management” at Conference Hall wherein the trainees were taught on how to handle and dispose the body of COVID-19 patients.

A press release by the office of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Phek stated that the training was organised with an aim to mentally prepare the health workers to combat COVID-19.

The release reemphasised that the health workers of the hospital are the key personnel who will be taking care of any eventualities arising in the district.

The resource person, Dr. Wethselo highlighted the trainees on dead body management and its standard precautions, which have to be followed by health care workers while handling dead bodies of COVID patients.

The training was conducted for all the categories of staff comprising of nurses, pharmacist, laboratory

TUENSANG District

Limited commercial activities permitted: After the state Chief Secretary Government of Nagaland issued an order permitting limited activities in the state, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Tuensang Kumar Ramnikant has permitted limited commercial activities within the district.

However, the DC has emphasised that specified in the lock down measures, National COVID-19 Directives and Standard Operation Procedure, Protocol for social distancing must be ensured.

The following activities are permitted with immediate effect: 1. Shops for truck repairs along with the highway with stipulated minimum distancing.

2. All shops, including shops in residential areas and market complexes, outside the limits of town councils with 50% strength of workers with wearing of masks and social distancing being mandatory.

3. All shops, including neighbourhood shops and stand alone shops, shops in residential areas, within limits of town councils, except shops in market complexes, with 50% strength of workers with wear-

news in Brief Forms submission for NSEE-2020, DEE-2020: In view of the lockdown due to COVID-19, the director, technical education, Er. Arjun Singh has informed all the intending candidates that the last date of form submission for both Nagaland State Entrance Examination (NSEE-2020) and Diploma Entrance Examination (DEE-2020) for the session 2020-21 has been extended till further order.

NSCN (I-M) recovers: NSCN (I-M) ministry of kilo affairs has informed that it has recovered an Maruti Suzuki Alto (WB06E 5058), (white) LXI-BS-IV, engine no. F8DN 4432498 and chasis no.

MA3EAA61S01674571. Rightful owner has been asked to claim the vehicle by producing authentic evidence (documents) within seven days.

Phek District

Resource person, Dr. Wethselo conducting the training.

(CMO office, Phek)

technician, counsellors and grade-IV staff.

Community level training on COVID-19 at CHC Meluri: Community Health Centre (CHC) Meluri Monday conducted training program at CHC Meluri for pastors, colony chairmen, Meluri Area Public Organization (MAPO), women society Meluri Town, nurses and staff of CHC Meluri.

A press release by CHC Meluri, stated that the training, which was also attended by Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) Pukha Lam and DBs, highlighted the im-

ing of masks and social distancing being mandatory.

4. Shops located in crowded areas which offer no scope for enforcing satisfactory social distancing like Tuensang daily market (Bazaar A) shall remain closed except shops/ outlets dealing with food grains, vegetables, food items, medicines and other essential items and goods.

5. It is reiterated that salons, dine-in restaurants and departmental stores shall continue to remain closed. However, home deliveries from dine-in restaurants, food outlets and delivery of online orders of essential communities shall be permitted.

6. The proprietor of the shops and establishments which are allowed to open will make arrangements for keeping hand sanitizer or provide facilities for hand washing with soap and water for the public as well as for their own staff /workers. The proprietors of the shops and establishments should also get the door handles, surfaces and other objects which are frequently touched by people regularly cleaned and disinfected.

portant roles of church and community leaders in disseminating information on COVID-19 to the public.

The release said CHC Meluri has been carrying out block level trainings to sensitize people on COVID-19 pandemic.

During the training, resource person, senior medical officer (SMO) CHC Meluri, Dr. Chukhusie trained the participants on proper utilization of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and mask, handling and disposal of body of COVID-19 patients and quarantine facility protocols.

ZUNHEBOTO District

Sensitisation training on COVID-19: PhaseII sensitisation training on COVID-19 for police personnel, BSF Satakha, home guards, church leaders and volunteers was held at Town Hall Zunheboto, Monday.

A press release by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Zunheboto office stated that the training was held in three batches wherein DPO (RCH & UIP), Dr. Alemwabang Aier encouraged and motivated the participants to take special initiative in the fight against the virus. He asked the public not to panic but to seriously follow the precautionary measures.

Dr. Aier also talked about contact tracing and sample transportation, risk communication and social stigma.

Deputy CMO, Dr. K Akaho Sema, highlighted about containment zone and dead body management. He told the participants not to panic while emphasising that prevention is the best way to prevent COVID-19. He also encouraged the participants to maintain social distancing.

Dr. Shikatoli Achumi spoke on the active surveillance tips, rational use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) under different situations, donning and doffing and catering.

DPM (QA), Tokuli Wotsa, shared about preventive measures and home quarantine tips, quarantine and isolation guarding tips, use of disinfectant.

NSCN (I-M) mourns DIMAPUR: NSCN (I-M) has expressed grief at the untimely demise of its leacy, ‘captain (retired)’ VS Mayami son of VS Jasper from Kachai village under Wung Tangkhul Region (WTR) on April 26 after a prolonged illness.

In a condolence message, NSCN (I-M) through MIP said late Mayami joined the Naga national service on October 26, 1997 and served the Naga nation with unwavering national spirit until his demise.

NSCN (I-M) said that

the void created by his demise was deeply felt and would be difficult to fill in.

It has also conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed to the Almighty God to grant eternal peace and rest to the departed soul.

GYCD, CUB, NBS issue information for ‘stranded’ people

DIMAPUR: Gorkha Youth Club Dimapur (GYCD) has informed all Gorkha youths and students of Nagaland stranded outside the state and wanting to return back after the nationwide lockdown to contact GYCD officials.

In a press release, GYCD has asked Gorkha youths and students to contact its president, Shiva Kumar Bk (8787596191) and Kamal Rana press and information secretary (7005601759) for any assistance.

GYCD has also informed that the district administrator has also set up office and control room in Commissioner’s Rest house, Bank Colony Dimapur.

Youths and students have been asked to directly contact at 03862227005.

Further, the club has requested all its unit representatives to prepare list in respective areas and appealed civil societies and Gorkha NGOs to take initiatives and work together to finalize the names of the stranded youths and

students.

CUB: Chakhesang Union Bangalore (CUB) has informed any stranded people from Phek district, who are currently in Bangalore and in need of the assistance, to contact the CUB office or the executive members.

The union has asked people to e-mail at cubangalore123@ gmail.com or the contact CUB president or general secretary at +918970182363 or 8259014397 respectively for further information and assistance.

NBS: Nagaland Bhojpur Samaj has informed all students/ people belonging to the Samaj, i.e., people from Bihar, UP and Jharkhand, residing in Nagaland and are stuck outside Nagaland due to lockdown and are willing to come back, to contact Nagaland Bhojpuri Samaj at 7005192240/ 9774002195/ 9366583181 for further assistance. NBS will assist their community people going through certain formalities after the lockdown, stated the release.

NO CARE FOR PUBLIC PROPERTY: Seen is a portion of damaged roadside/footpath railings opposite SKV Petrol Pump, Kohima. The railings were installed by M/S Vilelie Khamo and Sons in 2019. The footpath railings in other parts of Kohima Town were also found damaged. The person in-charge of the installation informed Nagaland Post that defaulters are punished and made to pay for the repairing. (NP) K Y M C

national/state

Nagaland Post, Dimapur TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020

HRD minister interacts with students, parents

IIT-K’S corona killer box that sanitizes every thing

3 Rahul raises profiteering on Covid rapid test kits

The entrance exams to different technical education courses will be held only when the lockdown

ends, the Human Resource Development Ministry said on Monday. No dates for conducting entrance tests for different courses for medical, engineering, management and other streams have yet been announced.

Even the exams conducted by the Union Public Services Commission have not been held due to the nationwide lockdown.

HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said on Monday that exams like Joint Entrance Examination and National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test and management courses will be held only when the situation normalises.

Pointing out that the entrance exams for technical courses have only been postponed, the Minister appealed to the students not to panic in the given situation but rather utilise the time they have gained due to the lockdown to prepare well for the coming exams.

He pointed out that study material had been made available online for the benefit of students

across the country.

The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has announced that it will undertake periodic review of the dates for the possible conduct of UPSC exams, which require candidates to travel across the country during normal times, keeping in mind the social distancing and other norms.

Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination (Tier I) 2019, Junior Engineers (Paper I) Examination 2019, Stenographer Grade C and D Examination 2019, and Combined Higher Secondary Level Examination 2018 skill testing will be conducted once the lockdown ends on May 3, 2020.

The conduct of all examinations across the country were stopped after the nationwide lockdown was imposed from March 24 midnight.

The HRD Ministry has said that the candidates would be intimated 10 days in advance before the conduct of the remaining board examinations of Class X and XII.

Remove uncertainty over JEE, NEET exams: Manohar Lal Khattar

33 fresh cases, Kanpur new corona hotspot in UP

State witnesses 85% to 100% sowing during lockdown

New Delhi, April 27 (IANS): Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ interacted with parents and students across the country through a webinar on Monday and answered various questions on the circumstances arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The webinar connected about 20,000 parents from Jammu & Kashmir to Kerala and from Guwahati to Gujarat.

The Union HRD minister, through his webinar interaction, informed all the parents about various campaigns and schemes for online education being run by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

He said that the ministry was concerned about the educational activities of the students.

“For this reason, we implemented the various existing schemes on a war footing. The country’s 33 crore students can take advantage of this anytime and anywhere,” he said.

Thanking the parents across the country, the Union minister said, “The

Chandigarh, April 27 (IANS): Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday urged the government of India to take quick steps to remove the uncertainty around dates of competitive examinations like Combined Defense Services, JEE, and NEET. Speaking at a video conference of Chief Ministers chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he apprised the Prime Minister that the state was fully prepared to meet any eventuality in coronavirus crisis and all efforts are being made to revive economic activities in a safe manner.

Sharing details about Haryana in tackling the C OV I D - 1 9 p a n d e m i c spread, the Chief Minister said the present statistics of the state are quite promising.

“In the state, we are testing 3,115 samples every day. Out of the total 22,243 tests conducted till date, only 299 have been found positive. All of them have been admitted to hospitals for treatment. After treatment, 205 patients have recovered and discharged

Ramesh Pokhriyal

country is going through an unprecedented crisis at this time. This time becomes even more difficult for the parents as they must be worried about their children’s education and future.”

He assured all the parents that the Ministry of Human Resource Development is fully committed to the education of students and their future.

He said “In this direction, the Ministry is trying to continue the education of all students through Diksha portal, e-Pathshala, National Repository of Open Educational Resources (NROER), and Swayam-

Manohar Lal Khattar

from the hospital.”

The Chief Minister said the state is putting a lot of emphasis on screening and testing.

A total of 20,792 teams with Asha workers, Anganwadi workers, etc., have been formed for this purpose.

He said the target of conducting a screening of 100 per cent families of the state is being carried out and while carrying out the screening, samples are being taken of all those who are found to be possibly infected with COVID-19 infection.

Informing about the installation of Arogya Setu app, the Chief Minister said so far 32.21 lakh people have downloaded the app.

He said presently there

prabha DTH channels, etc.”

Pokhriyal said “in order to strengthen the online education policy, we have launched the Bharat Padhe Online campaign in which suggestions were sought from students, parents and teachers from across the country. We have received more than 10,000 suggestions on which the Ministry would soon come up with guidelines.”

Entrance exams only after the lockdown ends

are 155 containment zones in the state where the lockdown is being strictly implemented.

At present, arrangement for about 19,000 COVID-19 patients has been made in the state and arrangements for isolation beds for 9,444 patients have also been made.A As many as 1,101 ventilators are in working condition in the state. Apart from this, there is no shortage of surgical masks and PPE kits.

While mentioning about the precautions being taken to prevent the spread of the virus, the Chief Minister said guidelines of the Union Home Ministry’s regarding relaxation during the lockdown period from April 20 have been fully implemented.

However, strictness is being implemented in some activities in some districts.

He said where there are arrangements to keep in the place of working, in such places industrial and construction activities have been started all across the state, excluding the containment zone.

K an p u r ( Utta r Pradesh), April 27 (IANS): With 33 more corona positive cases emerging in the past 24 hours, Kanpur is now a major COVID-19 hotspot in Uttar Pradesh after Agra.

The tally of corona positive cases in Kanpur is now 185 and the city has 25 hotspots. The new cases include 13 women and two policemen.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Ashok Shukla, said on Monday, “The latest cases were detected from Bhannana Purwa area where 10 members of a family contracted the virus, while 10 cases were reported from the Colonelganj area. There are 13 women who have corona virus. We have prepared a contact list of those who came in contact with them and now their tests would be conducted too.”

The first case in Kanpur city had been reported on March 23 when a 70year-old man tested positive few days after his arrival from the US. Health officials said nine patients have been cured and discharged while three others have died.

DIMAPUR, APR 27 (NPN): Nagaland witnessed 85% to 100% sowing of coarse cereals and paddy crops during the lockdown, and the staggered sowing is expected to continue till May. According to agriculture department, the reason for negligible non-achievement of targets was nonavailability of farm labour due to the lockdown, even as it claimed As agricultural activities came to a grinding halt due to the lockdown, the department claimed of assessing the shortfall in seeds and other inputs, percentage of disruption in sowing in upland jhum and related off-farm constraints in agricultural operations faced by farmers during the lockdown period. Co-ordinating with district and sub-divisional officers and with the services of field functionaries and farmers friend placed at respective villages, the survey was compiled.

During the survey, it was found that across the State sowing was 85% to 100% across the State, except in pockets like Yokumdang in Tuensang (50%) and some farming villages in Meluri sub-division (60%) and Dimapur sadar (60%).

The department said it circulated the Agriculture State Advisory during the lockdown for farmers and relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs) as general precautionary and safety measures during field operations to avoid the field-level spread of COVID19 on WhatsApp to district agriculture officers and sub-divisional agriculture officers for dissemination among the farmers. The information mentioned

Over a lakh Keralites register to return home T h i r u v anan thapuram, Apr 27 (IANS): Twelve hours after the Kerala government opened a website, on which all those who want to return from abroad would have to register, over a lakh of Kerala diaspora have registered expressing their desire to return, when the airports open.

These registrations are mostly from the various Middle East countries and among it, the maximum registrations are from the UAE. The registration has to be done on www.norkaroots.org, of the state-run Norka-Roots, the official body of diaspora.

This new facility was opened by the Kerala government, after the Centre, following the numerous requests from several quarters decided to take a positive step.

The Union Cabinet Secretary a few days back asked the various statechief secretaries about the arrangements and the manner in which the returning diaspora would be taken care of.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had K Y M C

Kerala diaspora registers to return home.

informed the efforts of Kerala were praised by the Cabinet secretary and asked other states to follow the way Kerala has done.

Vijayan also pointed out that all arrangements were ready at the four Kerala airports.

Those arriving will be screened. While those with no Covid-19 symptoms will be allowed to go for home isolation, others will be quarantined

under the present medical guidelines.

According to the state government, various hostels, hotels, halls, private hospitals with accommodation facilities as well as floating houseboats at Alappuzha are ready to house them. While many of these coronavirus care centres would be operated for free, those wishing better facilities and comfort will have to pay.

Of an estimated 2.5 million non-resident Keralites, 90 per cent of them are in the Middle East countries, three to five lakh are likely to return after the revival of air services.

Kerala Cong demands help for returning diaspora

The Congress in Kerala on Monday demanded that both the state and the Centre should come out with a slew of measures like subsidised

K an p u r , A p r i l 2 7 (IANS): The IIT Kanpur has achieved another feat in the fight against coronavirus.

Scientists at the IIT-K have come up with a corona killer box that will sanitize all essential commodities that are brought into homes from outside.

Vegetables, fruits, sugar, milk, pulses, mobiles, rupees and keys etc. can be sanitized in the box within minutes.

The ultraviolet rays released from this can kill the bacteria and viruses in objects within minutes. The sensor-based box also has an alarm which can be set for a specified period of time.

Prof J Rajkumar of the mechanical engineering department who led the team with Shivam Sachan and Ashok Prajapati, said, “This box has several ultraviolet lights, which range between 240 and 260 nanometers.

The approximate price of a box is around Rs 5,000. The IIT is contacting companies for its manufacture and large-scale production will naturally reduce the cost of the box.”

return air tickets, temporary and long term financial support to help the returning Kerala diaspora.

With the Kerala government opening up a registration online facility at the state owned Norka-Roots website, by which over a lakh of Keralites especially in the Middle East have registered. According to estimates, around 3 to 5 lakh Keralites are expected to return when the airport opens. Former State Congress president M.M. Hassan asked the Centre to see that every diaspora who has lost his job in the Middle East be immediately paid a sum of 1000 UAE dirhams which is there in the Indian Community Welfare Fund in the custody of every Indian Embassy.

“Each time an Indian renews his or her passport there, a sum of $11 is charged. The money goes into the Embassy Fund and this can now be used for the returning diaspora.

Pakistan had provided a 30 per cent discount for its nationals when they were flown back,” said Hassan and also requested the state and the Centre to formulate short and long term rehabilitation programmes.

Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, April 27 (IANS): After reports of profiteering in rapid test kits to detect COVID-19 emerged, Congress leaders have voiced their concerns with Congress MP and former party president Rahul Gandhi being the latest one.

Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter where he shared a news article that claimed the kits sold to ICMR were at a profit of 145 per cent and demanded: “Even when the entire country is fighting the #Covid19 disaster, some people do not miss out on making unfair profits.

Shame, disgust at this corrupt mentality.”

He also demanded that PM Modi intervene to take “strict action” against the profiteers. “The country will never forgive them,” he

Government of India’s directive exempting agriculture and allied activities and easing their movement to ensure smooth functioning of agrarian activities from lockdown for awareness to rural communities.

Using the same social media platform forum, the department said it warned of crop damage due to heavy rainfall, thunder squalls and hailstorms since April 15 as forecast by meteorology department. After the district and sub-divisional field officers reported severe impact and crop damage, the assessment is underway.

Preliminary survey indicated potato, maize, job’s tears, paddy, kholar and vegetables being affected in the districts of Kohima, Tuensang, Longleng, Dimapur, Zunheboto, Phek, Kiphire and Mokokchung.

The department has also worked out an agricultural contingency plan – a crop calendar as a field guide to be utilised in field areas requiring a contingency plan in consultation with subject matter specialists of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

The department distributed 197 agricultural sprayers and farm gloves to the administration and town committees that are being utilised during sanitisation of public places and certain identified zones. In Dimapur, the departments’ administrative block at Agri-Expo, 4th Mile is being utilised by the district administration as a 100 bedded temporary relief camp, while KVK office building at Aboi has been earmarked as an eight bedded isolation ward. Further, 682 farmer friends

added. Earlier, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel too demanded a clarification from the government.

Patel also took to Twitter to allege: “The recent Delhi HC judgement has raised a pertinent question - Why was ICMR purchasing antibody test kits for Rs 600 per piece, which was imported for Rs 245?”

The matter came to light after the Delhi High Court said, “For people to be assured that the pandemic is under control and for governments to ensure and for agencies engaged in the frontline battle to safeguard people’s health, more kits/ tests should be made available urgently at the lowest cost, for carrying out extensive tests throughout the country. Public interest must outweigh private gain.”

engaged under Extension Reforms Scheme (ATMA), who are themselves progressive farmers or farm school teachers, have been provided with contingency fund to meet their expenses towards discharge of duties, including incidental expenses. Funds for the farmer friends were made available by e-transfer to 11 district project directors of ATMA to their bank accounts. The amount Rs 6,000 per farmer friend will financially support as immediate relief during the lockdown and ensure farm movement.

Meanwhile, participating in a video conferencing with Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar along with other State agriculture ministers to discuss the agriculture situation in the country vis-à-vis the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, State agriculture minister G Kaito Aye claimed that there was no problem regarding agriculture activities in Nagaland so far. Should there be any issues in later stages; he said the matter would be intimated through official correspondence.

On the other hand, the department completed all requests for transfer (RFT) under PM-KISAN to the Union agriculture & farmers’ welfare ministry during the lockdown to receive Rs 126.78 crore for farmers across the State, thereby benefiting 1,90,918 farmers who fulfilled the prescribed criteria The department said reports of damage to maize crops due to fall army worm infestation in Pughoboto (Ighavito village) were being assessed by field functionaries.

Over 80 % wheat Kota students to start return crop harvested journey soon, says Mamata

New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI): Over 80 per cent of the wheat crop was harvested in the country till April 26 and a majority of “mandis” were also operational now, a senior government official said on Monday.

Punya Salila Srivastava, a joint secretary in the Union home ministry, told reporters that over two crore people got employment through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the country till now.

While 80 per cent of the wheat crop has been harvested, about 2,000 or 80 per cent of the “mandis” (wholesale markets) are operational in the country now, she said.

Kolkata, April 27 (IANS): The West Bengal government has already initiated steps to ensure the return of Bengal students who are stuck in Kota of Rajasthan and they will begin their return journey soon, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Monday.

Banerjee said she has already instructed her officials to help all those from the state stranded in various parts of the country so that they can come back home.

“GoWB will initiate every possible help to people of Bengal stuck in diff parts of the country due to lockdown, in returning home. I’ve instructed my officers to do the needful,” Banerjee said on her

Mamata Banerjee

Twitter handle. Banerjee assured everybody that she was personally overseeing the efforts and nobody should feel helpless.

“Till the time I’m here, nobody from Bengal should feel helpless. I’m with you in these tough times,” she said. In another tweet Banerjee said her government will leave no stone unturned in this regard.

HRD minister to discuss mid-day meals New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI): Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has called a meeting with state education ministers to discuss issues related to COVID-19 and mid-day meal programme, officials said on Monday.

The meeting will be

held at 2.00 pm on Tuesday through video conferencing. “The HRD minister will interact with state education ministers through video call tomorrow to discuss issues like handling of COVID-19, mid-day meal programme and Samagra Shiksha programme,” a

senior Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry official said. Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the Centre announced a nationwide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

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4

OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post

Post-mortem

Vol. XXx NO. 141 Dimapur, TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020

Trumpetting words

U

S President Donald Trump has decided that ‘enough is enough’ when he decided to suspend his daily briefings on COVID-19 after his unsound and insane medical advice. Trump had during a previous media briefing floated the idea of treating COVID-19 by injecting disinfectant(use as cleaners) into the body and using ultraviolet (UV) light “inside the body” to fight the virus. Trump’s medical knowledge appears to come from an unsound and insane imagination that does a huge disservice to the Americans in general and the White House in particular. He may have confused disinfectants for blood plasma and infrared light(used in digital thermometers) for UV light. When Trump was asked if it was dangerous to make people think they would be safe by going outside in the heat, considering that so many people have died in Florida. He replied “I hope people enjoy the sun. And if it has an impact, that’s great.” Trump explained that he was presenting ideas because they were needed against COVID19. Defending his bizarre idea further, Trump maintained that “if heat is good and if sunlight is good, that’s a great thing as far as I’m concerned.” Health experts and the chemical companies that produce such cleaners immediately warned that people should never ingest toxic materials, and scientists stated there is no evidence ultraviolet rays can cure Covid-19. Trump later said he had been speaking sarcastically, while White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the comments had been taken out of context. He has previously suggested using hydroxychloroquine as medication against COVID-19 based on preliminary results of two very limited studies in France and China. His scientific advisers later discredited the use of the medication.

Trump had also suggested that hot weather could have an effect on halting the spread of the virus. In his inimitable language, Trump said : “There’s been a rumour that you know, a very nice rumour, that you go outside in the sun or you have heat and it does have an effect on other viruses”. Many scientists and health experts have made clear that there is no evidence that warmer weather or higher humidity can help stop the spread of COVID-19. Trump’s distinctive style of language and rhetoric have been the subject of moronic scrutiny. His words provoke a range of emotions, from pride to anger and fear adding to the already confusing messages from the White House. Trump’s vocabularies are limited to his mental state. If happy he uses adjectives such as “great”, “good” or “nice”. He describes himself as a great genius which evokes more humour than honour. To be fair to Trump, he is certainly far from being media-savvy and is least liked by the mainstream liberal media. His outbursts and attacks on ‘fake news’ media or a term he recently picked up ‘lamestream’ media (referring to the mainstream media) has only frustrated voters at a time when he should be knowing better that it is election time. Nobody ever seriously even gave it a thought that Donald Trump in 2016 would win the presidential race in the USA against a hugely popular and administratively experienced Hillary Clinton. Today if many think he can retain the presidency then perhaps they need to look at his strange and often moronic behaviour.

DailyDevotion What Do You Want?

Do you seek great things for yourself? —Jeremiah 45:5 Are you seeking great things for yourself, instead of seeking to be a great person? God wants you to be in a much closer relationship with Himself than simply receiving His gifts— He wants you to get to know Him. Even some large thing we want is only incidental; it comes and it goes. But God never gives us anything incidental. There is nothing easier than getting into the right relationship with God, unless it is not God you seek, but only what He can give you.

If you have only come as far as asking God for things, you have never come to the point of understanding the least bit of what surrender really means. You have become a Christian based on your own terms. You protest, saying, “I asked God for the Holy Spirit, but He didn’t give me the rest and the peace I expected.” And instantly God puts His finger on the reason– you are not seeking the Lord at all; you are seeking something for yourself. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7). Ask God for what you want and do not be concerned about asking for the wrong thing, because as you draw ever closer to Him, you will cease asking for things altogether. “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Then why should you ask? So that you may get to know Him. Are you seeking great things for yourself? Have you said, “Oh, Lord, completely fill me with your Holy Spirit”? If God does not, it is because you are not totally surrendered to Him; there is something you still refuse to do. Are you prepared to ask yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? God always ignores your present level of completeness in favor of your ultimate future completeness. He is not concerned about making you blessed and happy right now, but He’s continually working out His ultimate perfection for you— “…that they may be one just as We are one…”

(John 17:22).

Quotes

Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent. ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

Nagaland Post, Dimapur TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020

C

covid-19 leveraged on-line education

oronavirus (COVID19) has radically altered the world we lived prior to December 2019. It has taken us to other level that we have hardly imagined or even visualized. The second decade of the 21st Century shall be remembered in the annals of human history and be regarded as the pivotal milestone that has taken the humanity to new normal. Post-December 2019 shows significant changes in everything—all the sectors and segments of human endeavors and activities. It has radically transformed the world we live; thus pushed us to the virtual reality.

C o r o n av i r u s h a s swiftly changed everything—be it polity, economy, religious traditions, practices and conventions, public and private activities, travels and entertainments, life styles and host of others. We have been witnessing these changes in recent times more in significant ways.

COVID-19 has triggered the momentums and thus pushed everything to another level. Human society progressed from one level to another as there have been changes in the modes and means of production triggered by science and technology— the critical principles for

T

change.

Coronavirus to the surprise of everyone entered in dynamic ways causing sweeping changes in everything including in the education system in drastic ways—leveraging on-line education.

Whether we like or not we need to accept these changes and so reckon with the fact to equip ourselves and to respond to the emergent changes.

COVID-19 is not going to go away and to remain with us for some time and so should be responded in and appropriate ways. The world is drastically changing because of COVID-19 is not linear, rather exponential—as it is swift.

C o r o n av i r u s h a s brought the functioning and running of the academic calendars of the academia right from schools to colleges to universities to advanced research institutions that have diverse foci, streams, curricula, syllabi, courses and pedagogies to an abrupt stop or to put it in simple words— to a grinding halt.

When the final assessment of students’ was about to commence COVID-19 stalled the academia and brought the academia to a position wherein there seem to be lack of criteria or guidelines to award grades for

those who intend to move to next phase.

C o r o n av i r u s h a s brought many inherent contradictions within the education system to the open. However, for any society to survive there should have knowledgebased populace, so that innovation and critical inquiry takes place.

A society with educated populace grows in all facets and for that academia with integrated emphasis facilitates the process. As of now, coronavirus has halted this crucial link that paves way for growth, progress, stability, sustenance and prosperity. Education being one of the most vital segments to harness the process is currently facing serious crisis. However, education is an important tool for change and for all activities. Therefore, education is one of the pre-requisites for human development.

Coronavirus has devoured more than twohundred thousand and infected millions in the first wave itself and would stay with us for some more time. It’s going to rip the world in the coming weeks and months, possibly years as well. In such a context, on-line education is emerging as an alternative way of learning

Dubiousness of WHO

he last time Satan took mankind for a ride was in the Garden of Eden. There is another serpent that is lurking in the shadows today. The serpent in tandem with a few people with big names has such sinister plans to bring death and misery to mankind. Satan has used wars, diseases and calamities to destroy man. Just like manmade AIDS and Ebola which are used as biological weapons, Satan has used some wicked men to create the present COVID 19. The whole world came to a standstill as Corona fear overtook nation after nation and brought the world to a grinding halt. Never in the history of the world has this happened before. We are also discovering that a few people knew this beforehand and even had a pre-plan exercise called Event 201. Right now there is a blame game as US and China blame each other on the genesis of the Virus.

What caught the attention of people who are awake is the announcement from no other than Bill Gates that he is creating a vaccination for the Corona Virus.

Many people are aware now that Bill Gates, hailed as a philanthropist has mostly spent his millions in the pharmaceutical business. Bill wants the entire human population to be vaccinated with a new vaccine supposedly to protect us from the infamous Corona Virus. He has also not hidden his intentions that it is going to be a ‘digital certificate’ where the system can verify whether you are vaccinated and safe to travel and not infect others. But it doesn’t sit well with millions of people as the people of the World are tagged and identified like an animal. In a newly released 5G world you will be identified the moment you stepped out the door or inside your house.

This will also flow over for the system to decide what to do with you. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is the top in the rung of the ladder of the medical world. Bill Gates has a major say-so when it comes to decisions

of WHO. Why? Because he is the second highest donor of WHO after the United States. He gives to the WHO more than the UK and he has a certain agenda that is ungodly. He has said in public that the world has to be depopulated. In 2009 the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation was kicked out of India for killing many young lives with their HPV Vaccination (Gardasil) among tribal children in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Why does our country tend to forget such monumental and horrible medical trials in which many have died?

They are murdering poor children with their vaccine trials. Now he is back riding behind WHO and even rewarded PM Modi in September 2019 with an award recently which did not sit too well with the rest of the world.

This rich man has bribed his way into the medical world and no doubt connected to the Deep State, a term for the World’s elite who controls big business, banking system, big pharma and much more.

Before the Corona Virus hit the world Bill Gates had already sponsored and event called Event 201. https:// www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/ It’s amazing that they already had a simulated plan for this pandemic before it happened. Almost similar to HINI Swine flu, fear has been the main tool to herd the masses behind closed doors. WHO has help to spread the panic as pandemic much like the swine flu. The former Director of WHO, Margaret Chan declared as pandemic 5 and then pandemic 6. It had come to light then that certain pharmaceuticals made millions of dollars selling medicines and vaccines.

Countries like France made it compulsory for their citizens to take the vaccines or pay huge fines. And today that is repeated again in France. That is tyranny and total dictatorship. Many suffered after the effects of the vaccinations, e.g. guillain barre syndrome.

During the recent MMR vaccination campaign, the vaccine inserts showed that

and many contend that it is the only way or option or choice left before us. Nonetheless on-line education has taken us to an uncharted territory.

Recognizing the changes COVID-19 has brought about schools and colleges in India and in other countries have moved on to on-line learning. It has driven education in murky waters.

C o r o n av i r u s h a s pushed us into unknown territorial —moving from the class-room centric to on-line-centric learning; from rigid-centric (period-wise, time-bound, subject-teacher) to flexible formats, from optic to self-directive learning.

Nevertheless, would online learning replace classroom learning? Is on-line learning urban-centric and rich-middle class-centric?

Does it transcend caste, class, race and ethnicity divides? Is India prepared to meet the challenges posed by on-line learning that requires technology and apps as basics wherein only those educational institutions that caters to rich and middle-classes effectively function survive and how about others?

Coronavirus has reshaped education. Many assume that it’s good and the only avenue in the given situation. On-line

there were dead human foetal tissues, namely RA 27/3, in the vaccine besides toxic materials such as mercury and aluminium in the vaccines. Surely most doctors or other people in the medical fields are unaware of this unless they do a study. Most doctors are sincere and just go about doing their work dutifully. We have seen vaccinations being forced unto the school children in Nagaland who are absolutely innocent. The foetal tissues can change the DNA. We should not allow ourselves to be subjugated to such extreme measures of submission.

We need to understand today in the medical world the money is in the vaccinations. And many children have been hurt with these vaccinations which include polio, autism, sudden infant deaths, eating disorders, eczema, etc.

Vaccination is a total arrest of your blood system.

Before you vaccinate your children ask for the insert and study the ingredients in the vaccinations. Bill Gates who refused to vaccinate his own children, wants to vaccinate the entire 7.7 billions of mankind. Is there a god in the making playing around with lives of humans? We want our doctors in Nagaland to study the situation and make godly moral decisions. You could gain some monetary benefits following the diktats of WHO and H&FW department but most of the time you hold the soul and health of sick people in your hands.

We will all answer the Lord one these days. The people who control the world have a satanic agenda. They are not believers in Christ but rather the opposite. We would request the NBCC of Nagaland to study up on Vaccinations before issuing a widespread message saying vaccinations are OK. God has not been replaced

by WHO and people who work for WHO are mere men and women. 1John 2:16”..for all that is in the world is not of the Father but is of the world’ Citizen Believer’s Movement media cell

learning has its own pace and technology is going to aid the radical shift—digitalization of education.

Concepts, frameworks, for mats and methods would drastically change possibly leading to more interaction and more expertise in diverse streams getting into—global in its contents and applications. E-learning is hoped to benefit those who are distantly placed and thus translates universalisation of education providing educational tools and concepts.

Coronavirus has replaced traditional ideas by taking education to another reality vis-à-vis digitalization—education to everyone, anywhere and everywhere. We are pushed to a new reality which demands new skills and so pushed aside traditional teaching and learning to adapt to the new scenario. We are in a titanic shift that unfolds numerous opportunities requires lots of flexibility.

It prompts the learners to ask questions and so the sessions ought to be interactive and creative. It calls for original ideas, learning aids, serious preparation and effective presentation.

Coronavirus has leveraged distant learning of theological education

to another level. Custodians and pedagogues of theological education should recognize the fact that distant education is in the midst of titanic shift and is bound to change the nature and content of theological education.

Distant learning in the post-COVID-19 would not be the same as that of the pre-COVID-19. It is going to create competition within the theological academia. Those centers that respond to the changed scenario creatively and dynamically would survive and others are gradually phased-out.

C o r o n av i r u s h a s opened up new vistas and vicissitudes in domains of education that includes theological. Those who have been marginalized and side-lined due to formal education and very few distant education centers, longer duration and high-fee structure would prefer on-line education which is informal and flexible.

It would certainly pose challenges to formal (full time) theological education that warrants long-duration and charges heavy fee-structure. Crises are like opportunities and those who grab and convert to their advantage considered as winners.

Dr. John Mohan Razu

Why shouldn’t govt introspect policies and directives for our better future ?

T

here is an urgent need of our government to introspect policies and directives for our better future and healthy life. We are working day and night in public and private sector to meet our daily requirements. Nothing is hidden from all of us and government that how our routine lives have been paralyzed by COVID-19 epidemic and we are also very well aware that lockdown and social distancing is the only option left for us and government to contain Corona virus from spreading further.

I would like to request policy makers of our gover nment to dwell upon under mentioned views/opinion for our better future and healthy life.

1. Government offices - Most of the offices should run from home twice in a week.

2. Private sector 50% of manpower to work from home. This will help in following manners:(a) Requirement of less infrastructure at work place. (b) Reduce traffic on road which leads to less air and noise pollution. (c) Journey time can be utilise in a fruitful manner.

3. Large & medium scale Industries - They

need to work in two to three shifts to avoid clattering of labour.

4. Banking & Financial sector - Earmarking of alternate days for depositing and withdrawing money. It will reduce load of bank employees.

5. Transportation:(a) Train - No more waiting list tickets and platform tickets to avoid crowd at platforms and in trains. General compartments from trains should be detached immediately.

Confirm ticket holders be allowed to board the train. (b) Bus - Passenger be allowed to board buses as per availability of seats. (c) Motivate passengers to book tickets online to avoid rush at ticket booking counter. (d) Strict action against defaulters whether government employee or passenger.

6. Education Schools, colleges and universities should give online classes to their students and motivate students to give online exams. Coaching classes be allowed online only.

7. Every state need to have minimum one medical and engineering college. All States need to have same education system to avoid interstate movement of the students.

8 . C o m p e t i t ive exams and Interviews - Government need to motivate candidates to prepare themselves to undergo written exams and Interviews online. They can be called for physical tests only.

9. Every state need to have sufficient Industries and MNCs in their state to give employment to their people. Need to avoid interstate movement of labour force. States needs to generate work for their own people only.

1 0 . G ove r n m e n t need to eradicate illiteracy by applying compulsory education to all children above four/five years.

Free education till class 10 to all children. Strict actions against parents for not sending their children to school.

11. Reservation be allowed to the students in professional courses and job whose parent’s income is less than two lakhs per annum. Availability of books, stationaries and writing materials on subsidize rates for students.

12. All States need to have minimum three to four fully equipped hospital in their each district.

STAY SAFE AND GOD BLESS OUR NAGALAND Marina Seyie, Chümoukedima

Reader’s Post

Mounting evidence demonstrates the link between tobacco use for COVID-19

Sir,

A month into the lockdown, the questions have changed in tenor. In certain groups on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, messages abound from tipplers asking if some liquor vend somewhere is open, if anyone knows of a home-delivery service for tobacco, what’s the mark up on the MRP. For consumers, the quest to get a pack is easier but prices have soared since the cancer stick’s not an essential commodity and is presently being sold only clandestinely.

As our state and country struggle to respond to the rapidly evolving and escalating COVID-19 pandemic affecting our residents and straining our healthcare system, mounting evidence demonstrate the link between tobacco use and increased risk for progressive COVID-19.

Robin Lotha, Bayavü colony, Kohima

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.

NE for extending lockdown beyond May 3 G u w a h a t i / Shillong/Agartala, Apr 27 (IANS): Most northeastern states are for extending the nationwide lockdown beyond May 3 with relaxations in economic activities and public services in ‘green zones’.

After the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video link, on Monday the Chief Ministers of eight N-E states tweeted their views vowing to strengthen the collective fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Later, officials of several N-E states told echoed the Chief Ministers over phone to to IANS. Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh tweeted the need for collective effort of the states and the Centre and possible relaxation in ‘green zones’ was discussed with the Prime Minister.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma tweeted: “At the video conference, we proposed to continue with the lockdown post-May 3 with relaxations in activities in ‘green zones’ in Meghalaya.”

According to a release by the Meghalaya Chief

5

northeast

Nagaland Post, Dimapur TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020

Narendra Modi interacting with the chief ministers of states via video conferencing, (PIB/PTI )

Minister’s Office, Sangma suggested the Prime Minister the Meghalaya model of “rapid response system”.

In this, on detection of a Covid-19 case the health administration and the police initiate steps within specified time-frame.

The rapid response system would enable the government to work at micro level, like the panchayat institutions, and gear up for the future, it added.

Meghalaya has reported 12 nCoV positive cases.

Of this, 11 are active and one person, a senior doctor, died. Two districts have been categorised ‘red zones’.

During the day, the Meghalaya government eased several curbs, like sale of

essential goods, use of courier services for them, online sale of essential commodities, except for Shillong and in the Mylliem block of the East Khasi Hills district.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal hailed the Prime Minister for his leadership in this trying times in his tweet.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb tweeted, “Took part in the video conference, noted the instructions given by the PM to strengthen our fight against Covid-19.”

After the video conference, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu tweeted that the doubling rate had slowed to 9.1 days.

Mizoram chief min-

ister Zoramthanga said: “I talked about actions taken by our state and the discipline and cooperation of people.”

Four of the eight N-E states are free from coronavirus and its spread has been tamed in other four states.

Of the 54 cases detected in 7 of the 8 NE states, excluding Sikkim, there are only 20 active cases -- seven in Assam, 11 in Meghalaya and one in Mizoram, besides a 33-year-old trader from Dimapur, Nagaland, undergoing treatment at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital since April 12.

Two people, a senior doctor in Meghalaya and a 65years-old Covid-19 patient in Assam, died.

‘No mask, no fuel’ rule implemented in Itanagar Itanagar, Apr 27 (PTI): The Ar unachal Pradesh government has asked all petrol depots and gas agencies here to refuse service to customers who visit their outlets without wearing mask, an official said on Monday.

District Food and Civil Supplies Officer (DFCSO) Amit Bengia, in a notice issued to the fuel stations, said the government’s move was aimed at ensuring safety of people living in the state capital, amid the spurt in COVID-19 cases across the country.

“No consumer will be allowed to purchase fuel or LPG cylinders in the capital region without a mask,” Bengia added. Taking to Twitter, Chief Minister Pema Khandu also stated that ‘no mask, no fuel’ rule has been implemented in Itanagar.

Capital Complex Petroleum Depot Association president Arun Kipa Loram said necessary instructions have been forwarded to petrol pump owners and managers in this regard.

COVID-19 lockdown: 391 students reach Assam from Kota by bus; quarantined Guwahati, Apr 27 (PTI): Over 390 students of Assam arrived here on Monday from the coaching hub of Kota in Rajasthan and have been kept under institutional quarantine, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Sarma and his junior minister Pijush Hazarika received the students at the Sarusajai quarantine facility in the city after they arrived at 3 am by buses.

“After a long journey from Kota, 391 children are back with smiles and cheers. To ensure that they and their families remain safe, we are putting them into 14 days of quarantine,” the health minister tweeted.

The boys have been kept at the Sarusajai quarantine facility and the girls in three hotels.

The students started their nearly 2,000-km journey from Kota in the west of India to Guwahati in the northeastern state of Assam on Thursday.

Kota is a coaching hub where medical and engineering aspirants from

Assamese students who were stranded in Kota, Rajasthan on their arrival in Guwahati, Monday. (PTI)

different parts of the country go every year in large numbers to prepare for competitive exams.

Quarantine has been made mandatory as the students are coming from Rajasthan which has been categorised a COVID-19 ‘Red Zone’ and moreover, there is also the possibility of contracting the disease during the journey, Sarma had said.

The state government facilitated the return of the students in 17 buses against a charge of Rs 7,000 per person.

Swab tests will be conducted on the students on

the fifth day and doctors will decide whether those testing negative can be discharged and allowed to spend the remaining nine days under home observation, Sarma had said earlier.

The students, who have already been in quarantine in Kota, have not come into direct contact with any COVID-19 patient, he had said.

The state government requested the authorities of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal to allow their movement during the ongoing lockdown period.

First Northeast COVID-19 patient Hospital spokesman bemoans stigmatisation of COVID-19 patient completes surveillance period Correspondent

department, in a Facebook post.

“Glad to share that the IMPHAL, APR 27: The 1st #Covid_19 patient from first COVID-19 case not Manipur Vimi (name of the only in Manipur but also girl) is now free from surin the Northeast who reveillance, as per protocol, covered from the disease as her test result is found has now completed her 14 -ve for the 4th time today,” days surveillance period on he stated in the post.

Monday and is free to move Singh added, “She was around . detected positive on March The 23-year-old girl from Imphal’s Thang- File photo of 1st COVID-19 case 24 and discharged from JNIMS on April 12 after meiband locality was declared free from surveillance after she testing negative for the 3rd time.” Manipur, tested negative for the virus in the latest test which was included among states of India hit by new corona virus after the girl conducted today (Monday).

The girl who studied in the United tested positive, had two positive cases of Kingdom returned to Imphal via Delhi, COVID-19. However, the state is free from Kolkata via Agartala and tested positive active COVID-19 case with the recovery of the second patient, a 65-year-old patient for the contagion on March 24 last.

She was discharged from JNIMS linked Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi’s hospital where she was treated on April 12. Nizamuddin and no fresh case reported till However, she had to be on home quaran- date. He was discharged from RIMS hostine for two weeks as per COVID-19 pro- pital where he was treated on April 21 last tocol. Since then, a team of three doctors and still on compulsory home quarantine has been monitoring her health conditions under the surveillance of the state health every day. With the completion of the two department.

Manipur had the first COVID-19 case weeks quarantine period, her swab sample was tested for the virus at JNIMS’s VRDL wreported among the northeast was also once again and for the fourth time she was the first state that able to cure the disease.

On the other hand, despite no positive declared cured from the disease today, an cases, the state continue to remain alert by official source said.

State chief minister N Biren Singh taking up various measures to combat the confirmed the girl being free of COVID- spread of the disease despite no communi19 surveillance team of the state health ty or local transmission of the contagion.

Correspondent

Shillong, Apr 27 : Ever since Meghalaya recorded its first COVID-19 case that led to the death of a well known doctor -Dr John L Sailo Rynthathiang- who had no immediate travel history, the state has become a ‘hot spot’ following 11 more positive cases.

Speaking to this Correspondent Monday, Dr. Kyntiewlang Sanmiet, Nodal Officer and Spokesperson, Bethany Hospital, Shillong, of which the late physician Dr Sailo was the director, cautioned that stigmatization of the disease would worsen matters further.

When asked why was it difficult for the Meghalaya government to trace the source, Dr.Kyntiewlang said : “Pin-pointing the family to be a source of the virus is very hurtful to them especially after losing their loved one and this may cause further stigmatization. Perhaps, their greatest trauma will not be of being the first family to be infected by the virus, rather it would be the emotional

turmoil, the stigmatization, the public shaming, especially on social media and the anguish of losing their beloved, which they will have to endure for a long time.”

Maintaining that it was difficult to find the source of the infection in the state, Sanmiet said there could be many reasons.

“Clinical analysis shows that majority of COVID-19 patients are asymptomatic which means many of them do not know that they have the disease and are silent spreaders.

There might be such asymptomatic carrier(s) already in our state whom Dr. Sailo had met. He was a very kind, humble and welcoming person. Besides his family, Bethany staff and patients, we could not clearly say whom he might have met as he never shunned away anyone. If you were a leper and gave your hand to him he would shake it,” he said.

On the health experts suspecting that the late doctor’s son-in-law Arthur Wungthingthing could have infected Dr. Sailo,

the Bethany Spokesperson claimed that it was “very clear” that he was not the source of the virus as he had tested negative three times.

Stating that Bethany hospital have the database of patients visiting Dr. Sailo in the last one month, he said, “We never know who else might have visited him in his office as I said he was a very humble and approachable person and neither did we know who else he met in Nongpoh. I strongly believe he might have got from an asymptomatic person who may or may not be his patient,” Sanmiet said, adding that in order to find the source and beat this virus all asymptomatic carriers in the community need to be “ruled out”.

However,Dr.Sanmiet said “ symptomatic versus asymptomatic isn’t really the appropriate dividing line for us to be focusing on.

The appropriate dividing line is documented versus undocumented infection.”

He explained that “documented” were people who are identified as being infected, either because they

were sick enough to go seek care or were tested through contact tracing. The “undocumented” could be people who have symptoms but didn’t get tested, because of lack of access to testing or sheer stoicism or those who had no symptoms or such mild symptoms that they decided to just carry on with their daily lives not understanding that this is a pandemic.

On whether the late physician had met any person (barring his sonin-law) who had returned to the state from abroad, he said, “We really don’t know who else came and visited Dr Sailo in his office in the last one month and whether they had history of travelling abroad or not. Moreover, World Health Organization already declared COVID-19 as a pandemic and India is already in stage 3. So it does not mean you’ll get the virus only if you meet someone who has returned from abroad. There may be many carriers who by now may be negative by PCR test, so we really need to approach this problem with intelligence and more

scientific reasoning”.

When inquired if apart from his visit to his Hospital at Nongpoh in Ri Bhoi district, if Dr. Sailo traveled to Guwahati, Sanmiet asserted, “No, he did not.”

He said stigmatisation “may even lead to a rise of morbidity and mortality in the state should the infection already exist in the community because no one will come forward even if they are sick owing to this stigma and the fear which are a result of ignorance and unawareness of the situation at hand”.

“Even doctors and other healthcare professionals who are on the frontline of the battle are being stigmatized and shunned by others for fear of being infected,” he said. “ Lastly, let us remember that COVID-19 or Corona virus affects everyone equally and does not see any family, race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or border before striking. Our response and conduct thereafter should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood. We are in this together.”

Tripura working to increase Justice Sommader sworn in Meghalaya to lockdown beyond May 3 production in primary sector as CJ of M’laya High Court Correspondent

Correspondent

Agartala, Apr 27 (PTI): Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Monday said his government has started work to increase production in primary sectors like agriculture, horticulture, poultry and dairy farming to deal with losses suffered due to the lockdown.

He said Tripura usually earns around Rs 1,500 crore per annum from the rubber productions, which suffered losses of Rs 250 crore due to the lockdown imposed to control the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Deb said poultry, fisheries, animal husbandry, dairy, agriculture, horticulture and floriculture could generate early income with less investment and may be focused to increase primary sector productivity “ ... considering the present situation, the deadline set by our government for achieving self-sufficiency in primary sectors has been reduced by 1-2 years so that the economy which suffered a lot due to COVID-19 pandemic can be balanced if production could be increased in primary sectors,” K Y M C

Biplab Kumar Deb

a government press statement quoting the chief minister said on Monday.

Deb said his government is considering providing subsidized loans under various government schemes in primary sectors.

“Closure of rubber industries in some states due to lockdown might be the reason for Rs 250 crore losses. So the government has decided to boost the primary sectors as an alternative to increase the revenue,” he added.

“A good number of people, especially from indigenous communities, are involved in fisheries sector for livelihood. Fish seeds are produced in Tripura.

Andhra Pradesh procures fish seeds of Rs 150 crore from West Bengal. If Tripu-

ra can meet the demand then the state will earn the same amount and the income of fish cultivators will increase substantially.”

Deb said.

He said his government is already in touch with Andhra Pradesh on the issue and urged everyone associated with fishery sector to work hard so that Tripura can supply fish seeds to Andhra Pradesh.

Deb said Tripura produces plenty of fruits like jackfruit, pineapple and oranges, adding that his government is contemplating to apply “one district, one fruit or one crop” formula up to block level to increase productivity three times.

Deb also stressed on increasing dairy, agriculture production and output in other primary sectors to achieve self sufficiency.

The chief minister also appealed to people to strictly maintain social distancing everywhere in the state.

He said, single shops and rural markets could open by maintaining the social distancing norms but urged market committees to follow the norms and guidelines.

Shillong, Apr 27: Justice Biswanath Somadder was sworn in as the ninth Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court on Monday.

Governor Tathagata Roy administered the oath of office to 56-year-old Justice Somadder at Raj Bhavan.

Meghalaya Law Minister James Sangma, Chief Secretary M.S.Rao, Meghalaya High Court judge Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew, Director General of Police R Chandranathan attended the swearingin-ceremony.

Justice Somadder, who was earlier judge of Allahabad High Court, arrived in Shillong on Sunday evening along with his wife and entourage after travelling on road, covering a distance of 1907 Km, from Allahabad via Kolkata.

He left Allahabad on Friday and arrived in Kolkata on Saturday, after which he proceeded to Shillong after a short rest at his Salt Lake residence.

Justice Somadder embarked on a road journey since the air and rail passenger services were suspended

due to the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Serious questions were raised if the newly sworn in Chief Justice has followed all health and safety protocols as the nation is battling against the contagious COVID-19.

“I am yet to get a report on it. However, it is mandatory that everyone adhere to the health and safety protocols,” State Health and Family Welfare Minister, Alexander Laloo Hek said.

Justice Somadder will be the ninth Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court. He succeeds Chief Justice Muhammad Rafiq, who is now transferred as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court. Enrolled as an Advocate on July 21, 1989, Justice Somadder practiced at Calcutta High Court as well as the Supreme Court of India. He also appeared before CESTAT, Eastern Regional Bench.

He was elevated to the Bench of the High Court at Calcutta as a permanent Judge on June 22, 2006 and was appointed as the Executive Chairman of the State Legal Services Authority, West Bengal, in 2018.

Shillong, Apr 27: Meghalaya will continue with the lockdown beyond May 3 to stem the spread of COVID-19 in the State with restrictions on inter-state and inter-district movement, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said on Monday.

“We have mooted to continue with the lockdown post May 3 with relaxation on activities in Green Zones or non-COVID-19 affected districts,” he said after a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He however said essential services and travel due to medical emergency will be allowed.

Meghalaya has so far recorded 12 COVID-19 positive cases of which 11 are active and one died due to the infection in East Khasi Hills District. The government has declared the district a “red zone” or COVID-19 hotspot. Curfew in Shillong agglomeration and adjoining areas will continue upto 6 am, May 4, even as shops selling essential commodities and providing ‘common services’ would be kept open for four days a week from Monday.

During a virtual interaction with Prime Minister, the Chief Minister proposed

him to follow the Meghalaya model of “Rapid Response System”, wherein within specified time frame response is initiated by health, administration and police on detection of new Covid19 cases.

“The rapid response system will enable the government to work at micro level, like the panchayat institutions and prepare us for any such situation that may arise in future,” he told Modi in presence of his counterparts from other states. Those present at the virtual meet, included Home Minister Amit Shah, Health

Minister Harsh Vardhan and top officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

Sangma suggested that response of different stakeholders should be specified in the form of standard operating procedures (SoPs), who can respond immediately within 60 minutes, the Chief Minister also proposed an “Economic Task Force” be set up by all the States for exchange of ideas and possible solutions to initiate economic activities by adhering to necessary precautionary protocols.

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND DIRECTORATE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION NAGALAND : KOHIMA-797004 NO. DTE/ ESTT-2/12/2018-19/

Dt. Kohima, the

th

April. 2020.

NOTIFICATION In view of the lockdown due to COVID-19, it is hereby inform all the intending candidates that the last date of form submission for both Nagaland State Entrance Examination (NSEE-2020) and Diploma Entrance Examination (DEE-2020) for the session 2020-21 is hereby extended till further order.

DC-392

(Er. Arjun Singh) Director K Y M C

6

international

Global military spending saw largest increase in 2019 US, China, India in top 3, says study

LONDON, APR 27 (PTI): Global military expenditure at 3.6% saw its largest annual spike in a decade in 2019 with China and India being the second- and third-largest spenders after the US, a Stockholm-based thinktank said on Monday, the first time the two Asian giants were among the top three countries spending more on armaments.

The total global military expenditure rose to USD 1,917 billion in 2019, representing an annual growth of 3.6% compared to 2018, according to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The 3.6% spike it said was the largest spending growth since 2010.

While the US drove the global growth, China and India -- the top Asian military spenders -- were respectively the second- and third-largest military spenders in the world, the report said. China’s military expenditure reached USD 261 billion in 2019, a 5.1% increase compared to 2018, while that of India grew by 6.8% to USD 71.1 billion, it said.

“India’s tensions and rivalry with both Pakistan and China are among the major drivers for its increased military spending,” said Siemon T Wezeman, SIPRI Senior Researcher.

The total global military expenditure in 2019 represents an increase

of 3.6% from 2018 and the largest annual growth in spending since 2010, it said.

The five largest spenders, which accounted for 62% of the total expenditure, were the US, China, India, Russia and Saudi Arabia, the report said, adding that this is the first time that two Asian states have featured among the top three military spenders.

In addition to China and India, Japan (USD 47.6 billion) and South Korea (USD 43.9 billion) were the largest military spenders in Asia and Oceania. Military expenditure in the region has risen every year since at least 1989.

The report said that the military

spending by the US grew by 5.3% to a total of USD 732 billion in 2019 and accounted for 38% of global military spending.

The increase in US spending in 2019 alone was equivalent to the entirety of Germany’s military expenditure for that year.

“The recent growth in US military spending is largely based on a perceived return to competition between the great powers,” said Pieter D Wezeman, Senior Researcher at SIPRI. The global military spending in 2019 represented 2.2% of the global gross domestic product (GDP), which equates to approximately USD 249 per person.

‘Will seek realistic, practical ways for inter-Korean ties’ SEOUL, APR 27 (IANS): South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday that his government will move ahead with “realistic and practical” cooperation with North Korea despite international constraints, adding that the coronavirus crisis may provide the neighbours with a new opportunity for partnership. He was apparently referring to UNled sanctions on Pyongyang as he spoke on the occasion of the second anniversary of his historic Panmunjom summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who has not been in the public eye for weeks leading to speculations about his health, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Little progress so far in following up on the Panmunjom Declaration was not due to the lack of the two Koreas’ commitment to actions but because of a failure to overcome the existing international restrictions, Moon said during a weekly meeting with his senior presidential aides. “But we can’t just wait for the conditions to improve,” Moon stressed. “We must continue to do even small things that we can do amid realistic constraints.”

Nagaland Post, Dimapur TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2020

Kim Jong-un sends gratitude to workers amid health rumours SEOUL, APR 27 (IANS): North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed his gratitude to workers building a tourist zone in the east coast region of Wonsan, state media said on Monday, amid persisting speculation about his health.

“Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un has sent his appreciation to the workers who devoted themselves to building the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone,” Yonhap News Agency quoted Rodong Sinmun, the North’s main newspaper, as saying in a report.

The Korean Central Broadcasting Station also carried a similar report.

The reports came amid lingering speculation that something might be wrong with Kim’s health since he missed an important annual ceremony on April 15 commemorating the birthday of late state founder and his grandfather, Kim Il-sung.

Some unconfirmed media reports have speculated that Kim could be “in grave danger” after surgery.

But South Korean officials have dismissed such speculation as untrue, saying nothing unusual was going on in the North and

Kim Jong-un (file)

Kim Jong-un was believed to be staying in the Wonsan region.

Corroborating the intelligence was a report by the US monitoring website 38 North that satellite imagery showed what appeared to be Kim Jong-un’s special train parked at a station in “his Wonsan compound since at least April 21”.

“The train’s presence does not prove the whereabouts of the North Korean leader or indicate anything about his health, but it does lend weight to reports that Kim is staying at an elite area on the country’s eastern coast,” it added.

Moon Chung-in, a special security adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, also said Sunday in an interview with Fox News

that Kim Jong-un was “alive and well”, reports Yonhap News Agency.

On Monday, South Korea’s Unification Ministry on Monday reaffirmed no unusual signs have been detected in the North.

“We have nothing to confirm in regards to speculation over leader Kim Jong-un’s health. However, our stance that there is no unusual activity currently in North Korea, as announced by the National Security Council, is still in effect to this point,” Cho Hey-sil, the Ministry’s deputy spokesperson, told the media.

The Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone is one of Kim Jong-un’s key pet construction projects.

The leader, who sent a similar thank-you message to the workers in February, has sought to develop the North’s tourism in an effort to beef up an economy faltering under international sanctions.

Kim Jong-un was last seen in state media on April 11 presiding over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party, calling for strict measures against the coronavirus.

Global COVID-19 cases nearly 3mn; Boris Johnson back at work; warns against relaxing restrictions countries mull easing restrictions WASHINGTON, APR 27 (IANS): Multiple countries were easing or considering the gradual relaxation of restrictions for social and economic recovery although the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases globally was nearing 3 million.

As of Monday morning, the global number of confirmed coronavirus cases stood at 2,973,264, with 206,569 deaths, according to the latest tally by the Washington-based Johns Hopkins University.

The US currently accounted for the highest number of cases and deaths in the world at 965,933 and 54,877, respectively.

Meanwhile in Italy, which has the second highest number of deaths at 26,644 with 197,675 cases, there has been a steady de-

cline of new fatalities, infections and patients in intensive in the past few days, the country’s Civil Protection Department said on Sunday.

A total of 260 people died of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours in the country, the lowest single-day death toll since March 15. It registered 2,324 new cases over the last 24 hours, 33 fewer than on Saturday, and the lowest in six days.

Starting May 3, Italy will be adopting “Phase Two” of a national lockdown put in place since March 10, which involves “the gradual resumption of social, economic and productive activities”.

Last week, US President Donald Trump unveiled guidelines for a phased reopening of parts of the economy disrupted by the

COVID-19 pandemic. Some states started reopening portions of their businesses over the weekend.

Anthony Fauci, Director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the country will be able to double its COVID-19 testing capacity over the next several weeks, which is needed to safely reopen portions of the economy.

French PM Edouard Philippe announced on Sunday that he would present the government’s strategy for lockdown exit to parliament on Tuesday. France saw COVID-19 deaths rise by 242 to 22,856 as of Sunday, the lowest daily increase, bringing relief to the health system as the country is planning to lift the lockdown on May 11.

LO N D O N, A P R 2 7 (AGENCIES): Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned to work on Monday after recovering from COVID-19 with a warning that it was still too dangerous to relax a stringent lockdown hammering Britain’s economy for fear of a deadly second outbreak.

Looking healthy again after a life-threatening bout of the coronavirus, Johnson compared the disease to an invisible street criminal whom Britons were wrestling to the floor.

“If we can show the same spirit of unity and determination as we’ve all shown in the past six weeks then I have absolutely no doubt that we will beat it,” the 55-year-old said outside his Downing Street home a month and a day after testing positive.

“I ask you to contain your impatience because I

pointed.

The official then brought in the human aspect as he spoke about whether the ICC and Cricket Australia would be willing to take the guarantee of the number of lives that would be involved in the whole process of having a showpiece event.

“The question would then be whether the CA and the ICC are willing to stick their necks out and take the responsibility for such an event where the number of people converging would be significant.

Then it comes down to the governments. Would the Australian government want to take such a risk?

If so, what would be the timeline of their approval?

Would the time be sufficient for the other boards?

Would the governments of other countries permit

their teams to travel?” the official questioned.

Finally the official pointed at the biggest area of concer — fan safety.

“Lastly, with the condition that everyone is going through at the moment, would the fans want to gather in a stadium at this stage? Or would the tickets

sports Didn’t know my passport was Cup surviving without any people there,” Maxwell had illegal: Ronaldinho

of only one out of 10 seats be made available to keep a semblance of social distancing norms in place?” the official asked.

Interestingly, current Australia players like Glenn Maxwell have already been vocal about the fact that having a World T20 in empty stadiums would be a difficult scenario. “... it’s going to be hard for us to have crowds.

I think if IPL goes ahead they can probably survive without any crowds, but I can’t see the T20 World

told ABC Grandstand.

“It’s going to be hard for us to justify having a World Cup when we can’t get people into the grounds.

So I can’t see it happening in the near future. We’ve got to take care of everyone’s health and wellbeing.”

Australia’s limitedover skipper Aaron Finch echoed the sentiments. “I think we might have to get our heads around a T20 World Cup that might be postponed for a month, two months, three months, whatever it has to be,” Finch told SEN Radio.

Speaking post the ICC meet, Cricket Australia Chief Executive Kevin Roberts said: “Cricket Australia is working closely with the ICC, the Local Organising Committee and the Australian government so we have a comprehensive understanding of exactly what it will take to be able to play the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 in October in Australia as planned.

“We are also jointly exploring all other options in relation to staging the event and will take the right decisions at the right time so we can host a wonderful celebration of the sport and keep everyone involved safe and well.”

The government is next due to review social distancing measures on May 7.

Johnson initially resisted introducing the lockdown but then changed course when projections showed a quarter of a million people could die.

Since the lockdown on March 23, his government has faced criticism from opposition parties and some doctors for initially delaying measures, limited testing capabilities, and lack of protective equipment for health workers.

Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer urged Johnson to set out when and how economic and social restrictions might be eased - as did some Conservative Party donors.

“Simply acting as if this discussion is not happening is not credible,” Starmer wrote in a letter to Johnson.

‘Pitches, balls to be sterilised when soccer season restarts’

Nadal pessimistic over chances of return to normal

Boris Johnson

believe we are coming now to the end of the first phase of this conflict and in spite of all the suffering we have so nearly succeeded.”

With unemployment soaring, many companies crippled and a recession looming, Johnson said he understood the concerns of business and would consult with opposition parties

T20 WC in Oct seems impractical: BCCI official NEW DELHI, APR 27 (IANS): The International Cricket Council (ICC) hosted a Chief Executives Committee meeting on Thursday, but there was no clear direction on the fate of the World T20 to be held later in the year in Australia. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) feels that with the coronavirus outbreak and the effect it has had, having the showpiece event in October-November seems impractical.

Speaking to IANS, a BCCI official said that a number of factors would come into play and all that would be only after normalcy returns. The official went on to point at the travel restrictions to begin with and the fresh directives that might come in across the globe, not just in India.

“To be honest, the T20 World Cup in October seems to be impractical and even thinking of a gathering of people of that magnitude at this time is naive.

I mean think about it. At this stage you don’t know when international travel would be safe. Someone is saying June, someone is saying longer. Once travel does open up, it would be prudent to study the impact of travel as to whether the coronavirus remains controlled or not,” the official

spell out now how fast or slow or even when those changes will be made, though clearly the government will be saying much more about this in the coming days,” he said.

“We must also recognise the risk of a second spike, the risk of losing control of that virus and letting the reproduction rate go back over one because that would mean not only a new wave of death and disease but also an economic disaster.”

The most stringent lockdown in peacetime has left Britain facing possibly the deepest recession in three centuries and the biggest debt splurge since World War Two. Johnson’s government, party and scientific advisers are divided over how and when the world’s fifthlargest economy should start returning to work, even in limited form.

ASUNCION, APRil 27 (IANS): Former Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho pleaded his innocence while speaking for the first time after spending 32 days in a Paraguayan prison. The former Barcelona forward is currently under house arrest in a hotel in Asuncion after he was arrested along with his cavalry for entering the country with forged documents.

Ronaldinho has insisted he didn’t know his documents were illegal and also stated he showed full cooperation with the authorities in the aftermath of the airport fiasco. “We were totally surprised to learn that the documents were not legal,” Ronaldinho told ABC Color. “Since then our intention has been to collaborate with the justice system to clarify the facts. “From that moment until today, we have explained everything and facilitated everything that has been requested of us. “It was a tough blow, I never imagined that I would go through such a situation. All my life I have sought to reach the highest professional level and bring joy to people with my football,” he added.

Ronaldinho also revealed what his plans are after he is allowed to go back to his home nation once investigation ends.

pressing for clarity on a pathway out of lockdown.

But with Britain suffering one of the world’s highest death tolls - 20,732 hospital deaths reported as of Saturday - he stressed it was still a time of maximum risk and there would be no swift lifting of restrictions.

“We simply cannot

General view of the match ball inside the stadium at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, Getafe, Spain on January 4.

M A D R I D, A P R 2 7 (AGENCIES): Balls and pitches will need to be sterilised frequently when Spanish soccer returns in order to minimise the chance of players getting infected by the novel coronavirus, a leading doctor in the sport has said.

Spanish soccer has been on hold since March 10 due to the pandemic and stakeholders have been drawing up plans to complete the current season in a bid to avoid catastrophic financial losses, although a date for a return is yet to be set.

Rafa Ramos, president of the association of Spanish football club doctors, has outlined what conditions will be like when matches, which are set to be played in closed stadiums with no spectators, return.

“All the material, even the pitches, will have to be sterilised before a match, at halftime and afterwards,”

Ramos told newspaper El Pais on Sunday.

“It’s possible to be infected by an unknown ball but when you are struck by a sterilised ball on a sterilised surface it’s very hard to get infected.”

Ramos also said medical staffs were concerned about a rise in injuries when the season resumes as players have been forced to train at home due to the conditions of Spain’s strict lockdown.

“We aren’t just worried about the virus. The players will have had eight weeks without competing, cooped up in their homes and not all of them have big houses where they can do fitness training,” he added.

“We don’t know how long they’ll take to recover without seeing an increase in injuries, so we’ll have to extend the period as long as is necessary to ensure the risks are minimal.”

M A D R I D, A P R 2 7 (AGENCIES): Rafa Nadal has said he is very pessimistic about the possibility of tennis returning to normal any time soon because of the new coronavirus pandemic that shut down the sport last month.

Professional tennis has been suspended until the end of July, at the earliest, and the Spaniard said on Sunday that serious problems stand in the way of a resumption. “From my point of view, I’m very pessimistic that the circuit can resume normal activity,” the world number two said in an online chat organised by the Spanish Tennis Federation.

“In tennis, you need to travel every week, stay in hotels, go to different countries.

“Even if we play without an audience, to organise any event you need a lot of people involved, which cannot be ignored. At an international level I see a serious problem.” The outbreak has decimated the world sports calendar, forcing the postponement of the Olympic Games, which includes tennis, and the cancellation of Wimbledon. French Open organisers have rescheduled that event for the end of September, shortly after the U.S. Open, although Nadal said public health took priority over tennis tournaments.

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