September 10, 2020

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Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXX No. 276

DIMAPUR, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 Pages 12 ` 5.00

Kabul bomb targets VP, kills 10 civilians: Afghan officials international, Page 9

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Oxford vaccine trails put on hold UK volunteer suffers adverse reaction to vax LONDON/NEW DELHI, SEP 9 (PTI): The human trials of one of the most promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates, being developed by the University of Oxford, has been put on hold after a UK participant had an adverse reaction to it. AstraZeneca, the biopharmaceutical giant in tie-up with the university to produce the vaccine, described the pause as a “routine” one following what was “an unexplained illness”. The trials had moved into Phase III after successful Phase I and II testing had raised worldwide hopes of it being ready by early next year as results showed that it produced a positive immune response. The vaccine moved to Phase III testing in recent weeks, involving around 30,000 participants in the US as well as in the UK, Brazil and South Africa. “As part of the ongoing randomised, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our

standard review process was triggered and we voluntarily paused vaccination to allow a review of safety data by an independent committee,” said a spokesperson for AstraZeneca on Tuesday evening. “This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials. In large trials illnesses will happen by chance but must be independently reviewed to check this carefully,” the spokesperson said. Stressing that the adverse reaction involved only a single patient, the spokesperson added that the team is working to expedite the review of the “single event” to minimise any potential

impact on the trial timeline. “We are committed to the safety of our participants and the highest standards of conduct in our trials,” the spokesperson said.

DGCI issues showcause notice to SII

Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI), Dr V G Somani, has issued a show-cause notice to the Serum Institute of India (SII) for not informing it about pharma giant AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials of the Oxford vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in other countries and also for not submitting casualty analysis of the “reported serious adverse events”. DCGI, in his showcause notice, has asked SII

as to why the permission granted for conducting phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the vaccine candidate in the country be not suspended till patient safety is established. “Whereas, Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd, Pune, till now has not informed the central licensing authority regarding pausing the clinical trial carried out by AstraZeneca in other countries and also not submitted casualty analysis of the reported serious adverse event with the investigational vaccine for the continuation of phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the subject vaccine in the country in light of the safety concerns,” said the show-cause notice accessed by PTI. DGCI sought an immediate reply, saying else “it shall be construed that you have no explanation to offer and action deemed fit will be taken against you”. Regarding the show cause notice, SII said in a statement, “We are going by DCGI’s direction and so far were not told to pause the trials. If DCGI has any safety concerns, we will follow their instructions and abide by the standard protocol.”

nagalandpostofficial nagalandpostofficial

Shortage of labour force impacts state’s economy

ACTIVE CASES RecovMiTotal Symptomatic Death ered grated Cases Mild Moderate Dimapur 7 1 1839 2105 246 9* 3 Kiphire 0 0 1 12 11 0 0 Kohima 1 2 1162 1417 248 0 4 Longleng 0 0 4 5 0 0 1 Mokokchung 1 0 22 31 8 0 0 Mon 0 0 267 298 27 1 3 Peren 0 0 268 268 0 0 0 Phek 0 0 31 33 2 0 0 Tuensang 0 0 52 68 16 0 0 Wokha 0 0 23 24 1 0 0 Zunheboto 0 0 107 114 7 0 0 Total 9 3 3776 4375 566 10 11 *2 deaths not due to Covid-19 *5 deaths in Dimapur under investigation District

Asymptomatic

DIMAPUR, SEP 9 (NPN): Nagaland on Wednesday registered 130 fresh COVID positive cases-- 64 in Kohima, 63 in Dimapur, 2 in Mon and 1 in Mokokchung, taking the tally to 4375 cases. As on September 9, there were 578 active cases, 3776 recovered, 10 deaths and 11 migrated. As per the severity of symptoms,

566 active cases were asymptomatic, 9 mild and 3 moderate cases. Further, out of 4,375 cases, the distribution across various categories of people include 1,893 cases from the Armed Forces, 1321 returnees, 311 frontline workers and 850 traced contacts. Meanwhile, a total of 864 persons were presently under facility quarantine.

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, SEP (NPN): Alleging that syndicate system and monopoly by certain individuals have led to hampering of sand supply and sand price hike in the state, the Sand Stockists and Suppliers Union Dimapur (SSSUD) Wednesday announced its decision to impose “indefinite ban” on sand supply in the state till the recent hike in sand price was revoked. It may be mentioned that recently the Sand Ma-

haldar and Supplier Association (SM&SA), Karbi Anglong, had hiked price of sand to Rs.110 per cft citing increase in prices of other commodities. SSSUD president Viniho L Shohe told Nagaland Post that the union decided to impose ban after taking into account the concerns of both suppliers and buyers in the state. SSSUD president informed earlier hike in sand price was done in consultation with SSSUD. However, he said that unlike previous

This is it!

“Why doesn’t he just speak in English? His Hindi sounds like his mother tongue.” K Y M C

executive meeting held on Wednesday, resolved to reaffirm Angami Public Organisation (APO)’s February 8, 2016 resolution and strictly stand by provisions of Nagaland Revenue Regulation (Amendment Act) 1978. CPO president Vichütuolie Mere and joint secretary Vimhalie Medom pointed out that the Act prohibits non-indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland to acquire or possess any land by way of transfer, exchange, lease agreement or settlement. CPO reaffirmed the APO resolution not to recognise any transfer of land by way of sale or otherwise in violation of the Amendment Act of 1978 and all such illegal transactions within its jurisdiction would be treated as null and void. CPO also urged the deputy commissioner (DC) Dimapur to declare all the illegal transaction as null

Telemedicine platform launched Mon medical college to cost `323 crore

KOHIMA, SEP 9 (NPN): Even though the lockdown has been lifted in Nagaland with effect from September1 in sync with nationwide Unlock 4.0, the exodus of migrant labourers to their native places following the lockdown in March has severely impacted the local economy as the State is now facing a severe shortage of both skilled and non-skilled workers. Informing this to Nagaland Post, Kohima Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Zhatuo Rutsa said that months COVID-19 lockdown in the state had affected livelihood of thousands of labourers, compelling them to go back to their native places. And now, in spite of the lockdown being lifted, many of them were yet to come back to work, he added. He expressed apprehension that business won’t normalise so soon as shortage of workers and materials had adversely affected the market. (Cont’d on p-8)

years, the new price was fixed without consulting SSSUD. The union has appealed to general public to bear with the inconvenience until the matter was resolved amicably. The union also requested district administration and police to support their cause. SSSUC also extended full support to the indefinite ban called by SSSUD. M e a n w h i l e, S a n d Stockists and Suppliers Union Chümoukedima (SSSUC) has extended full support to the indefinite ban called by SSSUD.

Pangnyu Phom with health officials launching the ‘Naga Telehealth’.

Correspondent

KOHIMA, SEP 9 (NPN): As COVID pandemic posed many challenges before the public healthcare system, including disruption of essential health services on a daily basis, the State government has now come up with telemedicine service “Naga Telehealth” to ensure continuity of essential services to people across the State. Developed in partnership with USAID’s flagship health system strengthening project NISHTHA, implemented by Jhpiego, the platform was formally launched by Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) minister, S. Pangnyu Phom at his office cham-

ber here on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, Pangnyu asserted that during this “challenging times” Naga Telehealth was as an innovative technologybased solution for service delivery to people in need, especially to families and communities living in remote areas. He said the platform would help people living in remote areas to have access to qualified doctors for general and specialist consultations, adding that platform would be available across all health and wellness centre (HWCs) in the State through a hub-and-spoke model to reach the catchment popula(Cont’d on p-8) tion.

Following the Health ministry’s approval to setup the Government Medical College (GMC) in Mon district, Health minister S. Pangnyu Phom said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was under preparation and it would be submitted to Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan very soon. Interacting with media persons, Pangnyu said the estimated cost of the medical college was pegged at Rs 323 crore. He said sanction was expected by November, after which the foundation stone would be laid in December and construction would begin immediately thereafter. Though not yet finalised, he said discussion was on to have the construction of the proposed medical college on a public-privatepartnership (PPP) mode. The site proposed for setting up the college was 8 km away from Mon town, he added.

Ravi, NNPGs to meet today in Dimapur Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, SEP 9 (NPN): Government of India Representative and Interlocutor for Naga Peace Talks, R.N. Ravi and the Working Committee (WC), Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) will be sitting for an official meeting at Police Complex, Chümoukedima here Thursday. Highly placed sources informed Nagaland Post that

Ravi, who is also Governor of Nagaland, will meet the WC, NNPGs co-convenors and members led by its convenor, N. Kitovi Zhimomi. This meeting is being convened amidst speculations that the Centre and Naga Political Groups were likely to ink the final agreement to decades old Naga political issue anytime soon. Thursday’s meeting will be second official meeting between Ravi and NNPGs

in nearly two months. The two negotiating parties last met on July 14, 2020 at Nagaland Commissioner’s Guest House, Dimapur. On July 14 meeting, sources informed that the negotiating parties chalked out the “action plan” for the impending final agreement. They also agreed to finalise the “draft agreement” for early settlement to the decades old Naga political issue.

High Court grants bail to Hema Choudhary Correspondent

KOHIMA, SEP 9 (NPN): After languishing in jail for around 55 days, the Gauhati High Court, Kohima bench Wednesday granted bail to Mumbai-based animal rights activist Hema Choudhary. It may be mentioned that a special court in Kohima on August 25 rejected the bail petition, after which Hema moved her bail plea to the high court. In an order, single-judge

bench of justice S. Hukato Swu granted bail on certain conditions. The court stated that the accused shall be released on furnishing a local surety and the accused and the bailer shall sign a bail bond of Rs. 1 lakh each. Further, the court said that the accused shall not be allowed to leave the jurisdiction of the court without prior permission. It also said that the accused would have to report to the investigating officer, once in a week till the filing of the charge-sheet.

CPO resolves on illegal land dealings in Dimapur distt DIMAPUR, SEP 9 (NPN): Taking note of some non-indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland “illegally acquiring landed property” through sale and purchase in Dimapur district, the Chakhroma Public Organisation (CPO)

sports, Page 12

Correspondent

State reports 130 fresh COVID cases No sand supply till price hike revoked: SSSUD COVID-19 STATUS AS ON september 9, 2020

UEFA Nations League: Eng hold Denmark 0-0

and void and cancel all such illegal documents registered with the Registering Authority in order to protect the interest of the indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland. CPO stated that transfer of land to any person other than indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland was illegal and detrimental to the interest of the indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland and the same was a blatant violation of the Amendment Act of 1978. CPO has appealed to the revenue authority to look into all executed documents executed in violation of the Amendment Act of 1978 and take corrective measures by declaring all illegal transactions as null and void and cancel all such registrations at the earliest so as to avoid untoward incidents. Further, CPO appealed to all the revenue authorities/sub-registrars not to register any document evi-

dencing transaction for such illegal acquisition or possession of any land in favour of non-indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland. For any public utility such as educational institution or medical institution, the CPO resolved that the concerned non-indigenous individual/individuals or party/parties intending to set up such institutions may prior to taking permission/ sanction from the State Government obtain “No Objection Certificate” from CPO. It also appealed to all other tribal Hohos of Nagaland to adopt similar firm positive stand taken by APO/CPO in the larger interest of the future generations. Meanwhile, in connection with NSCN (I-M)/ NNPGs talk with Centre, CPO has reaffirmed its stand adopted on September 26, 2019 to uphold the Naga Plebiscite of 1951.

Revised SOP for people entering state DIMAPUR, SEP 9 (NPN): Following the decisions taken by the High Powered Committee on September 7, 2020, the state government has issued a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for returnees and other travellers entering Nagaland, which would come into force with immediate effect. In a notification, the state government stated that any returnee/traveller would be permitted to enter the state subject to normal Inner Line Permit restrictions wherever applicable through Dimapur by train, air or by road through New Field Check Gate and Dillai Gate; through Khuzama in Kohima district by Road, through Tsutapela and Watiyongpang in Mokokchung district by road, (Cont’d on p-8) K Y M C


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