Manipur Ringside
Four MU deans released after abduction:
Four deans of different departments of the Manipur University were reportedly detained by some unidentified persons suspected to be cadres of an underground group early on Thursday and later released unharmed at night.
The four officials who were abducted were the Dean of Humanities O Ibochou, Dean of Students Md Islamuddin, Dean of Life Sciences PS Jadav and Dean of History Mangsatabam Jiten.
Reports said that they were taken into custody by the miscreants on Thursday around 5.30 am and later released at night at around 7.30 pm.
The report of their release, however, could not be immediately confirmed.
A highly reliable report said that they were summoned apparently in relation with some matter concerning the administration of the university by an underground group.
However, there were no formal complaints to the police regarding the disappearance of the four deans.
Source: The Imphal Free Press
8 women arrested for protesting on R-Day:
Eight women reportedly involved in protesting the 59th Republic Day celebration on January 26 in different parts of the State have been arrested by the police.
The eight women arrested by police are identified as Kangjam Borkanya (60) w/o K Gandhi, Chandam Khomdon (47) w/o Ch Itocha, Abujam Kunjamani (50) w/o A Bhorot, Ningombam Ibeyaima (49) w/o Ng Rameshwar, Takhellambam Gomti (60) w/o T Ibochou, Takhellambam Sanatombi (45) w/o T Ibomcha, Takhellambam Ibecha (50) w/o T Ito and Yumkhaibam Beta (40) w/o Y Ingocha.
All of them belong to Mayang Langjing Taning Mayai Leikai.
In connection with the arrest of the Republic Day protesters, a public meeting was held at Mayang Langjing community hall on Thursday afternoon.
Speaking to reporters at the meeting venue, Meira Paibis of Mayang Langjing disclosed that some unidentified persons brought some festoons and told them to set them on fire on January 26.The festoons were not set on fire by the eight women alone.
The festoons were burnt by a large number of local women.
Stating that not a single Indian flag was burnt on the day, the Meira Paibis decried the alleged fabricated propaganda of Manipur police that the women were pulled up for burning the National flag.
The Meira Paibis demanded that all the eight arrested women should be released by Friday.
In case the arrested women are not released by Friday without any condition, a 12 hour bandh will be imposed along Imphal-Kangchup road on February 2 from 5 am till 5 pm, the Meira Paibis warned.
If the Govt refuses to set the women free even after the bandh, various forms of agitation including mass court arrest will be launched from the next day, they said.
Sadar Hills bandh on Friday:
The Sadar Hills District Demand Committee, has reaffirmed its intent to impose a 24-hour Sadar Hills bandh from midnight of January 31 onwards, in protest against the non-fulfilment of the government`s commitment for creation of the Sadar Hills as a full-fledged district.
The SHDDC has also said it would pursue various forms of agitations if its demand that the government should declare or give a commitment for inauguration of the Sadar Hills district during the Assembly session is not fulfilled.
The SHDDC is also demanding that the commitment for inauguration of the Sadar Hills as a full-fledged district should be included in the Governor’s address to the House on the first day of the session.
It is also demanding that the state government exclude the implementation of Panchayati Raj from the jurisdiction of the Sadar Hills autonomous district council.
DESAM asks IRB JAC to call off strike:
Contending that the proposed 24-hour general strike being called by the JAC for 5th and 6th IRB Waiting List Candidates from Friday 5 am is unreasonable, Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has asked the sponsor of the strike to call it off immediately.
Demanding to know the motive behind calling the general strike by a handful of people without any consideration of problems it might create to over 25 lakh population of the State, publicity and propaganda secretary of DESAM KC Ibomcha recalled the earlier meetings with the JAC representatives in which it was agreed that apart from calling general strike other democratic form of agitations can be launched so as not to disturb the education of the student.
People are now well aware how much the society suffer from such general strike, he said while appealing to all the students to go to their respective schools and colleges, teachers to take their regular classes and van services to ferry students as usual on Friday.
DESAM would face any challenge that might come on the way and all the 129 persons who are sponsoring the strike should be held responsible for any untoward incident, Ibomcha stated categorically.
Clarifying that DESAM is not questioning the genuineness of the demand nor imposing its writ, Ibomcha said the stand of DESAM is for the cause of education and in case the 129 persons who are sponsoring the general strike adopted some other measures acceptable to the people to press their demand, then it is ready to extend full support.
However, announcing calling of the general strike and then go on hiding is something that the people would never accept even if the demand is genuine, Ibomcha observed.
LDA clarifies:
Reacting to the allegations of the LDA (Retrenched) MR Employees and Workers' Association that the LDA bought a worn out dredging machine at Rs 20 lakhs, the LDA Project Director has dismissed the allegation as totally baseless and fabricated.
In a press release, the LDA Director clarified that a dredging machine costs more than 3 crores.
As regards the dredging machine bought by the LDA, the machine was delivered to the LDA only after it was duly certified by the M/S Lloyds Register of Shipping.
M/S Lloyds Register of Shipping which is the only supervisory authority for all dredging machines manufactured in the country, it added.
FGN warning on imposters:
Asserting that certain individuals have been collecting money in the name of the NNC/FGN, in Zeliangrong region, the Midan Peyu of the Zeliangrong region of the outfit, P Panmei on Thursday said that it has entrusted the task of financial matters to ND Gonmei.
In a statement P Panmei said that anyone found collecting money in the name of the outfit would be pulled up as impostors and given fitting punishment.
The outfit further informed the public that it has sub-region and in every sub-region there are administrative officers of Rajoy Peyus and Khapurs who have the authority to deal in financial matters.
If any impostors demand money then the public may contact the outfit's number 9436846239, said the statement.
Review of central projects in Manipur:
Union Cabinet Secretary KS Chandrasekhar will be reviewing 12 different projects being implemented in the State on priority basis including the Jiribam-Imphal railway project.
According to a reliable source, the Cabinet Secretary has convened a meeting with the State Chief Secretary, Commissioners and Secretaries at New Delhi on February 12.
The meeting will conduct a review of some major projects being taken up in Manipur.
Some of the projects likely to feature in the review meeting include Jiribam-Imphal via Tupul railway project, Tipaimukh project, Loktak Downstream project, Indira Awaj Yojana, expansion of NH 39 to a four-lane highway and development of Tulihal Airport to enable it handle night traffic etc.
Bangla dumps dead birds, fresh threat:
A fresh threat of further spread of Bird Flu has been reported by a BSF team.
According to the reports, Bangladesh is dumping dead poultry in the no-mans land between West Bengal and Bangladesh, TIMESNOW reported.
Bangladesh itself is grapping with the virus with 29 districts in the country reeling under the Bird Flu virus.
The Indian government has urged Bangadesh to evolve a joint system of disposing dead poultry from Bird Flu affected areas in both the countries on the Indo-Bangla border so that population on either side does not get infected.
Meanwhile, Bird Flu was confirmed in more areas of West Bengal on Thursday (January 31) with samples from more blocks in Birbhum, Murshidabad and Hooghly districts testing positive at the HSADL, Bhopal.
A total mortality of 1,30,170 poultry deaths have been reported from the affected districts.
The state estimates that 28 lakh birds would be culled over a period of 2-3 days and around 23.23 lakh birds have already been culled.
The culling process has already been completed in six districts.
Khoimu wins Cachar Waree Leeba Competition:
Soubam Khoimu of Cachar, Borbil under Lakhipur Sub-division stood first position in the Guru Laithangbam Radhe Singh Memorial Waree Leeba Festival Cum Competition, 2008 organised by All Manipur Waree Leeba Association & Research Centre, Imphal in collaboration with Festival Co-ordinating Committee, Jiribam from January 20 to 30 held at Jiribam Kalimandir.
60 Year old Soubam Khoimu got the position in the above 50 year category Ahallon Group.
Naorem Birchandra of Uchiwa, Manipur and Oinam Iboyaima of Kwakeithel , Manipur got 2nd and 3rd position respectively.
In the 50 year above age Naha group Senjam NanaoPhulo of Pukhao, Manipur ; Wahengbam Chinglen of Uympok of Manipur and Nongthombam Manibabu of Sonai Chandpur of Cachar got 1st, 2nd and 3rd position respectively.
About 37 Meitei Waree Leeba Contestants of North East India were participated in the compitition section of the Festival cum competition 2008 .
KCP (MC) wants fair deal for the working class:
The KCP(MC) group has warned all brick field owners in the state to pay their workers fair wages, not less that the minimum wages fixed by the state labour department.
Speaking to mediapersons somewhere in Churachandpur district, Laishram Lamyanba, ‘commander-in-chief’, KCP(MC), said the arbitrary fixing of wages by brick-field owners, often below the minimum wage rates fixed by the government amounts to taking away the rights of the labour class, and is taken very seriously by the group.
Denouncing exploitation and mistreating of workers by various agencies, he said the KCP(MC) would also closely scrutinize the working and other conditions of workers in various other industries.
He further said the trend of government doctors working in private clinics and hospitals neglecting their official duties was against the interest of the poorer sections. As such, the group would also closely look into the functioning of such private clinics. He also asked such private clinics to make public all details of fees charged from patients by the month of March.
Four deans of different departments of the Manipur University were reportedly detained by some unidentified persons suspected to be cadres of an underground group early on Thursday and later released unharmed at night.
The four officials who were abducted were the Dean of Humanities O Ibochou, Dean of Students Md Islamuddin, Dean of Life Sciences PS Jadav and Dean of History Mangsatabam Jiten.
Reports said that they were taken into custody by the miscreants on Thursday around 5.30 am and later released at night at around 7.30 pm.
The report of their release, however, could not be immediately confirmed.
A highly reliable report said that they were summoned apparently in relation with some matter concerning the administration of the university by an underground group.
However, there were no formal complaints to the police regarding the disappearance of the four deans.
Source: The Imphal Free Press
8 women arrested for protesting on R-Day:
Eight women reportedly involved in protesting the 59th Republic Day celebration on January 26 in different parts of the State have been arrested by the police.
The eight women arrested by police are identified as Kangjam Borkanya (60) w/o K Gandhi, Chandam Khomdon (47) w/o Ch Itocha, Abujam Kunjamani (50) w/o A Bhorot, Ningombam Ibeyaima (49) w/o Ng Rameshwar, Takhellambam Gomti (60) w/o T Ibochou, Takhellambam Sanatombi (45) w/o T Ibomcha, Takhellambam Ibecha (50) w/o T Ito and Yumkhaibam Beta (40) w/o Y Ingocha.
All of them belong to Mayang Langjing Taning Mayai Leikai.
In connection with the arrest of the Republic Day protesters, a public meeting was held at Mayang Langjing community hall on Thursday afternoon.
Speaking to reporters at the meeting venue, Meira Paibis of Mayang Langjing disclosed that some unidentified persons brought some festoons and told them to set them on fire on January 26.The festoons were not set on fire by the eight women alone.
The festoons were burnt by a large number of local women.
Stating that not a single Indian flag was burnt on the day, the Meira Paibis decried the alleged fabricated propaganda of Manipur police that the women were pulled up for burning the National flag.
The Meira Paibis demanded that all the eight arrested women should be released by Friday.
In case the arrested women are not released by Friday without any condition, a 12 hour bandh will be imposed along Imphal-Kangchup road on February 2 from 5 am till 5 pm, the Meira Paibis warned.
If the Govt refuses to set the women free even after the bandh, various forms of agitation including mass court arrest will be launched from the next day, they said.
Sadar Hills bandh on Friday:
The Sadar Hills District Demand Committee, has reaffirmed its intent to impose a 24-hour Sadar Hills bandh from midnight of January 31 onwards, in protest against the non-fulfilment of the government`s commitment for creation of the Sadar Hills as a full-fledged district.
The SHDDC has also said it would pursue various forms of agitations if its demand that the government should declare or give a commitment for inauguration of the Sadar Hills district during the Assembly session is not fulfilled.
The SHDDC is also demanding that the commitment for inauguration of the Sadar Hills as a full-fledged district should be included in the Governor’s address to the House on the first day of the session.
It is also demanding that the state government exclude the implementation of Panchayati Raj from the jurisdiction of the Sadar Hills autonomous district council.
DESAM asks IRB JAC to call off strike:
Contending that the proposed 24-hour general strike being called by the JAC for 5th and 6th IRB Waiting List Candidates from Friday 5 am is unreasonable, Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has asked the sponsor of the strike to call it off immediately.
Demanding to know the motive behind calling the general strike by a handful of people without any consideration of problems it might create to over 25 lakh population of the State, publicity and propaganda secretary of DESAM KC Ibomcha recalled the earlier meetings with the JAC representatives in which it was agreed that apart from calling general strike other democratic form of agitations can be launched so as not to disturb the education of the student.
People are now well aware how much the society suffer from such general strike, he said while appealing to all the students to go to their respective schools and colleges, teachers to take their regular classes and van services to ferry students as usual on Friday.
DESAM would face any challenge that might come on the way and all the 129 persons who are sponsoring the strike should be held responsible for any untoward incident, Ibomcha stated categorically.
Clarifying that DESAM is not questioning the genuineness of the demand nor imposing its writ, Ibomcha said the stand of DESAM is for the cause of education and in case the 129 persons who are sponsoring the general strike adopted some other measures acceptable to the people to press their demand, then it is ready to extend full support.
However, announcing calling of the general strike and then go on hiding is something that the people would never accept even if the demand is genuine, Ibomcha observed.
LDA clarifies:
Reacting to the allegations of the LDA (Retrenched) MR Employees and Workers' Association that the LDA bought a worn out dredging machine at Rs 20 lakhs, the LDA Project Director has dismissed the allegation as totally baseless and fabricated.
In a press release, the LDA Director clarified that a dredging machine costs more than 3 crores.
As regards the dredging machine bought by the LDA, the machine was delivered to the LDA only after it was duly certified by the M/S Lloyds Register of Shipping.
M/S Lloyds Register of Shipping which is the only supervisory authority for all dredging machines manufactured in the country, it added.
FGN warning on imposters:
Asserting that certain individuals have been collecting money in the name of the NNC/FGN, in Zeliangrong region, the Midan Peyu of the Zeliangrong region of the outfit, P Panmei on Thursday said that it has entrusted the task of financial matters to ND Gonmei.
In a statement P Panmei said that anyone found collecting money in the name of the outfit would be pulled up as impostors and given fitting punishment.
The outfit further informed the public that it has sub-region and in every sub-region there are administrative officers of Rajoy Peyus and Khapurs who have the authority to deal in financial matters.
If any impostors demand money then the public may contact the outfit's number 9436846239, said the statement.
Review of central projects in Manipur:
Union Cabinet Secretary KS Chandrasekhar will be reviewing 12 different projects being implemented in the State on priority basis including the Jiribam-Imphal railway project.
According to a reliable source, the Cabinet Secretary has convened a meeting with the State Chief Secretary, Commissioners and Secretaries at New Delhi on February 12.
The meeting will conduct a review of some major projects being taken up in Manipur.
Some of the projects likely to feature in the review meeting include Jiribam-Imphal via Tupul railway project, Tipaimukh project, Loktak Downstream project, Indira Awaj Yojana, expansion of NH 39 to a four-lane highway and development of Tulihal Airport to enable it handle night traffic etc.
Bangla dumps dead birds, fresh threat:
A fresh threat of further spread of Bird Flu has been reported by a BSF team.
According to the reports, Bangladesh is dumping dead poultry in the no-mans land between West Bengal and Bangladesh, TIMESNOW reported.
Bangladesh itself is grapping with the virus with 29 districts in the country reeling under the Bird Flu virus.
The Indian government has urged Bangadesh to evolve a joint system of disposing dead poultry from Bird Flu affected areas in both the countries on the Indo-Bangla border so that population on either side does not get infected.
Meanwhile, Bird Flu was confirmed in more areas of West Bengal on Thursday (January 31) with samples from more blocks in Birbhum, Murshidabad and Hooghly districts testing positive at the HSADL, Bhopal.
A total mortality of 1,30,170 poultry deaths have been reported from the affected districts.
The state estimates that 28 lakh birds would be culled over a period of 2-3 days and around 23.23 lakh birds have already been culled.
The culling process has already been completed in six districts.
Khoimu wins Cachar Waree Leeba Competition:
Soubam Khoimu of Cachar, Borbil under Lakhipur Sub-division stood first position in the Guru Laithangbam Radhe Singh Memorial Waree Leeba Festival Cum Competition, 2008 organised by All Manipur Waree Leeba Association & Research Centre, Imphal in collaboration with Festival Co-ordinating Committee, Jiribam from January 20 to 30 held at Jiribam Kalimandir.
60 Year old Soubam Khoimu got the position in the above 50 year category Ahallon Group.
Naorem Birchandra of Uchiwa, Manipur and Oinam Iboyaima of Kwakeithel , Manipur got 2nd and 3rd position respectively.
In the 50 year above age Naha group Senjam NanaoPhulo of Pukhao, Manipur ; Wahengbam Chinglen of Uympok of Manipur and Nongthombam Manibabu of Sonai Chandpur of Cachar got 1st, 2nd and 3rd position respectively.
About 37 Meitei Waree Leeba Contestants of North East India were participated in the compitition section of the Festival cum competition 2008 .
KCP (MC) wants fair deal for the working class:
The KCP(MC) group has warned all brick field owners in the state to pay their workers fair wages, not less that the minimum wages fixed by the state labour department.
Speaking to mediapersons somewhere in Churachandpur district, Laishram Lamyanba, ‘commander-in-chief’, KCP(MC), said the arbitrary fixing of wages by brick-field owners, often below the minimum wage rates fixed by the government amounts to taking away the rights of the labour class, and is taken very seriously by the group.
Denouncing exploitation and mistreating of workers by various agencies, he said the KCP(MC) would also closely scrutinize the working and other conditions of workers in various other industries.
He further said the trend of government doctors working in private clinics and hospitals neglecting their official duties was against the interest of the poorer sections. As such, the group would also closely look into the functioning of such private clinics. He also asked such private clinics to make public all details of fees charged from patients by the month of March.