Land of Jewels (Sana Leibak)

General strike partially disturbs normal life: Imphal, May 14: Normal life in the state was partially disturbed today due to the statewide general strike called by the Manipur Forward Youth Front, MAFYF demanding release of its president Sapamcha Kangleipal who was re-arrested and detained under the National Security Act, NSA yesterday. In the meantime, after the torching of an oil tanker (MN01-6469) carrying kerosene oil by some suspected supporters of the ongoing ATSUM economic blockade at Lairouching along the NH-39 in Senapati yesterday at around 3 pm, snatching of registration books and other vehicular documents also continued on the highway. The 24-hour general strike commenced from last midnight and ended at midnight tonight. During the general strike hours there were no reports of any untoward incidents. Mention may be made that the MAFYF president, Kangleipal was released yesterday after sedition charges leveled against him were dropped by the court, but the police re-arrested...

Union minister opens new Paying Ward at RIMS: Imphal, May 14: "I don`t believe the underground will disturb the development of health care centres," said Union minister for health and family welfare Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday while promising to bring up the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, RIMS to be one of the best among the health care centres in the country. The Union minister while giving his speech at the inauguration of the Paying Ward of the RIMS today also announced free of cost treatment facilities for the people living below poverty line, BPL and other poor people under the initiative of his ministry. Dr. Ramadoss laid the foundation stones of a new OPD block, dental college and nursing college of RIMS with a sanctioned amount of Rs. 129 crores. He said that in the next two years, people of the state would witness RIMS as one of the best health care centres of the country. The announcements he made include increase in the intake of MBBS course student...

Approves ADC delimitation commission: Imphal, May 14: The state Cabinet today approved the constitution of a state delimitation commission for reconstitution of the constituencies of the Autonomous (Hill Areas) District Councils and raising of a 8th IRB battalion as commando battalion during discussions. The Cabinet also approved rehabilitation works of the Thoubal dam affected people, a proposal of the IFCD department and also framing of rules under the Manipur Loktak (Protection) Act 2006 for effective implementation of Loktak development programme. The election to the ADC will be held under the state election commission after completion of the delimitation exercise for redrawing of the ADC constituencies extending over six hill districts. The Cabinet also agreed to appoint retired IAS officer, Ch Birendra Singh as commissioner of the newly formed state delimitation commission, a source said. The deputy commissioners of the six districts will be the ex-officio members of the commissi...

Manipur tops in number of casualties : Shillong: Manipur tops the list of insurgent related incidents and casualties in the past one year. The Union Home Ministry status paper on internal security situation spelt out 414 militancy related incidents in the Northeastern region, where 131 civilians lost their lives in the process, 171 extremist killed . In the past one year, there were 153 militancy related incidents in Manipur alone. 57 civilians lost their lives in Manipur and 64 extremists were gunned down, revealed the status paper. Altogether there were 153 incidents reported in which the security forces lost 39 men. In Nagaland, the number of insurgency incidents was reported as 67, in which 15 civilians and 10 extremist getting killed in the process. The paper reveals that during the same period, there is 152 incidents in Assam, out of which 55 civilians lost their lives and 35 extremists were killed. The security forces lost 7 men in the process in Assam. Tripura known for its vol...

NEC mulls on development projects: Imphal: Manipur government representatives who attended the 56th North Eastern Council meeting which concluded on Tuesday at Agartala drew the attention of the council and the Central government to the need for looking into the Look East Policy of the country. They urged all concerned to give a major thrust to the development of the Imphal airport, National Highways-39, 53, 150, Trans Asian Highway, border trading point at Moreh and Jiribam to Tupul railway line, an official source said. In the meeting, Manipur urged for upgradation of the Imphal airport into an international airport with cold storage facilities stating that the airport would soon have night landing facilities. They also urged for improvement of the three national highways which run across the state into four-lane roads for easy flow of heavy vehicular traffic. The state highways and border roads also need to be strengthened and improved to meet trade and commercial requirements, they...

JAC demands guns, calls bandh: Imphal: In a reverse case of the Heirok incident where people demanded guns to defend themselves after some civilians were shot dead by UG cadres, the JAC Against the Brutal Killing of Wangkheimayum Shyamjai of Ngangkhalawai has asked the State Government to issue them guns for self-defence after security personnel killed Shyamjai. A statement issued by the JAC informed that this resolution to demand guns was adopted during a public meeting held at Ngangkhalawai ground on Tuesday. Strongly contending that Wangkheimayum Shyamjai shot dead by troops of 15 J&K Light Infantry at Ningthoukhong Kha Khunou under Bishnupur police station at about 3.30 am of May 11 was an innocent citizen, the meeting condemned the stoic silence of the State Government on the issue. The JAC asserted that Shyamjai was pulled by troops of 15 J&K Light Infantry at about 11 am of May 8 before he was shot dead in cold blood after three days on May 11 in a fake encounter. Mainta...

Patil says NE situation improved Heirok JAC decries Govt's vague stance Bailed Kangleipal rearrested under NSA UCM prez advocates peace for development Sema tribe fires salvo at IM, Rio Relief material sent to Myanmar HKL opposes UADC proposal to demarcate Ukhrul Anti-dam activists reject Engineers' explanations Scribes take threats complaint to CM

Cancer centre in all NE States mooted: Imphal, May 13: Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss who arrived here today as part of his North East itinerary has expressed satisfaction over the measures taken up in the health sector particularly on Immunisation, HIV/AIDS, Cancer, TB and Malaria. Interacting with the media at the Jubilee Hall of RIMS this evening, the Health Minister said that since the North East people are susceptible to Cancer, the Centre has decided to open Regional Cancer Centres in all the North East State. Significantly, RIMS had earlier announced that majority of the lung cancer cases reported in the country are from the North East States particularly Manipur. Though health care facilities are perceived to be poor in the remote areas of the State, Ramadoss however noted that the health care scenario in the North Region is satisfactory. There are plans to improve the infrastructure at the Primary Health Centres, Primary Sub-Health Centres, Community Health Centres et...