Land of Jewels (Sana Leibak)

DHAKA, June 16 : A Bangladesh parliamentary team will soon visit the site of a controversial hydro-electric dam India plans to build in its northeastern Manipur state that opposition parties and environmental experts say will affect a river system shared by the two countries. India has approved plans for a 1,500 megawatt project at Tipaimukh on the Barak River which flows from the northeast into Bangladesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Experts warn that the dam could cause two Bangladeshi rivers -- the Surma and Kushiara in northeastern Sylhet -- to dry up. "It will be another Farakka and cause desertification in eastern Bangladesh," said Badiul Alam Khokan, a leader of the Sylhet Division Development Action Council (SDDAC). India commissioned the Farakka Barrage in 1974 on the Ganges river along Bangladesh's northern border to divert water to the river Hoogly to keep the Kolkata port navigable. As a result, Bangladesh faced severe water shortages during winter ...

BNP seeks international censure on Tipaimukh dam Dhaka, June 13 : BNP is urging the international community to speak out against India's construction of the Tipaimukh dam, saying it is a 'death trap' for Bangladesh. The opposition party also urged the government once more to protest in strongest possible terms against the dam to the Indian government. "The Tipaimukh dam is a death trap for the people of Bangladesh. We appeal to the international community to ask India stop construction," BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain told a press conference on Saturday. "The Awami League government must protest against the move immediately, or BNP along with the people will be forced to take whatever action is necessary to stop it," said Delwar. Former water resources minister and BNP vice president Hafizuddin Ahmed, in a written statement, said the government must act instead of playing the 'blame game'. He said all parties except the ruling ...

Ibobi assures compensation to affected people : Imphal, May 1: Chief Minister O Ibobi singh has assured to suitably compensate the people affected by the construction of Khuga multipurpose dam in Churachandpur district, while visiting the dam site with a group of ministers on Wednesday. He also assured the people to take measures for the beautification of the dam areas to attract tourists. Blockade over, Moreh trade resumes : Imphal, May 1: Border trade hummed back to life in the border town of Moreh in Manipur’s Chandel district after transporters resumed services and government offices reopened. Vehicles went off the roads and attendance in government offices was practically nil following a blockade by the All Tribal Women’s Organisation of Chandel at Japhou, the district headquarters, demanding punishment for the killers of two women, murdered last month. Manipur to check bird flu outbreak: Imphal, May 1: Health authorities in Manipur held a three-day seminar and training on methods...

Monika wins medals in Asian Weightlifting: New Delhi, Apr 29: Laishram Monika Devi fetched the first medals for India in the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Kanazawa, Japan on Tuesday by finishing overall third in women's 69 kg category. Monika lifted a total weight of 222 kg (100 in snatch and 122 in clean and jerk) to finish behind Liu Chunhong of China (262: 117+145) and Kao Ya-chun of Chinese Taipei (222: 98+124) respectively. The Manipuri girl added a silver and bronze as she was second in snatch and third in clean and jerk. Army Launches Tipaimukh Vigil: Imphal, Apr 29: Troops of the 57 Mountain Division started patrolling the Tipaimukh Hydel Project site in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Tuesday after militants blew off a drilling rig and brought work to a standstill on Saturday. Militants had blasted a drilling machine using an IED, forcing all engineers and workers to flee the project site, located on the Manipur-Mizoram border. The Hmar Peoples Convention (Demo...

Water scarcity hits embattled sub-division: Imphal, Apr 27: Coupled with the global climatic change, large scale deforestation activities have resulted in acute shortage of water in Tipaimukh sub-division of Churachandpur district. Though the hills slopes of Tipaimukh were covered with thick forest cover not long ago, this precious trees were cut down and burnt to clear land for extensive cultivation of ginger. Driven by their desire to earn quick money and having very limited source of income, the villagers unwittingly took up ginger cultivation on a large scale by clearing forest trees. Such reckless deforestation activity, if not check properly by devising a more environment friendly method of ginger cultivation or providing some other means of livelihood to the villagers, will ultimately lead to a more disastrous situation in not very distant future. Hit by scarcity of water, people of Tipaimukh sub-division used to fetch water from far away gorges/water-holes everyday. In some oth...

Hepatitis, Jaundice after unknown disease: Senvon (CCpur), Apr 25: Even as the people in the villages under Tipaimukh sub-division of Churachandpur district have been grappling with the outbreak of a yet to be identified disease which has claimed the lives of 30 children so far, fresh report on outbreak of Viral Hepatitis and Jaundice among the children in Senvon and Leisen villages have come in. It is said that over 30 children have been affected by viral Viral Hepatitis and Jaundice in the two villages of the sub-division which has already been reeling under the impact of Mautam and its subsequent food shortage. With lack of any proper health care facilities, even a common ailment is a serious health problem for the people of the sub-division, which has been remaining like an island cut off by an insensitive Government. Apart from the deplorable condition of the road connecting the sub-division with National Highway 150 and Guite Road, there is no other means of transportation with e...

Toll rises to 30; BCG, DPT Greek to villagers: Parbung (CCpur), Apr 22: The death toll of infants in Tipaimukh sub-division of Churachandpur district following the outbreak of a yet to be diagnosed disease continues to claim the lives of children, with one more child passing away early today morning. With the latest casualty, the death toll of children, all below the age of one, has risen to 30 ever since the disease broke out during the last three/four months. On the other hand, lack of medical care in the interiors of Churachandpur became palpably clear as it has been confirmed that no expectant mother has ever received the BCG and no child has been administered DPT vaccine to ensure the health of the child as well as the expecting mother. It is however yet to be confirmed whether the lack of vaccination is in any way related to the deaths of the children. Even as the Government is groping in the dark to ascertain the cause of the deaths as well as to confirm the veracity of the numb...

Pneumonia behind Tipaimukh infants ravage, say doctors Imphal, Apr 20: A team of doctors, including paediatrician, N Kameshwar, who visited the Tipaimukh villages reeling under reports of infant deaths due to an outbreak of an unknown epidemic, has confirmed the deaths, although not the claimed number of of 29. When contacted by IFP, Dr. Kameshwar said it is also now known that the cause of the deaths is acute respiratory tract infection caused by a bacteria strain, which in later stages leads to pneumonia a condition fatal for infants if left without medical attention. The tell tale symptoms of darkening of nails and lips at death were reported in every case, he said. While ill, convalescence, alternating high fever and hypothermia, and in later stages, difficulty in breathing, uncontrollable urge to fall asleep etc, were also its unmistakable symptoms, he added. All these were confirmed from the field, he said. He said, in all 25 confirmed deaths were recorded, and Lungthulien with 8...

Opposition MLAs tear apart Governor’s address: Imphal, Feb 4: The debate on the motion of thanks to the address of the Governor of Manipur to the house began on Monday, with Opposition MLAs picking large holes in the achievements claimed on behalf of the Congress-led SPF government. The discussion on the motion of thanks for the Governor’s Address was moved during the morning session by MLA E Kunjeswar Singh and seconded by MLA N. Mangi Singh from the treasury bench. The mover claimed that the Governor’s Address, given on the first day of the Assembly session reflects every aspect of the developmental activities taken up by the state government and its future plans. However, criticism of the Governor’s Address started coming thick and fast from the Opposition MLAs. Opposition leader MLA, Radhabinod Koijam led the way, pointing out that the Governor`s Address in the House has failed to mention the policies and steps that the state government need to adopt to take advantage of the Look E...

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 wo...

Public hearing to be reconducted at site: Imphal, Dec 14: Public hearing on the Tipaimukh Hydro-Electricity Power Project for which the foundation stone was laid a year back in 2006 will be reconducted at the project site. According to an official source the public hearing on the environment aspect of the project follows a directive from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The ministry also asked the Manipur government to conduct the public hearing as early as possible at the project site. Mention may be made that many civil organizations based in the state like the Action Committee Against the Tipaimukh Project, ACTIP have been objecting to the construction of the project in Manipur. They are also blaming the authorities for conducting the public hearing at other places and not at the site where the dam is to be constructed. Protesting that a public hearing in Tamenglong district in November 2006 was not conducted in a fair manner, project opposers had also burnt down a government off...

State Govt. yet to act: Lamka, Dec 13: Despite the disquieting famine situation that is prevailing in Churachandpur, the SPF government has so far failed to initiate any steps to tackle the situation nor does it alert the Centre Government in this regard. The lackadaisical attitude of the state government was revealed by none other than the Outer Manipur MP Mani Charenamei. “That is what I have been told by the concern Minister (Union),” the Parliamentary member told this correspondent when inquired if the report on the half-hearted attitude of the State Government is genuine. It may be recalled that the Manipur Hills Journalist Union has already conducted a survey on the interior sub-divisions and made it known their findings to the Government as well as the general public. On 13 February, 2007 the district administration in its memo to the Commissioner (FCS), Government of Manipur has also alerted the Government on the apprehended scarcity of food grains in the interior sub-division ...