Sunday, August 31, 2008

How green was my Valley?



As the call for “azaadi” picks up momentum in the Kashmir Valley, young Kashmiris who have made a life and career for themselves in and around Delhi know where they want to be. They know azaadi will not get them jobs in Kashmir. And they don’t want to go back.

“No way will I go back,” says Afzal (name changed) who is in the hospitality business, owning a flourishing restaurant in a posh Delhi locality. “Go back and do what?” he says. In his late 20s, he spent his growing-up years in a boarding school. The stories he heard from his parents and grandparents were about a Kashmir that had ceased to exist several years ago. “The Kashmir my parents talk about was something I never saw. We left something that will never come back. My life is here. I have gained tremendously living in Delhi in terms of both family and property. I would not have been able to do so well financially had I stayed in Srinagar. If we had not moved out, I would have been sitting in some corner of a houseboat wearing a firan,” he says, smiling at the incongruity of the image given that he is a page 3 regular in Delhi’s social circuit.

But having said that, he adds, “Kashmir is in our blood, we cannot be separated from it. So here’s hoping that if azaadi does come about, we can get dual citizenship.”

For Javed, 45, (name changed) who is married to a non-Kashmiri and has two children, the issue of going back is linked with the practical nitty-gritties. “Azaad Kashmir will be a new country, it will take time to find its feet. It would take at least a decade for it to stabilise with its constitution, prime minister, government, ambassadors. At present there is no industry there, no business development. Going back would mean starting all over again for me. Idealism is all very fine and azaadi as a concept is great, but I do not see myself giving up all that I have achieved here. My business in Delhi is something I have created and I have done quite well for myself. I have been able to get international exposure and grown because of it. I honestly do not see myself going back,” he says.

“I will not go back unless someone actually holds a gun to my head or says that my family will be harmed if I do not return,” says Zainab, in her late 20s, who is a communications consultant and comes from one of Kashmir’s established families. “By leaving Kashmir because of the lack of opportunities there we have all lost and gained in equal parts. All of us who have left have lost our culture. But on an individual level, we have gained a lot in terms of money and professional growth,” she says.

For Majid (name changed) who runs a handicrafts business and whose wife is a doctor working in Delhi, it is a catch 22 situation. “Going back would be a disaster. There is no growth there. But we are also not treated like equals here. I have been trying to buy a house but as soon as it becomes clear that I am a Kashmiri Muslim, I find doors shutting in my face. While individually, most people I have interacted with have treated me well, it is the collective that reacts like a stereotype. Eighty per cent of the strangers I come in contact with see me as a militant just because I am a Kashmiri Muslim. I was detained at immigrations at Mumbai and missed my flight. Later I came to know that the officer who detained me for no reason had lost his brother to militancy in Kashmir. It was not my fault, but I became to face of militancy for him. Yet, I do not think azaadi is the answer. We all have our karobar spread out in India and abroad. We cannot go back,” he concludes.

Amjad, (name changed) a photography student, says that he had not been inside a restaurant before he came to Delhi. “My friends taught me how to order from a menu, how to talk to girls. In Srinagar, we were not allowed to go out after 6 pm. Here, I go for movies at 10 pm. My flat, which I share with three others is like a mini-India — one flat mate is from Haryana, one from Bihar and one from Bangalore. I am desperately looking for a job here. I cannot go back,” he says.

“What the f**k will I do if I go back? My career is here,” said Arshad, (name changed) a young Kashmiri mediaperson.

As more and more Kashmiri youth find their careers and the attendant fame and fortune outside the valley, the idea of azaadi for them seems to be more about having the freedom to live wherever they want rather than having the freedom to call Kashmir azaad.

What do you say: Should Kashmir be allowed to secede as some thinkers have suggested recently?

Return of Dengue



The aedes egypti is making trouble in Gurgaon now. But interestingly it’s not the slums, but the posh colonies of the city that have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes

Dengue has once again bared its fangs, creating an alarming situation in Gurgaon. Of a total 208 confirmed patients of dengue, 39 are being treatment in various government and private hospitals here. Other dengue patients have already been discharged.

Several of these patients, who become seriously ill are, however, are being shifted to hospitals in Delhi.

According to official sources, two people have died of dengue this summer, but unofficial sources claim that there have been four dengue deaths in Gurgaon.

“There is no need to panic as no fresh case of dengue has come to light for the last three/four days,” Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner Deepti Umashankar claimed.



Do you think hospitals in Delhi and NCR are well-equipped to handle dengue epidemic?

Occult, a new fad among teens



Teenagers today are increasingly getting drawn to occult practices, tantra and mantra. It is quickly becoming a rage. Most feel it is an easy way to fulfill the desires which would otherwise have been impossible.

A mantra to control the person one loves, casting spells to make things work the way one wants, these attractions seem quite alluring to teenagers who want to experiment with paranormal practices.

Pushpanjali Raj, a Class 11 student of DPS R.K Puram, who jumped to her death on Wednesday, is reportedly said to have been talking to to supernatural powers.

Geetanjali Kumar, a counselor, says, mystery behind occult attracts them. Occult science is becoming popular and is being increasingly talked about. The social networking sites and chatrooms provide a forum for teenagers where they open up and talk about the subject.

“Parents provide internet access to their kids but they fail to monitor the sites they visit. Parents should supervise their kids while surfing the net. There should be a connectivity, a hand-holding which is neither suffocating nor intruding. Also brain storming sessions and group discussion for about 15 minutes every day will help the counsellors and teachers to understand the mental state of the child. In Pushpanjali’s case, too, if there had been proper counselling, she would have been alive today.”

The with teenagers getting hooked to the internet and social networking sites, scrapping friends and stranger, is something they routinely follow. Networking sites like Orkut has communities on occult science and supernatural powers. Here are some of the scraps from one such site:

“Shubankara: destroying an enemy by name. Please tell me the safe rituals to destroy a particular enemy,” a boy on a community site called Occult Science asks.

Shubhankara got the following reply for his query.

“Abhishek: Hi Friend, though there are many ways to cause harm to anyone through these practices, let us not discuss it here for two reasons:

1. You are not an expert, if you make a mistake, you won’t be able to correct it. Sometimes, gun backfires!

2. Don’t believe about taking revenge ( I know that’s difficult) but let nature take

its course.

What is your take? Should occult practices be banned?

Free condoms during Games



Condoms will be the most commonly available thing for athletes during the Commonwealth Games 2010 if Hindustan Latex Ltd. (HLL) has its way.

What could be a reminiscent of the just-concluded Beijing Olympics — where 10 lakh free condoms were distributed among athletes — the state-owned company is exploring the possibility of distributing free condoms to athletes during the mega international event in the capital.

Aiims’ AIDS education and training cell coordinator Bir Singh said the idea is quite viable even in the Indian context. “We can’t preach a different social condition just to oppose it,” he said, adding the condom vending machines put up in prominent locations in the city were already drawing a good response.

Over 8,500 athletes and officials are expected to be here during the Games, being held for the first time in Delhi.

HLL is contemplating placing condom packs and vending machines in the Games Village and hotels where the athletes would be accommodated. In December last year, the HLL had also placed female condom vending machines at select pubs in the NCR.

Do you think free condom distribution will help spread AIDS awareness?

Friday, August 29, 2008

Power project if Congress comes to power: Fernandez

Aizawl, Aug 29 : Union Minister of State for Labour Oscar Fernandez today said that all pending power projects in Mizoram would be implemented if the Congress came to power in the state.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan here, Fernandez said that the main problem in Mizoram was lack of energy, which would be solved if the Congress was voted to power in the polls scheduled for the year-end.
Vylar Ravi, Minister of state for Overseas Indian Affairs, said that people of Mizoram deserved to be given more support for overall development activities.

“Mizoram needs better connectivity in land and air transport which the Centre is aware of and doing its best to improve connectivity in the state,” Ravi said.

AICC general secretary Margaret Alva and state PCC chief Lal Thanhawla were also present in the press conference.

Assam govt challenges release of Pakistanis

Guwahati, Aug 29 :The Gauhati High Court today admitted an appeal filed by Assam Government challenging the acquittal of two Pakistanis and a Bangladeshi along with four Indians by a trial court after their arrest for alleged involvement in anti-national activities.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice J Chelameswar and Justice Hrishikesh Roy admitted the appeal filed against the order passed by Kamrup additional sessions judge on June 12 acquitting the seven persons.
Additional Advocate General K N Choudhury submitted before the high court that the three foreigners along with the Indians were arrested on August, 1999 and during interrogation it was revealed that Mohammad Javed Waker and Faizulla Hussain were Pakistani nationals and deeply involved with terrorist organisations like Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.

The duo along with a Bangladeshi national, Mohammad Billal Miah and four other Indians were planning to create disturbance in the state and the order of acquittal passed by trial court is without proper scrutiny of evidence on record.

The three foreign nationals are currently lodged in different jails in the state in connection with other cases.

The court directed that if any bail application is moved by any of the three foreign nationals in any court, it must be transferred to the high court for appropriate order and also directed the secretary to state home department to monitor the matter.

Farmers pin hopes on fruitful fair

Imphal, Aug 29 : Come Saturday and the pineapple festival at Khousabung near the Churachandpur district headquarters will literally sweeten the mouths of the visitors to the event.

The first of its kind in Churachandpur district — the largest producer of pineapple in Manipur — the festival will be organised by a group of pineapple farmers with support from the district administration.

It will include cultural programmes, a beauty pageant and a soiree.
“This is the first ever pineapple festival in the district and we hope to attract several buyers from other parts of the state,” the secretary of the organising committee, Gin Gangte, told the media today.

With 300 pineapple farmers and more than 1,000 acres of cultivable land, Churachandpur produces 70,000 pineapples every season.

“The festival aims at providing the farmers a platform to discuss issues like marketing and promote pineapple cultivation,” Gangte said.

Though the farmers had a good harvest, marketing the produce was a problem.

The main markets are in Imphal city, Moirang in Bishnupur district and the district headquarters of Churachandpur.

“We have many success stories; come and listen to them during the festival,” Gangte said. The Pineapple Queen will be given cash awards, he added.

Till today, at least 50 cultivators have registered their participation and the organisers are expecting more to follow suit.

“We expect the event to be a grand success,” Gangte said.

The government is yet to respond to the Churachandpur farmers’ demand that pineapple be made the state fruit.

Pineapple cultivation started in the district in 1947 when Songpu Gangte, a local resident, planted 40 saplings he had brought with him.

Northeast car lifters form Vehicle Kidnapping Association

Shillong, Aug 29 : Strange though it may seem, car lifters in the Northeast have formed an association - Motor Vehicle Kidnapping Association - setting the police on its trail.

The association with its headquarters in Shillong is spread all over the Northeast including Ladrymbai, Karimganj, Silchar, Tezpur, Hojai, Nagoan, Patharkandi, Anitpur, Ratabari and parts of Mizoram, superintendent of police M K Singh said.
Before the police began its search for the car thieves, it was the Khasi Students Union which carried out overnight raids at Ladrymbai and Khliehriat in the Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya last Monday and apprehended six of them.

They were handed over to the police. The very next day the police arrested the main gang leader Abdul Fateh.

Mobile phones, daggers and a piece of paper, inscribed with the name of the association, were seized from the possession of the gang-members who were identified as Lias Mia, Govin Chetri, Sunil Barman and Pradip Kalita all from Assam, Sonu Tamang Nongrum of Pynursla and Plom Bareh of Mynkre, Khliehriat Pohsh Nong.

Lias Mia is reported to have confessed that one Abdul Pate alias Lambu from Silchar was heading the group and activities in Jaintia Hills were being controlled by one John Lyngdoh alias ‘Boss’.

Singh said the gang has confessed to have lifted at least six cars from the district alone.

Revealing the modus operandi of the gang: Singh said quoting one of the arrested Plom that the vehicles after being stolen were rushed to a petrol pump at Mynkre where a group from Silchar took over after paying commission to the group in Jaintia Hills.

A second group then drove the stolen vehicles to Shillong. From there another group took them to Tezpur and later to Nagaland and other parts of the Northeast, Plom divulged.

The Jaintia Hills group usually received Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 per stolen vehicle as “commission” which was later divided among the members.

The superintendent of police said more arrests of the members of the association were on cards as police were carrying out raids acting of revelations from the members.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

A mass rally participated by people from different section taken out to mark the 43rd Hunger Marchers’ Day




1965 heroes remembered fittingly
By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 27: Remembering the student leaders who sacrificed their lives during the August 27, 1965 agitation against artificial scarcity of rice in Manipur, the 43rd Hunger Marchers’ Day was observed today along with taking out a mass rally and paying befitting tributes to the martyred student leaders.
After offering floral tributes and paying homage to the martyred student leaders namely Nilamani, Nabakumar, Chaobhal and Pramodini at their Pishum Chinga Macha memorial, the mass rally was taken out till THAU ground at Thangmeiband where a public meeting was held.
Organised under the aegis of All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) as in the past, today’s function was also attended by representatives of Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM).
Presided over by AMSU president Khamba Laishram, the public meeting proceeded with Vice Chancellor of Manipur University Prof C Amuba taking the dais as chief guest and DESAM president H Ashir-jit Luwang, former AMSU presidents Y Priyokumar, RK Itocha, L Gojendra and S Budhichandra as guests of honour.
The meeting also adopted three resolutions. The first resolution stated that AMSU would fight against hike in the prices of essential commodities with the co-operation and support of the people. The second resolution stated that AMSU would continue its anti-drug campaign along with the support and co-operation of the teachers and students and the third resolution said that AMSU would fight against violation of human rights with the support of the people.
Earlier giving the key note address, general secretary of AMSU Premananda Tongbram recalled the events leading to the students’ agitation against artificial scarcity of rice in 1965.
Speaking as chief guest, Prof C Amuba observed that while paying homage to the student leaders who laid down their lives during the course of agitation against artificial scarcity of rice in 1956, attention should also be given to the problems of rise in the price of essential commodities today.
The main message and objective behind observing the Hunger Marchers’ Day should be unmasking the evil forces which are trying to usurp the rightful shares of the people, he added.
In his presidential address, Khamba Laishram pointed that AMSU has been observing Hunger Marchers’ Day every year to remind the people that AMSU is always at the beck and call of the people in taking up social causes
DESAM president Ashirjit Luwang, who also spoke at the occasion noted that the significance of the Hunger Marchers’ Day is not only for AMSU but for all the people of Manipur.
In the light of ever escalating price of essential commodities and people under the control of big businessmen, observance of Hunger Marchers’ Day has become all that more relevant today, he said, while exhorting the people to stand up as one against such evils in society.
Apart from former presidents of AMSU, leaders of civil organisations spoke at the meeting.

Arming villagers won’t solve Manipur problems

Arming villagers will not bring any solution to the situation rather it will lead to destruction. The state government’s recommendation of setting up Special Police Officers (SPOs) is obviously dangerous instead the state government should recruit villagers as regular police personnel, sociologist Nandini Sunder of Delhi School of Economics said while delivering a lecture on “Arming Villagers: The Chhatisgarh Experience” organized by the Centre for Manipur Studies, Manipur University at the University Recreation Hall in Imphal.

The talk programme was organised in the wake of the state government decision to set up SPOs in Heirok in Thoubal district and Lilong Chajing in Imphal West.

Prof Nandini pointed out that the outcome after some of Chhatisgarh villagers were armed against Naxalites by the government was the total breakdown of law and order and civil administrations. She said that atmosphere of terror with impunity to commit murders, rapes, and arsons are the results after arming them.

She also said that the use of Adivasis as human shields by the government forces against Maoist is another upshot Chhatisgarh had experienced after arming its villagers. Prof Nandini further said that dividing the fabrics of the society and destroying the traditional ways of life is also the essential effect on the social life of the Chhatisgarh villagers once they were provided arms by the government.

It may be mentioned that SPOs had been set up in Chhatisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir in an attempt to protect villagers from the rebels’ incursion. Each of the SPOs in Chhatisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir were enjoying Rs 1,500 per month as a token honorarium.

Prof Nandini Sunder pointed out that the SPOs in both the states have been complaining of irregularities in payment of their salaries.

She also opines that a mass based open discussion should have been organized before the arming of the villagers.

Prof Nandini Sunder, who had her education from the universities of Oxford and Columbia, serves at the sociology department of the Delhi School of Economics, was a part of the group of intellectuals who filed a case in the Supreme Court against arming of villagers in Chhatisgarh.

Singur: Where Do I stand?

Ratan Tata today expressed his dismay in Kolkata on the ongoing violence and agitation in Singur, the village outside Calcutta where Tata Motors is building a factory to make world's cheapest car - Nano. It is a big decision for Tata Motors, and I am sure they will consider all aspects and pull out only if the project is completely unworkable. This is a big moment for West Bengal too - the state of India I come from - as a pull-out will land a significant blow on the state's future prospects of inviting investment and development. It is a moment to decide, which side one's in, even if someone is as distant as I am. However, it isn't easy to take sides, considering the issues and personalities involved, and this is why so many Bengalis worldwide are in a state of confusion over this issue.

Let me explain. At about $2500, Tata Nano cars are bound to change the urban middle class of India - their consumption pattern, the way they shop and ultimately they think about their life. It was an interesting decision from Tata Motors to build this factory in West Bengal in the first place. West Bengal isn't known for its friendliness to industries, due to its leftist government who have actively sponsored industrial action and scared away most of the industries from the state in the past. But Tata's decision, partially facilitated by his excellent relationship with the state's Chief Minister, was an important step - a signal that West Bengal's industrial isolation was finally over, and spawned a new sense of optimism about the state and its prospects.

It is sad that it has to come to this. The state Government made a series of mistakes in implementing the deal. Out of their desperation to get Tatas to invest, they spread out a deal incredibly sweet - 900 acres of prime land near Calcutta [and on the main transport links] at a throwaway price. However, while part of this understandable and goes on to show the relative positions on the negotiation table [every state in India wanted the Tatas and this high profile factory; it was the prize project that could change West Bengal's perception as an industry friendly state], the government made a series of mistakes in communicating the details of the deal, underestimating the potential problems in acquiring land and the reaction of the media. All the Chief Minister, Budhdhadev Bhattacharya, the prime architect of the deal was concerned about was some prime time minutes for himself, projecting him as the turnaround artist for West Bengal, with the likes of Ramkrishna Hegde of Karnataka, among others. The way the communication exercise was handled goes on to show how complacent and inefficient the party in Government has become after thirty years of rule - they lost touch with people and their sense of accountability altogether.

Apart from the naivety of the Government, the other problem arose when the opposition leader, Ms Mamta Banerjee, a rable rousing loser, chose to make this deal an issue and wanted to fight for 'farmers' rights'. Ms Banerjee has proved herself to be an opportunist of the worst kind - she went in to launch a statewide agitation against this factory in Singur. Soon, the project was no longer the central issue at all - it became a referendum against the left rule and surely there are lots of people in the state who would love to see this government go. However, what Ms Banerjee did not realize, or did not want to realize, is that she was playing with fire - subverting this project will reinforce the industry-wary image of West Bengal and permanently damage its future. She did not care, precisely because she believed that she can not win an election anyway - all she wanted is some prime time minutes for herself and spoil Budhdhdev's party.

So, the state of West Bengal was caught between a Prime Time hungry Chief Minister and Prime Time hungry opposition leader. So were the Tatas, because the resulting violence and disorder is now threatening their project and will potentially delay the launch of the car. This car has now got world's attention - I have seen all big-name publications covering the news of the '$2500 car' - and such delay will be a huge embarrassment and cause competitive disadvantage, because many other companies have a budget car in their works.

It will indeed be very harmful for the state if Tatas have to pull out now. Mamta Banerjee's grasp over economic issues were always a suspect, but her comment that the Government should go ahead and allocate the 600 acres of land earmarked for the Tata factory, but return the other, 300 acres or so, earmarked for ancillary units, to the farmers, leaves me clueless. Does she think that ancillary units are not needed? Or does she think the job creation will happen in the main factory, and ancillary units have no impact on local jobs? And, who does she think will own and run the ancillary units? Tatas will have a choice of the states, but the ancillary units are owned by local entrepreneurs, who face potential ruin after investing in the units for last year or so. This will have a long term impact on the local economy, more harmful than just the loss of investor confidence and will result in real ruination of real lives, and I am sure Ms Banerjee does not care about this at all.

So, I am on state government's side, wants the Tata factory to happen, right? Only partially, in the fact that I want the Tata factory to happen. It is too big a cost for the state to back-paddle. But the State Government has messed up big time, and will only be saved by Mamta's foolishness. The true issues with this deal are not whether the factory should stay. The true issues are whether this is the right model of development - will such big name factories solve the state's employment problem? Hardly. The state government is as much biased against small industry as Mamta Banerjee. Their model of development is completely off the mark - in fact, they don't have any model except some cheap mimicry of the other pioneering Indian state chief ministers. They lack the vision and the perspective, and an intent to secure the future. As enterprise isn't something they care for, so is environment. Millions of small cars on the street and heavy industry around the city suburbs will not be a model of development in near future. Cities will have to compete with their environment and energy efficacy. Left parties voted against the nuclear deal recently shows us how much they remain tied to the past; their big industry model of development exemplifies how they continue to suffer from their failure of imagination.

BMW Case: The story so far

The much-publicised trial in the BMW hit-and-run case is nearing its end with judgment being reserved for September 2. The case dates back to January 10, 1999 when Sanjeev Nanda, the grandson of former Admiral S.M. Nanda, who was allegedly driving a BMW and was returning from a party in Gurgaon with his friends Siddharth Gupta and Manik Kapoor had rammed into a petrol pump near Lodhi Road. The crash resulted in the death of six people —Rajan Kumar, a CRPF constable, Ram Raj, a home guard, Peru Lal, Nasir, Gulab and Mehdi Hasan. Metronow brings you the various twists in the case over the last nine years.

Nanda’s unconditional “assistance package”

A good 20 days after the incident, Sanjeev Nanda’s family offered an unconditional “assistance package” to the families of the victims. Ignoring the fact that the case was in court, the family went ahead and paid the families compensation. They gave Rs. 10 lakh to each family. The compensation was given at a time when Sanjeev Nanda was still in police custody.

The Delhi Police sought the government’s permission to appoint city lawyer I.U. Khan as special public prosecutor in the case to match

the powerful set of lawyers representing Sanjeev Nanda which included R.K. Anand, D.C. Mathur and Ramesh Gupta. For eight years, the prosecution failed to get any evidence against the accused with Kulkarni as the only witness. All the other witnesses turned hostile. After recording Kulkarni’s statement in 2007, a sting operation conducted by a private television channel caught Anand, the defence counsel for Nanda and prosecutor Khan in collusion. The sting showed both attorneys trying to bribe Kulkarni into changing his testimony that implicated Sanjeev Nanda in the case. Khan was soon dropped from the case and Rajeev Mohan was

recommended as the new special public prosecutor.

Sunil Laxman Kulkarni: key witness & his story

Initially Sunil Kulkarni, a Mumbai-based businessman was dropped from the list of witnesses because of contradictory statements. Kulkarni later emerged as key witness in the case. He came up as a witness about six days after the incident.

His statement was recorded by the police under section 164 CrPC after which he stood by his words. However, when the trial in the case began and statement of three witnesses had been recorded, Kulkarni moved an application in the court of Additional Session Judge P.K. Bhasin in 1999 stating that he needed protection as the police was harassing him.

He also claimed in the application that the initial statement given by him was given under police duress. Kulkarni had claimed that the police were adamant on nailing Nanda as an accused. Soon after, the prosecution dropped him as a witness, predicting that he would turn hostile.

In 2007, however, prosecution once again recalled him. Kulkarni said in his statement that, “I did not see Sanjeev Nanda driving the vehicle.” However, he identified Nanda

as the man who was one of the three present on the night of the incident. In the court, too, he identified Nanda in the court as one of the men he saw that night. Kulkarni added, “I also heard someone say, ‘Lets rush Sanj, Sidh’”.

He also testified in court that three persons, who were inside the car. But he failed to identify who was driving the car.



What Khan failed to bring to the notice of the court

Evidence that prosecutor I.U. Khan failed to bring to court’s notice were brought out by Rajiv Mohan. This included key scientific evidence. Around nine finger prints were collected from the car, out of which two were collected from the steering wheel. The police had collected samples of blood stains found on the steering wheel and on Nanda’s shirt— seized after the incident—were of the same blood group.

Nanda, whose blood group —B+, was collected by the police during the investigation. The blood sample obtained from Nanda, however, was not analysed and thus got putrefied. They have again asked for Nanda’s blood sample. However the blood on the steering wheel is now putrified.

The wait is almost over, after almost a decade finally the judgment in the BMW case will be pronounced on September 2. Let’s hope justice delayed for so long is not justice denied.

Our question to you is: Do you think after so many twists, justice will finally be served in the BMW case?

Villains of the Valley - kashmir issue

Let there be no dispute over this simple fact: India is being banished from the Valley of Kashmir. Separatism is the mildest of words one can use to describe the soaring hate, which continues to be further accentuated by the flags of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan fluttering over erupting streets.


How certain countries colonise without firing a single shot! Or more aptly perhaps, how certain countries allow emotional secession with such stoic detachment! Shocking? Not to anyone in South Block. Not yet.

You may say this is the moment for all honourable men to come together for the sake of the Nation Endangered. To the shame of us all, in India of the moment, honour and nation are incompatible. It is not politically viable to be honourable.

And the nation is negotiable when immediate political dividends are higher. Nothing illustrates this truism better than Jammu and Kashmir, where India has vanished from the minds of those politicians who swear by Kashmiriyat and other such sonorous abstractions.

A divided Kashmir shows how far we have come in disowning the nation. If in the Valley it has exposed the communal instincts of the so-called mainstream politicians and provided an easy cause to professional separatists, in Delhi it has brought to the fore the UPA Government’s art of selective secularism—an art that has to be perfected on the eve of elections.

It is as if the entire political class needs the prism of religion to see a Kashmir they can comprehend. They have set the stage for those for whom India is only a second thought to play out their secessionist agenda.

And don’t blame it on God. Blame it on men who misread, mislead and misrepresent. A brief history of the Amarnath land dispute will tell us that much. The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) comes into existence in 2001, when Farooq Abdullah is the chief minister.

In 2005, the then governor S.K. Sinha, as chairman of the board, writes to chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed asking for land to accommodate the rising number of pilgrims. The forest minister passes an order allotting 40 hectares of land to SASB for temporary use.

While the government awaits clearance from various agencies, someone moves the high court for speedy allotment of land to the board. The court asks the state Government to permit the SASB to develop the forest land for the Amarnath pilgrims. Following an appeal by the state, a division bench of the court amends the earlier order stating that the use of the land “would remain limited for the duration of the yatra”.
Nothing much happens for the next three years. In June this year, the Ghulam Nabi Azad cabinet approves unanimously “the diversion of forest land measuring 39.88 hectares for raising prefabricated structures only for camping purposes of pilgrims without going in for construction of permanent structures”.

The order also makes it clear that “the proprietary status of the land shall remain unchanged” and it will be “returned to the Forest Department when it is no longer required by the SASB”. A deceptive calm follows, and it lasts just two days.

Then begins the campaign, quite incendiary in nature, and it goes like this: the Hindus are coming, it’s cultural invasion, it’s demographic sabotage, the land will be used for permanent settlement…The state Government, on its part, fails to convince the Valley that there is no transfer of ownership— a fatal communication gap.

The separatists—or secessionists?—have been waiting for a provocation. They get one and nobody bothers to read the fine print. Such anti-India veterans and wholesale merchants of hate as Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq hit the streets and declare war on the country which still indulges them.

National Conference President Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, driven by the fear of losing their political space in the Valley to the Hurriyat, join the anti-national movement and demand the revocation of the order.

Mehbooba threatens withdrawal of support to the Government if the order is not revoked by June 30. Azad succumbs. Sinha has been replaced by N.N. Vohra, a former home secretary and a favourite of the prime minister. The Congress high command—read 10 Janpath—decides to repeat what it is traditionally good at: minority appeasement.
And it has a trust vote to win in Parliament and every vote counts, including Mehbooba’s and Omar’s. Governor Vohra becomes a servile instrument of his political employer and the order is revoked.

Nothing more has been required for the emotional as well as cultural Balkanisation of the state. The economic blockade initiated by the protagonists of the Amarnath cause has only helped the mobilisation of anti-India—which means pro-Pakistan— sentiment in the Valley.

No nationalist— not to speak of the Government—has come forward to the rescue of India. The most visible flag in Srinagar has the Islamic crescent on it. Suddenly, Mirwaiz, Geelani, Yasin Malik and Omar are united in their cause.

When they mention “New Delhi”, it sounds like an imperial foreign capital. It’s the cry of azadi all over again. The secessionists, whom “New Delhi” lets flourish in the Valley, now demand the release of all political prisoners and demilitarisation of the state.
Kashmir is falling apart, and it seems the Centre cannot hold. Or short-term political expediency has triumphed over longterm national interest. The tragedy of the Valley cannot be reduced to the size of that anodyne comedy called Shivraj Patil.

Then he also happens to be the home minister of India, and going by what he says—which is as revealing as Bushisms—and does, we still don’t know what his idea of internal security is. He should be doing something more tolerable. And for the National Security Adviser, Kashmir is not a favourite destination.

Even the nationalism of the nationalists has a political subtext. BJP leader L.K. Advani may be right when he says that “the problem in Jammu and Kashmir today is not Hindu versus Muslim; nor is it even Jammu region versus the Valley. It is essentially nationalists versus the separatists.”

The Saffronites, by championing the cause of the shrine board, have turned the crisis into a real estate dispute between the aggrieved Hindu and the appeased Muslim.

The reality is much more frightening: the real estate at stake is bigger than those 40 hectares. The territorial ambition of the secessionists— what else does azadi mean?— has made Kashmir a disputed land, at least for a section of its inhabitants.

A Government that governs by communal appeasement and a political class that betrays the nation for the expansion of the votebank have only added to the force of hate. It’s a war within, and those who have the mandate to keep the unity of India intact are supplying the ammunition. The villains of the Valley are the enemies of the Republic as well.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Centre agrees to raise highway improvement fund for Manipur

I mphal, Aug 26: The Centre has agreed to the raising of funds allocation for improvement of national highways in Manipur to Rs. 40 crores from the existing Rs. 13 crores, a report from New Delhi said Tuesday.

Union minister for shipping, road transport and highways Thiru Baalu agreed to the same during a meeting with the state chief minister at New Delhi today to discuss the progress and status of various road sector projects in Manipur, said the source here.

On the request of the state chief minister, Thiru Baalu agreed to raise the allocation of funds for improvement of national highways in the state during 2008-09 to Rs. 40 crores from the existing allocation of Rs. 13 crores, the source added.

The minister also agreed to accord additional sanctions of works for improvement of Imphal-Moreh road (NH-39) of the state and also NH-150 leading to Imphal airport.

Thiru Baalu assured the chief minister that his ministry would also consider other proposals of the state government depending upon the resources etc, the source said.

Manipur chief minister, O Ibobi Singh is currently camping at New Delhi.

Sources here said that he is there to press the Centre as well as Planning Commission of India for early release of the plan outlays for the year 2008-09, most importantly the special plan outlay.

He is accompanied by officials of the state planning department and other concerned and has with him the utilization certificates for the SPA 2007-08 funds utilized by the state government which is behind the non-release of the funds allocated under SPA 2008-09. The planning commission of India had agreed to an outlay of Rs. 550 crores for the state of Manipur.

The state government, with the funds from the Centre, is currently undertaking works for the expansion and improvement of all the three highways - 39, 53 and 150 passing through the state.

While the eviction of encroachers along the Indo-Myanmar section of the NH-39 is in progress, the state Cabinet in a meeting on August 23 approved the expansion of the NH-150 from Imphal to Churachandpur which is around 61 kms in length.

The Cabinet approved expansion of the NH-150 from Keishampat bridge to Churachandpur town to make it 125 feet wide from the current 100 ft and asked the concerned state authorities to take up steps for demarcation of the land and identification of the land to be affected by the expansion.

It also approved the provision for adequate compensation to the affected land holders at the meeting.

Dismantling of structures including a women’s marketplace named Tampha bazar located opposite the Manipur University gate at Canchipur, on the eastern side of the NH-39 from Canchipur bridge to Lilong bridge which were built on encroached public land is currently underway.

The state PWD is demolishing the structures for expansion of the highway as well as for the purposed development of the Maharaja Gambhir Singh samadhi and Leishang Hiden, sources said.

Four-lanning of the Imphal-Mao section of the NH-39 is also under progress at present.

Despite the Govt announcement that all petrol pumps would be opened, Tuesday many did not do so until afternoon and a bee line

P
anic buying compounding fuel shortage
Despite assurance, many return empty handed
By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 26 : Despite the efforts made by the Government to ensure adequate supply of fuel to the people from today, many people had to return home dejected after standing in long queues as the fuel stock in most of the petrol pumps ran out before they could fill their vehicles.
Nonetheless, black marketeers continued to strive compelling the people to spend anywhere between Rs 65 to 70 for one litre of petrol.
Talking to The Sangai Express in connection with the limited stock of fuel in the petrol pumps, staff manning the oil pumps explained that adequate supply of fuel to the people could not be ensured as the Oil Depot at Chingmirong did not provide the fuel quantity required by these petrol pumps.
They informed that the fuel being provided by the Oil Depot to the petrol pumps is on the basis of the fuel lifted by the oil tankers which arrived at Imphal on August 24. After August 24, not more than three/four oil tankers have arrived at Imphal.
Oil pumps have been requesting to issue indent to supply 8 to 12 kilolitres of oil to each of the petrol pumps. But the Oil Depot could not ensure that. This shows that the stock of oil in the Depot too is running low, the staff said, while disclosing that with exception of two-three oil pumps, challans are issued for not more than 4 Kilolitres to other oil pumps.
In such a situation, the stock in the oil pumps which have been issued only 4 kilolitres of fuel run dry within two hours of opening the oil pumps. The culture of panic buying among the people whenever there is an oil crisis in the State has also compounded the matter, they pointed out.
The staff further explained that there are three compartments in an oil tanker of 12 KL capacity. So issuing only 4 KL to an oil pump is like dividing the fuel content from one oil tanker to three oil pumps. Apart from causing some problems in issuing challans for each compartment to three oil pumps, it is also a time consuming process.
Earlier each of the oil pumps was given the whole quantity of the oil from a tanker which is also an all-India norm. However, in case of Manipur, the IOC has given permission to issue challans for parts of the compartment. This creates difficulties to the oil pumps in ensuring timely supply of fuel to the people.
On top of this, there is the problem of scarcity of fuel in the oil pumps even if there is adequate stock in the Depot as adequate quality of the same is not released to the pumps.
On the other hand, to ensure adequate supply of oil to the people from tomorrow, the Oil Depot has reportedly issued 112 KL of petrol to 23 oil pumps till afternoon today.
According to information received by the press, the petrol pumps and the total quantity of fuel issued to them today are Bakliwal Enterprises, North AOC (4 KL); BB & Co, Sangaiprou ( 4 KL); DSLS & Co, Mantripukhri (4 KL); Kanhai & Sons, Thoubal (4 KL); Ksh Beikul Singh, Kakching (4 KL); Manipur Highway Service Station, Khabam (4 KL); Bitesh Gasoline Centre, Bishnupur (4 KL); Ibochou Service Station, Kakwa (4 KL); Imphal Oil Agencies, Chingmeirong (4 KL); Indo-Myanmar Oil Centre, Wangjing (8 KL); Jas Gas Station, Uripok (4 KL); K Nilo Singh, Langjing (8 KL); Khurai Service Station (4 KL); Konsam Oil Services, Langthabal (4 KL); M/s Yumnam Oil Service, Wabagai (4 KL); Nambol Service Centre (4 KL); PCTC, Khuyathong (12 KL); Th Sorojini Devi Filling Station (4 KL); Tiddim Service Station (8 KL); Tuibong Service Station, Churachandpur (4 KL); Tuks & Bons, Hatta (4 KL).
To ensure proper supply of oil to the people tomorrow, six Inspectors of the FCS Department would be deputed to inspect the oil pumps located in and around Imphal. An order has been issued in this regard.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Rain of Shine we love to play football.

Windmills from Assam spin success in state

WWinds of communal harmony are blowing through the corridors of innovation . Two Muslim brothers from Assam are sharing their successful invention of a lowcost windmill to lift groundwater with Gujarat farmers. Mohammed Mehtar Hussain (38) and Mushtaq Ahmad (28), residents of Darrang in Assam, have invented a low-cost alternative to pump water in fields - a simple windmill made of bamboo and tin sheets.


They were invited by Grass - roots Innovation Augmentation Network (GIAN) to set up their windmill in Little Rann of Kutch. “We have installed two windmills in Boda village to lift groundwater for salt pans. The experiment has been quite successful . The windmill draws 3,000 litres of water an hour at wind speed of 15 km/hr. If we get an average wind speed for at least 15 hours a day, we would get about 45,000 litres of water,” says Mahesh Patel, coordinator of GIAN.
The bamboo version has been modified to a metallic one that will change direction with changes in wind direction. A simple mechanism has been used to make the windmill multi-directional .
Blades have been given the appropriate angle so that higher wind power can be harnessed and water can be pumped from greater depth. Aluminium blades have been reinforced with wires. The cost of manufacturing a static model made of bamboo/eucalyptus is around Rs 15,000 while the multi-direction model will cost Rs 25,000, which is half the cost of a conventional windmill.
While Mehtar Hussain has installed seven units in the Northeast, GIAN plans to install 100 windmills in different villages in the state. “It’s an environment-friendly invention with low initial cost and zero operating cost. Also, it’s one of the best examples of technology transfer at grassroots level from one state to another,” says Professor Anil Gupta of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A ).

Says Patel, “The average requirement of water for a salt pan worker is about 80,000 litres. Two windmills can fulfil this requirement. Because of high crude prices, salt pan workers fall into debt trap. This windmill will be a good option for them.”

A windmill has also been installed at Kalawad village in Junagadh district to lift water from a well. Here, it moves continuously as the site receives wind with sufficient velocity all the time.

“We are recording observations of wind speed and water discharge at regular intervals . Farmers from surrounding areas have appreciated the design and are keen to install the windmill on their farms,” Patel adds.

The Centre for Energy, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, had done a technical analysis and a feasibility study of the invention in March 2007. The report had made recommendations to improve the performance of the model.

Manipur opts for NH-53

Imphal, Aug 26 : With hundreds of goods laden truck bound for Imphal stranded near Kohima on NH-39 following heavy landslides at Zubza, the State Government has decided to lift essential commodities including rice, sugar and fuel from the FCI godown at Silchar and transport the same through NH-53 on the ImphalJiribam route.

On the other hand the State Government has asked the authority of the IOC to make sure that fuel is available to the people at the petrol pumps from tomorrow.
Speaking to The Sangai Express an official source said that following the heavy landslide in neighbouring Nagaland and with hundreds of goods laden trucks stranded on the way, the rice and fuel stock is running low in the State.

It is to make up for the shortage of the essential commodities that the Government has decided to transport the essential commodities through NH-53, explained the source.

To lift the essential commodities from the godown at Silchar, FCI authority has deputed its trucks for the said purpose, said the source and added that at the moment, the stock of PDS rice in the State is 60,000 quintal.

The State Government has also asked the IOC authority to make sure that fuel is available to the people through the oil pumps without any hindrances from tomorrow.

There will be no bar on the quantity of fuel that a vehicle owner may want, said the source but added that the police has been instructed not to let anyone buy fuel in large quantity in jerry cans.

Two FCS Inspectors have also been deployed to check how many tankers have arrived in the State, how many tankers have unloaded their fuel at the Oil Depot and at the petrol pumps as well as to study whether the fuel have been spiked or not, added the source further.

Following the landslides near Kohima the petrol pumps in Imphal have been closed for most of the time.

Meanwhile the Deputy Commissioner of Kohima SA Sachopra Vero has sent a message to the State FCS Commissioner S Buddhachandra to inform the people concerned not to carry more than 14/15 tonnes of goods to Manipur through NH-39 until the condition of the highway improves.

Trucks loaded with more than 14/15 tonnes are facing a lot of difficulties in passing through the sunken zones due to the landslides.

A number of stranded trucks including 51 tankers and 23 goods laden trucks including two trucks carrying fertilisers have reached Imphal.

On the other hand anticipating that trucks carrying fertilisers may be heading towards Imphal a large number of farmers from Lamshang and Sekmai thronged Sekmai post today from early morning to check if any of the trucks were carrying fertilisers.

The farmers explained that they were constrained to check the incoming trucks as they are badly in need of fertilisers and they do not want it to fall into the wrong hands.


Farmers thronging the Sekmai post to intercept fertilisers truck

On hearing that the farmers were checking vehicles at Sekmai, Assistant Fertiliser Officer Ksh Gopen accompanied by his staff rushed to Sekmai to talk to the farmers.

By the time the official team reached Sekmai the farmers had dispersed and the Agriculture officer asked the OC of Sekmai police not to let the farmers disrupt the flow of trucks carrying fertilisers, said a source.

3678 villages in Northeast remain beyond tele-network

Agartala, Aug 26 : Altogether 3678 villages of Northeast are still remain uncovered from telecommunication network even after four years of merger agreement between Department of Telecommunication and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to connect all the remote villages with tele-link.

According to a document, 8931 villages in Assam, 1957 in Meghalaya, 876 in Manipur, 646 in Arunachal Pradesh, 96 in Mizoram, 75 in Tripura and 28 in Nagaland have not been connected with telecommunication network.
Talking to UNI here Tripura’s Information Technology minister Tapan Chakraborty said following sustain pressure from Northeast, the Union government had decided to provide Village Public Telephones (VPTs) in about 54700 uncovered villages under Bharat Nirman Programme through subsidy support from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).

The latest decision of the state owned BSNL, it would provide telephones to five and half lakh villages across the country and the telecom giant has also brought 30,500 villages under the reach of Broadband.

The scheme covers all villages except those having population of less than 100, those lying in deep forests and those affected with insurgency, Mr Chakraborty said and added that it would carry out under agreements signed by DOT with BSNL in November 2004. Provision of VPTs is included as one of activities under the Centre’s Bharat Nirman Programme.

About 5000 remote villages would be provided with VPT using satellite technology- Digital Satellite Phone Terminals (DSPTs), which were initially proposed to be provided on DSPTs, would be delivered through the wireless coverage now available in these villages on account of network expansion.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Arms licence racket busted in Nagaland

Kohima, Aug 25 : Amidst reports of fake arms licence rackets operating in Nagaland, the Dimapur police, in a major operation, has arrested two people from Dimapur town and seized some weapons and arms licences from their possession.

Official sources here today said acting on a tip-off that arms and ammunition were being supplied to miscreants from Dimapur, police raided two gun-repairing shops in the town on Eros Lane yesterday and arrested two people.
Police also recovered one country-made .22 rifle, one bolt .22, one empty GMM magazine, 12 bore KF 12 ammunition, one wooden gun butt and 15 licences of various arms.

Police also discovered one secret compartment, the storeroom of arms and ammunition, from where one .22 rifle, modified with a .303 bolt, was recovered.

A case was registered and investigation was on to apprehend the other members of the racket and the miscreants to whom they sold the weapons.

Mizo govt. to seek CBI probe into priest’s death

Aizawl, Aug 25 : The Mizoram government would soon submit an application to the CBI to investigate the mysterious death of Rev Chanchinmawia, former moderator of the Presbyterian Church Synod, state Home department sources said here on Monday.

State Deputy Home Secretary Romawia left Aizawl on Monday for Delhi with necessary papers to meet the CBI top officials, the sources said.
Earlier, the council of ministers decided to hand over the case to the CBI and state Home Minister Tawnluia sanctioned the probe by the agency.

Rev Chanchinmawia’s body, with several injuries caused by a sharp and pointed weapon, was found at his Khatla Pastor’s official residence on the morning of October one last.

A special investigation team of the state police after launching full investigations, concluded that the priest’s death was not due to homicide but a “suicide” and the final report was accepted by a district court.

Public outcry and the church’s contention that the pastor did not commit suicide prompted the government to re-investigate the case and hand it over to the CBI.

Monika case to be filed in SC

Imphal, Aug 25 : The Monika Devi issue is all set to find its voice in the country’s highest court, the Supreme Court of India in a couple of days time.

Disclosing this to Newmai News Network on Sunday, Deban, a member of Co-ordinating Committee Against the Conspiracy to Exclude Monika Devi from the Beijing Olympics, said that the committee would file a writ petition at the Supreme Court with regard to the Monika Devi’s sad incident for which the team may leave Imphal for New Delhi on Monday, August 25.
Deban further stated that full preparation has been done to bring justice in this regard.The member also said that legal experts in the Supreme Court have been contacted by the team and it is only the matter of time that justice would be delivered to weight-lifter from Manipur Monika Devi.

Deban then said that the team will also “see” the ongoing enquiry of Khrishnamurthy on the Monika Devi case.

It is pertinent to note that weight lifter from Manipur L.Monika Devi was barred from boarding the flight to Beijing carrying Indian Olympic team at the eleventh hour on the doping charge but the controversy was cleared and Monika Devi was given green signal to go to Beijing only to be informed few hours later that it was too late.

Manipur erupted and numerous forms of agitation followed called by several organisations. Condemnations from both hills and the valley echoed alike while strongly voicing against the exclusion of Monika Devi from the Beijing Olympics.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Decline in Assamese-speaking population in Bramhaputra valley

Guwahati, Aug 23 : The number of Assamese-speaking people in seven districts of the Brahmaputra Valley has registered a decline while that of the Bengali-speaking population has increased over a 10-year period from 1991 to 2001.

The 2001 Census data on the district and tehsil-wise language break-up stated that the population of Assamese speakers has declined in Barpeta, Darrang, Sonitpur, Morigaon, Bongaigaon, Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts.
Meanwhile, official sources said the decline had also been registered in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts, considered as relatively free from Bangladeshi infiltration.

Barpeta, Darrang, Sonitpur and Morigaon districts have a sizeable population of immigrant settlers, including indigenous Bengali-speaking Muslims from East Bengal, who had settled in Assam during pre-Partition days, and those who migrated from the erstwhile East Pakistan. Most of them mentioned Assamese as their mother tongue during successive Censuses.

Meanwhile, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) stated that these figures had only strengthened their long standing viewpoint that infiltration had been continuing unabated in the state.

In the three districts of the Barak valley - Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi - the Assamese population is much lesser than Bengali and Hindi speakers.

Interestingly, in Barpeta district, the number of Assamese speakers in 2001 was 7,74,229, down from 8,68,199, recorded during the 1991 Census. The number of Bengali speakers increased to 7,35,845 from 3,95,063.

SoO signed, Truce Enforced with Kuki groups

Imphal, Aug 23 : After a series of turns and negotiations and brain storming sessions, the ground rules for the Suspension of Operations between the Government and Kuki armed groups, represented by the KNO and UPF were signed today.

While the KNO represents 11 groups, the UPF represents eight outfits.
From the side of the Centre, Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry in charge of North East, Navin Verma appended his signature to the agreement while the State Government was represented by Principal Secretary (Home) DS Poonia.

Eight members each from the KNO and the UPF also signed the agreement.

The signatories from the side of the KNO are its vice president Lanminthang Vaiphei, defence secretary TS Haokip, cabinet member TS German Kuki and another member Joshua Kuki while the signatories from the UPF include its general secretary ST Thangboi Kipgen, members Calvin H, TL Jacob Thadou and David Hangshing.

Talking to The Sangai Express an official source said that the Director in the Home Ministry AK Goyal and State IGP (Intelligence) LM Khaute were also present at the meeting today.

With the signing of the ground rules, the SoO has come into force, said the source and added that it will be for one year.

The agreement can be extended if there is mutual agreement and understanding, added the source.

The UPF had initially expressed its reservations over some points contained in the ground rules of the SoO, said the source and added that they eventually relented and signed the agreement after their doubts were clarified during the meeting.

Though no time frame has been set on when to start the peace talk, a Joint Monitoring Group headed by the State Principal Secretary (Home) DS Poonia has been formed.

One representative each from the KNO and UPF are also in the Monitoring Group.

Another meeting will be held to fix the date and place for the peace talk to start, informed the source further.

Some of the significant points of the ground rules include, issuing Identity cards to all the cadres of the two groups by the Government, payment of Rs 2000 to each cadre monthly for maintenance as well as identifying and building the designated camps.

The cadres will not be allowed to move out of the designated camps with arms and all designated camps will be located a good distance from the National Highways as well as international boundaries.

The outfits have been told to strictly adhere to the ground rules laid down.

When the talk starts it will be under the ambit of the Constitution of India, said the source and added that the territorial integrity of the State would not be compromised on account of the peace process.

In case cadres want to move out from their designated camps, then prior information should be given either to the State or Central forces for security.

Northeast students add colour to youth exchange programme

Some 96 students from Seven Sisters participating in the programme. The programme is being held in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad

Let’s celebrate: Students of North Eastern States performing at the inauguration of Inter-State Youth Exchange programme at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam

They came attired in bright colored native costumes, with some sporting traditional headgear, playing their traditional instruments, attracting attention of all.It was a different experience for those who are used to attend academic and sober meetings at the TLN Sabha Hall on Andhra University campus here on Friday, thanks to the students from North Eastern States who are here as part of the inter-State youth exchange and home-stay programme for the youth of North Eastern Sates.
It was a pleasant surprise for Vice-Chancellor B. Satyanarayana and Registrar P.V.G.D. Prasada Reddy when all the 96 students of seven North Eastern States attending the programme, received them in their traditional manner and took them inside the hall singing songs, playing drums and clapping their hands. Prof. Satyanarayana met all the students individually.

This reception has prompted the Vice-chancellor to say that it was for the first time for him to see such a welcome being accorded to some one in his 40 years of association with the campus and he would never forget it.

Inaugurated
Prof. Satyanarayana, who inaugurated the programme, said such exercises would further strengthen the bonds between people of different regions. He wanted the students to derive the best out of the camp. They could experience the Andhra culture and the life style. The programme would be held in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad. The students would stay with local families from August 24 to 27 apart from going round the city and its important places and interacting with different sections. They would arrive in Hyderabad on August 28 and the valedictory function would be held on August 30, NSS Programme Coordinator of AU P. Ramachandra Rao said. The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs, Andhra University, NSS and the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development are jointly organising the programme.

Prof. Prasada Reddy, who presided over the inaugural session, said the youth would play an essential part in the national integration in a country which was having the unique quality of unity in diversity.

He urged the students to think about others and share their happiness with others. Assistant Programme Advisor of NSS Regional Centre (Hyderabad) K. Rajendran and former NSS Programme Coordinator of AU P.S. Dikshit said it was a wonderful opportunity for the students of the North East to understand the culture and different aspects of Andhra Pradesh. NSS Coordinator of North East States Tanusree Sarkar, Programme Officers of different States Tejan Tora (Meghalaya), A.K. Mishra (Arunachal Pradesh), Debojit Kolita (Asom), Subal Sharma (Regional Centre, Guwahati) and Biaki (Mizoram) also participated.

Obama’s half-brother a slum dweller in Nairobi

Huruma (Nairobi): His birth certificate shows that he is Barack Obama’s half-brother. George Obama lives in Huruma slum in Nairobi, far away from the glamour of the US presidential campaign.

He says that Obama’s history helped him come to terms with his own past.
“I think I wanted to learn about my father the same way he did. He came here. He was searching for his roots. I was trying to find my roots,” says George.

Barack Obama, who first met George when the Kenyan was a young child, called the experience a ‘painful affair’. George shared the awkwardness.

“I think maybe you don’t have anything to say, it is like meeting someone for the first time,” George stated.

Barack Obama’s father left his family in America and came to Kenya where George Obama was born. They share the same father but they couldn’t have had more different paths.

While Barack Obama grew up in Hawaii and INdonesia and settled in Chicago swiftly gaining prominence, George Obama has led a very different life, growing up in the ramshackle slums of Nairobi.

Some of his neighbors feel that perhaps the candidate Obama should help the brother Obama.

“I am a Kenyan so definitely I would like to live in Kenya,’ says George.

George is training to be a mechanic and helping out his extended family as best he can. He says he knows why Barack Obama will be president.

“I think because he wants to be. I think in life what you want is what you are supposed to get,” says he.

George will be rooting for his brother come November while drawing inspiration from the story and history that they share.

With pumps closing due to low stock motorists make a bee line for petrol being sold in black


Truce with Kuki groups
SoO signed, enforced

IMPHAL, Aug 22 : After a series of turns and negotiations and brain storming sessions, the ground rules for the Suspension of Operations between the Government and Kuki armed groups, represented by the KNO and UPF were signed today.
While the KNO represents 11 groups, the UPF represents eight outfits.
From the side of the Centre, Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry in charge of North East, Navin Verma appended his signature to the agreement while the State Government was represented by Principal Secretary (Home) DS Poonia.
Eight members each from the KNO and the UPF also signed the agreement.
The signatories from the side of the KNO are its vice president Lanminthang Vaiphei, defence secretary TS Haokip, cabinet member TS German Kuki and another member Joshua Kuki while the signatories from the UPF include its general secretary ST Thangboi Kipgen, members Calvin H, TL Jacob Thadou and David Hangshing.
Talking to The Sangai Express an official source said that the Director in the Home Ministry AK Goyal and State IGP (Intelligence) LM Khaute were also present at the meeting today.
With the signing of the ground rules, the SoO has come into force, said the source and added that it will be for one year. The agreement can be extended if there is mutual agreement and understanding, added the source.
The UPF had initially expressed its reservations over some points contained in the ground rules of the SoO, said the source and added that they eventually relented and signed the agreement after their doubts were clarified during the meeting.
Though no time frame has been set on when to start the peace talk, a Joint Monitoring Group headed by the State Principal Secretary (Home) DS Poonia has been formed. One representative each from the KNO and UPF are also in the Monitoring Group.
Another meeting will be held to fix the date and place for the peace talk to start, informed the source further.
Some of the significant points of the ground rules include, issuing Identity cards to all the cadres of the two groups by the Government, payment of Rs 2000 to each cadre monthly for maintenance as well as identifying and building the designated camps.
The cadres will not be allowed to move out of the designated camps with arms and all designated camps will be located a good distance from the National Highways as well as international boundaries.
The outfits have been told to strictly adhere to the ground rules laid down.
When the talk starts it will be under the ambit of the Constitution of India, said the source and added that the territorial integrity of the State would not be compromised on account of the peace process.
In case cadres want to move out from their designated camps, then prior information should be given either to the State or Central forces for security.
Railway line
By Our staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 22: Notwithstanding the declaration of Jiribam-Imphal railway line as a National project by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, survey work for the Tupul-Imphal section of the railway line is yet to be started. Moreover, revised compensation proposal for standing crops likely to be affected by the railway line has not been submitted to the Government by Horticulture Department and PWD till date. The 125.7 kms long Tupul-Imphal section was slated for completion by 2014. Nevertheless, with the completion of survey work on Jiribam-Tupul section, track laying work has been started from Jiribam side, informed an official source. As the Horticulture Department and PWD are unable to submit revised compensation proposal for standing crops likely to be affected by the railway project, the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary are unable to take up steps for distribution of due compensation. The Jiribam-Tupul section of the project with estimated cost of Rs 2714 crores is targeted for completion by 2012. The railway line will pass through 25 tunnels and 135 small bridges and 35 large ones. There has been no security deployment at Govakot, Hangoipat and Thingaou for implementation of the railway project even though security deployment at these places were deemed necessary.




Friday, August 22, 2008

378 kidney stones extracted from Mizoram man

Aizawl, Aug 22 : Doctors at the Aizawl Civil Hospital have extracted 378 kidney stones from a 62-year-old man.


“In my long career as a surgeon, this is the largest number of kidney stones I have ever extracted from a patient,” Dr K Lalbiakzuala, Head of the Hospital’s Surgery Department said adding, it might also be a World Record.

The operation which took place on Wednesday lasted for three hours.

Akademi unit for NE opens in Shillong

Shillong, Aug 22 : The Sangeet Natak Akademi has opened its first regional centre here, aiming at integrating the diverse culture of the ethnic communities of the Northeast.

“The region is a special area of concern for the Akademi. The diverse art forms of the region should be integrated in a meaningful way,” said Akademi chairman Ram Nivas Mirdha during the inauguration of the centre here last night.


He said the Shillong centre would sponsor programmes, inspect the activities of cultural institutions, implement central schemes and conduct surveys. The centre will also document the vanishing art forms of the region and prepare an archive of indigenous cultures and heritage.

The Arunachal Pradesh representative of the Akademi, Y.D. Thongshi, said, “The Northeast has a rich culture inherited from its forefathersbut it is yet to be exposed to the world. The centre should provide a platform to promote the region’s art and culture.”

Eminent singer Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and other noted personalities were present at the inauguration.

Second Ulfa crack unit sends feelers

Guwahati, Aug 22 : Two months after Ulfa’s militarily most potent fighting force — the 28 battalion — declared a ceasefire, its counterpart in Lower Assam — the 709 battalion — is ready to follow suit.

A highly-placed police officer today said the 709 battalion’s leadership was in touch with the police top brass and a formal ceasefire by the group was “likely very soon”.Jiten Dutta, a leader of the 28 battalion, confirmed the development today saying, “Some of the leaders of the 709 battalion are in touch with us.” He said the 28 battalion leadership has been in touch with the leaders of other battalions on the peace process.

Dutta, along with Mrinal Hazarika and Prabal Neog, two other leaders of the 28 battalion, will travel to an undisclosed location in Lower Assam on August 24 and 25 to meet the leaders of the 709 battalion. “We recently received a positive response from some of the leaders of the 709 battalion,” Dutta said.

A senior police officer in Lower Assam said almost the entire leadership minus Hira Sarania has been in touch with the police and the army. “It is a just a matter of time before the battalion comes overground,” he said, indication of which came yesterday after nearly 15 cadres of the 709 battalion, led by Bhaskar Rajbongshi, came overground and informed the police about their intention to join the peace process.

Rajbongshi is the fourth in the hierarchy of the battalion after Hira Sarania, Amar Das and Akash Thapa alias Saranga Patowary.

The official said Saranga has also been sending feelers about his willingness to join the peace process. “He will come overground within a couple of days,” the police officer said.

After the 28 battalion, which operated in Upper Assam, the 709 battalion has been responsible for all the violence in Lower Assam, including Guwahati. It has its operational areas in both districts of Kamrup, Nalbari and Bongaigaon in Lower Assam.

Security forces believe that once the 709 battalion joins the peace process, Ulfa will virtually be without a striking unit since the other two battalions, the 27 and 109 battalions, are not as active at the deadly duo.

Sources said it could not be confirmed whether Sarania, the commander of the 709 battalion, was willing to join the ceasefire process. But his deputy Amar Das expressed his keenness while discussing the matter with the other leaders of the battalion.

Another source said Das was currently commanding the battalion since Sarania had been lying low because of ill health for almost a year now. The709 battalion has a cadre strength of not more than 60.

Manipuri opera limps back to centrestage


An opera tradition that was banned in Manipur by a Hindu fanatic in the late 19th century for its radical presentations is slowly making a comeback, though with some alterations to suit contemporary taste.

So from plain narration of the epic love story of Khamba and Thoibi, Moirang Parva has stretched its ambit to include discourses on state politics, women’s empowerment, oppression and whatever the director fancies.
Earlier this month, Theatre Mirror Manipur and the state Shumang Lila Council organised a Moirang Parva presentation at Iboyaima Shumang Lila Shanglen, Imphal, at the end of a monthlong workshop on the opera form. Director Naba Wareppa did not hazard interpolations though, and decided to stick to the basic format of a simple love story.

The story in brief goes like this: Thoibi, daughter of crown prince Chingkhuba, is in love with an orphan, Khamba. Her father, who wishes her to marry the rich and powerful Angom Nongban, sends Thoibi into exile at Kabo, now in Burma.

There, Thoibi hatches a plan to escape and meet Khamba. She pretends to die and sends news of her death to her father. A heart-broken Chingkhuba gives in to a suggestion from Thoibi’s consort that her body be taken to Khamba’s house for “revival”.

Thoibi grabs this opportunity and lands in Khamba’s house to tell him about her feelings. A simple story, simply told, but by the middle of the play one understands that “radical” presentations were probably not the only reason why Moirang Parva went into oblivion.

Of course, the British-backed Churachand Singh thought the operas were too “non-Hindu” in temperament in 1891 and found it reason enough to choose episodes from the Ramayan, Mahabharat, Kangsha bodha, and Gouralila over Moirang Parva.

But from the presenter’s perspective, Moirang Parva is far more difficult to stage.

Making the melodrama of opera look good takes a seasoned cast that is equally deft at singing, dancing and mukna, the traditional Manipuri art of wrestling.

And that’s where Moirang Parva failed — in its cast. The women artistes were extraordinary but the men were a let down. On the whole, it remained a visually unappealing show.

Radio regains lost regime in Mizoram

Aizawl, Aug 22 : ‘When we grow tired of all this visual. Radio what’s new? Radio, someone still loves you,’ sings the British rock group ‘Queen’, perhaps predicting the revival of the popular audio medium recently eclipsed by the idiot-box revolution.

The song seemingly inspired the people of Mizoram as the radio is seen regaining its lost popularity among the masses, thanks to the FM music programme that kicked-off on August 15.
”Youngsters in the city had hardly tuned into the AIR before we introduced the channel. Apart from English and Hindi hits, most wanted numbers are aired to glue them to radio,” Station Director L CH Sailo maintained.

The AIR Aizawl station was currently training 40 youths as radio-jockeys, out of which 12 had passed out, Mr Sailo added.

”The RJs have a good taste of modern music, speak fluent English and Hindi. Some of them are experienced as DJs in the big cities,” the director informed.

The FM music channel starts from 1700 hours and lasts till 2200 hours, which can be tuned in from mobile phones and car tapes. The duration might be extended up to 1200 hours in the near future, he added.

”Since its inception on August 15, I am staying tuned to the programme. It’s a good programme,” said Valpuia, a taxi driver in Aizawl. ”I had never been interested in AIR programme before the FM channel came out,” 16-year-old girl Marini added.

The AIR deputy director general C Lalrosanga said today that the programmes would be gradually improved. ” We would also include headline news in course of time,” he said.

”Till the early 70s, only a few people in Aizawl afforded a transistor radio. In those days, radio was the only means of mass communication. All the neighbours swamped the house of a well-to-do family who had a radio to listen to music,” prominent journalist Lalkhawliana, 72, recollected.

Farmers staging a rally to protest the non-availability as well as the inflated price of fertilisers in the State


Shortage of fertilisers
Farmers protest, face grim prospect

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 21 : Protesting the non-availability of fertilisers or selling them at inflated prices if at all it is available, a large number of farmers from Patsoi Assembly Constituency today took out a protest rally from Patsoi Bazar to Moidang-pok.
On the other hand, Assistant Fertiliser Officer of the State Government N Gopen has clarified that the problem of fertiliser shortage in the State has come about as a result of frequent bandh and blockade in the State, occurrence of landslides in Nagaland and some technical problem in the factory of Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited at Namrup in Assam.
Organised under the aegis of Nongchup Imphal Loumee Shinmee Chaokhat Thourang Lup, the protest rally attended by a large number of farmers was taken out to highlight the problems being faced by the farmers in view of non-availability of fertilisers in the market even though this is the time of the season to use the fertilisers as well as against the inflated rate even if it is available.
Talking to The Sangai Express, Assistant Ferti-liser Officer N Gopen clarified that the problem of fertiliser shortage in the State has come about due to various factors like frequent imposition of bandh and blockade in Manipur, landslides along the Natio-nal Highway in Nagaland besides some technical problem in the factory of Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited located in Namrup of Assam.
While informing that subsequent to the proposal of the State Government to the Government of India to provide 34,000 matric tonne of urea for this year a target is being kept for lifting 3996 matric tonne of urea within the current month, Gopen said and added that out of the total quantity to be lifted, 3312 matric tonne had already been loaded in 184 trucks.
However, out of these loaded trucks, only 71 have arrived at Imphal while the rest have been stranded along the National Highway following landslides in Nagaland.
Once the stranded trucks arrive, there would be no shortage of fertiliser in Manipur, Gopen assured.
The Fertiliser Officer further informed that the remaining load of urea lying in the factory would loaded onto the trucks from tomorrow.
Earlier during the rally the farmers raised slogans demanding adequate supply of fertilisers and fixing its price and carried placards inscribed with words like ‘Respect the farmers’, ‘Don’t bleed the blood of the farmers’, ‘Government should provide fertiliser at a cheaper rate’, ‘Agriculture Minister who cannot ensure adequate supply of fertiliser to the farmers should resign.’
After the rally, a joint meeting was held at the Sanglen of Ibudhou Korou-hanba at Moidangpok with president of Nongchup Imphal Loumee Shinmee Chaokhat Thourang Lup RS Khuraijam, social worker Joy Nongmaithem, NIMPAL president Th Rashileima, NIPCO secretary Sunil Karam, UPF secretary O Bikramjit and social worker S Tomba as presidium members.
After a serious deliberation on the issue, the meeting unanimously resolved that the Government should take up necessary measures at the earliest possible to ensure adequate supply of fertiliser along with fixing a reasonable rate in consideration of the difficulties being faced by the farmers.
In case the Government fails to act, the meeting decided that the farmers would launch intense agitation with the support of the people.
In order to solve the problem of non-availability of fertiliser being faced by the farmers every year, the meeting also mooted that a stock policy of the fertiliser should be maintained in the State.
Furthermore, the meeting resolved that the Government should ensure supply of PDS items to the people at the rate fixed by it as well as the full quantity.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Where merit comes last


Why is a troubled corner of India not basking in Olympic glory?

By Patricia Mukhim
While the country of one billion is in celebration mode, the people of Northeast India are feeling left out and wronged. Manipur’s L. Monika Devi, a medal hope for India in weightlifting, lost the opportunity to prove herself because of a dope test that was tweaked. Monika Devi was first declared to have tested positive. For a moment, Manipuris hang their heads in shame, even as the picture of an anguished Monika tearfully pleading her innocence before TV cameras wrenched at our heartstrings. And then, just after the Beijing contingent was finalized, came the announcement from the Sports Authority of India that the dope test was not, after all, positive. Monika was cleared of the charges, but not soon enough for her to board the Beijing-bound plane.

How could the highest sporting body be so callous when dealing with a prospective medalist? A dope test is by all means a complex process. Instances of weightlifters testing positive are common, and not just in India. But only when the tests are positive beyond any reasonable doubt, is action taken against the offender. In Monika’s case, the condemnation came faster than the authenticity of the test. Refuting and challenging the results in a country where even post-mortem reports of highly sensitive cases are fudged is a tall order.
Most shocking, however is the complete lack of remorse over this monumental blunder. Neither SAI nor the IOA consider it appropriate to apologize for the goof-up. That there is complete disregard for the sentiments of the players by the sports ministry mandarins and the creamy layer of sporting associations, is an understatement. For athletes coming from a region that already feels alienated, to be subjected to such ignominy is akin to being treated as children of a lesser god.

The Northeast is a natural talent pool for sports like archery, football and basketball (despite the short physique), boxing, weightlifting and martial arts. Even in the absence of standard training facilities, states of the region, particularly Manipur, continues to produce national champions. With just 0.2 per cent of the country’s population, Manipur has been producing Olympians, even though they have had to work doubly hard to make their mark in the highly competitive sporting arena, Manipur and Assam were placed second and third respectively in the last national games, next only to Services and ahead of all the mainland states.

But sports and politics go hand in hand in India. This dangerous combination ensures that those selected for training under the best coaches at home and abroad may not necessarily be the best athletes.

Anywhere else in the world, a billion-strong human resource would have been a goldmine from which to dig up nuggets of talent. It is important to ask ourselves why this has not happened in the case of India. Our obsession with cricket has made all other sports look like pastimes. We need to bring them to the level of cricket. Our selection process needs to be freed of nepotism and favouritism. It would be wrong to think that the people of the Northeast are deficient in patriotism. If this region has one serious drawback, it is that it has no one to pull the strings in the corridors of power in Delhi.

Unless India establishes a system where raw guts, hard training and fair competition can exist, we will continue to languish in the sporting dumps. But that can only happen when we begin to promote merit above all else.

Churachandpur vows to fight Mautam on its own


Imphal, Aug 21 : With no form of Government relief anywhere in sight, despite the wide media coverage and the uproar raised by civil society organisations, the people of Churachandpur have now decided to take the fight on their own.

“The theme of our campaign (Mautam Famine Aid, 2008 Campaign) is let us help ourselves.
We have begged the Government, foreign and international agencies but we have to lead the fight,” the chief co-ordinator of Committee Rev Khen P Tombing said while addressing the media today.

“We have collectively won other wars before, now we need to fight this war against famine on the same footing” he said calling on the people to extend their co-operation to the campaign.

The campaign is scheduled to be formally launched on August 23, in the presence of the district’s social and political leaders with a defining footage captured on lens on Monday by its own representatives.

On the day the public will be urged to participate through an open letter wherein a form will be attached, while selective individuals will receive a special appeal.

Being a dominantly Christian community, the committee will initiate the Churches to declare August 31 as Mautam Sunday and request them to collect offerings for the affected lives, beside a mass prayer solely for the cause.

On September 5, a concert for the hungry will be hosted with artistes from Mizoram and Myanmar, and an open campaign for this will also be initiated as the other campaigns kick-off said its organisers.
Speaking on the sidelines of the press conference, an Editor of a local monthly magazine who was part of the team that captured some defining shots of rodents attacking the fields said, the situation is much graver than he had anticipated.

“The rats have eaten everything, anything eatable in the field,” he said.

“We were to camp just for a night, but by 7.30 pm we have more than enough clips.

The rats were not very much alarmed even as we flashed our torch light and clicked them with our cameras with all the flash bulbs,” he said.

Suangdoh, the roadside village where they captured the photo is within Singngat sub-division and is not considered the heart of the rodent menace.

“At Lungthul (E), the rats could even be killed with sticks, which implies that they are no longer afraid to come near humans,” he quoted a resident who he met on the way as saying.

At Maukot village, a mere 35 kms from here, the journal editor claimed that a farmer has cut-off his entire maize field as rats have completely devastated them before they could be harvest.

“I usually do not come across any rats though I usually guard the fields till 8.30 pm everyday but in the morning it was a different story, rats here strike by midnight,” he quoted the farmer as saying.

Modern times have arrived in the hills of Arunachal Pradesh


Itanagar, Aug 21 : In Arunachal Pradesh where poor network of roads severely restrict people’s choices for outside entertainment, the newly-launched FM radio has come as a good alternative.

In fact the FM radio, launched here recently by a Guwahati-based company, has become sort of a craze as people often stay up late enjoying the latest mode of interactive entertainment.
If FM radio has spiced up the otherwise hum drum lives of Arunachalese, the arrival of mobile phone and cable tv together with bank ATMs and cyber cafes has revolutionised the life style, bringing in the modern times.

The radio jockeys were surprised when listeners from different hilltops around the stadium-shaped town participate in witty exchanges and request for playing songs they want to dedicate to their loved ones.

This was a new experience for the mixed population of locals and settlers from different parts of the country who earlier went to sleep a little after sunset till a few years ago.

Visitors to this city till 2005, including this reporter, were flummoxed at the sight of cordless phones, connected to landline phones at homes, being carried by people in the streets.

It was possible in the city, surrouned on all four sides by high mountains, as there was no high structure to act as barriers to the communication signals, it was revealed. To the credit of the Arunachalese, they have adjusted eminently with the symbols of modernity given their wont for tradition and customs to rule their lives.

ATMs are a common sight now. Satellite based computer system with video conferencing facility helped the autorities launch E-governance in all the 16 district headquaters recently.

The Arunachal Chief minister, Dorjee Khandu, while inaugurating the FM radio service at a glittering function here recently expressed his hope that the FM radio would not only air musical programmes, but also play a constructive role in spreading rich culture and tradition of the State.

The first song on demand aired was Khandu’s choice Pyar Deewana Hota hai — sung by Kishor Kumar in the film Kati Patang. But the inaugural song was Bhupen Hazarika’s Hamara Arunachal.

Bollywood playback singer Vinod Rathod was full of appreciation for the zeal and enthusiasm of the audience who braved heavy rains to listen to music till late in the night at the function at Indira Gandhi park here.

Locals are well versed with Hindi which is taught as the second language in the schools in the Himalayan State bordering China. With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh annoucing a Rs 20,000 crore package for all round development of the backward State including a modern road network, the distant Himalayan State is in for exciting times.

Mizo women dominate workplaces, education


Aizawl, Aug 21 : A woman and an old fence should be replaced is a chauvinistic Mizo saying. But it has been proved wrong with empowerment of women in traditionally strict patriarchal tribal society in Mizoram.

A visit to the main market in the capital city, Aizawl, reveals that most meat and vegetable sellers are women.
A majority of shops which sell ready-made garments, shoes, groceries, books and imported electronics are also manned by women.

“The fruits of our efforts towards the success of women’s empowerment in the past 11 years have been demonstrated in many sectors,” Rozami, President of the Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP) or Mizo Women s Federation, said.

She, however, said the MHIP taught its members to respect the authority of men as Mizo society followed the patriarchal system.

“We are not keen to invade the authority and jurisdiction of our men even if we have become empowered,” she said.

Social workers, who do not agree with Rozami, claimed that rampant drug addiction among the youth had adversely affected the male workforce.

This opinion is supported by the fact that amongst the 1133 people killed by drugs in the state since 1984 till date, 1018 are men and the state excise department record says that a large majority of drug addicts are boys.

146 killed as plane swerves off runway


Medical personnel tend to an injured passenger in Barajas Airport on Wednesday.
MADRID: A Spanish airliner bound for the Canary Islands swerved off the runway while departing from Madrid’s Barajas airport on Wednesday and caught fire, killing 146 people, Spanish national radio said.

Earlier, the Interior Ministry said that 45 people were killed.

It said there were 178 people aboard the Spanair flight. It is the height of the summer tourist season in Spain, when families take holidays throughout the country.

At the airport, helicopters and fire trucks dumped water on the plane, which ended up in a wooded area at the end of the runway at Terminal 4. Thick columns of white smoke billowed from the scene. Dozens of ambulances raced to the scene.

An official with the Madrid emergency rescue service SAMUR said crews were removing injured people and bodies from the plane, calling it a “catastrophe.” — AP