north east online - north east india news: Jun 4, 2008

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

CID on trail of dummy medical students

Guwahati, Jun 4 : At least 10 MBBS students currently studying in various Assam medical colleges had engaged dummy candidates to appear for them in the combined entrance examination of 2005-’06, the CID said today.

This shocking piece of information came a day after the investigating agency arrested a fourth semester student of Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh, Atikul Hussain, with his father and sister, on charges of hiring a youth to write the entrance examination for Atikul in 2006.The answerscripts of the 10 students who allegedly used impersonators to write their entrance exams to Gauhati, Dibrugarh and Silchar medical colleges have been sent to the forensic science laboratory for “matching”, a CID official said.

“All of them (the 10) will be formally arrested very soon on completion of the necessary formalities,” inspector-general of police (CID) Dilip Kumar Bora said.

Atikul’s arrest yesterday was the outcome of a CID investigation into alleged anomalies in the medical entrance examination in the state.

“Atikul’s father Afzal had paid Rs 2 lakh to one Kundan Kumar of Bihar for writing the exams for his son while his sister Afrina has established the link with the racket,” a source said.

Afrina was a classmate of Mahboob Alam, who was arrested by the CID with two other students of Assam Veterinary College, Shimanta Kumar Singh and Rakesh Kumar Sarma on June 13 last year on charges of running a “dummy candidate racket”.

“Afrina struck a deal with Kundan Kumar through Alam to sit for her brother in the exam. After Kumar wrote the exam for Atikul and he cleared the test, Afzal paid Rs 2 lakh to Alam,” the CID officer said.

Kundan is absconding.

The Hussains, who are residents of Hatigaon, have been booked under Sections 419, 420 and 120 (B) of the IPC.

Atikul and Afzal, who is a retired employee of State Co-operative Marketing and Consumers Federation Limited (Statfed), were remanded in five days’ CID custody while Afrina was sent to judicial custody after being produced in the court today.

Twenty-eight persons have been arrested by the CBI in this connection so far.

The state government handed over the case to the CID in 2006 after receiving a large number of complaints about anomalies in the medical entrance examination.

Telegraph India

Assam wants life terms for rhino poachers

Guwahati, Jun 4 : The Assam government has proposed tough anti-poaching laws ranging from heavy fines to life imprisonment to combat a rise in the slaughter of rhinos by organised crime syndicates.

“We are contemplating certain amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 for an increase in the prison term for poachers from three to 10 years and doubling the quantum of fine to Rs.50,000,” Assam Forest and Wildlife Minister Rockybul Hussain said on Tuesday.“If a poacher repeats the crime we want life imprisonment so as to deter people from carrying out rhino poaching,” the minister said.

The decision to introduce tough laws comes in the wake of a rise in rhino poaching at the famous Kaziranga National Park, besides other wildlife sanctuaries in the state.

If the amendments come through, a poacher will be tried by a senior court, one with a sessions judge.

Armed poacher gangs have slaughtered 10 rhinos so far this year in Kaziranga and Orang sanctuaries for their horn.

“We are committed to protecting the rhinos and have hence deployed additional frontline staff at Kaziranga, besides devising other strategies to combat poaching,” Hussain said.

As per latest figures, some 1,855 of the world’s estimated 2,700 one-horned rhinos lumber around Kaziranga - their numbers ironically making the giant mammals a favourite target of poachers.

“It is really unfair when some organisations and individuals accuse our forest guards of being hand in glove with poachers. Such statements demoralise the workforce,” the minister said.

Last year, 18 rhinos were killed by poachers, the first time in a decade that the number of rhinos killed in a year in the park touched double digits.

Between 1980 and 1997, some 550 rhinos were killed by poachers in Kaziranga - the highest being 48 in 1992.

There was a reduction in the number poached between 1998 and 2006, with 47 killed during this period. The decrease was attributed to intensive protection mechanisms and a better intelligence network, coupled with support from local villagers living on the periphery of the park.

Organised poachers kill rhinos for their horns, which many believe have aphrodisiac qualities besides being used as medicines for curing fever, stomach ailments and other diseases in parts of Asia.

Rhino horn is also much fancied by buyers from the Middle East who turn them into handles of ornamental daggers, while elephant ivory tusks are primarily used for making ornaments and decorative items.

Profits in the illegal rhino horn trade are staggering - rhino horn sells for up to Rs.1.5 million ($38,000) per kg in the international market. Once extracted, the rhino horn is routed to agents in places like Dimapur in Nagaland, Imphal in Manipur and Siliguri in West Bengal.

The route for rhino horn smuggling is an interesting one - a possible route is to Kathmandu via Siliguri and then to China and the Middle East. The other possible route is from Imphal to Moreh on the Manipur border with Myanmar and then via Myanmar to Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and China.

IANS

Poorly-framed ‘ceasefires’ add to Manipur chaos

Imphal, Jun 4 : The suspension of operations, SoO, agreements maintained by the Indian Army with several insurgent groups in Manipur for several months now appear not to have the desired effect.

Incidents of wanton extortion, monetary demands and abductions for ransom continue unabated and has even increased after the SoOs came into effect, the influential civil society group, the United Committee, Manipur (UCM), pointed out in a memorandum submitted to the Governor of Manipur, Dr Shivinder Singh Sidhu, seeking his urgent intervention.Citing the present situation of chaos in the border town of Moreh, where border trade has been paralysed for several days because of huge monetary demands imposed by an armed insurgent group, the Kuki National Army, on the Imphal-Moreh highway, the UCM said it was a clear indication of the unrestrained freedom allowed to the militant groups under the SoOs.

The Kuki National Army is one of several ethnic Kuki militant groups observing suspension of operations with the Indian Army.
“Rather than curtailing the unlawful activities of these groups, the SoO has enabled the groups to carry out subversive activities more freely and openly,” the UCM contended.

Asking if these groups have been provided with license to kill, harass and exploit innocent people, the UCM questioned why these activities were taking place despite presence of thousands of security personnel.

While appreciating the intentions behind the SoOs, the UCM called for a more pragmatic policy to tackle the problem of insurgency. It said the interest of the public should be kept paramount by the government in its efforts to settle the problems besetting the state.

Several armed insurgent groups of Manipur mostly belonging to ethnic Kuki groups have signed suspension of operation with the Indian Army. The Manipur government had initially objected, as the agreements were made without its knowledge or consent. However a move is currently under way for the state government to formally participate in the SoOs after framing appropriate ground rules, including restrictions on the movement of militant cadres, and disclosure of their strength and firepower.

SNS

Manipur tops insurgency-related violence in 2007

Shillong, Jun 4 : Manipur tops the list of insurgency- related incidents and casualties in the past one year. The Union Home Ministry status paper on internal security situation spelt out 414 militancy-related incidents in the Northeastern region, where 131 civilians and 171 extremists were killed.

In the past one year, there were 153 militancy-related incidents in Manipur alone. Fifty-seven civilians lost their lives and 64 extremists were gunned down, revealed the status paper.Altogether, there were 153 incidents reported in which the security forces lost 39 men. In Nagaland, the number of insurgency-related incidents was reported as 67, in which 15 civilians and 10 extremists were killed.

The paper reveals that during the same period, there were 152 incidents in Assam, in which 55 civilians lost their lives and 35 extremists were killed. The security forces lost seven men in the process in Assam.

Tripura known for its volatile situation witnessed 31 reported incidents, where two civilians and three extremists were killed. As per the status paper, there is not a single casualty on the security force in the past one year in Tripura.

Violence in Meghalaya was negligible with only three reported incidents and only one civilian being killed.

NNN

Village counts gains of a battle between states

Guwahati, Jun 3 : Sometimes even a controversy can do a world of good.

At least, this holds true for Lampi (known as Langpih in Meghalaya) in Kamrup district, which is set to become the next big thing on Assam’s tourism map.

Even before the unknown and unexplored Lampi hit the headlines for being the bone of contention between Meghalaya and Assam, the Kamrup district administration shot a video of its hills and waterfalls for chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who promptly wanted it developed as a eco-tourism site.Sources in the chief minister’s office said deputy commissioner R.C. Jain, credited by most for giving a new lease of life to the moribund Assam State Transport Corporation during his stint as its managing director, has been entrusted with the job of executing Project Lampi.

Of course, there will be help from the minister in-charge of the district, Himanta Biswa Sarma, who laid the foundation stone of a health centre there and the AGP MLA Jyoti Prasad Das who feels that tourists no longer need to think about Shimla or Shillong once Lampi was ready.

Lampi is a planner and architect’s paradise. Being largely unexplored and sparsely populated, it provides an open field for development.

And once it’s connected by road, it will be a two-hour drive from Guwahati.

But what about the dispute over Lampi, with Meghalaya accusing Assam of trying to occupy its little hill destination?

“Well, the local populace, which is a mix of Khasis, Garos, Rabhas and Nepalis, earn their livelihood by cultivating orange, ginger and maize, and desperately want development and are apparently backing the Kamrup administration,” a source said.

“Only the Khasis feel that the area is in West Khasi Hills. The area has been under the Kamrup administration and we are happy with the development plans,” Lampi gaonburah Chakrabahadur Chetri said.

Giving a sneak-peek into the “beautiful” work in progress, Jain today said the whole idea was to develop Lampi into a popular hill station of Assam.

“Its tourism potential is immense. Along with Kamakhya, Umananda, Hajo and Sandubi, Lampi will also be an added attraction for tourists. To retain its basic character, we issued a circular while carving out the 28-km road from the hills from Kamptoli to Upper Lampi in December-January that there would be no land settlement or allotment. We would like to develop the area in a such a way that its basic character can be retained,” Jain said.

It may take a little longer for Lampi to be transformed into a tourist hotspot, but the controversy around it has already made it a household name in both Meghalaya and Assam.

Telegraph India

Union Tourism Ministry sanctions Rs 10 crore to Arunachal

Itanagar, Jun 4 : The Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned Rs ten crore to Arunachal Pradesh during March this year, for setting up an Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) in the state capital.

Official sources said here today the construction of the institute will be completed within two years.

The initiative of establishing the institute has been taken up by the National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT) and it would open more such institutes in the Northeastern region, the sources added.All the states in the region have been sanctioned one IHM each by the Union Ministry of Tourism with a time frame of 18 months for completion of the projects.

The NCHMCT would open four institutes in the region - one each in Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, the sources said.

The construction work of the project would start soon under the supervision of technical representatives from the Tourism Ministry, the sources added.

UNI

Mizoram’s domestic workers vulnerable to abuse:NDWMUT

Aizawl, Jun 4 : The Mizoram unit of the National Domestic Workers Movement Welfare Trust (NDWMWT) has contended that a large number of domestic workers in Mizoram, mostly Myanmarese migrants, are being subjected to not only sexual, but also verbal and physical abuse.

Police today arrested a person after the organization filed an FIR with the Bawngkawn police station on behalf of a 16-year-old Myanmarese migrant, who was allegedly molested by her employer on May 30.The organization also alleged that the accused had earlier molested several of his maidservants. NDWMWT programme coordinator Moses Lalsangzuala said some of the victims of sexual abuse did not reveal their ordeal out of shame and fear of losing their jobs.

Meanwhile, the Chin League of Women stated that there were more than 3,000 Myanmarese girls working as domestic help in Aizawl alone. The NDWMWT has been working for the welfare of the domestic workers by holding counselling sessions and workshops. So far, it has provided job placements to 20 and vocational training to 15 domestic workers.

Extreme poverty and military excesses, including rapes, in their own country had driven the Myanmarese girls to neighbouring Mizoram, where fear still haunts them , a social worker for Chin women told UNI here.

The NDWMWT had been endeavouring to educate the domestic workers about their rights and protection, but the message could not be reached out to the majority of them due lack of social awareness.

“We conduct workshops every Sunday which is their only off day, but only 20 to 30 of them turn up. This is mainly because many of them do not want to be identified as Myanmarese migrants for fear of deportation. At the same time, their employers do not allow them to attend the workshop,” a NDWMWT worker said.

UNI

Miracle cancer curing herb in Churachandpur

Saikot, Jun 3 : Appreciation has come from many quarters to Chawlien Hmar, 82, of Saikot village in Churachandpur district for discovering a herb which may prove to be a miracle cancer curing remedy.

The herb is traditionally known as Zanlung Damdei and found in Saikot village and its vicinity.Hearing of his success, a team of scientists from the Institute of Bioresource and Sustainable Development in Takyelpat under the initiative of the project coordinator Mohindro Singh Khaidem of the Manipur Small Farmers and Agri Business Consortium, collected the Zanlung Damdei plant along with the potions made from the plant from the Chawlein Cancer Medicine Research Agency in Saikot yesterday for sceintific research to find out the chemical component of the plant.

The IBSD team including natural product scientist, Ch Brajakishore with the objective of tapping the potential of this bioresource to convert it into an asset for the state during a visit yesterday.

It was also a rare moment for the team to see the working of the open air laboratory at the Saikot research centre where the plant extracts are prepared with the traditional hand pounding method after the green leaves and tender shoots are obtained from the forest.

Depending on the quantity of leaves adequate water is mixed with it. Though the source of the water could not be ascertained so far there are no reports of patients suffering side effects or from water borne diseases.

The resource persons who visited the research agency commented that the open air laboratory was not that hygienic and there were chances of infection.

They also observed that there were chances of extinction of the life saving plant if the present trend of harvesting the plant continued without replanting and also there were possibilities of major side effects due to adulteration by undesirable toxic plants.

The resource persons further said that unless intellectual property rights are registered soon by the state the plant could be misused by unrightful owners. Therefore, the research and development institute working in the state should immediately intervene and conduct a detailed study of the plant and on the other hand the concerned department should take up measures for its sustainable growth and protection from exploitation.

Hundreds of patients today wait to get treatment given by Chawlein Hmar with his plant extract at the Chawlein Cancer Medicine Research Agency in Saikot village, about 6 kms from Churachandpur town. Most interestingly as the plant has become popular, small vendors and shops on the roadside have the green plants and extracts filled in plastic bottles with plant saplings displayed for sale at their stalls.

An analysis of the chemicals and the medicinal value of the Zanlung Damdei plant will be done by the IBSD scientist through various processes taking more than 45 days in order to confirm its medicinal properties, and if the scientists are able to prove its usefulness in curing cancer and other ailments, the IBSD will propose to the Central and state governments the need for its extensive cultivation and give credit to Chawlein Hmar for the discovery, an official of the IBSD mentioned.

IFP

No new district: Mizoram Cabinet

Aizawl, Jun 3 : A Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Zoramthanga, has decided not to create any new district.

The Cabinet meeting, after deliberately discussing and viewing from different angles the demands for Hnahthial, Khawzawl, Saitual districts and trifurcation of the existing Lunglei district, found it not feasible to create any new district as of now, official sources said here today.The Cabinet meeting, which started on Friday, resumed today and finally concluded this afternoon.

The meeting also discussed the demands for regularisation of work-charged, contractual and muster roll employees under different departments.

The Cabinet, as per the Work Charged Regularisation Scheme 2000, agreed to regularise about 60 work-charged/muster roll workers.

However, there were more than 1,000 such workers in power, public health engineer and public works departments, sources said.

The rest of them will avail improved service conditions like they will be entitled to medical reimbursement, GPF subscription, leave, promotion and different allowances, sources added.

While agreeing to make regularisation scheme for contract basis employees in different departments, the Cabinet decided that the Centrally-sponsored ”Operation Blackboard” teachers remained contractual.

UNI

Central Ministry looks at Northeast for minerals

New Delhi, Jun 3 : The ministry of mines is now looking at the north-eastern part of the country to tap the significant mineral resources in the region. According to sources in the ministry of mines, Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd (MECL) has done an exclusive mapping of the region and has found significant mineral deposits in the area. The states include Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Meghalaya among others.

The department of atomic energy (DAE) has already planned to tap uranium in Meghalaya, which has the third largest reserves of the mineral after Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. The new survey done by MECL has found considerable deposits of limestone, glass sand and coal. The MECL is expected to make a presentation before the minister of mines Sis Ram Ola sometime next month. A decision on whether to allow private players to undertake mining will be decided after the meeting. This is part of the government’s strategy to explore mineral reserves in the country to ensure availability of key minerals.Limestone constitutes the largest bulk in terms of input to cement. For producing one ton of cement, approximately 1.6 tonne of limestone is required. The total limestone deposit in the country is estimated to be 90 billion tonne. Andhra Pradesh has the largest share at 34%. The new find by MECL can lead to cement industries shifting base to these states, as most cement producers prefer to have their plants near the limestone deposit to reduce transportation cost. “The survey has been very promising and mining activities can lead to significant production of these minerals,” said a source.

Mining in the form of using limestone in brick kilns already exist in the area, but the survey is expected to further boost commercialization in the region. The survey will also take succor from the new National Mineral Policy 2008. The source, however, pointed out that most of the minerals found are based in insurgency-hit areas like north Cachar and Karbi Anglong in Assam. “It will be difficult to tap the mining potential in these areas because of insurgency. I do not know if any one would like to go there,” the source added. Earlier this month, insurgents killed 10 railway employees working on broad gauge conversion and another 12 were killed at a cement factory.

UNI

Myanmarese migrants cause demographic nightmare for Mizoram

Aizawl, Jun 3 : One winter evening Aye Aye Win, carrying a small bag, left Thantlang town in Chivninno west Myanmar and crossed over to Champhai in Mizoram to escape harassment by Myanmarese military informers.

The Myanmarese junta were after her because she was actively involved in the pro-democracy movement led by Suu Kyi.A student leader, Win can now relax in Mizoram as the Chins and Mizos share a common physical appearance and have the same food habits and linguistic accent.

There are many Myanmarese who entered this tiny hilly north eastern Indian state illegally, though the state government claims that there were only 43 Myanmarese nationals in Mizoram who have refugee status.

For the past twenty years, Mizoram, having a population of about nine lakh has been hosting a Myanmarese population estimated at 70,000 to 100,000, according to Julien Levesque and Mirza Zulfiqur Rahman, researchers at the Guwahati-based Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies.

According to them, Myanmarese migrants could be classified into two — refugees, who were settled in Mizoram and migrants, who came and went in search of economic opportunities.

The influx of Myanmarese nationals through the porous 404-kilometre international border not only endangered the demographic balance of the small population in the state, but also posed danger of the spread of HIV/AIDS and increased drug trafficking from the infamous Golden Triangle, they said.

Women League of Chinland coordinator Cherry Jahau candidly admitted that they had migrated to Mizoram illegally. “There was no law to abide by. What we need is legal protection.”

At a seminar on ‘Burmese refugees and migrants in Mizoram’ organised by the Young Mizo Association (YMA) here recently, Jahau claimed that Mynamarese migrants in Mizoram were ‘political refugees’.

“They left their country in fear of the military junta. It is sad that nobody is even keeping a register of how many people flee their country. By ignoring these people, we are ignoring major humanitarian issues from forced labour to religious persecution of Christians,” she said.

Another speaker Suanmoi Gangte, Secretary of the Zo Human Rights Global Network, said that over 60,000 Myanmarese migrants in Mizoram were seeking ‘legal protection’ from the state government.

Gangte urged the YMA and the state government to forward their plight to the Centre to arrange refugee status for Myanmarese migrants in Mizoram.

Development programmes like the proposed Kaladan Multi Modal Transport Project to link Mizoram from Sittwe port in Myanmar through inland waterways ightprove beneficial so far as Indian citizens were concerned, Jahau said.

“But they will only increase forced labour and forceful confiscation of land from the ethnic tribes in Burma,” she said, adding, “What we want is sustainable development for the people which is impossible until and unless democracy is restored. Let democracy come first in Burma.”

The real danger, however, lay in the demographic imbalance the immigration might create in this small state which could trigger unrest like the incident of rape of a minor by a Myanmarese national in 2003.

Around 10,000 Myanmarese nationals were forced to return to their country by irate and xenophobic Mizo youths after the incident.

A leader of the YMA shared this fear saying “A regular exodus of Myanmarese to Mizoram. Such migrants are looking for jobs to earn their living and the local population is using them as domestic help and cheap labour on construction projects and various other activities,” he said.

“A small state with a population of less than 10 lakh, if added to by such unregistered migrants begged for a situation that Assam is currently facing,” he added.

State Chief Minister Zoramthanga, while expressing concern over the increasing criminalactivitiethe state’s porous border with Myanmar and Bangladesh, urged Union Home Minister Shivraj increasing criminal activities along the state’s porous border with Myanmar and Bangladesh, urged Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil at a meeting in New Delhi in March 2006 to take effective steps to curb cross-border crime.

Zoramthanga also highlighted the presence of Myanmarese insurgents and the frequent influx of illegal migrants from that country.

PTI

Delhi spurns Jewel offer, gathers forces

Silchar, Jun 2 : The Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) may have offered peace on a plate, but a disgruntled Delhi is busy drawing up an elaborate security menu to “stamp out” the outfit from the troubled North Cachar Hills.

Both Dispur and Delhi are considering a proposal to induct more troops from the Dimapur-based 3 Corps to bolster the strength of the army in the district, said reports reaching the North Cachar Hills headquarters in Haflong.The district has 46 armed companies drawn from an array of central security forces, including the BSF, CRPF and the IRB, besides the army.

The army last week reshuffled its forces in the district, to replace the artillery formations, which were earlier moved to Haflong from the 57 mountain division’s headquarters in Masimpur.

The Prime Minister’s Office has asked Union heavy industries minister Sontosh Mohan Dev to discuss the army’s new role in the district with the defence ministry next week.

Dev, now in Delhi, ruled out any “compromise” with the DHD (J), which, according to him, is a pack of goons out to terrorise the people by their campaign of extortion and senseless killings.

The DHD (J) declared a unilateral ceasefire on March 25, following which at least one round of talks was held between its representatives and the Assam police top brass as spadework before a dialogue with the government.

However, the outfit picked up the gun again last month after the army allegedly gunned down a dozen of its members.

In swift retaliation, DHD (J) rebels gunned down a locomotive driver, 10 truck drivers and injured three railway personnel.

Fearing further attacks, the Northeast Frontier Railway withdrew its services on the 185-km stretch between Lumding and Badarpur and emptied a number of stations on the route.

While a couple of goods trains are back on track following assurances of security from Dispur, NFR has still not steamed off any of its passenger trains on the route.

With the broad gauge conversion and East-West corridor projects running way behind schedule thanks to rebels, the Centre now wants to root out the menace altogether.

Telegraph India

Mizos are heaviest tobacco users

Aizawl, Jun 2 : Mizos are the heaviest tobacco users in India, Mizoram Health Minister R Tlanghmingthanga has said.

“Mizos top the list of Indians in tobacco usage, putting the country at the number one position in four types of cancer,” he said while addressing the World No Tobacco Day function here yesterday and added, “This is really shameful, and it is high time that we forsake this habit to improve the health condition of the nation in general.”He continued, “Tobacco is harmful in any form. It not only affects the health of the smoker, but also people in the vicinity as second-hand smokers.”
“It is estimated that as many as 55,000 children in India begin smoking from the age between 10-15 and a large number of them live in this State,” according to the Tobacco Cessation Clinic at the Aizawl Civil Hospital.

According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 54 per cent of 2,295 school-going children they surveyed use tobacco in some form or the other.
Speaking on the occasion, Health and Family Welfare Commissioner and Secretary JC Ramthanga said that most tobacco users in Mizoram started the habit from the age of 10-15.

“It is estimated that about 54 per cent of Mizo youths indulged in tobacco usage, of which 35 per cent acquired the habit from their parents,” he said.

UNI

Delhi aid sought on fencing

Guwahati, Jun 2 : A team from the Assembly, which wound up a two-day stock-taking visit to the Indo-Bangladesh border today, has all but concluded that Dispur cannot complete the border fencing, particularly in Karimganj district, without the Centre’s involvement.

The five-member consultative team of the Assembly, headed by Assam Accord implementation minister Bhumidhar Barman and comprising MLAs Keshav Mahanta, Jiten Gogoi, Chandi Basumatary and Bhupen Borah, toured Silchar and Karimganj to inspect the fencing.Senior bureaucrat P.K. Chowdhury, officials of the two districts and members of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) accompanied them during the site verification.

AGP legislator Mahanta and the Congress’s Bhupen Borah said they would finalise their recommendations in the next sitting of the meeting. However, the inspection has made it clear that the two stretches — one 3.5-km long and involving Karimganj town, and another 2.8-km long in Lathi Tilla in Karimganj district — cannot be fenced by Dispur alone.

“The Centre has to take up the matter at the highest level with Bangladesh. This stretch would otherwise remain open making the entire exercise meaningless. We will sit and finalise the recommendations in our next sitting. Till then we have asked the administration to increase the patrolling in the very porous areas to prevent influx,” he said.

Mahanta also said after interacting with the agencies involved in the fencing work like PWD, National Buildings Construction Corporation and National Projects Construction Corporation, that the work in the other stretches should be complete by March 31.

The residents of Karimganj town objected that if the fencing was done, a section of the town would fall outside it. Moreover, around 94.6 acres at Lathi Tilla will come under the possession of Bangladesh.

The team, an official source said, has recommended the protection of Malegarh Tillah in Karimganj built during the Sepoy Mutiny.

The team’s observations should help Dispur, which has been under tremendous pressure from the influential AASU to complete fencing at the earliest.

Assam shares a 272-km land border with Bangladesh and fencing it was part of the 1985 Assam Accord to prevent largescale influx.

Telegraph India

Cancer Boom stalking Nagaland…

Dimapur, Jun 1 : Unaware in the public arena, life-threatening cancer forms are quietly increasing in Nagaland and according to reports, over the years, cases have gone up drastically. Although accurate figures are not available, a few prominent hospitals’ records show that numerous and a good number of rare types of cancers have been detected in the past few years.

According to records made available by Zion Hospital, Dimapur, cancer incidences in that hospital have gone up from 141 confirmed cases in 2006 to 161cases in 2007 and in 2008, within a span of just five months 97 cases have been confirmed. That is a quantum leap of 12.42% from 2006 to 2007 and 17.05 % of average within 2008’s first five months’ report. Stomach cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer among Nagas, it is found.And this is attributed to ethnic food habits. Dr. Moatoshi Aier a Pathologist at Zion Hospital stated that smoked food stuff like meat, bamboo-shoot and fermented food contribute to highest risk of stomach cancer formation. Zion Hospital records show 36 cases of stomach cancer in 2006, 47 cases in 2007 and from January to May 2008 show already 30 confirmed cases.

A doctor in Bethel Hospital Kohima said that a deadly virus in smoked meat and moldy (rotten or decomposed) food, a delicacy for some Naga tribes is known to cause cancer. Dr. Lima, a Radiologist based in Guwahati said that he gets an average of about 10 cancer cases a month among Nagas. He however confirmed that the numbers could be much higher as patients are treated in various other departments according to the type of the cancer.

Esophagus cancer is also very common among Nagas. The primary cause of this type is the use of tobacco and alcohol. Zion Hospital recorded this type of cancer as second highest with a rise in about 6% since 2006. Bethel Hospital also sees many cases of stomach cancer. The hospital over the years has also more commonly detected cancer of the ENT among its patients and records an average of 10 to 15 new cases a month. Although esophageal cancer and cancer of the ENT can be genetic, it is observed that in both cases most are acquired due to tobacco and alcohol consumption.

Among women, cervical and breast cancers are increasing. Zion Hospital’s records show four cases of breast cancer from January to May this year. The fine cause of breast cancer is hereditary but surprisingly 85% of patients do not report a history of breast cancer in the family, doctors say. On the other hand, cervix cancers although gradually on the rise, doctors say most Naga women don’t even get a Pap Smear (a test to detect Cervix cancer) done. Married women and sexually-active women require at least two Pap Smear tests a year, they added. Rare types of cancers like ‘soft tissue,’ ‘brain’ and ‘duodenum,’ have also been detected among Nagas. Thyroid, leukemia, lung and lymph node metastasis cancers are also common.

Dr. Moatoshi, a Pathologist at Zion Hospital said once a person starts experiencing manifestations like feeling of weakness, drastic weight loss or appearance of lumps in various parts of the body, the person should be immediately checked.

With the rise in the number of cancer patients in Nagaland, leaving out unavailable figures, it is evident that the government needs to promptly address this issue through campaigns and awareness. It is a common opinion that HIV/AIDS and TB are some of the diseases that draws major attention but doctors say that it is high time the government shift focus on other life threatening diseases like cancer as well. A doctor based in Kohima said that issues regarding causes that lead to cancer, imparting awareness on dangers of certain ethnic food should be a part of the government’s agenda. He lamented that with the increase in population and growing awareness about health care, cancer diagnosis will rise added to which many doctors feel that government should give importance to cancer.

MEXN

UCM submits Memorandum to governor against Kuki-Chin-Mizo UG groups

Imphal, Jun 3 : The United Committee, Manipur, today petitioned the governor to “intervene” in the suspension of operations agreement signed between some tribal militant groups and security forces, saying the arrangement has given the outfits a “license” to commit crimes.

In a memorandum to Governor S.S. Sidhu, the president of the committee, K. Lanngamba, said the state welcomed the agreement, taking it as a step towards bringing peace and security to the people. But members of the outfit continued to indulge in “criminal activities”, he said.The army entered into an agreement with more than 10 outfits belonging to the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribal group from August 2005 to pave the way for talks.

The groups include the Kuki National Army, Kuki Liberation Army, Kuki Revolutionary Army, United Kuki Liberation Front, Kuki National Front (Zougam), Kuki National Front (President), Kuki National Front (Military Council) among others.

Kuki National Front (Samuel), Zomi Revolutionary Army, Hmar Peoples Convention (Democratic), Zoumi Defence Volunteers and the United Socialist Revolutionary Army.

Both the state government and the Centre are working on finalising the ground rules for a formal signing of a ceasefire pact with the militant groups.

Telegraph India

Rajkhowa submits Parbung & Lungthulien rape report

Imphal, Jun 2 : The S.P. Rajkhowa Commission that was probing the alleged molestation of a large number of tribal women in Manipur’s Churachandpur district in January 2006, submitted its report to the Okram Ibobi Singh government yesterday.

An official source said the commission finally submitted the report to the government yesterday. Details of the report are, however, a closely guarded secret.The source said the Ibobi Singh cabinet would discuss the report very soon. However, no time frame has been fixed for discussion on the report.

The Ibobi Singh government constituted the judicial inquiry commission after tribal communities in Churachandpur district alleged that militants of the United National Liberation Front and Kangleipak Communist party molested more than 20 women at Parbung and Lungthulien of the Tipaimukh sub-division in January 2006.

The two outfits had, however, denied the allegations.

The commissioner went to Parbung and Lungthulien in April 2006 to take statements of the alleged victims. The commission again visited the area in January this year to cross-examine the victims.

The people of Churachandpur district have been demanding completion of the probe and necessary action according to the findings. The outfits even announced that they would welcome any inquiry by neutral citizens’ groups into the allegations.

Telegraph India

Bridge over the river Barak

mphal, Jun 2 : On the report that several flaws were detected in the bailey bridge being constructed over Barak river between New Katang and Dikiuram along Tamei-Taning road, Executive Engineer of PWD NEC Division II K Premkumar has assured that if there is any flaw it will be rectified using ‘technical method’.

Speaking to reporters today, K Premkumar informed that construction work of the bailey bridge started in February this year at the total estimated cost of Rs 2.5 crores.So far, two pillars on the side of New Katang have been completed.

These two pillars were built from 14 feet and 9 inches below the surface as per the drawing furnished by experts, said Premkumar.

As regards the reported minor deviation in the alignment of the bridge, the Executive Engineer maintained that the Department was not convinced with the report on deviation in alignment.

The experts put up two nights at the bridge site to draw the structure of the bridge.

After studying the site minutely, it was decided to construct the bridge downstream in consultation with the local villagers, he clarified.

Even as the bridge was targeted for completion last month, construction work of the bridge cannot be completed till date due to disturbance from some quarters, the EE disclosed.

Moreover there were certain technical problems while making adjustments in the framers of concrete portions.

It was because of this problem in adjustment that the pillars of the bridge appear inclined.

Yet, it would be wrong to assume that this would lessen the strength of the bridge, he asserted.

Informing that the Department is working to rectify this problem, he sought cooperation from the people towards construction of the bridge being done with proper emphasis on quality.

The Department is closely monitoring the construction work, the EE stated while assuring that any flaw in the structure of the bridge will be rectified by ‘technical method’.

TSE

Distance PhDs face Assam ban

Guwahati, Jun 3 : Dispur has banned post-graduate research degrees acquired through distance courses, closing the doors on hundreds of scholars who find it difficult to carve out time for university on the sidelines of a job.

Education minister Ripun Bora said his department has stopped recognising MPhil and PhD degrees obtained through distance education, as both Gauhati and Dibrugarh universities were not in its favour. “When our own universities are not recognising MPhil and PhDs through this mode, how can we accept it? If a degree is not accepted for academic purposes, how can it be applicable for administrative purpose? Going against them either in matters of academic or appointment will only create more problems for us in future,” he said.The ban operatively means that students with degrees obtained through long-distance courses will not be eligible for post of lecturers in Assam colleges. Besides, the current crop of lecturers who have such degrees cannot claim any benefit/relaxation for promotions and scholarship.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) was moved last week not to give exemption to those who have acquired MPhil/PhDs through distance courses, while applying for a lecturer’s job in colleges.

“The plea was made on the basis of the stand taken by the two universities against such degrees. In fact, colleges have also started turning away those candidates applying for a lecturer’s job with such degrees,” a source said.

Bora, however, he would go by the stand taken by the UGC, which has been asked to clarify its position about such degrees.

“As of now, these degrees are not recognised by us but the UGC will have to take a final call in this regard,” he said when asked how research degrees recognised by the UGC could be ignored.

There are over 2,000 post-graduate students and lecturers who are pursuing such degrees after the UGC last year made either an MPhil or a PhD or clearance of either National Eligibility Test or State-level Eligibility Test mandatory for a lecturer’s job.

Moreover, long-distance courses are the only option available for many since the seats for regular MPhil courses at universities are very limited.

The Guwahati office of the UGC has moved the Delhi headquarters to clear the confusion, since the future of hundreds is hinged on this decision. “A blanket ban on such degrees is surprising because the Centre is using this mode to reach out to those who cannot afford a regular course. Even IITs and IIMs will be offering courses through this mode. You can always contest the quality but not the validity of a degree awarded by a recognised institution,” a UGC source said.

The Distance Education Council has given provisional recognition to 144 institutions in India and that includes Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University in Assam.

A Gauhati University source said it has clarified that its order pertained only to academic issues and in no way connected to administrative issues like jobs. “We can as of now accommodate 150 students in MPhil courses every year offered by 10 departments,” he said, reflecting on the huge gap between demand and supply, which was the root cause of the problem.

Telegraph India

Soldiers fire at undercover policemen guarding trader

Guwahati, Jun 2 : Three policemen had a brush with death in Jorhat today, thanks to lack of co-ordination among security forces involved in counter-insurgency operations in Assam.

But for timely intervention of a handful of policemen this afternoon, all three of them would have fallen prey to a barrage of bullets from soldiers.The incident took place at Radholaphukuri village near Selenhat tea estate under the Teok police station area where they were deputed.

The three armed policemen in civvies have been protecting the house of a small-time businessman who was served an extortion notice by suspected Ulfa militants, for the past couple of days.

They were about to be victims of a mistaken identity because of an army informer in the village who mistook them for militants.

On being tipped off by him about the presence of “militants”, troops from the army base in the adjoining Sivasagar district reached the village around 4.30pm.

They too mistook the three policemen for militants holed up in the house and ordered them to come out.

The three were caught completely unawares and fearing for their lives preferred to say inside. One of them, however, tried to come out using a woman of the house as a shield, but rushed back inside when the soldiers opened fire from all sides.

However, all three were left unharmed thanks to a police party from Teok police station that rushed to the village on getting information about the army firing.

“We immediately took up the matter with the army and the matter ended there. It was unfortunate,” the Jorhat superintendent of police, Deepak Choudhury, said.

“According to norms and practice under the Unified Command, the army should inform the nearest police station before conducting an operation in a particular area. More such incidents could take place if the army does not work in cooperation with police,” a senior police officer here said.

Telegraph India

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