NEW DELHI, April 15 : A Manipuri student committed suicide by strangling himself with a mobile phone charger at his hostel room in Delhi University's Hindu College, police said Sunday.
The body of Chang Than Kirpa Singh, 21, was spotted in room 175 of the hostel by his room mate when he came back Sunday morning. In a two-page suicide note, Singh blamed himself for the death.
"The body was lying on a bed," a police officer told IANS.
The suicide note reportedly said that he was not keeping well and fed up with life. He said he was a "disobedient son".
Singh was pursuing graduation in music honours from the college. The dead man's father told police that he was taking medication for depression.
Myanmar delegation visits Manipur to strengthen bilateral ties
Imphal, Apr 15 : An eleven-member delegation from Myanmar recently visited Manipur to foster bilateral ties, with special emphasis on economic and diplomatic cooperation.
Enhancement of border trade, health services and supply of electricity was high on their agenda.
The delegation headed by Myanmar's Power Minister U Kyaw Win conducted meetings with political leaders of the state.
The delegation also met Manipur's deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam and held discussions on extending mutual cooperation in various fields, including setting up a thermal power plant, health care, tourism, education, visa on arrival at Tamu and Moreh, and opening of a Myanmar Consulate General in Imphal.
"The relation is better than ever. We met the Chief Minister and we are very pleased with the country's situation; socially, educationally and technically, there is an effort from India to maintain and promote this," said U. Thangliana, a Myanmarese lawmaker
"We talked about the health sector to be opened here. It is the desire of the state government here and they also have the idea. They want to come mainly for treatment because the distance is also quite near, the climate condition is good, and then the cost factor is also very less, and also the education sector. These two sectors are very viable," said Gaikhangam.
India and Myanmar not just share a 1,600 km long border but also a similar culture, language, and trade, rooted through its historical linkages.
Myanmar has a critical role to play in India's 'Look East Policy'.
Enhancement of border trade, health services and supply of electricity was high on their agenda.
The delegation headed by Myanmar's Power Minister U Kyaw Win conducted meetings with political leaders of the state.
The delegation also met Manipur's deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam and held discussions on extending mutual cooperation in various fields, including setting up a thermal power plant, health care, tourism, education, visa on arrival at Tamu and Moreh, and opening of a Myanmar Consulate General in Imphal.
"The relation is better than ever. We met the Chief Minister and we are very pleased with the country's situation; socially, educationally and technically, there is an effort from India to maintain and promote this," said U. Thangliana, a Myanmarese lawmaker
"We talked about the health sector to be opened here. It is the desire of the state government here and they also have the idea. They want to come mainly for treatment because the distance is also quite near, the climate condition is good, and then the cost factor is also very less, and also the education sector. These two sectors are very viable," said Gaikhangam.
India and Myanmar not just share a 1,600 km long border but also a similar culture, language, and trade, rooted through its historical linkages.
Myanmar has a critical role to play in India's 'Look East Policy'.
Manipur hosts 27th edition of northeast games
Imphal, Apr 15 : The northeast has a rich pool of talent, especially in the sporting arena. Recently, the 27th edition of the Northeast Games 2013, a big sporting extravaganza, was organized in Manipur and attracted the enthusiastic participation of sportspersons.
Eleven boxers, including 4 women, from Nagaland are practicing hard for the games.
"Nagaland boxers can do well, if they get support from the government and public. Moreover, their natural strength and stamina makes them suitable for the sport," said P Daikho Poumai, state coach, Nagaland.
"With better facilities, Naga boxers can give tough competition to boxers from other states," said Toshinaro, boxer Nagaland.
On April 8, the 4-day long 27th edition of North East Games 2013 was inaugurated with pomp and grandeur at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal.
All eight states of the region took part, with some 1,300 participants in various events like badminton, Football, Hockey, Boxing and athletics.
"This is the 5th time Manipur is hosting the event. I believe that such events are a good platform for understanding each other," said Dr.R.K Nimai Singh, Commissioner, Youth Affairs and sports.
"These games are very important for players like us as it allows us to develop our skills for the national games," said Vanlalruan Sallo, athlete from Mizoram
The Northeast has produced many talented sportspersons including Mary Kom, Shiva Thapa, Renu bala Chanu, Somdev Debburman, and Sandhya Rani.
Events like this provide the sportspersons a good platform to hone their skills for national and international events.
Eleven boxers, including 4 women, from Nagaland are practicing hard for the games.
"Nagaland boxers can do well, if they get support from the government and public. Moreover, their natural strength and stamina makes them suitable for the sport," said P Daikho Poumai, state coach, Nagaland.
"With better facilities, Naga boxers can give tough competition to boxers from other states," said Toshinaro, boxer Nagaland.
On April 8, the 4-day long 27th edition of North East Games 2013 was inaugurated with pomp and grandeur at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal.
All eight states of the region took part, with some 1,300 participants in various events like badminton, Football, Hockey, Boxing and athletics.
"This is the 5th time Manipur is hosting the event. I believe that such events are a good platform for understanding each other," said Dr.R.K Nimai Singh, Commissioner, Youth Affairs and sports.
"These games are very important for players like us as it allows us to develop our skills for the national games," said Vanlalruan Sallo, athlete from Mizoram
The Northeast has produced many talented sportspersons including Mary Kom, Shiva Thapa, Renu bala Chanu, Somdev Debburman, and Sandhya Rani.
Events like this provide the sportspersons a good platform to hone their skills for national and international events.
Manipur, in focus
SC provides an avenue for redress for fake encounter killings. Centre must build on it
After decades of insurgency, one of Manipur's deepest hurts might find judicial redress. Last week, a commission appointed by the Supreme Court to investigate six cases of alleged extrajudicial killings reported that all the encounters were fake. The panel had been set up in response to a petition filed by the Extrajudicial Execution Victims' Families Association, which cited 1,528 cases since 1979. For years, such encounters, allegedly staged by the police or by the armed forces stationed in the state under AFSPA, appeared to be shielded by an institutional pact of secrecy. Families of victims have battled the intransigence of the police, the state government, the lower courts, even the Centre. This institutional apathy has only deepened the sense of alienation among people in the state, who have always felt themselves to be on the margins of India's polity.
As the court noted last Thursday, "physical distance from Delhi does not mean emotional distance". Yet the counter-affidavit filed earlier by the Centre seemed to reflect just such a disconnect. Years of insurgency were dismissed as the activities of "a handful of disgruntled elements" who fuelled ethnic rifts to sustain their extortion rackets, which funded a "luxurious life in foreign countries" for their leaders. It is a fact that secessionist movements in the state have frittered away their ideological capital in recent years, operating more like petty gangs than political outfits, but the insurgencies of Manipur had stemmed from competing claims to land by different tribal groups, the Meiteis, the Kukis and the Nagas, among others. The affidavit also treats these ethnic rivalries as implacable divides. The Union government fails to recognise the deep-rooted insecurities of people who have felt marginalised, both politically and economically. Neither does it entertain the possibility that such insecurities may have been a factor in the insurgencies.
Militancy in Manipur is on the wane, with major Kuki groups having agreed to a suspension of operations and prominent Naga groups under a ceasefire. The ideology of the separatist movements has lost currency, but old hurts still rankle. The court has provided a valuable chance for redress. The Centre must build on it, if it wants to draw Manipur closer to the national mainstream.
After decades of insurgency, one of Manipur's deepest hurts might find judicial redress. Last week, a commission appointed by the Supreme Court to investigate six cases of alleged extrajudicial killings reported that all the encounters were fake. The panel had been set up in response to a petition filed by the Extrajudicial Execution Victims' Families Association, which cited 1,528 cases since 1979. For years, such encounters, allegedly staged by the police or by the armed forces stationed in the state under AFSPA, appeared to be shielded by an institutional pact of secrecy. Families of victims have battled the intransigence of the police, the state government, the lower courts, even the Centre. This institutional apathy has only deepened the sense of alienation among people in the state, who have always felt themselves to be on the margins of India's polity.
As the court noted last Thursday, "physical distance from Delhi does not mean emotional distance". Yet the counter-affidavit filed earlier by the Centre seemed to reflect just such a disconnect. Years of insurgency were dismissed as the activities of "a handful of disgruntled elements" who fuelled ethnic rifts to sustain their extortion rackets, which funded a "luxurious life in foreign countries" for their leaders. It is a fact that secessionist movements in the state have frittered away their ideological capital in recent years, operating more like petty gangs than political outfits, but the insurgencies of Manipur had stemmed from competing claims to land by different tribal groups, the Meiteis, the Kukis and the Nagas, among others. The affidavit also treats these ethnic rivalries as implacable divides. The Union government fails to recognise the deep-rooted insecurities of people who have felt marginalised, both politically and economically. Neither does it entertain the possibility that such insecurities may have been a factor in the insurgencies.
Militancy in Manipur is on the wane, with major Kuki groups having agreed to a suspension of operations and prominent Naga groups under a ceasefire. The ideology of the separatist movements has lost currency, but old hurts still rankle. The court has provided a valuable chance for redress. The Centre must build on it, if it wants to draw Manipur closer to the national mainstream.
India, Myanmar to launch bus service between Mandalay and Moreh
Imphal, Apr 5 : India and Myanmar will be launching a bus service between Moreh in Manipur and Mandalay in central Myanmar.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will be visiting Myanmar by the end of this month to sign an agreement for launching the bus service.
Meanwhile, a delegation led by Myanmar's Power and Industry minister U Kyaw Win and other lawmakers are presently in Manipur since April 2, to persuade the state government to allow patients from Myanmar to get treatment in Indian hospitals here.
“This region is a gateway to southeast Asia. So we talked about the health sector to be opened here. It is the desire of the state government here and they also have the idea.
They want to come mainly for treatment because the distance is also quite near, the climate condition is good, and then the cost factor is also very less, and also the education sector,” said Manipur deputy chief minister Gaikhangam.
The Myanmar delegation includes lawmakers such as Khin Maung Shwe, U Thangliana, U Khinmaung Zwe, U Myonyunt, U Hla Maung, U Tinshwe, U Kyawsan Win, U Aung Chin, U Ayo Ko and U Tin Aye.
They visited the hospitals in Manipur and requested the state government to allow treatment of Myanmar nationals in speciality hospitals here.
The delegation proposed construction of a highway from Imphal to Mandalay in Myanmar which would reduce the distances and facilitate better connectivity in the region.
Manipur bans sale of poor quality canned fish
The Manipur government has banned the sale of a canned
fish manufactured in Karnataka and mineral water bottles manufactured in
Thoubal district, Manipur under the Food Safety and Standards Act,
2006. Ram Muivah, the Commissioner of Food Safety, issued the orders.
Officials
said there was no manufacturing date on the cans. The fish was often
found to be rotten and the can full of fungus. A Karnataka company has
been marketing these products in Manipur through an agent here.
The Commissioner said the sale of ‘S packaged drinking water’ was banned since it was of poor quality and posed a health hazard.
Manipur on the map of worst roads
A recent journey from Imphal to Agartala brought to light that the worst sections of National Highways are found in Manipur whereas in Tripura, not a single pothole was seen.
Like in Manipur where many sections are covered by columns of dust during dry seasons and thick layers of slush during rainy season, some sections of the highways in Assam are also tortuous to travellers.
One would come across such pathetic conditions on Imphal-Jiribam (NH 37) highway which connects to Silchar in Assam.
It would be interesting if one compares the condition of NH 37 with NH-44 which starts from Badarpur near Silchar and ends at Udaipur in Tripura after passing through Agartala.
Even though local media have published the existing condition of NH 37 every now and then, it merits a comparative study.
One may say that Imphal-Awangkhul section of the highway has improved considerably but the remaining portions have not seen any improvement so far. The condition of the highway from Awangkhul to Barak bridge is fearsome. After crossing Barak bridge, the road is all covered by stones (for expansion of the highway) upto Nung Dolan.
Between Shanti Khunou and Kaimai, the highway is in the stage of laying WBM. Black-topping has also been done in some portions. But Kaimai-Old Kaiphundai section has seen little improvement.
Nonetheless, Old-Kaiphundai to Jiribam section has been black-topped smoothly.
As for the Barak and Makru suspension bridges which are the most important links of NH 37, they are what they were before. Some new bridges has been constructed while a few others are under construction.
It remains a big question whether BRO can complete the highway work by December this year.
Jiribam-Silchar road is relatively better but some double-lanning works and bridges remain incomplete.
NH 44 is also being maintained by BRO under Project Setuk.
After passing through Silchar, there are certain portions where the highway is all covered by dust. The portions are in the plain area.
Near Churaibari which is in the border area of Assam-Tripura border, a few kilometres of the highway is as pitiable as the worst portions of Imphal-Jiribam highway.
Once crossing into Tripura, the highway is quite smooth and not a single pothole can be seen. Yet, one has to pass through hilly terrain before reaching Agartala. Incidentally, the distance between Silchar and Agartala is 408 Kms.
Just as Imphal-Jiribam journey takes a day’s time, travelling from Silchar to Agartala takes similar number of hours.
In the whole course of the journey, very few registration of entries were seen in both Assam and Tripura.
According to the driver which took the media team to Agartala, certain amounts of money were taken from all vehicles which made entries at police stations and police outposts located between Imphal and Jiribam.
Apart from police check-posts, entries are also made at some Assam Rifles, Army and CRPF check-posts opened between Imphal and Jiribam. In addition, the transporters have been enduring extra burden in the form of illegal taxes levied by insurgent groups, said the driver.
One senior journalist who was part of the touring team remarked, “Policemen of other States helped us and when we crossed into our own state, our own policemen started demanding money”. Nonetheless, there is a certain section of NH 44 near Agartala which is prone to highway robbery. CRPF troops patrol this section from 7 am to 4 pm everyday.
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