IMPHAL, October 23: A day after the sinking of a hill slope near Tusom Village in Ukhrul district was reported, a five member team of the Earth Science department, Manipur University led by Seismologist Dr Manichandra to visit the area along the Indo-Mayanmar border near Tusom Christian village under Chingai sub division.

According to official sources of the department, the team will leave Imphal for Tusom tomorrow after receiving instruction from the Ministry of Earth Sciences to visit and find out the actual cause of sinking of the large portion of hill near the International Border pillar number 129. 

IMPHAL, October 23: A team of Food Safety officials lead by the Imphal West Food Safety Officer today disposed off a huge quantity of fungus infested Parle cakes past the expiry date at Lamphel area today.

The cakes seized from a godown at Mantripukhri on October 4 and is said to be worth more than Rs six lakhs.

The cakes which were disposed off include Parle cake ‘freshly baked’ (tutti frutty flavoured) manufactured and marked by RUpa Confectionery Pvt Ltd Batch and Parle Cake Freshly Baked (Vanilla Flavoured) manufactured and marketed by Parle Biscuits Pvt Ltd.

The cakes, which were in 1100 cartoon boxes with each cartoon containing 60 packages, had to be transported in two batches to the disposal site. In the first batch there were 355 cartoon boxes while in the second batch, the remaining cartoons were brought.

The price of the cake packet is Rs 10 and the price of total seized packets stands at Rs 660000.

The items disposed today after shifted from ManitripukhriGodown this afternoon and dumped inside the earth cruse at Lamphel in the evening.

Elaborate to the Food Safety Officer, Imphal West Y Satyajeet who is also in charge of the Imphal East district said the department was informed by the Narcotic Affairs and Border, NAB about a large quantity of Parle cakes being tampered with at a godown at Mantripukhri on October 4.

Immediately a team of the Food Safety rushed to the said godown and found a huge quantity of Parle cakes with their plastic covers open and the cakes in large cartoon boxes, he said.

Narcotic Affairs and Border, 2nd OC, SI S Gopendro said that the team has been on alert since the past few days after getting information about an illegal consignment making its entry into the Mantripukhri area.

Addressing media persons, he said following the intelligence inputs, a team led by himself and SI Ph Bulbul under the initiative of NAB OC RK Bikramjit conducted a raid of the Mantripukhri godown.

He said on reaching the area, his team heard sounds of someone opening a plastic cover inside the godown.

When the team opened shutter, they found several fungus infected cakes, he said, while adding that his team soon informed the Food Safety Officer, he said.

It seemed like the covers of the cakes were being replaced with new covers, he continued.

The team then sealed the room with the cakes inside, till today, in exercise of the power conferred by the sub-section 38 of the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006, he elaborated.

The dealer of the cake is identified as one Mohanlan Prakash Chand Sharma and Anand Kumar Sharma proprietor of M/S MP Agency of Thangal bazar, Imphal, he said before adding that under the standard Act, 2006 rule and Regulation 2011 the cakes need to be disposed as was done at the disposal site of Imphal Municipal Council at the outskirt of Lamphel.

IMPHAL, October 21: Manipur State Pensioners’ Union, Babupara, organised the 8th Pensioners’ Day - 2013 at Lamyanba Shanglen, Palace Compound, here today.

K Bingku Treasuries Officer Imphal West was the chief guest, Huidrom Yaima Singh, president of the union, was the president and Nilamani Jena, AGM (Regional), United Bank of India, Imphal and L Purujit, general secretary JAC of AMTUC and AMGEO, were the guests of honour.

Yaima stated that the pensioner’s union was founded on May 22, 2002 in the aftermath of the decision of the state government decision to disburse their pending pension amount in three separate installments. To highlight their objection to the government decision, about 3000 pensioners took out a silent rally from Iboyaima Shanglen to gate of Raj Bhavan. Following the protest, the then government relented to their demands and agreed to pay their pensions in one time, he recounted. Consequently, the union decided to declare October 21 as Pensioners’ Day.

The union has also provided assistances to different orphan homes and children homes regularly. The district-wise memberships have been on the rise continuously each year. 

IMPHAL, October 21: “The present environment in the country is desperately crying for a change and that change is possible only when the Congress is removed from governance” said National spokesperson of the BJP, Nirmala Sitharaman.

The BJP leader who had travelled to the state as one of the central leaders invited for a state-level political workshop made the statement during a press conference held at the state BJP head office at Nityaipat Chuthek today.

She stated that the misfortune of absence of good leadership has befallen the ruling Congress government and every state is affected with various problems. Inter-state and international boundary issues have cropped up in abundance but the Union government has not replied appropriately to the complaints other than passing the buck to the state government rather than trying to solve the problem together, she stated.

Indian Constitution has made clear demarcation about the issues which are to be handled by the state, centre or concurrently. However, the Centre has tried to be the dominant partner all the time and impose their decisions on the states without properly contemplating whether the state government will be able to handle it or not, she said. The fundamental structure of centre-state relationship should be based on good-will, she stated.

Apparently, lack of leadership has been reflected in the internal, external and developmental related issues of the country and the need for change is extreme, she said.

Both the central and state governments frequently talked about the road constructed under the Congress governments, so what is problem happening along the 220 km Imphal – Jiribam road which is the life line of Manipur, she stated.

Taking about the phumdi cleaning project at Loktak Lake, she further raised doubt whether the amount of Rs 220 crore sanctioned had been used in the right direction. How long will it take to restore the Loktak Lake to its original natural glory, she said.

She accused the Congress government in the state of not running the public distribution system properly and expressed lack of confidence in the state’s ability to implement the Food Security Act unless there is proper transportation and facilities for storing the items.

She continued that the Congress government talked about the state’s potential in the field of the sports but little support or assistance for the sportspersons were forthcoming and demanded better attention from the Union government in this regard.

Turning to the issue of police recruitment she said the process is full of scandals. The police duty is to enforce the law and the practice of corruption in the recruitment stage has lead to various unwanted incidents, she alleged. 

Puwarigi Amamba Numit observed
IMPHAL, October 20: Puwarigi Amamba Numit was observed at Iboyaima Shumang Lila Sanglen, Konung Mamang, today on the theme Dignified Integrity. The event was organised by All Club, Organisation, Association and Meira Paibi Lupn ACOAM-Lup.

Y Nabachandra, President UCM, was the chief guest; Ksh Somorendro, President ACOAM-Lup was the president; and Kolomcha Achoubi Khuman Working President, South East Asia Cultural Organisation(SEACO), P Ibochou, Chief Editor, Kangla Pao; and RK Sanahanbi, President of Kanglei Ima Lup(KIL), were the guests of honour of the function.

UCM President Nabachandra stated that Manipur suffered irreplaceable loss about the information connected to its past heritage, religion and politics due to the incineration of the puyas.

Each one of use should attempt to attain self-realization the reason for observing this very significant day, he stated. We must unite with other organizations in observing the occasion and discourage holding separate functions, he added. He appealed to all the indigenous communities to sort out their differences of opinion amicably and resolve to host a single observation in the future.

Ibochou mentioned that unless we posses in depth knowledge about out heritages we cannot achieve development for ourselves in the future. He said each individual can practice the religions of their choice but they should not undermine the significance of own heritage. We have to take the onus of discovering our individual history and share the information with ACOAM-Lup. If different communities succeed in tracing their heritage which is closely related than the inter-community relationship will move towards a better path.

Kolomcha Achoubi Khuman related that King Paheiba and Shanti Das colluded to burn the manuscripts containing all the important records and information of the ancient culture of Manipur. He stated that had the burning of the manuscripts had not happened, the present phenomenon of multiple observations would not have seen the light of day.

He also supported the idea of observing the occasion on a grander scale with advance preparations. This year the observation was arranged in a hasty manner, he said and suggested that there should be prior homework should be done to ensure the participation of representatives from different communities from next year. 

BISHNUPUR, October 21: The 70th anniversary of the provisional government of free India, which was formed by INA under the leadership of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Singapore in the year 1943, was today observed at the INA Martyrs’ Memorial Complex, Moirang.

The observation was jointly organized by INA Advisory Committee Moirang and Directorate of Art and Culture, govt of Manipur.

Ph Rajen Singh, chairperson of the Moirang Municipal Council attended as chief guest while Dr K Sobita Devi, Director of Art & Culture, government of Manipur presided over the function and M Basant, S Bina Devi and S Memthoi Devi councilors of Moirang Municipal Council were also participated as guests of honour respectively.

Hoisting of the Indian tricolour flag before the Moirang Kangla, offering floral tribute to the statue of Subhash Chandra Bose and talks on Netaji were the main highlights of the observation.

During the function, Dr Sobita said that Netaji was a figure of supreme sacrifice adding that his role in the battle of India’s freedom will be remembered for all time.

The present generation should not only observe anniversaries but should also be informed about the life and works of Netaji, she elaborated.

IMPHAL, Oct 21: The ongoing plan to construct the Heirok Branch canal as part of the state government’s initiative to boost agricultural production by providing water for year-round irrigation ran into a hurdle with the JAC formed by the Heirok Branch Canal Affected Land Owners resolving to stop all works in view of the failure of the government to respond positively and act on the demands laid down by the JAC.

The unanimous resolution was taken at a public discussion held at the Nongpok Sekmai Community hall organized by the JAC with Kh Maipak- president of the JAC along with members K Ibomcha Singh and Md Nejamuddin jointly presiding the gathering.

A number of speakers opined that the proposed canal from the left canal of the Thoubal Multipurpose Project (Thoubal Barrage) at Leirongthel Ukoo to Heirok will create more destruction to the cultivable fields rather than benefitting from the project as there is no shortage of water for irrigation throughout the year due to the presence of a natural canal along the fields, nor has there been any instances of drought till date, expressing their desire to stop the proposed project from progressing further.

Another resolution that was taken at the gathering was to stick to the earlier demand to increase their rate of compensation from Rs 5 per square feet as determined by the government to Rs 30 as mentioned in the memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister on February 22. The meeting also condemned the deliberate avoidance of the CM to meet and discuss the issue with the JAC on February 27, further stating that the proposed canal will create artificial floods and droughts, while warning any prospective construction agency or company of bearing their own responsibilities for any untoward incidents if the work continues despite the ban imposed by the public. Those who have submitted their documents and are in the process of accepting compensation at the rate fixed by the Government are to accept the consequences by themselves, the resolution further added.