13 NOV 2021

Page 1

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXXI No. 339

DIMAPUR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021 Pages 12 ` 5.00

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SPORTS, PAGE 12

200-bedded ACHB at CIHSR inaugurated

Staff Reporter

D I M A P U R , N OV 1 2 (NPN): Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio Friday, inaugurated the state’s first 200-bed Acute Care Hospital Block (ACHB) at Christian Institute of Health Sciences & Research (CIHSR) and also purportedly, the world’s first to have been completed within a span of 100 days. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister acknowledged that M/s Glocal Healthcare Systems Private Ltd, Kolkata, had completed construction of the 200-bedded hospital in a record time of five months. He also said construction of the ACHB would not have been possible without the support of his ministerial colleagues, especially the minister in-charge of the health & family welfare (H&FW), and collective efforts of all, besides the supervision conducted by engineering wing and taskforce chairman and NSDMA. Rio also expressed the hope that the facility would prove helpful for people of

State logs 7 fresh Covid -19 cases D I M A P U R , N OV 1 2 (NPN): Nagaland on Friday recorded seven fresh Covid-19 positive cases while no fatalities were reported during the day. Of the fresh cases, four were from Kohima and three in Dimapur, taking the total caseload to 31973. Further, the death toll remained unchanged at 692 (including 16 non-Covid deaths but with positivity) As on November 13, a total of 12,34,129 persons had been inoculated against Covid-19, which includes-- 716969 first dose and 517160 second dose. PTI: I n d i a l o g ge d 12,516 new coronavirus infections, taking the country’s total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,44,14,186, while the active cases declined to 1,37,416, the lowest in 267 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The death toll climbed to 4,62,690 with 501 fresh fatalities, including 419 from Kerala, according to the data updated at 8 am. Of the 419 deaths in Kerala, 47 were reported in the last few days and 372 were designated as Covid deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and Supreme Court directions, a Kerala government release said on Thursday.

This is it!

"I never expected education to end up this way. Buy computer and pay online fee. Then learn from tutor and pay tuiton fee." K Y M C

Neiphiu Rio along with his cabinet colleagues and others after inaugurating the Acute Care Hospital Block at CIHSR, Dimapur on Friday. (NP)

the State. He also recalled criticisms levelled against the government for providing the facility at CIHSR and not at a government hospital (made by an opposition leader prior to formation of the current all-party government) as published in the print and social media. Rio clarified that the facility was set up at CIHSR since the state government was in partnership with the society (CIHSR) in a (tripartite agreement with CMC Vellore and Emmanuel

Hospital Association). Rio opined that instead Nagas should be happy that the society (CIHSR) has “come to help us” to provide quality health care services. He said this while recalling how the government decided to enter into a tripartite agreement with CMC Vellore and Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) to run the erstwhile Referral Hospital on grounds of not having funds or expertise. He said since the state government was unable

to provide fund for construction of the 200-bedded facility, so it had to look elsewhere. Turning on Covid vaccination, Rio stressed its importance that vaccination was the only prevention and protection from the virus as presently there is no medicine to fight the virus. The chief minister also mentioned that the state government will set a target to achieve 100% vaccination by March 2022. Rio admitted that Nagaland is among

the most backward states in the country and had earned some dubious distinctions which he said “all of us have to overcome”. The chief minister however maintained that people may be poor but not backward and the reason being the unresolved Naga political issue. He also said criticisms against the state for being among the bottom of the table on Covid vaccination was due to rumour mongers who he said were responsible for vaccine hesitancy. On the upcoming Hornbill Festival, the chief minister said only vaccinated tourists will be allowed to visit the state. He also urged upon health workers to administer the second dose of vaccine to tourists on demand, provided the requisite timeline between first and second doses was followed. Deputy chief minister Y Patton, who also spoke on the occasion, conveyed his appreciation to the chief minister and Glocal Healthcare Systems Pvt Ltd for building the facility and hoped that it would be

Biden, Xi to hold virtual meeting on Nov 15 INTERNATIONAL, PAGE 9

Panicked nations impose curbs as Europe becomes ‘Covid Epicentre’

NEW DELHI, NOV 12 (AGENCIES): Europe has become the epicentre of the pandemic again, prompting some governments to consider re-imposing unpopular lockdowns in the run-up to Christmas and stirring debate over whether vaccines alone are enough to tame Covid-19, a News18 report stated. The fresh concerns come as successful inoculation campaigns have plateaued ahead of the winter months and flu season. About 65% of the population of the European Economic Area (EEA) which includes the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - have received two doses, according to EU data, but the pace has slowed in recent months. Ten countries in the 27-member European Union face a Covid situation of “high concern”, the bloc’s diseases agency said on Friday, warning the pandemic was worsening across the continent. Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech (Cont’d on p-8) Republic, Estonia, Greece,

Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovenia are in the highest category of concern, according to the latest risk assessment by the European Centre for Disease Control. Many countries like the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Russia, Norway and Iceland have imposed lockdowns, tightened restrictions Meanwhile, virologists said that vaccines alone are not the silver bullet to defeat the pandemic in the long term. Several pointed to Israel as an example of good practice: in addition to inoculations, it has reinforced mask wearing and introduced vaccine passports after cases spiked a few months ago. Measures such as spacing, masks and vaccine mandates for indoor venues are essential, said Antonella Viola, professor of immunology at Italy’s University of Padua. “If one of these two things is lacking, we see situations such as we are seeing in many European countries these days.”

10% increase in deaths: The World Health Organization’s report for the week to November 7 showed that Europe, including Russia, was the only region to record a rise in cases, up 7%, while other areas reported declines or stable trends. Similarly, it reported a 10% increase in deaths, while other regions reported declines. Governments and companies are worried the prolonged pandemic will derail a fragile economic recovery, and a slew of countries are taking measures to curb the spread. Booster shots: Most EU countries are deploying extra shots to the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, but expanding vaccination to more of the population should be a priority to avoid steps like lockdown, scientists said. “The real urgency is to widen the pool of vaccinated people as much as possible,” said Carlo Federico Perno, head of microbiology and immunology diagnostics at Rome’s Bambino Gesù Hospital.

Railways to resume normal services NLSF reiterates appeal for setting up govt law college To drop ‘special train’ tag, revert to pre-Covid fares NEW DELHI, NOV 12 (PTI): Under pressure from passengers over hike in fares, the Railways on Friday issued an order to discontinue the ‘special’ tag for mail and express trains and revert to pre-pandemic ticket prices with immediate effect. Since the coronavirustriggered lockdown was eased, the Railways has been running only special trains. It started with long-distance trains and now, even shortdistance passenger services are being run as special trains with “slightly higher fares”.

In a letter to the zonal railways on Friday, the Railway Board said trains will now be operated with their regular numbers and fares will revert to normal preCovid prices. “In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, all regular mail/express trains were being operated as MSPC (mail/express special) and HSP (holiday special). It has now been decided that the MSPC and HSP train services, included in the Working Time Table, 2021, shall be operated with regular numbers and with fares as applicable for the concerned classes of travel and type of train, as per the extant guidelines.” In another order, the Railway Board clarified that second class of such

trains shall continue to run as reserved except for any relaxation permitted in a special case. It also said that for tickets booked in advance, no difference of fare either is to be collected by Railways or any refund shall be permitted. Neither order however specifies when the zonal railways are required to revert to their pre-Covid regular services. “The zonal railways have been instructed. While the order is with immediate effect, the process will take a day or two,” a senior official said. “With this, more than 1,700 trains will be restored in the next few days. The first digit will now not be zero as was in the case of special trains,” another official said.

Power deptt jungle cutting re-scheduled D I M A P U R , N OV 1 2 (NPN): State power department has informed that jungle cutting along the 132kV & 66kV transmission line has been re-scheduled starting from November 1526, 2021 from 8am to 3pm In a press release, the executive engineer transmission division Kohima informed that jungle clearance and maintenance pro-

gramme of 132kV & 66kV lines was being carried out to avoid disruption and facilitate stable power supply. In this regard, the department informed that there would be total shutdown of power supply in some districts during the activity: Areas to be affected under total shutdown include Tuensang, Phek, Kiphire

district and Likimro HEP (66kV Tuensang to Kiphire and 66kV Mokokchung to Tuensang) from Nov 15-19; Likimro HEP (66kV Kiphire to LHEP) from November 20-22 and Phek district (132kV Kiphire to Meluri) from November 23-26. The department has, therefore, requested all consumers and public to bear the inconvenience caused.

D I M A P U R , N OV 1 2 (NPN): Nagaland Law Students’ Federation (NLSF) has reiterated its appeal to the state government to establish separate High Court for the state of Nagaland, government law college and directorate of prosecution in Nagaland. NLSF through its media & communication expressed grave concern that despite the passage of more than 57 years since attaining statehood, a lot more remains to be done in the legal field to ensure that the state was on a par with the rest of the states. Asser ting that the character and calibre of the

legal professions was determined by the quality and standard legal education, the federation, however, said that the importance of quality legal education was “significantly ignored” in the state. NLSF pointed out that education of law in the state law colleges were mostly pursued by those students who could afford the course at the minimal fee and within the state. To enable the interested students to avail education in law, NLSF said the state law colleges were charging fee at the lowest as compared to the high and well settled law colleges

outside the state. However, it said that many students in the state, who wish to pursue law, could not able to afford owing to their economic reasons. The federation maintained that establishing a public Law college in the state would not only serve the interest of the student community in general and the law students in particular, but would also be a sign of great progress in favour of the state. NLSF expressed regret that in spite of its repeated appeals, representation, memorandum, peaceful dharna etc., to set up a government law college, no

positive step has been taken till date. It said that the “lackadaisical attitude” towards the law students of the state by the state has “proved to be the most profound show of negligence.” The federation maintained that the state has the capability to produce “best lawyers” who could represent the High Court including the Supreme Court and even at the international arena provided due importance was given to the subject of law. “If the govt. cannot provide legal education in the state, there is no reason for the state to exist,” NLSF stated.

Nagaland: Reckitt’s climate resilience index NEW DELHI, NOV 12 (AGENCIES): Climate Resilience Index is a databacked assessment that takes into consideration factors contributing to climatic vulnerability, existing adaptation mechanisms in place and ability of the system to bounce back in case of an adverse climatic event. The index measures the ability of a state to cope with climate risks. It has been drafted by Reckitt as a measure that will help North Eastern States cope up with the ef-

fects of climate risks. This assessment of gaps with recommendations have been drafted based on ground assessments, currently being piloted in two states – Sikkim and Nagaland, NDTV report stated. Some of the highlights from the report’s findings in Nagaland: 2% declining rainfall trend observed in Nagaland from 2009-2019 (highest decline amongst 7 studied states) There has been 40% reduction in expenditure in-

curred on Water Conservation and Water Harvesting under MGNREGA (20182021) in Nagaland Low road connectivity makes accessibility difficult in the region Agriculture is the main occupation in the state but also the most vulnerable to climate change. Nagaland has also the highest out-of-pocket expense on health on hospitalisation amongst the seven states studied in the North Eastern Region

The repor t fur ther states the potential focus areas for the state: The agricultural systems in Nagaland will have to achieve climate smart objectives, government has to come up with an integrated landscape management approach. Intervention includes contour bunding (involves the placement of lines of stones along the natural rises of a landscape), contour trenching (an agricultural technique that allow for (Cont’d on p-8) water,

CM opens Nagaland Police duty-cum-sports meet DPC president passes away his dynamic leadership. Observing that Nagaland was known to other parts of the country largely as a troubled and backward State, lagging behind in every sector, the chief minister

Staff Reporter

D I M A P U R , N OV 1 2 (NPN): State chief minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday officially opened the 39th Nagaland Police Duty-cum-Sports Meet 2021 at NAPTC stadium, Chümoukedima. Inaugurating the event, Rio observed that all kinds of activities across the world were affected by Covid-19 pandemic. However, he pointed out that the policemen were at the forefront and sacrificed a lot while serving the people and acknowledged their sacrifice and dedication.

mentioned that Nagaland managed to get affiliation to IOA only in 2004, 41 years after attainment of Statehood. He said this showed how much insurgency had affected the State.

Sports battalion foundation stone unveiled

Neiphiu Rio along with Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra and John Longkumer release a book on the occasion. (NP)

He acknowledged Indian Olympic Association and International Hockey Federation president Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra, who

too was present on the occasion, for his commitment towards sports. He hoped that the State would excel in sports under

Unveiling the foundation stone of the Nagaland police sports battalion, Rio claimed that the manifesto of 2018 Assembly election had been fulfilled. He hoped the event would help in scouting sports talents, who could later bring laurels to the State. “Discipline yourself and commit fully to what you do with determination,”

he urged the gathering, adding that this would bring result and excellence. To promote sports in the State, he said that a sixstorey building with facilities for accommodation was complete, which would have a permanent Nagaland Olympic Association office and house 20 different sports (Cont’d on p-8) bodies.

D I M A P U R , N OV 1 2 (NPN): Senior journalist and president of Dimapur Press Club (DPC) K.Filip Sumi passed away on Friday morning. He leaves behind his wife and a daughter. Late Filip started his career in journalism at Nagaland Post in 2008 and after a few years, joined The Morung Express where he worked till the time of his demise. Messages of condolences poured out to the bereaved family from DIPR, DPC, Nagaland Post, KPC, and CP Dimapur. DIPR: Department of Information & Public Relations (DIPR) expressed sorrow over the untimely

demise of Filip Wotsa, who it said always stood in the forefront when it comes to welfare and wellbeing of media fraternity in the state. In a condolence message, I&PR director Er. Z Tokishe Sema said late Filip was known as an active journalist who never shied away from his responsibilities. I&PR director said that the immense contributions and services he rendered for the growth and promotion of journalism in Nagaland was commendable. I&PR director also said that late Filip’s association with the media houses and the DIPR would be fondly cherished. (Cont’d on p-3) K Y M C


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