April 11, 2021

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXXI No. 124

DIMAPUR, SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021 Pages 12 ` 5.00

IPL: DC beat CSK by seven wickets sports, Page 12

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India records new-high of 1.45L cases NEW DELHI, APR 10 (PTI): With a record 1,45,384 fresh cases, India’s COVID-19 tally has climbed to 1,32,05,926, the health ministry said on Saturday.

The number of active cases has breached the 10-lakh mark again after around six-and-a-half months, while the death toll due to the viral disease has gone up to 1,68,436 with 794 more fatalities, the highest since October 18 last year, the ministry’s data updated at 8 am showed.

Registering a steady increase for the 31st day in a row, the number of active coronavirus cases in the country has gone up to 10,46,631, accounting for 7.93 per cent of its total caseload, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 90.80 per cent.

The active caseload was at its lowest at 1,35,926 on February 12, accounting for only 1.25 per cent of the total number of cases in the country.

Centre, NPGs to meet in Delhi over extension of CF DIMAPUR, APR 10 (NPN): Government of India and leaders of various Naga Political Groups are scheduled to meet in Delhi in the coming week in connection with the extension of the cease-fire agreements.

According to highly places sources, most of the leaders from various Naga political groups have already left for Delhi. Separate meetings are scheduled to be held on April 12, sources added.

It may be recalled that in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, NPGs-- NSCN (R), NSCN /GPRN (K) and GPRN/NSCN had signed the ceasefire extension agreement at the Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG)/ Ceasefire Supervisory Board (CFSB) office in Kohima last year with Lt Gen (Retd) Shokin Chauhan, chairman CFMG/CFSB, as the representative of the Centre.

12 new COVID cases in State

DIMAPUR, APR 10 (NPN): Nagaland on Saturday reported 12 new COVID-19 positive cases-7 in Dimapur, 4 in Kohima and 1 in Mokokchung, taking the total caseload to 12400. With this the active cases also rose to 157.

Two more patients recuperated from the virus in Kohima, taking the tally to 11990.

This is it!

“Covid pandemic has turned life upside down.

Shoppinig desperation even on Sunday.”

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The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 1,19,90,859, while the case fatality rate has further

dropped to 1.28 per cent, the data stated.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year,

the 30-lakh mark on August 23, the 40-lakh mark on September 5 and the 50-lakh mark on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 25,52,14,803 samples have so far been tested in the country for the viral disease, including 11,73,219 on Friday.

87% new Covid deaths from 10 states: Amid a resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic, ten states in the country account for 86.78 per cent of the new deaths with Maharashtra recording maximum 301 casualties followed by 91 daily deaths in Chhattisgarh.

The 794 fresh fatalities include 301 from Maharashtra, 91 from Chhattisgarh, 56 from Punjab, 46 from Karnataka, 42 from Guja-

41-gun salute marks death of Prince Philip

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rat, 39 from Delhi, 36 from Uttar Pradesh, 32 from Rajasthan, 23 each from Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, 22 from Kerala, 17 from Jharkhand and 11 each from Andhra Pradesh and Haryana.

Of the total number of 1,68,436 deaths caused by COVID-19 in the country, Maharashtra accounts for 57,329, followed by Tamil Nadu (12,863), Karnataka (12,813), Delhi (11,196), West Bengal (10,378), Uttar Pradesh (9,039), Punjab (7,390) and Andhra Pradesh (7,279).

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that a state-wise distribution of the figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

international, Page 9

Will close down non-functional postal branch offices: NE-II PMG Correspondent

KOHIMA, APR 10 (NPN): Post Master General (PMG) North East II region Dimapur, Som Kamei, Saturday asserted that non-functional branch offices in the state would be closed down as the department cannot run the office like charity organization.

Interacting with Nagaland Post on the sidelines of review meeting cum award function at Hotel Japfu here Saturday, Kamei informed that there were 286 branch offices in Nagaland. Irregularity in attendance and dereliction of duty by employees has led to overall non-performance of several post offices in Nagaland. PMG expressed regret that there were many non-performing offices even as branch post masters were appointed.

At the programme, Kamei said that the performance of Nagaland was not

commendable and called upon the employees to wake up. He also asked the inspectors to initiate action against any irresponsible employees.

He said the department cannot afford to let the office become non-functional because of irresponsible employees.

On the poor time management among the employees, he regretted that irregularity has become a system in the post office, that has to be changed. Kamei also regretted that most employees do not maintain punctuality and working hour. Urging the officers to initiate action against such practices, he said some discipline has to be restored in the department.

On delay in delivery of mails to far-flung districts, the PMG reiterated that intra-state and intra-district mail should reach the destinations at least within 48 hours. On complaints of impoliteness by employees at post office, Kamei pointed out that such attitudes betray

an arrogant character against the duty to serve the people.

Further, while urging the staff to be sincere and responsible while performing their duties, Kamei assured that all out efforts will be made to ensure that proper system was put in place.

Mentioning that post office employees were provided with many facilities as central government employees, he urged upon them to be also reciprocate by rendering efficient services to society.

Meanwhile, Kamei told Nagaland Post that post office has already set up enrolling and updating Aadhaar cards in Kohima and Dimapur, adding that the facility would be activated in all the district offices within a month.

The meeting was followed by award ceremony where commissioner and secretary industries and commerce K. Kevichusa graced the occasion as special guest.

Violence mars fourth phase of polling in West Bengal; 5 killed State govt urges NIDA to call off stir Modi-Mamata clash, DIMAPUR, APR 10 (NPN): The state government on Saturday appealed to the Nagaland In-Service Doctors’ Association (NIDA) withdraw its proposed agitation and instead join hands with the government to find an early solution to the issue.

The appeal was made after chief secretary, J Alam along with senior officials held a meeting with representatives of NIDA, which announced its decision to resort to mass casual leave with effect from April 12 onwards, followed by indefinite cessation of works.

At the meeting, the chief secretary (CS) explained that the Cabinet in its last meeting on April 7 had deferred the matter for further consultation and that the matter was not closed, but still under consideration.

The chief secretary further explained that the government has been actively considering the matter since it was reopened in December 2020, and taken up by the Cabinet twice, besides having a consultation with the student body through the cabinet subcommittee headed by the deputy chief minister. It was also impressed upon NIDA that Nagaland, like the rest

of the country, was battling the Covid pandemic for over one year while the second wave was staring at us.

CS also pointed out that the need to intensify the vaccination drive, testing, tracking and treatment of Covid cases without any disruption. Since the Disaster Management Act, 2005 was still in force and the health services being an essential service under the Nagaland Essential Services (Maintenance Act, 1978) such disruptive action will be illegal, the chief secretary said, adding that the disruption in health services would be extremely detrimental for the general public at this point of time.

CS further assured the officials and members of NIDA that all efforts will be made so that the consultation process was fast tracked.

He also invited to be part of the consultations, to jointly review on a fortnightly basis, and work closely with the government to resolve the matter in an amicable manner.

On April 8, NIDA announced its decision to intensify its ongoing symbolic protest until the cabinet takes a decision on increasing the retirement age of State government doctors.

Poll panel acts tough

KOLKATA/NEW DELHI, APR 10 (PTI): West Bengal plunged into chaos on Saturday when five people were killed, including four in CISF firing, during the fourth phase of polling, pushing the Election Commission to bar entry of political leaders from outside in the troubled Cooch Behar district for the next 72 hours.

The deaths, all in Cooch Behar’s Sitalkuchi, set off a political firestorm in the politically volatile state, with the ruling TMC and challenger BJP blaming each other for the violence, the worst since the assembly

polls got underway.

In a rare order, the Election Commission put in place restrictions, including extending the “silence period” from 48 hours to 72 hours, for the fifth phase of polling after the violence.

Candidates will now not be allowed to canvass door to door 72 hours before the end of the polling hour instead of the usual 48 hours prior to the conclusion of the exercise.

It also barred the entry of politicians in Cooch Behar district for the next 72 hours to prevent any possible law and order flareup and directed the union home ministry to deploy an additional 71 companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) for the next four phases of the polling.

Injured being rushed to a hospital after clashes during the fourth phase of West Bengal elections, Saturday. (PTI)

Condoling the deaths in Cooch Behar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested the Election Commission to take stern action against those responsible for the incident and blamed the ruling TMC for perpetrating violence during the polls.

He also accused chief

NSCN (I-M) objects to AR post along Hebron road Myanmar forces kill DIMAPUR, APR 10 (NPN): NSCN (I-M) has strongly objected to setting up of Assam Rifles (AR) outpost along the Dimapur-Hebron road and also the “provocative activities” of AR personnel at Doyapur main road, on the way to Council Headquarters (CHq), Hebron.

It said that the “Indian armed forces personnel (Assam Rifles/AR in particular) are deliberately violating the Cease Fire Ground Rules

(CFGRs) agreed between NSCN (I-M) and Government of India not to set up any camp at the DimapurHebron road.” “It has been almost two years since the AR personnel began stationing at Doyapur...,” it added.

Urging the Centre for its withdrawal in the larger interest of the “Indo-Naga peace process”, NSCN (I-M) said that setting up of the AR outpost along the said road was a blatant violation of the agreement while also

asserting that there was no logic in setting up an outpost to harass commuters when the Indo-Naga peace process was going on.

NSCN (I-M) alleged that the AR, under the direction of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), had deliberately set up the outpost without any regard to the prior agreement and was keeping a sharp eye on NSCN members going in and out of Hebron.

new infections Saturday, and with over 13 million virus cases lags behind only the U.S. and Brazil.

Maharashtra’s Health M i n i s t e r R a j e s h To p e warned the state had three days worth of shots in stocks and vaccination centers were being forced to shut down.

On Friday he announced a strict weekend lockdown to try and contain the outbreak.

Mumbai, has currently used up all but 3% of its intensive care hospital beds.

The national capital Delhi-- which is operating under a nightly curfew -reported more than 8,500 new infections on Friday, the highest so far in this year,

with health care workers some of the worst affected.

At Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, one of the city’s top institutions, 37 doctors had been infected with Covid-19 with mostly mild symptoms, two people at the hospital said, asking not to be identified.

“It’s going to be a horrible next two months,” said Shuchin Bajaj, director at the Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, which runs 14 hospitals across north India.

“The impact is ten times what it was last year. This time it seems to be affecting younger patients.”

In Lucknow, as many as 40 doctors at the state-run in King Georges’ Medical Uni-

versity have been infected, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.

The twelve-fold jump in India’s daily new infections, from some 11,000 in early February, comes as five States are in the middle of elections and northern Uttarakhand is holding the monthlong Kumbh Mela, a pilgrimage that is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of devotees to the banks of the Ganges river.

In West Bengal, political leaders and campaigners are holding roadshows and rallies drawing thousands of people each day -- many without masks or social distancing-- to woo 73 million

over 80 protesters

(Cont’d on p-8)

Hospitals swamped by second wave of Covid as shots run low NEW DELHI, APR 10 (AGENCIES): India is facing an escalating health crisis, with its second wave of virus infections hitting record highs, overwhelming hospitals around the country as supplies of intensive care beds and vital drugs come under pressure, reports the Bloomberg.

Across the South Asian nation, from the wealthiest and also the worst-hit state of Maharashtra to its most populous, Uttar Pradesh, reports are emerging of hospital beds running short and immunization centers turning away people as they run out of vaccines. India reported more than 145,000

minister Mamata Banerjee of instigating people against the central forces, sensing defeat.

The chief minister, who rushed to North Bengal, said she will meet the bereaved families, demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah and a reply from

him on firing by the central forces which led to the death of people “standing in the queue to vote”.

Asserting that she had apprehended such an incident all along, Banerjee said, “After killing so many people, they (Election Commission) are saying the firing was in self-defence. They should feel ashamed.”

“This is a lie....The central forces opened fire on people standing in the line for voting, killing 4 in Sitalkuchi…” The chief minister said a CID probe will be instituted into the incident.

Meanwhile, an estimated 76.16 per cent of 1.15 crore voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm in 44 constituencies where polling was held, an official said.

voters in the eight-phase poll that will end on April 29.

“The second wave is bigger and nastier than the first wave, but we have lost our coordinates to politics,” said Kunal Sarkar, a cardiologist at the Medica Super Specialty Hospital in Kolkata. “Politicians are happy gathering votes as the pandemic is on the rise.” A state-run Mumbai hospital had run out of ICU and oxygen beds, a doctor who asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the information said.

Punjab’s vaccine stock will last another five days, chief minister Amarinder Singh said on Saturday

Securitymen walk down the street during crackdown in Bago.

YANGON, APR 10 (AP): At least 82 people were killed in one day in a crackdown by Myanmar security forces on pro-democracy protesters, according to reports Saturday from independent local media and an organisation that keeps track of casualties since the military’s February seizure of power.

Friday’s death toll in Bago was the biggest oneday total for a single city since March 14, when just over 100 people were killed in Yangon, the country’s biggest city. Bago is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Yangon. The Associated Press is unable to independently verify the number of deaths.

The death toll of 82 was

a preliminary one compiled by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which issues daily counts of casualties and arrests from the crackdown in the aftermath of the February 1 coup. Their tallies are widely accepted as highly credible because cases are not added to their totals until they have been confirmed, with the details published on their website.

In its Saturday report, the group said that it expected the number of dead in Bago to rise as more cases were verified.

The online news site Myanmar Now also reported that 82 people had been killed, citing an unnamed source involved with charity rescue work.

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ACYA convention enters day-two

Correspondent Kohima, APR 10 (NPN): Angami Catholic Youth Association (ACYA) convention which began on Friday at Chiephobozou, entered the second day here, on Saturday, with Naga Mother’s Association (NMA) advisor, professor Rosemary Dzüvichü as the main speaker during the service.

In her message, Dzüvichü urged all the members of ACYA to be messengers of peace to the world during these troubling times.

Echoing the message of Pope Francis, Dzüvichü said that youths had the power to change the world as they carrie a strong voice for peace. She reminded them “not to allow the spark of youth to be extinguished”.

Pointing out that the world was full of injustices and vices, Dzüvichü called upon the youths to stand up for their rights and reminded

Cultural troupe presenting a folk song. (Inset) Professor, Rosemary Dzüvichü addressing the gathering. (NP)

them that despite the injustices, there was a reason for peace and that God’s plan must be recognised.

Dwelling on the theme of the convention, “challenges ahead for the Angami Catholic Youth,” she observed the growing unemployment crisis in Nagaland for which, she challenged the younger generation to develop work ethics.

She lamented on how Nagaland had become so

complacent in corruption that it had in some way become a way of life in the Naga society which was even evident in the churches.

She urged youths to be truthful, sincere and honest in their works and to fight against corruption.

She also encouraged them to ponder and deliberate on the role of the youths in the churches.

Stressing on the need

news in Brief

to preserve and protect one’s cultural identity and tradition, Dzüvichü encouraged the educated youths to write and record the history, folk songs, etc., in order to pass on the tradition to the next generations.

Stressing on gender disparities in the Naga society, she said that there was now a need for women to come forward and claim for their rights.

In this regard, she urged

men to think about uplifting women in the society and cited that there was a lack of women in the decision making body of the state.

Fur ther, Dzüvichü challenged women participants to ponder upon the role of women in the society as well as the church.

Later in the programme, Sr. Khrievinuo Christina Ziephrü spoke on the theme “Wisdom opens the way,” followed by an exhortation session conducted by St Joseph college, Jakhama principal, Fr. Keduolhou George on the theme “blessed is the man who trust in the Lord.”

The second day of the convention concluded with a cultural extravaganza night which saw performances from folk songs to shadow play with participants from five regions including Northern ACYA, Southern ACYA, Chakhroma ACYA, Kohima Town ACYA, and Western ACYA.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021

KSCJ, KCK organise mentoring prog

KSCJ and KCK faculty along with participants of the programme.

DIMAPUR: Kohima Science College Jotsoma (KSCJ) and Kohima College Kohima (KCK) jointly organised a programme on “mentoring on NAAC assessment & accreditation” on April 9 at KSCJ. The programme was chaired by IQAC KCK a s s i s t a n t c o o r d i n a t o r, Sungjeminla.

She highlighted the main objective of NAAC which was to assess and accredit universities and institutions of higher learning to generate quality in education by encouraging a

DIMAPUR: In commemoration of its 25th anniversary, the Benpuluin Semchir Telongjem (BST) organised a free health camp at government middle school, Kumlong ward, Mokokchung where about 200 patients from Kumlong and Mongsenbai wards availed free medical check-up and were provided with medicines on April 10. The medical camp was conducted by Dr. Imliyatet Ozukum and his team from Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC), Yimyu ward.

A doctor checking the dental health of a child during the Speaking on behalf free medical camp. (Photo courtesy: Imkongsenla) of BST, Nungsang Jamir expressed gratitude to the medical team for conducting a much needed health camp in the locality.

He also conveyed gratitude from ward councils of Kumlong and Mongsenbai to the visiting doctors.

On behalf of the visiting medical team, UPHC Yimyu ward, Sentirenla Longchar thanked BST and all concerned for availing their services while citizens of Kumlong and Mongsenbai wards expressed gratitude to BST. The medical team was supported by dental specialist Dr. Funitchiba, MD Dr. Alemba and optometric assistant Sangyula.

Nurses and technicians A sanitation truck for Phezoucha was flagged off on April 10 by Neiketouzo Kenguruse, - Mobile Integrated CounPS to state chief minister, at a function held at Nagaland’s Civil secretariat junction, selling and Testing Centre (ICTC), Revised National Kohima under the aegis of Phezoucha Rhiiba Council (PRC) Kohima.

DIMAPUR: Forum for Reconciliation (FNR) has expressed grief over the demise of late Rev. L. Mankup Konyak.

In a condolence note, FNR said that the late reverend’s life was an epic written by God and that he spoke often of the Naga family and of years long ago when the Nagas were far different from what it is today.

It added that his unvarying support for the historical and political rights of the Naga cause, his record as a champion of forgiveness and reconciliation was an inspiration to the Forum for Reconciliation.

It paid tribute to a “lofty Naga,” who was a “liberated redeemed and emancipated person”.

Forum for Reconciliation (FNR) stated that he never gave up in his confidence and on what Nagas could become.

Further, Forum for Reconciliation conveying its condolences to the bereaved family members and thanked the late reverend who had received what the Lord had promised in John 11:25-26.

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ZGC observes Freshers’ Day DIMAPUR: Zunheboto G ove r n m e n t C o l l e g e (ZGC) observed its freshers’ day for the 2nd semester students at the college auditorium on April 8.

A press release by ZGC media coordinator stated that during the programme, ZGC principal, K Nishena Nekha urged the students to use social media responsibly and in a proper way so that they may gain more knowledge.

Adding that India was aiming to have 50 percent of the population in higher education by 2030, he encouraged the students to work hard and compete

with millions of students across the country in being the best.

He also advised them to abide by the values of the Naga society and stated that “culture and traditions should not only be shown in outer appearance rather it should come from the heart.”

Talking about COVID19 safety in the college, Nekha said that social distancing was not possible due to lack of classrooms, small size class rooms and large number of students however, he maintained that wearing of face masks and using of hand sanitisers and disinfectant for all

Seyiekhrielie Whiso gave a talk on the seven criteria and key aspects. He highlighted all the important indicators while also sharing the experiences of the college and helpful tips.

IQAC DBCK coordinator, Jarani Mao talked on “process of assessment (our journey)” followed by Q&A. Earlier, vote of thanks was proposed by IQAC KCK assistant coordinator, Dr. Konei Nakhro.

The programme ended with a visit to various facilities of the college.

BST organises medical camp; 200 patients avail health services

KCSU to hold first union assembly: Kohima Chakhesang Students Union (KCSU) has informed that its first union assembly (2021-2022) will be held on April 17, 11 a.m. at Chakhesang Baptist Church Kohima (CBCK) Kitsubozou conference hall.

All subordinate units, affiliated units have been directed to send two representatives to the assembly. All the seniors and well wishers have also been invited to the first union assembly while strictly maintaining the SOPs. For more details one may contact at 70051369959 (KCSU assembly secy) or 7005546811 (KCSU speaker).

TVC convenes meeting: Tetrübe village council (TVC) has convened a meeting on April 17, 11 a.m. in the premises of Tetrübe Baptist Church. All plot holders have been requested to attend the meeting. Any query/clarification by plot holders may be brought to the meeting. Meanwhile, it also informed Kuzhami village community plot holders to clear Rs. 20,000 each for community development projects. All office bearers, council members, GBs and advisors have been requested to attend the executive meeting on April 16, 2 p.m. at Prayer Centre, Tetrübe.

IGNOU informs: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has informed that entrance tests for management programmes (Openmat-xlviii), B.Ed. programme and post basic B.Sc. nursing programme will be conducted on April 11, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Candidates are advised to download hall-tickets at www.ignou. ac.in by entering control number/mobile number and date of birth and report to the examination centre. In case candidates are unable to download hall-ticket, they can contact regional centre and obtain a print out of the hall ticket from the same.

FNR condoles demise of late Rev. Mankup

proactive quality culture.

As per the directive given to accredited colleges by directorate of higher education, Nagaland, to mentor non-accredited colleges, the programme was jointly organised with mentee colleges: Don Bosco College Kohima; Capital College of Higher Education Kohima; Baptist College Kohima; St. Xavier’s College Jalukie; College of Arts and Technology; Nerhe Phezha and Peren Government College.

Main speaker, IQAC KSCJ coordinator, Dr.

the students were strictly followed and SOPs issued by the higher authorities was also observed.

The programme was chaired by Atilo Kinny and Hukato H, opening prayer was pronounced by Pekiye, welcome address

by ZGCEU president, Vitika T Aye, special number

by Hito Yeptho, vote of thanks by Shekiye Chophy (AGS) and benediction by Ilovili Shohe.

Bovi and Linoka were adjudged as the winners of Mr & Miss freshers. Judges of the competition were assistant professors, Hulika Zhimo, Lovikali Aye and Kileto Chishi.

SF apprehend one ‘NSCN (U)’ cadre DIMAPUR: In a joint operation with the police, Security Forces (SF) apprehended one “NSCN (U)” cadre in general area Diphupar, Dimapur on April 6.

According to PRO, based on a specific input, security forces and the state police recovered one point 22 pistol and five live rounds.

The apprehended individual along with recoveries was over to Diphupar police station, Dimapur for further Police personnel along with the apprehended person. investigation.

TB Control Programme (RNTCP) and National Vector Brone Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) under CMO Mokokchung also conducted extensive blood tests of the patients.

Patients were also provided with free medicines after their check-up while some complicated cases were referred to other clinics.

The medical camp benefited the citizens, especially the very young and the elderly who could not avail regular health check-up due to the fear of COVID-19.

It may be mentioned that BST was formed by the children and grandchildren of late Benpulin Jamir, a pioneering Ungma citizen and one of the first settlers of Kumlong ward in Mokokchung town.

The Telongjem has been actively involved in different activities in the ward and beyond and also organises an annual volleyball trophy in memory of late Benpulin at Kumlong ward.

The 25th anniversary celebration will culminate in December 2021.

DP-1893

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT K-753

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Born in 1939 – Died on 24/03/2021 The family of Late Toyili K. Zhimomi wishes to acknowledge many expressions of sympathy and good gestures of kindness shown to our family at the demise of our dear mother. We offer our heartfelt thanks to all the relatives, neighbours, friends and well wishers who stood by us and extended emotional, physical, financial and prayer support throughout her prolonged illness and demise, we remain grateful.

We would like to convey our special thanks to: 1. Doctors and nurses (M.H Hospital, Dimapur) 2. Thilixu Village Baptist Church 3. Thilixu Village Block-II YMCM 4. Thilixu Village Block-II Akighini muqo 5. Chekiye Village Baptist Church 6. Satami Kuqhakulu Dimapur (SKD) 7. Jt. Registrar of Coop. societies, Dimapur 8. Prayer Fellowship Old Town Zbto.

9. District Horticulture Officer and staff Zbto.

10. Satami Village Baptist Church 11. Satami Students’ Union 12. Yehemi Students’ Union 13. Ghushepu Lagha Satami Village We are unable to thank each and every one of you individually but we always hold all of you close to our hearts for the unconditional support and prayer. We fervently pray that Almighty God shower His blessing upon you all.

Loving Husband, Children & Grandchildren DP-1896

LT. N ZHEKUGHA 28/06/1962 – 25/03/2021 We, the bereaved family of Lt N Zhekugha would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who stood by and shared our grief and emotion, spiritually, physically and financially during the prolonged illness and sudden demise of our beloved. We regret our inability to thank each and everyone individually. Your love and comfort in our times of deep sorrow will be remembered. It is our prayer that our Almighty God bless you all abundantly.

We extend our special gratitude to:1. Sumi Baptist Church Padumpukhuri 2. N.C.R.C Sumi Padumpukhuri 3. Nepali Baptist Church Padumpukhuri 4. Toluvi Baptist Church 5. NCRC Sumi Toluvi 6. Kukidolong Baptist Church 7. V.K Town Baptist Church Nito Mount 8. V.K Baptist Church Aizuto 9. ACT Fellowship Lotovi 10. Sumi Kiphimi Kuqhqlu Padumpukhuri 11. Sumi Community Padumpukhuri 12. Inazhe Lagha Kuposhu Kullu Dimapur 13. Litami Kughakulu Dimapur 14. V.K Town Union Dimapur 15. Maromi Tughalomi Union Dimapur 16. V.K GHS Ahuna Union 17. PHED staff Dimapur 18. Shri. Hojei Swu, Kilonser GPRN-NSCN 19. Shri. Azheto Zhimomi, MLA 20. Shri. H. Khehovi Yeptho, MLA (Advisor to Tourism, Art and Culture) 21. Shri. Atovi Shohe, Ex- MLA 22. Shri. Naiba Konyak, Ex-MLA Loving Wife, Children and In-laws DP-1890

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nagalandpost.com Poll Q.: Is the govt revealing that it lacks a political will by deferring decisions?

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

A B C

Time to move beyond one’s tribe: Along Azheto inaugurates Samaguri gate

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

A

B

Yes. No. Can’t Say.

C

75% 25% 0%

Next poll

Q: S h o u l d t h e re b e a

lockdown in the face of the second COVID wave?  Yes.  No.  Can’t Say.

WEATHER FORECAST April 11

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala Hazy sunshine and hot

37 24

Aizawl

Hazy sunshine

32 17

Guwahati Very warm with hazy sunshine 34 19 Imphal

Sunny much of the time

32 14

Itanagar A strong morning thunderstorm 29 17 Shillong

Partly sunny and comfortable 26 15

Kohima

A t-storm around in the p.m.

Dimapur Mostly sunny Mkg

A t-storm around in the a.m.

Tuensang Mostly sunny Wokha

Mostly sunny and delightful

26 15 34 19 28 15 21 12 27 18

Zunheboto A stray morning thundershower 25 13

Temjen Imna Along and Medo Yhokha with ASU executives and guests during the event at Kisama. (NP)

Correspondent Kohima, APR 10 (NPN): Minister for Higher Education and Tribal Affairs, Temjen Imna Along said it was time for Nagas to move beyond the comforts of one’s own tribe and think collectively as a race.

He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Angami Students’ Union (ASU) Thehouba & Viewpoint in commemoration of 21st Biennial General Conference 2021, 75 years of Kohima sub-division Stu-

Neiba Kronu, others condole demise of CPO VP

DIMAPUR: Minister of planning & coordination, land revenue, parliamentary affairs, Neiba Kronu, NPF president, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu and WCH have mourned the demise of Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) vice president Vehushu Medeo, who passed away on Saturday at NHAK, Kohima after a brief illness.

Neiba Kronu: Minister of planning & coordination, land revenue, parliamentary affairs, Neiba Kronu expressed grief over the untimely demise of late Vehushu Medeo.

In a condolence note, the minister said that late Vehushu was “a man of principal, integrity and an active social worker with an amiable personality,” who worked tirelessly and courageously for the welfare of the community as a whole and Pfutsero area in particular.

He said that the people had lost a straight forward, God-fearing and benevolent Chakhesang leader who always stood by his words and his demise would be a vacuum hard to fill.

Further, the minister conveyed his condolence to the bereaved family and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

W C H : We s t e r n Chakhesang Hoho (WCH) expressed shock over the sudden and untimely demise.

In a condolence note, its president Dietho

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Rhakho and joint secretary Zasekhoyi Ringa said that he was “among the very few dignified, sensible, brave, outspoken, honest and charming leader”.

It also stated that he was a “recipient of gover nor’s commendation certificate for social service,” and as a community, they looked upon him as a leader with a beacon of light to young upcoming generations WCH conveyed its condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for God to give them strength as the departed soul rests in eternal peace.

NPF: NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu on behalf of the party rank and file expressed grief over the demise of late Vehushu Medeo.

In a condolence note, Dr. Shürhozelie said that late Vehushu Medeo was a staunch regionalist who served the party on various capacities.

Stating that he had served the party as working president Phek division and was presently advisor of the Phek division, the NPF president said that his sacrifices and contributions towards the welfare of the party would be cherished by all.

Further, the NPF party conveyed its condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the Almighty to grant solace and comfort at an hour of distress, as his soul rests in eternal peace.

dents’ Conference and 50 years of Angami Students’ Union at Kisama here, on Saturday.

He pointed out that the narrow minded nature of being unable to think beyond one’s own family, range and tribe was present in all the Naga tribes which needed to be given up if Nagas envision of having a common future.

Along remarked that Nagas look, act and aspire the same to the extent of having a common trajectory and therefore if the host of tribes could complement

each other, it would help in keeping the family together.

He added that there could be differences in opinion of the minds however there shouldn’t be differences of the heart.

It is high time for the dust of indifferences to settle now and give way to the growth of new buds of change to spring out in the Naga society, Along said.

Along lauded ASU for thinking progressively and formulating the vision to move beyond one’s boundaries into true unity and

urged the student body to spearhead in coming up with resolutions for not just the tribe alone but for Nagas as a whole.

Later, Along laid down the foundation stone for ASU’s Thehouba & Viewpoint.

In a short speech, advisor of technical education and election, Medo Yhokha expressed his gratitude to Imna Along reiterating the commitment of brotherhood shared by the Angamis and Aos some years ago at a Moatsü festival.

Medo who also happened to be a former president of ASU urged the student body to be agents of positive change for both the tribe and state.

He expressed hope that ASU would be foundations stones and strong pillar on which the Naga society would lean on and progress.

Earlier the event was chaired by former president ASU, Zakie Khate while incumbent president Vizokho Zashümo gave the introductory address.

Union Baptist Church Kohima, associate pastor Visato Yhoshü offered the dedicatory prayer.

Executives from four ranges Northern, Southern, Western and Chakhroma attended the programme.

Azheto Zhimomi inaugurating the Samaguri gate.

DIMAPUR: Azheto Zhimomi, MLA, 3 DimapurIII Assembly Constituency, Saturday inaugurated gate of Samaguri village under 3 Dimapur-III Assembly Constituency constructed under LADP 2020-2021.

Speaking at a brief function, the opposition MLA expressed his dissatisfaction over the performance of PDA and said that it has failed to do justice in all policy making and development activities.

He said that the state government had set up various cabinet sub-committees to

present report on law and order issues prevalent in Nagaland, but till now no committee has been able to do good in presenting a justified report.

On the occasion, Azheto congratulated the people of the village for erecting the gate. He said that it signifies the existence and history of the village and an identification of the village.

MLA also lauded the village for judiciously utilising the fund and ensuring timely completion of the work.

He it has been his effort to ensure that village gates were erected in all the villages under his constituency, adding that this was the latest addition to the list of those having erected village gates.

Samaguri village GB, Starson Marak, accorded a warm reception to special guest, Azheto Zhimomi and other dignitaries with cultural presentation.

Samaguri village council chairman Shikahoto Zhimomi, proposed words of acknowledgement.

Training for SDRF commences in Dimapur Lok Adalat settles 110 cases

Trainees at the SDRF training at CTI Toluvi in Dimapur.

DIMAPUR: Fourth batch of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) training for home guards, civil defence

and SDRF personnel comA press release by mences on April 7 at Cen- chief instructor, CTI, stated tral Training Institute (CTI) that during the opening Toluvi, Dimapur. programme, commandant

general, L Bendang Lemtur stressed on efficiency and capability of trainers in order to bring out the best in the trainees and further pointed out that the personnel should extend their training beyond training period and continue to practice what they had learned, in order to respond effectively during emergencies. 118 personnel from all districts would undergo the training for the next 30 days.

Trainees will be trained on topics covering medical first responder (MFR), collapsed structure search & rescue (CSSR), auxiliary fire fighting, ropes, knots & lashing, earthquake and landslide, etc.

DIMAPUR: National Lok Adalat was held in the State on April 10, where 110 matters were settled out of 363 listed disputes/ matters/cases with a total settlement amount of Rs. 1,18,52,562.

According to Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) public relations assistant (PRA), Ketholeno Neihu, the Lok Adalat (people’s court) was conducted by legal services institutions across the state in with the rest of the country.

10 Lok Adalat sitting benches were constituted by the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) at their respective district headquarters.

In total, 363 disputes/

matters/cases were listed for dealing the Lok Adalat on April 10, which included cases in pending stage as well as in pre-litigation stage mostly in the category of bank recovery, criminal compoundable cases & motor accident cases tribunal.

With pursuance by the conciliators through arbitration, conciliation and amicable efforts, the benches were able to resolve and settle 110 such disputes and cases.

Settlement in some of the cases amounted to a total of Rs. 1,18,52,562.

The sitting was org a n i s e d i n D i m a p u r, Kohima, Longleng, Kiphire, Mokokchung, Mon, Wokha, Phek, Peren and Zunheboto.

AR organises SVC flays alleged assault, robbery Sovima Vil- the miscreants within an veterinary & DIMAPUR: lage Council (SVC) has hour of the incident. condemned the SVC said it would inmedical camps vehemently alleged assault and robbery struct the village youth

DIMAPUR: Kiphire battalion of Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) organised free veterinary and medical camps at Seyochung town, Kiphire on April 8 as part of op sadhbhavna project with mobile field veterinary hospital, Rangapahar.

According to PRO HQ IGAR (N), medicines for 1419 poultry and 1069 domestic animals were distributed while 25 dogs and 10 poultry were treated.

Medical checkup and medicines were also provided to 38 villagers from Seyochung town.

perpetrated on some persons involved in construction works at Sovima village Friday night at around 8:30 p.m. by three individuals.

In a condemnation note, SVC chairman Neikhriehu Kense stated that the people were alarmed “thieves and shady characters” moving about freely in the vicinity of the village perpetrating “heinous crimes.” The village council extended its appreciation to the police personnel attached with the state chief minister and personnel posted at Chümoukedima police station for promptly apprehending

organisation to remain vigilant in order to prevent further recurrence of similar incidents.

Further, SVC urged the police to arrest one of the absconding accused.

Eastern Christian College, department of history Padumpukhuri Dimapur organised an exhibition-cum-competition of artifacts for archive on April 10 at the college multipurpose. (ECC) K Y M C

K Y M C

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Newly-formed TIPRA sweeps Tripura tribal council polls

TTAADC is led by former state Congress president Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman.

Agartala, Apr 10 (PTI): The newly-formed TIPRA, led by former state Congress president Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman, swept the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections on Saturday, winning 18 of the 28 seats that went to the polls, official sources said.

The Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) secured 18 seats, the BJP won nine seats and one seat was bagged by an Independent candidate, they said.

In the 30-member tribal council, elections were held in 28 seats on Tuesday.

Representatives in the remaining two seats will be

nominated by the governor on the advice of the state government.

The TTAADC area is two-third of the state territory, and is the home to the tribals, who constitute one-third of Tripura’s population.

Deb Barman urged his supporters to maintain peace as celebrations broke out with the newly-formed party getting an absolute majority in the elections.

“We have to maintain unity. I appeal to the people to refrain from attacking the party office and houses of the supporters of IPFT, BJP, CPI(M) and Congress. They too are our people and we do not want to fight among

ourselves. If we want unity then we have to maintain peace. They too will join our party after the elections,” he said. A victory rally will be organised on Monday at the tribal council headquarters in Khumulwung, about 25 km from Agartala, Deb Barman announced.

“Do not fight among yourself, this has continued for 70 years and let the whole India see how Tipraha maintains unity even after winning the election,” he told his supporters.

Deb Barman, who was the state unit president of Congress, quit the party in September 2019, citing differences with the high command. A month later,

he announced the name of his new outfit -- TIPRA, which was initially a social organisation but in 2020, was turned into a political party.

CPI(M) leader Radhacharan Debbarma said it was the victory of the people.

“We accept that we lost this election. Why we have lost the election will be discussed and reviewed later by the party. But at present, we can say that it is the victory of the people,” he said.

“People made a promise to each other that they want to defeat the present government, which is what we believe was responsible for the defeat of the BJP,” said Debbarma, the former chief executive member (CEM) of the TTADC. The CPI(M)-led Left Front, which governed the TTAADC for the last twenty years before the April 6 elections, could not win a single seat.

The elections were largely being seen as a bipolar contest between Deb Barman’s new party and the BJP-IPFT alliance, while the Left Front, which is yet to recover from its defeat in the state elections in 2018, being considered a fringe player.

Tripura party chief ‘attacked’ ahead of counting of votes for TTAADC election

A day before the counting of votes for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), a group of people allegedly attacked leaders and candidates of a newly formed party inside a government office in West Tripura district on Friday.

Chairman of the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA), Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, claimed that a group of hooligans, sheltered by a political party,attacked them when they visited the office of the Sub- divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Mohanpur.

The Mohanpur SDM’s office is one of the 16 such offices where votes will be counted for the TTAADC election on Saturday.

West Tripura district Superintendent of Police Manik Lal Das said the situation in the area is under control and no one was injured.

“There could be an altercation between the supporters of TIPRA and some people when he (Debbarman ) visited the SDM’s office. But we have not noticed that he was attacked. He reached home at Agartala safely,” Das told PTI. Debbarman, who also contested the TTAADC elections on April 6, said that he went to the SDM office with a candidate to discuss Saturday’s counting process when some miscreants barged into the office and attacked the TIPRA supports with stones and sticks.

Police personnel present there were outnumbered by the attackers, the TIPRA chairman said.

“On noticing their activities, I went live on Facebook and showed the reality to the people across the state.

How could somebody enter inside the SDM’s office with lathis and iron rods to attack me and other leaders?” he said. He claimed that Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and the director general of police telephoned him and assured him that action will be taken against the culprits.

M’laya mulls action against schools detaining students Correspondent Shillong, April 10: Meghalaya Education Minister, Lakhmen Rymbui said action would be taken against schools that detain students in the same class violating a state government order and the Right To Education Act. He said parents can file a complaint if their wards were detained in the same class.

“No school can detain students in the same class under a government order and also under the RTE. Action would be taken against violators,” Rymbui said.

The Education Minister revealed that students of one school in the State Capital have been detained in the same class as they could not submit their online assignments due to the absence of smartphones.

According to reports, one of the schools has detained the school students in the same class and is unwilling to budge from its decision. The detained students are from class 1 to 3.

These students come from economically weaker sections of the society and

Lakhmen Rymbui

many don’t possess a smartphone.

“My son has been detained in the same class because he was unable to submit his assignment on a smartphone,” a parent whose son was detained in class I of the school, said.

The state education department issued a notification months ago that no students can be detained in the same class, except students appearing in board examinations (class X and XII.) Fur ther, under the RTE, no student in elementary school from class I to class VIII can be detained in the same class as part of the no-detention policy. The objective of this policy is to minimize school dropouts and also allow students to learn without pressure of pass and fail.

Travellers to Meghalaya Manipur inks MoU for film 3 rescued rhino calves released into the wild in Assam heritage preservation required to register Correspondent Shillong, April 10 : The Meghalaya government on Saturday issued a revised protocols making it mandatory for all people entering the State to register themselves prior to their travel at: http:// meghalayaonline.gov.in/ covid/testing.htm, and to download the Arogya Setu App and the Behavioural Change Management App of Meghalaya from Google play store.

The revised protocols were issued in view of the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in many States of the country “with the possibility of the emergence of new strains requiring immediate steps to be taken to contain the spread of the virus in the State.”

In a notification signed

by Principal Secretar y Health and Family Welfare, Sampath Kumar said, “All entrants, other than those from North Eastern States shall carry a valid RT-PCR/ CBNAAT/TruNat negative certificate else they will be tested with RTPCR on cost basis.” “The COVID negative report will be valid only if they were tested within 72 hours of their arrival at the entry point. All entrants tested by RT-PCR at the entry point should go into home quarantine or paid

quarantine till the test results are declared,” the notification specified.

“Entrants coming with a COVID negative report but showing symptoms on arrival at the entry point will have to be mandatorily tested by RT-PCR. Persons entering the State from any State or Union Territory possessing a valid final certificate of vaccination shall be exempted from testing,” the notification said, adding that “Day-trippers” from North Eastern States would be tested using RAT. “All entrants tested by RT-PCR at the entry point should go into home quarantine or paid quarantine till the test results are declared.

The test results are usually available within 48 hours. If tested negative, which shall be communicated through an SMS or can be checked online at www.coronamegh. in, such individuals can carry on with their daily activities or work normally,” the notification specified.

“It is mandatory for all international travellers to produce a negative RTPCR test report. The report will be valid only if they were tested within 72 hours of their arrival. If they are unable to do so, their sample must be collected at the entry point and shall be sent for RTPCR testing,” the notification emphasised.

Correspondent

IMPHAL, Apr 10: Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) and Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Saturday to preserve Manipur’s film heritage, a milestone for Manipuri cinema.

The MoU was signed on the second day of the ongoing inaugural programme of the yearlong celebration of golden jubilee celebration of Manipuri cinema.

In 2015, the executive board meeting of MSFDS decided to set up a film archive for Manipuri cinema but no follow up action was taken until recently.

Subsequent to the MoU signing, a three day workshop on film archiving also commenced.

The MoU was signed

by MSFDS secretary Sunzu Bachaspatimayum and founder director of Film Heritage Foundation Shivendra Singh Dungarpur along with two witnesses each.

After signing the MoU, Shivendra said, “Manipur is the only state in the Northeast that has taken such a major initiative for film preservation.” He observed that it must be the first time in India as well that an archive and museum with training facilities for preservation and archiving has been opened.

Golaghat (Assam), Apr 10 (PTI): Three rhino calves, including two females, rescued during the 2019 Assam floods will soon be released into the wild.

The rhinos, rescued near the Kaziranga National Park, will be kept at a livestock enclosure for a stipulated period of habituation before their final release into the Manas Tiger Reserve in Barpeta district, a Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) statement said.

They underwent twoyear-long rehabilitation at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve Director P Siva-

Jaipur, April 10 (IANS): Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday targeted Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and termed him a ‘jailor’ soon after the Gehlot government ‘politically quarantined’ AIUDF leaders from Assam in Rajasthan fearing their poaching by the BJP. Over a dozen leaders from AIUDF are camping

in a five star resort since Friday and Congress leaders confirmed they will be here till the time they want.

Shekhawat in his tweet said, “Ashok Gehlot has garnered expertise as CM in sending leaders for political camping. While the results have not been announced in Assam, the Congress feels threatened of losing the battle. The party has once again resorted to herding

File photo of poll officials in Assam. uty Speaker and BJP candidate Aminul Haque Laskar, who is contesting from the Sonai Assembly constituency as a BJP nominee, was quizzed twice while five police personnel attached to him were suspended after they allegedly opened fire at the public during the second phase of polling on April 1.

kumar said.

“This is the right time to release the calves into the wild as they will soon be developing horns,” he

was quoted as saying.

The calves will undergo a medical check-up and will be marked before they are released, he said.

“We have augmented Manas with 19 rhinos since 2006, out of a total population of 44 in the tiger reserve,” he added.

Gehlot Congress’ jailor, says Manipur govt – JNIMS employees’ Union minister Shekhawat impasse hit healthcare services its own party leaders as well as its allies. Basically, this seems to be the main job of the CM. Packing their own leaders in a fencing made of star services. This time, the leaders from other parties have also been ‘arrested’. It will be apt to term Gehlot ji as Congress jailor.”

As per the latest update, a total of around 20 leaders of AIUDF are camping in Hotel Fairmont in Jaipur.

EC orders re-polling in 4 booths in Assam Guwahati, April 10 (IANS): The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday has ordered re-polling in four polling stations in three assembly constituencies in southern Assam, where normal balloting were held in the second phase of polling on April 1, officials said.

The Election Commission Secretary Ajay Kumar Verma in a letter to the Assam Chief Electoral Officer Nitin Khade said that considering all the reports and other circumstances, the EC has ordered re-polling in four polling stations on April 20.

Quoting the EC order, the elections officials said that the re-polling would be held in Indira M.V. School (Right) under Ratabari (SC) assembly constituency, Madhya Dhanchari Lower Primary School under Sonai assembly segment, Khothlir Lower Primary School and Mualdam Lower Primary School both under Halflong (ST) assembly seat.

Assam Assembly Dep-

A rhino calf being released into the Manas Tiger Reserve in Barpeta district.

Cachar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Keerthi Jalli has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

District Development Commissioner B.C. Das has been asked to conduct the probe and submit a report in this regard.

Laskar, however, told the media that the security personnel opened fire to

protect his life during a clash between the rival political parties. The opposition parties have demanded his arrest.

At least six polling personnel were suspended in Assam’s Dima Hasao district after it was found that a booth -- Khothlir Lower Primary School -- with 90 valid voters reg-

istered 181 votes during the second phase of polls on April 1.

The repolling would be held at the Mualdam Lower Primary School in connection with the ballot mismatch in Khothlir Lower Primary School. The Election Commission earlier suspended the presiding officer, three other polling officials and an armed escort official associated with Indira M.V. School under Ratabari (SC) assembly constituency after an EVM was found in a BJP candidate’s wife’s vehicle on April 1.

The Karimganj District Magistrate (DM) Anbamuthan MP (Repeat Anbamuthan MP) has ordered a magisterial inquiry and the police arrested three people in connection with the EVM found in a BJP candidate wife’s vehicle.

The three-phase elections to the 126-member Assam assembly were held on March 27, April 1 and April 6. The results would be declared on May 2.

Correspondent

IMPHAL, APR 10: Health services in JNIMS hospital were severely affected for the second day on Saturday after agitating employees, including doctors and nurses of the biggest state-run medical college in Manipur, resigned en masses.

Confusion prevailed in almost all wards of the hospital after doctors and nurses were not present to attend to patients. On a normal day, the hospital witnesses people crowding at outpatient counters and other wards where beds are hardly empty. Doctors and nurses who did not attend to patients at the wards even as services at the OutPatient Department (OPD) and Accident and Trauma Centre (emergency ward) were suspended.

The closure of these services led to patients rushing to RIMS, the Centrallyrun hospital and private hospitals. Reports said that poor people who could not afford high fees of private hospitals rushed to RIMS hospital.

Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), run by a society with the state chief minister as chairman, employs about 250 doctors and over 400 trained nurses, apart from other technical and nontechnical staff.

Members of the Teachers Association (TA) and Trained Nurses Association (TNA) of the institute had submitted mass resignation letters to the director on Thursday.

The resignations came

File photo of JNIMS in Imphal.

after authority and the employees on the same day failed to arrive at an agreement. The three striking associations were demanding revised pay structures recommended by the Central 7th Pay Commission which had already been adopted to the employees of the state government.

During Thursday’s talks, the state government offered the revised pay with effect from April 1, 2021 against associations’ demand to implement the same effective from April 1, 2019 with payment of cash in salary from Jan 1, 2020 and notional effective from April 1, 2016.

Rejecting the offer, members of the Teachers Association (TA) and Trained Nurses Association (TNA) of the institute had submitted mass resignation.

However, their resignations were not accepted by the authority concerned. The authority reportedly turned down the resignations citing that it had recently ordered banning any sort of strike or

agitation that would affect the healthcare service of the hospital.

A general body meeting of the three striking associations convened today at the Lecture Hall of the JNIMS thoroughly deliberated the situation while rejecting once again 7th ROP with effect from April 1, 2020 without any notional effect offered by the government.

The meeting reaffirmed their stands - implementation of the latest revised pay effective from April 1, 2019 with payment of cash in salary from Jan 1, 2020 and notional effective from April 1, 2016.

The meeting also decided on the formation a joint action committee (JAC) of the three associations comprising 13 members to pursue the demands.

A copy of the proceedings of the meeting was also submitted to the JNIMS director on Saturday, reiterating their firm stand, a joint release of the striking associations informed.

Cooch Behar: EC gives clean chit to CISF

Ko l kata , A p r 1 0 (IANS): The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday gave a clean chit to the CISF for opening fire in Sitalkurchi Assembly constituency in Cooch Behar district during the fourth phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal that left four persons dead, saying that opening fire “became necessary to save the lives of the voters” and it was made in “self-defence”.

Four persons were killed after the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel opened fire near Booth No. 126 at Amtali in Jor Patki village in Sitalkurchi at around 11.5 a.m. on Saturday.

Citing a joint report received from special observers Ajay Nayak and Vivek Dube at 5.12 p.m., the poll panel said: “They inter-alia stated that recourse to open fire by the CISF personnel became absolutely necessary in order to save the lives of the voters lined up at the polling booth, those of other

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Security personnel keep vigil at a polling station after EC ordered of stopping the voting exercise. (PTI)

polling personnel and their own lives as the mob had attempted to snatch their weapons also.”

The Commission also mentioned the statement given by Cooch Behar SP Debashish Dhar that was telecast on news channels, wherein it was stated that “CISF personnel opened fire purely in self-defence”.

Earlier in the day, based on an interim report submitted to it by poll observer Sharad Laxman Ahire and

police observer Madireddy Pratap, the Commission had adjourned polling at Booth No. 126 in the Sitalkurchi Assembly constituency.

The Commission further directed that “in Cooch Behar district where voting shall be over by today, no political leader from any national, state or other party should be allowed to enter the geographical boundaries of the district for the next 72 hours with immediate effect”.

BJP shares audio chat of Prashant Kishor praising Modi

The state’s Chief Secretary, Director General of Police as also the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of Cooch Behar have been asked to take all the steps necessary, including visiting the violence-hit area, deputing senior officers, or seeking reinforcement of Central or state forces, to ensure strict compliance of the directions of the Commission in letter and in spirit, the poll panel said.

Special obervers Nayak and Dube have been directed to keep the Commission informed on “real-time basis” about the developments in Cooch Behar for the next 72 hours.

The EC further directed that the “silence period for Phase 5 of polling (scheduled on April 17) shall be extended to 72 hours and no campaigning shall be permitted during the 72 hours before the close of the poll in order to ensure the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elec-

tions”.

“The respective District Election Officer (DEO) and Superintendent of Police or Commissioner of Police shall be personally responsible for its compliance,” it said.

A total of five persons were killed in two separate incidents in Cooch Behar district on Saturday. Four persons were killed when central forces opened fire on an unruly mob in Sitalkuchi Assembly constituency in Mathabhanga block, while in another incident in the same constituency, a firsttime voter was killed.

Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to explain why lives were lost in central forces’ firing during the fourth phase of polling.

“After killing so many people, they (Election Commission) are saying the firing was in self-defence.

They should feel ashamed.

This is a lie,” she said.

‘Tika Utsav’ from Sunday NEW DELHI, APR 10 (PTI): A ‘Tika Utsav’ or vaccine festival will be marked in the country from April 11-14 at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an aim to inoculate maximum number of eligible people against the coronavirus amid a surge in cases.

Several states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are gearing up with appeals being made to eligible people to get themselves vaccinated during the duration of the ‘Tika Utsav’.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also issued an appeal to people to get vaccinated in large numbers during the ‘Tika Utsav’.

In his interaction with chief ministers to discuss the COVID-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination drive on Thursday,

Prime Minister Modi had urged them to focus on vaccinating all those who are above 45 years in age in high caseload districts.

“Sometimes, it helps in changing the atmosphere. The birth anniversary of Jyotiba Phule is on April 11 and on April 14, there is the birth anniversary of Baba Saheb. Can we organise a ‘Tika Utsav: or vaccine festival and create an atmosphere of ‘Tika Utsav’?” he had said “We should vaccinate as many eligible people through a special campaign and decide on zero wastage. If there is zero wastage in four days during ‘Tika Utsav’, it will also increase our vaccination capacity,” Modi had asserted.

He has also called for making optimum utilisation of vaccination capacity.

Mamata questions self- EC bans entry defence version of CAPF of politicians in Cooch Behar

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee during a press conference in Siliguri, Saturday. (PTI)

Siliguri (WB), Apr 10 (PTI): Questioning the central forces’ version of firing on voters in self-defence in Cooch Behar that killed four people, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said her government will initiate a CID probe into the incident.

Banerjee said there is no video footage or any other proof to substantiate claims of the central forces.

“Where does this theory come from? Who was injured on their part? Is there any footage? After killing those people, they were supporting the act,” she told

reporters here.

“A CID probe will be initiated to find out the circumstances behind the incident,” the CM added. Four people were killed as central forces opened fire allegedly after coming under attack from locals, who “attempted to snatch their rifles”, police said. Banerjee reiterated her demand for the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the firing incident in Cooch Behar, and wondered whose “direct interference into the functioning of the Election Commission and central forces” led to the excesses.

New Delhi, Apr 10 (PTI): The Election Commission on Saturday put in place certain restrictions, including extending the “silence period” from 48 hours to 72 hours, for the fifth phase of polling West Bengal after violence in Cooch Behar district.

It also barred the entry of politicians in Cooch Behar district for the next 72 hours to prevent any possible law and order flare-up.

The decision came after four people were killed in the district as central forces opened fire allegedly when they were attacked by locals who “attempted to snatch their rifles” during the fourth phase of voting on Saturday.

“The Election Commission of India further directs that the silence period for phase 5 (i.e. for polls scheduled on April 17) shall be extended to 72 hours and no campaigning shall be permitted during 72 hours before the close of the poll in order to ensure the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections,” an EC order said.

EC warns poll campaigners for laxity in following Covid norms mission said, the political parties and candidates are exposing themselves as well as the public attending such election meetings to the grave danger of infection.

“It is clarified that the Commission, in cases of breach, will not hesitate in banning public meetings, rallies of the defaulting candidates or star campaigners or political leaders without any further reference,” the EC said Taking note of the laxity in maintaining Covid norms, the commission stressed on the need to follow its guideline issued on August 21 last year for “observance in all seriousness”.

Seeking fullest cooperation from political parties and candidates of strictest observance of the protocols so that all Covid guidelines

are adhered, the commission advised that “it is incumbent duty” of them to control the spread of Covid.

“Use sanitizers before beginning of any meetings or public rally, wear masks, use sanitizers and put in place crowd control measures as per social distancing norms,” said the EC. The EC said that “political leaders, campaigners, candidates, existing or aspiring policy makers are expected to be torchbearers for the campaign against Covid”. “It is also expected from these people that they not only set an example by maintaining social distancing, wearing masks and following prescribed protocols but also exhorting all local formations who attend programmes to follow Covid protocol.”

Eastern Ladakh: India, China Centre has mismanaged COVID situation: Sonia agree to resolve outstanding issues

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat tests COVID-19 positive

KO L K ATA , A PR 1 0 (IANS): A political controversy erupted in West Bengal during the fourth phase of the elections when BJP’s IT cell released an audio tape of Trinamool’ election strategist Prashant Kishor where he was heard saying a ‘ClubHouse’ chat that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hugely popular in West Bengal and this is one of the factors that will decide which party sweeps the state.

BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s election strategist Prashant Kishor had accepted the BJP’s victory.

Malviya shared the audio of Prashant Kishor’s discussion on the ClubHouse platform on social media.

Prashant Kishor

In this, Kishor is chatting with some journalists.

In a public chat on ClubHouse, Mamata Banerjee’s election strategist concedes that even in TMC’s internal surveys, BJP is winning. The vote is for Modi, polarisation is a reality, the SCs (27 per cent of WB’s population), Matuas are all voting for the BJP, Amit Malviya- National in-charge of BJP’s

Information & Technology department wrote in his tweet.

In the audio, Kishor is saying that on a public chat at the clubHouse, Prashant Kishor admitted that BJP is winning in TMC’s internal survey too. People are voting for Modi and polarization has taken place. SC and Matua, 27 per cent of Bengal’s population all voted for the BJP. Another candid admission by Kishor is that -- all that the Left, Congress and TMC ecosystem have done in the last 20 years is Muslim appeasement.

Implication? It has resulted in resentment on the ground. The speakers had not realised that the chat was public, Malviya wrote.

New Delhi, Apr 10 (PTI): Congress president Sonia Gandhi accused the Centre on Saturday of “mismanaging” the COVID situation and creating a vaccine shortage in the country by exporting it, as she called for cancelling all public gatherings and poll rallies in view of the rising number of coronavirus cases.

Addressing a virtual meeting with the chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states and ministers of the party in states where it is in power in alliance with others, she said the priority The Corps Commander-level talks took place at the Chushul border point on the Indian should be to test, track and vaccinate. She was reviewside of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. ing the efforts by the states ruled by the Congress to New Delhi, Apr 10 based 14 Corps Lt Gen relations.

(PTI): India and China PGK Menon, particular“The two sides agreed tackle the second wave of held detailed deliberations ly insisted on resolving that it was important to the coronavirus infection afon disengagement in re- outstanding issues in Hot take guidance from the maining areas of eastern Springs, Gogra and Dep- consensus of their leaders, Ladakh and agreed to sang. continue their communijointly maintain stability “The two sides had a cation and dialogue and on the ground, avoid any detailed exchange of views work towards a mutually CHANDIGARH, APR 10 new incidents and resolve for the resolution of the acceptable resolution of (PTI): Intensifying their stir the outstanding issues in an remaining issues related to the remaining issues at the against the Centre’s three “expeditious manner”. disengagement along the earliest,” it added. contentious agriculture laws, A day after the 11th LAC in eastern Ladakh,” “They also agreed to farmers on Saturday blocked round of military talks that the Army said in a state- jointly maintain stability on the Kundli–Manesar–Palwal lasted for 13 hours, the Indi- ment. the ground, avoid any new expressway in Haryana. an Army on Saturday said it It was the second high- incidents and jointly mainThey, however, said was highlighted during the level military talks between tain peace in the border emergency vehicles such as parleys that completion of the two sides after disen- areas,” the statement said. ambulances will be allowed disengagement in other ar- gagement of troops in the The border standoff to ply. eas would pave the way for Pangong lake areas in east- between the armies of India The call for a 24-hour considering “de-escalation ern Ladakh in February. and China erupted on May blockade was given by the of forces” and ensure full “The two sides agreed 5 last following a violent Samyukta Kisan Morcha, restoration of peace and on the need to resolve the clash in the Pangong lake an umbrella body of farmer tranquillity in the region. outstanding issues in an areas and both sides gradu- unions spearheading the The Cor ps Com- expeditious manner in ac- ally enhanced their deploy- agitation. mander-level talks took cordance with the existing ment by rushing in tens of The blockade started at place at the Chushul bor- agreements and protocols,” thousands of soldiers as 8 am and will last 24 hours der point on the Indian it said. In this context, well as heavy weaponry. till Sunday morning. side of the Line of Actual the Army said it was also As a result of a seThe 136-km KundliControl (LAC) in eastern highlighted that completion ries of military and diplo- Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Ladakh. The parleys began of disengagement in other matic talks, the two sides expressway is also known at around 10:30 AM and areas would pave the way completed withdrawal of as the Western Peripheral ended at 11:30 PM. for the two sides to consider troops and weapons from Expressway.

People familiar with de-escalation of forces and the North and South banks Farmers, including the negotiations said the ensure full restoration of of Pangong lake in Febru- women, carried flags of their Indian delegation, led by peace and tranquillity and ary in line with an agree- organisations and raised Commander of the Leh- enable progress in bilateral ment on disengagement. slogans against the govern-

Sonia Gandhi

ter the country saw a record 1,45,384 fresh COVID-19 cases and 794 deaths on Saturday. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his Punjab counterpart Amarinder Singh and Chhattisgarh counterpart Bhupesh Baghel were among those who participated in the meeting.

Rahul Gandhi called for

New Delhi, APR 10 (IANS): In the order, the poll panel mentioned that there were instances of election meetings and campaigns where mandatory norms like social distancing and wearing of masks have been “flouted in disregard to the Commission’s earlier guideline”.

Noting that Covid cases are being reported in larger numbers in recent weeks and instances of start campaigners or political leaders or candidates not observing Covid protocols, including non-wearing of masks themselves at stage or while campaigning, the poll panel warned the defaulters to ban them from taking part in the campaigning. The EC issued the order on Friday night. By doing so, the com-

putting money in the hands of the poor. While Singh pointed out that Punjab’s vaccination stock will last for five more days, Baghel said Chhattisgarh will run out of the vaccine stock in three days. Gehlot said the Centre should not see the states ruled by other parties as adversaries. The Congress chief also reviewed the efforts to fight COVID-19, including the availability of vaccines, access to medicines and ventilators, chief spokesperson of the party Randeep Surjewala said.

“The (Narendra) Modi government has mismanaged the COVID situation.

It has exported the vaccines and allowed a shortage to be created in India,” the Congress chief said at the

Farmers block KMP Expressway in Haryana ment. They squatted on the expressway while slamming the central government for not repealing the farm laws.

Farmers in Sonipat and Jhajjar districts parked their tractor-trailers and other vehicles in the middle of the stretch.

In Nuh, some protesters were detained near the Rewasan toll plaza by the Haryana Police after they tried to block the road.

Several commuters faced inconvenience because of the KMP Expressway blockade and cited that they were unaware of the farmers’ call for the protest.

Farmers, however, said they had given their call for blockade beforehand. Because of the road blockade, long queues of vehicles, especially commercial fourwheelers, were seen.

Farmer leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal said the

blockade will remain for 24 hours.

The Haryana Police had issued a traffic advisory, asking travellers to avoid the KMP Expressway for commuting.

Haryana Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh Virk on Friday had said elaborate arrangements had been put in place to maintain peace and order and prevent any kind of violence.

Proper traffic diversions had been planned in Sonipat, Jhajjar, Panipat, Rohtak, Palwal, Faridabad, Gurgaon and Nuh, Virk said.

Passengers coming from the Chandigarh/Ambala side on the National Highway-44 may go towards Ghaziabad and Noida via Karnal to Shamli and from Panipat to Sanauli.

meeting. She said all public gatherings and poll rallies should be cancelled as the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise. “Mass gatherings for elections and religious events have accelerated COVID for which all of us are responsible to some extent. We need to accept this responsibility and keep the interest of the nation above our own,” Sonia Gandhi said. Rahul Gandhi expressed concern over the second wave of COVID-19 hitting the country.

He urged the government to look at new mutations, which are the source of the second wave, and called for joining hands and energies, instead of complacency and premature victories.

Nagpur, Apr 10 (PTI): Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has tested coronavirus positive and has been admitted to a private hospital in Nagpur, the RSS said.

Bhagwat, 70, has been showing commons symptoms of coronavirus infection, the RSS said on Saturday. “He is currently having common symptoms of COVID-19 and has been admitted to Kingsway Hospital in Nagpur. He is undergoing general check-up and caution,” the RSS tweeted.

Bhagwat was admitted to the private hospital on Friday, hospital sources said.

Tomar appeals to farmers to call off protest NEW DELHI, APR 10 (PTI): Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar Saturday appealed to the farmers protesting at Delhi borders to call off their long-running agitation, saying the government is ready for a discussion whenever they come with a concrete proposal.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting against the three new agrimarketing laws for nearly five months now, braving the raging pandemic. There has been no headway in the logjam over the issue since January 22, when the 11th and the last round of formal talks happened between the Central government and the protesting farmer unions.

Tomar expressed concerns about the farmers’

health and wellbeing as India witnessed a record surge of over 1.45 lakh coronavirus cases on Saturday.

“Now in the second wave of pandemic, the entire nation and the world is following COVID-19 protocols. Even protesting farmers should follow the protocols.

Their life is important for us,” Tomar said. “In the current COVID-19 situation, I urge them (agitating farmers) to call off their protest.

The government is ready for a discussion whenever they come with a proposal,” he told reporters. Stating that there is no “dissatisfaction” among the farming community across the country over the new farm laws, the minister said many farm bodies in fact are in the favour these legislations, while some are opposing them.

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OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post Vol. XXxI NO. 124 Dimapur, SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021

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Maoist violence

aoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur continue attacks almost with impunity despite heightened security operations, when 22 CRPF jawans were massacred in another deadly ambush on April 3 and sending shockwaves across the nation. According to media reports, the security men appeared to have fallen into a well laid trap while conducting a massive combing operation jointly by the elite CoBRA unit of the Central Reserve Police Force, Special Task Force, District Reserve Guard, and District Force of Chhattisgarh Police to attack and capture Madvi Hidma(55), the commander of the lethal Battalion 1 of the Maoists. Madvi Hidma (55), the Maoist commander is believed to have led the ambush Saturday, while the security personnel were carrying out the last leg of an area domination exercise at the Tekulagudem hillock. Hidma took over after the death of Ravula Srinivas alias Ramanna, who was accused of killing more than 150 security personnel between 1989 and 2015 in Bastar. The ambush on Saturday has led to serious concerns over prior intelligence inputs before the planned counter-insurgency operations. The usual questions of intelligence failures, forces making tactical mistakes, and not following up standard operating procedures etc have again been raised by experts and analysts. The irony is that a massacre of this scale happened at a juncture when the security forces have acquired better combat experience and are in a dominant position compared to the Maoists. The ambush also comes against the backdrop of weakening of the once-formidable Maoist movement which has been dispirited and experiencing deep fissures within.

According to media reports, the top Maoist leadership is also getting thinner every day. The security forces have succeeded in capturing more than 8,000 active cadres in the last four years, while an equal number of Maoists have surrendered before authorities. Media reports often describe the armed outfits either as Maoists or Naxalites; though both are two sides of the same coin. Both believe in armed uprising of the peasantry against the state, inspired from the ChineseMaoist ideology. Maoists are spread over 60 districts in Odisha (5 affected districts), Jharkhand (14 affected districts), Bihar (5 affected districts), Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh (10 affected districts), Madhya Pradesh (8 affected districts), Maharashtra (2 affected districts) and West Bengal (8). In some states, another offshoot of the Maoist-Naxalite, the People’s War Group (PWG) is involved in the “armed struggle” against the state. As per records, since 1996 till date, over 3500 security personnel have died in Maoist- Naxal attacks in several states. The strategy against Maoists requires further calibration as security operations alone has not solved the problem. The Maoist thrive on disenchantment of the deprived peasants across the country where the movement has considerable support. The vow to crush the Maoists has not made any impact as it involves mainly the carrot-and-stick policy. Another point that needs to be addressed is the make up and training of the central police to undertake such operations. The central police force is not exactly highly rated in fighting counter-insurgency warfare as the psychological make up of personnel is more fashioned to policing job. At the end of the day, the problem is backwardness and deprivation and therefore, the most appropriate strategy would be to open the channels for political dialogues as solution cannot be found in a security approach alone.

DailyDevotion Complete and Effective Decision About Sin

…our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. —Romans 6:6 Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin—that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you– not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified— just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision.

We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.

Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.

This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God. Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Galatians 2:20).

Quotes

Cherish all your happy moments; they make a fine cushion for old age. ~ Booth Tarkington

Nagaland Post, Dimapur SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021

Post-mortem

As Covid’s second wave surges in India, history repeats itself

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istory repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.

One year after the imposition of the world’s strictest lockdown, India is now in the grip of a second Covid-19 wave. Aided by new variants, Covid-19 is spreading rapidly as is the penchant of governments for arbitrary mini lockdowns, weekend lockdowns, full lockdowns and night curfews.

Hapless migrant workers, left without social security and uncertain job prospects, are once again queuing up at bus and train stations to go back home, their incomes already ravaged by the disastrous choices made last year. Like last year, there are no signs yet of any relief or stimulus in the offing as the economy takes an inevitable hit. Rather than pursuing coordinated policy action, the Centre and state governments are back at war.

Yet, consensus has been forged amongst all arms of the State to resort to familiar toolkits — coercive policy through confounding orders (from last-minute lockdowns to

making masks compulsory while alone in a vehicle); opacity (critical data — vaccines and reinfection, vaccines and side effects, disease severity, lockdowns and transmission dynamics — are missing from the public domain) and blaming citizens for abandoning Covid-19 caution even as the political leadership has willingly thrown caution to the winds in pursuit of political power. The farce is now unfolding as rapidly as the second wave and its consequences will be tragic.

Was this inevitable?

Absolutely not. The year 2021 is not 2020. Despite many unknowns, India learnt important policy lessons that could have avoided repeating history in 2021. We learnt how to scale up testing, especially when it is demand-led — an implicit lesson for our vaccination strategy.

Doctors and patients have a better understanding of treatment protocols.

Crucially, we learnt a few things about transmission dynamic, especially that it is spatially clustered.

Analysis by Centre for Policy Research on early

testing data from Punjab in April 2020 traced 80% cases to less than 2% of the state’s polling booths.

Even today, a cluster of states are contributing to the bulk of the case load.

Spatial clustering calls for an agile, localised, coordinated health response.

From surveillance to treatment and vaccinations (demand for vaccines is likely linked to experience of surges, which is one explanation for the emerging supply constraints), health resources can be repurposed, as China did in Wuhan, to service areas where cases are surging. But this requires the Centre and states to work together through institutionalised coordination mechanisms that simply do not exist.

In his meeting with chief ministers on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ruled out the possibility of a national lockdown, pushing instead for a localised, micro containment strategy with increased testing and tracing. The infrastructure is in place, the PM said.

The challenge is that of governance.

But the reality is India needed far greater investments in our public health infrastructure, investments that go beyond protective kits and testing labs.

Localised strategies require well-resourced public health systems — enhanced surveillance capacity, increased human resources at the community level and improved data systems.

When the first wave began to abate, we had the opportunity to learn lessons and devise policy to respond to a possible second wave (this was never off the table) and future pandemics. Instead we got policy complacency and now a repeat of history.

Lockdowns or not, the second wave will have a serious impact on our battered economy. Images of migrant workers making their way home have once again made headlines. Despite the significant economic impact of the 2020 lockdown on the poor, calls for expanded income support were ignored. The finance ministry refused to unlock its purse strings, paving the way for a profit-led recovery. Once again, there are

no signs of a relief package even as workers and firms face renewed uncertainty.

Crucially, as the second wave spreads, state governments are likely to face differential economic consequences, linked to transmission dynamics and state specific socioeconomic profiles. If the Centre were to craft an appropriate response, fiscal support will need to be calibrated to state-specific needs. This will require the ministry of finance to devise an economic strategy, revisit GDP projections for 2021-22 and work closely with states. It didn’t do this in 2020, and has, so far, shown no signs of learning lessons from last year. Inequalities widened in 2020 and the second wave will only deepen this trend, laying bare the farce of equal citizenship.

Finally on vaccines, the magic bullet solution India was relying on. India’s vaccine strategy is stumbling precisely because we failed to learn lessons from 2020. Tight bureaucratic control, complete lack of coordination, and a strategy that blames citizens, both for vaccine

hesitancy and for demanding universal vaccinations, rather than builds their trust, is dominating vaccination roll out. Much has been said about the need for universalisation of vaccines and better coordination. But it is important to remember that a successful vaccination strategy will require transparency, citizen confidence and trust. Key data need to be collected and made transparent to the public – on vaccination supply, on adverse effects, on reinfection rates. Only then will citizen confidence and trust be built.

In the absence of data and transparency, large-scale vaccination will remain an elusive strategy.

Tr ust, confidence, transparency and co-ordination. These ought to be the tools for India as we respond to the second wave. There is still time to course correct. If not, history will repeat itself as farce. A farce India cannot afford.

Yamini Aiyar President and chief executive, Centre for Policy Research (The views expressed are personal)

Remembering Kaka D. Iralu The economic rationale of bank nationalization A Tribute (03.03.1956 - 09.4.2020)

“H

B

efore the government concludes its discussions with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on privatising public sector banks (PSBs), it may want to study the history of Indira Gandhi’s bank nationalisation — for nationalisation did have its positive outcomes and privatisation can have negative outcomes.

It’s not surprising that the nationalisation of 14 banks in 1969 has generally been seen as a politically-motivated decision. At the time, PN Haksar was secretary in the prime minister’s secretariat. He was, in the words of his biographer Jairam Ramesh, “Indira Gandhi’s ideological compass and moral beacon”. She was then fighting a running battle with the Syndicate, a group of veteran leaders who had earlier chosen her to be prime minister, and with her rival, Morarji Desai.

Haksar, a former communist, advised her to convert this from a personal to an ideological battle, projecting an image of Gandhi, the progressive, being challenged by reactionaries. Bank nationalisation has been

seen as the first major step in this political conversion and its economic justification has been ignored.

The pre-nationalised banks had a profit motive, and shared close links with the corporate sector. So it’s not surprising that they had been lending 67% of their funds to industry and virtually nothing to agriculture. In 1969, commercial banks couldn’t lend money to farmers because they were only present in less than 1% of villages. Farmers were unable to get bank loans just when the Green Revolution was getting underway and they needed credit to buy the expensive inputs required to increase output.

In 2018, it was estimated that four out of five Indians had a bank account. Had the banks not been nationalised, I don’t think they would have ventured so deeply into unprofitable rural India. But if PSBs are now widely present in the countryside, why have they not been more effective in providing credit to farmers? Why are indebted farmers still dying by suicide? Why are money lenders still able to find

borrowers prepared to pay 5% interest per month on a loan?

The bureaucratic functioning of banks has been a serious impediment to farmers getting timely loans. Some years ago, in the Karnataka town of Navalgund, a bank manager told me that a farmer had to get certificates that he was free of debt from the nine other banks operating in the town before applying for a loan. As manager, he had to check and sign every transaction. That could involve a thousand signatures a day. When I asked why he alone could sign, he replied: “I have two other officers classified as supervisory but under bank rules, they are not allowed to supervise.”

Because PSBs are owned by the government, politicians in power think they are the owners. This has led to two frequent forms of political interference in banking. The first is known as telephone banking, with politicians ringing bank officials with instructions to lend money to their cronies. Second, some politicians have

also undermined PSB’s by using them to win votes with loan waivers or by responding to public demand to finance unproductive projects. But it is a myth that PSBs are inherently inefficient, and privatisation is more efficient. If this is not challenged, banking reforms currently being discussed may well cause an imbalance in India’s development even further.

If the corporate sector is allowed to dominate banking again, profit will become the prime motive rather than the desire to serve the public.

A better solution than privatisation may well be giving PSBs autonomy to reform themselves and function free of political interference.

Re m e m b e r, m o s t East Asian success stories have been underpinned by financial systems effectively controlled by governments, and in the West, governments have had to rescue private banks from bankruptcy. India should think through its approach to public banks.

o w d o y o u Force. It was an eye opener wished to be for us. And I would say for r e m e m b e r e d many. when you are gone?” my Kaka, through that colleague, Sanzu Bachas- book alone, gave voice, patimayum asked Kaka as respect and dignity to we were about to leave. We countless of ordinary Naga had just completed our inter- men, women and children view at his humble Mission who sacrificed, suffered Compound House. That was and died for our aspiration sometime in 2013. for freedom and self-deterHe thought for a while, mination. The book was a returned Sanzu’s gaze and tribute to his nation that he said, “As someone who loved so much. It was also a was not afraid to speak the statement of Nagas coming truth.” of age, as a nation ready to Kaka was unequivo- speak, write and face her cally a distinct and a tow- past and her future. It was ering voice for the Naga an unapologetic statement nation. He was dogged, that Nagas will no longer charismatic and courageous. live in fear of the repercusWhen his detractors came sions of the power of the with threats and guns,he met state for speaking out and them squarely, unarmed, holding up the mirror of only with his moral convic- her actions to the biggest tion and the power of truth. democracy in the world.

He would pay the price for We did not realised it his conviction. But even at then, but on hindsight we the risk of his own life, he now can only imagine what spoke the facts of the Naga a toll it must have taken on history, the understanding Kaka to write the book and of their history and the secu- then take that role of resisrity of their human dignity tance and defiance against and identity. ‘the powers that be’. The “Kaka’s imagination self-publication of his book, and energy is uncontrol- “Nagaland and India - The lable, it can either destroy Blood and Tears” is not or keep him alive”, his aunt only his magnum opus, but Mark Tully Leno Terhüja once told me also a strong cultural and (The views expressed of him. political announcement for are personal) Somehow it seems the Nagas. to also sum up our Naga When a great person story. dies, the nation mourns and For when we listen to say, “we shall not seetheir the stories of our struggle, likes again”. I beg to difsometimes it is difficult not fer. Because I believe Nagas to think like we all live our despite the challenges and lives as martyrs at the altar confusion, we will rise again of Naga nationalism - a - above all these.

And we will still see magnificent rising that has made us a proud nation and the likes of Kaka from peoples, but also one that Khonoma, from every Naga has sometimes pushed us villages, and from all the corners of the Naga home- Sir, to the brink.

It has been a matter of serious concern that many have become complacent despite the fact that the An indomitable force in land - uncontrollable in life, Kaka’s voice that spoke imagination and energy; second wave of COVID-19 has just started to hit every nook and corner of the country. Most of all, accord‘truth to power,’ remains, indomitable in spirit. And ing to reports, the new COVID mutants has now made the younger lot more susceptible to contracting the yes, individuals who eschew infection and for this very reason the Government of India has started to intensify the vaccination drive. even though he is gone.

Though lockdowns may not be the solution, taking precautionary measures like restricting crowding of It was his book – violence and can speak people in a closed environment etc. are vital to stop spread the virus. With the ongoing examinations and ‘truth to power’ without fear.

“Nagaland and India- The Blood and the Tears,” that And yes, a new Naga gen- normal classes from class V onwards, the government or the authorities need to seriously take note that they introduced me to the atroci- eration will rise who based cannot risk students appearing for exams or sit for classes in a closed environment when the second wave, ties of the Indian Army. on the facts of our history with a deadlier infection rate has just hit the country. Rather, many states have decided to withhold classes That was almost 20 years will take on the Naga na- or shut schools for a while as precautionary measures.

It has been reported that many who had taken the second dose of Covid vaccine have also contracted ago. I had the privilege of tional struggle based on the the infection, which clearly indicates that this virus has mutated and has proved to be more infectious. As principles of non-violence, sitting and listening to him speak some of the stories inclusive participation and the simple term states ‘prevention is better than cure’, the authorities can instead make other appropriate arin the book in a gathering people-centred power,where rangements for students so that they do not . Medical experts say unlike previous surges, far fewer of those in Kohima. He had just the culture of guns and vio- hospitalized are seniors. India is now witnessing highest daily Covid cases not less than a 1 lakh, since the published the book. After lence would be challenged pandemic began in 2020.

Making a wise decision will be never too late, lest the infection cases skyrocket in the coming days. Also the talk I remember go- and addressed. And when ing out and buying a copy detractors come with threats kindly take note that with no restrictions imposed for travellers entering the state, there is much more risk as from the ‘Bible House’ - a and guns, we will face them some may be asymptomatic while carrying the viral load.

The recently concluded Assembly elections in Assam has become another concern as the State is now copy for myself. For some squarely, unarmed but with weeks, my elder brother and our moral conviction and witnessing a surge in cases. This also has a bearing on Nagaland, especially Dimapur since many from the State, be it daily wage earners, workers of various institutions, homes etc. have or will be returning.

I could only talk about the the power of truth.

With SOPs being issued with emphasis to avoid the 3Cs’ (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact Toshinaro Longchar unimaginable suffering that took place in our land in the 5th Mile Model Village settings), it has to be strictly implemented to ensure that we do not get caught unawares.

Kevi Naga, nagakevi998@gmail.com Dimapur, Nagaland hands of the Indian Armed Reader’s note: Articles or letters published in any of the columns do not reflect the view of this newspaper nor that of the Editor in any manner.

Reader’s Post Risk for students, et al

Maha 1st weekend lockdown comes into force

MUMBAI, APR 10 (PTI): The weekend lockdown imposed across Maharashtra to bring under control the COVID-19 surge, has elicited a positive reponse from people so far with the streets and markets in most parts of the state, including Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur, wearing a deserted look, officials said on Saturday.

However, at some locations in the state, including some market areas in Mumbai, people were seen flouting social distancing and other norms by gathering at one place in large numbers.

The first weekend lockdown in the state began at 8 pm on Friday and it will continue till 7 am on Monday.

The announcement about the weekend lockdown had been made on Sunday, when the state government also declared some other restrictions, like night curfew during the week days and prohibitory orders during the day time as part of its

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national

Nagaland Post, Dimapur SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021

Deserted view of J.J bridge as Maharashtra Government announced weekend lockdown due to surge in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai, Saturday. (PTI)

‘Break the Chain’ COVID19 action plan. The weekend lockdown and other curbs will continue till April 30.

In the country’s financial capital, some areas like south Mumbai were completely deserted due to the lockdown. But people in some other pockets of the city, like the market areas in the central parts and some suburbs in the eastern parts, could be seen stepping out of their houses and also

crowding at some points.

A large number of people were seen in Dadar vegetable market, with many of them not even wearing face masks, eyewitnesses said.

At many places in the city, people also made a beeline outside liquor shops.

Mumbai police have deployed personnel to ensure that people adhere to the rules.

Taking to Twitter, Mumbai Police had said,

“Indoor Mode: ON! A Friday-evening reminder about the weekend lockdown from 8pm tonight till 7am Monday. We urge all citizens to not step out, except for essential services or medical emergencies. Stay home, Mumbaikars. Help Mumbai stay safe!”

In Pune, the weekend lockdown has so far received a good response as all shops, commercial establishments, major market areas re-

mained shut and there were no people on the roads.

“There is a very good response to the weekend lockdown in Pune. Barring medical shops, almost all other shops, commercial establishments and market areas are shut. People are not coming out on the streets and 95 per cent of those who stepped out, had a valid reason to do so,” Joint Commissioner of Police Ravindra Shisave said.

Police have set up multiple checkpoints in the city to ensure that peole follow the lockdown in letter and spirit.

The lockdown in Pune had started at 6 pm on Friday.

In Aurangabad, the weekend lockdown brought the movement of people under control.

People have deferred their travel plans and the movement of public transport vehicles has also declined, a senior official told PTI on Saturday.

Maharashtra sees 55,411 new COVID-19 cases, 309 deaths

Mumbai, Apr 10 (PTI): Maharashtra on Saturday reported 55,411 fresh coronavirus positive cases and 309 fatalities, taking the tally to 33,43,951 and the toll to 57,638, the state health department said.

Maharashtra is now left with 5,36,682 active cases.

A total of 53,005 people were discharged during the day, taking the count of recoveries in Maharashtra so far to 27,48,153, it said in a release.

The case recover y rate is 82.18 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.72 per cent.

With 2,19,977 new tests, the total number of samples tested so far in Maharashtra has gone up to 2,18,51,235, the department said.

The case positivity rate in Maharashtra is 15.3 per cent.

Currently, 30,41,080 people are in home quar-

antine while 25,297 others remain admitted in institutional quarantine in the state, it said.

Mumbai on Saturday reported 9,330 fresh cases and 28 deaths, taking the count of infections to 5,10,512 and the toll to 11,944.

Mumbai division, comprising Mumbai and satellite towns, reported 18,241 new cases and 89 deaths during the day, raising the tally to 10,64,221 and the fatality count to 21,028, as per the department.

Nashik division added 7,856 cases, including 1,944 in Nashik city.

Pune division reported 11,749 infections, including 4,925 in Pune city.

Kolhapur division added 1,040 cases,Aurangabad division 2,190, Latur division 4,593, Akola division 1,369, and Nagpur division 8,373, including 3,696 cases in Nagpur city.

Delhi reports 7,897 new Covid infections New Delhi, April 10 (IANS): The national capital reported 7,897 new Covid infections in the last 24 hours, according to the Delhi government’s health bulletin released on Saturday. The number of cases is less in comparison to Friday’s 8521 new cases.

However, the number of samples tested was also less.

As many as 77,374 samples were tested, of which 43,473 by RT-PCR and 33,901 through the Rapid Antigen Test. On Friday, the figure for sample testing was 109,398.

The daily positivity rate was reported at 10.21 per cent, while the cumulative positivity rate was registered at 4.63 per cent.

Daily positivity rate on Friday was reported at 7.79 per cent.

At present, the active cases stand at 28,773, out of which 15,266 are in home isolation.

Five states account for over 72 pc of PE against Anil Deshmukh: CBI reviews documents and statements country’s total active COVID cases: Govt

single-day spike of 1,45,384 new coronavirus infections on Saturday taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally of cases to 1,32,05,926, Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 58,993. It is followed by Chhattisgarh with 11,447 cases while Uttar Pradesh reported 9,587 new cases. India’s cumulative recoveries stand at 1,19,90,859 with 77,567 recoveries being registered in a day.

“Daily Deaths continue to show an upward trend. A total of 794 deaths were reported in a span of 24 hours,” the ministry said,

highlighting that 10 states account for 86.78 per cent of the new deaths.

Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties at 301 followed by Chhattisgarh (91). Twelve states and union territories have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said.

These are Puducherry, Ladakh, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Mizoram, Manipur, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Arunachal Pradesh, it said.

Sanjay Pandey U’khand records highest single gets addl charge day spike in recent months Apr 10 Nainital and Udham Singh as Maha DGP Dehradun, (PTI): Uttarakhand on Sat- Nagar districts accounted

for the maximum new cases, it said.

Dehradun district reported the maximum 589 cases, Haridwar 254, Nainital 129, Udham Singh Nagar 90, Tehri 58, Pauri 50, Rudraprayag 16, Chamoli 16, Almora 14, Pithoragarh six, Champawat and Bageshwar four each and Uttarkashi three cases.

Punjab left with just 5 days of COVID19 vaccine stock: Amarinder Singh Chandigarh, Apr 10 (PTI): Punjab’s COVID-19 vaccine stock will last another five days, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said on Saturday as he urged the Centre to share the schedule of supply of the vaccines.

The state has been inoculating 85,000-90,000 beneficiaries in a day, and at this rate, Punjab’s current stock of 5.7 lakh vaccine doses will run out in five days, he said.

Pinning hopes on fresh batches of vaccines from the Centre, Singh stressed that if Punjab was able to meet its target of administering two lakh shots a day, then its current supplies will last only three days.

In an official statement here, he said he wrote to the prime minister and the Union health minister to give confirmed supply schedules for the next quarter.

Despite being a slowstarter in vaccination, Punjab has inoculated more than 16 lakh people, at an average of around 85,00090,000 per day, the Punjab chief minister said at a meeting convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the party-ruled

Sanjay Pandey

states.

The meeting was attended by chief ministers of Congress-ruled states, as well as senior party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi.

Singh said people in Punjab were still not coming out in large numbers for vaccination due to the “massive anger” against the government of India on the issue of farm laws.

Since Punjab has a majority population of the agriculture community, even the common man is affected by the farmers’ agitation, he said.

“This anger is impacting the vaccination drive,” Singh added.

The chief minister said his government was undertaking an extensive media campaign to address misinformation around COVID-19 and vaccination hesitancy.

Ranked 18th in the country at present in terms of daily cases reported, Punjab is showing a positivity rate of around eight per cent, with an average of nearly 3,000 new cases per day for over two weeks now, Singh told Sonia Gandhi.

The number of daily cases is slightly stable, he pointed out, adding, “This shows that the steps taken in the last three weeks are in the right direction.”

Even in the graphs put up by the Health Ministry in the prime minister’s review meeting, the “curve appears to have flattened over the past fortnight”, Singh added.

He said the state currently has around 27,200 active cases and a recovery rate of 87.1 per cent.

Thanking the Congress president for the opportunity “to discuss and learn

SECURITY GUARD TRAINING Intending candidates can obtain forms from the office during office hour (9:00 am to 12:00 pm).

INFORMATION Dr. T. Amenla Longkumer, MD General Medicine (Medicine Specialist) will be available for consultation daily between 9 AM and 4 PM (except Sundays / Holidays) at Eden Medical Centre from 12th April 2021.

New Delhi, Apr 10 (PTI): With the total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossing 10 crore, the Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that India is the fastest nation to administer 100 million doses in 85 days.

The US took 89 days to administer 10 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine, while China took 102 days to cross the same number, it said.

In terms of the number of daily doses administered globally, India continues to remain at the top with an average of 38,93,288 doses administered per day, the ministry said.

The US had adminis-

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tered 92.09 million doses in 85 days, while China and the UK administered 61.42 million doses and 21.32 million doses, respectively, in 85 days, it said. The Prime Minister’s Office also tweeted a chart showing India as the fastest country to reach this vaccination milestone, calling it “strengthening efforts to ensure a healthy and COVID-19 free India”.

Eight states -- Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar radesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala -- account for 60.62 per cent of the total doses given so far in the country, according to the ministry.

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the Bombay High Court, the CBI on Tuesday registered a case to probe the allegations against Deshmukh.

Singh was shifted from the post of Mumbai police commissioner to the Home Guards department on March 17.

Singh later filed a petition in the HC seeking a CBI probe against Deshmukh, alleging the NCP leader had asked Waze and other police officers to extort Rs 100 crore from restaurants and bars in Mumbai.

‘India fastest to administer 100 million doses of COVID vaccine’

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Mumbai, Apr 9 (PTI): Senior IPS officer Sanjay Pandey was given additional charge as the Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) on Friday, an official said.

The state Home Department issued the order late on Friday evening, he said.

Pandey, a 1986 batch IPS officer, was posted as the DG of Maharashtra State Security Corporation in the last reshuffle.

As Hemant Nagrale, who held the additional charge of state DGP then, was transferred as the Mumbai Police Commissioner, that charge was given to DG of ACB Rajnish Seth, a 1988 batch IPS officer.

API Sachin Waze, who is in the custody of the NIA, DCP Raju Bhujbal, ACP Sanjay Patil, Advocate Jay-

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urday reported the highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases in recent months with 1,233 people testing positive for the infection, taking the state’s cumulative caseload to 1,07,479.

Meanwhile, three people died of Covid-19, a Covid control room bulletin said.

Dehradun, Haridwar,

Anil Deshmukh

shree Patil, a petitioner, and hotel owner Mahesh Shetty.

The NIA is probing the case of an explosives-laden SUV found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s house, ‘Antilia’, in south Mumbai on February 25.

Waze is also under the scanner for the alleged murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran, who was in possession of that SUV. Armed with an order of a special NIA court here, the CBI has been questioning Waze. Following an order of

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A health worker conducts the screening of passengers after they arrived via a train at Dadar Station, Saturday. (PTI)

to be adopted during the probe, as part of which the agency team studied all the documents and statements.

“As the allegations are serious and sensitive in nature, the CBI team on Saturday reviewed the documents and statements,” the official said.

The CBI team has so far recorded statements of former Mumbai Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh, currently posted as the Director General of state Home Guards, suspended

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NEW DELHI, APR 10 (PTI): Five states -- Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala -- cumulatively account for 72.23 per cent of the country’s total active COVID-19 cases which have breached the 10-lakh mark again after around sixand-half-months, the Union health ministry said on Saturday. Ten districts including Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Bengaluru Urban, Nashik, Delhi, Raipur, Durg and Aurangabad account for 45.65 per cent of the total active cases which have climbed to 10,46,631 and now comprise 7.93 per cent of the total infections, it said.

A net increase of 67,023 cases have been recorded in the total active cases in a span of 24 hours.

Maharashtra alone accounts for 51.23 per cent of the total active cases in the country, the ministry said.

Ten states -- Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan -- have shown a steep rise in the daily COVID-19 cases accounting for 82.82 per cent of the new infections, it said.

India registered a record

Mumbai, Apr 10 (PTI): The CBI on Saturday reviewed the statements and documents collected by it during the ongoing Preliminary Enquiry (PE) in former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh’s allegations of corruption against ex-Home minister of Maharashtra Anil Deshmukh, an official said.

As the PE ordered by the Bombay High Court is time- bound, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is preparing an action plan

8

business/state

Nagaland Post, Dimapur SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021

India to grow at 12.5% this year: IMF Express car wash launched in Dimapur

India, said,“As we continue to work with small and medium businesses in our ecosystem, we remain committed to bringing new tools, technology and innovation that will unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of Indian businesses, boost exports from the country, help create jobs at scale and contribute to the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

As the world around us is more digital than ever with the internet and technology becoming an integral part of our lives, we see a massive opportunity to empower millions of SMBs across the country and remain committed for Amazon to be a catalyst for such accelerated progress.”

Digitally enabled more than 1 million MSMEs Today, more than 2.5

Crossword

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KAKURO

million MSMEs work with Amazon in India including sellers, artisans& weavers, delivery & logistics service partners etc.

Amazon has been focused on simplifying online selling for small and medium businesses and since January 2020 nearly 250,000 new sellers have joined Amazon.in. Amazon has introduced seller registration and account management services in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Kannada and more than 75,000 sellers have registered on the Amazon India marketplace in regional Indian languages.

Amazon also sharpened its focus on bringing the benefits of e-commerce to neighbourhood stores and had launched a new program called ‘Local Shops on Amazon’ in April 2020.

DIMAPUR, APR 10 (NPN): A Manmachine outlet, Express car (Ayemi c a r s t u d i o ) wa s h wa s launched here Saturday, at Ayemi building, river belt colony, TajenAo road near Don Bosco school, Dimapur. The outlet was launched by MLA and advisor department of power, H Tovihoto Ayemi.

Franchise proprietor Vitolu Aye mimentioned that the car wash service details in new car treatment, rubbing waxing, paint protection, underbody coating, engine coating, fabric pro-

tection, headlight cleaning, leather conditioning, glass treatment, silencer coating, alloy treatment and AC treatment.

It also deals in super bike detailing regular, platinum and normal bike wash.

He also mentioned that it’s the first exclusive semiautomatic car wash and thereby appealed to all to experience an outstanding car wash for an outstanding value.

Manmachine works Pvt Limited director Karan Sethi while briefing about the Express car wash asserted that it is a premier chain of car wash and car

NSCN (I-M) objects to AR post along Hebron road (From p-1) Claiming that the AR personnel, armed with guns and registry and assisted by the installed CCTV cameras and smart-phones fitted on their chests stops and checks every passing vehicle, NSCN (I-M) said such “deliberate act of harassment meted to commuters in the name of ‘law and order’ is a wilful act of invasion and intrusion of privacy upon individuals and organizations despite no law and order problem in the area,” adding that the Dimapur-Hebron stretch was absolutely peaceful.

Stating the NSCN and the civil society organizations (CSOs) were “keenly observing the excesses of the Indian security forces”, NSCN (I-M) said it has only created unwanted hurdles for the peace loving citizens while “trying to harass and wage psychological wars upon NSCN by the GoI sponsored AR” and completely adverse to the peace initiatives of the government of India and NSCN. Stating that the AR had be-

No. 9887 Yesterday’s solution No. 9886

No. 4506 Yesterday’s solution No. 4505

No. 3530 Yesterday’s solution No. 3529

come bolder since 2020, NSCN (I-M) alleged that it has also “intensified the harassment upon commuters with much vigour,” by applying “five different levels of harassment” “in their attempt to extract information about the movements and identities of NSCN members and wellwishers.”

NSCN said that the first level during the initial days was simply to note down the numbers of every passing vehicle; second level-- asking commuters where they come from, where they are going and what their professions are. Upon further upgrade to the “third level of harassment”, NSCN claimed that the AR ask commuters their names, surnames/titles, tribes and even phone numbers.

It further alleged that “after going through each and every mandatory first, second and third levels of harassment, they started going to the extent of detaining commuters they chose for a longer period of time to apply the fourth Across 8. Play with songs (7) 9. Pilot’s safety device (9) 13. Pinafore (5) 14. Vice (5) 15. Kettledrums (7) 16. Police, informally (3,4) 17. Benefactor (5) 18. Greek letter (5) 20. Soil (5) 22. Cargo ship (6) 23. Flower (6) 25. Fruit (7) 27. Quiet (7) 30. Dessert (6) 31. Fault (6) 32. Navigation aid (5) 35. Reverie (5) 36. Pick-me-up (5) 37. Curl (7) 39. Supernatural (7) 41. Odds of 1 to 1 (5) 42. Blemish (5) 43. Competitor (9) 44. Melodic (7) Down 1. Rotten (6) 2. Monstrous (8) 3. Sum (11) 4. Wood-worker (9) 5. Power source (7) 6. Ape (10) 7. Sicilian volcano (4) 10. Conditional release (6) 11. Young pilchard (7) 12. Insect (6) 19. Aquatic bird (7) 21. Cold-blooded creature (7) 24. Scenic (11) 26. Light (10) 28. Wandered (9) 29. Master (7) 30. Boredom (6) 32. Ominous (8) 33. Sailor (6) 34. Remaining (7) 38. Sporting association (6) 40. Black bird (4)

level of harassment-- stopping and checking one’s handbag/rucksack all of sudden whether one is on an auto rickshaw, a bike, a car or a passenger bus.”

NSCN (I-M) also alleged that at times, while stopping the bus, they would go over to check passengers randomly and tell any passenger to come down for “question and answer” on different pretext.

“The fifth level comes when one travels alone in the evening or at night. That is when they frisk you and search your vehicle in the absence of any witness or companion,” it alleged.

NSCN (I-M) expressed concern and alleged that the AR personnel were checking and frisking commuters without following Covid-19 safety measures/SOPs despite the fact that they had the highest Covid-19 infection cases last year.

Stating that it was “foolhardy” of AR to play with the lives of commuters, NSCN (I-M) said the jawans continue with their check-

ing in the name of doing their duties and instil fear psychosis to the inhabitants and commuters and make the commuters submit to their diktats.

“The AR intent to keep the encyclopaedia of the areas at their fingertips by deploying various and means and ways to counter and undermine further influence of NSCN as seen in the alarmed behaviour of the AR, NIA and MHA,” it added.

NSCN stated that all the raids against its members and establishments were done under the directions of the MHA. It therefore, called upon government of India “to ensure that every clause of the Peace Agreement be respected by curtailing the disruptive activities of the AR against the common people in general and the NSCN in particular as the present activities of the AR in checking the commuters round the clock at Doyapur is completely against the ongoing and longest peaceful Political Negotiation.”

Apple likely to use 120Hz ProMotion display in ‘iPhone 13’ lineup San Francisco, Apr 10 (IANS): The next-gen iPhone 13 Pro lineup will reportedly come with 120Hz ProMotion display for the first time. According to AppleInsider, low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) displays have been rumoured for the iPhone for about two years. However, the report claims that the displays will finally arrive on the iPhone, granting the device a 120Hz refresh display for the first time. Citing “industry sources,” supply chain monitor DigiTimes claims that Samsung and LG are converting iPhone-only production lines to LTPO tech production. The report claims that this migration will end shortly, allowing both to provide the screens

working on a battery-saving technology for LTPO thinfilm transistors prior to release of the iPhone 12, and it was previously rumoured to be essential to managing battery life for high-refresh displays on devices with to Apple in time for use in small batteries.

2021. Apple is said to be using the displays in its higherend “iPhone 13,” likely in the so-called “iPhone 13 Pro” and “iPhone 13 Pro Max”. Display panel orders for lower-end “iPhone 13” models are expected to be filled by OLED suppliers LG Display and BOE. Apple was reportedly

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NEW DELHI, APR 10: Amazon India today provided an update on the progress it has made on its commitments made in January 2020, to announce that it has digitized 2.5 million MSMEs, enabled cumulative exports worth $3 billion and helped create nearly 1 million jobs in India till date.

Last year at the inaugural Smbhav Summit, Amazon had announced an investment of $1 billion to digitally enable 10 million MSMEs, enable ecommerce exports worth $10 billion and create 1 million additional jobs in India between 2020 and2025. The company is on track to fulfill these commitments.

Amit Agarwal, Global Senior Vice President and Country Head of Amazon

Staff Reporter

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Amazon has digitized 2.5 million MSMEs; created 1 million jobs in India

Advisor department of power, H Tovihoto Ayemi inaugurating Express car. (NP)

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“However, if you look at a concept of scarring, which just compares what the level of output would have been hadn’t there not been a crisis in 2024, which is the measure which we are using. Then at and compare where our current growth trajectory is for India that gap is much larger,” Brooks said.

The gap, she said, which is eight per cent of GDP is significantly larger than what it is for the world as a whole.

“For the world as a whole it’s about three (per cent), which is another way of saying that even though

the liquidity and regulatory measures that were taken.”

What makes sense is to maintain the focus on having that coordinated policy response because this is what’s going to prevent the long-term damage to the economy. Providing that support to small and medium-sized firms as well as vulnerable houses would be particularly important, she said.

Brooks said the IMF very much welcomes the measures that were announced by India during its budget. It is particularly supportive of maintaining the accommodative fiscal stance and also emphasising expenditures on health and infrastructure.

“We estimate that the positive impact of the measures for this fiscal year is going to be of the order of point six percentage points on growth,” she said, adding that several measures announced in the budget were in line of the IMF’s advice.

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Index), and trade and more mobility indicators which give us a sense that there is continued recovery in the first quarter of this year,” she said.

That said, there are some recent emergencies of the new variants in the localised lockdowns that are seen as one of the threats to this recovery, Brooks noted.

“On the recovery itself, when it comes to level in terms of the level of output, we are expecting that level to return to the precrisis one from 2019 to this fiscal year. That is what we have in our projections.

in the near term we have this real rebound, there’s still scope in the coming years to see higher growth which would reduce and hopefully, eliminate that scarring, which we are currently expecting,” the top IMF official said in response to a question.

“If we were to just think about the level of output that it was prior to being a pandemic then that catch happens this year, which is not surprising also given the very high level of the underlying high level of growth which India has.

But again, if we compare it to the path of what it would have been without the pandemic then we are getting too many larger gaps there,” she said.

Noting that the Indian government took several steps to address the COVID-19 crisis, Brooks said, “We have seen policy responses, which have been coordinated and in several areas. We have seen that the fiscal support, the monetary easing as well as

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WASHINGTON, APR 10 (PTI): India, which is projected to grow at an impressive rate of 12.5 per cent this year, needs to grow at a much faster pace to make up for the unprecedented contraction of eight per cent that it clocked during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, according to a senior IMF official.

The Inter national Monetary Fund Deputy Chief Economist, Petya Koeva Brooks, in an interview to PTI on Friday also made a strong case for an additional economic stimulus to address the impact of the pandemic on the country’s economy.

“When it comes to India there was a major collapse of output last fiscal year and the number as you mentioned is eight.

“So, we are very glad to see the strong rebound this year with projected growth of 12.5 for fiscal year 21-22 and we are seeing also high frequency indicators including PMI (Purchasing Managers’

detailing such as car wash services, car detailing ceramic coating etc.

He said that the uniqueness vabout express car was that it is all about conserving the environment as chemicals used are water base, environment friendly and biodegradable. The chemical used is an Italian brand called Mafra- world leader in car wash chemicals chemicals and Manmachine in India are the brand India suppliers.

Sethi maintained that Manmachine at present has hundred outlets across the country and this is its first foray into Nagaland, Dimpur. He also hoped to expand more outlet in the North East due to a strong and potential market.

When asked the reason behind opening an outlet in Dimapur, he said that it is to integrate into Nagaland.

The other reason was the number of cars is high in the district which helps in testing the concept to figure out to set up outlets in the different districts of Nagaland.

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41-gun salute marks death of Prince Philip LONDON, Apr 10 (AP): Military teams across the U.K. and on ships at sea fired 41-gun salutes Saturday to mark the death of Prince Philip, honoring the former naval officer and husband of Queen Elizabeth II who they considered one of their own.

Batteries in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast — the capitals of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom — as well as other cities around the U.K. and the Mediterranean outpost of Gibraltar fired the volleys at oneminute intervals beginning at mid-day. Ships including HMS Montrose, a frigate patrolling the Persian Gulf, offered their own salutes.

Philip, who was also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, died Friday at Windsor Castle, two months before his 100th birthday.

“The Duke of Edinburgh served among us during the Second World War, and he remained devoted to the Royal Navy and the Armed Forces as a whole,” Gen. Nick Carter, chief of the defense staff, said in a statement. “A life welllived. His Royal Highness leaves us with a legacy of

9

international

Nagaland Post, Dimapur SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021

Harry expected to fly in for funeral

Members of the Honourable Artillery Company fire during a 41-round gun salute for Prince Philip from the wharf at the Tower of London held at Midday on Saturday.

indomitable spirit, steadfastness and an unshakeable sense of duty.”

Members of the Commonwealth, a group of 54 countries headed by the monarch, were also invited to honor Philip. The Australian Defense Force began its salute at 5 p.m. local time outside Parliament House in Canberra, and New Zealand planned to offer its own tribute on Sunday.

Philip joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1939 and once had a promising military career. In 1941, he

was honored for his service during the battle of Cape Matapan off the coast of Greece, when his control of searchlights aboard the HMS Valiant allowed the battleship to pinpoint enemy vessels in the dark.

Philip rose to the rank of commander before he retired from active duty.

Two years after the war ended, Philip married Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey when she was 21 and he was 26. Philip’s naval career came to an abrupt end when King George VI died in 1952 and

his wife became queen.

At the queen’s coronation in 1953, Philip swore to be his wife’s “liege man of life and limb” and settled into a life supporting the monarch. The couple had four children — Charles, the heir to the throne, Anne, Andrew and Edward.

Before he retired from official duties in 2017, the prince carried out more than 22,000 solo public engagements and supported over 780 organizations, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for young people.

The rift in the royal ranks after an explosive interview by Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle is to be set aside as reports suggest that the Duke of Sussex is keen to fly to the UK despite coronavirus restrictions to attend grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral.

Harry was close to his grandfather and, according to media reports, he is keen to be by the side of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, as she mourns the passing of her husband of 73 years.

Harry, who is now based in Califor nia, is unlikely to be joined by Meghan, who is heavily pregnant with their second baby.

“He will, of course, be there, no matter how difficult relations are between the Sussexes and the family,” a source was quoted as saying in ‘The Daily Telegraph’.

The difficult relations are a reference to an Oprah Winfrey inter view last month during which the couple had raised serious concerns of lack of support within the royal ranks before

they stepped back as frontline royals last year.

Current coronavirus lockdown rules state that the majority of people attempting to travel to the UK must test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of their flight and then quarantine for 10 days on arrival. But there is an exemption for people attending the funeral of a close family member and the possibility of a fiveday quarantine under the Test and Release system with a negative Covid result.

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s website has been transformed into a memorial page to the Duke of Edinburgh. A short message on Archewell.Com, set against a dark background, reads: “In loving memory of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. 1921-2021.

Thank you for your service... you will be greatly missed.” The details of the funeral, to be held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, are being finalised but it is expected to be a very scaled down event due to the lockdown.

Northern Ireland riots: Irish PM warns of ‘spiral’ B E L F A S T, A PR 1 0 (AGENCIES): Irish prime minister Micheal Martin warned against a “spiral back” into sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland on Saturday, after a week-long streak of unrest continued with 14 police injured in the latest night of clashes.

Disorder sparked in pockets of Belfast -- the regional capital of the British province -- on Friday night with petrol bombs and masonry thrown at officers, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said.

A car was also “hijacked and set on fire and pushed towards police lines”, as the total number of officers injured in recent disorder reached 88.

E l s e w h e r e, p o l i c e clashed with a crowd of 40 in the northern town of Coleraine and a man was charged with “possessing petrol bombs in suspicious circumstances” following disorder in Newtownabbey, a suburb north of Belfast.

Saturday marks the 23rd anniversary of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which wound down the three-decades-long sectar-

ian conflict over British rule in Northern Ireland which claimed 3,500 lives.

“We owe it to the agreement generation and indeed future generations not to spiral back to that dark place of sectarian murders and political discord,” Martin said in a statement.

“There is now a particular onus on those of us who currently hold the responsibility of political leadership to step forward and play our part and ensure that this cannot happen.”

Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said it “has been a difficult and worrying week.” “ T h i s a n n ive r s a r y comes as a reminder of the responsibilities we all have, as well as what politics, determination and dialogue can achieve,” he said. “That is the spirit we need now.”

The most bitter unrest in recent years has mainly emanated from the pro-UK unionist community.

Resentment is simmering in some quarters over apparent economic dislocation due to Brexit and existing tensions with pro-Irish nationalist communities.

WHO chief criticises ‘shocking’ Indonesia quake kills 7 in Java, jolts Bali; no tsunami risk global Covid vaccine divide G e n e va , A p r 1 0 (IANS): The World Health Organization (WHO) has criticised what it describes as a “shocking imbalance” in the distribution of coronavirus vaccines between rich and poor countries.

“There remains a shocking imbalance in the global distribution of vaccines,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference on Friday, the BBC reported.

The group’s chief said a target of seeing vaccination programmes under way in every country by Saturday would be missed.

The WHO has long called for fairer distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

It is leading the Covax scheme which is designed

The WHO-led Covax scheme is designed to boost vaccine supplies to poorer nations around the world.

to get jabs to poorer nations.

So far, more than 38 million doses have been delivered to around 100 countries under the scheme.

Covax hopes to deliver more than two billion doses to people in 190 countries in less than a year. In particular, it wants to ensure

that 92 poorer countries will receive access to vaccines at the same time as wealthier countries.

“On average in highincome countries, almost one in four people have received a Covid-19 vaccine.

In low-income countries, it’s one in more than 500,” he said.

Malang, Apr 10 (AP): A strong earthquake killed at least seven people, injured 12 others and damaged more than 300 buildings on Indonesia’s main island of Java and shook the tourist hotspot of Bali, officials said Saturday. No tsunami warnings were posted.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.0 quake struck off the island’s southern coast at 2:00 p.m. local time (0700 GMT). It was centered 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Sumberpucung town of Malang District in East Java province, at a depth of 82 kilometers (51 miles).

Rahmat Triyono, the head of Indonesia’s earthquake and tsunami center, said in a statement the undersea tremblor did not have the potential to cause a tsunami. Still, he urged people to stay away from slopes of

A local journalist films the damage to a class room at a school following an earthquake in Malang, East Java, Indonesia, Saturday.

soil or rocks that have the potential for landslides.

This was the second deadly disaster to hit In-

donesia this week, after a severe downpour on Sunday triggered by Tropical Cyclone Seroja killed at least

174 people and left 48 still missing while damaging thousands of houses. Some victims were buried in either

mudslides or solidified lava from a volcanic eruption in November, while others were swept away by flash flooding.

S a t u r d a y ’s q u a k e caused falling rocks to kill a woman on a motorcycle and badly injured her husband in East Java’s Lumajang district, said Raditya Jati, spokesperson for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. He said dozens of homes were damaged across the district, and rescuers had retrieved two bodies from under the rubble in Kali Uling village. Two people were also confirmed killed in an area bordering Lumajang and Malang districts, while one person found dead under rubble in Malang.

Te l ev i s i o n r e p o r t s showed people running in panic from malls and buildings in several cities in East Java province.

Iranian FM urges US to return to n-deal Bangladesh contemplates Facebook purges 16K groups full lockdown from April 14 spreading fake reviews

Mohammad Javad Zarif

JCPOA”.

On Tuesday, the senior diplomats held the first round of their meetings to discuss the current stand-off in the JCPOA implementation in Vienna.

Under the deal, Tehran agreed in 2015 to roll back parts of its nuclear program in exchange for decreased economic sanctions.

The US under former President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 and tightened sanctions on Iran.

Dhaka, Apr 10 (IANS): The Bangladesh’s government is contemplating imposing a “full lockdown” for one week from April 14 in an effort to curb the recent resurgence of new Covid-19 cases, a Minister announced.

Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader’s announcement on Friday came after the government on Monday enforced a one-week lockdown, but on Thursday it allowed shops and malls to be open for eight hours daily amid protests by the businesses, reports Xinhua news agency.

Bangladesh reported

7,462 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 63 fatalities in the last 24 hours, bringing its total tally to 673,594 with 9,584 deaths.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 31,654 samples were tested for the coronavirus pandemic in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh.

The total number of recovered patients in the country stood at 568,541 including 3,511 new recoveries on Friday, said the DGHS.According to the official data, the Covid-19 fatality rate in Bangladesh is currently 1.42 per cent and recovery rate is 84.40 per cent.

Myanmar citizens flee to India to escape violence L ondon , A p r 1 0 (Agencies): Myanmar nationals have been fleeing the country amid violence against civilians in the aftermath of a military coup.

Many who live close to the border are seeking refuge in India, reports BBC Hindi’s Raghvendra Rao. It was on her third attempt that Makhai finally made it to India. She used a dirt track through the forest to cross. Others have come via an underground storm drain that connects villages on both sides of the border.

Unlike the previous two attempts, this time Indian security forces didn’t stop her.

The 42-year-old, whose name has been changed to K Y M C

The border between India and Myanmar has been sealed during the pandemic.

protect her identity, fled her home in Myanmar, in the border district of Tamu, earlier this month, along with her sisters and her daughter. They crossed into the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur. It was the only thing they could do to save themselves, Makhai said.

“I had a chance to escape now,” she said. “If I waited longer, another chance may not have come my way.”

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in the grip of violence. In February, the country’s military overthrew the democratically elected

government and detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi. In the weeks since, it has crushed protests against the coup. Rights groups say the military has killed more than 600 people, including 43 children. Makhai says soldiers have been breaking into houses and raping and killing civilians.

Witnesses have recounted stories of people being killed in the streets and even in their homes including a six-year-old who was allegedly shot dead during a home raid as she ran to her father.

Army spokesman Brig Gen Zaw Min Tun said in a recent interview that the army would never have shot a child inside their

home - and if it did happen, they would investigate the incident. But reports of such atrocities by the security forces are widespread and have sparked an international outcry.

“Ever since the violence began, we are scared to live in our homes,” Makhai said.

“We have spent so many nights hiding in the forest.”

The Manipur government recently told officials in border districts to “politely turn away” refugees from Myanmar - and then retracted the order after a public backlash. In a second order, the state government said it was taking “all humanitarian steps”, including treating injured refugees from Myanmar.

L ondon , A p r 1 0 (IANS): Facebook has removed 16,000 groups in the UK that were dealing in fake and misleading reviews on its platform.

The social network has also made further changes to its systems for identifying, removing and preventing such content on its social media platforms to ensure it is fulfilling its previous commitments, according to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

The move came after a CMA investigation found more evidence of misleading content. “This latest action by the CMA follows

reports that fake and misleading reviews continued to be bought and sold on the social media platforms,” the agency said in a statement on Friday. In January 2020, Facebook committed to better identify, investigate and remove groups and other pages where fake and misleading reviews were being traded, and prevent them from reappearing.

Facebook gave a similar pledge in relation to its Instagram.com business in May 2020, after the CMA had identified similar concerns.

“A follow-up investigation found evidence that the

illegal trade in fake reviews was still taking place on both Facebook and Instagram and the CMA intervened for a second time,” the agency noted.

Andrea Coscelli, Chief Executive of the CMA, said that never before has online shopping been so important.

“That’s why fake and misleading reviews are so damaging — if people lose trust in online reviews, they are less able to shop around with confidence, and will miss out on the best deals. It also means that businesses playing by the rules miss out,” Coscelli said.

OFFICE OF THE

TANGNYU STUDENTS’ UNION P.O & DIST.: MON: PIN-798621: NAGALAND.

WORDS OF APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE The Tangnyu Football Ground with Rostrum was inaugurated on 7th April 2021 with Shri. K Yamao Konyak, Block Development Officer, Phomching Block under DRDA Mon District as Special Guest. The Programme was chaired by Mr. Pangyang Konyak, Finance Secretary TSU, Deacon Board TBC invocated the God’s blessing, Mr. Nokpho Wangshagave the welcome keynote followed

by Short Speeches from Shri. Ato Luwang, Chief Angh of Tangnyu Village and Shri.Wanglem Konyak, Advisor TSU and Vote of thanks was done by Shri. Pangong, Advisor TSU. Mr. Penjei and co present the special number followed by Cultural Troupes from Four Morungs of Tangnyu Village.

The Tangnyu Students’ Union (TSU) and Shri.Wanglem Konyak, former President and Present Advisor of TSU appreciated and thank Shri. Neiphiu Rio, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Nagaland for the Construction of Tangnyu Football Ground with Rostrum, which is the utmost importance for the youngsters of Tangnyu Village. The Union regrets our inability to thank each and everyone personally but your kind support will remain in our hearts.

(Mr. Nokpho Wangsha) President, TSU

(Ms. Phamnon Molemshu) General Secretary, TSU

K-752

Tehran, Apr 10 (IANS): Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has urged the US to return to the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and lift all sanctions against Tehran.

“Iran proposes logical path to full JCPOA compliance: the US, which caused this crisis, should return to full compliance first,” Zarif wrote in a tweet on Friday.

The remarks by Zarif followed the meeting of diplomatic representatives of parties to the deal, including Iran, the UK, China, France, Russia and Germany, in Vienna on Friday with the lifting of sanctions on Iran and nuclear implementation measures on top of the agenda, reports Xinhua news agency.

“Iran will reciprocate following rapid verification” of the US compliance measures, Zarif said.

The Iranian foreign minister also urged the removal of all US sanctions against Iran, which according to him were “anti-

K Y M C

Infotainment

10

Nagaland Post, Dimapur SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021

Musk’s Neuralink shows monkey ISRO, NASA join hands for NISAR satellite Elon playing video games via brain chip S even years since it was first envisioned, a carsized earth observation satellite is under development in a joint effort by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Named NISAR, (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), the satellite is scheduled to launch on a three- to five-year mission either in late-2022 or early2023. ISRO’s chief said the satellite will be launched onboard a GSLV Mark-II rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota, and placed in a near-polar orbit. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-II (GSLV Mk II) is ISRO’s largest launch vehicle in use, at present. It is a three-stage vehicle with four liquid strap-ons. First launched in 2014, the GSLV MK II is a fourth-generation launch vehicle.

About the satellite “NISAR is an allweather satellite that’s going to give us an unprecedented ability to look at how the Earth’s surface is changing,” said Paul Rosen, NISAR project scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). NISAR is an earth observation satellite that will help us understand the causes and consequences of changes taking place on land, using advanced radar imaging. It was born from

Illustration of the NISAR satellite co-developed by ISRO and NASA. Image credit: NASA.

the 2007 National Academy of Science ‘Decadal Survey’, which spoke about the importance of monitoring ecosystem disturbances, deformation of Earth’s crust and cryospheric sciences.

The 2018 survey further confirmed the need for this type of satellite monitoring.

With both agencies interested in similar areas, ISRO and NASA joined hands to make this satellite possible.

They signed the contract on 30 September, 2014.

The mission length of the satellites for both space agencies are different because they have different science objectives with the radar bands. According to a NASA statement, the US space agency requires a ‘minimum of three years with the L-band radar’, while ISRO will use the S-band radar to study parts of India and the Southern Ocean for five years.

Mission objectives

The main goals for the NISAR are two-fold – measure and track ecosystem and land-use changes, as well as melting ice. The measurements are used to help in forecasting and assessments. India has specific issues it will monitor with NISAR such as the agricultural biomass over the country, disaster management, studying snow and glaciers in the Himalayas as well as India’s coastal areas and near-shore oceans. Some other uses for this satellite include monitoring natural crises like earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, volcanic eruptions and groundwater supplies; observe shifts in the distribution of vegetation, croplands and hazard sites.

Using onboard instruments, NISAR will be able to detect signs that indicate when too much underground water has been pumped out, or the movement of magma under the surface before a volcanic

Kim Kardashian enters Forbes’ world’s billionaires

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eality TV star Kim Kardashian has officially entered the magazine’s 2021 list of world’s Billionaires. Following her younger sister Kylie Jenner, who became the world’s youngest billionaire in 2019, Kim has now officially become the second member of the Kardashian-Jenner family to bag the accolade. The SKIMS founder has officially joined the list of billionaires sharing with Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Miuccia Prada, and Oprah Winfrey.

The magazine reported as of Tuesday, that the fashion mogul has an earning worth USD 1 billion. Having started out as a stylist and TV personality, the mother

of four can eponymous Beauty and 2019 launch, S K I M S, a l o n g w i t h other profits

credit her News. Forbes considered her K K W cosmetics and shapewear brand brand along with her properties in Calfornia and Keeping Up With The Kardashians monetary income, and others to calculate her worth. E! News informed that Forbes has also considered her phone game that she launched in 2014. The game reportedly generated USD 160 million in revenue, USD 45 million of which went to Kardashian. However, the magazine did not include the game’s most recent earnings.

Forbes did estimate she has earned at least USD 10 million pretax since and investments for getting 2012 from sources like the her to 10 figures, Forbes TV show, game etc. mentioned, according to E! (E! News)

Google updates YouTube ad targeting terms to remove hate speech

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ech giant Google said it has blocked several terms associated with hate speech from being used as ad keywords on YouTube videos. The move follows a report by The Markup, which found that advertisers could search for terms like “white lives matter” and “white power” when deciding where to place ads on YouTube. At the same time, the report found, Google was blocking advertisers from using terms such as “Black Lives Matter” to find videos and channels to run ads against. After The Markup reached out to YouTube parent company Google for comment, it said the company actually blocked more racial and social justice

terms, including “Black excellence” and “civil rights.” “We take the issue of hate and harassment very seriously and condemn it in the strongest terms possible,” The Verge quoted a Google spokesperson as saying. “Though no ads ever ran against this content on YouTube, because our multi-layered enforcement strategy worked during this investigation, we fully acknowledge that the terms identified are offensive and harmful and should not have been searchable. Our teams have addressed the issue and blocked terms that violate our enforcement policies. We will continue to be vigilant in this regard,” the spokesperson added.

(The Verge)

eruption. It will also be able to provide time-lapses of these events.

Bands & radar NISAR will be the first satellite to use two different radar frequencies - L-band and S-band. ISRO will work on the S-band radar, the spacecraft bus, the launch vehicle (GSLV Mk II) and will also launch the satellite.

NASA, on the other hand, will provide the L-band radar, communication subsystem for science data, GPS receivers, a solid-state recorder and payload data subsystem.

The S-band SAR, one of two kinds of radar on the NISAR mission, arrived at JPL on March 19. The next day, technicians and engineers moved the S-SAR into the airlock to the Spacecraft Assembly Facility’s High Bay 1 clean room. The equipment will be unpacked over several days in the clean room.

Two kinds of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) will be used by the satellite to measure changes in the Earth’s surface. The communication link with Earth includes a wire mesh radar reflector antenna that is 12 metres in diameter, perched at the top of a nine-metre-long (30-ft-long) boom that pings and receive radar signals to and from Earth’s surface.

This kind of satellite communication is quite similar to weather radars, which use signals bouncing off raindrops, to track storms.

The images from the satellite are supposed to be extremely detailed, and will be able to show the most minute changes locally, but will also be broad enough to measure regional changes.

NASA says NISAR will be able to detect movements on the planet’s surface as small as one centimetre over areas about the size of half a tennis court. By collating this data, it will help us understand the ‘cause and consequence’ of all changes occurring the world over. Both radars can ‘see’ through clouds and foliage, but the L-band can penetrate deeper into dense vegetation than the S-band. According to a NASA statement, the imaging swathe — the width of the strip of data collected along the length of the orbit track — is greater than 240 kilometres. This will allow the satellite to image the entire Earth in just 12 days.

NISAR is currently being assembled in a cleanroom at the US space agency’s JPL in Southern California. On 19 March, ISRO sent the S-band radar to NISAR’s assembly, test, and launch team at JPL in order for it to be attached to the satellite.

After assembly, the satellite will be sent back to India to prep it for its launch, which will be done at the UR Rao Space Centre, in Bengaluru.

(Firstpost)

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illionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s neuroscience startup Neuralink released footage on Friday that it says shows a macaque monkey playing video games using a brain-computer interface implant.

The three-minute video released by the San Francisco-based company shows a male monkey called Pager with Neuralink chips implanted on each side of its brain, using a joystick to follow a cursor on a screen.

The voice-over explains that Neuralink records from more than 2000 electrodes implanted in the regions of the monkey’s motor cortex that coordinate hand and arm movements.

“Using these data, we calibrate the decoder by mathematically modelling

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of ADHD. If you think you may have ADHD, contact your doctor, or seek one out that specializes in ADHDrelated care, don’t try to selfdiagnose using the internet.

Dale Archer, medical doctor, board-certified psychiatrist, and author of two books on ADHD, says, “ADHD is a combination of genetics and brain chemistry, and you’re either born with it or not.”

Do More People have ADHD now than ever before?

ADHD was first defined by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1968, but since then they’ve made “subtle but important changes” to the way they define ADHD, leading to both clarity about the disorder and an increase in diagnoses. In short, the reason more adults are discovering they have ADHD isn’t that they sud-

denly develop it but because of an increase in information and diagnostic tools over the past 30 years. The way ADHD is diagnosed has evolved, but treating it with stimulants—and mental stimulation—dates back to 1936. The reason that stimulants and mental stimulation work to treat ADHD symptoms is by increasing dopamine, which people with ADHD need more of to do things like get into gear and “decide a goal is worth

by Musk in 2016, Neuralink aims to implant wireless brain-computer interfaces that include thousands of electrodes in the most complex human organ to help cure neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s, dementia and spinal cord injuries and ultimately fuse humankind with artificial intelligence.

In August 2020, Musk unveiled a pig with a Neuralink chip installed, at the time describing it as “a Fitbit in your skull”. Musk has a history of bringing together diverse experts to drastically accelerate the development of innovations previously limited to academic labs, including rocket, hyperloop and electrical vehicle technologies through companies such as Tesla Inc and SpaceX. (Wion)

A tiny particle’s wobble could upend the known Laws of Physics

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vidence is mounting that a tiny subatomic particle seems to be disobeying the known laws of physics, scientists announced on Wednesday, a finding that would open a vast and tantalizing hole in our understanding of the universe.

The result, physicists say, suggests that there are forms of matter and energy vital to the nature and evolution of the cosmos that are not yet known to science. The new work, they said, could eventually lead to breakthroughs more dramatic than the heralded discovery in 2012 of the Higgs boson, a particle that imbues other particles with mass.

“This is our Mars rover landing moment,” said Chris Polly, a physicist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, or Fermilab, in Batavia, Ill., who has been working toward this finding for most of his career.

The particle célèbre is the muon, which is akin to an electron but far heavier, and is an integral element of the cosmos. Dr. Polly and his colleagues — an international team of 200 physicists from seven countries — found that muons did not behave as predicted when shot through an intense magnetic field at Fermilab. The aberrant behavior poses a firm challenge to the Standard Model,

the effort.”

Technology Works Technology helps ADHDers by providing brain stimulation, but technology can also help the brain slow down through meditation practices and apps such as Calm, Headspace, and Open, which includes movement with mindfulness. Do we need technology to meditate?

Absolutely not. But can it help achieve results? Absolutely. Kristen Willeumier, a neuroscientist and author

verse unanswered. Most physicists believe that a rich trove of new physics waits to be found, if only they could see deeper and further. The additional data from the Fermilab experiment could provide a major boost to scientists eager to build the next generation of expensive particle accelerators.

It might also lead in time to explanations for the kinds of cosmic mysteries that have long preoccupied our lonely species. What exactly is dark matter, the unseen stuff that astronomers say makes up onequarter of the universe by mass? Indeed, why is there matter in the universe at all? On Twitter and elsewhere physicists responded to Wednesday’s announcement with a mixture of enthusiasm and caution.

Fabiola Gianotti, the director-general of CERN, sent her congratulations and called the results “intriguing.” But Sabine Hossenfelder, a physicist at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Study, tweeted: “Of course the possibility exists that it’s new physics.

But I wouldn’t bet on it.”

Marcela Carena, head of theoretical physics at Fermilab, who was not part of the experiment, said: “I’m very excited. I feel like this tiny wobble may shake the foundations of what we thought we knew.”

(The New York Times)

The Muon g-2 ring, at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Ill. Credit: Reidar Hahn/Fermilab, via U.S. Department of Energy.

the suite of equations that enumerates the fundamental particles in the universe (17, at last count) and how they interact.

“This is strong evidence that the muon is sensitive to something that is not in our best theory,” said Renee Fatemi, a physicist at the University of Kentucky.

The results, the first from an experiment called Muon g-2, agreed with similar experiments at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in 2001 that have teased physicists ever since.

“After 20 years of people wondering about this mystery from Brookhaven, the headline of any news here is that we confirmed the Brookhaven experimental results,” Dr. Polly said.

At a virtual seminar and news conference on

Wednesday, Dr. Polly pointed to a graph displaying white space where the Fermilab findings deviated from the theoretical prediction. “We can say with fairly high confidence, there must be something contributing to this white space,” he said. “What monsters might be lurking there?” “Today is an extraordinary day, long awaited not only by us but by the whole international physics community,” Graziano Venanzoni, a spokesman for the collaboration and a physicist at the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics, said in a statement issued by Fermilab. The results are also being published in a set of papers submitted to Physical Review Letters, Physical Review A, Physical Review D and Physical

How Technology can help you cope with ADHD

ike much of what ails us, ADHD is often misunderstood.

The symptoms exist on a spectrum, and in some people—both children and adults—ADHD (attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder) means you can’t sit still or struggle in school or at work. For others, it looks like losing keys and wallets, making impulsive decisions, and chronic distraction.

ADHD can be some of those things, but a person can also have ADHD and not display the typical symptoms.

If managed well, and with help from a doctor, ADHD can present as the opposite of what most people think it is. Some people mistakenly believe that ADHD is a side effect of modern life and the rapid increase in handheld devices, but technology has gotten a bad (and factually incorrect) reputation as a cause

the relationship between patterns of neural activity and the different joystick movements they produce.

After only a few minutes of calibration, we can use the output from the decoder to move the cursor instead of the joystick,” the voice-over says. The monkey still moves the joystick out of habit, but the scientists have unplugged it; Pager is controlling the cursor entirely with decoded neural activity. The video goes on to show Pager playing ‘Mind Pong’; controlling his paddle simply by thinking about moving his hand up or down. The voice-over adds: “He’s focussed and he’s playing entirely of his own volition. It’s not magic.

The reason Neuralink works is because it’s recording and decoding electrical signals from the brain.” Co-founded

of Biohack Your Brain, understands the science behind ramping up adrenaline and dopamine rushes, and referenced the beginning of a ballgame when the music is pumping, the lights are bright, and the intention—for both the crowd and the players—is to get pumped. On a smaller scale, individuals do this by creating playlists so that when they hear a certain song, it signals to their mind and body that it’s go-time.

But what about when we need to slow down? “The first thing to do with ADHD is to take what’s in your mind and get it out,” Willeumier says, “So the apps for to-do lists, productivity, anti-distraction, and meditation are all very helpful, but I like to work with the brain-wave states.”

Neuroimaging shows that meditation increases focus and attention not only for ADHDers but for everyone.

However, meditation is often easier said than done, and besides—how do we know if we’re really meditating or just making mental grocery lists or snoozing? With her patients, Willeumier uses devices like the Muse mediation sensor, which looks like a simple headband but is sort of an at-home version of an EEG. “A lot of people don’t know how to meditate and it’s hard to know when you’ve reached the meditative state,” Willeumier says.

For those who want a more tech-heavy option, but don’t want to go for the full EEG, there’s another option called the David Delight Pro. “The David Delight uses light and sound to help modulate brainwave activity,” Willeumier explains. “It can help with focus, attention, and sleep—it’s more of an all-in-one technology.”

(Wired)

Review Accelerators and Beams. The measurements have about one chance in 40,000 of being a fluke, the scientists reported, well short of the gold standard needed to claim an official discovery by physics standards. Promising signals disappear all the time in science, but more data are on the way. Wednesday’s results represent only 6 percent of the total data the muon experiment is expected to garner in the coming years.

For decades, physicists have relied on and have been bound by the Standard Model, which successfully explains the results of high-energy particle experiments in places like CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. But the model leaves many deep questions about the uni-

70TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY of

Mrs. F. Rendilemla & Mr. I. Ningshikaba Pongener 11.04.1951 – 11.04.2021

Dear Otsü & Obo, Today, on your 70th Wedding Anniversary, we celebrate your love that has stood strong and has faced various tests of life’s hurdles, happiness and sadness.

We celebrate that through the many decades of your togetherness, you have made Christ the centre of your lives.

On this day of your union, we wish and pray that you will continue to be a ceaseless channel of Christ’s own grace and a messenger of His hope-to each other and to all of us.

Thank you for inspiring us to live better, be kinder and to be a light unto the world.

DP-1889

From your beloved children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren & in-laws

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10-man Leeds stun Manchester City 2-1

London, Apr 10 (AFP): Manchester City suffered just a fourth Premier League defeat of the season as 10man Leeds United shocked the runaway leaders thanks to Stuart Dallas’ double in a 2-1 win at the Etihad on Saturday. Dallas opened the scoring three minutes before half-time, but hope of a famous win for Marcelo Bielsa’s men seemed to have disappeared when captain Liam Cooper was shown a straight red card in first-half stoppage time.

The visitors withstood a City bombardment until Ferran Torres equalised 14 minutes from time.

But Leeds still summoned the energy to pose a threat on the counter-attack and gained their reward when Dallas slotted below Ederson. Bielsa’s first win in five meetings against Pep Guardiola propels Leeds to ninth in their first season back in the English top flight for 16 years.

Guardiola paid for heavily rotating his side with Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final, second leg, against Borussia Dortmund clearly his priority.

City still enjoy a 14point lead at the top of the

A last gasp Stuart Dallas strike saw Man City handed their third league defeat in a thrilling contest at the Etihad Stadium.

Premier League and need just 11 points from their remaining six matches to guarantee a third title in four years.

But Manchester United could close the gap to eight points should the Red Devils win their two games in hand, the first of which is away to Tottenham on Sunday.

A two-minute silence was held before kick-off in honour of Prince Philip, who died aged 99 on Friday.

Once the action got underway, City noticeably missed

Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Ruben Dias, who were among the stars left on the bench by Guardiola. Raheem Sterling’s presence in what was largely a second string side is a reflection of how the England international has fallen down the pecking order in the past few weeks.

Sterling did not even get on as a substitute in the first leg against Dortmund and did little to further his case for selection in

midweek by slicing a great chance wide from Fernandinho’s cut-back. Leeds had wasted a number of promising attacks with their final ball, but found the finishing touch on 43 minutes.

Patrick Bamford teed up Dallas to strike low in off the inside the post. The visitors’ joy was short-lived.

Just four minutes later they were a man down. Cooper played the ball first before crashing into Gabriel Jesus, but referee Andre Marriner upgraded a yellow card

Cejudo hints at mega-fight with Mayweather Sports minister

inaugurates rowing centre in Srinagar

Henry Cejudo (R) has claimed he is fighting boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather (L) next.

Lo n d o n, A p r 1 0 ( Ag e n c i e s ) : H e n r y Cejudo has thrown his hat in the ring to face ‘Olympic bronze medallist’ Floyd Mayweather after the retired UFC champion revealed ‘it’s going down’.

Mayweather has long hinted at competing against a UFC star, having pocketed roughly £200m when he faced Conor McGregor in a money-spinning boxing clash in August 2017.

The 44-year-old, who retired undefeated with 50 wins and no defeats, was snapped with UFC supremo Dana White and Rizin Fighting Federation chief Nobuyuki Sakakibara this week, fuelling speculation over another collaboration.

And Cejudo, 34, has claimed that he will fight Mayweather next, labelling the boxing icon ‘the Olympic bronze medallist’.

‘It’s going down! The

Triple C Vs The Olympic bronze medalist @floydmayweather #staytune’, Cejudo tweeted alongside a mocked up image of the pair squaring up. Cejudo won Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling at the 2008 games in Beijing to add to his UFC titles at flyweight and bantamweight. The American’s nickname is ‘Triple C’ to reflect that he has won gold in three different categories. Meanwhile, five-weight former world champion Mayweather won bronze in amateur boxing at the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

UFC chief White and counterpart Sakakibara, who Mayweather worked with for an exhibition bout in Japan in 2018, all three have hinted at working with ‘Money’ in the future. ‘TUNE IN! We’re working on a huge deal!’

Mayweather said on Insta-

gram, posing with the duo.

‘HOOOOOOOLY S***!!!!!!

WTF is goin [sic] on here’, White tweeted, alongside the photo of the trio. Sakakibara tweeted that White’s arrival was impromptu, with the Japanese only due to meet Mayweather this week. ‘When I was having a meeting with Mayweather, I was surprised when Dana appeared when I was told, ‘I have a guy who wants to see Sakakibara from now on, so I’ll call him by phone”,’ he tweeted.

‘It’s been about 15 years since I met him again [but he is] one of the guys I wanted to meet back in the industry. Something may be born by chance!’

The coronavirus pandemic halted plans between White and Mayweather to work together in 2020, but it appears that talks are back up and running over a future collaboration.

New Delhi, Apr 10 (IANS): Union sports minister Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the Khelo India Centre of Excellence in Rowing in Srinagar on Saturday.

The training centre, situated in Dal Lake, that comes under the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council was upgraded with modern facilities and equipment including 16 new boats -- four each in single sculls and double sculls.

Four coxless four boats too have been purchased for the centre that has 50 regular athletes under the scheme. “The region has huge potential.

The training centre will give a chance to youngsters of the region to excel through water sports,” said the sports minister.

“The new set of equipment will give a further boost to water sports activities in the region,” said a national level coach from Kashmir valley.

Earlier this year, the sports ministry had organised Khelo India Winter Games in Gulmarg in the Kashmir valley.

“The sports ministry also plans to start a Khelo India Women’s Football League and a marathon race in Pahalgam,” the minister added.

The ministry will initially provide a one-time grant of Rs 145.16 lakh to the rowing centre and an annual recurring grant of Rs 96.17 lakh for the development of water sports in the region.

shown to the Leeds’ captain to a red after reviewing the incident on the pitch-side screen. Bamford was immediately sacrificed for more defensive cover in Pascal Struijk as Leeds battened down the hatches.

City were camped inside the Leeds half for almost the entire second-half, but were largely reduced to long-range efforts as Illan Meslier saved from Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fernandinho and Joao Cancelo.

Gundogan and Foden were introduced to bring more spark to City’s attack, but De Bruyne was surprisingly left in reserve for the full 90 minutes. Torres finally made City’s dominance pay with a first-time finish after Fernandinho picked out Silva inside the area.

Yet, Leeds still went in search of a winner.

Raphinha outpaced Fernandinho, but was denied by a brilliant tackle by Brazilian compatriot Ederson. Leeds’ approach was rewarded in stoppage time when Dallas galloped clear down the middle of a vacant City defence to slot home.

Result Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa

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A two-minute silence was held at Craven Cottage before Fulham played Wolves on Friday.

UK officials wore black armbands for the match.

The day’s later Women’s Six Nations game between Wales and Ireland in Cardiff will also hold a two-minute silence before kick-off.

Flags are at half-mast

at both Cardiff Arms Park where the game will be played and at the neighbouring national Principality Stadium, while the Wales players will wear black armbands.

All clubs in Scotland’s four professional divisions

will also observe a minute’s silence this weekend.

A moment of silence will be observed before all Cymru Premier and Welsh Premier Women’s League matches this weekend, while the Northern Ireland Football League said a de-

Seven more boxers test positive for Covid-19

New Delhi, Apr 10 (IANS): With seven more top boxers testing positive for Covid-19 at Patiala’s National Institute of Sports (NIS), the number of positive cases in boxing has gone up to 17. A fortnight ago, 10 boxers, including men’s chief coach CA Kuttappa, contacted the virus and were isolated.

“The 10 boxers are recovering but overall, it might impact India’s preparation for next month’s Asian Boxing Championships to be held at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Sports Complex (IG Stadium),” a national-level boxing coach told IANS. Last month, Olympicbound Ashish Kumar, who has qualified in men’s 75kg group, had tested positive during an international competition in Spain.

Since boxers are either recovering, or are in the initial stage of recovery, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has postponed the national selection trials for next month’s Asian meet in New Delhi. The BFI had conducted selection trials in the women’s category in the first week of this month at IG Stadium.

RSA volleyball referee clinic

DIM A PUR , A PR 1 0 (NPN): The six-day joint volleyball referee clinic under the aegis of Rengma Sports Association (RSA) and Nagaland Volleyball Association (NVA) culminated on April 10 at Tseminyu Town Hall.

Altogether 18 participants participated mentored by Th.Romeo Singh, international referee and joint secretary NVA, Hini Thong. During the closing ceremony programme, president Rengma Sports

Association, G.K.Rengma commended the participants for successfully completing the clinic and expressed hope that the equipped and skilled participants will be useful to the association and community in times of organising tournaments.

As part of an acknowledgement, Rengma gave away prizes of RSA logo and motto competition to the winners- Jochuhyulo Thong and Shanilo Seb in the category of logo and motto respectively.

DDVFA organises penalty shoot-out

DIM A PUR , A PR 1 0 (NPN): Dimapur District Veteran Football Association (DDVFA) organised “Dimapur open penalty shoot-out tournament at DDSC Stadium, Dimapur on April 10.

The tournament was held under the theme “football for health” with DDSC vice president, Tsenthungo as special guest and NPF Minority Wing, Nagaland, Bishnu Bhattarcharjee as guest of honour.

A total of 20 teams

took part in the event.

T r i b a l F. C . ( A ) emerged as the champion and received a cash prize of Rs 30,000, while Runnerup 110 F.C pocketed Rs 20,000 sponsored by Hotel Four Season, The Paradise Garden and Hotel Blue Bird.

Mito Achumi was declared the best goalkeeper and received Rs 2000.

Meanwhile, the organisers thanked the referees from DDFRA, all the participating teams and well wishers.

UB to organise wood chopping competition Correspondent

K o h i m a , A PR 1 0 (NPN): Kohima based United Brothers (UB) has invited interested participants for their upcoming Open Wood Chopping Competition to be held on April 30, 2021 at Solidarity Park, Kohima.

Informing this during a presser at Where is The Food, Viewpoint, here Saturday, UB president Vikeduolie Khruomo said the competition was organised in order to promote traditional way of wood chopping practised by “our forefathers”.

He said only the other hand the event was also a form of physical fitness.

He added that although the game was practised elsewhere in the world including in some Western countries, the traditional way practised over here in

Members of United Brothers during the presser at Kohima. (NP)

Nagaland was unique in nature as besides strength and endurance, there were also aspects like accuracy, agility and dexterity involved in the game which were not so evident elsewhere. Khruomo further informed that entry form and tickets were available, however it was limited and would be handed out on

first come first basis.

Prizes for men and women categories would be identical with Rs 1 lakh, Rs 50,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 for the top four positions respectively in each category.

First position holders in both men and women categories will also get a trophy of an axe along with

the cash prize. While in the subtitle category the best looking axe will receive a gift hamper.

A minimum of Rs 2,000 will be charged as entry fee while tickets will be priced at Rs 1,000 per seat.

Participants will be judged according to the amount of wood they can chop in 180 minutes.

No evidence of racist insult in Cadiz-Valencia game: La Liga

Ma d r i d, A p r 1 0 (Agencies): La Liga says it has found no evidence that Cadiz defender Juan Cala racially abused Valencia’s Mouctar Diakhaby during Sunday’s match.

Defender Diakhaby reacted furiously after a firsthalf clash with Cala and spoke with the referee.

Valencia walked off the pitch in protest after the alleged racist comment was made.

They later returning to complete the match - without the substituted Diakhaby - which they lost 2-1.

In a statement, La Liga

Sports pay tribute to Prince Philip

L o n d o n, A p r 1 0 (Agencies): Tributes will be paid across the sporting weekend to Prince Philip, who died on Friday aged 99.

Aintree will hold a two-minute silence before the Grand National (17:15 BST), with jockeys wearing black armbands and flags flown at half-mast.

There will be periods of silence before all Premier League and English Football League matches, with players and officials wearing black armbands.

E n g l a n d ’s g a m e against Italy in the Women’s Six Nations also saw tributes. The English flag was flown at half-mast for Saturday’s match at the Stadio Plebiscito in Padua and a two-minute silence was observed.

England players and

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2021

cision on tributes would be made by the clubs.

Tributes will be paid at rugby league’s Challenge Cup matches, while British Rowing athletes will wear black ribbons at the ongoing European Championships.

Buckingham Palace said the Duke of Edinburgh had “passed away peacefully” at Windsor Castle on Friday morning.

Tributes were paid to him at a number of football fixtures on Friday including Fulham’s Premier League match against Wolves, England women’s friendly in France, Wales women’s friendly against Canada, as well as at the Aintree race meeting and during county cricket fixtures.

Sporting stars and governing bodies also paid their respects.

said: “After an analysis of all the elements, it was concluded that in none of the available media was found any proof that the player Juan Torres Ruiz [Juan Cala] insulted Mouctar Diakhaby using the alleged terms. “All available audiovisual and digital files were analysed, including the images broadcast and spread on different social networks.

“To be able to complete the case, a specialised company was contracted to do lip-reading analysis of the conversations and study the behaviour of the play-

ers Juan Torres Ruiz and Mouctar Diakhaby.”

The league also reiterated its “condemnation of racism in all its forms”.

On Tuesday, Diakhaby posted a video on social media saying he was “very hurt” by what Cala said to him and wanted La Liga to punish the Cadiz man.

Cala held a virtual news conference later in the day, during which he denied racially abusing Diakhaby and said he had been caught in a “media circus”. Valencia said the outcome of La Liga’s investigation had “by no means changed our opin-

ion” on what happened.

“The fact that no proof has been found does not mean that the matter did not occur,” the club said.

“The club have by no means changed our opinion on what occurred in the game, and maintain our full support for Diakhaby.

“Having reached this point, it is necessary to continue working with La Liga, the institutions and the rest of the clubs to ensure that these types of racist incidents are never repeated.”

An investigation by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is still ongoing.

London mayor wants IPL in English capital, in talks with franchises L o n d o n, A p r 1 0 (IANS): The Indian Premier League (IPL) matches could soon be played in London in the coming years, if London mayor Sadiq Khan’s wishes come true and his talks with authorities and franchises materialise.

Khan expressed interest in having IPL games in London in near future and said that he is in talks with Indian cricket board (BCCI) for hosting the tournament. He said that Surrey County Cricket Club has also shown interest. “I’m really excited to be working with Surrey County Cricket Club and others to try to bring Indian Premier League to London,” Khan told Press Association (PA).

“I’ve seen for myself the benefit of sports to our city. We now have Major League Baseball in our city, we have American football in our city and have got a deal for the NFL to stay for at least 10 years, which is great news,” he added.

London has previously hosted National Football League (American football), Major League Baseball and National Basketball Association events

in the past. “I am really keen to see sport come to London so we can be the undisputed sporting capital of the world.”

“I am keen to see (Virat) Kohli coming to London, not just with the India team this summer but to come with his team: Bangalore. I’d love to see Chennai here with (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni or Mumbai with (Rohit) Sharma,” he added.

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IPL: DC beat CSK by seven wickets Dimapur district unveils

M um b ai , A pr 1 0 (IANS): Delhi Capitals (DC) made Chennai Super Kings (CSK) pay dearly for their lapses in field and poor bowling, as the duel between the master and the apprentice turned out to be a damp squib with apprentice Rishabh Pant’s DC thrashing master M.S. Dhoni’s CSK by seven wickets at the Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday.

Prithvi Shaw (72 off 38 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (85 off 54 balls) put on a 138-run opening-wicket partnership in 13.3 overs that saw their side make a mockery of the challenging 189-run target set by CSK. DC chased the target in 18.4 overs. The two teams were playing their first match of the IPL 2021 season and it was clear that CSK, who have quite a few ageing players, were rusty.

Shaw got two lives as he was dropped on 38 and 47 off the bowling of Moeen Ali. Barring those two chances, the Mumbai batsman, opening for DC, was imperious as he hit three sixes and nine fours in his 38-ball knock.

Dhawan, at the other end, too played his shots as none of the CSK bowl-

Japanese women’s team pulls out of Asian Wrestling

Almaty, April 10 (IANS): In a huge setback to the organisers of Asian Wrestling Championships in Almaty, the Japanese women’s team, which has the likes of Olympic champions Risako Kawai and Sara Dosho, withdrew from the tournament because of suspected contact with Covid-19.

Japan Wrestling Federation said that contact tracing ‘showed an unspecified number may have been exposed to someone infected’. The decision was made at the last minute as the contingent was all set to accompany the men’s freestyle team on the flight to Almaty via Istanbul for the tournament starting April 13.

Shikhar Dhawan plays a shot during between Chennai Super Kings and the Delhi Capitals, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Saturday. (PTI)

ers were allowed to settle down. India’s star performer in limited-overs cricket in recent times, Shardul Thakur, was taken for 17 runs in his first over while left-arm pace bowler Sam Curran went for the same number of runs in his opening over.

By the time DC reached the 10-over mark, they were already 99 without loss with Shaw past his half-century and Dhawan nearing his. Shaw hammered a long-hop outside off to the mid-wicket

boundary to reach his halfcentury in 27 balls. By the time Dhawan was out as the second wicket, with the score on 167, DC needed just 22 in 21 balls. Earlier, Sam Curran hammered 34 off 15 balls at the back-end of CSK innings, including thrashing his elder brother Tom Curran for 16 runs in three balls in the 19th over, to help the Men in Yellow reach 188/7 in their 20 overs. Faf du Plessis was out leg-before to pace bowler Avesh Khan while Ruturaj Gaikwad was caught

in slips off the bowling of Chris Woakes.

Ali (36 off 24 balls) and Suresh Raina (54 off 36 balls) then resurrected the innings with a 53-run partnership for the third wicket with the former going after Ravichandran Ashwin, hitting him for two successive sixes. However, Ashwin got the England left-hander out on the third ball as he went for a reverse sweep and was caught in the deep.

Raina then added 63 runs for the fourth wicket

with Ambati Rayudu (23 off 16 balls) but a few quick wickets set CSK back.

Rayudu was caught at longoff off Tom Curran. Soon, the 16th over, bowled by Avesh, saw two important wickets. Raina was run out following a mix-up with Ravindra Jadeja (26 not out off 17 balls) while skipper MS Dhoni was bowled

by Avesh as he tried to pull him to the mid-wicket fence but instead dragged the ball onto his stumps.

At 143/6 after 16 overs, getting close to 190 seemed distant if not impossible. However, Curran and Jadeja took 23 runs off Tom Curran’s fourth over, the innings’ 19th, to help CSK get to a big total which didn’t prove to be enough in the end.

Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings 188/7 in 20 overs (S Raina 54, M Ali 36, S Curran 34, R Jadeja 26 not out, C Woakes 2/18, A Khan 2/23) lost to Delhi Capitals 190/3 in 18.4 overs (S Dhawan 85, P Shaw 72, S Thakur 2/53) by seven wickets.

SUNDAY’S MATCH Sunrisers Hyderabad Vs Kolkata Knight Riders: 7:30 pm

Wrestlers Anshu, Sonam secure Olympic quota

Anshu Malik and Sonam Malik

New Delhi, Apr 10 (IANS): India’s Anshu Malik had to settle for silver after she went down fighting to Mongolia’s Khongorzul Baldsaikahan 7-4 in women’s 57kg while injured Sonam Malik gave a walkover to China’s Lia Long in the 62kg final on the second day of the Asian Wrestling Olympic qualifiers in Almaty on Friday.

After securing Tokyo Olympics berth in the morning session of the tournament, the 19-year-old Anshu from Nidani in Haryana couldn’t add a gold medal to her kitty in the evening session. Despite having a slender one point lead in the opening three minutes of the match, she conceded valuable points to her rival in the dying moments of an excit-

ing contest to settle for silver.

Anshu’s father Dharamvir Malik was elated. He commended her daughter for staying focussed during the tournament. “Before departure, I advised her to not lose concentration and treat each bout as one step towards the main goal. We are happy she was able to execute the plans,” Anshu’s father told IANS from Nidani.

Sonam, 19, made a stunning comeback in the semi-final to beat Kazakstan’s Ayaulym Kassymova 9-6 to enter the gold medal round. But in the process, she injured her knee.

“By God’s grace, Sonam could secure an Olympic berth despite injury. I just hope she doesn’t take long to recover,” said Sonam’s coach Ajmer Singh from Sonepat.

India also collected three bronze medals through Seema (50kg), Nisha (68kg) and Pooja

(76kg). Despite winning bronze medals in their respective bouts, the wrestlers weren’t excited as they lost a golden opportunity to win Olympic quota.

The quota is for the country but the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) generally allots the quota to the wrestler who wins.

team for Dr. T. Ao Trophy

Team officials and players at the unveiling of team for Dr. T. Ao Trophy. (NP) Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, APR 10 (NPN): In a major boost for Dimapur district ahead of the Dr. T. Ao Inter District Championship 2021, the team has roped in two I-League players – Kivi Zhimomi and James Kithan.

Kivi Zhimomi is an Indian professional footballer, who last played as a forward for Churchill Brothers on loan from NorthEast United in ILeague, while Kithan who plays as a goalkeeper for Churchill Brothers also on loan from NorthEast United.

This was announced

by Dimapur District Football Association (DDFA) president, Mughato Aye at the unveiling of team for Dimapur district at Kakit Futsal, Ura Villa Colony Dimapur on Saturday.

The inter district tournament will take place from April 13 to 19 at IG Stadium, Kohima.

In the opening match

on April 13, Dimapur will take on Mon. On the occasion, Aye said that the team have been fortunate to have big names like James Kithan and Kivi Zhimomi and appreciated both of them for being part of Dimapur district team.

With the presence of I-League players, Aye expressed the hope that the Dimapur might be the favourite to lift the championship title.

He added that Dimapur has been producing good players but lamented on the absence of astro-turf ground.

He further lamented that Dimapur district has been side lined and that the only proposed astro-turf ground has been shifted to Chumukedima, which according to him was not feasible.

On this issue, Aye said that the Dimapur District Football Association is planning to have a peaceful rally and to summit a memorandum to the chief minster office after the

tournament.

Dimapur District Fo o t b a l l A s s o c i a t i o n (DDFA) vice president and team manager of Dimapur team, Lanutoshi Yaden said that due to absence of astro-turf ground, the team have hired the astro-turf ground of Kakit Futsal in order to make the players adjust playing in the turf.

He further said that since Dimapur district team has players from almost all tribes, everyone has undergone COVID test and the results were negative.

On the sideline, James Kithan asserted on the lack of facilities, infrastructures and academy which makes it difficult for Naga players to compete with others.

He said that other states managed the team very systematically with junior and senior teams and with better facilities.

In regard to the upcoming Dr. T. Ao inter district championship trophy, Kithan said that the team was confident and will try to deliver their best.

Pakistan beat SA by 4 wickets in first T20 Johannesburg, Apr 10 (Agencies): Pakistan beat South Africa by 4 wickets in the first T20 international in Johannesburg on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series. Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten 74 helped the visitors gun down the target of 189 with 1 ball to spare.

Rizwan stitched three crucial partnerships with Babar Azam (41), Fakhar Zaman (45) and Faheem Ashraf (48) during the run chase to guide Pakistan to victory in the final over of the match.

Rizwan’s 50-ball knock was laced with 9 boundaries and a couple of sixes. Faheem (30), Fakhar (27) and Babar (14) made some use-

Mohammad Rizwan, right, plays a shot as South Africa’s captain Heinrich Klaasen watches on, Saturday. (AP/PTI)

ful contributions and more importantly, provided the support that Rizwan needed at the other end to pull off Pakistan’s highest successful run chase in T20I cricket.

It was a bit tricky track in the second innings,. But the way the skipper and I started in the Powerplay it was good. Fakhar’s ODI innings was on my mind today

while playing on how to play on this surface by taking some time early on.

Earlier, the Proteas posted a challenging total of 188 for 6 on the board after they won the toss and opted to bat first at the the Wanderers Stadium.

Captain Heinrich Klaasen led from the front with 50 off 28 balls with 2 fours and 4 sixes while Aiden Markram top-scored with 51 off 32. Pite van Biljon also made a useful contribution of 34 but the overall score still wasn’t enough to opt Pakistan from crossing the finish line first.

Hasan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz were the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan with 2 wickets each while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf grabbed one wicket each.

TOPS spurred India’s Olympic medal hopes: Chopra

Neeraj Chopra

New Delhi, Apr 10 (IANS): India’s top javelin thrower and Tokyo Olympic Games medal hopeful, Neeraj Chopra, on Saturday gave the credit for his string of good performances recently to the

support given by the Sports Ministry’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).

The Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medallist said that without the support of the TOPS programme, it

would have been difficult for athletes to return to competition in the pandemic-hit times.

Chopra, who will be leaving for a training stint in Turkey later this month along with compatriot Shivpal Singh, posted a video on the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Twitter handle, saying that the support from SAI and TOPS were the main reason why Indian sportspersons were doing well on the international stage.

“Their (SAI and TOPS) support and financial assistance for equipment, international exposure trips and help to players injured during competition and training is helping us in a big way,” said

23-year-old Chopra, who set the world record on way to gold during the 2016 World U-20 Championships in Poland.

“They are motivating us to give it our best shot. SAI ensured that athletes could get back to training as quickly as possible after the lockdown and that the ground and training facilities were promptly opened with Covidcompliant protocols.”

Chopra, who holds the national record of 88.07 metres in javelin, conceded that the lockdown had taken a massive toll on the mind and body, but “with the training back in full swing, it won’t be long to return to full fitness”.

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