February 8, 2021

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXXI No. 63

DIMAPUR, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 Pages 8 ` 4.00

ISL: E Bengal beat Jamshedpur 2-1

Follow us on @Nagaland_Post

sports, Page 8

State may witness highest deficit this current fiscal

Correspondent

KOHIMA, FEB 7 (NPN): Nagaland may witness its highest ever budget deficit this current financial year as additional expenditures outside of the budget were incurred during the period 2020-21 in addition to a dip in revenue. This was indicated by sources in the finance department when Nagaland Post asked about the current financial position of the State. The sources told this newspaper, that since Nagaland was a resourcecrunch State the COVID-19 pandemic had only made the financial position more precarious. The sources said the estimated deficit for 2020-21 is Rs 2,358.81 crore.

To respond to COVID19, the State had spent Rs 157.73 crore, out of which Rs 27.84 crore was received from the Central government and North Eastern Council, while Rs 129.90 crore was from the State’s own resources as on February 6, 2021. Further, from the cess imposed on petroleum products in the State from April to December last year, the State was able to garner Rs 123.22 crore as revenue.

Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio had in November last year, hinted that the State was losing around Rs. 108 crore every month.

It may also be mentioned that the 15th Finance Commission (15th FC) in its report ‘Finance Commission in COVID times’ mentioned that Nagaland had the second highest debt in the country. In this regard, the FC said that the debt should be consolidated in line with the new Fiscal Responsibility and Budget

Dimapur: 2nd phase COVID vax drive on Feb 9

DIMAPUR, FEb 7 (NPN): The second phase of Covid19 vaccination drive in Dimapur will be held on February 9 from 10 a.m. onwards, where 12000 beneficiaries (frontline workers) have registered for the vaccination, a DIPR report stated.

According to the office of the chief medical officer (CMO) Dimapur, the session sites with technical requirements would be set up at two locations-- Commissioner Police office Dimapur for the police personnel and Urban Primary Health Centre, Duncan Basti for the district administration.

This is it!

“These are the same TV sets which were Rs.12,00 0 b u t after budget the price has gone up to Rs.18,000. “ K Y M C

A. Receipts From GOI & Released to Medical Deptt Sl.No Particulars 1 GOI-NHM (Medical Deptt) 2 GOI-NHM (Medical Deptt) 3 GOI-NHM (Medical Deptt) (New receipt on 5-8-20)

B. RELEASES MADE FROM STATE’S RESOURCES TO MEDICAL DEPTT 1 From State’s Resources (during 2019-20) 2 State’s Share for A2 3 Truenat Testing Machines (14x20 Nos) 4 BSL-2 labs at CIHSR and Tuensang 5 Maintenance of Hospitals etc (normal Budget) TrueNat Beta COV Chips (268.00) & Shortfall 6 for Truelab Testing Machines (10.00) 7 Grant to NHAK for recurring expenses due to COVID-19 8 COVID-19 Related Activities 9.

COVID-19 Related Activities

38.03 0.41 2.80 5.98 1.70 2.78

Total: B Into NHM Account

0.44 7.98 5.00 65.12 3.00

Total To Medical Deptt (A+B+C)

78.60

D. RECEIPTS FROM GOI & RELEASED TO NSDMA 1

35% of SDRF of Rs. 20.50 cr- 1st installment

2

35% of SDRF of Rs. 20.50 cr - 2nd installment (in anticipation)

7.18 7.18 Total: D

14.36

E. TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS FROM STATE’S RESOURCES 1

Civil Supplies- Foodgrains

3.60

2

Home Department- Quarantine Centres & Relief etc

10.00

3

State Share fro B1 (SDRF)

0.80

4

Quarantine Centres & One-time assistance (10000) etc

28.12

5

Hiring of vehicles etc and POL expenditure for Police

0.13

6

Committed Expenditure (in Advance) by NSDMA

7.15

7

Home Department- DTF etc

5.88

8

0.10

10

Ex-gratia for frontline worker death Medical equipments/kits etc for combating COVID-19 Pandemic for the Frontline workers of Police Personnel Quarantine Wards for UTPs in both Central & District Jail, Dimapur

11

Home- Various COVID-19 expenses

8.00

9

0.80 0.20 Total: E

64.78

GRAND TOTAL : A+B+C+D+E

157.73

RECEIPT FROM GOI & NEC

27.84

FROM STATE’S RESOURCES

129.90

Management Act (FRBM Act), 2003 and the recommendations of FC-XV. On the 15th FC’s advice to the State to take measures to reduce the burden of com-

mitted expenditures to free up resources for development, the sources admitted that the State needed to tighten non-plan expenditure and increase revenue

collection, though its scope was very limited. It was also learnt that the pending salaries for RMSA and SSA employees would be cleared up to February “very soon”.

Nagaland’s COVID-19 caseload 12158 DIMAPUR, FEB 7 (NPN): Nagaland on Sunday reported 10 new COVID-19 positive cases in Kohima, taking the total caseload to 12158.

The state currently has 95 active cases while a total of 11826 have recovered from the infection. Further, the distribution across various categories include 4674 cases from the armed forces/police, 1870 returnees, 5041 traced contacts and 573 frontline workers.

India’s tally 1,08,26,363: India’s COVDI-19 tally rose to 1,08,26,363 with 12,059 new infections being reported on Sunday, Health Ministry stated.

The death toll increased to 1,54,996 with 78 new fatalities, the lowest recorded after nine months while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,05,22,601 pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.20 per cent.

NTC, KIN back demand to enact RIIN DIMAPUR, FEB 7 (NPN): The chorus for making December 1, 1963 as the cut-off date for the proposed Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) and making it into an Act, as demanded by Joint Committee for Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI), seems to be getting only louder by the day.

Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has urged the State government to agree to the demand of JCPI, a conglomeration of 28 tribe hohos and civil society organisations (CSOs), for making December 1, 1963 the cutoff date without any reservation for individuals wishing to qualify as indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland under the proposed Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN).

In a press release, council president Toniho

Yepthomi and general secretary Nribemo Ngullie asserted that BEFR/ILP 1873 and RIIN were synonymous and therefore there cannot be any separate date, year and place for its implementation other than already notified.

They said as the State government has been delegated with power, it was its bounden duty to enforce the December 1, 1963 as the cut-off date in the State in letter and in spirit.

They further stated that it was the only yardstick to properly ascertain the indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland and prevent any form of exploitation of the people at any given time.

As the State cabinet has decided to take RIIN to the State Assembly, NTC urged the State government to enact RIIN Act in the ensuing Assembly session

nagalandpostofficial

international, Page 7

AVALANCHE, Floods wreak havoc in U’khand

7 bodies recovered 170 missing 5 bridges destroyed

Rs. Crore 3.71 3.71 3.06 Total: A 10.48

C. receipts from nec (direct-funded) to medical deptt 1

Thousands protest army takeover in yangon

nagalandpostofficial

scheduled from February 12 to do away with all the loopholes.

K I N : M e a n w h i l e, drawing the attention of the State government to the demand of JCPI on RIIN, Kuki Inpi Nagaland (KIN) in a press release stressed that it was clear in the eyes of all indigenous people of the State that making RIIN an Act was the need of the hour to safeguard Nagaland from all illegal immigrants.

Mentioning that there was no need of further elaboration on how illegal immigrants had taken over Tripura from the indigenous people, KIN said the report of Banuo Commission on RIIN should therefore be tabled in the ensuing Assembly session scheduled from February 12 and make it an Act to safeguard the land and people with December 1, 1963 as the cut-off year.

(L) Locals inspect the site near damaged Dhauli Ganga hydropower project (R) at Reni village on Sunday. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, FEB 7 (PTI/ AGENCIES): A portion of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Sunday, triggering an avalanche and a deluge in the Alaknanda river system that washed away hydroelectric stations, leaving at least seven people dead and 170 missing, some feared dead.

Over 170 labourers- 148 employed at the NTPC plant and 22 at Rishiganga - are said to be missing, Indo Tibetan Border Police spokesperson Vivek Pandey said while quoting the project-in charge. Seven bodies were recovered, Pandey said.

The sudden flood in the middle of the day in the Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga and Alaknanda rivers-- all intricately linked tributaries of the Ganga-- triggered widespread panic and largescale devastation in the high mountain areas.

Access to at least 13

villages in Uttarakhand’s Tapovan remains cut off.

The glacial disaster washed away five bridges of the Border Roads Organisation in the area. Officials said arrangements are being made to airdrop food packets to the villages.

Two power projects – NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project and the Rishi Ganga Hydel Project – were extensively damaged with scores of labourers trapped in tunnels as the waters came rushing in.

A Home Ministry spokesperson said four NDRF teams (about 200 personnel) were airlifted to Dehradun and would head to Joshimath. One column of the Engineering Task Force (ETF) of the Army, with all rescue equipment, has been deployed. Indian Navy divers were also being flown in and aircraft and helicopters of the Indian Air Force are on standby.

Meanwhile, sixteen men were rescued safely from a tunnel in the Tapovan project but over 100 were still missing. As night fell in the ecologically fragile Himalayas and rescue work in the difficult to access areas became more difficult, there were fears they may be dead.

Many villages were evacuated and people taken to safer areas. By evening, it became clear that downstream areas were safe.

Union Home minister Amit Shah assured all help in fighting the calamity and said he was in constant touch with the Uttarakhand chief minister.

PM approves `2 lakh ex-gratia for victims Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives. The central government has also announced Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Narendra Modi said he was constantly monitoring the situation in the state. “India stands with Uttarakhand, prays for everyone’s safety,” he said.

In another tweet, he added, “The disaster caused by the breaking of the glacier in Uttarakhand, and the civilian casualties in it, was extremely sad. My condolences are with his family in this hour of grief, I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

Gov directs CS to act against ‘Himalayan glaciers melting officials for ‘seditious’ remark twice as fast since 2000’

GUWAHATI, FEB 7 (AGENCIES): Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi has directed the chief secretary to initiate criminal proceedings against state government employee indulging in “seditious and subversive” writings challenging the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country and posting them on social media platforms, a Deccan Chronicle report stated.

Referring to one such instance of a state government official, the commissioner and secretary to Nagaland Governor, T. Mhabemo Yanthan said in his letter, “I have been directed to request the state government to take serious cognizance of such misconduct and initiate appropriate legal and disciplinary action against the delinquent government servants”, the report said.

The letter also directed all the heads of departments to sensitize state government employees in this regard.

Pointing out that the social media post justifying the demand of sovereign Nagaland was still in circulation on media platforms, security sources told the Deccan Chronicle that there have been numerous instances in which state government employees are found to have been voicing separatist sentiment on various platforms.

Asserting that it was not only harming the national interest, security sources said that such activities of a section of government employees was hampering the development activities of the state as well.

The letter of the governor has also been marked to Union Home secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla for necessary action and to check such seditious and subversive acts of state government employees, it said. State government sources told Deccan Chroniclethat departmental proceedings have been initiated against the particular officer.

NEW DELHI, FEB 7 (PTI): As a part of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Sunday, leading to massive floods, a study published in 2019 had warned that Himalayan glaciers have been melting twice as fast since the start of this century due to climate change.

The glacier collapse at Joshimath on Sunday led to a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river and caused large-scale devastation in the upper reaches of the ecologically fragile Himalayas.

The 2019 study, spanning 40 years of satellite observations across India, China, Nepal and Bhutan, indicates that climate change is eating the Himalayas’ glaciers, the researchers said.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances in June 2019, shows that glaciers have been losing the equivalent of more than a vertical foot and half of ice each year since 2000-- double the amount of melting that took place from 1975 to 2000.

“This is the clearest picture yet of how fast Himalayan glaciers are melting over this time interval, and why,” said Joshua Maurer, a PhD candidate at Columbia University in the US. While not specifically calculated in the study, the glaciers may have lost as much as a quarter of their enormous mass over the last four decades, said Maurer, lead author of the study. The study synthesised data from across the region, stretching from early satellite (Cont’d on p-6) observations to the present.

WSH objects to new alignment of NH-129A DIMAPUR, FEB 7 (NPN): Western Sumi Hoho (WSH) has strongly objected to the new alignment of NH-129A undertaken by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) and questioned the motive of diversion of this old route that is only 23 km and shorter by 10 km.

In a press release, WASH stated that the existing route has been in use for decades and passed through the villages of Mhainamtsi, Khehoi, Phushito, Vihuto, Jacob, Zutovi, Pimla, Mhaikham, Disaguphu, Shitovi, Razaphe, Vidima and Shoxuvi to reach NH-29 at 7th Mile, while the new alignment was about 33 km

and longer by 10 km. Claiming that the diversion would affect more than around 13 villages and cause great disadvantage economically and socially and create a lot of inconveniences to the villagers, it insisted that the course of old route should not be changed at any cost.

Pointing out that the work order issued on November 29, 2016 for repair of the old route and taken up under NABARD had already lapsed on November 29, 2019, WSH said, hence, the work starting from January 2, 2021 was highly questionable and objectionable. It alleged that the work was now carried out to hoodwink the public of the area so that the new

alignment could be diverted without any objection.

The hoho said the old alignment, which used to benefit major tribes like the Angamis, Sumis, Zeliangs and Kacharis of the two districts of Dimapur and Peren in many aspects, would now be deprived.

It contended that constructing NH-129A on a new route where no village exists would have no social and economic benefit, but only destroy more of “our rich diverse flora and fauna” along the area.

Fur ther, the tribal body said all the villages had already given their no objection certificates for construction of the road and agreed not to take any

compensation to the department earlier.

WSH questioned that if newer alignments and projects were taken up continuously, why earlier projects like Niuland-Zhadima-Botsa road project was not being taken up and abandoned for which Rs 322 crore had already been sanctioned by the Centre and the various issues that had stalled it were all settled.

It also asked the State government to repair and maintain Shokhuvi -Razaphe-Mhaikam-PimlaJhornapani/New Medziphema road as it was now used frequently due to restriction on vehicular movement between Chathe river and Kukidolong.

K Y M C

2

state

nagalandpost.com Poll Q.:Is there danger that people are letting their guard down against COVID-19?

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

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

Huhdangrü-Shiponger Orange project road built

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

A

B

A Yes. B No. C Can’t Say.

C

80% 17% 3%

Next poll

Q: Will return to paper

ballots by replacing EVMs ensure fair polls?

 Yes.  No.  Can’t Say.

WEATHER FORECAST february 8

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala Plenty of sunshine

29 11

Sunny and pleasant

23 7

Guwahati Sunny and pleasant

27 10

Sunny and delightful

25 5

Aizawl Imphal

Itanagar Nice with plenty of sunshine

24 12

Shillong

Plenty of sunshine

19 5

Kohima

Sunshine

19 6

Dimapur Sunny and nice

26 10

Sunny and pleasant

Mkg

Tuensang Sunny and cool Wokha

Plenty of sunshine

Zunheboto Sunshine

21 7 14 4 20 10 18 5

The newly constructed road between Huhdangrü village to Shiponger Orange project built under the initiative of Yimchungrü Tribal Council (YTC) inaugurated.

DIMAPUR: The newly constructed road between Huhdang r ü village to Shiponger Orange project built under the initiative of Yimchungrü Tribal Council (YTC) was inaugurated

by Advisor IPR, SCERT & VG, Toshi Wongtung Toshi in the presence of YTC officials; ADC Shamator; engineer PWD R&B, Tuensang; SDO R&B Sham-

ator; and exe. secretary YBBA; village council of Huhdangerü and Shiponger and other government officials on January 25.

A press release by YTC stated that, while recalling the needs of the people and economic development within the district, the 14 km road was constructed with the aim of providing a motorable

road between Huhdangrü village to its head quarter Shamator.

It must be noted that, the road construction was executed solely with community contribution without any assistance from government or governmental schemes. The construction began on September 3, 2019 and completed on January 25, 2021.

Condolences on the demise of late Jonathan Ao In a condolence note, KDCC president Kevi Vizo described late Jonathan Ao as a humble and upright person known for his ever ready attitude and firm loyalty who had served the state Congress party in various capacities. Further, KDCC said that his untimely demise had a created a huge vacuum within the party which would be difficult to fill.

Vizo on behalf of the KDCC also conveyed deepest condolences to his wife Lanuienla Lemtur and children and prayed that God grant peace and solace as his soul rests in peace.

NPCC minority deptt state chairman: Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) minority department state chairman Rajesh Kumar Sethi has mourned the demise of NPCC vice

president Jonathan Ao. In a condolence message, Sethi said late Jonathan Ao was not just a leader, but also a close confidant and a source of inspiration to the minority department.

The minority department rank and file expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and prayed that Almighty God grant them solace and for the departed soul to rest in peace.

Live talk show on choosing the right career Staff Reporter DIMAPUR, FEB 7 (NPN): Dimapur Today, on Saturday hosted a live talk show with invited resource person from the Assam Kaziranga University (AKU), February 6, at hotel lake Shilloi, Dimapur, on the topic “The millennial dilemma: How to choose the best of careers and achieve what you are made of ”.

The live talk show discussed topic on certain issues pertaining to education, which were discussed by resource persons, dean administrator, AKU, Bobby Roy and registrar, AKU, Dr. Diganta Munshi, with five panelist, faculty, Unity College, Dr. Tabasum Khan, Principal, Yemihi Memorial College, Dr. Kaba Daniel, Faculty, Tetseo College, Amar Dey and Principal, Livingstone Foundation Hr. Sec. School, Dr. Andrew Ahuto.

Resource person, Bobby Roy maintained that many of today’s students go through the dilemma of choosing the right course for their further studies, whereby he opined that almost 90% of the students end up choosing up a course due to parental and peer pressure. He urged upon students to take up the course on its own interest

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Resource persons, dean administrator, AKU, Bobby Roy and registrar, AKU, Dr.Diganta Munshi along with panelist.

and passion.

In this, he urged the students to assess their potential, interest, aspiration and assess what they would like to be and then only evaluate what options they have for the courses to be chosen.

Addressing on unavailability of job opportunities, Roy stated jobs were available stating that 85% of the graduates who pass out every year are considered as not employable (NASSCOM survey). The survey read that over three million students graduate’s every year whereby 85% are considered not employable not because of lack of knowledge but because of skills.

Resource person, Diganta Munshi, in his address, stated that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a switch from conventional educa-

tion, to a different mode of education wherein the concept of online education came in.

He, however stated that online education was a mode of education which was prevalent even before the pandemic.

Focussing on how to prepare for upcoming board and entrance exams to various competitive exams,

Munshi said that students need to primarily focus on the fundamentals, whereby he said that there should not be short cut method adopted by the students.

He maintained that every syllabus as per the board exams or as far as exams is concerned, students should earnestly follow the syllabus and answer in the way they have been asked to.

He added that every question paper will have questions carrying different marks, whereby he stated that students should have good time management and answer the questions according to the marks allotted.

Other topics as “Job markets of 21st century: how to grab ultimate job”, “Can one make ones hobby into a fruitful career?” etc were also discussed.

1ST DEATH ANNIVERSARY Remembering our beloved father

1ST DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF LATE K. INOVI SWU

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

John 11:25-26

Beloved husband, loving father, beloved son, brother, brother in law and friends to many parted way with us on this day. We always cherish the memories that your life gave us, memories too beautiful to forget.

DP-752

DIMAPUR: Various organizations has mourned an express condolences over the demise of late Jonathan Ao, NPCC vice president who passed away on February 6.

KDCC: Kohima District Congress Committee (KDCC) has expressed grief over the untimely demise of NPCC vice president, Jonathan Ao in Guwahati on February 6.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Loving family members.

Y. ZUKUTO SEMA Born on : 10/01/1931 – Died on 08/02/2020

13/06/1983 – 08/02/2020

The pain of losing you is immeasurable. Man is mortal but the love for them is immortal. Though you are not present here with all of us but your memory is stored in our hearts. The biggest star in the sky that is shining the most is you, Dad. Loving wife, children, grandchildren & in-laws DP-754

“To live in hearts left behind is not to die.”

17/08/1972 - 30/01/2021 Through this column we would like to convey our profound gratitude to all those who stood by us physically, spiritually and financially during the brief illness and sudden demise of our beloved Late H. Shangyo Panja on 30th January 2021.

What you have done for us is unrequitable and we remain indebted to you all. Your thoughts and prayers were felt by us during our darkest hour.

We especially thank, • Dr. Chingjei & staff of Rapha Hospital, Mon • Dr. Along & staff of ICU, Eden Hospital, Dimapur • Mrs. & Mr. YM Yollow, MLA 42 A/C Wakching • Rev. Pastor S. Yoko, KBB Chumukedima • Phuktong Bumeinok • Pastor Nahngom & Deacon Board of KBCM • Wakching Union, Dimapur • Wakching Area Union, Dimapur • Wakching Union, Kohima • Wakching Union, Mon • Wakching Area Union, Mon • Oting Union, Mon • Tompang Ward, Mon • Friends & mates from Mon Town & Wakching Despite our inability to mention each individual by name, it is our sincere prayer that our Almighty God bless you all abundantly.

With gratitude and prayers, DC-115

K Y M C

Wife, children, parents, brothers, sister, inlaws and loved ones.

K-312

K Y M C

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

International conspiracy to defame Indian tea: Modi Pitches for tech institutions teaching in mother tongue

Narendra Modi during an event to lay foundation stones of two medical colleges at Dhekiajuli. (PTI)

Dhekiajuli (Assam), Feb 7 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday claimed an international conspiracy has been hatched to “defame” Indian tea, on a visit to Assam, a major producer of the brew.

On a second visit to the election-bound state in a fortnight, he also pitched for setting up at least one medical college and a technical institution in each state that will impart education in the native language. He was addressing a gathering after launching ‘Assam Mala’ scheme to upgrade state highways and laying the foundation for two medical colleges.

Modi said he always linked the condition of tea garden workers to the development of Assam.

“But documents have emerged to show that a conspiracy has been hatched outside the country to defame Indian tea.

I am sure the tea workers from Assam will give a befitting reply.

“No tea garden worker in Assam can tolerate this attack and I am sure they will win this fight against these conspirators as they are stronger than these forces with vested interest,” he said.

The prime minister was apparently referring to NGO Greenpeace’s report about alleged overuse of pesticides in Indian tea industry. He said the Centre had earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for the tea sector in the budget and an assistance of Rs 3,000 was extended to each tea garden worker of Assam on Saturday. Mobile medical units were also functioning in tea gardens, he said.

Modi also spoke about his dream of imparting medical and technical education in mother tonue.

“I have a daring dream of each state having at least one medical college and a technical institution imparting education in the local language,” he said, promising setting up such institutions in Assam after

the assembly elections.

He said this will improve medical services in remote areas as more and more doctors will be able to reach out to people in their mother tongue and understand their problems.

The two medical college and hospitals will come up in Biswanath and Charaideo districts.

In India, teaching and learning have largely been in a foreign language but that could change with the advent of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

“Taking inspiration from the National Education Policy, it will now be tried to teach all technical courses including medical, engineering in mother tongue,” Modi had tweeted after the unveiling of the NEP. He claimed Assam has witnessed unprecedented development in the last five years with increased health and infrastructure development.

Until 2016 there were only six medical colleges in the state but six more were added in just five years.

The number of seats in medical colleges have gone up from 725 to 1,600 now, he said.

The prime minister said the ‘Asom Mala’ scheme will lead to creation of new oppurtunities. Under the scheme the Public Works Department (PWD) will upgrade the state highways.

LBC observes 75 years of Christianity

(Inset) Rev. Suitei Ndang. Section of congregation during the 75th years of Christianity celebration at Lekie Peletkie village. (NP)

Staff Reporter DIMAPUR, FEB 7 (NPN): Lekie Baptist Church (LBC) under ZBCC, Peren observed 75th years of Christianity at Lekie (Peletkie) village, Peren on February 7. People of Lekie embraced Christianity in the year 1946 with late Heichibambe as the first person to convert.

Emphasizing on the theme, “Fear the Lord”, chief speaker, president

ZBCC, Rev. SuiteiNdang dwelt on moral laws and ethics and focused on salvation as the “most significant achievement of Christianity” He pointed out that despite taking cognizance of the word of God, many failed to follow the message. He further warned the believers that taking advantage of “Great Salvation”, would impact in the wrath of God which would be remorseful and beyond human comprehension.

Earlier, welcome address was delivered by pastor Lekie Baptist Church, Peusibe Kenn, dedicatory prayer by ex-pastor Lekie Baptist Church and counselor ZBCC, Pauhia Kenn, unveiling of the 75th years anniversary monolith and souvenir by Rev. SuiteiNdang and , executive secretary ZBCC, Rev. IzieteilungTerieng respectively.

Delegates from 52 churches under ZBCC attended the programme.

3

Northeast/State Brown sugar worth Rs 2 crore seized in Manipur Imphal, Feb 7 (PTI): A joint team of Manipur Police and Assam Rifles have seized brown sugar worth Rs 2 crore and arrested three persons from Bishnupur district, police said on Sunday.

The contraband was seized during checking at Tangjeng near Ibudhou temple in Bishnupur district.

The security personnel found a 34-year-old man identified as Thangkohsat Guite hiding the brown sugar in soap cases in a large backpack on Saturday night, they said.

The security forces also arrested two other persons 41-year-old Thangsei Guite and 46-year-old Warepam Ramesh Singh who were with Guite.

The arrested persons and the seized items were handed over to Kumbi police station and a case has been registered, the police added.

Democratic space shrinking Mizoram Churches reopen after over 10 months in India, says Gaurav Gogoi Guwahati, Feb 7 (PTI): Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Assam, Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday said people are being harassed by various agencies for criticising the government, leading to the shrinking of democratic space in the country.

Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi accused the Narendra Modi government of threatening all forms of democractic protests in the country and trying to silence peaceful dissent.

“If any person criticises Modi and his government, ED, CBI, NIA, IT Department and all other agencies will come after him. People are even scared to speak on social media. Democratic space is shrinking in India,” the senior Congress leader said.

Gogoi said, agitations, including the anti-CAA protest and the ongoing farmers’ stir, have claimed the lives of several people, but the Modi government is “not in a mood to listen to anyone”.

Gaurav Gogoi

“In Assam, we have many emotional issues like Citizenship (Amendment) Act, National Register of Citizens (NRC), Assam Accord and ST status to six communities. But the prime minister’s address was silent on these issues.

He just came to befool the people,” the Congress leader said.

Gogoi also slammed the Centre for promising tea garden workers of solving their problem, but not having done anything for granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the community, and ensuring a minimum daily wage of Rs 351.

Aizawl, Feb 7 (PTI): Churches in Mizoram reopened on Sunday after a gap of over 10 months.

The government has allowed churches to reopen with only 50 per cent seating capacity and permitted church services only during the daytime on every Saturday and Sunday.

The decision to reopen the places of worship in the Christian-majority state was taken following a dip in COVID-19 cases.

The religious institutions were shut since March 22 last year after the COVID-19 outbreak.

Though Seventh-Day Adventist churches were reopened on Saturday, a majority of the churches belonging to Baptist, Presbyterian and other denominations reopened on Sunday.

Expressing happiness over the development, Lalhmunsang F Tusing of the Evangelical Free Church of India (EFCI) said, “We must thank the almighty and keep praying so that the pandemic is completely contained.”

“The re-opening of the churches has brought joy to the Christians. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us how necessary it is to remain attached to the church,” Lalsiamkunga, an elderly churchgoer said.

The state’s COVID-19 curve showed a downward trend with the infection rate dropping to 2.04 per cent.Mizoram’s COVID-19 tally rose to 4,382 on Sunday as one more person tested positive for the infection.

The state now has 23 active cases, while 4,350 people have recovered from the disease and nine patients have succumbed to the infection so far.

Sudden spike in COVID cases in M’laya; 40 new cases on Sunday Shillong, Feb 7:After a relative downslide over the past few weeks,there has been a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the last few days with 40 new cases detected on Sunday, taking the active cases to 137 in the State. Director Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War said the new COVID19 cases detected comprised of 26 in East Khasi Hills district, 11 in West Jaintia Hills district and three in Ri-Bhoi district.

With 92 active Covid19 cases and 121 deaths, the

East Khasi Hills, that includes state capitalShillong, is the most affected district.

War informed that four persons in East Khasi Hills district and one in Ri-Bhoi district have recovered from the viral infection.

Of the 3,45,293 persons tested for COVID-19 till Sunday, 3,31,408 tested negative for the virus, while 35 persons were in institutional quarantine and 102 in home isolation across the State, which had nine containment zones where positive cases have been

State KSCDL invites citizens to design Kma streets

DIMAPUR: As part of “Streets for People Challenge”, the Kohima Smart City Development Limited (KSCDL) has informed that it was rolling an open design led competition for two locations in the city and invited interested citizens to participate in the design competition by registering on https://smartnet.niua. org/indiastreetchallenge/ cities/kohima.

In a press release, KSCDL chief executive officer (CEO) Kovi Meyase informed that registration would close on February 12, 2021. He said this was a unique opportunity for citizens “to reimagine our streets, design, win and see their designs implemented on the ground.”

CEO said the designs would be examined by a Jury Panel comprised of experts in architecture, landscaping and urban planning and results would be declared by March 15, 2021.

Flagship Pilot site: Kohima Walkable Street - NST to Razhu Point covering 330m.

Neighbourhood Pilot Site: BOC Market - PHQ

Traffic Booth to BOC Market Area covering 93m.

Prizes would include 1st Prize of 15000, 2nd prize of 10000, 3rd prize of 5000, Gold Mention of 2500 and Honourable Mentions with certificates (five entries) for both the locations.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had launched the “Streets for People Challenge” to inspire cities to create walking friendly streets through quick measures and to reimagine their streets as public spaces through the lens of economic regeneration, safety and child friendly interventions with inclusive designing.

KSCDL with the core committee comprising of representatives from wards, citizen groups, professionals and city officials had organized Open Streets campaign around the city between October and November 2020 to create awareness about the need to share street spaces with Cyclists, Pedestrians and citizens including children, aged people and people with disabilities and also for trees, plants and nature.

Dr. Aman War

detected.

Meghalaya, so far has registered 13,885 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 147 deaths with 1.05 per cent case fatality rate and 13,601 recoveries from the viral infection.

M e a n w h i l e, 6 8 5 9 health care workers have been inoculated with Covishield vaccine across the State as per the latest report received from the health and family welfare department.

On the other hand, on view of the prevailing situation concerning COVID-19 in the state, the District Magistrate, East Khasi Hills District in an order issued under Section 144 CrPCread together with Regulation 3 of the Meghalaya Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 has extended

night curfew in East Khasi Hills District with effect from February 8 up to February 14 for timings falling between 11 pm to 5 am each dayin East Khasi Hills District and Meghalaya, “Movement of vehicles carrying essential goods, security forces, medical equipment and shops for repair of trucks on highways are also exempted. However, drivers and attendants of the vehicles shall be subject to medical screening as per laid down protocols,” the order said.

VWS Viswema conduct road safety advocacy programme

Participants of the road safety advocacy programme.

DIMAPUR: Vikehie Welfare Society (VWS) Viswema under the aegis of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India had started conducting road safety advocacy programme near Viswema village, Kohima on National Highway

(NH-2) from February 6.

According to a press release, chairman, VWS Viswema, Eyosa Kikhi, while appreciating the efforts of Transport Commissioner Nagaland and Kohima Traffic police also thanked MoRTH for selecting VWS to organise

the road safety advocacy programme. Earlier, invocation was pronounced by deacon, CRC Viswema, Vimetwel Kikhi. Altogether, road safety pamphlets were distributed to 578 vehicle users by Viswema village volunteers during the first day of the programme.

Rotary Club Dimapur celebrates golden jubilee Inauguration of Gram Seva Kendra held

RCD members during the golden jubilee programme.

DIMAPUR: Rotary Club of Dimapur (RCD) marked its Golden Jubilee (50 years of service) here on Saturday with blood donation camp, during which a total of 50 units of blood was collected.

In a press release, RCD secretary Rtn Arijit Sharma stated that later in the evening, the members celebrated the ‘Charter Nite’ at Rotary Centre with founding member, Rtn U.S Agarwalla as special guest.

RCD president Rtn. KitoshiZhimomi, in her welcome speech acknowledged the tireless efforts of all past and present members of the club.

While highlighting about the social and philanthropic works carried out by RCD, Kitoshi said she was fortunate to head the club to celebrate the golden jubilee.

Project chairman of blood donation camp, Rtn. Rakesh Kochar, presented a brief report on the blood

donation camp and thanked sr. specialist blood bank Dr. T. Temsu,and his team, service partner IndusInd Bank and other donors for their support.

Rtn. R.S Panesar gave a brief report about the journey of RCD and highlighted various social service activities carried out by the club.

Besides other initiatives, RCD said that it has also vowed to remove illiteracy by 2025 by taking up projects for

adult literacy, teacher training and bringing drop-outs back to school. Rotary Club has also converted five government schools into ‘happy schools’ by providing toiletsand other necessary facilities.

Rtn Vijay Sharma,astt. governor (Zone IX) read out the congratulatory message of Rotary District Governor SubhasishChattterjee.

On the occasion,the multi-lingual singing talent of Nagaland, Nk Naga was inducted as an honorary member of the club.He also enthralled the audience with his melodious songs.

Others who spoke on the occasion were Lions International District Governor Lalita Khadaria,Lion Gopal Sharma past president of Lions Club while vote of thanks was delivered by Rtn Ashok Agarwal.

DIMAPUR: As part of the SBI Gram Seva programme implemented in five adopted villages by ANMA Integrated Development Association (AIDA), Don Bosco, under the Chumoukedima sub- division of Dimapur district namely Khriezephe and Tsithrongse was formally inaugurated on February 6.

In a press release issued by AIDA Don Bosco PRO Lawrence Guria stated special guest professor, department of horticulture, Nagaland University SASRD, Medziphema Dr. Pauline Alila, emphasised on the seed bank facility where farmers can preserve the seeds and save them from extinction.

She underlined the importance of sending organic products to outlets like Mission Organic Value Chain Development (MOVCD) - NER. Further, she appreciated the efforts by SBI and AIDA, Don

Dr. Pauline Alila

Bosco by opportunities to the villagers, and youth in particular.

SBI Gram Seva – AIDA, program manager Pfokho John, highlighted about GSK and while welcoming all the guests SDB, Executive Director- AIDA, Rev. Fr. Roy George, thanked SBI foundation for choosing the five villages presented by AIDA to implement this programme. He also thanked the village authorities and concerned leaders for providing space to set up the GSK offices and their cooperation towards the Gram Seva programme.

He also requested leaders

and villages to fully cooperate with AIDA team and make these five villages into model villages regarding integral development by implementing the SBI Gram Seva programmes well.

It maybe mentioned that digitalization is one of the focus areas of the Gram Seva programme and GSK was centre to it.

Facilities like Wi-Fi, computer, scanner cum printer, LED TV, inverter and battery, furniture, almirah, notice board, spiral binding, newspapers/ magazines and stationaries were provided in GSK for the usage of youth, students, farmers, women and community in general. The GSK which was a community information centre will help the community to avail all the facilities such as printing, photo copying and all other online services.

The programme was also attended by SBI-RSETI, Jalukie, director Novin Basumtory.

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OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post Vol. XXxI NO. 63 Dimapur, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

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Low energy

pproximately 85% of power in Nagaland is availed by domestic consumers which leaves the remainder for commercial or industrial consumers. According to estimates, the demand for power by 2021 is going to increase to around 450 MW, an increase of around 100 MW from the previous years. In the previous years, the state's four power projects together generated around 89.09 MW. On its part the state government spends nearly Rs.300 crore to buy power to meet the shortfall. However, the revenue receipts show a dismally low collection of hardly Rs.140 to Rs.150 crore annually from government data. In order to reduce this huge loss in revenue, the power department had been trying to incorporate state-of-the-art technology to improve transmission, generation and distribution sector to enhance revenue collections. In the past several years, it was almost a regular feature of the department to announce loss amounting to approximately over Rs.100 crore annually. On the other hand, there have been numerous complaints about consumers being handed inflated bills. This is highlighted when consumers believe they are being billed for nonsupply of power and blamed it on improper metering or inefficiency. The department has been facing the same crisis every year and despite efforts to reduce the woes of consumers through various administrative decisions and technical solutions, the situation has not changed. Shortage of power resulting in load shedding has always been blamed on transmission loss including theft and pilferage. The accumulated total loss is equivalent to approximately 40MW to 50MW out of the total power that the state receives.

When the power loss in Nagaland is almost 50% and double the national average, it calls for serious attention of the department as to why this abnormal figure continues to hinder efficiency in the system of transmission and supply. The department has been on the job in making all efforts to streamline the system but despite all these, the consumers are still plagued with regular power interruptions that last as long as one hour or more. These have remained a feature even during monsoon months when generation of hydro electric power is expected to be at their peak. The main cause is attributed to power loss due to theft/pilferage and non-payment of power bills. The problem of long hours of load shedding has totally negated the very concept of economic development since business without power means losses. Even sensitive equipments are damaged due to power fluctuations and has caused huge losses to business, especially storage and small units that are wholly dependent on power supply. Generators are meant as standby but in the prevailing circumstances, they have become the mainstay as power from the department, has become the standby. Both loss of power in transmission and revenue are yet to be tackled. However, the loss of revenue is non-technical and which should be addressed. The option of providing pre-paid meters may serve the department with regard to revenue collection even if consumers cry foul over having to pay a high price. The department has been grappling with efforts at building adequate capacities in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure to attain energy security and handling and to achieve 24x7 power for all by 2021. Power in theory and powerless in practise seems to be the prescription for the suffering power consumers of Nagaland and this needs to be addressed urgently.

DailyDevotion Spiritual Dejection

We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

—Luke 24:21 Every fact that the disciples stated was right, but the conclusions they drew from those facts were wrong. Anything that has even a hint of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else.

Dejection stems from one of two sources— I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied.

In either case, dejection is the result. Lust means “I must have it at once.” Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer. What have I been hoping or trusting God would do? Is today “the third day” and He has still not done what I expected? Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it.

We look for visions from heaven and for earthshaking events to see God’s power. Even the fact that we are dejected is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we will only obey, and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.

Quotes

Expect problems and eat them for breakfast. ~ Alfred A. Montapert

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Debt, inflation, issues stalk growth path

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he Union Budget 2021-22 is being viewed as a document to consolidate, spend and revive on one hand and on the other an extravaganza without expanding the kitty that gives little and takes more from every citizen. It is not the one that suits the needs of the crisis times that follows two years of economic slowdown and a year of severe recession.

It is viewed as debtfunded huge expansion that may be good for the stock market but not for the overall development of the people. Borrowings constitute 36 paise of rupee earned by the government and bound to shoot inflation. Expenses should have been cut on many construction and euphoric projects like new ornamental constructions and super-speed trains. A decision that merits praise is the increase in healthcare allocations But it is also being seen as moving from offbalance-sheet funding to the headline-deficit funding of 9.5 percent and shows that new spending increases

by Rs 1.9 lakh crore over the Rs 1.2 lakh crore FCI food subsidies. Incremental spending will be about Rs

2.9 lakh crore.

There is the catch. The budgeted Central Government’s total expenditure of 34.8 lakh crores in 2021-22 is identical in nominal terms to that in 2020-21 – which amounts to slashing expenditure in real terms. Debt servicing takes a larger cake that has risen in 2020-21to over Rs 6.9 lakh crore is estimated to cross Rs 8 lakh crore. In short, the government would be left with Rs 26 lakh crore for its expenses.

The borrowings in 2020-21 were at Rs 18.48 lakh crore and are slated to be Rs 15.06 lakh crore in 2021-22, provided disinvestments of Rs 1.75 lakh crore is realised. Despite such huge borrowings, the allocations for projects and many other expenses were being cut mid-year since December 2019.

The tax system has gone too many changes and confusing in terms of new no-concession incometax and conventional I-T system that allows some deductions. The tax on EPF investment is beyond comprehension. Even the benefit of no-filing of return for those above 75 is superfluous because if one has two

bank accounts or has any income other than interest accrual or pension, he may forfeit the benefit.

The budget should have been kinder to the lowest 30 percent people in the unorganized, small and medium industry, and labourers who trekked hundreds of kilometers to save their lives. In fact, every earner has been shorn off the benefits they were having and many still do not have jobs.

Taxing the provident fund is a signal that many more savings instruments may be targeted gradually. It does not augur as large chunk Shivaji of borrowings come from small savings, as per FM’s budget speech.

Despite clamour from depositors not to tax their meager interest accruals, the poor savers, retirees and pensioners are losing a large chunk to TDS on bank deposits. It is not a prudent policy to tax the aged or push them to penury. The new car scrapping policy is to burden them more.

It sends mixed signals to the farmers. The budget allocation for the department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Wel-

fare is slashed 8.5 percent in 2021-22. The flagship PM-KISAN scheme, meant to provide income support to farmers, sees a 13 percent drop in its budget, which is Rs 10,000 crore lower than last year’s initial allocation. However, the budget says state-run Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) would now have access to the Rs 1 lakh crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF). The AIF cess has been raised to 4 percent and would impact almost every walk of life as it is dumped on petrol and diesel prices.

Sarkar The nation should have looked for providing cheaper fuel to the people at a time when international prices are at its lowest.

Various cesses on petroleum products raise over Rs 3 lakh crore a year but erode the economy through cost rise on transportation and farm inputs, leading to severe inflation and overall hardship. A government committed to development should realise that a nation progresses on low expenses on fuel.

The budget should have given some novel thoughts for supporting agriculture.

The government has to think out-of-the-box to take the opportunity to have a fresh look at the farm sector that encompasses the life of over 80,000 crore people and they cannot live on dole for long.

The government has lowered disinvestment target to Rs 1.75 lakh crore from Rs 2.1 lakh crore in 2020-21 as pandemic affected government’s disinvestment plans. It has put on platter for strategic sale of IDBI Bank, BPCL, Shipping Corp, Container Corporation, Neelachal Ispat Nigam Ltd, Pawan Hans, Air India, GAIL, oil pipelines, seven ports and some others, including two public sector banks through setting up Asset Management and Asset Reconstruction Company.

The move to sale two banks and diluting stake in LIC to 74 percent is beyond comprehension. The LIC is in good shape and is the only honest insurance company. The decision needs to be rolled back. The bank NPAs are not their creation.

It happened because of interference in the work of banks since 2009. The present step can be the beginning of selling out stakes

in other banks too. So is the nation changing tack of nationalising the banks in 1969 or going into a cycle of another nationalisation in a few years? It calls for reviewing such Manmohanomics decisions at a time when RBI itself is concerned about its own health.

The government’s ideological group in Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM) is opposed to such sales. The SJM had put a brake on NDA-I too. For it and trader body efforts the retail sector has got a small boost as the online companies now would be taxed 2 percent for their sales.

The stake sale in PSUs built over decades calls for a scrutiny. Some of the finest PSUs like HMT, Indian Airlines and Air India were victims of machinations of their private sector rivals.

The concept that government should not own ventures is not correct. The US and many EU countries are known to owe their progress to the PSUs. India has been taking too many flip-flop decisions over the years.

The budget is too thinly spread and needs thorough relook to achieve the goals of fast development that the FM stresses.

Post-mortem

The dilemmas in regulating online speech Freedom to travel comes with riders

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n February 3, the Indian government issued a stark warning to Twitter for having defied its order to block access to around 250 accounts that had posted tweets in the context of the farm protests. In an 18-page missive, Twitter was told it was in no position to determine the “impracticability or the disproportionality of the said measure”.

“Twitter… is an intermediary bound by the orders of the Central Government,” said the letter, with a warning that Twitter India executives could face punishment, including jail terms. The trigger was the social media company’s position that it found the posts and accounts to “constitute free speech” and “newsworthy”.

“Protecting public conversation and transparency is fundamental to the work we do at Twitter,” a representative told multiple media organisations, off the record.

The exchange underscored the political sensitivities around the farm protests. But more importantly, it could become the first shot to be fired in a battle that holds implications for free speech, regulation of technology, and, possibly, even geopolitics. At the core of this confrontation is a simple question: Who has the mandate to regulate speech online — the State or the private entity running the service?

There is no easy answer.

In 2011, Facebook and Twitter helped the citizens of Egypt launch a most successful prodemocracy movement. The role of social media in bringing about the Arab Spring was captured succinctly in a protester’s

I

tweet: “We use Facebook to schedule the protests, Twitter to coordinate, and YouTube to tell the world.”

On February 11, 2011, hundreds of thousands of people gathered at Tahrir Square succeeded in their revolution, just like their counterparts in Tunisia had a month earlier, while also leveraging technology.

In a more recent example, from 2019, anti-China protests in Hong Kong too were mobilised and coordinated over social media and digital networks. But this campaign did not have the same sort of success seen in Egypt and Tunisia. The Great Firewall of China — where the government has close control over what can and cannot be said online — has now descended upon Hong Kong.

In these three instances — particularly the first two — online speech helped address the information asymmetry between a State that did not enjoy popular support and the people.

But the evolution of technology in the social media domain during this decade has created vulnerabilities, which are being exploited by bad actors to strike at the heart of democracy and democratic institutions. This was most visible in 2016, when political disinformation is believed to have influenced the United States presidential election and the Brexit referendum.

Because social media companies held up principles of free speech against the State, it gave the people of Egypt and Tunisia a chance to express their will. At the same time,

because social media companies failed to stop the abuse of their platform, the will of the people in the United States and the United Kingdom — at least to some degree — was manipulated.

The temporality of these examples is relevant too. They suggest that increasingly, social media companies have not been — by virtue of being unwilling or simply ill-prepared — able to prevent the abuse of their platform. When their passivity to content moderation has often led to the rise of misinformation and disinformation, their algorithms have actively propagated harm and marginalisation.

The origins of social media trace back to cyber utopianism, where early activists wanted the medium to help emancipate the oppressed from the oppressor. In the last 20 years, the internet has undoubtedly risen to that role — the MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter are only the most recent in a long list of success stories.

Ultimately, then, the entity that holds the best mandate to regulate speech online is a democratic, rules-based institution. This does not often translate into the State, and it almost certainly cannot be embodied by a private corporation. The world needs to evolve an independent, impartial domain — almost similar to an independent judiciary — to help navigate the dilemmas at the heart of regulating online speech.

Binayak Dasgupta, binayak.dasgupta@htlive.com (The views expressed are personal)

Mobile phones should be banned during Parliamentary proceedings

t refers to Rajya Sabha Chairperson on 03.02.2021 expressing anguish on misuse of mobile phones by some members of the House by recording disturbances during Parliamentary proceedings and later sharing on social media. It is usual practice that mobile phones are not allowed to be taken inside the venues of important conferences. Otherwise also there have been indecent incidents of certain legislators in state-assemblies seen enjoying blue films inside the Houses. Time has come to cut immunity available to legislators both in Parliament and state-legislatures.

Mobile phones must not be allowed to be taken inside any of the House of Parliament or state-legislatures. This will also make those in legislatures concentrating on discussions and debates of legislative Houses.

Immunity must also be abolished for things done or said during legislative proceedings considering blood-bath quarrels inside some state assemblies, some Parliamentarian insulting national song by walking out from

the House during its play, and others tearing copy of bills and many other such unparliamentary acts to make Parliamentarians and state-legislators disciplined to be role models for citizens.

Neither the then President of India nor the then Chairperson of Rajya Sabha took any action despite writing to them against highly objectionable statement of a Rajya Sabha member on 03.08.2015 on floor of the House when the member termed disclosure of heavy subsidy on food in Parliamentary canteens through an RTI petition as a wellplanned conspiracy to tarnish image of Parliamentarians.

It is highly unjustified that Parliamentarian may misuse immunity by terming a law-abiding citizen as a conspirator to expose an undesired burden on the public-exchequer which has now been corrected by present Lok Sabha Speaker.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal (Guinness Record Holder & RTI Consultant)

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few days ago, Dr Ambrish Mithal, Chairman, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Max HealthCare, tweeted: “Almost all the Covid cases in Delhi I managed in January have either returned from Dubai or Goa. They were partying without masks or social distancing.” By all accounts coming in from Goa it’s like Covid no longer exists: masks appear to be purely a Delhi/Mumbai phenomenon.

Restaurants and beaches were packed this winter season, the cold breeze and hot sun an irrepressible lure for travellers reeling from pandemic fatigue. Sure enough as Dr Mithal noted, New Year revelry created a fresh spurt of cases in the Capital, bringing to fore questions of responsibility and tradeoffs we need to continue making in 2021.

It was almost a year ago that the nation was spewing rage against singer Kanika Kapoor who allegedly had Covid when she boarded a flight to India and attended a party, putting hundreds of lives at risk. (Oh, the pleasurable indignation of pointing fingers and finding fault at others’ thoughtlessness.) Post New Year, judgment is rearing its ugly head again since everyone is behaving “like Kapoor” now. Vastly different pandemic attitudes between friends are creating fissures in formerly close relationships; suddenly, we are learning things about people we know well that we don’t really like. For example, someone I know took three flights with a full blown cold, contemptuously disregarding the havoc his behaviour may have caused, before landing up in a Covid hospital himself. I have to wonder if it’s a friendship worth keeping.

Of course, we are not in lockdown anymore. No one is committing a crime by travelling, even though parts of India continue to have sporadically large Covid numbers. It is worth noting that in daily living it’s not the law that dictates everyday decisions but our personally honed, internal moral compass. Essentially, all of life is contextual. Applied behavioural sciences have identified ‘situational awareness’ as an instinctive perception of the dangers around us, critical for the protection of human life. Inadequate situation

awareness is linked to car accidents that happen due to human error. Correlate the same to a pandemic and it’s clear; nobody needs to go on a vacation. Sure, it would be lovely to have a change of scene. But perhaps the question to be asking is not, is it safe for me to travel, but is it even ethical to be travelling for leisure right now?

Taking a holiday that involves flights is certainly more socially acceptable now than it was in 2020, but it’s not entirely kosher, either. Tourism has always been entwined with privilege since it’s a luxury too few can afford. India, specifically, has two types of people. The vast majority, meek and law-abiding, who know the State has abandoned them and they need to watch it, as they can’t afford hospitalisation. The second, the 1 per cent, who believe it’s their birthright to do what suits them, never mind if that means wantonly endangering others. Indeed, the pandemic has brought these contrasts and the (metaphorical) moral high ground into sharper focus.

“I would not tell somebody who’s been holed up in a flat for a year with small children that it’s wrong for them to take a vacation,” says Mumbai-based clinical therapist Tanya Vasunia, who has noted a spurt in anxiety-ridden patients lately. “It might be a question of their sanity.” It’s possible to have two entirely different viewpoints that pull us in opposite directions.

History suggests there’s nothing so unprecedented about the coronavirus, especially the inexplicable choices people make after the monotony of quarantine. This comes across with terrible poignancy in the very readable novel The Weight of Ink that documents life during the Bubonic Plaque in London, 1655. A character rations risk but an impulsive meeting has grave consequences in the pre-antibiotic era.

And then of course, it ends. A pandemic always passes. People survive. Perhaps in these tentative steps towards normalcy, as Albert Camus noted in The Plague, the experience will “Help men rise above themselves”.

Leher Kala The writer is director, Hutkay Films

Reader’s Post

Sir,

Nagaland Peace Centre lauds CM

The Nagaland Peace Centre, Kohima lauds the Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio for amicably settling the 45 long years issue between the Jotsoma Village Council and the State Government. Such concern and initiation taken for the welfare of both the Jotsoma Village and the citizens of Kohima Town is appreciated The Nagaland Peace Centre believes that the government, under his able leadership would continue to bring more peaceful solutions even in the days to come. It also expresses its gratitude to the Jotsoma Village Council for wisely handling the long unresolved issue and settling it peacefully.

The Nagaland Peace Centre upholds that peace can never go out of date and that destruction and violence would only delay peace to settle in any dispute.

While appreciating Neiphiu Rio for initiating the peaceful settlement of the 45 years long feud between the State Government and the Jotsoma Village, the Nagaland Peace Centre also congratulate him for officially taking charge as chairman of North Eastern Regional Power Committee (NERPC). It wishes him the best and prays that, through his leadership, many issues pertaining to the state and other NE states would be solved.

Pedi Miachieo, Nagaland Peace Centre chairman 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.

TMC’s misrule ‘more fearful’ than Left govt: PM Says , West Bengal will show them ‘Ram Card’

PM Modi addressing the gathering in West Bengal’s East Midnapore, on Sunday. (PTI) visit to the state within two weeks ahead of the Assembly elections. During his first visit, on the occasion of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary, Banerjee had refused to speak at the event as “Jai Shri Ram” slogans were chanted when she rose to address the gathering.

Taking a dig at the controversy, Modi said in Haldia that the chief minister is annoyed by the chants of “Jai Shri Ram”, reported ANI. “In Bengal, if you talk to Didi [Mamata Banerjee] about your rights, she gets frustrated,” the prime minister said. “She even gets annoyed if slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ are raised. But if somebody speaks against the country and spits poison, she does not get angry.”

B’luru Christians donate Rs 1 cr for Ayodhya’s Ram temple BENGALURU, FEB 7 (IANS): Prominent members of the Christians community in this tech city have collected Rs 1 crore as donation for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan said on Sunday.

“The members of the Christian community from all walks of life donated Rs 1 crore during the fund-raising drive,” said Narayan.

Christian entrepreneurs, businessmen, educationists, chief executives, marketing experts and social service activists contributed for the temple construction.

“The BJP believes in pro-people actions and ‘sab ka saath, sab ka vikas’ as stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As an inclusive party, the BJP incapsulates even minorities and its philosophy of gov-

ernance is followed at the central and the state levels,” said the Deputy CM. The community’s representative and businessman Ronald Colaso said Christians always respond to the cause of the nation and social harmony.

In this context, the community’s leaders also thanked the BJP-ruled state government for granting Rs 200 crore for setting up Christian Development Corporation in the city.

“We are also grateful to the state government for legislating a Bill to set up Saint Joseph University in the city,” said Colaso in the statement.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Secretary General Champat Rai announced recently that the donation drive, which began on January 15, would be go on till February 27 across the country.

The TMC government does not have the courage to raise their voice for “Bharat Mata”, Modi said. “That’s because these people have criminalised politics, institutionalised corruption and politicised the police,” he added.

Using a football analogy, Modi said that the people of the state are ready to show “Ram card” to TMC now. “Bengal is a state that loves football,” he said at the rally. “In the language of football I want to say that the Trinamool Congress government has committed many fouls.

The people are ready to show them Ram card.”

Modi also accused the state government of misappropriating Centre’s relief fund in the wake of Cyclone Amphan, according

to PTI. He alleged that the farmers in the state were deprived of benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi initiative.

Modi spoke about the Marichjhapi incident and expressed his condolences towards the kin of those who died during the forcible eviction of Bengali refugees on a tiny island in the Sundarbans in 1979 by police gunfire, starvation, and disease. He said only a Bharatiya Janata Party government can free the state of mismanagement.

He appealed to the people to vote for the BJP government to experience a “real change”.

Modi’s visit, part of BJP’s campaign for the state Assembly pools, came a day after party chief JP Nadda flagged off the first Parivartan Rath Yatra.

“It [the Parivartan Rath Yatra] is not just the change of the government but the change of thinking,” Modi said in Haldia. “Mamata Banerjee came to power a decade ago with the slogan ‘Ma Mati Manush’ [Mother, People and Soil]. But down the line the mother was looted, the people weren’t protected and the soil was disrespected.”

Under PM, India effectively tackled COVID: Amit Shah MUMBAI, FEB 7 (PTI): Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has tackled the COVID19 pandemic effectively which the world considers as a “model”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.

Everyone wondered how the country with a huge population and weak health infrastructure would tackle the pandemic, but “effective steps were taken at the right time”, Shah said. He was speaking at the inauguration of a medical college at Kankavli in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurgdistrict. Targeting the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA-comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) in Maharashtra, Shah claimed it is a”threewheel autorickshaw government which has failedon all fronts”. The Sena parted ways with long-term ally BJP after the Maharashtra Assembly polls in 2019 over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post in the state.

Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had then claimed that the BJP went back on the promise of sharing the CM’s post with his party for two-and-a-half years.

Must be prepared for Covid-like crisis: Kovind B E N G A LU RU F E B 7 (PTI): The health sector’s evolution calls for active involvement and participation of all stakeholders and use of innovation to bridge intent and execution, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Sunday as he noted that healthcare delivery in India is poised to undergo change at all stages.

He also hoped that the world has learnt the right lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Healthcare delivery in India is poised to undergo a change at all stages prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

No single entity in the healthcare sector can deliver results and achieve outcomes,” Kovind said.

Addressing the 23rd annual convocation of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, he said the evolution of the sector calls for active involvement and participation of all stakeholders and use of innovation to bridge intent and execution.

“Though COVID-19 seems to be one-of-a-kind health-crisis that happens rarely, a section of scientists has warned us to be prepared for similar challenges ahead. The world has, let

Ram Nath Kovind us hope, learnt the right lessons,” he said, adding that the pandemic has taught the world that one cannot be safe if others are at risk and it is a lesson in universal brotherhood.

Noting that COVID19 has inflicted agony and misery of unprecedented levels around the globe, the President said the nation is proud of its doctors and paramedics who rose to the challenge, even if it meant a great risk to their own lives.

The President said he was glad to learn that the University had trained over two lakh health care professionals, from doctors and nurses to administrators and hospital facility providers, to better respond to the outbreak.

“Responding to the call of Atma-Nirbhar Bharat, a self- reliant India, our nation

has not only manufactured the vaccine, but has also reached out to other nations to provide the same,” Kovind said, adding that the largest vaccination drive in history was now under way in India.

Bengaluru: The health sector’s evolution calls for active involvement and participation of all stakeholders and use of innovation to bridge intent and execution, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Sunday as he noted that healthcare delivery in India is poised to undergo change at all stages.

He also hoped that the world has learnt the right lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Healthcare delivery in India is poised to undergo a change at all stages prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

No single entity in the healthcare sector can deliver results and achieve outcomes,” Kovind said.

Addressing the 23rd annual convocation of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, he said the evolution of the sector calls for active involvement and participation of all stakeholders and use of innovation to bridge intent and execution.

TMC slams BJP over issue of allocation of funds for rail projects in West Bengal

KOLKATA/NEW DELHI, FEB 7 (PTI): The TMC on Sunday accused the BJP government at the Centre of depriving West Bengal of rail projects over the last few years, and said allocations have been made only for some projects in Union budget 2021-22 with an eye on assembly elections in the state.

Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal minister Shashi Panja told reporters here that nominal financial allocations have been made for the state’s railway projects, which were announced earlier, while BJP-ruled states are getting the lion’s share of funds for railway works.

“While presenting the Budget, the BJP government makes allocations based on the fact whether a state is going for elections or not.

Eastern states, including West Bengal, have been deprived since 2016-17, and some projects have been

announced in the 2021-22 budget with the assembly polls in mind,” Panja said at a press conference at the TMC headquarters.

She claimed that the BJP government has announced some new railway line projects for Kolkataheadquartered South Eastern Railway for 2021-22 in the election season, after having ignored it since 2016-17. The minister also claimed that the Metro Railway projects in and around Kolkata are facing inordinate delay in completion, and have been granted a total of Rs 1,330 crore for 2021-22 since the elections are round the corner in West Bengal. Assembly polls are due in the state in April-May this year. The allocation of Rs 6,636 crore to West Bengal is the highestever funds earmarked for the state in the history of Indian Railways, minister Piyush Goyal had said soon after the Union budget was

announced, blaming successive state governments for the delay in rail projects in the state. Accusing the Centre of “doublespeak”, Panja said that the BJP government “does not believe in cooperative federalism”.

“While the projects in BJP-ruled states are getting sustained allocation, those in other states are facing natural death owing to lack of funds,” she said.

The minister alleged that the East West Metro corridor connecting Sector V in Salt Lake with Howrah Maidan, which was announced by Mamata Banerjee during her stint as the Rail Minister in 2009, has missed five deadlines for completion of the project, leading to around 100 per cent cost escalation.

Taking to Twitter, TMC MP and national spokesperson Derek O’Brien said, “In election season, BJP’s tourist gang are touting ‘record Railway allocation’ for Ben-

gal. The truth is, multiple rail projects have been shelved in Bengal and funding choked all these years.” Posting two documents, O’Brien has highlighted “How Bengal has been deprived of Railways funds for years.”

In the document, the Rajya Sabha MP has highlighted how over one dozen rail factories across Bengal, initiated by Mamata Banerjee when she was the Minister of Railways, have received only a token financial allocation this year.

“The new rail coach manufacturing unit at Kanchrapara had been allocated Rs 74 lakh in the last budget.

This year the allocation is just Rs 1,000. (One thousand rupees, not a typo!),” he said.

He further said in budget 2020 the Centre shelved 20 new connectivity ventures and 10 upgradation projects launched by Banerjee as Minister of Railways, especially in rural Bengal.

“In Budget 2019 the Sealdah Coach Repair Factory – One thousand rupees Rail Museum in Bolpur One thousand rupees!

Coach Washing Workshop in Howrah - One thousand rupees! The list goes on,” he said. Accusing the BJP of only focussing on states in election year, he said that from 2016-17 to 2020-21, no new lines in

Railways were announced in South-Eastern Railways, let alone Bengal. In 202021, four new projects were announced for SER but all of them went to Odisha and not Bengal. “The BJP government has allocated funds very slowly for it since 2014.

Kolkata Metro received an outlay of Rs 850 crore for 2019-20 which came down to Rs 750 crore in 2020-21.

GALAXY COACHING CENTRE

(Above ICICI Bank, L. Chase Complex, Midland, Dimapur) ADMISSION GOING ON:- FOR BOTH REGULARS & REPEATERS OF CLASS X & XII (ARTS & COMMERCE).

NPSC, BANK P.O & SSC (GIRLS HOSTEL ATTACHED).

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KO L K ATA , F E B 7 (AGENCIES): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday attacked the ruling Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, saying the party has given rebirth to the Left rule of corruption and lawlessness, reported the Hindustan Times.

“Mamata Banerjee’s government turned out to be a rebirth of the Left Front rule and the misrule and lawlessness under this regime was far more fearful than that of the Left Front government,” Modi said at a rally in Haldia in East Medinipur district.

“The government empowered corruptionists and ‘tolabaaji’ [extortion] and ensured that Bengal lagged behind in progress when compared to other states in the region.”

Modi said that the people wanted Banerjee to bring changes in the state, but instead she paved the way for “corrupt politicians to set up shop once more”.

This is Modi’s second

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national

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Dial:- (O) 03862-359047, (M) 9436002701, 9862227758

Govt may increase MGNREGA spend if need arises: Anurag

saved the economy also. A massive contraction of 23.9 per cent in the first quarter which narrowed down to 7.5 per cent in the second quarter.

The GST collection has been over Rs 1 lakh crore since October,” he added.

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NEW DELHI, FEB 7 (PTI): The government would not hesitate to increase the spend under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) Programme if the need arises in the future, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur has said. The minister emphasised that the Narendra Modi government has taken steps in the past in the interest of the poor and vulnerable rural population.

Taking on the criticism by the Congress on the lowering of the MGNREGA expenditure in the Budget for 2021-22, the minister said this government has been increasing expenditure unlike them who would cut at the Revised Estimate stage. Giving an example, he said that against the Budget Estimate of Rs 60,000 crore in 201920, the spending was raised to Rs 71,001.81 crore under the MGNREGA head as there was an increase in demand.

In the current fiscal, it has been raised massively from Rs 61,500 crore to Rs 1,11,500 crore to create additional jobs in the rural areas for those who had lost employment due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, he told PTI in an interview.

For 2021-22, the spending has been increased to Rs 73,000 crore as against the Budget Estimate of Rs 61,500 crore for the financial year ending March. “We saved lives, we

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national

Nagaland Post, Dimapur monDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

No ‘ghar wapsi’ till farmers’ demands are met: Tikait CJM’s phone call leads to Faruqui’s

C H A R K H I DA D R I (HAR), FEB 7 (PTI): Asserting that the agitation against the Centre’s farm laws is a people’s movement that will not fail, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said there will be no “ghar wapsi” till protesting farmers’ demands are met.

Tikait lauded the role of “khap panchayats” (caste councils) and their leaders in supporting the farmers’ stir.

Addressing a “Kisan Mahapanchayat” near here, Tikait said the government should rollback the contentious farm laws, frame a new legislation to assure the continuation of the minimum support price (MSP) for crops and release the farmers arrested recently.

“There will be no ‘ghar wapsi’ till farmers’ demands are met,” he said.

“Yeh jan andolan hai, yeh fail nahi hoga (this is a people’s movement, this will not fail),” he added.

Tikait claimed the campaign against the agriculture laws is going strong. With many

Rakesh Tikait “khap” leaders present at the “mahapanchayat”, Tikait lauded their role in strengthening the stir.

Independent MLA from Dadri and chief of the Sangwan Khap, Sombir Sangwan, who in December withdrew his support to the BJP-JJP government in Haryana, dubbing it “anti-farmer”, was present at the event.

Earlier on February 3, Tikait had addressed his first “Kisan Mahapanchayat” in Haryana’s Kandela in Jind.

The BKU leader from Uttar Pradesh has been camping at Ghazipur on the Delhi-UP border as part of a campaign by farmer unions against the central laws enacted in

September.

Tikait said that “khaps” go back to the days of King Harshvardhana and have been playing their role in society ever since.

The BKU leader said when the farmers’ stir started, attempts were made to divide it by calling it the agitation of Punjab and Haryana.

Seeking to project unity among farmer unions, Tikait said the “manch (stage) and panch (leaders leading the stir) will not change”.

The B K U l e a d e r, whose emotional appeal recently had revived the protest that was losing momentum after the January 26 violence in Delhi, said

people from different section of society were leading and part of the stir.

Cautioning the protesting farmers, Tikait said “Some people will try to divide you as Sikh, nonSikh” but they should remain united.

Tikait again praised BKU leader from Punjab, Balbir Singh Rajewal, who was present on the occasion, for providing a sound leadership to the stir.

“Rajewal is our big leader, he is very wise.

We will fight this battle strongly,” he said.

Tikait also made a mention of the tragedy caused by a glacier burst at Joshimath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, leading to a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river and causing large-scale devastation in the upper reaches of the ecologically fragile Himalayas.

“A big tragedy has struck Uttarakhand. I appeal to the BKU family and other farmer organisations to lend a helping hand and assist the local administration,” he said.

He appealed to all to conserve water and plant trees to protect the envi-

ronment.

Meanwhile, taking a lesson from the Jind Mahapanchayat where the stage had collapsed, the organisers had brick-lined the stage this time.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November 2020 at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.

However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.

release after Supreme Court order

INDORE, FEB 7 (PTI): A day after a Supreme Court bail order, it took a late night phone call from a Chief Judicial Magistrate that prodded Indore jail authorities to swiftly make arrangements for the release of stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui, who is accused hurting religious sentiments.

In the call on Saturday night, Indore’s Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) asked the Central Prison authorities here in Madhya Pradesh to check the SC’s website for the bail order, following which Faruqui was set free, a senior official from the jail administration said on Sunday.

Arrested on January 1 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, Faruqui was in the jail for 35 days.

On Friday, the SC granted him interim bail after the Madhya Pradesh High Court rejected his bail plea on January 28.

The apex court also stayed the production warrant issued against Faruqui by a court in Prayagraj in connection with an FIR lodged there. Indore Central Jail’s superintendent Rakesh

Munawar Faruqui Kumar Bhangre told PTI that, “A CJM rang us up on Saturday night. He said if we have not got the SC’s official order regarding Faruqui, it can be checked on the apex court’s website.”

The jail official said they then checked the order which mentioned that all warrants against Faruqui have been stayed.

“On this basis, he was set free,” the official said.

Asked why they did not check the SC’s website before the CJM’s call, the superintendent said since the matter is “sensitive”, they were waiting for the order (hard copy) to reach them through an official source. “This caused such a situation,” he said.

Earlier, even after Faruqui’s lawyers completed legal formalities in the district court, the jail authorities did not set him free on Saturday evening, contending that a production warrant of a Prayagraj court was pending against him.

Hours before his release, Faruqui’s lawyers had submitted a copy of the SC’s order in a local court, which then directed that he be released on a bond of Rs 50,000 and a security of the same amount. But, he was not released at that time.

Another official of the Indore Central Jail on Saturday said a court in Prayagraj had ordered Faruqui’s production in a similar case on February 18.

Citing the jail manual, he had said an order from the Prayagraj court or a competent government officer was needed to release him. A couple of hours before Faruqui was released, his cousin Zaid Pathan said they were disappointed by the jail administration’s stand. “Our belief in the judiciary was strengthened after the Supreme Court order,” he had remarked.

‘Himalayan glaciers melting twice as fast since 2000’ Haryana farmer’s body found hanging from tree near Tikri border protest site

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The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.

However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.

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killed himself by consuming poison a few kilometres away from the protest site at the Tikri border.

Earlier, a Sikh preacher, Sant Ram Singh, had also allegedly ended his life near the Singhu border protest site, claiming that he was “unable to bear the pain of the farmers”.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November 2020 at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment)

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CHANDIGARH, FEB 7 (PTI): A farmer from Jind in Haryana who was supporting the agitation against the Centre’s farm laws allegedly hanged himself from a tree merely two kilometres from the Tikri border protest site on Sunday, police said.

The 52-year-old farmer left a suicide note, which is being verified, they said.

“The farmer, Karamveer Singh, hailed from a village in Jind. He was found hanging from a tree in a park, which is around two kilometres away from the Tikri border,” Bahadurgarh City police station SHO Vijay Kumar said.

His body was found in the morning, he said.

According to the police, the hand-written suicide note purportedly left behind by the deceased said, “Dear farmer brethren, Modi government is giving date after date...

No one knows when these black farm laws will be rolled back.”

Over a fortnight ago, another farmer from Haryana had allegedly consumed a poisonous substance at the Tikri border. He died during treatment at a Delhi hospital later.

In December, a lawyer from Punjab had allegedly

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tists project that this will taper off within decades as the glaciers lose mass. This, the researchers said, will eventually lead to water shortages.

The study shows that “even glaciers in the highest mountains of the world are responding to global air temperature increases driven by the combustion of fossil fuels,” said Joseph Shea, a glacial geographer at the University of Northern British Columbia in Canada, who was not involved in the study.

“In the long term, this will lead to changes in the timing and magnitude of streamflow in a heavily populated region,” said Shea.

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driver of ice loss,” Maurer said. The Himalayas are generally not melting as fast as the Alps, but the general progression is similar, the researchers said. The study did not include the huge adjoining ranges of highmountain Asia such as the Pamir, Hindu Kush or Tian Shan, but other studies suggest similar melting is underway there as well.

The researchers noted that some 800 million people depend in part on seasonal runoff from Himalayan glaciers for irrigation, hydropower and drinking water.

The accelerated melting appears so far to be swelling runoff during warm seasons, but scien-

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Crossword

annually.

Researchers noted that Asian nations are burning ever-greater loads of fossil fuels and biomass, sending soot into the sky, adding much of it eventually lands on snowy glacier surfaces, where it absorbs solar energy and hastens melting.

They compiled temperature data during the study period from ground stations and then calculated the amount of melting that observed temperature increases would be expected to produce. The team then compared those figures with what actually happened.

“It looks just like what we would expect if warming were the dominant

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They created an automated system to turn these into three dimensional (3D) models that could show the changing elevations of glaciers over time.

The researchers then compared these images with post-2000 optical data from more sophisticated satellites, which more directly convey elevation changes.

They found that from 1975 to 2000, glaciers across the region lost an average of about 0.25 metres of ice each year in the face of slight warming.

Following a more pronounced warming trend starting in the 1990s, starting in 2000 the loss accelerated to about half a metre

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(From p-1) The data indicates that the melting is consistent in time and space, and that rising temperatures are to blame, the researchers said.

Temperatures var y from place to place, but from 2000 to 2016 they have averaged one degree Celsius higher than those from 1975 to 2000, they said.

Researchers analysed repeat satellite images of some 650 glaciers spanning 2,000 kilometres from west to east.

Many of the 20thcentury observations came from declassified photographic images taken by the US spy satellites.

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international

Thousands protest army takeover in yangon

YANGON, FEB 7 (AP): Thousands of people rallied against the military takeover in Myanmar’s biggest city on Sunday and demanded the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose elected government was toppled by the army that also imposed an internet blackout.

Protest crowds have grown bigger and bolder since Monday’s coup.

At least 2,000 labour union and student activists and members of the public chanted “Long live Mother Suu” and “Down with military dictatorship” at a major intersection near Yangon University. They marched along a main road, snarling traffic. Drivers honked their horns in support.

Police in riot gear blocked the main entrance to the university. Two water cannon trucks were parked nearby.

The protesters held placards calling for freedom for Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, who were put under house arrest and charged with minor offenses, seen by many as providing a legal veneer for their detention.

On Saturday, new military authorities cut most access to the internet, making Twitter and Instagram inaccessible. Facebook had already been blocked earlier in the week — though not completely effectively.

The U.S. Embassy called on the military to give up power and restore the democratically elected

In this image made from video provided by the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), protesters flash the three-fingered salute and hold images of deposed Myanmar leader

government, release those detained, lift all telecommunications restrictions, and refrain from violence.

“We support the right of the people of Myanmar to protest in support of the democratically elected government and their right to freely access information,” it said in a tweet.

The communication blockade is a stark reminder of the progress Myanmar is in danger of losing after Monday’s coup plunged the nation back under direct military rule after a nearly decade-long move toward greater openness and democracy. During Myanmar’s previous five decades of military rule, the country was internationally isolated and communication with the outside world strictly controlled.

Suu Kyi’s five years as

leader since 2015 had been Myanmar’s most democratic period despite the military retaining broad powers the continued use of repressive colonial-era laws and the persecution of minority Rohingya Muslims.

Sunday’s rally came a day after about 1,000 people — factory workers and students prominent among them — marched in Yangon. They were met by more than 100 riot police.

There was no violence reported. Similar-sized demonstrations took place in at least two other areas of Yangon as well as in Mandalay, the second-largest city. At Yangon’s City Hall, protesters presented flowers to police.

Nearly 300 elected lawmakers from Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party were supposed

US records over 100,000 Covid-19 deaths in 2021

An influential coronavirus model has predicted an estimated 631,000 Covid-19 deaths in the US by June 1.

Washington, Feb 7 (IANS): More than 100,000 people in the US have died due to the novel coronavirus since January 1, 2021, as the country is ramping up the rollout of a vaccine against the disease, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

Accounting for the largest number of Covid-19 fatalities in the world, the country’s death toll as of Sunday morning stood at 461,910, while the caseload increased to 26,908,962, Xinhua news agency.

An influential coronavirus model has predicted an estimated 631,000 Covid-19 deaths in the US by June 1.

According to the lat-

est forecast from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, the result depends on the vaccine rollout and the spread of variants.

A worst-case scenario could see the death toll go as high as 703,000.

Increasing mask use from current levels of 77 per cent to 95 per cent can save 44,000 lives by June 1, according to the model.

The national ensemble forecast of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts that the number of newly reported Covid-19 deaths will likely decrease over the

next four weeks, with 11,300 to 22,600 new deaths likely reported in the week ending February 27.

The national ensemble predicts that a total of 496,000 to 534,000 Covid19 deaths will be reported by February 27.

Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are declining across the US, but health experts warn more contagious coronavirus strains may threaten to undo the progress and lead to a resurgence.

Currently the country averages more than 124,000 daily cases and over 3,200 single-day deaths, CDC data show.

President Joe Biden’s national vaccination campaign aims to administer 100 million doses of two-stage coronavirus vaccines in his first 100 days in office.

Biden has called for setting up 100 mass vaccination centers around the country within a month.

Over 59.3 million vaccine doses have been distributed across the US so far, but only about 39 million doses have been administered, CDC data show.

to have taken their seats last Monday in a new session of Parliament following November elections when the military announced it was taking power for a year.

The military accused Suu Kyi and her party of failing to act on its complaints that last the election was marred by fraud, though the election commission said it had no found no evidence to support the claims.

The lawmakers met in an online meeting Friday to declare themselves as the sole legitimate representatives of the people and asked for international recognition as the country’s government.

Internet access restored as Myanmar coup protests grow

Yangon, Feb 7 (AP): As enthusiastic crowds of tens of thousands marched

N.Korea to hold party plenary meeting this week Seoul, Feb 7 (IANS): North Korea is scheduled to hold a plenary meeting of its ruling Workers’ Party this week to finalise plans for “strategic tasks” for this year, a state media report said on Sunday.

The second plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea will be held “within the first 10 days of February to examine and decide the 2021 working plans of all fields to thoroughly carry out the strategic tasks” set forth during the eighth party congress, Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in the report.

Last month, the country held the party congress and put forth a wide range of policy goals, such as a new five-year economic development plan for self-reliance, and the development of a new weapons system and its nuclear arsenal, Yonhap News Agency reported.

A plenary session of the party usually takes place at least once a year to decide its key policy line, organisation reshuffles and other major issues.

Ecuador to pick president under strict pandemic measures Quito, Feb 7 (AP): Ecuador will choose a new president Sunday facing unprecedented health measures due to the coronavirus pandemic and the influence of a populist former head of state who was blocked from a place on the ballot due to a corruption conviction.

Sixteen candidates are vying to succeed President Lenín Moreno, a protegeturned-rival of former former President Rafael Correa, who governed Ecuador for a decade and remains a major force despite a criminal conviction that blocked him from seeking the vice presidency this year.

There are so many contenders that an April 11 runoff election is almost certain, but the clear leaders have been a Correa-backed candidate, Andrés Arauz, and a conservative former banker who finished second K Y M C

Soldiers deliver ballots to a polling place a day ahead of the general elections, in Quito, Ecuador, Saturday.

twice before, Guillermo Lasso.

Voters have been ordered to wear a mask, bring their own bottle of hand sanitizer and pencil, keep a 5-foot (1.5-meter) distance from others and avoid all personal contact in the polling place. The only time voters will be allowed to lower their mask will be during the

identification process.

The winner will have to work to pull the oil-producing nation out of a deepening economic crisis that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. The South American country of 17 million people had recorded more than 253,000 cases and nearly 15,000 deaths of COVID-19 as of Friday, ac-

cording to data from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

Arauz, a 35-year-old former culture minister who attended the University of Michigan, faces Lasso, who at 65 is making a third run for the presidency after a long career in business, banking and government.

Indigenous rights and environmental activist Yaku Pérez has been trailing in third place.

Arauz has proposed making the wealthy pay more taxes and strengthening consumer protection mechanisms, public banking and local credit and savings organizations. He has said he will not comply with agreements with the International Monetary Fund.

Lasso, favors free-market policies and Ecuador’s rapprochement with international organizations. He

through the streets of Myanmar’s biggest city on Sunday to protest last week’s coup, their spirits were lifted by the return of internet services that had been blocked a day earlier.

Separate protests that began in various parts of Yangon converged at Sule Pagoda, situated in the center of a roundabout in the city’s downtown area. Protesters chanted “Long live Mother Suu” and “Down with military dictatorship.”

Authorities had cut access to the internet as the protests grew Saturday, fanning fears of a complete information blackout. On Sunday afternoon, however, internet users in Yangon reported that data access on their mobile phones had suddenly been restored.

The military has accused Suu Kyi and her party of failing to act on its complaints that last November’s election was marred by fraud, though the election commission said it had found no evidence to support the claims.

Reports on social media and by some Myanmar news services said demonstrations were taking place in other parts of the country as well, with a particularly large crowd in the central city of Mandalay.

Saturday had seen the size of street protests grow from the hundreds to the thousands, but is also saw the authorities cut most access to the internet. Holes

in the military’s firewall allowed some news to trickle out, but also fanned fears of a complete information blackout.

Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter were earlier ordered blocked, but had remained partially accessible. Social media platforms have been major sources of independent news as well as organising tools for protests.

Netblocks, a Londonbased service that tracks internet disruptions and shutdowns, confirmed that there had been a partial restoration of internet connectivity on Sunday, but noted that it might be temporary and social media remined blocked.

The communication blockade was a stark reminder of the progress Myanmar is in danger of losing. During Myanmar’s decades of military rule, the country was internationally isolated and communication with the outside world strictly controlled.

The elected lawmakers of Suu Kyi’s party met in an online meeting Friday to declare themselves as the sole legitimate representatives of the people and asked for international recognition as the country’s government.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pledged the United Nations will do everything it can to unite the international community and create conditions to reverse the coup.

7 Iran FM urges US admin to remove sanctions

Tehran, Feb 7 (IANS): Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Tehran is losing patience with the new US administration’s “recent signals to retain illegal sanctions” on the Islamic Republic.

In a statement on Saturday, Zarif criticised Washington for what he called “not moving fast to rectify wrong steps” taken under former President Donald Trump, saying that “the more they hesitate, the more the US will lose”, reports Xinhua news agency.

If the new US administration under President Joe Biden does not distance itself from the policies of its predecessor, it would be “dangerous” for America, he said.

The Foreign Minister also urged Washington to get back to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), by honouring its commitments. Zarif further noted that Iran’s reduction of its nuclear commitments was a reaction to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018.

Iran has had to take “compensatory measures” in the face of the US’ failure to adhere to its commitments, he said.

“We will stop our compensatory measures (reducing the nuclear commitment) as soon as they (the US administration)

Mohammad Javad Zarif

return to the JCPOA,” the Minister added.

Zarif ’s remarks come after Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi said late last month that the Islamic Republic is “currently not interested in making any direct contact” with the Biden administration, stressing that any possible talks could only be held within the “right format” of the nuclear deal.

As a result of the US’ unilateral exit, Iran has surpassed JCPOA-stipulated limits on its uranium enrichment level and on its stockpiles of heavy water and low-enriched uranium.

Iran has also lifted JCPOA limitations on its nuclear research and development activities.

On January 4, the Islamic Republic launched 20 per cent uranium enrichment process as part of the country’s Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions which was approved by the parliament in December 2020.

B’desh kicks off countrywide covid vaccination drive Dhaka, Feb 7 (PTI): Bangladesh on Sunday launched its nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive with lawmakers along with top administration and health officials taking the first shots of the vaccine.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque, who inaugurated the campaign at a virtual event at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) here, urged people not to spread propaganda against the vaccine, saying it is safe and has no side effects, Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

Lawmakers and top administration and health officials took the first shots of vaccine, the report said.

However, there have been tepid responses from vaccine seekers in the country, it said.

Bangladesh on January 21 received as gift from India two million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine manufactured under license by the Serum Institute of India.

The first consignment of 50 lakh doses of Covishield purchased by the government landed in Dhaka on January 25.

Bangladesh has so far

purchased 30 million doses from the Serum Institute of India through private Beximco pharmaceuticals under a tripartite agreement Health Minister Maleque said that the government is continuing its fight against the coronavirus and the condition of Bangladesh is now better than many other countries.

“The vaccine campaign will continue throughout the year. There is another process to get the jab other than online registration. People will be able to take the shots immediately after registering themselves at the vaccine centres,” said Health Minister Maleque, who took the jab at Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital.

Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque; Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim; Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin; Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman; State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain among others were also vaccinated, the report said.

The health authorities have decided to administer

the second doses of the vaccine four weeks after the first jab, instead of eight weeks.

DGHS Director General Khurshid Alam on Saturday said a total of 2,400 vaccination teams would be deployed across the country - 204 teams at 50 vaccine centres in Dhaka and 2,196 teams at 995 centres outside Dhaka.

According to the DGHS, 10 vaccination teams (eight on duty and two in reserve) will be deployed at hospitals of each district, while three teams (two on duty and one in reserve) will be deployed at other centres. Each team should be able to vaccinate 100-150 people per day.

Initially, the officials had planned to deploy 6,725 vaccination teams, with 619 teams in reserve. While the

original deployment would have been able to vaccinate 670,000-1,000,000 people per day, the reduced number of teams should be able to inoculate about 360,000 people per day, the report said.

Meanwhile, the government has cancelled leave of health workers until February 10 due to the nationwide vaccination drive.

India is one of the world’s biggest drugmakers and an increasing number of countries have already approached it for procuring the coronavirus vaccines.

In the last few weeks, India has sent consignments of domestically produced coronavirus vaccines under grant assistance to Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Mauritius and Seychelles.

Police probing violent incidents in south London

London, Feb 7 (IANS): Police in the UK have launched an investigation into a number of violent incidents involving knife attacks in south London and have also confirmed the death of at least one person.

One man has been stabbed to death and 10 others were injured during a number of violent incidents in south London, Xinhua news agency quoted the Metropolitan Police as saying on Saturday.

Officers were called five times in the Croydon area between 6.56 p.m. and 9.12 p.m. on Friday.

A 22-year-old was stabbed to death in an altercation, the Evening Standard newspaper reported.

The police said at this stage there was no known information to suggest all the incidents are linked, and

they will be investigating the circumstances surrounding these incidents. “Sadly, tonight we have seen a number of needless and completely abhorrent violent altercations, including one that has tragically resulted in a loss of life,” Detective Superintendent Nicky Arrowsmith said.

“I urge anyone who has information that could assist the police as we work to investigate these incidents to speak to us as soon as you can via 101,” Arrowsmith added. Last month, London police said that although the first coronavirus lockdown was partly behind a fall in violence last year, the restrictions have had a negative effect on mental health among children and were potentially behind a rise in youngsters being killed in their own homes in domestic abuse cases.

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

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8

sports

ISL: E Bengal beat Jamshedpur 2-1

Peter William Hartley of Jamshedpur FC heads the ball to score a goal during their match against East Bengal, at Fatorda Stadium, Goa, Sunday. (PTI)

ArrayMargao (Goa), Feb 7 (IANS): East Bengal tasted victory for the first time in almost a month with Jamshedpur FC falling victims to a 2-1 win in Indian Super League’s (ISL) early kickoff at the Fatorda Stadium on Sunday.

While the Kolkata-based side jumped to 9th on the table with 16 points, Jamshedpur FC’s hopes of making the ISL playoffs were dealt with another blow, leaving them 7th, four points behind the playoff places.

Goals from Matti Steinmann (6 mins) and Anthony Pilkington (68 mins) secured the victory for East Bengal. A late goal from Peter Hartley (83 mins) proved to be a mere consolation for Jamshedpur.

East Bengal got off to the best start possible with Steinmann putting them ahead in the sixth minute.

An early attack ended with Stephen Eze putting the ball out for a corner.

Narayan Das took it and eluded the

entire Jamshedpur defence and was glanced in by Steinmann. Any hopes Jamshedpur had of extending their run of three straight clean sheets came to an early end.

Owen Coyle’s men had scored just one goal from open play in their previous four encounters. As they attempted to get a fight-back off the ground, it was visible why. Whatever moves that their midfielders were able to string together ended abruptly in the final third with Jamshedpur’s attackers able to get into good positions. With East Bengal dominating possession and defending well, Jamshedpur finished the half with zero shots on target. Nerijus Valskis, in particular, cut a frustrated figure often dropping down into midfield in search of the ball.

The Kolkata side started the second half as they had the first, with a freekick in a dangerous area. Steinmann again lost his marker and got into a good position but missed the ball

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Ronaldo inspires Juventus to dominate Roma in Serie A

Rome, Feb 7 (IANS): Juventus have moved to by a whisker. the third place on the SeThe next big chance fell to rie A table after securing Narayan, who was played in on the a comfortable 2-0 home left flank. He sprinted towards the victory over Roma in their Jamshedpur goal before forcing a fine save from goalkeeper TP Rehenesh.

While East Bengal was dominating proceedings, Jamshedpur nearly found a goal against the run of play in the 63rd minute. After being fed by Farukh Choudhary on the left, Valskis unleashed a shot that bounced off the upright. Jamshedpur were soon left ruing that miss as East Bengal found a second goal. Steinmann turned creator this time, finding Pilkington with a pin-point through ball and the Englishman made no mistake from close range.

Pilkington came close to scoring again, finding the woodwork in the 79th minute. But it was Jamshedpur who got the next goal with Hartley heading in Isaac Vanmalsawma’s cross. However, that proved to be mere consolation for the Red Miners as East Bengal held on to their lead till the final whistle. There was a late penalty claim for Jamshedpur in injury time, but the referee did not spot anything amiss.

latest encounter. Cristiano Ronaldo scored one and forced a Roger Ibanez’s own goal. The Bianconeri had won five games on the bounce before Saturday’s

game and were fresh from a Coppa Italia win over Inter Milan in midweek, reports Xinhua news agency. Ronaldo, who just turned 36 one day before, marked his

birthday with an opening goal in the 12th minute as the talisman collected from Alvaro Morata on the edge of the box before finishing with a left-footed strike.

NE hold Hyderabad FC to goalless draw

NorthEast United hold Hyderabad FC to a goalless draw in the ISL encounter at the Tilak Maidan Stadium on Sunday.

Hyderabad FC controlled the possession well but failed to make the most of their chances. The Highlanders, on the contrary, had half-chances but failed to find the back of the net.

The result saw NorthEast United at the fourth spot while the Nizams are third in the points table.

Tomorrow match Mumabi City FC vs FC Goa Venue: GMC Stadium Bambolim Time: 7.30 PM

Ind vs Eng,1st test: England in control after day 3 C h e nn a i , F e b 7 (PTI):Rishabh Pant’s beautiful edge-of-the-seat hitting ended with his now customary indiscretion, putting India under the pump against a supremely confident England gunning for victory at the end of third day’s play in the opening Test here on Sunday.

At stumps, India were 257 for 6 in reply to England’s massive first innings score of 578 with 122 runs still needed to avoid the follow-on after Pant (91 off 88 balls) and Cheteshwar Pujara (73 off 143 balls) added 119 runs for the fifth wicket.

Washington Sundar (33 batting, 68 balls), primarily a batsman converted into a specialist off-spinner, was trying to make amends for his poor show with the ball in company of Ravichandran Ashwin (8

batting, 54 balls), who is never tired of a good on-field scrap, at stumps. With a couple of days’ play still left, it will be interesting to see if England team management decides to give its bowlers some respite if it gets a chance to enforce the follow-on.

“We have had some soft dismissals. The way I got out and how Jinks (Ajinkya Rahane) got out. Ash and Washington are batting well. There is a bit of spin but still a good pitch to bat on. Tomorrow will be crucial,” Pujara said in the post-play press conference.

The day belonged to the current toast of the Indian team, Pant, who smashed five towering sixes -- all in the arc between long-on and deep mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Jack Leach (17-2-94-0).

Leach didn’t exactly know

what had hit him.

Leach wanted to target the rough outside Pant’s off-stump but every time he tossed it up, the stocky man from Rourkee came out like a raging bull who had been shown the red rag and hit the spinner with the turn into the Chepauk stands.

He dazzled with his brilliance and then in an annoying manner, forgot that discretion is always the better part of valour while trying to hit off-spinner Dom Bess (23-

5-55-4) over extra cover against the spin.

This was after dispatching England’s most successful bowler to the square leg boundary.

And he found the only man stationed at the deep extra cover -- none other than Leach, who latched onto it as if his life depended on it.

India: 257/6 . Washington Sundar -33 not out, R Ashwin-8 not out England: Dom Bess- 4/55, Jofra Archer2/52

Chopsa youth wins 1st Open Night Volley tourney

The champions Chopsa Youth along with the organisers of the tournament Naoshelim and others at Lapa Lampong, Tizit, Mon.

Kohima, Feb 7: Shangngan Chopsa Youth from Arunachal Pradesh defeated Tizit Headquarter in the final match to emerge as champions of the 1st Open Night Volleyball Tournament at Lapa Lampong, Tizit, Mon which concluded on February 4.

The four-day long tournament was organized by Naoshelim under the theme ‘One Life One Chance Avoid Drugs’ .

The champions Chopsa Youth received Rs. 20,000, while the runner’s up Tizit H.q bagged Rs. 10,000. The individual prizes sponsored

by Airtel Mon for best lifter was awarded to Nokshen of Lampong Brothers and best spiker was awarded to Joakpha of Tizit H.q.

A total of 14 teams took

part in the competition to vie for the coveted trophy during the four-day long tournament.

During the closing ceremony, Panel Lawyer (Mon District Legal Services Authority) K. Topha graced the occasion as the special guest.

In his address K. Topha encouraged the youngsters to continue using their gifts of sportsmanship and also urged the participants to stand against drug/substance abuse.

Earlier, the tournament was declared open by Z.Ahon BJP President 41 A/C Tizit, and the match patron for the semi finals was HanjiumongYim NPS SDPO Tizit.

Meanwhile, an awareness program on drug/substance abuse was conducted

by Dr.Methna Medical Officer PHC Tizit.

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