6
OPINiON/EDITORIAL
Nagaland Post Vol. XXx NO. 190 Dimapur, TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2020
I
Khushi-Khushi epidemic
t is most unfortunate, the Department of Health & Family Welfare(DoHFW) has got its tangled in a series of controversies that speak poorly of how the crucial department is being run. Even as Nagaland is faced with huge crisis posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, over 1000 employees under National Health Mission(NHM) administered by the DoHFW have resorted to ‘indefinite cease work’ from June 14(Sunday). The NHM employees under the banner of National Health Mission Employee Association Nagaland(NEAN), are on contract service since 2005. A majority of them have been in continuous service for at least ten years or more. The preparations for COVID-19 were smooth, much hyped but hugely untested. However, there remained shortage of doctors, nurses and health assistants and therefore, containing COVID-19 would be nothing short of herculean especially when thousands of returnees have been placed at various quarantine and hospitalisation of rising number of COVID-19 cases at various district hospitals. The shortage of doctors, nurses etc was highlighted earlier by the Nagaland Inservice Doctors’ Association(NIDA), which disclosed that there were only 51 specialists or only 23% of norms as prescribed by the Indian Public Health Standards(IPHS) in all 11 district hospitals. Also there were only 63 NonSpecialist doctors or 52% of IPHS norms and 200 staff nurses or 28% of IPHS norms in all the 11 district hospitals. NIDA maintained that as per IPHS norms, the state requires 207 specialists, 119 Non-Specialists and 645 staff nurses for all the 11 district hospitals. With COVID-19 cases rising and testing facilities still inadequate to dispense with over 5000 returnees in quarantine centres, the need for more medical doctors and health workers to manage the emergency situation has been warranted. While appointing doctors to mitigate the shortage under the plea of current pandemic, the DoHFW only managed to shoot itself on the foot when it regularised the services of 19 doctors on contract. This was followed by another order wherein 27 doctors who had been appointed purely on contingency basis on May 27,2020 had their services regularised on June 13,2020. Even under normal circumstances, it takes a few years for a regular employee to get regularised. Another group of doctors- Nagaland Junior Doctors Association- have expressed outrage at the blatant act of regularising services of contingency appointees. NJDA said the DoHFW flouted its own criteria in its advertisement that no appointee(s) will have the right to claim for regularisation. Further NJDA questioned the P&AR department as to, under what service rule could a Class-I gazetted post be advertised purely on contingency for one year and then appointment for six months, then converted as regular post even before the candidates submitted their joining report(s)?If established rules and procedures can be subverted then they are fit to be consigned to the dust bin. ACAUT reminded that the High Court Kohima Bench had directed the government to not regularise contract employees who have completed three years of continuous service. The state appealed against this order but it was rejected in 2017. The DoHFW had used a flimsy pretext of “one time relaxation of laid down rules and procedures” to make these appointments and earlier, it made huge purchases through questionable means under the plea of COVID-19 pandemic and got dragged to the court through two PILs. These are symptoms that the DoHFW is suffering from the khushi-khushi syndrome.
DailyDevotion Get Moving! (2) Also…add to your faith… —2 Peter 1:5 In the matter of drudgery. Peter said in this passage that we have become “partakers of the divine nature” and that we should now be “giving all diligence,” concentrating on forming godly habits (2 Peter 1:4-5). We are to “add” to our lives all that character means. No one is born either naturally or supernaturally with character; it must be developed. Nor are we born with habits— we have to form godly habits on the basis of the new life God has placed within us. We are not meant to be seen as God’s perfect, bright-shining examples, but to be seen as the everyday essence of ordinary life exhibiting the miracle of His grace. Drudgery is the test of genuine character. The greatest hindrance in our spiritual life is that we will only look for big things to do. Yet, “Jesus…took a towel and…began to wash the disciples’ feet…” (John 13:3-5). We all have those times when there are no flashes of light and no apparent thrill to life, where we experience nothing but the daily routine with its common everyday tasks. The routine of life is actually God’s way of saving us between our times of great inspiration which come from Him. Don’t always expect God to give you His thrilling moments, but learn to live in those common times of the drudgery of life by the power of God. It is difficult for us to do the “adding” that Peter mentioned here. We say we do not expect God to take us to heaven on flowery beds of ease, and yet we act as if we do! I must realize that my obedience even in the smallest detail of life has all of the omnipotent power of the grace of God behind it. If I will do my duty, not for duty’s sake but because I believe God is engineering my circumstances, then at the very point of my obedience all of the magnificent grace of God is mine through the glorious atonement by the Cross of Christ.
Quotes
It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. ~ Aristotle
D
istrict Forest Officers and rangers are not trained in ecology. Ecology means the interrelationship of all things – what happens to the whole when one part is affected. They don’t know about plants or animals. In fact, this entire service should be disbanded because all they do is an illiterate kind of policing. And for the most part they don’t do that either. Many of them are the fences that eat the grass: they use their positions to cut trees illegally and many are involved with animal killing mafias. All the bureaucrats of the forest department are generalists : one day they are secretaries of steel and another they head the forest and wildlife department. The Chief Wildlife Wardens come by attrition to their jobs. One of them has just suggested that we take all the tigers out of the forest and put them into zoos. Another had all the wild boar in Chandrapur shot and then took out killing warrants against the hungry tigers. Yet another has recommended that all the fallen trees of the forest be removed manually. All of them agree that the forest floor should be burnt annually “to prevent further burning”. The ones in Kerala and Tamil Nadu see nothing wrong in a Schedule One animal like the elephant being beaten to death by the temples. The teachers in the so-called forest and wildlife institutes are chosen from these worthies and so they teach what they know – nothing. The number of animals killed by this service would probably be equal to the damage that poachers do. Unfortunately, since most of
the forest ministers are joyously self-proclaimed illiterates in this field, they bring nothing to the table except more misery – simply rubber stamping the diversion of huge tracts of forest for unnecessary and outdated technologies like dams. I have yet to meet a minister who even understands what an elephant corridor is. In fact, the “most loyal” politician is usually made the forest minister – because he puts up no resistance to any “development” project, like a cement factory or a five star hotel, in the heart of the forest. To all of them, a natural forest can easily be replaced by mono cultural plantation, and the animals in the forest can be replaced by a zoo. The day the rain controls us – in either its fury, as in Kolkata, or in stopping totally, is the day we will realize that we needed a specialist service. But by then it will be too late. The favourite targets of these politicians, bureaucrats and forest service “timepassers” are wild boar, nilgai and rhesus monkeys. So, let me tell you what will happen if you remove all three. The single most important animal to the forest is the wild boar. He is a major seed and fungi spreader and, through his constant rooting, he increases the forest and provides biodiversity. He reduces insect pests and carrion. He is the only species that eats the large fern, called bracken, which otherwise would not allow seeds to come up. All the studies on the impact of wild boar on the ecosystem (soil, water, plants, fungi and fauna) show
Every Naga can help in food production
“E
xtraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. We saw a need that needed to be filled, and we stepped in to help” Benet Wilson. Dear Nagas this situation is upon us and in our land and we have to step in to help. I think that every Naga can help in food production in Nagaland. All of us cannot be farmers but farming is a part of life and also an important part of our culture and at one point of time or the other, we all do it in a large way or in a small way. For the farmers who practice terrace cultivation, Jhum cultivation, waterlogging agriculture, subsistence farming, mix farming, crop rotation, commercial farming, animal husbandry, plantations, horticulture etc, it requires a huge plot of lands and resources, which every Naga don’t have it. But the rest of the Nagas who live in towns and cities in Nagaland, can also grow food in one way or the other and in some quantity. The best way to increase the production of the farmers is to increase the demand and consumption of locally grown organic food by the Nagas. I am not trying to say that Nagas are not doing it or have never done it before, but now it’s a call and request to all the Nagas to do more and to put these into practice and actions and achieve results. There are Nagas who have their own land and house in towns. For them, they can grow vegetables, herbs and spices, grow animals like Pig, Dog, Hen, Duck, Rabbit, Cow, Goat, Fish, rear honeybees, and plant fruits trees
T
Nagaland Post, Dimapur TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2020
Empty forest syndrome that the species has very high ecological importance and significantly contributes to the characteristics, as well as development, of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. He is a major food source for large carnivores. All these benefits are overlooked, and the wild boar is treated as a pest species for no reason except that farmers want to kill and eat wild pork. When all the wild boars have been hunted down, the forest and all the large cats in it will disappear. It is time for someone sensible in the forest hierarchy to objectively evaluate the importance of this animal. Nilgai is the largest Asian antelope, found all the way from the Himalayas to the state of Karnataka in the south. Nilgai eats grass, leaves, flowers and fruits, surviving long periods without water. They are mixed feeders, even eating the woody plants in the dry tropical forests of India. The nilgai can tolerate interference by livestock, and degradation of vegetation in its habitat, better than deer possibly because they can reach high branches and do not depend on surface vegetation. When a species becomes threatened or extinct, this removes a check and balance in
the food chain. If Nilgais are removed, the area of grassland, on which they graze, will increase hugely. A 1994 study drew attention to the ecological value provided by the Nilgai in ravines lining the Yamuna River. In summer, the faeces of the antelope contains nearly 1.6 percent nitrogen, enhancing the quality of the soil to a depth of 30 centimetres. Seeds in their droppings germinate easily and assist in afforestation. States like Himachal Pradesh are extremely brutal in their treatment of monkeys and have, in fact, killed thousands in the last ten years. Monkeys are prey, predator, and mutualist species in food webs, and influence ecosystem structure, function, and resilience. Their evolution, feeding ecology, and geographic distribution are closely linked to the diversification of flowering plants, herbaceous plants, shrubs, grasses, and most trees, a principal source of food for many animals and humans. Monkeys are highly frugivorous, and their relatively large size enables them to disperse small and large seeds over long distances, enhancing forest regeneration. In the absence of their seed dispersal, plant populations and their genetic
heterozygosity will decrease. For example, Madagascar lemur’s gradual extinction is causing certain Malagasy tree species to disappear. The population collapse in the heavily hunted forests of Amazonia has severely degraded forest dynamics and the sustainability of many hardwood tree species, with implications for their carbon-storing potential. Similarly, the hunting of gibbons in northern Thailand has had a negative effect on the demography of the lapsi tree which depends on them to disperse its seeds. The loss of primate seed dispersers has demonstrable impacts on human populations. For example, 48% of the plants whose seeds are dispersed by primates in the western regions of Côte d’Ivoire and 42% in Uganda have economic utility to local human inhabitants. In southern Nigeria, rural people rely on gathering primate-dispersed fruit and seed species. In a study published in February in the journal Oryx researchers found that many tree and plant species in the Congo rely exclusively on monkeys for seed dispersal. In the LuiKotale forest, where the study was conducted, 18 plant species were completely unable to reproduce if their seeds did not first travel through a monkey’s guts. According to the paper, if the monkey disappeared the plants would also likely go extinct. The research, by biologist David Beaune of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, found that monkeys eat for about 3.5 hours every
Post-mortem
like Mango, Lemon, Gooseberry, Tamarind, Orange, Litchi, Jackfruit, Banana, Star Fruit, Guava, Papaya, etc, in their own garden, compound, plot, backyard. While for those Nagas who live in towns but don’t have their own land and house and live on rented houses, they can also grow vegetables, herbs and spices, on flower pots, buckets, old utensils, boxes, thermocols boxes, on the terrace, wall hangings, etc, and can keep at least one or two animals for consumption if the landowners allows to keep animals. We should also encourage one another and can even share pictures of our gardens and it’s harvest to our friends and other family members. Thus, when the Naga farmers, land owners, tenants or Nagas as a whole start to contribute according to their capacity and grow food crops and animals, then Nagaland will be self sufficient and self reliant in food production, storage, supply, and consumption within 7 years (just like the story in the BIBLE). This is possible and we can do it even without the intervention of the government. However, the intervention and assistance of the government to the Naga farmers is encouraged. It’s not only the duty of government or our leaders to make Nagaland great, self sufficient and self reliant, it’s the duty of every Naga. And this is possible only if we work hard, do our part and work together according to our capacity, ability, position and resources. Thungchamo Lotha Naga
U
Is KVC wisdom questionable?
ganda president has said that ‘God has a lot of works, he has the whole world to look after. He cannot just be here in Uganda looking after idiots”. Likewise KVC cannot just waste its time at this crucial period countering irrelevant statements who acquire knowledge only from the classroom. However, I have been observing relentless attacks on Kohima Village Council by some unsurplus tribal apex body/individuals intentionally misinterpreting KVC press statement, ever since their representation submitted to the hon’ble Chief Minister on the 25th May 2020. The Kohima Village Council has maintained a stoic silence maintaining their stance up till today. As a citizen of Kohima village, I believe that no wrong has been committed by the council in their demand and therefore I have been compelled to put my observation in public domain for better understanding amongst the brothers and sisters living together in this cosmopolitan town. 1. KVC is fully aware that all the returnees are not residents of the state capital. Consequently, the concern raise by KVC on the implication of increased risk of spread of the virus to residents of Kohima, clearly indicates and includes all irrespective of tribe or community. It is to be understood that out of the total population of Kohima, Kohima village comprises of hardly 10%. Is this for the safety for our people alone? 2. Today many with tribal tone are up against KVC but the worst is yet to come. Very soon our frontline worker will be over burden not knowing whether to attend returnees quarantine centre or to treat COVID-
19 patients in the hospital. Under this prevailing situation, a time may come that a doctor may take a decision for whom to live and who to die. 3. Be it Medical College, Kohima or any other hospital a patient is not admitted on the basis of colour, tribe or community. Therefore, let us not make a non issue into an issue. Unlike any other state capital, Kohima is also more developed and advanced than any other district headquarters. So also Delhi the capital of the country is more developed than the rest of the state capitals. Therefore, it’s a blunder to equate state capital with the district headquarter in terms of development. 4. Kohima became the state capital of Nagaland neither by demand nor by choice of Kohima village but by virtue of being the British headquarter. To shift or not to shift is not our concern for we live by land and not by state capital. 5. Branding us as landlord of the state capital but in fact there are many more landlord than us from other district. Literally speaking there is not even an inch of land which is no-man’s land. Therefore, wherever the state capital maybe, landlords and landowner are bound to exist. 6. Do other states in India also quarantine the returnees’/migrant only in their state capital? If so, Kohima cannot be an exception. If at all quarantine is solely to be conducted in Kohima only why setup quarantine centre at each district headquarter. 7. KVC is not as narrow and fragile as you opine. Its main concept is that all citizens of the state capital live under a peaceful atmosphere. It is to be noted that ever since from the time of British rule till date it
COVID-19 impact on Indian economy
he economic impact of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic in India has been largely disruptive. India is fighting two wars in a way one is against the Corona Pandemic and the other is the economic crisis. India’s growth in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year2020 went down to 3.1% according to the Ministry of Statistics. Notably India had also been witnessing pre-pandemic slowdown and according to the World Bank, the current pandemic has “magnified pre-existing risks to India’s economic outlook”. The World Bank and rating agencies had initially revised India’s growth for fiscal year2021 with the lowest figures India has seen in three decades since India’s economic Liberalization in the 1990s.However after the announcement of the economic package in
day and travel a mean of 1.2 kilometres from meal sites before defecating and depositing the seeds that have passed through their systems. The monkey has two major functions here. First of all, many seeds will not germinate well unless they have been “handled” (as scientists call it) by another species. Stomach acids and intestinal processes weaken a seed’s tough external coating, making it more able to absorb water and later sprout. Secondly, many seeds won’t succeed if they remain too close to their parental trees. Beaune found that the seeds that fell to the ground near their parents either did not germinate, or the seedlings did not survive. According to Beaune, no other species in LuiKotale have travel patterns sufficient to serve the same dispersal service as monkeys. Unfortunately, monkeys face a constant threat of poaching and official killing. If the monkey disappears from any of its habitats this will create a cascading extinction cycle. Not only will the trees disappear, but so will many of the other species that rely on the trees for food or shelter. It’s a condition known as “empty forest syndrome”—the forest itself may still exist, but its biodiversity levels will crash, leaving it a pale shadow of its former self. There are so many forests like that in India – Brindavan, for example, in which the monkeys have disappeared and so has all other life. To join the animal welfare movement contact gandhim@nic.in, www.peopleforanimalsindia.org
mid-May, India’s GDP estimates were downgraded to even more to negative figures, signaling a deep recession. During the nation’s Lockdown, an estimated 14crore people lost employment while Salaries were cut for many others leading to arise of employment rates within a month. Under a complete lockdown, less than a quarter of India’s $2.8 trillion economic movement was functional. Supply Chains have been put under stress with the lockdown restrictions in place. Those in the informal sectors and daily wage groups have been at most risk. A large no. of farmers around the country who grow perishables also faced uncertainty. The slowdown in Demand, closure of production activities, fall in global price of crude oil, ban on foreign trade, price decrease in commodities like energy, metals and fertilizers, restrictions on
the aviation industry as also on tourism amongst others are bound to exert downward pressure on the inflation, Thus adversely affecting the economy chart. To minimize the effect in the economy caused by the Pandemic Outbreak, the central government thus announced much-needed relief measures in areas of Income Tax, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, Fisheries, Banking Sector& Commerce etc. Therefore, we must create an environment for investment and growth sectors that distress today, such as Agriculture, construction and power which can become engines of growth. Agriculture reforms should ensure easier access to input like seeds technology, power, finance& Insurance intended to boost the Economy. P. Eyam Konyak, Immanuel College Lingrijan
has not served any quit notice to any individual or tribe. Rather, we have refused to comply and nullify 3 (three) quit notices which has been served to some certain tribes. 8. Kohima villagers are neither publicity mongers nor Pharisees. Therefore, it will be good on the part of all those writers to approach the government particularly the district administration and enquire whether KVC and KVYO render any help to the government at this hour of distress or not in terms of physical, material, financial, etc. 9. It is imperative to know that not even one quarantine centre falls within urban area. All quarantine centres are in rural areas which is well within the jurisdiction of the village. Thus endangering the lives of people tending their fields. 10. Keeping in mind the interest and welfare of the citizena of Kohima. If any lapses on the part of the government, Kohima village will not hesitate to raise its voice come what may. 11. Over the years many Naga youngsters are of the view that Kohima village is manipulative and hostile towards the Naga people. In this regard it will be most appropriate to retrospect how your educated pioneers and missionaries were treated by the village 100 years ago when hotels and rental house were not in existence. However, this stigma will not prevent us from spelling out the truth which has been handed over to us by our forefathers. Lastly as a human being we have our own limit of patience. Therefore, never ever expect us to behave like “the charge of the light brigade”. Neivor Rutsa, Kohima Village
Reader’s Post
Mental illness should be addressed more often
Sir,
Depression is a common illness worldwide and yet it is the least topic to talk about. It has claimed the lives of lakhs of people across the country and Sushant Singh Rajput’s death has made many understand that mental health is a serious issue. Depression is often a silent killer yet many people who suffer from mental health disorder never seek help during their entire lives. A lot of people conceal their depression as they mask their symptoms and put on a “happy face” for others. We must remove the stigma surrounding mental illness because we know so little about the suffering of the happiest person in the room. Arenla Kichu, Dimapur
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.
