Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXXI No. 101
DIMAPUR, THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 Pages 12 ` 5.00
Rift widens in Nepal’s ruling CPN-UML
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to intensify stir with Bharat Need to stop second Covid-19 wave: PM Farmers bandh, burning farm laws on Holi
STEPS needed to be taken without creating a state of panic among people NEW DELHI, MAR 17 (AGENCIES): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said it was critical to stop what he called the “emerging second peak” of Covid with decisive steps including micro-containment zones, increased testing and enforcement of restrictions like masks. At a virtual meeting with chief ministers amid a worrying spike in Covid cases in some states, PM Modi said nearly 70 districts in the country had seen an increase in the positivity rate by over 150 per cent recently. “If we don’t stop this right now, then there could be a situation of a nationwide outbreak. We have to immediately stop the emerging second peak and take big and decisive steps,” PM Modi told the chief ministers. “The self-confidence that we gained in our corona fight should not turn into overconfidence. Our success should not be the reason for carelessness,” he warned.
NJCF issues prayer pts DIMAPUR, MAR 17 (NPN): Nagaland Joint Christian Forum (NJCF) has issued several prayers points for the proposed statewide prayer day. NJCF has called for a day of prayer on March 20, from 6 a.m. to 12 noon for confession, repentance and Naga political solution. NJCF vice president Rev. Dr. N. Paphino has listed the following prayer points: pray for leaders of our country (Political leaders led by PM and his colleagues, CM and his colleagues); Naga national leaders (for wisdom, humility and unity); civil society leaders (tribal hohos) for unity; for interlocutor; for the leaders negotiating with government of India that God would grant patience and wisdom to both; for the present situation of pandemic and that life would return to normal again; for the frontline workers; for Myanmar and for those who are going through difficult situations; prayer for thanksgiving; prayer for blessings and any prayer point inspired/revealed by God.
Finance deptt informs DIMAPUR, MAR 17 (NPN): To enable uninterrupted functioning of government businesses during the remaining few days of the current financial years 202021, the Finance department has declared Wednesdays and Saturdays (March 17, 20, 24 and 31), as transaction days in both State Treasuries and Banks in the State.
Narendra Modi
He stressed that initiatives needed to be taken without causing panic among people. Speaking on the districts that had seen a surge in the past few days, the PM said it was worth considering that these were also the zones where testing and vaccination was comparatively less. The confidence brought by India’s fight against the pandemic so far should not
cause carelessness, he said, and asked chief ministers to take measures, including more testing, enforcement of preventive measures as well as increase in number of vaccination centres to curb the virus. People should not be put on panic-mode but need to ensure that they get rid of this problem as well, he said. “Test, track and treat” should be taken as seriously now as it has been for over
a year since the outbreak, he added. Modi called for increased RT-PCR tests for proper testing and tracking of the infection and a focus on smaller towns. “Over 70 per cent of the tests should be RTPCR. States should not rely on Rapid Antigen Tests,” said Modi, referring to Kerala, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. We have to be pro-active in the test, track and treat strategy application,” he stressed. The Prime Minister noted that tier 2 and 3 towns, which had escaped the first wave, were getting affected this time round. It would not take much for the virus to spread to villages from there, which would overwhelm the health care system of the country, he said. Modi also cautioned against the waste of vaccine in some states, advising them to use the shot available to them before the expiry date and avoid waste. More than 10 per cent of vaccine
IMFL worth over `41L destroyed
Excise personnel destroying the seized IMFL bottles at the Excise directorate in Dimapur, Wednesday. (NP)
Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, MAR 17 (NPN): Altogether 19,418 bottles of seized assorted Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) worth Rs 41,25,700 were destroyed at Excise directorate here on Wednesday. In this connection, a total of 103 cases (IMFL offences) were registered while Rs.1,97,000 was re-
alized as fine. The seizures were made during the period July 2020 to December 2020 which include-- 1323 bottles of 750ml rum, 1080 bottles of 375ml rum, 3344 bottles of 180ml rum, 2131 bottles of 750ml whisky, 4704 bottles of 375ml whisky, 3147 bottles of 180ml whisky, 890 bottles 650ml beer, 2599 bottles of 330ml beer, 48 bottles of 375ml Vodka, 100 bottles
of 180ml Vodka and 143 bottles of 275ml Breezer. Speaking on the occasion, Excise commissioner Hotolu Swu congratulated superintendent of excise and his team, the narcotic cell, mobile squad and enforcement branch for the commendable job. He reminded them that the foremost priority of the excise department was to check “evil forces” from poisoning the youth and destroying their family. He said “Today you have won a battle, but the war will continue” and told them that they were the shield against the enemy. Swu also encouraged them to be vigilant and continue to keep up the good work, while appealing to all to cooperate stating that this was a fight for “all of us” and that no one has the luxury to seat back and let others clean the sys(Cont’d on p-8) tem.
NPCC responds to NSCN (I-M) DIMAPUR, MAR 17 (NPN): Responding to NSCN (I-M) statement, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) asserted that “the question of piece meal solution does not arise, as one solution cannot be applied to other states. Further NPCC said “according to the Framework Agreement and the Agreed
Position, solution for Nagas of Nagaland is in the pipeline.” Recalling that NSCN (I-M) had been assuring early solution for the past 24 years, NPCC president K Therie in a statement emphasized that “early is not indefinite tense” and that there was time for everything. (Full text on p-6)
CFSB members with the duo and others after the release in Kohima. (GPRN/NSCN)
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Hohos, CSOs to hold peaceful rally on Mar 19 DIMAPUR, MAR 17 (NPN): Joint Committee for Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) has announced that a peaceful rally would be organised in Kohima and Dimapur on March 19, 2020 and submit representations to respective DCs. JCPI convenor Atomi Swu and secretary Tia Longchar said that the decision was based on the March 12 meeting in connection with ILP/RIIN. JCPI has appealed to tribal apex bodies in other district headquarters to exercise their own wisdom and make a representation to the state government through their respective DCs. JCPI has appealed Dimapur-based tribal bodies and CSOs to send their participants to the DC Court junction by 10 am on Friday. After marching to the DC’s office, JCPI said representation would be submitted to the DC. All major tribes have been requested to send 200 participants each. It has requested the Naga Tribal Union Chumokedima Town to send 200 participants. Other tribes and CSOs have also been requested to send at least 50 participants each. JCPI has requested participants to wear one’s traditional attire.
GPRN/NSCN clarifies on release of two persons
This is it!
“He can calculate how much money is collected from the number of tyres.”
doses were being wasted in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, he said, adding: “This is something that must not happen and needs urgent attention.” India has put up a strong fight against the Coronavirus so far, and it is being cited as example in the world, he said, asserting that the country’s recovery rate is over 96 per cent and fatality rate among the lowest. Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, campaigning for the approaching state election, was missing as Modi interacted with chief ministers via video conference, as he has done frequently since the coronavirus outbreak a year ago. Also absent were Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath - who is reportedly campaigning for the BJP in Assam-- and Bhupesh Baghel, the chief minister of Chhattisgarh, which is one of the five worst-affected states, with the highest deaths in the last 24 hours.
DIMAPUR, MAR 17 (NPN): GPRN/NSCN has clarified that the two persons, who it claimed were timber thieves and under its custody, were handed over on March 15 to Ceasefire Supervisory
Board (CFSB) and Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG) chairman as per his request. Reacting to the statement issued by Peren police, published on March 16, GPRN/NSCN said that the
duo were not handed over to the police, as was subtly rendered, but to the CFSB/ CFMG chairman following due assurance and on condition of conducting an impartial investigation into the
matter and recovery of the losses from the “smugglers” by his office. Notwithstanding the sensational accusation by some sections of the society on the issue of detention of the timber thieves at a teak plantation under Kiyevi village jurisdiction and the subtle manner the report of their (thieves) release as stated by police, GPRN/ NSCN said it wanted convey the lapse in the manner the news was portrayed. While not disapproving the news report, GPRN/ NSCN said an agendum was issued in the interest of proper awareness and to articulate the appropriate message.
NEW DELHI, MAR 17 (PTI): Intensifying their agitation against the three farm laws, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Wednesday met with different mass organisations to strategise for their ‘Sampurna Bharat Bandh’ on March 26. Addressing a press conference, Ranjit Raju of Ganganagar Kisan Samiti said that during the nationwide strike on March 26, which also marks four months of the farmers’ movement, all shops and other business establishments will remain shut for 12 hours. On March 28, the protestors will burn copies of the three laws during ‘holika dehan’, he added. “The strike will start from 6 in the morning and will continue till 6 in the evening, during which all shops and dairies and everything will remain closed. “We will burn the copies of the three laws during Holi and hope that better sense prevails in the government, and it repeals the laws, and gives us a written guarantee for MSP,” Raju said. According to farmer leaders, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s call for the bandh had found support in trade unions from organised and unorganised sectors, traders and arhtiya associations, workers’ unions, including agricultural workers unions, transporter associations, teachers’ associations, youth and student associations. “We are also trying to create such meetings at the state-level so that the strike is observed everywhere,” said another farmer leader Purushottam Sharma. All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) leader Krishna Prasad said the fact that the movement had managed to
continue for as long as 112 days was an achievement in itself, and it would only get stronger. He added that the Bharat Bandh will be held at “state, zila, tehsil and village levels”. “The protest has been going on for 112 days. That itself is an achievement. Neither you, nor us had thought that we could do this, and the public has shown that it supports us,” he said. Prasad also expressed concerns over the central government’s move to introduce
the Electricity Amendment Bill 2021, claiming that any amendments made to the act would be in violation of the commitment made by the government to the farmers in January. An SKM statement said that several organisations had also committed to mobilising thousands of people at the protest sites at a time when the protesting farmers would have to attend to wheat harvesting operations in a couple of weeks’ time.
Will speak up for farmers even if I’m removed: M’laya Governor
Satya Pal Malik (File)
Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik Wednesday backed the farmers’ protests against three agricultural laws and criticized the ruling BJP in a series of provocative comments. Malik also predicted loss of support for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana because of the four-month-old agitation outside Delhi’s borders. “Even when a dog dies it is condoled but 250 farmers have died, yet no one expressed condolences,” said the Governor in an interview to NDTV. “If this movement continues like this then in the long term, BJP will lose out in western UP, Rajasthan and Haryana,” he said. Malik claimed he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the protest. “The farmers should not be sent back empty-handed. The government should open talks with them soon,” he remarked. Asked whether he was worried at all about his controversial statements as governor, Malik was defiant. “If the government thinks I am harming them then I will step aside. I will speak even if I am not a Governor,” he said. “I cannot bear to see the state of these farmers. BJP leaders are unable to leave their villages as people are beating MLAs. Those who want to harm the government, they are the ones who do not want a resolution. My statements will not harm the party - rather the opposite as the farmers will feel that someone is speaking up for them.” Malik, familiar to controversies, was J&K Governor and was transferred to Goa. He was again shifted to Meghalaya, amid differences with the BJP-led government in Goa.
NDPP’s HPC visits Foot Hill road, Doyang bridge construction site DIMAPUR, MAR 17 (NPN): Accompanied by officials of the department concerned led by R&B Dimapur division executive engineer and Nagaland Foothills Road Co-ordination Committee (NFHRCC) representatives, a high powered committee of NDPP visited the Foothill road (Trans Nagaland Highway) and construction site of Doyang bridge. NDPP media & communication committee informed that the visiting team had a detailed deliberation on the status of the ongoing project with special reference to the Doyang bridge, during which it was reported that entire road cutting was almost completed barring in two stretches– one in Tizit area and another in Niuland area. The bridge was also found to have been completed up to 70.66%, it said. Having learned of the sincere efforts being made by all the agencies concerned in the noble and extra ordinary project, the visiting team expressed its sincere appreciation and also took note of the various issues shared by all the organizations present and acknowledged the
HPC members of the NDPP and others during the visit.
sacrifices made by all those involved in this landmark project. The high powered committee was led by NDPP working president Alemtemshi Jamir, along with NDPP senior vice president Chuba Chang, general secretary Obed Quinker, CPC convener Nungsang Aier and media & communication secretary David Neikha. The NFHRCC team was led by its convener Supulepden Jamir, Ralan Area Lotha Hoho president Samuel Ovung and Lotha Lower Range Public Organisation joint secretary James Tungoe. NDPP said it was committed to make all-out efforts in ensuring all-round progress and development of the State and would urge the State government and Government of India
to give importance and priority to this project by treating it as a “nationally important project”. With good and reliable road network essential for overall growth and development of the State, NDPP said it was in this context that Trans Nagaland Highway has become a critical necessity and its realisation is bound to have far-reaching impact on all sectors, especially on the economy. It has the vast potential to positively impact the entire State and elevate the economic livelihood of people, NDPP said. Understanding these aspects and as a reflection of the desire of the people, NDPP said it instituted a committee to look into the project and facilitate efforts towards its early realisation in the interest of the State. K Y M C