Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXIX No. 107
India to launch Emisat on April 1 C H E N NA I , M A R 2 4 (IANS): India on April 1 will launch an electronic intelligence satellite Emisat for Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) along with 28 third-party satellites and also demonstrate its new technologies like three different orbits with a new variant of PSLV rocket, ISRO said. According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a new variant of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket will first put the 436 kg Emisat into a 749 km orbit. The rocket will then be brought down to put into orbit the 28 satellites at an altitude of 504 km.
This is it!
“No pun intended Sir. This chowkidar is a real chor.”
DIMAPUR, MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2019 Pages 12 ` 5.00
Imran orders probe into Hindu girls’ abduction
Miami open: Osaka out, Federer wins
Is Congress paying price of its dynastic character? asks Jaitley
international, Page 9
sports, Page 11
national, Page 5
4 cornered contest for LS, by-poll
Correspondent
KO H I M A , M A R 2 4 (NPN): With speculations rife that nascent National People’s Party (NPP) was mulling on fielding a candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat for Nagaland, the 2019 Parliamentary elections in Nagaland could turn out to be a four-cornered contest between PDA, Congress, NPP and one Independent, while the by-poll to the 26 Aonglenden assembly constituency is also a fourcornered contest between NDPP/PDA, NPF, Congress and NPP. Though yet to be confirmed, the latest to join the fray for Lok Sabha are National People’s Party (NPP) and an Independent candidate. The intending Independent candidate Heikieleung Zeliang, founder president of Nagaland Government Primary teachers Association and founder president of Naga Concerned Citizens Forum, has declared his intention to contest, as per a statement widely circulated in social media. Heikieleung disclosed that he had been an NPF loyalist but since the party was not fielding any candidate for the Lok Sabha, he has decided to
26-Aonglenden A/C by-election
LOK SABHA POLLS 2019
contest since his “desire was to fulfil the dreams of the party loyalists by contesting on their behalf.” One candidate who had resigned from BJP, Hayithung Bill Lotha, has claimed that he will be seeking NPP ticket to contest though the party was yet make an official announcement. Hayithung had reportedly applied for NFP ticket but changed his decision to seek NPP ticket. The last date for filling of nominations in March 25 and scrutiny of nomination on March 26 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 28. PDA consensus candidate Tokheho Yepthomi
of NDPP and Congress candidate , K.L. Chishi have already filed their nominations. Though the principal opposition party (NPF) has decided to not field any candidate for Lok Sabha seat, the party has indicated that it was likely to support the Congress candidate. The objective of joining hands with “likeminded parties” was to fight the BJP and its allies at all cost. However, in case NPP also decides to field its party candidate, the NPF will be in a fix over which party candidate to support-Congress or NPP. When contacted, NPF spokesperson Achumbemo Kikon informed Nagaland Post that his party will be
meeting on Monday evening to finalize the issue. However, NPF insiders said so far, the general consensus was to support the Congress candidate. When asked about the recent merger of the two NPP legislators with the ruling-NDPP, Kikon described it as an act of “sheer desperation by the MLAs”. He said the NDPP was insecure with just 17 MLAs in the house of 60. The NPF has 26 while PDA partner BJP has 12, JDU and independent one each. Again for the 26 Aonglenden assembly by poll, both NPF and Congress and now NPP have fielded their candidates for the byelection to the 26-Aonglenden constituency. Earlier, it was widely reported that NPF will have a “friendly contest” with Congress in the by-poll. Meanwhile, state NPP president, Ato Yepthomi accused the ruling- PDA of cutting off NPP from the PDA by luring away two of its legislators. Ato however insisted that it has not weakened the party. He said this while interacting with on the sidelines of the flag hoisting ceremony of NPP Saturday at the residence of NPP byelection candidate, O Tinu Longkumer. (More on p-2)
India sets target to eliminate TB by 2025
Correspondent
KO H I M A , M A R 2 4 (NPN): India is all set to lead the world in eliminating tuberculosis (TB) by 2025, five years before the global target of 2030. According to Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) State programme officer Dr Tiasunup Pongener, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already made the announcement in this regard. Speaking at a function held to observe World TB day at Rivenburgs Chapel Hall, Mission Compound here on Sunday on the theme “It’s time”, Pongener remarked the theme emphasised that it was time to test and treat latent TB infection, speak up, end stigma, strengthen TB education and awareness among healthcare providers and end TB. He said there was no shame in having TB and urged people to break the stigma associated with the disease, get checked at the earliest and treat it like any other diseases. He stressed that this was the only way to stop TB from afflicting the future generation. He added that
TB was curable and drugs were available for free. RNTCP assistant programme officer (APO) Dr Apichetla Amer informed the gathering that this year they the programme was targeting student community. She said Rs 500 was being given to each TB patient every month till the completion of treatment for nutritional support (Nikshay Poshan Yojana). This was being given as a nutritional aid to the patient through direct beneficiary transfer, she added. Amer explained that TB could attack any part of the body, but lungs were the most common site causing the following symptoms – persistent cough for several weeks, pain in chest, weight loss, loss of appetite, coughing up blood with sputum, weakness or fatigue, fever and sweating at night. She said TB spreads through droplet infection and lies dormant in human body, adding that when body defences become weak, the disease sets in. She said factors contributing to spread of TB were overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions, poor ventilation, etc.
Petrol prices hiked by 5 paise, diesel unchanged
NEW DELHI/DIMAPUR, MAR 24 (AGENCIES/ NPN): Petrol prices rose around 5 paise across the four metropolitan cities on Sunday, while the cost of diesel remained unchanged, data on the Indian Oil Corp’s website showed. In the national capital, petrol was priced at Rs 72.86 per litre, up from Rs. 72.81 on Saturday. Price of petrol in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai rose to Rs 74.93, Rs 78.48 and Rs 75.67, respectively, up from Rs 74.89, Rs 78.43 and Rs 75.62 per litre. Domestic fuel prices have largely been on an upward movement during the first three months of 2019. The uptrend in domestic prices is largely attributed to the bullish global crude oil prices. The benchmark Brent crude oil is currently trading around $67 per barrel. Meanwhile, in Nagaland’s commercial hub, Dimapur, petrol price was hiked by 4 paise costing Rs.70.52 per litre. In Kohima, petrol was hiked by around 5 paise, costing Rs. 71.34 per litre. Though diesel remained unchanged in Dimapur, the price of diesel in Kohima was hiked by 29 paise-- Rs. 64.69 per litre from Rs. (Cont’d on p-5) 64.40 on Saturday.
Landowners livid on not being compensated for NH-29 expansion
DIMAPUR, MAR 24 (NPN): NH-29 Landowners’ Union (NH29 LOU) has expressed regret for landowners not being compensated for their land and properties in view of the ongoing expansion of the highway from Purana Bazaar to Chumukedima.
At an emergency meeting held at Charity Residential School, 5th Mile here on Sunday, LOU information secretary Kewetso Kenye said that the union clarified that they were not against the government for expansion of NH-29. Rather, they expressed their
willingness to part away with their land situated within the vicinity of the ongoing expansion of the highway. However, they said they were appalled at the government’s indifferent attitudes towards their sacrifice. (Cont’d on p-5)
‘Advani extremely upset with BJP after Gandhinagar snub’
DC-344
K Y M C
NEW DELHI, MAR 24 (AGENCIES): BJP veteran LK Advani, who was dropped from the BJP list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, is extremely upset about the way the exercise was conducted, sources said. “Not getting to be in Lok Sabha is not the issue, but the manner in which the denial was done was disrespectful... No big leader contacted him,” said a source close to the BJP veteran, who had been representing Gandhinagar for six consecutive terms. Gandhinagar has been allotted to party chief Amit Shah, who will make his debut into Lok Sabha elections this time. Advani, who was the Deputy Prime Minister in the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was among the 10-odd leaders above the age of 75, whom the party dropped this time. Days before the announcement of list, the BJP national general secretary Ram Lal had contacted the leaders and asked them to announce their retirement from electoral politics. Advani, 91, however, refused to comply, pointing out that some senior leader of the BJP should have had the courtesy to contact them. After the denial of ticket from Patna Sahib, disgruntled BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha Sunday said he was “able and capable” of answering back in “the same coin.” Sinha, who was elected in 2009 and 2014, was replaced with union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. K Y M C