Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXVIII No. 303
MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018 Pages 12 ` 5.00
Amalgamation not on cards; focus on internal consolidation: PNB MD
Man City, Liverpool draw; Chelsea win
Kim Jong, Pompeo agree to second US-North Korea summit
business, Page 8
sports, Page 12
international, Page 9
Army uses Nagaland-made Hydroger at Indo-Pak border
DIMAPUR, OCT 7 (NPN): Nagaland may not have produced national sports champions but it has achieved a rare distinction of being the manufacturer of a mini generator called ‘Hydroger’ of 3 KW that generates power from running water from any water source. After having successfully lighted up many remote hamlets across the Northeast for the past few years through its hydrogers, Nagaland Empowerment of People through Energy Development (NEPeD) added yet another feather to its cap by successfully installing its pet product at an army camp located at remote place in Jammu & Kashmir’s Leh Ladakh region. According NEPeD officials, the team from Nagaland successfully installed the “Made in Nagaland” 3-kw hydroger, manufactured at its Dimapur-based Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy Studies (CERES), to light up the army camp in Drass sector near the Tiger Hill, which
Petrol, diesel prices on the rise again
Hydroger sucessfully installed at the Indo-Pak border area.
became famous during the Kargil War, in the Line of Control (LoC) that divides India and Pakistan. Soldiers deployed at the icy and freezing heights from altitudes ranging from 12,000 feet to 20,000 feet in the area were earlier dependent on captive power generation by using generators run on diesel. However, transporting diesel for generators to such remote and mountainous locations on foot and mules was a major
MRVC: 1.19 lakh immunized till date
D E H R A D U N, O C T 7 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said India is going through major social and economic changes and the resultant New India will prove to be a catalyst for global development. “India is witnessing rapid economic and social changes. The country is going through a big transformation,” Modi said at an investors summit here in Uttarakhand. “The scale and speed at which reforms are happening are unprecedented. In the last two years, the central and state governments have ushered in more than 10,000 reforms. Thanks to this, India has made a significant jump of 42 points in the global ‘ease of doing business’ index,” Modi said. Modi said the GST had been the “biggest tax reform since independence” that had made the entire country into a single market. He said infrastructure development was taking place at a “record speed” with more than 10,000 kms of national highways...” “It means over 27 km road built per day. This rate is double as compared to road development during previous governments.”
Question mark raised over musical campaign for HIV&AIDS awareness Correspondent
KOHIMA, OCT 7 (NPN): In sync with the practice since 2009, Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) began a musical campaign to promote awareness on HIV&AIDS in the State on Saturday with the theme “Life Now, Yes life. No HIV”. However, the annual event has come under close scrutiny as there has been no visible positive impact with the State witnessing an alarming rise in HIV cases, especially in the past few months. Nagaland now ranks third in the country with 1.15 % of its population being affected, while Mizoram tops the list (2.04%) and Manipur (1.43%) comes in second. Speaking to Nagaland Post, NNagaDAO president Abou Mere alleged that the event’s impact was not visible. Claiming that NSACS had also not carried out any assessment of the event’s impact, he asserted that a scientific study of its impact vis-à-vis spread of HIV&AIDS was a must.
Else, he cautioned, “It may be just a waste of resources”, adding, if the event did not help, other intervention programmes targeting youth should be prioritised. Mere said a joint consultative meeting to discuss stigma and discrimination was scheduled this month, after which recommendations would be forwarded to the State government. He pointed out that the musical concert might lead to general awareness, but those in need might not be reached. A doctor, speaking to Nagaland Post, said it might have become a kind of an annual practice for NSACS to organise the concert as part of its awareness campaign, however the HIV&AIDS situation seemed to be getting only worse. He urged the agency to come up with new strategies to reach out to vulnerable sections. Suggesting that NSACS channelize its activities through NGOs, he said their funding should not be stopped as they were doing a good job to help People Living with HIV (PLHIV),
while also playing a role to bridge the gap between PLHIVs and NSACS. He further stated that there was a drastic fall in the funding pattern by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) in 2014-15. But, to bring down the continuous rise in HIV positive cases in the State, there was a need to re-assess the approach strategies, he asserted. He said a new approach to stop the chain of transmission, judicious use of funds and taking NGOs into confidence needed to be explored as HIV&AIDS dynamics had changed over the years. Another entrepreneur expressed a similar opinion sating that funding NGOs that work for HIV&AIDS would have more impact than spending large amounts of money on concerts. Mentioning that the church was another platform that could create maximum awareness, the entrepreneur remarked that a musical concert through the church could be more effective than any secular concert organised especially in the evening.
‘Nagaland’s Gandhi’ Natwar Thakkar dies NUSU (L) resents delay
DIMAPUR, OCT 7 (NPN): Eminent Gandhian and Padma Shri awardee Natwar Thakkar, popularly known as Nagaland’s Gandhi, died at a private hospital in Guwahati Sunday morning after a brief illness, family sources said. Born on October 9, 1932, late Thakkar is survived by his wife Lentina Ao, a son and two daughters. The funeral service will be held at Gandhi Ashram Chuchuyimlang on October 9 at 10 a.m., his son Dr. Aotoshi informed Nagaland Post. A brief prayer programme was held at Kasturba Gandhi Ashram at Ulubari Guwahati on Sunday evening where hundreds of well wishers came to pay their last respects. The body will be arriving Chuchuyimlang village on October 8 morning, Dr. D I M A P U R , O C T 7 Aotoshi said. (NPN): On the fourth day of Measles and Rubella Vaccination Campaign, the state health department covered 99 schools where 8,378 children were vacci- NEW DELHI, OCT 7 nated across the state. (IANS): Election ComAccording to SPO, mission (EC) will deploy UIP/RCH, Dr. Atoshe several technology applicaSema till date 1,19,338 tions to nail violation of the children have been suc- Model Code of Conduct cessfully immunized with (MCC) during elections and MR vaccine without any ensure smooth polling. untoward incidents. The EC has developed C-VIGIL android mobile phone application to enable people to report code violations. “The delay in reporting code violations so far has resulted in the escape of culprits from law-enforcers. Also, lack of documentary evidence like photos, pictures or video clips prove a hurdle in verifying complaints,” an EC release said. It pointed out that a “significant percentage” of reporting was “false or inaccurate”. “Her logic for more seats “Further, the absence is as bad as expecting all of a robust response system of us to ride with her in to quickly and accurately the elephant.” identify the scene of ocNEW DELHI, OCT 7 (PTI): Within a day of the one-off excise duty cut and PSUs subsidising fuel, petrol and diesel prices are on the rise again and have hit a three week high. Petrol price was hiked by 18 paise a litre on October 6 and 14 paise on Sunday, according to daily price notification issued by state-owned oil firms. Similarly, diesel rates were hiked by 29 paise a litre each on October 6 and Sunday. The reduction in excise duty, only the second in four years of BJP-led NDA rule, will dent central government revenues by Rs 10,500 crore and was aimed at cooling retail prices that had shot up to an all-time high.
logistical burden, besides the generators caused much pollution due to burning of fuel. In order to address this issue and seek an alternative source of energy, Indian Army’s 14 Corps (Leh-Ladakh) chief engineer Brigadier SP Yadava sought the assistance of NEPeD, an organisation whose potential he knew very well by virtue of his earlier posting in Nagaland. Thereafter, a NEPeD team started coordinating, plan-
ning and designing to undertake this challenging task of electrifying the army post. After ascertaining the feasibility, the team moved to the intended site and, backed by active support of army engineers and troops deployed at the site, worked tirelessly in sub-zero temperatures to complete the hydroger installation within 48 hours, the officials added. The hydrogers produced at CERES are certified at IIT Roorkee’s Alternate Hydro Energy Centre. The “Made in Nagaland” hydrogers are already in use in other States like Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Kerala and Maharashtra. Several villages in Nagaland, particularly in the Indo-Myanmar border area, are using hydrogers for lighting up their homes for the last 10 years. Hydroger and other hydro turbine technologies hold immense potential for communityowned small hydro power generation in villages across Nagaland.
PM says India going through major transformation
Late Natwar Thakkar (File)
Gov, CM others condole
Nagaland Governor, P.B. Acharya expressed deep pain over the demise of Padma Shri Natwar Thakkar. In a condolence message, Acharya described late Thakkar as a good human being, freedom fighter, noted social worker and the founder of Nagaland Gandhi Ashram at Chuchuyimlang, Mokokchung in 1955. A c h a r ya s a i d l a t e Thakkar was a personal friend and that he had a
long period of association with him. He said Thakkar’s demise was a personal loss to him. Acharya recalled his visit to the Ashram in 1965, during his maiden trip to North East after the disastrous Chinese aggression in 1962. He said Natwar Thakkar, a Gandhian social worker and popularly known as “Natwar Bhai” was inspired by Thakkar Bapa, a social worker who worked for the uplift of tribal people. Late Thakkar worked hard to spread Gandhian philosophy in Nagaland and established the “Nagaland Gandhi Ashram” in the Chuchuyimlang village in Nagaland in 1955 when Nagaland was in turmoil, he said. At the initiative and efforts of Thakkar, Acharya said an extension centre of National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology was started in
Wokha public opposes in scholarship disbursement NSDZ in its present form
DIMAPUR, OCT 7 (NPN): Nagaland University Students’ Union NUSU (L) on Sunday expressed strong resentment against the Higher and Technical Education department’s failure to disburse postgraduate scholarship for the year 2017-18. In a press note, NUSU (L) information and publicity secretary, Suraj Kumar said when the union met the concerned authorities in August, it was found that the scholarship forms of the students were rejected on the basis that the students percentage did not fulfil the merit scholarship criteria. NUSU (L) however pointed out that most of the student’s were eligible for merit scholarship. After a thorough deliberation, the authorities promised to probe the matter. The union said it has been over a month without any development. NUSU (L) demanded to know how long it would take to re-verify the forms and disburse the scholarship. It said the department was aware that most of the students rely on scholarships for fees and other academic needs. The union said the delay in disbursement had become a consistent trend, depriving students of their rights and hampering academic growth of students. The union has asked the department to clarify the issue at the earliest, failing which the union said it would take its own course of action and hold the department (Cont’d on p-7) and state government responsible.
DIMAPUR, OCT 7 (NPN): The Lotha tribe of Wokha has reiterated its stand to not allow the setting up of the proposed Nagaland Special Development Zone (NSDZ) in its present form in the district. This was stated by Lotha Hoho chairman Mhao Humtsoe and general secretary Er. Mhondamo Ovung in a joint statement. The above were among several resolutions adopted at a general meeting convened by Lotha Hoho at Wokha town on October 2 and attended by leaders representing Lotha frontal organisations, village council authorities, church leaders, public leaders, intellectuals and several prominent individuals. The house further asserted LH’s stand, hinted during the meeting with the NSCN/GPRN at Dimapur on September 8, that the Lotha tribe will not allow any of its territory to be used as landing ground or for rehabilitation. According to LH, the meet-
ing further resolved that survey for alignment of the proposed railway line through Wokha district will have to be carried out along with Lotha Hoho members and land owners only and that the alignment should be through Ralan, Baghty and Tsurang valley. While unanimously reaffirming and supporting earlier resolutions of Lotha Hoho and villages demanding that the Wokha-Merapani road should be executed as per specifications, the House also endorsed the proposal for creation of a new district of Bhandari and for which a sub-committee, consisting of members from Bhandari, Lotha Middle Range, Lotha Upper Range and Lotha Hoho would be constituted. The committee would prepare a report for presentation to the State government. The constitution of the sub-committee with suitable members and terms of reference would be prepared by the LH.
ECI to use tech to nail poll code violations Planning minister clarifies on NPF charges
This is it!
K Y M C
currence with the help of geographical location details hampered election officers’ ability to apprehend violators. “The c-VIGIL app is expected to fill the gap in reporting of code violations and thereby create a fasttrack complaint reception and redressal system,” the poll panel said. Using the application, one can send live reports on code violations within minutes. In case of a registered complaint, a unique ID number will be generated to allow the citizen concerned to track his/her complaint’s status. Anonymous complaints do not get any identification numbers. Once a complaint has been received in the c-VIGIL system, the same is beeped to the district control room, which assigns it to a flying squad for action.
The other apps to be used by EC in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telanaga include National Grievance Service, Integrated Contact Centre, Suvidha, Sugam, Election Monitoring Dashboard and one-way electronically transmitted postal ballot for service voters. Suvidha is a singlewindow system for giving election-related permission/clearance within 24 hours. Through the system, the candidates and political parties can apply for permissions for meetings, rallies, vehicles, temporary election office, and loudspeakers at a single location, where back-end convergence of various authorities/departments has been done, the EC said. Sugam is an IT-based vehicle management system with the facility of issuance of requisition letters for
vehicles, capturing of vehicle details with addresses, mobile numbers and bank details of owners and drivers, transfer of vehicles from one district to another district etc. Webcasting at identified critical stations for live monitoring of election process will also be undertaken. The Election Monitoring Dashboard is an IT tool that provides a dashboard of consolidated information, tools and timely reports to officers at all hierarchical levels from top to bottom. Besides, all registered service voters will be delivered e-postal ballot of their respective constituencies through electronically transmitted postal ballot (ETPBS), which will be printed and after voting will be sent back to the Returning Officer concerned by post, the EC added.
DIMAPUR, OCT 7 (NPN): Reacting to NPF’s charge against NDPP-led PDA government regarding road development works, planning & co-ordination and land revenue minister Neiba Kronu has issued a clarification explaining why and how the initiative was taken to improve roads in the State. Kronu also appealed to the opposition party and the people to co-operate with the government of the day so that good roads could be ensured in near future. He explained that the decision to improve roads was taken in the first cabinet meeting, but added that the ensuing Lok Sabha by-poll and monsoon rains delayed the process. Agreeing with NPF that work order for Golaghat-Chumukedima road, sanctioned by Ministry of Road Transport & High-
ways, was issued to TK Engineering Consortium Pvt Ltd, he said the progress was slow and not up to the expectation. Kronu added that progress of work on KMC check gate–Lerie gate, whose work order was issued to M/s Vilelie Khamo & Sons, was good. However, pointing out that these two were not the only roads required for Kohima and Dimapur and realising the necessity of more good roads, he said the PDA government decided to work on other city and district roads. In this regard, Kronu said a meeting was held on September 29 as per the chief minister’s desire, attended by officials from Planning, PWD and Urban Development departments, where it was decided to take up a few city roads in Kohima and Dimapur for improvement at the earliest
as the festive season was approaching. Subsequently, advertisements were issued in local papers for filing tenders on October 1 and 2 for work amounting to Rs 119.50 crore, he added. He said the amount would come out from the State government’s own resources or by raising revenue. On the Naga solution, he said there was no timeframe and regular activities should not be stopped either. Stating that there were still politicians with political will and dedicated bureaucrats and technocrats for rebuilding the society, Kronu said it was high time everyone came out and raised their voices together against cost escalation and non-performing contractors and engineers who could not control their contractors without playing blame games. (Cont’d on p-7) K Y M C