Modi’s Himalayan miracle

June 26, 2013 [TOI] --- On the evening of Friday, June 21, as India reeled from the shock of the calamity in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi landed up in Dehradun with a handful of officers. By Sunday, it was claimed that he had rescued 15,000 stranded Gujaratis from the wreckage of Uttarakhand and sent these grateful folks back home. This miracle was played up in media. But how was this feat achieved in a day or so, when India's entire military establishment has struggled to rescue around 40,000 people over 10 days?  Reports say that Modi pulled off this coup with a fleet of 80 Innovas. How did these cars manage to reach places like Kedarnath, across roads that have been washed away, over landslides that have wrecked most access routes?  But let us assume Modi's Innovas had wings as well as helicopter rotors. Including the driver, an Innova is designed to carry seven people. In a tough situation, assume you could pack nine passengers into each car. In that case, a convoy of 80 Innovas could ferry 720 people down the mountains to Dehradun at one go. To get 15,000 people down, the convoy would need to make 21 round trips.  The distance between Dehradun and Kedarnath is 221 km. So 21 trips up and down would mean that each Innova would have to travel nearly 9,300 km.  It takes longer to travel in the hills than in the plains. So, assuming an average speed of 40 km per hour, it would take 233 hours of driving to pull off the feat.  This assumes non-stop driving, without a second's rest to identify the Gujaratis to be rescued and keeping the rest of the distressed folk at bay, or any time to load and unload the vehicles. And forget about any downtime for the gallant rescuers.  That is nearly 10 days of miraculous work. And Modi pulled it off in a day.  Actually, in less than a day: a breathless media reported that by Saturday, 25 luxury buses had brought a group of Gujaratis back to Delhi. For some reason, four Boeing aircraft also idled in some undisclosed place nearby.  Modi, ever modest, himself did not make the claim of rescuing 15,000 Gujaratis from Himalayan disaster in a day. It was likely dumped on a gullible media by his public relations agency, an American outfit called Apco Worldwide. In 2007, Apco was hired, ostensibly to boost the Vibrant Gujarat summits, but to actually burnish Modi's image, for $25,000 a month.  He is in good company. Apco has worked for the dictator of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbaev, the governments of Malaysia and Israel and the American tobacco lobby.  For the latter, it set up front organisations to rubbish evidence which proved that tobacco causes cancer. Apco has also worked for pariah regimes like Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and Nigerian strongman Sani Abacha.  Its powerful advisory council includes former Israeli diplomats Itamar Rabinovich and Shimon Stein, as well as Doron Bergerbest-Eilon, who was the highest ranked officer in the Israel security agency.  Apco is credited with Modi's makeover and his holographic campaigns. Before Apco, Vibrant Gujarat was a tame affair: the first three summits generated investment promi-ses between $14 billion and $150 billion. After Apco, in 2009 and 2011, these jumped to $253 billion and $450 billion.  Apco worked tirelessly to rope in investor interest from America. It also lobbied with politicians in Washington to remove the ban on Modi travelling to the US. The ban was imposed after the massacre of Muslims in Gujarat as Modi presided over the state in 2002. So far, Apco hasn't succeeded in getting Modi a US visa.  And the Vibrant Gujarat numbers are all hot air. An analysis by my colleague Kingshuk Nag in his biography of Modi shows that only 3.2% of the 2009 number has materialised on the ground. Of the 2011 figure, a mere 0.5% is for real.  But Modi does not need Apco to lie. In 2005 he announced that state-owned company GSPC had made India's biggest gas discovery: 20 trillion cubic feet (tcf) valued at more than $50 billion, off Andhra Pradesh. This was 40% more than what Reliance had found in the same area. Modi then egged on GSPC to grab projects in Egypt, Yemen and Australia.  Many suspected that Modi's gas claim was hot air, but in the absence of evidence few could say so. But by 2012, the Centre's directorate general of hydrocarbons (DGH), which analyses and certifies all energy finds, said that it could vouch for only a tenth of Modi's claim: there was only 2 tcf of gas. And that too in areas tough to exploit.  Meanwhile, under Modi's rousing leadership, GSPC had poured in nearly $2 billion into exploration, much of it raised as debt based on its supposed 20 tcf gas find. When the gas vanished, GSPC went bust.  To rescue it, Modi asked the company to venture out into more areas, like city gas distribution. There have been problems with these businesses as well, including a very dubious transaction with a company in Barbados.  In every area the Modi narrative is a tale of bluster and bluff. But his Himalayan miracle is a barefaced, cynical lie. [TOI]

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Bodies of six slain NSCN (K) cadres brought back, three officially identified Songlung gun fight : UNC alleges fake encounter

IMPHAL, Jun 24, 2013 [TSE] --- Contrary to the claim of the PIB (Defence Wing), the United Naga Council (UNC) has today alleged that the six cadres of NSCN-K were mowed down by the Assam Rifles in a fake encounter yesterday at K Songlung village. The Vice-Chairman of Committee for Alternative Arrangement of UNC, Ashinpou Gangmei, who came to RIMS morgue today denied that the NSCN-K cadres were killed in an encounter. Flatly refuting the claim of the Red Shield Division, Ashinpou Gangmei said, "We have reports that the encounter was fake and we have prima facie evidence to prove it." At the invitation of the CO of 10 AR posted at Noney, the NSCN-K cadres, accompanied by a Major of the AR, left for Noney Part-I to have tea on June 22 evening, he said. Not long after they left for Noney Part-I, their mobile phones were switched off, Ashinpou said. Pointing out that the cadres were neither armed nor in camouflage when they went out, Ashinpou wondered how arms were recovered from them and how the slain cadres wore combat dresses when their bodies were recovered. He said the Naga people would take a concrete decision in this regard soon. Meanwhile, three of the slain cadres were identified today after post mortem examination was conducted at RIMS mortuary. The three cadres are DK Chuijanglung Dangmei (36) s/o Kapukhin of Thanagong village, Khoupum Valley in Tamenglong district; Th Leikam Thaimei (37) s/o (L) Khangdimlung of Tousemjang and Ch Ngoubibou (26) s/o (L) Nrialak of Iniam village. The remaining three are suspected to be K Rajenglung of Noney; Labam of Bamgaijang and Majadai of Oinamlong. Official confirmation is awaited till the time of filing this report. All the cadres wore uniform and received multiple bullet injuries. Significantly the NSCN (K) has inked a ceasefire pact with the Government of India, though the ceasefire is not extended to the soil of Manipur. The Army had claimed that the NSCN (K) cadres opened fire when they ran into an ambush laid by the 10 Assam Rifles and 73 Loktak Brigade and were killed when the troops retaliated.

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Rs 323 crore earmarked for ADCs in Manipur

IMPHAL, Jun 24, 2013 [TSE] --- The State Government has earmarked Rs 323,44,97,000 crore from the State's annual budget of 2013-14 for Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) so that the ADCs can function without any financial glitch. ADCs were re-established in 2010 after a gap of almost 20 years by holding election amidst violent objections and threats, Gaikhangam recalled while discussing certain demands in the State Assembly this afternoon. With the opening of Tribal Affairs and Hills Directorate after restructuring the erstwhile Tribal Development and Hills, ADCs have been streamlined and they have already started functioning. During the current financial year, Rs 426,27,56,000 have been earmarked for Tribal Affairs and Hills in the State budget, and 50 per cent of this amount would be spent in paying salaries and allowance to employees. Out of the total amount of Rs 426,27,56,000, Rs 323,44,97,000 would be transferred to ADCs. It would cater to requirements for non-plan expenditures and payment of salaries to employees. Tribal Affairs and Hills Minister Gaikhangam claimed that his department has been implementing a number of schemes for welfare of the poor and downtrodden. If the amount invested in the department is utilised properly, people would certainly reap some positive results, he asserted. Saying that it looks like some individuals have been misappropriating the schemes meant for underprivileged section of the society, Gaikhangam called upon big Haos to stop eating up small Haos like big fishes eating smaller fishes. To enable people enjoy benefits of the schemes, the department has been sharing information with the people through mass media including internet. Taking part in the demand discussion, IFC Minister Ngamthang Haokip stated that works would be initiated with greater priorities in the valley once the budget amount is released. On account of fund constraints, many works are pending in IFC Department and the department is spending Rs 19,2600,000 a year in paying salaries to its employees. Presently, the department is unable to pay full pending salaries of the employees because of financial difficulties being endured by the Government. Opposition MLAs Dr I Ibohalbi, RK Imo, Th Shyamkumar, L Ibomcha, P Brojen, Th Bishwajit and O Lukhoi raised cut motions and participated in discussing the demands. Later, three demands were passed by the House after due deliberation. The demands passed today by the House were Demand No 14 (Tribal Affairs and Hills Department) amounting to Rs 426,27,56,000, Demand No 35 (Stationery and Printing) amounting to Rs 500,36,000 and Demand No 40 (Irrigation and Flood Control Department) amounting to Rs 860,33,00,000.

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PM's daughter honoured for rights work

Newyork, Mon Jun 24 2013 Prominent legal activist Amrit Singh has been honoured for her groundbreaking work in the field of human rights law, along with a number of other noted Indian-Americans including US Congressman Ami Bera and USAID chief Rajiv Raj Shah. Singh, 43, the youngest daughter of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is a senior legal officer for National Security and Counterterrorism at the New York-based Open Society Justice Initiative. She received the India Abroad Publisher's Special Award for Excellence 2012 at an event organised by 'India Abroad' on Friday to honour Indian-American achievers in a wide range of professions. Singh's report 'Globalising Torture: CIA Secret Torture and Extraordinary Rendition', published by the Open Society Justice Initiative, had received widespread attention in the international media for its close look at the global torture network. [Indian Express]

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31 children rescued

IMPHAL, Jun 23: Altogether 31 children––15 boys and 16 girls, have been rescued minutes before the were taken to Noida, Uttar Pradesh by a joint team of Child Welfare Committee, Child Line and Anti-Trafficking Squad of Social Welfare Department. Acting on information shared by Imphal East District Police, the joint team went to North AOC yesterday and found all the 31 children seated inside an inter-State bus (MN-01/1515). One Lucy Niang of Sugnu, Thoubal district was arranging to take the children to Father Agnel Bal Bhavan at Greater Noida, UP. Speaking to media persons at Takyelpat Children Home today, CWC Thoubal Chairperson Mala Lisham quoted Lucy Niang as saying that all the children aged between 5 and 17 years were studying at Greater Noida and they were being taken to their place of learning as their vacation period is over. But Lucy Niang could not produce relevant documents whereas some of the children need care and protection under the Juvenile Justice Act. Moreover, there is an order of the Supreme Court which prohibits one from taking children below 12 years across States even if it is for schooling. In view of all these factors, a report was filed at Imphal police station following which Lucy Niang was arrested yesterday itself. Travel fares as well as educational expenses of the children were borne by the Noida children home, Mala said as claimed by Lucy. Taking serious note of the incident, CWCs held a meeting yesterday and decided to keep orphaned children in Government run children homes and return other children to their parents or relatives in accordance with their desire. It was also agreed not to allow anybody take the children to another location until further order or until an enquiry is completed so as to avoid exploitation of the children, Mala said. She said that necessary communications are being made with their Noida counterparts to ascertain details of the children home where the rescued children were purportedly learning. Apart from Uttar Pradesh being a State where the rate of crime against children is highest, Noida is notorious for rackets which deal in illegal organ transplantation, she added. [The Sangai Express | 24-Jun-2013]

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17 yr old girl raped in Imphal

Imphal, June 20, 2013 [Manipur Times] --- A 17-year-old girl was raped by unknown persons while she was on her way to procure admission forms from a college and latter dumped at her house on June 19.  According to reports, the girl left her home at around 12.30 pm in order to purchase application form for admission to BA first year from Universal College in Yairipok.  In the evening, she sent an SMS to a male friend telling that she had been abducted by two unknown persons.  Her friend passed the information to her family and a search was launched but without any success. A complaint was also filed with the police.  While the family was going through the trauma of her disappearance, her abductors left her in an unconscious state near her compound around midnight.  She was taken to RIMS Hospital for treatment and forensic tests were conducted on her there.  Sources said she had received hostile messages on her mobile from another mobile (9615097934) recently.

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Yamuna recedes in Delhi but flows above danger mark

New Delhi, June 20, 2013 [IANS] --- The water level in the Yamuna started receding in Delhi Thursday morning but stayed above the danger mark of 204.83 metres. Many low-lying areas in the city also remained inundated, a government official said. "The water level, which rose to 207.20 metres mark (on Wednesday), came down to 207.15 metres around 9 a.m. today (Thursday). But it is still above the danger mark of 204.83 metres. We expect the water level to reach 207 metres by afternoon," Dharampal, secretary of Delhi's revenue and disaster management department, told IANS. The official added that the Yamuna's wate level touched 207.25 metres mark by late Wednesday, the highest since 1978 when it reached 207.49 metres, and the food water spilled over to the Outer Ring Road. In 2010, the water level of the flooded river had touched 207.11 metres. "The water level was so high yesterday (Wednesday) that by 8 p.m. the flood water spilled over to the Outer Ring Road. The Tibetan Market was filled with knee-deep waters. As the water level in the river is gradually coming down, the water on the road is draining out," the official said. Over nine lakh cusecs of water has been released into the Yamuna from Hathinikund Barrage in Haryana in the last four days, resulting in rise of water level in the river. "The water level released from Haryana has reduced significantly," he added. A man drowned in the swollen river while bathing near Majnu Ka Tila in north Delhi Wednesday, the official said. Nearly 5,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas like Usmanpur, Yamuna Bazar, Bhajanpura and Shastri Park in east Delhi, and shifted to about 900 relief camps set up by the city government. However, people complained that there were not enough tents to house all those displaced. The muddy, swirling waters of the Yamuna river crossed over the danger mark Tuesday, leading to the closure of the city's 145-year-old rail-cum-road bridge, which connects east Delhi with the heart of the national capital.

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300 from Bihar missing in Uttarakhand

Patna, June 20, 2013 [IANS] --- Former Bihar minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey's two relatives were killed while he survived nature's fury at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, a state where 300 people from Bihar are missing. Choubey, along with his close relatives, a family priest and security personnel, was on a trip to Kedarnath when they were trapped in the landslides and strong currents of the Ganga river. According to his personal staff, his close relative Subodh Mishra and his wife Rubi Mishra were killed in landslides. Choubey and his other family members were airlifted by helicopters and brought to Dehradun first and then to Delhi, a relative of Choubeys said Thursday here. "Choubey's three security personnel, his priest and a relative are still missing. There is no information about them," an official said. The reports reaching here from different parts of the state suggest that more than three hundreds people are missing there. Thousands are said to be missing in Uttarakhand after unprecedented rains and cloudburst led to landslides and flash floods. More than 100 people were killed and 62,000 have been stranded.

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DU Registration Ends; Cut-Offs to Be Announced by June 27, Some Colleges Raise Fees

New Delhi, June 19, 2013 — Delhi University’s pre-admission registration process concluded on Wednesday, with officials expecting the total number of applicants to cross 2.5 lakh by midnight. As of the final count, DU received 1,15,306 Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) forms and 95,926 online applications in the general category. However, figures for OBC, SC, and ST categories have not been released.

Since the beginning of the registration process on June 5, several student organizations from the Northeast have actively assisted admission seekers through help desks across North and South Campus.

Gospel Thalai Nohro of the Delhi Mizo Zirlai Pawl (DMZP) highlighted the challenges faced by Mizo students, noting disparities in marking standards between the Mizoram Board of School Education (MBSE) and boards in other states. "Toppers in Mizoram get around 80%, while students from other states often score 90-99%. This puts our students at a disadvantage when it comes to admissions," he said.

CT Pari, also from DMZP and a final-year MA Political Science student at DU, added that fewer Mizo students applied this year, possibly due to the introduction of the new Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), prompting many to choose institutions offering traditional three-year courses. She criticized MBSE’s tough evaluations, calling it a major hurdle for students aspiring to study outside Mizoram. 

DMZP has assisted not only Mizo students but others as well, helping over 200 applicants with form submissions and maintaining contact for further updates. The organization has around 3,000 members.

The Kuki Students' Organisation Delhi (KSOD) also played an active role. Letginlen Doungel, KSOD’s information secretary and a PhD scholar at JNU, said the group has helped hundreds of students, recording their information for future follow-ups. KSOD president Thangminlen Kipgen estimated their membership at about 1,500, excluding families and professionals.

Meanwhile, the Naga Students Union Delhi (NSUD) set up a help desk run by an admission committee of seven core members and 20 volunteers. NSUD vice-president J. Malvio, who graduated from Hindu College, reported receiving over 200 calls regarding the registration process. “Many students made errors in their OMR forms, which we helped correct,” he said. NSUD currently has a membership of 20,000 and is preparing to celebrate its Golden Jubilee in October.

As the academic session ushers in changes like the FYUP, several prominent DU colleges—including SRCC, Hans Raj, St. Stephen’s, Kirori Mal, Lady Sri Ram, and Ramjas—have decided to increase their course fees. Others, like Lady Irwin, Miranda House, and Hindu College, have opted not to hike fees.

The first cut-off list is expected to be released by June 27, and officials suggest it could be significantly higher than in previous years.

~ Bruce K. Thangkhal
Special Correspondent
THE MIZORAM POST | MANIPUR CHRONICLE | ZOGAM TODAY

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KHUGA DAM: Mr Jamkhup Zou

 

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Railways to Launch Ticket Booking through Non-Internet based Mobile Phones with Effect from 1st July 2013

New Delhi, 17 June 2013: With an aim to further facilitate the passengers, Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC),a public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Railways, will be launching a pilot project of ticketing through non-internet based mobile phones with effect from 1st July 2013. This will enable people using non-internet based mobile phones to easily access Railway ticketing services through SMS/IVRS/USSD. The scheme is user-friendly, secure and also eco-friendly, as no print out is required. Indian Railways has continuously endeavored to improve the ease and access of ticketing. The e-ticketing initiative of Indian Railways has been one of the most passenger-friendly initiatives of Indian Railways. In order to further expand the reach of ticketing, the Minister of Railways had made a Budget announcement regarding launch of ticketing through mobile phones was announced in the Railway Budget. The objective was to tap the potential of mobile phone market in India and thereby facilitate the common man, by providing him any-where any-time and hassle free booking option. The salient features of this new scheme to be operationalised on1st July, 2013 are: •          There will be a dedicated number on which SMS can be sent. •          No need of internet at any stage viz. booking, payment, cancellation etc. •          One has to register the mobile number with IRCTC as well as one's bank. The Bank (one time password) for authorization of payment. •          The passenger has to type the train number, destination, journey date, class and passenger details like name, age and gender on the SMS box. •          The sender will receive transaction ID and then make payment through sending another SMS by typing PAY followed by the transaction ID, MMID as received from the bank and password. •          On successful booking of ticket, message will be sent to the user by IRCTC which will suffice as valid authority to travel along with photo ID card in original. •          Cancellation of tickets can also be done through the cancellation option available. •          The scheme will be on pilot basis and will not be available during the 8 am - 12 pm for booking ARP/Tatkal/General tickets.

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47 yrs after being raped, two Mizo women are compensated

Aizawl, June 16, 2013 [Indian Express] --- The Central government has given Rs 5 lakh each as compensation to two Mizo women who lost their sanity after being allegedly gangraped by Indian Army soldiers 47 years ago, at the beginning of a 20-year insurgency in what is now the state of Mizoram. Relatives of the two women told The Sunday Express that they "wept for joy" at the Centre's gesture, which came after former members of the Mizo National Army (MNA), the armed wing of the Mizo National Front (MNF) that fought a guerilla war against Indian armed forces between 1966 and 1986, lobbied with Union home ministry officials for compensation for the women. Sources said the ex-MNA members, who were helped by retired Mizo IAS officer H V Lalringa, visited Home Secretary R K Singh in New Delhi on May 16. Singh is learnt to have advised them to open bank accounts for the women in order to channel the compensation. Official sources confirmed that the money was recently paid from a secret fund after clearance from the highest authorities in the home ministry. The home ministry declined to comment officially on the matter. "I wept when I heard the news from bank officials on Wednesday evening," J Laldula Sailo, a brother of one of the women told The Sunday Express over the phone from East Lungdar in Mizoram's Champhai district. "I immediately hugged my sister and told her God has been kind to her after all the suffering," he said. Sailo, who retired as a teacher from a government middle school and the son of the erstwhile tribal chief of Mualcheng village where the alleged sexual assaults took place, said that his sister these days sits around smoking most of the time, with a blank expression on her face. He said she can do almost nothing by herself, and needs help to go to the bathroom or relieve herself. "She eats very little, and can only perform small tasks like putting her plate in the sink after she has eaten," Sailo said. "But she is generally not at all troublesome. She just sits quietly in a corner." Sailo said his sister and her childhood friend were raped one night in November 1966 at Mualcheng, after Army personnel advanced towards the village after being fired upon by MNF rebels in East Lungdar. The soldiers were fired upon again as they came close to the village, and in retaliation, they herded all the villagers together and set fire to their homes. Lalnghakliani Lailung, a state government employee and the younger sister of the other woman who was raped, said the two girls were kept separately in a small shack, where soldiers allegedly took turns raping them. Both the victims were daughters of prominent villagers — while the father of one was the erstwhile chief, the other was the daughter of the head of the village council. "Since our parents died long ago, my siblings and I take turns to look after my sister. She has extreme paranoia, and for many years after she was raped, she would sew together long nightgowns and refuse to sleep alone. Even now she keeps talking of a big dark man she sees in nightmares, and is very suspicious of everyone. She says we are impostors who have dressed up like her siblings to harm her," Lailung said over the phone from Kolasib, the headquarters of a nothern district, where she plans to build a house to live with her sister. Her sister currently stays with relatives in another small town. "I was so happy that I wept and prayed when I was told the compensation had come. The former MNA men have been very kind to us, pursuing the issue all these years," Lailung said. "In a sense, we feel this gesture is an acknowledgment and an apology by the central government for the atrocities committed during those troubled times," she said.

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India to become world's most populous nation around 2028: UN

United Nations, Jun 14, 2013--- India will surpass China to become world's most populous nation around 2028, with its population crossing the 1.45 billion mark, according to latest report by the United Nations. The report 'World Population Prospects' says the world's population will hit 7.2 billion next month and is projected to reach 10.9 billion by 2100, with the growth mainly occurring in developing countries, with more than half in Africa. But, with the number of future global dwellers linked to fertility, the number at the end of the century could be as high 16.6 billion or even fall to 6.8 billion, it adds. The report says India is expected to become the world's most populous country, passing China around 2028, when both countries will have populations of 1.45 billion. After that, India's population will continue to grow and that of China is expected to start decreasing. "Although population growth has slowed for the world as a whole, this report reminds us that some developing countries, especially in Africa, are still growing rapidly," Wu Hongbo, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said while releasing the report. The report notes that the population of developed regions will remain largely unchanged at around 1.3 billion from now until 2050. In contrast, the 49 least developed countries are projected to double in size from around 900 million people in 2013 to 1.8 billion in 2050. Nigeria's population is expected to surpass that of the United States before 2050. "While there has been a rapid fall in the average number of children per woman in large developing countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Brazil and South Africa's rapid growth is expected to continue over the next few decades in countries with high levels of fertility such as Nigeria, Niger, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia and Uganda but also Afghanistan and Timor-Leste, where there are more than five children per woman," said John Wilmoth, the Director of the Population Division in the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Overall, life expectancy is projected to increase in developed and developing countries in future years. At the global level, it is projected to reach 76 years in the period 2045-2050 and 82 years in 2095-2100. The report's figures are based on a comprehensive review of available demographic data from 233 countries and areas around the world, including the 2010 round of population censuses.[TOI]

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Lover's family pours kerosene on girl, burns her to death

Lucknow, June 14 (IANS)---  A woman was brutally assaulted and her daughter burnt alive in public view, and in the presence of the village panchayat, Uttar Pradesh Police said Friday. The incident occurred at Karahkol village of Deoria, 475 km from state capital Lucknow. Police have so far arrested two people in this connection and raids are being conducted at several places to apprehend other culprits. Police said a girl named Manju was in love with a boy named Ranjit of the same village. The boy's family opposed the relationship, and the matter was taken to the panchayat. At the panchayat meeting, Manju's mother pleaded that since the two loved each other, they should be allowed to marry. Incensed by the proposal, Jai Hind, Ranjit's father, and members of his family assaulted Manju's mother Gyanwati and rained blows and kicks on her. Manju rushed to help her mother as she was being attacked, and members of Ranjit's family doused her with kerosene and set her on fire. Police reached the spot on being informed of the incident. By that time, Manju, who was taken to a nearby medical facility, had died of burn injuries. A first information report (FIR) was filed based on the sequence of events narrated by Gyanwati, the girl's mother. Seven people have been charged with the crime, and two of them have been arrested. Policemen said the absconding five would soon be nabbed.

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President lays the foundation stone of Nirbhaya Bhawan

New Delhi, June 11, 2013 --- The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee laid the foundation stone of 'Nirbhaya Bhawan' the permanent headquarters of National Commission for Women today (June 11, 2013) at a function at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that since it was established in 1992, the National Commission for Women has distinguished itself through its sincere initiatives for the rights, dignity and development of women in our country. It has been widely recognized and appreciated for the pivotal role that it has played in the empowerment of women in India. It is therefore, only appropriate that the Commission, after 20 years of service dedicated to the cause of Indian women, should finally have its own permanent headquarters. He added that once installed in its own premises, the Commission would be able to create a better infrastructure for its work, augment its capacity for outreach and also significantly enhance its functional efficiencies. The President said that the Government of India is committed to equality and justice for all citizens - especially the marginalized - as envisaged in our Constitution. He said that women have played and aspire to play a pivotal role in shaping the socio-political and economic development of our country. He stated that the National Commission for Women has been rendering their support for increased participation of women in the democratic processes and the general up-liftment of women in India. The President stated that a greater sensitization of society to the need to accord due respect of women is required. Only when our ancient civilizational values of treating women with respect and dignity are formally embraced by us, can we consider ourselves a civilized society. He said that his appeal was to ensure that adequate social awareness is created on women's rights and against the evil of barbaric acts of violence and atrocities against women and children, such as those witnessed in the recent past. Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Women and Child Development and Ms. Mamta Sharma, Chairperson, National Commission for Women.

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United Naga Council(UNC) calls 2-day bandh in 'Naga Areas' of Manipur from June 16

IMPHAL June 11 [TOI]--- Protesting against what it termed "relentless communal onslaught of the state government and communal forces of Imphal valley upon the Nagas and tribal communities," the United Naga Council (UNC) has called a 48-hour bandh in Manipur's "Naga areas" from Sunday midnight.

Another key reason for the stir is its growing demand from the Centre for an alternative administrative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur independent of the state government. A decision in this regard was taken during the UNC's presidential council meeting held on June 3, the council said in a statement, adding that the stir would cover the ongoing Jiribam-Tupul railway project.

Among other points discussed in the meeting included the burning down of the Silent village in Tangkhul by neighbouring Saijang villagers on May 3 where properties worth crores of rupees were reduced to cinders and hundreds of villagers rendered homeless.

The state government imposed prohibitory orders under 144 CrPC in the area where the burnt houses once stood by declaring it a disputed area. Thus, the council members alleged, the government endorsed the terror unleashed by burning down the houses, clearly favoring Saijang villagers.

Instead of arresting the vandals and arsonists, the state government acted against the law of the land and adopted a communal position, alleged the UNC.

By evicting residents of 28 houses at Naga River Colony in Imphal, the state government on May 20 left more than 100 school students homeless. Three churches pulled down, it said adding that the standing court ruling of maintaining status quo was not honoured.

It said surrendered cadres of the KYKL (MDF) have been lodged by the state government with the 20th Assam Rifles at Chandel.

"Instead of developing the hills, the state government is using the tribal areas as the dumping ground for surrendered militant groups from the Imphal valley insulting the owners of the land. Organized protest has not resulted in any corrective measures from the government," the UNC further alleged.

In a bid to grab tribal land, attempts are being made to drag in tribal villages such as Khangshim, Kanemram, Nungaourok and Koraopokpi under Machi Block Chandel into Kakching block under Thoubal valley district. Signboards of the tribal villages have been damaged and provocative and derogatory insults are being hurled on the tribal communities, it said.

The UNC statement said that the political tour in Naga areas carried out in April and May at Chandel, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Senapati districts has confirmed that the government's approach is communal.

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Manipur Human Rights Commission defunct, NHRC urged to recall all cases

New Delhi, June 11, 2013 --- Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) today urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to recall all the pending cases from the defunct Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and not to forward cases to the State Human Rights Commissions including Manipur Human Rights Commission which have not been functioning because of the lack of quorum. In a letter to Asian Centre for Human Rights on April 30, 2013, Nungshitombi Athokpam, Deputy Secretary, Manipur Human Rights Commission stated that "the Office of Chairperson and Members of the Manipur Human Rights Commission are vacant after 9.5.2010 till date and not in a position to take up cases. ....Therefore, it is to request you to kindly move the NHRC for recalling the case for further proceeding in the NHRC." The Deputy Secretary of Manipur Human Rights Commission was replying to the request of the Asian Centre for Human Rights dated 19 March 2013 to inform about the status of the complaint filed by ACHR pertaining to the torture of Nurkamal Sheikh, son of Md. Tomba, at the Khudekpi police outpost under Moirang police station in Bishnupur district of Manipur on 5 September 2011. Asian Centre for Human Rights had filed a complaint on 16 September 2011 with the NHRC but the NHRC had forwarded it to the Manipur Human Rights Commission vide proceedings dated 17 October 2011. "The non-appointment of the Chairperson and the members of the MHRC by the State Government of Manipur is scandalous and shows that the State Government has no interest to protect human rights. At the same time, forwarding complaints to the defunct MHRC is meaningless as the victims are effectively denied justice and made to live in false hope", stated Suhas Chakma, Director of the Asian Centre for Human Rights. Apart from the case of torture of Mr. Nurkamal Sheikh, NHRC had forwarded various complaints of ACHR to the Manipur Human Rights Commission including NHRC Case No. 27/14/4/08-09 pertaining to the killing of Konsam Rishikanta Singh, sub-editor of Imphal Free Press, an English Daily based in Imphal, by unidentified persons in Imphal West district of Manipur on 17 November 2008; and NHRC Case No. 66/14/12/2010 pertaining to injuries to more than 30 persons, including women, in disproportionate use of force by the police during a protest at Sangaiyumpham under Thoubal Police Station in Thoubal district of Manipur on 19 October 2010. [ANI]

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Reingamphi Murder Case: Govt board conducts 2nd postmortem of Manipur girl

New Delhi, Jun 05, 2013 --- A medical board formed by the Delhi government at the request of the crime branch conducted the second postmortem of the Manipuri girl, Reingamphi Awungshi (22), for the second time on Tuesday.  The postmortem, led by Dr Anil Aggarwal from Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), was videographed following norms. Her viscera have also been preserved. The board included two more doctors from MAMC and Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital.  "We are expecting the results soon, following which we can decide on the direction of the probe. Besides the family's allegations of a possible murder, we are also investigating the south district's abetment-to-suicide case," said a senior police officer.  Reingamphi was found dead in her newly rented flat at Chirag Dilli last Wednesday. The family, which had refused to take her body alleging murder, accepted it after Tuesday's postmortem.  An additional DCP and an ACP, who are heading the probe, have visited the rented accommodation. "We have got all the required files and collected evidence from the spot. We saw the spot three days after the incident. Hence, we can't arrive at a conclusion easily," said an officer. The claim of an open rear door is the most "unusual" part of the entire scene, he added.  Investigators believe that questioning the landlord might provide leads. Cops will also question the landlord's brother-in-law, a male friend of the girl and the victim's roommate.  Police will also go to the Gurgaon beauty parlour where Reingamphi used to work. "We are trying to determine why she suddenly decided to move to Chirag Dilli two months ago" a source said. [TOI] --------------------------------------------------------- Manipuri girl's death: Cousins remember her as thoughtful, fun-loving Reingamphi Awungshi belonged to a small village called Choithar in the hills of Ukhrul, a three-hour ride from Imphal. Like most other youth of her village, she had to move out of the politically disturbed state in search of a job in the metros. Her skills as a make-up artist and beautician got her jobs in Chennai and later in Delhi.  She longed to visit her picturesque village often but had to cater to the demands of her career here. Even though she earned a meagre salary, she would send a part of it to her younger siblings and parents. Reingamphi and her cousins had already started planning for this year's Christmas feast back home.  On Tuesday, Reingamphi's cousins waited outside Maulana Azad Medical College mortuary for her postmortem to end. They looked worn out after close to a week of protests and petitioning to investigate her case. "She was jovial and fun-loving. She would make us laugh. Reingamphi loved taking photos. Whenever I used to visit her she would take so many pictures. She was certainly not depressed," said Chirmayo (24) who works in a BPO.  Reingamphi was fifth among eight siblings and her parents are farmers. They have not come to Delhi. "When I had informed them about her death, they did not say a word. They have lost their power to react. Her mother has fainted several times," said Chirmayo.  Reingamphi moved to Chennai after Class XII in search of a job.  "We don't have a college in our village. The job opportunities there are also not good. So we move to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Bangalore. But Delhi is increasingly becoming hostile to outsiders like us, especially women," said Singlai Athot, president of Tangkhul Katamnao Long, a student union. "Why is even registering an FIR so difficult in this city? The police could have cooperated with us. A section of cops sees us as outsiders which makes us vulnerable."  Another cousin of Reingamphi, Thotreithem (24), who works in the hospitality sector, remembers that his cousin loved cooking Tangkhul food. "She liked dressing up and she would cook her own food," he said. Reingamphi's cousins met her at the Chirag Dilli house on the 18th of last month. "She had complained to us about a relative of the landlord. We had told her that she could call us anytime if there is a problem. She had also come to our place in Kotla a few days ago," Thotreithem added.  Reingamphi's body will be taken to her village on Thursday. "She will be buried in her village," her cousin said. (Source: TOI)

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AAI exploring upgradation of Agartala/Imphal airports

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is exploring the possibility of upgrading the Agartala and Imphal airports in the north eastern region after Guwahati to facilitate travel for high-level international business delegations from bordering countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan, official sources said today.

Sources said a high level meeting of the AAI would be held here on June 6 for upgradation of the Agartala airport which would be attended by Civil Aviation Secretary K N Srivastava and Chairman of AAI, V P Agarwal, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and top officials of the state government.

Sources said as part of its "Look East" policy, India was now trying to establish connectivity and trade with Southeast Asian countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan.

The North Eastern Council (NEC) has invited fresh bids recently for a dedicated airline in the region, sources in NEC said.

Sources said Rs 160 crore would be spent to build up infrastructure like air traffic control towers, runway etc to gradually develop Imphal and Agartala airports to international standards.

There are 11 operational airports in the Northeast, including Tezpur, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Silchar in Assam, Dimapur in Nagaland, Agartala in Tripura, Aizawl in Mizoram, Imphal in Manipur and Barapani in Meghalaya.

The proposed regional airline will also be connected with Bagdogra airport in north Bengal.

Tripura Transport Secretary Kishore Ambuly said the meeting would also discuss about developing two abandoned airports, Kailashahar in Unakoti district and Kamalpur in Dhalai district.

Source:EconomicsTimes

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