Now citizens must have to maintain own power lines!

Nagaland has graduate from a welfare state to citizens’ state–from having to repair, upkeep and sometime even pave own roads, they are now left with no option but to see to the upkeep of their power lines too.

Villagers of Aonokpu village, under Longchem extra additional commissioner headquarters of Mokokchung district, have not seen electrical workers from the Power department for more than a decade. That’s the spot where the villagers must have to take care of their own electricity needs, the village’s council said in a message that they wrote to the media on Monday.

The message stated: “Aonokpu village under Longchem EAC headquarter of Mokokchung district has been facing power crises due to absence of any worker under the (department) for more than a decade. According to Aonokpu village council since the retirement of power department lineman in 2002, the state government even after 14 years of the last employee, is yet to appoint new field worker and this they stated has compounded to irregular power supply.” 

It is a regular annual event for the council to maintain the transmission lines themselves, the council’s chairman Takatemjen stated in the note.

On Friday, May 27, the leaders of the council also took themselves to clear the jungles along the transmission lines to the village, the note added.

Aonokpu village is under Mangkolemba sub division. The village is “far-flung from Mokokchung district in terms of connectivity and a village to subsist without regular power supply and filed worker is equal of to harassment,” the council added.      

Al Ngullie, May 30, 2016 Eastern Mirror 

Tweet

Floating ‘development’ as reason, Zeliang seeks more funds from Modi

The chief minister of Nagaland has sought from the central government more finances considering his stated expression of “disappointment” that the annual “uneven allocation” of finances have “always been way below our expectations.”

Chief Minister TR Zeliang offered his inputs during the 68th plenary session of the North East Council in Shillong, Meghalaya on May 27. A copy of his speech was dispatched from the chief minister’s office on Friday.

The chief minister blamed the “geographical isolation, combined with social, cultural and ethnic factors,” for the people from the north east failing to “keep pace with the mainland in the field of development, basically due to lack of the required infrastructure for good governance and economic development.” 

He also asserted that many of the development programs and policies “framed by New Delhi” were “not relevant or practical to the region.”  To make regional plans for the region, and to bring out programs and policies “relevant”, the NEC was created in 1972 through an act of Parliament, he said. This could impact “more practical, more relevant and more need based” policies thereby replacing the old planning concept of "one-size-fits-all" by "this-size-fits-us".

However, Zeliang expressed concern that money had turned out to be the short draw: “The only disappointment has been the annual allocation of funds to NEC which has always been way below our expectations.”

Besides, he explained, even the outlays approved for the NEC in the various Five Year Plans “have never been actually allotted or utilized fully since its inception.”

For the past many years, Zeliang said, the “statement of good intentions” and the announcement of many ambitious plans by the center for the development of the NE region has not so far been–in his words–“matched by commensurate actions.”

Nonetheless, the Nagaland chief minister hoped that the budget of the NEC “will be enhanced adequately” in the years ahead “so that development of North-East region will witness a new thrust.”

TR Zeliang explained: “The percentage share of Nagaland, in terms of annual sanction and release of NEC funds, has been declining over the years.  For example, in the case of North East Region Community Resource Management Project (NERCORMP), Phase I & II were implemented in 1326 villages in Assam, Meghalaya and Manipur.  We had asked for inclusion of Nagaland in Phase III, but this was not considered and is being implemented only in the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.”

All said, the chief minister included at least one major concern associated to Nagaland requiring of attention–roads. ‘Road connectivity’ is the primary need of “this region”, he said, “Both inter-state connectivity within the region, and inter-district connectivity within the constituent States.”

He also complained that the initial allocation under a new scheme, NE Road Sector Development Scheme, was “too meager.”

“I welcome the introduction of "NE Road Sector Development Scheme" a new scheme for construction and up gradation of important inter-state roads, with inbuilt provision for maintenance for five years. However, the initial allocation of    Rs. 150 crore appears to be too meagre for any meaningful impact,” Zeliang said. He has requested the central government to see that “adequate funds” are provided for new road constructions, as well as for maintenance of existing roads constructed under NEC and NLCPR funds.

Al Ngullie, May 27, 2016, Eastern Mirror

Tweet

Official of Vijaya Bank’s Kohima branch arrested

An official of Vijaya Bank’s Kohima branch has been arrested on charges of fraud. The Kohima police issued a press release on Friday informing of the events. The police have arrested 30-year-old Gainilungpu Solomon L, the assistant branch manager of the bank in connection to the case. 

The police said that the chief manager of said bank had lodged a complaint with the authorities on April 26 concerning fraudulent transactions against a term deposit account.

The police elaborated on the case: “Initially, loan of Rs. 80 lakhs against a fixed deposit of Rs. 1.5 crore was taken by a firm. However, on 02/01/2015, the fixed deposit was withdrawn without recovering/closing the loan account. During verification by the bank officials, it was found out that the officials/staff of the bank lien the loan amount against the security of another fixed deposit of another person without his consent or knowledge.”

The accused was informed to be a resident of Haralu Colony of Burma Camp in Dimapur.

 
(Al Ngullie, May 27, Eastern Mirror)

Tweet

Pugilist Akokla Tzudi is int’l boxing coach

A Naga boxing coach, Akokla Tzudi, becomes the first star boxing coach from Nagaland to be part of the AIBA, or the International Boxing Association, originally the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur, based in Switzerland.

‘Tzudi’ (sic) as stated in a press release from a local sports’ event on Thursday, was among 12 boxing coaches from India empanelled by the AIBA to attend the first star coach course held at Astana in Kazakhstan from May 12 to the 18^th, organized by the AIBA. She completed the course successfully, according to a press release issued to the local media by the Nagaland Amateur Boxing Association and the Nagaland Olympic Association.

 .

Tzudi is presently employed as ‘Havildar’ in the Nagaland Police Sports Company. Her entire expenses for the training course were sponsored by the Police department keeping in mind the benefit it would accrue in improvement in the standard of training and performance of boxers from the state.

The sports organizations have encouraged the state’s sports authorities to send senior coaches to upgraded courses to improve the ‘present stagnant coaching’ to higher levels.

With such new approaches the state would be able to produce players of national and international repute, the press release stated.

‘The lead given by the Police department should be emulated by all the richer associations particularly by the sports department to send the senior coaches for upgraded courses to improve the present stagnant coaching to higher level and harness the full potential of the players of all disciplines. With such new approaches the state would be able to produce players of national and international repute,’ the press release stated.

Al Ngullie May 26, 2016; Eastern Mirror

Tweet

New “government” comes into being in Nagaland

The underground group ‘NNC (Non Accord)’ has informed that it has “declared Govt. Democratic Republic of Nagaland (GDRN) as its Govt.” during a ‘function’ in Dimapur on Wednesday.  The group’s ‘MIP’ issued a press release on May 25 informing of the event.

The press release stated: “The NNC (Non Accord) has declared Govt. Democratic Republic of Nagaland (GDRN) as its Govt. in a function held in Dimapur on Wednesday. In a declaration speech Mr. Kiumukam Yimchunger, President NNC (Non Accord) stated that it was in the year 2011 at Khehoi Camp the NNC condemed Shillong accord which leds its group as NNC (Non Accord).”

“He stressed on peace unity and sovereignity of the Nagas. He further state that declaration of Govt. is because of Nagas prayer which was answered by Almighty God. By forming the Govt. NNC (Non Accord) will move joining with all the Naga People. He appeal to all Nagas to maintain peace and unity among the Nagas brother.”

Al Ngullie, May 25, 2016, Eastern Mirror

Tweet

‘Naga contractors want accountability, not contracts’

The Nagaland Contractors' & Suppliers' Union (NCSU) has sought to assurance the Naga public that it has no intention of scrounging benefits out of resisting ‘outside’ contractors in undertaking major development works in Nagaland.

The union issued a press release on Wednesday assuring that the entire gamut was primarily to protect the interest of the public in their search for accountability and just-development.

“The NCSU would like to make an appeal to all the NGOs and general public that the NCSU has no intention to get the contract works for our own benefits but we are standing for the welfare and benefits of the Nagas in general,” the NCSU stated. 

“The NCSU is not at all against the construction of four lane Kohima-Dimapur road which was awarded to Maytas & Gayatri (13 km. /one package) rather we are eagerly awaiting for the road to complete and experience the joy of travelling in the road during our life time like in the other developed states.”

As mentioned by the Chakroma GB Union, published in the daily news paper, that the local contractors were ‘not equally qualified or competent when compared with the multi-crore company from other Indian states.’

“But if we do not voice out our rights like in the case of the construction of Naga Hospital Kohima by M/s. Dunlop Company where only 25% of the work had been haphazardly done and left, Nagas in general will suffer only. Though Nagas are satisfied with the 25% development. Where is the other 75% works?” the organization queried.  

Likewise, the union stated, “the construction of two lane road under SARDP project covering 332 km. amounting to Rs, 1130 crore undertaken by the Maytas & Gayatri which was sublet to M/S Ratna is the biggest ever project in our state is now completely abandoned for more than five years without complete even a single kilometer.”

The Naga public travelling by said road is the living witnesses to how they are suffering and experiencing the untold inconveniences because of ‘development’ undertaken without accountability, the union implied.

The union added: “Therefore, the NCSU demands that the Maytas & Gayatri (JV) should first complete the two lane road under SARDP project within the stipulated time given by the Court Commission and only after that, should take up other new projects in Nagaland. After fulfilling our demands, NCSU is ready to co-operate with the Company. Failing to do so, NCSU reaffirm to go for its own course of action in the interest of general public.”

Al Ngullie, May 25, 2016, Eastern Mirror

Tweet

AR nabs NSCN (K) cadre involved in IG stadium attack

The Assam Rifles have apprehended a cadre of the underground group NSCN (K) who is alleged to have been one of the perpetrators that attacked security personnel at the Indra Gandhi Stadium on March 26, in Kohima, that subsequently led to the abrogation of the group’s ceasefire with the government.

The Assam Rifles issued a press release on Wednesday informing about the catch.

“On 23 May 2016, 37 Assam Rifles under the aegis of 6 Sector Assam Rifles apprehended No 14695 self styled Captain Nasaka Kinny of NSCN (K) during an operation launched by the unit in Thilixu area of Dimapur,” the establishment stated.  

“Self Styled Captain Nasaka is one of the four NSCN (K) cadres who carried out attack on Assam Rifles personnel at Indra Gandhi Stadium on 26 Mar 15, which resulted in abrogation of cease-fire that NSCN (K) had with Govt of India. Since this incident, Nasaka was wanted by the police and the security forces with a prize money of Rs 2 lakhs on his head. After carrying out the attack Nasaka had escaped to Ponyo camp of NSCN (K) in Myanmar. Recently he came back in the state with intensions to carry out attacks on SF,” the press release said.  

Personnel of the 37th Assam Rifles launched an operation during the night of May 22-23 that led to the capture of the cadre, the security force said. He was apprehended along with ‘six weapons and warlike stores,’ it stated. The recovered weapons are said to include an AK-47 Assault Rifle, a US Carbine, two .22 rifles and two single barrel guns. In addition, a Chinese hand grenade, a prismatic compass and 194 rounds of assorted ammunition were also found in his possession, the press release said.

“On spot questioning, Nasaka admitted his alliance with NSCN (K) as well as his involvement in  attack on Assam Rifles personnel at Indra Gandhi Stadium, Kohima,” the security force added.

Al Ngullie, May 25, 2016, Eastern Mirror

Tweet

No time for politics–release our salaries, teachers to govt.

The All Nagaland Aggrieved Hindi Teachers Association (ANAHTA) has expressed anger for what it stated was the state government’s continuing denial of the salary due to them. The teachers have students to take care of; they do not have the time or resources to approach the government time and again to seek redress for what was rightfully theirs, the Hindi teachers stated.

The organization issued a press release on Wednesday demanding that the government make necessary arrangements to release the pending salaries at the earliest.

The teachers stated: ‘The ANAHTA having denied the monthly pay for another four months urge the state government to make the necessary arrangement and release the pending salaries. As we the teachers have reiterated time and again for the timely release of our salaries, however, the same trend of delay continues. By the inaction of the government on timely release of our salaries, we have been on several occasions forced to agitate.’

The teachers remarked that the state government must now “kindly allow the teachers to focus on the students as it should be.”

“The state government and the department may kindly be reminded that we the teachers cannot approach the authorities time and again because we have to teach the students, we also do not have the resources to keep on approaching the authorities for what is rightfully ours. The esteemed authorities should be kindly reminded that the salaries and the survival is a matter of rights,” the ANAHTA stated.

The ANAHTA also urged the department in concern to direct its subordinate officers in the districts to release the salaries within a time scale as some of the organization’s members were yet to receive their due for December and January. The payment was due to be released by the first week of the month “making the aggrieved teachers to wait for more than three weeks after the order has been released,” the ANAHTA stated.

“The ANAHTA also ask why the teachers were made to suffer more and is it not the responsibility of the department to direct its subordinate officials to disburse our salaries within a time frame.”

The ANAHTA has asked the Nagaland government to carry forward the matter of the Hindi teachers “which is due to be complete its five years term by March 2017.”

“It is clearly mentioned in all the sanction letters of MHRD page 2 (No. 4), which states, ‘The responsibility of maintenance of Hindi teachers and payment of their salaries after the completion of the terminal year of the next plan period rest upon the state government. They will be required to discharge this responsibility out of their own resources in their budget and there will be no liability on part of Central Government in this regard.’”

 The ANAHTA also requested directorate of School Education, and the secretary for Finances and the Parliamentary Secretary for School Education, to address the teachers’ grievances by immediately releasing said salaries up to the month of May.

The organization cautioned that “if our grievance is not redressed, we shall be (left) with no option but to take our own course of action for which the government and the department shall be held liable.”

Al Ngullie, May 25, 2016, Eastern Mirror

Tweet

Angry Peren rubbishes PHED’s response on water supply issue

The Joint Action Committee for Restoration of Water Supply in Peren town has reacted sharply to the clarifications offered by the Public Health Engineering division of Peren concerning water supply to the town. The committee issued a press release on Wednesday demanding answers why the division neglected the matter for ‘more than 40 years’ and whipped the department for diverting issues and shifting blame on others.  

“The Public of Peren town completely agrees with the clarification of K Kruse, chief engineer, PHED, on the point that ‘the existing water supply from Tesangki source has outlived its design period and is in bad shape.’ If this is the case, the department must also clarify as to why the department was sleeping over the issue for the last more than 40 years as the pipelines were installed in the 1970s. What has PHE department done and executed to improve and augment the existing water supply from Tesangki source, when they very well knew that it had outlived its design period?” the committee queried.

Members of Peren town had undertaken a silent procession recently. They submitted a 15-day ultimatum to the department of PHE to set up a special investigation team “for restoration of water supply to Peren town.”

The very night, PHED staffers had rushed to Tesangki to take up temporary repairing works, the committee stated.

“This implies that the department slept over the matter for 5 longs months over a job that could have been done in a day? The department must not hoodwink the public and must come out clean as to what the department was doing from January 2016 till 19th May,” the committee stated in ridicule.

The committee stated that it had clearly stated in its press release, which was published in the local dailies, that some miscreants had taken advantage of the ‘ongoing land dispute between Peren village and Tesen village’ to destroy the entire stretch of PHE pipeline at the Tesangki source.

“What has the department done to book the culprits who had damaged the pipelines at Tesangki source when on numerous instances, PHED had forcefully imposed penalty for recovering the cost of even unintended damages,” the committee stated.

The committee said that members of the public of Peren town had on May 17 undertaken verification of Tesangki River from the source till the delivery point. “…contradictory to the excuses of its officials that there was no water at the source, the public saw with their own eyes that there was more than enough water to supply the entire town. PHED department must admit the fact that, it is purely the negligence of PHED department and its officials and must stop fooling the public with concocted stories which otherwise will not go down well.”

“Whether Tesangki River falls under Peren Village or Tesen Village jurisdiction for that matter, the people of Peren Town, for no fault of theirs, are facing untold pain and hardship simply because of the negligence of the Department.”

The committee also stated that providing water from tube wells to the public was only an ‘added measure’ to strengthen the existing water supply system and “absolutely not a solution to the chronic water scarcity faced by the public.”

Further, the “boundary issue” is a long drawn issue spanning for decades and is best left to the competent authorities but the PHED must clarify as to whether the department’s staffs were harassed for undertaking any developmental work in the said area, the committee demanded to know.

The committee stated: “If PHED feels that it has a stake in the dispute than they may feel free to become a party to the case and seek legal recourse. While the Joint Action Committee for Restoration of Water Supply in Peren Town had walked an extra mile to avoid compounding on the animosity between the stakeholder villages and walk a very tight rope over this sensitive issue, this unwarranted reasoning and effort to divert the blemish of the department and shift the blame on land dispute, only reflects the callous and ill-motivated intent of the department.”

Dubbing the attitude of the department, “sick mentality” that “smack of mala-fide intention, with no sincerity to solve the problem at hand,” it would only add fuel to the fire, the committee stated.

“Has K. Kruse, chief engineer PHED ever witnessed the realities of PHE pipelines leading to Peren town, leave alone the source at Tesangki? When his officials at Peren have admitted that they had never once gone for field duty to Tesangki source, how can the CE PHED sitting at Kohima give clarification as to what the ground realities are at Peren?”

As for the ultimatum so served to the department, the committee said that it stands. “We demand the government to form a special investigation team before the expiry of the 15 days mentioned thereof,” the committee added.    

Al Ngullie, May 25, 2016, Eastern Mirror 

Tweet

Colony warns extortionists: Come extort, collect illegal ‘tax’ at your risk

Citizens of Forest colony in Kohima town have issued a warning to extortionists – come to our colony and extort at your own peril.  The community has strongly warned against extortion or collection of any illegal “taxes” in the area.

The Forest Colony Union of Kohima issued a note on Tuesday assuring that extortionists would be intruding into the lives of the colony’s people at own peril and ‘consequences.’ 

“The Forest Colony Union (of) Kohima as empowered by its resolution adopted had resolved that no extortion or illegal tax collection by any individual, groups or organization shall be allowed within its jurisdiction unless the same is authorized,” the community organization stated.

‘It is forewarned that if, any individual, group or organization indulges in such criminal activities shall be doing so at his/their own risk and consequences. To this effect, the residents, .i.e. the public are call upon to be vigilant and to safe guard our rights against any illegal intruders into the colony,’ the note stated.  

The colony also minced no words for those who live off other’s earnings and work: “Idlers, loafers and drifters” in the society have the ‘tendency’ to disturb the lives of the people.

“Tendency to interrupt the peaceful atmosphere and tranquility of the resided people are at large. Idlers, loafers and drifters in the society always have the tendency to create mischievous ventures and to distort fellow human beings ruthlessly, with or without intentions,” it added.

(Al Ngullie, Dimapur, May 24)

Tweet

Sorry Kohima, you flunked the Smart City exam–again!

Oh, well, at least the capital’s authorities appeared for the roll call. Kohima didn’t make it yet again to the winners’ list in the center’s Fast Track Competition that is currently on as part of the ambitious nationwide Smart City Program.

Closer home, even Manipur’s Imphal, once considered a wilderness plagued by corruption, arrested development and insurgent violence, was among the winners.  

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Urban Development announced 13 cities from as many states as winners of the Fast Track competition conducted for 23 cities from as many states and union territories. Lucknow topped the list of winners.

Announcing the winners at a media conference on the occasion of two years of the government in office, Minister of Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation M Venkaiah Naidu said that the cities that participated in the competition improved the quality of smart city plans by up to over 25% to become eligible for selection. With the selection of these 13 cities, 25 states/union territories are now covered under Smart City Mission.

During the occasion, Naidu released a publication ‘Urban Renaissance: May,2014-May, 2016’ giving a detailed account of paradigm shift in attitudes and approaches to urban planning and governance and the major drivers of urban revival and transformation set in motion during the last two years.

Other winners of Fast Track competition were Warangal, Telanagana (13%), Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh (27%), Chandigarh (9%), Raipur, Chattisgarh (25%), New Town Kolkata (11%), Bhagalpur, Bihar (25%), Panaji, Goa (9%), Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (26%), Imphal, Manipur (27%), Ranchi, Jharkhand (27%), Agartala, Tripura (25%) and Faridabad, Haryana(12%).

These 13 cities were selected based on the marks scored by them in the Fast Track competition and the bench marks set by the top performers in the first round of Smart City Challenge competition in which the first 20 cities were selected from among 98 mission cities.

Naidu said that the 13 cities have substantially improved their smart city plans by addressing the deficiencies identified in the first round of competition by ensuring better profiling of respective cities in terms of infrastructure gaps and baseline service levels, ensuring consistency between citizens’ aspirations and action plans, more feasible resource mobilization plans and coordinated and integrated picture of how individual projects will contribute to area level changes.

Other cities that participated in Fast Track Competition were: Namchi, Sikkim and ranked 14, Aizawl, Mizoram(15), Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh(16), Dehradun, Uttarakhand (17), Kohima, Nagaland(18), Oulgaret, Puducherry(19), Silvassa, Dadra, Nagar & Haveli(20), Kavaratti, Lakshdweep (21), Diu, Daman & Diu(22) and Shillong, Meghalaya(23). These cities can submit their revised smart city plans for evaluation in the second round of regular competition underway by the end of June.

The minister also informed further that the central assistance toward improving basic infrastructure in the urban areas has been increased to Rs.1,13,143 crore under the new urban missions as against only Rs.33,902 crore during 2004-14.  For affordable housing for urban poor, a central assistance of Rs.10,050 crore has already been approved as against only Rs.17,889 crore during the previous ten years, he said.
(Al Ngullie, Dimapur, May 24)

Tweet

Don’t shy away from sex and HIV-AIDS issues, churches told

The churches in Nagaland can no longer shy away from ‘moral issues’ such as sex but need to recognize and acknowledge its role in the spiritual narrative because sex is one reason the fight against HIV-AIDS must continue, participants at a recent seminar on HIV-AIDS in Mokokchung were told.

Churches can be ‘the pillar of hope’ for people affected by HIV. The institution can bring about a change in the HIV situation of Nagaland, resource persons said.

‘We need the support of the church,’ said a resource person from the Legislators’ Forum on AIDS, during a daylong seminar for churches arranged by a nongovernmental organization, the Care and Support Society in collaboration with the Pastor’s Fellowship of Mokokchung Town. 

The event was supported by the forum.

The seminar was conducted at Artang Baptist Church on May 24. Resource persons, unnamed in a DIPR report on Tuesday, are said to have lamented that 20 years had gone by since nongovernmental organizations began taking steps to control HIV in Nagaland. The spread of HIV is still continuing, they said. The NGOs alone cannot fight HIV; rather, fighting HIV is the responsibility of every right thinking citizen and community including the church.

The meaning was that the church was the right platform to fight HIV as it enjoyed ‘wider coverage’ and influence on the community than any other community group. ‘The church is permanent while NGOs are not; the church has authority and influence; the church can give spiritual guidance and the church possess strong financial resources,’ the speakers are said to have told the gathering.

Taking all the factors into consideration, the churches in Nagaland can step forward to create awareness about HIV through community programs and also help remove stigma and discrimination away from those affected by HIV, the gathering was told.

During an interaction session of the program, topics about the church’s silence on the issue of HIV/AIDS, and what the church can do were discussed. Church workers and Care and Support Society members participated in the program. 

A separate update from the Care and Support Society said on Tuesday that the resource persons were from the District AIDS prevention and control unit and Hukatoli Choppy of the forum. Members of the control unit spoke about the HIV scenario in Nagaland and of Mokokchung district.

“Sex is almost related to moral issue so churches need to think and consider this concern. Ms. Hukatoli Choppy share about the role of the church on HIV because funds are reducing from funding agencies and in near future there will be no funding for HIV but a lot of issues are arising because sexual route of transmission is very high and church have resources like men power, money in so on. Church can play vital role on this issue,” the NGO added in its note. 

(Al Ngullie)

Tweet

How Nagaland police can embrace HIV intervention roles

Law enforcement and HIV sufferers have a common ground in the context of redress. On its part, the police in Nagaland must have to see HIV-AIDS from the perspective of health intervention and not as a ground of prosecution, reports our Kohima Correspondent Atono Tsukru

Law enforcement, particularly the police force, always comes in direct contact with those deemed criminal and antisocial. Recognizing the police establishment as a possible platform to addressing HIV-AIDS issues among said community, a state workshop on HIV-AIDS was conducted for law enforcers in Kohima town on Tuesday.

The program was the recognition of a unique opportunity in that the law enforcement departments would be able to play the role of facilitator in reducing vulnerabilities to the risk of HIV infection among those in conflict with the law and associated marginalized sections of the society.

The program was jointly organized local nongovernmental organizations Kripa Foundation and FHI 360 and state agencies the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) and the Nagaland police department. Director General of Police LL Doungel, was the chief guest of the event. Dr Bitra George, country director of FHI 360, was the resource person.

Addressing police personnel, Doungel said that the mindset and perception of the people towards HIV-AIDS had changed over the years, unlike in the past when people had ‘a mental block, stigma and social abhorrence’ at sufferers of HIV/AIDS.

‘Now we don’t get judgmental or scared, but we realize it’s a problem that everyone has to face collectively,’ said the police chief. Doungel asserted that the matter was something that couldn’t be avoided; it is spread across the communities, and cannot be stopped unless ‘we are able to get into the community, and tell them what this problem is all about and the way out too.’

The official asserted further that the people need to recognize the problem of HIV-AIDS as a common concern, one that is shared by all–a social burden for everyone which demands more than the role of just the police, but every other citizen as well.

Also speaking about the role of police personnel against the inflow of drugs into Nagaland, the police chief said the enforcement can exert preventive actions by denying an opportunity to persons who are to use them. The police can exert stringent postures to restrict the movement of contraband, for instance, ‘which are harmful to the users and the society as a whole.’

Although not denying that the police cannot entirely stop the flow of illegal drugs from reaching where it can be abused and used, the DGP said, enforcement within the context of abuse and health is where police personnel need to be sensitized ‘so that the flow is stopped.’
‘Though it is not possible to entirely stop (flow of detrimental substances), we are doing whatever we can…we all have to work in tandem to address the problem, only then we can get somewhere,’ Doungel said.

In order to see that the HIV/AIDS is controlled, Doungel said as an advice, the state’s police personnel must ‘first see that one is not infected, don’t get it and be wise about it.’

The police chief said that the department has been ‘trying to address the problem’ for the past several years ‘by inclusion of HIV/AIDS sensitization in its training curriculum of Recruit

Constables so that one is no longer ignorant.’ The schematics would enable police officers to address the problem ‘much better and also enforce the law with some degree of awareness,’ he added.

Dr Bitra George delivered a PowerPoint to highlight drug control and regulations besides provisions under the NDPS Act. The resource person said that the people need to understand that drug dependence is a chronic relapsing disorder which requires proper prevention and treatment services.

Dr. George asserted that the law enforcement officials should understand and look at the issue from a public health perspective rather than take the punitive approach. The law enforces plays a key role by linking the marginalized and criminalized sections of the society to services and interventions available for their restitutions, he said.

Giving an overview of HIV/AIDS programs in Nagaland, the project director of the NSACS, Dr Meguosilie Kire, said the percentage of Nagaland in HIV prevalence was 0.78%. It is higher than the national average at 0.26%. He said that the ‘most productive age,’ those between 25-35 years are being ‘consumed’ by HIV/AIDS with 90% of HIV transmissions through the sexual route.

Dr Kire also said that the police, as the mandated protectors of the civil rights of citizens, need to understand the High Risk Groups (HRGs) and enhance and support the functioning of targeted intervention programs in the state. He pointed out that the police department needed to address ‘drug dependence in the police force too. At the same time, he suggested treatment options to jailed persons who abuse drugs.

The members of the workshop have decided to form a working group comprising police officers and members from partner nongovernmental organizations. The group will work at strategies for further action for the state.

(Al Ngullie)

Tweet

Kohima orders ban on all tobacco products–for a day

The “tobacco-free city” of Kohima town is affecting an administrative mechanism to curb tobacco in the capital–at least for a specific day. The district’s administration has ordered total ban on the sale of tobacco products in the town on May 31. The date is also World No Tobacco Day.

The deputy commissioner of the district, Rovilatuo Mor, issued an official notification this week stating ‘total ban on sale of tobacco products’ in the town on said day. The notification did not specify the products.

The administration has ‘requested’ all the shopkeepers in the capital town that are selling tobacco products, to abide by the order. Defaulters will be ‘fined as per the law,’ it stated.

To those who came in late, World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. It is intended to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption around the globe.

The day is further intended to draw attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to negative health effects, which currently lead to nearly 6 million deaths each year worldwide, including 600,000 of which is the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.

The member states of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987. In the past twenty years, the day has been met with both enthusiasm and resistance around the globe from governments, public health organizations, smokers, growers, and the tobacco industry. (Info: Wikipedia)

The establishment of Kohima’s deputy commissioner also notified that a number of sections in the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) of 2003 will be implemented in Kohima district with immediate effect. The sections as decreed by the administration are:

Section 4: Prohibition of smoking in public places

Section 5:

(a) Prohibition of advertisement of cigarettes or other tobacco products to a person below the age of 18 years.

(b) Prohibition on sale of tobacco products in an area within a radius of 100 yards of an educational institution

Section 7: Restriction on trade and commerce in production, supply and distribution of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

The administration has directed shopkeepers to strictly abide by section 6 of the COTPA. Defaulters have been warned that they would be penalized.

The notification was issued in exercise of the power conferred by section-21, section-24 and section-25 of the cigarettes and other tobacco products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of the trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) Act and for effective implementation of section-4, section-5, section-6 and section-7 of the COTPA of 2003.

(Al Ngullie)

Tweet