iMizoram : Blog Title the same as above

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Award for Mizoram CM

AIZAWL, Dec 3 – The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) has conferred ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla at the North East India Congress on Church in Mission (NEICOCIM) Conference held at CBCNEI Mission Compound in Guwahati recently.

Expressing his gratitude to EFI for the award, Lal Thanhawla said he was happy over the acknowledgement given to his ‘little contribution’ for peace and harmony in Mizoram.

The Chief Minister lauded EFI for its missions for peace in the region. He mentioned that during the Kuki-Naga ethnic conflict in June 1992 and that of Dimasa-Hmar in April 2003, EFI leaders stepped out for peace and harmony after the government failed to stem the rot.

Fake notes with Rs 1.5 lakh face value seized

Fake Indian currency notes having a face value of Rs 1.5 lakh were seized from one person who was arrested during a joint operation by BSF and police at Gumrah bordering Meghalaya in the district today.

The joint team apprehended 24-year-old Nazmul Islam Laskar with notes of Rs 500 denomination having a total face value of Rs 1.5 lakh, a BSF official said.

The consignment had come from Bangladesh and was meant to be distributed in Gumrah, Kalain, Jalalpur and bordering villages, BSF spokesman and Deputy Inspector General, HQ BSF Mizoram and Cachar Frontier, Satish Budakoti, said.

Laskar, who used to work in coal mines in Meghalaya before getting involved in the fake currency racket, was handed over to the police, Budakoti said.

9,637 people HIV positive in Mizoram

AIZAWL, Dec 3 : At least 9,637 people in Mizoram have been found to be HIV-positive while 587 AIDS patients died in the State in the last 24 years, according to Mizoram State AIDS Control Society.

MSACS officials said that 2,97,375 blood samples have been tested since October 1990 till October this year.

The officials said that while the number of new infections decreased considerably, the change in the mode of transmission was disturbing.

“During the early years, intravenous drug users and sex workers were the high risk groups, but things have changed over the past years,” they said, adding that as of now, an alarming 68.85 per cent of HIV positives got infected through unprotected sexual intercourse.

Students staged demonstrations on the streets as the World AIDS Day was observed here with placards reading – “Getting to Zero - Zero Infection, Zero Discrimination & Zero Death”, the theme of the World AIDS Day 2014.

Shillong: Over 2300 people are infected with HIV that causes AIDS in Meghalaya and 460 new cases annually were detected, State Health Minister AL Hek said today.

The HIV prevalence is estimated at 2,381 infections which included adults as well as children and an estimation of 460 new cases of HIV infections in the age group of 15 years and above annually, Hek who addressed the World Aids Day celebration here said.

It is of paramount importance that new HIV infections be prevented and will require a decisive action guided by a ground breaking vision of Zero new HIV Infection, Zero discrimination, Zero AIDS related deaths. We believe that by taking the right decision we can achieve universal access to HIV prevention treatment, care and support, he said.

Earlier, Hek flagged off the Zindagi Zindabad Campaign to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS throughout the State and lighted a candle to mark the celebration of the World AIDS Day.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Mizoram Minister hints at austerity measures

AIZAWL, Nov 21 – Mizoram Finance Minister Lalsawta yesterday said that he expected to announce proposals for introduction of new taxes and imposition of austerity measures during the current fiscal.

Lalsawta, during discussion on the budget, expressed the hope that the government employees and the general public would understand the proposal for austerity measures and new taxes.

Outlining the serious fiscal problems being faced by Mizoram, he said that tough measures were required to solve the financial crunch by mobilisation of additional resources and pushing fiscal reforms.

Simplifying mode of payment of taxes and online payment would be one of his priorities, he said, adding that the government has received several proposals for mobilisation of additional resources.

Downsizing government work force while enhancing the efficiency of the government would be one of the most important agenda of the government, he said.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Mizoram to announce new taxes and austerity measures: Lalsawta

Mizoram Finance Minister Lalsawta today said that he expected to announce proposals for introduction of new taxes and imposition of austerity measures during the current fiscal.

Lalsawta, during discussion on the budget, expressed the hope that the government employees and the general public would understand the proposal for austerity measures and new taxes.

Outlining the serious fiscal problems being faced by Mizoram, he said that tough measures were required to solve the financial crunch by mobilisation of additional resources and pushing fiscal reforms.

Simplifying mode of payment of taxes and online payment would be one of his priorities, he said, adding that the government has received several proposals for mobilisation of additional resources.

Downsizing government work force while enhancing the efficiency of the government would be one of the most important agenda of the government, he said.

663 committed suicide in nine years in Mizoram

At least 663 people have committed suicide over the past nine years in Mizoram, with depression identified as the main cause, a report said Wednesday.

An Aizawl-based NGO, New Life Charity Society (NeLICS), recorded and analysed these deaths between September 2005 and October 2014.

"The main cause of suicide in Mizoram is depression and the majority of the people who commit such acts belong to the youth category," Zawmsanga Sailo, NeLICS chairman, told reporters Wednesday.

NeLICS records show most victims were between 15 and 45 years.

Zawmsanga said: "Seventy-five percent of the suicides in the nine years were committed by males."

The oldest person who committed suicide was a 86-year-old man while the youngest was an eight-year-old boy.

Zawmsanga said the misuse of technological advancement in the form of mobile phones among the young had largely attributed to suicides.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Mizoram govt to ask Centre to set up border haat at Thingsai

Aizawl, Nov 18 : Mizoram government will ask the Centre to include Mizoram-Myanmar border village of Thingsai in Lunglei district for establishment of a Border Haat for the economic development of the area, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla told the assembly.

Intervening in a discussion on the issue during question hour today, Lal Thanhawla said that a road has been constructed by the state government in Myanmar to facilitate communication between people of the two neighbouring countries.

Replying to a question from John Siamkunga of the ruling Congress, Trade and Commerce Minister H Rohluna said that while the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the 12th Five-year plan basket list had included Thingsai as a border trade centre, the village was not included in the agreement signed between India and Myanmar on the selection of villages for establishment of border haats.

Rohluna also said that formal inauguration of an Indo-Myanmar border trade centre at Zokhawthar village in Champhai district was yet to be undertaken even as all the infrastructure have been completed.

He added that informal border trade was going on at the trade centre.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Four men, including a Myanmar national, arrested for heroin possession

Mizoram’s main anti-narcotics agency has arrested a Myanmar national and three others in four separate seizures of heroin in Aizawl over the past day and a half, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Excise and Narcotics Department investigators on Tuesday afternoon arrested 62-year-old Runliana of Myanmar’s Tahan township for possession 38 grams of heroin in the Tuikual North area of Aizawl.

Later that same day around midnight, officials arrested 25-year-old Lalrinmuana of Zokhawthar, an Indo-Myanmar border town, with 13.5 grams of heroin at the Chanmari West area of the state capital.

Then around 2 am on Wednesday, officials also arrested 26-year-old Laljoela of Rangvamual neighbourhood with 15.5 grams 500 of heroin.

Less than an hour afterward, anti-narcotics investigators also arrested 26-year-old Lalramnghaka, also from the Rangvamual area, for possessing 15 grams of heroin.

All four men have been booked under the NDPS Act.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Tax-free deficit Budget in Mizoram

AIZAWL, Nov 12 : Mizoram Finance Minister Lalsawta today presented a tax-free deficit Budget amounting to Rs 6,770.79 crore for the current fiscal.

Lalsawta explained that he could not present the full Budget during the Budget Session in March and was compelled to seek vote-on-account for two times for a period of eight months due to late finalisation of the State Annual Plan Outlay for 2014-15.

The Budget, presented in the State Assembly, has provisioned Rs 3,140 crore under Plan outlay and Rs 3,630.79 crore under Non-Plan expenditure.

The fund is expected to be received under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR), Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) and North Eastern Council (NEC), now allocated in the Plan fund since the past one year.

The closing deficit for the current financial year was estimated at Rs 608.39 crore as against the opening deficit of Rs 357.18 crore. He did not announce any new tax.

In his Budget speech, Lalsawta spoke about the acute financial difficulties being faced by the State and stressed on the importance of following strict austerity measures.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Twelve-day Mizoram assembly session to start Tuesday, delayed budget and four bills to be tabled

Four bills and a delayed budget is set to be tabled before the house as the Mizoram Legislative Assembly begins its 12-day winter session starting Tuesday.

The session will finally see a full-fledged budget presented before legislators by Finance Minister Lalsawta after two vote-on-accounts of state finances in earlier sessions were necessitated by a delayed release of funds by the Centre. Mizoram depends on more than 90 percent of it’s finances on New Delhi.

Debates about the budget is likely to be stormy since the opposition parties have been raising the issue of the government’s “financial mismanagement” even as it has been reported that the salary component of the plan-fund has been axed to just half of last year’s, a much-discussed issue since the government is the largest employer in the state which has half it’s working population in the tertiary sector.

The Finance Minister has of late also spoken several times on the need to raise taxes to meet government expenses.

The upcoming session will also see the tabling of four important state bills, including one to regulate marriages, divorce and inheritances among residents and another for the setting up of a Lokayukta.

Various bodies including the powerful Mizo Students’ Association, also known as MZP, have been pressing for the setting up of a Lokayukta for years.

As many as 244 starred questions and 49 unstarred questions and two resolutions, including one for the ratification of the National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2014, have also been submitted.

Four bills and a delayed budget is set to be tabled before the house as the Mizoram Legislative Assembly begins its 12-day winter session starting Tuesday.
The session will finally see a full-fledged budget presented before legislators by Finance Minister Lalsawta after two vote-on-accounts of state finances in earlier sessions were necessitated by a delayed release of funds by the Centre. Mizoram depends on more than 90 percent of it’s finances on New Delhi.
Debates about the budget is likely to be stormy since the opposition parties have been raising the issue of the government’s “financial mismanagement” even as it has been reported that the salary component of the plan-fund has been axed to just half of last year’s, a much-discussed issue since the government is the largest employer in the state which has half it’s working population in the tertiary sector.
The Finance Minister has of late also spoken several times on the need to raise taxes to meet government expenses.
The upcoming session will also see the tabling of four important state bills, including one to regulate marriages, divorce and inheritances among residents and another for the setting up of a Lokayukta.
Various bodies including the powerful Mizo Students’ Association, also known as MZP, have been pressing for the setting up of a Lokayukta for years.
As many as 244 starred questions and 49 unstarred questions and two resolutions, including one for the ratification of the National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2014, have also been submitted.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/twelve-day-mizoram-assembly-session-to-start-tuesday-delayed-budget-and-four-bills-to-be-tabled/#sthash.v6B9AB91.dpuf

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

High-level functionary of political party’s youth wing arrested in Rs 20 lakh extortion bid

The Mizoram Police have arrested a high-ranking political party worker and his accomplice for threatening an Aizawl resident to pay Rs 20 lakhs. The Zoram Nationalist Party has however denied the party’s involvement.

Jacob Lianhuapa (40), currently chief organizer of the ZNP’s youth wing, and Vanlalliana (20), who has been living with Jacob for sometime, were arrested by investigators of the CID (Special Branch) late on Monday night.

Investigators said Jacob first called up S T Khama, a former ponzi scheme collector and one-time independent MLA candidate, on his cellphone in mid-October and asked him to pay their “outfit” Rs 20 lakhs.

Jacob did not identify himself or mention what the “outfit” was, but gave S T Khama a deadline of October 26 to make the payment and said “we will do what needs to be done” if he did not.

Khama informed the police, and the CID (SB) was roped in to investigate. In the meantime, Khama negotiated with Jacob saying he would pay them Rs 3 lakhs first, and an Aizawl hotel was designated a drop-off point.

“The money was delivered on Sunday to the hotel, but the Jacob not pick it up immediately. On Monday he paid a coolie to collect the money and asked him to leave it with an elderly hawker. His accomplice Vanlalliana then picked it up from the hawker in the evening,” said a CID (SB) official.

Plainclothes policemen from the unit immediately tracked him on foot for several hours and eventually arrested Jacob and Vanlalliana on Monday night on a side alley in Aizawl’s Chanmari neighbourhood.

“We have no information that Jacob is connected to a militant group so it is likely he acted for his own benefit. It is unclear if he was doing this as part of party activity,”the investigator said.

Lalmuanpuia Punte, ZNP youth president, denied knowledge of the incident and said, “The ZNP did not in any way ask these men to carry out these activities.”

The Zoram Nationalist party immediately stripped Jacob Lianhuapa of his position as Chief Organizer of the party’s youth wing on Tuesday afternoon, when news of his arrest spread.

Sandalwood seized in Mizoram

Aizawl: Customs officials seized 5,281 kilos of red sandalwood in Mizoram-Myanmar border Champhai town on Sunday, Customs officials Tuesday said.

The officials said that the seized red sandalwood is worth around Rs 1.05 crore in the local market.

Challiana (30) a resident of Vengthlang locality in Champhai was arrested in this connection and he was accused of concealing the seized red sandalwood in his granary.

The Customs officials kept the seized red sandalwood in the custody of the Assam Rifles in Champhai.

Mizo govt to take strict action against extortionists

Aizawl: Mizoram government will take stringent action against militants involved in extortion, state Home Minister R Lalzirliana Tuesday said.

Lalzirliana said some militants active in the Mizoram-Manipur-Assam border areas were sending letters demanding money from government employees posted in those areas.

He appealed to government employees not to succumb to the pressures from "unwanted elements" and warned that those indulging in the illegal activity would be punished.

Meanwhile, Manipur-based Hmar People's Convention (Democrats) has said the outfit was not involved in the extortion racket in the border areas.

A statement issued by the Hmar group said the extortionists were using its name to tarnish the image of the outfit.

HPC(D) has never harassed government employees working for the development of the Hmar people, the statement claimed, adding that "the criminals belonged to another group, but is using the name of HPC(D)."

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Two persons abducted in Mizoram

Two non-tribals hailing from Baghabazar village in Assam's Cachar district have been abducted by unidentified people, police said today.

Prabot Das and his friend Morrudin Laskar were abducted by people who had hired a van belonging to Das from Baghabazar village on Monday, SDPO of Vairengte Sub-Division Remlalliana Hnamte said.

The van was found near Mizoram-Assam border village of Bilkhawthlir and the abductors called the family members of Das on Tuesday and informed them that they had kidnapped Das and Laskar, he said.

A police party led by Hnamte launched a massive combing operation in the area.

The police were yet to ascertain whether the abductors were militants or goons operating in the Mizoram-Assam border areas.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Infant Mortality Rate in Mizoram '36' in past six months

The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in Mizoram during the past six months (April to September) was 36 and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) 121, health department officials said today.

There were 13 maternal deaths and 387 infant deaths (below one year) during the period, State Reproductive Child Health Programme Officer Dr R Lalthanga said.

The highest number of infant deaths were reported from the southern district of Saiha and the lowest number was from Mamit district, he said.

The IMR during the last fiscal in the state was 35 and MMR 76.

According to the health department record, 10,857 babies were born during April and September.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

‘Peter Biaksangzuala, look how many have come to see you off’

Peter’s No.21 jersey will be retired by his club (Source: FACEBOOK/MIZORAM PREMIER LEAGUE)

The death of a 23-year-old Mizo footballer from spinal-cord injuries he sustained during a goal-celebrating somersault has found a mention in football-centric online portals. Bloggers also paid tribute to Peter Biaksangzuala and a local news channel ran a special programme in his memory during prime-time on Monday evening.

Biaksangzuala, 23, a native of the eastern town of Khawzawl, played in the midfield position for the Mizoram Premier League club Bethlehem Vengthlang (BVT) FC, an Aizawl-based club. A player who could handle both defensive and midfield roles due to his experience on the semi-professional level, Peter earlier played for another MPL club, Kulikawn FC, and in between also signed with then reigning champions Dinthar FC. He moved briefly to a Shillong team before entering the MPL again, joining BVT this season.

Peter’s side had been down by a goal for the first 62 minutes in last Tuesday’s match against Chanmari West FC, a game that was important for the club currently third in the league table. The defensive midfielder then scored an equalizer, which was coincidentally also his first goal in the MPL.

As he celebrated with a series of somersaults, Peter fell and landed on his neck. He was carried off the field on a stretcher. His team eventually lost the match 3-2. Peter was admitted to the Aizawl Civil Hospital, where attempts to repair his spinal cord were unsuccessful. He was wheeled into the ICU on Friday night and put on a ventilator. He passed away at 7am on Sunday. Perhaps as a parting gift, he had donated his eyes.

Later that day, Indian Super League clubs North-East United and Goa also paid tribute to Peter by observing a few moments of silence before the match in Guwahati. MPL commentator Lalthanzama Vanchhawng remembers Peter fondly, and talks about a Christian youth event earlier this year at Peter’s hometown where the two chatted at length about his dreams of establishing a professional football career.

“He lived in a rented house in the Aizawl Venglai neighbourhood, and people I know from there have always spoken of him with fondness. He was a religious boy who also took part in a lot of community service,” Vanchhawng said. “Before he was wheeled into the ICU last week, he told his club officials not to worry, that he was going to rest in God’s arms.”

Final entry
Thousands attended a farewell ceremony held in the community hall on Sunday, and there was uncontrolled sobbing when the Pastor read out the last entry in his diary, which quotes from the Corinthians chapter of the Bible.

In a tearful farewell issued on the club’s Facebook page, BVT FC said in a statement, “Peter, look how many have come to see you off. The whole neighbourhood is grieving. On the roadside people are crying your name out, calling to you through tears but you do not answer. You wanted to spend your life on the football field, now you will spend eternity in heaven. Sing for us a victory song from there. Goodnight Peter.”

Monday, October 20, 2014

Mizo girl’s body arrives in Aizawl

Aizawl: The body of Juliet Zonunmawi, the Mizo girl who died in her Munirka apartment in Delhi on Thursday night, was brought to Mizoram on Sunday. She was laid to rest in a local cemetery in Aizawl's Kulikawn locality on the same day.

An autopsy was performed on Zonunmawi's body at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital and a farewell function was held at the Mizoram House in Delhi before it was flown to Aizawl.

The local council of Kulikawn urged Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla to take note of the matter and ensure that the culprits are booked soon.

A number of organizations in Mizoram condemned the brutal murder. They also demanded an end to racial discrimination against people from the northeast in other parts of the country

Soccer player dies after goal celebration goes wrong

Bethlehem Vengthlang FC midfielder Peter Biaksangzuala died on Sunday at a hospital in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram after the incident in Tuesday’s match in the third tier Mizoram Premier League (MPL). (laurine kat/YouTube)

By AMLAN CHAKRABORTY

A 23-year-old Indian footballer has died from severe spinal cord damage after attempting to celebrate a goal with a somersault, an official told Reuters on Monday.
Bethlehem Vengthlang FC midfielder Peter Biaksangzuala died on Sunday at a hospital in the northeastern Indian state of Mizoram after the incident in Tuesday’s match in the third tier Mizoram Premier League (MPL).
“We are shocked by the case. We at the Mizoram Football Association did all we could but could not save him,” MFA secretary Lalnghinglova Hmar told Reuters by telephone.
After scoring the equalizer against Chanmari West FC, a flipping Biaksangzuala landed awkwardly and was lying unconscious as his team mates surrounded him and gestured for help.
“We considered the option to fly him to Delhi but his condition was pretty bad. He was mostly unconscious, occasionally spelling out a few words,” Hmar said.
Bethlehem has decided to retire the number 21 jersey as a tribute to Biaksangzuala while Hmar said MFA would organize a match in his memory.
FIFA said that any additional measures curbing goal celebrations would have to be approved by soccer’s rule-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
“This is a tragedy and we are very concerned about this incident,” said FIFA in a statement to Reuters.
“It is the responsibility of IFAB to rule on amendments to the Laws of the Game.”
FIFA added that any national association can propose a change to the rules, and the suggestion must be submitted by Dec. 1 to be considered at IFAB’s next annual general meeting.
The laws of the game currently stipulate automatic yellow cards if a player removes his shirt, covers his face with a mask, makes a provocative gesture or climbs a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal.
The laws also state: “While it is permissible for a player to demonstrate his joy when a goal has been scored, the celebration must not be excessive.
“Reasonable celebrations are allowed, but the practice of choreographed celebrations is not to be encouraged when it results in excessive time-wasting and referees are instructed to intervene in such cases.
“Referees are expected to act in a preventative manner and to exercise common sense in dealing with the celebration of a goal.”
Last month, a player in Brazil escaped injury when he leapt into a hole as another goal celebration went wrong.
Coritiba forward Joel leapt the advertising hoardings behind the goal, unaware that there was a hole with steps leading down from the pitch to the dressing rooms.
Although he landed in the hole, his fall was softened by a tarpaulin and he was able to continue the match.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Mizoram to buy rice from private companies

AIZAWL, Oct 20 – Mizoram Government is planning to purchase rice from private companies and selected contractors to stem its shortage, State Food and Civil Supplies Minister John Rotluangliana said today.

The proposed purchase of rice is aimed at preventing shortage of rice in view of the ‘mega block’ caused by the ongoing gauge conversion work in the Lumding-Badarpur railway sector in Assam, Rotluangliana told reporters here.

The contractors appointed by the State Government would procure rice from any source including neighbouring countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh, he said.

Delhi Police's Aizawl in Manipur howler, then correction

New Delhi : Delhi Police were left red-faced Friday after issuing a press release over the murder of a woman in which it was mentioned that she hailed from Aizawl and said the town was part of Manipur.

However, 20 minutes later, the police rectified its mistake and issued a fresh press release stating that Aizawl was in Mizoram, not Manipur.

In its first release, the police said: "We got information at about 11 p.m. yesterday from the Safdarjung Hospital that a woman had been brought dead. She has been identified as Juliet, 27, resident of Aizawl, Manipur. She worked in a company in Gurgaon."

Delhi Police then issued a new release: "Kripya Manipur ki Jagah Mizoram padha jaye (read it as Mizoram in place of Manipur)."

Juliet Zonunmawi, a call centre employee was murdered in her Munirka area home of south Delhi Thursday late night. Her body was taken to the Safdurjung Hospital by her male friend who is believed to be her live-in partner.

Footballer dies from injury sustained during goal celebrations

The Mizoram Premier League footballer who injured his spinal cord during a celebratory somersault after scoring a match equalizer earlier this week passed away in a hospital around 7 am Sunday morning.

Peter Biaksangzuala, 23, was a native of the eastern town of Khawzawl and played in the midfield position for the MPL’s Bethlehem Vengthlang FC, an Aizawl club.

Peter’s side had been down by a goal for the first 62 minutes of the match against Chanmari West FC on Tuesday afternoon when the mid-fielder scored an equalizer.

As he celebrated with a series of somersaults, Peter fell backward and landed on his head. He was carried off the field on a stretcher. His team eventually lost the match with a final score of 3-2.

Peter was admitted to the Aizawl Civil Hospital where attempts to repair his spinal cord showed no apparent success. He was wheeled into the ICU on Friday night and put on a ventilator. He passed away on Sunday morning.

Peter had donated his eyes during the time he spent in the hospital.

UN project on protection of ecosystem

AIZAWL, Oct 20 – Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla on Friday launched the United Nations Joint Initiative Project on protection of ecosystem.

An MoU between various organisations under UN and Mizoram Government was inked on the occasion and the document was signed by UN Resident Coordinator Lisle Grande and Mizoram chief secretary L Tochhawng, a release said.

The project would emphasise food security, livelihood security, energy and environment security, ecological balance, sustainable livelihood, income generation and sustainable use of bamboo and agriculture produces for protection of ecosystem and market linkage.

5,000 rounds of ammunition seized

AIZAWL, Oct 20 : Police and Assam Rifles personnel have seized 5,000 rounds of smuggled ammunition from the border trade centre at Zokhawthar village in Champhai district of Mizoram.

Police said the ammunition was smuggled from Myanmar by a man identified as Nang Go Tuang (56) who was arrested.

Tuang is a member of the Tahan B gang of Myanmar.

The smuggled bullets which would cost around Rs 12.50 lakh in the local market, were for US-made M-16 and domestically manufactured INSAS rifles, the police said.

The police were suspecting that the ammunition was meant for Chakma insurgents operating in Bangladesh or some North East insurgents operating in neighbouring States.

Friday, October 17, 2014

Arrest warrant against MBDPF president

Court of the Senior Civil Judge in Mizoram-Tripura border Mamit district issued warrant of arrest against Mizoram Bru Displace People's Forum (MBDPF) president A Sawibunga for the third time yesterday.

The police said that the court's order and the warrant of arrest was given to Superintendent of Police of both Mamit district and North Tripura district ordering them to produce the Bru leader in the court on November 13.

Sawibunga was accused of defaming the Mizo people by allegedly informing a reporter of a national paper that Mizo people intimidated and drove out people belonging to Bru community from Mizoram during January, 2014.

Leaders of the Mamit Sub-Headquarters Young Mizo Association (YMA) filed a petition against the Bru leader.

Sawibunga failed to appear before the court despite summons for two times prompting the court to issue warrant of arrest on August 28 and again on September 19.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Mizoram NSS observes Global Hand Washing Day

Mizoram NSS today observed Global Hand Washing Day under Swachha Bharat Sapta in Aizawl when more than a thousand NSS volunteers and 85 programme officers from 30 educational institutions participated.

The NSS volunteers, after reciting pledges for a clean India in general and their respective areas in particular, and divided into two groups swept Aizawl streets from the north and south.

Garbage collected were loaded in two trucks and dumped in the dumping ground near the city

An official statement said that as the Clean India Campaign is a national programme, the state NSS volunteers would continue the cleanliness programme at the institutional level at different orphanages, institutional campuses and their respective adopted villages.

Bodies of two non-tribals found in Mizoram

AIZAWL, Oct 16 – Bodies of two non-tribals, believed to be from Assam were found near Tuikhurhlu hamlet, about 30 km east of here today, police said.

Police said that though the identities of the two deceased persons were yet to be ascertained, they surmised that one was a truck driver and another his helper and both might be from Kamrup district of Assam.

“Both of them, according to initial inquest report, seemed to be killed with sharp weapon and we were waiting for the autopsy report to ascertain the cause of death,” a police officer said. Eye-witnesses said that they were killed this morning with a machete or knife.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Man attacked by bear

AIZAWL, Oct 13 – A 50-year-old man was attacked and injured by a bear in a jungle near the Mizoram-Myanmar border in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district, police said.

The man was attacked by the bear inside the thick jungle protected by the local community when he was passing through it on Wednesday last, the police said.

He called up his relatives over phone after the attack and was taken home by volunteers from the village.

He was admitted with multiple wounds, including on his face, to local health centre for treatment, the police added.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Mizoram to share its power quota with Tripura during Pujas

Mizoram will share its quota of power received from the North Eastern grid to neighbouring Tripura during the coming Durga Puja, state power and electricity department officials today said.

The officials said Mizoram would give around 25 MW of its share of power to Tripura from September 28 midnight till October 7 midnight.

In turn, the same amount of power would be shared by Tripura to Mizoram during Christmas, the officials said.

The arrangement of sharing power quota by the two neighbouring states have been in place for a few years.

Mizoram, Meghalaya to light up Tripura during Puja

Agartala, Sep 24 : In a goodwill gesture, Mizoram and Meghalaya will provide 55 MW of electricity to Tripura during Durga Puja, a Tripura minister said here Tuesday.

"Mizoram will provide 25 MW and Meghalaya 30 MW of electricity from Sep 29 to Oct 7 to resolve the power crisis during Durga Puja in Tripura," Power Minister Manik Dey told reporters.

He said that to maintain uninterrupted power supply during the Durga Puja festivities, Tripura required 290 MW of electricity. The state government with the help of Meghalaya, Mizoram and the central power grid has arranged for around 300 MW of electricity.

Dey said: "During the Christmas festival in neighbouring Mizoram and Meghalaya, we, as a reciprocal gesture, will supply power to the Christian-dominated states."

Monday, September 22, 2014

Mizoram plea on missionaries

Silchar, Sept. 23 : Mizoram home minister R. Lalzirliana has written to his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Babulal Gaur seeking immediate lifting of all cases against five Mizo missionaries, who were arrested over a week ago in Sanawad town in that state, on charges of converting Hindus.

The missionaries, belonging to KTP churches, were granted bail on Tuesday after they spent four days in judicial custody and shifted to a Christian mission at Kanapur in the state.

Lalzirliana wrote to Gaur asking for the “acquittal” of the five missionaries, who were arrested after a resident of Khargon in Madhya Pradesh accused them of offering Rs 1 lakh to a few Hindus with a view to convert them to Christianity.

Speaking to the correspondent here today over phone from Aizawl, Lalzirliana, however, said he was yet to receive a reply to his letter sent on Friday pleading for the withdrawal of all cases against the five missionaries.

The home minister wrote, “Christians are never taught to resort to using any form of material or financial incentives in their mission works, and I assure you that the missionaries never use such forms of enticement and allurement even in the future.”

Mizoram govt issues extreme weather condition warning

The Mizoram government today issued a warning in all the eight districts saying there is a possibility of extreme weather conditions in the state and neighbouring states during the next two days.

An official statement said the warning came from the National Weather Forecasting Centre, India Meteorological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The warning said heavy rainfall could hit North-Eastern states like Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura during September 23 and 24, the statement added.

96% people inhale second-hand smoke in Mizoram

A whopping 96.5 percent of non-smokers in Mizoram are still exposed to second-hand smoke, which health experts have considered to be as harmful as first-hand smoke of cigarettes.
Speaking at a training conducted by Tobacco Quitters of Mizoram (TQM) at Aijal Club today, Dr Jane Ralte, state nodal office for Mizoram state tobacco control society, revealed that while 96.5 percent inhaled second-smoke at homes 64.6 percent are exposed to second-hand smoke at workplaces. Dr Ralte expressed grave concern over what she described as “tolerance to second-hand smoke.” “Despite the fact people are aware of the harmful effects of cigarettes smoke, 98 percent of people in Mizoram allow lighting of cigarettes in their homes,” she said.
Dr Ralte also revealed that male smokers in Mizoram have found it easy to kick the bad habit than their female counterparts.
“Mizoram has high women literacy rate, one of the highest in India. It is high time that the womenfolk be aware of the health hazards caused by tobacco and quit it once and for all,” she said.
As many as 72.5 per cent of the male population and 61.6 per cent of women in Mizoram are still consuming tobacco in different forms, making the state the heaviest tobacco-consuming state in India. Prominent anti-tobacco campaigner Lal Riliani, wife of chief minister Lal Thanhawla, also spoke at the training programme.
“Health experts describe tobacco as a type of drug. Mizoram has accumulating medical bills in various hospitals across the country due to illness caused by tobacco. Tobacco is one of major causes of our economic setback,” the ISTH Mizoram chapter president said.
According to WHO, just 30 minutes of exposure to tobacco smoke changes the way in which blood flows and clots, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke scientific evidence has unequivocally established that exposure to tobacco smoke causes death, disease and disability. Six lakhs out of 60 lakh deaths every year due to tobacco are due to second-hand smoke.

Mizoram govt creates 'Chief Minister's Free Medicine Scheme'

Mizoram government today decided to create the 'Chief Minister's Free Medicine Scheme' to ensure that people receive medicine free of costs in all hospitals and other health care centres, including health sub-centres in the remote villages, officials said.

This decision was taken in the meeting chaired by state Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, his younger brother and Health Minister Lal Thanzara, Chief Secretary L Tochhawng and senior officials of the state health department, the officials said.

The meeting also decided to constitute an expert team to formulate the professional man-power plan for the Health department while it was also decided to strengthen the Food and Drug Administration wing.

A committee to make decisions on transfer and posting in the state health department would also be formed, the officials added.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

3,481 people in Mizoram reject BME

AIZAWL, Sept 22 – At least 3,481 people in the Mizoram-Assam border town of Vairengte refused to be enrolled in the ongoing Biometric Enrolment (BME), officials who conducted the enrolment said.

The officials said the people refused to be enrolled under the BME due to religious beliefs and had also not enrolled during the 2011 Census.

“They were afraid that they would be marked with the Biblical number of the Beast if their names were included in the Census and the BME,” the officials said.

Meanwhile, out of the 8,64,760 to be enrolled in the State, the enumerators have so far enrolled 1,05,548 people till date.

The population of Mizoram in the 2011 Census was 10,97,206 out of which 6,64,760 people were identified to be enrolled under the BME.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Three years in jail for man who molested two minor daughters

A court in Mizoram’s Lunglei district has convicted and imposed a fine on a man for molesting his two minor daughters.
Additional District and Sessions Courth Judge Vanlalenmawia on Tuesday sentenced the man to three years rigorous imprisonment and fined him Rs 1000 after finding him guilty of forcing his two daughters, aged 10 and 8, to touch his private parts and touching theirs in turn.
The girls’ parents had separated earlier and were living apart, the siblings living with their father at the time.
After almost a year since the molesting began, the sisters complained to their mother in February this year. The mother lodged an FIR with police and the man was subsequently arrested and kept in judicial custody.

Rifleman’s death: Police question 3 accused

Mizoram Police have started questioning personnel at the 39th Assam Rifles paramilitary force’s Mimbung camp as part of its investigation into the death of 26-year-old rifleman Ajit Rai there last month.
Senior police officials said that three men accused by Ajit’s brothers of murdering the rifleman following an altercation have been questioned already, and more men are being questioned about what happened on the day of the crime.
The 39th Assam Rifles has, meanwhile, maintained that Rai shot himself using an AK series rifle. It also claimed that his family is alleging he was murdered to ensure they don’t lose monetary benefits, which would be annulled in case the rifleman killed himself. Senior officials have cited the autopsy report to back the claim.
Earlier this month, the Mizoram Police had asked for sanction to question the personnel posted at the camp. Police had lodged a murder case after closer examination of the incident threw up some questions.
Police, for example, did not have the chance to examine the body at the scene of the incident as the paramilitary forces transported the body 200 km away to Aizawl the same evening. Police also found three bullet entries in the rifleman’s head, which prompted them to investigate the murder angle.
Ajit’s two elder brothers, Atul and Ajay, have alleged that he was murdered by three of his seniors. They told police that hours before he died at 1.30 pm on August 18, Ajit had told relatives that Naik Subedar Charan Singh Kandhari and Warrant Officers Pitambar Singh and Pratap Ram had an altercation with him.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/riflemans-death-police-question-3-accused/#sthash.dVNVDSpf.dpuf

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

New Governor Paul takes charge in Mizoram

Meghalaya governor K K Paul took additional charge of Mizoram on Tuesday afternoon, becoming the fifth incumbent of the Raj Bhavan at Aizawl in just two-and-a-half months.
Paul was administered the oath of office at 4 pm by Guwahati High Court Judge L S Jamir. He had taken additional charge of Manipur on Monday.
Paul’s predecessor V K Duggal, who as Manipur Governor had taken additional charge of Mizoram, had quit earlier this month.
Duggal was preceded by former Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan, who refused to take charge of Mizoram and quit soon after his transfer from Maharashtra on August 24.
Sankaranarayanan was preceded by former Gujarat Governor Kamla, who was sacked by Rashtrapati Bhavan just a month after she was transferred from Gujarat to Mizoram and who took charge on July 6.
Kamla was preceded by Vakkom B Purushothaman, who was removed as Mizoram Governor a month earlier and transferred to Nagaland but who also quit in protest.
The quick succession of changes in the constitutional post has prompted many Mizos, including politicians cutting across party lines, to protest against the state being used as a “dumping ground” of UPA-appointed Governors who refused to quit after the Modi-led government came to power at the Centre.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/new-governor-paul-takes-charge-in-mizoram/#sthash.S4gxpIbJ.dpuf

Monday, September 15, 2014

Mizoram measures to improve police efficiency

AIZAWL, Sept 15 – Mizoram Home department has made several suggestions for more efficient functioning of the State police in a meeting convened by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and attended by Home Minister R Lalzirliana.

The meeting held here recently was attended by Home department officials and senior police officers. In the meeting, the Home department suggested that concerted efforts should be made to end the use of constables by senior police officials for private works, according to an official statement.

It was also suggested that a Central police workshop be established to cut down expenses on vehicle repairs and also put an end to senior police officers keeping more than two vehicles.

The meeting was held after Lal Thanhawla asked all the secretaries to make suggestions on improvement in efficiency and austerity measures.

Mizoram not dumping ground for governors: Gen. V.K. Singh

Former army chief and now union minister Gen. V.K. Singh (retd) Monday said Mizoram was not a "dumping ground" for governors and those who resigned did so on their own.

"Mizoram is not a dumping ground for governors. It is one of the most beautiful states of India," Gen. V.K. Singh said in response to a question at a press conference on the completion of 100 days of the Narendra Modi government.

"The governors resigned on their own, probably due to reasons not connected with Mizoram," he said.

The successive transfers in Mizoram started when governor Vakkom B. Purushothaman was transferred to Nagaland July 6. Purushothaman resigned July 11 claiming he was not consulted on his transfer.

Gujarat governor Kamla Beniwal was then transferred to Mizoram. Beniwal assumed office July 9 and in less than a month, was sacked from the post Aug 6.

Former union home secretary Vinod Kumar Duggal, the incumbent governor of Manipur, was given additional charge of Mizoram. He assumed office Aug 8 as the 13th governor of Mizoram.

After that, Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan was transferred to Mizoram Aug 24. He however resigned from office later in the day.

Now, Meghalaya governor Krishan Kant Paul, who was appointed to take additional charge of Mizoram and Manipur, would be sworn in as the Mizoram governor Tuesday.

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Mizo editor passes away

Aizawl, Sep 15 : Laldinthara Renthlei (43), the news editor of LPS Vision (local cable) passed away at Zemabawk Cancer Hospital on Saturday around 11 a.m after a long battle with cancer.

His body was taken to his residence at Chanmari West and was buried on Sunday after it was lamented the whole night.

Laldinthara was the news editor of LPS Vision and a member of Mizoram Journalists Association (MJA) when he passed away.

Laldinthara alias Thartea had a persistent nose bleeding complaint since September last year.

After consulting an ENT specialist, it was found that he had supernumerary tissue on his nose.

Later, when a biopsy was taken the editor was found suffering from cancer and was referred to B.Baruah Cancer Institute, Guwahati where he was examined and given intensive treatment.

On learning his condition critical as the cancer had infected his brain, he was sent back to Mizoram for he need a sophisticated tools to treat his disease.

For some time he had been treated at Zemabawk Cancer Hospital, Aizawl taking radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

While he was seen improving from his illness, he died of a sudden leaving his wife and 3 children behind.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Mary Kom spoke to the government officials, nothing could be done: Priyanka Chopra on Manipur banning her film

Priyanka Chopra is happy with all the critical praise coming her way for her performance as MC Mary Kom in the boxer's biopic, but the actress says it is "disheartening" that people from Manipur cannot see the movie.

Mary Kom too had expressed her sadness over her hometown missing its date with the big screen version of her life-story.

Hindi films have been banned in Manipur since September 2000, by separatist militant group Revolutionary Peoples Front which claims that Bollywood goes against Manipuri values.

Priyanka Chopra in a still from 'Mary Kom'

"I feel very sad about it. Mary herself spoke to the government officials but nothing could be done. These decisions are made by people bigger than us. I'm disheartened that the people there cannot watch my film. This has been happening for the past 10 years," Priyanka told PTI in an interview.
Priyanka, 32, however, hopes that the film, which released last week, will help bridge the gap between North East and the rest of India as it talks about a daughter from their soil.
"People there are not happy with the way they are treated elsewhere. I hope this film sheds light on that and we can help in any manner."
The actress, who left no-stone-unturned to promote the biopic, is happy that her hard work has paid off with the film's opening weekend collection standing at Rs 30 crore but says celebrations are still away.
"We are not celebrating the success yet. It's just an opening weekend collection. We feel that the film should do the same business in the coming days as well, and then we will have a grand celebration. It's an incredible opening for a female-centric film after a long time," Priyanka said.
"I have been told that Mary Kom has broken all the existing records of a female-centric film. I feel female-driven stories will break the gender bias in the industry eventually.
Such films will give due credit to actresses in the male-dominated world," she added.
The former Miss World says the feisty portrayal of the five-time World Amateur Boxing champion in the Omung Kumar-directed film is the mirror image of today's society.
"There have been many atrocities committed against woman in the society but we are no more sitting back at home. We rather have put our heads up and are facing the situations.
The film mirrored such changes in the society," she said. The Barfi! star admits that she was nervous initially to take up the project as the fate of female-centric films at the box-office is not very bright in India.
But when Mary chose Priyanka for the film, she could not say no to her. "I never anticipated that the film will be appreciated so much. It was a huge responsibility as I had to do complete justice to the youth icon image of Mary and also make the film appealing to the viewers," Priyanka added.
Produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Mary Kom has been applauded for Priyanka's performance. But it was panned for plugging some brands in the story. "These brands act as a major source to help us make the film in a bigger way. It was a small-budget film. Had it been a boy movie it could have been easier to get such a huge release but for a female-centric film it was necessary to do the brand promotions. People don't think twice before coming to a conclusion," Priyanka said.

Meghalaya Governor KK Paul given additional charge of Manipur, Mizoram

Meghalaya Governor KK Paul was on Thursday given the additional charge of Manipur and Mizoram following the resignation of VK Duggal.

President Pranab Mukherjee, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson, has accepted the resignation of Duggal from the post of Governor of Manipur and Mizoram. He was holding the Mizoram charge in an additional capacity.

"The President has been pleased to appoint Dr Krishan Kant Paul, Governor of Meghalaya, to discharge the functions of the Governor of Manipur and the Governor of Mizoram in addition to his own duties until regular arrangements for the office of the Governor of Manipur and Governor of Mizoram are made," the spokesperson said.

Paul to be sworn in as Mizoram Governor

AIZAWL, Sept 12 – Meghalaya Governor Krishan Kant Paul is likely to be sworn-in at the Aizawl Raj Bhavan on September 16 to take additional charge of Mizoram’s Governor, sources in the Raj Bhavan today said.

Paul was appointed to take additional charge of the Governor of Mizoram and Manipur after Manipur Governor Vinod Kumar Duggal’s resignation was accepted by the President today.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

661 committed suicide in Mizoram since 2005: NGO

At least 661 people including 112 women committed suicide in Mizoram since 2005 till date, Dr Zawmsanga Sailo of the Aizawl-based NGO New Life Charity Society (NELICS) said here today.

At a function held in the Pachhunga University College campus here on the occasion of the World Suicide Prevention Day, Sailo said the eldest person to commit suicide was 82-year-old and the youngest was eight years.

He said an average 73 people committed suicide every year in the state and 63 people, including 19 women committed suicide since January till September nine this year.

The highest incident of suicidal death in the state was in 2010 when at least 97 people including nine women committed suicide, he added.

The function, sponsored by the National Health Mission, was organised by the Psychology department of the Pachhunga University College, the lone constituent college of the Mizoram University.

Home dept suggestions for efficient functioning of police

Mizoram Home department today made several suggestions for more efficient functioning of the state police and observant of austerity measures in the meeting convened by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and attended by Home Minister R Lalzirliana.

The meeting was also attended Home department officials and senior police officers. In the meeting the Home department suggested that concerted efforts should be made to end the use of constables by senior police official for private works according to an official statement.

It was also suggested that a Central police workshop be established to cut down expenses on vehicle repairs and also put an end to senior police officers keeping more than two vehicles.

Recruitment of more state home guard personnel in view of the possibility of natural disasters hitting the state and for civil defence was also suggested.

The meeting was held after Lal Thanhawla asked all the secretaries to make suggestions on improvement in efficiency and austerity measures.

State home department was first in the lists and other departments would also follow suit, the statement said.

Mizoram: 47 kilos marijuana seized, three arrested

A joint operation by Mizoram’s anti-narcotics agency and a paramilitary force has caught 47 kilograms of marijuana worth Rs 2 lakhs and arrested three traffickers, an official statement said Wednesday.

The statement said the seizure was made by officers of the Excise and Narcotics Department and troops from the 39th battalion of the Assam Rifles at Sesawng town on Tuesday evening.

It added the three accused, of whom two are women, brought the consignment from Manipur. They have been booked under the NDPS Act.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Drugs seized in Mizoram

AIZAWL, Sept 4 – Mizoram Excise and Narcotics department officers have seized 2,763 capsules of Spasmo Proxyvon in south Mizoram’s Pangzawl village and arrested two persons in this connection, the department said today.

The drugs were smuggled to Mizoram from neighbouring Cachar district. Abdul Hussein (39) of Pangzawl village and Hizbul Rahman (26) of Baghabazar, Cachar district, Assam were arrested last evening and sent to the district jail in Lunglei, the sources said.

Spasmo Proxyvon is a prominent painkiller widely abused by youngsters in the State and at least 1,145 people have died due to abuse of spasmo proxyvon and parvon spas since 1984, according to the department record.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Brother blames seniors, police lodge murder case

The death was earlier recorded as a suicide.

The Mizoram Police have lodged a case of murder and started investigations into the death of a rifleman posted with the 39 Assam Rifles at Mimbung in eastern Champhai district. The death was earlier recorded as a suicide.

Rifleman Ajit Rai, a 26-year-old who hails from Uttar Pradesh’s Singhpur village, had died from gunshot wounds on August 18 in the paramilitary forces camp. It was initially recorded as a case of suicide, but Ajit’s elder brother Atul, also posted as rifleman, alleged that Ajit was shot by three of his senior colleagues following an altercation. Atul also alleged that 39 Assam Rifles CO Colonel Siddhu was threatening the victim’s family so they won’t lodge an FIR.

Senior police officials said that bullets entered Ajit’s body in three locations, including the forehead and the left eye, which indicated that it was not a case of suicide.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Explosion near residence of Mizoram Parliament Secy

Aizawl: A powerful explosion took place near the residence of the Mizoram Parliamentary Secretary for Home in Mission Veng locality here early this morning but there was no report of any casualty, police said.

The explosion, suspected to be caused by gelatin, damaged the main gate and brick fencing of Lt Col (Retd) ZS Zuala's residence besides damaging the building of his neighbour, police said.

The walls and windows of the neighbouring building were damaged, but no one was killed or injured in the explosion, they said.

Though no arrest has been made, Superintendent of Police of Aizawl C Laldina did not rule out the involvement of the Manipur-based Hmar People's Convention - Democrats militants.

Forensic experts examined the scene of the crime. Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana and other top officials also visited the place of the incident.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Presbyterian Church Commemorates Arrival of Welsh Missionary

Presbyterian Church of India Mizoram Synod, the largest church in the state today observed 'Ramthar Ni' or the day of enlightenment to commemorate the arrival of Welsh Christian Missionary Rev. David Evan Jones.

Special prayer and worship services were held to commemorate the day in all the local churches with pastors and church elders delivering sermons on the need to spread the Gospel throughout the globe.

Jones, who was sent by the Welsh Presbyterian Church to establish the Presbyterian Church in Mizoram, then known to the Bristish colonial rulers as the Lushai country.

He arrived in the Lushai country on August 31, 1897, seven years after the first Christian missionary Rev William Williams set foot in this inaccessible area.

The Presbyterian Church observed the arrival of Jones as 'Ramthar Ni' since 1973.

USD 48,700 seized in Mizoram

AIZAWL, Sep 1 – In an operation conducted by the Assam Rifles, USD 48,700 were seized and one person was arrested near Zanlawn village on Mizoram-Assam border in Kolasib district.

Personnel of the Assam Rifles and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence intercepted a vehicle Friday night and seized the currency in denominations of 100, 50 and 20 dollars, an official release said here yesterday.

The seized US currency is worth more than Rs 30 lakh, and the seizure was one of the biggest in recent times.

On frisking the accused, identified as Khuplianthanga from Mizoram-Myanmar border Champhai town, a mobile phone with contact numbers from Myanmar was also recovered, and the arrested suspect was allegedly carrying the dollars to make payment for an arms consignment from Myanmar, the release said.

The contraband, reportedly smuggled from Myanmar was allegedly meant for the use of a Chakma insurgent outfit – Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samity (PCJSS), a faction of the Shanti Bahini led by Santularma, operating in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, it said.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

PMJDY inaugurated in Aizawl and Mizoram dist headquarters

The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) or 'People's Wealth Scheme' was today launched simultaneously in Aizawl and all the district headquarters of the state along with the rest of the country.

Acting Chief Minister R. Lalzirliana, who inaugurated the PMJDY handed over State Bank of India passbooks to ten women from the suburbs of Aizawl city.

Lalzirliana urged the Centre and the BSNL to improve telecommunication services in the rural area to ensure that maximum services are rendered to the weaker sections and low-income groups even in the remotest area to overcome the problem of difficult terrain of the hilly state of Mizoram.

He also advocated speedy implementation of transfer of money to the people in schemes like MGNREGS and speeding up of implementation of Aadhar scheme.

State Finance minister Lalsawta also implored the banks in Mizoram to improve CD Ratio as the average CD Ratio of Mizoram was 43.85 per cent as against the national average of 75 per cent.

Lalsawta also urged the banks to simplify small loans so that the people would avoid approaching unscrupulous loan sharks.

State Chief Secretary L. Tochhong said that the financial inclusion scheme was not aimed only to open bank accounts, but access to all the banking and financial services by the weaker sections of the society.

She said that the target under the PMJDY in the state was 1.71 households which would include micro-credit and micro-insurance to all the target groups.

The function was attended by seven ministers, five parliamentary secretaries, top officials of the state government and financial institutions.

Opinion invited on Mizoram Lokayukta Bill, 2014

Aizawl, Aug 29 : The Mizoram Law and Judicial department today issued notification regarding The Mizoram Lokayukta Bill, 2014, the final draft of which has been completed and notified vide The Mizoram Gazette Vol.XLIII Issue No.398 dt.5/8/2014, and also uploaded in the Law and Judicial Department Website www.landj.mizoram.gov.in to get suggestion(s) or complaint(s) if any from the people.

The state law department in its notification said that this initiative (of taking people's opinion) is being taken in order to give opportunity to the people interested in this field as well as the common people come up with their opinions.

The Central as well as other State governments also used to take such initiative in special cases, it said.

The department notification stated that, as written in the foreword of the bill, anyone interested to give suggestions or complaints may submit within one month from the date of the Gazette notification; such suggestions or complaints to be submitted to Secretary, Law & Judicial Department will then be carefully studied by the State government.

As necessitated by Lok Pal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, Mizoram State also needs to implement Lokayukta Act not later than January 2015, hence the need to take quick steps, the notification mentioned.

In the meantime, as said in the law department notification, the people should take note that in formulating any new legislation due considerations are given to many things including whether it contradicts the Constitution, whether it is against the existing rules, and whether it follows the legislative drafting technique, lest it has negative consequences.

Legislation as the present one for fight against corruption especially require due caution and consideration, the authority said, adding, it welcomes any suggestion or complaint but submitted to the right place.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Mizoram put on high alert to face Ebola

The Mizoram governemnt today placed the state health services department on high alert for any eventuality of Ebola break out in the state.

An official statement released here said programme officers of the state health services department met here today to review the preparedness to face the dreaded disease even as no infection has yet been detected in the country.

Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma, Nodal Officer, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, told PTI that though passengers coming to India, especially from infected countries, were carefully screened at International Airports, there was no screening at the lone Lengpui airport near Aizawl.

"We are yet to receive any instruction from the Union Health Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs," Lalmalsawma said, adding that efforts made at the international airports were regarded as sufficient by the Centre.

A State Rapid Response Team, headed by the Principal Director of Health Services was constituted while District Rapid Response Team, headed by the Chief Medical Officer of each district was also constituted in all the eight districts.

Mizo minister orders probe into failure to unfurl tricolour

Mizoram's Minister of State for the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) Lal Thanzara has asked the Deputy Commissioner of inter-state border district of Kolasib Jitender Yadav to conduct a probe into the national tricolour falling from pall after being hoisted during Independence Day celebrations at Vairengte town.

Zoram Industrial Development Corporation (ZIDCO) Chairman Lalrobiaka MLA, the chief guest in the Independence Day celebrations at Vairengte town, on the Assam-Mizoram border, could not unfurl the tricolour during the function despite several attempts.

The flag fell from the pall after it was hoisted, an official statement said here today.

Yadav has appointed Additional DC, Kolasib, Lalfela Sailo to inquire into the incident and submit reports within a month,the statement said.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Acche din promise to Reang refugees

SEKHAR DATTA

Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya at the refugee camp at Kanchanpur on Sunday. (PTI)

Agartala, Aug. 25: Tripura governor Padmanava Balkrishna Acharya yesterday visited two Reang refugee camps in Kanchanpur subdivision of North Tripura and promised achhe din for the camp inmates, raising the hackles of the ruling CPM.

Last week, the governor’s helicopter had made an emergency landing at remote Bairagipara senior basic school field in Khowai subdivision. The governor, accompanied by his wife, partook of the midday meal being taken by students and accepted a memorandum from the students and guardians highlighting their grievances. He had then interacted with the media in Raj Bhavan and dwelt on the Naga insurgency problem and its possible solution. Yesterday, Acharya visited the remote Naisingpara and Ashabari refugee camps.

Addressing the inmates of Naisingpara refugee camp, the governor said ek acche sarkar kendra mein aye hain, ap logoke liye bhi achhe din anewale hain. Both in the Naisingpara and Ashabari refugee camps, Acharya was apprised of the problems faced by the inmates in matters of drinking water, sanitation and schooling of children.

The president of Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum, Bruno Mesha, told the governor that Lord Ram was sent to a 14-year exile but they have been refugees for 17 years since 1997.

Forum secretary A. Swaibuanga also spoke of the problems faced by refugees in all the camps. The governor, who was given a warm reception by the camp inmates at Naisingpara, assured the forum leaders and the refugees that “good days will soon come for them”.

The ruling CPM did not comment on the governor’s visit to the refugee camps.

A seven-member delegation of the Centre, headed by additional secretary of Union home ministry Rajiv Gauba and comprising HRD officials, Tripura government officials and representatives of three NGOs from New Delhi, Bengal and Assam, arrived here this morning to take stock of the situation in the six Reang refugee camps.

The delegation will head for Kanchanapur subdivision tomorrow where the camps are located.

Speaking on the issue, secretary of the relief and rehabilitation department of the state government, Swapan Saha, said the committee had been constituted by the Centre in compliance with a Tripura High Court order on a PIL filed on June 24 by a lawyer on the miserable condition and sufferings of Reang refugees.

This committee will prepare a detailed report on the condition of the camps and Reang refugees and submit it to the high court on September 12.

Rs 66 lakh worth meth pills seized in Aizawl

Methamphetamine tablets with a street value of Rs 66,50,000 were seized in Mizoram state capital Aizawl in the last two days. Mizoram excise & narcotics department said today its anti-narcotics squad recovered 18,000 more tablets of methamphetamine today from the same woman from whom 20,000 were seized on Sunday last. The woman, a Myanmarese national identified as Lalhnuni(45), has been booked under NDPS Act, 1985. She told investigators that she smuggled the contraband from Myanmar where they are manufactured in underground laboratories. This is the fifth seizure of methamphetamine in Mizoram during the last eight months, a sign that the frontier state is facing a new drug threat in addition to heroin and abused pharmaceutical drugs it has been combating for decades. On July 21 last, three persons were arrested for transporting meth tablets, weighing 1.22 kgs and worth Rs 22 lakh, in Aizawl. Customs officials seized 10,000 tablets of methamphetamine from Melbuk village in Champhai district on April 30 last. The seized drugs had a street value of Rs 1 crore. On March 5 last, excise police seized 15,000 tablets of meth in Aizawl.

Earlier on January 31 last, the excise police seized 120,000 tablets of the same drug in Aizawl. The drugs seized on January 31 were valued at Rs 2.4 crore in the local market and it was said to be the biggest meth haul in Mizoram so far. Most of the meth pills seized in Mizoram are reddish-orange in colour and were mostly marked '88', an insignia the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) identifies as one of the more widespread brands likely manufactured by ethnic militants in Myanmar.

The meth labs in Myanmar are fueled by pseudoephedrine smuggled out of India mainly through the Northeast. Those arrested in connection with pseudoephedrine in Mizoram included politicians, a police official, and renowned drug store owners in Aizawl. With 410 kms of international border with Myanmar, Mizoram is already part of the Golden Triangle, as its main doorway in its western borders.

How is it going to defend the youth of the region from this fresh attack of drugs is the moot question, even as media reports say that the meth wave is sweeping communities around the world. 'It's nothing less than a call for all hands on the deck', as a state excise official said.

Money disbursed to 173 Bru families

AIZAWL, Aug 26 – Mizoram Government has disbursed money under rehabilitation and resettlement package to all the 173 Bru families who returned to Mizoram from six relief camps in neighbouring North Tripura during June 17 to 21 last year.

State Home department officials today said that Rs 80,000 was disbursed to each family for rehabilitation and resettlement expenses while free ration would be given for a year.

The officials said that repatriated Bru families were resettled in 24 different villages in Mizoram-Tripura-Bangladesh border Mamit district after being verified as bonafide residents of Mizoram.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Bru families, who refused to return to Mizoram, stayed behind in the relief camps. A Sawibung, president of Mizoram Bru Displaced People said that Bru people, did not want to return to Mizoram unless their demands were met.

The MBDPF has been demanding, among other things that the rehabilitation and resettlement package should be increased from Rs 80,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh per family and that the free ration to be provided to the repatriated families should be extended from one year to two years.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Mizoram: Four governors in less than two months

Aizawl/New Delhi, Aug 25 : The Congress-ruled northeastern state of Mizoram is likely to have the dubious distinction of having four governors in less than two months.

Maharashtra governor K. Sankaranarayanan was Sunday transferred to Mizoram for the remainder of his term which is scheduled to end in 2017. He resigned later in the day. The successive transfers of the Mizoram governor started with Vakkom B. Purushothaman when he was transferred to Nagaland July 6.
Purushothaman resigned July 11 claiming he was not consulted on his transfer. Gujarat governor Kamla Beniwal was then transferred to Mizoram after Purushothaman was moved as governor of Nagaland with additional charge of Tripura.

Kamla Beniwal, 87, assumed office July 9 as the 12th governor of Mizoram. In less than a month, Beniwal was sacked from the gubernatorial post Aug 6. Former union home secretary Vinod Kumar Duggal, the incumbent governor of Manipur, was given additional charge of Mizoram. He assumed office Aug 8 as the 13th governor of the mountainous state bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Beniwal, who had a strained relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was Gujarat chief minister, was sacked two months before her tenure comes to an end. Beniwal was the second governor removed from her post by the National Democratic Alliance government. Former Puducherry governor Virendra Kataria was sacked July 12.
After the Narendra Modi government took charge May 26, six governors resigned following signals from the government. They were B.L. Joshi (Uttar Pradesh), Shekhar Dutt (Chhattisgarh), Ashwani Kumar (Nagaland), M.K. Narayanan (West Bengal), B.V. Wanchoo (Goa) and Vakkom B. Purushothaman (Mizoram).

Earlier, media reports said the BJP-led government was pressurising some of the governors appointed by the previous Congress-led regime - including Sankaranarayanan - to relinquish office in June. Sankaranarayanan had then said he would resign if asked by “appropriate authorities”.

Octogenarian Sankaranarayanan is a Congress leader from Kerala and has held several posts including that of state minister for finance and agriculture. He was also convenor of the United Democratic Front, the Congress-led ruling combine in Kerala. He was first appointed governor of Nagaland, and then moved to Jharkhand. He was first posted as Maharashtra governor Jan 22, 2010. Sankaranarayanan was re-appointed Maharashtra governor for the second term in 2012 by the previous Congress-led central government. His term was supposed to end in 2017.

A Congress leader in Aizawl said the NDA government has chosen Mizoram Raj Bhavan as a “punishment centre” for governors appointed by the previous government. “This approach and mindset would make the constitutional posts ‘babyish assignments’,” the Congress leader told IANS on condition of anonymity.
The Congress Sunday criticised the government for exercising its power in an “extremely arbitrary manner” over the transfer of Sankaranarayanan to Mizoram. “This government chooses to exercise power in an extremely arbitrary manner. It is like deja vu. Kamla Beniwal was transferred to Mizoram and after that, she saw it on television that she was dismissed as the governor of Mizoram. Authoritarianism is really the DNA of the government,” Congress leader Manish Tewari said in New Delhi.

Transferred from Maharashtra to
Mizoram, Sankaranarayanan quits

Mumbai, August 24 (IANS): Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, who was early Sunday abruptly transferred to Mizoram for the rest of his term, has announced his resignation. “I have sent my resignation to President Pranab Mukherjee,” Sankaranarayanan told media persons at Raj Bhavan here. Justifying his decision, the 82-year-old Congress leader said he had “respected the Constitution” by submitting his resignation. “During my tenure here as governor, and even earlier in Jharkhand and Nagaland, I never brought politics into my functioning,” Sankaranarayanan said.
In a veiled attack on the Narendra Modi government’s decision to transfer him to Mizoram, he said: “No government is permanent, no individuals are permanent and they have to change some time.” Sankaranarayanan, who was re-appointed Maharashtra governor in 2012, thanked the people of the state for all their love and support during his tenure. He added that from Monday, he would work only as a Congressman, the party which he had joined decades ago as a grassroots leader in Kerala, and later risen up the ranks. “From tomorrow, I shall have no restrictions, I can do whatever I want, go wherever I want and speak on any topic,” he said in a cheerful and relaxed mood.

Mizoram cops: Beware of cheats using pics of ‘attractive Caucasians’ on Facebook

Sometimes the cheats convince the women that they want to settle down with them, and say they will send money for them to buy a house.

The Mizoram Police on Thursday issued a warning about embezzlers creating fake Facebook profiles with pictures of “attractive, young Caucasian men” to befriend salaried women and swindle lakhs of rupees from them.

Sources in the CID said these “FB friends” usually dupe women by telling them that they are sending them a package and then ask the women to deposit money in certain bank accounts to obtain clearances for the delivery.

Sometimes the cheats convince the women that they want to settle down with them, and say they will send money for them to buy a house. The catch is that the victims are asked to pay a certain amount for money transfer transactions.

“The largest sum I have come across has been Rs 80 lakh. Usually it’s around Rs 20-30 lakh. Those who realise they are being duped after losing a few thousands are the lucky ones,” said a senior CID official.

Drafting of Lokayukta Bill 2014 completed in Mizoram

AIZAWL: Mizoram's Lokayukta Drafting Committee has completed the draft Lokayukta Bill, 2014 and uploaded the bill in the state law department's website, officials of the state law and judicial department today said.

The officials said that anyone who has suggestions for changes, deletion and addition could submit to the Law Secretary within a month.

Youth sentenced to life for murder

Aizawl, Aug 25 : A 20-year-old man was today sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment by a local court for killing a villager on the Assam-Mizoram border.

Aizawl District and Sessions Judge R Thanga convicted Raju Samir Das for killing Lalawmpuii in 2012 at Sentlang village in Kolasib district on the Mizoram-Assam border and sentenced him to rigorous life imprisonment.

Das, originally hailing from Hailakandi district in neighbouring Assam, was arrested at Mualkhang village while trying to flee Mizoram after killing Lalawmpuii.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Man arrested for raping minor in Mizoram

A 24-year-old man was arrested in Hnahthial town of Mizoram for allegedly raping a minor girl, the police said today.

Police said that when the girl was going to a church service on Sunday, the man waylaid her and allegedly raped her.

The accused was detained at the Hnahthial police station yesterday.

He will be produced before a district court at Lunglei, the police said.

Landslides cut off Barak Valley, Tripura, Mizoram

Landslides on national highways in Meghalaya and Assam's Dima Hasao district have cut off the Barak Valley, Tripura and Mizoram for the last 30 hours.

Reports said trees, boulders and mud came down the hills on NH-6 connecting Silchar with Shillong at Tansen in East Jayantia Hills district of Meghalaya, 95 km from here, on Saturday.

On the other hand, NH-54 (Extension) connecting Silchar with Haflong experienced similar landslide at Durbin near Harangajao in Dima Hasao district of Assam. Hundreds of vehicles, including trucks, buses and cars have remained stranded on the highways. The affected areas are facing shortage of food and there is hardly any scope for transshipment in both the places.

Authorities said that although Border Roads Task Force and PWD men are engaged in clearing the debris, torrential rain has triggered frequent landslides in the same places and adjoining areas. Sources on Monday said small vehicles are slowly moving through the landslide-hit areas of Meghalaya. The disruption of road connectivity has triggered rise in prices of essential commodities in markets across the Barak Valley and Mizoram.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

New Land Use Policy gets UN financial assistance

Aizawl, Aug 18 : The United Nations (UN) is to extend financial assistance to New Land Use Policy (NLUP), said NLUP Implementing Board (NIB) Chairman JH Rothuama during an interaction with leaders of Mizoram Journalists Association (MJA).

JH Rothuama said that the UN team who came to Mizoram recently found NLUP as a good project and agreed to help Mizoram in this regard.

NIB Vice-Chairman PL Thanga also told media that the Modi led NDA instead of disrupting NLUP project has also found the project feasible and good.

The State Government has encountered no problem in getting money from the Central government, he added.

He said that the UN team who came to Mizoram recently had earmarked Rs 25 crore for NLUP fund as a result of which new steps will be taken this year in respect of NLUP.

"No Indian States had earlier worked with the UN in developmental project.

And for this, we expect NLUP to flourish more successfully than before", PL Thanga said.

Citing about the implementation of NLUP project, the Vice-Chairman said any beneficiary who has not worked out with the project properly as government expected would be disqualified from getting his due share.

NIB Chairman JH Rothuama stated that NLUP project has been implemented successfully in two districts of Mizoram, Kolasib and Mamit.

But in some areas, the project did not reach up to the expectation of the Government.

He added that rubber plantation would be practiced extensively in Southern Mizoram.

"1000 trees of rubber can yield Rs 20 to Rs 30 lakhs profit per month.

As rubber is successfully planted in Tripura, we believed that the plantation will also give successful result in our state", the NIB Chairman said adding that NLUP project would be launched in a stricter form as some people assumed it as just an assistance for waste.

The government of Mizoram on June 19, 2009 had submitted an estimate of over Rs.2,526.98 crore for NLUP project to the Planning Commission.

Subsequently, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in August, 2010 had approved Rs.2,873.13 crore for 5 years.

The first phase and second phase of NLUP distributed were already launched earlier.

While the third and the fourth phases are planned to be launched shortly.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Rehabilitation package distributed to 30 Bru families

Rehabilitation and resettlement package were distributed today to the repatriated 30 Bru families at Mamit district bordering Tripura, state home department officials said.

The officials said that Rs 85,000 was disbursed to each of the Bru families and they would also receive free ration for a year.

Forty families were disbursed their shares yesterday, the officials said, adding that 886 Brus belonging to 173 families returned to Mizoram during the five-day repatriation in June.

Hotel owner's son killed by employee in Mizoram

Aizawl: A hotel owner's son was killed allegedly by his teenage employee in a hotel at Champhai in Mizoram, police said on Wednesday.

The body of Lalrinpuia (19), son of the hotel owner, was found early this morning in the corridor of the hotel with a deep injury on his neck, seemed to have been inflicted with a pointed and sharp weapon, they said.

The 16-year-old employee of the hotel was arrested from nearby Hmunhmeltha village where he had allegedly confessed to his crime before the president of the village council, police said.

The boy told the village council president that there was no hatred between him and Lalrinpuia, and he had killed him under the influence of an addictive substance, they said.

The accused is originally from neighbouring Manipur, police said.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

AIDS patients died due to TB

Majority of full-blown AIDS patients died due to tuberculosis (TB) in Mizoram, state Health department officials said today.

The officials said that while 91 per cent of the TB patients were cured, 46 people died due to TB since January till June out of which 15 were HIV positives.

"Out of those 1,021 people found to be infected with TB, 104 were HIV/AIDS patients," they said, adding that the percentage of people cured of TB increased to 91 per cent this year compared to 88 per cent in 2012-2013.

BSF constable from UP shoots self at base near Lunglei, Mizoram

A BSF constable shot himself with his Insas rifle while on duty. Did not leave behind a suicide note.

A Border Security Force constable attached with the 63rd battalion, currently posted near Lunglei in southern Mizoram, shot himself to death with his gun, police said Monday.

The deceased has been identified as Sachin K Sharma (25) from Bhatola village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhulansar district.

Police said Sharma was on duty when he shot himself with his Insas rifle around 12.20 am on Monday.

“Sharma had gone home on leave a month and a half ago. He came back and was currently waiting for another 60-days leave he applied for on grounds that there were domestic problems back home,” said a police officer, adding a case of unnatrual death has been registered.

Sharma’s body has been sent for post-mortem and police have also collected his gun, the bullet and blood samples and sent them to the forensics laboratory in Aizawl.

He did not leave a suicide note, but police have seized his cellphone to look for clues.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Mizoram Church demands SC status for Christians

Aizawl: Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM) on Sunday joined National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) in observing 'Black Day' demanding acceptance of Christians as Schedule Caste. Members of the Baptist Church pinned a piece of black cloth on their shirts and held mass prayers in all the local churches in the morning services.

In a message distributed to the local churches, BCM General Secretary Rev H Lianngaia said that Indian Constitution in 1950 allowed only Hindus to become Scheduled Caste while the amendment in 1956 allowed Sikhs and Buddhists. "Christians and Muslims were not allowed to be given Scheduled Caste status," he said.

The Constitutional provision hindered missionaries in their missions to convert Scheduled Caste people like the Dalits as they ceased to enjoy the status once they converted to Christianity, he added. The BCM described the provision as biased and against the spirit of secularism.

Baptist Church demands Schedule Caste status for Christians

Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM) today joined National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) in observing 'Black Day' demanding acceptance of Christians as Schedule Caste.

Members of the Baptist Church pinned a piece of black cloth on their shirts and held mass prayers in all the local churches in the morning services.

In a message distributed to the local churches, BCM General Secretary Rev H Lianngaia said that Indian Constitution in 1950 allowed only Hindus to become Scheduled Caste while the amendment in 1956 allowed Sikhs and Buddhists.

"Christians and Muslims were not allowed to be given Scheduled Caste status," he said.

The Constitutional provision hindered missionaries in their missions to convert Scheduled Caste people like the Dalits as they ceased to enjoy the status once they converted to Christianity, he added.

The BCM described the provision as biased and against the spirit of secularism.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Opp decries sacking of Mizoram Governor

NEW DELHI, Aug 8 – The NDA government came under attack today over the sacking of Mizoram Governor Kamla Beniwal with the Opposition calling it “political vendetta”, a charge it rejected by saying the action followed “serious allegations” against her and insisted there was no politics, reports PTI.

Eighty-seven-year-old Beniwal, the former Gujarat Governor who had a running battle with Narendra Modi when he was the state’s chief minister, was removed last night, just two months before her tenure as Governor of Mizoram was due to end.

Virendra Kataria, also a former Congress leader who was sacked as Puducherry Governor last month, called the action as “political vendetta” and said it was unjustified and an assault on the constitutional office.

“If Governor Kamla Beniwal was to be removed, why was she transferred to Mizoram only a few days back? Vendetta Politics,” Congress general secretary and communication department chairman Ajay Maken said in a tweet.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Visitors banned from Lengpui airport

Aizawl, Aug 6 : The terminal building of Lengpui airport in Mizoram was closed for visitors from today till August 20, airport officials said.

Only passengers would be allowed to enter the terminal building of Mizoram's lone airport, the sources said.

The restrictions were imposed in view of Independence Day next week, on the orders of additional commissioner of security, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

Monday, August 4, 2014

YMA to push for removal of B D Chakma

Young Mizo Association (YMA) would put more pressure on Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla to sack Minister of State for Fisheries Dr B. D. Chakma due to his 'divisive' actions.

General Secretary of the central committee of the YMA Vanlalruata told PTI that they would seek appointment with Lal Thanhawla after the latter returns from Delhi.

"Chakma was involved in the boycott of election to the Chakma autonomous district council (CADC) and also attended the meeting of Chakma NGOs in Silchar on July 26 and 27 when the delegates resolved to carve out CADC areas from Mizoram," Vanlalruata said.

He also said that Rs five each would be collected from every YMA member for expenses of head count of Chakma community in Mizoram.

Mizoram Home min felicitates Shaurya Chakra recipient

Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana today felicitated Lallawmzuala of the 18 Rashtriya Rifles who recently received Shaurya Chakra from President Pranab Mukherjee.

Lalzirliana handed over Rs five lakh in cash and a citation to Lallawmzuala, who hails from remote Tuahzawl village in western Mizoram.

Lallawmzuala during an intense combat with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on July 23 last year killed commander of the Lashkar-e-Toiba where he also received bullet injuries in his leg.

The terrorist commander Lallawmzuala gunned down was one of the most wanted terrorists having Rs 125 lakh prize on his head and was one of the masterminds of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The felicitation function was attended by two ministers, a parliamentary secretary and officials of the Sainik Welfare department and ex-servicemen.

Mizoram: Minor Girl Allegedly Gangraped by Seven

Aizawl, Aug 5 : A minor girl was allegedly gang raped by seven persons, four of whom are also minors, in South Mizoram's Lunglei district, police said today.

The girl has eloped with a boy and they were planning to go to Lunglei last night, police said.

"The boy who eloped with the girl was accompanied by seven friends. The girl was allegedly raped when the boy went back to the village to pick up his wallet which he left behind while leaving in a hurry," police said.

Three of the rapists are adults while the rest four are minors. Three of minors are 14 years of age and one of them 16 year-old, they said.

All the seven accused have been arrested, police added.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Mizoram's rail connectivity cut-off temporarily

SILCHAR: Mizoram, the eastern-most state of the country has been virtually cut-off from other states in terms of railway connectivity for over a week now following a rail blockade by a couple of NGOs both in Mizoram and certain areas of Assam.

Mizoram is connected to Assam via the 103-km Silchar- Bhairabi MG railway route under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).

NFR sources on Sunday said owing to the agitations, the 52567 Silchar-Bhairabi Passenger train now plies between Silchar and Lala Bazar stations in Assam and the goods train that used to run between Silchar and Bhairabi (Mizoram) thrice in a week is now plying between Silchar and Hailakandi stations.

Young Mizo Association (YMA), a Mizoram-based NGO has been agitating in Bhairabi station for two consecutive days early this week seeking rescheduling of timing of the lone passenger train connecting Mizoram with rest of the country and also a little change in the route. Again, the Railway Passengers Rights Preservation Committee (RPRPC), an Assam-based NGO, started another protest by stopping the train at Lala Bazar station in Hailakandi district of Assam only to prevent it from reaching Mizoram. RPRPC wants that the present train schedule and the route remain unchanged for the convenience of the passengers.

Sources said while YMA has withdrawn its agitation, the Hailakandi-based NGO continues to stop the trains at Lala Bazar station since last Thursday. This has compelled the NFR authorities to ply the train between Silchar and Lala Bazar until situation turns normal.

RPRPC functionary Govinda Lal Chatterjee said until YMA withdraws its demand the blockade will continue. Chatterjee also alleged that the Assamese traders, who visit Mizoram regularly, are facing harassment. The disruption of train services on the route has left the passengers and the traders' community in trouble, the source added.

2 arrested for blast near Mizoram Parliament Secy's residence

Two persons were arrested for a blast that took place near the residence of the Mizoram Parliamentary Secretary for Home, even as a Manipur-based militant group claimed responsibility for the explosions that rocked the state during the last two months.

A powerful explosion took place near the residence of the Mizoram Parliamentary Secretary for Home, Z S Zuala on Friday, following which two persons were arrested yesterday. However, there was no report of any casualty.

The two have been identified as Lalringthanga, a resident of Mualtluang, Cachar district in Assam, and H D Lalrinpuia of Vairengte, Mizoram Home minister R Lalzirliana said.

He also said that the Manipur based militant outfit, Hmar People's Convention-Democrats (HPC-D) has claimed responsibility for the two explosions in the last two months.

The Home minister said that Lalringthanga confessed to the crime that he exploded five kg of gelatin at the behest of H D Lalhmangaiha, a known sympathiser of the HPC-D.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Explosion near residence of Mizoram Parliament Secretary

Aizawl: A powerful explosion took place near the residence of the Mizoram Parliamentary Secretary for Home in Mission Veng locality early on Friday morning but there was no report of any casualty, police said.

The explosion, suspected to be caused by gelatin, damaged the main gate and brick fencing of Lt Col (Retd) Z S Zuala's residence besides damaging the building of his neighbour, police said.

The walls and windows of the neighbouring building were damaged, but no one was killed or injured in the explosion,they said.

A powerful explosion took place near the residence of the Mizoram Parliamentary Secretary for Home in Mission Veng locality early on Friday morning.

Though no arrest has been made, Superintendent of Police of Aizawl C Laldina did not rule out the involvement of the Manipur-based Hmar People's Convention - Democrats militants. Forensic experts examined the scene of the crime.

Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana and other top officials also visited the place of the incident.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Mizoram PHED employee dies while cleaning water tank

An employee of the Mizoram Public Health Engineering department died while cleaning a water tank at a place near the river Tlawng on the outskirts of the state capital, official sources said today.

Rohmingthanga (47) was sucked inside a pipe while cleaning a water tank last night and died there, the sources said.

Volunteers took a long time to take out the body of Rohmingthanga as he was firmly stuck inside the pipe used for Aizawl water supply.

His body was found by some people this morning.