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.
READ MORE - Mizoram to share its power quota with Tripura during Pujas

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."
READ MORE - Mizoram, Meghalaya to light up Tripura during Puja

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.”
READ MORE - Mizoram plea on missionaries

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.
READ MORE - Mizoram govt issues extreme weather condition warning

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.
READ MORE - 96% people inhale second-hand smoke in Mizoram

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.
READ MORE - Mizoram govt creates 'Chief Minister's Free Medicine Scheme'

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.
READ MORE - 3,481 people in Mizoram reject 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.
READ MORE - Three years in jail for man who molested two minor daughters

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
READ MORE - Rifleman’s death: Police question 3 accused

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
READ MORE - New Governor Paul takes charge in Mizoram

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.
READ MORE - Mizoram measures to improve police efficiency

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

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.
READ MORE - Mizo editor passes away

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

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

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.
READ MORE - Meghalaya Governor KK Paul given additional charge of Manipur, Mizoram

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.
READ MORE - Paul to be sworn in as Mizoram Governor

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.
READ MORE - 661 committed suicide in Mizoram since 2005: NGO

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.
READ MORE - Home dept suggestions for efficient functioning of police

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.
READ MORE - Mizoram: 47 kilos marijuana seized, three arrested

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.
READ MORE - Drugs seized in Mizoram

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.
READ MORE - Brother blames seniors, police lodge murder case

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.
READ MORE - Explosion near residence of Mizoram Parliament Secy