Alert over blue-ear pig disease

Silchar, June 7 : The Mizoram government has issued an alert to pig-rearers against a new disease named porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome or blue-ear pig disease that has so far affected over 500 pigs in the state.

However, there are no reports of any fatality among the pigs till now. The director of animal husbandry and veterinary department, Lalbiakmawia, today told this correspondent over phone that the virus has reached Mizoram from neighbouring Myanmar, where people like their counterparts in Mizoram, are pork-eaters.

As a result, the import of pigs from Myanmar has been put on hold and Lalbiakmawia made it clear there would not be any relaxation on the import ban imposed in April this year.

The director said the disease was detected in a few pigs which were suffering from fever after detailed tests conducted on them in two institutes — a research complex of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) at Barapani near Shillong in Meghalaya and College of Veterinary Sciences in Selesih near here.

He said the symptoms of the disease are generally triggered by an antigen named as arterivirus, which is generally propagated through respiration and through the seminal fluid in pigs.

Tracing the history of the disease, Lalbiakmawia, who is a veterinary doctor, said the virus was first detected in the US in 1987 and since then it has been periodically surfacing in some South Asian countries, including Myanmar. Lalbiakmawia said efforts are now on India and some other Southeast Asian countries to isolate and treat the virus in a bid to discover the particular antigen for tackling the disease.

READ MORE - Alert over blue-ear pig disease

Swine disease virus detected

AIZAWL, June 5 – For the first time in Mizoram and perhaps in the country, virus of a pandemic disease which causes reproductive failure in breeding stock and respiratory tract illness in young pigs has been detected in the samples of sick swines sent to laboratories for testing.

The samples of the sick swines were tested at the laboratories in the Veterinary College in Selesih, Mizoram and at ICAR Research Complex, Borapani in Meghalaya which detected the presence of ‘artevirus’, the virus that carries the disease porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRSS), Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Dr L B Sailo said. – PTI

The PRRS has never been detected earlier in the state and the country but was prevalent in some Asian countries including neighbouring Myanmar with which the state shares 404-km-long border, he said.

Sailo added that tackling the full blown pandemic PRRS would be extremely tough as the vaccine was yet to be manufactured in India.

The samples were sent to the laboratories following the death of hundreds of swines in Mizoram during the past few months, state AH and Veterinary department officials said.

Following the detection of the PRRS virus, the current ban on import of pigs from Myanmar would be in place for a longer time in the state, Sailo said.

District Magistrates of Mizoram’s districts adjoining Myanmar had issued prohibitory orders banning import of pigs in May last.

READ MORE - Swine disease virus detected

‘Women victims of Mizo conflicts need assistance

Guwahati: Former members of Mizo National Army (now disbanded), the military wing of rebel Mizo National Front (MNF), on Monday raised demand for assistance from the Government of India for proper rehabilitation and looking after of a large number of elderly Mizo women who, they said, had become mentally deranged after they were raped and tortured by Indian Army at their young ages during Mizoram conflict of 1966-86.

It has been 27 years since Mizo Peace Accord that was signed on June 30, 1986 between the erstwhile separatist insurgent group Mizo National Front (MNF) and Government of India paving way for restoration of peace after 20 years of armed conflict since 1966 that left people of tiny Mizoram in jitters.

Members of Ex-Mizo National Army (erstwhile militant wing of the MNF) Association demanded financial assistance from the Government of India taking proper care of these innocent victims of the conflict as their families no longer could bear the expenditure required to look after them.

They alleged that a large number of Mizo women were raped and tortured by Indian Army in the armed conflict with MNF during 1966-86, especially after MNF declared Mizoram an ‘Independent State’.

They stated that media was not allowed inside during that period and Indian Army was given all the power. The Army allegedly killed many innocent Mizo men and raped and tortured young Mizo women.

The former rebels said some of those raped women are now elderly women and mentally deranged and thereby have become burden for their families.

The former rebels also demanded that some cases filed against Mizo rebels were still pending though it was assured during the signing of Mizo Accord that those cases would be dropped. For instance, they cited particular three criminal cases filed by Manipur government against three former Mizo National Army rebels –Lalzarliana, Lalbiakhluna and Vanlalhruaia – were still pending and the mental agony caused by the pending case has made Lalzarliana a mentally deranged person now.

The criminal cases in question were registered by Manipur government as per FIR No.303 (6) 1984 U/S 396/397/121-A/326 IPC RW 25 Arms Act & 13 UAP Act. After signing of Mizo Accord when MNF formed two subsequent government in Mizoram, respective MNF chief ministers of Mizoram had requested the chief minister of Manipur, Governor of Manipur and President of India for number if times to drop these cases, but in vain.

READ MORE - ‘Women victims of Mizo conflicts need assistance

Mizoram finishes second in Job Generation

Agartala: Once again, the Left-ruled Tripura bagged the top position in creating maximum jobs under the national flagship programme- MGNREGA for the 2012-13 .

An average of 87 mandays were generated in Tripura during 2012-13 finanacial year (FY) while Mizoram finished top with 69 mandays and Tamil Nadu secured third spot with 51 mandays, according to statistics of the Rural Development Ministry. The national average of mandays under the national flagship programme stands at 39 days.

However, Rural Development Minister Jitendra Chowdhury was not happy with the role of the Centre.

Talking to media here on Wednesday Chaudhury sought timely release of funds for the implementation of MGNREG) for Tripura saying that the project is suffering from fund crisis in several areas of the state in the current financial year.

The Minister said that the Central government is not regular in releasing necessary funds under the central welfare scheme which has resulted in frequent troubles of implementation.

“We are managing continuity of work as of now with money from our state plan fund”, Chaudhury said. Chaudhury recently visited Gomati, South Tripura district, West Tripura district and Khowai districts.

Saying that the state government is committed to provide a total of 100 mandays assured under the NREGA scheme, Chaudhury expressed discontent at the role of the central government in releasing funds under NREGS and said, “Tripura has been the national topper in implementing MGNREGA for last several years. We generated 87 mandays – the highest in the country. It is sad that the central government hasn’t released timely funds to Tripura for better performance in the scheme”.

“The state government was expecting Rs. 400 crores in the first installment of NREGS fund release in the current labour budget’s tenure. They have given us barely Rs. 58 crores”, he added.

READ MORE - Mizoram finishes second in Job Generation

Don't use policemen for personal reasons, officers told

Aizawl, May 3 : The Mizoram government Sunday warned police officials that strict action will be taken if they use constables and Home Guards for private purposes.

"Stringent action will be taken if any senior police officer is found using manpower for private purposes," Home Minister R. Lalzirliana said here.

He was addressing a function of the State Disaster Response Force.

The minister said: "There are complaints and reports that senior police officials are using constables and Home Guards for private and family purposes."

READ MORE - Don't use policemen for personal reasons, officers told

Grand bungalows of Ministers in Mizoram attract Corruption Watchdog

Aizawl, Jun 3 : Due to the FIR filed recently by the Mizoram corruption watchdog, People's Right to Information and Development Implementing Society of Mizoram (PRISM) to Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) against Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and his ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and MLAs on ground of discrepancy in accumulation and construction of their own residential buildings and to investigate over it, the accused ministers and MLAs said they now want to resort to filing defamation case against the PRISM, according to the media cell of Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) .

"After having done verification over the accusations made by PRISM against the MLAs, we found that the accusations are false and unfounded," the MPCC stated, adding, "We are very much afraid that these out-of-the-way accusations hurled at the MLAs may downgrade even their already secured good names.

The possible reason, we supposed, for PRISM doing like this is because they want to contest in the assembly elections.

We therefore, supposed that they (PRISM) feel the good MLAs as a hindrance in their plan for the same and so tried to defame them", the MPCC said.

It can be noted here that this is not the only case where PRISM had exposed the corrupt practices in Mizoram.

On August 18 last year, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACb) had arrested PWD Engineer-in-Chief, Lianchungnunga, former Engineer-in-Chief Liansanga and PWD Accountant B Thanpuia on the charges of misappropriation of funds for the Serkhan-Bagha Road surfacing, thanks to the PRISM exposure.

Political parties including Mizoram state unit of BJP, Mizoram National Front (MNF), Mizo Peoples Convention (MPC), Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), PC and Zoram National Party (ZNP) along with NGOs such as AMFU, AMIS, CITUM, FOMTU, GDN, HR&LN, HZP, MBCS, MCDC, MMS, MRTU, MUP, MSU, MZP, PRISM, SOSA and TZP rallied behind PRISM in the case.

The Anti Corruption Bureau had arrested the three officials- Lianchungnunga s/o Hranga (L) Chaltlang Dawrkawn, Liansanga s/o Suakkunga (L), Khatla and B Thanpuia s/o B Lalnghaka (L), Upper Republic following the FIR lodged against them for their alleged involvement in corruption in connection with the work of Serkhan-Bagha Road construction.

ACB had arrested the three PWD officials through the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Lianchungnunga was arrested while he was at his office, Liansanga at his residence, and B Lalthanpuia while on his building construction work.

After receiving an FIR in 2009 against the three PWD officials, the Anti Corruption Bureau had carried out investigations after which they came to arrest the three accused PWD officials last month.

It can be noted here that the BRTF had earlier worked for the 75 km.

Serkhan-Bagha construction and after blacktopping was done, it was handed over to Mizoram PWD in 2004 .

Then, the PWD received Rs.6, 00, 50,000 during 2006-09 from the 12th Finance Commission, Rs.1,00,86,000 from Mizoram Plan Fund during 2004-07, Rs.30,00,000 from NEC in March 14, 2006 and again Rs.45,00,000 on September 21, 2006 .

READ MORE - Grand bungalows of Ministers in Mizoram attract Corruption Watchdog

Ban on smoking in pvt vehicles in Mizoram

Aizawl, Jun 3 : A ban on smoking in private vehicles was imposed in Mizoram today, World No Tobacco Day. The order was issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Aizawl district, an official statement said. Functions were held in Aizawl and all district headquarters of the eight districts where provisions of the Control of Tobacco Products Act were explained to participants.

READ MORE - Ban on smoking in pvt vehicles in Mizoram