iMizoram : i Mizoram

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Help us enrol eligible voters: Mizoram poll officer tells political units

Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer Ashwini Kumar today expressed dissatisfaction that there were fewer voters compared to the population in some places of the state.

Include all voters. Reuters

Convening a meeting of representatives of the political parties in view of the coming state assembly polls by the last part of the year, Kumar sought the help of the political parties in the government’s efforts to include all the eligible voters in the electoral rolls.
The copies of the draft rolls published on 1 July would be given to all the political parties so that the political parties would cooperate with the revision of voters’ lists being taken up, he said.
Inspection of electronic voting machines (EVMs) would be undertaken from 29 July to 10 August when representatives of all the political parties were invited, he added.
Assembly election in Mizoram is due by last part of November or early part of December.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Mizoram swine fever abates

Silchar, Jul 4 : The Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), which had killed over 3,800 pigs in Mizoram during March and April this year, seems to have died down with no fresh cases reported since May.

The syndrome, also called blue-ear pig disease, had afflicted the pig population in six of the eight districts of Mizoram, except Kolosib and Mamit, according to T. Sangkunga, secretary of the animal husbandry and veterinary department.

The state director of veterinary L.B. Sailo told this correspondent yesterday over telephone from Aizawl that the ban on the import of pigs from the neighbouring country of Myanmar, which was effected immediately after the outbreak of the contagious disease in early March, would continue. He said the PRRS virus did not infect any human being. Sailo, a veterinary physician, said there are at present two lakh pigs in Mizoram.

Veterinary department sources, however, said the ban on eating of pork, a popular dish among Mizos, has already been lifted as there are no traces anymore of the contagion among pigs.

The emergence of the PRRS virus in some pigs in Mizoram was confirmed last May after tests were conducted on some afflicted pigs in two research centres, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s unit in Barapani near Shillong and in College of Veterinary Science at Selesih near Aizawl.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Seven acquitted in Mizoram exorcism death case

Aizawl: Thangvunga, a resident of Lunglei district in South Mizoram, died after sustaining injuries all over his body in an exorcism ritual on August 8, 2010.

Exorcism is the practice of expelling evil spirits by means of prayer. However, the use of brute force is often reported in exorcism rituals. Lucy Lalrinthari, district and sessions judge of Lunglei, acquitted the accused - a priest and other six devotees - after finding them not guilty of homicide while practising exorcism.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Chin and Mizo singers will perform in US

Popular Chin and Mizo singers will be performing in the US at a conference organized by the Chin Youth Organization (CYO) next month.

Salai Cung Lian Thawng (Thawngbawih), Van Dawt Cin (Moe Moe), both from Chin state, and Mami Varte from Mizoram will perform during the July 4–6 conference in Indianapolis.

Salai Cung Lian Thawng will also be performing in advance of the CYO’s conference in Washington DC on June 29 and in Indianapolis the next day.

The performers are very popular among Chins both in Myanmar and abroad.
“All of us are waiting for the singers,” said one youth living in the US.

Fish farming booming in Mizoram

AIZAWL, Jul 2 – Fish farmers in Mizoram are doing brisk business these days, thanks to the New Land Use Policy (NLUP).

However, the Mizoram Government wants that the local fish farmers should increase their production to the extent where they can start exporting fish outside the State.

NLUP is a pilot project of the Congress-led Mizoram Government under which attempts are being made to provide alternative means of livelihood to the farmers who are heavily dependent on jhumming which is detrimental to the environment.

Piggery, bee-keeping, fish-farming, grape cultivation, etc., are some of the fields the government is encouraging the local people to pursue by providing financial assistance.

Meanwhile, the Mizoram Co-operative Fish Farming Marketing and Processing Federation Ltd. (ZOFISFED) organised annual general assembly-cum-awareness campaign for Integrated Fish Farming Programme here recently where Mizoram Co-operation Minister JH Rothuama was present.

The Federation had resolved to adopt ‘fish farming as a tool for self-sufficiency’ as its yearly theme during the assembly. Minister Rothuama expressed happiness over Mizo fish farmers for their work and also said that the practice of fish farming has been increasing which is a good sign for fish lovers in the State. The minister added that having our own fish in the market is a great boon for health and hoped that in the coming days Mizoram will not be needing to import fish from outside.

The State Government has introduced NLUP for upliftment and development of farmers in the State and fish farmers were among them who did well with the assistance given by the State. He also believed that NLUP will serve as a tool for long-term development of the State in various fields.

ZOFISFED was established on October 29, 1998 with 22 Primary Fisheries Cooperative Societies under its wing. Since 2008, ZOFISFED is maintaining eight Demonstration-cum-Fish Seed Farms. Through government sanction the Federation has built an Ice Plant at Buhchangpui with an expenditure of Rs 22.52 lakh besides purchasing one refrigerated van during last year. About 17,900 families have been enrolled in the Scheme for Welfare of Fisherman Saving-cum-Relief Scheme for Fishermen of Mizoram while 781 were benefited through Paddy-cum-Fish Culture.

No fresh PRRS infection in Mizoram

There was no report of any fresh death of swines due to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and no pig was detected infected with the virus since May in Mizoram, officials said here today.

At least 3,800 pigs died during March and April in the northeastern state and many of them were found to be infected with PRRS.

"Barring Kolasib and Mamit, simultaneous outbreak of PRRS and swine fever occurred in six districts of Mizoram during March and April. The outbreak is over and no report of fresh infection or death of swines was reported since May," state Animal Husbandry and Veterinary secretary T Sangkunga told a press conference here.

He said there was no longer any reason not to eat pork in Mizoram. However, ban on swine import from Myanmar would continue to prevent any fresh outbreak of PRRS in the state.

On the issue of culling the PRRS infected swines, he said the decision was yet to be made as it would involve compensation.

More Chin families could be forced from Mizoram

More Chin families living in Mizoram state in northeast India may soon be forced out by Mizo organizations. A new order calling for the ejection of 16 families in Mual Khang village, Kolasib Township was recently issued by the Young Mizo Association (YMA), Mizo Upa Pawl (MUP) and village council of Mual Khang. The families that have nowhere to go may be forced to seek refuge at a nearby church once the June 30 order comes into effect.
A joint action committee (JAC) was recently formed by the YMA, MUP and village council in Mual Khang village to push out the stateless families originally from Myanmar.
“I have no idea what to do. I have been staying here since childhood. I have no Myanmar national ID card and we can’t get Mizoram identification, ” said a woman from one of the affected families.
Chin migrant workers moved to area more than 10 years ago to work for cultivation work. More were recently resettled there to work in local wine factories, according to a Zonet TV report.
Hundreds of Chin migrant workers in Rangvamual and Phunchawng villages near capital city of Aizawl were driven out last month by the Central Young Mizo Association; the most powerful non-governmental organization in the state.