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03/15/2006: "Flying Squad to check illegal mining"


Flying Squad to check illegal mining The Nw Morung Express
KOHIMA, MARCH 14 (DIPR): Nagaland Government has constituted a State Level Task Force for monitoring and checking mining matters including illegal mining in the State under the Nagaland (Ownership and Transfer of Land and its Resources) Act, 1990. The 9 member Task Force will be headed by the Secretary of Geology and Mining who will act as Chairman of the group.
Functions of the Task Force are to review the action taken by the Mining Officials/Forest Officials for checking the illegal mining activity in their respective jurisdiction, action taken by the State Government on the cases of illegal mining, review the coordination between the member Departments and discussion on the pending issued, collection of information for the quarterly return to be submitted to the Central Government, etc. The Task Force will meet once in a quarter.
To prevent illegal mining as well as illegal transportation of minerals in the State, the State Government also constituted a Flying Squad team comprising departmental officials for the time being for four districts- Wokha, Mokokchung, Mon and Phek.
The Flying Squad Team shall comprise of the officer-in-charge at the rank of Assistant Mining Engineer with one Junior Engineer and other supporting staff.
The team will cover all the four districts at least twice a month and will collect data/information about illegal mining as well as illegal transportation of coal and other minerals and submit reports thereof to the Directorate Office for onward submission to the Government.
If any person is found evading royalty or carrying out illegal mining activities, the team shall take the help of the local administration and the police for necessary legal proceeding against such individual/party.
Nagaland University likely to get acting VC Correspondent Nagaland Post
Kohima, March 14 (NPN): A solution to the ongoing impasse in Nagaland University is perhaps afoot after the agitating Nagaland University Teachers' Union (NUTA) on Tuesday expressed optimism about the possibility of appointment of the acting Vice Chancellor.
Talking to Nagaland Post, a NUTA office bearer that they "expect the appointment of an acting VC of Nagaland University anytime now".
PGSU sources claimed that the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) in New Delhi was giving positive signals on this matter.
It was also disclosed that the MHRD on Tuesday put up the files for selection of the acting Vice Chancellor. However, the Ministry would wait for a response from the NU till March 16 since March 15 is a government holiday on account of Holi.
It was also disclosed the University had already faxed the seniority list of professors to the office of the MHRD in New Delhi on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the list, Prof. B.S. Chauhan, heads the seniority list among Professors in NU.
Earlier on Tuesday morning, officials of the district administration, police and NU inspected the NU office to assess damages to property caused by the students on Monday.
When contacted, the officials refused to divulge any details. It was also disclosed that the Registrar and a few officials of the varsity were not barred by the PGSU from entering their offices to search for files in order to prepare the seniority list of the Professors.
Talking to media persons at Raj Bhavan on the sidelines of the swearing-in ceremony of State Chief Information Commissioner and two State Information Commissioners, Planning and Higher Education Minister Dr. Shürhozelie dismissed some charges leveled against Prof. Sharma by NUTA and PGSU as "wild allegations".
He said some NU officials had already apprised the government of the account numbers in which the money had been deposited and therefore, it was not possible to withdraw money before maturity of the deposit on April 20. "If the university has to develop, protests have to be through democratic and not violent means," the Minister added.
Public discussion on illegal taxation Correspondent Nagaland Post
KOHIMA, MARCH 14 (NPN): On the eve of the World Consumer Rights Day, the Nagaland Voluntary Consumer Rights Organization (NVCO) and Angami Public Organization (APO) on Tuesday organised a public meeting at Hotel Japfu on the theme "How to fight against illegal collections in the state"
The meeting was organized mainly to discuss on how to ensure 'Consumer Rights (Consumer Protection Act, 1986)" for every citizen.
Members of NVCO, APO, students, various NGO leaders, church leaders and media personnel participated in the open discussion.
The main objective of the meeting was to discuss and bring about a remedy on how to remove illegal tax collections,
NVCO president, Kezhokhoto Savi pointed out that many government department agencies were still practicing unauthorized tax collection from the public.
However, advocate Savi said that the citizens, being a consumer, should one way or the other know not only their rights but also their duties.
He said that for every tax payment, the tax payer should insist on a receipt as no agency has the right to impose tax without receipts.
He also called upon all the tribal hohos to play a vital role in checking and detecting illegal taxations in the state. APO president, Mhiesizokho Zinyu partaking in the discussions, assured that the APO within its jurisdictions would create an awareness campaign to fight for their rights and hoped that the public would extend full co-operation. A consumer rights activist representing Mon-Tuensang districts informed the house that not only the state government agencies but even the Naga underground factions are practicing illegal tax collections from the public. He said various underground factions collect their own rate of tax. He also called upon the NVCO to spearhead and check this kind of illegal tax collection. Church leaders, students, NGOs and media person also participated in the discussion hour.
Obtaining restricted area permits Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR: The Dimapur police today issued a handout on the necessity of foreigners visiting the state to obtain Restricted Area Permits (RAP).
The handout issued by the SP office, Dimapur said the confusions following local people inviting foreigners to Nagaland without the knowledge that a foreign Passport Holder requires an RAP to visit the state had necessitated the issuance of the detailed instructions for obtaining the permit.
To avoid such confusions and embarrassments in the future, Dimapur police has advised all concerned citizens desirous of inviting foreigners to the state to first obtain their RAPs from the competent authorities before actually asking them to come to the state.
The handout said foreigners traveling in a group of four or more, or who are married couples, should obtain their RAPs from the Home Commissioner, Nagaland or the Resident Commissioner, Nagaland House, 29, Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi. The RAP so obtained will be valid only when all persons mentioned in the permit are traveling together or otherwise specifically mentioned.
If the number of foreigners is three or less and there are no married couples, then RAP should be obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Foreigners' Division), Government of India, New Delhi, all Indian Missions abroad, and the FRRO Delhi, Calcutta and Mumbai. Also, the RAP application should be submitted about four to six weeks in advance as the Government of India conducts certain verifications which take time, the police handout said.
RAPs are valid only for the specific tourist circuit route and definite exit points. They should visit no area other than the ones indicated and not stay in the restricted/protected areas after the expiry of the permit. Also, RAP holders were requested to keep sufficient number of permit photocopies with them which may be required for depositing at each point of entry/exit.
Travel Agencies/Tour Operators should ensure that tourist groups sponsored by them are in possession of valid restricted/protected area permits and that they do not visit places other than the permitted ones or stay there after the expiry of the valid period.
Owners of Quest Houses/Hotels should also ensure that only foreigners with valid restricted/protected area permits stay with them.
It is mandatory for the Guest Houses/Hotels or individuals, if any foreigners stay with them, to inform the police about their arrival/departure within 24 hours failing which action would be initiated against them under the Foreigners' Act, 1946.
A foreign tourist group on entry to Nagaland should also ensure that they are accompanied by a Liason Officer/Tourist Guide approved by the state's Tourism Department and Travel Agents/Tour Operators/Individuals etc, arranging for the travel of foreign tourists should contact the same.
The police handout also informed that PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) cards were not valid for Protected/Restricted areas and hence, such card holders should also obtain the RAP if they desired to visit Nagaland.
Goa Governor reacts to allegations North East Press Service

Kohima, Mar 14 (NEPS): The Governor of Goa SC Jamir has been drawn to an article which appeared in the local press this morning by one Kivi Kips, Dy Secreatry, MIP, GPRN, under the caption “Sovereignty Versus Integration” alleging that “[t]he nexus between Neiphiu Rio and IM terrorists was also greeted with obligatory support from S.C. Jamir, the Governor of Goa who promised Neiphiu for Congress support should his son (Apok Jamir) be made Deputy Chief Minister, next to Rio” (sic), according to Sebastian Zumvu, OSD to the Governor.

Terming the allegation as “outrageous, unwarranted and a blatant lie” that Jamir had made any promise to Mr Rio with regard to placement of his son Mr Apok Jamir, MLA, the OSD said, “The allegation would be amusing if not for the gravity of the allegation,” .

Zumvu explained that Jamir, as a Governor, was apolitical and was not in the least interested in the activities of political parties either in his home State or elsewhere in the country.

“It is immaterial to him (Jamir) whoever occupies the seat of power in the State, and his avowed desire is that whosoever is in power should work ceaselessly for the welfare and uplift of the people of Nagaland,” Zumvu stated. “As a person, he (Jamir) has relentlessly worked for peace and prosperity of the people of Nagaland, and at the same time, he had also contributed his best to peace, reconciliation and permanent solution of the protracted Naga political problem.”

The OSD also asserted ever since his appointment as Governor of Goa in July 2004, Jamir, former Nagaland Chief Minister, had completely detached himself from politics as required by the gubernatorial position he holds. Therefore, the allegation had come to him “as a bolt from the blue”, he pointed out.
Hmar Peoples Convention refutes statement of UNLF Newmai News Network

Imphal: The Hmar Peoples Convention (HPC-D) has strongly refuted the March 8 statement of UNLF that appeared in some Imphal based newspapers and stated that the safety of Hmar people is its utmost concern and wondered, How will the HPC (D), standing for the people, force the villagers (of Tipaimukh Area) to flee to Mizoram leaving their homesteads ? as charged in the UNLF statement.
Instead, it was the atrocities of the UNLF and KCP that forced the villagers to flee, HPC (D) charged. The outfit also accused UNLF of falsely accusing the HPC (D) of cooking up the rape and torture stories to tarnish the UNLF image at the local and international level.
These rape and torture accusations neither arose from the HPC (D) nor did it instigate it. It arose from the true testimonies of the victims who had borne the brunt of the UNLF and KCP atrocities and carnal desires, claimed the release signed by one Lalpuithang Commander, Churachandpur.
As a group, the UNLF and KCP must have the courage to admit to the follies committed by its cadres instead of putting the blame on others, said the release even as it condemned the alleged incidents committed by the said militant outfits to the Hmar people.
In another statement concerning the Hmars of Tipaimukh, Churachandpur District Students Union (CDSU) urged the State Government, officers, philanthropic organizations, all student bodies and capable individuals to extend their helping hands in rehabilitating the displaced Hmars, who are brothers and sisters of Manipur without any reservation.
Acknowledging the contribution of local MLAs and the District Administration in enabling their visit to refugees in Mizoram and the various philanthropic organizations of Mizoram and their government as well in attending the refugees, the CDSU release claimed such helping hands not only connotes philanthropic but enhanced brotherhood and fraternity within the family.
The student body besides condemning what it terms as the harassment of Hmar people and the raping of beautiful girls felt such discriminatory act have threatened the peaceful co-existence in Manipur and observed, under such circumstances the hill people may be compelled to find out ways and means for their safety. In addition it urged the government of India and Manipur to arrange appropriate measures for the safety of the hill people in Manipur.
Public Opinion? March 15 Today's Editorial
The process of formulating ‘public opinion’ is fundamental for democratization and progression of a people. ‘Public opinion’ is distinct from the ‘mind of a crowd.’ It is a systematic process of sensitizing people and represents the expression and wisdom of a nation’s experience and vision. Formulation of public opinion is a participatory dialogue process which exposes prevailing contradictions. It seeks to liberate the oppressed and those that oppress, for they too are victims of their own blindness.
Nagas have become vulnerable to many internal and external influences because of the various transitions it had to undergo. It has also not really healed from its collective traumas which has caused a greater sense of disconnection and disunity. The question that emerges is where is Naga public opinion? Does it even exist? Or has public opinion become the State itself?
The irony is that people have not been able to adequately confront the state because of a created relationship of dependency and control. The state presents itself as the only ‘legitimate’ unit of organization to represent the people and the sole authority to provide ‘employment’ and ‘resources.’ It also systematically controls the mind of people. Subsequently, those ruling have tactfully managed their source of power through a system, which centers in the hands of a few people. Often power is defined in terms of money, gun and the ability to create fear; but these are only the tools to enforce their perceived power over people. In reality their power lies in their strategies, planning and action that are well-planned in promoting their own self-interest at the expense of people.
Ironically, while people desire to free themselves, they also feel an overwhelming perceived sense of powerlessness and hopelessness and are faced with a moral dilemma around the question of survival. The state and its bureaucracy have ensured that people feel powerless to survive without patronage from state politics. Inevitably, people fall victim to electoral politics, which has succeeded in deepening the many ‘ism’ that we see around us. It ‘freezes the mind’ from any creative thinking to transcend the status quo. Eventually, electoral politics is reduced to a state where a bag of rice or Rs. 500 determines the vote.
This has grave ramifications since, what we often perceive as real, becomes real in consequence. Consequently, we have begun to have a false reductionist and parochial understanding of the realities that lie around us. Thus, politics has effectively been reduced to state politics, unity to uniformity, just peace to suffer peacefully, peace process to cease-fire, cease-fire to no fighting, the Naga movement to factions, Christianity to Baptist, reconciliation to forgive and forget and so on..... we can keep going. In the emerging internal contradictions do Nagas realize that its greatest threat is, ‘self-defeat?’
Massive operations launched to nab extremists involved in Latehar incident North East Press Service

New Delhi, Mar 14 (NEPS): Massive search and combing operations have been launched to nab the extremists who detained a passenger train in Latehar district of Jharkhand yesterday. All exit routes are being watched. The Centre is in constant touch with the State Government. Following the incident, the Union Home Secretary, V.K. Duggal spoke to the State Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police. CRPF support was made available to the State Government to deal with the situation. Primary focus of both the Central and State Governments was to ensure the safety of those on board the train.
In a report sent to the Union Home Ministry, the State Government has informed that extremists detained the arkakana-Dehri-Mugalsarai passenger train between Hehegaraha and Kumandih railway stations near Antikheta village of Latehar district yesterday evening. On getting information about the incident, police parties with sufficient re-enforcement reached the spot. The police party found the train abandoned with a partially damaged driver-seat and transformer of the engine. The passengers whose number was around one hundred were found absolutely safe. The extremists who were about fifty in number had snatched walkie-talkies from the guard and the driver and fired twelve rounds in the air. Empty cartridges have been recovered from the site. No body has been injured in the firing. Another engine was sent to the place of occurrence and the train left the spot at about 0805 hrs today. Normalcy has been restored and the railway traffic has resumed.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Secretary has convened a meeting of Chief Secretaries and DGPs of naxal-affected states in New Delhi on the 31st of this month to review the naxal situation.



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