Deadly Japanese Encephalitis Surges in Northeast India

By Amarjyoti Borah

Guwahati, Jan 27 : Cases of deadly mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis have risen nearly five-fold in five years in India's northeast Assam state as a result of warming weather and changing rainfall, health experts say.

Between 2010 and 2014, the number of annual cases rose from 154 to 744, with deaths rising from 41 to 160, according to data from the Assam health department. The disease, which in 2009 was recorded in only half of the state's districts, now is seen in all of them.

Doctors say climate change has played a major role in the spread of the disease, which once appear largely from May to July, but now is seen as late in the year as November, as mosquitoes survive longer in warmer conditions.

Japanese encephalitis is characterised by inflammation of the brain and high fever.

"Now the temperature ... which is ideal for breeding of the Culex mosquito is present almost until October or so, and as a result of this the cases of the disease are increasing," said Rabindra Nath Talukdar, a senior official of the Assam health department.

"Initially it was only an upper Assam disease ... but now it has also been detected in lower Assam districts, and (now) cases have been reported from all the 27 districts in Assam," Talukdar said.

MORE MOSQUITOES

Health department officials said changes in agricultural patterns may be affecting the rise in encephalitis cases. Warmer conditions have allowed farmers to grow more crops of rice each year, which means rice paddies with standing water offer a breeding ground for mosquitoes for a larger part of each year.

"The Culex mosquito breeds on water in the agricultural land, and now since there is water on the field for several more months than before, it gives more time and space for the mosquito to breed," Talukdar said.

Faced with a surge in Japanese encephalitis cases, the Assam government has announced measures to tackle the problem, including more careful monitoring of cases.

Assam Health Minister Nazrul Islam described the situation as "a huge concern".

"I have asked the senior officials of the health department to monitor the situation carefully and to report to me on a regular basis," he said.

GROWING OUTCRY

Faced with a growing public outcry over the disease's rapid spread, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered officials of the Assam health department to develop a plan to control the disease.

Plans should include "setting up of an intensive care unit in each district hospital for treatment of emergency cases, along with laboratory testing units," Gogoi said.

As well, "I have already asked the health department to procure laboratory testing kits for quick diagnosis of the disease, adequate vaccines and medicines for the hospitals, and also to carry out intensive fogging in the affected areas," he said.

Civil society groups and activists have however questioned why such steps were not taken earlier.

"The data from the state health department itself shows that the disease has taken a deadly turn over the years in the state. Unfortunately the state machinery waited for the disease to go out of control, whereas it should have taken steps to control the disease much earlier," said Sankar Prasad Rai, of the All Assam Students Union (AASU).

Several influential student groups of the state, including the All Assam Students Union and the Assam Jatiyatibadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), have staged protests over the government's failure to control the spread of Japanese encephalitis.

DoNER To Launch ‘Make in Northeast’ Brand

New Delhi, Jan 21 : Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet theme, the Ministry of DoNER has decided to launch a ‘Make in North-east’ campaign, while plans have been finalised to appoint a brand ambassador for the north eastern region.

Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Dr Jitendra Singh today announced the ‘Make in North-east’ initiative beginning with a comprehensive tourism plan for the region.

He also announced the decision to appoint a brand ambassador who, he said, could personify the heritage and identity of the Northeast and at the same time, inspire the rest of the countrymen to “look east” and “act east”.

Chairing a joint meeting of senior officers of the Ministry of DoNER and the Union Ministry of Tourism, Dr Singh said the ‘Make in North-east’ initiative, inspired by the ‘Make in India’ concept, will in the long run seek to promote exclusive North-east expertise in areas like tea processing, organic farming, food processing, exploitation of wind power through wind mills, Ayush and wellness therapies like spas among others.

A detailed brochure for investors will also be prepared and released across the country to encourage investment in the North-east, the Minister added.

In order to develop the North-east as a destination for investors, holiday seekers and tourists, mega circuit and mega destination projects of the Tourism Ministry in the area will also be pursued.

Revealing his future plans, Dr Singh said his Ministry will soon organise an event in Mumbai for interaction with representatives of the film industry in order to create awareness about the vast potential for location shooting in North-east, which can be done with much greater ease and cost effectiveness without travelling abroad.

It was strange, he observed, that the only filmmaker from Mumbai who had, with commitment, focused on depicting the North-east through cinema was the Late Dev Anand.

One of the important objectives of the ‘Make in North-east’ initiative, will be not only to generate revenue for the region, but also to create job opportunities to prevent the exodus of youths from the region to the rest of the country, which is presently taking place, Dr Singh said.

Govt Proposes 18 new FM channels for Northeast

Mumbai, Jan 21 : The government has approved 18 new FM radio channels in the eight North-Eastern states. Announcing the move, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh hailed it as a New Year gift for the border states of and North-East.

In North-East, three channels each will be launched in the six towns of Haflong and Dhubri in Assam, Jowai in Meghalaya, Lunglei in Mizoram, Mokukchung in Nagaland and Belonia in Tripura.

This is in addition to the existing 12 FM channels which are already functional in the North-East region. Singh said, “The new channels are being launched with the special objective of extending the reach and impact of radio to the border areas, where other means of telecast or broadcast are not available.

Radio is still the most easily available and convenient medium of broadcast even in such peripheral areas where television telecast is not accessible and the added advantage is that radio broadcast can be tuned even without electricity.”

The government has a special consideration for these states, he said, and added that this is evident from the fact that the cut-off population required for introducing an FM channel has been drastically reduced in case of these border areas. Elaborating further, he said that while in Phase II, the cut-off population was minimum 3 lakh, in Phase III it is proposed to be one lakh.

Hailing this decision as an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special emphasis and concern for these regions, Singh thanked Union Finance Minister and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Arun Jaitley for having taken a liberal view of the proposal and helped in the process of Phase III FM channels.

Singh urged upon the concerned Ministries to install these proposed channels with a higher frequency compared to the already existing channels so that they can better broadcast services in the border areas.

These channels may however, not be permitted to put out their own news broadcasts and in case the news has to be broadcast, it will be taken from the All India Radio as per the policy guidelines.

More incentives to Airlines, Bollywood for Promoting Northeast India

The Centre will provide special incentives to airlines for increasing air connectivity to the Northeast and to Bollywood for films shooting in the region.



The Centre will provide special incentives to airlines for increasing air connectivity to the Northeast and to Bollywood for films shooting in the region.

Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh said the government is trying to woo industries to the eight Northeastern states so that enough jobs are created for the youths of the region.

"The issue of connectivity in the Northeastern states is a matter of major concern for us. The road and rail network is not there due to difficult terrain.

"A lot of dependence is on air travel. That is why we are requesting airlines to increase the number of aircrafts and frequency to these states. We are ready to provide more incentives to the airlines," Singh told PTI in an interview.

He said the DoNER is discussing the issue of providing air connectivity with the civil aviation ministry also. Singh said road and rail network is also being given the top priority for the region and efforts are being made in this regard at the fast pace.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been emphasising on ensuring social and economic inclusion of Northeast with other parts of the country. It is only after the Prime Minister's directive that now the government has decided to send at least one Union Minister to visit any of the eight Northeastern states -- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura -- every fortnight.

"There is a lot of scenic beauty in the Northeastern states. It is like going to any other foreign destination. We will ask Bollywood to make films in these states. They are bestowed with picturesque locations," the DoNER minister said.

Rajyavardhan Rathore says discrimination against North East Indians a 'problem of both sides'

Aizawl, Jan 16 :  Speaking on discrimination faced by the people from the North Eastern Region in other parts of the country, Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Thursday said the problem lies with both sides and it's a result of "cross-alienation".

Speaking on discrimination faced by the people from the North Eastern Region in other parts of the country, Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Thursday said the problem lies with both sides and it's a result of "cross-alienation".

"We get to hear about the discrimination faced by people from North East in popular media. I feel it is an issue of cross-alienation. The problem is from both the sides.

"A smile or a casual greeting can break the ice. It is also the responsibility of our friends from that part of the country to prevent themselves from being alienated," Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rathore said. At an inter-state student exchange programme organised by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Rathore also spoke about certain measures being taken to stop "brain drain" from the region.

"The best minds of the region are moving out. The central government has zeroed in on two factors to curb this trend. We are working to build strong transportation and communication facilities in the region. Steps are being taken to convince industries to set up their business in the region," he said.
The Union Minister said the government is underlining the importance of an "Act East policy" going the beyond the 'Look East' policy through a slew of initiatives to promote the interest of the region.

"Though the UPA government talked about 'Look East' policy, we have underlined the importance of an 'Act East' policy," he said. According to Rathore, the government is planning to launch three more news channels for the North Eastern Region, in addition to the one launched in Arunachal Pradesh last year.

"We also have plans to open more AIR and community radio stations in the region. A permanent location for the IIMC building in Aizawl is being worked out along with the setting up of a film Institute in the North East," he said.

Stating legislations can help solve problems "only to an extent", Rathore underscored the need for greater exchanges between the people of the region and the rest of the country.

"The government is working to solve the out-of-sight out-of-mind situation regarding the northeast. Legislations can only help in solving a problem to an extent. Various non-governmental efforts are required for greater exchange," he said.

3 TV Channels To Be Launched For Northeast India

By Sushanta Talukdar

Guwahati, Jan 13 : Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Colonel (retd) Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Monday said that the work for launching three new television channels for the North-east for the promotion of local language and culture, and local programme production was in progress, and the government would soon come out with the details of the proposed channels for the region.

Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the 19{+t}{+h}National Youth Festival which concluded here on Monday, the Union Minister said that survey work for setting up of a Film and Television Institute in the region had also been carried out, but the government was yet to finalise the site.

The construction of the permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication Centre at Aizawl would also be taken up in the current year, he said.

Colonel (retd) Rathore said that All India Radio has wide coverage in the region and the government would also support the setting up of community radio centres to reach out to more people in remote areas along international borders.

Crime Against People From Northeast India Rises Steadily: Police Data

New Delhi, Nov 24 :  Crime against people from North-East in the national capital has witnessed a steady rise with Delhi Police receiving 650 calls related to crime this year.

According to data compiled by Delhi police, till November 15 this year, it has received a total 847 calls out of which 645 calls were related to crime.

Police converted 139 of these into FIRs. The number of FIRs stood only at 74 from the people of this region last year.

The highest complaints numbering 259 were received from South Delhi district followed by South East which stood at 53.

The lowest number of calls, six, were received from North East Delhi district. The number of complaints received from other districts were, North West - 44, South West - 40, North - 35, West - 32, East -19, Central - 15, New Delhi - 15, Outer - 10, Crime & Railway - 8 and Out of Delhi - 8.

When it comes to police station wise data Vasant Vihar got the most 58 calls followed by Safdarjung Enclave - 48, Kotla Mubarakpur - 23, Malviya Nagar - 21, and Mukherji Nagar - 20.

These are all areas with considerable population from the North-East. There were 159 cases related to quarrel which topped the list. 56 cases of eve teasing were reported while there were 22 cases of cyber crime/racial discrimination through social media etc.

13 cases were of molestation while six cases of rape and four cases of attempt to rape were also reported. Last week, three youths from the Northeast were found dead within 48 hours in the city.

A 32-year-old PhD scholar from Manipur was found murdered with his neck slashed at his home in south Delhi’s Kotla Mubarakpur area on Wednesday night. The deceased was identified as Keashung Zingram Kengo who had completed his Ph. D from Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

In another incident reported from Malviya Nagar area, a Manipuri student was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence on Thursday morning. The same night, another youth from North-East had died after he apparently fell from the staircase at his home in Munirka area in south Delhi.

He was in an inebriated condition when the incident took place.

Attack on Northeast People Out Of Information Gap: Assamese Filmmaker

Journalist-turned-filmmaker Utpal Borpujari feels violence against people of north east in some parts of the country is due to "information gap" and "misconceptions" even as he expressed the need to make conscious efforts to bridge this deficit.

Borpujari's documentary on Naga folk, 'Songs of the Blue Hills' is critically acclaimed in the Indian Panorama section at ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here. "There is a huge gap of information regarding North East.

We have often seen using words like mainstream India for the states which are not from North East. There is lot of misconception about the North Eastern states," Borpujari told PTI. Terming the attacks on the people of north east as "unfortunate", Borpujari underlined the need to bridge the information gap by making conscious efforts pan-India.

"In fact, there should be conscious efforts like including information about the North East in school curriculum," the 46-year-old filmmaker said.

'Songs of the Blue Hills' is produced by Delhi-based Centre for Cultural Resource and Training (CCRT), which has also started a special initiative to educate people about the north eastern culture.

Borpujari, whose earlier documentary 'Mayong: Myth/Reality' had made waves, said that movies based on the north east can help a lot in providing knowledge about this part of the country and dispelling stereotypes. He candidly said that his journey towards shooting 'Songs of the Blue Hills' started in oblivion.

"When I conceptualised the subject, I knew very little about the Naga folk music. When I went to Nagaland it was a journey to discover myself. I realised that a large number of people from Nagaland are pursuing music," he said.

Borpujari said he stumbled upon the fact that Nagaland is the only state in the country where government has formed a task force to ensure that people take music as a profession only during making of the documentary.

A Heady Mix of Northeast Football, Food & Music

By Siddharth Saxena

New Delhi, Nov 20 : This must be the season of Northeastern cultural assertion in the Capital. And not a moment too soon.

Close on the heels of the much attended North East Festival 2014, comes the North-East Tamchon football tournament, a little-known but yet strangely popular annual ritual here, the eighth edition of which kicked off earlier this week.

For the regular Northeasterner seeking some sense of identity away from home, football has often shown the way.

The antidote that delivers them from the discrimination and suspicion, sometimes violent, that confronts them on a daily basis on the 'mainland' as they call it, the sport can whip up a spontaneous sense of belonging which even their love for music possibly cannot match.

For starters, football remains faithful to old world idea of being easy to set up; it is cheaper and a less of a logis tical and organisational headache than a rock concert, swear the organisers. It was this premise that made the Tangkhul Naga Society Delhi, the event organisers, choose football over music when they first felt a need for a platform to showcase Northeastern identity in the Capital way back in 2006. Crucially, the event is named after RN Tamchon, ACP, Delhi Police who served between 2000-2003 and was looked upon by the community in the Capital.

The concept, no doubt, was also inspired by the scenes that unfolded at the 2004 Nationals hosted by Delhi, where a hitherto indifferent Capital got a first-hand taste of what Northeastern fanaticism and love for football was like. Students, salesmen and office-goers by the thousands would throng to the Ambedkar Stadium to see Manipur play, screaming their support and playing their music in the stands. Such an outpouring of support from the region had never been previously seen in the Capital and it gave rise to the distinct possibility of a group's identity and belonging that had not been manifest in this fashion through a sport.

Somewhere, the Tamchon tournament continues to do the same. The idea of inviting non-league teams representing communities and tribes from the region states caught on. Last season, a good 20,000 strong crowd turned up to see Hmar FC a Mizo-Manipur combine win the title and the organisers hope a greater number will turn out at the Nov 29 final this time.

For now, they have put a cap on requests for participation to 16 teams because the size of the event is getting out of hand.

With a shoestring budget of Rs 18 lakh, the society which organises the event purely through volunteers, fears that any more would get out of hand.

At this year's opening ceremony, a good couple of thousand had already taken the stands in the late November afternoon, breathlessly expectant of the events to follow.

Almost as if on cue, food stalls cropped up in the second tier of the Stadium momos by the bucketful, brimful containers of drippingly tempting pork curry, fried fish and an assortment of evening snacks were whipped up by smiling matronly women who knew what they had to do.

And if there's football and food, how could full-throated singing be far away. Schoolgirl Chonchon Varah belted out a hair-raising rendition of Whitney Houston's One Moment in Time, before a five-tribe choir group gave us the tournament's theme song.

"This is what we do," sighed organising secretary Kharingpam Chahing, clearly wanting to chat more on the issue of race, discrimination, integration, safety... and football. He needn't have bothered. The impromptu festival scenes at the stadium was evidence enough.

Northeast Festival in Delhi Sends Out Message Of National Integration

New Delhi, Nov 18 : 'Insurgence to Resurgence' was the theme of the second edition of the "Northeast Festival - Connecting People, Celebrating life" at the Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts in New Delhi.

The four-day long cultural extravaganza was organised by Trend MMS, with support from eight north-eastern states, Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of DoNER and the Northeast Community, Delhi.

Sportspersons from the north east, who won medals at the recent Commonwealth and Asian Games were felicitated at the inaugural session.

Leaders, policy makers and various stakeholders came together for discussion sessions on critical issues including tourism, employment, business opportunities and investment in IT sector in north east.

Shyamkanu Mahanta, the organiser- in- chief, said the main motive is to connect with rest of the country.

"This is a comprehensive package. First part is to communicate Delhi and rest of the country about north-east. Second part is showcasing the talents. We have MTV covering our musicians. So, we want to give a platform because they don't get platforms like this," Mahanta said.

"We have got paintings from Aizwal. They have never gone out. For the first time, the artists are getting a scope at Indira Gandhi Center, considered to be the best art destination in the country. So, they are getting a good market. We wanted to give this platform to our talents and create hype around the north-east. We are an integral part of India, we need to be known and we are trying to communicate," he added.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on his part said that such events should strengthen our position.

"When we meet for such occasions, something positive should come out of such events. So those who are participating in cultural events, food events, discussions, seminars, workshops, these all should cumulatively lead us to strengthen our position," he said.

Colorful performances of ethnic dances like Sukhta Lam of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes from Manipur attracted the visitors.

The festival also included an art and photography exhibition that showcased the works of various Northeastern artists.

A huge draw at the festival was the food court that offered the locals a chance to sample traditional northeastern delicacies.

The products on display at the various handloom and handicraft stalls from the different north-eastern states were also much appreciated.

"This is very nice. I come from far away from Rohini. I came because I thought this will be very colorful and nice and I am particularly interested in the dresses the people wear here. They are very nice," said Thakar, a local.

"I really enjoy north-east food especially food from Nagaland. There are places in Green Park like Nagaland's Kitchen and Rosang cafe and we always go there to have pork ribs and akhouni and stuff," added another local Prateek.

Fashion designers from the region put together a vibrant show showcasing the traditional weaving patterns, rich colorful fabrics and jewelry worn by the numerous tribes of the north-east.

Actress Rajni Basumatary, boxer Shiva Thapa, former Mr. India Mahadev Deka and singer Rewben Mashangva made special appearances on the ramp.

"When a mega event like this northeast festival happens in Delhi, lots of people come to know many things about the Northeast region, not just about sports, but also about music, culture and traditions and many more things. This is the biggest platform for us to show our talents and also to let all Indians know that we do exist as well," said Shiva Thappa, a boxer.

The audience was later treated to a wide range of musical performances by popular bands like Minutes of Decay, Mayukh Hazarika and the Brahmaputra Balladeers and Frisky Pints.

Tetseo Sisters, a popular female band from Nagaland, sang their famous folk songs in Chokri dialect.

During their performance, they used age-old Naga string instrument Tati and Bamhum.

Father of Naga Folk Blues, Guru Rewben Mashangva from Manipur, had the audience rocking to his catchy tunes.

Mashangva said the people will get to know more about the north east through such events.

"This is a very good platform for us, for youngsters and the north east people to get together here .The government needs to sponsor more and more such events every year so that the mainland

India and Northeast people will unite again and again here. It's a platform for our north-east people. From every corner, we have brought here our talents, skills, costumes and fashion," he said.

Such festivals are essential to facilitate better understanding and bridge the gap between the north-east and the other parts. They also help in promoting the tourism and business potential of the region, besides highlighting the multifarious culture.

Mobile Network Hope For 8000 Villages

By Andrew W. Lyngdoh

Shillong, Nov 17 : Altogether 8,621 villages in the Northeast out of 9,190 unconnected ones will be provided mobile connections under a central plan to bridge the connectivity gap and improve rural telecom infrastructure of the region.

The project will also provide seamless connectivity to national highways through 321 mobile towers.

According to the reply by Union communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad recently to Tura MP P.A. Sangma’s letter, more than 900 villages in West, East and South Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya are proposed to be covered under the Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the Northeast.

“The Centre is committed to providing mobile connectivity in rural and remote areas of the country.

To bridge the connectivity gap and improve telecom infrastructure, a Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the Northeast has been approved by the government,” Prasad said.

The villages of Garo hills will be covered by 2G mobile connections under the plan, he added.

Garo hills is an example of the low mobile connectivity being experienced in the region.

There are hundreds of areas in the Northeast, which are yet to experience the “telecom revolution” in a befitting way.

Sangma, in his letter to Prasad, said the Northeast requires special attention not only because of existing poor connectivity in the region but also because of the sensitivity of the region, as 98 per cent of the northeastern states’ borders are shared with other countries.

While referring to various villages in Garo hills, which do not have any form of mobile connectivity yet, but have sufficient population to make connectivity viable, Sangma said, “There are some areas along the border with Bangladesh where people are using mobile networks available from Bangladesh due to unavailability of any Indian service provider.”

Sangma said using Bangladesh mobile networks was not only inconvenient for the people in view of the high cost they have to incur, but also unsafe “in terms of people, including BSF jawans manning the border”.

On September 10, the Union cabinet had approved the telecom plan for the Northeast, which entails an estimated expenditure of Rs 5,336.18 crore, to be funded from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).

The USOF would fund capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) of net revenue for a period of five years.

The project also seeks to increase the connection reliability of the district and state headquarters across the region by providing alternative optical fibre connectivity.

This will ensure that notwithstanding any problem in one route, the voice and data transfer through other routes will keep the district and state headquarters connected.

The project is aimed at covering the uncovered villages in the Northeast and to maintain seamless connectivity on national highways in the region.

At present, there are 43,200 villages in the Northeast. Of this, 8,621 villages (20 per cent) of the unconnected 9,190 villages will be covered through 6,673 towers.

The Indian telecom network is the second largest in the world after China. As on March this year, the country has 933.02 million telephone connections, including 904.52 million wireless telephone connections, with an overall teledensity of 75.23 per cent.

While the urban teledensity is an impressive 145.46 per cent, the rural teledensity is a mere 44.01 per cent.

India Can Stop The Mauling, Harassing, And Killing Of Northeasterners—Yet Chooses Not To

The government has to create educational and employment avenues in the northeastern states.(Reuters/Adnan Abidi)

By Ragini Bhuyan

Everyone’s asking why.

There’s been another spate of crimes on northeast Indians this month—attacks on Manipuri students in Bangalore, on workers from Nagaland in Gurgaon, and the death of a young woman from Mizoram in Delhi.

But we’ve been here before—and convened inquiries, commissions, and reports. The results of the last time this happened—the so-called MP Bezbaruah committee report—had tangible solutions.

The problem is that nothing happened. Will this time be different?

The report examines the rise in discrimination against migrants from India’s northeastern states. The committee, which submitted its report in July, was constituted by the government after a 19-year student from Arunachal Pradesh, Nido Taniam, paid the price for his “chinky” looks with his life. Ironically, Lajpat Nagar, the Delhi neighborhood where he died, is an immigrant colony formed largely of Partition refugees, and the country’s capital has been built on waves of migration.

“There are two things—one is prejudice stemming from ignorance, which leads to taunts and subtle discrimination. This can be combated over the long term through cultural sensitization,” Bezbaruah said in an interview with Quartz.

For the second problem—to deter violent crimes, his report suggests the following:

• special police units to probe such crimes.
• fast-track courts so justice is served.
• cases should be disposed of in 90 days.

“If criminals are dealt strong punishment, then it will not only be a deterrent in the future, but will also send a signal to migrants from the north east that the state is serious about their safety and well being,” Bezbaruah said.

The need for quick redress can be illustrated by the recent verdict on the 2010 Dhaula Kuan rape case. The case, ­which saw the gang rape of a call-center employee from Manipur, took four years before the court pronounced those involved guilty. The victim felt compelled to leave Delhi. Her father testified to a national daily that for months, they received threatening calls asking them to withdraw the case. The verdict came on the day three Manipuri students were beaten up in Bangalore for not knowing how to speak in the local language, Kannada.

The Bezbaruah committee report has noted that Delhi exhibits the worst discrimination among India’s metros. The answer might lie in the numbers. The committee quoted a study which found that more than 400,000 people have migrated from the northeast between 2005 and 2010, with Delhi being the preferred destination.

“There has been a change in the profile of the migrants, which could be a factor behind the rise in crimes. Earlier, it was mostly students. Now many come to work in the lower rungs of the service sectors. Preference for workers from the region in certain areas, like the hospitality industry, has fed resentment in a certain section of the local population,” Bezbaruah said. The report notes that many such workers live in affordable areas, which are essentially urban villages, and where their way of life comes into conflict with locals who are still rooted in conservative traditions.

The committee has called for amending section 153 of the Indian Penal Code to include stringent punishment for racially-motivated crimes, and to set up an implementation committee with civil society representatives in the ministry of home affairs. IPS officer Robin Hibu, who assisted the committee in its proceedings, has argued for an anti-racism law. “In addition, there should be dedicated nodal officers in the ministry of home affairs charged with the responsibility of monitoring crimes against people from the region in all those metro cities which have witnessed such crimes,” he said.

Though Delhi Police has a special unit that looks into issues troubling migrants from the region, Hibu points out that it is virtually toothless. “It does not have the power to launch investigations nor can it book FIRs,” he said.

Despite assurances that the government is examining the report, many who were consulted during its drafting are disappointed with the delay. “The government should promulgate an ordnance at the earliest to deal with such crimes. We need greater discussion about race crimes,” said Sanjoy Hazarika, a veteran journalist and author of several books about the northeast.

Kishalay Bhattacharjee, another journalist from the region, argues that strong policing and fast-track courts are only part of the solution. “There can be silent discrimination … This could happen at work. The real challenge involves changing mindsets. This will take a generation, so the government should seriously look at cultural sensitization. They could start with schools,” he said.

The committee found that many crimes go unreported due to police apathy. Taniam’s killing compelled writer Janice Pariat to “out” her own experience of being attacked in Delhi years before. She wrote, “Many post-colonial states, like India, have often become the bone of contention of different groups to assert their pre-eminence over the other.”

The government can do three things at the minimum:

• start with strengthening law and order, and provide quick, legal redress
• start a broader programme of sensitisation, whether that involves the police, resident welfare associations, or outreach programmes in schools and colleges.
• spread the benefits of economic liberalisation. From Bihar onward, India’s poorer eastern half suffers from infrastructure deficit, a lack of industries, and educational and employment avenues. Lack of development has fueled insurgency. The government has to create educational and employment avenues in the northeastern states. It must value its people—if it wants others to do the same.

India’s Largest Dam Given Clearance But Still Faces Flood Of Opposition

The 3000MW Dibang dam, rejected twice as it would submerge vast tracts of biologically rich forests, is to get environmental clearance – but huge local opposition could stall the project

A dam in Arunachal Pradesh. Photograph: Travelib Environment/Alamy

Six years ago, former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the 3000MW Dibang multipurpose dam project. The dam, to be built across the Dibang river, in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, will be the country’s largest. The state plans to build more than 160 dams in the coming years.

Dibang dam will not only generate power but supposedly control floods in the plains of neighbouring Assam state. The dam’s reservoir was estimated to submerge 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) of dense forests along the Dibang river valley. The forest advisory committee (FAC), which examines the impact of infrastructure projects on wilderness areas, was appalled and rejected it.

For a project so large, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) failed to assess critical components of the project and was widely criticised for inadequately predicting the dam’s effects on the environment. Its evaluation of impacts on wildlife is a farce. The authors of the document list creatures not found in that area, such as Himalayan tahr, and concocted species not known to exist anywhere in the world, such as brown pied hornbill. Of the ones they could have got right, they mangled the names, referring to flycatchers as ‘flying catchers’ and fantail as ‘fanter’.

In his scathing critique, Anwaruddin Choudhury, an expert on the wildlife of north-east India, sarcastically concluded the EIA makes a case for the project to be shelved, as Dibang was the only place in the world “with these specialities!” Despite listing these amazing creatures, the EIA goes on to say “no major wildlife is observed”.

In a similar vein, the document claims only 301 people will be affected by the dam. Authorities must be puzzled that a project with so few affected people should be opposed by so many. Protests by local people began soon after the inaugural stone was laid in 2008. Since then large crowds have disrupted public hearings. On 5 October 2011, police fired on one such mass demonstration, injuring 10 people. Regional authorities branded anti-dam protestors as Maoist rebels, further angering them.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Idu Mishmi and Adi tribes will be the most affected. They fear loss of grazing land, fishing grounds, and lack of safety of the dam in a seismically volatile zone.

Additionally, they are concerned that the large number of workers needed to build the dam will overwhelm their cultural identity and their lands.

When the FAC first rejected the project in June 2013, it said the “ecological, environmental and social costs of diversion of such a vast track of forest land, which is a major source of livelihood of the tribal population of the state, will far outweigh the benefits likely to accrue from the project”.

Some of the grassland-covered river islands in the Dibang river are the prime habitat of the critically endangered Bengal florican. The ministry’s recovery plan for the bird species recommends the area be designated as a national park.

Neeraj Vagholikar, an environmentalist familiar with the case, who works for NGO Kalpavriksh, lists the concerns of people downstream in Assam: loss of fisheries, loss of agricultural land on river islands, increased vulnerability to floods caused by removal of boulders from riverbeds for dam construction, sudden release of water from the reservoir in the monsoons, and safety of the dam in a geologically fragile and seismically active region.

Under public pressure, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi told prime minister Narendra Modi in July this year, “We urge that all hydro electric projects be taken up only after consideration of dam safety, flood moderation and downstream impact mitigation measures in consultation with government of Assam.”

Arunachal Pradesh resubmitted the proposal in February 2014, dropping the height of the dam from 288 metres to 278 metres and saving 1,100 acres of forest. The FAC rejected it again in April 2014.
Prakash Javadekar’s ministry of environment and forests also rejected the proposal on 28 August 2014, and cited these reasons in its letter: “[The] proposed area is very rich in biodiversity, sensitive ecosystem being at the edge of hills and flood plains and having large number of endemic and endangered flora and fauna, etc. Moreover, such project is most likely to have considerable downstream impact including impact on the Dibru-Saikhowa NP [national park] in Assam which is yet to be studied.”

That ought to have put paid to the dam project. Instead, the prime minister’s principal secretary revived it in early September.

This time it sailed through the clearance process. At the time of writing, the minutes of the FAC meeting granting approval have not been made public, and the final height of the dam is still unconfirmed. Anti-dam activists suspect the height of the dam may be lower by 20 metres, and the dam is likely to submerge 4,300 hectares (10,586 acres) of forest.

Javadekar has repeatedly stated he supported development without destruction of environment. But it’s just a matter of days before he affixes his seal of approval to the dam. The FAC’s previous concerns for the area’s biodiversity and the lack of studies of the impact in Assam were brushed aside. A project that claims to control flooding in Assam has not conducted one public meeting in that state nor was the chief minister’s demand for consultation acknowledged. The ministry’s own concerns about the impact on Dibru-Saikhowa national park remain unaddressed. This is the latest in a series of moves made by the government to push large projects at the cost of the environment.

When he was a prime ministerial candidate, on 22 February 2014, Modi had said in a speech at Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh: “I know that the people of the state are against the building of big dams, and I do understand their sentiments. We can still tap those potentials with proper scientific technology and small dams, besides using solar energy to supplement them.” Either he had changed his mind in six months, or he never meant what he said then.

However, forcing these approvals through may not make an iota of difference. The 2000MW lower Subansiri hydroelectric power project got all its clearances, and yet after spending over £500m, the project was brought to a halt in December 2011. The largest anti-dam people’s movement, “unprecedented in India’s hydropower history,” refuses to allow dam construction.

Activists believe the buildup of a massive opposition in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam may render the Dibang dam a non-starter too.

Bangalore: Manipuri Victim Gets Death Threat on FaceBook

By Prakruti PK

Cops yet to act on Michael's plea against vile torrent calling him names in Facebook

Bangalore, Oct 20 : The case of the engineering student from Manipur who was allegedly assaulted for not knowing Kannada on Tuesday night has taken a new twist. The 26-year-old approached the police on Saturday requesting them to take action against a woman who allegedly called him a "swine" on social media and said he "should be stoned to death".

T Michael Lamjathang Haokip alleged that a Facebook user, Priyanka Ravi, posted inflammatory comments about him online and assassinated his character by making false claims that the victim was in Kothanur that fateful night trying to "convert poor families to Christianity" which is why he was attacked, and not because he didn't know Kannada.

"At first, I found the situation rather amusing, since I am not even Christian to begin with. But I realised I could not stay quiet as this discrimination and hatred is unwarranted. I did nothing to deserve being beaten up, and the words used by the woman online are derogatory. It was my juniors in college who brought her post to my notice, and I immediately shot off an email to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-east) on his official mail ID on Saturday. I received a reply saying someone would contact me from the Kothanur Police Station. But so far, I haven't heard from them," Michael told Mirror.

One of the comments the woman made read: "And by the way, they hit him because he was trying to convert people here and not because he didn't know Kannada as reported by our paid sickular media."

When another user, Akshatha S B, commented that she had mutual friends with Michael and that they had never discussed religion, Priyanka replied: "Ooh, grow up! He was not a fool to do religion based conversations (sic) in an educational institution. He targeted poor families in the Hennur region and obviously people who are involved in conversations won't go around talking about it openly. As I said earlier, don't comment if you don't know the other side of the story!"

The woman then raised the vitriol level, "A person involved in religious conversions should be stoned to death, not just hit. I don't care if he speaks Kannada or Persian, he was involved in an illegal activity and he got what he deserved."


'COPS SLOW TO REACT'

Michael, meanwhile, claims the police have been slow to react. "I have been waiting for a call or some sort of action, but sadly, there has been nothing so far. I even complained on the Bangalore City Police Facebook Page, providing the link to her post, and asked the Cyber Crime Cell to take action. "She seems like some sort of fanatic who is bent on dragging religion into the incident," he said.

When contacted, DCP (North-east) Vikash Kumar Vikash said, "I will have to go through the email. But we will look into the matter." Priyanka Ravi remained unavailable for comment.

To put things in context, around 9:30 pm last Tuesday, Michael and two friends stopped at a roadside eatery on Kothanur Main Road for dinner. The trio was returning from the Kothanur police station, barely a kilometre away, where they had distributed invitations for a community event on November 1.

A group of three drunken youths sitting at the next table allegedly objected to the boys speaking in English and demanded that they speak in Kannada since they were "eating food in Karnataka". An argument ensued and the youths bashed up the students. Michael was attacked with a chair and stones and sustained injuries on his head, neck, shoulder, and back. A case was registered at the Kothanur Police Station and the youths were arrested immediately.


BULK SMS'es OF 2012

In early August 2012, bulk SMSes, emails, and messages began circulating warning people from the North-east to leave Bangalore and other cities before 20 August. This created panic among members of the North-eastern community in the city, who began fleeing in hordes after some people were attacked. Soon, 16 miscreants were arrested in Bangalore: eight for spreading rumours that led to the flight, and eight for assault.

Gurgaon To Get Helpline For Northeast People: Rijiju

By Rao Jaswant Singh

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said that he has approved setting up of an exclusive helpline for the people of Northeast living in Gurgaon. 

Gurgaon, Oct 20 : Trying to calm nerves after the assault on two Naga youths in Gurgaon late on Wednesday night, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju on Saturday met a group of students from the northeast and assured that "hate crimes will not be tolerated".

The minister said he has approved setting up of an exclusive helpline for the people of Northeast living in Gurgaon. "If the helpline proves beneficial in checking such incidents, it will be replicated across metro cities where people from Northeast region live in the country," he said.

"The government believes India is a democratic nation and such hate crimes will not be tolerated. Our society must not be intolerant, we must exist harmoniously together," Rijiju said. The Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal Pradesh said he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the national security adviser, and soon a high-level meeting will be held on the matter. "No stone will be left unturned to control such racist attacks against Northeast people. Solidarity of the country will not be allowed to be disintegrated as the people of the Northeast region have equal rights," the minister added.

He also said the Centre will soon implement recommendations of the committee formed in February 2014 to look into various concerns of persons from the Northeastern states who are living in different parts of the country, especially metropolitan areas, and to suggest suitable remedial measures.




Minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju addressing the media after a meeting on racist attack with people hailing from northeast states, in Gurgaon. (PTI Photo)

The committee headed by M P Bezbaruah, a North Eastern Council member, was formed following outrage over the death of Nido Taniam, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, in a racist attack in Delhi. It submitted its report to Rijiju on July 11. Among the recommendations were legal measures to ensure safety and security of people from Northeast. "The home ministry will implement recommendations of the Bazbaruah committee," said Rijiju.

The minister had an hour-long meeting with Gurgaon police commissioner Alok Mittal, divisional commissioner D P S Nagal and other senior officials over the incident. He said the people of NE region are "satisfied with civil and police administration for their quick action."The youths from Nagaland were beaten up allegedly by eight persons at Sikenderpur village on Wednesday night for refusing to have drinks with the attackers.

Northeast People Not Indians? Why They Treated As An Aliens Then

By Mukul Kumar Mishra

Remember Nido Tania, a young boy from Arunachal Pradesh who was killed in a South Delhi market in February this year. He was killed with iron rods and after that debate gained momentum that why such discrimination against north-east students. Why they are treated like they are not part of India.

Political parties also clamored a lot that time, just to take political advantage of the issue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had termed the incident as national shame.

After coming to power, to make thing better, BJP made former army chief V K Singh Minister of state (independent charge) for North East Region.

Why bearing the brunt in own country?

But it seems nothing has changed and that proves from recent number of attacks on these students. Latest is a young woman from Manipur was found dead in her flat in South Delhi's Munirka area. Earlier, on Thursday, two youths from Nagaland were beaten up and assaulted by a gang of seven in the Sikanderpur area of Gurgaon. The attackers even chopped their hair with stern warning saying that if they will dare to come again, they will face the dire consequences.

The barbarism against north-east students doesn't end here. On October 15, a Manipuri student leader was beaten mercilessly by a gang of men who were hellbent that he should speak Kannada. "They kept asking me to speak in Kannada.

If you outsiders know how to eat food that is produced in Karnataka, you must also know how to speak Kannada. This is India not China," said the victim. Why one should know local language? It is really shocking and at the same time shameful that we treat our own brothers and sisters shabbily. They are not foreigners or aliens.

They have the same right as any Indians have. But despite that they have to face the wrath of people. Imagine the guy was beaten just because he didn't know Kannada, as if the same people will visit Manipur they will start speaking in Manipuri.

India is democratic country with mix culture, language and inclusiveness. And that is its beauty. Is this written in our constitution that one should know the language of the region, if they want to reside in that part of the country.

Obviously not. One can't force anyone to speak the same language as local follows. If India can't treat northeast students at par with other Indians, it doesn't have any right to flex muscle over Arunachal Pradesh.

There is no moral right to call Arunachal Pradesh its own. If India can't care for this racial attack at home, then why make a big issue when someone from Indian origin is assaulted at foreign soil i.e Australia. Somnath Bharti, Raj Thackeray thread on same path Sometimes back AAP leader Somnath Bharti had raided in African residents area claiming that they were involve in prostitution business. But nothing was proved against them ultimately.

Did he care how much mental agony it caused to them. In 2008, MNS chief Raj Thackeray had also started a similar campaign against Bihari migrants, saying that they should know the Marathi language. Though, people know why he did that, just to give fillip to his political career. But this is really a dangerous precedent in Democracy.

One can't treat other brutally, just because they don't know local language or culture. This is really a serious matter and concerned authorities must take punitive action on this hate crime cases. India is a country which believes in love not in hate.

Bangalore Racial Crime: How it All Went Down?

Michael Lamjathang Haokip of Manipur with Police Commissioner M N Reddy at his office in Bangalore on Thursday

Express met with Michael Lamjathang Haokip, one of the Manipuri students who was beaten up by three people in the city on Tuesday.

Where did the incident happen?
For an upcoming cultural function, we were practising Bamboo dancing at Kothanur. Many of my friends stay there and I went there from Shantinagar, where I stay.


What did you do after practice?
We finished practice at around 5.30 pm and since we needed the local police station’s permission to hold the function, three of us went to meet the inspector of the Kothanur police station. After going to the police station, we went to have dinner. Around 9.30 pm, we visited a local food joint and ordered food. We were sitting and chatting in our local language when we noticed three people sitting at the adjoining table. Suddenly one of them started shouting at us saying, “What you are eating is Kannada food. Where you are sitting is Karnataka, so you should speak in Kannada.”

How did you react to that?
- One of my friends knew Kannada and he tried to pacify them. Meanwhile I got up to wash my hand and my other friend continued to ignore them. When I was returning to my seat, I noticed that one of the three people was lifting a chair to throw at us. I controlled him and all of us went outside.


What happened outside?
- We were quarrelling outside and then I noticed the guy who had aimed the chair at us picking up two stones to throw at us. I acted out of instinct and grabbed him. In that process, I fell down and he fell down and at that time, he hit me with the stone.

When the fight was going down, our bikes fell down. I tried calling the Kothanur police station but there was no response. I called out to my friend and we took his bike and headed to the police station.

On our way to the police station, another guy came by on a motorbike and hit us. We fell down and at that time, I got through to the police station and spoke to the inspector. I started walking towards the station and met the police on my way.

Certain reports say that you’ve denied it to be a racist comment.
- While I have not used the word racist, it is very obvious that those comments were made because of how I look. That is indirectly racism. Would the locals have dared to make such comments if, instead of us, there were three locals who did not know Kannada?

Were you aware that the guys who beat you up were drunk?
-No, I was not. If we wanted, we could have replied with muscle power, but we chose to go to the police.

Delhi To Host 4-Day Northeast Fest in Nov, To Focus On Attacks Issue

New Delhi, Oct 17 : A four-day festival beginning next month will showcase music, dance, fashion and food of the northeastern states with a special focus on "bridging the cultural gap" in the wake of several incidents of attacks on people from the region.

Icons from the northeast like champion boxers M C Mary Kom and Shiva Thapa, Bollywood actor Adil Hussain and Everest conqueror Anshu Jamsenpa among others and policy makers are expected to attend the event scheduled from November 7 to 10.

Other than exhibiting the cultural heritage of northeastern states, the festival organisers will also hold discussions on critical issues concerning the region.

"The theme this year is 'Insurgence to Resurgence' with focus on highlighting the positive stories of entrepreneurship and development," said chief organiser of the festival Shyamkanu Mahanta.

"The whole objective is to present to the people of Delhi North East India in one platform and also to encourage tourism," he said.

"We want to show that just because we have different racial features, we should not be neglected. The festival is an attempt to bring people together and make them aware about the northeastern culture, which will help in avoiding any such discrimination," said Joint Commissioner (Training) Robin Hibu, who is the nodal officer for northeast people in Delhi Police.

The festival will be held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and is being organised by socio-cultural trust Trend MMS in association with the northeast community of Delhi comprising student organisations and activists.

"We are going to highlight the recent attacks on people of the northeast. There is a cultural gap, especially between people from the northeast and other parts of the country. The main goal of this festival is to bridge this cultural gap," said J T Tagam, a social worker from Arunachal Pradesh.

A session will be held on ways of introducing subjects from northeast in school and college curriculum to create awareness about the region.

Hate crime near Delhi, 2 Northeast Men Attacked

By Leena Dhankhar

New Delhi, Oct 16 : A day after the attack on Manipuri men in Bangalore, two young men from Nagaland were severely beaten up in Sikanderpur near Delhi by a gang of locals.

One of the two men from Nagaland who were severely beaten up in Gurgaon. (HT Photo)

The locals numbering about seven, held the men in confinement in Sikanderpur area and beat them up with cricket bats and hockey sticks, a support group for northeast students alleged. After the attack the attackers also cut their hair, and asked them to tell their friends from the northeast to leave the area.

"If you were from Manipur, we would have killed you, " the attackers allegedly told the men.


Combo image of two men from Nagaland. (HT Photo)

The victims were first rushed to a provate hospital nearby, but seeing the injuries were severe, they were taken to the Civil Hospital.

Attack on Manipuri Student Raises More Questions On The Safety of Outsiders in Bangalore

Bangalore, Oct 16 : A suspected hate crime was reported in Bangalore where a Manipuri student alleged that he was beaten up by people who demanded he speaks in Kannada. Three people have been arrested in connection with the case.

Speak in Kannada, else flee - this was the kind of threat 22-year-old Michael allegedly faced when he went to have dinner at a roadside eatery in east Bangalore on Tuesday night.

"Three men came to us. One of the miscreants told us to speak in Kannada. He said that we need to speak Kannada as we live in Karnataka and and eat Kannada food. They tried to hit us after that," Michael Lamjathang Haokip said.

Speak in Kannada, else flee - this was the kind of threat 22-year-old Michael allegedly faced.

Although out of danger now, Michael sustained injuries on his head. What is shocking is the apathy of the onlookers who did not come to the boy's rescue. The engineering student has been living in Bangalore for the past four years.

Even as the terrified student tried to make an escape and reach the Kothanur police station, the group of men followed him. But luckily a police van reached the spot and the men were taken into custody.
The police have booked the three men under the Rowdy Act for assault and intimidation. But they are refusing to call this a racial attack.

"It should not be termed as a racial attack. Even the victim has told that it is not a racial attack. The three people were drunk and were semi-literate people and in their drunken state, they did this. They don't have authority to beat up anyone. That is why we have taken up this case," said Alok Kumar, Additional CP (Law and Order).

This is not a one of a kind incident for Bangalore. In May 2012, another Manipuri student Richard Loitam was found dead under mysterious circumstances triggering protests across the country. Months after that, a mass exodus of northeastern Indians from Bangalore was triggered by a hoax SMS, threatening the community.

The latest incident only raises more questions about the safety of outsiders in Bangalore.