Manipur Under Siege

By Rahul Karmakar

Guwahati, May 23 : The heart of Manipur is ‘dry land’. That possibly isn’t the reason why this Land of Gems is prone to being left high and dry. On the map, Manipur is like a set of concentric circles. The 238-acre, 400-year-old Kangla — it means ‘dry land’ in Meitei language — Fort forms the innermost ‘circle’. Around it stands state capital Imphal, encircled by the 1,843 sq km Imphal Valley dominated by the Meitei community.

And this valley is surrounded by 20,504 sq km of hills inhabited by several Naga tribes, Kukis and their ethnic cousins.

The moat-rimmed Kangla Fort is but a shadow of its royal past. After the Assam Rifles moved out in 2004, it ceased to be the symbol of ‘Indian colonialism’. But power remained in the vicinity. What separates the fort from the Raj Bhavan, Assembly and Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh’s official residence is National Highway 39.

The 436 km NH39 is more than just a highway. It is Manipur’s lifeline from either end — Numaligarh in Assam where it branches off NH37 in the northwest and passes through Nagaland to touch the Indo-Myanmar border southeast at Moreh. The highway is also an Achilles’ heel for this northeastern state — it gets choked whenever Manipur has ethnic, militant and inter-state problems.

Manipur’s highways are often likened to boa constrictors. No one feels it more than petty trader H. Brajamani (48) of Thoubal, 25 km south of Imphal along NH39. Ever since Naga organisations imposed a highway blockade from mid-April — first to protest tribal council polls and then against the ban on Naga rebel leader Thuingaleng Muivah’s proposed visit to ancestral village Somdal in Manipur’s Ukhrul district —Brajamani is buying his vegetables dirt cheap. Because blockade-induced fuel scarcity has either made buses and trucks idle or too expensive compelling Thoubal vegetable growers to offload locally. But the vegetables can’t be cooked because LPG is too hard to get even at Rs 2,000 a cylinder and kerosene unavailable. “We are yet to get used to firewood,” he says.

Imphal’s masked rickshaw-pullers - they hide the ignominy of a ‘lowly’ profession — have a similar predicament. The fuel crisis has helped treble their income, but their expenses on essentials have quadrupled. No wonder, buying a colour TV in Imphal entails up to 10 litres of free petrol.

“Medicines are being airlifted, but work without fuel is difficult,” says Bar Association secretary N. Jotendro. Commuting constraints have forced schools to declare early summer vacation while local newspapers downsized pages owing to newsprint crisis.

It is not the valley — it grows enough rice to sustain 60 per cent of Manipur in a year — that is suffering. The worst affected are areas that want to see Muivah’s homecoming become a reality. For the moment, they do not mind paying Rs 500 a kilo for sugar or Rs 110-150 for a litre of diesel so long as the standoff bleeds Manipur.

But Manipur — CM Ibobi Singh to be precise — is in no mood to let Muivah in. For, in the visit it sniffs a design to reclaim Manipur’s hills for Greater Nagalim, the ultimate goal of the militant National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah). The hills that Manipuri kings had ruled out of Kangla Fort.

An old Meitei saying runs thus: Ching na mayambani, tam na manao ni; animak thadoknaba yaroi (Hill is elder brother, Valley is younger brother; the two cannot be separated). Is Manipur paying the price of a role reversal bid?

(With inputs from Sabhapati Samom in Imphal)

Illegal Raping of Forests in Northeast India

By Shib Shankar Chatterjee

The North-East Himalayan region presents a diverse system of habitats ranging from tropical rain forests to alpine meadows. These varied eco-systems distributed along different latitudinal as well as altitudinal limits contain endangered fascinating flora and fauna derived from varied biomasses of 'Earth'.

The forest areas of North-East Indian States like Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and West-Bengal, are some of the most important reserve deep forest and rain-forest areas in this sub-Himalayan territory for developing a comprehensive network of bio-diversity conservation. It includes a number of verified natural habitats and is rich in communities in species, in varieties and in endemics.

An unidentified wood smuggler is chopping of the trees secretly in the forest of Indian State Assam, while Environment & Forest Department, Government of India has revealed in a report that the forest cover Northeast India is shrinking due to human activities.
Photo by: Shib Shankar Chatterjee

Ironically, very little has been done to either study or protect these areas in the past. The largest number of bio-diversity hotspots in the Asia, as well as the country is also found here. Also a large number of valuable wildlife resources are yet to be enumerated strictly in accordance with facts and figures.

It is a fact that the North-Eastern States Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and West-Bengal have always been cut-off from the rest of the Indian peninsular region. This has mainly stemmed from the natural geographic conditions of the region. This sad state of neglect pertains not only to ecological conditions, but also to the area's economic, social and political situation.

Today, when all of humanity is raising a hue and cry for preserving the environment and maintaining ecological balance(which has been lost for so long primarily due to thoughtless activities of men), some foreign and national noxious agencies joined hands to destroy the already half shattered North-East India to make mega bucks.

A view of a destroyed forest of Indian State, Nagaland, by the Wood smugglers.
Photo by: Shib Shankar Chatterjee

The news of the recent molestation of the forest wealth of the aforesaid Indian States exposes the ill motives and intentions of wildlife poachers, wood-smugglers, illegal migrants and militant groups, who eke out an existence from this.

The non-stop looping of forests caused extensive damage to the dense rain-forests of North-East India, which resulted in the heavy and unbridled plunder of forest resources.

"It is true that the militants or extremists of North-Eastern States, (especially in Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and Mizoram) dominated the illegal felling tree business, earning crores of rupees for their outfit's coffers or to mobilise the Movement. Though, for the few times it was stopped due to the resistance put by a section of ultras. But, now it is once again in full swing in the aforementioned forests," claimed the local Non Governmental Organization (NGO) related to environment and wildlife.

Wood smugglers carrying wood, and bringing to near Indian interstate border.
Photo by: Shib Shankar Chatterjee

In fact, "The militant charges Rs. 25 to Rs. 75 for every cubic feet of wood smuggled from the wood cutters. The smugglers in turn, sell it to the middlemen, mostly immigrant Muslims, who finally sell it to the sawmills in the Indian State, West-Bengal and also to neighboring countries, the then East-Pakistan that is, East-Bengal, presently Bangladesh including the other parts of India, with inflated charges", emphasized the activists of environmental NGOs, all sections of people and the local plywood factory or saw-mill owners of West Bengal State and others states of India including Bangladesh, where their aforesaid factories are running in full swing.

These aforesaid West Bengal State and the others states of India and the Bangladesh plywood factory or mill owners admitted that their mills and the furniture shops are fed by the 'Green-Gold' of Northeast India. Not only that, even in Northeast India, where about 700 to 800 village man, woman, children and youth fetch firewood from the forests, of the above mentioned Northeast Indian States to meet the growing demand of the local and poor tea stalls, hotels, bakeries, and construction, et cetera.

In this context, it is a fact that in the year 2001, the outfit like Bodo (specially, National Democratic Front of Boroland - NDFB and Bodo Liberation Tigers - BLT), United Liberation Front of Asam (ULFA), et cetera had imposed a blanket ban on the illegal felling of trees in the eastern Indian State, Assam and also ordered 144 sections in the forested areas. To stop this illegal nonstop looting and plundering of Green-Gold, an 'Organization' of young stars better known as rebels, formed NDFB. The members of these organizations proclaim that heavy punishment will be inflicted upon those who illegally plunder the wealth of the forests. The Government has utterly failed to protect and preserve this wealth of the Bodo Tribe peoples in the proposed Bodoland areas upon which the economic and social prosperity of this peoples depend.

The son of the soil, the Bodos of these organization declared that these unwanted wood-cutters and smugglers will be given death when found committing such offenses or illegal activities. The organization in a circulation clearly warned those illegal wood-cutters and smugglers that they would not tolerate this thing any more, including stealing even small pieces of wood whatsoever from their forest. It is national wealth and they would not let it to be plundered in this way any more. The organization further proclaimed that none would be pardoned if and when found raping their natural wealth.

A view of a forest of West Bengal, newly planted by the Indian West Bengal Forest Department.
Photo by: Shib Shankar Chatterjee

However, in the year 2005, the NDFB and BLT have joined the All Bodo Students' Organisation (ABSU) in the same issue and released a statement. "Our organization, NDFB has determined to keep vigil in the forest areas in order to safeguard the shrinking jungles. Not only that we have decided to stop illegal felling, cutting, smuggling of trees and illegal intrusion of forestland. Even, we urge the Forest Department of Bodo Territorial Council And Districts (BTCAD) and the all sections of people to prevent these kinds of unlawful subversive activities, before it's too late", warned B. Sudem, and some dedicated top most NDFB leaders.

According to this organization, "It is nothing but a great conspiracy against the peace-loving inhabitants of the forests under proposed Bodoland areas in the state, Assam, which aims to bring their ruin and so they have decided to put an end to this underhand activities. But, this needy people could not keep themselves restraint from doing these activities. They went the forest for cutting and stealing timber, and will have to face consequences such as death. Therefore, if the wood-cutters and the illegal timber smugglers do not hold back from doing such activities, they will have to meet such unkind fate. The extremists want to extricate forest resources by exterminating all illegal activities".

"The forests of above Eastern Indian States are noted for their endangered species of flora and fauna, evergreen forests and wonderful wild creatures, which have brought a good amount of revenue for the exchequer of the above states as well as being the sources of the daily income of the forest dwellers. But, now these forests have been lost and destroyed due to the Government attitude for issuing permits indiscriminately during the year 1980 to 1994. This is done by some noted members of the political parties in alliance with unscrupulous timber merchants, the leaders of the forest villages and so on," claimed the nature loving people of Northeast India.

Indian West Bengal State Forest Guard climbing on a Watch Tower to guard and save the forest from the hands of wood smugglers and poachers.
Photo by: Shib Shankar Chatterjee

Though, this has now diminished to a degree because of the historic verdict issued by the honorable Supreme Court of India (SCI) on 17th December, 1996, banning all sorts of cutting and destroying or felling of trees and its movement to Eastern Indian States except the West-Bengal State of India. But, this verdict also put a threat to the West Bengal State Forests and wildlife. However, the aforesaid verdict also put a stumbling block on the illegal timber trade and the timber merchants and the smugglers had to wind up their business for the time being of Eastern India as a whole.

Although, handsaws are being used for felling trees with the connivance of forest officials, and mills are being fitted with improvised silencers to operate at night. Smugglers are also setting up bandsaws inside remote forests. They are making good use of the honorable courts permission to sell felled timber, while as per the verdict issued by the SCI, no saw-machines can be set up within the 03-kilometre area of the Reserve Forest.
The most interesting fact is that yet in the Indian State, West-Bengal (specially, North-Bengal sector areas), there are around 20 to 25 saw-machines operating in and around the Buxa Reserve Forest as well as Jaldapara Reserve Forest areas. While according to the Census Report furnished by the Indian Forest Department, 35 to 40 of the sawmills are illegal under the Coochbehar District Forest division of West Bengal State. It is also true that, saw-mills have sprung up in Garmocha, Bhutnirhat, Mechbeel, Madarihat Road, Raichenga, Kharyerkot, Dalimpur, Chuakata, Jateshwar and its adjoining areas under the Coochbehar district of the West-Bengal state, which stands on an Indian interstate boundary between Assam State and the West-Bengal State areas. They are set up here and there in each and every lane and by-lane by degrees at the interval of 3 months. Cottage-industries and various logs of Sal, Segun, Sishu, Titachanpa, Gamari, et cetera are found piled in front of these saw-mills. Apart from this, some of the big saw-mills are often found operating in the Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling districts (under North-Bengal sector) of West-Bengal State, who have no licenses or permits.

To speak the truth, still, timber smuggling, both West-Bengal State (that is, India) and Bangladesh is an unchecked routine day in and day out business in the Indian Assam-West-Bengal interstate border and West-Bengal and Assam (that is, India) Bangladesh international border districts. Along the aforesaid Indian interstate border (West Bengal State side) a number of saw or veneer or plywood mills are not only to be found (even, after the verdict of the honorable SCI order), but also along the West-Bengal (that is, India)-Bangladesh international border (the Bangladesh side) and it is estimated that there are more than several hundreds of saw or veneer or plywood mills. These businesses are fed by smuggled timber which are sent to the saw mills of Indian West-Bengal State as well as the Bangladesh sides by the wood-smugglers in various ways.

It is mostly the Reserve Forests of Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling districts of West-Bengal State area, Dhubri, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Goalpara, Karimganj, Hailakandi districts of Assam State sector, North Tripura , South Tripura, West Tripura and Dhalai districts of Tripura State zone, the West Garo Hills, South Garo Hills, West Khashi Hills, East Khashi Hills and Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya State region and Mizoram State's Mamit, Lunglei, Lawngtlai districts that are regularly destroyed. "An interesting fact is that all the above districts of the above-mentioned states are touched the international border with Bangladesh and the forests of the above districts almost totally disappeared because of illegal felling or looping of trees by not only smugglers but also chiefly by the illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators", stated one of the renowned environmental experts of Northeast India, Debajit Sharma.

"There are hundreds of small and big saw-mill, plywood-mill, and veneer-mills in Lalmonirhat, Nilfamari, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dianjpur, Jaipurhat, Naogaon, Nawabganj, Rajsahi, Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Jessore, Satkhira (opposite to Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, North-Dinajpur or Uttar Dianjpur [earlier known as - East Dinajpur], South Dinajpur or Dakhhin Dianjpur [earlier known as - West Dinajpur], Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North-24-Parganas or Uttar-24-Parganas and South-24-Parganas or Dakhhin-24-Parganas districts of West Bengal State of India), Kuri¬gram, Sylhet (opposite to Dhubri [and it's adjacent Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Goalpara dis¬tricts], Karimganj [and it's adjoining Haila¬kandi district] district of Assam State of India), Sherpur, Maymanshing, Netrokona, Sunamganj (opposite to West Garo Hills, South Garo Hills, West Khashi Hills, East Khashi Hills and Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya State of India), Rangamati (opposite to Mamit, Lunglei, Lawngtlai districts of Mizoram State of India), Khagrachar, Chittagong, Feni, Comilla, Brahmanbaria and Habiganj (opposite to South Tripura, West Tripura, Dhalai and North Tripura districts of Tripura State of India) districts of Bangladesh that thrive on smuggled timber from the Indian States like - West-Bengal, Assam, Megha¬laya, Tripura and also Mizoram," confirmed the intelligence source of Border Security Force of India (BSFI) and the Indian Forest Departments, including the Indian State Police Departments of this particular Northeast Indian region.

"To carry out the aforesaid illegal 'business' (that is, the timber from the woodlands, that is, jungles of Northeast India), the smugglers use all sorts of transportation like bullock-carts, horse-carts, buffalo-carts and pull-carts, (locally called Thela), bicycles, tricycles (called rickshaws) and even, during the rainy seasons or monsoon period, different types of boats through the water routes (specially, when the small rivers and tributaries of world's one of the longest river, Brahmaputra, are in spate) and uses some porous India Bangladesh international border, where International Barbed Wire Border Fence (IBWBF) has not been erected, yet or incomplete. Sometimes, in hilly areas, the numerous rivulets dotting the hills also serve as potential smuggling routes.

Photo by: Shib Shankar Chatterjee

Apart from this, trucks, railway-wagons and coaches are also used off and on, whenever the timber is to be such to some distant part of the 'State' or 'Country'. It is not true that Indian forest officials are not aware of these of affairs. But, some unwritten understanding seems to be there between the dishonest forest officials, smugglers and also the BSFI personnel. This often becomes more true when a 'battalion' remains for a long time at the same post. As a result, timber smuggling remains not only unchecked but also unchallenged at so many interstate and international check-posts on the route", informed the local observers and the nature lover activists of Northeast India.

The reckless ravage of the reserve and non-reserve forest of the Northeast India by a class of timber smugglers with the aid of some senseless forest officials, frightened the forest dwellers who later got together to preserve their natural wealth.

In Northeast India, the officials of the Indian Union Minister for Environment and Forest, expressing concern over the depleting forest cover in entire Northeast Indian States Assam, who had only 25% (percent) to 30% (percent) of its area under forest cover. However, this is only what's on pen and paper; in reality the forest cover is much less. The officials also disclosed, "In the last 10 to 15 years, the forests of Northeast India have not only been plundered by extremists, poachers and illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, but also by a section of politicians, businessmen and corrupt officials of the Indian Security Forces, who have strong illegal nexus with the smugglers, the anti-social elements as well as the militant groups". Though, in the earlier India Central Government decided to set up a Forest Strike Force (FSF) to protect wild flora and fauna that is, the 'green Gold' of Northeast India, which will be great help in future, but in vain.

The environmentalists and the conscious peoples of this region say that these forests having boundless natural wealth which will shortly turn into a 'desert', if such wanton destruction continues unchecked.

(Author is former BBC, The Statesman, The Times of India & Hindustan Times Contributor of Northeast India and specializes in South Asia Affairs). shibshankarc@rediff.com

Shib Shankar Chatterjee is a former BBC, The Times of India, Hindustan Times and The Statesman Contributor from Northeast India, who specializes in investigations of important issues affecting the people of India and Bangladesh.

Mizoram Government Orders Fuel Rationing

Aizawl, May 22 : With the fuel stock running out in the wake of the economic blockade in neighboring Manipur, the Mizoram food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department had ordered rationing of diesel and petrol.

Long line of vehicles were seen near pumps in the state capital and elsewhere since yesterday with a large amount of fuel being taken to Manipur, hit hardest by the blockade.

Official sources said while trains carrying fuel from Guwahati failed to reach Ramnagar oil depot in neighboring Assam’s Cachar district, the satellite depot at Mizoram-Assam border town Vairengte also completely dried up.

The opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) slammed the government for not taking steps to ensure fuel security by allowing the oil stock transported unhindered to Manipur without considering the hardships faced by its own people.

The over month-long economic blockade by All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) was along the Dimapur-Imphal-National Highway 39 and Jiribam-Imphal NH 53 since April 11, in protest against the Manipur government’s plans to hold elections to autonomous district councils.

David Beckham Hails 'Amazing' Troops on Visit to Afghanistan

David Beckham paid tribute today to the "amazing" work of British troops in Afghanistan during a visit to the country.

The footballer posed for pictures and signed autographs for troops in Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, where around 9,000 British soldiers are based.

In temperatures hitting 45C the player was shown round the camp and even given a lesson in how to handle weapons.

David Beckham gets to grips with some of the military hardware during his visit to Camp Bastion where around 9,000 British soldiers are based

 

Are you sure the safety catch is on? Beckham tests out a heavy machine gun as soldiers look on

Beckham signing autographs for soldiers from 67 Squadron, 6 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps during his brief visit. The player said he was full of admiration for the men and women serving there

'You know I've been here just one night so far and the experience has been even more than I could have ever hoped,' he said in an interview with BFBS: British Forces News.

To see the morale of the troops is really incredible. It first kind of hit me on the way over when we were on the military plane flying in to Afghanistan. You can see the faces, you can see obviously they know they are leaving their families, but they're so focused and they've got this look in their eyes that they're just so confident and just ready.

'That really is an unbelievable sight to see, and you feel it as well.'

Beckham started his day with breakfast in the cookhouse before taking part in a question and answer session with troops and visiting the camp's hospital.

Squadron Leader Sarah Charters, who runs the emergency unit at the hospital, told him about the work they do.

She said: "A visit like this means a lot to everyone here.

The footballer is shown one of the weapons used by the troops in Afghanistan

In temperatures hitting 45c, the LA Galaxy player has his photo taken with an grinning unnamed soldier from the Royal Logistic Corp

And smile: Troops from the UK Role 3 Hospital pose with the footballer at the camp in Afghanistan

'It is an absolute honour to work in an environment like this where I know I am contributing to help save lives and David's visit reminds everyone at home of what we actually do here.'

Beckham also received a lesson in weapon handling from Craftsman Bob Floy, from Doncaster, who showed him how to use different weapons including a heavy machine gun.

With temperatures in the camp reaching 45C (113F), the star then visited the HQ of 40 Commando where he joined senior officers cooling off their feet in a paddling pool.

He also visited 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles and took part in a penalty challenge with them, and scored with his only attempt.

The 35-year-old former England captain, who made his name at Manchester United before going on to play for Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy and AC Milan, flew out of RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, yesterday.

He said: "Just yesterday one of the troops was killed, and you feel it and you see the flags at half-mast and you feel the tension there. It really is, like I said, amazing to be around but you feel the love from everybody.

'It just really is scary work. These guys are the bravest people that I've ever met and it really is, it truly is, an honour to be here.'

Beckham in side an RAF C-17 aircraft gets ready to land at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan

 

Senior aircraftsman SAC Madeline Rowe from RAF Odiham has her picture taken with the player

[ via Dailymail ]

Chinese Mall Defends Bra Removing Contest

By Ben Muessig

Since the dawn of women's apparel, men have been trying to score by unhooking brassieres. This contest, however, brings the game to a whole new level.

A Chinese shopping mall hosted a competition to find out who could unclasp bras the fastest using just one hand.

Competitors raced to undress a line of eight masked women who stood on a stage in the Guangzhou mall wearing bras and short-shorts.

A competitor tries to undo eight bras with just one hand in a contest held by a shopping mall in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China on May 8.

Eager participants entered the contest to fulfill their dreams and have the chance to take home a mall gift certificate for 1,000 yuan -- about $146 -- according to AsianPopular.com.

Event organizers insisted the May 8 event didn't objectify women -- it educated men.

"The workings of a woman's bra are a mystery for many men -- this activity helped more people understand bra culture and explore its secrets," a mall spokesman told the Mumbai Mirror.

That might be the case, considering the fact that a female shopper took top honors by unclasping all eight bras in just 21 seconds.

The victor, who declined to give her name, said she might have had an unfair advantage over her male rivals, according to Fox Chicago.
"I didn't expect to win -- maybe it was because I get so much practice in my everyday life," she said.

[ via aolnews ]

Meet The two-year-old boy With a Cigarette

This is the two-year-old Indonesian boy who throws a tantrum when his parents refuse him a cigarette.

Ardi Rizal was given his first cigarette by his father when he was just 18-months-old.

The smoking toddler was witnessed by a reporter who recently visited his home in the fishing village of Musi Banyuasin, in Indonesia's South Sumatra province.

Two-year-old Ardi Rizal, who was given his first cigarette when he was 18-months-old, throws a tantrum when his parents refuse him a cigarette

'I'm not worried about his health, he looks healthy,' shrugged the boy's father Mohammad Rizal.

'He cries and throws tantrums when we don't let him smoke. He's addicted.'

Ardi's youth is the extreme of a disturbing trend. Data from the Central Statistics Agency showed 25 per cent of Indonesian children aged three to 15 have tried cigarettes, with 3.2 per cent of those active smokers.

The percentage of five to nine year olds lighting up increased from 0.4 per cent in 2001 to 2.8 per cent in 2004, the agency reported.

A video of a four-year-old Indonesian boy blowing smoke rings appeared briefly on YouTube in March, prompting outrage before it was removed from the site.

Child advocates are speaking out about the health damage to children from second-hand smoke, and the growing pressure on them to smoke in a country where one-third of the population uses tobacco and single cigarettes can be bought for a few cents.

Seto Mulyadi, chairman of Indonesia's child protection commission, blames the increase on aggressive advertising and parents who are smokers.

'A law to protect children and passive smokers should be introduced immediately in this country,' he said.

A health law passed in 2009 formally recognizes that smoking is addictive, and an anti-smoking coalition is pushing for tighter restrictions on smoking in public places, advertising bans and bigger health warnings on cigarette packages.

But a bill on tobacco control has been stalled because of opposition from the tobacco industry.

The bill would ban cigarette advertising and sponsorship, prohibit smoking in public, and add graphic images to packaging.

Benny Wahyudi, a senior official at the Industry Ministry, said the government had initiated a plan to try to limit the number of smokers, including dropping production to 240 billion cigarettes this year, from 245 billion in 2009.

'The government is aware of the impact of smoking on health and has taken efforts, including lowering cigarette production, increasing its tax and limiting smoking areas,' he said.

Mr Mulyadi said a ban on advertising is key to putting the brakes on child and teen smoking.

'If cigarette advertising is not banned, there will be more kids whose lives are threatened because of smoking,' he said.

Ubiquitous advertising hit a bump last month when a cigarette company was forced to withdraw its sponsorship of pop star Kelly Clarkson's concert following protests from fans and anti-tobacco groups.

However, imposing a non-smoking message will be difficult in Indonesia, the world's third-largest tobacco consumer.

Tubagus Haryo Karbyanto, a member of the National Commission of Tobacco Control, said Indonesia must also address the social conditions that lead to smoking, such as family influence and peer pressure.

'The promotion of health has to be integrated down to the smallest units in our society, from public health centres and local health care centres to the family,' he was quoted as saying by the Jakarta Globe on Friday.

Health Minister Endang Sedyaningsih conceded turning young people off smoking will be difficult in a country where it is perceived as positive because cigarette companies sponsor everything from scholarships to sporting events.

'This is the challenge we face in protecting youth from the dangers of smoking,' she said in a statement on the ministry's website.

[ via  Dailymail ]

158 Dead - Air India Plane Overshoots Runway

An Air India Express passenger plane from Dubai crashed outside an airport in southern India today killing 158 people when it burst into flames after overshooting the runway and ploughing into a forest. There were only eight survivors after the Boeing 737-800, with 166 people on board including crew, appeared to have skidded off the runway in rain at Mangalore airport in Karnataka state, Air India director Anup Srivastava said. It is not believed that any Britons were on board the plane, according to Air India's office in Mangalore. But early reports suggest that the Boeing 737-800 was piloted by a 55-year-old British citizen of Serbian origin who is considered highly experienced and has landed on the runway at Mangalore before.

Indian firefighters spray foam on the Air India plane wreckage as they try to extinguish the fire

A rescuer runs up a hill carrying a girl, believed to be a survivor. The foam-covered seven-year-old is taken to waiting medics and rushed to hospital where she's treated for severe burns

Smoke billows into the valley after the Air India plane crashed into a gorge killing all but a few of the 169 passengers on board

Rescue workers pulled out scores of burned bodies from the blackened tangle of aircraft cables, twisted metal, charred trees and mud at the crash site. Many of the dead were still strapped into their seats, their bodies burned beyond recognition. The crash happened during heavy rains that also hampered the rescue effort. It is believed that cloudy conditions and reduced visibility may have contributed to the incident. The airport is located on a plateau surrounded by hills, making it difficult for the firefighters to reach the scene. Its 'table-top' runway ends in a valley. As a result, if a plane overshoots it is likely to result in a major incident, aviation experts have said. Air India Express is the budget arm of the loss making state-run carrier Air India, which has been fending off growing competition from private airlines. First indications are that the crash was an accident, officials say. Television channels said the plane crashed around 6:30 a.m. (0100 GMT). TV images showed it struck a forested area. Flames were seen blazing from the wreckage as rescue workers fought to bring the fire under control. 'The plane had broken into two. I jumped out of the plane after it crashed. I saw two other people also come out,' Abdullah, a survivor from the plane, told local channel TV9 from hospital. 'There was a tyre-burst kind of noise. I tried to get out of the front but saw that there was a big fire. So I went back again and jumped out from there.'

Parts of the charred plane can be seen sticking up from the gorge

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Smoke rises from the plane as rescuers and onlookers crowd around the wreckage of the Air India Express plane that crashed in Mangalore, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. There are said to be eight survivors and 158 were killed

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A police officer co-ordinates rescue work as onlookers gather at the site of the crash

Another survivor, known only as Pradeep, told an Indian news channel that the front tyre of the aircraft burst after the plane had landed. The technician from Dubai, who was returning home to Mangalore, added that he managed to jump from the plane and was helped by villagers who had heard the crash. Nearby residents rushed to the scene, describing 'shocking' scenes as they pulled charred bodies from the wreckage. One witness described plumes of smoke coming from the valley after the crash. Mohammad Haris, 42, who lives near the airport, said: 'I heard a loud bang early in the morning. Initially I couldn't understand what happened, but then I saw smoke coming out from the valley near the airport. 'Along with a few other neighbours, I rushed to the spot. It was rather difficult to reach the site because of the dense vegetation. We began pulling bodies from the wreckage and one of us informed the local authorities.' He added: 'I have never seen anything like this before. I am shocked.' Another local resident known only as Balakrishna, 34, said: 'It took a while to absorb what had happened. After that we did what was needed to be done.' Rescue workers estimate the efforts could carry on well into the evening, but the chances of finding any more survivors are bleak. Scroll down to see video report

Indian firefighters and rescue personnel hose down the site while many residents look on

Locals break down in tears as they try to help survivors at the crash site

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Rescue workers search for survivors amid the wreckage of the Air India Express jet which was flying in from Dubai

C Basavanna, a regional fire officer, said: 'We arrived here at 7am after receiving an emergency call. Only 30 per cent of the rescue work has been done so far and it may carry on beyond 7pm.' Yogish Bhat, member of legislative assembly, who rushed to the scene as soon as he heard the news, said: 'Many relatives are coming to the spot. But the bodies are so charred, it is impossible to identify them here. So we are sending them to hospitals.' It was India's first major crash in more than a decade, which has seen a boom in private carriers amid growing demand from India's middle class. A series of near misses at major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai, have sparked debate about how India's creaking infrastructure was failing to keep pace with an economic boom. One television channel showed a fireman carrying what seemed to be the remains of a child. Charred bodies lay in the forested terrain. 'The flight had already landed. There was slight rain. The flight skidded off,' witness Mohiuddin Bava told CNN-IBN channel. 'After that it caught fire. Villagers, everyone there, came to rescue.'

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An Air India Express 737-800 similar to the one which crashed today in one of the worst air accidents in India in years

Air India director Anup Srivastava said in a statement today: 'Air India Express regrets to announce that a B737-800 aircraft operating as flight IX-812 from Dubai to Mangalore was involved in an accident early this morning. 'The accident occurred after the aircraft landed at Mangalore airport and overshot the runway. We are confirming the number of casualties. 'We have opened helplines and are making arrangements for rescue. As per our information, the airport has been shut. We are extending our support to emergency services, relatives and investigation agencies.' The crash is believed to be the worst in India since the November 1996 mid-air collision between a Saudi airliner and a Kazakh cargo plane near New Delhi that killed 349 people. The last major crash in India was in July, 2000, when an Alliance Air Boeing 737-200 crashed into a residential area during a second landing attempt in the eastern city of Patna, killing at least 50 people. With growing competition from private carriers, the Indian government agreed to infuse $1.1 billion into loss-making Air India if the ailing state-run carrier found the same amount in cost cuts and extra revenue. The airline lost $875million in the fiscal year ended March 2009. Hundreds of Air India pilots went on strike in September 2009 to protest management plans to cut pay incentives. The strike was called off when aviation minister Praful Patel said the grievances would be dealt with.

Finmin Pushes For Financial Inclusion in Northeast India

Mumbai, May 22 : The government is taking measures to ensure that there is an improvement in penetration of banking services in the north-eastern region.

The finance minister has called a joint meeting of chief ministers of north-eastern states and chiefs of government-owned banks in Patna mid June. The finance minister will also review the annual performance of banks for 2009-10 and examine the targets for 2010-11.

Sources from the banking industry said every year, the finance minister reviews performance of the banks in June but this is the first time that bank chiefs will be meeting chief ministers of all north-eastern states under the initiative of the finance minister.

Chief ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Sikkim, Orissa, Nagaland and Manipur will attend the meeting in Patna on June 14.

The lower concentration of branches in the North-East has been one of concerns in the ministry. Banks on the other hand have stayed away from these state because of poor connectivity in terms of (internet and telecom) and problems relating to naxalites and terrorism.

Banks have already submitted to the finance ministry their annual target for 2010-11 . This year, the ministry added two new criteria to judge CEOs’ performance. They include a number of branches covered and a number of no-frills accounts added to total bank accounts.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has even drawn a plan that says lead banks should provide banking service either through banking outlet or through technology in every village that has a population of 2000 by March 2011.

Of out six lakh villages, only 30,000 villages have branches. The meeting will enable chief ministers of different states to raise their concerns to banks and vice-versa about banking services in their respective states and territory.

The central bank is keen on achieving 100% financial inclusion and has nudged banks to extend the reach to as many villages. As of now only 40% of India’s population have access to banking facilities. Besides this, sources said the finance minister will also discuss with banks issues related to education loans, agriculture loans and bad loans.