One Drop At A Time: Conserve Water Like The Mizos Do

By Anil Gupta

Aizawl, Jan 30 : The recent 28th Shodhyatra in Mizoram has been quite cathartic for me. I had been aware of the need to conserve water and proper practices that we should follow in our daily life.

But I must confess. When I washed hands with soap in the morning, the tap used to remain open while I scrubbed my hands. After this trip, it is difficult to do so.

While walking in Mizoram from Sailam to Melriat, about two weeks ago, we came across an extraordinary spirit of water conservation.

Every single house in smaller villages had a rooftop water conservation mechanism. The streets were extremely clean with dustbins every 50 or 100 yards. Even in the evening, one could not see any sign of trash on the roads.

The drains were clean too. But while absorbing all this cleanliness and conservation spirit, we came across an interesting sight. There was a tap from which a few drops were dripping.

This will be quite a common sight at most places and one could easily see a water pool below or around the water point. Here was an inspiring sight.

There was small channel put below the tap (see figure) which collected these drops and diverted them into a canister, thus saving them. There was no wastage of water at all. Shodhyatris were dumbstruck by this sight. Could a culture be so frugal when using water, they asked.

In the next village, I wanted a cup of water in the morning to take my herbal medicine. I went to the tap where there was already a bucket being filled by kitchen volunteers. When they saw me, they closed the tap, pulled the bucket away.

They took the cup from my hand, opened the tap, filled it, closed the tap, and gave the cup back to me. The bucket was put under the tap again, which was then opened to fill the rest of it up.

What would I have done? Probably, I would have pulled the bucket away, filled the cup, and moved the bucket back, without closing the tap even once during the process. If some water would have flown waste, I might have ignored it. After this incident, I can't do so anymore.

I am of course conscious of the fact that water wastage is rampant in our society. What is more agonising is that even some of us who are aware, conscious and feel responsible have habits which are not benchmarked with the most exalted values and cultures. Can something be done about it? I don't know.

How did Mizoram do it? This culture was so ingrained among children and adults alike that nobody had to be told about this value. There were no slogans on the walls, no hoardings at all, no warning of punishment.

Can we make Mizoram water harvesting capital of India? Can people from Gujarat, Rajasthan get inspiration from the Mizos?

Will leaders and adults listen or should children just break from the tradition of indifference towards these values?

The author is a professor at IIMA

Northeast Militancy Dip Poses New Challenge

 Member of Hmar People's Convention (HPC), an armed group demanding self-rule in North-Cachar Hill district of Assam, meet traditionally dressed dancers during the arms laying down ceremony at Guwahati in the northeastern Indian state of Assam January 24, 2012. Hundreds of separatists in India's northeast handed over automatic rifles and other weapons to the home minister and senior paramilitary and army officers, signalling the government remains open to peace talks in the region.

Tezpur, Jan 30 : The steady decline in militancy across the Northeast has posed a new challenge for the army — tapping the energy of warrior communities to ensure that the region does not relapse into bloodshed.

Almost all militant groups in the Northeast have either disbanded or are on ceasefire mode barring some 150 guerrillas left with United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) commander-in-chief Paresh Barua and some Manipur-based militants with diminishing firepower.

Security analysts say the last nail in the coffin of militancy in the region was possibly hammered in with the surrender of 1,695 rebels from nine armed groups in Guwahati last week.

“It was the beginning of the end of militancy in the Northeast, but it also left us with the huge task of motivating the youth in order to properly utilise their natural fighting spirit,” said a senior army officer on condition of anonymity.

Most communities in the Northeast — Nagas, Meiteis, Ahoms, Karbis, Dimasas, Bodos, Mizos, Nyishis and Noctes to name a few — have had a history of waging wars to fiercely protect their territories and their cultures.

Geo-political changes over the years in the region, however, “diverted their energies” into secessionism.

“The army has a greater responsibility today to be more people-friendly, acquaint locals with the opportunities it provides. People in the region are born fighters, and tapping their energy and spirit will go a long way in nation-building,” said Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi at a Fauji Mela here on Sunday.

Organised by the Tezpur-based Four Corps, the Fauji Mela was on a scale unprecedented in the country. Some 17,000 people turned up for the Mela that showcased multifarious combat actions as well as an aerial display by Sukhoi jets.

Lt Gen Shakti Gurung, GOC of Four Corps, said a series of workshops have been already organized by the army to motivate educated youth particularly from the backward districts to join the armed forces.

“We have spent about Rs 26 crore last year in various programmes under Operation Sadbhavana that included special training for recruitment drives, and motivating young people right from the school level,” Lt Gen Gurung said.

The Four Corps is responsible for securing most portions of the 1,080-km boundary that Arunachal Pradesh shares with China.

Blast Rocks Imphal A Day Before Polls

New Delhi, Jan 27 : A day before polls in Manipur, one person has been injured in a blast in west district of Imphal.

Police say they suspect the used of IED in the blast.

The area has been evacuated. The blast occurred a day after campaigning for Manipur assembly election ended on Thursday.

Manipur will on Saturday elect a new 60-member assembly to mark the start of make-or-break elections in five states. The staggered exercise, which ends with the vote in Goa and Uttar Pradesh on March 3, will be this year's first major test for political parties.

Along with Uttarakhand and Punjab, a grand total of 137 million voters will be eligible to exercise their franchise in the five states.

Official sources said major insurgent organisations had been targeting and attacking Congress workers and candidates in the past two weeks by lobbing grenades or exploding bombs.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh had questioned as to why insurgents were targeting only Congress and asked whether the insurgents had a 'hidden agenda.'

Withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 from the state and protection of the territorial integrity of Manipur were the main issues that that were highlighted during the campaign, the reports said.

Except Congress, all major political parties had promised to withdraw the AFSPA, if voted to power.

The Congress said it would lift it only after an improvement in the law and order situation, the reports said. Shortage of electricity and water supply, bad road conditions of the national highways and problems faced by the state due to frequent blockades on the national highways were the other issues raised during the campaigning.

The few public meetings which were addressed by national leaders in the past one week included a meeting by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee at Langjing in Imphal West district where she promised that AFSPA would be lifted if her party came to power.

BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari, Hema Malini and a few central leaders of other parties had also addressed some meetings in interior districts in the past week.

A spokesman of the Maniur people's party (MPP) told mediapersons that the Congress had failed to deliver the results during its last ten-year rule.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javedkar had earlier said that Manipur had witnessed a spurt in corruption and criminal activities during the last ten-year Congress rule.

Alleging that the government remained silent about incidents like the one in which state advocate general Koteshore Singh was shot at by a minister during a tour and the killing of a boy by a minister's son, he asked "Was there at all any government in the state?"

Demanding action against the culprits, he said if the BJP was voted to power it would put the guilty behind bars besides correcting the system.

Lacklustre Campaigning Ends in Manipur

Imphal, Jan 27 : A lacklustre campaigning for Saturday's Manipur assembly election ended at 3 pm today with candidates confining themselves to door-to-door campaign and not holding major public meetings.

Reports from districts said the candidates confined themselves to door-to-door campaigning due to threats from insurgents.

"Unlike the past, we could not use loud speakers because of threat from some insurgents groups who said they would eliminate us," Thambou Singh, a Congress worker in Yaiskul assembly constituency in Imphal East district said.

Official sources said major insurgent organisations had been targetting and attacking Congress workers and candidates in the past two weeks by lobbing grenades or exploding bombs.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh had questioned as to why insurgents were targetting only Congress and asked whether the insurgents had a 'hidden agenda.'

Withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 from the state and protection of the territorial integrity of Manipura were the manin issues that that were highlighted during the lacklustre campaign, the reports said.

Except Congress, all major political parties had promised to withdraw the AFSPA, if voted to power.

The Congress said it would lift it only after an improvement in the law and order situation, the reports said.

Shortage of electricity and water supply, bad road conditions of the national highways and problems faced by the state due to frequent blockades on the national highways were the other issues raised during the campaigning.

The few public meetings which were addressed by national leaders in the past one week included a meeting by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee at Langjing in Imphal West district where she promised that AFSPA would be lifted if her party came to power.

BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari, Hema Malini and a few central leaders of other parties had also addressed some meetings in interior districts in the past week.

A spokesman of the Maniur people's party (MPP) told mediapersons that the Congress had failed to deliver the results during its last ten-year rule.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javedkar had earlier said that Manipur had witnessed a spurt in corruption and criminal activities during the last ten-year Congress rule.

Alleging that the government remained silent about incidents like the one in which state advocate general Koteshore Singh was shot at by a minister during a tour and the killing of a boy by a minister's son, he asked "Was there at all any government in the state?"

Demanding action against the culprits, he said if the BJP was voted to power it would put the guilty behind bars besides correcting the system.

Mizoram Achieves 100% EPIC Coverage

Aizawl, Jan 26 : All the 6,53,208 voters in Mizoram have electoral photo identity cards (EPIC), state chief electoral officer K Riachho said today.

During an observation of the National Voters Day at Vanapa Hall here today, the CEO handed over appreciation certificates to the district administrators of Aizawl, Lunglei, Lawngtlai, Mamit and Kolasib which had achieved cent percent EPIC coverage during last year.

Now the entire Mizoram has achieved cent per cent EPIC coverage, the CEO said. Mizoram has an electorate of 6,53,208, according to the electoral roll 2012 published by the state election department today.

There are more female voters (3,31,664) than their male counterparts (3,21,544). The increase from the 2011 electoral rolls was 12,454 voters. Tuichawng assembly seat in south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district has the largest number of voters at 25,198 while the Thorang constituency in Lunglei district has the least electorate at 12,039. The sex ratio in the electoral roll was 1031 female in every 1000 male while according to Census 2011 the sex ratio was 975.

The CEO also handed over EPICs to 20 selected youths who got voting rights in the latest electoral revision. Speaking at the function, Mizoram People's Forum (MPF) secretary Lalbiakmawia Ngente said the MPF's efforts in ensuring clean and low-profile elections in Mizoram had received acclaim from the Election Commission of India.

The Election of Commission of India has advised all the states to arrange benches for voters in each polling booth on the polling day as has been practiced in Mizoram at the initiatives of the MPF, he said. Along with the rest of the country, the second National Voters Day was observed in all the district capitals of Mizoram.

How To Deal With Insomnia Or Sleep Disorders

By Hema Subramanian

I sincerely hope you haven’t come across this article in the middle of the night. For many of us, it is troublesome to get the recommended dose of 8 hours of beauty sleep. These episodes of sleepless nights  may come and go, last up to weeks, or be long-lasting (chronic) for many of us.

Insomnia is trouble falling asleep or staying awake through the night.

 How do I know if suffer from a sleep disorder?
 If you’ve have any of the following conditions you might suffer from a sleep disorder:

1. Trouble falling asleep on most nights
2. Feeling tired during the day
3. Not feeling refreshed when you wake up
4. Waking up several times during sleep

 What might cause insomnia?

1. Hormones – Changes in the internal physical condition like hormonal changes or a physical ailment may cause sleeplessness. Also with age sleep patterns tend to change. You might have heard older people say that they wake up more often at nights. Medical conditions, such as thyroid disease, are known to be triggers.
2. Physical pain or discomfort – Obviously, any type of pain will cause lack of sleep and affects one’s healthy functioning and mental state. 
3. Lifestyle habits – Regular night-outs or late night parties, high amounts of junk food (especially at night), irregular eating, sleeping at odd hours, working late nights or working the night shift triggers a random response in the “Circadian Cycle” (responsible for maintaining natural processes) and may eventually cause insomnia.
4. Medications and drugs – One of the side effects of medication for ailments may be sleepless nights. If you have been taking sleeping pills, withdrawal symptoms may cause rebound insomnia.
5. Mental health – Any form of mental distress like anxiety,  sadness and severe disorders like depression and bipolar disorder can cause insomnia. Such times call for professional help.
6. Stress - Mind affects body and body affects mind. Stress takes its toll, whether it is short-term or long-term. This vicious cycle of stress affecting sleep and vice versa causes chronic insomnia.

What you can do to sleep better

1. Sleep time – Each one of one is unique, even with our sleep patterns. Some people feel refreshed with only 6 hours of sleep; others might need 9 – 10 to 11 hours. Know what your body needs. Fix up your sleep time accordingly. Always maintain regular sleep and waking up times to regularize your sleep patterns.
2. Visit the doctor – Your physician can help to review any drugs, medical conditions or stressful situations that may be causing your insomnia or making it worse.
3. Lifestyle management – Maintain a routine that is not extreme. If your work demands it, balance it by other factors like diet and a healthy mental state. Meditation, creative visualization may help you be calmer and restful.
4. Daytime sleepiness – Stop those afternoon naps. 2 p.m.to 6 p.m. is the most susceptible zone for naps. Indulge in some physical activity that requires you to move about during that time.
5. Physical activity – Physical exercise or a walk before bed time is ideal for chronic insomnia. Team up with someone or even with soothing music to help you maintain it as a habit.
6. Diet – Have a healthy dinner, drink warm milk or herbal tea with camomile. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and tobacco to help you sleep quickly.
7. Pamper yourself to sleep with warm bath with bath salts, massages, soothing music or chants, stomach rub or a hot water bottle.
8. Avoid any engaging activity like watching TV or reading a book just because you cannot sleep.
9. Do something monotonous – Count sheep or try to chant the alphabet backwards. Keep at it till you sleep out of sheer boredom. 

Follow these simple rules and realize that your body needs rest and therefore it is absolutely imperative that you get enough sleep. Research suggests a lot of diseases, conditions, stress-related disorders, etc. can be avoided by ensuring you get a good night’s sleep.

SEC Cracks The Whip On NECS

Aizawl, Jan 26 : The Mizoram state election commission has cracked the whip on North East Consultancy Services, preventing the latter from observing its foundation day on January 28 where Mizoram chief minister and others were scheduled to speak.

An official statement said today, as the NEC intended to go ahead with its scheduled programme despite the SEC's notification sent to the NEC chief managing director Robert Romawia Royte on the afternoon of January 24, the SEC ordered the Aizawl deputy commissioner to make sure that the function does not take place and instructed the director of art & culture department to ensure that Vanapa Hall remains lock from dawn to dusk on the scheduled date.

Any attempt to violate the election model code of conduct will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law, the official statement said.


According to the statement, the NEC chief MD had sent an application to the SEC to allow the chief minister, Nagaland education minister, Mizoram education minister and MLA and former Mizoram education minister Dr R Lalthangliana to address the function as per schedule. However, the SEC rejected the request on grounds that there could be violations of the election model code of conduct.

However, since local newspapers carried the scheduled programme today indicating that the company intended to go ahead with its scheduled programme, the SEC issued the notification today itself. Reacting to the government official statement, NEC chief MD Royte denied any attempt to defy the SEC s order.

When I received the SEC s letter around 1800 hours on Wednesday, my publicity department had already sent the programme for publication to the newspapers which I did not realise until later. My company has no intention to defy the SEC s order.

Therefore, I have cancelled the observation function, Mr Royte said.

Hmar Students’ Demand Stern Punishment For Rape Accused

New Delhi, Jan 26 : The Hmar Students’ Association (HSA), Delhi, has written to chief minister Shiela Dikshit demanding stern punishment for the accused in the rape of 20 year old girl from Manipur on January 18 in the national capital.  A copy of the letter addressed to the Delhi chief minister was received here today.

The Association stated that: “Considering the seriousness of this case and similar incidents that happened at the National Capital Region (NCR) and the unprecedented racial/gender-based violence meted to the people of North East India living in NCR, we, the Hmar Students' Association, Delhi demands the following to be taken up by your good office at the earliest so that justice be delivered to the victim, who is physically and mentally disturbed by the trauma she went through.”

 The Association demands that the rapist be “punished appropriately without fail as per the law of the country.” It wants that the rapist in the case be “booked under suitable sections of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989,” and  also the victim be compensated under the same Act or any other prevailing laws that cover this nature of crime.

Further, the Association demands that “a special cell headed by an IPS officer from North East India be established within the Delhi Police to pro-actively deal with the issues and problems regularly faced by people from the North East India in NCR.”

Also related the sequence of event which led to rape incident and police inaction thereafter, the Association said that the victim after escaping from the rapist returned to her place and an FIR was filed at Dwarka Sector 28 police station on January 19 and her statement taken by the concerned police.

“The police who promised to arrest the rapist after 2 hours of filing of the report, arrested the rapist only after 5 days after the incident,” the Association explained. The letter was appended by the president James Pusing Sanate and secretary Zacharia Varte.