Northeast Students in Delhi Stir Over Hindi Paper

New Delhi, Apr 6 : Students from the northeastern states protested at the offices of the ministry of human resource development asking it to scuttle the introduction of Hindi or a Modern Indian Language in the compulsory foundation course in Delhi University's new four-year programme.

They had been organized by the North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS).

"We ... submitted a memorandum to the ministry demanding its immediate intervention to stop imposition of a compulsory Hindi language/Modern Indian Language (MIL) course by DU," says a statement from NEFIS. A group of five students also met the senior secretary of higher education.

The students have been protesting since March 22 against what they regard as "cultural chauvinism" on DU's part." The list of languages - the syllabus will follow the eighth schedule of the constitution of India—does not feature a number of their own languages including Hmar, Tangkhul, Nagamese, Kuki, Bodo language, Sikkimese and Teniedie. They further argue that given the existing infrastructure, many languages included in the list, can't be taught.

Neso petitions minister on Hindi

The North East Students’ Organisation (Neso) today petitioned Union HRD minister M.M. Pallam Raju on the decision of Delhi University to make Hindi a compulsory subject under major Indian languages.

Neso is a conglomeration of student organisations from the different states of the region. It comprises the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Garo Students’ Union (GSU), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), All Manipur Students’ Union (Amsu), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU),

“We are sending this representation to your good office with regard to the decision of Delhi University to make Hindi a compulsory subject in major Indian languages, thus deviating from its earlier practice to offer the other major Indian languages including alternative English,” Neso chairman Samuel B. Jyrwa stated. He said the decision was “totally unacceptable” as it deprives indigenous students from the Northeast to study in the university.

“The decision of the university, if not altered, and allowed to be implemented, can be construed as an act of discrimination towards the indigenous peoples of the northeastern region and also as an act of conspiracy to keep our students away from availing of the opportunity to study in this prestigious university,” he further stated. “We urge you to address this very sensitive issue and to give it all the seriousness it deserves,” Jyrwa added.

In New Delhi, students of Northeast Forum for International Solidarity demanded an immediate stop to such “imposition” of Hindi.

Leopard gets into a spot of bother... by falling down a well: Amazing rescue in India

• Leopard saved after falling down a well on food hunt in northeast India

By Sara Malm

A young leopard found itself in a deep trouble, after it fell down a well in northeast India.
The poor animal was discovered trapped in the pit at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati, India. 
Forest officials, temple staff and volunteers all rallied around the narrow well to save the leopard and bring it back to the surface.

Not so s-well:The young leopard fell down the well at a temple in north east India

According to locals, the leopard had been scouring for food at the temple fell down the narrow well.
Forest officials were called to the scene where they were forced to tranquilize the animal before climbing a ladder and going down the pit.

They tied a rope around the groggy leopard and it was successfully pulled out of the hole.
After drying off the animal, forest officials transported it to a safe place for the leopard to recover before it is to be released into the wild.

Saviors: Forest officials and volunteers gather around the narrow well to prepare for the rescue mission

Trapped: The leopard stares into the light from the well as forest officials get ready to tranquilize it

Spot on: A member of the rescue team climbed down the well and after securing the animal with a rope, the leopard could be hauled out of the hole

The Indian leopard is smaller than its African relative, with the Indian leopard normally between 4ft 2in and 4ft 8in long, compared to the sub-Saharan leopard, which can grow to be 5ft 4in long.
The leopard can be found across the Indian subcontinent, but as it is under threat from poachers and habitat loss is rarely found outside protected areas.
It is currently classified as ‘Near Threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) but as a result of the downward population trend it may soon qualify for a ‘Vulnerable‘ status.

Knocked out: Officers lift the tranquilized leopard onto a truck following the successful rescue mission

Safe and sound: A rescuer pets the knocked-out leopard as it is placed in a cage before being taken to recover before its release back into the wild

SC Step Can Go A Long Way in Manipur

By Esha Roy

Imphal, Apr 6 : Manipur has seen 1,528 cases of contested encounters in the past two decades. A Supreme Court-appointed commission deeming six of these, randomly selected from the above, as being fake has brought nothing less than jubilation in the state. The panel's observation that the victims were innocent has vindicated the stand of families who have had to live with the stigma of their loved ones being branded militants.

But while the efforts of the Extrajudicial Execution Victims' Families Association (EEVFAM) in taking the matter to the Supreme Court may still win justice, such encounters are but a way of life in this small Northeastern state. It was the security forces before, with the Army and Assam Rifles the

object of fear. Over the years, Manipuri commandos have taken on that role. Stories abound of young boys being picked up on the "suspicion" of being cadre members of underground groups.

FIRs are lodged by the commandos who carry out the encounters themselves, with the complaints of families never accepted by the police. So the main accused are also the main investigators of a killing. Judicial inquiries are rare and no accused has so far undergone any criminal proceeding or prosecution. The state has, in fact, never till date initiated an inquiry of its own accord.

At the most the families receive a compensation amounting to several lakh rupees on the directive of courts.

One of the reasons cited for the high number of extrajudicial killings in the state is the policy of giving gallantry awards to police personnel following such encounters. Promotions and pay rise follow in the awards' wake. This Republic Day, a havildar-rank commando, earlier implicated in a fake encounter, was among those given a gallantry award.

If, at its next hearing, the Supreme Court indeed sanctions the setting up of an SIT to look into Manipur's 1,528 cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, that alone may bring a change in this conflict-ridden state.

Ironically, even as the proceedings were on in New Delhi, Imphal was busy carrying out its annual police recruitment — jobs in the force are the most sought after in the state. Locals believe it's among the few ways to remain "safe" in Manipur. However, given that the fake encounters' list has many victims with relatives in the police force, even that is not much of a guarantee.

Esha is a special correspondent based in Imphal

Manipur SDM Armstrong Pame single-handedly enriched people's lives

By Gaurav Sharma

Tamenglong (Manipur), Apr 5 : He is a harbinger of change and has brought joy to the people of Tousem, a Manipur subdivision considered one of India's most backward, by giving them what they needed most - a motorable road that connects them to the outside world. The opening of the 100-km "People's Road" in February has earned him the sobriquet "The Miracle Man".

Twenty-eight year-old Armstrong Pame, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Tousem, which lies in Tamenglong, his home district, and the first IAS officer from the Zeme tribe of Nagaland, is the man who was instrumental in single-handedly taking on the ambitious project of building the road without any state government aid. The road connects Tousem with the rest of Manipur, as also with Assam and Nagaland.

The 2009 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was moved by the plight of people when he saw how they had to trudge for five hours by first crossing a river and then a stretch that can by no stretch of imagination be called a road to reach Tamenglong just 50 km away.

"After writing my IAS exam, I came to Tamenglong in 2007 for some downtime. Since I had seen hardship in my childhood, I decided to travel 31 villages of Manipur on foot to see how the people live," Pame told this visiting correspondent.

Talking to IANS in his corrugated-iron house in Tamenglong nestled in the hills, Pame recounted the incident that led him to launch the 100-km road, which has been christened the "People's Road".

"In 2012, I became SDM of Tousem. I traveled many villages and saw how people were carrying sacks of rice on their backs, walking for hours, and patients being taken on makeshift bamboo stretchers due to the non-availability of motorable roads. When I asked villagers what they wanted me to do for them, their only wish was for a road," he said.

According to Pame, he asked the state government for funds to build the road but was turned down due to paucity of resources.

"But I was really moved by the plight of people; so I decided to raise the funds on my own in August 2012 through Facebook," he said.

"Charity must begin from home; so I put in Rs.5 lakhs and my brother, who teaches in Delhi University, donated Rs.1 lakh. Even my mother paid my dad's one month's pension of Rs. 5,000," he added.

"One night I got a call from a person in the US who wanted to donate 2,500 dollars for the road. The next day a Sikh gentleman living in New York said he would give 3,000 dollars. And after the media reported about this effort, we never looked back," Pame said.

In a short span of time, Rs. 40 lakh was raised for the road, he added.

"Since Rs. 40 lakh was not a huge amount for building a road, I convinced local contractors to give us earth movers and roadrollers for free," he added.Enthused by the way Pame had been able to put together the resources, the residents of Tousem volunteered to build the road - thus saving labour costs.
"Sometimes I still cannot believe that we have done it. It 's a miracle. I don't know whether I can do it again," he said.

When asked whether he faced opposition from the state government, Pame said: "I was called crazy, but I was determined."

"There is so much to do for the people of Tousem, which lies in sheer neglect. I want to improve their lives in some way because I belong here," he added.

Pame's selfless work in a short span of time has earned him popularity and people now call him "The Miracle Man."

Zingkeulak, a farmer, said: "Our oranges would rot as there were no roads but after the People's Road, we are able to make some money."

"He is one selfless officer. And I believe I will never come across an IAS officer like him," Iram, a resident of Tousem, which is devoid of even basic amenities of life, told IANS.

"After giving road to people of this region, he is working on several issues. He is the answer to our prayers," Iram added.

Asked what was next on his agenda, Pame said: "There are many things to be done. One of them is to extend the road by another 10 km."

"But my mother says stop building roads and build your house first," he offered with a smile.

Six Manipur Encounters Fake

New Delhi, Apr 5 : A Supreme Court-appointed committee probing six cases of extra-judicial killings in Manipur informed the court on Thursday that these were not genuine encounters and the victims, including a 12-year-old boy, did not have any criminal records.

A bench comprising justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Prakash Desai perused the committee's report which said none of the six cases qualify as encounters and they are fake.

It said the security forces acted on source information and killed people without even cross-checking the information.

According to the bench, the report is distressing and the Centre should be more to blame than the state government for the situation in the northeastern state.

The committee, comprising former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde, ex-CEC J M Lyngdoh and a senior police officer, said in its report that the probe showed that none of the victims had any criminal records.

The bench said the report makes it clear that the guidelines on encounters laid down by the apex court in the Naga People's Movement case was not followed.

It said guidelines of apex court and NHRC were confined to papers and none of these were followed on the ground when armed forces and state police conduct operations.

Appropriate directions will be passed on the basis of the panel's report on April 9, it said while seeking response of the amicus curiae and NHRC on the recommendation made by the panel.

The bench also asked Additional Solicitor General Paras Kuhat to go through the report which was placed before it in a sealed cover.

On January 4, the Supreme Court had decided to appoint the committee to hold an inquiry into the alleged fake encounter killings in Manipur. The panel was set up to probe six cases of alleged extra-judicial killings in the state where a magisterial inquiry had raised questions on genuineness of the encounters.

The apex court had appointed the panel on a PIL filed by an association of the families of the alleged victims, seeking setting up of a special investigation team and direct inquiry into around 1,528 such cases.

The association had alleged in its plea that over 2,000 odd extra-judicial killings have taken place in the state, but no one has been held guilty till date.

It had alleged that innocent people with no criminal records have been killed by security forces and no proper investigation has been done in such cases.

Assam Not To Recognise Off-Campus PhD Degrees

Guwahati, Apr 5 :  With a view to maintaining standard in teaching, Assam government has decided to go for quality parameters under which, off-campus PhD degrees will not be recognised during recruitment and promotion of faculty.

Even serving faculties with off-campus PhD degrees who have got time-scale promotions during recent years will be affected, state Education and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in the Assembly today.

“In the past few years we have seen a rising trend of research scholars opting for universities where rules are relaxed and there is less academic pressure. In many cases, even to find details about such Universities is a work of research in itself,” Sarma said.

“Such scholars are not capable of proper research work, and when confronted they seek excuse in the name of ’humanity’ and even threaten to commit suicide at times. If we do not take steps against such blackmailing, the education scenario will only worsen,” he said.

“Those who have got promotions due to PhD secured in off-campus stream will also be affected. No doubt it will create some issues, but we are going as per UGC rules,” he said.

“The state government will form a committee, which will prepare a list of teachers having off-campus PhDs after contacting principals of all colleges, who will be served notices and we will take action,” Sarma said.

New Caves Discovered in Meghalaya

Shillong, Apr 5 : With the discovery of 19 new caves in the Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya could now boast of 1,350 of them spanned over 387 kilometre, of which 887 caves have been explored including the country’s longest Krem Liat.

The discovery was made by a team of international speleologists led by the Meghalaya Adventure Association (MAA) who successfully undertook an expedition recently to 21 caves in the state.

Speleologists from UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Romania, Germany, and members of the host organisation besides two Romanian biologists and a city-based researcher were part of the 2013 team, MAA Secretary B D Kharpran, told PTI.

He said that during the 18-day expedition 19 new caves were explored and four partially explored ones were further explored and extended.

The team also collected information about a number of other caves in Moolapui village in the East Jaintia Hills district, he said.

During the expedition the Krem Khung in Larket area was re-estimated from 5,065 metre to 7,349 metre in length, making it India’s 8th longest cave characterised by huge fallen boulders the size of houses, Kharpran said.

The 10th longest cave in the country, the Krem Labit Kseh in the Kopili Valley was re-estimated from the previous 5,910 meter to 6,802 meter in length with fine river passages and beautifully decorated dry relic passages like the Black Diamond Passage and Crystal Gallery.

Kharpran said this was one of the very few caves in India that had a profusion of rare gypsum formations resembling flowers.

The explorers also re-estimated the length of Krem Diengjem in the Krem Tyngheng-Diengjem cave system from 21,250 meter to 21,359 meter, almost touching the Krem Kotsati-Umlawan system which is India’s 2nd longest cave at 21,450 meter, he said.

In December last year, adventurers from the MAA and an American speleologist successfully identified 12 new caves in Amarsang village in South West Khasi Hills district near the India-Bangladesh border.

The expedition mapped 743 meter of Krem Amarsang, characterised by identical 3 meter wide deep wells all along the active stream, he said.

Meghalaya To Speed Up Convictions With Prosecution Directorate

Shillong, Apr 5 :  Meghalaya, one of the country's smallest states, might be showing the way with the establishment of a separate Prosecution Directorate at its newly opened high court to to speed up convictions for violent crimes. This will also ensure that the police focus better on investigations.

"The setting up of the Prosecution Directorate is to improve the way the cases get pursued in court and also to help in improving the quality of investigation," state Home Minister Roshan Warjri told IANS.

Violent crimes are defined as those against women, as well as terrorism and murder, among others.

Significantly, several groups and women activists have been raising a hue and cry against the growing cases of crime against women in this mountainous state traditionally known for its matrilineal society and respect accorded to women. Government statistics reveal that in 2012, there were 236 crimes reported against women, of which 158 were rape cases.

Warjri said the recruitment rules for the new directorate were being framed to ensure that the best talent gets selected for the job.

Moreover, she said that the government has proposed to separate investigation from the other functions of the police. "There will be a dedicated team of officers to deal with investigations alone," she said.

"With proper training and experience over time, this should lead to faster investigation, better investigation and higher convictions. Then only will the deterrent effect of the law become visible. This would also help in ensuring greater accountability on the part of the police officers," Warjri added.

Justice Toom Meera Kumari was sworn in March 23 as the first chief justice of the newly-constituted Meghalaya High Court.

Inaugurating the high court March 25, Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir said it will help integrate Meghalaya's different traditional laws and customs with the legal system of mainstream India.

"There are different systems prevalent here, which need to be integrated, and with the coming into operation of the new high court here, I think it will go a long way in fulfilling these aspirations," Kabir said.

"With the functioning of the new high court, the people of Meghalaya would have better access to seek justice and the traditional laws and customs would be integrated," Kabir said.

Apart from Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura also have their own full-fledged high courts now. Hitherto, while Sikkim had its own high court, the other seven northeastern states were under the jurisdiction of the Guwahati High Court.