Techies From Northeast Institute Design New Solar Water Heater

Itanagar, Jun 5 :  Three young techies of the North East Regional Institute of Science and Technology here have designed a new type of solar heater, which can be used both for domestic and industrial purposes.

Suman Pao, Vikas Gautam and Juwel Tripura, all three engineering (mechanical) students, explain that the solar heater containing a parabolic reflector works in conjunction with a drum containing water.

Explaining the mechanism, Pao said the aluminium dish of the solar heater reflects sun’s radiant energy into the drum with a lid, atop which cooking is done. During rainy season the drum can double as a rain water collector too, the students said.

Pao said, “The earth is bathed in a steady flow of radiant energy from the sun. In our part of the world, on a sunny summer day, each square metre receives about 1,000 watt of energy per second from the sun.”

As energy is spread out, it does not rapidly heat things the way a microwave or electric oven does. So, by the same way as a magnifying lens burns paper and wood by concentrating sunlight on one point, cooking can be done, he said.

He claimed that the parabolic reflector can raise the temperature of water up to 139 degrees C, sufficient enough to cook cereals and vegetables.

“Our parabolic solar heater is most suitable for boiling water, cooking, roasting, baking, grilling or frying. Most importantly, it can also be used in a remote region where there is no access to fuel.

The heater can generate sufficient heat for such purposes such as bathing, washing, cleaning, roasting, baking, grilling or frying.

Vikas Gautam said that the solar heater could be used in commercial and industrial sectors where a large quantity of water was required to be heated to a fairly high temperature.

Pao said that it was a one-time investment and doesn’t require a highly skilled person to operate the device.

India Not Honouring Mizo Accord: Ex-Mizo Rebels

By Naresh Mitra

Guwahati, May 4 : The Ex-Mizo National Army Association (EMNAA), a body representing former rebels of the erstwhile armed group, Mizo National Front (MNF), is unhappy with the fact that even after 27 years of the signing of the Mizoram Accord which paved the way for peace in the state, criminal cases against three of its cadres have not been withdrawn.

EMNAA treasurer, C Zama, said here on Monday that when the rebels surrendered, one of the commitments of the accord was the dropping of criminal cases. The three rebels are Lalzarliana, Lalbiakhluna and Vanlalhruaia. Zama said the cases were registered by the Manipur government under the Arms and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The accord was signed on June 30, 1986, between MNF chief Laldenga, Union home secretary, R D Pradhan, and Mizoram government chief secretary, Lalkhama. Rajiv Gandhi was then the prime minister. The MNF movement — which gathered currency in the Sixties after the Centre failed to address the problems of the people when a famine rocked the state in 1959 — came to a halt with the signing of the accord.

"For several years, we have been writing to the Centre and even met several top officials in the Union government with our request but nothing has been done. We feel let down," said Zama.

Last month, EMNAA leaders had talks with officials of the home ministry and also met leaders of opposition parties in the Capital. "We don't know what the Centre intends to do," said Zama.

He pointed out that Mizoram was the only place in the country where air strikes were carried out in contrast to the present stand of not using the army in Maoist areas. "The Centre should be more sensitive towards the Mizo rebels against whom it used areal attacks. There was absolute peace after the accord. Now the Centre should keep its word," he stressed.

However, most of the clauses of the accord have been implemented, many rebels have been rehabilitated, but a high court is yet to be set up in Mizoram.

Incidentally, many women were raped during the peak of the movement. "The government is yet to rehabilitate them, too. Some of the survivors have become deranged," claimed Zama.

China Eyes Northeast India's Rs 350 cr Mosquito Net Market

Absence of local entrepreneurs in the sector has always left the potential to be enjoyed by traders from Bangladesh. China is now gradually replacing Bangladesh.

Siliguri, Jun 4 : Highly diversified topography with dense network of water streams, deep forests and thus moist climate have kept India's North East region as highly Malaria prone. And this propensity hosts a potential of Rs 350 Crore per annum market of looming polymer based mosquito net or producing its raw material monofilament out of downstream items from major Petrochem units.

But, absence of local entrepreneurs in the sector has always left the potential to be enjoyed by traders from Bangladesh. China is now gradually replacing Bangladesh.

Despite all efforts, malaria propensity is increasing in the region every year with higher percentage of malignancy following entry of new variants of the pathogen into the picture. There are many reasons behind it- accepted West Bengal health department officials.

"Due to this high propensity, entire NE region is a traditionally heavy mosquito net using zone, perhaps the highest in world. And there lies the annual potential of over Rs 350 crore," said officials from Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd(HPL).

But, "Against Eastern Region's annual consumption of near 10,000 Metric Tones (MT) of monofilament, local production lies even below 400 MT. Naturally we used to trade Bangladesh filaments and loomed net both here at high scale to meet the demand vs local production gap," said Mr J. Burman, importer of monofilament from Bangladesh. Apart from filament, there is severe shortage of looming units too in eastern India.

With a major bend in the trend, now Chinese filament and nets are replacing products from Bangladesh. "Though it may not be as durable as Bangladeshi or Indian products, Chinese filaments or loomed nets give at least 50% higher profit margin," said Mr B Saha, importer of Chinese nets.

Interestingly, "It is not too tough to utilize this potential by developing local units," said HPL officials. According to HPL documentations, from the initial price of near Rs 100 per kg, monofilament allows very high percentage of value addition in all the stages like net looming, tailoring etc. A moderately sized looming unit costing Rs 2 crore only can handle around 30 MT a month and generate near 80 employments.

But, there is another side of the story too. "Though profitable, being a very labour intensive one, these units are bound to remain under pressure of trade unionism in Bengal and that is too tough to," said members of Plastic Federation of North Bengal, reluctant to be named.

11 Northeast Climbers Felicitated in Delhi

Itanagar, Jun 4 : The jubilant team members of the First NE India Mt Everest Expedition were in New Delhi on Sunday to celebrate the successful summit of the world's highest peak. Eleven climbers of the expedition, organized by Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association (MMTA), successfully reached the top of the world.

The eleven mountaineers include Anshu Jamsenpa and Nima Lama (Arunachal Pradesh), Tarun Saikia and Manish Deka (Assam), Anand Gurung and Kazi Sherpa (Sikkim), Wansuk Myrthong (Meghalaya), David Zohmangaiha (Mizoram), N Bidyapati, N Chingkheinganba and Puyam Mohon (Manipur).

Assam minister for tourism, forest & environment Rockybul Hussain, accompanied by MPs and other high officials on behalf of Assam CM Tarun Gogoi, felicitated the Everest team members at Assam Bhavan, Delhi.

Earlier, on May 31 after their arrival, Manipur chief secretary DS Poonia hosted a felicitation programme in honour of the team members. Representing Arunachal Pradesh, K N Damo, deputy resident commissioner, and his subordinates received the NE Everesters at the IGI International Airport.

DoNER secretary U K Sangma, while congratulating each one of the team, said the ministry would continue to extend financial support to the NE mountaineers. He also announced that a recurring grant-in-aid to MMTA has been increased from Rs 7 lakh to 10 lakh and the government has also considered upgrade of Manipur Mountaineering Institute as a regional centre for mountaineering and adventure sports.

The NE mountaineers were also honoured by Nepal government on May 29 last coinciding with the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Mt Everest Expedition.

Along with other Everest summiteers, they were given a standing ovation by the mountaineering fraternity led by minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha. All the summiteers received a letter of appreciation from the government of Nepal in addition to Everest summit certificates.

In the meantime, the Arunachal Students' Union Delhi ( ASUD) has felicitated the ace mountaineer from the state, Anshu Jamsenpa, who recently made a new record by climbing the Mount Everest three times.

Mizoram To Have Disaster Response Force

Aizawl, Jun 3 : Mizoram Home Minister R Lalzirliana today expressed the desire to have at least 200 to 300 trained personnel of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in each of the eight armed police battalions in the state.

Speaking at the valedictory function held at the headquarters of Fifth India Reserve Battalion in Lungverh near here for 45 SDRF trainees, Lalzirliana said that the importance of SDRF was eloquently exhibited during a rescue operation in a disaster in Aizawl recently.


He warned the police officers not to use constables as manual labourers for their private purposes.

"Stringent punishment would be awarded to any officer who misuse manpower under their charges," he said.

Cops Suspect Foul Play in Manipur Woman’s Death

Students protest outside Malviya Nagar police station

New Delhi, Jun 3 : Days after a young woman from Manipur was found dead in her South Delhi home, the case has been transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch. On Saturday, hundreds of students assembled outside the Malviya Nagar police station, alleging that the post-mortem report had been tampered with.

Crime Branch sources said since the results of the post-mortem report were not "very conclusive", they had requested the Delhi government to form a board of doctors to conduct another post-mortem examination.

Family members of the 21-year-old woman alleged that she had a deep injury mark on her body and one near her eye. The South district police had earlier claimed that the injury marks were caused by a rodent, but family members refused to accept the claims.

Last Wednesday, the woman's landlord informed police control room that she was not responding to knocks on her door. Police sources said when they broke open the door, in front of the public, the woman's body was lying on the ground. Her mobile phone was in her hand.

"Prima facie, it appears that there is more that what meets the eye. There were some injury marks on her foot and toes also. We will be able to confirm only after the receipt of the second post-mortem report," a senior police officer said.

A cousin of the woman said when he went to her room on the day of the incident, he suspected murder.

"When I went there along with police, the inside door of the house was open. Her nose was damaged and police said it was eaten by a mouse," the cousin said.

The woman was the fifth child of her parents who are settled in Manipur. The family members work as cultivators.

"My sister lived with her cousin. Her roommate was in Manipur and was to return in the first week of June," the cousin said.

She had come to the capital in July last year and worked at a beauty parlour in Saket.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav confirmed that transfer of the case to the Crime Branch. "We have requested for a post-mortem examination by a board of doctors. We will be able to comment only after that," he said.

Sources said police are looking for a friend of the woman, who is absconding.

A case of murder has been registered at the Malviya Nagar police station.

Northeast: Burning Since 1947

By Oinam Sunil

The insurrection in the erstwhile Naga Hills district of Assam, which later became the state of Nagaland in 1963, is the oldest in the Indian sub-continent and goes back all the way to 1947. In 1997 the Centre began talks with insurgents and made conscious attempts to bring about lasting peace. But, the expansion of the Naga insurgency - Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam - has made things trickier for Delhi.

The idea of a separate Naga homeland surfaced just before India's Independence. The Naga Nationalist Council (NNC) led by A Z Phizo, an Angami Naga from the Khonoma village of what is now Nagaland state, had then appealed to the Indian National Congress not to include their lands in the formation of the Indian Union. When their demand was rejected, the Nagas were the first to revolt against Delhi.

The NNC declared independence (of 'Nagaland') on August 14, 1947. The Indian army was sent to the Naga Hills to crush the insurgency.

Thus, began the armed conflict, which ultimately cost over 10,000 lives. Phizo went ahead and created an underground government called the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) in March 1956. As the situation turned serious, the Parliament enacted the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, to empower the army to deal with such armed rebellion. In a bid to garner international support, Phizo escaped to the then East Pakistan in December 1956. Later, he reached London in 1960 and stayed there still his death in 1990.


Along with the massive army crackdown, the Centre also began its negotiation with the representatives of various Naga tribes. This led to the signing of a 16-point agreement in 1960 between the Centre and the leaders of Naga People's Convention (NPC) whereby formation of Nagaland as a full-fledged state within India was agreed. In 1972, the Centre banned the NNC and FGN. A massive counter-insurgency operation was then launched by army and para-military forces compelling the 'moderate' rebels to sit on the negotiating table. The infamous Shillong Accord was signed on November 11, 1975 between the Centre and a section of the NNC and FGN where the rebels accepted the Indian constitution. The hardliners in NNC, though, rejected the Shillong Accord and formed the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in 1980.

It revived the insurgency and was led by Isak Chishi Swu, a Sema Naga, Thuingaleng Muivah, a Tangkhul Naga from Manipur and S S Khaplang, a Hemi Naga from Myanmar. Tribal affinity is important for Nagas and divisions on tribal lines are so deep rooted that the NSCN suffered a vertical split in 1988 with Isak and Muivah on one side and Khaplang on the other. Over 100 Naga rebels died fighting in 1988 during the split inside the jungles of Upper Myanmar. However, both the groups still work for "Nagalim" or " Greater Nagaland", which comprises all the contiguous Naga inhabited areas of the North-East. The Isak-Muivah faction has called themselves as National Socialist Council of Nagalim.

Popularly known as NSCN (IM), this faction slowly become the most powerful Naga rebel group. The Centre succeeded in signing a ceasefire agreement with the NSCN (IM) in August 1997 and began peace talks. The Khaplang faction retained its original nomenclature, National Socialist Council of Nagaland, but is now known as NSCN (K). In April 2001 it also signed a ceasefire agreement with the Centre. Later, a new outfit called NSCN (Khole-Kitovi) has also emerged as another force.

Fratricidal killings among Naga insurgents is unabated. Yet, in the years since 1997, peace has returned to Nagaland and the people have realised the futility of violence. Besides the widespread opposition to the NSCN (IM)'s demand for a 'Greater Nagaland', the Centre is also currently finding it tough to frame an agreeable formula among Naga rebel factions.

Assam Minister Files Defamation Case Against Saradha Chief

Himanta Biswa Sarmah in Guwahati on Saturday.

Guwahati, Jun 3 : Assam Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarmah on Saturday filed a criminal defamation case against Saradha Group and its chairman Sudipta Sen for allegations against him in a purported letter to the CBI.

Sarmah is the first person to initiate legal action against Sen although names of several politicians and businessmen figured in the purported letter to the CBI after the chit fund company went bust.

The minister filed the case in the court of Kamrup first class magistrate under various sections of the IPC alleging that Sen had made false and defamatory allegations which has harmed his reputation.
Sen, in the purported letter to the CBI, had written that Sarmah had received some money from Saradha Group by signing vouchers.

''This is totally false, baseless and such allegations have damaged my reputation in public life and, therefore, I am filing the criminal defamation suit,'' he said.

The court accepted his statement and ordered a magisterial inquiry under the provisions of Section 202 CrPC and fixed June 16 as the next date of hearing.