Laishram Shamungou
PARBUNG (CCpur), Apr 22 : The death toll of infants in Tipaimukh sub-division of Churachandpur district following the outbreak of a yet to be diagnosed disease continues to claim the lives of children, with one more child passing away early today morning.
With the latest casualty, the death toll of children, all below the age of one, has risen to 30 ever since the disease broke out during the last three/four months.
On the other hand, lack of medical care in the interiors of Churachandpur became palpably clear as it has been confirmed that no expectant mother has ever received the BCG and no child has been administered DPT vaccine to ensure the health of the child as well as the expecting mother. It is however yet to be confirmed whether the lack of vaccination is in any way related to the deaths of the children.
Even as the Government is groping in the dark to ascertain the cause of the deaths as well as to confirm the veracity of the number of deaths, an 8 year old girl child passed away yesterday after mid-night at Lungthulien at Tipaimukh sib-division, which is situated a good 289 kms from the district headquarters.
The deceased child is identified as Lalunmoi. The symptoms of the child included, vomiting, losing consciousness and extreme weakness coupled with high fever.
Interacting with this reporter, the people of Tipaimukh said the with the death of the 8 month old child, the number of children who have died in the past three/four months in the sub-division has risen to 30.
At Lungthulien alone the number of children who have died in the same period is nine.
Talking to this reporter, the father of the deceased girl said she had been ailing for the last one month. A medical team from the State Government had examined her and prescribed some medicines, said the father Lalotshang further.
However they could not procure the medicines as the villagers are facing starvation following the bamboo flowering, said the bereaved father and added that going to Churachand-pur headquarters or Mizo- ram to procure the medicines was beyond their means.
Explaining the situation in which the villagers are caught in, Lalotshang said that to buy medicines worth Rs 100, they have to spend at least Rs 1000 to travel to Churachandpur district headquarters. If they opt to go to Mizoram then it entails spending one night there, he added.
The famine like situation following the bamboo flowering has only made matter worse, said the bereaved father and added that if they stop working for even a single day, then it would mean starving for the day.
Adding to the woes of the people is the lack of any medical facilities for the villagers and a tour around the villages of Tipaimukh revealed that no expecting mother has been given the BCG vaccine and no child DPT.
Since travelling to the district headquarters means incurring huge expenses, which the villagers just cannot afford, it means that delivery is mostly done at home with no medical care.
Since the expecting mothers and children are not administered any vaccine, it makes them all that more vulnerable in the event of the outbreak of any disease in the area.
Though a dispensary has been opened at Lung-thulien, there is no building, no medicines and no health workers/doctors/nurses.
The nearest medical centre for the people of Lungthulien is Parbung which is about nine kms away. Not surprisingly, the Community Health Centre at Parbung did not have any medicine stocks when the disease broke out. However things have marginally improved at the CHC with some medicines available now. The beds at the CHC have been taken away by security forces, said the villagers. Seven children showing symptoms of the child who passed away last night at Lungthulien were found at Leisen and another one at Torbung. To extend a helping hand to hapless villa- gers a medical team from RIMS today held a medical camp at Parbung Health Centre. The team includes seven specialists in Medicine, Gynaecology, Paedia- trics, ENT, Microbiology.
The medical camp was jointly organised by the Hmar Youth Association. A large number of women along with their children turned up at the medical camp and the doctors said that they have detected similar symptoms in two or three children. Similar medical camps will also be held in other villages.
TSE
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SHDC opposes enforcement of PR Act in Sadar Hills
IMPHAL, Apr 22: The Sadar Hills District Committee claimed to have submi- tted a memorandum to the CM on its objection regarding enactment of Pancha- yati Raj Act in Sadar Hills which the body construed as the state Govt relying on ‘divide and rule’ policy.
Reminding that SHDC had already expressed opposition to implementation of Panchayati Raj in the sub-division, the body asserted that it would not allow further division of Sa-dar hills on communal line.
Instead of exclusion of villages/areas located wit-hin Sadar Hills from the purview of Zilla Parishad/Panchayati Raj which is in total disregard to the sentiment of Sadar Hills people the State Govt is once again trying to nominate members of Pradhan and Gram Pan-chayat for the vacant wa- rds/constituencies which is totally illegal and against the recently held election results, an SHDC statement maintained. The SHDC also recounted that till 1983 entire villages/areas in the three sub-divisions of Sa-dar Hills namely, Kangpok- pi, Saitu and Saikul were governed under the single administration of Local Self Govt under Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council with periodic conduct of elections to the ADC.
Highlighting that in each of the ADC elections two/three Nepalis (general community) were elected as members including a Nepali becoming Deputy Chairman of Sadar hills ADC on one occasion, the body said with such facts all communities living in Sadar Hills have equal share and participation in implementation of development program-mes etc under Sadar Hills ADC. Alleging that since 1982-83 Govt of Manipur conceived a sinister policy whereby Panchayati Raj system was introduced in areas with substantial po-pulation of nepalis like in Kalapahar and Charhajare under Kangpokpi sub-division as well as in Molkon Hangoipat Nepali areas, Chingmang-Joulen and Phawoibi Vaiphei kuki areas of Saikul sub-division, SHDC decried that introduction of two local self- Govt in a particular area has led to confusion and divisions of the people along communal lines. The body also reflected that in protest against such alleged biased and partisan policy zilla parishad and panchayat elections held in 2007 was boycotted through various forms of agitation, SHDC conveyed strong resentment that voices of the people is being deliberately muffled by the Govt.
TSE
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24-hr bandh called on Apr 25 in Senapati
By : John Basho Pou/IFP 4/23/2008 2:00:26 AM
SENAPATI, Apr 22: A 24-hour district-wide bandh has been called by the Youth Front of Senapati on April 25 as the Senapati based body is to observe ‘Black Day’ on this day.
The front in a handout said today that they would be observing the Black Day as a part of its campaign for restoration of the cancelled 2001 census report in respect of three sub-divisions of Mao, Maram and Paomata of Senapati district.
The bandh which will be effective from midnight of April 24 till midnight of next day (April 25) was called against the cancellation of the census report, 2001 in respect of the three subdivisions, the front said.
It also stated that essential services like water supply, electricity, medical including movement of security forces would be outside the purview of the bandh.
The bandh will be observed across the entire district including the NH-39 passing through the district, said the front while appealing to all business centres, schools, government and private institutions to remain shut for the day and all kind of vehicles to stay off the roads.
The Youth Front of Senapati, mention may be made, had earlier in March decided to call a 12-day long economic blockade along the NH-39 as a part of pressurizing the state government for restoration of the cancelled census report. But it was suspended indefinitely in the wake of the serial murders of non-local labourers in the state.
It was suspended on humanitarian grounds, stated the front while expressing displeasure with the state authorities remaining silent despite the repeated calls from various civil bodies to restore the census report.
IFP
PARBUNG (CCpur), Apr 22 : The death toll of infants in Tipaimukh sub-division of Churachandpur district following the outbreak of a yet to be diagnosed disease continues to claim the lives of children, with one more child passing away early today morning.
With the latest casualty, the death toll of children, all below the age of one, has risen to 30 ever since the disease broke out during the last three/four months.
On the other hand, lack of medical care in the interiors of Churachandpur became palpably clear as it has been confirmed that no expectant mother has ever received the BCG and no child has been administered DPT vaccine to ensure the health of the child as well as the expecting mother. It is however yet to be confirmed whether the lack of vaccination is in any way related to the deaths of the children.
Even as the Government is groping in the dark to ascertain the cause of the deaths as well as to confirm the veracity of the number of deaths, an 8 year old girl child passed away yesterday after mid-night at Lungthulien at Tipaimukh sib-division, which is situated a good 289 kms from the district headquarters.
The deceased child is identified as Lalunmoi. The symptoms of the child included, vomiting, losing consciousness and extreme weakness coupled with high fever.
Interacting with this reporter, the people of Tipaimukh said the with the death of the 8 month old child, the number of children who have died in the past three/four months in the sub-division has risen to 30.
At Lungthulien alone the number of children who have died in the same period is nine.
Talking to this reporter, the father of the deceased girl said she had been ailing for the last one month. A medical team from the State Government had examined her and prescribed some medicines, said the father Lalotshang further.
However they could not procure the medicines as the villagers are facing starvation following the bamboo flowering, said the bereaved father and added that going to Churachand-pur headquarters or Mizo- ram to procure the medicines was beyond their means.
Explaining the situation in which the villagers are caught in, Lalotshang said that to buy medicines worth Rs 100, they have to spend at least Rs 1000 to travel to Churachandpur district headquarters. If they opt to go to Mizoram then it entails spending one night there, he added.
The famine like situation following the bamboo flowering has only made matter worse, said the bereaved father and added that if they stop working for even a single day, then it would mean starving for the day.
Adding to the woes of the people is the lack of any medical facilities for the villagers and a tour around the villages of Tipaimukh revealed that no expecting mother has been given the BCG vaccine and no child DPT.
Since travelling to the district headquarters means incurring huge expenses, which the villagers just cannot afford, it means that delivery is mostly done at home with no medical care.
Since the expecting mothers and children are not administered any vaccine, it makes them all that more vulnerable in the event of the outbreak of any disease in the area.
Though a dispensary has been opened at Lung-thulien, there is no building, no medicines and no health workers/doctors/nurses.
The nearest medical centre for the people of Lungthulien is Parbung which is about nine kms away. Not surprisingly, the Community Health Centre at Parbung did not have any medicine stocks when the disease broke out. However things have marginally improved at the CHC with some medicines available now. The beds at the CHC have been taken away by security forces, said the villagers. Seven children showing symptoms of the child who passed away last night at Lungthulien were found at Leisen and another one at Torbung. To extend a helping hand to hapless villa- gers a medical team from RIMS today held a medical camp at Parbung Health Centre. The team includes seven specialists in Medicine, Gynaecology, Paedia- trics, ENT, Microbiology.
The medical camp was jointly organised by the Hmar Youth Association. A large number of women along with their children turned up at the medical camp and the doctors said that they have detected similar symptoms in two or three children. Similar medical camps will also be held in other villages.
TSE
--------------
SHDC opposes enforcement of PR Act in Sadar Hills
IMPHAL, Apr 22: The Sadar Hills District Committee claimed to have submi- tted a memorandum to the CM on its objection regarding enactment of Pancha- yati Raj Act in Sadar Hills which the body construed as the state Govt relying on ‘divide and rule’ policy.
Reminding that SHDC had already expressed opposition to implementation of Panchayati Raj in the sub-division, the body asserted that it would not allow further division of Sa-dar hills on communal line.
Instead of exclusion of villages/areas located wit-hin Sadar Hills from the purview of Zilla Parishad/Panchayati Raj which is in total disregard to the sentiment of Sadar Hills people the State Govt is once again trying to nominate members of Pradhan and Gram Pan-chayat for the vacant wa- rds/constituencies which is totally illegal and against the recently held election results, an SHDC statement maintained. The SHDC also recounted that till 1983 entire villages/areas in the three sub-divisions of Sa-dar Hills namely, Kangpok- pi, Saitu and Saikul were governed under the single administration of Local Self Govt under Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council with periodic conduct of elections to the ADC.
Highlighting that in each of the ADC elections two/three Nepalis (general community) were elected as members including a Nepali becoming Deputy Chairman of Sadar hills ADC on one occasion, the body said with such facts all communities living in Sadar Hills have equal share and participation in implementation of development program-mes etc under Sadar Hills ADC. Alleging that since 1982-83 Govt of Manipur conceived a sinister policy whereby Panchayati Raj system was introduced in areas with substantial po-pulation of nepalis like in Kalapahar and Charhajare under Kangpokpi sub-division as well as in Molkon Hangoipat Nepali areas, Chingmang-Joulen and Phawoibi Vaiphei kuki areas of Saikul sub-division, SHDC decried that introduction of two local self- Govt in a particular area has led to confusion and divisions of the people along communal lines. The body also reflected that in protest against such alleged biased and partisan policy zilla parishad and panchayat elections held in 2007 was boycotted through various forms of agitation, SHDC conveyed strong resentment that voices of the people is being deliberately muffled by the Govt.
TSE
-----------------
24-hr bandh called on Apr 25 in Senapati
By : John Basho Pou/IFP 4/23/2008 2:00:26 AM
SENAPATI, Apr 22: A 24-hour district-wide bandh has been called by the Youth Front of Senapati on April 25 as the Senapati based body is to observe ‘Black Day’ on this day.
The front in a handout said today that they would be observing the Black Day as a part of its campaign for restoration of the cancelled 2001 census report in respect of three sub-divisions of Mao, Maram and Paomata of Senapati district.
The bandh which will be effective from midnight of April 24 till midnight of next day (April 25) was called against the cancellation of the census report, 2001 in respect of the three subdivisions, the front said.
It also stated that essential services like water supply, electricity, medical including movement of security forces would be outside the purview of the bandh.
The bandh will be observed across the entire district including the NH-39 passing through the district, said the front while appealing to all business centres, schools, government and private institutions to remain shut for the day and all kind of vehicles to stay off the roads.
The Youth Front of Senapati, mention may be made, had earlier in March decided to call a 12-day long economic blockade along the NH-39 as a part of pressurizing the state government for restoration of the cancelled census report. But it was suspended indefinitely in the wake of the serial murders of non-local labourers in the state.
It was suspended on humanitarian grounds, stated the front while expressing displeasure with the state authorities remaining silent despite the repeated calls from various civil bodies to restore the census report.
IFP
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