Friday, May 23, 2008

No starvation deaths in Mizoram: Disaster Mgmt Secy

Aizawl, May 23 : There has been no starvation death in Mizoram even though the state is reeling under the grip of famine caused by ‘Mautam’ or gregarious bamboo flowering since last year, state Disaster Management Secretary K Riachho said here on Thursday.

Refuting some newspaper reports which said that 29 people died due to starvation in South Mizoram’s Saiha district, Riachho said that there has been no starvation-related death in the state.

“There is no starvation death, and there will be no starvation death,” he said adding the social structure and traditional values of the Mizos will never allow anyone to die even on the face of famine.

He opined that the reports of starvation deaths must be misunderstanding on the part of the national media.

A number of children died due to meningitis during the last part of 2007 and first part of this year in and around Zangling village in Saiha district, he said, adding some section of the media might have wrong impression on the deaths.

State Health Department officials also said that 38 children who died recently in Saiha district were not due to starvation but meningitis.

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Mizoram gears up for SEZ

First special economic zone to be set up in the Northeast

Aizawl, May 21 : The Mizo National Front government is gearing up to establish the Northeast’s first special economic zone.

Government sources in Aizawl today said chief minister Zoramthanga had given the go ahead to his administration to build the necessary infrastructure to set up the SEZ at Khawnuam village in Champhai district on the Indo-Myanmar border.

The sources said a few days ago, Zoramthanga had urged the Shillong-headquartered North Eastern Council (NEC) to grant the first instalment of Rs 9.13 crore to help his government set up the SEZ.

According to the sources, the chief minister had made it clear to the authorities of NEC in Shillong and DoNER in New Delhi that the SEZ would go a long way in boosting employment and trade.

Zoramthanga had recently lamented that though the Mizos were educated and energetic, it was the lack of finance and proper opportunity which were inhibiting their prospects of growth.

The sources said the special economic zone at Khawnuam is close to Zokasawang, the border trade centre in Champhai district.

The detailed project report (DPR) for this project had been submitted to the NEC.

The SEZ is one of the many initiatives that the Mizoram government has planned before the state goes to the polls for the 40-member Assembly in November.

The industry department in Mizoram appears hopeful of wooing foreign direct investments (FDI) from Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Bangladesh, South Korea and Malaysia for industrial and commercial ventures on this special economic zone.

Telegraph India

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