Dalai Lama May Retire Within 6 Months

New Delhi, Nov 21 : Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has said he was contemplating retirement within months and a final decision on it will be taken after consultations with the political leadership and Parliament-in-exile.

The 76-year-old leader, who has been living in India in exile since 1959, expressed hope that he could return to his homeland before his death.

"I think within next six months," the Tibetan leader in a television interview, when asked whether he was retiring as was being speculated.

He, however, promptly added that "I do not know. May be next few months. I think may be."

The Dalai Lama said he will firm up his decision on retirement after discussions with the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile.

"I want to inform them about my intention although I briefly mentioned (about it) already," he said.

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Manipur’s Famed Orange Belt Hit by Pests

By Sobhapati Samom

Imphal, Nov 21 : Rahoulung Golmei, an orange cultivator of Dailong village in Manipur’s orange belt in Tamenglong district has abandoned his orchard at Khoukum village following the sudden dead of the trees two years ago due to an unknown plant disease.

The 35 year old father of two children who used to earn around Rs 50,000 in the better days from his orchard of around 700-800 orange trees, has now taken up a small time business of selling second hand clothes at Tamenglong town, around 150 km west of the State capital.

Like him, another orange cultivator Asenbou Newmai, a 34 year-old cultivator from Phellong village in the orange belt also faced identical problems but he continues to retain his orchard.

“Orange production is expected to decline this year in view of the withering and drying up of the trees”, Asenbou, father of six children, who normally earned about Rs 1 lakh every year from his orchard of around 1,000 orange trees, said. “We don’t know the reason behind the drying up and subsequent death of the trees”. Reports said Tamenglong orange is likely to be in shortage for the upcoming Orange Festival scheduled for December 11-12 next at Tamenglong.

Manipur produced around 31,968 metric tonnes of oranges from an area of 4,138 hectares of land in 2008-09, according to State Horticulture department sources. Tamenglong district alone produces 17,311 metric tonnes.

The experts are of the view that lack of proper care and climate change are the major factors for the dying of the orange trees. “Except some, most of the cultivators in the hills are not serious about giving nutrients to the decades-old orange trees not to speak of attending them with proper technology”, says A Rajlakshmi, specialist (Horticulture) of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Manipur Centre.

According to her, the orange production declined in Manipur because of lack of attention to the trees, no spraying of insecticides and indiscriminate killing of wild birds besides the untimely rains due to climate change during the Monsoon season.

All Women Taxis Proposed in Meghalaya

Shillong, Nov 21 : Taxis driven by women for women passengers is being mulled by the Meghalaya government on special routes in the state capital.

The first batch of 50 all-women taxis would be run on a trial basis at fixed times and certain routes, within the main city limits.

"We have mooted the plan for fifty taxis and the Regional Transport Authority at its meeting in December will decide on the modalities of operation," Transport minister A T Mondal said.
"Various facets will have to be taken into consideration like area of operation, timings and other restrictions," he said.

Besides women, the taxis will allow children below 14 years of age as passengers.
The drivers would be drawn from among 50 educated women. "We have already received a huge pile of applications for permits by women graduates seeking to venture into driving these all women cabs," Mondal said.

"Depending on the response it generates, plans to expand the service will be taken up," Mondal said.

Stating that the transport department was drawing up a complete plan for starting the service on the basis, Mondal said the service will have special features.

"We have considered giving specific color codes to the taxis and thought of five colors - pink, purple, green, blue and sky blue," he said.

Women driven taxis took to the streets in the financial capital of the country, Mumbai, in 2007 and the success of the service was later emulated across Maharashtra.

Manipur: Unrelenting Threat to Media Strangles Freedom of Press

Imphal, Nov 21 : Newspapers will not hit their stand again in Manipur from Sunday following the interferences of underground elements in the working of the media in the state.   

The unyielding battle between the factions of proscribed KCP, Sunil Meitei and Kesho Meitei groups has once again shown a sign of chocking and gagging news and media houses of Manipur. 

On Saturday morning a fresh threat to shut media houses emanated from KCP-MC Kesho Meitei faction.   

Some unidentified youths today went about issuing threats nonchalantly to media houses declaring that until and unless a workable agreement is arrived at between All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) and KCP-MC Kesho Meitei faction on the issue, media houses should stop function and publishing news. 

To this effect, a general body meeting is being called for Sunday at Manipur Press Club at 1:00 pm to discuss the matter. The question on whether or not to publish news from November 22 will also be the agenda on Sunday. 

On Friday, AMWJU and editors of various media houses had convened a meeting following threats from the dagger-drawn factions of KCP wherein a resolution was taken not to publish any press release issued by KCP factions until November 27 on which day another meeting of scribes will again be convened.

A release to this effect was also published by AMWJU yesterday appealing to all parties concerned to refrain from imposing on the media houses.

It must be mentioned that towards the end of October, media fraternity of the State had been placed in similar sticky situation by the same factions of KCP-MC over the issue of publication of their press releases.

Coming out strongly against the diktat, people from the press had taken to the street protesting against the wanton act of gagging the press.

A memorandum was also submitted to the chief minister with the Chief Minister assuring the press that an appropriate solution will be sought for.

Newspapers in the State of Manipur stayed off the stands and media houses closed their shops for three consecutive days as a mark of protest.

No Further Division of Assam: Assam CM

Guwahati, Nov 21 : Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today asserted that he is against further division of the State. He also announced that the state Government would bring a legislation to keep 30 percent of Government jobs reserved for people of rural areas.

Addressing a meeting of the elected representatives of the Panchayats and Municipalities belonging to the Congress in the Rabindra Bhawan here today, Gogoi said that instead of division of the State, he is keen on creating a greater Assam with all round development of all sections of people within the geographical boundary of the State.

The Chief Minister took the opportunity to launch a scathing attack on the AGP and BJP and said that the AGP’s tenure in power was the darkest period in the history of Assam. He said that the AGP and BJP stopped employment generation in Assam as the AGP Government signed a memorandum of understanding with the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre to stop appointments in Government departments. The former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta also did not oppose the demand of the NSCN for creation of Greater Nagalim by including areas of Assam, Gogoi alleged.

Gogoi alleged that the BJP leaders visit Assam only during the elections but they never visit the State whenever the State is in trouble. The BJP is also adopting double standard on the issue of construction of the Subansiri project. BJP leader Rajnath Singh recently opposed the project, which was started during the tenure of the NDA Government, he added.

The Chief Minister said that the Congress was not against construction of dams, but at the same time, he asserted that his party would never go against the interests of Assam. He said that Assam needs electricity for industrialization, but the interests of Assam would be taken care of while giving green signal for commissioning of any dam project. He said that the Subansiri project was taken away from the Brahmaputra Board and given to NHPC in the year 2000 when Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was the Chief Minister and NDA was in power in the Centre. But Mahanta did not oppose the same at that time and only now he is opposing the project, he said.

Gogoi further alleged that the AGP was formed with foreigners’ issue as the main plank, but during its two tenures in power, the party failed to do anything, while, the NDA Government also failed to take any effective step against the problem. Only Congress took effective steps to seal the international border, he added.

The Chief Minister also appealed to all Congress men to make the people aware of the welfare schemes of the government.

The meeting was also addressed by APCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita, Ministers Bharat Chandra Narah, Pramila Rani Brahma, Bhumidhar Barman, Ajanta Neog, Dr Nazrul Islam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Rockybul Hussain and others.

Assam Defends Police Firing Before High Court

Guwahati, Nov 21 : The Assam Government has termed May 14 police firing incident at Langpih along Assam-Meghalaya boundary as "pre-planned" and "carefully orchestrated" move of the local populace residing in the area.

The Assam Commissioner and Secretary (Home and Political) Jishnu Barua, in an affidavit submitted recently to the Shillong Bench of Gauhati High Court and alleged that the Khasi people intended to force out non-Khasis from Langpih (Lampi) area in Meghalaya-Assam boundary. The affidavit was filed in response to a petition filed by the Meghalaya People's Human Rights Council (MPHRC).

"The May 14, 2010, firing incident as revealed by facts makes it prima facie apparent that the attacks on the Nepali community in Lower Lampi market was pre-planned and carefully orchestrated," the affidavit states. The affidavit further added that the mob comprising over 1000 Khasis was carrying lethal weapons like daos (mechetes), catapults, pebbles, marbles, etc., clearly demonstrating their intention to chase out non-Khasis from Langpih.

On May 25 this year, the division bench of the Gauhati High Court Shillong Bench had directed the centre and state governments of Assam and Meghalaya to file a reply within four weeks in connection with the May 14 Assam police firing incident that claimed the lives of four Khasi villagers and injured several others, at Langpih.
This directive came following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by MPHRC secretary-general Dino Dean G. Dympep. He has also alleged that the subsequent actions of the mob in laying seize and attacking the border outpost (BOP) also revealed that the May 14, 2010 incident did not arise impulsively.

"Faced with such a predicament and apparent refusal of the mob to disperse despite firing in the air, coupled with the fact that reinforcements would take considerable time, the 4th Assam Police Battalion had no option but to resort to effective firing," the affidavit of Assam government states.

MPHRC had filed the PIL for redressal of grievances of Langpih citizens, since no action had yet been taken against erring police personnel involved in the indiscriminate firing. Clearly refuting this, the Assam government official in the affidavit submitted, "In view of facts and circumstances, APB personnel cannot be charged with or face disciplinary proceedings."

Earlier the Assam government had instituted a one-man Commission of Inquiry headed by (Rtd.) Judge of Gauhati High Court Justice PC Phukan to probe the Langpih firing incident.

Spanish Orgasm Election Commercial Offends Politicians

A video showing a young woman "simulating an orgasm" in order to encourage voting is under fire from both sides of the political spectrum in Spain, the BBC is reporting.

The video, created by the Young Socialists of Catalonia, shows a woman getting hot and bothered while voting in this month's upcoming regional elections. After she slides her vote into the box, the video concludes, "Voting is a pleasure." (Scroll down to watch.)

The ad is getting both conservative and liberal parties worked up. Both have condemned the video as insulting to women. According to the BBC:

The leader of the conservative opposition Popular Party of Catalonia, Alicia Sanchez-Camacho, said the video was an "attack on the dignity of women".

The health minister, Leire Pajin, who is a Socialist, called on all parties to show respect for women and to act responsibly.

Also, according to the Telegraph, the "Catalan nationalist Convergence and Union coalition condemned the video as 'filth'." Is this Catalonian climax commercial degrading, or is it a fun way to get out the youth vote? Watch below and decide.