Whole Village To Be Moved From Elephant Corridor in India

The region is home to some 1800 elephants

Villagers voluntarily relocate from elephant corridor
May 2013. Marking a significant milestone in efforts to secure a crucial elephant corridor in northeast India, residents of an entire village have literally put down in stone their willingness to relocate voluntarily outside the corridor to provide a clear passage for elephants.

Modern traditional houses
The foundation stone for a model ethnic village was laid down, marking the site of relocation of the Ram Terang villagers from the Kalapahar Doigurung Elephant Corridor. The village will have traditional style houses reflecting the culture of the area, but it will also be equipped with modern facilities and necessities such as electricity, health care and education.

Unveiling the foundation stone in the relocated area
Laying the foundation stone, Rechno Haising Ronghang, the 40th King of Karbi Anglong said, "This is a new step that will benefit wildlife as well as people. There should be no barrier when it comes to wildlife conservation. We need to think of it as something that is necessary for human survival too." He congratulated the team for the initiative that will benefit the people of the corridor areas.

People of the village celebrating their impending move
The Kalapahar-Doigurung Elephant Corridor connects Kalapahar with Doigurung-Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaziranga National Park. For 30 years the village of Ram Terang, named after the head of the village, has been situated in the middle of the corridor. As a result, human-elephant conflicts have been common and with regular loss of property and life for both the elephants and the humans.

1800 elephants
"There are about 1800 elephants in the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape making it the habitat of about 8% of India's elephants. Securing this corridor is not just about the right of passage for these elephants but also to relieve local people of losses caused due to conflicts", said Dr Bhaskar Choudhury, Regional Head (Assam).

The process of course, reaching up to this milestone was not an easy one. It began about three years ago.

"The villagers were very hesitant at first when we approached them with the idea of relocation, and naturally so, as it involved their complete overhaul of their livelihoods. However, eventually they understood the need and benefits of the efforts for animals as well as themselves. Many individuals and agencies played a very crucial role in achieving this, and we are extremely grateful to all of them," said Dilip Deori, Assistant Manager, WTI, while expressing his appreciation for the support and cooperation being shown by the local community and organisations.

The project was supported by Elephant Family, IUCN - Netherlands and Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund, and implemented by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), to assist the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and Assam Forest Department in wildlife conservation in the region.

China Seeks Access To Bangla, Myanmar via India's Northeast

New Delhi, May 21 : China has sought better access to Bangladesh and Myanmar markets through infrastructure development in India's North East linking these countries with China and other countries in the South East Asian region, even as the two countries agreed to maintain peace on the border.

The two sides took stock of the recent incident of Chinese incursion in Ladakh in the western sector and agreed to engage special representatives tasked with evolving further measures that may be needed to maintain peace and tranquility along the border.

The two sides expect an early agreement on a framework for a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable boundary settlement, prime minister Manmohan Singh said in a media statement after talks with visiting Chinese premier Li Keqiang.

Chinese premier on his part termed India and China as "strategic partners and good friends" that could speak to each other with candour.

Addressing a joint press conference with his Chinese counterpart after they held delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House, the PM said, ''An honour for me to welcome Premier Li to India, been an immense pleasure to get to know him personally.''

"Starting yesterday evening Premier Li and I have had wide ranging discussions. I am delighted that there are so many fields of convergence between India and China,'' the PM said.

India and China also signed eight agreements at the end of official delegation level talks between Li Keqiang and Manmohan Singh.

The agreement signed between the ministries of external affairs and commerce could see an increase in export of buffalo meat and fishery products to China.

The agreement signed by the two countries aims to help meet the regulatory requirements for such exports with respect to safety, hygiene and quarantine.

In a bid to enhance people-to-people contact, India and China also signed an agreement to facilitate co-operation and linkages between cities and states/provinces.

The two sides also agreed to conduct the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra every year between May and September with the Chinese side saying that they would make further improvements to the existing facilities for pilgrims.

Besides, in a move that is likely to facilitate smooth communications, China has agreed to assist India in renting wireless sets and local SIM cards for those going on the pilgrimage.

Singh said that he sincerely appreciated the decision of Li to make India his first foreign trip since taking over.

He said that the rise of India and China is good for the world and the world has enough space for both.

The prime minister also invited Chinese investments in Indian infrastructure even as he sought greater market access for Indian goods in China.

The Chinese premier said that five areas covered in the joint statement include liberalisation of trade and investment and increasing people-to-people cooperation.

YMA Crackdown On Bootleggers

By Linda Chhakchhuak
 
Aizawl, May 20 : Dozens of Young Mizo Association (YMA) members yesterday swooped down on two city localities to survey the impact of the Central YMA (CYMA) deadline against bootleggers. Liquor, both moonshine and Indian (IMFL) and Burmese made liquor are easily available across the dry State.

Last month, the CYMA had set May 15 as the deadline for illegal brewers of Rangvamual and Phunchhawng to leave.

So far, 128 families engaged in bootlegging have left the villages due to the crackdown. Some families engaged in the illegal trade were still in the locality but were asked to leave peacefully.

According to a church study, there are 884 families in these localities out of which 241 are bootleggers. CYMA reckoned that most will get settled somewhere and hopefully engage in some other work.

The localities are the main watering hole for the thirsty drinkers of the city. The State is under the Mizoram Liquor (Total) Prohibition Act (MLTP) 1997. But the Act faces criticism on the ground that it is that the rich and powerful quietly bring in their drinks and guzzle it.

“The deadline for them to leave was May 15. We are here to check if any of these alcohol sellers are still around and we want all illicit liquor sellers to leave this place,” the general secretary of the CYMA, Vanlalruata told The Assam Tribune.

Ridding the State of the menace of alcohol and drugs to safeguard the youth is on the agenda of the CYMA.

Situated as it was on the main highway between the only airport of the State and the city, the localities had become a major eye-sore and a den of vice and all sorts of alcohol-related crimes. These two localities supply the bulk of illicit alcohol to the city and wider neighbourhoods. Throughout the day, drinkers and their vehicles can be seen lined up along the highway, including vehicles with official markings which offer much mirth to passers-by.

Despite numerous raids by the Excise cops over the years, they continued with the roaring business due to the loose implementation of the law which failed to keep the bootlegging king-pins locked up in jail while the lawkeepers continued harassing ordinary drinkers. This is the first time that such a major step has been taken to clear the area by anybody.

The State’s law enforcement agencies, churches and other organisations have tried to close down these illegal liquor joints several times without much success. Several churches of the city have been engaging with the people of the localities to support them in shifting to other means of earning a livelihood but as they said bootlegging is “easy money for people to give it up.”

Many experts such as medical doctors, social activists and church based workers have certified the lethal chemical content of the hooch. The Chief Minister has been known to comment that ‘earlier alcoholics had swollen faces and lived for a long time, but this illicit alcohol dried up the buttocks and the drinkers died so young.’

Many say that unless the State lifts the MLTP Act and allows healthier booze on legal sale, non-teetotalers will risk anything for a drink including drinking poison. According to local doctors alcoholism related deaths are increasing.

The CYMA has come in for criticism for allegedly taking away the livelihood of poor people and Burmese migrants, but the YMA members assert “there are many other ways of earning a living.”

David Zohmangaiha Becomes First Mizo To Scale Everest

Aizawl, May 20 : David Zohmangaiha (38) s/o K Zokhuma (L) has become the first Mizo to scale the highest mountain in the world, the Mount Everest. He, along with team members, set foot on the mountain peak at 5:30 am on Saturday. Vanlalliana, Maubawk, Head Adventure of Sports & Youth Services department of Mizoram was also in the expedition team as Base Camp Manager. Meanwhile, three persons of the team could not reach the peak due to physical problems.

Family of David exclaimed, "We are very happy and we are also very proud of him. In the beginning we were almost disheartened as a huge amount to the tune of lakhs of rupees was required for the expedition as it was a bit difficult to get sponsored because no Mizo has yet scale the Mt. Everest before. So, while we were almost losing heart, David had not only achieved his goal but won our hearts."

The expedition team, which set out to scale the Mt. Everest on April 5, 2013, reached Camp IV, the last stage before reaching the peak which is of 7920 metres ( 26,000 feet) high on the night of May 16 around 10 pm. and from there they proceeded upward to reach the peak measuring 8848 metres (feet 29,029) the following day. Sources said they had to stop for some time when they reached 'South Col’ which is near Camp IV, as speedy wind of 60 kilometre per hour blew along and also because of the snowfall. Also, even after 3 of the team members reached the peak, the other members had to stop at 'South Col’ due to lack of oxygen and food. They started again on Friday night, and the other five climbers reached the peak in the morning yesterday.

The expedition conducted under the aegis of Manipur Mountaineering & Trekking Association was sponsored by North Eastern Council. Sources also informed that Vanlalliana’s contribution for the success of the expedition is immense, citing that after when the team doctor faced physical problem, he even helped in taking care of the members’ physical condition.

In order to scale the Mt. Everest it is required to secure Grade ‘A’ in each of Adventure Courses, Basic Mountaineering, Advance Mountaineering and Search & Rescue. After these, it is necessary to scale at least one minor peak and one major peak, of a height 20, 000 feet and 22, 000 feet respectively. Even after fulfilling all these requirements, it is further required to undergo Pre-Expedition for Major Peak.

In terms of logistics too, advance booking' and a total amount required by one person is Rs. 18 lakh. The team members from Mizoram were sponsored by Sports & Youth Services department besides DRDA Project Director, Rotluanga and D3 Business Enterprise, Ramhlun North.

 Starting on April 5, 2013 from New Base Camp, 8 of the expedition team members scaled the mountain peak during May 17-18. They will leave New Base Camp on May 22 and proceed to New Delhi.

 David Zohmangaiha, the first from Mizoram to set foot on the peak of the Mt. Everest, is the present leader of Silver Hawk Adventure Club, Republic Veng, Aizawl. His club Silver Hawk Adventure Club had during 2006-2010 ventured to all the Mizoram boundaries.

Record has it that one Mizo identified as Capt. Samuel Lalrintluanga (Indian Army), employed at Medical Office of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkasi, Uttaranchal State had earlier participated as Team Leader of Mt. Everest Joint Expedition under the aegis of Nehru Institute of Mountaineering and Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF). The team had scaled the Mt. Everest on May 21, 2009. Although Samuel Lalrintluanga was the first Mizo to participate in the team of expedition to scale the Mt. Everest, but due to certain problems, he failed to book his name among the team members who had reached the mountain peak.

Also in 1995, Mizoram Alpine Club had climbed Mt. Abigabin (24, 639 feet) on behalf of Mizoram Adventure Association (MAA), but after being qualified for expedition to scale the Mt. Everest, they could not do so due to financial problem. But then, as they were already qualified earlier, they opened up the way for Adventure Club which is under MAA.

It may be recalled that Sir Edmund Hillary, Auckland, New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, Nepal were the first to scale Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

Mizoram MP For Judicial Probe Into House Collapse

Aizawl, May 20 : The lone Rajya Sabha member from Mizoram Lalhming Liana on Saturday reiterated the demand of his Mizo National Front (MNF) party that a judicial inquiry and not a magisterial inquiry should be constituted to probe the collapse of a government building on May 11 which killed 17 people in northern Aizawl.

Lalhming Liana said that the disaster was not a natural one, but a 'government-made' disaster as loss of valuable lives could be avoided if the state public works department (PWD) acted on time and dismantle the office building vacated almost for a year.

The PWD office building swept nine houses killing 17 people and the state government was responsible, he said, adding that a judicial inquiry should be ordered for an impartial and fact finding inquiry.

He also slammed the Congress government led by chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and also the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for allocating only Rs 2,278.59 crore as the state annual plan outlay.

"While the Planning Commission fixed Rs 2,500 crore for the state annual plan for the current fiscal, inclusion of Rs 221.41 crore under North Eastern Council (NEC) and Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR), which were earlier allocated over and above the state plan outlay in the yesteryears indicated as the plan size was smaller than that of 2012-13 which was Rs 2,300 crore," he said.

ISC, ICSE Results 2013: Northeast Region Students Score Well

Shillong, May 20 : Though there are only few schools in the northeast region affiliated to the Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE), students from NE have fared well in both Class X and XII board examinations. The results of Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and Indian School Certificate Exam (ISC), conducted by the CISCE were declared on Friday.

Sanskriti the Gurukul, the only ICSE-affiliated school in the city, recorded 100 per cent pass percentage. Founder secretary of the school, Ashutosh Aggarwal said, "In Class X, a total of 38 students appeared and all of them fared brilliantly. Nishant Barua, who scored 94.6%, is our topper."

About 32% students achieved an average of above 90%, 42% between 80 to 90% and 26% between 70 and 80%, he added.

Aggarwal said, "A total of 32 students appeared for the ISC examinations and all of them passed. Nishant Sogani topped with 93.75%." The principal of the school, Radha Barua, said they were extremely happy with the results and after a long time the boys did fairly well than girls.

The students of Assam Valley School in Tezpur have also done well in both ICSE and ISC examinations. Headmaster of D N A Mountford School said, "A total of 118 candidates appeared for in Class X exams and 85 candidates appeared in Class XII exams and all of them passed. Ananya Hazarika is our topper in class XII humanities stream with 98.25%. Padma Todi topped commerce stream with 97.5% and Shakti Yambem is our topper in science stream with 93.5%."

Jorhat's Carmel School also recorded 100% pass percentage in the Class X and XII results. Principal of Jorhat Carmel School, Sister Monica said, "Eighty-eight students appeared for ICSE examinations and 87 got first division while one got second division. Moreover, 20 students have got above 90% marks, including highest percentage holder Bikramjyoti Bora. Bora got 95% marks."

"In ISC, 13 students - two in arts, four in science and seven in commerce stream - appeared from our school and all have passed."

In Shillong, pupils who appeared for the ICSE this year from different schools recorded grand success with Loreto Convent, Pine Mount School and the Meghalaya Police Public School recording 100% pass percentage, while St Edmund's School recorded a success rate of 84.04%.

Shillong Public School and Meghalaya Police Public School, both co-ed institutions, recorded a pass percentage of 93 and 100 respectively.

Loreto Convent had 85 examinees, Pine Mount had 103, and St Edmund's 133.

Meghalee Bose of Loreto Convent secured 97% (best of five), while Shawli Deb of Pine Mount secured 91.8%. Naved Nagi of St Edmund's School secured 95% in the examination.

Shillong Public School had sent 12 students, out of whom Melampynshai Nongrum, with 90% emerged the topper. Meghalaya Public School saw all its 44 examinees sailing through in the examination.

Pine Mount secured a 100% success rate in the ISC examinations in the arts and science streams.

In the arts stream, Betty Lalrinseli topped the school list with 94.75%. Ribhalina Lyngdoh Pale and Phibakor Wanshnong, with 81% each, topped the science stream.

6 More Northeast Climbers Script Everest Glory

Guwahati, May 20 : Six more members of the Northeast Mount Everest expedition team rewrote history as they reached the top of the world on Saturday morning. Arunachal Pradesh's Anshu Jamsenpa, a mother of two kids, scaled the Everest for the third time.

Sixteen-year-old Manipuri boy Nemeirakpam Chingkheinganba, the youngest climber in the team, reached the peak at 5.15am on Saturday. He is now the youngest mountaineer from the NE region to reach the Everest. The other members of the expedition team are Tarun Saikia (Assam), David Zohmangaiha (Mizoram), Kazi Sherpa (Sikkim) and Wangsuk Myrthong (Meghalaya). Zohmangaiha, Saikia and Myrthong are the first ones from Mizoram, Assam and Meghalaya to scale the highest peak on earth.

Three other NE climbers - N Bidyapati Devi (Manipur), Nima Lama (Arunachal Pradesh) and Anand Gurung (Sikkim) - reached the peak on the first day on Friday and unfurled the expedition flag atop Mount Everest. Puyamcha Mohon (Manipur) is expected to reach the summit by Sunday morning. President Pranab Mukherjee flagged off the team of 14 climbers, including six from Manipur, two each from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Sikkim and one each from Mizoram and Meghalaya, from Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 20. The expedition team is the first that exclusively comprises mountaineers from the northeast.

It is organized by Manipur government in collaboration with the Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association (MMTA) and is funded by the North Eastern Council (NEC), Shillong.

The leader of the expedition, L Surjit, is also the president of MMTA. "The association is really proud of the historic achievement of all climbers with each of them setting records in different ways for their respective states and the country," MMTA's administrative officer Mayanglangbam Kumar said. People in Assam congratulated Tarun Saikia for becoming the first one from the state to scale Everest. A resident of Narengi in Guwahati, Saikia had scaled many peaks and attended an advanced course of mountaineering at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling.

Anshu Jamsenpa scaled Everest twice on May 12 and May 21 in 2011. A few days before the expedition was flagged off from Imphal on February 25, Chingkheingamba had promised his mother Nameirakpam Sabitri that he would give his best to achieve the feat. "Ema (mother) don't worry for my mission, please bless me. I'll do my best to conquer the Everest."

"My brave son has done it. Minutes after I got the news of his success in the morning, tears of happiness trickled down," said an emotional Sabriti, who was a prominent archer. She had bagged two golds in national championships.

Chingkheinganba's father Nameirakpam Tomba, a pradhan of Patsoi gram panchyat in Imphal West, was also an ace mountaineer. "My son's historic achievement has really made me happier than my election victory," Tomba quipped.

Louis Philippe Unveils First Store in Mizoram

Aizawl, May 18 : Louis Philippe, the identity of the stylish and astute Indian gentleman launched a brand new store at Zarkawt, Aizawl.

The brand new store was inaugurated by chief guest Pu Lal Thanzara, Honourable Parliamentary Secretary (CMO), Government of Mizoram.

The range of products on offer is a delight for the experimentative and fashionably discerned populace of the city.

Choose from a delectable assortment of men’s apparel and accessories ranging from ceremonial and corporate suits, blazers, shoes etc. Engage your fashion senses as Louis Philippe enthralls with its classy and exclusive offerings.

Since its foray into the Indian market in 1989, Louis Philippe has successfully established itself as the premium menswear brand in the country. The brand has been on an aggressive expansion spree and the success story continues with the brand launching its latest flagship store in Aizawl which is definitely a milestone in the city’s fashion culture.

Speaking on the new launch, Mr. Jacob John, brand head, Louis Philippe, said: “Louis Philippe is expanding and reaching out to consumers at a fast pace. The growth of the retail sector, supported by experimentative and brand conscious consumers makes Aizawl an exciting market for a brand like Louis Philippe. We aim to strengthen our commitment to our consumers by providing the best what Louis Philippe has to offer while keeping the consumer sentiments in mind.”

The latest addition shows the importance of the North Eastern region in the brand's distribution strategy. The brand has also been on an aggressive expansion spree and aims to increase its presence by opening more stores and with focus shifting to non-metro markets. The story continues with the brand launching its latest flagship store in Aizawl which is definitely a milestone in the city’s fashion culture.

So come be a part of the celebration as Louis Philippe ushers in a new wave of class meets panache in the wonderful city of Aizawl.