Imphal, 04 December 2016 ( Evening News ) : Convenor of Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Mutum Churamani has announced that there will be protests across the valley and the roads leading to all markets will be blocked on December 6, to press the demand for  inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe list. Speaking to media persons today at Manipur Press club, Churamani said, people have been carrying out agitations demanding inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list. He said the committee urged the chief minister to discuss the inclusion of the Meiteis in ST list within five days during a meeting on the 28th of Nov but the govt has done nothing till now. He also said the committee is closly watching the reaction of the political parties to the demand.

Imphal, 03 December 2016 ( Evening News ) : Governor Dr Najma Heptulla today conveyed her commitment to the cause of environment change and degradation of the environment. She was speaking at the inauguration of the three day Media workshop on climate change reporting at Hotel Imphal. The governor said the Himalayas protect the country’s environment and give the country various rivers. She maintained that if the Himalayas and the bio diversity are  destroyed there is no future for the next generations. Dr Heptulla also stressed the role of media in creating awareness among the people to protect the environment. Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP) of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and Centre for Media Studies (CMS) are organising a series of media engagement workshops in the northeast region with a view to promote accurate reporting of climate change, science and adaptation measures in the Indian Himalayas. The series includes media workshops in all the Himalayan states over the next three years. Under this media engagement programme, fellowships will also be awarded for journalists from the region to write field-based stories. Best stories written by state-level journalists will be awarded at the end of the programme. The overall objective of the programme is to trigger interest in climate change, its impacts on sustainability, livelihood issues and adaptation stories among journalists, editors and media houses in the region and thereby among the masses.

Imphal, 01 December 2016 ( Evening News ) : A remote-control IED bomb weighing around 2kg was planted at the gate of a school teacher at  Sagolband Nepra Manjor Leikai this morning. People of the locality discovered the bomb at the gate of A. Upananda son of late Angomjambam Shantikumar early this morning. A. Upananda teaches at Tiny Tots School. The locals reported the matter to  Imphal West Police. A team of Manipur Police Bomb Squad reached the spot around 6.30am. However they had to wait for a long time to defuse the bomb as the jammer vehicle of Manipur Police was accompanying the Chief Minister. No sooner the Jammer Vehicle of Bihar Regiment arrived at the scene around 12.15 pm than the one of Manipur police arrived. The Bomb Squad defused the bomb at 12.30pm and then safely exploded it at the Dumping Area at Lamphel at 1.30pm. No one has yet claimed responsibility for planting of the bomb. Imphal West Police has registered a Case. Locals expressed dissatisfaction at the delay in the arrival of the Jammer Vehicle. It may be mentioned that two explosions occurred in the same locality  two months ago.

Imphal, 01 December 2016 ( Evening News ) : As observed in various parts of the world, World AIDS day was observed in Manipur on the theme -Hands Up for HIV Prevention. The observance was held at the parade ground of the first Manipur Riffles with Chief Minister Okram Ibobi as the chief guest. Speaking at the event Okram Ibobi said the govt has been making efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS after HIV case was detected in 1990 in Manipur. He said even though the National AIDS Control Organisation NACO provides financial assistance to the state, the state govt also provides financial assistance to Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS) from time to time. The chief minister said the govt and MACS alone cannot prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and urged the parents and youth to test for HIV/AIDS before marriage instead of reading the horoscope. Ibobi maintained that there has been a gradual fall in the spread of the disease in the last 10/20 years in the state. Speaking about the welfare programs launched by the govt to help the persons with HIV/AIDS, the chief minister said they have benefitted under national food security, AAY, pension scheme, BPL card and job card. He appealed to NGOs, civil society organisations and meira paibi members to extend cooperation to prevent spread of HIV/AIDS in Manipur

Imphal, 29 November 2016 ( Evening News ) : At least 600 loaded trucks including oil tankers are on their way to Imphal on Imphal Jiribam road under tight security. They left Jiribam this morning. The loaded vehicles include oil tankers and trucks carrying food and other essential items. Sources said around 400 oil tankers and 200 loaded trucks have been escorted by security personnel on Imphal Jiribam road. It may be mentioned that the people have been suffering due to the indefinite economic blockade called by UNC from the first of this month. Prices of all essential commodities have been hiked in all the markets in the valley. The Manipur government has made arrangements to transport essential commodities including petroleum products on Imphal Jiribam road to ease the problems facing the people.