Evening daily
Imphal Times
Regd.No. MANENG /2013/51092
State Cabinet sets July 31 for State Assembly,
unveils key Amendments
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
The Manipur Cabinet has
decided to convene the state
Assembly session on July 31,
2024. In a press briefing,
Sapam Ranjan, Minister of
Health and Family Welfare and
DIPR, and spokesperson for
the government, detailed the
decisions made during
today’s Cabinet meeting,
which addressed 43 listed
agenda items.
Minister Sapam Ranjan
announced that the state As-
sembly session will commence
on July 31, 2024, following the
DMCAA & DMUTA supports demands of ASHA workers demand
students, urges swift action to save DMU increase in incentive, plans
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
Dhanamanjuri College
Alumni Association
(DMCAA) and Dhanamanjuri
University Teachers’ Associa-
tion (DMUTA) have stated that
the demands of the students
for appointment of regular VC,
registrar and other key authori-
ties are genuine and require
urgent attention to prevent fur-
ther escalation of the suffering
of the students.
The association has out-
lined several key demands in
their statement, including the
appointment of a regular Vice-
Chancellor, Registrar, Con-
troller of Examinations, and Fi-
nance Officer. Additionally, it
stated that there is a pressing
need for the recruitment of
MEELAL applauds efforts of inclusion
of Meetei Mayek in Assam schools
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
The Meetei Erol Eyek
Loinasillol Apunba Lup
(MEELAL) has announced a
significant development in the
promotion and preservation
of the Manipuri language and
script among the Manipuri
community in Assam.
In response to the
longstanding demand for
Manipuri language and script
education, on February of
last year the Assam Assem-
bly passed a resolution to in-
troduce Manipuri language
EPU issues urgent call to address
environmental crisis
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
The Environment Protec-
tion Union (EPU) has issued
an urgent call to action in re-
sponse to the escalating en-
vironmental crisis in Manipur
highlighting severe deforesta-
tion, improper land use, and
unchecked water pollution.
The EPU points out that
relentless deforestation has
led to severe soil erosion and
disrupted water cycles, caus-
ing flooding and mass scale
conclusion of the previous
session on March 5, 2024.
Regarding the establish-
no work no pay protest
both teaching and non-teach-
ing staff to ensure the
smooth functioning of the
university.
Another critical demand
raised by DMCAA is for the
university to fulfill the neces-
sary criteria to receive grants
under Section 12B of the UGC
(Amendment) Act, 1972. This
would provide financial stabil-
ity and academic recognition,
which are essential for the
institution’s growth. The
DMCAA also emphasized the
importance of conducting un-
dergraduate examinations on
time to prevent delays in stu-
dents’ academic progress and
admissions to master’s pro-
grams.
The association high-
lighted the need for regular meet-
ings of the Academic Council,
and script in schools. Later,
the Assam State Govern-
ment, on June 5, issued an
order through the S.C.E.R.
Department Director Dr.
Nirada Devi. This order man-
dates the introduction of six
Bengali script books trans-
lated into Meetei Mayek for
Classes I and II in Assam
Manipuri Schools, starting
from the upcoming academic
yea r. It in s truc te d th e
Manipuri Sahitya Parisad
and the Manipur Language
Protection Coordinator Com-
mittee to collaborate to final-
ize the books in Meitei script
devastation in the rainy rea-
son and drying up of streams
and rivers and exacerbating
water scarcity during the dry
season.
According to EPU, Loktak
Lake, a Ramsar Site and one of
the most critical freshwater
lakes in the region, is under se-
vere threat. Despite substantial
financial allocations for conser-
vation, the lake continues to
suffer due to inadequate and
mismanaged interventions. This
degradation has resulted in the
loss of biodiversity and liveli-
Volume 8, Issue 872, Friday, July 12, 2024
ment of new districts, the Cabi-
net has resolved to appoint
administrative staff and de-
Syndicate, and Board of Man-
agement to ensure effective
governance. Furthermore, the
autonomy of Dhanamanjuri Uni-
versity under the UGC Act is
crucial for its independence and
development. Protecting the
university’s land from en-
croachers and developing nec-
essary infrastructure for future
generations are also vital com-
ponents of the DMCAA’s de-
mands.
The DMCAA has made
multiple attempts to meet with
the Honorable Governor of
Manipur and the Registrar of
Dhanamanjuri University to
discuss these issues and fos-
ter a conducive atmosphere
for resolution. However, no re-
sponse has been received to
date.
The association is deeply
by October/November.
To mark this milestone,
MEELAL had scheduled a
public meeting on July 11 at
the Manipur Sahitya Parisad’s
“Maru Sanglen” in Silchar,
Assam. This meeting dis-
cussed the implementation of
further steps to enhance
Manipuri language education
in the region. In this meeting
MEELAL President, Khaidem
Ingocha, expressed his enthu-
siasm for this development,
stating that it is a significant
step towards safeguarding the
Manipuri language and script
for future generations.
hoods for those dependent on
the lake.
Encroachment of Waisel
Maril, a critical waterway, has
caused flooding which has led
to widespread destruction,
damaging infrastructure,
homes, and agricultural lands.
In response, an ad-hoc
committee called EPU has
been formed to address these
challenges. The committee
aims to unite local clubs, or-
ganizations, and the public to
implement effective conserva-
tion strategies.
Maliyapham Palcha kumsing 3422-23
ploy Village Defense Force
(VDF) personnel. The Home
Department will oversee the
rationalization of necessary
staff and VDF requirements,
and VDF personnel will now
be transferable.
The Cabinet has also
planned significant legislative
amendments, including revi-
sions to the Manipur Private
School Registration and Regu-
lation Act of 2017 and the
DMU Act to address Vice-
Chancellor selection and ten-
ure. In the healthcare sector,
new rules under the Manipur
Health Service dental regula-
tions will be formulated.
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
ASHA workers gearing up
for a protest to demand fair
compensation, recognition,
and improved working condi-
tions. Paonam Asharani, Gen-
eral Secretary of the ASHA
Workers Union, has an-
nounced a protest movement
set to commence on July 18th
demanding increase of their
incentive.
According to union’s Gen-
eral Secretary, ASHA Workers
Union has repeatedly submit-
ted memorandums to health
authorities, including the direc-
tors, commissioner of health,
and the Chief Minister, seek-
ing redress for their issues.
However, these efforts have
been met with silence. Key con-
cerns include inadequate in-
centives and the non-payment
of the state share of ¹ 1,000 to
newly selected urban ASHA
workers, she stated.
ASHA workers are calling
Poster Campaign to
safeguard educational
sector continues
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
In its ongoing endeavor to
shield the educational sector
from disruptions, the Coordina-
tion Committee on Disturbance-
Free Education Zone Demand
has advanced its poster cam-
paign at New Era Higher Sec-
ondary School, Thoubal. Salam
Jotin Singh, of Private Schools’
Development Council (PSDC),
articulated, “The condition of
the education sector has dete-
riorated significantly due to dis-
turbances over the past few
months. It is imperative to dis-
Furthermore, the Cabinet
intends to scrutinize the recruit-
ment process within the Direc-
torate of Economics and Sta-
tistics, with a committee tasked
to investigate any irregulari-
ties; recruitment found to be
irregular will be scrapped.
Additionally, the Trans-
port Department will initiate
auctions for fancy vehicle reg-
istration numbers through the
EVAHAN portal, while the
Panchayati Raj Department
will create new posts. More-
over, crucial decisions regard-
ing land allocation for airport
expansion and other develop-
ments were finalized.
for a monthly remuneration of
Rs. 15,000 and official recogni-
tion from the government. “The
incentive is very low. We will
start a protest movement
against this low incentive,”
stated Paonam Asharani.
She said “ASHA workers
will cease submitting monthly
reports and halt all health-re-
lated activities, including diabe-
tes and malaria tests, starting
from July.” Additionally, there
will be no observance of ASHA
Day, and all ASHA workers have
been instructed to adhere
strictly to the union’s decision.
The union has also warned
against fraudulent groups, who
were old ASHA workers, at-
tempting to undermine the
movement by submitting mis-
leading memorandums using
old letterheads. These groups
do not belong to the union and
are spreading misinformation.
“If they do not stop such thing
they will bear the responsibil-
ity for their actions,” Paonam
Asharani stated.
seminate the message exten-
sively that the educational sec-
tor should remain undisturbed.
Today’s poster campaign at
New Era Higher Secondary
School, Thoubal, is a manifes-
tation of this imperative.”
The event was also at-
tended by M Lokendro, Chair-
man of the Coordinating Com-
mittee on Disturbance-Free
Educational Zone Demand.
This initiative has garnered the
involvement of various organi-
zations, student groups such as
DESAM and the All India
Manipur Students’ Union
(AIMS).
www.imphaltimes.com Rs.2/-
The Editorial:
Silencing Dissent: CM N
Biren Singh’s assault on
free speech in Manipur
In a speech delivered at the City Convention Center on Thurs-
day, Manipur’s Chief Minister N. Biren Singh issued a stern ad-
monition to social media users, cautioning them against ridiculing
and mocking leaders or producing speeches or videos deemed
inappropriate for public consumption. He highlighted the profi-
ciency of social media users in creating such content and warned
of potential arrests, asserting the government’s capability to en-
force this. Chief Minister Singh remarked on the recurring pro-
tests following arrests, where individuals claimed their freedom of
speech and expression was under threat. He stated: “Now, we
have started considering arresting them quietly, finding the means.
When arrested, they say the freedom of speech has been tar-
geted. So, we consider arresting them silently and beating them,”
he said. Adding to this, he mentioned that he had been advised to
sanction such measures but had refrained from doing so, thus
purportedly protecting these individuals from such actions.
This commentary serves as a stark warning to the people of
Manipur, particularly those critical of the government, suggesting
that even if legal avenues do not permit the arrest of those exercis-
ing their freedom of speech, alternative, extrajudicial methods could
be employed. Implicit in his statement was a threat to deploy goons
to abduct and assault dissenters. Such rhetoric underscores an
intolerance towards criticism and an inability to address the
government’s shortcomings, resorting instead to intimidation tac-
tics. No wonder, Mr. Biren has garnered notoriety for his crack-
down on social media critics. This has also become a subject of
ridicule among the populace, who have lambasted his inability to
apprehend those responsible for the ongoing violence in Manipur.
In his speech, Mr. Biren also drew a controversial parallel
between the current unrest in Manipur and natural calamities,
emphasizing their unpredictability. He audaciously suggested that
those suffering in relief camps, having lost their homes, would
receive divine rewards, and that the state would ultimately benefit
from the deaths and sufferings caused by the violence. Such
comparisons, including likening the situation to the Israel-Hamas
conflict and the Russo-Ukrainian war, trivialize the conflict, fram-
ing it as a war rather than an internal strife between communities.
If the violence in Manipur were truly a war orchestrated by exter-
nal militants, the question arises why India, boasting one of the
world’s most powerful militaries, is unable to quell it.
The Chief Minister’s remarks betray a failure to acknowledge
the shortcomings of the intelligence department and his own in-
ability to control the situation. Rather than merely proclaiming
“trying our best,” he must demonstrate his efforts through ratio-
nal and effective measures. A competent government, and a ca-
pable Chief Minister, should possess the humility to recognize
their deficiencies and strive towards solutions. In a democracy, it
is the public who holds the ultimate authority, and criticism is an
essential mechanism to compel a failing government to improve.
It is disheartening that the Chief Minister’s response to critique is
to contemplate the suppression of dissent rather than addressing
the root causes of the unrest.
This pattern of arresting critics, especially those active on
social media, has led to a pervasive atmosphere of fear and self-
censorship among the populace. The CM’s inability to confront
and address the genuine grievances of the citizens, choosing
instead to silence dissent, only exacerbates the prevailing dis-
content. In democratic societies, the essence of governance lies
in the ability to engage with the citizenry, to listen, to understand,
and to act upon the legitimate concerns of the people. Mr. Biren’s
approach, however, appears to be one of authoritarianism, cloaked
under the guise of maintaining order. The Chief Minister’s auda-
cious remarks equating the state’s turmoil to global conflicts not
only trivialize the local strife but also divert attention from the
government’s failures. Such comparisons serve as a smokescreen,
masking the underlying issues of mismanagement and the
administration’s inability to foster communal harmony. By com-
paring Manipur’s unrest to international wars, Mr. Biren attempts
to elevate the situation to a geopolitical scale, thereby absolving
his government of direct responsibility.
Moreover, his suggestion that divine rewards will compen-
sate for the suffering endured by those in relief camps is not only
insensitive but also highlights a disconnection from the immedi-
ate needs and realities of the affected populace. The government’s
role is to provide tangible support and solutions, not to defer
responsibility to higher powers. The Chief Minister’s admission
of contemplating extrajudicial measures to deal with dissenters is
a grave concern. Such an approach undermines the rule of law
and sets a dangerous precedent for governance. It is imperative
for leaders to uphold the principles of justice and equality, ensur-
ing that all actions taken are within the legal framework and re-
spect the fundamental rights of individuals.
What’s the point of even addressing those who criticize him
and his government when his primary focus should be finding
solutions and restoring peace? If the government has failed to
control violence for over 14 months, what can the people be ex-
pected to do? Applaud thunderously? Biren’s failures to manage
the situation seem to have compounded further failures. For oth-
ers, failures are the pillars of success; but for Biren, failures are the
pillars of more failures.
Imphal Times
By - N. Munal Meitei
July 11 is celebrated as the
World Population Day. If we do
not take charge of our popula-
tion size, then nature will do it
for us. Economists think of the
population as an asset, but
from an environmental perspec-
tive, it’s a curse. This day re-
minds us about the impact of a
growing population, family
planning, reproductive health,
maternal health, poverty, issues
of gender equality and environ-
mental issues.
The theme for 2024 is
“Leave No One Behind, Count
Everyone.” This theme draws
SC grants interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind
Kejriwal in excise policy case
Agency
New Delhi, July 12:
In a significant develop-
ment, Delhi Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal received a
major reprieve on Friday as the
Supreme Court granted him
interim bail in the Delhi excise
case.
The Court noted that
Kejriwal had already been in-
carcerated for over 90 days and
acknowledged his status as an
elected representative while
granting him relief.
A two-judge bench of the
Supreme Court, led by Justice
Sanjiv Khanna, granted interim
bail to Kejriwal and referred his
Bank of Baroda opens new
branch at NIT Manipur
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
The Bank of Baroda has
inaugurated a new branch at
the National Institute of Tech-
nology (NIT) Manipur’s new
office building in Langol. The
ribbon-cutting ceremony was
led by Sonam T Bhutia, Gen-
eral Manager of the North East
State Zone. The event was at-
tended by prominent figures
including NIT Manipur’s Direc-
tor, Prof. DVLN Somayajulu;
Registrar, Prof. Kh Tomba
Singh; Regional Head of the
Jorhat region, Lopshang
Sherpa; and the Manager of the
NIT Bank branch, Khusboo
Devi Naorem.
Zeliangrong Union condoles
the demise of social activist
N. Diswang Hau
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
The Zeliangrong Union
(AMN), Zeliangrong Women
Union, Kabui Mother Associa-
tion Manipur (KAMA), and
Zeliangrong Football Associa-
tion expressed their condo-
lences over the sudden demise
of social activist N. Diswang
Hau, who died in a road acci-
dent between Dimapur and
Letters, Feedback and Suggestions to ‘Imphal Times’
can be sent to our e-mail : imphaltimes@gmail.com.
For time being readers can reach the office at
Cell Phone No. 9862860745 for any purpose.
Edited by Rinku Khumukcham, Owned and Published by Iboyaima Khuman at Keishamthong Elangbam Leikai, Imphal and Printed by him at M/s Imphal Times Printers, Elangbam Leikai, Imphal West, Contact No. 2452159, Resident Editor- Jeet Akoijam
Overpopulation opposes environmental health
attention to a crucial but some-
times neglected feature of
population censuses: the inclu-
sive and thorough data collec-
tion for human rights and reach
to all. Policymakers should in-
corporate present and future
population trends in all aspects
of developmental planning,
identifying areas and growing
population to accelerate
progress.
No simple relationship ex-
ists between population size
and environmental challenges.
However, overpopulation trig-
gered climate change, pollution,
water crisis, soil erosion, defor-
estation, loss of ecosystems
and biodiversity, fossil fuels
and the emergence of new dis-
eases. We cannot have a sus-
tainable planet without stabiliz-
ing population. It will lead to
more starvation, hunger and
unhygienic living conditions
worldwide.
As human populations
petition challenging his arrest
and remand by the Enforce-
ment Directorate (ED) in the
excise case to a larger bench.
Justice Khanna, while read-
ing out the operative part of
the verdict in the open court,
said that courts can’t direct
Kejriwal to step down (from
the post of CM) because of his
arrest, and also made it clear
that it’s upto him to take a call.
“Mere interrogation does
not allow arrest,” the court
noted in its Judgement and
said that given the right to life
is concerned, the matter is re-
ferred to larger bench for fur-
ther consideration.
Keeping in view the fact
In his address, Zonal Head
Sonam T Bhutia emphasized
the benefits of the new branch
for students, faculty, and staff
at NIT Manipur. He high-
lighted the bank’s commitment
to providing a range of ser-
vices including mobile bank-
ing, net banking, and diverse
loan products. He assured that
the branch aims to cater to vari-
ous financial needs, enhanc-
ing convenience and accessi-
bility for account holders.
Prof. Somayajulu has re-
quested for installation of an
ATM booth to facilitate
smoother transactions for the
institute’s community to the
relevant zonal office of the
bank.
Kohima on July 10.
The Zeliangrong Union
praised Hau as a dedicated and
farsighted leader who worked
tirelessly for the Zeliangrong and
Naga communities. A condo-
lence meeting, led by ZU (AMN)
President Azang Rongmei, was
held at the ZU Head Office in
Imphal, where community lead-
ers and members mourned his
loss and prayed for his soul to
rest in peace.
grow, the price of all this
‘growth’ is paid for by other
endangered plants and animals
and an increasingly dangerous
climate crisis. Meeting the ob-
jectives of the Paris Agreement,
slower population growth could
help to mitigate1.5°C of the pre-
industrial state.
Each human being has a le-
gitimate claim to a sufficient and
fair amount of earth’s resources.
But with a population exceed-
ing 8.12 billion, even if every-
one adopted a relatively low
material standard of living, it
would still push Earth to its
ecological breaking point. Un-
fortunately, the average person
on Earth consumes about 50%
and in developed countries, it’s
almost five times more than the
sustainable yield of the planet.
Thus, mankind will need two
Earths by 2030. Overpopula-
tion and over-consumption will
affect everything from climate
change to sociopolitical unrest.
that Kejriwal was also arrested
by the Central Bureau of In-
vestigation (CBI) in the same
Excise policy case and was at
present in judicial custody till
July 12 and lodged in Tihar jail,
so he should not be released
today on interim bail, as di-
rected by the SC in its verdict.
Delhi High Court, last
week, had sought the re-
sponse of the CBI to the bail
plea of Kejriwal in the alleged
excise policy scam.
Justice Neena Bansal
Krishna is scheduled to hear
the bail plea of Kejriwal on July
17.
After the apex court pro-
nounced the verdict granting
interim bail to Kenriwal, advo-
cate Vivek Jain, counsel for the
Delhi CM, said, there are vari-
ous issues of law which the
Supreme Court was grappling
with.
One of the issues was the
necessity of arrest, we had ar-
Tobacco Cessation
Awareness Programme held
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
The Indian Dental Associa-
tion (IDA), Manipur State
Branch, in collaboration with
the Department of Public
Health Dentistry, Dental Col-
lege, RIMS, and the All
Manipur Working Journalists’
Union (AMWJU), hosted a
Tobacco Cessation Awareness
Programme at Thangjing Hall,
Admit Card Lost
I, the undersigned have lost my Admit Card of B.A. 1st &
4th Semester Examination, bearing Roll No. 21214986,
Registration No. 21850198, issued by Manipur University on
the way between Wangbal to Thoubal on June 25, 2024.
Finders are requested to kindly handover the said
documents on the below mentioned contact.
Oinam Sanathoi Singh
Contact No. 8787543626
Our planet can offer a qual-
ity of life for only 2 billion
people and the total population
that earth can support is less
than 10 billion. As of July
10, 2024, world population is
8.12billion and India’s popula-
tion is 1.44 billion exceeding
China. Thus, 1 in every 5 people
on the earth is an Indian. The
world’s population is expected
to increase to 10.4 billion in
2080. That will really be a popu-
lation bomb.
The dramatic population
growth is driven by increasing
numbers of people surviving to
reproductive age and accompa-
nied by fertility rates and life
expectancy, increasing urban-
ization and accelerating migra-
tion. We mined, farmed, built
power plants and many devel-
opment works to make us suit-
able, which in turn leads to
population growth. Another
reason for population growth
is improvement in the health
More News
gued before the Court that since
the material was there with ED
since July-August 2023, why
was he arrested in March 2024.
Court must have considered the
argument. During the time that
the matter is pending before the
larger bench, the court has al-
lowed Kejriwal to be our on in-
terim bail.
“As far as the ED case is
concerned, he is out. As far as
CBI matter is concerned, his
matter is going to come up for
hearing on 17th July before
High Court where we would be
praying the High Court to re-
lease him immediately because
there are no strict conditions
which are there in CBI,” Jain
said.
It is also significant to note
here that Kejriwal has moved
the Delhi High Court on July 1
challenging his arrest and sub-
sequent remand by the CBI
concerning the Delhi excise
policy.
Manipur Press Club.
The event marked
AMWJU’s Golden Jubilee cel-
ebrations and World No To-
bacco Day. Notable attendees
included Dr. RK Ratankumar,
President of IDA Manipur, and
Bijoy Kakchingtabam, President
of AMWJU. The programme
featured addresses by A Jiten,
Dr. Deepak Ningombam, Dr.
Diptajit Das, and Dr. Rajkumari
Surbala Devi.
Sd/-
Wangbal Part-II
sector.
Meanwhile, the average
global lifespan has risen, from
64.6 years in 1990s to71.7 years
in 2022 and is expected to rise
to 77.3 by 2050.Our rich human
tapestry is only as strong as its
weakest thread.
India’s population is ex-
pected to keep growing for sev-
eral decades. India was the first
country to launch the national
family planning program in 1952
with the objective of reducing
the birth rate to stabilize the
population with the needs of
the national economy. This im-
plies the right of citizens to
have access to safe, effective,
affordable and acceptable meth-
ods of family planning of their
choice.
Human and environmental
health underpins in the millen-
nium development goals which
seek to eradicate poverty and
hunger and ensure environmen-
tal sustainability. But to fulfill
U-TRUST exposes illegal activities at
Punshi Lambi rehabilitation centre
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
The Union of Treatment
and Rehabilitation of Users for
Social Transformation (U-
Trust) has revealed the prac-
tice of illegal activities, includ-
ing illegal detention and pun-
ishment, going on in Punshi
Lambi, a rehabilitation centre
at Patsoi .
Speaking to the media to-
day, Naorem Buddha Singh,
vice-president U-Trust re-
ported that distressing noises
of inmates being beaten could
be heard from the Punshi Lambi
rehabilitation centre on June 9.
According to him, “when U-
TRUST members visited the
Rakesh Naorem’s “Use Me” selected for
Roshani International Film Festival 2024
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
IPAK Films Production
Manipur has announced that
Rakesh Naorem’s short film
“Use Me” has been officially
selected for the 5th Roshani
International Film Festival 2024
in the Best Short Film (Indian)
Blood donation camp organized by
HERICOUN and JNIMS Blood Bank
IT News
Imphal, July 12:
The Ethno Heritage Coun-
cil (HERICOUN) has organized
a blood donation camp titled
“Yelhou - Phurup Singda
Kathoklaba Ee” in collabora-
tion with JNIMS Blood Bank.
the requirements for 8.12 billion
people on the mother earth is
almost impossible. Thus,3.1 bil-
lion people could not afford a
healthy diet and 900 million
people faced severe food in-
security. And, 1 in 3 people do
not have safe drinking water
and 1 in 5 do not have ad-
equate housing.
Currently, globally, 5
people are born and about 2
people die every second, re-
sulting in an increase of around
9.46 crore i.e. 1.1% population
per year. FAO estimates that a
person requires about 1.57 kg
of food per day. Hence, in or-
der to feed these increased
population, a huge tropical
rain-forest to the size of 40
football grounds is cut per
minute, amounts to 14 billion
trees, which is almost the size
of North-East India every year.
But, a tree can sink about one
ton of CO2 and can also pro-
duce the oxygen requirement
centre next day, the organiza-
tion discovered that inmates
were subjected to illegal pun-
ishment and were being held
unlawfully. “
Naorem Buddha Singh
stated, “We realized they are
being kept illegally. Inmates
have been picked up illegally.
We have rescued six of them
and relocated them to a Social
Welfare-recognized center.”
U-TRUST met with the
family members of the rescued
individuals and informed them
about the ongoing situation.
He said “one family disclosed
that their ward was abducted
by someone on behalf of the
rehabilitation center and they
were demanded to pay exorbi-
category.
“Use Me” will be screened
on August 5 at the Maulana
Abdul Kalam Azad Research
Centre in Aurangabad,
Maharashtra.
The film’s story, co-written
by Huidrom Suresh and
Rakesh Naorem, features per-
formances by Huidrom Marlin,
The event took place at the
JNIMS Blood Bank.
The camp aimed to en-
courage local residents to
contribute to the blood dona-
tion effort, addressing the
growing need for blood in
Manipur. HERICOUN General
Secretary Aheibam Anand
Page No. 2
for 8-10 people annually.
Humans have a greedy ten-
dency to want more and more
in the name of development.
Thus, there will come a time
when population growth and
welfare collide. At that time,
floods of people will trek all
over the world searching for
more food and welfare, caus-
ing political conflicts and
wars. The only solution is a
population policy applied on
a worldwide scale. The busi-
ness world and religions are
generally interested in popu-
lation growth.
Therefore, until and unless
we control the population ex-
plosion, we will not be able to
save our environment and if we
do not voluntarily accept this
responsibility, then we will be
in an environmental dilemma
within a few years.
(The author is Environmen-
talist, email-
nmunall@yahoo.in)
tant fees, far exceeding the ac-
tual treatment costs.”
He highlighted that this is
not an isolated incident, with
many individuals having been
illegally picked up. U-TRUST is
urging for an end to such un-
ethical practices and emphasiz-
ing the necessity of obtaining
family consent for patient treat-
ment. He said there have been
instances where we were con-
tacted by family and the pa-
tients have been kept in social
welfare-recognized centers.
“Efforts to contact Punshi
Lambi have been unsuccess-
ful, as the rehabilitation center
remains closed and their
phones switched off,” accord-
ing to U-Trust Vice President.
Rakesh Naorem, Laishram
Bijayalakshmi, Moirangthem
Oken, and Priyanka, with cin-
ematography by Nagindra and
editing by Romi Lamabam.
Rakesh Naorem, has previ-
ously directed acclaimed short
films like “Lingjel” and “Lupa-
20” and numerous music
video albums.
highlighted that this initiative
is crucial for ensuring a steady
supply of blood for patients
in need. Participants ex-
pressed their commitment to
supporting this noble cause,
reinforcing the community’s
spirit and solidarity in times
of need.