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China Variation in Tussle with India

Nisha Sethia

Doklam standoff in its almost three months tuzzle has finally withdrawn the troops from the disputed site. Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.

For the past few months, The Chinese media has been accusing India in its attempt to transform the territory in Doklam. In a single month around 125 articles have been written on the Indian “trespass”, “hijacking a small neighbour”, and that Doklam actually belongs to China.

There is an existing mechanism named India-China Expert-Level mechanism which was started in 2006 to share hydrological data during the flood season for Brahmaputra and Satluj rivers. Under the MoUs (Memorandum of Understanding) signed in 2013 and 2015, the hydrological data is to be shared between May 15 to October 15 every year, but from May 15 till now no data has been received from China. The last meeting of the mechanism was held in April 2016 but held that linking the sharing of hydrological data with heavy floods in the northeast would be overdue.

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When a male river flows....

Nava Thakuria

They say there is only one male river (rivers are considered female in India) and that is in Tibetan highland. Of course, the name itself identifies it as the son of Lord Brahmā, the creator of the Universe according to the Hindu mythology. Brahma’s son (Putra) is known as Brahmaputra, the sacred river that emerges as a unique identity for the people of Assam. Even though Brahmaputra is an international river connecting Tibet (now under China), India and Bangladesh, it is omnipresent in the great Assamese literarycultural pieces. Often the mighty river is termed as Luit in Assamese literature, which Assam’s greatest son in recent time Dr Bhupen Hazarika described as Burha (literary meaning old) Luit also. Many of the immortal creations of Dr Hazarika are related to Brahmaputra (pronounced in Assamese as Brôhmôputrô). In different songs, the legendary singer terms the river as a symbol of greatness, harmony and assimilation. Sometime, the celebrated music composer also questioned Mohabahu Brahmaputra ‘why does it flow in spite of the endless sufferings of dwellers on both of its banks’.

The powerful river originates in Jima Yangzong glacier of the Himalayan State of Tibet (at an elevation of about 5150 meter), flows across southern Tibet and enters into Arunachal Pradesh and then flows southwest through the Assam valley to penetrate into Bangladesh. Finally the gigantic river culminates in the Bay of Bengal after merging with Padma (also known as Podda) and Meghna river. Identified as one of the major rivers of Asia (world’s fourth largest), Brahmaputra is known as Tsangpo in Tibet (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese), Siang or Dihang in Arunachal, Jomuna (not Yamuna of north India) in northern Bangladesh. It covers nearly 2,900 kilometer and embraces the basin area of around 651,300 square km. The river, occasionally adored as a sea, discharges average 19,300 cubicmeter volume of water per second.

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Minister Resigns for Chakma Right in Mizoram

Rashmi Mizar

Minister of the State of Mizoram, for Fisheries and Sericulture, Buddha Dhan Chakma the lone legislator and minister from the Chakma community of Tuichawng (ST) constituency of Congress Government submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla. The protest was against the denial of medical college seats to a number of four qualified Chakma Students in a case of alleged racial discrimination. 

Buddha Dhan Chakma an MBBS under state quota of 1994 from Gaya Bihar said “Remaining in the council of ministers might create uneasiness to maintain the glory of democracy in our state where all of us should feel at home irrespective of caste, creed and religion” and termed it to be as gross injustice. According to him it was a “systematic conspiracy” to deny various facilities to the Chakma who belong to the state for the last few years. They tried to do it even in 2016. But the selected candidates went to the High Court and got justice. This time round, it is a clear case of contempt of court and asked the candidates to go back to the High Court.

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Money and Men become biggest challenge for opposition in Tripura poll

Biswendu Bhattacharjee

With the sudden erosion of party leadership in major political oppositions, Congress and Trinamool Congress in Tripura are facing a tough time to re-organise the strength in Tripura. After shifting of Trinamool President Ashis Saha along with five MLAs of party rank to BJP having accused Mamata Banerjee, for being close to CPI-M, TMC has lost its total base due to shortage of leaders and supporters.

Besides, none of them have any funding from the central level or local, which appear to be the biggest challenge for the present flag bearers of the parties to survive. Being an election bound state, BJP is having a solid financial capacity to fight against the leftists but the only weakness is leadership.

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Pressing Time for Lord of Sky

Kishore Talukdar

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Assam Forest department which are jointly working on creating a safe zone for vultures in Assam has planned to collect 800 samples of dead animal to analyze harmful NSAIDs, nonsteroidal inflammatory drugs. 

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Flood creates havoc in Northeast India

Nisha Sethia

Relentless rainfall has created havoc in the North Eastern states of India. The states of Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh have been badly hit. Earthquake in Assam during 1950 raised the bed of the Brahmaputra, and floods began to threaten the environment.

Flood in Assam is a regular feature. The only things that have changed from year to year are the number of people affected, crores in relief, number of deaths.

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Disaster Management Training for Children with Disabilities

The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) South West Khasi Hills District organised a one day programme for the differently abled students & teachers of Lynti Jingkyrmen School.

The workshop including mock drill was organized at the Multi-purpose hall DC office. The event was graced by Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum- CEO, DDMA, Shri H S Lyngdoh in the presence of Smti. D L Kharkongor, District Disaster Management Officer, South West Khasi Hills Mawkyrwat and other senior government officials.

During the training the students were sensitized on the concept of Disaster Management and the do’s and don’ts in time of earthquake, cyclone, flood, lightning and thunderstorms. They were also imparted practical training on search & rescue and first aid.

The resource persons on the day were Shri F Wankhar, DM Professional, Mawkyrwat, Smti. C Kharlyngdoh, DM Professional, Mawkyrwat, Shri E Kharbudon, DM Professional, State Disaster Management Authority, Shillong and Shri. K Shylla, DM Professional, State Disaster Management Authority, Shillong.

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Seminar on National Nutrition Week

The Department of Social Welfare of Meghalaya in collaboration the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Community Food & Nutrition Extension Unit (CFNEU) GOI kick-off the  National Nutrition Week with a one day State Level Workshop on the theme Optimal Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices: Better Child Health.

The workshop was graced by the Meghalaya Minister for I & PR, Labour, etc, Dr. M. Ampareen Lyngdoh as the Chief Guest and Deputy Director, Department of Social Welfare, Smti Karuna Lamar as the Chairperson which was held at the Conference Hall of the of Social Welfare building itself Shillong.

Speaking at event Dr. Lyngdoh said that the main objective of this Week’s observation is to address the problems of malnutrition of mother and child which is prevalent in the State. She also said that that most mothers have this misconception that nutrition is associated with money and can be bought in the market, hence it is crucial for parents to take special care of their child in the first 24 months. She also reminded the social workers that they too have an equally important role to play to educate mothers on the importance of breastfeeding the child for the first six months because breast-milk is one of the most nutritious feed for the infants. she appeal to all young workers to take this opportunity to go to their respective places of work and chalk out programmes and activities which can help mothers understand the significance of a healthy and balanced diet.

 Others resource person were  Deputy Director of Social Welfare Department Smti Karuna Lamar and Demonstration Officer-II, CFNEU, Shillong Shri S B Singh.