The Arunachal Times - Archives

No compromise with recruitment of teachers: Khoda

GWS felicitates meritorious students

ITANAGAR, July 10: The education department in Arunachal Pradesh is trying hard to address issues like absenteeism, recruitment, transfer and posting. This was informed by the Education Commissioner Hage Khoda while addressing felicitation function of the meritorious students of the Galo community who excelled in last board examinations at Banquet hall here today. The felicitation programme was organized by the Galo Welfare Society (GWS).

On the poor educational scenario in the state, Khoda assured not to compromise with the recruitment of quality teachers.

The recruitment rules will be reviewed from now on and all senior teachers (STs) would be recruited through Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APSC), he said. Khoda further informed SSA teachers would be regularized in due course of time. 100 more senior teachers will be recruited with 75% teachers for Maths and Science through open competitive examinations without reservations, he disclosed.

In most of the schools in the state and especially districts like Kurung Kumey, East Kameng and Dibang Valley, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) teachers outnumbered regular teachers, he said while adding that it was basically due to tribal teachers’ reluctance to serve in interior places. Speaking on Right to Education (RTE) which covers the entire teaching learning process, he informed that the pupil to teacher ratio would be 1:30. There would be no single teacher school in the state and the education sector would be streamlined in a year or two, he said.

He also reminded the students that apart from classroom learning, extra-curriculum activities were also essential for quality education.

Appreciating the contribution of Galo community towards the state he said “Galos have been at the forefront of achievements in the state and the community’s contribution to the state’s development has been immense.”

Extending his wishes, Khoda reminded the students that they have a long way to go and said that competitive challenges ahead would be much tougher.

President GWS Jarjum Ete while congratulating the awardees requested the students not to rest on their laurels and exhorted them to work even harder so as to compete with the rest of the world. Pleading students to bring more laurels to the community and state at large, she urged them to refrain from substance abuse and not to give into temptations.

Earlier, parents of student also shared their views and appreciated the GWS for its noble gesture in recognizing the talents of its own community.

Altogether 18 Class X students were felicitated namely: Jarde Karlo from VKV Yazali, (9.80% and stood first), Richa Nyodu from VKV Balijan (9.60% and stood second), Yumto Yudik Taba from VKV Jairampur (9.60% and ranked second), Bomgam Dabi from JNV Pasighat (9.60% and ranked second), Hento Riba Sainik School Imphal (9.60% and ranked second) and Bali Potom from VKV Chimpu (9.60% and ranked second).

In Class XII Humanities stream nine students were felicitated with Liyir Karso from VKV Itanagar with 80.20% stood first, Moli Basar from Assam Valley School aggregated 78.76% and stood second while Kenrik Doji from RKM Aalo aggregated 78.20% and was ranked third.

In Science stream, Imar Ete from KV School Naharlagun with an aggregate of 88.40% was ranked first and Deepa Yudik Taba fromVKV Itanagar with 85.20% stood second while Eken Bam from RKM Narottamnagar with an aggregate of 84.20% came third, altogether eight students from the stream were felicitated.

Twenty one students were also felicitated for their excellent performances in the recent Arunachal Pradesh Joint Entrance Examinations 2010, in both PCM and PCB categories.

Six training programmes to mark Fish Farmers day

ITANAGAR, July 10: Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tirap celebrated National Fish Farmers day on today by inaugurating a series of 6 training programmes for the fish farmers of the district. In the first training programme of the series on ‘Composite Fish culture’, 30 fish farmers from 17 different villages participated. The training programme was sponsored by National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad.

During the programme the farmers were given active practical exposure. The practicals were held at Fisheries Demonstration Unit, of KVK, Tirap located at Govt. Fish Seed Farm, Deomali. Special screening of documentaries on scientific fish farming was also arranged for the trainees.

Parliamentary secretary (Sports and Youth affairs) Wangki Lowang urged the fish farmers to learn about the scientific fish farming practices through the programme and apply them in their pond condition for better fish production.

Lowang also released a training manual on ‘Scientific fish farming technologies for Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh’ prepared by the Subject Matter Specialists of KVK, Tirap.

Dr. Narendra Kumar, Programme Coordinator, KVK, Tirap suggested the trainees to utilize the unique aquatic resources available in Arunachal Pradesh for Fish culture and thereby augment the fish production of the district as well as the state.

Sub- Divisional Officer, Deomali G.C. Deori requested the farmers to make best use of the training programme and utilize the knowledge for augmenting fish production from the district. District Fisheries Development officer L. Lasa requested the fish farmers of the district to learn about the recent advances in pisciculture and utilize it.

Unions remembers their young leaders, calls on govt to act

ITANAGAR, July 10: The All Nyishi Students`Union (ANSU) observed the first death anniversary of Taba Mala, who was the Assistant Secretary, Art and Culture of the Union at Banderdewa led by its president Niglar Veo and general secretary Likha Tabo.

The Central Executive Members paid floral tribute and remembered her contribution towards the union during her time as an executive member. Meanwhile, the Union expressed dismay over the state Govt. for failing to pay ex-Gratia to the family of the deceased despite assurance made in local dailies. Since one year already lapsed, the Union demands the state Govt. to give the ex-Gratia at the earliest so that the aggrieved family of the deceased can start their life with new hope. The Union also demanded the authority of the insurance agent to dispose of the case of compensation as per the provision of the Motor Vehicle act.

At Lobi, Itanagar, All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union led by its president Takam Tatung paid floral tribute to the mortal remains of Nguri Yagum, woman wing president of AAPSU. Among others, former minister Talo Mugli also extended his heartfelt condolence. Two minutes silence was also observed on the occasion.

Last year, on this very day Taba Mala, Nguri Yagum and two other died in an accident involving a Scorpio in Itanagar.

IDEA empowers SHGs on livestock management

ITANAGAR, July 10: Itanagar Diocesan Empowerment Association (IDEA) in collaboration with Caritas India conducted a three days training programme on Livestock Management at Mowa and Nimte for all the Self Help Groups (SHGs) from July 7 to 9.

The training was aimed at poverty alleviation with enhancement of rural economy and employment generation.

During the training the SHGs were provided new avenues to the diverse livestock-rearing and farming by sustainable livelihood systems based on the locally available resources. The SHGs were also trained in monitoring livestock health, disease surveillance and record keeping. Sr Merin, Dy. Director of IDEA and Sanjiv Tirkey, Project Coordinator demonstrated innovative ways of small scale enterprises in piggery, poultry, goat rearing, duckery.

In Conversation -with Ane Minoti *

Nani Bath

I was indeed lucky to have had an opportunity to have a tête-à-tête with the lady whose husband, a former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, ordered her to vacate the government quarter that she was occupying as a government employee. To him (late Tomo Riba), it would be illegal to occupy two government quarters since his family was to move shortly to the Chief Minister’s Bungalow. As she (Mrs Minoti Riba) reminiscences; the world moves faster and the situation today is: what a contrasting!

Every employee is out to grab the available vacant land within the premises of allotted government quarter. An employee gets himself/herself allotted two or more residential quarters right before the eyes of the ‘competent authority’. ‘D’ Sector of Naharlagun, once a proud place with teeming political activities that housed Ministers’ Bungalows, has now been reduced to a fortress of personal fiefdom. The place has a historical significance which ought to have been preserved and protected by those persons, who now occupy every inch of the land.

The ‘political’ personality of late Tomo Riba attracted the beautiful and young eyes of Minoti, then a young Assamese girl. She was attending a socio-political meeting where her future husband addressed the public with ‘firm conviction and challenging mood’. He challenged the leadership of then undivided Assam to hand over the Chief Minister’s chair to an indigenous tribal- a Naga , a Mizo or a Khasi. His idea was that if a tribal becomes the Chief Minister, unrests and tensions (Naga/Mizo problems) in the hills will automatically get evaporated. Ane Minoti was mellowed down by this very idea of a ‘tribal leader’. One can, therefore, infer that Ane is instinctively a ‘real tribal’ and not on account of she being Arunachal’s bahu.

There was romance. It blossomed into a full friendship – leading to Milan of Pahar and Boyom- a unique instance of love story against the societal norms- worth emulating by youngsters.

There was a time, Ane remembers, when every villager used to contribute towards electioneering expenses. Contributions were in different forms: rice, millet, chickens, cows and even mithuns- all voluntary. Voters did not expect anything from the leaders because of which leaders like Bakin Pertin and Tomo Riba could be produced. This reminds me of a saying, “The society gets a leader as it deserves”.

Then a stage came when voters became economically conscious but partially. They would not ask much from their leaders but would expect at least minimum expenses to be borne by them. Expenses like bus fares, medical treatment, school admission, etc were sought from the political leaders. It was like ‘gentlemen’s agreement’. This was the time when corruption started breeding in politics and in the society later, in the young state of Arunachal Pradesh.

The third stage, which we are experiencing today, is marked by complete absence of morality and probity in politics. All voters apply the principles of business and management. Ane feels that the present system is like a ‘contractual agreement’. Both the parties- voters and leaders- know the technique of ‘investment’: when, where, how and how much to invest. What is important is not the amount invested but the returns that they expect to generate.

One of the pressing problems among the youths, Ane sees, is the sense of relative deprivation. A village boy fails to appreciate the reality when his Chacha’s son of his age and caliber wears branded shoes and designer’s shirts. The boy would naturally want to taste the taste of imported cigarettes, which are often shared by the friends of Chacha’s son in front of his inquisitive eyes. When one goes out of reality, deviant behaviour creeps in resulting into one’s indulgence in anti-social activities. In the absence of strict social control mechanisms, the police might find it impossible to contain such activities.

An unintended consequence of the growth of urban centres is large number of floating population- people without proper shelter and regular income. These people, who migrate from far off places, are scattered around Capital Complex. With no guaranteed jobs or regular source of income, they are more concerned about their daily needs as a result of which educational as well as emotional needs of the young ones get neglected. The perceived sense of insecurity and negligence gives the young ones a scope to develop anti-social attitude and to hook to different forms of addictions.

The present urbanized society may be economically developed but lacked social and cultural values. Its roots are uprooted. There is nobody, except Ayas (maidservant), to take care of the young ones in the family as the parents and adult members are busy indulging in ‘conspicuous consumption’. Bolis, Ramis, Housies, Kitty Parties, etc are the favourite pass time for the rich and affluent. The only occasion they interact with their children is to discuss about pocket money, ATM and Credit cards. Given the situation, we can only expect our young generation to go out of the track.

It was Ane’s sheer hard work, determination and self-discipline that helped her raise the family almost single handedly. Now she is a proud mother of an ideal family, where all of her children are well established in their areas of work. This is a family that Arunachal will be inheriting from a mother of one of the first political families of the state. I may not be mistaken for calling it a model.

Ane is full of optimism. She still has confidence on the strength of our young generation youths in shouldering responsibilities of Arunachal Pradesh. On the question of the future of PPA, founded by her late husband, she reminded me of an article by her son Moji Riba- ‘Mithun Shall Not Die’- written when he was a college student. Mithun signifies not just a political force but social and cultural traits that would unite us all to prepare ourselves for facing the challenges ahead.

(*Situations and ideas expressed, when Mrs Riba is not quoted, are of author’s.

Dr. Bath teaches in the Department of Political Science, Rajiv Gandhi University and can be contacted at nanibath@ rediffmail.com.)

NHPC felicitates ITI 38 tradesmen

Correspondent

ROING, Jul 10: The 3000 MW Dibang Multi-Purpose Project of NHPC has awarded scholarship to 38 tradesmen of various trades on merit basis under its ‘Up gradation of ITI’ programme here at the ITI Auditorium yesterday.

M K Gupta Chief Engineer NHPC exhorted the trainees to develop proficiency and excel in their respective trade so that tradesmen from the institutes can get job opportunity in the upcoming Dibang project.

“An adequate number of technical workers especially carpenter, welder, electrician, mechanic and surveyor are needed and ITI being the feeder institutes can produce good number of tradesmen to meet the demand. But quality and skill will be given priority”, Gupta said.

ITI Principal Subash Pertin advised the trainees to devote their maximum time in study.

According to ITI sources, NHPC has been contributing towards the development of the institution and DG set generator will be also arranged by the NHPC shortly.

Social service

ITANAGAR, Jul 10: Capital Youth Welfare Organisation has conducted a social service at SP Office road, Ganga Market, Akashdeep complex and near RK Mission hospital in collaboration with Department of Urban Development today.

It appealed to the public of the capital complex to make use of dustbins to keep their surrounding clean and also appealed to the shopkeepers not to sale Gutkas to minors.

Meanwhile, Arunachal Youth Organization appreciated Capital Youth Welfare Organization for conducting social service and appealed all the District Youth Organizations to conduct such social services.

NHPC distribute rice to calamity-hit people

ITANAGAR: Dibang Multipurpose Project, NHPC Ltd. has distributed 80 quintals of rice among the calamity hit people under Corporate Social Responsibility programme at Hunli on July 6 & 7.

Both Dibang and Lower Dibang Valley districts are going through a critical phase after the recent flood and landslide.

According to a release, the Middle Dibang Valley Students Union (MDVSU) took the initiative and helped NHPC in organizing the camp and distribution of rice. People of Ithungo, Pyunli, Kebabolin, Shuklanagar, New Anaya were benefitted by the relief camp. Looking into the severity of the problem, few health camps shall also be organized this month, the release added.

Govt plans to usher in legal reforms

NEW DELHI: Government plans to usher in second generation legal reforms that would eliminate litigation delays sharply in India. It would also like to put in place a legal regulatory regime and an oversight mechanism for the smooth functioning of the judiciary without infringing on the independence of the institution.

Talking to reporters in London, Law Minister Veerappa Moily said, in the first stage, with a view to fast tracking the delivery of justice and creating centres of excellence, National Law Schools were established.

In the second stage, government would like to introduce the second generation legal reforms. He said, at present litigation in India involves delay of over 15 years and the Government would like to reduce this delay to less than 3 years.

Moily said, the government would also take measures to improve the quality of the judiciary by reforming the legal education system and making the country the most preferred destination for investors by setting up international arbitration courts with a mandate to dispose off any litigation within a year. He said the Commercial Court Bill would soon become a law, paving the way for speedy disposal of cases through arbitration. Lok Sabha has passed the Bill and it will go before the Rajya Sabha now.

Society decries political interference

ITANAGAR, July 10: Totpu Panchayat Youth Welfare Society appealed the Ministers, MLAs and Public Leaders not to interfere in teacher's transfer and posting. The Society said that due to political interference of the ministers, MLAs and Public leaders, teaching is being affected thus hampering careers of students.

AACS dissolve units

ITANAGAR, July 10: Arunachal Anti-Corruption Sena (AACS) has unanimously decided to dissolve all the districts/block units of AACS for the greater interest of the organization in a meeting held here recently.

The vice president of the eastern and western zone will look after the affairs of their respective zone, release added.