Meghalaya politician sends his duplicate to function, gets busted

Body doubles are known for their “bold scenes,” which the real actors shy away from in movies, but C Kharkongor was “caught in the act” after he tried to take the role forward of Umroi  legislator, Stanly Wiss Rymbai at a public function.

Kharkongor, a Xerox copy of the Umroi legislator in Meghalaya's Ri-Bhoi district, complete with the trade mark flowing beard and stout stature turned up at a school function, Rolin Modern Secondary School, Nongsder, as the Chief Guest instead of his master, but was caught in the act.

Apparently, Rymbai had no inclination to be part of the function and looked up for help from his humshakal. In turn, a gleeful Kharkongor suited up and tried living as a politician for a brief moment of his life at the function.

Kharkongor’s mistake? He forgot to give a whiff of grey shade to his beard, but nonetheless that went amiss initially. But what went totally against the impersonator was his speech delivery and his overall mannerism.

“It was funny at first, but the humour soon vanished into a sense of shock, despair and betrayal,” School Principal, Molina Lyngdoh said.

She added the school had organised a food fest on December 12 and invited Rymbai to be its chief guest. Rymbai never once refused the invite.

The school principal said she was aghast at the legislator’s insensitivity in the whole affair. “He (Rymbai) is least concerned about the sentiments of the people of his own constituency and this incident is testimony to that,” Lyngdoh said.

In political history, Kings, Queens and present day politicians have had “political decoys” to avoid detractors.  The most recent in present memory is said to be Saddam Hussain’s. In fact, Saddam is said to have had several decoys to avoid his detractors. Hitler, Stalin, Kissinger and many others all had their decoys.

In Kharkongor's case, it was filmy, pure Bollywood style as Rymbai’s excuse of not turning up for the function was in all probability not based on fear perception. Kharkongor on the other hand is a school teacher from a nearby village in Umsning  not like the decoys whose identities are kept top secret.

Meanwhile, Lyngdoh said they never, during the function, questioned Kharkongor although he was totally busted, but instead thanked him for turning up as the Chief Guest. A beaming Kharkongor shook hands smiled and vanished. 

INDIAN WOMEN WORST OFF THAN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN NATIONS: VICE PRESIDENT

 Vice President Hamid Ansari today said, some women
devlopment indices in India are worst than those in Sub-Saharan
African countries due to years of “discrimination and deprivation.”

Addressing the XIX convocation of the North Eastern Hills University,
Ansari said, the overall picture of gender inequality in India is
“distrubingly stark.”`

“ Every third women in India suffers from energy deficiency. This
level is higher than all Sub-Saharan countries. 55 per cent of adult
Indian women – every second women – suffer from iron deficiency. Here
too the Sub Saharan African countries do better,” Ansari told the
gathering.

Touching on women’s participation in the fields of politics, economics
and judiciary, he said, less than 11 per cent of the seats in the
Indian Parliament are held by women. The situation is worst in state
Assemblies. Moreover, women hold less than ten per cent of the
Ministerial position at the centre with a lone Cabinet Minister.

The level of female economic activity is lower and so is female
participation in professional and technical works. The Vice President,
said that according to the Five Year Strategic Plan of the Ministry of
Women and Child Devlopment for 2011-2016 it has been noted that just
14 per cent of women are employed, while 54 per cent of men are
employed in the urban sector. In the rural sector, the figure is 31
per cent for women and 55 per cent for men.

 “ Since Independence there have been only five women judges of the
Supreme Court, constituting just 3 per cent of appointments,” Ansari
pointed out, stating: “ thus the picture of discrimination and
deprivation that emerges is disturbingly stark.”
He said the way out was “not to camaflouge reality” by restoring to
tokenism and parading exceptions, but by addressing the problem head
on.

He said the National Policy for Empowerment of Women, 2001 has
outlined three policy approaches to do away with gender inequality and
therfore a begining was made.

In the policy it has been proposed to make the legal system more
responsive and gender sensitive for women’s needs. Moreover, women
must be economically and socially empowered through focused efforts,
he added.

“After a decade, launch of the National Mission for Empowerment of
Women in March 2010 is an important development that will enable
coordinated assesment of current government interventions and align
future programmes so as to translate the recommendations and
approaches of the National Policy into reality,” the Vice President
said.

However, he cautioned that mere government intervention was not
enough. “ Better results would be produced by women citizen empowering
themselves and being encouraged to do by enlightened segments of
public opinion,” Ansari said.

INDIA A RIOT OF COLOURFUL FESTIVALS

“This is festival time,” Vice-President Hamid Ansari said and described India as a “riot of colours” reflected in its many  festivals found nowhere else in the world.

Ansari deliberating at a get together meet with representatives of all religions here today, said, the enormity and beauty of the many festivals celebrated in the country makes India one of the most unique countries of the world.

 

He said that there are countries where one festival is celebrated in a year or in some cases two to three, but in India “all festivals” are celebrated.

“India celebrates all festivals, because it is part of our character to celebrate diversity,” the Vice president said at the meet held by the Central Puja Committee.

Ansari said this “celebration of diversity is a great virtue” and would continue in the country like in the past with “great gusto.” “This is what makes India unique in the world,” Ansari reiterated.

Further equating celebrations to human emotions, Ansari said festivals are celebrated because it gives us pleasure just like the emotion, laughter, which gives pleasure to human beings.

He exhorted the citizens of the country on this festive occasion, to be “good human beings.” “Goodness of human being is primary, because it is impossible to be a good citizen if you cannot be a good citizen,” he said to the gathering.

Ansari on the other hand also described himself as a “lover of flowers” after witnessing the green houses blossomed with orchids and other colourful flowers at the Horticulture hub at Upper Shillong earlier during the day.

 “Say it with flowers is not a vague expression. It is going to take concrete shape in the state and Meghalaya’s profile would rise both in India and internationally,” the Vice president said.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya Governor, RS Mooshahary who also spoke on the occasion said: “religion is not the final word and like everything is also in the process of evolution.” 

http://vicepresidentofindia.nic.in/

Bring back good ol' HAM Radios

The earthquake in Sikkim, India has created a sense of urgency amongst planners and today reintroduction of HAM or amateur radios was emphasised for uninterrupted communication during a post disaster situation.


During a meeting at the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner’s of office here in Shillong the state capital of Meghlaya, India, central government officials, security personnel and experts on urban risk reduction the idea to reintroduce HAM radios was taken up with keen interest.


Most participants felt that communication was vital in a post disaster situation to speed up rescue and relief operations. However, a senior official from the state owned telecom department, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, said that reliance on mobile and landline is fraught with risk.


“The cables might snap in the event of an earthquake or disaster. In such a scenario landline and mobile phones would not work, so Digital Satellite Public Phones are the best options,” the BSNL official, George Matthew, said.


However, another participant, Lt. Col. Sanjoy Banerjee from the Assam Rifles went a step further, stating, such phones might develop technical snags with satellite failure. He therefore suggested that the best way was to take a relook at HAM radios.


“These radios are not just cost effective, but totally free from external cables, depending on free to air radio frequencies. School and college students can be trained as a hobby. Handling the equipments is very easy,” the Army official stated.


HAM radios were lifesavers during the world wars and the only means of fast communication between handlers. It use to operate through Morse code, but now voice can be transmitted. However, with the advent of new technologies, HAM radios have been consigned to mere recreation of radio-enthusiasts. The Ministry of Telecommunication gives licenses after a candidate passes the Amateur Wireless Telegraph Operator's Licensing Examination.


There are various HAM radio clubs across India and also institutes giving training to enthusiasts and cadets of Bharat Scout and Guides to operate these radios. Lt. Col. Banerjee says these “outdated technology” has proved their worth time and again, and as recent as the 2004 Tsunami.


“We need to seriously think of expanding the network of HAM radio enthusiasts because of the simplicity of the technology and cost effectiveness,” he emphasised during the meeting.

COUNTRY LIQUOR V/S INDIAN MADE FOREIGN LIQUOR

If a man who had one glass too many of Indian Made Foreign Liquor collides with a spirited soul high on country liquor, who amongst the two is “legally” wrong? Needless to say that if the heady question is put to the two intoxicated subjects we are in for a long night, but, legally the man who sipped even an ounce of country liquor would cool off the night in the local cell. Country liquor brewed from Rice is banned in India. The reason being Rice is an “essential commodity” and is a protected and regulated under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. “Generally country liquor is brewed by fermentation of Rice, so it is illegal. Rice cannot be misused to make intoxicants when thousands in India still go hungry to bed,” Meghalaya Home Minister, HDR Lyngdoh representing Sohiong constituency in Meghalaya, known for its country liquor, said. Incidentally, IMFL is made from neutral spirit distilled from sugarcane molasses. Sugarcane is also listed as an essential food crop, but neutral spirit is manufactured from molasses which is a by product of the sugar industry and therefore its distillation is permitted to manufacture alcohol. Here in Meghalaya, Lyngdoh has been vocally trying to legalise country liquor manufactured in Sohiong under pressure from the people in his constituency. Manufacturing country liquor illegally is a thriving vocation in Sohiong and the liquor from there is distributed to many parts of the state. “Legalising such country liquor would help make the whole manufacturing process more hygienic, which in many case is not, and also free from dangerous adulteration,” the Home Minister said. He said there needs to be a way out to manufacture such brew from “items not listed under the Essential Commodities Act.” “Availability of legalised local brew also gives a fillip to the tourism industry as most tourists do want to try out such brews, like Fenny in Goa,” he pointed out. Sohiong which gets its name from an indigenous fruit of the state is also successfully manufacturing the Sohiong wine. The wine has gained popularity in annual wine festivals, but poor bottling of the product has been a big drawback. Meanwhile, Lyngdoh said that not just country liquor, but, people’s expertise in wine-making needs government patronage and he would once again draw the attention of concerned departments in this regard.

Anna Hazare's clarion call echoes in Shillong

The fight against corruption, spearheaded by Anna Hazare, has been sanctified by a Church leader in Meghalaya who said “political education to elect clean leaders must go hand in hand with spiritual teachings.”

Taking part in the support rally of Anna Hazare’s nine-day indefinite fast against corruption, Reverend K Pyrtuh of the Presbyterian Church here said: “the Church and all religious groups must lay more emphasis on educating people so that morally and spiritually clean leaders are elected to enter the hallowed precincts of democracy.”

Asked about his motivation to join today’s rally, the Church leader said: “as a concerned citizen of India I am as troubled and saddened as others about the scourge of corruption in our country. As a member of the Church I am morally and spiritually inclined to take a stand against this sin (corruption).” The rally was taken out from Police Bazaar to Laitumkhrah and was attended by a cross section of the society.

Rev. Pyrtuh took the connotation of corruption to local levels and said the fight must not be confined to monetary benefits, but, also look into issues of violence and exploitation of the poor and the weak.

“Everywhere in the country the poor and the weak are being subjected to violence and exploitation by mafias, the rich and powerful. The fight therefore must be against such exploitations of structural inequality. There must be freedom from fear in our democracy,” he added.

Right to Information activist, Michael Syiem on the other hand said, corruption in Meghalaya is endemic. “Look at the figures…the number of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in Meghalaya has increased from 49 per cent in 2001 to 66 per cent in 2011 despite all the welfare schemes,” he pointed out.

Syiem is of the view that if the welfare schemes were “implemented honestly” the number of BPL families should have decreased. “We need an independent Lokayukta in the state so that corruption can be tackled effectively,” he added.

Agnes Kharshiing, a women social activist, dismissing the government bill on corruption as “Jokepal” said, the central government must awaken to the fact that the people would not accept a bill which does not effectively address the menace of corruption.

“Our full support for Anna Hazare. The government must enact a strong anti-corruption bill. This is the collective voice of the common people of India for the government to hear,” she said while handing out pamphlets to the people having both the government and Anna Hazare’s draft version of the Lokpal bill.

Cherrapunjee tourism potential watered down

Nature has painted Cherrapunjee in water colour, but ironically an outstanding luxury resort overlooking seven majestic waterfalls in the area stands like a painter’s dried-out canvas.

The Meghalaya tourism department’s luxury resort built and completed at a cost of Rs 2.8 crore at Mawblang locality of Cherrapunjee (Sohra) is being watered down because the government has failed to get a water connection - yes you heard that right.

Cherrapunjee receives the highest rainfall on Earth with average annual precipitation of 1263 mm. Tourists from around the world flock to this place just to get soaked in this amazing spectacle of nature. Sadly, there are an estimated 25 rooms for tourist in the area.

An old government claim is to develop Cherrapunjee’s neglected tourism infrastructure on a priority basis. Building the resort has been just one of its “develop Cherrapunjee tourism” plans. However, the plans now seems like wasted pictures.

The centrally-sponsored resort has everything going for it. The view is amazing. It sits pretty over the seven breathtaking waterfalls called the Nohsngithiang waterfalls.

It has twelve aesthetically-built cottages in three blocks. Two luxury cottages, a banquet hall and a restaurant. There is adequate parking space, moreover, all over the resort there are stone benches on different elevations for quite relaxation.

Tourism department officials, blame the villagers for not letting their water source to get connection for the resort. The villagers deny this allegation, saying none approached from the government side with such a request.

However, the officers from Sohra sub-division are trying their best to get the water connection. A sub-divisional official said on condition of anonymity that efforts should have been made to get permissions for such connections when the construction work started.

“Now with the project completed with full furnishing it is not a pretty sight to see it being wasted for water connection,” the official said.

A local resident of the area, D Chyne, remains unamused. “This is how the disarrayed and directionless tourism department works here. In no time the resort’s paint would wear down and its expensive fixtures lost. What can a single watchman do, when the government has failed,” he questions discouragingly.

India would hunt and destroy enemy aircraft

India would not hesitate to hunt and destroy hostile aircrafts that violate its airspace posing threat to the country’s sovereignty.

Indian Air Force Vice Chief- designate, Air Marshal, KK Nohwar said at the Eastern Air Command headquarters here today that every nation has a right to protect its sovereignty and deal with threats accordingly.

Air Marshal Nohwar warned that enemy aircrafts would “meet the same fate as the Pakistan Navy’s reconnaissance aircraft Atlantic,” which was shot down by the Indian Air Force in 1999 after it violated Indian airspace.

Atlantic on a reconnaissance mission violated India’s airspace in 1999 after the Kargil war. It ignored the Indian Air Force’s order to land and eventually was shot down in which 16 Pakistani Naval airmen men were killed.

On a different note, the Vice-chief designate said, Indian Air Force taking over six Advanced Landing Grounds in Arunachal Pradesh was to help the civilian population there and to counter Chinese threat.

“Since Arunachal is a landlocked State the ALGs would be the lifeline of civilians living in remote areas of the State. The ALGs are meant to reach out to more civilian population where bigger aircrafts can make sorties to send food supplies,” the Air Marshal said.

The ALGs that have been taken over by the IAF in Arunachal Pradesh are – Tuting, Mechuka, Along, Pasighat, Vijaynagar and Ziro.

Air Marshal Nohwar, currently serving as the EAC chief, said that the Indian Air Force in its modernisation process is phasing out the MIG-21 and replacing them with advanced aircrafts like the multi-role combat planes Su-30 MKIs and the indigenously-built Light Combat Aircraft.

He added old radars would be replaced with modern ones and even mountain radars would be used keeping in view the topography of the region.

“However, the single biggest challenge for upgrading infrastructures in the region is its climatic condition with rainfall being one of the main hurdles,” Air Marshal Nohwar said.

SHILLONG FREEDOM FOREVER: Meghalaya trying to spice up ICDS

SHILLONG FREEDOM FOREVER: Meghalaya trying to spice up ICDS: "India’s north-eastern state, Meghalaya, is trying to spice up the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme by adding local nut..."

Meghalaya trying to spice up ICDS

India’s north-eastern state, Meghalaya, is trying to spice up the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme by adding local nutritional cuisine for the 4.98 lakh beneficiaries of the centrally-sponsored project.

The social welfare department has roped in the Home Science departments of St. Mary’s and Tura Government College to formulate local recipes for the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) under ICDS.

“Last month we have requested the Home Science departments of St. Mary’s and Tura Government College to formulate nutritional local cuisine for SNP,” Loma Jyrwa, Additional Director, social welfare department, said.

She informed, after the two colleges come up with the local recipes, a committee from the Health, Social Welfare department and the Food and Nutrition Board would test it and then give its approval.

According to the plan, the two departments would come with recipes that consist of seasonal crops, such as Maize, Beetroot, Carrots, leafy vegetable etc. in the meals. The reason for choosing the two colleges is to have local Khasi and Garo flavour in the diet and make it more attractive for the beneficiaries.

Now, children between the age group of 0-3 years are provided cooked Dalia (broken wheat) Suji (granulated wheat) and Milk as food supplement in the Anganwadi centres (courtyard shelter).

Children between the age group of 3-6 years and pregnant-lactating mothers are provided a meal of Soyabean, Bengal Gram, Dried Peas, Groundnut and Chocomalt –health drink – in pre-school and Anganwadi centres respectively. This free diet is uniform all over India in the ICDS programme.

However, for this hill state, wheat-based meals are not common with the people’s diet and therefore authorities here are trying to bring in some changes.

While Tura Government College in Garo Hills would come up with Garo cuisine for the three districts in Garo Hills, St. Mary’s College would similarly formulate a recipe for Khasi-Jaintia hills districts.


“We are working on it and soon we may have some local recipe for the ICDS beneficiaries,” Jyrwa said. She, however added, preparing a nutritious meal out the allocated Rs. 3.25 (0.07 US cent) for each beneficiary is difficult.

In many states like, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and others the state government provides Rs 2, in addition to the Rs. 3.25, for each beneficiary in the SNP component. Jyrwa said the ICDS would get a boost if Meghalaya government gives similar financial assistance to the SNP.

ICDS is a child-care and mother-care programme and is one of its kind in the world, where health education and also free nutritional meal is provided to children in Anganwadi centres and pre-schools by the government.

The central government funds 90 per cent, while respective state government generates the rest of the financial assistance for the projects’ implementation.

The objective behind ICDS is to reduce incidences of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropouts. During 2009-10 in Meghalaya, there were 735 undernourished children, 7404 children had nourishment concerns, but a large chunk (1.65 lakh) of the children were recorded having “normal health” under a World Health Organisation approved guideline.

Currently, there are 41 ICDS projects running in 5114 Anganwadi centres of the state. Jyrwa said, Anganwadi workers are conducting health education programmes and about 501 were audio-visual sessions. In all 68, 466 beneficiaries have participated in the sessions till June this year.

WHAT'S IN A NAME...!?

My family lovingly gave me my name like everyone else’s. They swear it was the “Yo” kind of a name back then. Every actor of the Hindi film industry wanted the love-smitten actresses caress this name with their super-glossy lips.

Be it the ever-fluttering-lip-smacking, Dev Anand, lovelorn Rajesh Khanna or any other Tom, Dharmendra and Hari, everyone wanted this name and I was unknowingly dragged into this melodramatic list.


Did anyone have the faintest knowledge of the open-fly consequences? Maybe not. Things started to go not so easy for some of those guys on the silver screen and they blamed me for their shortcomings.

My name lost its initial appeal and charm and was thrown to the “extras” of the film industry for more astounding ones as Ravi, Veeru or even Kalia!

And the name ever so lovingly everyone called me at, was entrusted to pimps who hung out wearing unattractive feathered hats, outside dingy brothels playing loud music and smoked Bidis stashed in their pinkies.

Dhoti-clad scheming Munshis carrying umbrellas tucked under the shoulder and limping behind rapist Zamindars.

Failed touts who always got their collars ruffled long before the end of the movie. Cheats who got chased through the lanes and alleys of India by the public.

The actors and actresses' lipstick-wearing pals, who had no role but crack occasional dead jokes - you name it and out popped a Raju.

Well even the poor animals were not spared and Raju was named to a Monkey, a Falcon, a Snake, a Mongoose, all with venom, you’d say. And the Raju I was, almost wondered how to cope up with the different characters and creatures.

One day someone called at Raju with the Dev Aanand air and the next time called Raju the Horse, unhappily. And every time Raju – need I mention, the child who had no business in this name game – reciprocated to these calls unwillingly.


Then for a brief period a pause… but, out emerged Shah Rukh Khan with a vengeance bursting film posters with his goody-goody image using my name notoriously all over again.


Again songs started to flow and Raju was in praise, in love, in heartbreaks, just like previously. I was again part of a teenage girl’s love, a struggling educated unemployed youth, or an angry man trying to set the Universe right.

A lady hummed a song and repeated my name each time she flapped her fat-promiscuous husband’s wet shirt on the terrace before she stringed it. A dreamy-eyed girl sighed at my name sitting on the stairs.

This violated my space, my peace from rooftops, radios, freak shows, TV channels, everywhere. I was popular again sometimes for the wrong reasons or the right causes and knew having no hand in it whatsoever. Except for those who long ago whispered Raju into my new unpolluted world.

I recall my teacher asking in the class whose quote is it: “What’s in a name…,” I punched my hand in the air, before she could breathe out the entire piece, as I was dead sure it was Shakespeare…

What’s in a name!? Ask that old Viagra-chewing hag on a business trip stranded in the airport with his voluptuous secretary. Him, trying to honestly explain to his suspecting wife that volcanic ash from Mount Eyjafjallajökull at Eyjafjöll in Iceland has disrupted flight.

“Mount what…? Now William dear can you get over with your f***** up creative bull**** and get your bearings right.”

Hey mister/missy, I lost my bearings long long time ago amongst different characters and creatures, thanks to Bollywood and its obsession with my name and remain stranded in Evenmöreöbscuredeyjafjallajökull.

COME SEE THE BLOOD...CAFE SHILLONG

And you'll ask: why doesn't his poetry/speak of dreams and leaves and the great volcanoes of his native land?
Come and see the blood in the streets/Come and see the blood in the streets – Pablo Neruda.

Some like-minded people here in the state capital having a few unexplained lines in their heart about the world surrounding them are getting together to celebrate a quiet birthday of Neruda here.

The “Pablo Neruda’s Birthday Bash” is not one of those big sponsored events, but self reflection of people in a small café with readings sessions, music and of course food and drinks on July 12.

“We thought about the event for a long time and eventually decided that we would go ahead. We are expecting some 50 odd people during the event,” Lang Kupar War, a lecturer at the North Eastern Hill University and one of the organisers of the event, said.

Poetry and moreover readings sessions are rare in this part of the world. It’s precisely for this reason that many are looking forward to this event being held at the Café Shillong, Laitumkhrah.

Although there are obvious reasons for choosing Neruda’s birthday as a platform for people interested in art, War said, the event would give people to take time off from their busy schedule.

The Chilean poet and Nobel Laureate, Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto who goes by the pen name Pablo Neruda, after Czech poet Jan Neruda, has a huge fan following here like in any part of the world.

With bloodshed never far from thought, Robin Ngangom of NEHU’s English department and a well-known poet from the region once said that people of the northeast can identify readily with some of the poems of Neruda.

Meanwhile, the organisers have also created a Facebook page about the birthday bash with an open invitation with the promise, quoting Neruda: “I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees."

CHIVALRY VERSUS EGO MEGHALAYA

Meghalaya State Women’s Commission (MSWC) wants men in uniform to be more “respectful and chivalrous,” but refuses to be flexible in seeking support of women’s group within the armed force to fight crime together.

“No we would not seek support of the Army Wives’ Welfare Association (AWWA). They should come to us,” MSWC chairperson, Susana K Marak asserted today.


The commission said summons to men in uniform (state and central) from the commission are not respected. To emphasis the point, Marak showed a summon reply of the Army to the Commission written on a “used paper.”

“This is insulting…we want respect…The men in uniform must show certain level of chivalry,” Marak asserted.

MSWC, constituted in 2004, has been fighting for the rights of women in the state. Marak said cases against personnel from the Border Security Force, Air Force, Army, Central Reserve Police Force and the state police have been reported with the commission.

“The men in uniform are rude and don’t respect our summons. They threaten to approach the Supreme Court once they are here in the commission,” Tshering Yangi another member said.

Asked if the commission sought the support of the wives’ association in the armed force, she answered in the negative and further reiterated: “we are a statutory body they (wives’ association in the armed forces) must come to us.”

However, in this battle of ego, victims of crime are being made the scapegoat. There have been 34 cases reported, including rape and murder, of women by men from the armed force during the past three years.


The Wives’ associations within the armed force (central and state) have limited mandate and powers although such cases are first reported to these welfare associations. The SWC by not trying to associate voluntarily with these groups is only weakening the cause of women’s right within the armed forces, observers say.

Meanwhile, the SWC wants some of the present laws to be amended to give more teeth to the commission. It is also demanding financial increment from the government.

The Return of Tarzan

Except flinging from trees to tress on creepers and belting out an ape cry, Edgar Rice Burroughs would have been proud of Bowel Puweiñ, whose lifestyle seems close to his fictional character –Tarzan.

Unlike the fiction, Puweiñ’s lion cloth and also the dreadlocks are for real. He emerged from the jungles of Lyngngam in West Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya recently after living in the wild for twenty-years. “He is our Tarzan,” a village elder, who has spotted Puweiñ occasionally in the wild, said.


Villagers say sixty-year-old Puweiñ is from the remote Nonglang Lieh village in the district, some 55 kms from the state headquarters. He left it twenty years back after the death of his wife and children and took to the wild.

He built two houses one atop a hillock and one inside a cave near the Kynshi River and regularly fished using a bamboo pole. To further supplement his diet, Puweiñ planted sweet potatoes and maize and also hunted wild boars and lived on.

But one day, Hollywood’s 1962 flick “Tarzan goes to India,” where Tarzan saved elephants, came to haunt Puweiñ somewhat. “He came across an elephant calf being swept by the strong currents of the River. Puweiñ jumped in fought against the River currents trying to save the calf,” villagers who witnessed the incident from the other side of the River said.

They further narrated that about seven to eight wild elephants also tried to help Puweiñ in the rescue process unsuccessfully.

“Ever since he has developed a strong bond with elephants. Puweiñ treats the wild animals as cattle and the elephants obey his commands meekly,” Nonglang Lieh villagers claimed.

After the “return of Tarzan” curious villagers and children are flocking to his place of dwelling in Nonglang Lieh to hear about his adventures in the wild. But he now speaks in a strange lingo hardly understood by anybody.

But, Puweiñ's free spirit, love for animals in the wild truly makes him the Lord of Lyngam jungle.

PAWAN HANS SERVICE

With chopper service suspended due to fatal crashes in the region, Union Civil Aviation ministry Vayalar Ravi said crash investigation reports would throw light on the airworthiness of the choppers that were in service.

Ravi, who was here to inaugurate the new terminal of the Umroi airport, said only investigation reports would be able to throw light about allegations whether choppers with questionable airworthiness were being flown in the region. The chopper service was being operated by state-owned Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited.

“We are awaiting the investigation report of the chopper crash of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister,” Ravi said when asked about the allegations that old choppers were being used in the northeast leading to the crashes.

A three-member committee has been formed to probe into the circumstances that led to the crash of Dorjee Khundu’s chopper, where he along with four others died near Tawang last month.

The government has also formed a Committee of Inquiry to probe the circumstances of April 19 chopper crash at Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh that claimed the lives of 17 people.

In fact, the ministry has constituted an Independent Accident Investigation Committee (IAIC) recently to probe air crashes in the country. However, the committee is bogged into controversy with media reports stating that “tainted and inexperienced people” were inducted.

“No names of the members of the committee have been decided so far. The media reports are not correct,” Ravi said.

Its been reported that the “tainted” Director (air safety) RS Passi from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and three other inexperienced people in their twenties were inducted as members of the IAIC.

Terming such reports as baseless, Ravi said, “we would have people in the committee with relevant experience in the field,” the ministry stated.

Moreover, Ravi said the chopper service in the region would resume only after mapping of chopper routes throughout the country is completed.

Earlier, the minister said that airports are the “windows of the country” as people get the first glimpse of it after landing and so the airports are being modernised.

The new terminal at Umroi has been built at a cost of Rs. 30 crore having modern facilities and the Baljeck airport at Garo Hills would get a facelift soon, Ravi assured.

Memory

A mechanical engineer, Krishan Kumar today exhibited his amazing skills by recalling twenty objects sequentially from memory. He is vying for a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Hailing from Punjab, Kumar recalled the twenty objects from memory in one minute after the items were displayed by a jury comprising government officials and a medical practitioner here at the Shillong Press Club.

The previous Guinness Book of World Records title for recalling the longest sequence of objects in one minute is held by Sudhanshu Singal on the sets of Guinness Book of World Records – Ab India Todega in Mumbai on February 21 this year.

During his attempt to recall the longest sequence of objects, Kumar, memorised over twenty items, which included a mango, towel, shaving cream etc, from a list of thirty others. He took 3 minutes 30 seconds to recall the 20 objects.

The entire feat was video taped and would be sent to Guinness Book of World Records for their confirmation of breaking the previous world record.

Kumar has already entered his name in the Limca Book of Records for memorising the value of “pi” up to 43,000 decimal places.

Later, Kumar, said, developing a sound memory can be done through Mnemonics. “Memory can be developed by anyone through Mnemonics,” Kumar said, adding, he plans to train youths in the discipline throughout the country.

“Nowadays, students spend 12 hours to study. But with mnemonics, which is both a science and an art, students can memorise within a span of four hours only,” he added.

He, however, warned students that “memory tonics”, could cause side effects and should therefore be avoided.

Right To Education in Meghalaya

Meghalaya would become one of the few states in India to honour a Constitutional mandate and make free compulsory education a fundamental right for school children.


The state government came one step closer towards achieving its aim of implementing the Right To Education (RTE) Act, 2009 after the Cabinet approved the rules today.


Education Minister, RC Laloo said that draft rules of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 or RTE have been approved with certain changes and modifications.

“Implementation of the Act will change the system of education for children of the State. Te rules would be implemented at the earliest,” Laloo said.


Under the Act, free and compulsory education would be provided to children between the age group of 6-14 years in classes I to VII.

Moreover, no child shall be held back, expelled or required to pass a board examination until the completion of elementary education. They would instead be assessed under a “Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE)” system.

As per the CCE system, among others, there would be regular assessments, analysis of learning gaps, applying corrective measures, retesting and giving feedback to teachers and students for their self-evaluation.

Laloo also said that the draft rules have laid emphasis on teachers training. It may be mentioned that the State has a large number of untrained teachers.

“The issue of untrained teachers was discussed in the Cabinet meeting. The whole aspect of quality education depends on quality teachers,” Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma said.

Under the new system, teachers will be required to co-relate the classroom process with evaluation and take into account not only the scholastic achievements but also abilities like expression, regularity, discipline and participation in co-curricular activities.


“We have a backlog of untrained teachers in the state. The training institutes which we have are not enough to cater to the needs of teachers’ education,” Sangma said.

He said the government is planning to provide scholarships to youths who are willing to undergo teachers’ education. “The aim is to get youths willing to become teachers,” Sangma said.

Arms smuggling from Myanmar

Meghalaya police have arrested three arms smugglers and seized eight AK-56 rifles and magazines last night near Umroi, 15 kms from here.

After receiving intelligence inputs, the police laid a blockade at Lad Umroi – the trijunction where NH-40 bifurcates towards Umroi-Guwahati-Shillong – and intercepted the vehicle and recovered the arms and arrested the smugglers.

The vehicle (Gypsy - MZ 01 D 5272) was on its way from Mizoram and was heading towards Karbi Anglong district in Assam through the less frequented Umroi-Mawlasnai-Block II road. The weapons were neatly sealed inside the custom-made seats and the ceiling of the vehicle.

The smugglers have been identified as Lalchawisanga Zahau, 45, CL Hlira, 47, and Lallawmzuala, 34. They were travelling with the weapons from Piau village in Mizoram’s Champhai district bordering Myanmar, police said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is questioning the trio, but due to language barrier there hasn’t been much headway in the case. “We are trying to find out who the supplier was and whom it was being supplied to,” an NIA official, who identified himself as Inspector Anil, said.

But, according to the police, the trio belonged to Myanmar. “The vehicle was headed towards Mawlasnai and further to Karbi Anglong district of Assam,” PS Marwein, Officer-in-Charge of Umroi police station told reporters today.

Intelligence sources said, ‘captain’ of Chin National Army (CNA) of Myanmar is actively involved in arms smuggling from Mandalay in Myanmar. He and his group has been “using Shillong as a base” to supply arms and ammunition to insurgent groups of the North East.

Majority of the arms that are in demand from NE-based militant organisations, sources say, are AK-47s, M-16s and Chinese made hand-grenades.

In earlier cases, Myanmar-based militant operatives were arrested for arms smuggling here. Sources say, apart from CNA, Karen and Kachin militant outfits, fighting against the Myanmarese military junta have camps in areas close to south Mizoram and cadres of these outfits are also involved in arms smuggling.

India shares a 1,600 km unfenced border with Myanmar, with 404 km being shared by Mizoram. Mizoram Chief Minister, Lal Thanhawla during his visit here earlier this year termed smuggling of arms and counterfeit currency as a major concern for his State.

He promised that the Mizoram Government would no longer allow its territory as a “free State” for arms and counterfeit currency smugglers and security agencies were strictly monitoring the Myanmar border.

Mixed parentage in Meghalaya and tax exemption

In a judgement that would have wider ramification, the High Court today directed the Income Tax (IT) department to issue notices to four persons having tribal and non-tribal parentage as to why they are liable to pay IT.

Although the judgement pertains to four persons – Lakman Kma, David Reid Syiemlieh, UPD Sawyan and Raju Jyrwa – the order would have wider implication on people having similar parentage.

Only Scheduled Tribes (ST) are exempted from paying IT under section 10 and sub section 26 of the IT Act and notified areas of the northeast part of India.Under the Indian Constitution, these tribes enjoy a wide range of benefits, apart from tax exemption, for their socio-economic uplift.

However, the four petitioners in three separate writ petitions have sought the Court’s intervention seeking exemption from paying IT claiming to be STs.

Earlier, the IT department issued an order to the North Eastern Hill University, where Syiemlieh is the pro-Vice Chancellor, asking it to deduct tax at source from the pro-Vice Chancellor’s bills. The order stated the petitioner’s father belonged to an “advanced community” and not a scheduled tribe.

The cases of the other three petitioners were identical and so the common judgement to all four petitioners was issued by Justice Anima Hazarika and BD Agarwal of the divisional bench of the Gauhati High Court.

Now, with the order, the IT department would be “at liberty to accept the explanation” of the petitioners or make further inquiries about their ST status.


The inquiries, legal experts said, would entail the IT department to determine if the petitioners are Khasis (tribe of Meghalaya) as defined under the Khasi Custom Act (KCA) enacted by the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council. Khasis are enlisted as STs under the sixth schedule of the Constitution.

KCA has set guidelines for issuance of Scheduled caste certificates to prevent abuse of such certificates by people having “ulterior or oblique motives.”

Under the Act, a person claiming to be a Khasi must belong to one of the Khasi, Pnar, Bhoi, Jaintia, War, Synteng, Lyngngam tribe or one who is recognised under the prevailing Khasi custom or the Khasi Custom Act.

The person must be conversant with the language, practise the Khasi matrilineal system of lineage and other Khasi laws and customs.

Judgement through video conferencing

The Judges wrapped up their files dismissing a review petition after hearing a land dispute case. The counsels stood up and bowed their heads 100 kilometers away.

In one of the first such instances in the region, the Gauhati High today passed a judgement dismissing a review petition pertaining to a land dispute from 1976, all through video conferencing.

The hearing was held amidst the constant lazing whirls of a fan (possibly) in one of the courtrooms of the Gauhati High Court. Here in Shillong, the counsels sat huddled together with temperature dipping due to the incessant rain lashing the hills for the past 24 hours.

The counsel of the litigants – Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and Holy Mother Aurobindo Ashram (HMAA) – intermittently stood up and argued their case before a giant TV screen projecting, Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma and Arun Chandra Upadhyay, lending a patient ear from Guwahati.

Senior Advocate and counsel of HMAA, VK Jindal said, after YMCA’s review petition was rejected, that such video conferencing would help Meghalaya dispose off pending cases swiftly and save time and money. “It all seemed like a normal court proceeding. There is no difference,” he said when asked about the e-Court.

The video conferencing facility was introduced on June 1 here at the Shillong bench by Chief Justice Madan B Lokur, under a new initiative to dispose off cases with the help of technology. Agartala bench was the first to introduce the facility on May 2.

In fact, the Bombay High Court confirmed the death sentence of Ajmal Kasab on February 21 through video conferencing.

Today’s case relates to an old litigation from 1976 wherein the Meghalaya government allotted the ashram’s land to YMCA and Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) without approval.

The ashram challenged the arbitrary decision of the government. In 2009, the Gauhati High court set aside the allotment of land made by the state government to YMCA and YWCA. The government was ordered to renew the patta in favour of the Ashram, Jindal said.

However, the YMCA sought a review of the High Court’s decision which was dismissed today through video conferencing.

Voter Verifiable Paper Trail in five states in India

To put at rest allegations of election fraud, the Election Commission of India would conduct “simulated elections” with prototype Voter Verifiable Paper Trail (VVPT) systems at five centres across India, including Cheerapunjee, Meghalaya on July 24.

Apart from Cheerapunjee, the simulated elections would be held on the same date at Ladakh, Thiruvananthapuram, East Delhi District and Jaisalmer. The idea is to test the prototype in the harshest of weather conditions and based on the feedback of experts, poltical parties and civil societies the VVPT would be inducted for conduct of future polls in India.

The VVPT is a prototype of the present Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) fitted with a printing apparatus. Apart from registering votes electronically, the VVPT would also print out the ballot, which can be cast in a ballot box by the voter. In case of any controversy, the ballots can be counted and verified with the electronic votes registered in the EVMs.

Officials said, the decision to test the VVPT was taken after the Commission’s meeting with all political parties in October last year and repeated allegations that EVMs are being tampered to manipulate election results. The election commission then referred the matter to the Technical Expert Committee on EVM for further examination and recommendations.

The Expert Committee held several rounds of meetings with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) officials on this issue and then met the political parties and civil society members engaged with the Commission on the issue of EVMs.

On the direction of the Expert Committee, BEL and ECIL prepared a prototype of VVPAT system and demonstrated it before the Committee and the Commission. The Expert Committee has now recommended that the prototype should be tested in extreme environmental conditions to get an effective assessment. The trial would be held in a real election-like conditions.

“ The mock election would be held in 35 polling booths in Cheerapunjee. Poll personnel would be trained for the occasion,” Meghalaya's Chief Electoral Officer, Prashant Naik said.


Earlier, various political parties in the country, including the Asom Gana Parishad, in the state of Assam, have been demanding that the VVPT system be introduced for conduct of “free and fair elections” in the country. AGP has alleged that EVMs were tampered in the last Assam Assembly elections, which has resulted in Congress’ landslide victory.

The United Democratic Party, a state political party in Meghalaya, during the 7th Cegional Consultation on Electoral Reforms in Guwahati in June 12, said: “majority of people in India do not have faith in EVMs.” The party demanded that a “referendum in India on the use of EVMs could be conducted by the Election Commission so as to analyse the faith of the people on such paperless voting methods.”

Meanwhile, the election commission has said results of the simulated election would be declared on July 25 and also decided to request National and State Parties to extend necessary cooperation in the trial process and have a have a first hand experience of the system.

TRAFFIC LESSONS BY STUDENTS TO ERRANT DRIVERS

Concerned about the worsening traffic snarls in Shillong, some young college students zipped their reflector clothes and blew the basic of traffic rules into errant drivers with their whistles.

Some 14 odd college students took time off from their busy college lessons and then got themselves into the even busier police bazaar area this evening to give traffic lessons to errant drivers. They have dubbed this voluntary service of theirs as Project Shillong.

“They are doing it in style,” Herbert Lyngdoh Additional Superintendent of Police (traffic) said, while watching the college students managing the traffic with confidence.

The students, mostly from St. Anthony’s College went to Lyngdoh recently and accepted the offer from the traffic department to help manage the traffic. They even came out with a traffic management plan, which the traffic department is studying.

“We asked the students to help us in managing the traffic and they gladly accepted the offer. Everyday they would be managing the traffic for two hours in different areas of the city,” Lyngdoh said looking pleased.

The students went through their traffic management with great precision. They gathered passengers at different embankment points and then directed the drivers of that particular route to the passengers.

Jyotideep and Nayanjyoti Sharma from Guwahati studying Mass Communication at the college were one of the several volunteers happily blowing away their whistles and directing taxis.

“We have decided that everyday for two hours after college we would come and help the police. We are also encouraging other students from different colleges to join in Project Shillong,” Jyotideep said.

The students are also furthering their campaign through Facebook. “Not just traffic management, we would also try to take up other projects to help fellow citizens,” he added.

A passenger, when asked about the students, said, the traffic was never smoother than today. “This is a great evening and initiative taken by these kids. Normally it’s difficult to get into a cab in Police Bazar,” a woman passenger said.

Taxis form the lifeline of the communication system in Shillong. There are an estimated 5000 taxis plying in the city daily and added with private vehicles the traffic snarl has been a major concern blowing the wits out of the traffic department.

PRAYER MEETING TO SAVE MEGHALAYA

With Meghalaya Congress legislators habitually rushing to 10 Janpath to seek the blessings of “madam” Sonia Gandhi, the “Aam Admi” left with no option is seeking for divine intervention to save the state.

A three-day prayer meeting would be held at Nartiang, Jaintia Hills to seek “God’s help to save the state from the present political turmoil.”

Church and village elders together with NGO members in Nartiang would organise the prayer meeting from Monday next week at the local LP School there.

“We are organising the meeting so that our politicians might see sense and start working for the people of the state, instead of rushing to New Delhi for power,” president of Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (Nartiang circle), Damanmi Dkhar said today.

Urging other people to join the prayer meeting, he said, they can do so from their own homes and religious places.

Meghalaya’s state machinery is paralysed for the past few months due to infighting within the Congress party – the largest coalition in the Meghalaya United Alliance government.

18 Congress men are demanding a change of leadership in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, the CLP leader, and his loyalists are clinging on.

In the process, the politicians have vacuumed themselves out of the secretariat here to New Delhi. Sangma, who has rushed to New Delhi today, earlier, claimed he keeps tab of the state’s affair over the phone with his officers.

“Not even an agitation can work here in Meghalaya. So we are organising this prayer meeting as it’s our only option,” Dkhar said.

INDIAN ARMY'S NEW BATTLEFRONT

The Indian Army has for the first time entered the new war-zone of cut throat marketing and is trying to win over students to its ranks.

Here at the two-day Assam Tribune-organised Edufair that began on May 20 at the All Saint’s Hall, the Indian Army has set up stalls and homing in on youths from the region to guide them in joining the Armed forces.

“This is a new idea to get into education fairs. We are trying to encourage students from the Northeast to join the Indian Army, either after their 12th or Graduation,” Colonel MK Singh, officiating Director of Army’s recruiting head office of the Northeast region here, said.

Response from the student community has been upbeat on the first day. They have marched up to the stall, not just male, but equally joined by female students, and are inquiring about career prospects available in the armed forces.

“The female students are enquiring about the women entry scheme and also the Military Nursing Service. The male about the National Defence Academy (NDA),” Hawaldar, Nemji Kathal and Rajesh Rana, the Army career counsellors at the fair said.

Abhijit Das, a 12th pass student, said, he has not made up his mind on what courses to take up, but NDA to him seemed exciting and adventurous.

“I am not yet decided, but the NDA seems to be offering quite an exciting career. Besides, it would also qualify me as a graduate while making me an officer,” the lanky six-footer said, while figuring out his camouflaged career options.

Meanwhile, Col. Singh informed, there is a lot of vacancy in the Army, especially for the youths of the Northeast. “There are special concessions for the students from the northeast to join the Indian Army and we are therefore trying to create awareness on it,” the Army officer said.

Shillong is the northeast headquarters of the Army’s recruiting office. There are five other centres under this headquarter in Jorhat, Narangi, Rangapahar, Silchar and Aizwal.

However, the response of northeast youth in joining the armed forces has been lukewarm over the years. In Meghalaya, the most visible face of the Indian Army is Late Captain Clifford Nongrum of 12 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry. He sacrificed his life during the Kargil War and was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.

“If this experience of setting up stalls at education fair works, the idea would definitely be emulated in other parts of the region,” Col. Singh vowed.

BHAGWAT GITA IN KHASI

Kurukshetra, the epic battleground of the Mahabharata, is metaphorically within every individual trying to battle all evils, said Lesli Hardinge Pde, who has brought out the first Khasi translation of the Bhagwad Gita.

He said, every religion teaches righteousness in its own way and individuals try to follow the right path battling within against all forms of evil, in the same manner as the battle of Kurukshetra.

Pde, a multi-faceted personality, has earlier translated the Ramayana, the Upanishad, the Mahabharata and now the Bhagwad Gita, into Khasi literature.

Although a Catholic Christian by faith, Pde said he has translated the Bhagwad Gita into Khasi, titled, “Ka Jingruwai U Blei” or The Song of God, so that people in Meghalaya could read and understand its teachings.

In the Mahabharata, the Bhagwad Gita comprises of 18 chapters from the 24th through 42nd and is a collection of 700 verses. The first verse begins with a lamentation of the consequences of war.

The verses are spiritual discourses between Lord Krishna urging a confused Pandava prince Arjuna, to fight his evil cousins in the battle of Kurukshetra in Mahabharata. The spiritual conversations are intended to go beyond the scope of religion and benefit humanity.

“Every religious scriptures, be it the Bhagwad Gita, the Bible or the Koran, teaches about righteousness, truth and morality. These gives people inspiration, so I decided to translate some of these books,” he added.

Pde said he took almost four months to translate the Bhagwad Gita from the English editions written by Indian philosopher and monk of the Ramakrishna order, Swami Prabhavananda and British novelist, Christopher Isherwood.

Although Pde has many Khasi publications to his credit, he first began translating some of the epics on Hindu philosophy from 1986.

In 1986 he first translated the Ramayana and then the Mahabharata in 1988. Later in 1991 he translated the Upanishad.

“I am now working on Kalidas’ epic Abhijnana Shakulntalam and would be coming out with a Khasi version on it soon,” the Septuagenarian retired Meghalaya government official said.

Pde said he as a member of the Catholic Church has received encouragement to translate books from different languages into Khasi. Pde’s latest publication was financed by the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Ministry of Human Resource Development.

“The Sahitya Academy has stressed that as many books as possible maybe translated into Khasi to enrich the language. So I am trying to contribute in that direction in my own humble way,” Pde added.

INDIANS NOT THAT GOOD IN PHYSICALLY-DEMANDING SPORTS

Indians “for some strange reasons” are not good in sports that are physically demanding and therefore excel in cricket, archery and shooting, observed ace Indian footballer, Baichung Bhutia here today.

“For some strange reasons Indians do not fare very well in physically demanding sports like football and hockey and does well therefore in sports like cricket, archery, shooting etc. I can’t pin point the reasons why,” Bhutia, who is here participating for his team United Sikkim in the second division I-league football tournament, said.

He said players like Arjuna Ranatunga and Inzamam-ul-Haq can never be superstars in football like they are in cricket. “In cricket it’s mostly about technique and once that aspect is fulfilled, anyone like Arjuna Ranatunga or Imzamum-ul-Haq can be superstars.Bhutia's observation about Imzamum-ul-Haq brings back memories of the Pakistani batting superstar's brawl with the crowds in Toronto, Canada years ago.

The crowd constantly taunted Inzamam ul Haq during a Indo-Pak match calling him over the loudspeaker: ""O mote, sidha khara ho [O fatso, stand straight], mota aaloo, sara alloo [fat potato, rotten potato]."


“In a physically demanding sport like football or hockey for example, anyone who is not 100 per cent physically fit would not make the cut in a team, let alone becoming a superstar,” the former Indian football captain said while making his observation on physical fitness apart from technique.

Asked why Indian football has not been successful so far, Bhutia said the structure to develop and popularise football in India is archaic. “We are still following the football structure from the 1950s. Most of those at helm of affairs of football don’t know a thing about what they are doing,” Bhutia said critically.

He added Indian football can be developed if emphasis is shifted on youth development, especially those from the northeast, and better marketing. “The Indian football structure needs a drastic overhaul in terms of marketing and youth development programmes,” Bhutia suggested.

On his upcoming football academy, Bhutia promised it would be the best in India once the Sikkim government allots land for its development.

“I have applied for land and once the Sikkim government allots it, the academy would be the best in the country with the support of my well wishers,” he said.