Official kidnapped
Imphal: The personal assistant of a Manipur minister was kidnapped by militants when he was going to drop his daughter to school, with a huge ransom being demanded for his release, official sources said on Thursday. The car of K T Josepha, the personal assistant to Education Minister D D Thaisi, was stopped by three gunmen who took him, his daughter and helper away at Lamphel area in Imphal West district on Wednesday. Josepha’s daughter and helper were subsequently let off at Kangpokpi area in Senapati district, the sources said. (PTI)
Nagaland to raise Forest Guard battalion
Kohima: Nagaland Forest, Wild Life, Ecology and Excise Minister M C Konyak has said the state Government will soon raise a battalion of Forest Guard to look after the National and Reserved Parks.
Talking to UNI on the sideline of the sixth General Session of the Naga peoples Party (NPF) yesterday, Mr Konyak said the state urgently need a battalion of Forest Guards, to protect the Government’s wildlife properties like National Parks, Reserved Forest, Zoological Park and sanctuaries, but due to adequate fund, the Department could not raise the Battalion so far.
He, however, said by seeing the urgency of Forest Guard Battalion, the Nagaland Cabinet of Ministers will take a decision to raise the battalion soon. (UNI)
1000 TB cases registered yearly in Dimapur
Kohima: Dimapur District Tuberculosis (DTB) Officer Dr Khelito said 1000 TB patients were being registered every year at the DTB centre making it the district with the highest number of such disease.
Speaking at the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) on Tuberculosis and HIV yesterday, Dr Khelito said detection rate at Dimapur was 110 per cent compared to the national target of 70 per cent. Cure rate at Dimapur was 85 per cent.
She said because of HIV and AIDS, TB cases were increasing as HIV and AIDS patients were more prone to TB than the others.
The district TB officer also said that HIV and AIDS patients could be cured of TB if treated with medication, Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS).
She said that any patient suffering from TB could avail free medications provided by the government at the centre. (UNI)
Mizoram local bodies polls next year
Aizawl: The polls to village councils in six districts of Mizoram and election to the local councils within Aizawl Municipal Council will be held by February next year, state election commission said on Thursday.
The village council elections would be held only in six districts as the village councils in two southern districts – Saiha and Lawngtlai – are under the jurisdictions of Mara, Lai and Chakma autonomous district councils. (PTI)