Imphal: Seven militants were nabbed in operations in international border areas by troops during the last 24 hours.

Assam Rifles officials said troops of 9 Assam Rifles of 26 Sector under HQ IGAR (South) launched operation near New Zalinmoul, Moreh and apprehended four cadres of United National Liberation Front (UNLF) traveling in a Maruti Van.

They revealed the presence of more militants between Moreh and Khundengthabi.

The patrol swiftly launched a search operation and apprehended two active cadres of UNLF and one active cadre of PREPAK along with warlike stores and explosives who were carrying out reconnaissance to plant IEDs on National Highway 102.

The prompt action by the troops of 9 AR thawed the designs of the insurgents. Recently there has been recent spurt in the activities of the militants along NH 102 and troops have been receiving inputs about the movement and plans of these militants.

The militants were nabbed before they could succeed in causing casualties and damage, thus averting a major accident. (UNI)

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Governor General (Retd) J J Singh has called for preservation and promotion of folk dances as part of Indian art and culture.

Gracing the occasion of National Folk Dance Festival here on Sunday night, Gen Singh said that if the folk dances are lost, native culture is lost and the people also loss their identity, and exhorted all to revive folk music, folk dance and folk drama of different tribes of the country.

While urging the parents to teach customs and traditions, including indigenous dialect, to their children to maintain a linkage between the past, present and future, he lauded the indigenous organizations who are working in preserving indigenous faiths and cultural heritage.

Stating that Arunachal Pradesh is not only rich in biodiversity but also rich in ethnic and cultural diversity, the governor said that the state was a mini India and truly a mesmerizing cultural mosaic, a Raj Bhawan release informed here on Sunday.

He maintained that with its cultural assets, Arunachal Pradesh has huge scope for promotion of its culture. When combined with tourism, it will be a sustainable venture and will provide boost to rural economy and to the state as a whole, he added.

Lauding the North East Zone Cultural Center, Dimapur and state Department of Art & Culture for organizing the National Folk Dance Festival, Gen Singh expressed his confidence that the festival would showcase the richness, diversity and magnificence of Indian art and culture through its folk dances.

He said that folk dance and cultural festivals have always played a crucial role in increasing consciousness amongst the people about cultural heritage, traditions and practices in other parts of the country and enrich relationships. It also instills the proud spirit of ‘Unity in Diversity’ in every Indian, he added.

He said media can play an important role in depicting the culture traditions and practices of the north east region.

Artists and folk dancers from Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Manipur, Gujarat, Assam and Punjab took part in the festival. (PTI)

IMPHAL: State Education Minister M Okendro on Monday described the proposed indefinite economic bandh to be imposed along all the National Highways connecting Manipur over Teacher’s Eligibility Test (TERT) issue as ‘unfortunate’ and appealed the tribal joint student committee to withdraw it.

Okendro was addressing at the inaugural function of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). He dubbed the indefinite economic blockade called by Joint Committee of Hill Districts Student Organisation (JCHDSO) as unfortunate and appealed them to call off the strike beginning October 15.

Saying that people in some hill districts have resisted the economic blockade, the education minister who is in the line of JCHDSO fire over TET issue reiterated it would not be possible in the current year to open TET exam centres in the five hill district headquarters as demanded by JCHDSO.

He affirmed that the TET is conducted as part of a talent hunt exam which selects only the eligible candidates, saying the exam creates job opportunity. Okendro further acknowledged extension of TET exam schedule will have effect and pledged that all the districts in Manipur will be offered TET exam centres after systematizing the technical problem but cited it may take some years.

At the inaugural ceremony of the newly constructed SCERT hall, besides Okendro, N Debala Devi, Director, SCERT; G Joychandra, Chief Engineer, Education Cell and B Jayenta, former Assistant Director, All India Radio, Imphal also attended as presidium members. (NNN)