New Delhi: One of the remotest areas in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district, Vijaynagar, has now been connected with 2G mobile services.
Vijaynagar, which was originally known as Dawodi by the state’s Lisu community, is a cluster of 16 villages near the India-Myanmar border. Surrounded by dense forests, it is situated 157 km away from the nearest motorable road, which is in the town of Miao.
To reach Vijaynagar, one has to undertake a seven-day trek or avail a helicopter service from Mohanbari in Assam’s Dibrugarh.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu lauded BSNL’s efforts in bringing connectivity to one of the remotest regions in the country.
Vijaynagar is a beautiful place in #Arunachal. I am delighted to know that this remote border town near Indo-Myanmar border is now connected with mobile connectivity. I thank @BSNLCorporate & local administration for their hard work in providing mobile services in remote areas. https://t.co/TAz4JuMRAZ
— Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (@PemaKhanduBJP) August 3, 2020
Arung Siram, general manager of BSNL, said both the state government and the Indian Air Force helped the telecommunications company transport equipment to Vijaynagar.
Citing the challenges of working in a far-flung area, Siram also noted how the BSNL staff once had to wait for nearly a month to be able to airlift supplies to Vijaynagar. The 2G service began functioning on 1 August and is powered by solar energy.
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Richard Yanthan to become first Naga IAS officer in 13 yrs
Nagaland’s Richard Yanthan has made it to the list of successful candidates in the UPSC examination of 2019, the results of which were declared Tuesday. The last time someone from the state had made it to the list was in 2007.
Son of Lt. James Chenithung of Lakhuti village in Wokha district, Yanthan secured the 133rd rank. He also ranked 7th in the National Career Service, National Police Service, National Service Scheme and the Allied Services 2018 exams.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio took to Twitter to congratulate Yanthan.
Heartiest congratulations, Richard Yanthan on passing #UPSCExam with flying colors. As you step into a world of challenges and opportunities, I wish you good health and wisdom in the service of the nation. I also congratulate all those who cleared #UPSC2019. My best wishes to all pic.twitter.com/4rK5OQ3QbW
— Neiphiu Rio (@Neiphiu_Rio) August 4, 2020
‘Make social stigma a criminal office’
The opposition Congress party in Meghalaya has asked the state government to formulate a law criminalising social stigmatisation.
The demand arrived days after a pregnant woman, who lives in a containment area in the state, was denied admission to a government-run facility for several hours, leading to the death of her newborn.
“The government should come up with a strong legislation or ordinance by making social stigma a criminal offence. It is mandated by law empowering the government then only we can control,” Congress spokesperson Zenith Sangma said.
Sangma also accused the government of declaring containment zones without preparedness. “When certain areas are declared as containment zones, they are curtailing the rights of the residents, not allowing them to come out. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the government to ensure that the residents get proper food and other essential commodities mandated by the Disaster Management Act, 2005,” he said.
Nagaland gets review panel to ‘identify’ Covid deaths
The Directorate of Health and Family Welfare in Nagaland has formed a Covid-19 Death Review Committee to ascertain if someone who died had contracted the virus.
This committee will identify the causes and circumstances leading to Covid-related deaths. “All concerned are directed to refrain from reporting such deaths as due to Covid-19 before review by the state committee,” read the directorate’s order.
The committee will comprise a nine-member team of doctors, with subject experts including forensics specialists, pathologists, physicians, microbiologists and others. It will ensure appropriate reporting of deaths according to the Indian Council of Medical Research and ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) protocols.
Medical superintendents and chief medical officers of all districts have been asked to form District Covid-19 Death Review Committees as well.
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