Trilogy of the Northeast

By Dipti Bhalla & Kunal Verma
Set of Three Volumes
Published by KaleidoIndia
Released in OTA by Gen VK Singh on 27 Apr 2012
Northeast Trilogy raises a curtain on the wonders of Northeast India – a land, which was to many and perhaps still is a land of mystery and mystique. Published in three volumes, it is an in-depth collection of hundreds of photographs taken in the field by Dipti Bhalla and Kunal Verma over a period of three years. Through their images they have captured a world hitherto unknown to many - the richness and the grandeur of the Northeast. The entire collection goes beyond the realm of one’s imagination.
This lavish set of three is a celebration and a tribute to the people of the Northeast - from stunning portraits to landscapes and the rich flora and fauna. Dipti and Kunal have demystified an entire area that was hitherto unknown not only to the rest of the country but also to the communities that live in the region in isolated pockets demarcated by difficult terrain. The seclusion was geographical. But the story today is different. The Northeastern states are among the best performing ones in the country. There has been immense improvement in literacy, health, and infrastructure.
The first volume of the trilogy takes the reader through Sikkim, North Bengal, Assam, and Meghalaya. The second is devoted entirely to Arunachal. Aptly titled Brahma’s Creation, it explores fourteen of the state’s sixteen districts, from the plains to the deepest core of the Himalaya. The remaining two districts are covered in Volume III of the trilogy – Children of the Dawn – together with Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, and Mizoram.
The Trilogy is a delight – and a nugget!
Northeast Trilogy

Imphal: Army pensions misused by State Bank of India

Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, August 28 2009: The individual bank accounts of 360 Army pensioners who have their respective bank accounts with State Bank of India (SBI), Chakpikarong branch, Chandel district of Manipur, for the purpose of drawing their respective monthly pensions are found misused by the branch manager, Chitrabhon Singh with his subordinate staff by way of forging their specimen signatures on the loose withdrawal cheques/ slips, alleged a press statement issued by RT Dahring, secretary of Ex-Servicemen's Association, Chandel district of Manipur.

The branch manager and his subordinate staff had abandoned the premises of SBI at Chakpikarong bazaar on October 18, 2008 after a hot argument with one ex-serviceman on October 17 over a matter concerning sanction of loan, claiming that they will not operate the bank until and unless the bank is provided with security guards and since then the SBI branch at Chakpikarong bazaar remained closed totally, informed the press statement.

Thereafter, the functioning of the SBI Chakpikarong branch started on December 8, 2008 from the premises of SBI Kakching branch, Thoubal district, where the account balance of the pensioners were transferred to A/C No 30644212885, belonging to the branch manager, Chitrabhon Singh, without the knowledge and consent of the pensioners, it stated.

Monthly pension of the Army pensioners were withdrawn by forging their signatures and the withdrawn amounts were distributed to the pensioners at their houses by one of the bank staff who is a local man, after deduction of certain amounts varying from Rs 300 to Rs 1000 from each and every pensioner, which many of the pensioners refused to accept, further alleged RT Dahring.

Monthly pension of even those who had already expired have been found withdrawn which have caused unnecessary problems in the process of conversion to family pension, and some pensioners have not received their pension for more than one year due to the lack of transparency of the bank staff, lamented the pensioners.

Highlighting the plight of the pensioners and requesting necessary corrective actions, the Chandel district ex-servicemen's association had submitted a representation to the chief minister of Manipur to provide security guards to SBI Chakpikarong branch to ensure functioning of the bank at Chakpikarong itself rather than at Kakching in the interest of the pensioners and the public, stated the press release, and it further stated that the grievances faced by the pensioners had also been highlighted to the Union defense minister and GOC, 57 Mountain Division, C/O 99 APO.

If the request of the ex-servicemen's association is not attended and redressed immediately, they would resort to any other form of action as they deem fit, the press statement warned.
Chandel Army pensions misused