First report of Rhipicephalus deltoideus from Manipur, India

Abstract

The present paper deals record of a Rhipicephalus tick, reported for the first time from Manipur, a new record of India. The species under this genus have usual morphological features viz., having a hard sclerotized scutum which completely cover the dorsal surface of the body in males but present a small shield just behind the capitulum in female, basis capitulum is hexagonal in shape, mouth part anterior in position, eyes if present are located near the lateral margin of the scutum, presence of adanal plate in male, presence of festoons, etc. The present specimen which is reporting as a new record was collected from cattle (Bos indicus) from Wakha (24º46'22'’ N, 93º59'12'’E) Imphal East District, Manipur,India. On detailed microscopic observation, the present specimen was found to possess the morphological characters similar to the already known Rhipicephalus species, Rhipicephalus deltoides is a first record from India.

Citizen Access to Corporatized Power Services in Manipur, Northeastern India

“…Manipur in the northeastern region of India also introduced numerous reforms in the power sector. The report on the Evaluation of State Finances of Manipur (Singh et al, 2013) mention that under the Electricity Act, two Special Courts (Electricity) were established on 28 June 2004 in the districts of Imphal East and Imphal West. Though, however, it was only in 2011 (on 22-01-2011) that judges and public prosecutors to the courts were appointed (Singh et al, 2013).…”

“…The report on the Evaluation of State Finances of Manipur (Singh et al, 2013) mention that under the Electricity Act, two Special Courts (Electricity) were established on 28 June 2004 in the districts of Imphal East and Imphal West. Though, however, it was only in 2011 (on 22-01-2011) that judges and public prosecutors to the courts were appointed (Singh et al, 2013). The report also mentions other steps taken by the electricity department such as strengthening the transmission, sub-transmission, and distribution systems, providing 100% metering of feeders, distribution transformers, and consumers, providing energy meters for ring-fencing of 13 census towns, special drives for disconnection of unauthorized and illegal connections, introducing computer billing and revenue collection system, energy accounting and auditing at all voltage levels, area wise fixation of responsibility for revenue collection, setting up of special police station for effective control of energy theft, drive to collect outstanding dues from consumers as well as government departments as well as requiring No Dues certificates from the electricity department for issuing certificates from the office of the Deputy Commissioner (Singh et al, 2013).…”

“…Financial constraints along with environmental limitations and other interferences have also affected the delivery of power services. However, a major if not greater difficulty facing the state electricity department was its poor administrative incapability and weak governance as reflected in the ability to recover dues and losses, check electricity theft and other pilferage, or the non-technical losses leading to huge, accumulated arrears, weak revenue generating capabilities and incessant power cuts (Singh et al, 2013;MSPDCL, 2021).…”

“…Though there were technical elements to these losses like the overloading of existing lines and substations, nonupgradation of old lines and equipment's, low HT:LT ratio (high tension: low tension, referring to the ratio between high voltage and low voltage), poor repair and maintenance of equipment and non-installation of capacitors for power factor correction, however the heavy transmission and distribution losses were equally due to low or faulty metering status, low billing and collection efficiency, low accountability of employees and corruption, lack of energy audit and lack of feeder, transformer and substation metering, power theft etc. (Singh et al, 2013). Manipur has been facing huge AT&C losses in the periods before the introduction of the prepaid meters: in 2004-2005 it was at 70.61% and though by 2012 with the introduction of the pre-paid electricity meters the AT&C losses had reduced to 54%, (Report on the Evaluation of State Finances, MSPDCL Annual Report relevant years) (MSPDCL, 2021).…”