No freebies for visiting VIPs and tourists – Rio

Ban on single-use plastic items in the state from November

Our Correspondent

Wokha Nov. 7 (EMN): Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday said that the people of Nagaland should desist from handing out free food and locally made products as gifts to visiting VIPs and tourists. Rather, he advised, they should opt to capitalise on their work and finished products.

Speaking at the Tokhü Emong festival, the post-harvest festival of the Lotha tribe at Wokha public ground, the chief minister said the well-known hospitality of the Nagas can be for own loss as they sometimes go out of their way to express gratitude to others.

Rio opined that the people should use events (festivals) as an opportunity to sell and advertise their work and products by opening stalls, instead of giving them away as complimentary gifts.
With Wokha district all set to host the first-ever Amur falcon conservation week and festival from November 8, Rio said a noted conservationist had confided in him about the possibility of the migratory birds not returning to the state in the future, as early as next year if it is disturbed by human activities near the roosting places.

He requested the authorities and officials to find viable arrangements to ensure that the visiting birds are not disturbed, and that the district can continue to celebrate the annual festival.

The chief minister also gave assurance to assist in construction of the proposed Lotha Tribal Council hall but said that the public also should contribute to the project so that everyone would have a sense of ownership and belongingness.

Host of the festival and Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton thanked all the artistes from neighbouring districts who added colour and made the festival more vibrant with their participation.

Putting an end to the rumours of cracks between the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), Patton said the present People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) government under the leadership of Neiphiu Rio is stable and strong. He stated that unlike the previous NPF government wherein legislators spent most of their time at Kaziranga over infightings due to lack of leadership, the PDA government under the stable leadership of Rio is focused on development, and that the alliance would come to power in the next election too after successfully completing five years tenure.

The festival was marked by cultural display from Assamese cultural troupe, and performances from Ao tribe, Rengma tribe and Longsa village. A mass Tokhü Emong feast followed after the programme ended.

State to get rid of plastic waste

While speaking on the occasion of Tokhü Emong, Rio said that single-use plastic items like bottles, paper cups and plates will be completed banned in the state from November, thus fulfilling the promise made by the state government during World Environment Day in June this year to free Nagaland of plastic waste.
The chief minister stated that INR 10 lakh each has already been allotted to all the districts under the deputy commissioners from CM corpus fund to promote bamboo products like bags, baskets and containers as an alternative to plastic products.