Our Correspondent
Kohima, Nov. 28 (EMN): Chairman of United Democratic Alliance (UDA), TR Zeliang, on Monday asserted that the state is totally dependent on the Centre for any development and non-development expenditures.
Speaking during the inauguration of Rhododendron Park at Jakhama village, Kohima district, Zeliang said that Nagaland has no avenue to generate revenues. However, he said the one sector that has a huge potential to generate revenue is the tourism sector, especially eco-tourism.
The former chief minister lamented the failure of the state in making the best use of its natural resources despite being blessed with rich flora and fauna.
He said that due to traditional Jhum cultivation practice and habitual jungle burning, many rich forests have been depleted and destroyed and in the process, medicinal and endemic plants have become endangered and extinct.
He, however, said that “as long as you are breathing, it's never too late to start a new beginning,” while describing the completion and inauguration of the park at Jakhama as one positive step towards starting anew for a better future.
While inaugurating the Rhododendron Park Jakhama, a first of its kind in India, he congratulated Dr. Kelühol Tase and his brothers for taking up the noble initiative in preserving the beautiful flower and turning the conservation area into a park for scenic beauty and protection of the species from extinction.
‘Rhododendron flower holds significance in the context of the Nagaland as it is the state flower,’ he said, adding how studies have found that there are about 1024 species in the world and Nagaland is home to 11 species, which are endemic to the state.
“However, this flower is slowly diminishing due to the ignorance of the people to conserve and protect it from natural and man-made activities and calamities,” Zeliang said.
In the year 2019, Zeliang said that Tase had made headlines for voluntarily taking out a Rhododendron plantation drive with an aim to protect the state flower from becoming extinct. He expressed confidence that it will inspire the people to protect and conserve this endangered species from extinction.
Maintaining that the park not only has Rhododendron but also a variety of orchids which are a very beautiful sight, he said that when such flowers are naturally abundant in the jungles, the onus to conserve and protect it is on the people.
He also apprised how recently, Peren Town celebrated its 75th anniversary of township and the jubilee decoration committee came up with the concept of decoratimh the town and the venue of the celebration with only orchids.
He said it indicates state’s huge potential in eco-tourism and all the people need is a little concern and knowledge on how to make it economically profitable.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Kelühol Tase, the proprietor of Rhododendron Park Jakhama, stated that the flower is synonymous to the state and the world's tallest rhododendron is found in Nagaland.
He said the park is only a humble beginning set up to create awareness on the need to preserve the state flower which is on the verge of extinction. He also recounted the journey he embarked on along with his brothers in 2018 and how they had planted rhododendron saplings of varied hues.