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Alemla Chishi and officials with villagers during the inauguration of the approach road and footpath at Sishunu village in Tseminyu on July Saturday.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 28 (EMN): Sishunu, a village under Tseminyu sub-division of Kohima district with just about 349 households, has taken leap of sorts, to improve its road infrastructure as well as leading a healthy life style.
The Sishunu Village Council and Village Development Board (VDB) have come together for a transparent and accountable implementation of funds provided by the department of Rural Development through various schemes.
The village stated to have successfully implemented funds meant for approach road and footpath stretching about 500 meters under MGNREGS 2017-18. Project director District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) of Kohima, Alemla Chishi formally inaugurated the same on Saturday July 28.
Chishi, along with the Block Development Officer Chunlikha, village council chairman Joel Kath, VDB secretary John Kath, GBs and DBs inspected the construction of the concrete road and steps.
The officer lauded the village authorities for ‘judicious utilisation’ of funds provided by the department. She pointed out that the government extends financial support for infrastructure development to villages but it rests on the unity of the village council and VDBs in bringing about actual development at the grassroots.
Stating that villagers and leaders have to be united along with a transparent VDB for development, Chishi expressed hope that Sishunu would become a role model for other villages in the state. She appealed to the villagers to continue to extend cooperation and support to the government towards bringing more development to the village.
The other major leap for Sishunu was to become the fourth village under Kohima district to be declared “Tobacco Free Village” by the district nodal officer for National Tobacco Control Programme, Dr. Arenla Thong.
Around 2200 people die daily due to consumption of both smoke and smokeless tobacco, Dr. Thong said on the occasion. While no one can be forced not to smoke or chew tobacco, she said village authorities can restrict the sale and consumption of tobacco in public places and thereby bring down the usage.
She informed that the district enforcement team comprising of the administration, police and officials of NTCP would be conducting frequent checks and penalize defaulters as per the laid down rules under Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003.
The other tobacco-free villages under DNO NTCP Kohima are Gariphema, Khonoma and Jotsoma.
Another milestone achieved by Sishunu is the declaration of being a ‘plastic and waste-free village’ by the village council. This was pronounced by the village council secretary, Nathaniel Kath, who announced the council’s resolution adopted on July 27, restricting dumping of all kinds of waste, particularly polythene bags in public places. The council has also resolved to ban all kinds of tobacco and ‘gutkha’ products within the village jurisdiction. Violators of the resolution would be penalized, the council had warned.