The three-day Poanglüm mini Hornbill Festival 2024 organised by Chang Khulei Setshang began at Parade Ground, Tuensang on Thursday. In his address, deputy chief minister TR Zeliang, who was the special guest at the event, expressed happiness that the organisers had incorporated many indigenous games and activities at the three-day event. He said this would help keep the tradition and culture of Nagas people alive since they were influenced by western and other foreign cultures.
He encouraged youngsters to continue to take pride in their rich culture and traditional practices, and be ambassadors wherever they go. He observed that every Naga tribe had its own festival that was celebrated at different months of the year.
Zeliang noted that although there was no common Naga indigenous festival to promote brotherhood among the various tribes, the much-celebrated Hornbill Festival was now a major event even among the international community.
He termed the Hornbill Festival as a fusion of modern and traditional elements, adding that he was happy to see tribal festivals become extensions of the Hornbill Festival as Mini-Hornbill Festivals. Zeliang mentioned that Tuensang town and its people had been an important factor in the affairs of Nagaland.
“You have produced renowned personalities who have played an important role in shaping our state. The present generation should reflect on the past and try to follow the path of greatness of past leaders and even be better,” he emphasised.
Acknowledging that the roads in the region required immediate attention, Zeliang, who is also the minister in-charge of National Highways, disclosed that NH-202 project would be taken up soon depending on Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) sanction. He said that the NPWD was trying its best to get the project sanctioned by MoRTH early and hoped that all necessary paper works would be completed by the end of this month, and the full detailed project report (DPR) submitted to the ministry.
The deputy chief minister said the immediate measure that he took up after the 2023 election was the issue of land compensation.
He admitted that the people had been deprived of land compensation for the last five years due to some unwanted bureaucratic decision, but claimed that after a series of meeting, the state government had issued a notification that “henceforth” land compensation would be paid to all landowners wherever land was acquired for building national highway.
He said this was one of the reasons why the NH-202 project was also being delayed a little.
The deputy CM also called on all village councils and area leaders to make sure that the stakeholders accepted the land rates fixed by the government and not ask exorbitant rates for the land. He mentioned that in one of his meetings with MoRTH officials, he had clearly pointed out that damage and land compensation could not be more than the cost of civil works.
“In fact, they are of the opinion that only 20-30% of the total cost of the project should constitute the compensation. Therefore, I appeal to all the stakeholders that once the project for two-laning of NH-202 is sanctioned and the Assessment Committee for Damage and Land Compensation carry out the cost assessment, you should cooperate and let the project be completed without any delay for the benefit of the people,” Zeliang exhorted.
He informed the gathering that the proposed 2-lane project of NH-202 was from Chare to Kuthur village and from Chendang Saddle to Anatangre (Thikir village). He asserted that the success of this project would immensely benefit the people of the district and the ENPO area in general, while minor short term maintenance would be carried out periodically from 0.00 km in Mokokchung to 177 km in Tuensang. He wished the community and the festival a grand success.
Local MLA, Y Lima Onen Chang was the host of the inaugural event. Earlier, invocation was pronounced by CBLT women secretary Dolen Kundang, while significance of the festival was shared by Chingmei Sochum.
A short speech was delivered by deputy commissioner Tuensang Lithrongla T Rutsa and winner of Folk Fusion Competition 2023 Ngangpong gave a traditional performance.
Highlights of the programme included walk to Khongdang, Naga Go- Karting race, log drum pulling and Poanglüm Marathon. The Festival was marked by “Say No to Drugs” campaign by CBLT and Plastic Minimalist by TTC.