Village guards rest house inaugurated at Thizama
Advisor for Information & Public Relations and Village Guards, S. Keoshu Yimkhiung on Wednesday said that in his few months of taking charge as the advisor of Village Guards (VG), he observed that the VG organisation today had many loopholes in its infrastructure and development which “needs to be seriously worked out.”
According to a DIPR report, he was speaking at the inaugural programme of the village guards rest house at Thizama, Kohima.
The advisor also suggested a separate directorate/HoD for the Village Guards in order to maintain a proper system in its working and functioning.
He expressed hope that the rest house would benefit VG personnel and the public by providing the much-needed accommodation during their visit for official works.
In his speech, minister for Health & Family Welfare, S. Pangnyu Phom said that this was a long-felt need of the VGs.
With the removal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA), Pangnyu said there would be more failures, problems and hurdles in law and order issues, and in such a situation, the VG personnel had a responsibility toward the state. He said they would play an important role in assisting the state government and the public, especially in border areas.
The minister said norms and guidelines of VGs need to be framed at the earliest and accordingly, the 21 elected members working in the VG areas submitted various representations for which the chief minister had entrusted and endorsed to the concerned department/authority to take up and expedite the matter.
Presenting the technical report for VG rest house, executive engineer, CAWD, Er. Sungti Amer said having felt the need for accommodation of VGs traveling to the capital for functions and official works, the building was conceptualized in 2014-15 during the tenure of the then ACS & commissioner, Banuo Z. Jamir.
The construction of the building which is a (G+2) storied RCC structure with a total floor area of 525 sq.m/5651 sq. ft. was carried out by contractor K. C. Angami & Sons Consortium.
It commenced on October 4, 2016 and completed on October 16, 2017 and the estimated cost of the building stood at Rs. 236.85 lakh.
Meanwhile, commissioner, Nagaland, Rovilatuo Mor said the construction of VG rest house at Thizama would boost the morale of VG personnel.
Stating that no appointments could be made since there were no sanctioned posts for staff such as caretakers, cooks, etc., initially, the rest house would be managed/maintained from internal adjustment of funds from the commissioner’s office.
He requested VIPs visiting the rest house to support the maintenance and appealed to all the guests to cooperate in maintaining its hygiene and infrastructure.
Rovilatuo said rates for room rent would be fixed with a concession to extended to VG personnel and the income collected from room rent, food, lodging, etc., would not go to government exchequer but utilised judiciously for maintenance of the rest house.
Village Guards, Tuensang, commandant Mongkoyanchu Chang requested that the VG rest house be kept particularly for VG officials and that it was not leased out to a third party or used for any other purposes.
He also appealed to the VG personnel visiting the rest house to pay the rate as fixed by the responsible department and to maintain it.
The programme was chaired by ADC (HQ), commissioner’s office, M. S. Thangpong and invocation was offered by Yimkhiung Baptist Church, Kohima, pastor Wongtokiu.
The programme was also attended by Yitachu, MLA, C. L. John, MLA, Eshak Konyak, MLA, VG personnel and a host of government officials.