0ver 15 years in the making, swimming pool inaugurated finally

Temjen Imna Along, Minister of Higher & Technical Education & Tribal Affairs, Government of Nagaland, inaugurated the swimming pool for the welfare of youth, sportsperson and public in general in Dimapur on January 19. (Morung Photo)

Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 19

Over fifteen years in the making, a Centrally funded pool swimming pool was finally inaugurated in Dimapur on January 19. Construction of the pool, located near IMC Hall, was sanctioned by the DoNER Ministry on Public-Private Partnership mode and the work awarded to the Nagaland Youth Gymnastic Club (NYGC). The fund from the DoNER was routed through the Nagaland state Youth Resources & Sports Department.  
The foundation stone was laid in 2003 by the then Governor Shyamal Datta. 

Seventeen years later, on January 19, 2020, Minister for Higher & Technical Education and Tribal Affairs, Nagaland, Temjen Imna Along Longkumer inaugurated the pool. Longkumer in his address wished that the pool would be of benefit to all irrespective of age. 

He lauded the persistence of the NYGC, especially its President Toshirenla Ao and her mother, who took it up as a mission to complete the project despite the bureaucratic hurdles. “Over 15 years since the laying of the foundation stone. Yet in the many years that followed, these two women did not give up,” he said. 

According to him, their determination is inspirational and that all Nagas should have the spirit to persevere. “We have become a society that builds its dreams only in dreams. We have young people but (mostly) unemployed. I call upon our people to really work hard and build a culture where we are known by our hard work and not by a culture of division,” he said. 

Toshirenla Ao, who was the first Miss Nagaland, said that the NYGC was required to invest some 30-35 percent of the estimated cost. She is also the President of the Nagaland All India & South East Asia Mahatma Gandhian Workers Federation, Nagaland unit, and a national awardee in social work. She won the National Youth Award (1995-96) and National Mahila Pragati Award (2002). 

The project cost estimated at Rs 2.6cr was sanctioned in 2013. She added that it took more than a year to complete the bureaucratic procedures, including deduction of mandatory fees, for the government to release the fund. 

She informed that the pool will open to all — the youth, sportspersons and the public in general – on payment of a minimal yearly fee of Rs 250 person a year. As per the norm, she said that it will open during the spring and shut during the rainy season. 

Currently it does not have a dome but once installed it will turn into an all-weather amenity. In this regard, the Minister said that effort will be made to avail fund for the construction of a dome through the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

According to Ao, beauty is more than good looks. Her definition of beauty is working hard for bringing progress, fighting corruption and working for the good of the people.