Nagaland: Tourism Dept plans a ‘plastic-free’ Hornbill Festival

Our Correspondent
Kohima | November 6  

The much-hyped Hornbill Festival of Nagaland will be 10-day affair as usual starting from December 1 to 10 at the Naga Heritage village Kisama, a tourism official informed today.  

The Tourism Joint Secretary, M Shayung Phom said this during a coordination meeting with the concerned departments and representatives of Tribal Hohos here.  

He also urged the Hohos to give their best effort towards making the festival a grand success.  

Phom further informed that picturesque Kisama have been declared as a ‘Plastic Free Zone’ during the festival and asked the Hohos to propagate and ensure that no plastic is used throughout ten days festival.  

The department is working on the alternative arrangement, he added.  

The Joint Secretary also claimed that the inflow of both international and domestic tourists to Nagaland has increased drastically since the introduction of Hornbill festival.

  Akhale Vizol, Joint Director Tourism asked the respective Hohos to keep their respective morungs neat and tidy to the delight of the tourists.  

She also called for ensuring that the waiters in the respective morungs are polite and preferably in traditional dress to give good impression of the visitors.  

The Hohos were also requested to decorate their respective morungs with traditional touch by using eco- friendly materials.  

Focus on traditional music instead of using others to popularize the traditional songs as well as to give taste to the tourists, Vizol said.  

Touching on plastic free zone, she said that the use of plastic/polythene will be strictly prohibited adding, “Even mineral water bottle will be restricted.”  

Visitors were urged to bring their own water bottle for their own use. She also called for using paper cup, banana leaf, bamboo cup, paper bag, and eco-friendly plate.  

Programme Officer from Art & Culture department said that 600 artists from 17 tribes will be involved in daily cultural performance. Apart from cultural activities, the department will go ahead with artist’s corner, archive week. Other attraction for tourists will be a visit to 2nd World War Museum at Kisama and State Museum, Kohima.  

Veyielo Doulo, Asst. Director Tourism informed that the department is making hectic preparation and called upon all the Tribal Hohos to put united effort to make the festival a grand success.  

This time, setting up of food stall will be minimized, he said.  

He also called for avoiding exorbitant rate of food served during the festival.  

Earlier, Kohima Deputy Commissioner, Rajesh Soudararanjan has ordered a ban on the use of plastic carry bags, plates, and cups etc of all micron size during the ensuing Hornbill Festival at Kisama Complex and Night Bazaar Stalls at Traders Road and High school Junction. The aforementioned areas have been declared as a ‘Plastic Free Zone.’  

In an order, the Kohima DC also directed all concerned government agencies, business groups, entrepreneurs, stall owners etc to take note of the same and make alternative arrangements for use of bio-degradable materials including paper bags, plantain or areca nut leaf plates etc, which are environment friendly.  

Defaulting groups or individuals will be dealt with as per relevant provisions of law, the order stated.