Rev. Fr. G. L. Khing
Kohima
The growth of Kohima town has been much appreciated. The rise has been seen from both quality and quantity. Migration of people from village to town has become necessary due to numerous reasons. This has brought about expansion of markets in every nook and corner of Kohima. The best interaction of people takes place in the market place. We meet people of different type and character. The way people buy food items and vegetables are quite surprising and interesting. All customers searched the best items because no one wants to take home rotten items. But the way food items are sold along the road is quite unhealthy.
Today, almost every established shop along the road has vegetable vendors beside. They give good company to each other. The owner of the building get double profit only to bring disaster upon the consumers. We see vegetables of every kind just laid open on the road side for sale. We buy and eat them. Yes, we need to survive. But this is not a healthy way of life. The unhealthy market system is drowning the life of the Nagas. The Nagas are less concern with the quality of food. Filling up one’s stomach to the fullest (quantity) is good enough to be visible in front of others. For many of us to build up one’s body is more important than to be stronger and healthier.
Buy one, get two free is applicable for market system. Buy one vegetable and get two or ten harmful germs free. The splash of dirty water on the green vegetables looks good enough to attract the customers. Yet, the prize of ill-effect goes to the ignorant consumers. We consume unwanted germs every day with a smile on our face. The smiling face may soon become depressed with uninvited sickness. Buying and eating casually will ultimately lead us closer to a fragile life. We are living one step closer to the grave. The brittle generation must also be seen from the perspective of food habits. Children who are fed with bad/dirty food grow up to be so weak. They cannot face the heat of the sun neither a drop of rain. They become new species of generation only to bind themselves with the chains of germs/bacteria.
I would kindly appeal the KMC or the concern authority to look into the matter and find better solution to this unhealthy existing road side marketing system. Instead of selling vegetable or any food items on the ground/floor, why don’t the concern authorities assign particular places for sale? They could even request the vendors to raise temporary small stand (movable stand) to put up their items for sale? The term ‘vege-TABLE’ is an invitation to put them on the Table or stand. At the end of the day, it can be easily removed. This will avoid dirt of every kind and give healthy food to the consumers to some degree. The dirty monsoon rain and the dust of the winter make the vegetables unhealthier for human consumption. The present condition of the dust on the road will speak better. The construction of beautiful marketing shed at PHQ junction is highly commendable. Such care and concern will open the eyes of the customers towards better living. We need to aim the best way of living. It starts with our food habit and what we consume every day.
One may question, we wash all market items and then cook and eat, and so what is the problem? But I think washing or cooking alone will not suffice. When you buy dirty items (it may appear clean) you take along with you many invisible and harmful bacteria and germs to your homes. Every time you buy such items, you take home numerous germs. And we do it every day. By this your homes become shelter for such germs and bacteria (They become numerous than the members of the family) This will make the members of the family vulnerable to many sicknesses and diseases. We are too casual with our food habits and are heading for shorter version of life. The dirty road side vendors may not attend your funeral.
May the concern authority find the best solution to this existing problems and implement it for the good of all people. I am sure the honoured members will do its best towards the healthy living of the Naga society.
