Zapami VC & VDB hold award ceremony

Recipients of the award with others after the award ceremony programme held on November 28 at Zapami village under Phek district. (Photo courtesy: VDB Zapami village)

Kohima, December 1 (MExN): The Zapami Village Council (ZVC) and Village Development Board (VDB) held award ceremony programme on November 28 to mark “2019 as year of tree plantation” with Dr R Imtionen Ao, SDAO Pfutsero as the guest speaker at Zapami village under Phek district.

Speaking at the programme, Dr Imtionen appreciated Zapami village for taking up noble initiative at the village level by organizing tree plantation competition, while acknowledging that it was first of a kind in the village level.

As per a press release from Kedoutsolhi Wetsah, Secretary VDB Zapami village, the guest speaker cited global warming issues where each individual has a role to play by planting trees and preserving nature.

He also reminded the villagers that there is huge scope to develop eco tourism in the area if local people can make effort to preserve its rich bio-diversity.

Mikha Kenye, president, Chakhesang Public Organization while exhorting the gathering appreciated the Village Council for the noble initiative and urged to remain consistent in its efforts to preserve bio-diversity under its jurisdiction.

Kenye also said that tree plantation and nurturing them through community initiative like this can bring about solutions on global warming concerns.

The programme was chaired by Kedoutsolhi Wetsah, Secretary VDB Zapami village. The village conducted competitions on three categories in the current year which included clan-wise tree plantations, colony-wise beautification and individual cash crop plantation.

In the clan-wise tree plantation, Lonunumi secured the first price followed by Putanumi and Lebupfunumi as first and second runner-up. Altogether, the village planted 23,000 trees as per the verification made by the jury board members.

Individual cash crop plantation competition was won by Mherhuwe Kenye who planted 1210 large cardamom in 2019 followed by Kewekha Kenye and Kezungulo Wetsah.

In the village colony-wise floriculture and colony beautification competition, Kethoku colony secured the first position out of four colonies. The village council gave away a total cash award of Rs 50,000 with citations for the three categories of competitions.

In the current year, as part of the objective, focus was given in planting indigenous trees and cash crops such as kiwi, persimmon, water plum and large cardamom.