The ‘Welcome Gate’ at Notun Basti, Dimapur which was inaugurated on January 14. (Morung Photo)
• Inaugurates Notun Basti Welcome Gate
• Commits to establishing Med Sub-centre
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 14
A village or a residential area in Nagaland is not complete with an entrance gate. On January 14, one such ‘Welcome Gate’ was inaugurated at Notun Basti, Dimapur, by Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister, Y Patton.
Patton, at the inaugural programme, today, termed the gate as a long felt need of the residents of the colony, which is among the earliest residential areas in Dimapur. “I am glad to learn that this Welcome gate is one of the many initiatives of the Notun Bosti Council constructed with the active support of the residents,” he said. The gate was constructed with funds generated through goodwill donations spearheaded by the Notun Basti Council.
He recalled that back in the sixties, when he first settled in Dimapur, the area occupied by Notun Basti was heavily forested, and that he could never imagine the place would go on to become what it is today.
He said, “Notun Bosti is one among the oldest residential areas established in Dimapur during the early 1960s” and has today grown to become over 2000 households strong with a population estimated at over 8000.
While appreciating the sense of belongingness shared by the residents since the colony’s inception, he also paid tributes to the pioneers and former leaders of the colony, who have made untold sacrifices for the betterment of the colony. “Your positive contributions towards the shaping of the present day Dimapur is immense and laudable,” he said, while adding that the distinctions earned by the colony over the years have been possible only through the sense of “unity, cooperation and oneness” shared by the residents and which, he said, must continue.
He further reminded that alongwith being a citizen also come responsibilities, which the Notun Basti Council and its residents have to shoulder. He said, “The Colony being strategically located can act as a watchdog over sporadic anti-social activities and assist the District administration in maintaining overall peaceful atmosphere in Dimapur.”
Besides, he said that maintaining public property, sanitation and peaceful atmosphere is a challenging task. These concerns, he said, can be addressed smoothly through the combined efforts of the government agencies and the residents.
According to him, the ‘Welcome Gate’ will serve as a point of entrance and exit for many people and thus, its significance “should be exhibited in our mannerism, particularly by the residents.” “May this Welcome Gate protect and promote the cultural, social and spiritual values of its residents,” he added.
He further committed to establishing a medical sub-centre in the colony, which is a long felt need of the residents. While assuring that he will pursue the matter with the Health & Family Welfare Minister, he reminded that the people should feel free to approach the government for assistance that is entitled to the citizens.
