Dimapur, June 17 (MExN): The District Horticulture Officer (DHO) of Dimapur Eyongol Angami has clarified on the false allegations leveled against him by the Head GB of Kakiho Village, Kakiho Achumi, under Dhansiripar sub-division which appeared in the local dailies on June 17 issue. Clarifying on this the DHO of Dimapur stated that the banana suckers or saplings are readily available in the DHO’s store and that the Head GB in question had “declined to collect them on June 15, 2009”. However according to the DHO, the Head GB came again on June 16, 2009 to the DHO office and took away 170 saplings and refused to collect the allotted numbers of saplings. “The Head GB claimed that the saplings are not good or damaged. Then how come other villages or farmers took away the same saplings”, stated the DHO while also clarifying that the banana suckers or pineapple suckers can be regenerated and therefore the allegation of degenerated or spoiled does not arise.
The DHO also clarified that receiving 1280 banana saplings for three hectare of land does not arise. According to the DHO as per the norms of banana cultivation, the office can give 1440 saplings for three hectare. “SO here I would like to correct the figures of the Head GB”. The DHO stated that he was bound to issue 1440 saplings for three hectares of land but that the Head GB refused to collect them and instead pointed out defects about the banana saplings, which according to the DHO was “very much plantable”.
Further on May 23, 2008, the DHO clarified that he had given the Head GB 600 tissue culture suckers for one hectare but the Head GB collected only 300, out of which he planted 250 plants. “Here, I would like to bring to the notice of the public that the Head GB asked me for some substitute in place of the remaining banana suckers, which I cannot afford since I am not assigned by my seniors to give my substitute”, stated the DHO. The clarification note from the DHO went on to state that on May 25, 2009, he had gone along with his staff and one orange project holder of Gowoto village to visit the Kakiho village banana project site at 9 am on request of the Head GB of Kakiho village. “But to my surprise, the Head GB did not turn up at the site. And we also found that the banana plants were planted on that particular morning and also the field was not ready for the said suckers”. The DHO also pointed out that the Head GB himself in the local dailies dated 5th November 2008 of a local daily (Nagaland Post) expressed gratitude to the DHO Dimapur and his staff for providing the villagers with training, financial assistance, seeds and machineries for the growth of farming in the village. “In that gratitude letter, the Head GB stated that with the assistance from the horticulture department in providing the village with banana saplings, the banana plantation has borne fruit and has been selling off to the market successfully thus helping economic stability of the village”, the DHO quoted from the letter.
Lastly, the DHO made it clear to the public that he was not cheating but rather the Head GB was cheating his own people. “Since, I still cannot figure out till today, what substitute the Head GB want from me in place of the banana saplings. Instead of collecting the saplings, the Head GB warned me that he will go to the media in my office”, stated the DHO. The DHO stated that he had enough evidence to prove that he was not cheating anybody or village but rather he was rendering his assigned duties honestly. .
