Some of those who Some of those who voted YES had this to say:
• Yes! Good roads can boost tourism more than hornbill festival does.
• Yes. To begin with there is No Hornbill Festival budget as such. It is amazing that after all these years there does not seem to be any properly thought out budget for the Hornbill Festival. Everything seems to be ad-hoc and money is taken from different departments to host the Hornbill festival. There is no proper accountability. So I agree that the budget for the Hornbill fest would be better used for repairing the roads.
• Yes. Spending money which are meant for development or are public money in hornbill festival does not sound good. Celebrating hornbill festival lavishly is like having a party before the results of stds are out because infrastructures like road in Nagaland is pathetic everywhere... So what is the point special govt. Money in such festivals when people want better road...
• Yes! Definitely! Building roads is more important than showcasing festivals.
• Yes. No debate here. People need their basic rights. Horn bill festival are nothing but a distraction caused by the govt to the people and to make believe that All is Well. Remove such unwanted festivities and concentrate on the basic rights of the citizens.
• Yes. I am still at awe of admiration of our govt in their determination to carry on the yearly festivities even when amongst civil calamity. Firstly, if only the connecting roads are pliable for humans, so will the tourists flock. An sure people from outside Nagaland will be laughing at the Nagas.
• Yes. Development is more important than festival.
• Yes, because Nagaland really needs good roads and we deserve good roads. How can we have Hornbill festival without good roads? And the citizens should not be making or repairing rods, when we have a rich govt who should be doing that. The govt has a duty to take care of its citizens so no need for hornbill festival without good roads.
• Why not? What is the use of having Hornbill Festival when the government functionaries have totally collapsed? What makes the public frustrating most of all is that the present state government doesn’t know the difference between what it NEEDS to do and what it WANTS to do. For years the people’s representatives have been enjoying their own lives at the expense of people who voted them to power. When will these people come to their sense? And when will the general public learn to stand for their right? Hornbill festival does not benefit the general public, therefore the priority of the govt should be the welfare of the people, not their own enjoyment. Moreover, it is a shameful thing to invite foreigners to Nagaland at this point of time when everything is falling apart!
• Yes. Development is often judged by good road and drainage systems. Hornbill festival without good road is a shame to all of us.
• Yes, much better. Hornbill festival is an occasion of bringing people together for once but roads are the lifeline of our relationship, the best route for communication. Without good roads there is no way for development. Even sometimes lives are lost because of deplorable condition of roads.
• Absolutely yes. Nagaland is still far behind to have a merry making festival. We still lack proper Electricity, good road and many more. It is wise in govt's part to concentrate on human development, Employment opportunities, infrastructural development, Medical and engineering colleges, reviving of the existing factories in Nagaland instead of spending crores of money on merry making. I say NO to Hornbill festival.
• Absolutely YES... Besides, it's not like there is any profit and even though there is, it gets siphoned off. So, much more better if roads are repair or rebuilt in some cases or built for the first time for most cases. Instead of celebrating the festival of a bird which is not protected nor our tradition neither its place of origin is here...
• Yes, Proper standard road is the heart of the state.
• Yes. Road is the lifeline of connectivity. We can generate more state income with proper roads. Focus should be on year round development of economy not focusing just on the hornbill festival because last few years the state has not generated profit from the festival.
• Yes. Why spend on pride at the cost of requirements.
• Yes. Good roads. From Dimapur to Kohima will lead to Tourist to enjoy Hornbill better.
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• No. As much as I detest the concerned government officials, politicians and contractors for utterly failing to provide good roads to its citizens, I disagree with the diversion of budget from hornbill to repairing roads. A government cannot function like that and is not supposed to. But then again, ours is such a pathetic state of affair that the government doesn't even know how to run itself.
• No, while the budget sanctioned for the festival may raise some eyebrows, the Hornbill Festival has given Nagaland some recognition in the National as well as the International level. Hornbill Festival does provide employment opportunities and opens up the possibility of Nagaland being a tourist hot spot all year round and not just the first week of December. It is upto us to realise this and capitalise on it. While the road maybe below standard, the onus of it authorities and civil organisation to check quality when it is being repaired in one's own colony. there is enough funding from the government for repair of the main arterial. It is the duty of the authorities and the civil organisation to make sure they are used for the purpose and not misused. If that is done then the budget earmarked for Hornbill is justified.
• No. Specified funds earmarked for specified programmes ought not to be diverted except under extraordinary circumstances. If only the government could put in as much effort it does into our roads like the way it does for Hornbill.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• The question is whether the Nagaland government even has an earmarked budget specifically for the Hornbill Festival. Going by past records it may be more like diverting funds from different departments for the Hornbill Festival.
• Kohima is not only the mirror of Nagaland but its also the mirror of Nagas. Let the festival be reduced to 2 days and use the money for road repairs.
• First, let them use the budget earmarked for making/repairing/maintaining roads instead of lining their pockets.
• First road repairing after that so called hornbill festival.
• Before yes or no my question is, does the Hornbill Festival generate any revenue for the government? If yes how is it spent? If it generate more revenue than the propose state government budget and being used for developmental activities it is YES but so long as the government continue to spent public money without positive outputs it is looting the people for merry making n enjoyment of the few influential people n some politicians! In this case it is better to understand that the BIRD itself will be cursing those people as well....
• With all the money if we repair the roads tourist will flock in round the year.
• Hornbill festival is the pride of Nagaland and Northeast. Maybe because of Horrible situation prevailing here, the first thing everyone will say is to stop this . But we still have to project Nagaland as an exotic destination for tourist and this can be done only through this kind of festival. Which will give rise to employment to local people. Only wish that these Greedy politicians, bureaucrats, Technocrats will have a sense of patriotism and take pride in showing to the world the development, rich cultural heritage.
They dont understand the reality that flaunting ill acquired wealth while going outside of Nagaland does not impress outsiders . Rather they are cracking wise jokes on them. For however much wealth you have individually, people perception of you is based on how advanced, developed, cultured and educated is the place you come from.
