Dimapur, February 26 (MExN): The Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), East Dimapur Business Association (EDBA) and the Naga Women Hoho Dimapur (NWHD) have come out in support of the Naga Council Dimapur, Dimapur Urban Colony Chairman Federation and GB Union Dimapur demand to lift the Sunday shop closure “imposed” by the NSCN (IM) and welcomed by the Dimapur Baptist Pastors’ Fellowship.
They have appealed to the NSCN (IM) to lift the Sunday shop closure, particularly healthcare, eateries, restaurants and hotels.
A press release from Keninguno Kath, NWHD Publicity & Information, appealed for this “as Dimapur caters not only to the public of Dimapur but also for people travelling to and fro Dimapur.”
Since the imposition of shop closure on Sunday, the DCCI and EDBA stated that they have met the NSCN-UT-1 CAO on two occasions to lift closure on food joints, confectioneries, medicine, groceries, perishable items and travel and tour agencies and apprised him of the difficulty of the business community, travellers and the public. The CAO-UT 1 is said to have responded “positively” to relax medicine, confectionaries, travel agencies and lodging hotels.
“However, in absence of proper directives, there has been huge confusion and unwanted elements taking undue advantage of Sunday closure and harassing the business community in every opportune time,” stated the DCCI and EDBA in a press release.
Expressing disappointment at the “lackadaisical attitude,” the DCCI and EDBA informed that the CAO had also told them that on other businesses and trades, “proper directive from the home Kilonser will be taken,” but no such decision has been intimated to the business community thus far.
The DCCI and EDBA appreciated the “intention” of Sunday shop closure as a Christian state but “considering the fact that Dimapur is the commercial capital of Nagaland and being cosmopolitan in nature the shop closure on Sunday is impractical and self-defeating as shop closure have not restrained hundreds and thousands of shoppers from Nagaland going for shopping in nearby town of Assam on Sunday resulting in huge revenue losses and heavy losses to those dealing with the perishable items and creating untold inconveniences to the public/consumers.”
