As is proven that “Man is a Social Animal” it is obvious and inevitable that we Nagas too, whether rich or poor, enlightened or ignorant, strong, powerful or weak, good or bad, have to live as a society and will be looked and judged as a society. It is observed that at this present juncture there is a mad rush for personal development with total disregard and at the cost of our society. Yet, the realisation should dawn on use that there is no guarantee to peace of mind, satisfaction and a harmonoius living where you have a sense of pride in who your are, unless your society progresses in tandem and in a systematic and just order. As the world has become a global village and is exposed to use, so also we are exposed to others and we’ll be judged by what our society is and not as individuals.
Our society comparatively is in a cradle stage, yet, should not be a ‘cradle to grave’ phenomenon, we too ought to grow wherein it should be a collective responsibility of each and every citizen to contribute towards positive growth. Sense of oneness and belonging, healthy debates and suggestions followed by positive actions is one need of the hour. In this aspect, as is amply clear with numerous instances that in public life individuals occupying pivotal positions can make a difference, it is expected that our people occupying pivotal positions display more passion, zeal and commitment to what they say and do.
Some of the recent positive developments taking place are a welcome sign and needs to be lauded and truly appreciated by one and all. For instance the signing of the document of the “covenant of reconciliation” by the leaders of our three Naga underground groups at Chiangmai Thailand, the eviction drive of illegal encroachers at our Intangki Forest, banishment of illegal taxes in various check gates with an assurance for stringent punishment to the indulgers by our Govt, the Kohima Village Youth Organization with their magnanimity coupled with their accommodativeness, coming all out to assist the Traffic with the interest of the general public in view, the Nagaland Police, in particular the North PS personnel, against the backdrop of their onerous responsibility and shortage of manpower busting and apprehending the car lifter gang which had been posing a grave menace, so on and so forth. Yet, definitely it is not time for us to rest, stop, gloat or fall back to slumber for those few positive steps. Instead we should be persistent and more vigour should be added each day towards the perusal of positive developments if we are to get out of the throes of our many morasses and grab a niche in this comity.
Towards this end, for promotion of our image it is pertinent and obvious that we focus on our capital and our commercial hub. It need not necessarily be at the cost of depriving the other district headquarters, but can be initiated through internal arrangement and rectification. Our capital and commercial hub should be in a position to depict our image in the right perspective to the outsiders (Tourist) and also worthy for the other districts to look up to and emulate.
With due acknowledgement of the effort and commendable services being rendered by our esteemed K.M.C and D.M.C, against the backdrop of the daunting task and onerous responsibility and against all odds, it is pertinent to state an obvious lacunae that needs introspection and immediate attention. Lack of public toilets in both the respective cities is a big setback and an inconvenience for both our people and the outsiders, which have the tendency to dent our image even beyond our borders also setting a bad example to the other districts. Supposing while a Tourist taking a tour of our city happen to need a nature call, where do they find a place to rest? We cannot expect them to use the one, two urinals that are filled with shits. As clarified by our Home Minister that Municipal Corporations are authorized to collect taxes as provisioned under Nagaland Municipal Act 2001, if there happens to be a provision why not impose parking taxes on non-commercial vehicles too, instead of simply phooey phooeying at the commercial vehicles like the taxis, mini buses, auto rickshaws and rickshaws which are paying taxes and generating revenue, the same could be utilized for construction of public amenities, in the form of pay toilets. Such an exercise will ultimately generate employment, instill a sense of responsibility and bring about the much needed sigh of relief. Moreover it also have the tendency, to ease Traffic congestion, because some private vehicles are parked in the main thoroughfare for long hours and even the whole day, just because the owner happens to be whiling away without a definite purpose or happens to be in booze joint.
Time and again public have had to undergo harrowing experience whenever a vehicle breaks down in the middle of the city, because it had to be waited upon to be repaired in the absence of a towing facility. In due process a lot of precious working hours, fuel is wasted and public traumatized. It takes 2-3 hours to cross a 2 km stretch of road, we can well imagine how it will augur for our image and the perception that the tourist will have of us and its long-term impact. When a single individual can afford even dozens of fancy cars, why can’t we provide our law and order enforcing agencies the required facility? With the ever increasing vehicular traffic, its regulation has become a daunting task, yet inspite of shortage of manpower and equipment our traffic personnel are performing commendable services; it would be prudent of us to acknowledge their effort and plight. A family cannot continue to cook the same quantity of food even after expansion, neither can it continuously serve the same curry. Rather it is time to provide adequate trained personnel, moreover sufficient gadgets such as walkie talkies will be handy, because at present the best our traffic personnel can do is shout some angry words on the violators. Irrespective of big or small it is high time violators are penalised and sense of accountability instilled and orderliness restored. As Christians we ought to remember that “our God loves orderliness”. We should no longer continue to make corruption a high-profit and low-risk activity, instead its time we make corruption a low-profit and a high-risk activity.
It is not an intention to state the obvious an rake up an issue, nor is it intended to preach. Rather it is an honest opinion and humble suggestions for us to collectively introspect and take a step each day to find a way out of our many morasses, keeping in view our identity as a nation and society, and our destiny and future that lie ahead, which can be shaped by non other than ourselves.
Kechangulie Kense
Gen. Secretary
Nagaland Tourism Association
