Dimapur, October 10 (MExN): A joint meeting of pastors and the Naga Council was held October 3 where joint decisions for maintaining the old Naga cemetery were discussed.
The old Naga cemetery which was in use for more than 30 years has now run out of space and shall soon be closed. A new Naga cemetery at Zani village is expected to be commissioned for burial purposes by December this year or early next year, Naga Council general secretary W Lemba Chang informed. In the event of closure of the old cemetery, its maintenance and upkeep for posterity is imperative and for this, pastors of tribes affiliated to the Naga Council were met for discussion.
The council informed that the members agreed to cooperate and contribute to the maintenance of the old cemetery as per proposed allocation presented by the council initially for a period of one year (January-December 2008). An Old Cemetery Maintenance Co-ordination Committee drawn from Naga council and churches was decided to be set up for the work. The committee will report to the joint sitting of the council and churches as and when required. It was also resolved that the fund collected for maintenance of the old cemetery shall be operated under separate head of account and utilization report/financial statement shall be circulated made public each year.
Also, churches from other denominations, NGOs, business community and well-wishers shall be invited to participate in the maintenance project, the meeting decided. The council informed that while members have agreed to the above resolutions decisions, churches desiring to have more consultations with the council are welcomed.
The proposed annual funding pattern including from the council and the 19 affiliated Naga tribal churches amount to a grand total of Rs. 55, 500 per annum, the Naga council stated in its estimation copy received here.
