Tali Longkumer
Kohima
A number of works are visibly in progress in the town under the Kohima Smart city programme. Hopefully the entire citizens of the town disregard the status, age and sex will equally receive the benefits that may be generated out of the above programme.
Having said that, I would like to take the readers to apparently an unassuming and unsophisticated yet an important area called the Moa Market, Kohima that presumably falls under the radar of Smart City Programme. This is a market where the interest of most of the citizens are either directly or indirectly linked as this market supply most of the essential commodities to the kitchens of Kohima that serves food for the very important or less important citizens of the town. Any pictures or films that portray the various faces of the Town through Medias will invariably feature few pictures of this market. Visits to Kohima, that is presently undergoing a beautification surgery, will not be complete unless visitors from outside the State pay a visit to the Mao market that should have been the pride of the Town but in reality it is presently languishing with dirt, filth and neglect.
Presently most of the buildings that are apparently constructed half-heartily, devoid of any engineering skills are in shambles. The compartments are congested, unhygienic and hazardous to the safety of one’s health. The area is highly vulnerable to fire and in the event of accidental fire outbreak, the entire area will go up in smoke within minutes involving loss of human lives also. Most of the sell counters are in a pathetic condition. The counter where dogs meat are sold exhibits a picture of concern where under the full view of bystanders, dogs are being killed with blunt weapons in brute manners and its meat sold in unhygienic conditions. The stinking smoke that is emitted as a result of burning the skin of the butchered dogs automatically moves upwards and reaches the vegetable counter at the next upper floor of the market where most of the vendors that are manned by the friends from the plains are obliged to endure the pungent smell gracefully.
Situations are not better at stalls where chickens are sold. The stalls here are not only noisy but filthy. Here customer’s has to learn the bargaining skills while buying. None either the seller or the buyer are interested to know the rates fixed by the authority. Here it is the skill of bargaining that matters most. There is every possibility that a customer maybe either paying more or less then the rates fixed. The scene at the pork and beef counter is slightly different. Here there is less noise and less bargaining but one may have to pay what has been told with a little degree of discipline, lest they may go home without meat.
Much of the shortcomings of the market are attributed to the poor supervision and control by the concern authority. For the improvement of this market, I would like to make few humble suggestions:
1. Plan to construct a supermarket complex under smart city programme at the same venue, provided the area is free from any encumbrances.
2. In such a complex, sufficient opportunities should be opened up to the Naga entrepreneurs especially to the youths in taking up various trades that are promising and sustainable.
3. Government should encourage such entrepreneurs by providing liberal financial incentives.
There is also a need for the planners of the above programmes in using their brains but less it’s frawn in realizing the above visions into reality.
