Imna Along confident of ENPO’s participation at the Hornbill Festival

November 3, 2024 9 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 3

Minister for Higher Education and Tourism, Temjen Imna Along on Saturday expressed confidence that the cultural troupes from the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) will participate in the upcoming Hornbill festival.

Speaking on the sidelines at Dimapur Government College (DGC), the Minister stated that the ENPO had participated in the Hornbill festival last year and this year also I am sure they will be participating. The frontal body continues to be in negotiations for the establishment of Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) with recent reports stating that the Nagaland State cabinet has given its recommendations on the draft Memorandum of Settlement.

“We are one people, one Nagaland, different tribes may have issues but the government of the day is there to always mitigate as one people and they will surely come,” Along said.

On the question of financial autonomy for the ENPO, the Minister commented that, “all that is needed has been agreed upon by the state government. The Frontier Nagaland authority will always be a part of Nagaland and so we would want to work together.”

Along went on the state that discussions between Eastern Nagaland Legislators Union (ENLU)’s, ENPO and the State Cabinet will continue as there were certain dynamics that needed to be sorted out. This includes the need to safeguard the interests of Nagaland as a State, and the FNT as an autonomous authority, “we have to look for the best to safeguard each other’s interests,” he added.

Meanwhile, with this year’s Hornbill festival slated to mark its 25th anniversary, he mentioned that preparations at Kisama Heritage village are in full-swing .

In terms of traffic concerns at the venue, he urged upon the people to be responsible by utilizing public transport or minimizing the usage of car by sharing rides. He stated that the authority is going to the extent of curtailing VVIP convoys so as to mitigate traffic congestion. “Yes the government is working on it,” but at the same time he reminded that it is a collective responsibility of the citizens as awell.

The Minister also revealed that the Science stream at DGC will begin from next academic year. “Posts are already sanctioned, the Chief Minister and the Cabinet has approved it and the Department is in pursuit with the NPSC,” he said. So from next year onwards, DGC will become a multi-disciplinary college which is not only good enough for Nagaland but for the region, he added further.

In regard to the issue of reconstruction of the boundary wall which had collapsed, the Minister assured that funds have been earmarked, and “I hope construction will happen by end of November.”