Tradition amidst development: The Angh’s house in Chetwetnyu village in Mon district still retains the traditional ‘tuko-patta’ roofing despite the village having achieved cent percent rural housing. On the right of the Angh’s house is the upcoming multi-purpose building and on the left is seen a solar street lamp
Morung Express News
Chenwetnyu | February 29
One of the remotest villages in Mon district bordering Myanmar is a trend setter in community development and the first village in the district to achieve cent percent rural housing. Chenwetnyu village, located some 71kms from Mon district headquarters via Aboi, is also one of the cleanest villages in Nagaland and the first in Mon district to install solar street lamps in the village streets in 2013.
The success story of Chenwetnyu is one of active community participation and a conscious effort of villagers to overcome the imposed ‘backward’ tag. In 2009, after a meeting of all villagers, Chenwetnyu Village Council passed a resolution to approach the Nagaland state government for 100 percent CGI roofing of the village under Indira Awaz Yojna (IAY) scheme.
“The golden jubilee celebration of Chenwetnyu Village Baptist Church was to be held in December 2010 and we desired to achieve 100 percent rural housing to cap the jubilee celebration. The government graciously conceded to our application and we were able to achieve our goal just before the jubilee celebration,” informed Chairman of Chenwetnyu Village council, PM Nockpai Konyak, to visiting media persons. However, the CGI sheets provided under IAY scheme was not enough to cover the roofs of 400 plus tax-paying households and so villagers pooled resources from various VDB funds and contributions to achieve their total rural housing target.
Today, only a couple of houses including the Angh’s (village chief) house still retain the traditional ‘Tuko patta’ roofs to preserve the ancient Konyak way of building houses. The judicious use of VDB schemes and fund is manifested in the village roads and drainages, retaining walls, footpaths, morungs, the village council guest house, community water tank and, an upcoming three-storied multi-purpose building adjacent to the Angh’s house.
Chenwetnyu VDB, one of 21 VDBs under Chen RD Block, received the ‘Best VDB Award’ under Mon district in 2011. The Chenwetnyu Village Students’ Union (CVSU) has been at the forefront in instilling civic sense here. The union banned open rearing of pigs within the village jurisdiction since 1983 and has been carrying out regular cleanliness and beautification drives. Intoxicants like liquor and tobacco products are banned within the village and CVSU keeps vigil on shops to ensure strict compliance.
“Last year our theme was ‘Year of cleanliness.’ This year’s CVSU theme is ‘Year of Education’ and as part of the theme, we have opened a pre-school facility attached to the Government Primary School and teachers are paid by charity group of the village,” said a CVSU leader. Chenwetnyu is also set to declare itself a “Green Village” by April this year. “Not only will all house roofs of the village be painted green, but restrictions on hunting and fishing will also be imposed thereafter,” a village elder said.
The progress and development within the village is in sharp contrast to the deplorable roads in the Chen RD Block and Mon district as a whole.
According to elders of the village, Chenwetnyu derives its name from (Chen –people and Wotzu –gathering place of animals). Of the total 14 Chen dialect speaking villages, 10 villages fall under Myanmar and 4 villages in Nagaland (Chenwetnyu, Chenloisho, Chenmoho and Wangti.
