Al Ngullie & Masangum
August 13
DIMAPUR/PEREN (MExN): The NPF-led DAN Government’s decision to upgrade Peren sub-division to a full-fledged district remains a hot topic of discussion among the people of Peren today. A senior leader of the Zeliangrong Baudi (Hoho) disclosed that New Peren might most probably be the new district headquarters. According to an unofficial survey conducted recently, a copy of which was made available to The Morung Express, of the 85 recognized villages under Peren district, an overwhelming 62 villages were in favour of New Peren as the site for the district headquarters. The rest 12 villages favoured Lamhai Dungki while the other 11 villages wanted Peren town as the site.
Keeping in mind the grand nature of the initiative, the NPF-led DAN government in Nagaland had constituted a Site Selection Committee to decide on a suitable site for the establishment of Peren as a district headquarter. Members of the Committee had visited about two or three proposed sites and are understood to have devised some guidelines on which site would be most suitable. However according to latest information some more areas are being examined as “pre-emptive measures.” The assessment is also understood to have implicitly taken into account factors of land ownership and whether the proposed ‘sites’ are free from any dispute. According to sources, the report of the Site Selection Committee is slated to be submitted very soon apparently to coincide with the 8th Session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. “It has led to speculations if the creation of Peren sub-division would be realized within a month or so” said an observer. The selection committee comprise of senior bureaucrats. The Government however is tight-lipped on the issue.
Highly-placed sources, meanwhile informed that the Site Selection Committee ‘unofficially’ suggested New Peren as the Headquarter since it was found to be the most appropriate as compared to other sites inspected both in terms of convenience, infrastructure and accessibility. The official who is involved in the selection process also said that the people of Peren were also in favour of New Peren to be instituted into a new district headquarter.
The suspense over the selection site has already been heightened by the Government’s pledge to create the proposed site into a model district headquarter in Nagaland, which, if the assurances materializes, would be the first of its kind in the State with the hallowed tag of ‘Model’. It also means the district would enjoy a special status within the governance of the State in terms of facilities and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, affirming the people’s choice, Zeliangrong Baudi’s President Dennis Elung in an interview with The Morung Express, said that a majority of villages under Peren area were in support of having New Peren as the new district headquarters. “I have always stood and respected the people’s will, and would like to make things very clear, that the government constituted committee should understand and respect the desire of the people. They should not succumb to pressures from vested interest persons or groups. As long as I head this apex body, I shall stand by the people’s wish at all cost”, Dennis Elung said. He also informed that the Zelaingrong Hoho had ‘endorsed the people’s desire’ to the government and it is now up to the government to take the process further.
There are currently 85 recognized villages/outposts in Peren.
