Having felt the genuine need of the people, Government of Nagaland declared Tening Circle Office (CO) with Shri. DB Thappa as the first Circle officer in 1964 along with Mokokchung Town. Tening by now it is forty eight (48) years old town and to witness the ground reality what the Govt/public leaders have done for the area one can personally come and see for yourself the difference of Tening Town and Mokokchung Town. Development is the main agenda when elections are around but gone with the wind when elections are over. It took 48 years to open the lone bank at Tening. Who is responsible for all these? The same fate is exactly going to repeat and felt by the people of Peren district yet again.
Declared as model and planned township which is suppose to showcase the rest eleven (11) districts of Nagaland, Peren district model town was planned taking all required and necessary inputs from different department, Government of Nagaland. The pace of developmental activities as one sees is too slow as it took almost 6 years to complete 6 buildings. No water supply, no proper power connectivity, no bank, no quarters, no hotel and the road from Peren Town to New site is yet to see the light. Is the Govt. short of fund or will? But at the same time the DPDB Peren had decided to shift new complex ignoring the public view to only shift as and when at least the basic requirement is made. On 28.8.2012 some of the department HoDs had visited and verified the spot to ascertain the feasibility of shifting. Interesting they found nothing except jungle which greeted them, they had come all the way to Peren town for a cup of tea covering almost 30 km their visit to new site spoke volume of the ground reality whether it is timely and realistic as a model planned township or not.
We know that Muhammad bin Tughlak shifted his capital from Delhi to Deogiri (Daulatabad) in 1326 AD, which was shifted back to Delhi after two years. At this juncture shifting of Peren district will be another Muhammad bin Tughlak in the form of T.R. Zeliang. In this regard to have first information whether shifting will benefit the general public or otherwise I humbly request our hon’ble CM of Nagaland to kindly visit the new site of Peren district H.Q. and give your befitting opinion to DPDB Peren in this regard.
I personally do not want my people and the Nagas to experience what Tughlak had. The Government should concentrate on over all infrastructural developments as planned rather than on shifting. DPDB decision is suppose to work for the welfare of the public. Forceful and untimely shifting of the district head quarters will harass the general public. The BAR association of Dimapur and Dimapur District Citizen Forum had opposed the shifting of Dimapur HQ to Chumukedima saying that practically it is not in the interest of the public, then the shifting of Peren District Head quarters to jungle is nothing less than imposed punishment so the authority should think twice before they initiate such unrealistic decision. Any untoward incident arising due to this unwise decision may turn into ugly situation as the general public is going to suffer which the decision maker will be answerable and will be held responsible. To void all these foreseen situation there is one simple solution that is develop its infrastructure.
Visa Meru,
President,
Zeliang People Organisation (Unit),
Kohima, Nagaland
