DIBRUGARH, Feb 6 � The festival of culture and rich bio-diversity � Namdapha Eco-cultural Festival � the fifth in a row, got under way on Friday beside the picturesque Noa-Dihing River at Miao in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. Minister of Horticulture Honchun Ngandam heralded the unfolding of the 3 day extravaganza as Chief Guest by beating the traditional gong amidst the presence of various dignitaries and thousands of people at the much-embellished festival venue.
Appreciating the endeavour of the people for initiating the festival, Ngandam gave a clarion call to the people of the region to preserve the rich bio-diversity, particularly found in Namdapha National Park, which is a prominent theme of the event. Lamenting the traditional practice of hunting and fishing and degradation of forest resources, he called upon the people to introspect and change their outlook. �Killing of animals was considered to be a manly quality earlier, but we have to rethink over this�, he said and urged all sections of people, particularly the leaders to desist from such practices.
The Horticulture Minister also came down heavily on �the prevailing negative attitude of the people� of Tirap and Changlang districts and rampant opium addiction. He termed the habit as a major obstacle to the way of development and asked the people to march shoulder to shoulder with other developed societies of the state.
Setong Sena, Finance and IPR and Printing Minister lauded the organisers for offering a common platform for all communities to interact, exchange ideas and to forge communal harmony and unity. He also appreciated their initiative for integrating the theme of preservation of environment in the celebration of the festival. Terming the practice of rampant destruction of environment in the name of development as a negative trend, the Finance Minister appealed the people of the region to help preserve the rich bio-diversity of Namdapha National Park.
Sena also stressed on maintaining peace for overall development of people. Maintaining that �Peace is a prerequisite for development�, he asked the people of Tirap, Changlang and Lohit in particular to shed �their customary lethargic image� and develop a new and positive attitude so that they can go hand in hand with other advanced communities.
He also announced that with the clearance given by Forest Department for construction of Miao-Vijaynagar road which passes through the Namdapha National Park, preparation of DPR and other survey works are on. To the cheer of hundreds of government officials present on the occasion, the Finance Minister also assured release of remaining 15 month arrear within March this year.
Earlier, Sethai Sena, organising president of the festival, welcomed the guests and informed that this unique celebration primarily aims at promoting the rich cultural heritage of the people besides highlighting unparalleled natural and wildlife resources of the area. He expressed hope that with the initiative, the people would be able to highlight the issue and attract both domestic and foreign visitors.
Miao MLA Kamlung Mossang said nature has been kind to the people by bestowing immense resources. According to him, a visit to Namdapha National Park is lifetime luck and informed that major objective of the festival is to transform Namdapha as the number one tourism destination.
He expressed hope that the occasion would help promote the rich cultural and environmental resources of the entire state to the outside world.
Youth Affairs and Sports Parliamentary Secretary Wangki Lowang, while participating in the festival, said that the Namdapha National Park has brought laurels to the people. He urged the people to help preserve its rich bio-diversity.
On the occasion a souvenir of the festival and a book on Namdapha National Park were also released by Setong Sena and Wangki Lowang respectively.
Organised beside beautiful Nao-Dihing River at Miao in a 10 acre area, around five thousand people of adjoining villages and neighbouring Assam thronged the venue this morning to enjoy the beautiful landscape and cultural extravaganza. Participated by several NGOs, private agencies including OIL India, the site is packed with over 162 stalls, and cultural troupes of all communities of the state besides mainstream India thus converting the event into a melting pot of culture.
Many dignitaries including Phosum Khimum, Parliamentary Secretary Geology and Mining, Thinghaap Taiju, Parliamentary Secretary IPR and Printing, Thangwang Wangham, Parliamentary Secretay Trade and Commerce and several senior government officers and dignitaries also participated on the occasion.
Apart from traditional food exhibition, exhibition by all government departments and private agencies, conducted tours to various locations, traditional games and sports, fashion shows, folk songs and dances are being conducted in the three-day show.
