Liyai village commemorates 100th 'Naga labour corps to France'
Source: The Sangai Express
Senapati, May 14 2018:
Liyai Khullen village (Poumai) observed its village 100th 'Naga labour corps to France' with PHED Minister L Dikho as chief guest and president Naga Hoho P Chuba Ozukum as guest of honour at Liyai Khullen village under Senapati district on May 12.L Dikho, while addressing to people gathering at the occasion, lauded the organizing committee and the village for observing a grand ceremony to honour the brave 32 persons of the village, who walked from village till Dimapur as a sign of great sacrifice, pride and achievement for the whole village.
He said that Liyai Khullen village sent maximum number of persons from the district.
The Minister advised the villagers to observe the occasion with a vision and a purpose to produce many leaders from the village to lead the society, as the village has set a good example of sending maximum persons to France.
Stressing the importance of modern life, he appealed the village to plan and strive for alleviating the economic status of the village for a better life.
The Minister challenged the parents to invest their children in quality education and to encouraged them to join civil services and other allied services.
He also emphasized the importance of preserving the flora and fauna in the village and urged the village leaders to make plans for attracting tourists in the village so to generate revenue and improve the economic status of the people.
L Dikho called upon the villagers to change the wrong traditional mindset of inviting MLA or Minister as chief during festival but to invite the MLA concerned to visit or inspect for any necessary developmental activities in the particular area.
He further urged the village youth organizations to take up the initiative of planting trees on roadsides for beautification and attraction of tourists.
He said a two-lane road project from Tadubi-Ukhrul with a total cost of Rs 1500 crores would be taken up shortly and urged the landowners to cooperate with the Govt for early completion.
He assured that all the village roads under his Kendra would be blacktopped in his tenure and sought the public cooperation to fulfil the aim.
Naga Hoho president Chuba Ozukum in his address as guest of honour said that sending labour corps to France was a great sacrifice while reminding the gathering that the selected persons were intelligent, brave, physically fit and strong.
He recalled that, according to the forefathers, many Naga labour corps died on the way to France and on their way back due to various diseases.
Chuba reminded the gathering that sending Naga labour corps to France during 1917 was a blessing in disguise as, the Nagas learnt and realized the.
need of unity which was an eye opener for the Nagas to come together and formed the historic Naga club.
Speaking on the protracted Naga political issue, Ozukum called upon the various sections of Nagas to come together leaving aside the differences and also highlighted the ongoing Naga political peace process and its development with the Centre Govt.Earlier, the chief guest and guest honour unveiled the monolith where all the names of the 32 labour corps were engraved in the stone and tree saplings were also planted.
Village chief D Paoyu invoked the traditional blessing before unveiling the monolith.
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