Ziro should be identified as centre of culture, pitches MoS Rijiju

ZIRO, Sept 26: The 3rd edition of Ziro Festival of Music got underway yesterday with Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs inaugurating the event at Biirii ground here.
Appreciating the organizer for conducting ZFM consecutively for three years which is gaining popularity as an annual event, he assured to take it up with the State govt for extending necessary support to make it a regular feature.
Ziro being located at centre of the State, many important events have taken place here including announcement of renaming NEFA to Arunachal Pradesh in January 1972, for which it should be identified not only as geographical centre but also as centre of culture, heritage and so on, he opined.
To bringing development into an area and to modernize the traditional practices in accordance with time is necessary but in the process we destroy environment unmindfully which bring in negative impact, the MoS said while suggesting people to not to tarnish the present beauty of Ziro Valley in the name of modernization.
He also suggested for retaining the basic identity like culture. You should promote and improve culture but do not change it, he added.
Referring to “irresponsive” attitude of Central govt in the past, he said that though Arunachal Pradesh is located in a strategic point yet New Delhi was not giving due attention to its people. “My priority would be to create ambiance in Parliament, Central govt and country as a whole so that people of Arunachal are respected,” he added.
“Though the sun rays kiss Arunachal first but the ray of development does not touch Arunachal as compared to other states. During my tenure, I will put all my efforts so that rays of development fall equally in all the states including Arunachal,” he avowed.
With a huge applause from the gathering, Rijiju ‘assured’ to bring changes to all the sectors like education, sanitation, health etc in Arunachal Pradesh.
Responding to a memorandum submitted by local MLA Tage Taki, the MoS ‘assured’ to fulfill the demand for augmentation of drinking water at Ziro during his tenure so that everybody in Ziro gets access to water supply. Besides, he also committed to provide Ambulance, X-ray machine and other equipments for District Hospital Ziro during the current financial year.
The MoS was accompanied by a host of dignitaries including Secretary NEC visited the stalls in the festival ground.
Later, the Secretary NEC while considering it a great initiative said that the Ziro Festival of Music will become a major event in future which will attract tourists in large scale.
Earlier, Tanga Byalin, State Home Minister, PWD Minister Gojen Gadi and Likha Saaya, Parl Secy among others held a brief meeting with the MoS.