Staff Reporter
ITIANAGAR, 16 Feb: Oriah, the festival of the Wancho tribe was celebrated across the state with fanfare and various activities on Wednesday.
At Wakka, Tali MLA Jikke Tako lauded the people of Wakka area for preserving their age-old tradition and culture and urged them to preserve it for posterity.
“Wakka area can become a tourist hub of the state if international trade roads are connected with Myanmar. It will immensely help the educated unemployed youth of the district. A proposal for international trade roads connectivity can be submitted by the locals of Wakka area to the government for further approval,” he suggested.
Tirap DC Taro Mize urged the people of Wakka circle to shun opium cultivation and appealed to the Wancho council, religious leaders, PRI members, women SHGs and intellectuals to help put a complete ban on opium cultivation.
Minister for RWD Honchun Ngandam was also present on the occasion.
Earlier, MLA Jikke Tako had visited the primary health centre, KGBV and Don Bosco School at Wakka.
At Kanubari, Bordumsa-Diyun MLA Somlung Mossang urged the Wancho people to focus on all round development of the society and contribute towards the growth of the state.
“The TCL districts share only one percent of the state’s total government employees, which indicates that quality education and participation in competitive examinations need to be enhanced greatly. We may reside in the three districts of TCL after Changlang and Longding was carved out of the original Tirap for administrative convenience and effective development, yet our affection and emotions are intact despite physical divisions,” said Mossang.
The MLA also called for preservation of the state’s rich flora and fauna.
Kanubari ADC Techu Aran also called upon the people to preserve and protect one’s rich traditions and culture inherited from their forefathers.
Kanubari ZPM Panjam Wangsa, Major Ankit and Captain Dubey of 40 AR, HoDs and others attended the celebrations.
People in Chubam circle of Longding also celebrated Oriah for peace, prosperity and successful harvest in the region.
In the capital, the Wancho community residing here celebrated Oriah at the TCL festival ground here in Senki View from 14 to 16 February.
Attending the final day celebrations, Agriculture Minister Tage Taki urged the youths to be self-reliant and not to depend only on government jobs.
The event was also attended by Namsai MLA Zignu Namchoom and Capital DC Talo Potom. (With inputs from PRO, DIPR)
