JAIRAMPUR, Nov 12: Nampong MLA Laisam Simai on Tuesday chaired a meeting with government officers here in Changlang district, in view of the 8th edition of the Pangsau Pass International Festival (PPIF), which is scheduled to be held next year.
The MLA informed the officers and the festival committee members present that initiatives are being taken to celebrate the PPIF “in a different way” this time.
He informed that Nonkey, Tikhak Taipe and Kovin have been selected as “festival villages, where mini-festivals will be organized simultaneously with the main festival.”
The MLA said all possible steps would be taken to engage local youths in the festival activities, so that the benefits percolate down to the villages. He said, however, that the event management would be outsourced for preparing the main stage, lighting, and music system, in order to ensure quality.
“No stone will be left unturned this time to make the festival tourist-friendly,” Simai said, and sought cooperation from all and sundry to make it a reality.
Informing that the border haat at Pangsau Pass would be made functional before the festival begins, he asked the stakeholders to make all arrangements accordingly. He underscored that the festival venue would be “single-use plastic-free.”
Stating that good behaviour of the locals is paramount to promote tourism in the area, Changlang DC RK Sharma urged everyone to take care of that aspect. He also advocated properly training volunteers in advance to ensure effective services, and suggested “appointing nodal officers for every field.”
Sharma also suggested inviting people from Myanmar to set up stalls at the venue.
All Arunachal Pradesh Tourist Association secretary-general Bengia Mrinal shared his experience in tourism management, and enumerated innovative, easy, and effective ideas to make the festival tourist-friendly and a grand success.
Besides the celebration committee members, the SP and Jairampur ADC SS Choudhury offered inputs.
The three-day PPIF will be celebrated from 20 January next year.
