ZIRO, 15 Sep: Lower Subansiri DC Bamin Nime chaired a meeting here on Friday to review the preparations for the upcoming Ziro Festival of Music (ZFM).
The DC, who is also the ZFM chairman, informed that “a core committee will be formed soon to oversee the preparations for the mega event and to supervise the traffic, security arrangements, and waste management.”
He urged all the stakeholders to “pool in and cooperate in making the present ZFM edition a bigger success than the previous version.”
SP Keni Bagra informed that three additional companies of armed police will be deputed during the festival.
“Besides traffic management, police beat houses will be set up at the festival ground Biiri and Nago Putu, while mobile squads will be formed to keep a close vigil on the camp sites and the surrounding areas of the festival ground,” the SP informed.
Acknowledging that the camp sites play a crucial role in accommodating the last-hour visitors to the festival, District Tourism Officer Dikchu Raji said that “instant camp site registration will be done on the spot and there will be no harassment.”
Lamenting the low funding for the ZFM, compared to the Tawang Festival, the Dambuk Orange Festival and other mega festivals of the state, Tani Supun Dukun general secretary Taku Chatung said, “ZFM has become synonymous with Ziro and is reckoned as its mirror by the outside world.”
He emphasised that “the ZFM should be responsible and sensible and continue to promote the spirit and slogan of ‘Zero-drug Ziro’.”
ZFM director Bobby Hano informed that the “Takerv stage” at Kasa resort would be a new addition to the 10th edition of the ZFM, wherein performances will be staged on the 29th and the 30th.
“Some of the star performers include Grammy Award winner and Padma Bhushan awardee Pandit Vishnu Mohan Bhatt, to listen to whom 30 Swedish fans are coming all the way to Ziro, while Mohit Chauhan and Farhan Akhtar are the Bollywood attractions,” Hano informed, and added that “local artists and bands will also get equal opportunity to perform on the stage.”
The final artists’ line-up will be made known to all in a couple of days, he added.
Hano further informed that an “audit report on waste management” will be carried out by a Bangalore-based company after the festival ends, while 100 volunteers from St Claret College, Ziro will assist in waste management during the festival.
Apatani Youth Association president Tapi Mali and its general secretary Nani Tangu, Apatani Students’ Union general secretary Koj Nichi, Apatani Women Association Ziro general secretary Leegang Ania, representatives of the Apatani Tour Operators Union and tour guides also shared their views at the meeting, which was attended by several HoDs, members of bazaar committees and the Meha Pillo youth group. (DIPRO)
