Dr. Keneilhoulie Medom, Managing Director of KOHIMAS Hospital, in collaboration with the Directorate of Tourism department under Minister for Tourism Temjen Imna Along on Wednesday initiated a cleanliness drive under the theme KAM-Cleanliness drive (KAM meaning work in Nagamese) here at The Heritage, Kisama.
Dr Keneilhoulie Medom, who also runs a Bed and Breakfast, has been hosting tourists in Nagaland for the last 8 years and lately he realised that tourists have been visiting Kohima throughout the year and not only during the Hornbill Festival. Kisama being one of the top places visited by tourists with a model village representing all the tribe houses giving the tourists a peek into the Naga culture, he felt that the place is clean only during the festivity time but at other times, it lacks proper sanitation with plastic wrappers and wastes everywhere.
“Tourism is not just 10 days of Hornbill Festival. Now, tourism is year-round in Nagaland. High end tourists are coming after the Hornbill, so it is so important to keep Kisama clean year-round,” said Dr. Medom.
College students and the Assam Rifles joined the cleanliness drive at The Heritage, Kisama on 19 April 2023.
He said it is every citizens responsibility to keep their city clean and with that responsibility he felt that students from various colleges, should also join the drive because we believe that it all starts from the educational institutions, where we can impart good habits and teach the young minds.
Tourism being the window to Nagaland, he said, “The world sees, feels, and tastes the mysterious beauty, diverse culture, and tradition, unique food habits through tourism. It creates a sense of curiosity about the mystical ways of the Nagas, draws them to learn and explore, and participate-and Tourism opens this opportunity.”
He also mentioned that this is a non profitable drive, which is solely based, organised and operated for a collective and public benefit only.
He also shared that when he shared the idea of the cleanliness drive to Minister Temjen Imna along, without any hesitation or flinching, he got on board and asked me “Ki kaam kuri dibo moi para?” and added “to be very honest I was even more motivated than how I was when I thought of the idea.”
Further, he exuded hope that this small act that began today will continue to be a chain reaction of many such initiatives in the future. He urged upon the citizens to make cleanliness a personal commitment and to be more selfless even in the days to come.
Minister Temjen Imna and MLA Dr. Tseilhoutuo Rhutso pose with Assam Rifles personnel at the cleaniliness drive.
Meanwhile, Minister Temjen Imna in his brief address encouraged the citizens to keep not only the Heritage Kisama and tourists spots clean but the entire Kohima city and Nagaland clean. He also said that this drive should not end here but should continue every month and called upon the colleges and schools of both government and private to step forward and take the initiative every month.
Apart from Japfü Christian College Kigwema and Kohima College Kohima, the Assam Rifles, Tourism department and musicians also came forward for the cleanliness drive.
All the materials for the drive were donated by MLA Dr Tseilhoutuo Rhutso (Dr. Ato).
