Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday administered a pledge on the Hamara Arunachal Abhiyan (HAA) to a massive gathering of people representing NGOs, student community, government organisations, community-based organisations and various civil society organisations from across the state.
The pledge was taken at Indira Gandhi Park on the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi Jayanti. It aimed to restore Arunachal its crowning glory and to make the state an “island of peace”. Khandu said the mission was to give thrust to the Team Arunachal campaign. He said Arunachal is a challenging state in terms of cultural diversity. “So to bring the feeling of oneness among Arunachalees, both the government and people must take a proactive part,” he said.
He said any breakdown in law and order discourages investment, which is vital for economic development.
The chief minister said the mission will continue up to 2024with funds sourced from the corporate sector.
Khandu released Picture Gandhi, a best-selling book on Mahatma Gandhi published by Tulika Publishers for children, translated into five tribal languages of Arunachal — Adi, Apatani, Mishmi, Nyishi, Nocte and also the Bodo language of Assam.
The book is originally written in English by award-winning author Sandhya Rao. Khandu felicitated the six translators from six tribes of Arunachal and Assam.
He also launched a solar mission and administered the pledge to students from various schools to play the role of student solar ambassador.
Earlier Khandu, along with the council of ministers, MLAs, chief secretary, DGP, senior officers and officials from the district administration and the Itanagar Municipal Council actively participated in the mass social service to get rid of plastic wastes.
In Mizoram, chief minister Zoramthanga on Wednesday appealed to denizens to remember and imbibe Mahatma Gandhi’s message of non-violence in daily life.
Addressing Gandhi Jayanti celebrations at Vanapa Hall here, Zoramthanga lauded the Father of The Nation as the epitome of love and peace.
He highlighted measurers taken to ensure the success of Swachh Bharat Movement.
Zoramthanga also released two manuals, Jal Shakti Campus and Jal Shakti Gram, published by the Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education under the ministry of human resource development to help higher education institutions in developing strategies, action plans and implementation plans for water conservation on the campuses and in the villages with which the campuses are engaged with.
Biate in Champhai district was declared the cleanest town in the state and was awarded Rs 1 lakh.
Serchhip bagged first prize in cleanest urban town in headquarters-urban category, which carried a memento, certificate and Rs 1 lakh, followed by Lunglei and Kolasib.
Deputy chief minister Tawnluia, said Swachh Bharat movement is a continuation of Gandhiji’s dream of clean India.
Zoramthanga speaks at the event in Aizawl on Wednesday. Pictures by Damien Lepcha and Henry L. Khojol
