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Inspiring! How a Tiny Naga Village Became Tobacco, Plastic and Waste Free

This village is a significant success story of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, claims Centre.

Inspiring! How a Tiny Naga Village Became Tobacco, Plastic and Waste Free

Did you know about a village in Nagaland which is tobacco, plastic and waste free?

Well, the village in question is the Sishunu village, located 11 km away from the state capital of Kohima.

Today, the Ministry of Rural Development congratulated the residents of Sishunu as the village has achieved all three objectives (stated above) through funds delivered under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

Government officials have said that no tobacco products will be sold inside the village premises, and smoking and chewing tobacco will be banned across educational institutions, offices, community halls, bus stop, and library, among other major public structures, reports Morung Express.

Photo Source: Representative Image of a village in Tseminyu sub-division in Nagaland

To ensure that the village is following tobacco control initiatives, a Tobacco Control Committee made up of government, police, National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) and village officials will be put in place to ensure that it follows up while meeting once every quarter. Defaulters will be penalised as per the rules under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003.

Sishunu is the fourth village in the state to go tobacco-free.

On the subject of waste, particularly plastic, the village council has banned the dumping of any sort of garbage in public places, besides taking up waste segregation measures. Necessary action, including fines, will be taken against those violating these provisions.

Village officials at Sishunu/ (Source: Twitter/Ministry of Rural Development)
Government officials at Sishunu. (Source: Twitter/Ministry of Rural Development)

Last month, the Nagaland government set a deadline for December 2018 to free the entire state of plastic waste.

In fact, in November 2015, the state government passed an order making it mandatory for all road contractors to use plastic waste along with bituminous mixes for road construction. This measure was brought forth to help overcome the growing problem of plastic waste disposal in India.

Also Read: These Unsung Heroes of Nagaland Will Inspire You to Be a Better Person 

Meanwhile, under the MGNREGA programme, all 349 households in the village are now connected with footsteps. Other initiatives include the purchase of a community bus, construction of public toilets, besides the cultivation of kiwi fruits, banana, orange, pomegranate, cardamom, papaya, among other initiatives under MGNREGA.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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