Nagaland govt orders statewide social work on Nov 13 ahead of iconic Hornbill Festival
Kohima, Nov 2 (IANS) Ahead of the upcoming Hornbill Festival, one of Nagaland’s biggest cultural celebrations, the state Home Department on Monday has directed Deputy Commissioners of all 17 districts to organise mass social work on November 13 to ensure cleanliness, proper hygiene and beautification of public places and their surrounding areas, officials said.
Like previous years, the Nagaland government has already started preparations for the 27th edition of the iconic Hornbill Festival, which will be held at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, around 12 km south of the state capital Kohima. The 10-day festival, which coincides with Nagaland’s Statehood Day on December 1, will be celebrated from December 1 to 10.
This year’s Hornbill Festival is also expected to witness the participation of several countries, while one of the Northeastern states will participate as the ‘Partner State’.
A senior official said that the Home Department has notified that a state-wide mass social work will be conducted on November 13 (Friday), from 6 a.m. in the morning to ensure cleanliness, hygiene and beautification of public places and surrounding areas in view of the upcoming festive season and the Hornbill Festival.
The Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of all 17 districts will be the overall in-charge of the programme and will take necessary measures to ensure its effective and successful implementation, the official said.
The DCs will also prepare detailed location-wise work plans, assigning responsibilities to various Government departments, Urban Local Bodies, village authorities and other concerned organisations. All departments, offices and agencies assigned to designated locations will be responsible for arranging the necessary manpower and disposal trucks for clearing the debris and waste collected from their respective areas, in coordination with the District Administration and Urban Local Bodies. Municipal and Town Councils, in coordination with the District Administration and through their respective Councillors, will take the lead in supervising the mass social work in urban areas and ensuring maximum public participation. Similarly, Village Councils will organise and carry out the mass social work in villages and rural areas in coordination with local administrative officers.
Further, all shops and business establishments across the state will remain closed until 12 p.m. on November 13, to facilitate the smooth conduct of the state-wide mass social work.
Meanwhile, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio earlier, in a preparatory meeting at Bamboo Hall in Kisama, stressed the need for coordinated efforts among government departments and local communities to ensure the smooth and successful conduct of the 27th edition of the Hornbill Festival 2026.
The Chief Minister underscored the importance of good roads, reliable power and water supply, security, traffic management, cleanliness, parking facilities and public conveniences.
The festival showcases Nagaland’s rich cultural heritage, traditional customs, indigenous art, music, dance, handicrafts and cuisine, attracting visitors from across India and abroad.
–IANS
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