For almost every alternate day, in the week that has just gone by, we were reading about how the gazetted officers from Kohima village had engaged in some community-oriented activities. Starting from September 17 last, when the officers had collaborated with the youths and the village council of Kohima village to undertake a sanitation drive, it has come to represent a refreshing series of news.
This chain of community-oriented activities was organized to mark the 25th anniversary of Kohima Village Gazetted Officer’s Association. It was especially heartening to read that the officers had organized a seminar in which the villagers were educated on the roles and responsibilities of Village Development Boards in the implementation of Rural Development schemes. During the same seminar the villages were also reported to have been educated on the potentials of coffee plantation in Kohima district. These were accomplished through partnership with the respective departments of Rural Development and Land Resources.
On the same day, as we have read, the officers had organized a one-day awareness campaign on disaster response/management at a government-run middle school. As reported in the newspapers, the awareness program was necessary because of Nagaland’s location under seismic zone-V, which places it under high-risk category. The program was held in collaboration with the state’s department of Civil Defence and Home Guards.
And on Saturday last, as part of their silver jubilee celebration, the officers had organized a seminar on land ownership rights. And on September 25, they had organized a health talk for the villagers, in partnership with the Kohima Village Doctors’ Association where the villagers where educated on Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension and Stroke. Really, this (entire series) thus far has been a refreshing and wonderful way to celebrate the landmark. It is sobering yet, at the same time, wonderful read that they have chosen to render the milestone for the benefit of the people.
In the later part of last year, there were reports of some IAS officers taking leave from work to take residence in their respective villages for weeks/months to provide free coaching/tuition to students studying to appear matric exams. There are some who give free tuitions all through the year and those who sponsor scholarship for students in their respective villages. There was a time when, especially during the olden days, bureaucrats were worshipped. With the passage of time, this adoration from the people had allowed the bureaucrats to indulge in snobbery. The connection with the people was severed in the process.
But the recent developments show us that the bridge has not been completely burnt down. There can still be exchange. People can be reached and bridges can be built. You only need to reach out. We only need to build more bridges.
