What's cool and What's not about Ziro (Hapoli)...

I was asked by my friend who's going to launch a forthnightly - in the title of "ZIRO MIRROR" - soon, to see if I am able to write down what I love and hate about Ziro (Hapoli). Though, so much was discussed about the things that makes Ziro- a place to be loved or to be hated during our regular discussions, yet when I tried to pen down those, it seemed Herculean task to me. I could not recall the things which we felt needed appreciation or criticism about Ziro. It seemed as if I went into total oblivion. However, after prodding my mind for quite sometime I was only able to come up with the list below. The list though, is not comprehensive but indicative only yet I guess the list below moulded me to arrive at whatever outlook I have for Ziro.

What's Cool about Ziro...

1. Cool Breeze: Nothing is as refreshing as the cool breeze that embraces you as soon as you are at the outskirt of Hapoli Township after a hot and sweaty and tiresome ride from Itanagar or North Lakhimpur.
2. The first sight of Hapoli Town: It's not my word but from those who has visited Ziro - "the scene of Hapoli Township that unveils as soon as you near "Pai Gate" after traversing those unpopulated and almost eerie serpentine road is like the scene that has been projected on a silver screen after the auditorium has been darkened for screening a movie - refreshing and panoramic."
3. Electricity: Had I written this article a few months ago then electricity wouldn't have been placed here, but for the effort of Power Department (I had been told that the former E.E. took personal effort in early commissioning of 132 kV Ranganadi-Ziro Transmission Line) and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, the electricity at Ziro is much stabler than the Capital Complex (I long to rush back to Ziro because of frequent power cuts whenever I'm there at Itanagar)
4. Paddy-cum-Pisciculture: I guess rearing fish in a paddy field and that too at this altitude is unique and found only in this part of world.
5. Peoples effort: I truely salute the spirit of Bazaar Committee for their effort to light up the streets of Hapoli even without bothering about burning their pockets in doing so....remembervirtual street lighting?

And what's not...

1. Encrouchment of Land: It has rather become a fashion to annexe whatever piece of land (read Government Land) that is available and to raise illegal structures on it and people are doing it in a very bold manner without bothering about the administration. I don't know till how long will the administration keep its eyes shut.
2. Potholes: Driving on a road at Hapoli (Ziro) is like............ well you guess it..for me, sometimes I feel that road to hell must be quite better. With lots of potholes strewn across the road, I guess even the pro and seasoned driver would find it hard to negotiate the road.
3. Water Supply: I still wonder how the household with 5 to 7 members and sometimes even more manage the 200-250 lts of water supplied by the PHE Department daily (this is the quantity that I was able to collect in a day) - for bathing, washing, drinking and cooking. And also I wonder and am surprised how the people of Ziro don't get sick ( higher immunity level?) after drinking not so potable water (I guess the turbidity level of water is beyond the allowable limit on a rainy day).
4. Mobile Service: Touted as India's No.1 Telecommunications Company and having the largest network coverage across India, the performance of lone service provider is not upto the mark as their tall claim with call congestion, no network for a long stretch of time, no proper updating of bills and subsequent disconnection. Or is it the monopolistic way of doing business?
5. Health Care Facility: Lack of proper health care facility even after presence of District Hospital (In case of emergency cases, people has to rush to Itanagar, which is 4 hrs drive away.....imagine the plight of the patient on such a long journey).
   

P.S. By the time this article goes to press, guess 1st edition of Ziro Mirror would be on the newstand.