NE NEWS SERVICE
DIU, DEC 26
President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for several development projects on the second day of his four-day visit to Diu in the Union Territory of Daman, Diu and Dadra, and Nagar Haveli.
इस सुन्दर द्वीप की विकास यात्रा जारी रहे, आप सब लोग स्वस्थ व सुखी रहें और अपनी धरती तथा देश की प्रगति व खुशहाली के लिए सदैव तत्पर बने रहें, इसी मंगल कामना के साथ मैं आप सभी को नव वर्ष 2021 के लिए हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं देता हूं। pic.twitter.com/o8KucVeELu
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 26, 2020
He praised the Diu administration for its efforts for the preservation of cultural heritage and its initiatives for maintaining cleanliness.
Addressing a gathering on this occasion, Kovind also invoked the Operation Vijay of the Indian Army which liberated the area from Portuguese rule in 1961, and the supreme sacrifice of Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla in the 1971 war.
दीव में पर्यटकों की विशेष पसंद वाली अनेक ऐतिहासिक एवं सांस्कृतिक धरोहरों के संरक्षण और सौंदर्यीकरण के विशेष प्रयास किए जा रहे हैं। pic.twitter.com/KoFPjQkGlF
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 26, 2020
“The history of this region is full of stories of courage, valour, and patriotism,” he said,
Captain Mulla, Commanding Officer of INS Khukri, chose to go down with his ship when it was sunk off Diu coast during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
“Till the last moment, he was engaged in the rescue of his fellow officers and marines. Of his extraordinary valour and sacrifice it was rightly said, ”In this brave and heroic action, Captain Mulla teaches us not only how to live, but how to die”,” the president said.
The president also praised the setting up of an Education Hub in Diu as he launched the first academic session of the international campus of the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Vadodara, and Kamleshwar School at Ghoghla.
All three districts of the Union Territory have been declared as ”open defecation free”, he said. He also lauded the local administration’s initiative of taking the responsibility of collecting garbage from every house, saying it has set an example for the entire country.
Due to the participation of people and the efforts of the administration, Daman and Diu got first place in ”Swachh Survekshan” (cleanliness survey) of 2019, the president noted.
Kovind also lauded the administration for making Diu the first city in India which fulfills its 100 percent energy requirement during the day from solar power.
“I am happy that in Diu district too, the campaign of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local is moving fast,” he said.
He also praised the efforts for the preservation and beautification of historical and cultural heritage sites in Diu.
The president laid the foundation stone for the construction of a school at Saudwadi, improvement of 1.3 km heritage walk-way on Diu city wall, conservation and facade restoration of heritage precincts (Zampa and market precinct), the upgradation of fruits and vegetable market at Fort Road and development of integrated municipal solid waste management system.
