Wokha, March 26 (MExN): The Lotha Hoho (LH) expressed dismay at the status of the Wokha-Merapani road construction stating that the works in most of the stretches were found to be unsatisfactory and not carried out as per the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and the signed Agreement.
In its statement issued on Friday, the LH informed that a joint verification of the road construction was carried out along with National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), District Administration, ITJ, Lotha Students’ Union, Lotha Youth Hoho, concerned Village authorities etc on March 24 as per the direction of the High Court.
The team inspected the stretches of Package-I and Package-III to ascertain whether the works are being carried out as per the specifications.
According to the LH, when the ‘One Man Inquiry Member’ inspected the works in March 2020, the works within Package II were just starting and hence the Inquiry Report submitted on the March 16, 2020, only stated “the works are in Progress for package II.”
The Inquiry Report did not specify any particular comment and the Court needs to be apprised of the 'pathetic work quality' within package II, the Hoho stated.
In 2019, the LH had filed a PIL against the construction company for non-satisfactory works of the Wokha-Merapani road construction. A court order was received on January 29, 2021 for verifying the works, after which the NHIDCL raised the issue with the Wokha District Administration Wokha, to direct the land owners to provide land for widening of road as mentioned in the Contract Agreement and direction given by Guwahati high Court, Kohima Bench to maintain the width of road as mentioned in the schedule – ‘B’ of contract agreement, within a period of seven days, the LH informed.
The LH also mentioned that in 2016, it had obtained a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from various concerned village councils and accordingly the project was sanctioned.
Hence the question of availability of land does not arise, it said. It further stated that the assurance of the LH and other CSOs to extend full cooperation for quality work had earlier been submitted to the Construction Agency and Contractor. “Hence work of road widening should not be an issue,” it added.
The Hoho also noted that the road work from NST Colony, Merapani Foothill to MU (Merapani-Uriamghat junction) is not implemented “due to hindrance from Assam side.”
Stating that the road project is funded by North Eastern Council (NEC) whose jurisdiction covers all the North East states, the LH observed that it should not be taken as a border issue. In this regard, the LH urged the Nagaland government to immediately settle the issue and execute the work as per the proposed DPR coverage without any restriction.
If the issue is not settled at the earliest, the LH will take its own course of action, it cautioned.
