Mokokchung, September 25 (MExN): The Nagaland Government has come under fire as the North Eastern Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) scheme in Mokokchung district faces risk being ‘desanctioned.’
On Saturday, the All Ward Union Mokokchung Town (AWUMT) issued a press release, stating that it was disheartened to learn that the Ministry of Power, Government of India has written to the Government of Nagaland on September 20, 2021 for ‘desanctioning’ of the scheme which is being executed by the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID). “Reason being that the project which was sanctioned in 2018 could not be completed within the stipulated schedule of December, 2021,” it pointed out.
According to the release, the union, upon learning that the project could not take off in time due to land issue, met the landowner on April 29, 2021 and “mutually resolved the matter with him in the most amicable manner.” Thereafter, on June 23, 2021, the AWUMT along with the Chairperson, Mokokchung District Planning & Development Board (DPDB), district administration and other officials including the Chief Engineer, Department of Power and subordinate officers jointly visited the site and also had a thorough discussion at the DPDB meeting which was held the same day in the presence of POWERGRID officials, it said.
Subsequently, the matter had been flagged to the Power department, government of Nagaland, to take up the matter with all seriousness, to which the department assured to take up the matter in the State Land Acquisition Authority (SLAA) for purchase of the required land. However, even after the lapse of more than 2 months, the Government of Nagaland has not initiated any tangible steps to address the land issue and commence the already delayed work, the AWUMT underscored. The District Land Settlement Board, Mokokchung had also forwarded the matter of acquisition of land to the Commissioner, Government of Nagaland as resolved in July, 2021 to take up the matter in the forthcoming State Land Acquisition Authority (SLAA) for approval, it added.
In this context, the union questioned why the Government of Nagaland is exhibiting very little interest and ‘zero political will’ in implementation of the scheme and other major developmental projects in Mokokchung district. It also said that the AWUMT has done everything it could in its limited capacity and left it “to the wisdom of the government of Nagaland to decide on the matter prudently.”
“However, AWUMT declares loud and clear that if this project is desanctioned or face short closure, the government of Nagaland shall be held solely responsible and answerable to the people of Mokokchung for their negligence and stepmotherly treatment,” it cautioned.
