Dimapur, September 7 (MExN): The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organization (NVCO) while welcoming the “initiative” announcement made by the Dy CM Y Patton regarding signboard on road project, has suggested additional measures on the matter.
The minister, who is also in-charge of Home and Roads & Bridges, reportedly stated during his maiden meeting with the engineers of Nagaland Public Works Department on September 3 that “signboard with the name of the contractor and executive engineer to be erected at the construction site."
Not only names of contractors and executive engineers (EE), the signboard should also include original estimated cost, total project cost along with escalations and various deduction in a form of commission/percentages in the name of Party Fund, Minister concerned/Advisor/MLA, Engineers, HoDs, departmental charges, finance department, several groups, illegal cash collection at the check-gates and on highways, etc, the NVCO stated.
In a press release issued by its Press & Media Cell, the NVCO President, Kezhokhoto Savi also appreciated the initiative saying that improving the quality of workmanship is “the need of the hour.”
Every season with the onset of rainfall, several potholes on the road and breakdown of the newly built drainage system “clearly reflects on the poor workmanship and quality of materials used,” he maintained.
“Drainage walls are collapsing with single rainfall, deplorable road conditions are everywhere, and bridges are falling apart “for a project with huge budget,” he said, terming it “highly unexpected and disappointing.
“Good quality work should sustain throughout all seasons,” Savi further asserted.
“In some part of the state literally there is no roads and the so called common people can no longer tolerate this deplorable road conditions and these things are all happening just because of poor workmanship and corruption such as huge deduction of money from the project amount/cost in a form of commission/percentages in the name of Party Fund/minister/ advisor/MLA, various groups, departmental charges, etc,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, the NVCO while supporting the initiative also expressed its serious concern over “corruption involved in the infrastructural development funds.”
“It is time not to deduct any amount/percentage from the project fund if at all public servants/ politician are serious with quality workmanship,” it added.
