The unrelenting monsoon this year may have its own political dynamics to it. For those dependent on good monsoon rains especially the farming community, the rainfall received so far may have well served its purpose. Even for urban towns such as Kohima, good rains mean there is enough to store for the dry season ahead. But it is also true that too much of rainfall has also led to such calamities as landslide and flooding and the resultant after affects, some of which can be quite devastating—politically as well. In this regard, many of the public roads in places like Dimapur and Kohima have been damaged because of the heavy rainfall experienced this year. Whether this is a good thing for politicians, especially those in the ruling dispensation, in the run up to the State Assembly Election early next year, it will be fascinating to see their response. The present government under Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio may need to do at least some form of road repair if at all it wants to project its development mantra. As a matter of fact, the public at large usually see the road condition as a measure of development. Psychologically as well, the mindset of the general populace is strongly attuned to whether they are satisfied by the basic infrastructure like roads, electricity and drinking water.
Coming back to the damage caused by rains, a special mention must be made here of the National Highway 39 connecting the State Capital with the commercial hub and gateway to Nagaland, Dimapur. People of the State have truly enjoyed the fruition coming out of the historic visit of former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The post-Vajpayee visit saw the immediate improvement of this stretch of NH-39. But the honeymoon of that visit may have been allowed to linger on for a bit too long. The State government needs to wake up quickly from its slumber. The natural wear and tear caused to the road including the heavy downpour this monsoon calls for taking remedial measures especially with the coming tourist season and the prestigious Hornbill Mega Event. Hopefully, the Naga people should not have to wait for another Prime Minister’s visit to see an improvement of NH-39.
In this context it must be mentioned here that the development of the road sector has seen the mushrooming of vested interest individuals and groups for the sole reason that there are always huge sums of money involved. In Nagaland it is safe to assume that the pitiable roads are clearly reflected in the disproportionate wealth of some of our politicians and contractors. With more funds expected to pour in, it is time to take stock of the corruption in the road sector. Concerned citizens and public organizations must come forward and demand greater scrutiny of ongoing projects taken up in the State under NEC, NLCPR, PMGSY, PM’s Package etc. For the present government, with the last few remaining months in office, hopefully it will put the funds available in the right areas instead of being seen as taking away benefits from people. Good road condition may well be a factor for a smother ride at the polls.
