Tening Town under Peren District is one of the oldest administrative headquarter of Nagaland. It is situated at a strategic location being at tri-junction of Nagaland, Assam & Manipur linking both NC Hills in Assam and Tamenglong District in Manipur with the state of Nagaland through NEC Roads, though the condition of these NEC roads are a story to tell for some other day. Tening Town is the only ADC administrative headquarter under Peren District and headquarter of 6-Tening Assembly Constituency.
There was widening of town roads immediately after the 2013 assembly election which brought joy and relief to the development starved people of the area but this joy turned short-lived since nothing much was done after the widening of roads which left the entire town roads in horrible condition. In winter, it produces clouds of dust and during summer, it turns into swampy paddy field. During these days, it could be observed that even school children cannot cross certain stretch of the town roads by foot, forget about a vehicle due to which some school children has to sit back home when it rains heavily. The condition has turn so horrible that the entire stretch of town roads including the main town area looks like an abandoned township with no one to care for.
The citizen of this small township has tolerated this horrific condition for the past two years with a hope that it will turn better very soon but has been disappointed since no works have been undertaken for soiling and metalling of the road. The people of this township are very innocent and don’t have much awareness about the dynamics of funding and developmental works plan of the Government. All we ask for is a basic right for a modest road within the town so as to enable the people and vehicles to pass through without much hassle. We ain’t asking for two/four lane solid metalled road for that matter.
People have been discussing that the work stopped due to political differences of our elected MLA with the present Government. But the basic question is, why should the people who elected the Government be left to suffer just because our leaders have personal differences amongst themselves? We only hope, our leaders remember that it is the people who elected them to power and they have to come back to the people after every five years and providing us with basic services like good roads, electricity, water, education and medical services will only encourage people to help them come to power again. Our people have awaken and awareness about development has taken roots amongst the present day youths and intellectuals.
It is funny but a thought to ponder that a joke has been doing the rounds that Tening area would like to secede from the state of Nagaland and join either the state of Assam or Manipur if the Government of Nagaland continues it step motherly treatment towards the people of this area. The feeling of being neglected for so long has been taking its toll and when it bursts, it may be too hot to handle and the situation may go out of hand. It is an earnest appeal that the present day Government of Nagaland and the concerned department would look after the genuine plights of this township and initiate immediate repair of the town roads.
Raithu Newmai, A Concerned Citizen
