Dimapur, August 6 (MExN): The Congress has leveled startling revelations concerning the implementation of Special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP) in Nagaland being implemented by dubious contractor M/S Maytas & Gayatri (JV) and the State’s public works department. The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) issued a press release today ridiculing the claims of the Nagaland Public Works Department (National Highways).
Also a youth organization has virtually trampled the claims of the PWD (national Highways) concerning the road works in Phek.
Congress legislature Party Leader Tokheho Yepthomi alleged today the contractor has removed all the machineries and even sold them and that the Detailed Project Report ought not to be “deficient” when a reputed company prepared it in the first place. Reacting to the PWD, the Congress leader noted that if the project was temporarily suspended due to monsoons, what other works are being carried out when 80% of the earth work has been completed.
“Why has the contractor removed all machineries and even sold them at throw away prices? When 80% of the earth work has been completed, they should remain at the work site and clear landslide and mud slides. If they are fully engaged at the work site, why is the public made to suffer?” Yepthomi queried.
The PWD department had stated that the initial DPR was found deficient. “…when the DPR was prepared by a reputed company with expertise in the field after which it was routed through MORTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) for all technical observations and clearance.” It is therefore not applicable to claim now that the DPR was deficient, the Congress said. The CLP has demanded to know the terms of agreement between Maytas & Gayatri (JV) and the ministry.
“To put the record straight, it is not a fresh construction, but all four roads were constructed in the past funded by different governmental agencies. The road has to be made double-lane from the present single-lane. How has the department stated that deficiencies have been observed,” the Congress asked.
The PWD department is asked to give details on a number of queries: the amount of funds provided per kilometer at the time of awarding the works for the four roads; the funds being provided to other States for similar works for soil and rocky areas; the amount of funds released to the contractor by the Ministry of Surface Transport; the revised rate per kilometer and whether the revised DPR was submitted to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways through the Engineer in-chief and “through proper channel.”
The department is asked to give detailed clarification for the benefit and knowledge of the public.
Chakhesang youth ridicules claims of Chief Engineer
The Chakhesang Youth Front has termed “quite distressing” the claims of the Chief Engineer of PWD (NH) that more than 80% of earth work and 25% of culverts have been completed on all the four roads under SARDP executed by Maytas-Gayatri. A bitter CYF issued a response today stating that “we are not aware of other roads but are well aware and acquainted with the road in Phek district. The earth cutting is not even 50% not to speak of 80% and the same is with the culverts construction.
“Thus when the ground reality is as such, we deduce the following from the Chief engineer’s statement that the chief engineer is a very busy person that he has no time to visit the site and see it for himself or the chief engineer is being misinformed by his subordinate officers.” The press release was appended by CYF president Zhopayi Nakro and Secretary Mudongoi Swuro.
According to the CYF the statement that the chief engineer appears to give a clean chit to the executing authorities without having them to complete the work. “Further, when the company has been quite lackadaisical, callous while undertaking earth cutting work by blocking natural outlets of river and streams thereby causing landslide which in turn has robbed the livelihood of the people,” the organization stated.
In fact, the CYF stated, the Chakhabama-Zunhebhoto road is there for everyone to see how commuters halting in the landslide and mudslide for hours together has become more of a routine than an exception. “There are instances where the general public has to spent the night in the bus without food on the landslide,” the CYF stated.
“Thus we anticipate more sensitive statement from the competent authorities rather than making pompous statement which contradicts reality.”
