MOKOKCHUNG, MAY 27 (MExN): The Ao Students’ Conference (AKM) has expressed serious concern over the ongoing construction works at the Dr Imkongliba Memorial District Hospital (IMDH) in Mokokchung and has called for immediate intervention from the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Nagaland.
In a letter addressed to the Principal Director, DoHFW, AKM highlighted that the hospital construction project, sanctioned in January 2018 under the National Health Mission (NHM) with an estimated cost of Rs 13.70 crore and a stipulated timeline of 36 months, remains incomplete.
The student body alleged that the progress of the work has been extremely slow and marred by the use of substandard construction materials. It further stated that several civil society organisations (CSOs) have raised repeated complaints regarding the apparent deviation from the approved Detailed Project Report (DPR). However, the concerns remain unaddressed.
Citing its latest site inspection on May 21, AKM claimed that portions of plaster were already falling off and visible cracks ran from the ground floor to the upper levels. “The structure appears to lack basic quality control and may not withstand a natural disaster,” the letter stated.
Highlighting that IMDH serves not only Mokokchung district but also neighbouring districts, AKM warned that the safety of patients and medical staff is being compromised. It noted that the 36-month timeline applied to both Block A and Block B, but at the current pace, completion remains uncertain.
In light of the above, AKM has demanded the constitution of a technical evaluation committee comprising experts and relevant stakeholders by May 31, 2025; Repair of all structurally affected sections before the building is commissioned for public use; Termination of the current contract if the firm fails to deliver within the stipulated timeframe; Re-tendering of the project to a more competent firm, if necessary.
AKM further stated that it would not permit patients to be accommodated in the building unless all structural safety concerns are addressed. “We urge the department to immediately halt ongoing construction until the structure is thoroughly evaluated,” it added.
The organisation warned that failure to act on these demands within the stipulated time would compel it to initiate stronger measures to safeguard public interest.
