Half road, half pool-a road leading to Zunheboto (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur| February 1
If there is one thing that successive governments in Nagaland haven’t been able to provide its citizens, it is good roads and proper supply of electricity and water. It is a common consensus among the public that no matter which party comes to power, it lacks commitment on the development front. There has been widespread criticism over pathetic road conditions all across the state, protests over lack of power supply, and water woes continue in most parts of the state. Therefore, it is no surprise that the public continues to hold basic infrastructure as its priority in the list of what they expect from the next government.
Says Obed Swu from Zunheboto: “I think Zunheboto has the worst roads in Nagaland. Just come and see the state of the roads in the district headquarter itself. It’s a shame.” He says that no single MLA in the district can boast of having provided good roads to its constituency in the last 20 years. He hopes that the public this time will put more pressure on the next government to improve road conditions in the entire district. Swu also commented on the power scenario in the district. “I heard that the Power minister’s constituency headquarter didn’t have power supply for nearly six months last year! What more can the public say? ” he stated.
Among all districts suffering from water scarcity, Longleng stands out. It is affecting every aspect of people’s lives. An officer posted in Longleng said that water scarcity has given rise to “water barons” who charge exorbitant price for a single bucket of clean water. “Water problem slows down the speed of work for everybody here- housewives, teachers, office goers and students. Everybody spends the better part of their mornings collecting water,” the officer said. It also seems that the department of PHE is no mood to address the problem (dispute between two villages over the source of water) while the public has been at the receiving end.
In Mon the state of affairs is anything but well. It is lacking every basic infrastructure- starting from pathetic roads and poor sanitation facilities to villages living without electricity. According to a local student leader from Mon, the roads in the district have been deteriorating over the years. All major roads connecting the rest of the district to the headquarters are lying in pathetic condition and the black-topped roads have all become pot holed, she said.
Water scarcity is also prevalent in most parts of the district. It is learnt that even Mon town is grappling with the problem while in some places like Naginimora, the department of PHE is almost defunct. Further, the power scenario is dismal. “Mon town faces blackouts every other day so you can imagine the rest of the district.” One officer posted in Mon commented.
Urban places like Dimapur and Kohima also has its share of problems. Bad roads, poor power supply and increasing garbage are the main concerns for these two towns. The Public Works Department has carried only minor “cosmetic” repairs in the last few years. Furthermore, the citizens of Dimapur witnessed the worst summer last year with hardly four hours of electricity supply in a day. So for most citizens of Dimapur, improvement in power supply remains top priority especially among the business community.
While the public expects the next government to also address other issues like corruption, unemployment and illegal taxation, it is mostly hoping that the three crucial departments (PHE, PWD and Power) will be headed by sincere and capable ministers. And with lots of commitment for development being thrown at the public, one can only hope that the next government will sincerely listen to the voice of the people.
