Dimapur, July 14 (MExN): The Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) has expressed dismay at the tragic incident of the bridge collapse at 4th mile Dimapur that led to loss of lives and injury to others, but “more horrifying is the reaction of our leaders.” NCD in a press release issued by its president Pangerloba and general secretary Thsapongkyu Sangtam asserted that this was a preventable tragedy had the government took cognizance of the unstable bridge. It stated that the bridge serve as the life line of Niuland sub-division, now with the bridge gone no alternatives mode is available for the public as well as the students, underscoring that maintenance and safety inspections were not performed rigorously and that the responsible department failed to act despite warning about the bridge's dangerous condition since past many years. “The NCD wants to know where has the crores of money sanctioned meant for the bridge construction gone, and what has the government and responsible department being doing all these years when they were tally aware of the condition of the bridge,” the Council questioned in the press release. While condemning the lackadaisical attitude of the government, the NCD also demands the PWD (R&B) Minister concerned to step down immediately owing moral responsibility and also to suspend the PWD (R&B) Divisional executive engineer for utter negligence.
