WOKHA, SEPTEMBER 13 (MExN): The Lotha Hoho along with affected land owners and other frontal organizations have once again expressed concern over the purported move of National Highways authorities to forgo land acquisition on the NH-2 road project for the stretch from km 72.40 to km 83.00 and instead follow the existing carriageway.
A meeting on September 12 held in Wokha resolved to adhere to the stand of the Lotha Hoho, to allow the road project only as per the original sanctioned Detailed Project Report (DPR) and specifications. The “intention to manipulate the sanctioned project” was described as “discriminatory for the people of Wokha.”
“This was necessitated because some intermediate authorities, of Nagaland, are proposing to forego the payment of compensation for affected land and standing structures, within the project sector and to follow the existing carriageway,” a press release from Lotha Hoho, Vice Chairman, Mhonlumo Odyuo and Joint Secretary, Yihamo Patton stated.
It stated that if widening as per NH specifications is not done this time, the widening work will never be done. “It may be apprised that way back in 2017-18, the NH authorities have carried out detailed measurements of affected land and standing structures, basing on which the DPR was proposed to the GoI/MoRTH,” the Lotha Hoho pointed out.
It informed that the affected owners of land and standing structures have all agreed to give way for the project, if paid compensation. “Accordingly No Objection Certificates were issued by the affected property owners. The LH was involved in the process of co ordination and the process of land acquisition. Basing on the detailed survey and assessment of cost of various affected properties, the DPR was prepared and sanction accorded by MoRTH,” it added.
It meanwhile claimed that while “officially not confirmed (process of confirmation under way),” the component for compensation is told to be Rs 63 Crores.
However, the Lotha Hoho said that intermediate NH authorities of Nagaland “are trying to forego the payment of compensation saying that amount is too high and will affect other work components.” To this, the Lotha Hoho said that “Rs 63 Crore is only a drop in the mighty ocean, for the NHAI/MoRTH and that different work components are listed separately in the sanction.” “Hence the question of payment of compensation affecting other work items does not arise.”
The Lotha Hoho also highlighted that the road widening project from km 40.00 to km 72.40 was also delayed for more than a decade “and the NHAN remained least bothered to revive the project until the LH and Rengma Hoho took up the matter, in 2015-16.”
“So why this frequent Discrimination for Wokha district?” the Lotha Hoho questioned.
Considering these, the meeting resolved that the said road project will be allowed to be implemented only as per NH specifications, and with payment of all sanctioned compensation component, full widening within the project etc. It assured that the Lotha Hoho and the people of Wokha, including the affected owners of land and standing structures, “will extend full co operation to the concerned department and the contractor, so as to enable the project to be implemented smoothly and as per specifications.”
“If however the concerned authorities do not follow the specifications, any problem arising out of this project, will be the sole responsibility of the National Highway Authority of Nagaland,” the Lotha Hoho cautioned.
