DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 7 (MExN): The Tizit Area Students’ Union (TASU) has temporarily suspended the bandh imposed on the National Highway 702 (Mon-Namtola road) for a period of two weeks. The decision to lift the ban was made after assurances were made by the Nagaland State Government to look into their demands.
It may be noted that the blockade was initiated at the government’s failure to act on demands regarding construction of an Inter-State Connectivity (ISC) road from Tizit town via Yanpan-Sako-Loakkum-Nokzang-Khonsa (Arunachal Pradesh); construction of four RCC T-beam bridges along the aforesaid road; and picking up the pace of the Namtola-Mon (NH-702) road construction works.
TASU President, Noklem Vang Sumei informed that the bandh has been lifted temporarily after receiving written assurance from the government and also with a hope that thorough enquiry by the high powered committee set up by the government to examine the case takes place as committed. He also said that the state government has requested the union to keep the ban in abeyance.
Contractors who were awarded with various projects also attended the TASU office today. They reportedly assured to start the works by tomorrow and complete the tasks within the time frame, while adding that the machineries would restart the works and placed in position.
Principal Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, Lhoubeilatuo Kire had written a letter to the TASU President on November 6 informing the latter that the Nagaland State PWD Minister had convened an emergency meeting to discuss the indefinite road blockade imposed in the Tizit area.
The letter appealed to the TASU to “give the department a time line of one month to complete the whole process.” In view of which an appeal is made for the proposed blockade to be kept in abeyance, it urged. It added that the department stands “committed to resume works for the project as soon as the inquiry report is submitted.”
While the blockade has been called off temporarily for two weeks, the TASU President cautioned that failure on the part of the government and the contractors concerned to act accordingly would compel the union to resume the bandh and go to the extent of filling a PIL in the court of law.
