Dimapur, Jan 24 (MExN): A road improvement work undertaking for Pughoboto sub-division was centralized by the state government, coming as a consequence from the fallout between NPF-led DAN legislators over last year’s law-and-order storm, according to MLA of Pughoboto A/c, Huska Sumi. The issue which saw the sacking of a Parliamentary Secretary and MLAs made Pughoboto sub-division a ‘victim of circumstances’, Sumi lamented.
Through this, Huska Sumi maintains, Pughoboto sub-division is now a victim of circumstances all thanks to the “Finance Minister” (Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio) and Minister for Roads & Bridges Tokheho Yepthomi who are accused of having centralized tenders and even disallowing documents of the road work to the MLA under whom Pughoboto constituency is.
Implying that action of the two is a reprisal for the law-and-order storm, the JD (U) stalwart forwards the following points why. From 1883 to 1987, Pughoboto 13 A/c was under Kohima. In 1987, it was forcibly “transferred to Zunheboto without road and communication” for which the people of the area has been struggling ever since, the MLA stated. Then it was clubbed with Tseminiyu, Kohima under the R&B in 2006. Rs 1.00 Crore was projected in the budgetary provision for Pughoboto to Mudutsugho via Chishilimi in the work programme for 2006-2007. Although the length of the road is over 40 kilometers and Rs 50, 00, 000 was provided in 2005 for improvement of the road from Pughoboto to Chishilimi, it was utilized without tenders, Sumi asserted.
The MLA then met with the R&B minister in August 2006 with the request to utilized funds judiciously for providing a good road to the people of Pughoboto, Huska Sumi stated. The minister also decided to provide a bulldozer when a file for the work returns from the Finance department after necessary ractifications in the nomenclature of the said work/scheme. Unfortunately, before the file returned a controversy arose over the law and order issue where DAN Chairman Dr Hokishe Sema and Legislators Obed, Therie, Tali and Huska himself held opinion that the situation is a law and order issue as against the NPF’s stand that it is political.
Reacting sharply, the NPF leadership convened a CCP meeting and attacked the DAN Chairman, suspended Obed and Tali and “punished Huska vindictively disallowing him to have a say in the constituency”. Thereafter, the Finance Minister and the R&B Minister even centralized tenders regarding the improvement of the road from Pughoboto to Mudutsugho via Chishilimi. They disallowed open tenders and even refused to hand over the documents concerned to Huska, it was alleged. He had only wanted to see the papers as he should know what is happening in his constituency, Huska stated.
