Akangjungla
On Wednesday morning, almost all the Nagaland based newspapers flashed the report on the inauguration of ‘The People’s Bridge,’ a 70-feet long metal bridge over Yinjung River and a 10 km link road in Tuensang district. Spearheaded by the Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS), The People’s Bridge became a joint initiative of the people of Hakchang area under Tuensang district, The HANs Foundation, various government departments and organisations. The Rs 1.20 crore Bridge and link road was built in 16 months, the idea of which took seed in 2014.
Mobilized by ECS to gather support to build this bridge, a massive convergence effort was initiated between the community, various state departments such as PWD, MGNREGA, BRO, DEF Tuensang, Assam Rifles, the local MLA and individual donors and friends of the ECS, and ‘The People’s Bridge’ was finally completed.
According to the ECS brochure, the idea of the bridge came up when eight villages who lived across the Yinjung River realised that they could reduced their three hour journey to the nearest health centre to less than 10 kms with a bridge. Without it, the villagers had to travel almost three hours—30 kms upstream and 30 kms back—to receive healthcare services at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Longpang which was run by the ECS, it stated.
Setting the perfect example of how convergence of state, funders and the community can do “wonders,” the village youth of Hakchang did the bridge painting work, SHGs of Hakchang and Sangsangyo and Maksha help break stone chips for the bridge abutment construction, three PHED Trucks help transport steel girders from Dimapur to bridge point, local MLA funded construction of 3 kilometers of fresh earth cutting work (Dozer), four churches help in constructing nine wooden culverts between Sangshen to Bridge point, village council members managed the collection of local contribution for the project and likewise the other aspects of the project involved an number of work assignments taken care by different people. The bridge construction committee members worked closely with the villages and the eight local churches of the area and also with the NGOs and others who have put their trust to make the project successful for the service of the people.
Inaugurating the project, Chief Minister of Nagaland in his address laid much importance on community participation, ownership and the strength of the community to have proper development and asserted that there should be convergence of government departments and community for developmental activities in the state. The CM acknowledged that the community participation in this construction is an “eye opener” and “have taught a lesson and it should be emulated in other areas and districts.” According to the CM, “understanding” the strength of the community, the Nagaland government initiated the good policies like Communitization on healthcare system, education and power. However, he lamented that it all remained “on paper and yet to be implemented fully.”
‘The People’s Bridge’ considered as the “perfect example of convergence” of the Communitization model, will hopefully give some confidence to the Panel constituted by the Government of Nagaland to review the Communitisation of Public Institutions and Services Act 2002.
The review panel led by Banuo Z Jamir, IAS (Rtd) Former Chief Secretary, Nagaland as Chairperson/Convenor and John Lohe, Addl Director (Rtd), School Education as member secretary have been assigned with the task to study the strength and weaknesses of the Communitisation of Public Institutions and Services Act 2002 covering all the public services covered under the Act and make recommendations for improvement and reformation of delivery of public services.
Considered as the exemplary ‘unique partnership’ between the government and community, Communitization made a mark for Nagaland worldwide. Today, it is a sad paradox that the State itself needs a panel to review the Act inorder to identify areas of concern and suggest remedial measures for improvement and to study the existing “lacunae” in the functioning of the stakeholder departments in implementation of the Act.
As organisations like ECS leads the way for providing better public service in the health and education sector, the Government of Nagaland must once more trust the “strength of the community” and partner with the community to make real development possible in the state and not just lament on why projects and schemes remain “on paper” only.
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