Z Lohe
The two currently relevant issues: There are issues after issues needing necessary highlights in the interest of the common man, and yet I am to raise two current matters particularly roads under National Highways and the Nagaland Institute of Medical Science and Research (NIMSR) being intervened by Kohima High Court of late.
The Nagaland Post published a news article captioned “Zeliang review road works ahead of G20 meet”. The Honorable Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang conducted a review meeting with the concerned NH officials and NHIDCL representatives in order to make over the pathetic condition of the 4-Lane Dimapur-Kohima road particularly the ongoing Phase-3 in Zubza area. The Dimapur-Kohima 4-lane road project should have been completed 2/3 years ago, and yet for obvious reasons Nagaland is still struggling with it. The State Govt. miserably failed to consider this road to be the priority task for timely completion with durable workmanship. If not for siphoning of money for self, none bothers about the common welfare. The very purpose of the said review meeting was necessitated in view of the G20 members coming to have one of its conferences here at Kohima by the first week of April, 2023. Perhaps majority of the delegates will be from foreign countries, and therefore the Opposition-less Govt. is trying to paint Dimapur- Kohima road white. The Dimapur-Kohima 4-lane road construction has been taking a decade, and it is yet to be completed. The workmanship in Phase-1 and Phase-2 is very poor and much against the laid down parameters. The riding quality of such 4-lane roads in other States is much superior to our Dimapur-Kohima road. Within a year time of the completion of its final layer of carpeting, cracks and potholes developed all along the distance. Yet, who the authority bothers about the quality workmanship or the delay in completion. To my layman’s observation, the present contractor for Phase-3 seems to be better at the workmanship.
Of all, what I am critical is the total disregard of the citizens of Nagaland by Govt. of the day. Had not the G20 program been fixed at Kohima, the NH Department would never have called such review meeting on the delay in completion of the road. To Nagaland, hosting G20 conference is no doubt important. Yet, the permanent citizens of Nagaland are more important than the sojourners. Always treating the citizens of Nagaland to be the secondary to the visitors is indeed hurting. Artificial shows and whitewash camouflages to conceal the existing shortcomings and intentional neglects of the public welfare are nothing but a disregard to the bona fide citizens of the State. In a year of 365 days, I occasionally enjoy less erratic power supply from December 1 to 10 at Kohima in view of 10 days Hornbill festival. The festival lovers do enjoy the showcases, and I enjoy the better supply of power. At the very moment power supply in unusually regular, although how long the improved situation remains is better known to Power Department. Whether there is festival of Hornbill or no Hornbill, whether there is G20 conference or no conference, what is due to the people of the State should have been given. Only paying attention to basic amenities under compulsions or just for shows is indeed an insult to the bona fide citizens of Nagaland.
Nagaland State is the senior most to most of the NE States by not less than 9 years except Assam. Whereas, Nagaland has become 50 years junior to all its junior States in terms of infrastructural and durable developments. No State is perfect in respect of probity, and yet the political leaders and their bureaucracy elsewhere do keep their corruption within limit. On the contrary, the system of corruption in our land remains limitless. Well, according to the accepted fashion, the progress of the improvement of 4-lane road may slow down once the G20 delegates depart from Kohima and it may even come to a grinding halt.
Meanwhile, in absence of the Opposition bench in Nagaland Legislative Assembly in the last House, there was vacuum under which none hardly raised any pertinent question inside or outside the House. No such vital issue for the State could be debated logically except namesake formalities. The tasks of the ruling members are eased off as those holding portfolios can pass off their tenure without knowing any given subject matter during 5 years time. Yet, such is the loss to the State. This being the situation and when the same Opposition-less Govt. continues, the Kohima High Court is bound to intervene on most of the issues every time because 90% of the litigations filed in this court are reportedly against the miss-governance.
Secondly, this is in regard to the current matter relating to the constitution of a 6-Member Independent Panel by Kohima High Court to inspect the infrastructural developments of the Nagaland Institute of Medical Science and Research (NIMSR) at Phriebagie, Kohima. Few months ago, the local papers published the news about the officers from the Union Health Ministry paying visit to the same project perhaps with the purpose of making it functional. This project has been often in the news more for the wrong reasons of delay in opening the college. Most possibly this project has been suffering from the same ailment that had affected most of the projects in Nagaland including the Kohima High Court infrastructure, the Stadium in Dimapur, etc.
Whereas, now the Court has physically intervened, I believe the inspection team has the teeth to bite and not just to have the show. The concern for the project is that it is so vital to the State of Nagaland, and it is to be made functional without further delay as it is overdue. Unaware of the delegation of power upon the inspection team, and yet I wish the said team does not become another CBI or ED which had lost its credibility in Nagaland since none of these Central agencies could bring a single case it handled to a logical conclusion despite the agencies being high profile. Also, how long should we allow keeping every project stalled at the behest of the selfish and unscrupulous few. It is therefore most imperative that the inspection team breaks the tradition of chewing the cud by bringing the stories of failures, embarrassments and shames to its logical conclusion.
