Dimapur, March 16 (MExN): The Village Development Board of Phek’s Thuvopisu village today issued a statement alleging anomalies in the construction of the Phek to Chozuba road. Most interestingly, the VDB statement disclosed that the contractor of the work is none other than the Nagaland Health minister Kuzholuzo Nienu. The state government did not heed appeals for open tenders, the VDB revealed, but flouted contract norms, awarding the contract work to the minister’s firm.
In spite of all “these happening around us” the VDB stated, the authorities remain apathetic and has allowed the contractor one M/s KK Chire & Co to draw almost full bills without proper execution of construction works. Thuvopisu village’s VDB Secretary Dezoto Rhakho appended the statement. The statement included details obtained from the department, implied to be the PWD (R& B), through the Right to Information Act (RTI).
‘We are compelled to reiterate our statements to draw the attention of the concern authorities for proper execution of Phek to Chozuba road. Since, Mr. Kuzholuzo Nienu, the present DAN minister cum contractor of Phek to Chozuba road claimed to have completed half of its length of the said road which appeared in The Morung Express on 10th March, 2011, page 2 under the heading ‘Renovation of Phek-Chozuba 45 KMS road nears completion,” the VDB stated.
The DONER Ministry made the “sanction” for the road on November 29, 2007 the VDB said. “However, even after the intervention from various quarter and also demand made by the All Nagaland Contractor & Suppliers union (NCSU) to go for open tender to award work to competent contractor (s) for timely and proper execution of work. But brushing aside all these demands the government flouting all the contract norms and regulation the work order was issued on the 15th Dec, 2007, to Ms KK Chire & Co, a company owned by DAN minister, Mr. Küzholuzo Nienu after the last state assembly general election date was announced.”
The VDB of the village said it was how the minister started claiming the credit as “achievement that through his initiative he brought sanction from DONER ministry, after bribing the ministry
officials.”
The VDB of Thuvopisu village further disclosed of having learned that under the initiative of the chief minister, the Nagaland Legislative Assembly constituted a “financial committee member” (FCM) to probe and verify all the ongoing works of centrally sponsored projects in Nagaland.
“The public wish to know to what extend the committee have visited and verified those roads? Judging the physical status of work on Phek to Chozuba road and bill payments against the work, even the sincerity and integrity of the financial committee members are also liable to be questionable,” Thuvopisu VDB stated.
Information through RTI
The VDB also furnished details on the “physical progress” of the Phek-Chozuba road and bill payments against the work obtained from the department through the Right to Information Act (RTI). The details are for public consumption and judgment as the road is not in proper shape at all but the “bill” was released almost in full amount, the VDB stated.
The VDB stated that the original total cost of the project approved DPR was Rs.1794.07 lakhs. “However, work order was issued for an amount of Rs.1578.00 lakhs only. The total amount released to the contractor is Rs.1493.31 Lakhs (rupees fourteen crores ninety-three lakhs thirty one thousand) only. The remaining fund left for completion of the project is Rs.84.69 Lakhs (rupees eighty four lakhs sixty nine thousand) only as per information received from the department on 31st Jan.2011.”
The village’s public expressed gratefulness to Deo Nukhu, Advisor to Science and Technology, who questioned the PWD (R& B) regarding the Phek-Chozuba road “as to why the road is not completed even after money was generously sanctioned, during the recent DPDB meeting held at Phek on 11th March 2011.”
In spite of all “these happening around us” the VDB stated, the authorities remain apathetic and has allowed the contractor one M/s KK Chire & Co to draw almost full bills without proper execution of construction works. Thuvopisu village’s VDB Secretary Dezoto Rhakho appended the statement. The statement included details obtained from the department, implied to be the PWD (R& B), through the Right to Information Act (RTI).
‘We are compelled to reiterate our statements to draw the attention of the concern authorities for proper execution of Phek to Chozuba road. Since, Mr. Kuzholuzo Nienu, the present DAN minister cum contractor of Phek to Chozuba road claimed to have completed half of its length of the said road which appeared in The Morung Express on 10th March, 2011, page 2 under the heading ‘Renovation of Phek-Chozuba 45 KMS road nears completion,” the VDB stated.
The DONER Ministry made the “sanction” for the road on November 29, 2007 the VDB said. “However, even after the intervention from various quarter and also demand made by the All Nagaland Contractor & Suppliers union (NCSU) to go for open tender to award work to competent contractor (s) for timely and proper execution of work. But brushing aside all these demands the government flouting all the contract norms and regulation the work order was issued on the 15th Dec, 2007, to Ms KK Chire & Co, a company owned by DAN minister, Mr. Küzholuzo Nienu after the last state assembly general election date was announced.”
The VDB of the village said it was how the minister started claiming the credit as “achievement that through his initiative he brought sanction from DONER ministry, after bribing the ministry
officials.”
The VDB of Thuvopisu village further disclosed of having learned that under the initiative of the chief minister, the Nagaland Legislative Assembly constituted a “financial committee member” (FCM) to probe and verify all the ongoing works of centrally sponsored projects in Nagaland.
“The public wish to know to what extend the committee have visited and verified those roads? Judging the physical status of work on Phek to Chozuba road and bill payments against the work, even the sincerity and integrity of the financial committee members are also liable to be questionable,” Thuvopisu VDB stated.
Information through RTI
The VDB also furnished details on the “physical progress” of the Phek-Chozuba road and bill payments against the work obtained from the department through the Right to Information Act (RTI). The details are for public consumption and judgment as the road is not in proper shape at all but the “bill” was released almost in full amount, the VDB stated.
The VDB stated that the original total cost of the project approved DPR was Rs.1794.07 lakhs. “However, work order was issued for an amount of Rs.1578.00 lakhs only. The total amount released to the contractor is Rs.1493.31 Lakhs (rupees fourteen crores ninety-three lakhs thirty one thousand) only. The remaining fund left for completion of the project is Rs.84.69 Lakhs (rupees eighty four lakhs sixty nine thousand) only as per information received from the department on 31st Jan.2011.”
The village’s public expressed gratefulness to Deo Nukhu, Advisor to Science and Technology, who questioned the PWD (R& B) regarding the Phek-Chozuba road “as to why the road is not completed even after money was generously sanctioned, during the recent DPDB meeting held at Phek on 11th March 2011.”
.jpg)
