The State Capital — Kohima could face a major water crisis as Jotsoma Youth Organisation (JYO) has warned to tap off the source of water supply to Kohima. Organisation’s president Rokovizo Senotsu and press secretary Medoleto Seüno in a press release informed the general public of Kohima and its surrounding colonies and villages that, much against its will, it was being compelled to take the drastic step of taping off water supply source at Jotsoma village due to the State government’s failure to fulfil its commitments for the last 45 years.
While taping water of Dzüna and Kelorü streams, the two lifelines of Jotsoma village, they said the State government had made certain commitments through an agreement of December 15, 1976.
They claimed that as per clause iii of the agreement, the government had committed “To convert the existing Government ME School to a Government ME-cum-High School. And also for future expansion, to build additional school building, full sized playground, staff quarters and hostels, etc.”
Further, they claimed that the government had also assured that villagers would be appointed to suitable grade IV staff. Accordingly, about 18 persons from the village were appointed. Over the years all these persons had retired, but regrettably no one from the village was appointed against the retirement vacancies, they added.
JYO said it had, along with Jotsoma Village Council and other organisations, repeatedly submitted representation to the government calling for fulfilling clause iii of the agreement and for further augmentation of the existing infrastructure of the school.
Unfortunately, it regretted that not a single class room was added to the existing infrastructure that were built in 1968, and that the school was still an ME school, now upgraded to higher secondary level having Arts and Commerce streams.
Having seen the requirement of the school and in the larger interest of the students of Government Higher Secondary School, Jotsoma, the youth body said it had once again requested the government through a letter on February 6, 2019 to take immediate action to fulfil the commitments. Despite of having received its representation and the department concerned not having taken its genuine demands seriously even after more than a year, JYO said it readied itself for further action, when the chief secretary intervened and called a joint meeting on March 19, 2020.
Held in the presence of 8th W/A constituency MLA, the meeting was attended by the chief secretary, principal secretary School Education and principal secretary PHE, while JYO was represented by its executives. In the meeting, JYO said the school education principal secretary assured that the department would find ways and means to improve the infrastructure of the school at the earliest.
The meeting further agreed to appoint 18 Grade IV staff to look after the water supply to Kohima would be deployed in and around Kohima, as and when the need arises.
The meeting concluded with the decision to review action taken after every three months.
But, in spite of the decision being taken at the highest level with the chief secretary himself assuring that the long-pending commitments would be fulfilled, JYO lamented that no action has been taken either by the school education department to even go for joint verification as decided in the meeting or the PHED in appointing 18 Grade IV staff.
The youth body recalled that the government’s non-action had compelled it to issue an ultimatum on December 18, 2020 calling for implementing the decision taken at the joint meeting on or before January 31, 2021, failing which it threatened to stop taping of water from the two streams for water supply to Kohima.
Regrettably, as the State government did not initiate any action to resolve the matter till January 29, JYO said taping of taping of water from Dzüna and Kelorü streams would be stopped on expiry of the deadline, which would result in scarcity of water in Kohima town.
Through the release, the organisation appeal to the public not to hold it responsible for the difficulties that might face.