While acknowledging the minster of Road and Bridges for his response to the campaign for good roads, Concerned Citizens of Nagaland (CCN) has reiterated that the campaign was not against any individual minister, party or the government but was a collective appeal to all the authorities in a collective manner for basic amenities that was over due to the citizens of Nagaland.
The campaign on good roads under the slogan, “good roads, citizens’ right” was carried out on May 14 at Dimapur and all the other districts in the state.
CCN said that good quality roads and proper drainage cannot be compromised on the excuse of paucity of funds and appealed that the voice of the suffering citizens be placed as “priority” and “necessity” that needs urgent attention from the Centre as well.
“Good Road campaign was an expression of serious concern by the public as there were growing evidences of roads in Nagaland with full of potholes and ponds resulting in anger and dismay among the general public,” CCN said.
Maintaining that road contractors were left with little of the actual contract budget amount because of ugly corrupt practices in the form of commissions, departmental deductions, NPGs tax, etc. leaving the contractor to compromise on workmanship, CCN asked why such deductions and commissions can’t be stopped so that proper quality roads could be constructed. CCN also appealed to the Telecoms and PHED departments as well to adhere to its norms and work judiciously so that hindrance would be avoided while digging and installing wires and pipes.
On roads being constructed by different departments/ agencies, CCN clarified that it was not suitable neither needed that different “Road Campaigns” be held for different departments namely PWD ,BRO, Army supply Road or NHAN etc hence, a collective campaign for the collective departments were made in a collective manner.
In this regard, CCN requested all the departments to consider the appeal of the citizens and put into work their dynamic and quality workmanship for the people, as the citizens of Nagaland had for the past decades, lost the sense and sight of having the luxury of good roads. Meanwhile, CCN has extended its support and co-operation towards the minster of road and bridges and the departments as and when needed in its pursuit to deliver good roads to the deserving people of Nagaland as “Citizens’ Right.”