Appreciating the state government for providing fund for the Nagaland Foot Hill Road (FHR), the Lotha Hoho has appealed to the state government and the responsible authorities including NFHRCC to complete the road at the earliest by judicious utilisation of the fund. In a press release, LH chairman Mhondamo Ovung and general secretary S Abenthung Ngullie said that the hoho would be vigilant on the progress of work and fund utilisation.
On the earmarking of Rs.10 crore for completion of Doyang bridge near Governor’s Camp, LH said that the work order for the bridge was issued seven years ago on November 21, 2014, but claimed that the work was abandoned by the contractor M/S L. Pukhato Shohe & Sons after receiving advance payment of Rs.18.49 crore during 2015-16 against the W/O amount of Rs.2452.20 lakh amounting to 75% of the total amount.
LH said that the payment of 75% of the W/O amount was made for execution of only about 25 % to 30 % of the work.
The hoho said it had filed an FIR “against this fraud” on October 20, 2017 against the contractor and the concerned executive engineer (EE). Surprisingly, NFHRCC had instead, asked for resumption of the abandoned work before the police could take follow up action against the accused.
LH also pointed out that the pending bill for the bridge is now Rs. 6.2 crore, and that out of the state government provision of Rs.10 crore, a saving of only Rs.3.97 crore was available for other works.
LH maintained that the contractor should not be paid any escalation for the work, since he deliberately abandoned the work after receiving undue bill payment. LH said that the contractor should have completed the work with the Rs.18.49 crore payment and now only can claim the final bill payment.
In this regard, LH has advised the NFHRCC to ensure that the work was complete in all aspect by complying with all technical specifications.
LH has also threatened to revive the FIR against the contractor and the EE if any item of the bridge work failed untimely.
It said that the bridge was targeted to have been commissioned on October 15, 2016 as per Work Order, but was delayed by five years. Since the delay was “due to deliberate mischief of the contractor”, LH said he should not be paid any escalation.