Nagaland: AFR B&CA reiterate demand on Foothills Road alignment

The Bhandari & Changpang Area Aggrieved Villages Forum (AFR B&CA) has reaffirmed its earlier stand of “No Foothills Road, No Oil Exploration” and appealed to the State government for immediate action on the ongoing Foothills Road project.
In a press note, the forum informed that representatives of the aggrieved villages under Bhandari and Changpang areas held a general meeting at Longtsiri Village under Bhandari sub-division on February 7, during which several resolutions were adopted. The forum reaffirmed its stand on the approved road alignment from Longayim Village linking Mangkolemba division in Mokokchung district via Tssori Old/New. It urged the government to issue work order at the earliest for the remaining portion under Baghty division for the phase-II of the ongoing two-lane Foothills Road project on or before March 31, 2026.
The forum stated that the alignment had been approved as per the representation submitted by Lotha Hoho to Chief Engineer, PWD (R&B) on June 4, 2024. It cautioned that failure to comply with what it termed as a legitimate appeal would compel the public to initiate further stringent democratic measures against the government.
The forum also strongly urged the concerned department to initiate an open e-tender process and to undertake cutting of a 40-foot-wide road, inclusive of the existing cut portion, as donated by the affected landowners.
Further, the house approved all points forwarded to R&B department with unanimous consent and resolved to extend continued cooperation and support to Lotha Hoho and the Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee for the remaining phases of the Foothills Road construction project to ensure inclusiveness and transparency.