Nagaland Contractors & Suppliers Union (NCSU) has urged the state government to review its decision on the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III projects in Nagaland. Addressing a press conference at Hotel Japfü here Thursday, NCSU members said the union was still hopeful that the government would listen to their demand.
NCSU president, Pele Khezhie, said the union was looking for justice and was hopeful that the government would give them equal treatment. “Government should have given us the opportunity to discuss the issue in order to prevent this situation,” Khezhie said.
Pointing out that there were many contractors, he said government should therefore ensure that all the contractors get equal opportunity.
Khezhie said Nagaland was awarded for its good performance in executing PMGSY-I projects. However, he said that subsequent projects have not be executed successfully and now Nagaland was at the bottom in the performance list.
He disclosed that the guidelines from the Ministry of Rural Development had only specified Full Depth Reclamation of 15 percent. However, NCSU president claimed that Nagaland Public Works Department (NPWD) demanded 100 percent FDR, which he said was unachievable for local contractors.
Khezhie, therefore, said NCSU had voiced out it concerns and had also submitted several communiques to the government in this regard.
He said that clustering of the 40 packages into 16 projects would only create more divisions instead of helping the contractors. Further, NCSU president pointed out that even when the previous projects from PMGSY-II were yet to be completed even after 48 months, it was out of question that current projects would be completed on time.
He said that most of the machineries in executing FDRs were too expensive and not viable for the roads in Nagaland as some of these machines cost around Rs.6-10 crore and weighs close to 20 tonnes, which was too large for the roads in the state.
NCSU president, therefore, said that executing the projects according to the specifications was not practical.
Khezhie said that 40 projects should be left as it is and be given to capable contractors who would be able to complete the projects successfully and in stipulated time so the people would be benefitted through it.
Responding to a query on taxations, Khezhie said members of the union faced many challenges especially since there were 18 factions now.
He pointed out that members had to pay a good amount on unseen taxes, which was a huge burden to them and one where even the state government had failed to come up with an effective plan.
He urged the people to support the union in their demand for justice.
NCSU general secretary, John Kath, said the union had sought for a meeting with the chief secretary, but was denied.
He pointed out that the high-powered committee which was overseeing PMGSY projects was headed by the chief secretary. Kath said the union’s repeated request for the said projects to be reviewed and tender notice to be kept in abeyance had fallen on deaf ears both from the chief secretary and chief engineer of NPWD.
Left with no option, he said the union had filed a case in Gauhati High Court bench 3 and subsequently in bench 1 so that the case could be expedited.
He said the high court had given 15-day for the chief secretary to reply, adding there were only eight days remaining now. He alleged that by clustering the 40 projects into 16, government was indirectly inviting outsiders as local contactors would not be able to bid in that case.
Kath pointed out that till 2019 contract works had been given on one project one person basis which was more practical resulting in better performance and quality works. He said the project has to be retendered since NCSU members had abstained from participation.
Another member of the union said NCSU was a non-governmental organisation with the widest coverage with its members in all the districts. He cautioned that if the government failed to heed to their demand, the members would resort to their own course of action.
He also pointed out that it was high time the government learned from its past mistake of giving contract works to outside firms especially Gayatri Maytas which had plundered the state without successfully executing even one project.
Meanwhile, members of NCSU cautioned against government officers doing contract works.
A member of the union alleged that most of the contract works in government offices were being done by government officials and their children.
He alleged that many under the table tenders were also being practiced greatly hampering the livelihood of the fulltime contractors.
In this regard, the union warned that it would be visiting all the offices and check on such malpractices.
The union also warned that it would take any government officer to court if they were found to be engaging in contract works and getting projects through under the table deals.
The union reminded out that there was a government standing order where contract works should only be given to contractors with valid NCSU IDs.
NSCU disclosed that the latest government order was issued in 1985 which was still in effect.
After the pandemic, it alleged that most of the contract works earlier given to contractors were now unheard of and were secretly executed by government officers and their families.
NCSU advisor pointed out that there were many qualified members in the union now and therefore government should not leave out this section of the population.