Rengma Sela Zi (RSZ) in a statement issued by its president Kenneth Kath and general secretary Sokenye Kent alleged that after complete neglect of Rengma community by the state government, the long awaited widening of NH2 (formerly NH 61 between 40 Km to 72 Km) between Tseminyu and Wokha, had begun but suddenly stopped. The stoppage was causing immense hardship to commuters said RSZ.
In this regard, RSZ has warned individuals and agencies against trying to make a profit out of the situation in Tseminyu sub division over the present widening of NH-2 between Tseminyu to Wokha.
RSZ recalled that the widening project was first sanctioned in 2010 and re-sanctioned in 2013 but owing to alleged “selfish motives of some individuals and insincerity of the department” the project failed to take off till the case reached the Supreme Court. The project was then finally approved and sanctioned in 2016 after a series of agitations and confrontation with different agencies, RSZ said, adding that it was also irked to observe the “insincerity of implementing agencies”.
RSZ said the work for earth cutting had stopped for almost two weeks due to non-availability of dumping sites. RSZ held officials of the department responsible for allegedly not doing their job well before the project when a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) some years back.
RSZ further accused the department of failing to submit a proposal to MoRTH which caused delay in sanctioning of compensation to affected land owners. RSZ said this should have been done before earth cutting began. It disclosed that earth cutting job was undertaken by M/s TK Engineering Consortium, an Arunachal Pradesh-based construction company.
RSZ said it was extending all help for speedy execution of the project in collaboration with other Rengma bodies since the beginning.
RSZ had also served ultimatums on the Power and PHE departments to shift electric poles and water supply pipes which were not done despite 50% of the sanctioned amount having been transferred to the departments concerned since April 2018, it stated.
Accusing PWD (national highways) of adopting delaying tactics and shifting blame for anything wrongfully executed, RSZ said that work had now come to a complete standstill as landowners were not willing to allow loose soil to be dumped on their plots unless payments were released for constructing of proper protection walls.
RSZ said several landowners and farmers were also protesting over the compensation and random dumping of loose soil that had affected a vast portion of their cultivable lands along NH-2.
RSZ expressed disgust over the indifference of the department concerned and warned that it would not hesitate to take action against any individual or agency if the current crisis persisted.
Further, RSZ said since it has lost faith and confidence in the department, a team from RSZ will proceed to MoRTH offices both in New Delhi and Guwahati next week to brief the ministry about the state of affairs.