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Picture provided by a citizens' group from Kiphire town shows the damage caused to the drainage.[/caption]
Dimapur, Jan. 20 (EMN): The Citizens’ Welfare Society of Kiphire town on Sunday objected to what it stated was “the digging of mud” for laying of Jio and Rartel (sic) underground optical fibre cable (OFC) through the stretch of NH 202 in Kiphire district for “just a 12 cm (1 feet) or may be some 18 cm (1 half feet) deep, and that too on the upper side of the road by blocking/damaging all the drainage system on the stretch.”
A press release from the society on Sunday expressed concern that “in some location the availability of width to carry out OFC cable-laying is not adequate and the people/filed (sic) dwelling below the roadside of the highways are at risk during rainy season.
“Moreover, the CWS feared that, the disaster happened due to natural calamities in 2018 may happen again even this year but this time it will be manmade disaster, if corrective measures were not taken up at the earliest. The CWS ponders as and how could and on what condition the PWD (NH/R&B) has compromised and allowed the company to block/damage the drainage system which is being look after by the department?
“The CWS also questions the concern contractors/companies (sic) under what conditions/guidelines they are executing the work for laying the OFC cable and who will bear the responsibilities if our life line is destroyed. The CWS felt that it is preventable, as all these activities are going on right in front of the authority. However, even the authority remains mute spectator for the same. Therefore, the CWS for the brighter prospect of the district has cautious that, if concern department/contractors/company (sic) fails to take up the corrective measures as per the guidelines and conditions laid down at the earliest, the CWS may take up the matter for intervention before the ongoing works costs our life line,” the statement read.
The society also warned that if any accident/mishap were to occur “due to the negligence of the concern department (sic), they shall hold full responsible for the same.”
