EMN
Dimapur, April 1
Barely a couple of weeks left for selection of Centre’s ambitious Smart Cities Mission, Kohima Village Council (KVC) today expressed surprise at the concerned authority that the map for the proposed coverage area of Kohima Smart City was not ready till date.
“At this rate we will never be able to see the desired pace of progress. It is much desired that state government would give more seriousness in this effort. The KVC is serious and committed to make Kohima Smart City a reality at the earliest possible time,” KVC chairman Neivor Rutsa said while expressing readiness to extend support to the state government should it require more lands, construction of circular roads, widening of the existing roads, dismantling and rebuilding of the existing structures and retrofitting.
The Kohima Village Students Union (KVSU) a frontal organization of the KVC has also reaffirmed its stand in a meeting with KMC on March 20.
Meanwhile, KVC took a serious note of the news item published in the local media by Moangwati Aier, Secretary, Municipal Affairs, Govt. of Nagaland April 1 that non-availability of land was the core issue for the Kohima Smart City and that he already had five consultation meetings with Kohima Village Panchayat elders.
Strongly refuting the news item that Moangwati took initiative to have consultation meeting with Kohima Village Council relating to land issue, KVC clarified that it was the council that took initiative to submit a representation to Chief Minister TR Zeliang on November 3 last year when they were invited by CMO to discuss relating to Kohima Smart City.
“The KVC had clearly indicated its stand that Kohima Village being the ancestral land owner was ready and willing to support the state government to make Kohima Smart City a reality and that the government should not proceed further without consulting the council to check the anomalies and discrepancies in land related issues.”
KVC also expressed shock that the fund of Rs 2.30 crores made available to the state government for the preliminary work for Kohima Smart City has been misappropriated by the HoD of the Municipal Affairs.
Condemning the shameful crime committed by such responsible officer, the council strongly urged the government to give an exemplary punishment to all the culprits involved. KVC further warned that it will not tolerate any kind of corruption and misappropriation of fund by anybody as whatever fund was made available to the state government was in the larger interest of the people and the state capital.
“The council has been closely observing with serious concern that there are some elements within and outside the system who are working hard to sabotage the Kohima Smart City from day one.”
The KVC therefore warned all those people to desist from doing any further damage to the Kohima Smart City scheme.
“Kohima has been the state capital since the state got its statehood and based on that status the government of India has selected Kohima. The KVC had a consultation meeting with the KMC authority under the leadership of Kovi Meyase, Municipal Administrator on December 8, 2015 at KVC hall where we had submitted assurance in written that the KVC would extend its full support to the state government to make Kohima Smart City a reality.”
