The elected Govt., i.e., the present Ministry is the legitimate authority to frame policies on governance, to implement those policies and to manage all the affairs of the people of Nagaland. The Govt. has the authority to amend the defective laws and to enact new laws in the interest of the State. The Govt. does not require approval of NGOs for execution of its programs as long as it functions within the parameters of the laws of the land. The present day Govt.’s new culture of hoodwinking the common man through the apparatus of Consultative meetings with tribal organisations and NGOs are nothing but to get its felonies and misdemeanours vouched by the latter. The new culture of consultation should not be used as excuse and as escape route for wrong doers and rather less consultations lest so required and more ground achievements will give greater benefits to the people.
The Colloquium on road connectivity organised by Govt. with Chief Secretary as Chairman on 10.10. 2017 at Banquet Hall, Kohima was found to be more of a show than of seriousness as I too participated as team of NTC. The compere refused to give time to those who came to talk sense and not just mere criticisms, yet I do not blame her as she had to act robotic. I am therefore compelled to give my views on the highly publicized meeting with NGOs in this manner.
The Govt. led by Chief Minister tried its best to justify how roads in Nagaland have to remain in deplorable conditions. On the other hand, the Govt. tried its best to convey the message to attendees that a lot more attractive road projects are in the offing. Perhaps, the exercise was intended to replenish the stigmatized memory of namesake roads in Nagaland in the mind of people and its possible boomerang out of anger in the next election with such specious criss-cross road projects across the State.
The power point presentations from particularly three sectors, namely, Border Road Organisation(BRO), Deptt. of National Highways and Deptt. of R&B gave the impression that the number of highways and State roads may outsize the area of 16,579 sq. km. As per highlights, Nagaland is going to have lot of roads with virtually no worth calling road. Those presentations reminded me of a record presented in NLA session several years ago that Nagaland had no more dry land as the total area of fishery ponds against which subsidies granted exceeded total area of Nagaland. Nagas are unique in creating such histories.
It is perplexing as to whether Govt. has adopted a new policy on road repair by which the tar carpeting is replaced by mere gravel carpeting as we have not seen blacktopping of road with mixture of tar/stone chip/sand except gravel filling. The new policy on road repair and its implementation fails to befit the nomenclatures of both Highways and Road & Bridges. Better change the nomenclatures to Department of Mud during monsoon and Department of Dust during winter alternately. When so, the respective Ministers do not need worry about their roads as its conditions on ground will suit the names.
The other observation is how the media opted to omit the Chief Minister’s assurance to the gathering saying ‘From today onward we will have transparency’ and ‘We will listen to the voice of the people’. etc. in its reports. Such admission of a CM speaks volumes. It was a frank admission of governance without ethic and honesty all through these years. The Fourth Estate’s positive role is indispensable in any collective efforts to straighten the crooked. The reporters are therefore expected to be benevolent with peoples’ agenda on top of their priorities and not otherwise as their right reporting can heal and when not, a morphed one becomes as good as no reporting beside denting its own credibility.
Hopefully the 4-lane Dimapur-Kohima road will become a reality. This road is one of the major assets of the people of Nagaland. When handed over to Govt. by contractors after completion, the worry is the maintenance. Manmade calamities will again become more devastating than natural calamities. The worst is lack of Govt.’s control on the damages of road and blockages of drainage by private activities of all hue. The Nagaland Legislative Assembly is expected to enact stringent law for up keep of all our roads. Secondly, when PWD makes road, the other Departments particularly PHE and Tele Communication used to damage. Though none is a busybody, there has to be master plan and synchronize their activities so as to avoid wastage of public money. Thirdly, there will never be adequate amount of fund for the nodal departments to repair all the roads to the satisfaction of all and as per specifications at a time. It is better for the Govt. to take up repair works in phase manner. When a road is repaired, give sufficient investment on it so as to make it a lasting workmanship and only then we can see the facelift in road sector. All through these years, we have been wasting funds for namesake repairs out of which bigger investments are made on pilferage than on actual works. Changing the gear is the need of the hour.
