Nagaland: Foothills Road stir put on hold after talks with tribal bodies

DIMAPUR — A proposed agitation over the Foothills Road project has been put on hold after a consultative meeting between the Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) and apex tribal hohos in Dimapur on Tuesday.

According to a resolution issued by the NFHRCC, the decision was taken at a meeting held at Hotel Saramati, where stakeholders, including the Nagaland apex tribal hohos, unanimously agreed to keep in abeyance the phase-wise agitation scheduled to begin from April 15.

The resolution stated that the move followed a request from the apex tribal bodies.

The NFHRCC also resolved to remain a “watchdog” on the proposed upgradation of the Foothills Road to a two-lane National Highway, in view of the no-objection certificate issued by the apex tribal hohos.

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Further, it urged the Government of Nagaland to publicly explain the revised administrative approval of INR 43077.84 lakh, stating that the amount was meant solely for Foothills Road construction.

The committee, however, appealed to the public to remain prepared for resumption of the agitation if the government fails to fulfil the aspirations of the Naga public.

The development comes after the NFHRCC had earlier announced that Dimapur-based tribal hohos would boycott an April 7 meeting convened by the state government and warned of intensified agitation, including locking the Public Works Department (R&B) office in Dimapur from April 15, if work orders for the second phase were not issued.

At a press conference on April 6, NFHRCC general secretary Chenithung Humtsoe had said the decision followed a March 30 resolution that the committee must be included in all discussions concerning the project, adding that Dimapur-based tribal hohos had extended full support to the committee.