A Staff Reporter
Dimapur, October 16
Another among some of the most neglected roads in the state, and ‘the most important road for all in Mangkolemba’ subdivision under Mokokchung district, got a small facelift recently when citizens decided not to wait for the state government to come to their aid.
Residents of the area, local administrative officials and members of nongovernmental organizations on October 15 took upon the task of clearing clogged drains, digging new ones and filling craters before surfacing with asphalt a road leading to a community health center.
The road in question was the road to the community health centre in Kumpani ward of Mangkolemba town. The health center caters to the people of the area and nearby communities.
The informal project was realized purely by public contributions and donations, the community of the area informed.
Local community groups issued a statement on Thursday, October 15, informing about the event. The community said that the work began after “seeing the inability of the concerned department to maintain the six hundred meter approach road to the hospital from the Mangkolemba-Longnak main road.”
The Health Centre Management Committee and additional deputy commissioner’s establishment in Mangkolemba convened a joint meeting of all the prominent organizations in the town.
The organizations in meeting included the Mankolemba Adhoc Town Committee, the Mangkolemba Baptist Church, the Gaonbura, the Mangkolemba Ao Youth Organization, all-ward committees, the Watsü Union and the Coal Miners’ Union.
After the meeting , the civil society and local administration ‘unanimously resolved to take up the task of clearing clogged side drains and digging new ones, soiling and metalling and finally laying of asphalt (blacktopping) of the road to CHC,’ the press release stated.
“This project is to be realized purely by public contributions and donations. To initiate and execute the proposed venture, a Coordination Committee for Hospital Road Repairing was setup under the aegis of the Additional Deputy Commissioner with representation from all major organizations.”
The work started on October 15 with a short prayer program. The area’s additional deputy commissioner thanked the citizens of Mangkolemba for the selfless contribution toward the welfare of the community and for their ‘taking zealous participation in maintenance of roads and other public works.’ A mass prayer was led by Dr. Akok Amer, pastor of Mangkolemba Baptist Church, before work commenced.
The statement said: “The coordination committee estimated a budget of thirteen lakh rupees for the road work and express gratitude to those who are making good contributions and also urged upon every citizens and organizations/unions to take part in this monumental endeavor by way of monetary, man power and material assistance for the benefit of all, especially the health patients. The work got underway with the clearing and digging of side drains.”
Citizens and communities who have been concerned by the years of neglect and perceived corruption that they blame to be the cause of the arrested development in Nagaland, have been trying to do their bit. Citizens and organizations repairing local roads are not a new thing in the state.
From Purana Bazar to Dhansiripar in Dimapur, Mon to Wokha, not to forget even in the capital town Kohima, local communities in Nagaland have not seen a proper, durable road worth its name. The Mangkolemba community initiative was just another of a long string of grievances that have become tactic in the everyday lives of the neglected people and state.
Besides, members of the public, service providers such as heavy carriers and transporters have also been engaged in doing their bit for the roads in the state. For instance, trucks–one of the transport services hit the hardest by the craterous roads as well–joined the fray recently to keep the roads usable at the very least.
On Wednesday, October 14, members of the Dimapur District Truck Drivers’ Welfare Trade Union (DDTDWTU) undertook a voluntary community service by fiilling patches of the horrendous stretch of the national highway along Purana Bazar and Nagarjan.
In highly-developed Nagaland, roads continue to touch the lives of citizens and vehicles alike–too literally. Years and years of neglect have reduced to the roads in Nagaland to nothing more than virtual river beds and instead of the Nagaland government or the developmental agencies, it is the common people, and their community organizations that try to do whatever they can to keep the road useable.
“Volunteered by truck drivers of Dimapur district, the social work was conducted in full swing under the supervision of DDTDWTU officials. Volunteers filled the pot-holes and water logged portions of the roads with sand gravels transported by trucks and dumpers from the riverbeds,” the organizers had stated in a press release on Wednesday.
But of course, the students are not left behind either. Youth and students organizations have been at the forefront of community-organized works too. On September 21, for instance, a students’ group in Sitimi Town Youth Forum in faraway Kiphire district undertook a day’s work to ‘repair’ the road connecting Church colony, old town and Sitimi village. The stretch of road had been damaged due to incessant rain for months. The members of the group constructed a wooden bridge with materials voluntarily contributed by members.
The group had issued a press release cautioning the government departments ‘to be in station at Sitimi HQ to work with the public of the area.’
In Dimapur too, young school children aren’t far behind in dong their bit for the community. In another instance, students and members of the staff of Government Primary School of Lengrijan in Dimapur recently conducted a community work during which they tended to the area’s worn-out road.
On October 16, the students and staffers of the school filled up the numerous potholes with loose soil and ‘repaired roads along the stretch of the school area.’ The school also provided mid-day meals to all the students.
