Dimapur, Sep. 8 (EMN): The deputy chief minister of Nagaland Yanthungo Patton announcing that contractors will now have their names on ‘signboards’ along roads they build as an accountability measure is welcomed by the Nagaland Voluntary Consumer Organisation (NVCO).
However, the NVCO has made a special request to Patton: Along with the contractors’ names, add on the board details about the original estimated cost, total project cost, escalations and various deductions, commissions and percentages, engineers, heads of departments, departmental charges, Finance department and the “several groups,” and even details about “illegal cash collection at the check-gates and on highways etc.” that went into it.
The consumer organisation issued a press release on Sunday to the media. The NVCO expressed elation at the announcement of Patton, who is also in charge of Home and Roads & Bridges, about having signboards that will have the names of the contractor and executive engineer ‘at the construction site.’
The organisation expressed appreciation for the initiative ‘as it is solely to improve the quality of workmanship which is the need of the hour.’ Many a time citizens demands good roads and drainage systems, the NVCO explained.
‘Every season with the onset of rainfall, several potholes on the road and breakdown of the newly built drainage system clearly reflects on the poor workmanship and quality of materials used,’ the organisation stated.
‘Drainage walls are collapsing with a single rainfall! Deplorable road condition everywhere and bridges are falling apart for a project with huge budget. This is highly unexpected and disappointing.’
The organisation is convinced that quality work should ‘sustain throughout all seasons.’
The NVCO started: ‘In some part of the state, literally there is no roads and the common people can no longer tolerate this deplorable road conditions and these things are all happening just because of poor workmanship and corruption such as huge deduction of money from the project amount/cost in a form of commission/percentages in the name of party fund/minister/advisor/MLA, various groups, departmental charges, etc.’
The press release read: “While supporting this initiative to ensure good workmanship and quality work without involving any corrupt practices such deduction in a form of commission, the NVCO sincerely requested the minister concerned to also added original estimated cost, total project amount/cost along with escalations and various deduction in a form of commission/percentages in the name of party fund/minister concerned/advisor/MLA, engineers, HoDs, departmental charges, finance department, several groups, illegal cash collection at the check-gates and on highways, etc. on the proposed ‘signboard’ along with the names of contractors and executive engineer.’
Corruption involves in the infrastructural development funds is a serious concern, the organisation reminded. “It is time not to deduct any amount/percentage from the project fund if at all public servants/ politician are serious with quality workmanship.”
