Lotha Hoho & Rengma Hoho Serves Ultimatum To National Highway Authorities, Nagaland :
After waiting and appealing for several years, for Widening of the National Highway No. 02 (erstwhile NH 61),Tseminyu and Wokha Sectors, the Lotha & Rengma Hohos hereby serve this open Ultimatum to the National Highways Authorities, Nagaland, (NHAN) to immediately start widening works on NH 02, for the two Sectors, latest by 18th April 2017, failing which total Bandh will be imposed, w.e.f.19.04.2017, and it will no more be negotiable.
The summary of the case history is : as all Nagas are aware, the widening of NH 02, for other sectors, had been done more than a decade ago; and the two Hohos have expressed their unhappiness for abandoning the two sectors, and submitted a Memorandum to the NHAN on the 26th May 2015. The Chief Engineer, NHAN clarified through the local media with Assuring comments saying “it has been observed regretfully that the Tseminyu and Wokha stretch of road is in deplorable condition because of litigation in the Supreme Court; but the court case is settled and the work on this stretch is proposed in the Annual Plan of 2014-15 and the updated Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been submitted to the MORTH for sanction”, vide media publications dated 6/6/015. Also the then Hon’ble Minister, National Highways, Nagaland, had assured on the 30th September 2015, which said “Nuklotoshi Assures work on Tseminyu & Wokha road sectors within two weeks”, published in some sections of the local dailies. Also in the meeting of LH & RH with the Commissioner & Secretary and the Chief Engineer, NH, on the 3rd October 2015, the Hohos were assured that the DPR can be ready for sanction within two months, i.e. by January 2016. The Hohos patiently and hopefully waited, but to no avail. Hence on the 30th April 2016, submitted a Reminder Memorandum, on the matter. But the Hohos are astounded/dumb-founded that it is neither “two weeks nor two months”; but it is now two years, since Assurances were given. So what do the Naga people say? The GOI (MORTH) has approved the DPR and accorded sanction on the 31.10. 2016, for Rs. 340.2687 crore, with specific condition that the work must start by December 2016, and to spend 20% of the sanctioned amount within 2016-17, or else the sanction would lapse. But sadly, due to inaction of the NHAN, the Financial year 2016-17 is now over. The Hohos know that the Court Case was settled by 23.8.2013. Why court case, some may ask: it was due to allotment of work to a favoured bidder, with vested motive. Had the work been allotted to the genuine bidder, the work could have been done already. If NHAN refute this allegation, the Hohos will bring in the testimony of the living bidder witness, which will be too embarrassing. So what are NH authorities doing for the last four years? Does it reflect the same old tradition of unfair allotment or inefficiency or indifference or deliberate discrimination or abhorrence, the Hohos fail to understand. The Hohos wonder as to how the NH Authorities can be so adamant, so indifferent and so discriminating to the two tribes, for so long. The Hohos are utterly disappointed with the inaction of the NH authorities and the Hohos have no option; but to launch agitation by imposing an indefinite total (24 hours) bandh of NH 02 within the two sectors of Tseminyu and Wokha!
This matter being a long pending “hide & seek” game, will no longer be negotiable as it is a blatant Discrimination which honest and sensible Nagas will certainly agree and the total Bandh will be imposed indefinitely till work is started by producing copies of the Work Order to the two Hohos. Yes, it is a blatant Discrimination and honest and sensible Nagas will certainly agree with the views of the two Hohos.
The NHAN gives excuses that being a centrally sponsored work, it involves lots of technicalities and hence time taking. But sensible people will all agree that four years (after settlement of court case) is too long for preparing DPR and to obtain sanction! Don’t the NHAN know that a DPR or Tender papers submitted, for sanction, has to be pursued with clarifications at every stage, to get them through? The Rights of the people cannot be suppressed by any amount of clarifications or assurances, except by timely and satisfactory works. The NH authorities are therefore asked to start the work immediately latest by 18th April 2017, failing which the indefinite total Bandh will be imposed and the NHAN will be held fully responsible, for any eventuality.
The Bandh will exempt the press & media, paramilitary, medical personnel on patient duty, Administration/Police personnel on duty, fire service, water and power personnel on emergency duty.
