Akhoya youths seek CM’s intervention on stalled Changtongya – Longleng highway project

Dimapur, Nov. 30 (EMN): Citing ‘some ensuing technical difficulties’ that are preventing the construction of a section of Changtongya-Longleng highway from taking off, the Akhoya Youth Organisation has sought the intervention of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to settle the issue.

In an open letter to the chief minister, the youth organisation stated that with regard to the Changtongya-Longleng road construction from zero point to 321 metre, the Akhoya village council and the Akhoya Youth Organisation have been in constant communication with the state highway department administration and NHIDCL through numerous representations since 2013.

On September 27, 2019, the Akhoya village council, land owners union and Akhoya Youth Organisation had a joint meeting with the Phom People’s Council (PPC) and after thoroughly surveying the zero point, made an agreement that all the works related to the Changtongya-Longleng road correction will be carried out together with mutual understanding, it stated.

Later, officials from the office of Chief Engineer, government of Nagaland, visited the place for spot verification. On December 11, 2019, the chief engineer wrote to the commissioner and secretary to the government of Nagaland, Works and Housing, and informed about taking up the work, it added.

“Following this, the DC Mokokchung along with DGM (NHIDCL) visited the spot and after thoroughly surveying the spot, sent the spot verification report to commissioner Kohima through DC, Mokokchung. On June 20, 2020, without any spot verification, a list for damage compensation was sent to the Akhoya land owners from NHIDCL, but the list contained only 40% of the land owners’ names and the rest of the names were missing. Therefore, the Akhoya land owners union summarily rejected the damage compensation list given by NHIDCL and No Objection Certificate (NOC) was not issued.

“Following this, on October 3, 2020, the DC, Mokokchung called the Akhoya village council and Akhoya Youth Organisation for a meeting, which was held in the presence of DC and SDO, Mkg., SDO, Changtongya, EE NH, Mkg., and NHIDCL, wherein, the Akhoya village council and Akhoya Youth Organisation shared their constraints and requirements regarding the present issue,” read the letter.

However, it stated, on November 20, 2020, the DC, Mkg., verbally informed the Akhoya village council that the demands for zero point intersection correction cannot be made.

“Therefore, considering the highway construction rules and norms, if the state government does not work taking into consideration the needs and plight of the people, we the Akhoya villagers will never accept such unethical activities,” it asserted, while requesting the state government to ‘monitor and expedite the  present issue’ at the earliest.