EMN
KOHIMA, OCTOBER 29
Reacting to the news item which appeared in local dailies on October 29 regarding the Chief Minister of Nagaland directing the BRO and the PWD to start repairing the roads in and around the state capital, the Angami Youth Organization (AYO) has today asserted that the justifications given for the miserable road conditions and the “act of seriousness” conveyed to the public by the government is not what the citizens are demanding or deserve. In a statement today, AYO president Medo Yhokha and general secretary Rokoketou Sechü maintained that such attitude has been conveyed to the public since the last many years and the people are frustrated with such responses from the concerned authorities.
They stated that the AYO will not backtrack from its demand, to give to the citizens “all seasons roads” and not patch worked roads.
The organization has also stopped the road repairing and patching works initiated by the BRO in Kohima town on Thursday, insisting that they would not allow the works to commence until the concerned authority assures the public to provide “all season roads”.
While reiterating that the BRO be brought to book and be made accountable for the “miserable failure” in manning the NH-29 and other roads in Nagaland, the AYO put across that it has not asked for an explanation from the BRO to justify and blame the public.
“Quality presentation of the Hornbill Festival as insisted by the government is not what the public needs at the juncture, and we are not demanding for the ‘quantity of roads’ but ‘quality roads’,” the statement said.
The organization’s contention is that, if the authorities could not commit in providing all-season quality roads, then they should leave the roads as they are for the year. “When the subjects of the state, and for the matter, the citizens of Kohima can drive through these roads for a stretch of 9-10 months in a year, we are convinced that our esteemed visitors to the Hornbill Festival deserve a ride over these quality provided roads too,” AYO stated, and demanded that the authorities immediately stop “patching the roads with mud and dust” as the entire town is choking with dust and filth “causing habitation beyond tolerance”.
In regard to the issue at hand, an executive council meeting with all the Range Units of the Angami Youth Organization has been convened on October 30, at the AYO office premises at 11 am. Towards this, AYO has directed all the concerned designated council members to attend the meeting positively.
