Government ‘dilly-dallying’ on damage compensation — CPO committee  

DIMAPUR — The Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) Committee on 2-Lane Road has accused the state government of “dilly-dallying” on the damage compensation proposal relating to the ‘2-laning of Pfutsero-Phek Road and Chakhabama- Zunheboto Road under SARDP-NE in the State of Nagaland.’

The committee also charged the government with contempt of court for non-compliance with the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, judgment and order dated January 30, 2023.

The court had in the order directed the state government to make the first move by submitting a proposal with the assessment (damage compensation) made to the Ministry concerned.

The CPO committee in a letter to the state chief secretary on Thursday reminded that, pursuant to the court order, the chief secretary had “submitted a proposal” and requested the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to “look into the proposal for further allocation of fund and release of the same to the State Government.”

The letter informed that the CPO committee and PIL petitioners also went to the Ministry (MoRTH) and presented detailed grievances of the affected victims to the central authority on May 31, 2023.

The committee also apprised the chief secretary that the regional office of MoRTH, Guwahati, wrote a letter to the chief engineer, PWD, Nagaland, on June 2, 2023, directing the state government to submit “a formal proposal…at the earliest for taking further necessary action in the matter.”

“Shockingly the State Government is found casualty sleeping over a matter of great urgency for over two months now, counting days from the date of issue of June 2 letter,” the committee said.

“Given this condition, the State Government dilly-dallying the simple process of proposal submission till date, and downplaying the agonies and sufferings of the poor and restless victims of 10 years time is unimaginable and highly questionable,” it stated.

The CPO Committee further stated that it “may be forced to move Contempt of Court against the contemnors any time, and any fallout thereafter will be only due to the callousness and irresponsibility of the authority.”

Also read: Chakhesang Public Organisation Committee seeks CS’ intervention on 2-lane road