Nagaland: Construction works must go on, but labourers flout SOP

Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 9 (EMN): Following the directive issued by the district administration to exempt construction works from the purview of the lockdown, labourers in the state capital have been freely working at various construction sites for both government and private owners.

However, they were often seen without following SOP; without mask and spotted in groups. A police personnel said that many labourers travel together while crossing the state capital to ferry construction materials to different places.  

An official from Kohima Smart City Development Limited told this newspaper that they had instructed the contractors to maintain SOP and guidelines issued by the government.

The official also informed that some of the engineers and site supervisors, who were engaged in construction of the multi-level car parking at NST in Kohima, had gone to their native in Assam.

However, he informed that some of the labourers were still working at the site.

“They are fairly managing well during this lockdown,” he said when asked how workers are coping with the situation. He added that during “last lockdown (in 2020), there were some complications but this time, the situation is slightly better”.

Meanwhile, the government issued a new directive on Wednesday that new construction works would be allowed after being examined by the district task forces while fresh labourers would be allowed as per the provisions under the revised SOP for returnees and travellers issued on April 29.