NPF leader Azo calls out NHIDCL over inaction; urges Nagaland govt. to probe July 4 tragedy

DIMAPUR— Legislator and Leader of Naga People’s Front (NPF) Legislature Party Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu has called out the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Cooperation Limited (NHIDCL), the implementing agency of the National Highway-29 (NH-29), over its response to the recent tragic rockslide in Chümoukedima that killed two people.

In a press statement, the legislator claimed that the NHIDCL has not provided any remedial action or guarantee for the safety of the people even after the July 4 tragedy that took place between Chathe bridge and Jharnapani along the Kohima-Dimapur four-lane road.

He stated that the NHIDCL had turned a deaf ear to repeated warnings of the Nagaland Pollution Control Board about the risk of ‘unsafe road cuttings’ along the four-lane road on the environment as well as the commuters, and “did not respond to the incident”, claiming that it was a natural disaster.

“It was very unfortunate on the NHIDCL’s part to blame the state government for not providing the necessary land for the road’s construction as it is understandable even to the layman that it can be dangerous when such cuts are made on steep slopes,” read the statement.

“Even the state government has rightly pointed out that blowing up dynamite and the way the earth was cut up is unprofessional. How come, then, that the NHIDCL is calling its negligence a natural disaster? Human lives are precious, the NHIDCL cannot fool the Naga public with its lackadaisical attitude, but should immediately stand up for the safety of the people, as many unsettled rocks have multiple cracks on the mountain layers, which allows more tragedies to happen at any time as rock falling is continuing till date along the stretch,” he added.

The legislator also urged the government of Nagaland to immediately launch an independent inquiry committee to probe the reason for the recent tragedy and punish the culprits.

“The NPF party will be compelled to drag both the contractor and the NHIDCL to the public court in order to save lives if justice is not delivered at the earliest,” he warned.