Dimapur, Oct. 3 (EMN): The Nagaland State Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (NSMDC) has stated that “having requisite technical manpower” it was selected as the ‘implementing agency’ in June 2008 for construction of mineral link roads and bridges at three sectors: Zipu to Moke (9 km), Wazeho to Satuza (8 km) and Nimi-Laluri (20 km). This was contained in a press release issued by the NSMDC on Tuesday in response to allegations of financial fraud in said projects. “The construction of bridges in the allotted sectors included bridges over Chizuti River (24 m span) and Tizu River (100 m span) at an estimated cost of Rs. 20.54 crore. The cost of Tizu Bridge was subsequently revised and the total cost for bridges enhanced to Rs. 41.26 crore.“Accordingly, the sanctioned fund for the bridges as per the approved estimated cost of Rs. 20.54 crore has been released in 3 (three) phases. The balance amount of Rs. 20.72 crore from the approved revised cost of Rs. 41.26 crore has further been released in 2 (two) phases:• 1st Phase: Rs. 10.09 crore released on 13th January 2017 under State Plan (Additional Fund) during 2016-17.• 2nd Phase: Rs. 10.63 crore released on 1st May 2017 under State Plan (RE) during 2017-18.It has also claimed that the “name of the road appearing as Mini-Laluri link road in the 1st drawal authority and Nimi-Laluri link road in the 2nd drawal authority is an inadvertent clerical error.”
