Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio seeks departmental report on Mangkolemba hall site, saying he was surprised by its location despite earlier project clarification
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DIMAPUR — Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has sought a report from the department concerned on the location of a government-funded multipurpose hall project in Mangkolemba, saying he was “taken by surprise” by the site where the facility was constructed.
Speaking to media persons after an event in Chümoukedima on Thursday, Rio was asked about the construction of the hall reportedly at Longtho village on property associated with Minister Temjen Imna Along.
Rio replied that the government’s priority was to construct multipurpose halls in all district headquarters, followed by subdivisions. He added that it would not be feasible to construct such facilities in every village as that would require thousands of halls.
On the Mangkolemba project, however, Rio said he was also unaware of how the facility had come to be constructed at the particular location.
The chief minister said he was questioning the department on how the project had been implemented there and had sought details.
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His remarks come a little over a month after the Directorate of Youth Resources and Sports issued a clarification defending the project and its location.
In its August 11 clarification, the directorate stated that a work order had been issued to M/s Aren Enterprises in July 2024 for construction of the facility at Mangkolemba in Mokokchung district.
It stated that detailed project report (DPR), including geographical coordinates, had been approved by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports before sanction of the project. According to the directorate, the location was recorded in the approved documents as falling under Mangkolemba Circle, and the project was subsequently implemented at the designated geo-tagged site.
The department further stated that a Land Availability Certificate had been issued by the additional deputy commissioner (ADC), Mangkolemba, following spot verification in coordination with the village council concerned. An NOC was subsequently issued certifying that the identified land was free from encumbrances.
The directorate also stated that a project monitoring committee comprising state government officials and a representative of the Ministry had verified the work following a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
The committee submitted its report on December 9, 2025, certifying the project as 100% complete, according to the department.
The directorate clarified that the nomenclature “Multi-Purpose Hall, Mangkolemba” was approved by the Ministry and retained in the project documents.
It, however, noted that the location was never described in the project documents as Mangkolemba ADC headquarters or Mangkolemba town.
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