Villagers face hardships due to damaged water infrastructure by M/S Fortune Group

M/S Fortune Group's actions have triggered a dire water crisis in the southern Angami region of Nagaland, jeopardising the villagers' livelihoods.

KOHIMA — Residents of the southern Angami region, particularly Visewema, Kezoma, and Sakhabama villages, are enduring untold miseries as their agriculture and primary economic activities, along with access to water, have been severely impacted.

This predicament arose when their irrigation canals and water supply pipelines were "recklessly" damaged by the M/S Fortune Group - the company is responsible for construction works on the National Highway passing through the rural areas from 2021.

During a conversation with the village council members of Viswema, including chairman Tebül Neikha, Meyiel Naleo, and Kediho Pusa, Eastern Mirror received information about the grave situation on Thursday in Kohima.

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The villagers described how the contractors completely damaged the water supply pipelines of the three villages, including an uprooted electric post, since March 2021.

Despite the pipeline system being laid on the sub-pavement of the highway, the contractors have not addressed the issue, leading to the abandonment of several paddy fields due to a lack of irrigation water supply, it was informed.

In response, the villagers said that they have submitted an FIR against M/S Fortune Group to Khuzama Police Station on July 14, highlighting the plight of thousands of villagers whose survival depended on the irrigation canals and water supply pipelines.

Upon direction from the district administration to repair the damages, the company initiated repair works, it was informed.

However, the villagers expressed deep dissatisfaction with the company's approach, as they used scrap pipe pieces for the repairs in a "most humiliating and provocative manner."

The company's workers reportedly sold the mangled pipe pieces to scrap dealers without the villagers' knowledge and later used these discarded materials to fix the impaired pipelines.

Following this incident, the members informed that the district Deputy Commissioner (DC) submitted a complaint to the Superintendent of Police (SP), Kohima, along with a representation received from Viswema village council on July 7.

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A copy of the complaint obtained by this newspaper emphasized the damages to the village's water supply pipeline, causing water scarcity for both human and cultivation needs.

It also highlighted the removal and selling of village water supply GI pipes to scrap dealers and damages to village irrigation canals, rendering paddy fields uncultivable and disrupting the livelihoods of villagers, which was deemed a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution.

The DC urged appropriate action against M/S Fortune Group under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for its failure to take remedial measures despite repeated instructions.

“After repeated instructions by the undersigned, M/S Fortune Group is yet to take any remedial measures. So in this regard, it is requested appropriate necessary action be initiated against M/S Fortune Group under Section 268, 378, 379, 405, 406, 409, 410, 415, 418, 420, 421, 425, 427, 434 and other relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) as applicable,” wrote the DC.

Furthermore, the villagers pointed out that the slow progress of the company's work has not only hindered travel for the villagers but also caused numerous accidents involving heavy goods vehicles due to a lack of timely road maintenance.

They demanded accountability from the company for the losses incurred by both business parties and truck owners.

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As the state government's response seemed "futile" due to the construction work being undertaken by the Central government, the villagers sought the attention of the Governor of Nagaland to address their plight and take up the matter with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, as the historical Indo-Burma road has been neglected and downgraded from four lanes to two lanes with repeated descoping, which they deemed unfair.

Village council chairman Tebül Neikha clarified that their intent was never to intervene or disturb the highway construction work. Instead, they simply requested the company to address the damages caused to their community, he said.

However, he asserted that the villagers expressed dismay at the company's indifference to their hardships and grievances, as their patience has been tested for an extended period.

Despite the challenges, the villagers have been persistently approaching the authorities, incurring physical discomfort and financial expenses during their frequent visits, all due to the company's failure to address their dilemma.

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Meanwhile, representatives of M/S Fortune Group including Ranjit Sahu, field engineer and Anjani Kumar, Q and S Planning Engineer made an agreement at DC Office, Kohima on July 26 to undertake 'all damaged Viswema water pipelines to be replaced with new pipelines and damaged irrigation canal restored by August 15, 2023,' the copy of which was handed over to this newspaper during the proceeding.

The company expressed regret for the damage to village water supply pipelines and irrigation canal in Viswema during execution of the Kohima-Mao road construction work.

It has been learned that the villagers were compelled to purchase water for consumption due to the damage caused to their pipeline.