IMPHAL, October 11: The Information Centre for Hill Areas Manipur has today during a press conference at the Manipur Press Club negated the claims made by the Border Road Organization in a letter submitted to the state Chief Minister in July, 2011 regarding the works taken up along the National Highway 37 (53).
Speaking at the press conference, ICHAM representative Rajendro alleged that the BRO is misleading both the government and the people of the state with tall promises.
Further elaborating on his allegations, Rajendro stated that during a recent inspection tour of the said national highway, the ICHAM inspection team had been able to find out that most of the claims made by the BRO are false.
He stated that the BRO in a letter submitted to the state Chief Minister on July 27 had claimed that it has already outsourced or planned to outsource the various works to be taken up along the NH, including the surfacing works between km 147 to km 161, surfacing work between km 166 to 186 and km 186.4 to km 195, four major bridges at km 188.72, km 190.55, km 190.88 and 191.75 howewver it was found to be misleading during closer inspection by ICHAM, he added.
He has also informed that during the tour, the team was able to find only 17 casual paid labourers along the highway even though the BRO had claimed in the letter that it has 1280 such workers under its payroll at present working along the highway.
He further questioned that if incase the BRO has 1280 workers than where are the workers staying.
He further appeal to the government to find out the truth in the claims made by the BRO regarding the numbers of workers presently working at the highway.
He further mentioned that a BRTF official had told the ICHAM team during its inspection tour that works regarding the NH has already been awarded to private firms from outside the state.
He further concluded that since the works have already been awarded to other firms including ABCI India Ltd and Gautam Construction Ltd as informed by the BRTF official, the BRO doesn’t have any authority regarding the works along the highway.
He also informed that ICHAM will submit a documentary film on the deteriorating condition of the N H-53, which has already been filmed, to the state as well as the central government including the Prime Minister, union home minister, defence minister, state Chief Minister and others.
