IMPHAL, Oct 26: Alleging the state government of being bias while taking up developmental project, the Zeliangrong Youth Front-Assam, Manipur and Nagaland (ZYF-AMN), informed to seek central intervention and monitoring in all developmental works taken up in Zeliangrong inhabited areas.
The ZYF in a statement released by its development secretary, Giangamlung Pamei, claimed that the construction work of the bailey bridge over Barak river between the Dikiuram and Katang village under Tamei constituency of Tamenglong district is still yet to be completed although the work was started somewhere in the month of February 2008 at the cost of Rs.72 lakhs only with the North Eastern Council (NEC) as funding agency and the state works department as the work implementing agency.
Relatively it said the ‘Serou Bridge’ of Sugnu constituency which was started in the same year at the cost Rs.19 crores was inaugurated by Chief Minister, O. Ibobi Singh on October 24 in the presence of other ministers, top state level officials, departmental officials and public of the area.
The Chief Minister who was the chief guest of the inaugural function said that it is the ‘most joyous moment’ of the govt. while the works minister claimed it as a dream turned into reality on the completion of the ‘Serou Bridge’, it said.
Moreover, the works department branded the bridge as ‘engineering marvel’ of the works department for completion of such a huge concrete bridge within the short period of only two years.
Interestingly, when big concrete bridge can be completed within just two years in the valley district and the inability to complete the construction of even a small bailey bridge in the hill district is another ‘engineering marvel’ of the state works department for its ‘deliberate delayed skill’, it further claimed before adding the delay has totally contradicted the ‘equal development for both valley and hills’ as stated by the Chief Minister, during the inaugural function.
It informed that the ZYF, peeved with the sluggish pace of the construction work of the said bailey bridge over the Barak river, had a meeting and discussed in detail the matter in the month of September at the office chamber of the executive engineer, North Eastern Council along with the contractor.
During the discussion, the Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) told the contractor and departmental engineers to complete it within October however, the contractor and engineers expressed inability on the reason citing some technical procedures has to be followed such as giving enough time for cementing to dry etc., it claimed. Unconvinced with the excuses, the Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) has set December before Christmas as dateline for completion of the said bailey bridge, it said.
It is a very long demand of the Zeliangrong people to have connectivity but this is ignored and neglected by the state government for many years it alleged under such circumstances the front is likely to seek central government’s intervention and monitoring in all major developmental works undergoing in Zeliangrong inhabited areas in order to achieve the intended objective for releasing of developmental funds.
