The Public Forum of seventeen villages residing under the Section-(3) of Showuba-Pangsha (East-West Corridor road) on Saturday staged a peaceful protest rally at Saptiqa town EAC headquarter under Zunheboto district  to show their resentment against the neglected roads.

The seventeen villages under Pughoboto, Satakha and Atoizu constituencies, have been grappling with the absence of a civilized road since the attainment of Statehood. The protest on Saturday represented a larger narrative of unfulfilled promises and overlooked development, becoming a focal point for the pursuit of justice. The Forum also submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Chief Minister T.R Zeliang who is also incharge of National Highways and Planning  Transformation through the Deputy Commissioner of Zunheboto.

Vitoho Zhimo, Convenor of the Public Forum of Seventeen villages explained that the two lane road project under East-West Corridor road from Showuba to Pangsha which is to connect with the Indo-Myanmar border was supposed to go through Mukalimi village till Zunheboto which covers seventeen villages. He said the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) who is undertaking the contract was of the view that the alignment should be taken where there is majority population so, as to facilitate and benefit the people. However, according to Zhimo, the NHIDCL changed the route, focusing only on one village i.e Chishilimi bypassing Khukiye-Lukhai and Satakha town which also overlapped with the existing NH 702 (A).

“Chishilimi village has a modest population of a little over one thousand whereas, the seventeen villages consists of more than twenty thousand population,” maintained Zhimo, adding that the NHIDCL has turned a blind eye to the distressed majority. The convenor also accused the NHIDCL of disregarding the hardships faced by the inhabitants by giving priority to a single village while, overlooking the struggles of the seventeen impoverished villages.

The Forum alleged that the NHIDCL had shifted its route from the initial plan by submitting false reports of its survey stating that the route encroaches the Ghosu Bird Sanctuary. Following which, the Forum lodged complaint and a four member team was constituted to re-survey the claims of NHIDCL.

The four member team report confirmed that the seventeen villages route does not encroach upon any Departmental Forest Purchased Land, Government Reserved Forest, Protected Forest,Community Reserve, or Wildlife Sanctuary and the report of NHIDCL appeared to be unfounded.

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According to the Forum, the NHIDCL attempt to fabricate reasons to further their ulterior motive and neglect the legitimate need of the 17 villages “is deeply unsettling and fails to resonate with the sentiments of the local inhabitants”.

“The seventeen villages have been facing untold hardships for more than five decades as the people are yet to be provided with a reliable and all weather road. The lack of good infrastructure has resulted in immense hardships to the people, who have been eagerly awaiting the establishment of good road in this vicinity. Many people who could have been saved have lost their lives due to the road conditions,” asserted Zhimo.

The Forum has cautioned NHIDCL that if it does not implememt the proposed two lane project connecting the seventeen villages, it would pursue and resort to any further lawful means for the implementation of the project.