Massive landslide blocks road connectivity in Peren; villagers take action

Peren: Student unions and village councils work together to clear road blocked for several months

BY | Tuesday, 30 August, 2022

For several months now, a massive landslide has disrupted road connectivity between Lalong and Nzauna villages under Tening Constituency, Peren district.

The landslide occurred during the months of March and April 2022 due to heavy monsoon rainfall, disrupting the lives of the villagers. The affected road connects Nsong town, Nchan village, Ngam village, Lalong village and Nzauna village of Peren district.

To reach Nsong town from Peren town, it takes four hours by a four-wheeler with special gear but five–six hours for vehicles carrying passengers. In order to reach Nzauna village from Peren town, it takes nine–ten hours at the earliest. Nzauna village is the last village of Peren district and borders Manipur.

The president of Lalong Student Union and the president of Nzauna Student Union, speaking to Nagaland Tribune, addressed the issue and the problems faced by the villagers. They informed that the road has been blocked since March–April of 2022. They had approached the concerned authorities for assistance, they stated, but were directed to approach the concerned MLA and departments, leaving them with no hope.

Obstacles

On 20 July 2022, the Morung Express reported that a 90-year-old man was transported on foot from Lalong village to Nsong town for treatment through an 11km track shortcut. With no medical facilities in the village, the journey had to be made on foot because the landslide had prevented the possibility of any motor transportation being used. When the news report reached the concerned authorities, one JCB excavator was provided by MLA Namri Nchang to clear the landslide.

However, it was reported that the excavator managed to roughly clear the road till Ngam village before it had to be sent for repairs. After ten days, the excavator was then sent to Lalong village to continue its road clearing work before it ran into technical issues again. Having been sent for repairs for the second time, the JCB equipment has yet to be sent back to the villages for further work.

In addition, the villagers have also been facing difficulties in receiving relief food supplies and Angawadi supplies as people carrying the rations have to walk about 5-6kms to reach the villages.

The Village Council of Peren district and various student unions have filed RTIs in regards to this issue but have not heard back.

It also came to light that the road from Ngam Village to Nzauna Village was sanctioned for blacktopping under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in 2012. It has been ten years since then but the work is yet to be carried out.

The villages in this area face massive landslides every year.

Collective effort

In order to solve the problem, the Lalong Student Union and Nzauna Student Union along with the concerned village councils have taken the initiative to work together and use man power to clear the site. It was also learned that Lalong village had formerly worked with Ngam village in clearing the landslide within their jurisdiction.

More than 40 youths are currently working in the site. They have also been making videos of their road clearing work so that the concerned authorities would take notice and provide immediate relief to the area including help to the villagers to ply light vehicles for emergency.

Speaking to Nagaland Tribune, the Nzauna Village Council has given some insight into the work going on right now. This is the third day that they have been working, and the council has informed that another three days will be needed to complete clearing the landslide. The clearing, however, would only help small vehicles to ply for emergency.

 

 

Tags:

You cannot copy content of this page