The Joint Action Committee, Wokha Village Youth Organization, on 20 September 2023, served its final ultimatum on the ongoing two-lane construction on NH-2 (previously NH-61) in Wokha district. JAC, WVYO has given the Deputy Commissioner of the district and TTC Infra India, the contractor of the project, 72 hours to complete the remaining works on the NH-2 stretch from KM 72.40 to KM 83 and to rectify the discrepancies detected and reported by the committee.
The youth organisation has been pressing the concerned authorities on the matter since April 2023. the JAC had earlier identified discrepancies in 106 locations that included illegal properties/structures on compensated land, encroachments on pavement/ ROW and substandard retaining walls, breast walls, and culverts.
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The committee had called for indefinite bandh along NH-2 within Wokha starting from 6 am, 20th June 2023 till the demands were met but DC Wokha convened a meeting at DC conference hall, Wokha on 19th June 2023 where DC Wokha, WVYO JAC, Executive Engineer PWD (NH), Kohima Division, and representatives from Lotha Hoho, TTC Infra India, etc deliberated on the issue. JAC suspended the bandh after receiving written assurance from DC and PWD (NH) to continue to carry out eviction drive to address the issues pertaining to 106 locations and on the understanding that the drive would be completed in 15 days, which it said had not been so.
In a press release issued on 19th June itself, JAC stated that it would “resume the bandh if any of the identified areas/location are compromised in any manner.” The DC and PWD (NH), in a joint statement said that evictions were being carried out and that TTC Infra India had assured to rectify the shortcomings.
The committee mentioned that on 10th August 2023, the contractor conveyed that the widening of existing single/intermediate lane road to 2 lane road from Km. 72.40 to Km. 83:00 on NH-61 was “not being executed with full swing due to continue rainfall in the region and also less of labour.” Hence, we assure your good office to we will execute the work with full swing after the rainy season (sic).”
JAC, WVYO has on Wednesday accused the concerned departments and the contractor of “lack of seriousness” to address genuine concerns of the public of Wokha and issued the final ultimatum, failing which, “we shall be compelled to take our own course(s) of action(s) for which DC Wokha and TTC Infra India shall be held squarely responsible for any eventualities.”
It may be mentioned that the Lotha Hoho and Lotha Youth Hoho had both commended the “bold initiative” taken by WVYO and extended their support to the organisation for the “common good of the Lotha Tribe, in particular and the people of Wokha district, in general.” Lotha Hoho had even appealed to the community and district to cooperate with the Wokha Village Youth Organisation.
Read more: Discrepancies found in 106 different locations in NH-61 road construction in Wokha village: WVYO
Indefinite bandh on NH-2 called off after Wokha DC assures necessary action
