Zunhehoto: Protest against diversion of NH route, 17 villages demand justice

November 26, 2023 35 Views No Comment

ZUNHEBOTO, NOVEMBER 26 (MExN): The Public Forum of seventeen villages (17) residing under Section-(3) of Showuba-Pangsha (East-West Corridor road) on November 25 staged a peaceful protest rally at Saptiqa town under Zunheboto district to show their resentment over alleged diversion of the National Highway route under construction by rerouting it to favor a single village.

The protest on Saturday unfolded peacefully with villagers waving placards some of which read, “we oppose duplicating 2 national highways,” “option-1, cross 16 villages, option-2 cross single village, we demand option-1,” “we demand all weather road” etc.

The Forum also submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Chief Minister T.R Zeliang who is also in-charge of National Highways and Planning Transformation through the Deputy Commissioner of Zunheboto.

Convenor of the Public Forum of seventeen villages, Vitoho Zhimo, 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) 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, he alleged that the NHIDCL changed the route and is focusing only on one village i.e. Chishilimi bypassing Khukiye-Lukhai and Satakha town which is also overlapping with the existing NH 702 (A).

Zhimo maintained that Chishilimi village has a modest population of a little over one thousand whereas, the seventeen villages consists of more than twenty thousand population. He alleged NHIDCL is turning a blind eye to the majority by giving priority to a single village while, overlooking the struggles of the seventeen impoverished villages.

The Forum further alleged that the NHIDCL had shifted its route from the initial plan by submitting false reports of its survey stating that the route encroach the Ghosu Bird Sanctuary upon which the Forum had 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.

Zhimo also remarked that the seventeen villages have been facing untold hardships for more than fifty 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.

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