Hundreds of people from all walks of life from across seventeen villages under Pughoboto, Sathaka and Atoizu constituencies in Zunheboto district staged a peaceful protest rally at Saptiqa town EAC headquarter on Saturday against the diversion of the proposed Showuba-Pangsha (East-west corridor road) under Section-3 (Mukalimi-Zunheboto section) by NHIDCL.
Participants at the rally, under the banner of Seventeen Village Public Forum (SVPF) were seen holding placards that read “We demand majority public friendly alignment”, “National highway must benefit majority public”, “We demand NHIDCL to be non-biased”, “village forum wants option-1” etc. A representation, addressed to deputy chief minister in charge of National Highways and Planning Transformation was submitted through the DC Zunheboto.
The representation signed by chairmen and GBs of the seventeen villages, highlighted two options that were proposed for the road project– option 1 Mukalimi-Shesulimi-Awohumi-Kichilimi-Tukunasami-Nunumi-Saptiqa-Ghukiye-Zungti-Zunheboto-Aghunato and option 2. Mukalimi-Chishilimi-Khukiye Lukhai- Satakha-Sukhalu-Aghunato.
They pointed out that option-1 covers 16 villages to reach Zunheboto and traverse through the Centre of Sumi inhabited areas that have been deprived of proper road connectivity till date. The forum said that people living in these areas confront untold hardships due to absence all weather road even after Nagaland attained 60 years of Statehood.
Where as in option- 2, they said the road alignment crosses only two villages– Chishilimi & Khukiye Lukhai to reach another 2-lane highway at Satakha (Khukiye Lukhai village), which was already connected by Chakhabama- Zunheboto 2-lane highway while Chishilimi village was 30 minutes drive/ride to reach the same 2-lane highway at Kilomi/Mudutsugho village.
SVPF said that the survey committee submitted two reports on June 14, 2023 and July 13, 2023. In the second report, the forum said that option-2 was chosen over option-1 merely on shorter route, ignoring 16 villages who were economically and socially still backward.
Since the option-1 crosses the Centre of Sumi areas, the forum said that Sumi civil society organisation endorsed opton-1 and convey its approval through the DC Zunheboto to commissioner & secretary (Works & Housing) on June 15, 2023.
In spite of all this, the forum said that the second survey report denied option-1 for reasons best known to them. “If the Government of the day believe in equal opportunity for all then the developments should be fairly distributed and no sections of society be discriminated for silly reasons,” they asserted.
In this regard, the aggrieved villages said that they were compelled to seek the intervention of deputy CM so that equality and opportunity for all be truly realised in letter and spirit.
Meanwhile, SVPF convenor 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, covering seventeen villages.
Initially, he said National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), undertaking the contract, was of the view that the alignment should be taken where there was majority population so as to facilitate and benefit the people. However, he said NHIDCL changed the route and was focused only on one village i.e Chishilimi bypassing Khukiye-Lukhai and Satakha town which was overlapping with the existing NH 702 (A).
He alleged that NHIDCL was turning a blind eye to the majority distressed and disregarding the hardships faced by the inhabitants by giving priority to a single village while, overlooking the struggles of the impoverished villages.
The forum alleged the NHIDCL had shifted the route from the initial plan by submitting false reports of its survey. He said that NHIDCL reported that the route encroaches 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. He said that the four-member team report confirmed that the route did not encroach upon any departmental Forest Purchased Land, Government Reserved Forest, Protected Forest, Community Reserve, or Wildlife Sanctuary and the report of NHIDCL appear to be unfounded.
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.
The rally was attended by village leaders and public from– Hoishe, Shoipu, Shesuli, Awohu, Kichili, Tukunasa, Nunu, Saptiqa, Usto, Jevishe, Shena old, Shena New, Ghumiye, Nikuto, Kulhopu, Xukhepu and Zungti villages.
Short speeches were also delivered by representatives of the villages.
At the rally, invocation prayer was proposed by Saptiqa Town Baptist Church (STBC) pastor Yezaki Sumi and benediction by STBC women pastor Avisheli Yepthomi.