Nagaland Foothill Road Co-ordination Committee (NFHRCC) has appealed the state government for a tripartite agreement involving the department concerned, contractor and the committee for the proposed two-lane Foothills road. In a statement, NFHRCC convener Supu Jamir, general secretary W Lemba Chang, co-convener Hokiye Yepthomi and assistant general secretary Chenithung Humtsoe said that this was among several resolutions adopted by the committee regarding the proposed 2-lane Foothills road project.
Describing the project as “extraordinary” where landowners parted their land without a penny as compensation and Naga political groups fully understood not to levy any form of taxation, the committee stressed that the tripartite agreement should be done in order to maintain transparency and workmanship of the project.
“Being an extraordinary project, the selection of contractors/tendering process should be done extraordinarily or in other words extraordinary yardstick should be applied while exercising selection of contractors/tendering process with the sole intention to safeguard the historic project from the clutches of any wanted elements,” the committee asserted.
Having examined the history of Nagaland since inception, NFHRCC said that the Foothills Road was the only project initiated by Naga civil society organisations (CSOs) with full dedication and sincerity for the last 11 years with sweat and tears. Hence, in order to safeguard the interest of the Naga public, the committee also resolved not to politicise the project in any manner.
As the entire Foothills Road stretched from Tizit to Khelma, the committee also appealed to the government to provide additional fund to Khelma sector as well, since the road condition was very pathetic.
Further, the committee resolved to give connectivity road to Rengmapani with a view to bring even development within our family and to bind us together with the chain of love and Honour. Therefore, it stated that an additional fund must be provided to capture the missing link.
As there was no land compensation and no taxation from any corner with regard to Foothills Road construction, the NFHRCC reiterated that Foothills Road would be two-lane (40-foot wide) in consonance with the 2013 agreement and the NOC provided to the state government by the committee as endorsed by the apex tribal hohos.
The committee also reiterated the earlier agreement signed on April 7, 2014 with Nagaland Contractors & Suppliers Union to the effect that NCSU would support the Foothills Road till completion as it was an extraordinary project. It may be recalled that in the recently held Budget session, the state government had allocated fund amounting to Rs. 148.50 crore for construction of the Foothill Road.