Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC), along with 12 apex tribal hohos and 12 Dimapur-based tribal hohos, has unanimously decided to disallow the launch of a road construction project at Wokha by M/s JK Construction and M/s Chabou & Co, scheduled to be held on February 21 at Khumjo Yan.
Following a three-hour long emergency meeting held on Thursday, NFHRCC convener Supu Jamir informed the media that all tribal hohos were previously invited by minister for Roads & Bridges for a meeting in Kohima on February 7 to discuss the agreement regarding the project. However, despite assurances for a follow-up meeting with NFHRCC and the contractors, he said that the department was yet to convene the meeting.
He informed that M/s JK Construction and M/s Chabou & Co. were planning to launch the road construction project at Bhakti division on February 21. In this regard, the emergency meeting was convened with all hohos, during which it was resolved to disallow the launch until the agreement was signed and formalized, Supu said.
He further revealed that an inquiry with the concerned department confirmed that no official intimation was given regarding the launch. He also said that the executive engineer of Bhakti division reportedly had not received any communication from the Chief Engineer’s office or the contractors regarding the program.
Additionally, he said that Lotha Hoho also confirmed that they were not informed about the event, further strengthening NFHRCC’s stance that the contractors were proceeding with the project “surreptitiously” without the knowledge of the committee or the department.
Supu informed that NFHRCC and the hohos would write to the concerned minister and department, demanding an immediate halt to the launch.
He also expressed hope that the minister would engage with NFHRCC to discuss any necessary modifications to the agreement. When asked about the agreement, he disclosed that the agreement includes provisions ensuring the “maintenance of quality work” and the timely completion of the project.
He also said that a crucial clause– point No. 7—states that NFHRCC would issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) after inspection to confirm that the work meets required specifications, without which the department cannot release project funds. Supu pointed out that this clause was a point of discomfort for the contractors.
When questioned about political influence in the contract allocation, Supu stated that NFHRCC was unaware of the firms’ ownership details and was solely concerned with ensuring quality work.
“The work order has been issued by the department,” he said, emphasizing that the committee would not allow political interference in the project. When asked about Lotha Hoho’s stand, Supu said the hoho extended full support to NFHRCC’s decision, as confirmed through a press statement.
He said that the hoho would formally write to the department requesting the suspension of the launch. Supu warned that if the launch proceeds despite objections, there would be consequences, and neither the committee nor the hoho would be held responsible.
When asked about possible actions if the launch takes place as planned, Supu stated that NFHRCC, in consultation with the department, would take necessary steps to halt the event. He noted that the department itself remained unaware of the program, reinforcing NFHRCC’s stance against proceeding without proper authorization and agreement.