NFHRCC responds to NPF youth wing

Nagaland Foot Hill Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) Friday has responded to the NPF youth wing’s questions with regard to the issues pertaining to foothill road construction. NFHRCC has also called a total 12-hour bandh on June 30 (Monday) from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The NFHRCC would like to appeal to the general public to cooperate for the success of the bandh.
NFHRCC in a rejoinder said the committee was appointed and empowered by the ten apex tribal hohos – Ao, Chang, Khiamniungam, Konyak,  Lotha, Phom, Rengma, Sangtam, Sumi and Yimchunger.
With regard to registration, NFHRCC said the committee did not need “approval or direction” from any political party to agitate and said it was the prerogative of the hohos to constitute a committee as and when called for. The committee pointed out that there was no question of seeking permission from any political party and NPF Youth Wing had no authority to question the committee’s activities and functions.
On the allegation that the committee was “trying to tarnish” the image of the PWD Minister, NFHRCC claimed that the ordinary yardstick was “not supposed to be applied in the present historic project”. However, since its inception, the committee had been coordinating with PWD (R&R). Therefore, the question of trying to tarnish the image of PWD minister did not arise, said NFHRCC.
The committee reiterated that manifestation of the minister’s “willingness or in recognition of committee’s stand”, he had “duly endorsed” on the application dated December 7, 2013 with regard to demarcation and trace cutting of jeep-able road from Dimapur to Tizit to the two contractors recommended by NFHRCC.
On the question of NIT and for not allotting works to committee, NFHRCC said 70 percent of fresh cutting in respect of jeep-able road construction has been done through table tender. Besides, the minister and chief engineer on inspection insisted upon the contractor duly recommended by the committee to execute the construction even without the work order.
NFHRCC also pointed out that it was less concerned about “monetary and contract works” but the quality of works. Therefore, the question of not allotting contract works to the committee recommended contractors was not the focal point. NFHRCC said it firmly stood by the guanine commitments made by the then chief minister and the endorsed by the PWD (R&B) minister.