Dimapur: The Naga People’s Front (NPF) urged the Nagaland government to immediately set up an independent inquiry committee to probe the July 4 incident at New Chumoukedima on Dimapur-Kohima NH-29 in which two people died due to a rock slide on the stretch of the road.
The party demanded that the guilty, be it the National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) that is implementing the 4-lane road project or the contractor concerned, should be punished accordingly.
In a press release on Monday, NPF Legislature Party leader Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu warned that the party will be compelled to drag both the contractor and the NHIDCL to the “public court” in order to save lives if justice is not delivered at the earliest.
“Much has been said and discussed, but so far the NHIDCL has not provided any remedial action or guarantees for the safety of public life even after the July 4 tragedy,” Nienu said.
He said before the July 4 incident, the Nagaland Pollution Control Board made repeated requests and issued warnings to the NHIDCL on the safety measures and environmental destruction caused by unsafe earth cuttings for construction of the four-lane road but the corporation turned a deaf ear and claimed the tragic incident to be a natural disaster.
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Nienu also said it was very unfortunate on the part of the NHIDCL to say that the state government did not provide the necessary land for the construction of the road, as even a layman can understand that it can be dangerous when such steep slopes are cut.
He added that the state government had rightly pointed out that blowing up dynamite and the way the earth was cut up was unprofessional.
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How could the NHIDCL call its “negligence” a natural disaster,” Nienu asked.
The NPF leader said the NHIDCL cannot fool the Naga public with its lackadaisical attitude but should immediately take safety measures, as there are many unsettled rocks with multiple cracks on the mountain layers along the road. More tragedies may happen at any time as rock falling is continuing to date along the stretch, he pointed out.