DIMAPUR: The Naga People’s Front (NPF) held the national highway infrastructure development corporation limited (NHIDCL) responsible for the July 4 evening rockslide incident near Chumoukedima on Kohima-Dimapur road in Nagaland.
It expressed deep anguish over the rockslide tragedy that killed two persons and wounded three others.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The party, on Wednesday (July 05), said it was learned that the Nagaland Pollution Control Board had written and warned the NHIDCL a couple of times about the safety measures and the destructive environmental effects that caused rockslides and dumping of debris into the adjacent river.
The NHIDCL is constructing the 4-lane national highway.
It said the Pollution Control Board, keeping in mind the safety of human lives, had even warned and written a formal letter to the NHIDCL in February 2021 highlighting the February 2, 2021, accidents in the same stretch of the area where four vehicles were damaged and the occupants were seriously injured due to rockslide.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
“However, the NHIDCL has paid less heed and due to the negligence of the company for the safety of human lives, today some precious lives were lost tragically,” the NPF said.
The NPF said this tragic incident maybe the beginning and that such incident may occur if the authority concerned does not immediately find a remedy not only to protect human lives but also our environment.
The party appreciated the initiative taken by Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio for ordering immediate proper and sincere investigation by state government authorities into the incident and penalizing all erring companies, officials and contractors.
It also lauded the Nagaland CM for extending ex-gratia to the victims.
Expressing deepest condolences to the bereaved families, the NPF prayed for speedy recovery of the injured.