Kohima: A 12-hour bandh has been called by the Nagaland Contractors’ and Suppliers’ Union (NCSU) on December 15 along Dimapur-Kohima road to protest the alleged “non-fulfillment” of promises by Union minister Nitin Gadkari.
NCSU President Pele Khezhie and General Secretary John Kath on Sunday said that the bandh has been called from 6 AM to 6 PM at National Highway 29 against the “non-fulfillment of promises” by Road Transport Highway and Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari.
Naga Hoho, the apex body of the Nagas, had earlier welcomed the construction of four-lane Dimapur-Kohima Road and requested Gadkari to ensure that the grievances of local contractors must be addressed.
But despite several requests by the NCSU to enable local contractors’ participation in the construction of four-lane road, the promises were not fulfilled by the Union minister, NCSU said in a statement here.
“On 30th June to 1st July during the highway meet at Guwahati, the Union minister assured in presence of Kiren Rijiju and Union minister of State Youths and Sports Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, all PWD Ministers of North Eastern States, technocrats and contractors to accommodate the local contractors by breaking up project into smaller packages in the Northeastern region,” NCSU said.
During the foundation-stone laying ceremony for the construction of the road, Gadkari had publicly announced on November 3 to accommodate the local contractors, they said.
Naga Hoho President P Chuba Ozukum and General Secretary Mutsikhoyo Yhobu said in a letter to the Union Ministry on Saturday that “the good roads constructed would take the region forward to prosperity and the development would be inclusive if the locals participate as this would generate employment and other avenues.”
However, the Hoho said that as the processes for e-procurement and tendering were initiated for the construction, the local contractors’ participation became difficult.
It said that the NCSU and the state Chief Minister had written to (Nitin Gadkari) for relaxation of norms and procedure to enable the local contractors’ meaningful participation for the construction.
The rules have not been relaxed as envisaged, they said.
In this backdrop, the NCSU have proposed for agitation and bandhs defying established rules and procedure which would be detrimental to the people and its quest for development, the Hoho said and requested the Union minister to address the grievances of local contractors. (PTI)
