SHILLONG: The repeated requests to the State Government by a group of youth from five backward villages along the Indo-Bangla border in East Jaintia Hills to develop the region have finally been heeded.
The Public Works Department (Roads) has initiated the process of repairing the Sonapur-Borkhat road.
The executive engineer of PWD (Roads), NEC division, has already surveyed the road and submitted a proposal for repairing and blacktopping on November 25, said Kynjaimon Amse, a law student at NEHU and resident of one of the five villages (Hingaria, Lejri, Lailong, Huroi and Baskuna),in a press communiqué.
“The amount proposed for this project is Rs 64,97,4000. The proposal was submitted to the Chief Engineer (NH) PWD (R) for necessary actions and approval,” he said in the statement.
Earlier, the PWD (Roads) secretary had prepared the detailed project report of the Rymbai-Bataw-Borkhat-Jalalpur road and submitted the same to the North Eastern Council in 2011 for the Centre’s approval and fund.
The DPR had estimated an amount of around Rs 98 crore for the road project.
“However, the NEC is yet to sanction money for the project. It is also to be noted that neither the PWD(R) nor our local representatives have bothered to follow up this road. The necessary permission from the Forest department has already been acquired but the project is yet to take off,” Amse said.
Amse further stated that he will soon meet the PWD(R) Minister, NEC officials and also send a representation to the PMO, the DoNER and the State Government to apprise the departments of the situation in the areas bordering Bangladesh in East Jaintia Hills.
Putting forth their demands for ensuring that the villages are not being left behind in terms of development, he also demanded the improvement of the Sonapur-Borkhat road that he counts as the lifeline of the people living in the border and urged the State government to release the money meant for the road condition as early as possible.
Sending a strong message to the State government that the residents will approach the High Court if it is indifferent to their demands, Amse said that the State government has to clear the proposal without waiting for any political consideration. It may be noted that Amse has stated at a press conference of boycotting the 2018 elections, and reiterated that the people of the village have already debated on boycotting the elections.
Amse and a few concerned residents expressed their views at a press conference held early in November on the underdevelopment of these lesser known villages that are at 20-minute walking distance from Bangladesh. But the distance is more than 40 km from NH-44 in Meghalaya.
Apart from the common problem of dilapidated roads, the villagers are struggling with the non-existence of power and water supply and appalling healthcare with no PHC or hospital in the localities.
