HC asks govt to nudge central bodies for funds

SHILLONG, July 27: The High Court of Meghalaya has exuded hope that the state government will find adequate funds to provide the most basic need of road access to citizens in far-flung hilly regions between the State and the Union.
The government told the Court that it does not have funds to take up the project and that a request was made to the North Eastern Council (NEC) for release of additional funds for the construction of the road, but the NEC declined on the ground that it is beyond the scope of the NEC programme.
In this context, the Court said that the state may use this order to approach the appropriate Union Ministry including the Ministry of Surface Transport, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) or appropriate Central body for a special grant for providing access in all hilly regions, including for the construction of a 7.7-kilometre state road comprising two lanes.
“It is hoped that this meets the approval of the Union at the earliest as the lack of road denies the affected citizens the most basic facilities of reaching out for healthcare or even to obtain necessary provisions,” a Division Bench said.
The bench added that it was brought to the notice of the court that recent rains have destroyed a substantial part of the road that had been partially constructed which is making feel helpless at the same time.
Earlier, hearing a PIL with regard to the road in question, the High Court had observed that the state government’s estimate of Rs 14 crore for the 7.7-kilometre state road comprising two lanes appears to be on the higher.
“The road is necessary. There can be no dispute regarding the same. It is the duty of the state to provide access, particularly in a hilly area. Without going into the details, the estimate of Rs 14 crore for a 7.7 km state road comprising two lanes appears to be on the higher side,” the Court had said.