Road repair: Manstudy accuses Syiem-led EC of fooling people of SWKH & WKH

By - Admin 12 Oct, 2017 Comments (0) 3 Mins Read

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Shillong, Oct 12: Opposition leader in the KHADC Manstudy Nongrem on Thursday accused the People’s Democratic Forum (PDF)-led executive committee of fooling the people of West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills region in the name of development.

Nongrem made this statement in the House after KHADC chief, P.N. Syiem informed that the EC has not sanctioned any amount for the Nongstoin-Wahkaji road while replying to a query raised by Congress member, Lamphrang Blah during question hour.

“The executive committed led by the CEM is fooling the people of West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills region,” Nongrem alleged.

Last year, following protests by anti-uranium groups against the construction of a two-land road project in South West Khasi Hills, the KHADC had earmarked Rs 20 crore, which was later enhanced to Rs 25 crore, for repairing of an existing single-lane road. The fund was to be earmarked from the Rs 133.12 crore special assistance grant sanctioned by the Centre.

According to the CEM, the delay was due to the fact that the state PWD has failed to grant permission to the KHADC for taking up the repairing work.

However, Nongrem said if the executive committee has understood the problem faced by the people there was no difficulty in depositing the fund with the state PWD to take up the repairing work since the road is being looked after by the department.

“In what way the EC is planning to propose the amount for repairing the road in its next budget when the road belongs to the PWD,” he asked while reacting to the CEM’s reply on the matter.

Syiem however denied the allegations made by the member and said, “We are not fooling the people but we have to go according to the situation. We have made it clear that the KHADC has its own engineering wing that can take up the repairing work.”

He also argued that if the PWD can allow the Border Area Development (BAD) to implement similar projects, why it cannot grant permission to the KHADC. “This question should be put to the PWD and the state government,” Syiem said.

On the other hand, opposition UDP member, Donkupar Sumer expressed concern over the Centre’s reduction of the funding from Rs 1000 crore to only Rs 500 crore to the ADCs.

“The EC claimed that it is determined to provide Rs 25 crore for the road project after the Centre sanctioned the grant to the ADCs. Will it not affect the development schemes of the MDCs if the KHADC will not get the same amount released earlier,” he said.

However Syiem said that the MDCs need not worry as the KHADC will not only depend from the central assistance grant to sanction the fund for the road project since the Council has other sources as well.