ITANAGAR, Jul 27:  The West Siang District Students’ Union (WSDSU) in a representation to the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh has sought his intervention to stop the rampant violation of norms in the implementation of Package IX road project under Trans Arunachal Highway (TAH) covering a distance of 37 km from Nyigmoi to Pangin .
In its representation the WSDSU has claimed that the project is being executed in a most unprofessional manner, violating all standard operating procedures and technical specifications. No project manager has been appointed yet, no laboratory for soil testing etc. has been established and technical personnel like site engineers, surveyors haven’t been engaged till date and deployment of machineries like excavators, bulldozers, dumpers etc. are grossly under-represented, the union apprised the Governor. The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) which is responsible for highway projects have turned a blind eye to all these violations of norms and guidelines and although works have started in a snail’s pace, unscientific earth cutting and soil dumping has triggered landslides, posing a threat to the commuters, the representation read.
WSDSU has further alleged that the executing agency M/s SRK Private Limited has sub-contracted the entire project to M/s Hill Trade Company (HTC), owned by a spouse of a former cabinet minister. M/s HTC has subsequently allotted the project works to at least eight odd firms/individuals which have no credentials or capacities in terms of men, material and machinery to execute such big projects, the union has detailed. Recalling its efforts to end the impasse, the student union said it called a bandh on March 8 last followed by meetings involving all stakeholders on March 17 and 23 chaired by the Deputy Commissioner. WSDSU representatives also met and apprised Chief Minister Pema Khandu on April 5 who promised to find a solution.
However, in reply to a reminder sent to the CMO on July 7 last, the union was informed that the CMO will write to the PWD Highway and MoRTH to seek the status report which will only delay the matter further. While seeking an immediate intervention of the Governor, the WSDSU said that if the authority fails to take immediate measures, the union might approach either the National Green Tribunal (NGT) or file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), which will be detrimental to the development of the state and West Siang in particular.

Construction works for the Nyigmoi-Pangin stretch was allotted to M/s SRK Private Limited sometime in the last week of September 2020. However, execution hasn’t started despite repeated complaints and several meetings with the executing agency and District Administration, the release stated. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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