ITANAGAR, Aug 16: Arunachal Pradesh is known as a ‘sleeping giant’ with huge untapped resources, waiting to be tapped, said senior leader Kumar Waii, adding many important projects sanctioned by government of India have not been progressing fast as expected.
These projects, namely Trans-Arunachal Highway (TAH), Hollongi Greenfield Airport and Itanagar Smart City, to name a few, if implemented effectively, would help develop a modern Arunachal for speedy socio-economic development of every Arunachalee,   the former home minister said, while discussing with a group of intellectuals here on Sunday.
Road is the panacea for development of this land locked state for which the central government had sanctioned TAH with an allocation of Rs 25,000 crore, he said. The condition of Potin road, part of TAH, has turned into a nallah reflecting the status of this ambitious project, he said with deep regret, adding if such situation does not change the TAH would remain a dream for ever. 
Expressing deep regret that though many outside companies are involved in construction, but many blacklisted companies have been allocated at a very low bidding up to 15 to 20% low, which could be termed as abnormal as with that fund the project is not workable. It seems the actual executors are local contractors involving powerful people as ‘playback singers’, amounting to compromise with work quality. There are few open cases of corruption, which should be investigated properly to take the guilty to task for siphoning of huge funds, he said.
Citing example of low bidding, he questioned the ministry that if there is no guideline to not sanction to low bidders, he asked, adding that there are examples of allocating two projects in same stretch to the same company in total violation of Ministry of Road and Transport guidelines.
The central government has also sanctioned fund for Hollongi Greenfield Airport as this is the only state in India without an airport, but why is it getting delayed, he asked?
Moreover, the company representatives have not even visited the work site even once, and work quality has been very poor and getting inordinate delay and there is no maintenance at all, he said and made a fervent appeal to all sections of intellectual to serve as ‘Third Eye’ of the government as well as the people to ensure that all projects are effectively implemented for this Himalayan state to progress towards a new horizon.
He recalled former Indian Oil Corporation chairman Chudamani Ratnam, who had gone on record saying that the petroleum and diesel trapped in coal shells in Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam, if explored could meet the requirements of India for about 100 years. But exploration of such huge hidden minerals has not been possible due to objection, mostly by Union Environment & Forest Ministry.  Though TAH works began a few years ago, in many stretches no work is visible for which all contractors should be made public for the people to ask them the problems confronting them and help to remove them. It is time for all like-minded intellectuals and community based organisations (CBOs) to join hands on this vital developmental issue, instead of taking up Autonomous Council matter, which is a non-issue as Arunachal Pradesh is under 5th Schedule of the Constitution of India, he remarked.

 The ‘Third Eye’ would welcome all suggestions, advises and wholehearted participation of one and all so that the people’s movement to achieve its desired goal is achieved in greater welfare of the state. ES Newsdesk

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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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