Kohima: The Khiamniungan Students’ Union delivered a seven-day ultimatum to the Public Works Department today. The group demands full transparency regarding the Chendang Saddle–Pangsha Phase-II road and the Noklak–Thonoknyu route. The union rejected previous answers provided under the Right to Information Act as inadequate. Work remains frozen. Confusion haunts these projects.
Conflicting stories have emerged regarding why the construction stopped. The department blames the end of the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources scheme by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. Meanwhile, the contractor points to unresolved land compensation claims from 2022. The KSU now demands village-level records on all compensation payments and outstanding debts.
The union also wants to identify an unnamed organization allegedly linked to the work stoppage. They seek clarification on statements made July 12, 2024, by the Chief Engineer and the contractor. Additionally, the KSU demands documentation proving the exact duration and cause of work suspensions during the COVID-19 pandemic. They require a clear timeline for when crews will finish the work.
Failure to provide a point-by-point, evidence-based response triggers the next phase. “Failure to respond within the stipulated period, or the submission of an incomplete, evasive, or unsupported reply, will compel the Union to consider appropriate democratic and lawful measures before the competent authorities,” the group warned. The KSU holds the state government and the department responsible for public frustration if they remain silent.
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