The ongoing controversy over the location of the multipurpose hall in Mangkolemba came up again on Thursday when Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was asked about the hall reportedly constructed at Longtho village on property associated with Minister Temjen Imna Along.
Responding to media persons, he said he had sought a report from the department concerned on how the project came to be implemented at the site. He further said he was “taken by surprise” by the location.
The Chief Minister was speaking after an event in Chümoukedima. He said the government’s priority was to construct multipurpose halls in all district headquarters, followed by subdivisions. He added that it would not be feasible to construct such facilities in every village as that would require thousands of halls.
On the Mangkolemba project, however, Rio said he was unaware of how the facility had come to be constructed at the particular location.
The Directorate of Youth Resources and Sports had earlier defended the project, stating that the site fell under Mangkolemba Circle and had been implemented at the approved geo-tagged location.