Everybody now knows that the youth associations of Majakong, Lijaba Lijen, Penli and Artang wards have in August submitted a representation to the district administration of Mokokchung demanding that the Hospital Road be repaired immediately. Citing a number of reasons and highlighting the deplorable condition of the road, the four youth associations jointly submitted their representation. Although no formal communication was made by the district administration on the matter, it is reported that the district administration informed the youth organizations that day that the issue would be taken to the District Planning and Development Board. Incidentally, the DPDB meeting for the month of September is scheduled to be held on Monday and all concerned citizens are now eagerly waiting for the hopefully positive outcome of the all-important meeting.
This is not the first time that organizations in Mokokchung have written to the government for immediate repair of roads. Unfortunately, it has not always been that the authorities have responded positively. This time too, it remains to be seen whether the question of repairing the road will be sanctioned for the benefit of all, given the past track record of the government in taking up genuine public issues of importance. There is always the report of lack of funds, an excuse overused, while there is no demonstration of proactive leadership to work towards fulfilling the people’s interests. As the conscientious people of Mokokchung eagerly wait for the outcome of the DPDB meeting for the month of September, hoping that the concerned officials would demonstrate proactivity, they are also equally waiting to observe what the four youth organizations would do if at all the DPDB ignores the issue. It is a universally accepted truth that the city or town is only as good as the citizens are.
Meanwhile, it is also pertinent to recollect here that the apex Ao Senden has also served an ultimatum to the authority concerned to repair and make motorable the National Highway 702D by September 20, 2022. This is also another issue related to the people’s desire for good roads. Whatever be the reasons for poor quality of roads in Mokokchung, as well as Nagaland for that matter, it is now time for some serious reality check. Maybe it is now time to constitute an independent expert committee to study, without any interference from the government, as to why roads including national highways remain so poor in Nagaland. There are other hilly regions with similar geological features around the world but with superior quality roads whereas Nagaland’s roads remain the worst.
In the meantime, as the DPDB meeting proceedings unfold on Monday, it is hoped that the question of repairing the Hospital Road features in the list of agendums. Also, as September 20 approaches, it is hoped that the National Highways authority concerned have not irked the Ao Senden.