As Mokokchung district prepares for another DPDB meeting to be held on Monday at the ADC (Planning) Conference Hall in Mokokchung, anticipations and expectations for the much-discussed ‘Hospital Road’ in Mokokchung town are high.
Just last month, the youth organizations of Penli, Majakong, Lijaba Lijen, and Artang wards submitted a joint representation to the Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung demanding that the hospital road be repaired immediately, and the district administration reportedly assured the youth leaders that the matter would be discussed at the next DPDB meeting.
Lanulemba Longchar, the youth president of Majokong ward, expressed his skepticism to Mokokchung Times, saying that they are not optimistic about a positive outcome because no assurances have been given to them till now, other than to wait for the next DPDB meeting.
“They have not given us any assurances as of yet, but they have stated that they have taken it seriously.” This has frequently prompted him to ask SDO (civil), “If one can see that it is that serious, why isn’t it being repaired?”
According to Lanu, the DPDB meeting has little chance of producing a positive resolution on the matter.
“We have previously submitted the representation and explained how people struggle, so if they truly feel and understand the public grievances, they would have at least offered some first aid, and would have paved the road using boulders and earth, but nothing has been made so far. Furthermore, whether it is the administration or the DC, they all have an emergency fund; and since the road is under Urban, there must be an emergency fund there as well. So, if all of the responsible authorities cared enough, they should have filled the roads with stones and mud from the police point to the hospital road, and then repaired the rest with emergency funds. Because it’s impossible to drive on the road,” he reasoned.
He also mentioned that they understand that paving a blacktopped road requires a lot of discussion with the central government and that delays are unavoidable; however, they believe that making the road at least pliable by different means and the news that they have taken up the project would have been considered sincere effort from the authorities’ side.
He did, however, add that they will eagerly await the meeting resolutions before deciding on their next step.
Speaking of their future plans, he stated that the officials from the four wards have yet to hold a unified meeting because they are all waiting for the DPDB meeting.
“We have planned a series of events to take up, but it has not yet been confirmed, so we will closely monitor what the DPDB meeting decides,” he said.
Speaking about what have made them decide to wait till the DPDB meeting, he said, “Earlier, when we talked to the administration, they said they have included our demand on their agenda. Also, when we submitted our representation, they stated they would go to the DPDB and asked if they could wait for us till then, so we agreed to wait and are still waiting.”