RPP files complaint against NHIDCL and others following the 4 July rockslide accident on NH-29

Dimapur, 8 July (MTNews): The Rising People’s Party (RPP) on Saturday has filed a complaint against the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and others involved in the 4-laning project of NH-29 from Dimapur to Kohima in Nagaland.

Along with the NHIDCL, the RPP complaint was also against the contractors and sub-contractors, consultancy firm, the Nagaland Public Works Department and all parties involved in the 4-laning project of NH-29 Dimapur-Kohima road for gross negligence and dereliction of duties resulting in the death of 2 persons and causing serious injuries to others and damage of properties in the road accident on 4 July.

The RPP alleged that the accident was clearly a man-made disaster and that NHIDCL and others involved in the project are responsible for it.

The RPP pointed out that the Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) vide letter No. NPCB/EIA-2/2532 dated 25/09/2020 and letter no. NPCB/EIA-2/2677-78 dated 04/02/2021 directed the NHIDCL to refrain from using dynamites for blasting rocks in the area under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act 1986 for fear of destruction of the environment, injury to travelers and damage to vehicles. However, RPP said that dynamite was extensively used, undermining the directives of the NPCB.

The RPP also said many civil society organizations had also warned about the impending danger of accidents and had even sent out several representations to the concerned authorities in this regard. Saying that some of the concerns expressed were nominal earth-cutting works, no slope or step cutting etc., the RPP said that the NHIDCL and other parties, however, took up no corrective measures.

The RPP also stated that the Chümoukedima Deputy Commissioner in a spot verification and survey report vide letter No. DC-CMD/LR-13/NH-29/COM/2022/3171-74/CMD dated 25th March 2023 to the General Manager NHIDCL pointed out various anomalies in the Dimapur to Kohima NH-29 road construction such as use of sub-standard construction materials, poor engineering and workmanship, lack of prudent and sincere monitoring of work, among many others.

“The DC in his letter had also requested the NHIDCL to review and verify to ascertain whether the road was constructed as per the approved plan,” RPP said.

The party further said that the DC Chumoukedima in his letter No. DC-CMD/LR-36/GEN/2023 dated 6th July 2023 wrote a clarification with regard to NHIDCL press release that was published on 6 July in local papers, stating that the press release of NHIDCL regarding the 4th July incident was not accurate and, therefore, said that malafide intentions of the NHIDCL is not ruled out.

“Though many lives had been lost in the same stretch on series of accidents, yet no corrective measures were adopted. The repetitive occurrence of accidents may be due to faulty construction methods and poor maintenance of the road,” RPP said in the complaint letter.

Saying that there is no safety infrastructure in many places, the RPP said danger continues to loom large with exposed and unsettled rocks and multiple visible cracks on its layers above along the stretch of the road where the accident happened.

“Another potential disaster waiting to happen is the 2 vertical cliff of 90 degree earth-cutting between Jharnapani and Ghaspani,” the RPP added.

Taking these points into consideration, the RPP requested the officer in-charge, Chumoukedima Police Station to register a case of negligence and dereliction of duties and investigate those responsible for the lapse of work so that justice is delivered to the people.