Three thousand and nine hundred men put to task on NH-53, but condition deteriorates
BRO's claim fails to cut ice, State Govt not amused
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 05 2011:
Whereas the condition of NH-53, Imphal-Jiribam section is going from bad to worse, 765 BRTF Commander Yadav has claimed that BRO has been deploying 3900 strong and able bodied man to work on the highway.
The BRTF commander made this claim to the high power committee headed by the State Chief Secretary under the Union Cabinet Secretary of the Government of India, conveyed a reliable source.
Being the second lifeline of the State, developing NH 53 to the level of a passable highway, if not a standard highway, is a common wish of the people but the question of developing the highway still remains a big issue as if nothing can be done to improve its condition.
However, not more than 50 labourers were seen at work at any time when media persons routinely traverse along Imphal-Jiribam highway and visit the work sites.
As expected, the Government of Manipur was taken aback on hearing 765 BRTF Commander Yadav's claim of BRO deploying 3900 men on Imphal-Jiribam highway development work.
The high power committee constituted under the Government of India's Union Cabinet Secretary and headed by the Chief Secretary has been monitoring road networking of NH-39 and NH-53, the railway project and induction of essential commodities and storage capacity.
|
The committee has also been sending monthly monitoring reports to the Union Cabinet Secretary.
In addition to the 3900 strong manpower, 765 BRTF Commander Yadav also claimed that the BRO has been deploying seven JCBs and three Tata Hitachi excavators on NH-53 development work.
Notably, the Government of India has sanctioned more than Rs 100 crore for development of the same highway under Special Accelerated Road Development Project (SARDP) .
However, the Government of Manipur has no clear idea on how much money has been released by the Government of India to BRTF.
Contrary to the claim of the BRTF Commander, the Government of Manipur has a clear knowledge that BRO has been deploying only 375 to 500 labourers.
Sometimes, the figure went below 375, informed a source.
There were instances when the Government of Manipur and BRTF sorted out and corrected such incompatible facts and figures, added the source.