From dust to slush, Imphal wallows in muck and filth,
Livid CM summons officials, contractors to seek explanations for delay in work
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 25: With the streets in Imphal changing from dusty to slushy, due to no small measure to the failure to meet the deadline of completing the pipe laying exercise taken up by the PHED for the Imphal Sewerage Project compounded by the January rain, a livid Chief Minister today summoned the Works Minister, PHED Minister as well as officials of PHED and PWD and contractors concerned to quiz them about the progress of the work taken up, especially at Paona bazar area.

The reaction of the Chief Minister gains significance in the backdrop of the assurance given by him that the pipe laying exercise at Paona bazar would be completed by January 15, during an inspection drive conducted on December 31 last year.

Slush and mud compounded by the unfinished sewerage project runs through Paona bazar

During the meeting the Chief Minister quizzed the officials and contractors on when they can finish the pipe laying process for the Sewerage Project, said a source when contacted by The Sangai Express.

Responding to the poser from the Chief Minister, all the contractors gave different deadlines, with some, especially those engaged in the Paona bazar stretch stating that the work can be completed by Feb 7, Feb 15 while those engaged in the work from Pratap Talkies towards the northern side requested for some more time.

Some, engaged in the Sewerage Project in other parts of Imphal even requested that they be given time till April this year to complete their assignments.

With the Imphal Sewerage Project overshooting its deadline, the Works Department is left in the lurch.

However it was agreed during the meeting that the PWD will start the repairing work of the road such as black topping phase wise.

Speaking to The Sangai Express an official from the PWD said that the delay and confusion has been created chiefly because of lack of technical know how.

Quoting an example, the official said that whenever any road has to be dug up, there are certain norms which say that the embankment should be strengthtened but here in Manipur this is not followed.

Besides this the earth dug out should be ferried away immediately, but this is not being practised here, he said.

This leads to a situation in which one Department will dig up a road and leave the muck around, leading to congestion.

Moreover the lack of co-ordination between different departments have compounded the situation, he said.

Detailing, the official said that even as roads have been dug up for the Sewerage Project there is another plan on the anvil to dig up some portions of the road to lay the underground cable for the Power Department.

It is not still not clear whether the digging up process will be taken up after or before the PWD starts the work of repairing the dug out portions, said the official.

Adding to the delay in completing the Sewerage project is the report that an underground organisation has imposed a ban on lifting the pipes for the same from the godown of the PHED at Lamphel.

This was conveyed to the Chief Minister during the meeting, said the official and added that immediately, the CM called up the DG to ensure security so that the work can progress smoothly.