Government apathy leaves Tamenglong PWD office in the lurch
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Daniel Kamei
Tamenglong, April 18 2015 :
Prolonged government apathy has reduced the Public Works Department (PWD), Tamenglong District Headquarters in the lurch rendering it almost non-functional.
When this correspondent visited the office, there were just three staff members - one Grade IV (Steno); another Lower Department Clerk and one (LDC) Chowkidar at the office when there were supposed to be over twenty staff members.
It was leant that some staff had taken leave and others were yet to arrive the office even after 1 pm.
Executive Engineer (EE) PWD Tamenglong, Assistant Engineer (AE) PWD Tamenglong and Section Officers (SO) were found absent.
According to sources the PWD department had no cashier, peon, IB care-taker, accountant and no head clerk.
One staff member disclosed that P Birkumar Singh, Executive Engineer (PWD) Tamenglong division who was transferred to Tamenglong Division since three years seldom attended office.
The Tamenglong PWD had no clue as to what work programme has been implemented in the last financial year (2014 and 2015) .
The source in the office said that the present EE (PWD) has setup camp office at the Chief Engineer PWD Manipur at Imphal.
This has made the office irrelevant.
Moreover, due to the apathy of the government, even the roads in the town were in a deplorable conditions.
The PWD has failed to properly maintain Tamenglong- Khongsang road, Tamenglong- Tousem- Halflong road and town ring road and bazaar road.
It may be recalled here that the public leaders, NGOs and NSCN (IM) have appealed to all the heads of the department to be stationed at least for 15 days and attend the office in the last five years back.
Meanwhile, Chairmen Association Tamenglong has once again reminded the Chief Minister of Manipur O Ibobi Singh and local MLA Janghemlung Panmei to construct the town ring road before the onset of monsoon as assured the mammoth gathering during the foundation stone to construct Chief Judicial Magistrate's complex Tamenglong on February 12 this year.
The association has been left with no other option but to launch democratic form of agitation if the government failed to improve the prevailing situation.