Five-day ultimatum served, bandh warned
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kangpokpi, December 02 2021:
Sadar Hills Chiefs' Association (SAHILCA), Kangpokpi District Chiefs' Joint Coordination Committee on Land Matters (KD-CJCCLM), and Asian Highway Land Affected Villages Chiefs /Chairmen Association (AHLAVCCA) have served a five-day ultimatum to the state government over the Asian Highway expansion issue and threatened to impose 48-hour total shutdown in Kangpokpi district if the government fails to respond within the stipulated time.
In a press conference held at Saparmeina on Thursday, SAHILCA speaker Lunthang Haokip said that the joint meeting of SAHILCA, KDCJCCLM and AHLAVCCA minutely deliberated on the state government's indifferent attitude towards the Asian Highway expansion from Gamgiphai to Kalapahar and considered it as a step-motherly treatment to the affected victims.
He said that the people of Kangpokpi are very delighted that various projects are being initiated and such road expansion will be one of the biggest development projects in the district.
However, the state government has so far failed to initiate an appreciable measure for the expansion of the Asian Highway by resolving the issue.
The SAHILCA speaker continued, "We have already had more than five meetings and discussed the various issues in connection with the Highway expansion with the government representatives but till now the government has failed to come up with a concrete solution, rather it is using delaying tactics, ignoring the sentiment of the people".
He pointed out that they had repeatedly urged the state government to give compensation and start the highway expansion at the earliest, but nothing has been initiated by the latter.
He added that the association recently sought an appointment with the chief minister to discuss afresh the issue of the highway expansion to find a concrete solution, but the CM has not given any response till now.
"Ultimately, we have decided in today's joint meeting to serve an ultimatum to the state government till December 7 and in case of failure to respond on the part of the state government for talks, we unanimously resolved to impose 48 hours total shutdown from midnight of December 7," the SAHILCA speaker reiterated.