The shadow of 10 pc or 20 pc
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 17, 2010 -

From NH-53 to Guite Road and again to NH-53! It has been a roller coaster ride for the fuel, life saving drugs and essential commodities starved people of Manipur for more than 60 days ! So while the Government fiddled over these two routes, the common people of Manipur had to cope with rising prices of all commodities and spend a night or two at a stretch in a queue before a petrol pump, to get their vehicles filled.

There have been occasions too when the long overnight stay went in vain, the reasons, for which only the Government can explain. Such is the effect of economic blockades anywhere and the people of Manipur have shown to the world that they can cope with the hardest of adversities.

Mark our words, the resilience that has been slowly but gradually being built up amongst the people, by forces or circumstances beyond the control of the common people, will stand us in good stead when ever we are faced with issues and problems which appear insurmountable.

In short, experiencing life in Manipur, especially in the valley area, will make Men out of Boys and this difference will surface naturally when the time of beckoning comes.

This is the situation in which the people find themselves in today and fortunately or unfortunately, depending on one's view, the SPF Government has been making sure that the people are kept entertained by their quixotic behaviour now and then.

It is something of a mystery to see how the Chief Minister, who stood firmly and barred the entry of The Muivah, Delhi not withstanding, into Manipur and went ahead with the election to the ADC amid staunch opposition, today appears like a little lost boy, trying desperately to find his way back home! Lest we are mistaken, we would like to make it very clear that we are not taking pot shots at the Government, just for the sake of it, but because the performance of Government leaves much to be desired.

We have already questioned the wisdom of preferring Guite Road over the already existing NH-53 and let us make it clear to all that Guite Road is yet to be declared a National Highway.

It is a State Highway, though we have heard through the grape vines that the State Government has put forward the proposal to upgrade Guite Road to a National Highway. This is fine and welcome, but we cannot help brush aside that uneasy feeling that there may be something more than just the inability to take a decisive stand between Guite Road and NH-53.

The then dithering stand over these two routes had the unmistakable stamp of a Government, whose fuel for running the affairs of the State is contract works and kick backs or pay offs or whatever term one may use. There must be a reason, why the term 10 pc or 20 pc has stuck to this Government so aptly!

Fortunately this drama did not last long, and the Government did wake up to the harsh reality that a decision had to be taken and thus we saw a high profile team of VIPs led by none other than our Works Minister K Ranjit to get a first hand account of the conditions of the road.

The people also got to witness how the Works Minister physically extended a helping hand with spades and other tools in clearing the landslides, near Tupul, on NH-53, a few days back.

We only hope this enthusiasm is not reduced to a road side jamboree, especially in the face of the rather tough stand taken by the Chief Minister against the 'abject failure' of the BRO to maintain the National Highway which was followed by the Cabinet decision to take over the responsibility of maintaining this National Highway by the State Government.

So far the State Government seems intent on making this route fit for the movement of heavy vehicles with their goods and this is notable. However there are some questions which the Government should answer. Merely passing the buck to the BRO will not convince any sensible mind.

The State Government has gone on record and stated that NH-53 has been under the charge of the BRO since 1968. This is okay, but doesn't it say something about the way Manipur has been governed all these years with no Chief Minister ever bothering to check how the work is being carried out.

A National Highway, under the charge of the BRO, does not necessarily mean that the State Government should turn a blind eye to what is happening, given the harsh realities we have faced on NH-39 on a regular basis.

Way back in 2005, we encountered the 52 days economic blockade and the surprising thing is Mr O Ibobi, who was then the Chief Minister too, did not take up any concrete steps to see how the second lifeline of the State can be kept in tip top shape.

The universal fact, that what we experience today is due to the doings or undoings of the past and what we do today will have a bearing on the future or days to come, stands true in Manipur too. Our blood pressure shoots up everytime, we are reminded of how the Government failed to anticipate the future and take up corrective measures post the 52 days economic blockade in 2005.

Now NH-53 will come under the supervision of the State Government, but does this guarantee that it will do a much better job than the BRTF, given its track record of maintaining roads even in Imphal? The very fact that the State Government had no answer when asked why the BRO failed to live up to the task at hand, reflects the true character of the SPF Government.