'Incomplete' Dolaithabi Project shocks Ibobi
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 02 2014 :
"It looks almost complete from a distant view, but nothing progressive is seen near here", a seemingly shocked and surprised Chief Minister Okram Ibobi told the engineers of Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD) while inspecting the Dolaithabi Project in Imphal East district today.
Concerned over mounting problem of water scarcity in the State, Chief Minister Ibobi set out to inspect the work progress of Dolaithabi Project with the objective of drawing a long-term plan to tackle the water crisis.
The Dolaithabi Project looks almost "complete" from outside, but many components of the project have been found incomplete when looked into closely.
Upset with the poor work progress of Dolaithabi Project, Chief Minister Ibobi did not speak out any word to the media persons accompanying him.
Ibobi was only talking and giving instructions to the engineers.
An IFCD engineer told Hueiyen Lanpao that the Chief Minister was quite upset with the slow work progress.
The present work progress of Dolaithabi project is far below his expectation.
A resident of Cherapur said that the work undertaken by NHPC is quite unsatisfactory.
The workers are dilly-dallying the project in hope of getting their wages hiked with the passage of time.
On hearing the schedule of Chief Minister's visit, an unusually large number of workers were engaged at the project site today.
Had the NHPC deployed those many workers from the beginning, the project could have been completed years back, the resident said.
Chief Engineer of IFCD, who was accompanying the Chief Minister, told Hueiyen Lanpao that the target for completion of the Dolaithabi project was earlier set in October last year.
However, the target has been reset to October next year owing to frequent bandhs and blockades.
About 70 percent of the project has been completed so far.
Works for installation of six spillway gates would begin shortly and thereafter the construction of left and right canals of the project would commence, the Chief
Engineer added.