Imphal, April 24: Reacting to the news report of Railway Track Organisation published in the April 20 of this newspaper, the Tamenglong Public Forum has clarified that its intimation to the Chief Secretary to hold back payment of compensation to those families affected by the jiri-Tupul railway line was intended to draw the attention of Tamenglong district authorities maintain transparency on the matter.

"There is no question of complaining against the construction of the said railway and our application is self explanatory in the matter," a Forum statement maintained with reference to urging the Chief Secretary on the compensation issue with regard to affecting standing crops and properties owing to the railway project.

Recounting events leading to the Forum's decision to point out certain alleged flaw in the administrative system of the district concerned, it said an application was submitted to the DC, Tamenglong on December 4 last under provision of the Right to information Act to furnish details about construction of the railway line in public interest.

Apart from deliberately ignoring the Forum's sincere approach, the DC on being personally met by Forum representatives on three occasions with the most recent being on March 14 this year, neither the incumbent nor his sub-ordinate staffs cared to oblige, contended the statement.

As such repeated appeals failed to evoke any positive response from the district administration for reasons best known to the incumbent, the Forum was constrained to take the next step of putting up the matter to the Chief Secretary for initiation of appropriate measures, it added.

Further reminding that the Tamenglong Public Forum was formed on November 2007 at the Langol Tarung residence of Athuan Abonmai by like minded individuals including social workers of Tamenglong district with the objective of keeping a close watch/tap on all developmental works initiated/implemented in the district, the Forum also questioned credibility and authenticity of the RTO.

moreover, the Forum alleged that office of the Deputy Commissioner, Tamenglong instead of providing details as proposed by the body, instigated RTO to intervene on the matter which also clearly reflects lack of transparency in the administration apart from being an attempt to muffle democratic rights of the citizens in general and the TPF in particular.

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