JAC of border villages threaten road rally against Centre’s delay to approve road project

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 19, 2021

The four villages along the Indo-Bangla border in East Jaintia Hills district have recently formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to pursue the demand for immediate construction of the Rymbai-Bataw Borkhat Sonapur road.

The JAC of the dorbar shnong of Hingaria, Huroi, Lahalein and Lejri, has also threatened to resort to agitation against delay of the Centre to accord sanction for the construction of the road.

In a statement issued on Friday, JAC secretary Raja L Suchen said the four villages welcomed the sanction accorded by the government for temporary repairing of the road.

“…however unless the main proposed project is approved the road condition will remain the same. The temporary repairs will only help for a few days and week and once the monsoon season sets in again, the problem will remain the same,” he said.

He also informed that due to this, the four villages have formed the JAC to pursue the demand construction of the road in the interest and welfare of the people residing along the border.

Sparly Pohtam, headman of Lahalein village was elected as chairman of the JAC, Raja Suchen Secretary Huroi village as its secretary besides other members from the village.

“Owing to the adamant attitude of the Central government to accord approval of the proposed scheme under NERSDS, the JAC is contemplating to organize a road rally against the government in due course if there is a delay in according approval of the proposed project,” Suchen said.

“The JAC will pursue the matter more diligently with the government for speedy redressal of the problems of the people,” he said while urging the chief minister Conrad K Sangma to pursue the matter more vigorously with the DoNER Ministry for speedy approval and sanction of the project.

During the hearing on the PIL regarding this matter, the Chief Engineer of PWD (Roads) has informed the Meghalaya High Court that the department has approved and issued work orders under the project name temporary restoration of Rymbai Bataw Borkhat Sonapur Road at a cost of Rs 74, 33,000.

The purpose of this project is to make the kutcha road temporarily motorable while waiting for sanction from the DoNER Ministry for approval of the RBBS Project worth more than Rs 130 Crore.

Suchen said that the High Court has also expressed serious concern about the delay on the part of the NEC and DoNER Ministry to apprise the Court about the status of the proposal for road construction in the border villages including Hingaria, Huroi, Lahalein and Lejri.

The High Court has also asked the Secretary DoNER, Govt of India as to clarify and explain as to why till date, nothing substantial has been done for improvement of the Sonapur-Borkhat Road situated in East Jaintia Hills District, and where exactly the problem lies on the next date being February 23.