SHILLONG, DEC 10: A 24-hour ‘total shutdown’ has been called by the Khasi Students Union-South West Khasi Hills Unit (KSU-SWHU) from December 15 as part of its ongoing protest for dropping of a major road project in the district by the state government.
The bandh which will start from 5 am of December 15 to 5 am on December 16 and will be effective in the entire South West Khasi Hills region and Mawsynram Block in East Khasi hills district, KSU-SWHU general secretary Fowardman Nongrem informed.
The decision to call the bandh came after the state government’s failed to respond to the demand of the union for restoring the Rs 27 crore project for construction of the 40 kilometers Weiloi to Rangblang road in the region.
Earlier, the union had also called similar agitations by sponsoring night road blockades twice starting from last month.
“Actually we were proposing to call for a 48 hour bandh but had to reduce the timing of the bandh to 24 hours after requests from several quarters,” Nongrem said.
He said, “We expressed the union has strong reservation against the nonchalant attitude of the state government as it has yet to send communication on the issue.” He said the union urges the people to extend their support and cooperation on the matter.”
The 40 KM road from Weiloi to Rangblang which was projected to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 27 crore is one of the 45 projects under Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) which was dropped last year, based on the recommendation of the chief minister in the 118thmeeting of NLCPR committee.
Meanwhile, the state government recently submitted the revise DPR estimated over Rs 50 crores for construction of the Weiloi-Rangblang road in South West Khasi hills district, a project which was allegedly mistook to have been dropped.
“We have submitted a revised detailed project report (DPR) for the construction of the road which is estimated to be over Rs 50 crores,” state PWD minister Sniawbhalang Dhar had stated earlier.
The minister said the government has decided to propose enhancement of the cost for the implementation of the project as the earlier proposal has become irrelevant at present.
According to him, the proposal has been sent to the planning department and now it is up to the department to seek the approval of the centre for sanctioning the fund.- By Our Reporter
+ There are no comments
Add yours