Villagers repair roads after government failed

SHILLONG, SEPT 18: The Umjajew village dorbar shnong and neighbouring Nongkwar Block – 13 villagers under the Mawlai constituency are completely a different lot as they decided not to wait for the PWD and instead took upon themselves to repair the portion of the dilapidated roads which created havoc during rainy season causing flood.

The students of these two villages suffered during the monsoon as flooding would keep them indoor and remain absent from their school for a long time. And during medical emergencies too vehicles especially the 108 could hardly make it to the villages because of the bad road condition.

Even as the government has turned a blind eye with the PWD yet to bring the road under its wing, the villagers had enough and decided not to wait for the government to come to their aid. The Umjajew and neighbouring Nongkwar villagers decided to repair the road by themselves as they did not see any hope of the government coming to their rescue.

The villagers used boulders and sands to fill in the flooded and potholed road at the expense of the village dorbar and some help from well wishers including former legislator PT Sawkmie and others.

About one lakh rupees was spend by the villages including Umjajew and Nongkwar for the repairing work of the roads.

Umjajew village secretary Wanshaphrang Swer told reporters, “We have decided to repair the road ourselves for public convenience after we resolved not to wait for any help from the concerned government department.”

Swer revealed that the deplorable road has affected the people especially during health emergencies when even a 108 ambulance has to wait till the patients are helped to cross the flooded and potholed road to be taken to the hospital. He said ,“We have to carry our children to cross the road and when there is heavy rainfall we cannot send them to school.”

Swer informed that earlier last year, the PWD chief engineer along with former Mawlai legislator Founder Cajee had come for an inspection to the site but the matter ended there as he never got any communication from the PWD department. He added that the matter was also taken up with the present legislator and he has assured to take up the issue with the concerned department. – By Our Reporter