Tura, Aug 10: The longest foot bridge in Meghalaya completed few months back is set for inauguration. However, the much talked about public project has been stalled by a section of villagers, who are
averse to chief minister, Mukul Sangma.
The foot bridge measures 17.5 meter in length and 1.2 meter in breath. It connects Kusimkolgre locality of Williamnagar to Chachatgre and other adjoining villages. Though the bridge has not been inaugurated
it is already being used by 15 villagers, who live on the other side
of Simsang River.
In June, Mukul Sangma was schedule to inaugurate the bridge. Inabsence of legislator Deborah C. Marak, social welfare minister, Sangma did not go ahead with the inauguration. On August 9, the bridge was again schedule for inauguration in presence of Marak, but a section of the villagers were not happy with the idea.
A section of villagers feel that it is a work undertaken by them under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and hence the politician should not be given credit. At Chachatgre and its adjoining villager, it was a divided house.
“We are not against politicians but we feel that it is our work and nobody should take credit for its completion”, said Bolwin Momin, a village elder. The headman of Chachatgre village, Armen D. Shira said, “Job hard holders from five villages have contributed 40 man days from
each household for the completion of the bridge.
Many feel that there is no contribution from the politicians, so it should not be
inaugurated by them”. A few of them, who did not wish to be quoted, were of the view that politically vendetta is involved in the entire fiasco.
The chief minister, who was in Williamnagar to attend a public meeting yesterday said, “We have reports that some vested interest groups have worked to influence the villagers. We have asked for an enquiry into the fiasco, whoever found guilty will be punished as per the law”.
“Many groups are working to disrupt peace. The government will not remain a silent spectator, we will take stern action”, he added.
On militants making an attempt to run a parallel government by creating fear psychosis, Sangma said, “I have reports that some outfits have issued threats to contractors not to complete the Warima
bridge, which is pending for over 30 years now”.
The bridge at Warima in Williamnagar is slated to be completed by the end of this year. He also informed that a special court will be set up in the state to deal with cases relating to disturbance of public peace.
“A fact tract court will ensure that the cases are completed within a time bound period of two to three months”, said Sangma. In September 2012, five village employment councils (VECs) under
Samanda block took up the initiative to construct the foot bridge.
The villages are – Chachatgre, Bolkingre, Ashabibra, Ganinggre and Ganingbibra. 382 households have contributed for the construction of the bridge under MGNREGS.
The bridge has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.05 cr. In absence of a bridge connecting villages on the other side of the Simsang River in Williamnagar under Samanda development block, people
for ages had faced hardship.
One third population of Samanda block inhabit on the southern side of Simsang River. This area is sandwiched between Durama hills and Simsang River.
The villages on the other side of the river depend on Williamnagar for their different needs – be it business, education and health services. The main bottleneck was the river, which flows above danger level during monsoon.
The integrated basin development and livelihood promotion program IBDLP) supported the project by way of providing the critical gap funding and also getting the project technically vetted. The project
has contributed about Rs. 19.43 lakhs”.(SP News)
