The Luangchum Youth Club on Wednesday decried the ongoing PMGSY road blacktopping work from L021- NH-37 (Formerly called NH-53 road) to Awangkhul village under Noney district, alleging that the work is found to be of substandard quality.
The ongoing blacktopping work was undertaken by contractor L Romesh under the project funded by the Ministry of Rural Development Government of India.
The contractor and authorities concerned allegedly did not blacktop the road at the bituminous layer of 20 mm thick and standard as per the guidelines. Ironically, black topping materials were reportedly found like loose soil.
The issue was uncovered during a joint inspection made by Luangchum Youth Club members and led by its president Chungapou Gonmei along with mediapersons.
Speaking to the Imphal Free Press on the sidelines of the inspection, Chungapou Gonmei said that several places and portions of the road that were completed just 2-3 month ago have developed cracks due to non-maintenance of quality by the contractors concerned.
He appealed to the authorities concerned to maintain the quality of the ongoing road blacktopping.
“If the ongoing blacktopping work is not carried out in accordance with the guidelines of the PMGSY, the Luangchum Youth Club will approach the higher authorities to seek action,” he said.
He urged the department concerned not to release the final bills before the completion of the ongoing blacktopping work, and not without the knowledge from the village authority and the villagers.
He warned that various forms of democratic agitation will be launched if the department concerned and higher authority fail to redress their demand to maintain the standard.
