Sub-standard constructions in Manipur

By : Iboyaima Laithangbam/IFP

Works Minister K. Ranjit deserves a pat in the head for his commendable campaign against the wide-spread sub-standard constructions in the state.No other minister had done so in the state and elsewhere. All sections of people who are concerned about the daylight robbery of the public money by the criminals of all hues ought to give unflinching support to him.There is no gainsaying the fact that money meant for the quality construction of roads, bridges and government offices had been swindled. There are palatial buildings, filthy lucre improportionate to the known incomes of the owners who happen to be the most respected ones in the society.

However in his enthusiasm to check massive corruption Ranjit is putting the horse before the cart. If he wants to go on with his campaign, more importantly, if he wants to send the culprits behind the bars something concrete should be done. First of all, it should be admitted frankly that Ranjit is not an expert in the real sense of the word.He is not supposed to know whether the construction of the buildings,etc had been upto the standard or below it. What he says in this respect in a court of law will not hold any waters. If there is no intention of producing the suspended officials and the contractors in the law court for prosecution then there is nothing more to say. If justice is to be meted out in the most deterrant way a technical expert committee from other parts of India (but never from Manipur itself) should be constituted to examine the construction quality. The committee should be the one which will depose before a law court while prosecuting the accused persons. Though limelight is necessary to send a signal to other criminals Ranjit should travel along with the expert committee members to examine the construction quality.

Some years back one Imphal West DC had raided one petrol pump in Imphal under much fanfare. The owners of all sorts of vehicles were overjoyed since it meant that there shall be no more petrol adulteration. However the people were disappointed and disillusioned since the DC made no further raids. Or rather, the owners of the petrol pumps might have seen to it that he discontinues the raids. That was the end of the campaign and untrammeled sale of adulterated petrol was resumed within minutes. Recently one local newspaper had published a newsreport and photograph showing that one petrol pump was selling a strange liquid said to be petrol. The DC concerned announced that samples had been seized and adequate actions will be taken up. What kind of actions had been taken up ?

In the 1960s major parts of the industrial town of Digboi was under the control of Europeans who were high officials in the AOC. Under their supervision there were quality constructions of roads, footpaths, residential areas,marketing malls,etc.I was told that after their departure from Digboi the roads conditions had been degenerated to the Indian standard. The national highway 39 was one of the best ones. However after India's independence everybody can see the horrible condition. But then the officials of Assam are honest to a certain degree since the NH 39 is in excellent condition. Besides repairing works, road signals, etc are carried on in an appreciable manner. The honesty of the officials and elected representatives in Nagaland and Manipur is best left to the imagination of the people on the basis of the horrible condition of the highway under these states. A game trail in the mountain is much better than this national highway. There has been a public outcry against the horrible road condition and the state governments have been turning a deaf ear for reasons not far to seek. Major chunk of the whopping sums released every year for the repairing, improvement of the NH 39 must have gone to the private pockets. My first experience of cheating people of their money was at the Kumbi primary health sub centre.The hospital and residence of the doctor had been "repaired" and money taken by the contractor. What I saw was that just the sides of the hospital and residence facing the main road had been painted with cheap colour and small planks nailed to conceal the crack, etc. After this unsavoury experience I have been seeing everything, everywhere. It is very deplorable that in the Indian system of democracy there is no policy to oversee the so-called constructions by a state government.

The European engineers I had mentioned above used to supervise the construction works. This explains how there was quality construction. But perhaps Manipur is the only place where the casual construction labourer, who are unskilled ones, who carry on the construction works. The engineers and the contractors perhaps feel that it is beneath their dignity to visit the work sites for supervision. The engineers approve of the construction works over the table for well known reasons. The labourers squirrel cement, iron rods, etc for their pocket money. In case of big constructions most of these items go to other private constructions.

Ranjit has made an honest and encouraging beginning.If his campaign has to pay dividends he should take precautions and fulfil other conditions so that the guilty ones do not escape. If, on the other hand, he carries on his style of inspection and suspension of the officials nothing will come out of the much acclaimed campaign.


The Imphal Free Press