By: Addie Chiphang
Ukhrul, April 11:
In a fiery inspection tour that laid bare the alarming state of development works in Kamjong district, Phungyar MLA Leishiyo Keishing lashed out at errant contractors and agencies, warning them of strict legal action for substandard and incomplete projects. The MLA, visibly frustrated by the lack of accountability, declared that enough is enough — the people of Kamjong will no longer be taken for granted.
During his visit, the MLA was accompanied by Hoping Chitung, headman of Kamjong, members of the Village Authority, and local community leaders. Together, they inspected several key developmental projects, including the long-pending Sadbhavana Mandap and Ava Market Complex at the heart of Kamjong headquarters, whose construction began in 2021. Despite the passage of nearly five years and heavy financial investment, the project remains incomplete and riddled with poor workmanship.
Leishiyo minced no words as he lambasted the contractor responsible, accusing them of treating public funds as personal treasure. “This is daylight robbery. Contractors are pocketing development funds without remorse while our people continue to suffer,” he said. He also revealed that although the tender was awarded as per the Detailed Project Report (DPR), no significant progress had been made. “I am ashamed today. These contractors walk around freely despite such fraud — but I assure you, the law will catch up with them,” he warned.
Hoping Chitung echoed the MLA’s anger, stating that repeated appeals to the contractor had fallen on deaf ears. He recalled that the then Chief Minister had promised in 2021 to complete the Ava Market quickly, yet the building still stands half-built. “This is a betrayal of public trust,” he said.
The MLA also expressed grave concern over a recently awarded rigid pavement road project, granted at a rate 32% below the sanctioned budget — to the same contractor already failing previous works. “What kind of result can people expect from someone already proven incompetent?” he asked.
His team then proceeded to inspect the ongoing road repairs, where another shocking revelation awaited. The newly repaired road was so narrow that, in his words, “it could barely cover a sleeping dog.” The MLA noted this sarcastically after seeing an actual dog lying comfortably across the entire width of the road.
Leishiyo’s next stop was Kamjong District Hospital. There, he found a dismal state of affairs, including a lack of basic facilities. He visited patient wards, interacted with patients, and personally handed out monetary assistance to those in need. “Our people deserve dignity and decent healthcare, not these crumbling walls and empty promises,” he said.
The inspection continued to the site of the under-construction Nursing College. Despite a year having passed since the foundation was laid, the project had made negligible progress. “How long will our people be treated as second-class citizens?” he asked, visibly agitated.
Things took an even more dramatic turn when the MLA visited the under-construction 50-bedded hospital. There, he discovered shockingly substandard construction materials. “The bricks are of such poor quality they crumble with the lightest touch,” he said. In a moment that left everyone stunned, Leishiyo lightly kicked a wall — and it collapsed immediately. This incident, witnessed by everyone present, exposed the alarming fragility of the structure and the criminal negligence involved.
When questioned, one of the masons confessed that he had raised concerns about the poor materials, but the contractor had instructed him to proceed regardless. The MLA was outraged. “Is this how we build a hospital meant to save lives? This is not just corruption, it is endangering human lives.”
Reflecting on what he witnessed throughout the day, Leishiyo demanded accountability. “Are the contractors to blame, or is it the government departments that allow them to operate unchecked? Kamjong is being left behind while a handful of greedy individuals profit at the cost of its people’s future.”
Hoping Chitung concluded by emphasizing that not a single major project in Kamjong has been commissioned to date. “This is not just poor governance — this is abandonment. The authorities must wake up and act before it’s too late,” he said.
