‘Mokokchung electricity maintained by own pocket money’

In a state like Nagaland where citizens pool own resources to repair and even pave roads, or clean entire localities, it wouldn’t be surprising if there were people who offered money from their pockets to also maintain electrical infrastructure to keep power running.

In fact, one such case has come up in Mokokchung if local organizations’ contentions are anything to consider. 

Because the Nagaland government ‘does not provide any funds even for basic maintenance of the equipment,’ such maintenance is done through ‘pocket money,’ leaders of a student and youth organization said in a press release on Monday.

Leaders of the Ao Kaketshir Mungdang (AKM) and a local Mokokchung youth group, the Mokokchung Town Lanur Telonhjem (MTLT) informed to have met with officials of the electrical division of Mokokchung. They met with the executive engineer of the division, N Mozhui, on July 18, “to take stock of the latest status of the power outage problem in Mokokchung,” the press releases issued by the MTLT stated.

According to the press release, N Mozhui was stated to have said that the electrical department was making all efforts to restore normal power supply at the earliest.

“Besides, the transformer is in Dimapur for repairs. The MTLT demands that the repair works be done diligently in the given time frame required for the completion. The public of Mokokchung are already uneasy and things must not be delayed to prevent violent reactions thereof,” the press release stated.

But the story has more to it, the press release suggested. The organizations’ press release stated: “It was also stated that the Nagaland government does not provide any funds even for basic maintenance of the equipment and that such maintenance is done through ‘pocket money.’ Such expenses are borne by the individuals of the department not through departmental funding. The MTLT is appalled to notice such substandard negligence by the government.”

The MTLT assured the EE that it will take efforts to “calm the already volatile public restlessness.”

Yet, it added, “It must be understood that mass movements are not dictated by any individuals / organizations but a spontaneous overflow of common interests for the welfare of all.”

(Al Ngullie, July 18, 2016; Eastern Mirror)

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