Engineers'panel to assess quality of work being done by NHAI IN HP: Sukhu
Shimla, July 5 -- Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday said that an engineers' committee would be constituted in state to assess the quality of work being done by the contractor companies of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The committee will also hold consultations.
CM Sukhu also criticised the contractors hired by the NHAI accusing them for unscientific road cutting practices along with calling for a review.
"For 60 to 70 years, we've been building roads in Himachal using traditional knowledge. Large companies were often awarded contracts based solely on their machinery, but they lack understanding of the fragile hill terrain of the state. As a result they conduct hill-cutting as per their convenience, which causes damage," Sukhu said on Friday.
"I request NHAI not to award such contracts to those who don't know the terrain. Give contracts to locals who understand how to stabilise the slopes after cutting. This unscientific cutting is causing large-scale damage," he further added.
Hundreds of protestors gathered outside the deputy commissioner's office in Shimla on Friday and demanded legal action against construction companies such as Gawar, Bharat, and Singla, operating under the NHAI.
The protest was jointly organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the Himachal Kisan Sabha.
A delegation led by Kuldeep Singh Tanwar (president, Himachal Kisan Sabha), Vijender Mehra (president, CITU Himachal), Sanjay Chauhan (co-convenor, Samyukt Kisan Morcha), Ranjana Verma (owner of the collapsed building), and other affected people met the deputy commissioner and submitted a memorandum seeking urgent interim relief and rehabilitation for the affected. Alleging "massive irregularities and violations of labour and environmental laws", the protestors demanded the blacklisting of Gawar Company and the registration of FIRs against its officials.htc...
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