IMPHAL, Sept 13: The Khuga Dam Labour’s Union has expressed deep concern over the use of sub standard materials in the construction of the dam charging that some officials, muster roll employees and labourers of unauthorised sales and theft of the cement, iron and steel.
The president of the union also stated that though the contractors displayed one or two truck loads of fine sand from the Serou and Thoubal rivers they merely dumped nearly the work site to be used as decoy during inspections.
He commented that, the NPCC contractors didn’t turn up even when the union called them for discussion earlier on September last, in order to find a solution to such mal practices.
Charging that the DGM-NPCC had been staying only in Imphal, he also stated that even appointed supervisors of the labourers in the work site were in a hurry to go home and usually left even before noon.
The union’s president who claims to have intimate knowledge of the manner the works are being carried out, expressed his total lack of confidence in the capability of the Khuga Dam when completed, to store million of gallons of water and expressed fears that Churachandpur may be in for the days of the Noah’s Ark.
He said should the dam break when holding water to capacity it can submerge the entire Churachandpur town.
However, the president appreciated the state chief minister O Ibobi’s statement that he would emphasise on completion of the outstanding construction of Khuga Dam among others with the centre’s grant of Rs 550 crores under the planning outlay for the fiscal 2002-03.