Headmen of Jowai town have decided to hold a peaceful protest tomorrow to register their opposition to the decision of the State government to shift the PWD Jowai North Division to Shangpung.
The protest being organised by Synjuk ki Waheh Chnong Jowai will be held at the premises of the office of PWD Jowai North Division.
The PWD Jowai North Division located at Ladthalaboh locality of Jowai has been shifted to Shangpung and has been renamed as PWD Shangpung Division.
According to the State government, the PWD Jowai North Division so far has no connection whatsoever with roads in Jowai as it covers only areas under Raliang and Mowkaiaw constituencies.
The site where PWD Jowai North Division is now located will be converted into a mini secretariat for West Jaintia Hills district where the Deputy Commissioner’s office and other government offices will be housed.
Yesterday, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma inspected the proposed site for the mini secretariat at Ladthadlaboh.
He was accompanied by Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui and local MLA Wailadmiki Shylla and senior officials
The Chief Minister said that the concept of the mini secretariat is to ensure efficiency in the delivery of services to the people and the citizens.
According to Sangma, having a mini secretariat will ensure that the citizens of the district can avail all the services from one location since all the departments will be located under one roof.
Sangma said that the site being in the heart of Jowai town has sufficient space and is also well connected.
He also said work for construction of the mini secretariat will begin soon to ensure that this project is complete at the earliest.
It may be mentioned that on July 3 this year, several pressure groups including the FKJGP West Jaintia Hills district unit met Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who is also the minister in-charge of PWD (Roads), urging him to make the Shangpung PWD Division office functional.
According to them, all official works related to the Shangpung PWD Division are being run and managed from the office of PWD (Roads) North Jowai Division, Jowai.
The groups said that the PWD (Roads) North Jowai Division has no jurisdiction with areas under Shangpung as well as the interstate border as far as road matters are concerned.
While the newly-created Shangpung PWD Division covers all rural areas under Raliang and Mowkaiaw constituencies, its jurisdiction also extends to far-flung villages close to the border with Assam including Moolber, Psiar, Khatkasla, Mukroh, Saba, Barato and Saphai Iooksi.
They said that proper road connectivity can be ensured to the border areas if the PWD Shangpung Division is made functional at the earliest.
The groups claimed that areas in Shangpung and other villages along the inter-state border area in West Jaintia Hills would be benefitted in terms of road infrastructure and maintenance if PWD (Roads) North Jowai Division is shifted to Shangpung.
