The indefinite hunger strike by a farmer of Ri-Bhoi, Bindas Syiem entered the third day to demand repair of the Nongpoh-Umden-Sonapur road.
Syiem launched the solo protest from the main entrance of the Secretariat building here and was later shifted to the Additional Secretariat parking lot.
So far the condition of the farmer is stable and authorities are monitoring her health.
Meanwhile, Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem blamed overloaded vehicles for deterioration of the road in Ri-Bhoi district even as he added that this is happening throughout the state.
“The pavement is for nine tonnes, but trucks weighing 25-30 tonnes are now plying in that road,” Syiem said after meeting Bindas.
He said that from time to time stakeholders had always stressed for having restrictions on the Nongpoh-Umden-Sonapur road or from Umling to Patharkhmah.
According to the Nongpoh MLA, the bridge in Lailad has weakened and the transport department and police should take this matter seriously by restricting overloaded vehicles in internal or village roads and bridges.
He also said that people who depend on transportation of goods for their livelihood are to be blamed for conditions of the roads.
“They do that for a living through the various works that they take up. But restrictions in village roads and where the pavement is thin, should be there,” Syiem said.
The Nongpoh-Umden-Sonapur road falls under his constituency and said that he has taken up the matter with the state government.
Syiem urged the farmer to call off her protest since it may take some time for the matter to be taken up. He said he had followed up on the matter of repairing the 58 km road since the last few years.
According to him he had met Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong who had assured that funds for construction of the road would be sanctioned.
Syiem said that recently he met authorities of the Public Works Department who informed him that there is a proposal for construction 10 km out of the total 58 km road for funds from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) which is from Nongpoh to Umden in the first phase.
The Nongpoh MLA also stated that it is not easy to get sanctions for a road project which is estimated at crores of rupees.
