HT Correspondent
DIMAPUR, Dec 13: The Rising People’s Party (RPP) has demanded that the Nagaland government provide a full account of how the Rs 100 crore was spent at Kisama, the venue of the Hornbill Festival, and the revenue generated from the event.
Quoting media reports, the RPP, in a release, on Friday said the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party-BJP coalition government sanctioned Rs 100 crore for “infrastructure development” at Kisama for the 25th edition of the Hornbill Festival from December 1 to December 10.
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Noting that Rs 100 crore is not a small amount, the party said, in a classic case of money laundering, the coalition government demolished the spanking pavilion/rostrum at Kisama Heritage Village and built a new one at the highly inflated cost of Rs 52 crore.
It alleged that the Hornbill Festival has mutated into a giant money laundering enterprise over the years.
“To his credit it can be said that CM Neiphiu Rio did single-handedly put Nagaland on the world tourism map, but it has come at a huge cost,” the RPP observed.
However, it added, in stark contrast, the Nagaland Foothill Road Coordination Committee had to issue an ultimatum to the state government for release of Rs 145 crore for the construction of the foothill road.
Further, it pointed out, the Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation had recently decried the lack of roads and the crumbling infrastructure in Dimapur.
“This opposition-less government has absolutely no respect for public sentiments,” the RPP stated.
It also said the town hall at Dimapur supermarket is being ‘renovated’ at the mind-boggling amount of Rs 18 crore, an amount which could have easily built a new world class facility, while the old flyover in Dimapur was sanctioned the measly amount of Rs 2 crore for renovation works.
Stressing that Dimapur needs several new flyovers and better basic amenities, the RPP wondered that the misplaced priority of this government and its laundering skill is astounding.
Also, quoting sources, the party said both the town hall and the Kisama works were given to the same contractor.
“In short, the entire state has become one giant money laundering ecosystem,” the RPP alleged.
