Imphal, February 17 2009: The Khuga Multipurpose Project which has been under construction for the last many years at Mata village in Churachandpur district was inspected by an assurance committee of the Manipur Legislative Assembly today.

Top officials of the IFCD which have been executing the project assured the visiting inspection team that the project would be completed by March 2010 .

However, the usual practice of hiring local labourers for the day just to impress the visiting VIPs was also visible during today's inspection visit.

Even as construction work of the multi crore project has been dragging on for years, there was no adequate number of labourers.

Only one excavator and a Tata tipper were seen engaged in digging the right canal of the project at a leisurely pace.

Some labourers were also seen cutting grass on either side of the canal.

However, top officials of IFCD submitted a report to the visiting Assembly Committee with an assurance that the project can be completed by March 2010 provided necessary funds are released in time.

Apparently putting faith in the report, the Committee members remarked that construction work of the project was making good progress.

Other than this, they refused to make any further comment.

However, repeated appeals of the media persons to top IFCD officials to provide a detailed report of the ongoing construction work went in vain.

Under the existing condition, it is unlikely that the Department can meet its target of completing the project by March next year.

The right canal of the project which is a basic component of the project is far from over.

Though digging work of the canal is complete.

Levelling work and retaining wall construction have not been initiated yet.

Moreover, construction of buildings necessary for the power house are at its initial stages.

Today's inspection visit of the Assembly Assurance Committee was led by its Chairman MLA W Brajabidhu.

Other members of the team were MLA Ng Bijoy and Th Nandakishore.

Speaking to reporters after the inspection tour, MLA W Brajabidhu remarked that construction work of the dam was making good progress.

He said that the Committee would urge upon the authority concerned to release necessary funds in time so that benefits of the dam can be availed to public soon.

Comment