Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 21 Apr: Escalating the public spat between local MLA Techi Kaso and Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) Deputy Commissioner Talo Potom over the slow progress of the construction of NH 415, Potom on Monday accused Kaso of flouting the rules and engaging in rampant earth cutting.
The MLA and the DC’s public spat erupted when Kaso accused Potom of stalling Package B of NH 415.
The DC in a wee-hour Facebook post with the hashtag #’Truth Behind These Ridiculous Claims’ sarcastically took a jibe at the MLA, stating that Kaso indulged in earth-cutting without permission.
“So HMLA thinks rules don’t apply to them? How shocking! They ripped apart hillsides without permits, then acted surprised when someone actually enforced the law,” Potom said.
He further claimed that, after being told to stop damaging the highway on 7 April,
“when called out publicly, they came running to my office,begging to withdraw my statement. I allowed some minor soil removal to protect the highway – and what thanks did I get? They immediately resumed their bulldozing spree the next day,” the DC claimed.
He further said it was funny that the MLA and the public could not follow the basic rules but made him the villain with false accusation.
Without naming Kaso, Potom clarified that the highway’salignments were approved way before his taking charge as the ICR DC, and Package C was already completed when he joined as the DC. He indirectly pointed out that the owner of TK Engineering, which is executing NH 415 Package B, happens to be from the same clan of Kaso.
“Those plans were approved long before I arrived. Package C finished early while Package B (oh look, his brother’s project!) remains unfinished. Not my fault his brother can’t complete a project on time,” Potom said.
The DC also claimed that the MLA did not help the district administration in resolving the Forest Department issue.
“Neither of us controls highway tenders – even schoolchildren know this. But apparently, facts are inconvenient when you’re trying to shift blame,” Potom added, issuing a clarification on the slow progress of work on NH 415 Package B.
“All records are available in my office. Come see them if you dare face reality,” he said.
Reacting sharply to the DC’s claims, the MLA reiterated his claim that Potom’s private property, Tago Memorial Hospital, falls under the right of way (RoW), and that Potom misused his position to deviate the actual RoW. “If he proves me wrong that Tago Memorial Hospital doesn’t fall under RoW, I am ready to face any legal consequence. If he turns out to be wrong, will he dismantle his hospital?”Kaso said.
On Potom’s claim that he has all the documents which proves that the alignment and planning for NH 415 was done before he joined as the ICR DC, Kaso added that sooner or later Potom has to submit all documents, “and he can’t escape from the facts.”