Mizoram seeks region-specific yardstick

Aizawl, Aug 20 (UNI) Citing 'difficult terrain', politicians, bureaucrats and experts in Mizoram are seeking a region-specific yardstick for assessing its developmental needs and costs.

The experts are of the opinon that the major part of the NE region in general and Mizoram in particular is made up of rugged hills, steep slopes and deep gorges, where every human activity here takes place on the slope of a mountain, making work harder and complicated.

''The stringent Centre's guidelines, especially for the infrastructure development in the mountain region, cannot not be applicable here, '' Chief Minister Zoramthanga told UNI.

''There are more than hundred different Centrally sponsored funding systems, which we mainly rely on to develop the area at par with the plains but unfortunately these funds dry up half way through, due to costly transportation and processing, '' he said.

Zoramthanga stated that the Centre should put all the difficult terrain states into a special funding category.

State's chief geologist Dr H Lallenmawia said the hills in Mizoram are soft as the second order rock and soil formation is still in a formative stage.

Mr Lallenmawia also pointed out that the buildings have to be made with extra earth banks on the roads and protectors have to be made with stronger and longer lasting materials, which are going to cost more.

Dr Lallenmawia, also the joint director of the state mining department, underlined that in terms of development planning, landslides, house collapses and massive soil erosion, can play havoc with the budget and the projections.

Aviation officials also explained that more than five hills had to be flattened with modern equipments to build the the state's only Lengpui airport. Even for the latest proposal to extend the runway will be a difficult task as it takes double the cost and human energy.

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