[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 11 Sep: During the 1962 Sino-India war, Neelam Tebi, of Nyelam village in Lower Subansiri district, made the supreme sacrifice for the country while defending the territorial integrity of India.
Tebi, a jawan of the 5 Assam Rifles, was killed in action in the Kameng sector on 20 October, 1962, as part of ‘Operation Bumla’ during the Chinese aggression. For a long time his sacrifice was not known to the people of the state. But now a war memorial dedicated to him will come up in Nyelam village in Deed circle of Lower Subansiri district.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 5 crore in the first phase for the construction of the memorial, which will come up in an area of approximately 45,000 square metres. The land for the construction of the memorial has been donated by the people of Nyelam village. The scope of work includes an approach road, an entry gate, a martyr cenotaph, a martyr wall, a museum-cum-armoury hall, a cafeteria, multiple viewpoints, an artificial pond with fountains, a walkway bridge, a parking area, Tebi’s statue, landscaping, etc.
As per the preliminary report, the entire project will be taken up in three phases. An unused artillery tank and a helicopter, which will be sourced from the armed forces, will also be installed at the war memorial.
The Hydropower Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh Limited (HPDCAPL) is the executing agency for the construction of the Neelam Tebi war memorial. On Sunday, officials of the HPDCAPL, led by its CMD Toko Onuj, conducted the final inspection before the formal work starts at the site.
Later, speaking to the media, Onuj informed that the formation cutting for the approach road, measuring around 1.6 km, has been completed “and at present construction of drain is in progress.”
“We intend to make Neelam Tebi war memorial as one of the best war memorial parks in the Northeast, if not in the country. This war memorial and park also aspires to remember all Arunachalis and fellow countrymen who made the supreme sacrifice for the country during combat in Arunachal soil,” said Onuj.
He added that, apart from remembering the supreme sacrifice of late Tebi, the memorial will also become a major tourist attraction in the future “and can become a source of inspiration for the younger generation.”
The members of the Neelam Welfare Society who were present during the inspection thanked the state government for not only recognising the sacrifice of late Tebi but also for promptly sanctioning funds for the construction of the memorial.
