[Bengia Ajum]
ITANAGAR, 26 Nov: The tourism department in Arunachal Pradesh is currently functioning without a regular director ever since Yashaswini B was transferred to East Kameng as the new deputy commissioner. She was transferred following the removal of former DC Himanshu Nigam for his alleged involvement in the Lada-Sarli frontier highway land compensation scam.
Yashaswini B had taken charge of the department only on 21 July this year, and her sudden transfer has left the department without a director.
Considered one of the most important departments in the state, the tourism department has been facing difficulties in functioning due to frequent changes in leadership over the past few years. K.N Damo was appointed director in 2023 but was transferred after just a year. After that, Manjunath R took over in July 2024, but he too did not complete even a year in the department. The constant change of directors is reportedly affecting its functioning. With Arunachal emerging as a major tourist destination in recent years, the role of the tourism director has become crucial for tapping the sector’s full potential.
“It becomes difficult when directors keep changing. Just when a director starts understanding the nuances of the department, the person gets transferred. This is creating a lot of obstacles in the department,” said an official.
When contacted, tourism minister P.D Sona informed that a new director could not be posted due to the ongoing Panchayat and Municipal elections. “We couldn’t post a new director because the MCC came into place the moment the incumbent was transferred to East Kameng due to exigency,” Sona said.
