The Arunachal Times - Archives

The prime role of education should be to shape a human being with value based and moral education, Dabi, who served as a teachers for 14 years said. Dabi is also an alumni of the Post Graduate Training College, he received his B. Ed degree from this college.

Later the Home Minister addressed a press meet and responded various questions of the media persons.

Dabi once again reiterated united effort for development of NE region adding that nefarious elements operating along the Assam – Arunachal boundary areas need to be tackled in a firm manner by both governments of Assam and Arunachal with the support of the Army.

Dr. Begi stressed on the importance of teachers training college like PGT which equips teachers to impart right and quality education. He also called for strengthening the people to people contact/ social contact between Assam and Arunachal to promote botherhood and strong ties.

Principal PGT Rekha Phukan expressed happiness that alumni from PGT College are occupying responsible positions in Arunachal Pradesh. DIPR

Arunachal to field 131 strong contingent at NE Games

Madhurjya Doley

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: Arunachal Pradesh will field a 131-strong contingent at the 24th North East Games to be held at Shillong, Meghalaya from April 19 to 23.

Arunachal Pradesh will participate in all sports disciplines excepting Basketball and proposal for the same has been sent to the state Government, Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, PR Mazumdar told this reporter today. The state will vie for the top honours in nine sports disciplines which include Athletics, Judo, Karate, Wushu, Boxing, Football, Badminton, Table Tennis and Archery, Mazumdar said, adding that coaching for the players are being conducted by their respective sports associations.

"With the inclusion of karate in this year’s games there are every chances of winning more medals in this year’s event. Karate is the only field where the state have been doing exceptionally well," said a senior journslist and a keen lover of the sport.

It may be mentioned here that out of the 20 karatekas selected by Arunachal Karate Association for this year’s Games six are medal winning players of the recently concluded Senior National Karate Championship held in Chennai.

Arunachal Pradesh sent 51 players in the last edition of the Games held in Agartala, Tripura in 2009. The state won six medals, including a gold in boxing (heavyweight) in the Agartala Games.

Tripura secured top position in the event securing 59 gold, 68 silver and 38 bronze medals followed by Manipur which bagged 37 gold and 17 silver while Assam stood third with 28 gold and 31 silver. Mizoram bagged 36 medals with five gold, Nagalanad 19 with five gold, Sikkim 12 with one gold

Besides Arunachal, 181 participants from Manipur, 180 from Assam, 179 from Tripura, 156 from Sikkim, 115 from Meghalaya, 198 from Nagaland took part in the event.

Earlier known as Northeast Festival, the North East Games are today viewed as the biggest platform for promoting sporting talent and culture of the region. The main aim and objective of the event is to promote talent and provide the youth a platform to showcase their skills. It is also a platform for all the different Northeastern states to come play together, share and learn from each other.

Female mountaineer needs sponsor

Correspondent

ROING, Apr 10: Tine Mena, a young budding mountaineer from Dibang Valley is yet to get sponsorship for the Everest Expedition. She also approached the Ministry of Sports & Youth affairs and other prominent leaders only to get little hope.

Tine Mena is the first female from the state selected in the three member representation team from Arunachal for the North-East Pre Everest Expedition at Mt. Nepal Peak (7168 meters) by the Directorate Sports and Youth Affairs which is scheduled to begin from 15 May to 15 June and 15 August to 15 September. The team will later on set off for the Mt. Everest in the month of September.

“Even for the Pre-Everest expedition, minimum amount of Rs Rs 1, 48,691 is required for purchasing equipment including 28 items of France made and for the Everest Expedition a minimum of Rs 15 Lakhs,” she said adding it is impossible to afford for a mountaineer like me from a poor family background. The state government’s least interest to give financial support is also not encouraging and the talent hidden in the state could simply bury to naught, the mountaineer further laments.

Tine hails from interior Dibang Valley district and comfortably succeeded in various expedition including Kaya Pass Trekking Expedition. She attended Pre-Everest Expedition, participated in Zonal Sport climbing competition, awareness of tourism benefits and also conducted Adventure awareness camp. Moreover, she had undergone several advance and basic Mountaineering course at Darjeeling, adventure and basic sport climbing course in Imphal. She was also graded with ‘A’ Silver Medal, ‘A’ Gold Medal (All round best trainees) at Darjeeling, and Summiteers Mt. Kolahoi in Jammu & Kashmir recently.

AAPSU demands action against Chakma refugees

Correspondent

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union has demanded strong action against the Chakma refugees within one month for attacking the members of Singpho community at Mpen village under Miao circle, Changlang on April 9 last.

In a press statement today, AAPSU President Takam Tatung warned that if no concrete step is taken against the refugees, it will resort to democratic movement.

He also urged the State government and the district administration to ensure that the Chakmas be remain confined to their designated refugee camp at Dewan, Miao and their movements in Arunachal Pradesh should be monitored.

According to AAPSU, Chakma refugees have been creating menace in the area ever since they landed up there. Citing many criminal offences by the Chakmas, Tatung told “the murder of Nokkan Kimsing, gaon burah of Songking village, Dayun ZPM Innowla Singpho (2004) and Dayun Circle Officer (1978) are some of the glaring example of their serious criminal offences. Besides, there are untold human rights violations and encroachment of forest committed by these refugees but often go unnoticed.”

The AAPSU president further said that April 9 incident is not the lone case, many criminal cases have been registered in the Miao Police Station under various sections against the refugees.

“However, the poignant point is that they (Chakmas) are still bent on creating nuisance and troubling our people but the governments are sitting helpless. It is high time that the government takes strong steps or we will be compelled to take our own course of action. If anything goes wrong, the State government will be held responsible for any untoward consequence,” AAPSU leaders warned.

The AAPSU leaders also expressed apprehension at the growing numbers of Chakmas. It said that within few years, the population of Chakmas have grown into leaps and bounds.

It is pertinent to mention that AAPSU had lodged Public Interest Litigation against the allotment of ST certificates to the Chakmas at Guwahati High Court, Permanent Bench, Itanagar in 2008.

Festival Greetings

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: Arunachal Pradesh Governor Gen J J Singh has extended greetings and best wishes to all Arunachalees on the auspicious occasion of ‘Pongtu,’ an annual agricultural festival of Tutsa tribe, inhabit in Tirap and Changlang districts.

In his message, Gen Singh hopes that the festival will usher peace, happiness and prosperity for all.

On this occasion, along with all my Tutsa brethren, I offer my prayers to almighty for his choicest blessings, he added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu has greeted the people of the state particularly the Tutsa community of Tirap and Changlang on the auspicious occasion of Pongtu festival. In a message Khandu prayed “Rangkhothak” to bestow his blessings for a bumper harvest. He further believed that celebration of festival carries the message of peace, prosperity and strengthen communal harmony.

Review meeting on NREGA held

RUKSIN, Apr 10: A review meeting on rural development works under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA) for the three Anchal blocks under Ruksin sub-division was held yesterday at Ruksin SDO office.

During the meeting, the various rural development schemes under NREGA that had been implemented in the blocks for the last two phases were reviewed.

Addressing the PRI members, T Jonnom, the Block Development Officer of Ruksin informed about the fund received from Pasighat DRDA, against the completed NEGA works approved in the first and second phase. The BDO urged the PRI leaders to prepare scheme only in Gram Sabha in order to put authenticity of the schemes.

In the meeting, the ZPMs, Anchal Members and Gram Panchayat chairpersons decided to prepare schemes for the third phase works and also chalked out an action plan for the next phase of NREGS works which is expected to be started from the last week of the current month.

PPA observes 33rd foundation day

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) celebrated its 33rd foundation day at Itanagar today.

The celebration was coincided with reorganization of PPA as regionalized political party in the state by the election commission of India.

On the day, the party reviewed its resolutions adopted in the conference of the people’s assembly on November 16, 2009 and made thoroughly discussion on the party policies, strategies and organizations.

The party members also remembered the founding fathers of the PPA Bakin Pertin, Tomo Riba and others for shaping regional ideologies and giving regional platform to the people of the Arunachal Pradesh.

It further adopted resolutions that ‘means and ways for preservation of Mithun shall be studied and taken up with the government, party shall support proposed bill for 33% reservation for women and reiterate some of the resolutions adopted in the conference of the people’s assembly of November 16 2009’.

Remembering the first day at state assembly

Taba Ajum

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: It was March 18th, 2010, the first day of week-long Arunachal state assembly session and I was present there to cover the day-long proceeding for the newspaper I work. It was my first time inside the state assembly and a little bit of excitement and nervousness went along with me. I almost fell down from staircase while walking towards press gallery and moment I saw my fellow journalists things got better.

As house proceeding started, it was quite fascinating to observe our MLAs from very close range. While some of the legislators were actively participating in house proceeding, couple of them could be seen having mini-discussion of their own. It was hard to make out whether all of them were equally enthusiastic too. As usual there were many healthy debates on various issues ranging from poor road facilities in border areas of state to performance of SSA teachers and many more.

For me the most memorable aspect of attending the first day of assembly was tea hosted in the lawns of assembly where all the MLA’s and journalists had gathered. I was not really interested for it but a senior colleague told to me join and assured that I would get some interesting conversation to listen over there. As I was standing there and having cup of tea I overheard some amusing talks going on among MLAs.

An MLA was wearing a strange looking pointed shoe which drew attention of his fellow members. Soon one of them asked him from where had he bought it and our dear MLA excitedly replied, “I bought this shoe from Delhi sometime ago. The sharpness of this shoe even created doubt in the mind of security personnel at airport and they questioned me about it.” Literally he was having a good laugh along with fellow colleagues taking about his shoe experience. Guess what might have happen, if Iraqi journalist who had thrown his shoe at former US president George Bush had used similar shoe?

I along with another fellow journalist who too happen to be covering state assembly session for the first time laughed hilariously while overhearing their conversation. It was a privacy invasion but I guess even MLAs did not mind us laughing along with them.

Another interesting fact of tea party was that MLAs belonging to different parties mingled freely and seem quite comfortable with each other. There was no hint of party factor separating them. Lastly, the memorable and refreshing sight that drew the attention of many was the two lady MLAs moving around like a twin sisters in the assembly building despite having different political ideology.

Tourism Master Plan for North East on the cards

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: The 3rd North East States Tourism Forum Meet’ and ‘North East Stakeholders Conference on Tourism’ was organized by Sikkim tourism department in association with Travel Agents Association of Sikkim (TAAS) at Gangtok on April 7 last.

Tourism stakeholders from all the eight Northeastern States deliberated during a day-long seminar for preparation of the Master Tourism Plan for the region as a single entity. Besides tourism stakeholders, Govt officials and representatives of the union tourism ministry took part in the Seminar which was sponsored by North East Council (NEC).

In his inaugural address, NEC secretary UK Sangma said that the objective of the seminar was to take inputs and suggests from the stakeholders to be incorporated in the NE Tourism Master Plan being prepared by Tata Consultancy Services for the NEC. We will take inputs in this meet from all the stakeholders and prepare the master plan in a bottom-up approach, he said.

Former Union Minister of State for Tourism Omak Apang who chaired the seminar along with H S Das, Commissioner Secretary, Finance & Tourism, Assam appreciated the NEC secretary, Sikkim tourism department and TAAS for taking initiative to give a boost to the tourism in North East.

Omak, who is also the convenor of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Arunachal Chapter hoped the valuable suggestions put forward by the NEC secretary, S D Das and Sikkim additional chief secretary Karma Gyatso Bhutia would be incorporated to bring the NE tourism in world map.

The former union Tourism minister is of the view that tourism in the North East should be promoted with involvement of private players with financial support from the Govt. Stressing on collective efforts of the all the North East states to promote NE tourism as a single entity, Omak also gave emphasis on eco-tourism with special web portal depicting the cultural heritage, pleasant environmental to sell the brand of NE tourism.

Earlier, Sikkim additional chief secretary Karma Gyatso Bhutia asserted that the tourism sector of Northeastern should be promoted as ‘regional wise’ and not as ‘State wise’. Let us promote tourism not as State-wise but as region-wise, he said.

The TAAS members including their president Paljor Lachungpa and general secretary Lukendra Rasaily were present to make the meet a success, sources said.

Relief sought for landslide victims;

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: The Sangram Town ASM, in a release, claimed that landslides due to torrential rains in the last couple week have caused heavy damaged to the house and property of atleast 10 poor families at Sangram. Considering the extent of the damages, although there was no casualty, the Govt should provide immediate relief to the victims, the ASM pleaded.

Meanwhile, the family members and relatives of landslide victims at Koloriang have appreciated the state state government for taking prompt action in granting ex-gratia payment of Rs. One lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased. The cheques were handed over to their family members by the local MLA on Thursday. Seven people were killed in the landslide.

Dandi March conducted

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: Arunachal Pradesh Congress Seva Dal in collaboration with District Congress Committee organized Dandi March at Changlang on April 8 last, to mark the year-long celebration of 125 years of Indian National Congress Foundation in the state.

Chief Guest of the programme Secretary AICC in-charge Arunachal Pradesh Sanjay Bapna, Minister IPR Setong Sena, Parliamentary Secretaries CC Singpho, P Khimhun, T Taiju and Chairman K Mossang, resource person of the programme Secretary APCC AT Kullo, General Secretary APCC Tachu Hina and Secretary APCC in-charge east parliamentary secretary K Dabi spoke on the occasion.

ZPMs, Zilla Chairperson of Changlang District, Anchal Chairpersons, ASMs, Gram Chairpersons, GPMs and general public participated the programme.

AAPPTF pleads for tender

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: The All Arunachal Pradesh Public Transport Federation (AAPPTF) in a representation to the BSNL authorities urged them to maintain formalities with open tender through media while hiring a pubic vehicle for its offices. Expressing resentment over hiring of vehicle by the BSNL without maintaining tender formalities for 2010, the Federation said that its member should be included in the tender board. The owner of the vehicle should be Federation member with valid plying permit for the entire state, the federation further said, adding vehicles should bear the registration number of Arunachal Govt and be recognized by the department of tourism and All Arunachal Pradesh Tour Operation Association.

AAPGLDU new executives

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: A new team of All Arunachal Pradesh Government Departmental Labour’s Union (AAPGLDU) civil secretariat unit has been selected with Pate Ponglu as president, Tagio Sakma vice present and Nangram Kani general secretary respectively.

ADASU backs SULPIC demand

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: All Dollungmukh Area Students’ Union (ADASU) has strongly supported the 7-days ultimatum served to NHPC by SULPIC for fulfillment of its charter of demands.

Some of main demands of SULPIC are immediate shifting of Law College and Conference Hall to Dollungmukh, recruitment of project affected people in NHPC’s Group "C" and "D" posts, immediate shifting of all project related offices from Gerukamukh, Assam to Dollungmukh, opening of 50-bed Hospital at Dollungmukh and construction of intra-village road via circle headquarter, Paro to NH 52.

Centenary celebration of Guide movement

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: The 100 years of World Guide Movement was celebrated with rest of the world by State Scouts and Guides Headquarter, Naharlagun today.

Various programmes like all faith prayer, social service, lighting of candles, flag ceremony, releasing of pigeons, renewal of pledges, community song and group dances were organized to mark the centenary celebration.

Attending the programmes as chief guest, Bharat Scouts and Guide Arunachal Pradesh unit chief commissioner T Taloh assured all support for the development of Scout and Guide movement in the state.

C. Lowang, SOC (G) highlighted the significance of the day. The programme was supervised by BP Gupta, SOC (S).

Festival committee formed

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: A 18-member Longte Yullow celebration committee has been constituted with Bengia Tado as chairman in a meeting held at Koloriang on April 9 last for the celebration of the festival at Koloriang on April 15 next.

Volleyball competition for both men and women and Polung dislay will be main attraction of the celebration.

Sunday is the rest day

ITANAGAR: Itanagar Market Welfare Association (IMWA) has conducted an emergency cabinet meeting today regarding the closing day of Itanagar Market. Considering the interest of the business community and public grievances, the cabinet after long discussion declared that Sunday shall be remain as rest day instead of Tuesday, according to IMWA release.

On the request of all business community, NGOs, student organizations and general public it was declared that the Sunday shall be rest day of a week and all other days shall be remain as they were, the rerelease further said.

Baisakhi Utsav

ITANAGAR: The Gurudwara Singh Sabha, Naharlagun is celebrating 311th Baisakhi Utsav (birthday) of Khalsa Panth at its Gurudwara on April 14. The celebration will start in the morning with Bhog of Sadharan Padh. This would be followed by Kirtan and Katha and the Guri ka Langar. Baisakhi reminds every Sikh of his culture and religious heritage.

Seminar on medicinal plant

ITANAGAR: Directorate of Horticulture is organizing a state level seminar of medicinal plant at conference hall, Directorate of Tourism, Itanagar on April 12. Horticulture Minister will grace the occasion as chief guest, an official release said.

Scorer’s seminar

ITANAGAR: A five-member delegation from Arunachal Cricket Association will attend the 3-day "Affiliate and associate member scorer’s seminar" to be held at Shillong from April 13 organized by Board of Control for Cricket India.

Flood damages properties, relief sought

ITANAGAR: Incessant rains caused heavy flooding in Chyangtajo and Sawa circles of East Kameng district leading to washing away of wire rope suspension bridge over Para River. Further flood water destroyed large portion of cultivated land, public properties along the Para river valley. This was informed by Chyangtajo constituency MLA Karya Bagang in a letter to Deputy Commissioner of East Kameng, requesting his intervention in this regard.

She urged DC to intimidate authorities at the highest level and make aerial survey of area to assess loss of properties. She requested concerned authorities to immediately provide relief materials to the flood victims.

Murder condemned

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: All Lower Subansiri Students’ Union (ALSSU) vehemently condemned the brutal murder of one Habung Chunya of Dutta village, Old Ziro by some miscreants on the night of April six. The miscreants after they committed the crime also burnt down the house of the victims, claimed ALSSU.

Terming the act as inhumane and barbaric, ALSSU demanded the police and district administration to bring the culprit to book and award exemplary punishment at the earliest.

The union prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed its deep sense of condolences to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss.

Medical camp

ITANAGAR, Apr 10: A day-long medical assessment camp was held at Sangram block for the of ‘Children with Special Needs’ (CWSN) under ‘Integrated Education for Disabled’ (IED) organized by BRCC and CRCC under Kurung Kumey district recently.

Over 40 selected children from various schools of CWSN of the block attended the camp for health check ups. The camp was supervised by Dr. Digom Boji, medical officer the Sangram PHC run by Karuna Trust. Sangram ZPM Tai Yapang also attended the programme.