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2011
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August -  23

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Forum calls for juvenile court in state

ITANAGAR, Aug 22: Arunachal Pradesh Human Rights, Juvenile Justice Forum has appealed to the state Govt to take steps for establishment of a juvenile court and separation of Judiciary from executive immediately.

Almost all the North East states have separate judiciary and executive system and Meghalaya is also going to have its own high court building at Shillong next year, the Forum said adding that Arunachal Pradesh has not taken initiative for separation of judiciary from executive yet.  Separation of judiciary from executive will also pave the way for employment opportunities for large number of law graduate in the state, the Forum added.  

 

ASKA conducts grading exam

ITANAGAR, Aug 22: Altogether 16 Karatekas have qualified for different Ryu/grade test in the basic training cum belt grading examination organized by the Arunachal Shito-Ryu Seiko Kai Karate Association at  Naharlagun on August 20 last. Sensie Bulang Marik (Black belt 5th Dan), who is also national examiner of Seiko Kai Karate Association of India conducted the examination in presence of Itanagar, Naharlagun and Nirjuli Karate Club instructor Sensei Tagri Raju, Sempai Tader Eba, Sempai P Limbu respectively. The next grading examination for Anjaw and Lohit districts will be held at Tezu during 1st week of October 2011.

 

Toppers felicitated

ITANAGAR, Aug 22:  The Kino Welfare Society (KWS) has felicitated three Class XII students, namely, Raju Kino, (Science), Lucia Kino (Arts) and Raju Kino, (Commerce) and a class X student Yayak Kino  as student toppers in a  felicitation function held at Seijosa on August 20 last.

The chief guest of the programme, Tayek Padu, Seijosa ADC called upon the parents to play a greater role in educating their children as future citizen. He also stressed on quality education for all.

The guest of honour, Monoj Vohra, BM, SBI also assured all possible help to student toppers and contribution for development of infrastructure in education sector under Seijosa.

 

Condolence

ITANAGAR, Aug 22:  All Kimin Students Union (AKSU) has mourned the death of its former general secretary Nabam Nagu, who died after prolonged illness on August 14.

Late Nagu of  Kakoi village was serving as assistance teacher at Govt Middle school, Lekhi, Naharlagun, the Union said. The members prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul.

 

CO HQ at Hiba will accelerate development: Society

ITANAGAR, Aug 22: Appreciating Chief Minister Jarbom Gamlin for his assurance to create Pach Pai circle headquarters at Leel-Hiba under upper Sangram of Kurung Kumey district, Hiba Welfare Society, in a release claimed that the people of Hiba 1, Hiba II, Cheki-Dara and Hatam anchal segment are ready to donate land for the purpose at Hiba  without claiming any compensation.

While appealing to the people of Leel to support the Hiba poeple’s demand, the society said that establishment of the proposed CO headquarter at Hiba instead of Leel would help develop the backward area.

 

Rally proposed

ITANAGAR, Aug  22:  While expressing its solidarity with  Anna Hazare who is fighting for corruption free India, the likeminded NGOs of Lower Subansiri District including Ziro Development Council (ZDC), Apatani Priest Association  (APA), Danyi Piilo Society (DPS), Apatani Heritage Association (AHA) and Meder Nello Committee have decided to organize joint rally at Ziro/Hapoli  to pressurize the authority to except the  demands of Anna Hazare on Lokpal bill on August 23.

 

Appointments

ITANAGAR, Aug 22: Wancho Students’ Union (WSU) in its 6th conference cum election held at Longding, Tirap on August 19 has elected Manphua Wangsu as President, Panjem Wangsu as vice president and Pholem Wangnow as General Secretary.

 

Resignation

ITANAGAR, Aug 22:  Nera Techi, Vice president of Nationalist Congress  Party, Arunachal Pradesh unit has resigned from the post on personal ground.

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News Impact

DPSC Centres at Doimukh and Kangu inaugurated

ITANAGAR, Aug 22: Doimukh ZPM Tana Bado has inaugurated the Donyi-Polo Sports and Cultural Centre (DPSCC), Doimukh in a simple function on August 21.

Addressing the gathering as chief guest, Bado said both sports and culture are the integral part of individual life. He called upon the functionaries of the Centre to promote both sports and culture in right direction. He further said the youth power should be channelized for well-being of the state. He also appreciated the Arunachal Vikas Parishad for setting up such Centre for promotion of sports and culture.

AVP Papum Pare district unit president Tana Tagu Tara and AVP worker Khoda Tarin, Doimukh DPSCC president Nabam Muna and secretary Rajum Tana Tara also spoke on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the Kangku Circle Sports and Cultural Centre under Likabali sub-division in Lower Siang district was inaugurated by the chief guest Rimar Yongam at Kangku villade Dere on August 21. Daknya Yonggam was present as guest of honour in the programme. Arunachal Vikas Parishad state publicity secretary Madhuram Pegu and another office bearer Ritu Gupta also spoke on the future role to be played by the Centre in circle level during the Yuba Varsha to be celebrated by Arunachal Vikash Parishad  in 2011. The Centre also decided to organise circle level Donyi Polo Sports Competition as well as cultural programme.

 

TCYA pleads for anti-erosion measure

ITANAGAR, Aug 22: Tarasso Circle Youth Association ( T.C.Y.A) appealed to the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to control the flood and soil erosion triggered by heavy rainfall in past few days at various places in Tarasso circle with Town Bill, Daria Bill and Bormai villages being the worst affected.

TCYA in a release claimed that most of the cultivable lands of Town Bill and Daria Bill villages were washed away by Dukha and Bihumari rivers. Further, the dwelling house of one Taba Yaza is being threatened by Dukha river due to soil erosion, the association said and appealed to the local MLA and other concern departments to take immediate preventive measures to save the land and other properties of the villagers from being washed away.

 

ASM appeals for ration sortie

ITANAGAR, Aug 22:  Rengchi Poriang Anchal Segment ASM Keji Tapok, under Parsi Parlo circle has appealed to the authorities to airdrop ration items in the circle to mitigate the suffering of school students and Govt staff who have been facing acute ration shortage due to disruption in road link over Patuk and Kumey rivers.

Besides Patuk bridge over Patuk river between Parsi Parlo and Damin circle, several bridges over Kurung  river have been damaged by the flood water triggered by torrential rain in  recent past, the ASM said. Apart from devastation caused to the paddy field in Parsi Parlo area, porter track in some villages and bridges over tributaries of Kumey river have also been damaged by the flood water, he claimed. The ASM also appealed to the authorities to release fund for reconstruction of bridges and provide assistance to the flood victims.

 

Free coaching for tribal students

Tezu, Aug 22 : The two months free coaching for tribal students of Lohit district in Mathematics and Science concluded in its coaching centers at Govt. Secondary School, Loiliang and Tamla Academy here.

About 85 tribal students of classes IX and X were benefitted from the free coaching.

The entire coaching was handled by Seva volunteer Rishikesh Divekar, a Mechanical Engineer promoting Seva initiatives in the field of education for the economically weaker and tribal students in Arunachal Pradesh.

The free coaching was conducted by Seva Bharati in collaboration with a local based NGO Amik Matai Society from July 15 last.

The concluding ceremony was attended by the Anjaw district labour and employment officer as chief guest and the political assistant (TR Settlement) as special guest.

The programme was attended by the functionaries of the collaborating NGOs and the tribal students besides the School Authorities.

The organisations is also planning to conduct similar free coaching classes of two months in Maths and Science in all the districts of Arunachal Pradesh in response and benefit of poor students.

 

Rally in support of Anna

ITANAGAR, Aug 22:  The people of Palin area including students, youths, businessmen and general public took out a peaceful rally in support of Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption in Palin town today.   They shouted slogan like “Anna Hazare Sangarsh Karo: Humbhi Tumare Sath Hain” and asked the  authorities to  pay heed to the demands of Anna.  The rally was organized under the initiatives of Palin Area Youth Welfare Association (PAYWA) and Bazaar Welfare Committee (BWC) with support of  students communities and villagers.

Besides expressing solidarity with Anna, we want to send a message to MP Takam Sanjoy to extend support to Anna’s movement through this rally,  the PAYWA said. Through this rally we  also created awareness among the people of Arunachal Pradesh  about the rampant corruption being practiced in  the state, the Association added.

 

Arunachal unit of AIRGVMI observes Sadbhavana Diwas

ZIRO, Aug 22: Commemorating the 67th birth day of  former Prime Minister Lt. Rajiv Gandhi, All India Rajeev Gandhi Vichar Manch International (AIRGVMI) Arunachal Pradesh unit observed Sadbhavana Diwas at Mother’s Home, Old Ziro on August 20 last.

The Mother’s Home, run by Achu Kuru Welfare Society is the home for orphan, mentally disorder, poor and destitute, old age etc.

AIRGVMI’s State unit general secretary Kuru Tago in his short speech highlighted the importance of Sadbhavana Diwas and its celebration these days.

The programme started with lighting of diya (lamp) and garlanding of flowers to the portrait of Lt. Gandhi. The inmates residing at Mother’s Home also paid homage to the Lt. Gandhi along with Manch members.

As part of the programme, the Manch sponsored by Bright Future Society, a local based NGO has donated sports half pant, T-shirt, salwars, eatable items etc. to the Mother’s Home.

Tailyang Santii, mother of Mother’s Home also shared her experience with the visiting Manch members.

The Manch also distributed fruits and other eatable items to the indoor patients of Community Health Centre, Old Ziro.

Later the Manch members took Sadhavana pledge.

 

Himalayan Dancer -2011 from October

ITANAGAR, Aug 22: The first ever mega dance competition  “The Himalayan Dancer 2011" with theme “Dance  to heal” is all set to begin from October 18 in three districts of East Kameng, West Kameng and Tawang.

The event mainly aims at fostering unity and brotherhood amongst  the people of the three districts as well as exposing the hidden dancing talents, said Kameng  & Tawang District Development  Society  (KTDDS), the organizer of the competition.

According to the organizing committee, the competition is restricted to the participants from East Kameng, West Kameng and Tawang only. Fifteen selected participants from each district will compete at district level to reach the final which would be held at Bomdila, the district headquarters of West Kameng.

The first, second and third prizes carry cash award of Rs. One Lakh, Rs.50,000 and Rs.20,000 respectively. Besides, they would given free coaching at a renowned dance institute in Itanagar before the commencement of the state level dance competition “Arunachal Dance Star 2011”, scheduled to be held in November, 2011 organized by ABPPU.

All other selected participants would be given a memento and certificates.

 

Taba Hare is  NIFCS chief

ITANAGAR, Aug 22: The Executive Body of Nyishi Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society (NIFCS) has been reconstituted with Taba Hare as president and Hui Tag as secretary general for the year 2011-13 in the annual general body meeting of Central Nyedar Namlo (CNN) at Rono, Doimukh on August 20.

Earlier, CNN secretary general gave the reports of various activities of CNN. In all 250 delegates from all the functioning Namlos of the Nyishi inhabited districts of the state including Assam attend-d the day long meeting

A priest development demonstration was also conducted at Doimukh Nyedar Namlo on August 19 by two renowned priests namely; Taba Nere of Model Village and Tao Takap of Posa Village, Pitapool to testify the power of healing among the laymen. Eight persons were selected for the priesthood development. Two of them have been testified to be having the healing power by the two priests.

Copyright © 2008, The Arunachal Times Publications Pvt. Ltd., Siang House, Sector - E, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh - 791111, India

All rights reserved.

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Solar engineering and women

 

 

The Barefoot College of India has trained 12 women in solar engineering to bring electricity to 1,500 households in rural Sierra Leone. These women are now setting up the first Barefoot College in Africa's Konta Line village, Sierra Leone.

The women were all trained at Barefoot College in Tilonia, Rajasthan, in western India. They are now back in Sierra Leone assembling 1,500 household solar units at a new Barefoot College in Konta Line village, Port Loko district, which is to be formally opened next month. The women are all either illiterate or semi-literate – they used to be subsistence farmers, living day-to-day like millions in Sierra Leone. But now they are proud graduates, having travelled 6,000 miles to India to learn – in the women's words – "how to make light from the sun".

The Barefoot College in Sierra Leone is the first in Africa. It will enroll up to 50 students on four-month residential courses in solar engineering. The Sierra Leone government has invested about $820,000 in the project. Though the college is funded by the government, the women hope they can run it independently, in what they describe as the "Barefoot way".

Sierra Leone is still catching up after the lost years of the decade-long civil war that wiped out the country's fragile infrastructure. More than 60 per cent of people (about 3.6 million) live rurally. Even in urban areas, more than 90 per cent of people go without power.

A recent World Bank report states that electricity is Sierra Leone's most daunting infrastructure challenge.

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Numerous problems of Damin people

Dear Editor,

The present Circle Hq of Damin Circle in Kurung Kumey district was established in 1968 and it is one of the remotest circles in Arunachal Pradesh where road communication and other basic needs of life like electricity and telecommunication etc are yet to see by the people of this circle. One may not belief, but it is true that to reach this Circle/Block Hq, its take four days foot-march either via Parsi-Parlo circle or Sarli circle from present District Hq, Koloriang.

According to 2011 population Census the Circle has total population of 5674 and 90% of the population is living Bellow Poverty Line (BPL) till today. The Circle is one of the lowest literate circles in Kurung Kumey district. Total number of graduate from the circle is 21 (3 female and 18 male). As many as 30 to 40 drop out are living in this interior Circle HQ and their causes of dropout from school was poverty as they told me when I conducted interaction meeting twice last year with these dropout students. The Circle has 7 schools out of which three are middle schools and the maximum dropout is between classes IX to XI.

In the health sector that one PHC is running without medicine. "Doctor without medicine is like a gun without cartridges". A local doctor was posted but there is no infrastructure like hospital building, quarter etc and every year some medicine are being procured under Boarder Area Development Programme (BADP) scheme but hardly it is used for maximum two months. As reported there is no medicine supply from normal department, so child mortality rate is very high in this administrative Hq.

One of my tragic experience in life for first time was last year, 2010 when bamboo flowering occurred this interior CD Block and cent percent standing crops of 53 villages of the Block/Circle were damaged completely by rat. The local MLA along with Deputy Commissioner, HoDs of Kurung Kumey district visited the Circle by helicopter to take stock of the situation. I personally visited at least 16 villages to assess the situation and depute all my staff to cover all 53 villages and submit report on crop damaged. I consolidated the damaged caused by rat in appropriated Govt, supplied format and submitted to Deputy Commissioner, indicating the victims name, total losses, name of village etc, but till today there is no any information in related to this from Govt.  Persons who can afford, have been migrated to different places like District HQ, State Capital etc to avoid starvation. These rural poor people are depending now on two plants locally called "TACHI & TASHE" for staple food through out the year. TACHI is wild plant which local people cut down and process for extraction of food item from it. At least 7 to 10 days required  to complete  the food processing. TASHE is also a wild plant. Local people cut it down and process for extraction food item within a day or more at a particular place called SAPPER processing shed. There is no other way to modify the methods of processing, but we can improve the shed for processing the TACHI & TASHE in each and every village through government schemes. Need of the hours is to encourage these local people to plant more TACHI & TASHE with assistance from government side. Had there not been these plants in this interior place, how the people could overcome starvation of bamboo flowering year as all the people depend on agricultural products. These plants are the gift of God and Nature and all the process to make it food items is purely on traditional methods.

The entire villages of this Circle depend on foot tracks, foot suspension, cane bridge over mighty River Kumey and its tributaries, log bridges, log ladder to cross the steep mountains, deep gorges, steep cliff, etc to connect the Circle/Block Hq, District Hq. Recent heavy rainfall during July and 1st week of August, 2011 washed away these bridges, log ladders etc. As a result the villages remained cut off from rest of the world. Porter tracks, suspension bridges, log bridges, log ladders were maintained annually by PWD labours of Sangram PWD Division in early days. However, the State Government had withdrawn the labour forces in the year 1996-97.  After withdrawal of labour forces, the people of the Circle, especially Govt staff   are facing untold miseries during monsoon season to reach Circle and District Hq.  By virtue of my post I use to meet the entire section of society including poor of the poorest people.

This year’s damages caused by nature force the people of entire villages  to face another trouble after bamboo flowering. At least Rs 2 to 3 crore  are required to restore the damages. The NGOs, Panchayati Raj Institutions, MLAs, MPs of local area should come forward and negotiate state or central government to have a proper plan allocation, especially for boarder outpost like Damin or deploy the labour force for annual maintenance of road links for greater interest of the poor people of interior area.

Even the mediamen can't reach to this place to highlight all these problems as AAPSU President Takam Tatung has rightly given a comparative statement on Anna Hazare and Irom Sharmila that media can play and make from zero to hero.

Almost senior citizens, NGOs,  students’ organizations, community base organizations, political parties issued press statements in local dailies demanding State government for early release of fund for restoration of capital roads which were damages by same monsoon rainfall that causes damages in interior place of Damin circle. The dissimilarity is here poor people of interior Damin circle  could not come  out and highlight their problems in the media. Finally state government has released Rs, 17 crore of funds for restoration of capital roads renovation.

Yours,

Lokam Kani,

BDO. Camp: Itanagar

 

 

 

ACR’s consultative meeting to facilitate inclusive policy formulation

Dear Editor,

The Union Ministry of Rural Development has once again come up with two important draft bills--The Land Acquisition and the Rehabilitation and Resettlement bills, 2011 which aim to replace the National Policy on Resettlement and Rehabilitation for project affected families, 2003 and Land Acquisition Act of 1894.

The above bills intent to confer an adequate compensation package for the land and property which the state wants to acquire for some project and has been designed to strike balance between the need for land for development of the country and protecting the interest of those affected by compulsory acquisition of land for such purposes.  The Ministry has invited comments from individuals, civil society groups stakeholders preferably on or before 31st August, 2011.

We are also aware of the facts that several aspects of the various huge development projects underway, under process and being planned for the future on our state. Because of the presence of several mighty Himalayan rivers, Arunachal Pradesh has been identified as the area for development of over a hundred hydel projects on these rivers. Numbers of national and international trade high-ways are also being planned including railways. The cumulative impact of these projects on the simple hill tribes of the state is bound to be massive. The most serious impact of the projects is the dispossession of their land, both agricultural and homestead, along with the loss of their traditional occupation. The indigenous people of Arunachal do not possess modern legal documents or land pattas to prove their ownership of the land they have lived on for centuries and are therefore invariably deprived of even the meager compensation and rehabilitation benefits as per the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (as amended in 1984)

We can’t deny the facts that post-Independence period experience has suggested that the long drawn out process of development project induced displacement has caused widespread traumatic psychological and socio-cultural consequences. These include the dismantling of traditional production systems, desecration of ancestral sacred zones, graves and places of worship, scattering of kinship groups, disruptions of family system and informal social network. The model is built around a core concept: the risks of impoverishment. The eight-impoverishment risks are landlessness, joblessness, homeless-ness, marginalisation, food insecurity, increased morbidity and mortality, loss of access to common property and social disarticulation.

Recent studies reveal that a large chunk of the population among the displaced and deprived of their livelihood are members of the Tribes and other economically marginalized rural people, who have live in close proximity to nature and directly depend on the natural resources. The Twenty-ninth Report of the Commissioner of Scheduled Castes and Tribes (1990) says that even though tribal people are roughly 7.5 per cent of the population, over 40 per cent, of those displaced till 1990 belonged to these communities. A report of the Official Working Group on Development and Welfare of Scheduled Tribes during the Eighth Five-Year Plan (1990-1995) on the rehabilitation of tribal people, based on a comprehensive study of 110 projects, has concluded that of the 1.694 million people displaced by these projects, almost 50 per cent (814,000) were tribal people (Government of India, 1993).  Such is the reality of displacement and marginalization of the Tribals in India owing to various development projects.

And the women and children are usually the worst sufferer in these situations but the gender impacts of development fallout is yet to be assessed professionally.

In this connection, Arunachal Citizens’s Rights (ACR) is facilitating a state level consultative meeting on 27th August next at Hotel Arun Subansiri. Stakeholders, individuals, academicians civil society groups Human Rights groups including district  wise representatives are expected to take part in the proposed consultative meeting.

The meeting will focus on how the communities of the state can get long term benefits from these policies and provide an opportunity to all the participants to share their concerns in various capacities to work towards an inclusive policy contribution.

This consultative meeting is one small step in a larger attempt of a few concerned citizens to put collective inputs wherever is necessary on both the bills and also facilitate a basic orientation on these very important policy documents.

Yours,

Arunachal Citizens’ Rights

 

 

 

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----Editor