The Arunachal Times - Archives

AAPSU disturbed at recruitment of 18 youths in Tirap by NSCN(K)

ITANAGAR, Dec 12: All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union has condemned the recruitment of 18 youths from Tirap district by NSCN-K on 19 November 2009 of which 16 are reportedly from Pongchau village and two from Bonia village under Pongchau circle.

The Unmindful act on part of the outfit under our state where there is an elected government is beyond words and is more disturbing when the youth involves are between the age group of 18 to 25 years, the Union said.

The state government and central government need to act immediately so that the youths are brought back into the mainstream, said its President Takam Tatung in a press statement. It’s appalling to note that the unfortunate incident once again has exposed the dismal law and order problem in Tirap district, he said.

The union in the background of Nagaland assembly passing resolution for the recognition of Naga out fits struggling for Greater Nagalim urged the elected members of the state to take cue from the Assam assembly and pass resolution for protecting the territorial integrity of the state.

Meanwhile, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has decided to give business community one month to dispose off Chinese goods. This decision came after a request made by the Arunachal Chamber of Commerce & Industries (ACCI). The union on receipt of the request letter by ACCI has extended the time period to one month with immediate effect but at the same time reminds the traders body that the onus for successful implementation of propose movement of the union after expiry of the given time period shall solely lies in their shoulder, said Takam Tatung in an e-mail.

The union further welcomed “the concern shown by the leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha” with regards to Chinese claim over the state of Arunachal Pradesh and also endorsed the statement made by MP Takam Sanjoy for granting another development package in the backdrop of vociferous Chinese claim over the state. Development package as envisage by the Member of Parliament for the upkeep of road infrastructure along the 1080 km Sino – India border in a will way negate the Chinese claim over our state in a big way, he said.

Special session of Legislative assembly wraps up in 24 minutes

NAHARLAGUN, Dec 12: Sixty member Arunachal Pradesh state legislative assembly today wrapped up its business in record 24 minutes. The men and women of few words however will not find their names in the record books as shortest session belongs to Meghalaya with 5 minutes!

The special session of the assembly was convened to ratify the one hundred and ninth-amendment bill, 2009, already passed by Rajya sabha and Lok Sabha for extension of reservation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and representation of Anglo Indian Community in house of the people and legislative assemblies.

The act will go to the president after the ratification by all legislative assemblies of the country.

The act has to come in force by 25 Jan 2009 and would be called ninety-fifth amendment of the constitution 2009 Act.

Chief Minister stated that Arunachal is purely a Scheduled tribe state for which ratification of the amendment is urgently felt.

Meanwhile, the Arunachal Pradesh Private Security Agency Rules 2009 was presented to the legislative assembly.

Earlier, the house remembered former Governor of the state S K Singh who died on December 1 in Delhi. The only person, apart from the speaker who spoke was the Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu who recalled his association with Late Governor. He said that Singh’s death was a loss for the state as he was an advocate for the welfare of the state. Speaker Wanglin Lowangdong said that with the death of Late Singh, Arunachal has lost a true friend, a father figure and well-wisher.

CM gives 24 months for completion of Assembly building

ITANAGAR, Dec 12: Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu accompanied by Legislative Assembly Speaker Wanglin Lowangdong, Deputy Speaker Tapang Taloh, host of MLAs inspected the construction site of State Assembly building.

Khandu while directing the PWD Chief Engineer Western Zone for expediting the work said that the contractors have to ensure quality work besides maintaining the period of 24 months.

The team later visited Chimpu area for choosing the site for MLA quarters. The team unanimously chose the area adjacent to Director Horticulture Office and asked the PWD to prepare the project at the earliest. (PRO to CM)

Director calls for adoption of modern techniques in bamboo cultivation

Naharlagun, Dec 12: Arunachal Pradesh has huge Bamboo resources which is yet to be tapped, said Director Horticulture L. Tago while addressing the District Level Seminar cum workshop on Bamboo Cultivation under National Bamboo Mission at ATI, Naharlagun, yesterday.

He said the NBA mission is to promote holistic growth of Bamboo, increase the forest and non-forest coverage, marketing and employment generation for the skilled and unskilled youths. Tago said that people of the state is still dependent on traditional method of bamboo cultivation. He said that apart from depending on bamboos that are naturally grown in the state, people of the state should adopt new techniques in growing bamboo. He said that Centre is giving lots of emphasis on promoting Bamboo Cultivation which the state must make use. ‘We need to take better advantage of such schemes. Even though bamboos has long gestation period yet it has better future perspectives, he added. Besides income generation, it will also help in making the Arunachalees self reliant. He however cautioned that success of the schemes wholly depends upon the beneficiaries as they have to take it forward.

The Bamboo cultivation also helps in conserving the unmindful depletion of naturally growth bamboo in the forest and non forest areas. He advised the farmers to take full advantage of the workshop and utilize the knowledge in gainful activities.

S.K Gogoi representative of Bamboo Development Agency speaking on the importance of the bamboo said it is focusing on development of bamboos in the state through proper strategy and planning in order to make the National Bamboo Mission Successful. He also said that the imparting knowledge to the progressive farmers on bamboo development enhances the technical skill and its knowhow on different species and varieties of bamboo. Earlier in his welcome address the District Horticultural Officer, Yupia V.K. Srivastava expressed the hope that the workshop would give better platform to the farmers to know more about the Bamboo cultivation and its propagation.

In the daylong technical session the Resource persons Dr.L.R. Bhuyan, Dr.R.K.Taj, Dr.G.Murtem enlightened the participants on bamboo Identification and Nursery Management, bamboo cultivation and management, bamboo of Arunachal Pradesh and its innovative application and marketing respectively while U.B. Singh demonstrated practically the propagation and cultivation of bamboo. S.K. Gogoi BDA spoke on the topic “Focus on Bamboo under NBM”

Besides the Officers and Staffs of Horticulture Department Yupia, Divisional Forest Officer, Agricultural Development Officer Yupia, HDOs and progressive farmers from all over PapumPare District attended the worshop. (DIPRO)

Dr Begi concerned at inordinate delay

ITANAGAR, Dec 12: While chairing a Coordination Meeting today at Government College Yachuli Dr. Joram Begi, Director Higher & Technical Education expressed serious concern over the inordinate delay in completion of buildings at permanent sites of Government College, Yachuli.

The Executive Engineers PWD & WRD (Yazali & Ziro Divisions respectively) presented reports of their respective construction works in the college and assured to complete the remaining work in time.

Earlier highlighting the objective of the meeting, Dr. N.T.Rikam, Principal of the college, called for demarcation of college boundary and speedy infrastructural development in the college. It was decided that the boundary demarcation would be done immediately under the aegis of local administration with the cooperation of land donor/ villagers.

It was also decided that the concerned construction agencies are to do the works on war footing to shift the college to its permanent site in the coming academic session.

The meeting was attended by Circle Officer Yachuli J.T. Obi, EE (PWD) Yazali Division Er. Nabam Tado, EE (WRD) Ziro Division, Er. Kina Temik, along with their department officers, Panchayat Leaders, contractors and land donors.

DTO Office runs short of staff

ITANAGAR, Dec 12: District Transport Officer in a letter to Parliamentary Secretary Transport appealed him to ensure required infrastructure and staff at Ziro office.

Highlighting the achievement and problems of the establishment, the officer said that the government had posted DTO (MV) at Ziro in 2007 without any subordinate staff and proper infrastructure. Later, the government has provided computer sets under Sarathi Vahan Project but no computer operator has been posted till date. Meanwhile, highlighting the achievement the letter said that despite all these problems within the establishment, after posting of regular DTO the revenue of the office has increased many fold. It has collected yearly revenue of Rs. 37,09,799 in 2007-08 and 43,60,711 in 2008-09.

The DTO further expected that the establishment would earn above Rs 50 lacs in 2009-10.

Dibang districts harassed because of inflated fare

Bishnu Rana

ROING, Dec 12: The Brahmaputra ferry ghat which links Dibang and Lower Dibang Valley district and Sodiya under Tinsukia district with Assam has become a source of earning easy money for some unscrupulous people.

Since inception, the people have been experiencing untold miseries during their every trip to those two districts. But, unfortunately no remedial measures have been taken by the authorities concerned till date. The proposed fourth bridge over the river is yet to come up.

The ferry fare being charged by the boatmen in that ghat is exorbitant. Though the Inland Water Transport, Govt. of Assam has fixed the rate for light vehicle @ Rs 300, the boatmen are charging Rs 1000 for the same, Rs 2000 for heavy vehicle and Rs 3000 for loaded vehicle at a time which is unjustified and against the government norms.

"Crossing the Sodiya- Saikhowa ghat with a vehicle is a very costly affair and beyond the reach of common people. But we are compelled to pay, because we don’t have the alternative route," rued a frequent traveller.

"Moreover, in emergency time, they charge twice of the actual fare. How long this system will continue...?" he questioned.

When asked about this illegal practices, L N Gogoi SDO (civil) Sodiya Sub-division, who recently joined office, said that he would look into the matter immediately. "I have received lots of complaint in this regard and I will have to verify the things with the IWT and the boat union, Gogoi said. He said that he visited Amarpur ghat over Dibang River (way to Dambuk sub-division and Siang district) after he received numerous complaints of exorbitant ferry charge (Rs 500 for the light vehicle) and had warned the boatmen to refrain from such illegal practice. When contacted, B Buglary, JE, IWT said that the union fixes the rate at their own will violating government norms. "Our boat runs at Rs 300 for light vehicle. Presently only one boat is in operation due to paucity of fund, he informed.

The worst sufferer are the people of Dibang and Lower Dibang Valley. Often they face unnecessary harassment and confrontation in the process of dealing with the boatmen.

The Govts of both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh must intervene into the matter and take appropriate steps to prevent these mal-practices immediately. Early fixing of a uniform and reasonable fare would give a great sigh of relief to the people of those two districts.

Award for Principal

ITANAGAR, Dec 12: Guptajit Pathak, Principal, Arunachal Community College & Health Sciences, Vivek vihar, Itanagar , Arunachal Pradesh has been awarded the “Dr. Ambedkar Fellowship National Award-2009” by “Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Academy” Delhi for his contribution to Socio-Cultural works on its Silver Jubilee Year.

Mr. Pathak a member of N.C.E.R.T, Textbook Development Committee of Political Science, New Delhi, hails from Bezera, Kamrup.

Christmas Carol

TEZU, Dec 12: Thousands of Christians from all the denominations took out a Combined Christmas Carol today at Tezu.

The combined Christmas Carol started with an invocation prayer at the Jubilee ground. A prayer meeting for peace and prosperity of humankind and for the people of Lohit in particular was organised.

The speaker of the Combined Christmas Coral programme, Evangelist Tai Ete, General Secretary, Arunachal Pradesh Christian Revival Church Council(APCRCC) said that every Christian should be the peace maker of the society and their respective community.

Johakso Manyu, Secretary of Lohit Christian Forum (LCF) delved in brief about the history and formation of LCF in 2008. LCF later handed out Christmas Gifts to the missionaries in Lohit.

Chanu gets Silver for Arunachal

ITANAGAR: Tonibala Chanu of Sports Authority of India, Special Area Game (SAI SAG) Centre, Naharlagun won a silver medal in the recently concluded 5th National Youth Women Boxing Championship at Aizawl, Mizoram.

Chanu defeated her opponents from Madhya Pradesh and Kerala in quarterfinal and semifinal respectively. She lost her final bout against an Assam pugilist.

Meanwhile, Arunachal Boxing Association congratulated Chanu for her victory.

Govt committed to development of Sikkim

ITANAGAR: Union Minister of Development of North Eastern Region, Bijoy Krishna Handique has assured the Members of the Rajya Sabha that Sikkim will see development within a couple of years. Speaking in a debate pertaining to Private members Resolution in the Rajya Sabha on Dec 11, Handique said that the Government is committed to build a modern developed Sikkim.

He informed the House that Sikkim has been receiving substantial government funds from the Central Government for its development. The quantum of central assistance to the State Plan in the year 2008-09 was Rs.497 Crores.

Union supports ZP resolution

ITANAGAR: All Tali Area Students’ Union extended support to Zila Parishad resolutions on airlifting of medicines in interior circles, extension of air services to Parsiparlo and Chambang, implementation of centrally sponsored scheme members, with holding of salaries of non-performing SSA teachers, inter-constituency transfer of teachers and declaration of Kurung Kumey district as border area.

AAPSU cricket

ITANAGAR: All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union decided to conduct the late Tabom Bam memorial cricket trophy from Dec18 at Basar.

Bam died while taking part in “Delhi Chalo’’ Abhiyan in 1994 against the presence of Chakma-Hajong refugees in the state.

An organizing committee under the leadership Marge Riba Asst General Secretary has been constituted for the successful conduct of the tournament.