The Arunachal Times - Archives

In August 2008, he visited Arunachal Pradesh for the last time. Sitting with a group of Apatani women in their bamboo hut and exploring how to empower them, he asked them if they have a word for being empowered. They responded, “It is harro!” . This word must have been one of the last vocabulary that he taught his students in John Hopkins where he continued teaching till the previous week before his death.

Late Carl was born in the Indian Himalaya. After attending medical school at Harvard, he worked in Panama but returned to India in 1947, leading a medical team through the deadly riots of 1947 during the partition India. In 1949 he conducted the first health survey of Nepal. In 1952, he founded the department of preventive medicine at the Christian Medical College Ludhiana, the first such department in the developing world.

Carl was the founding chair of the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. He was instrumental in designing the global agenda for primary health care in the 1960s and 1970s. Before it was widely embraced, he was part of research and movements that connected women’s empowerment and holistic community-based change.

Taylor was the primary World Health Organization consultant in preparing documents in 1978 for the Alma Ata World Conference on Primary Health Care. From 1957 through 1983 he advised WHO on a wide range of international health matters. In 1972, Taylor became the founding chair of the National Council for International Health, now known as the Global Health Council; as founding chair of the International Health Section of the American Public Health Association, he helped establish the World Federation of Public Health Associations.

In addition to his earned degrees, Carl received honorary degrees from Muskingum College, Towson State University, China’s Tongji University, Peking Union Medical College, and Johns Hopkins University. In 1993, President Bill Clinton recognized him for "Sustained work to protect children around the world in especially difficult circumstances and a life-time commitment to community based primary care.”

With an eight-decade long career in international health, Carl is beloved by thousands students and colleagues around the world. His stories of adventure and service enabled them to believe that they too could create just and lasting change, Byabang informed.

Have we given up on Tirap ?

Tongam Rina

The arrest of top NSCN (IM) cadres in Tirap has once again brought to the fore some uncomfortable truths.

It is painful to admit, but the fact remains that both factions of NSCN calls the shots in Tirap. It interferes at every level of governance. No government scheme takes off without writing off a sizeable chunk to these organizations. Government staffer part away with a portion of their hard-earned salary every year end.

Unfortunately, despite being aware of these facts, the government is yet to come up with tangible roadmap for the district.

After two decades since both factions of NSCN made inroads into Tirap and Changlang, not much have been done to address the problem.

Remarkably, Changlang managed to take control. Though insurgency remains a problem, people of the district have been resilient. They continue to suffer but they have not let these forces dictate their lives.

On the other hand, the situation in Tirap is precarious. Today, the state of affairs is such that in Tirap, both factions are running a parallel government, apart from doubling up as drug peddlers. Interestingly, the two organizations from time to time, even serve notices to few users!

The state government in a hurry had created Department of Tirap and Changlang some years back. But it’s for all Arunachaless to see that department does not seem to have delivered much. The department on the other hand has become an added burden for the state exchequer.

The schools continue to function without adequate teachers, hospitals cry for need of doctors and medicines. What would one do when necessities are absent? Choices are easy to make more so when lured with promises of better life once they join the “cause”.

Teenagers walk across the border without a second thought. In Tirap, parents are too scared to lodge a complaint against such missing children. They know its fighting two forces at the same time against which they have absolutely no control.

However, unlike other states in the NE, where citizens are often at loggerheads with Security Forces, in Tirap the scenario is different.

Though use of force by the security personnel is alleged to be widespread, most of the people still look up to them, more so the 19th Assam Rifles.

Some 2500 personnel consisting of CRPF, Assam Rifles, Indian Army and State police take care of one lac citizens in Tirap district. This is in stark contrast to some five hundred personnel engaged to take care of the lives of the precious few policymakers in the state.

The government must act. The state government instead of shifting the blame on the centre must initiate something concrete for the welfare of the people. It needs to rehabilitate those who have returned. A one time surrender ceremony is absolutely no answer. Financial security should be ensured to these young men and women by engaging them in productive activities.

Government has to chalk out a road map to deal with the extra constitutional forces and restore peace and security to the people of the district.

Very soon, people of the state would want an explanation why teenagers just walk across the border.

To start with, one wonders why a star performer like Ankur Garg of the Indian Administrative Services who managed the district with super efficiency was relocated to Raj Bhavan.

Unemployment a blot in Arunachal’s development

Taba Ajum

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: Never has been the frustration of being unemployed as high in Arunachal as it is these days. Majority of educated youths who are coming back to their native state in search of better avenues after completing higher studies in respective discipline are feeling complete disarray and aghast at the alleged rampant corruption.

There is a growing anger among youths accompanied by sense of being helplessness at way various agencies are allegedly indulging in outrageous corruption.

Other day this reporter went to attend a meeting of Unemployed Arunachalee Engineers’ Association (UAEA) and was taken aback by numerous tales of agonizing fight for employment shared by promising unemployed engineers.

As one after one started to share their experiences, entire meeting hall was filled with raw emotions and they could be seen exhorting each other not to loose hope. Some of the participants had been unemployed for last five years and were honest to admit that they are running out of hope.

“I finished my engineering degree way back in 2004 and have not been able to land a job yet. In our state either you should have political connection or top the competitive exams to get a job, if not have enough money to bribe officials. May be, I am still unemployed because of these reasons,” told an unemployed engineer in lighter vein.

Most of the youths present were explaining how painful it would be to seek money from parents to pay bribe if needs arise.

“Our parents have already spent so much of money for our education and now to ask money from them to get job is so embarrassing,” shared another youth.

More often than not, the candidates get exhausted before getting a job due to lengthy official formalities. “Sometimes we put in so much of effort for one particular file and run around like anything. But when we present it, some officials reject our files for some silly excuses. That time you feel so helpless, it’s very hard to explain,” lamented another unemployed youth.

These unemployed youths represent only minor section of state and like them there must be thousands more youngsters in Arunachal who are fighting hard to live a dignified life. Everybody keeps on emphasizing that ‘youth are the future of this state and country’ but if same youths are not provided opportunity to prove their worth, then these catchwords becomes meaningless.

Need of the hour is to provide job opportunities to these youths and make sure that they become part of new prosperous Arunachal. This can be done by bringing down over-dependency on government jobs in state.

And for this too, there is already a solution, which, if implemented properly, can considerably bring down unemployment rate. “As per Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs)/ Memorandum of Agreements (MoAs) signed with some hydropower developers investing in Arunachal, it has been clearly mentioned that 25 per cent of jobs would be reserved for locals. If these agreements are implemented it will give employment opportunities to both the technical and non-technical unemployed youths of the state,” said Yumlam Aam, president of UAEA.

MP visits Sisiri river bridge construction site

PASIGHAT, Feb 9: A 200 mtrs long RCC bridge is being constructed by the S. P. Singla Company under supervision of BRO 1443 BCC/752 task-force project “Udayak” across the river Sisar (Sisseri) , about 45 Km away from Pasighat.

Underscoring the problems faced by the people, MP Ninnong Ering said that due to lack of bridge in river Sisar, Dambuk area remains cut-off from the rest of the world in summer season.

He urged the construction agency for timely completion of the bridge adding that all the funds have been released to the BRO and they have started the construction of the approach road also.

Meanwhile, the constructing company informed that they expected to be complete the bridge by 2012-13 next.

Amongst other, the MP was accompanied by SDO Dambuk B. Lego, TAC member Nangku Tayeng, Congress Sevadal member Oyin Yomso ,local leaders, BRO officials. DIPRO

RGUSU serves 10 days ultimatum

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: Rajiv Gandhi University Students’ Union (RGUSU) today urged the competent authority of the RGU to redress the grievances or fulfill the demands of the students within 10 days.

In an ultimatum served to the Vice-Chancellor, RGU, the Union regretted that the competent authority did neither take initiative nor did they give any green signal to student representatives for redressal of their 11-point proposals which were submitted in the form of memorandum on Jan 22 last. Even specific time fixed for solution of some of the grievances has already expired, it said.

The union demanded that authorities concerned reconsider its demands within the ten days from the date of submission of the ultimatum, otherwise, it will resort to a series of democratic movement in the RGU campus against the authorities concerned on Feb 22.

The union’s demands included construction of High Mast Tower-Light, immediate furnishing of class-rooms infrastructures, early construction of view point, immediate arrest of culprits who allegedly involved in the answer script scandal of Distance Education and immediate edifice of security walls to all the hostels.

RGUSU further said that the union office bearers have also collectively decided to extend its proposed educational awareness tour to all the 8 RGU affiliated Govt colleges of the state to Feb 27. The tour was scheduled to begin from Feb 10.

Lohit youth library team steal the

limelight in Intl conference

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: The VT-AWIC Youth Library volunteers from Lohit district stole the limelight in the three-day International Conference on Children’s Libraries held at Delhi from Feb 4-6. The young volunteers stole all hearts of the elite audience of book-lovers, with a spirited display of skits, poetry recitation and story-telling in Mishmi language, demonstrating how they have been running a 6-month Book Reading Campaign in remote, rural pockets of Lohit and Anjaw, right upto Kaho, the last village on the China border.

More than 250 delegates from 17 foreign countries and several Indian states took part in the conference which was inaugurated by former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam as the chief guest.

The Lohit team was represented by 12 young readers – 7 girls and 5 boys – from Bamboosa Library Tezu, Apne Library Wakro and the Chongkham Libraries, led by Ms. Mamoni Gogoi, APNE Library, Wakro. The team was also introduced to Dr. A. P.J. Abdul Kalam, an experience the young volunteers will cherish all their life.

In his address Dr. Kalam richly complemented the writers and library activists for spiritedly taking up the cause of reading promotion in their own areas.

Narrating in his inimitable way, Dr Kalam told a very touching story of how two young girls from Philippines, revived their mentally-challenged young brother by daily reading out stories to them daily for 5 years.

Reminding the packed audience about the deplorably low-educational standards in rural India, the former President urged them to strive to promote reading habits among the rural and marginalized youth of India.

Addressing the Valedictory function Anupama Singh, First Lady of Arunachal Pradesh, and herself a patron of Children’s Libraries supported by Army Wives Welfare Association, (AWWA), outlined the long history of how book reading transformed the life of human society, and complemented the AWIC for supporting the youth in remote areas of India, like Arunachal Pradesh, and the Library activists and young volunteers who have come from distant nations.

Lauding the Lohit Library team for putting up a splendid programme representing Arunachal in the Conference, Anupama recalled her visit to the Bamboosa Library Tezu, and assured full support to the team to carry on the Library reading campaign to more areas in the Lohit and Anjaw districts.

Several eminent personalities, librarians, and authors and AWIC Award Winners presented papers and participated in the 3-day conference, displaying various innovative practices they have been using to promote Children’s Libraries in their respective areas.

Representatives from agencies like UNICEF, NBT, ICCR, MHRD, Sahitya Academy, Nehru Bal Bhavan and several publishers, like Pratham, Scholastics, CBT, also participated in the proceedings, assuring support to reading activists in rural India. Etalo Megha, and Gita Ralhan, Library I/cs of Bamboosa Library, gave a lively power-point presentation outlining the Youth Library activities in Lohit & Anjaw.

Truly inspiring were the teams of physically handicapped and mentally-challenged children from Delhi! In turn, the participants were treated to a delightful 2- hour play, “Children of the Magic Pen” by eminent theatre personality, Faizal Alkazi. The Lohit Library volunteers could also get valuable tips on acting from Alkazi and his team.

The participation of the Lohit team in this unique International Conference and their visit to Delhi was sponsored by the generous patronage from Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, Gen. (retd) J.J. Singh, Minister Chowna Mein, MLA Tezu Karikho Kri and MLA Roing Laeta Umbrey. At Delhi, Prashant Lokhande, IAS, Vijay Talukdar, DRC, New Delhi and Surekha Panandiker, Head, and All-India Convenor, AWIC Children’s Library Programme acted as their local hosts.

The Conference has truly come as a most inspiring experience to the Lohit team and should prove to be a landmark in the Youth Library movement in the state.

Road safety awareness camp

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: Police headquarter Road Safety cell lead by inspector KVG Pillai, ASI AU Ansari, T Sorang, Md. Sarfuddin and A Darang conducted traffic safety awareness campaign at government middle school, Niti Vihar, Itanagar.

On the occasion the team elaborated on safety tips on road crossing, road sign and hand signal and also distributed pamphlets and other awareness items.

Altogether, 484 students and 21 teachers of the school attended the camp.

Meanwhile, the headmaster of the school Dr. J Rina appreciated the organizing team for imparting road safety tips to the teaching community and the students.

Enquiry office opens

ROING, Feb 9: MLA Jomin Tayeng inaugurated an electrical enquiry office at Parbuk, Divang valley district.

Speaking on the occasion, Tayeng highlighted the activities and importance of the newly inaugurated office and advised the public to take extra care of the enquiry office for the benefit of the people.

Tayeng appreciated the contractor for timely completion of the office building.

Electrical department officials, Zilla Parishad members, Panchayat leaders, GBs and public attended the function.

‘Muskan Express’

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: Toy Train "Muskan Express" at Nyokum Lapang, which was remained defunct due to technical snag, has been repaired by Arunachal Cricket Association (ACA) with help of Governor JJ Singh and is now ready to entertain children, according to an ACA release.

Bomdila town gets Parking complex

ITANAGAR, Feb. 9: The first phase of parking cum shopping complex built at an estimated cost of Rs. 326 Lakhs under the scheme Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) was inaugurated today at Bomdila town by R.T. Khunjuju, local MLA and parliamentary secretary for hydropower development.

Speaking on the occasion, Parliamentary Secretary opined that with the completion of the parking complex, perennial parking problems of the Bomdila Township would be addressed to a great extent. Deputy Commissioner, Swati Sharma who was also present during the day revealed that, traffic in the market area would be regulated and made one-way. Necessary co-ordination meetings would be conducted and orders implemented in this context, she added.

Executed by the Department of UD and Housing, Bomdila division, the project have been built on an area measuring 0.18 acre in the heart of Bomdila town with an allocation of Rs. 293.40 lacs from the central government and Rs. 32.60 lacs as state share. Project commenced in Feb/2006 and got completed in Dec/2009. This phase I parking project, built at the cost of Rs. 326.00 lacs would be able to accommodate 80- light motor vehicles. The shopping complex would be taken up under phase II allocation. DIPRO

EE (E-M) clarifies

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: Reacting to the news item published in this daily on Feb 1 under the headlines “Poor power supply resented’ wherein it was said that Awapani power project has been lying defunct resulting in poor power supply in Alinye village for last several months, the executive engineer (E-M), Tezu E-M Division, DHPD, Er Tayum Udik Taba clarified that two hydel stations, namely, Awapani MHP Phase-I and Awapani MHP Ph-II located at 700 meter apart from each other in Alinye village are in operational condition and are delivering power daily to Anini township and nearby villages including Alinye. Therefore, the allegation leveled is totally false and unfounded, Taba said in a statement.

“The Assistant Engineer (E-M) Tezu had visited the site on January 19 and on Feb 4, I myself with Er S K Gupta, consultant of NABCONs had visited the hydel site and found the hydel station functioning. Records for last many months of the said hydel stations have been verified by Gupta as a part of the third party monitoring of the PM package project and found okay’, Taba further clarified.

Regarding the DG set of Alinye which has been reportedly burst out several years back, Taba clarified that there has been no such DG set installation at Alinye or nearby villages as informed by the local public. He appealed A K Paul EE (Elect) and the Correspondent to clarify how bursting of DG set occurred when no such installation has been made in that area.

RBWS welcomes Assamese gesture

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: Ramle Banggo Welfare Society has thanked all the well-wishers who have come forward to help rebuild lives of fire victims of Jan 30 at Seren Village in East Siang.

President Bate Koyu in a message has particularly thanked citizens from Assam who has been rendering a helping to the victims to restart their lives.

He informed that apart from material support, citizens from Assam, particularly Kochari and Mishing communities have helped rebuild houses.

Society stated that such act in times of need not only strengthen the age-old relation between the two states but also help in further restoring trust and mutual understanding.

SDP on mushroom cultivation

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in its endeavor to expand its outreach and evenly spread the developmental activities under its promotional and developmental programmes in the rural areas of Arunachal Pradesh has sanctioned 6 weeks Skill Development Programme (SDP) on Mushroom Cultivation and Bee-keeping to Action Aid Society Arunachal, a local NGO, based in Itanagar. The Action Aid Society will conduct the training in Maro, Barijo and Tapi under Dumporijo block of Upper Subansiri district. The programme will support 75 selected educated unemployed youth and SHG members from Dumporijo area for bee-keeping and mushroom activities. Officials from district like BDO, Deputy Director DIC, Extension Officer (Industries), Extension Officer (Credit), PD DRDA and banks will be involved at various stages of implementation of the programme, according to a release.

In-service teachers training

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: In-service teachers training is an experience sharing exercise rather than a training, said West Siang DC Amjad Tak, as chief guest in the 5-day In-service teachers training being conducted by DIET (DRC), Kamki at Govt. Primary School, Aalo on Feb 9.

Amjad Tak said that the exam results of the students during the past few years in the district is discouraging and it is our collective responsibility to bring back it on the right track. He urged the trainees to take the training seriously during the period and expressed displeasure over non-turn up by some of the teachers in the training programme.

M. Potom, DDSE said that training is required to refresh the ideas and knowledge of an individual and its application in day to day life. He was logical to say that one should have more conscious of duty rather than conscious of right. He appealed the trainees to be sincere and attentive for the betterment of the students. DIPRO

BJP appointments

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: To strengthening the party organization, Bharatiya Janata Party, Arunachal Pradesh has appointed the following persons as district BJP presidents on ad hoc basis with Sambu Siongju for West Kameng , Sama Yangfo for East Kameng, Kuru Tai for Lower Subansiri, Tai Chiji for Kurung Kumey, Lompak Paksok for Upper Subansiri, Bai Gadi for West Siang, Tamat Gamo for East Siang , Bamin Kri for Anjaw, Chau Ambika Engling for Lohit districts respectively.

Routine immunization training for doctors held

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: The routine Immunization training for Medical Officers was conducted by District Health Society, Lohit recently. Speaking in the inaugural session, Dr. N. Ninu, DMO, Lohit urged the trainees to take maximum advantages from the training programme and take part in the interaction sessions to educate them for maximum benefits.

Dr. Ninu said the GOI has formulated high quality Immunization service uniformly and consistently across the country. The resources provided are to be used efficiently and benefit them to carry maximum extent. Dr. Ninu urged all MO incharge of CHCs and PHCs carry out Immunization schedules fixed and deliver outreach services effectively.

Earlier, welcoming the Doctors from both Lohit and Anjaw District, resources persons from state HQ and other invitees, Dr. Nyage Geiyi, DRCHO Lohit, highlighted the aims and objectives of the Routine Immunization training.

Dr. Geiyi, said Immunization is one of the most well known and effective methods of preventing child hood Diseases and Immunization has to be taken as high agenda to further reduce the incidence of all Vaccine Preventive diseases (PVDs).

After the establishment of Universal Immunization programme in 1985, there has been decline in morbidity and mortality due to VPDs over the years informed Dr. Geiyi. He further informed that GOI has provided additional resources for strengthening UIP to all states under NRHM. It is therefore, essential that the knowledge and skills of Doctors are updated on a regular basis to keep them well versed with not only the basics to Immunization but also with prevailing practices pertaining to the Immunization programme, Dr. Geiyi, also briefed the routine Immunization situation in Lohit District.

The Inaugural function were graced by Dr. B. Padu, DMO, Anjaw and senior doctors and officials. The 3 days Routine Immunization were conducted by resources persons from State Hq, consisting of Dr. Tana Takum, Dr. Sharmile Tana, Dr. Mary Ering Padung and Dr. (Mrs) W. Shin Padung. Altogether 39 doctors of both Lohit and Anjaw were trained. DIPRO

Farmers training on Intensive Aquaculture

ITANAGAR, Feb 9: In one of the technology out–reach programme in Papumpare district, all together 27 farmers of Laptap area were trained on Intensive Aquaculture by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Papumpare in collaboration with Dist. Fisheries Development Officer (DFDO), Yupia on Feb 6 and 7. The programme was sponsored by National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB). Hyderabad.

The selected beneficiaries of the N. F. D. Board (GOI) from different villages of Sagalee area have been imparted training on various subjects on fish farming including the Integrated farming system in addition to intensive aquaculture. The Subject on Integrated farming system (Fish cum Livestock and Fish cum Horticulture) was covered by Dr. Pranjal Borah ( SMS, AH &V) and Morseng Modi ( SMS, Horti.) respectively

Dr. Heli. (PC, KVK.) explained the farmers regarding role of KVK in technology transfer and reach the out–reach area like Laptap which has huge potential for Agri–Allied sector development. He informed the participants that more of capacity building programme (Training and Field Demonstrations) will be taken up in future to inculcate the farming community in the area with trained subject matter specialist (SMS) of KVK in various sectors.

The resource persons and trainees paid site visits to different fish pond construction site of the individual farmers of different villages and suggested for area selection and improvement in land development works which were on- going in the area, according to an official release.