[ Talar Yuto ]
PIDI, Oct 26: The circle office located here in Mechuka subdivision of West Siang district remains defunct as a circle officer (CO) is yet to be posted here.
Pidi circle (which is now being proposed to be put under Shi-Yomi district) is the remotest area of West Siang, and the circle office was established in 1994. It was functioning properly initially, but after the transfer of the then CO RK Sona in 2009 no reliever has joined the office till date.
It is evident that administration of the circle has been neglected for the past 10 years, due to which the villagers are facing innumerable problems.
“The dilapidated condition of the CO office, which remains non-functional, has already led to stagnancy in implementation of various government programmes and schemes,” lamented Laxman Singlong, a local villager.
The plight of the villagers is such that they have to go to places like Mechukha and Aalo, covering long distances, to obtain birth and other relevant certificates for their children, he said.
“In the absence of administrative officers in Pidi circle, it has become difficult for the villagers to obtain various documents, including ST certificate, PRC, etc, with the students being the worst sufferers,” said Pidi GB Tapir Bunyi.
HGB Taka Singlong claimed that there has been no permanent CO in Pidi since the inception of the circle HQ, “due to which the public is facing immense difficulties for their daily official work.”
Recently, the people of the area submitted a memorandum to the governor, seeking immediate posting of officers, including LDC and UDC, in the greater interest of the people of Pidi.
In their representation to the governor, the villagers enumerated the problems faced by the people of Pidi, and said the absence of officers not only hampers the administrative functioning but might also lead to a rise in unlawful activities in the area.
Alleging “anomalies” on the part of officers whom the authority concerned deputes to Pidi circle, the villagers said officers and staffers attend the office only when there are official government programmes, and then leave for their respective towns.
The villagers also reminded MoS for Home Kiren Rijiju of his promise of connecting every village of the state with roads by 2019. They alleged that Pidi circle is yet to have proper road connectivity.