Yet again, officials from Assam’s forest department have been accused of creating obstruction in the construction of road infrastructure inside Arunachal’s territory. The construction of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) road, measuring 18.60 kms from Lekhi village in Doimukh circle to Buka-II village in Kimin circle of Papum Pare district has been stopped by Assam’s officials. This is the second time in the last one year that the road’s construction work has been stopped inside Arunachal’s territory. Last year, a similar incident had occurred when Assam’s officials stopped the PMGSY road work in Tarasso in Papum Pare district.
The repeated interference in the infrastructure project work inside Arunachal’s territory by Assam’s officials is a matter of deep concern. They should respect the status quo order of the Supreme Court. The Assam government has no business interfering another state’s territory. The obstruction created by them is hurting the development projects in the state. Most of the areas along the Assam-Arunachal boundary are still very backward and do not have proper road connection. For years, these areas have remained neglected. After much wait, some of the road projects have been sanctioned, and just when people thought their bad days were over, Assam’s officials are creating unnecessary hurdles. The government of Arunachal should take up the matter at high level with its Assam counterpart. Both the states are ruled by the BJP; therefore Chief Minister Pema Khandu should immediately take up the matter with his Assam counterpart, Sarbananda Sonowal. Before the situation turns ugly, high-level talks should be held.