AALO, Nov 4: The Darka Amtum Welfare Association (DAWA) in West Siang district has sought the intervention of the International Human Rights Organisation (IHRO) Arunachal Pradesh for re-opening of the village ancestral route through ITBP gate no. 3 near Amtum village (an extension of Darka village).
In a letter written to the IHRO on 2 November, the Association said that the people of Doji, Bagra, Darka, Pakam areas, especially the people of Amtum village have been suffering numerous problems for the last five months due to closure of ancestral route through ITBP gate no. 3 by the 20 Bn ITBP in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The association said, the route through ITBP gate no. 3 has been in existence for more than 100 years and it is the only way to schools, the hospital, government offices and the Aalo market for the villagers.
The association advocated that closure of the route is a blatant violation of para 5 of the new unlock guidelines of the union home ministry which clearly states that ‘any form of blockades/shutdown or restrictions on movement amounts to violation of the guidelines issued under provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005.’
It said that the closure was “a complete violation of ‘Right to Life’ and ‘Right to Way’ under the Indian Easements Act and a complete violation of right to education of every child of Amtum Village.”
The association said that it had written several letters to the 20 Bn ITBP commandant and West Siang DC and also met the Aalo EAC to find out a solution to the problem.
Meanwhile, the IHRO has requested the chief secretary “to look into the matter seriously at top government level and give justice to the commuters who have been using the said road for the last 100 years.”
