ITANAGAR, 22 Nov: In view of the eviction notice served to the villagers of Belo, Lora, Buka and Gumto in Papum Pare district by Assam’s forest department, the All Papum Pare District Students’ Union (APPDSU) urged the state government to deploy adequate security personnel at all the strategic points along the Arunachal-Assam boundary to protect the villagers and prevent transgression and misadventure by Assam’s officials.
Stating that a notice has been served by the Harmuty (Assam) range forest officer to the villagers to vacate alleged forest land within 15 days, the union sought the state government’s immediate intervention in the matter to ensure that the situation does not escalate into a full-fledged conflict between the two states.
“The aforementioned villages are within the territory of Arunachal, and the forest department of Assam has no authority to serve such notice and carry out eviction drive within Arunachal’s territory,” the APPDSU said in a memorandum to the chief secretary.
The union said that “any forceful action by Assam’s forest department to give effect to the notice of eviction, or similar acts in the future will compel the villagers to act to protect their land and will culminate in confrontations, which will destroy the already volatile law and order situation prevailing in the border area.”
The union said that Assam has failed to maintain the status quo along the boundary, and that such acts in no way will contribute to the endeavours of the chief ministers of both the states to seek an amicable settlement of the vexed boundary dispute.
