Staff Reporter
SEPPA, 22 Apr: Expressing solidarity with activist Sol Dodum, who is campaigning at the IG Park tennis court in Itanagar since Monday, demanding clean drinking water supply in Seppa township, hundreds of residents staged a massive protest at the general ground here in East Kameng district on Friday.
People from all walks of life, including women, youths and elderly, joined the protest and resorted to sloganeering against the public health engineering & water supply department and the district administration for failing to provide clean drinking water to the residents.
The solidarity protest was triggered by a social media campaign by youths, urging the residents to join the protest to express solidarity with Dodum’s movement, and also by the anger of the public against the government for failing to offer any “logical assurance” with regard to Dodum’s demands.
A sizeable number of protestors have pitched tents at the general ground here and have vowed to continue the protest until Dodum’s demands are fulfilled.
Later, the protesters forcibly entered the deputy commissioner’s office compound and started sloganeering. The protestors submitted a representation to the DC, demanding that the authority fulfil Dodum’s charter of demands and transfer local officers from the district after completion of two years of service in the district.
Meanwhile, the deadlock over drinking water supply in Seppa continues as Dodum has refused to meet the government’s representatives to discuss the issue.
“From team East Kameng a letter came. In the first place, I will not go to any minister’s chamber to discuss. It’s been nine days since I started the movement. Now, team East Kameng (legislators) is realising. People are asking me not to go,” said Dodum.
“I respect minister Mama Natung, but I don’t want to discuss the matter within closed doors. The charter of demands is clear; fulfil it. I don’t want to meet anyone,” he added.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu entrusted Environment & Forest Minister Mama Natung with the task of resolving the issue. Subsequently, Natung invited Dodum to his office chamber at the civil secretariat. However, Sol turned down the invitation.
