The Cultural and Literary Society of Mishmi (CALSOM) on Sunday said that the ministry of information & broadcasting has proposed to merge All India Radio (AIR) Tezu with AIR Dibrugarh. While opposing the move, the CALSOM appealed to union Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur to upgrade/install a new and high-quality 10 kW FM transmitter at AIR Tezu. The move of the I&B ministry to merge AIR Tezu with AIR Dibrugarh is unfortunate. The Tezu station is one of the oldest radio stations in the state. It has been an important source of information for the people of Lohit, Dibang Valley, Lower Dibang Valley, Anjaw, and Namsai districts for many decades.
At a time when the government of India is promoting radio big time through the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this move to shut down AIR Tezu station is strange. Instead of merging it with AIR Dibrugarh, the ministry should upgrade it. Considering the fact that Arunachal Pradesh is a sensitive border state, the radio plays an important role in the dissemination of information in the rural areas where there is no reach of the internet. Also, AIR Dibrugarh is located in neighbouring Assam and they will not be familiar with the needs of the people of Arunachal Pradesh. The best scenario will be to upgrade the Tezu station with modern types of equipment.