Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 14 Mar: The Yobin Welfare Society (YWS) has accused the state government of committing historic injustice to Yobin tribe.
In a press conference held at the Arunachal Press Club here on Tuesday, YWS president Ngwazosa Yobin stated that eviction drive carried out against the villagers under Namdapha National Park is “unjust without knowing the historical facts.”
Ngwazosa claimed that his community has conceded nearly 23 miles to the government of Arunachal and despite such major contribution they are being called encroachers and poachers which hurt the sentiments of the Yobin people.
“The ancestors of Yobin community have conceded Mihiphiphi(17 miles) Burma Nallah to Namdapha Nallah. Our tribe contributed 23 miles of our land to the forest. Despite such contribution, we are being accused of being poachers and encroachers,” YWS president rued, denying poaching and encroachment inside Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary.
“If the forest department is claiming 80 miles, where would a community live,” he questioned.
He urged the government to provide basic amenities to the villagers settling within 40 to 80 miles.
The YWS claimed that in 1983, the Namdapha was declared arbitrarily as National Wildlife Sanctuary upto 80 miles without the consent of the indigenous people.
Further, informing that Miao-Vijoynagar road could be completed as motorable road only after intervention of Chief Minister, the YWS appealed to the CM to ensure Miao-Vijoynagar road is completed as all-weather road.
The YWS also demanded for protection of Yibidi aka Badadi. They claimed Yibidi village is one of the oldest villages of Vijoynagar area which was renamed as PritNagar by an army officer Ajit Singh Guerya after his daughter’s name in 1962.
It further alleged former Changlang deputy commissioner Devansh Yadav of alluring the villagers to surrender their PRC and birth certificates in return of corrected documents where in Badadi would be mentioned. The YWS claimed that Badadi is not government land. However, the YWS allegation was unsubstantiated.
The society also raised concern over creation of infrastructures in Vijoynagar areas without taking consent from the locals. It claimed that Yobin community is deprived of land ownership. “Infrastructures are essential but bypassing the consent of Yobin tribe is not acceptable,” it added.
The society urged the government to start checking Inner Line Permit at Namchik Gate and appealed to the administration to seek address proof and PRC certificates of people entering Vijoynagar area.
Raising the constitutional deprivation in exercising the adult franchises in Panchayati Raj, the society urged the state government to conduct Panchayati Raj election at the earliest.
