ITANAGAR, 24 Aug: The Ringu Youth Welfare Association (RYWA) in a press release on Thursday informed that the inhabitants of Anne Neokhilanghi village in Phassang circle of Kurung Kumey district have resolved to “launch a democratic movement in persuasion of developmental issues of the village.”
Neokhilanghi is situated 102 kms away from district headquarters Koloriang, “but since 1947, no basic facilities have been provided to the villagers by the authorities. Despite several requests having been made to the state government, the authority remains deaf to our repeated calls,” the association said.
“The villagers are still deprived of basic needs and amenities like healthcare, education, road, internet connectivity, etc,” it added.
The villagers still have to walk several kilometres to fetch their rations and grocery items, and pregnant women are also forced to walk to reach the hospital for checkups and delivery, it said, and added that “ailing villagers are still carried on people’s backs to the hospital due to lack of proper healthcare facilities.”
It added that the union government launched the Digital India mission in 2015 but the area is still without internet connectivity, and the absence of internet has deprived the students of online education facility.
“The deprivation of road communication has forced the children of the villagers to remain out of schools and other education facilities, which affects the literacy rate negatively and their overall development, which is a violation of Article 21 A of the Fundamental Rights which guarantees free and compulsory education for students from 6 to 14 years of age,” it said.
The release further stated that “the absence of road bars the supply of food and other nutritional requirements to the villagers,” and added that “this results in birth of underweight babies and stunted growth of children.”
The villagers have repeatedly urged the government to address their grievances, but their pleas remain unheard, the association said, and added that, “in view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances, the RYWA has decided to raise voice against the government for basic rights in the form of a democratic movement.”
