ZIRO, 11 Jun: The Tanii Supun Dukun (TSD) has appealed to “all the stakeholders and the residents of the Apatani valley” to not fill up the paddy fields and construct houses rampantly from now onwards, so that the region’s unique cultural values and heritage are preserved and protected.
“Rampant construction of houses and filling up of the paddy fields in the recent past are damaging and polluting the peripheral areas of the paddy fields. These activities are also choking and blocking the free-flow of water for irrigation in the paddy fields,”it said.
“The effluents and pollution from the houses on paddy fields are causing serious damage to the fragile ecology and environment, thereby damaging the essence of the culture of the Apatani community and destroying the beauty of the valley,” TSD president HK Shalla said in an advisory.
The advisory further stated: “Paddy fields are the mainstay of cultural and agricultural activities of Apatani people, and it is the essence of beauty and significance of the valley.
Riitu Pinim, a part of the Mida ceremony, which is the essence of marriage ritual performed in paddy fields and Dree, Yapuil, mythical, etc, are performed for bumper and pest-free crops and are part of our cultural heritage.”
The TSD said also that the Apatani valley, because of its unique landscape of paddy fields and settlement pattern, has been included in the tentative list of the World Heritage Site.
Moreover, the Apatani valley is one of the most sought after tourist spots because of the uniqueness of the cultural system of the Apatani community and the beauty of the landscape of the valley, it said.
“The paddy fields and the unique irrigation system are not only sources of foodgrain but aquatic lives as well as place for migratory birds and sources of groundwater of the valley also,” it added.
