ITANAGAR : The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sanction a special financial package and extend urgent Central assistance for relief, rehabilitation and restoration in flood- and landslide-hit Arunachal Pradesh.
In a representation submitted to the Prime Minister, the union sought declaration of the prevailing situation as a disaster of severe nature, immediate assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), and a dedicated financial package for rebuilding damaged roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and water supply infrastructure across the state.
Citing data from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), AAPSU said the ongoing floods and landslides have affected more than 97,000 people across all 26 districts, claimed seven lives and injured 29 others. It also referred to the ongoing search operation in Tirap district for two schoolboys swept away by the Chatjo River, in which one body has been recovered so far.
According to the union, the disaster has caused widespread damage to infrastructure, affecting 150 roads, 19 bridges, 21 culverts, 221 water supply schemes, 58 government buildings and 156 power lines. Hydel projects, hospitals and schools have also suffered damage, while more than 541 hectares of standing crops and nearly 1,010 hectares of forest land have been affected.
AAPSU president Meje Taku said the scale of devastation, even before the peak monsoon season, threatens to reverse years of developmental progress in the state. Stressing Arunachal Pradesh’s fragile Himalayan terrain and strategic international border, he called for sustained Central support rather than one-time relief measures.
The union also urged the Centre to expedite restoration of strategically important routes, including National Highway-13 and the approach road to the Sela Tunnel, both of which have been damaged by the recent rains. It further sought the deployment of a Central assessment team to work with the state government and facilitate speedy compensation for affected families, farmers and institutions.
Meanwhile, relief, rescue and restoration efforts are continuing across the state, with the Border Roads Organisation and the state Highway Department working to restore road connectivity even as fresh spells of rainfall are forecast in the coming days.
