Author name: OnlineAge

ANINI : The Department of Panchayati Raj, Dibang Valley, on Tuesday organised a district-level workshop on the implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 at the Circuit House in Anini. Dibang Valley Deputy Commissioner Bekir Nyorak attended the programme as the chief guest. The workshop was attended by Zilla Parishad Members Eta Mihu and Siyo Mihu, Heads of Departments, member secretaries and Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members. District Panchayat Development Officer (DPDO) Lijum Ete presented the district’s preparedness and action plan for effective implementation of the Rules. The deliberations focused on strengthening waste management systems in rural areas in compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court, with emphasis on coordinated and sustainable efforts. Addressing the participants, the DPDO directed PRI members to identify and geo-map campsites and other vulnerable locations prone to solid waste accumulation by October 31, 2026. He also urged Panchayats to promote source segregation and responsible waste disposal practices at the community level. Concerned authorities were further instructed to conduct detailed surveys and submit proposals for scientific solid waste management and door-to-door waste collection systems to ensure cleaner and healthier villages across the district. The workshop concluded with a collective commitment from all stakeholders to advance sustainable waste management practices and environmental stewardship throughout Dibang Valley. (DIPR)      

ITANAGAR : The nomination process for polls to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Arunachal Pradesh commenced on Monday with the issuance of the Election Commission notification, an official said. The last date for filing nominations is June 8, while scrutiny of papers will be taken up on June 9, he said. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 11. Sitting MP Nabam Rebia’s term ends on June 23. In the event of a contest, polling will take place on June 18 and counting of votes will be held the same day, the official said. The EC has earlier announced the elections to 27 Rajya Sabha seats, including 24 biennial vacancies in 10 states. A total of 14 candidates have submitted applications, seeking the ruling BJP’s nomination for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Arunachal Pradesh, state party president Kaling Moyong said. Those in the fray include Environment and Forest Minister Wangki Lowang, incumbent Rajya Sabha MP Nabam Rebia, Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering, former ministers Taba Tedir and Tage Taki, and former state BJP presidents Tai Tagak and Tangor Tapak. BJP sources, however, said that no candidate has been finalised and the party’s Parliamentary Board is yet to meet to decide on the nominee. With the BJP commanding an overwhelming majority in the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, the party nominee is expected to comfortably win the Rajya Sabha seat. (Source: PTI)      

LIKABALI  : A preparedness meeting for the ensuing South-West Monsoon 2026 was held at Likabali on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Lower Siang Additional Deputy Commissioner Mokar Riba to review disaster management measures and strengthen emergency response mechanisms across the district. The meeting was attended by administrative officers, Heads of Departments of Central and State government establishments, representatives of the Army, District Police, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Roads Task Force/Border Roads Organisation (BRTF/BRO) and other stakeholder agencies. The deliberations focused on formulating strategies to effectively manage and mitigate disaster or disaster-like situations that may arise during the monsoon season. Representatives of various departments and agencies shared updates on preparedness measures undertaken within their respective jurisdictions. Highlighting the vulnerability of the Akajan–Bame road stretch, a vital lifeline connecting several upper districts, ADC Riba advised commuters to avoid night travel and unnecessary journeys during adverse weather conditions. He emphasised that disaster management is a collective responsibility and requires close coordination among all stakeholders for effective response. Lower Siang Superintendent of Police Bomken Basar stressed the need for the District Disaster Control Room to remain operational round the clock throughout the monsoon period. He also underscored the importance of extending preparedness measures beyond the district headquarters and ensuring that all administrative circles remain alert and equipped to respond promptly to emergencies. Earlier, District Disaster Management Officer Tarik Nyitan welcomed the participants and outlined the agenda of the meeting. He urged all departments and agencies to furnish details of preventive and preparedness measures being undertaken to tackle monsoon-related disasters. Following detailed discussions, the participants resolved to strengthen coordination among departments and establish a robust framework for monsoon preparedness and disaster response across the district. (Source: DIPR)

ITANAGAR : The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has firmly rejected the stand taken by the Assam-based Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK) against the application of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to the Mising community in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the permit regime is a non-negotiable constitutional and legal safeguard applicable to all non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (non-APST) individuals without exception. Responding to TMPK’s recent statement, AAPSU President Meje Taku said the Union respects the Mising community’s historical association with the region and acknowledges its longstanding cultural and social ties with several tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. However, he maintained that such ties cannot serve as grounds for exemption from a legal framework designed to protect the indigenous peoples of the state. “The Inner Line Permit system is not a matter of sentiment or community preference. It is a constitutional and statutory protection guaranteed to the indigenous peoples of Arunachal Pradesh. No community, regardless of its historical ties or ethnolinguistic affinities, can claim exemption from a rule that applies equally to all non-APST persons entering and residing in this state. AAPSU’s position is unambiguous: ILP is mandatory for all non-APST, and this is final,” Taku said. AAPSU emphasized that the ILP system is rooted in a robust constitutional and statutory framework. The Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, under which the permit system derives its authority, was retained to safeguard the indigenous character of the state. The Union also pointed to Article 371(H) of the Constitution, which grants special responsibilities to the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh in matters relating to law and order, reinforcing the state’s unique constitutional protections. Addressing TMPK’s reference to the Mising community’s ethnolinguistic proximity to tribes such as Nyishi, Adi, Galo, Apatani and Tagin, and its historical presence in districts including East Siang, Lower Siang, Namsai and Papum Pare, Taku drew a distinction between historical association and legal status. “We do not deny the historical and cultural bonds between the Mising people and the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. These bonds are real and deserve acknowledgement. But historical affinity is not a legal category. The ILP framework is clear: if you are not an APST, you require an Inner Line Permit to enter and reside in this state. This is the law,” he said. The Union cautioned that granting ILP exemptions on the basis of historical or ethnolinguistic links would create a precedent capable of undermining the very purpose of the permit system, noting that many communities across the Northeast share cultural and ethnic ties with tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. “If historical ties become the criterion for ILP exemption, then the entire purpose of the permit system collapses. We cannot allow a precedent that unravels a protection that has stood for over 150 years and that every tribe of this state depends upon,” Taku said. AAPSU also appealed to individuals and organisations in both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam to exercise restraint and responsibility while commenting on the issue, warning that insensitive or inflammatory statements could strain the longstanding harmony shared by different communities. While affirming that its position carries no animosity towards the Mising community, the Union described the Misings as a proud indigenous people with a rich cultural heritage and expressed hope that all stakeholders would engage constructively within the existing legal framework. AAPSU further urged the Arunachal Pradesh government to ensure robust, impartial and uniform enforcement of the ILP system across all districts of the state.