September 13, 2026 5:44 am
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ONLINE AGE

(Online version of the Arunachal Age newspaper)

Author name: OnlineAge

Latest News, Popular News, State News

Lower Dibang Valley DC calls for mandatory use of CBuD app

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ROING :  Lower Dibang Valley Deputy Commissioner Fwwrman Brahma has directed all excavating agencies and contractors to mandatorily use the CBuD application before undertaking any digging or excavation work in the district. The directive was issued during a District Level Telecommunication Monitoring Committee (DLTMC) meeting organised by the Information Technology and Communication (IT&C) Department at the Conference Hall of the Mini Secretariat here on Friday. The meeting was attended by representatives from various departments, including Public Works Department (PWD), Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Power Department, Urban Development Department, Rural Works Department (RWD), Forest Department, National Informatics Centre (NIC), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and other Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). Addressing the meeting, DC Brahma stressed the need to improve telecom connectivity, particularly in areas with educational institutions. He also emphasised effective coordination among departments and telecom service providers to strengthen communication infrastructure across the district. District Information Technology Officer Minam Apum delivered a presentation on the key features and benefits of the CBuD application. The platform enables departments, agencies and contractors to verify underground telecom and utility assets before carrying out excavation works, helping prevent damage to critical infrastructure and ensuring better coordination among stakeholders. The meeting also discussed telecom connectivity issues and measures for improving network coverage in different parts of the district. (DIPR)  

Latest News, Popular News, State News

APSTS Golden Jubilee Marathon draws enthusiastic participation in Khonsa

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KHONSA : Transport Minister Ojing Tasing on Friday flagged off the “Run for Road Safety” Marathon at Khonsa, marking the commencement of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Services (APSTS). The event was flagged off in the presence of Khonsa West MLA-cum-Advisor to Home and Transport Chakat Aboh. Organised as a major event under the APSTS Golden Jubilee celebrations, the marathon aimed to promote road safety awareness, healthy living and community participation. The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from athletes, students, youths and members of the public from across Tirap district. Among those present were Tirap Deputy Commissioner Techu Aran, Tirap Zilla Parishad Chairperson Adv John KK Matey, Tirap Superintendent of Police Aditya, Transport Commissioner Saugat Biswas, Additional Deputy Commissioner Khonsa Namneet Singh, District Sports Officer Noah Mongku, Zilla Parishad Members and other officials. The marathon featured competitions in Half Marathon (21 km), 10 km Run and 5 km Inter-School Run categories for both male and female participants. In the Half Marathon (Male) category, Humen Senapathi secured the first position, followed by Vinit Rathi in second place and Son Engti in third. In the Half Marathon (Female) category, Tejaswani Lambkane emerged winner, while Sangmir Teronpe and Phohe Wangsu secured second and third positions respectively. In the 10 km Run (Male) category, Rajiv Tamang finished first, followed by Agalumso Tawsik and Bacemso Pul. In the 10 km Run (Female) category, Nang Lukkena Chautang secured the top position, while Anai Wangsu and Wanglih Wangsu finished second and third respectively. In the 5 km Inter-School Run (Male) category, Thakdang Pansa secured first place, followed by Lapan Wangsu and Jenngo Rumchu. In the 5 km Inter-School Run (Female) category, Nguna Lowang emerged winner, while Pitoh Wangsu and Sainya Wangsa secured second and third positions respectively. Cash prizes, trophies and certificates were distributed to the winners by Transport Minister Ojing Tasing, Advisor Chakat Aboh and Transport Commissioner Saugat Biswas in recognition of their performances. The marathon emerged as one of the major highlights of the APSTS Golden Jubilee celebrations in Khonsa, reflecting the spirit of sportsmanship, fitness and social responsibility. Through the theme “Run for Road Safety,” the event also promoted awareness on responsible road usage and active public participation in the historic milestone celebration of APSTS.  

Latest News, Popular News, State News

East Siang DC reviews infrastructure projects, welfare schemes

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PASIGHAT : A District Development Review (DDR)-cum-District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC) meeting was held in Pasighat on Friday under the chairmanship of East Siang Deputy Commissioner to review the District Development Report for April 2026 and assess the implementation of various Centrally Sponsored and State Sponsored Schemes in the district. During the meeting, the DC reviewed overall developmental activities, infrastructure progress and implementation status of welfare schemes across the district. Discussions were also held on law and order, Inner Line Permit (ILP) enforcement, public service delivery, transport safety and revenue generation. It was informed that 190 Inner Line Permits were issued during the month, while 73 ILP violations were detected. To strengthen ILP verification, a check gate has been established at Oyan Bypass. The meeting also reviewed the progress of smart meter installation in the district, which has achieved 67 per cent coverage so far. The DC directed the concerned department to expedite the remaining works for timely completion. Major infrastructure projects, including roads, convention halls, hospital upgradation works, district secretariat buildings and tourism infrastructure, were also reviewed. The DC instructed departments to ensure timely completion and maintain quality standards in all ongoing works. Reviewing welfare schemes, the meeting noted that East Siang district achieved 180 per cent of its target under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) for 2025-26. Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), the district achieved 100 per cent coverage with 48,184 beneficiaries covered. The health sector review highlighted that enrolment under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) has reached around 90 per cent at the family level and 73 per cent at the individual level. Addressing the meeting, the Zilla Parishad Chairperson stressed the need for better coordination among departments, ZPMs and Gram Panchayat Chairpersons (GPCs) to ensure effective implementation and awareness of government schemes at the grassroots level. In the concluding remarks, the DC emphasised that the benefits of welfare and development schemes must reach the poorest sections in a transparent and hassle-free manner. The official also directed all concerned departments to ensure mandatory conduct of Gram Sabhas for transparency and proper beneficiary selection. The meeting was attended by the Additional Deputy Commissioners of Headquarters, Mebo and Ruksin, administrative officers, Zilla Parishad Members (ZPMs), Heads of Departments (HoDs), Heads of Offices (HoOs) and other concerned officials. (DIPR)    

Latest News, Popular News, REGIONAL, State News

Four Arunachal residents killed as vehicle crashes into parked truck in Guwahati

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GUWAHATI :  Four people, including a woman government official and two young medical students, lost their lives in a road accident at Tetelia near Sonapur on Friday morning when the Bolero vehicle they were travelling in crashed into a parked truck. The victims, all residents of Arunachal Pradesh, died on the spot as a result of the impact of the severe collision. According to police, the Bolero, bearing Arunachal Pradesh registration and carrying a government plate identifying it as a vehicle associated with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, was travelling towards Guwahati when it rammed into the rear of a truck parked along the roadside under Khetri Police Station limits near Sonapur. The deceased have been identified as Lingi Barsa, who was a doctor and was driving the vehicle, his wife Kunga Dolma, an official of the Arunachal Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Department, their son, and his friend, both of whom were medical students. Providing details of the incident, Ankur Jain, Joint Commissioner of Police, said that the family had started their journey from Itanagar at around 6 am and was headed towards Guwahati. “The accident occurred under Khetri Police Station jurisdiction where a truck was parked near the roadside. A Bolero with Arunachal Pradesh registration crashed into the truck at high speed. All four occupants died in the collision. The driver, Lingi Barsa, and his wife, Kunga Dolma, their son and his friend were among the dead. Barsa had booked accommodation at Arunachal Bhawan in Guwahati, and the family had begun their journey from Itanagar early in the morning,” Jain said. Police officials investigating the accident said preliminary findings suggest that excessive speed may have been a major factor behind the crash. Investigators found no visible skid marks or signs of emergency braking at the scene. “When we examined the accident site, we found no indication that the driver had attempted to brake before impact. Eyewitnesses estimated that the vehicle was travelling at around 120 kmph. Based on the available evidence, we suspect that the driver may have fallen asleep while driving, though the exact cause will be determined after a detailed investigation,” Jain added. Meanwhile, questions were raised over the presence of the truck on the roadside. However, traffic police maintained that the vehicle had been parked outside the designated carriageway and that authorities had already directed it to be moved as part of an ongoing statewide enforcement drive against roadside parking. Jayanta Sarathi Bora, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said that police had instructed the truck driver to remove the vehicle before the accident occurred. “The truck in question had already been identified by our personnel during an enforcement drive against roadside parking. Around 10:45 am, the concerned officer had directed the driver to move the vehicle. We are conducting similar drives not only in Guwahati but across Assam to prevent unsafe roadside parking. Preliminary findings indicate that the truck was parked outside the white line marking on the road,” Bora said. Police have launched a detailed investigation into the incident to ascertain all circumstances surrounding the tragedy. (Source: PTI)    

REGIONAL

Truck driver shot dead as suspected militants fire on convoy of vehicles in Manipur’s Ukhrul

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IMPHAL : A truck driver was killed when suspected militants fired at a convoy of vehicles in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Friday, police said. “A joint team of security forces, including BSF, CRPF and police were escorting some 15 to 20 commercial trucks towards Ukhrul district when they came under attack near TM Kasom from suspected militants, killing a truck driver at the spot”, an officer said. Security forces also fired back, leading to a brief exchange of fire. The identity of the deceased is yet to be determined, the officer said. The incident happened some 6 km from Shangkai village, where protesters blocked roads, forcing security forces to fire several tear gas shells to disperse the agitators on Friday morning. Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Wednesday had met representatives of the Manipur Truck Owners’ Welfare Association, to discuss the law and order situation on the National Highways and the movement of goods transport. The CM had said that “The government is committed to ensuring the safe and smooth movement of transport vehicles and keeping the National Highways free from all hindrances. Two civilians, including a retired Army soldier, were shot dead by suspected militants on April 18 last in an ambush near TM Kasom village. (Source: PTI)    

REGIONAL

Tipra Motha MLA writes to Shah, urges him to stop infiltration in Tripura

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AGARTALA : Tipra Motha Party MLA Ranjit Debbarma on Friday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to detect, detain and deport illegal immigrants from Tripura. In a letter to Shah, he said the illegal immigrant issue is “highly vulnerable and dangerous” to the internal security and sovereignty of the country, and sought the Centre’s intervention for implementing the Inner Line Permit for those coming from outside the state. “Illegal foreigners have been entering the state, taking the opportunity of weak administration and the direct and indirect help of dishonest political leaders and officials,” he said. Debbarma claimed that most of the illegal migrants have been going to several states and creating disturbances there after they entered India through the international border in Tripura. “Some illegal migrants work for their livelihood, but some are involved in terror activities,” the TMP legislator alleged. Debbarma claimed that infiltrators are changing the demographic structure of the bordering state, creating unemployment and land-related problems, and indulging in cross-border crime. “It is a matter of great sorrow that no government machinery in the northeastern state has worked on such a sensitive issue of illegal migrants. I have written to the Centre and the state government to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the bordering state to check infiltration, but no action has been taken yet,” the legislator said. He lauded the Centre for forming a high-powered committee on the infiltration issue, and termed it as a “timely step to maintain law and order and internal security”. Debbarma also sought to meet the union home minister during his proposed visit to the state on June 5. “Kindly allow me a specific time in Agartala on June 5 for making a representation verbally with relevant documents on this severe issue of illegal immigrants so that National Register of Citizens, Inner Line Permit, Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 can be implemented in the state to secure the border,” he added. (Source: PTI)    

REGIONAL

Zubeen Garg death: Gauhati HC denies bail to key accused Shyamkanu Mahanta

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GUWAHATI ; The Gauhati High Court on Friday rejected bail to Shyamkanu Mahanta, the prime accused in the Zubeen Garg death case, noting that there is a “risk of fleeing and tampering evidence”. After hearing arguments from both sides, a single-judge bench of Justice Mitali Thakuria denied bail to the accused. On April 30, a special fast-track court had rejected bail to Mahanta considering him as ‘flight risk’. “The accused had challenged the trial court order of bail denial. The high court today rejected bail to Shyamkanu Mahanta after considering some crucial points,” Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia said at a press conference here. The high court noted that Mahanta is a ‘flight risk’ and there is a possibility of him absconding from the ongoing trial, he said. “He had earlier erased all his mobile data. The prosecution worked hard to retrieve those. So, the high court viewed that there is a chance of tampering the evidence by him,” Saikia said. Besides, Mahanta is accused of also influencing his co-accused in the case, and the high court thought there is a chance of influencing the witness, too, Saikia said. Shyamkanu is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who was also the Chief Information Commissioner of the Assam State Information Commission. Gauhati University VC Nani Gopal Mahanta, who was the Education Advisor to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is another elder brother of him. On May 26, Special Fast-track Court Judge Sharmila Bhuyan framed charges against seven arrested accused in connection with the untimely demise of Assamese musician Zubeen Garg. The celebrated singer died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 last year while swimming in the sea. He had gone to Singapore to attend the 4th edition of the North East India Festival (NEIF). NEIF chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, his two band members Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amrit Prabha Mahanta, his cousin and Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg, and his PSOs Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya are in jail as accused in the case. Prime accused Shyamkanu Mahanta has been charged with eight different sections of the BNS, while seven charges were framed against Sharma. Goswami and Amrit Prabha will face six charges each, Bora and Baishya will face two charges each, and Garg will defend himself against one charge. They were booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy and causing death by negligence. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Assam Police probed Garg’s death case after more than 60 FIRs were lodged across the state. However, the Singapore Police Force, which carried out a separate probe, concluded that there was no evidence of foul play in the case. A Coroner’s Court in Singapore had also said that the popular Indian singer-songwriter was severely intoxicated, and had drowned off the Lazarus Island after declining a life jacket. Authorities in Assam asserted that it would not impact the case here in any manner. (Source: PTI)    

REGIONAL

Bruce Lee’s ‘Enter the Dragon’ film inspired me to pursue Taekwondo: Manipur CM

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IMPHAL : Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh said that actor Bruce Lee’s ‘Enter the Dragon’ movie inspired him to pursue Taekwondo. Speaking at a Manipuri film event on Thursday evening, Singh said, “I want to place that cinemas can motivate humans. A simple story is that in 1978/79, when Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon movie came out, it motivated me. I even went to Lucknow and learnt Taekwondo.” Singh also assured all possible assistance for the development of Manipuri films. The 63-year-old has been practising the martial arts form since the age of 16. Apart from politics, he has had a long association with Taekwondo. A black belt holder, he is a former vice-president of the Taekwondo Federation of India and has been involved in the promotion of the sport in the Northeast. He also founded the All Assam Taekwondo Association in 1982. (Source: PTI)              

Readers Forum

The Silent Flaw in APPSCCE – Unmoderated Optional Marks

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Esteemed Editor, While the debate over the 80:20 ratio in Arunachal Pradesh’s state competitive examinations continues to dominate public discourse, a far more insidious inequity quietly undermines the integrity of the APPSCCE — the complete absence of moderation or scaling of optional subject marks. The optional papers, carrying 500 marks (two papers of 250 each), are supposed to offer candidates a level playing field. The results of APPSCCE 2024, however, revealed a stark and troubling discrepancy. Optional subjects such as Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Agriculture, Anthropology, Public Administration, Economics, Botany, etc. recorded significantly high average marks, while candidates who chose Sociology, Geography, and Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) etc. received considerably lower marks in comparison. This wide gap — across subjects of equivalent weightage — makes it evident that what was being measured was not just candidate performance, but also the varying standards of examiners across disciplines. Candidates who scored high in their optional subjects deserve every bit of their success — they performed well, and their marks reflect that. But the concern is not with them. The concern is with those equally capable candidates in other optional subjects who also performed well, yet did not receive marks that truly reflected their effort and ability — not because they wrote poorly, but because the examiners assessing their papers operated on a different and stricter standard. This is where the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission has fallen short. In the absence of any statistical moderation or scaling mechanism, examiner subjectivity goes unchecked. The result is that a candidate’s final rank is shaped not just by how well they performed, but by which optional subject they chose — an element entirely outside their control. Equally important is the need for proper orientation and standardisation of the examiners appointed to evaluate these papers. The Commission must ensure that the teachers and academics selected to check answer scripts are of comparable expertise and experience across all subjects. A structured orientation process before the Mains would help align marking standards and significantly reduce the kind of examiner-to-examiner variance that currently disadvantages sincere candidates. This issue receives little public attention because it does not cut across all communities uniformly. But the absence of noise does not diminish the injustice. The goal of moderation is not to pull down those who scored well — it is to ensure that those who also deserved high marks actually receive them. With the Preliminary Examination scheduled for September 6, and the Mains still approximately three to four months away, the Commission has a meaningful window to act. I urge the APPSC to introduce subject-wise moderation or percentile-based scaling for optional marks, and to put in place a rigorous examiner standardisation process before the Mains — in line with best practices followed by the UPSC and other state commissions. I also call upon civil society, student organisations, and legislators of Arunachal Pradesh to take cognisance of this silent but deeply damaging inequity.   Yours sincerely, An Aggrieved Aspirant  

Editorial

In West Bengal, a few early fractures

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West Bengal’s new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, led by Suvendu Adhikari, has started with a series of contentious administrative decisions. It has renamed or repackaged some of the welfare schemes launched by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government and introduced central schemes that the previous government had kept at bay. It has also resumed the stalled national census exercise. Governments reversing and revising the decisions of outgoing administrations is not unusual practice. But the divisive tones in some of the other moves are striking. The new government has directed district authorities to set up “holding centres” for apprehended foreign nationals and released foreign prisoners. It argues that the move aligns with its promise to identify and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Some of these centres have started functioning. Adhikari said Bangladeshi immigrants detained in the state would be handed directly to the Border Security Force (BSF) for deportation, instead of being produced before courts. This is considered adherence to the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, which imposes penalties on illegal immigrants and other offenders. However, handing over suspected immigrants to the BSF without following due process raises legal and humanitarian concerns. Assam Police has deported bona fide citizens to Bangladesh in a similar fashion. Stripped of the officialese of “deportation,” the process involves pushing people across the border. Notably, Bangladeshi authorities have also pushed many of these people back into India. Such arbitrary actions may find endorsement among some sections, but they go against the basic principles of law and humanity. There seems to be a contest among BJP chief ministers, especially the converted ones like Adhikari and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, regarding anti-Muslim actions and rhetoric. The government has stopped all welfare assistance based on religious classification and allowances managed by the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department. It has mandated the rendition of Vande Mataram during morning assemblies at madrasas. No one should be forced into acts that are against their religious beliefs. The government should not act like unruly elements imposing religious symbolism and practices on other communities. Celebrations following the BJP’s electoral win saw some meat shops in the New Market area of Kolkata being razed down. On May 15, the Calcutta High Court stayed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)’s bulldozer action on allegedly illegal structures in the city’s Muslim-majority Topsia neighbourhood. From Adhikari’s words, before and after his party’s historic mandate in the state, what is seen now may only be the beginning. (Source: DH)