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ITANAGAR : Fresh floods, landslides, and heavy rain affected four districts of Arunachal Pradesh in the last 24 hours, damaging houses and public infrastructure, while the number of people affected by the monsoon deluge has risen to 1,02,917 across the state, an official report said on Tuesday. The ongoing spell of rain-triggered floods and landslides has so far claimed seven lives and left 29 people injured across the state. The daily situation report of the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said that Kamle, Pakke Kessang, Kra Daadi and East Kameng were the districts newly affected during the last 24 hours. The SEOC said Upper Siang remains the worst-affected district with about 49,259 people impacted, followed by Siang (25,365), Kra Daadi (13,731), East Kameng (6,146) and Namsai (2,657). While Kamle reported one incident each of heavy rainfall and flooding, Pakke Kessang witnessed one landslide, Kra Daadi recorded three floods and three landslide incidents, while East Kameng reported two flood incidents. In Kamle district, Kamporijo circle and Yukar village were affected. In Pakke Kessang, the affected area was Pijirang circle, including Pakro village. Fresh damage was also reported from Nyorig, Tali, Pipsorang and Gangte circles in Kra Daadi district, covering Ruhi, Jha, Tali Town, Tali-Pipsorang road, Balo and Pha villages. In East Kameng district, Seppa circle, including Type-III Colony and Seppa town, was affected. No fresh death, injury or missing case was reported during the last 24 hours. The report said 17 kutcha houses were severely damaged by floods in Kamle district. In Kra Daadi, floods damaged four kutcha houses, one hut and 16 pucca houses. Fresh infrastructure damage was also reported, including one road in Pakke Kessang damaged by a landslide, one bridge and two roads in Kra Daadi damaged by floods and landslides, besides two hostels that were completely destroyed. In East Kameng, two retaining walls suffered severe and complete damage due to floods in the past 24 hours. Flash floods triggered by incessant rains have washed away an 84-metre bridge over the Kumey river, isolating eight villages in Kra Daadi district from the rest of Arunachal Pradesh since Monday. Pipsorang Sub-Divisional Officer Yumlam Pulu and Tali East Zilla Parishad Member Rughu Tama visited the disaster-hit sites. Pulu said that besides the bridge, more than 20 houses on the riverbanks have been destroyed. He urged the public to strictly adhere to the district administration’s safety advisories and avoid venturing near the river. At least 1,02,917 people have been affected by the recent monsoon havoc in 466 villages, including 295 circles, in all 26 districts. The cumulative impact of the monsoon continues to be significant, with 452 kutcha houses, 100 pucca houses, 44 huts and 24 other houses damaged across the state. Around 561.75 hectares of crop area, including 337.75 hectares under horticulture and 224 hectares under agriculture, have been affected. The disasters have also damaged 153 roads, 24 bridges, 26 culverts, 237 drinking water supply systems, 156 power lines, 224 electric poles, 59 government buildings and 19 schools, besides affecting 1,010 hectares of forest area. The SEOC said Upper Siang remains the worst-affected district with about 49,259 people impacted, followed by Siang (25,365), Kra Daadi (13,731), East Kameng (6,146) and Namsai (2,657). (Source: PTI)    

Staff Reporter ITANAGAR : The United Arunachal People’s Forum (UAPF) has reiterated its three-point memorandum submitted to the state government and announced that it will organise a mega rally in the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) on August 3 to press for immediate action on its demands. Addressing a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club here on Tuesday, UAPF leaders sought immediate government intervention on the Smart Prepaid Meter System, de-reservation of forest land in the ICR, and an investigation into the alleged financial irregularities in the construction of the Dari-Chambang road in Kra-Daadi district. UAPF president Khyoda Daniel demanded an immediate probe into the alleged misuse and misappropriation of more than Rs 121 crore sanctioned for the Dari-Chambang road project. He also called for the arrest of all officials allegedly involved in the corruption and the blacklisting of firms responsible for the execution of the project. Alleging large-scale financial irregularities, Daniel claimed that while the actual distance between Dari and Chambang is about 26 kilometres, funds were reportedly withdrawn for the construction of a 38 to 40-kilometre stretch by the executing agency in connivance with the concerned department. He urged the state government to conduct a thorough investigation and take stringent action against those found guilty. On the issue of electricity, the forum demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Smart Prepaid Meter System and restoration of the conventional postpaid billing mechanism. It also sought free electricity of up to 1,000 units per month for domestic consumers in the state. UAPF general secretary Dangu Mama said that despite Arunachal Pradesh’s vast hydropower potential, consumers continue to bear high electricity costs. He asserted that the people of the state should directly benefit from the abundant natural resources available in Arunachal Pradesh. Mama further alleged that the prepaid metering system has disproportionately affected economically weaker sections, daily wage earners, pensioners and residents of rural areas. According to him, the system has resulted in frequent power disconnections due to insufficient balance, additional recharge charges and difficulties for elderly citizens and people living in remote areas with limited access to digital payment facilities. He also urged the government to formulate a special power subsidy policy for economically weaker sections and ensure that the benefits generated from hydropower projects are shared with the people of the state. On the issue of land, Mama demanded early de-reservation or rationalisation of forest boundaries within the Capital Complex and adjoining areas. He said that large portions of the present-day ICR were brought under the Durpang Reserved Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary in 1979 under the Assam Forest Regulation, 1891, when Arunachal Pradesh was still a Union Territory. He claimed that the reserved forest status has become a major hurdle in obtaining Land Possession Certificates (LPCs), land allotments, building permissions and bank loans. He further alleged that several public infrastructure projects, including roads, schools, hospitals, government offices and water supply schemes, continue to face delays due to mandatory forest clearances. Mama also alleged that many indigenous villages and traditional settlements were brought under reserved forest areas without adequate consultation and called for the regularisation of traditional land holdings. Recalling that the forum had served a 14-day ultimatum to the state government on June 19 over the three issues, Mama said a round-table meeting was subsequently held with Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and officials of the power department. However, he claimed that the meeting failed to produce any concrete outcome. Announcing the next course of action, Mama said the UAPF would organise a mega rally in the ICR on August 3 to press the state government to act on its three-point charter of demands. “We appeal to the state government to address our demands at the earliest and take immediate action on all three issues, as they are directly linked to public welfare, development and accountability in governance,” he said.          

Staff Reporter ITANAGAR :  The Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe Protection Forum (APSTPF) on Tuesday demanded an explanation from the Education Department over the inclusion of the Yobin (Lisu) community in the Class VIII textbook History and Culture of Arunachal Pradesh, alleging that it was unconstitutional and misleading. Addressing a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club (APC), APSTPF spokesperson Mogu Laxmi termed the inclusion a “blatant mistake” committed by the Education Department and the state government. “No one is above the Constitution and the law. A serious mistake has already been committed by the Education Department,” Laxmi said, demanding that the textbook be withdrawn and banned until the issue is thoroughly reviewed. Citing Articles 342(1) and 342(2) of the Constitution of India, the forum maintained that the Yobin (Lisu) community does not figure in the official list of Scheduled Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh and, therefore, its portrayal as a tribal community of the state in the textbook is unconstitutional. The APSTPF expressed concern that the first chapter of the Class VIII textbook identifies the Lisu community as one of the tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh, which, it alleged, could mislead students and create confusion regarding the constitutional status of Scheduled Tribes in the state. The forum urged the state government and the Education Department to immediately withdraw the textbook and rectify the alleged error, stating that such content could have far-reaching implications for the state’s recognised indigenous tribes. It further claimed that portraying the Yobin (Lisu) community as a Scheduled Tribe in educational materials and museums has created confusion among the officially recognised indigenous tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh. The forum also appealed to the Arunachal ST Bachao Andolan Committee, led by its chairman Sol Dodum, to intervene in the matter and work towards a concrete resolution to safeguard the constitutional rights of the state’s recognised indigenous tribes.    

ITANAGAR : The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has constituted an eight-member committee to study, oversee and monitor the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) across the state. In an order, AAPSU president Meje Taku said the SIR, which includes house-to-house enumeration, pre-filled enumeration forms and verification of existing voter records, is aimed at removing the names of deceased persons, duplicate entries and non-citizens from the electoral rolls. The union, however, emphasised that the exercise should be conducted in a fair, transparent and inclusive manner to ensure that no eligible citizen is inadvertently excluded, thereby safeguarding the democratic and constitutional rights of bona fide voters. AAPSU noted that Arunachal Pradesh’s difficult terrain, scattered habitations and logistical challenges make close monitoring and constructive public participation essential during the implementation of such an extensive exercise. The committee will be headed by Vice President (Protocol) Nabam Gandhi as chairman. The other members are Vice President (Administration-East) Pulai Wangsa, Assistant General Secretary (Protocol) Yomli Poyom, Assistant General Secretary (Administration-East) Chow Miling Khangkio, Secretary (Art and Culture) Tajing Jamoh, Auditor (East) Chowkhiya Tayang, Assistant General Secretary (Administration-West) Sanjay Nikhanju and Office Secretary Vikash Dada. According to the order, the committee has been tasked with monitoring the implementation of the SIR across the state, coordinating with district students’ unions, local stakeholders and the concerned authorities, identifying procedural issues or anomalies and bringing them to the notice of the competent authorities. It will also work to ensure that the legitimate interests of eligible citizens are protected and that no deserving voter is left out of the electoral rolls because of procedural or administrative lapses. The order further stated that the committee must obtain the prior approval of the AAPSU president before finalising any decision or recommendation.      

ITANAGAR :  The reported disappearance of two 25-metre-high steel power transmission towers and an entire stretch of an alternative electricity transmission line in Lower Dibang Valley has raised serious concerns over the security and monitoring of public infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh. The missing towers were located across the Sisiri River between Aohali and Dambuk. Constructed under the Government of India’s Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) scheme at a reported cost of more than ₹3 crore, the infrastructure formed part of the 11 kV transmission line that supplied electricity to Dambuk and Paglam subdivisions through the Pasighat-Mebo feeder until 2022. The line continued to function as a backup after the commissioning of an XLPE cable-based transmission system across the Dibang River in 2022, providing an alternative source of electricity whenever the primary network developed faults. According to sources, the matter came to light after recurring faults in the XLPE cable system led to prolonged power disruptions in Dambuk subdivision. With the 132 kV transmission line being constructed by Powergrid yet to be commissioned, the disappearance of the standby transmission line has reportedly left Dambuk and Paglam subdivisions dependent on a single power supply network. Sources said the towers were last seen around one-and-a-half years ago. Local residents reportedly remained unaware of their disappearance, attributing frequent power outages during the monsoon to landslides and other seasonal disruptions. The incident has raised several unanswered questions, including whether the infrastructure was dismantled under an authorised plan or stolen. As of now, there is no information on whether any First Information Report (FIR) or formal complaint has been lodged in connection with the matter. The transmission line was commissioned on April 21, 2015, when then Power Minister Tanga Byaling inaugurated the power supply to Dambuk subdivision. In 2022, the power network was upgraded with an 11 kV overhead line and a 185 sq mm three-core 11 kV XLPE cable laid along the Dibang (Sikang) Bridge, connecting Dambuk directly to the 132 kV substation at Roing to improve the reliability of power supply. However, the older transmission line reportedly continued to serve as a crucial backup during outages. As of the filing of this report, the Power Department had not issued any official statement clarifying whether the towers and transmission line had been dismantled under an approved plan or whether their disappearance was the result of theft or any other unlawful act. It also remained unclear whether any departmental inquiry had been initiated into the matter.