State News

Union mins, CM assess damage, review restoration works ITANAGAR : The flood situation worsened in Arunachal Pradesh, as one more person died, taking the toll to four, while 21 others were injured in the state, where 90,499 people were affected in almost all 28 districts, the authorities said on Tuesday. Two persons also remained missing as heavy rain, causing flash floods and landslides, battered the state over the past seven days, damaging houses, roads, bridges and public infrastructure, a report of the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said. Chief Minister Pema Khandu, and Union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Kiren Rijiju undertook an aerial and ground assessment of the flood-ravaged Keyi Panyor district during the day. The development came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Khandu over the phone to take stock of the flood situation across the state. On Monday, the deluge affected at least 12 districts. According to the SEOC report, around 90,499 people in 251 villages under 202 circles of the northeastern state have been affected since June 24. Upper Siang district reported the highest number of affected people at 47,357, followed by Siang (23,715), Kra Daadi (8,171) and East Kameng (5,895). According to a delayed report, one person died in a landslide at Sarti village in Anjaw district on June 28. The three other deaths occurred in the flash flood that struck Possa in Keyi Panyor district on June 24. The report said that 21 people were injured in the Keyi Panyor disaster, while two women are still missing. “Warmly welcomed Hon’ble Union Ministers Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Ji and Shri Kiren Rijiju Ji on their visit to Arunachal to assess the flood situation and the damage caused by the recent calamity,” Khandu said in a post on X. Chouhan, the Union agriculture minister, and Rijiju, Union parliamentary affairs minister and an MP of the state, reviewed the damage caused by the floods, assessed the ongoing relief measures and interacted with state officials to take stock of the rehabilitation efforts being undertaken in the affected areas, officials said. The CM expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for deputing the ministers to the state. Chouhan later said the two ministers had come to the state at the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assess the situation on the ground and ensure that all support is extended to the affected people. He said standing crops, including paddy, oranges and bananas, had also suffered extensive losses, badly affecting the livelihoods of farmers. “We have spoken to our brothers and sisters here and witnessed the extent of the destruction. The losses are enormous,” the Union agriculture minister said. The SEOC report said that as many as 342 kutcha houses, 82 pucca houses and 37 huts have been damaged across the state. It also recorded the deaths of 130 poultry birds, 613 small animals and six large animals. The monsoon fury has also caused extensive damage to infrastructure, with 80 roads, 12 bridges, 18 culverts, 147 water supply schemes, 21 power lines, 60 electric poles, seven flood protection walls, four hydropower projects, four government buildings and two hospitals affected. Several roads in Keyi Panyor, Papum Pare, East Siang, Upper Siang, Pakke Kessang, Lower Dibang Valley and Kra Daadi remain blocked or are under restoration. The report added that 1,010 hectares of forest area and 312.2 hectares of agricultural and horticultural land have been affected by the rain-related disasters. Rescue and relief operations are continuing with the deployment of the NDRF, SDRF, state police, Indian Air Force, civil aviation helicopters and local volunteers. Stranded people have been rescued from Keyi Panyor and Lower Dibang Valley, while relief camps have been opened in the worst-hit areas. Relief materials, including food grains, medicines and other essential supplies, are being distributed to affected families, the report added. (Source: PTI; Photo: PhurpaTsering Tsarmu Facebook)    

YUPIA : Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner Lobsang Tsering on Sunday conducted a comprehensive ground assessment of flood-affected areas under Sagalee subdivision following the cloudburst and flash floods that struck the district on June 24. Accompanied by officials from various departments, the DC visited several villages under Toru circle, including Yayee-I, Yayee-II, Hoj-II, Luksin, Yabi, Goya, Hoj Dakte, Yayee Poll, Soto and Techir, to assess damage to residential houses, roads, agricultural land and public infrastructure. Dakte Hoj panchayat emerged as the worst-affected area, with extensive destruction reported in Luksin, Yayee, Bodhe Happa, Yabi, Goya-I and Goya-II villages. Several houses were damaged or destroyed, leaving many families homeless, while agricultural and horticultural fields also suffered heavy losses. During the visit, Tsering interacted with affected residents, who narrated the extent of damage to their homes and livelihoods. The district administration observed that most displaced families are currently staying with relatives and are unwilling to move to temporary relief camps. In view of this, no temporary shelters have been established. However, relief materials have been handed over to the Toru Circle Officer and the Hoj Gram Panchayat Chairperson (GPC) for distribution among the affected families. The assessment team included Sagalee Sub-Divisional Officer Kipa Raja, District Disaster Management Officer Nima Tashi, officials from the Rural Works Department (RWD), Public Works Department (PWD), Public Health Engineering and Water Supply (PHE&WS) Department and the Power Department, besides the Zilla Parishad Member (ZPM) of Toru, the Dakte Hoj Gram Panchayat Chairperson, Gram Panchayat Members (GPMs), Gaon Burahs and other officials. (DIPR)      

PASIGHAT : Arunachal Pradesh University’s (APU) Ngurang Mana, Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work, represented the state, and the country at the Joint Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development (SWSD 2026), held in Nairobi, Kenya, from June 26 to 29, where she presented her ongoing PhD research. Mana presented her study titled “Prospects on the Educational Reintegration of Adolescents Recovering from Substance Use in Arunachal Pradesh,” which examines the educational experiences of adolescents recovering from substance use and proposes pathways for their reintegration into mainstream education. The research calls for coordinated interventions involving rehabilitation centres, educational institutions, families, communities, and government agencies to support sustainable recovery and educational continuity. The conference, organised jointly by the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW), and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) in collaboration with the Global Agenda Taskforce and the Kenya National Association of Social Workers (KNASW), brought together participants from more than 100 countries. It was held under the theme “Harambee: Social Workers Unite for Sustainable Shared Futures,” drawing on the Swahili word for collective action. Speaking about her experience at the conference, Mana said it offered an appropriate platform to present findings on substance use among adolescents in Arunachal Pradesh before an international audience and to exchange ideas with scholars and practitioners working on similar issues. She added that such platforms enable knowledge transfer and collaborations that can inform evidence-based responses to social challenges in the state. She also spoke about the need to strengthen recognition of professional social work in Arunachal Pradesh, noting that the field is grounded in academic training, research, and ethical practice rather than informal or voluntary service. She said professionally trained social workers are equipped to address issues including substance use, mental health, child protection, school reintegration, community development, and disaster response. She added that there is a need to create institutional opportunities for qualified social workers within government departments, educational institutions, healthcare settings, and community organisations in the state.    

ZIRO : The Lower Subansiri district administration successfully concluded a month-long Khet Bachao Abhiyan (Save the Fields Campaign) during June, promoting sustainable farming practices, soil conservation and reduced dependence on chemical inputs across the district. Launched under the guidance of Lower Subansiri Deputy Commissioner Oli Perme, the campaign aimed to encourage natural farming while creating awareness on environmentally sustainable agricultural practices to safeguard soil health and improve farmers’ livelihoods. The campaign covered 17 villages, where teams led by Lower Subansiri District Agriculture Officer Tasso Butung, along with experts from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Yachuli, conducted field visits and interacted directly with farmers. The teams assessed soil health and promoted organic alternatives to chemical fertilisers and pesticides through practical demonstrations and farmer interactions. More than 600 farmers received hands-on training in vermicomposting, green manuring and water conservation techniques. The Agriculture Department also encouraged farmers to adopt sustainable cultivation practices under the Government of India’s National Mission on Natural Farming, highlighting its potential to restore soil fertility while reducing cultivation costs. The campaign witnessed active participation from Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), strengthening community involvement in promoting sustainable agriculture. To enhance farmers’ financial awareness and access to government support, officials from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), the State Bank of India and the Lead District Manager’s office also joined the outreach programme. They educated farmers on improved seed varieties, water-efficient farming practices and welfare schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) and the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme. The successful completion of the campaign marked another step towards promoting sustainable agriculture in Lower Subansiri by integrating traditional farming practices with scientific techniques to ensure long-term agricultural and environmental sustainability. (DIPR)