Arunachal urges Centre to check misinformation blitz by China, Myanmar

GUWAHATI, April 9: A high-level team from Arunachal Pradesh has moved the Union government to counter the moves of certain neighbouring countries who, it pointed out, were carrying on propaganda over their electronic media and starting to influence the Indian villagers living along the international border. The team led by Arunachal Pradesh Minister for IPR and Land Management, Sanjoy Takam called on the secretary telecommunications, Shyamal Ghosh, at Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi on April 4. The state team pointed out to the secretary, defence, that such strategy of China and Myanmar will, in the long run, alienate the innocent Indian citizens living in Arunachal Pradesh. The Arunachal delegation urged the various ministries connected with telecommunications and also security to immediately initiate steps for countering the misinformation blitzkrieg by the junta regime in Myanmar and the Chinese government. The team demanded that the telecommunication and electronic media network especially along the Indo-China and the Indo-Myanmar border be strengthened by providing INMARSAT satellite telephone in the telecom sector and high power transmitters (HPTs) and lower power transmitters (LPTs) in the electronic media sector. Pointing out that "our low power television transmission is countered by the Chinese and the Burmese high power satellite transmission," the Arunachal IPR minister added that "the international border areas are getting Chinese and Myanmarese programmes while tuning to DD-I." It urged the telecommunications secretary to set up separate OCB exchange at Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh and IDR amenities in place of MCPs for Yingkiong, Changlang, Daporijo, Anini, Basar and Yajali, as demanded by the State Chief Minister Mukut Mithi through a letter submitted on February 3, 2001, to the Union Communication Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. The delegation included MLA Takam Sorang and the assistant resident commissioner M Barga.