TEZU, Jan 29 ? The Union Civil Aviation Ministry will continue to give top priority to air connectivity in the North East, Union Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said here today. More and more towns in the region will be brought under the air map, he said. Hussain, who was speaking to The Assam Tribune on the sidelines of the ongoing Brahmaputra Darshan Festival here today, said that from next year Haj flights will be introduced from Guwahati airport. This will come as a major relief for hundreds of Haj pilgrims who have to travel outside the region to take the flight to Mecca.
The minister said that it was under his Government's initiative that the number of embarkation points for Haj pilgrims in the country has been increased to 12 from five. Guwahati too will be added to the list next year, he said. Stressing on the importance being given to the North-east, Hussain said that his Ministry will try to improve air connectivity in the region as much as possible. He said that while two ATR aircraft have already been inducted to serve the feeder routes in the region, a third aircraft will be inducted soon. He said that his Ministry will also try to explore the possibility of starting ATR flights from Tezu. "It will end the connectivity problem in this part of the state, " he felt. Hussain informed that survey work will be conducted in the Tezu airstrip, that has been lying defunct for almost a decade, to see whether ATR flights can he introduced here.
Hussain was speaking after participating in the multi-religious river prayer on the banks of the Lohit (Brahmaputra) this morning. He symbolically poured water of the Ganges into the Lohit signifying the confluence of the two rivers. Hussain, who is the chief guest of the Brahmaputra Darshan Festival, 2003 inaugurated the festival last evening. Chief Minister Mukut Mithi, Arunachal Pradesh Governor Arvind Dave and Rajasthan Governor Justice Angshuman Singh are also attending the festival that is showcasing all that Arunachal Pradesh has to offer to tourists. A large number of tourists, both from India and abroad, have descended at Tezu to participate in the festival.
Hussain said that the festival will help promote tourism in Arunachal Pradesh. "It is a memorable event", he said. Chief Minister Mithi, who is personally supervising the festival, said that his government is trying hard to get tourists to visit the state and is organising regular festivals in select locations to draw tourists. He said that an Arunachal Festival will be held in the state next month.
Meanwhile, the entire Tezu township, district headquarters of Lohit district, wears a festive look as the local people are participating wholeheartedly to make the festival a success. The Brahmaputra Darshan Festival is being held here for the first time. The two earlier editions of the festival was held at Roing (on the banks of the Dibang) and Pasighat (on the banks of the Siang). The Lohit, Siang and Dibang are the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra. As part of the festival, several events have been organised. Among the things on offer are traditional dances and music, exhibition of handicrafts and handloom, food festival, traditional boat race, elephant race, fashion show, aero sports, water sports, angling, elephant safari, etc. The festival will conclude tomorrow.
Our Doomdooma Correspondent adds : The Brahmaputra Darshan Festival, 2003, was inaugurated here yesterday evening with lighting of the inaugural lamp and inauguration of exhibition by Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Syed Shahnawaj Hussain. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi who hoisted the flag in the morning at Tezu general ground ? the main venue of the festival ? said the idea behind holding the mega festival was to promote tourism in the State and showcase the rich tradition and cultural heritage of different ethnic groups. The festival which has been organised by the Arunachal Government in association with Sindh Darshan, Government of India is celebrated every year on rotation basis at Roing, Pasighat and Tezu on January 29 and 30. The festival aims at projecting the Brahmaputra river as a symbol of integrity and communal harmony.
The highlights of second day?s celebration was River puja at Central Lohit in Alubari at 9 am, boat race, folk-dances of different ethnic tribal groups and elephant race. Thousands of people witnessed the river puja today. The festival shall continue upto January 30 with exhibition stalls, cycle race and other games and sports, food festival, elephant safari, river rafting. It will be followed by cultural show and camp fire in the evening. Two foreign tourists namely Iman Byleveld, anthropologist and Don Bloch, writer from Amsterdam, Holland have also come to north-eastern States to collect materials for writing a book on the region.
Arunachal Governor, Arvind Dave said that Arunachal Pradesh was a very sensitive state with its boundaries with China and Bhutan. So he laid great emphasis on its all-round development. Besides other Government departments Project Udayak, an organisation under ?Border Roads? did a commendable job in maintaining the National Highway 52 in Arunachal Pradesh from Dirak Gate to Chowkham and the other road leading to the festival venue through Chowkhom-Alubari-Paya-Tezu. However, the road condition of a portion of NH-52 from Direk to Rupai is pitiable. It is learnt that it could not be repaired due to obstruction put by Doomdooma Forest Division in carrying necessary boulders from Arunachal Pradesh. The pilgrims for Parasuram mela have to face immense hardship for the bad road condition of NH-52.