Politics / Arunachal

GUWAHATI, June 11— Concerned NGOs and members of the public from various corners of Arunachal Pradesh and other parts of the NE region raised serious objections to the way the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is functioning in the region, at a public hearing on environmental issues on Wednesday. The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd., in cooperation with the Pollution Control Board (PCB), Arunachal Pradesh and the office of the Deputy Commissioner of West Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh, organized the Environmental Public Hearing at the Aalo Club in Aalo, the...

GUWAHATI, June 9 – The Buddhist community of the North-east region has expressed deep concern over the growing incidents of harassment and persecution of the Buddhist tribals by the militants and the security forces as well in the remote areas of Arunachal Pradesh. The Purvanchal Bhikkhu Sangha, in a statement received here recently, said that the militant outfits NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (K) had demanded annexure of the land belonging to the Buddhists and other indigenous people of Rima Putak, Thikhak Putak, Motongsa and Longchong villages in Tirap Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh.

The...

NEW DELHI, June 8 – The deadline for downsizing of ministries may be less than a month away but the North East is about to have its first victim, with tremors shaking the Gegong Apang Government in Arunachal Pradesh.

Honeymoon between the BJP and Chief Ministerrevealed Gegong Apang seems to be shortlived and appears to be have been even shorter then the rival Congress Party calculated. Speculation is rife that Apang himself along with his ministerial colleagues may walk over to the Congress Party before the deadline of July 7.

Serious political crisis has hit Arunachal Pradesh, with Apang...

BISWANATH CHARIALI, May 25— About 58,000 hectares of reserve forest areas in north Assam have been devastated following aggression by Arunachal Pradesh on the one hand and encroachment by local people and migrants on the other. Though north Assam has been enriched naturally by 28 forest reservers, existence of many of them has remained in hoardings only. In the Sonitpur district alone, which is home to 13 reserve forests with total area of 77,064.22 hectares, about 30,943 hectares of forest cover has been eliminated and encroached upon by various sects of people.

Of late, Arunachali...

ITANAGAR, May 15 – Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang of the BJP has said “underestimating opposition” by the National Democratic Alliance leaders and their “over- confidence” were responsible for defeat of the alliance, reports PTI. Asked to comment on the defeat of the BJP-led NDA, Apang told PTI that preponing of elections following BJP’s victory in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, selection of ‘ineffective’ candidates and too much stress on the ‘feel good’ factor and ‘India shining’ campaign were also responsible for the outcome, which he labelled as “disastrous...

Diyun (Arunachal Pradesh), May 5: Chakmas and Hajongs today scripted a new chapter in the electoral history of Arunachal Pradesh by voting for the first time, defying a bandh and poll boycott call by the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU). The estimated voter turnout in the state was around 50 per cent, said additional chief electoral officer D.J. Bhattacharjee from Itanagar. Polling in the state was by and large peaceful, barring two incidents of EVM-damage at Pating in Kurumkame district and Tagampu polling station under East Kameng district, he added.

The AAPSU, which called a...

ITANAGAR, May 5 – An estimated 50 per cent voters exercised their franchise in two Lok Sabha constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh today despite the ongoing 48-hour statewide bandh called by the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union to enforce poll boycott to protest the inclusion of names of 1497 refugees in the state electoral roll.

Though there was no major incident, repolling has been ordered at a polling station near Palin in Kurung Kumey district and another at Chayang Tajo in East Kameng district. According to election office sources, bandh supporters damaged an electronic voting...

Diyun, May 4: His community waited 40 years for the stamp of legitimacy, but Mukut Kumar Hajong can’t seem to wait even half that many hours to make his voting debut. One of the few Chakmas and Hajongs to be included in the electoral rolls of Arunachal Pradesh, Mukut said on the eve of polling that he would “try to be the first one to vote” when the clock strikes seven tomorrow morning.

Only 1,497 Chakmas and Hajongs can vote this time, but the enthusiasm of the communities about being given the opportunity to play a part in an Indian election for the first time more than makes up for the lack...

ITANAGAR, May 3 – A forum – the ‘Rights of Indian Citizens in Arunachal Pradesh’ has been formed to examine the effect of restrictions like Inner Line Permit (ILP) and on the citizens’ permanent residentship in the State in the wake of inclusion of Chakma-Hajong refugees in the electoral rolls, reports PTI.

A 13-member ad-hoc committee under the chairmanship of the Opposition Congress MLA TC Teli has been formed and will meet after the ongoing Lok Sabha polls to work out the detailed agenda.

Teli told newsmen here on Sunday that while the genuine Indian citizens who had “given their lives”...

Naharlagun, May 3: The Chakma-Hajong issue, lack of enthusiasm among the voters and occasional heavy downpour have marred electioneering in Arunachal Pradesh. The state, with a total electorate of 6,83,480, will go to poll for its two seats on Wednesday. Six candidates are in fray for the Arunachal East constituency. However, the main fight is between Tapir Gao of the BJP and Wancha Rajkumar of the Congress, who is backed by the Arunachal Congress (AC), according to the seat-sharing arrangements between the Congress and the Arunachal Congress.

The East constituency has 27 Legislative Assembly...