ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, Dec 21:

The All Dollungmukh Area Students Union (ADASU) on Thursday served an ultimatum of seven days to the state government to address the grievances of the locals residing in the disputed Dollungmukh area bordering Assam, failing which it threatened to launch series of democratic movement to press for their demands.

The union has been demanding constitution of an enquiry committee to assess the ground realties which led to demolition of tourist lodges by Assam police, funds for rebuilding the damaged infrastructure and arrest of all officials of Assam involved in the eviction drive, shifting of firing range of Air force from Dollungmukh etc.

 In a press conference, President, Nido Tama condemned the recent illegal demolition and raised concern over continuing harassment by Assam police over the boundary issue.

Holding the Arunachal government responsible, he alleged that the state’s indifference towards the vexed issue is encouraging the Assam government through its police to continue harassing the people of Dollungmukh.

 

Asserting that the boundary issue was not new but decades old, Tama said at present the dispute is creating fear psychosis among the local residents.

“Despite pleas and several memorandums submitted to look into the matter, successive governments turned a deaf ear to our grievances and has never taken any concrete step to counter such illegal encroachment by police,” Tama added.

He also rejected the boundary demarcation recommended by Gopi Nath Bordolai commission, where six villages of Dollungmukh circle were allegedly included as a part of Assam, based on which the recent eviction was carried out.

“The Gopi Nath Bordolai commission was a single man committee,” he said adding that the demarcation of boundary as recommended by him is totally inconclusive, vague and imaginary which had been also rejected by the Supreme Court.  ‘The demarcation was made without involving our people of the area and we will never accept it,” he asserted.

Referring to the recommendation made by another three member local boundary commission headed by justice retired Tarun Chatterjee, which was constituted by the Supreme Court in 2013 last to demarcate the boundary , Tama urged the government to take reference from the committee report while engaging in dialogue with its Assam counterpart  to resolve the vexed case that is still pending in the Supreme Court.

The union also sought immediate implementation of recommendations which was given by three member local boundary commission after physically visiting and verifying all the major areas of dispute along the inter-state boundary.

General Secretary, Rotom Taya claimed the recent demolition as violation of Supreme Court order which directed both states to maintain “status quo” till boundary issue is resolved.

Informing that the union has registered an FIR against North Lakhimpur, DC, SP, PCCF Chief and DFO, Taya called for the arrest of all the officials present during the eviction drive for violating the Supreme Court order.

He further demanded immediate shifting of Air Force Firing Range from Dollungmukh, citing that locals are facing serious health problems triggered by noise and air pollution.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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