ES Reporter 

ITANAGAR, Oct 25: Expressing dismay over the negligence by East Kameng Deputy Commissioner Pravimal Abhishek Polumatla and the Department of Youths & Affairs, the family members as well as local Search & Rescue team on Tuesday appealed to the state government to continue the search & rescue operation for Everester Tapi Mra and his assistant Niku Dao till they are located.
After receiving the belongings and materials of the missing mountaineers from the second and private rescue and search operation team, family members also sought re-appointment with Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
Addressing media persons at press club, Yatok Mra Nilo, the sister of Tapi Mra, expressed dissatisfaction with the first search and rescue operation carried under the jurisdiction and guidance of DC East Kameng.
An RTI has been filed at DC office, Seppa to produce video and photos which were taken by the first S&R team, said  Nilo adding that a similar request was turned down earlier.
"For the last two months family members have been looking out for Mra and Dao but due to lack of coordination in between the state government and district administration, they had miserably failed to provide air service to drop the second S&R team as assured by the chief minister," she said.
Accusing DC for the negligence, she also claimed that after her brother went missing, no officials from the Director Youth & Affairs have visited the family.
“The role of the department and DC are also questionable, therefore DC should not be released from East Kameng until the whereabouts of Mra & Dao is located,” said Nilo.
Instead of sending mountaineering experts, why did the DC flew with the Army personnel to the base camp, who conducted only a half an hour search operation? Why is there no updates from the concerned departments? she questioned.
"It was the department who granted movement order to Mra for the expedition, then why did the department not take a proactive role in S&R operation. Why was only Mra sent out for expedition without any assistance from mountaineers," Nilo questioned.
Mountaineer Tagit Sorang who led the second search team said that after waiting 12 days for helicopter requisition, the second phase foot based S&R operation was taken out by a 13-members team who recovered the equipment and belongings of the missing mountaineers. "The search operation was conducted from camp - I and went beyond the Camp – II where the tent was spotted," he added.

Meanwhile, criticizing the concerned departments for taking the search and rescue operations in a casual manner, the Arunachal Pradesh Youth Congress (APYC) demanded the state government to provide facilities to the family members of Mra as per guidelines.
Family members should be given whatever facilities Mra was getting from the department including immediate relief fund or casual worker’s post to  Niku Dao’s family, demanded APYC.
President APYC Tarh Johny during a press conference on Tuesday questioned why the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was not inducted into the search operation by the state government.
“Chief Minister Pema Khandu himself is the minister of Disaster Management, and then he should have brought NDRF into action,” he said.
After assurance, the state government should have airlifted the S&R operation team till Base camp - II, but they did not provide the same, which shows that the DA Seppa and State government are hiding something, asserted Johny.

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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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