Jack Tayeng

LADA, Feb 23: Established way back in 1980 as a CO, Lada in East Kameng district is one of the remotest Circles in the state and its isolation is truly reflected through the absence of minimum basic requirements of a human settlement such as road, telephone and proper power grid connectivities.
Situated at an altitude of more than 7000 mtrs (approx) and at a distance of 170 km (via Thrizino) away from district headquarters Seppa, with more than 4000 people as population spread over 25 villages, it has been 40 years since establishment that Lada (Hq) has not got a road.
“We have to scale the hill for at least two hours to reach our village ‘Lada’ from 'Drakshi', the last village having road connectivity,” informed GB Kaman Kadoju. 
What troubles us most is the helplessness when there is some medical emergency. We have lost many relatives just due to failure in reaching the nearest hospital within time, he lamented. 
“With absence of a road, 50 kg rice almost costs us Rs 3000/4000 as we have to hire people for carrying the load,” stated Laming Sangjoju, a villager, adding that almost all essential items become double of their actual price.
Narrating the hardships faced during his school days, a youth from Lada, Akash Rijiju added “we are very much thankful that a road has now reached at least up to Drakshi village, when earlier we had to walk and cover the distance which took a whole day to reach the nearest village like Palizi in West Kameng, which is amore than100 km from Lada. I hope that the road will be connected to our village soon,” he stated. 
“Development of the road in Lada is the main agenda in every election and many candidates had promised to construct it, but till date, there is no such sign,” said a former Panchayat leader Solung Miji. 
He also disclosed that due to absence of road connectivity, government staff are also not willing to stay in Lada. 
While sharing the hardships faced by the people of Lada, Chairman, Nado Welfare Society (NWS) Kalley Rijiju informed that the road from Bameng to Lada would have been completed earlier but due to some controversies, it is still pending. “However, as the road from Kojo to Nabolong is in progress, we are pretty sure that it will be connected to Lada by next year,” added the Chairman. He also expressed hope that if the formation cutting works progress rapidly and weather turns out to be favourable, second stage will be completed within next year, also reiterating that NWS is giving top priority for road connectivity and pressing the concerned authority in this regard.

“I am also very much disheartened about the hardships being faced by the villagers due to lack of road communication in Lada since its establishment,” said local MLA Goruk Pordung. Although 40 years have passed without road connectivity, I assure you that within the next one & a half year, the much sought after road will reach the village, he added. He further informed that all concerned departments had been already instructed to ensure quality of the work.
Looking at these harsh truths of extreme underdevelopment in Lada, it will seem the much hyped ideas of Digital India and ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikash’ & ‘Antyodaya’ which literally mean “rise of the last person” have failed to make footfall here, at least as of now.

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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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