Arunachal CM Helicopter Still Missing, Rescuers Losing Hope

Search for Arunachal CM continues

Itanagar, May 2 : The Pawan Hans helicopter carrying Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and four others that went missing on Saturday still remains untraced as adverse weather continues to affect the aerial and ground level search operation even as authorities zeroed in on one probable location, Nagarjiji, a remote place close to Sela Pass in Tawang district, to track down the chopper and its occupants, including Khandu.

“For the third day today, inclement weather affected the aerial search and rescue operation by the helicopters to locate the chopper in which Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and four others were traveling on Saturday. There is no concrete information yet about the missing helicopter but all efforts are on to get some clue.

“However, the ground level search teams comprising Army, SSB, ITBP and State Police forces, besides thousands of local people have started proceeding towards the place called Nagarjiji, a far-flung hill station adjacent to Sela Pass,” divulged Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy while briefing the media here this evening.

He said, “Nagarjiji has been indentified to be the probable place with the inputs provided by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as per the imagery data collected by them on Sunday.

“The ground level search and rescue teams reached Chabrela, from where they have to trek for another five to six hours on feet to reach Nagarjiji which means a concrete information on this could only be known tomorrow by around 2 pm,” Narayanasamy said.

He said due to bad weather accompanied by poor visibility, the helicopters could not be launched despite all-out efforts put in to track down the missing chopper and the Chief Minister.

“We are not losing our hearts, hope will find the Chief Minister in safe and sound health,” said the Prime Minister’s emissary, Narayanasamy on a confident note.

“The imagery data collected from ISRO and Air Force are being analyzed and shared with all the agencies as well as the forces on ground for concentrating search in definite areas. The search is also on in other areas depending on the inputs and information available from various sources. All the information/intelligence are being shared with all concerned on real time basis through crisis management group, operating round the clock to expedite the search and rescue operation,” said Arunachal government spokesman and Power Minister Jarbom Gamlin.

He said, “Today also in early morning, two choppers of Indian Air Force had flown from Tawang to Bhutan territories. However, they returned to the base after recce without any success and further sorties could not be made because of inclement weather.”

Earlier in the morning, a 20-member Crisis Management Team headed by Lok Sabha MP Takam Sanjoy left for Bomdila after receiving the information that three possible locations have been identified where the chopper with Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu might have landed or crashed.

Accordingly, the search operation for the missing chopper has been narrowed down to the three locations along the Indo-Bhutan border, basing on the satellite images and other local reports. The places are: Nagarjiji close to Sela Pass, Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary adjacent to Dirang in West Kameng district and Mobi, a small hamlet in Trashiyangtse district of Bhutan.

“I am leading the team to Bomdila and we would set up a camp there and personally oversee the search and rescue operation in these three areas to locate the missing helicopter,” said the MP before leaving Itanagar.

Meanwhile, four Indian Air Force helicopters were pressed into service early Monday for conducting aerial surveys - two Mi-17 helicopters took off from Tawang and two Chetak helicopters flew from a base in Tezpur in Assam. Bad weather, however, led the aerial survey to be abandoned for the day after about two hours of flying.

Arunachal CM Copter Still Missing

India, Bhutan search border for missing official

Guwahati, May 2 : Police and rescue teams from India and Bhutan were searching their mountainous border Sunday for a helicopter that vanished while transporting the chief minister of the northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

The single-engine helicopter was carrying Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, two other passengers and two pilots when it disappeared 20 minutes after taking off Saturday from the Himalayan Buddhist retreat of Tawang for the state capital, Itanagar.

Bad weather is preventing Indian Air Force helicopters from joining Sunday's search, but ground crews were scouring the area, said Parliamentarian Takam Sanjay, who represents the state.

In eastern Bhutan, "police along with local villagers have set out to locate the helicopter at mountain tops and grazing grounds," while Buddhist monks were praying for divine intervention to help in locating the missing aircraft, said the country's Tashiyangtse district deputy commissioner Sangay Duba.

The Indian Space Research Operation has assigned a satellite to take pictures over the rugged mountain area.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has dispatched junior government minister to supervise the search and rescue operation from Itanagar.

The 56-year-old Khandu is a former army intelligence official elected in 2007 as Arunachal Pradesh's top official.

There have been two helicopter crashes in the area in the past two weeks.

On April 19, a aircraft run by India's state helicopter company Pawan Hans — which was also handling the chief minister's chopper on Saturday — crashed April 19 in the mountains of Tawang, killing 17 people on board.

Three days later, an army helicopter went down in the neighboring state of Sikkim, killing four.

Arunachal To Assam Help Against Timber Smuggling

By RIPUNJOY DAS

Dibrugarh, Apr 29 : Forest officers posted under various divisions in Upper Assam will seek the help of the counterparts in Arunachal Pradesh to curb timber smuggling.

The illegal trade has flourished for several years now despite a Supreme Court ban, primarily because of the absence of an effective and cohesive joint mechanism between both states.

Sources said most of the illegal timbers are felled in the hills and forest reserves in Arunachal Pradesh during the winters and kept ready for the rainy season.

“As the rains start, the logs are tied up in rafts and sent down the river with well trained hands in the business accompanying these rafts. Once these rafts reach the destination down in Assam, they are cut into pieces and processed in the illegal bench-saw mills,” a source said.

“Generally the species, which are being brought through this illegal channel, are meckai, teli, chopa, goonsorai, simul, azar, hillock and others, which grow in plenty in the evergreen forest belts of Arunachal Pradesh,” the source added.

“We have proposed a meeting with forest officials of Arunachal Pradesh very soon to discuss the issue. We will have to develop some mechanism. After all, it has to be Arunachal Pradesh which will have to take the first step to curb the illegal trade since it all starts in their territory,” divisional forest officer (DFO), Dibrugarh, Anurag Singh, said.

The additional principal chief conservator of forests (timber) of Arunachal Pradesh, M. Namchoom, while welcoming the proposal from Assam regarding discussions on the issue, denied that Arunachal Pradesh is lax towards curbing timber smuggling. “Blame game will not help solve the crisis. We will have to form joint action teams in the bordering areas, most of which is covered by water, to curb the problem,” Namchoom said.

Illegal timber business is a subject, which many do not wish to discuss, though it has affected the green canopy of the region to a large extent, because of the allegations of involvement of the timber mafia, politicians and a section of corrupt and unscrupulous senior officials of the forest department.

During the winters, timber smuggling goes down considerably as it is difficult to ferry the consignments on rafts across a dry Brahmaputra. Timber smugglers prefer the river route.

However, with the advent of the rainy season and the Brahmaputra in spate, the entire focus is back on the illegal trade.

Indeed, the scale of illegal timber business has been gauged by the volume of timber being seized by the Dibrugarh territorial forest division headed by Singh during the past couple of years.

During 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11, the division seized around 4,600 logs and earned around Rs 70 lakh for the state government when sold through tendering after being confiscated.

The market value of the timber is likely to be around Rs 1.5 crore.

“During these three years, we have also arrested around 50 people involved with the trade and confiscated more than 35 bench-saw mills,” Singh, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, said.

The DFO of Tinsukia wildlife division, Vaibhab Mathur, another IFS officer, said since the beginning of this year, his division seized around 240 logs, which were being illegally ferried in rafts across the Brahmaputra.

The logs were later handed over to the Dibrugarh territorial division, which is the competent authority for such hauls.

“Seizures are fine but it cannot be the end solution to the problem. To bring about a permanent solution we will have to have a cohesive policy between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh so that we can put an end to the illegal trade,” Singh said.

Pawan Hans Rejects Arunachal Govt Charge

People watch as a Pawan Hans chopper crashes while landing in Tawang.

New Delhi, Apr 22 : A blame game has erupted over the Tawang helicopter crash that claimed 17 lives with Pawan Hans asserting today its choppers were “properly and regularly maintained” after the Arunachal Pradesh Government charged the operator with flying “non-airworthy” helicopters.

Rejecting the charges by the Arunachal Government over airworthiness of its fleet, the Central Government-owned helicopter operator said its choppers were properly maintained and had the necessary certification to fly.

“Our helicopters are properly and regularly maintained and serviced. All of them have valid airworthiness certification and our pilots are highly trained”, a spokesman for the Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited (PHHL) told PTI.

He said the pilots Capt Varun Gupta and Capt AK Tiwari of the ill-fated MI-17 chopper were “highly experienced with over 5,000 hours of flying”.

Tuesday’s accident caused the death of 17 of the 23 people on board the helicopter but Capt Gupta and five others miraculously survived though with serious burn injuries. Tiwari was among the victims.

The PHHL spokesman’s statement came after the State Government shot off a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry demanding an inquiry into the maintenance status of the PHHL helicopters and whether the guidelines of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) were being met by it. The State Government yesterday blamed PHHL for the crash.

“Despite repeated written complaints to the Pawan Hans Chairman-cum-Chief Managing Director, RK Tyagi and General Manager (Marketing) and in-charge of North East Sanjoy Kumar to replace the 15-year-old choppers being pressed into service in the State since 1995, the authority remained unmoved,” the North-Eastern State’s Civil Aviation Commissioner Hage Khoda said yesterday.

Arunachal Home Minister Tako Dabi, Lok Sabha MP Takam Sanjoy and several others have also criticised the PHHL for allegedly operating “non-airworthy” helicopters to and from Tawang, a popular tourist destination. The Tawang helipad is one of the highest in the world, located at an altitude of 11,000 feet, bordering China’s Tibet region.

There have been a series of chopper crashes in the high altitude areas of Arunachal Pradesh, including in November 1997 in which Minister of State for Defence NVN Somu and three others were killed when their Cheetah helicopter hit a 1,300 feet peak about 40 kms from Tawang.

In 2009, an IAF AN-32 aircraft crashed at Mechuka, killing all 13 defence personnel on board.

Helicopter Carrying 23 People Crashes in Arunachal

Tawang, Apr 19 : A Pawan Hans helicopter carrying more than 20 people crashed in far northeastern India on Tuesday afternoon, local media reported.

The accident happened at around 2 p.m. local time when the Pawan Hans helicopter crashed into a gorge while landing in Tawang, a small town in the northwestern part of Arunachal Pradesh state. Few details were immediately available.

CNN-IBN reported that at least five people had been killed in the accident, and that the Indian Army has launched a rescue operation. The fate of the others on board, which include five crew members and two children, was not immediately known.

The helicopter had reportedly taken off from the eastern city of Guwahati at around 1.15 p.m. local time.

It belongs to Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited, which provides helicopter services in India.

North East Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference on April 27

Itanagar, Apr 15 : The 13th Annual Conference of North East Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association will be held here from April 27 next.

Besides Lok Sabha Speaker Miera Kumar, all the Speakers and Deputy Speakers of the North Eastern region will be attending the four-day-long conference, according to secretary of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly M Lasa here today.

Secretary General of Lok Sabha, MPs and MLAs from other parts of the region, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pavan Bansal and leader of Opposition, are likely to attend the conference, Mr Lasa informed.

Wildlife Hunting On in Arunachal

Itanagar, Apr 12 : Hunting of wild animals continues unabated in Arunachal despite constant campaigns against animal killing by several organisations and leaders.

Since time immemorial, hunting has been a traditional practice of indigenous people in the State. The message of Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, who has voiced concern over the rampant killing of animals, has had little meaning to the villagers who hunt seasonally as part of their traditions.

“The so-called traditional and seasonal hunting practices in the village level on the pretext of cultural rituals have been the impediments for the department to act effectively,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) BS Sajwan said.

He, however, admitted that since tribals were dependant on animals and forest resources for their sustainability, their traditional rights could not be curtailed. “Nevertheless, the attitude and approach of villagers can be changed through massive awareness campaign in villages and in schools with the help of the media.”

“Students and panchayat leaders need to be involved in the awareness campaign to disseminate the importance of wildlife in conservation of the ecology,” Sajwan said.

Admitting lapses in the functioning of the department, he said, “We have directed the department’s enforcement wing to be more vigilant and conduct surprise checking and regular raids in all markets within and outside the capital to control illegal sale of wildlife meat.”

He asked the deputy commissioners of all districts to make efforts towards preventing hunting and take extra care while issuing gun licences.

Deputy Conservator of Forest P Ringu said the modern hunting technique was more dangerous than traditional and it inflicted larger threat to the existence of wildlife. “In traditional hunting, villagers follow conventional methods by using bow and arrow, but in the so-called modern hunting, modern weapons are being used,” Ringu said.

“The present situation can only be stopped and checked if buyers and poachers are punished equally,” he added.

Arunachal Warns Of Stern Action Against NSCN-K For Threat

By K Anurag

Guwahati, Mar 14 : The Arunachal Pradesh government has warned of stern action against the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, the Naga rebel group, which recently 'directed' the 12 elected representatives from various constituencies in Tirap and Changlang districts to withdraw support to Dorjee Khandu-led Congress government in the frontier hill state.

A statement issued by the state government spokesman, Jarbom Gamlin, said, "The Arunachal Pradesh government has taken strong exception to this unethical, undemocratic and illegal act that amounts to anti-state and anti-national activity. The government condemns the act as misleading, mischievous and one crafted with ulterior political motives of creating confusion among the people."

"The government would like to send a very clear message that it will not bow down to such acts of subversion. This particular matter has been taken seriously. The matter will be investigated thoroughly and the guilty shall be dealt sternly as per the provisions of law."

The government has also lauded the solidarity demonstrated by the people, civil society, non-government organisations, and all the political parties of the state towards the greater interest of the state, in the wake of the threat issued to the legislators of Tirap and Changlang districts by the NSCN-K to withdraw support from the Khandu-led government.

The state government reiterated its commitment to maintain peace and tranquility in the state, including the districts of Tirap and Changlang at all cost.

Meanwhile, legislators from the state, including those from Tirap and Changlang district, have re-affirmed and re-assured their strong support to the ruling Congress government under the leadership of Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu.

The NSCN-K, which has been in truce with the Indiam forces within Nagaland, is very active in Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Myanmar. The NSCN-K has its main base inside Myanmar where its 'chairman' S S Khaplang operates from.

Insurgent Turf Wars Heat Up Arunachal’s Border Areas

By Avalok Langer

As couples exchanged roses in the rest of India on Valentine’s Day, the rattle of an AK-47 broke the fragile peace in Khonsa, Arunachal Pradesh. A Chinese-made M-16 temporarily silenced waves of sporadic firing from the underground’s weapon of choice. Within moments, a chorus of automatic weapons joined the duet.

As National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) ultras forced schools, markets and government offices to shut down, the factional war continued.

With inaccessible mountain ranges and dense forests, Arunachal has become an ideal ‘base camp’ for underground groups. While the two NSCN factions — Isak- Muivah (IM) and Khaplang (K) — battle each other for dominance in Tirap and Changlang districts, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) have moved into the state in pursuit of new safe havens.

The two Naga-dominated districts — which were previously under the control of NSCN(K) —are not only part of the proposed Nagalim (Greater Nagaland) but are of strategic importance to the groups due to its location on the Indo-Myanmar border. Dense vegetation, difficult terrain and a porous border make these districts a sort of pitstop for cadres moving into and out of NSCN(K)’s headquarters in Myanmar. Whoever controls this ‘gateway’ controls the cross-border trade of arms and drugs (opium grown in Arunachal Pradesh) and earns the allegiance and financial tribute of underground groups seeking to cross the border.

With the return of general secretary Th Muivah to India, the NSCN(IM) has been making efforts to reassert itself in Nagalim. Having pushed into Arunachal, the rebel outfit is trying to edge out the NSCN(K) and take control.

The recent bloodshed over Khonsa is simple economics. Control of the village will ensure huge financial rewards through drug peddling and open ‘tax collection’ (extortion). While Opposition parties, student bodies and civil societies mount pressure on the state government to “handle the situation”, the authorities seem powerless to control either faction of the NSCN.

Meanwhile, the Burmese underground group KIA, an ally of NSCN, has moved into Namdhapha National Park and Miao, an area stretching into the two districts. Sources say that the KIA has not only moved in but with the support of the Singpho tribe (who are of the same genetic stock), they have started clearing sections of the reserve forest to set up camps and tea plantations.

“I can understand the presence of the NDFB, ULFA and NSCN in Arunachal; they are homegrown movements. But the KIA are foreigners, they are fighting the Burmese junta. So why are they allowed to be here?” asks a local villager. Suggesting a RAW-KIA link, he adds, “Just some time ago, the army captured two KIA cadres, but they were released overnight. The army, the government, the police, IB, they all know they are here, setting up camps but they don’t act. Why?”

With the Assam, Bangladesh and Bhutan governments cracking down on the NDFB and ULFA, the Assamese groups have been forced to find new safe havens. Military and local sources confirm that while the NDFB has moved into West and East Kameng districts of western Arunachal, ULFA is trying to set up camps in and around Lohit district.

Local residents complain that the groups have already set up extortion networks and have established hideouts in the dense jungles outside the army’s reach. Passing in and out of Myanmar for training, the NDFB and ULFA are both aligned with the NSCN(K).

As the Indian Army is engaged in the daunting task of defending the mountainous Indo-China border, the underground outfits seem to have a free run of the state. With a national media focussed on Maoists in the ‘Red Corridor’ and a state government unable to tackle the growing influx of insurgencies, the locals of Arunachal are left with one question, “Whom do we turn to for help?”

Arunachal To Be Leader in Power Production

Itanagar, Mar 4 : Arunachal Pradesh is poised to be one of the leading power producing States in the country by 2022-23 after majority of its allotted power projects are commissioned, Governor Gen (Retd) J J Singh informed the State Assembly today.

“The annual revenue accrual to the State is likely to be of the order of Rs 10,000 crore after complete commission of the projects with an estimated capacity of 57000 megawatt,” the Governor said in his customary speech on the inaugural day of the six-day Budget Session.

He said the State is expected to have adequate power for its own consumption and by the end of 12th Plan the revenue figure was projected at Rs 1,905 crore annually.

“High priority is accorded by my government to the optimum exploitation of the available water resources in the State for power generation to provide electricity as well as employment opportunities,” he said.

The State government has adopted effective policies for development of its hydro potential which have paved the way for development of both small and large hydro power projects on public-private partnership (PPP) mode through State and Central sector PSUs as well as independent power producers, he added.

By the end of 12th Plan, the State was likely to add about 12,081.90 MW capacity under its Hydro Power Sector, he said.

The Border Villages Illumination Programme under Prime Minister’s Package was also being implemented with the aim of electrifying remote border villages, he said.

“So far, more than 1300 villages have been electrified under the programme,” he added.

Trans-Arunachal Power Grid is in a conceptual stage and a detailed project report has been submitted to the Planning Commission.

The Khupi-Tawang portion of this grid has already been sanctioned by the DoNER Ministry, he said.

Arunachal Has The Fastest Growth Rate in India

New Delhi, Feb 24 : The northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh clocked the highest economic growth rate in the country of 22.43 percent in 2009-10, followed by Mizoram and Goa, according to a government report.

Arunachal Pradesh's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) rose by 7.51 percent in 2008-09.

Minister of State for Planning Ashwani Kumar informed the Lok Sabha that Mizoram and Goa registered GSDP growth of 13.95 percent and 13.03 percent, respectively, in 2009-10.

However, the GSDP growth performance of Rajasthan -- at 3.95 percent -- was the lowest among the 32 states and Union Territories in the country last fiscal.

The other two states where the pace of economic expansion was low were Andaman and Nicobar and Karnataka , at 4.39 and 4.99 percent, respectively.

Kumar also said in his reply that as many as 19 states and Union Territories recorded economic expansion at a rate over 8 percent during the year.

The country's overall gross domestic product growth during 2009-10 stood at 8 percent. The government expects the country to clock a GDP growth rate of 8.6 percent in the current fiscal.

Data for the states of Manipur and West Bengal was not available.

Arunachal MP Calls Swami Ramdev A ‘Dog’

Itanagar, Feb 20 : The MP from Arunachal had misbehaved with Ramdev and called him a `bloody Indian'

Swami Ramdev preforming a yoga. Cong MP from Arunachal Pradesh Ninong Ering had allegedly misbehaved with the yoga expert and called him a bloody Indian.

New Delhi: Supporters of Swami Ramdev have said they will hold "shudhi yagna" (purification ceremony) on Sunday at the residence of Ninong Ering, Congress MP from Arunachal Pradesh, and not allow him to enter parliament for his "derogatory utterances" against the yoga guru at a camp held in the state.

Patanjali Yogpeeth, which is headed by Swami Ramdev, said in a statement that the MP misbehaved with the yoga guru by calling him a "bloody Indian" and "a dog" at a yoga camp, and threatened him with dire consequences for his movement against corruption.

"The local Congress MP, Ninong Ering, called Swami Ramdev 'bloody Indian' and 'a dog' and threatened him with dire consequences for his Bharat Swabhiman movement against corruption and black money," the statement said.

It said Arunchal Pradesh Education Minister Boisram Sairam was also present at the camp.

Swami Ramdev with BJP leader L K Advani and Guru Sri Sri Ravishankar. File Photo. The BJP is upset over Ering's remarks and wants an outright apology

The statement said that Swami Ramdev referred to questions posed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regarding corruption, and asked the people present if they had signed the memorandum to be submitted to him.

It said the education minister and the MP lost their cool and made derogatory remarks against Swami Ramdev.

"This has led to a huge anger among the crores of workers of Bharat Swabhiman. They have decided that they will organise 'shudhi havan' at the residence of the MP in Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh. They also said the MP has no moral right to enter parliament for using indecent and unparliamentary language and he will not be allowed to enter parliament," the statement said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the alleged remarks of the MP and asked the Congress to take action against him.

Swami Ramdev with devotees. File photo. His devotees are hurt at Ering's remarks

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said Ering's remarks were irresponsible and seditious.

"He has abused Baba Ramdev and called him a bloody Indian. We condemn this outburst. Ramdev is revered all over the country," Javadekar said.

"When he calls somebody a 'bloody Indian', does Ering not recognise Arunachal Pradesh to be a part of India?" Javadekar said, adding that if the MP does not consider himself an Indian, he has no right to sit in parliament.

The Congress, however, said that it was a matter between two individuals and the party will not be in a position to comment till it speaks to the incharge of the Arunachal Pradesh unit.

"Nobody should use uncivilised language in any walk of life," Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said.

Source: IANS

Arunachal Pradesh an Integral Part of India: PM

New Delhi, Feb 4 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that Arunachal Pradesh has always been an integral part of India and will remain so and the Chinese map showing the northeastern state as its part will not change the reality.

This "simple fact" was conveyed by the Prime Minister to a delegation of All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union which met him here yesterday, AAPSU president Takam Tatung said.

"Arunachal Pradesh has always been an integral part of India and will remain so," Tatung quoted Singh as saying.

On the issue of China issuing stapled visa to residents of Arunachal Pradesh, Singh said the Centre was putting its sincere efforts to solve the problem at the earliest.

The Prime Minister said Arunachal Pradesh cannot remain in isolation and the fruit of development should reach there like the rest of the country.

"During my visit to Arunachal Pradesh in 2008, creation of infrastructure in the state had been outlined and our governments both at the Centre and in the state are doing best to accelerate the pace of development," Tatung said quoting the Prime Minister.

The AAPSU delegation also brought to the notice of the Prime Minister the decades-old Chakma-Hajong issue in the state, insurgency in Tirap and Changlang, Assam-Arunachal boundary row and mechanism to monitor proper implementation of all the government schemes in the state, Tatung added.

Landslides Threatening Tawang Monastery

Itanagar, Jan 7 : The monks at the over 300-year-old Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, the largest in Asia, are praying and lighting butter lamps before a colossal gilded statue of Lord Buddha because of the threat to its existence by landslides.

Massive landslides in September and December last year triggered by torrential rain occurred just below the monastery, founded by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680-81.

The monastery, which is home to over 570 monks, stands on the spur of a hill, about 10,000 feet above sea level and offers a picturesque view of the Tawang-chu valley.

"The monastery is not only national property, but priceless property of the entire world. If concrete steps are not taken in time, there is every possibility that continuous rainfall in summer and snowfall in winter will result in more landslides and complete damage to it," Guru Tulku Rinpoche, Abbot of the monastery, said.

"We have apprised His Holiness the Dalai Lama and he advised us to perform pujas and take up massive plantation around the monastery to protect it," the Abbot said.

The monks conducted various rituals and erected stupas to stop the occurrence of landslides, but the situation remained as vulnerable as before at the monastery, officially known as Gaden Namgyal Lhatse, he said.

A few monks from other parts of the world thought that a lake existed below the monastery, while elderly monks claimed that the landslides were the result of a curse by a spirit in the monastery on the large-scale pollution and destruction of the ecosystem around it.

Massive landslides, which were also recorded near the monastery during 1996-97, pose a danger to the main prayer hall, library, administrative building, monastery school, main kitchen-cum-dining hall, museum and 65 residences of monks, the Abbot said.

"We request the central and state governments and concerned departments to take steps to stop the onslaught of landslides to save the monastery," Guru Tuklu Rinpoche said.

The state government says it has apprised the Centre for taking measures to protect the monastery.

"We wrote to Mr S K Srivastava, additional secretary, union ministry of mines, who assured to send a team of experts from the Geological Survey of India soon to make an in-depth study on the crisis," Yeshi Tsering, secretary mines and minerals, said.

Caterpillar Fungus on Radar of International Smugglers

Itanagar, Dec 1 : A rare mushroom grown in West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, which is highly valued in China and Tibet as an aphrodisiac and for treating a variety of ailments, has become the target of an international smuggling ring.

Recently 28 Tibetan nationals, including a woman, have been arrested in the Mechukha sub-division in West Siang district by ITBP personnel for allegedly trying to smuggle out the exotic mushroom whose medical name is Cordyceps Sinensis or Caterpillar fungus.

The Caterpillar Fungus is parasitic growing in alpine grass regions like Mechukha and Monigong in West Siang, Tuting in Upper Siang and Taksing in Upper Subansiri bordering China between June and August.

It is known in Tibet as Yartsa Gunbu which means ''summer herb winter worm'', Yarchagumba in Nepal, Yartsa Guenboob in Bhutan and Keera Jhar or Keeda Ghas in India.

"One kg of wild fungus is sold at 30,000 to 60,000 in Nepalese currency while it fetches Rs one lakh in India," Sona Mosing, an elder of the area, said.

A study, conducted by German scholar Dr Gerhard Heller into the traditional healing systems in the state, said the fungus is rare and an exotic medicinal mushroom which is highly prized.

Heller in his writings said the fungus is in high demand in Tibetan, Chinese and traditional herbal folk medicines in which it is used as an aphrodisiac as well as a treatment for a variety of ailments from fatigue to cancer..

Tawang Monastery Faces Danger Due to Landslides

Itanagar, Nov 27 : The famous Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh is under imminent threat of collapse following massive landslides around it.

The 330-year-old monastery, also known as Gaden Namgyal Lhatse, which stands on the spur of a hill about 10,000 feet above sea level, is witnessing massive landslide around it since Monday, officials said.

The landslide had already damaged the plantation and some electric posts around the monastery located in Twang-chu valley of Tawang district, they said.

Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu visited the site yesterday to assess the damage and asked the district administration and public works department to put their men and machine in place to contain further damage to the site.

Khandu also said he would take up the matter with the Centre to save the monastery, one of the biggest in the world.

The monastery, belonging to the Gelugpa sect of Buddhism, was founded by Mera Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680 in compliance with the wishes of the 5th Dalai Lama.

The monastery has a three-storey library which boasts of a collection of 400-year-old Kangyur scriptures, large collections of Sutras, Tangym, Sungbhum, old books and invaluable manuscripts -- both handwritten and printed, many of them in gold.

The monastery has 65 residential buildings, currently housing about 450 Lamas. It controls 17 gompas and a few nunneries in the region.

11 Feared Dead in Arunachal Heli Crash

Guwahati, Nov 19 : An Indian air force transport helicopter crashed in the mountainous northeast of the country near the border with China on Friday, with up to 11 people feared dead, a defence official said.

The Mi-17 Russian-made helicopter was travelling from Tawang in the state of Arunachal Pradesh to Guwahati in Assam with 11 on board when it crashed in bad weather, the official told AFP, asking not to be named.

"Preliminary reports indicate that it could be due to poor visibility," he said, adding that there was fog and snow in the area of the crash.

A spokeswoman for the air force in New Delhi, Priya Joshi, confirmed the crash, but she said there were seven people on board.

Arunachal Pradesh is a heavily militarised area of India that borders Tibet and is claimed partly by China.

The state was the scene of fighting in 1962 when China invaded India.

War Survivor in Arunachal Recalls Haunting 1962 Battle

By Utpal Boruah

Itanagar, Nov 19 : The bitter reminiscences of the bloody Sino-India war of 1962 are still afresh in his mind.

The sounds of bullets coupled with the screams of dying soldiers still haunt him even at the fag end of the life of Alorno Pul, who served as a porter during the Chinese aggression of 1962.

76 year-old Alorno, a local priest and a cultivator from Walla village under Hawai circle of Anjaw district in Arunachal Pradesh, served the Indian Army as a porter during the aggression at the Walong front.

He played the ethnic card to influence the commander of the Chinese army and save Indian lives on the warfront.

48 years after he stood amid ruins to help rebuild the Walong sector in southern Arunachal Pradesh, Alorno Pul was finally awarded recognition by the state government this November 16 during the National Press Day celebration here.

Alorno was one of several Mishmi (tribe) locals the Indian army had employed to carry rations, guns and ammunition to hill-top forward posts during the 1962 war. He did his job and more � use his ethnic affiliation with some Chinese soldiers toward minimising casualty and destruction.

Alorno's eyes turned moist as Arunachal PWD minister Nabam Tuki handed him a ''recognition'' certificate at state capital Itanagar, 950 km northwest of his village Walla in Anjaw district.

But the tears were more for the lives he couldn't save, and a card Indian army officers presented him after the war ensuring lifelong access to subsidised defence canteens.
"He lost the card a few years ago, and he is too modest to seek a replacement," says S Mining, extra assistant commissioner, Hawai circle under which falls Alorno's village.
"We hope the army issues this living legend a fresh card."

Sharing his experiences at the war front, Alorno said, "We were deputed at Walong Army camp and engaged in porter duty to transport ration items besides arms and ammunitions up to Namti and Dong where Indian Army were busy fighting the Chinese to protect the country's territory.

The ALCs (Auxilary Labour Corps) and other porters were engaged in the Helmet Top".
Alorno along with 122 other villagers from Walla, Kamdi, Changung, Ngi and Sung villages were engaged by the Indian Army as porters during the war. While most of his fellow comrades already died, he is the only one surviving till date.

"We had to work during the night time and were prohibited to use all sorts of lighting including smoking which could attract the Chinese Red Army," he adds.

After five days of the battle, the Indian Army was defeated and retreated from the block points of Namti and Dong along with the porters, while others who could not escape were captured by the Chinese Army, says Alorno.

Recalled the spine-chilling advance of the Chinese army, he says,"A few days into the war I found out their commander was also a Mishmi (Tibet region across the border has a sizeable population of this tribe) named Sohum Towsik. Our village chief and I met him and rekindled long-lost ethnic ties," he says.

After a few days, the Chinese army called Alorno and other locals to Walong and asked them to take care of a dozen abandoned villages and Indian army camps.

"We didn't realize when they (Chinese) went back," says Alorno. "We began carrying rations again, this time to save villagers from starvation."

"We have to face starvation at Walong following shortage of ration as the village along with its adjoining ones was deserted by the people. The situation forced us to depend on raw paddy abandoned by the villagers," he adds.

Though both the sides suffered casualties, the Indian Army suffered the worst with large number of death recalls Alorno with tears in his eyes.

The local authorities in recognition of his service did gift Alorno Rs 50 for helping in the rebuilding process, much of which went into buying food for his fellow villagers.

PTI

Arunachal Languages Facing Extinction

Itanagar, Nov 18 : Arunachal Pradesh – which boasts of 26 major tribes and more than 100 sub-tribes – is on the brink of losing as many as 36 major and small languages unless the government initiates preemptive steps.

Of the 196 languages listed as endangered by UNESCO last year, 36 of them are tribal languages of Arunachal Pradesh. Corroborating the World body’s findings, the Foundation for Endangered Languages and the Central Institute of Indian Languages also pointed that the Northeastern hilly State’s tribal languages, including Koro, Miji, Nah, Bugun, Meyor, Tangam and Puroik, are facing the threat of extinction.

The worrisome news came to the fore at a workshop on ‘Status of unwritten and endangered languages of Arunachal Pradesh’ at Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) near here on Monday. The three-day workshop was organised by the Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies (AITS), RGU in collaboration with the Guwahati-based North East Regional Centre of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA).

State’s Finance & IPR Minister Setong Sena said, “Time has come that we should do something by using the platforms of village panchayats, schools and legislature, and empower ourselves to identify the endangered languages and act accordingly for their preservation.”

The Minister further called upon the academicians, linguists and intelligentsia to make concerted efforts for proper documentation and preservation of all the tribal languages, including those facing the threat of extinction.

“If a language of a community dies, many things, including values of that community will disappear for ever,” he commented and added, “We must preserve our cultural inheritance, including oral languages, at all costs.”

“Only building of good-looking infrastructure and getting white-coloured jobs does not suffice real development….we (the govt) must take the initiative to come up with a legislation to have our own language policy and introduce local languages teaching in primary and even in middle school level,” said the Minister.

Prof J P Tamuli, the key resource person, pointed out that the vulnerability of tribal languages in North East, including Arunachal, were due to homogenisation of languages, unwritten languages and bigger languages having dominating influence on small ones. Another area that remains grim is that when our oral languages do not percolate down to the younger generations. “A language is the mirror of a community and we can’t afford to lose our oral traditions…we must preserve them,” said Prof Tamuli, a linguist from Gauhati University.

Former VC of RGU, Prof A C Bhagawati informed that a 13-member High Powered Committee under the directive of PMO has been formed which is going to take up a novel project – of developing a ‘word museum’ with archival materials from the North East, including Arunachal’s log drum, at the National Museum in Delhi very soon.

Indian Army Raises Arunachal Scouts Unit

Shillong, Nov 11 : The Indian Army today formally raised the first battalion of the Arunachal Pradesh scouts— a well-trained army unit that will be operative only in Arunachal Pradesh.

The functions and operations of Arunachal Pradesh scouts will be similar to that of the Ladakh scouts — the frontier unit of the Indian Army that had played a major role during the Kargil war.

The raising day of the Arunachal Pradesh scouts was formally inaugurated by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu at the sprawling parade ground of the Assam Regimental Centre (ARC), Shillong today.

In his address to the jawans, Khandu said: “We should take pride that for the first time in the history of Indian Army, a battalion has been named after the State of Arunachal Pradesh”.
Disclosing that the concept of Arunachal Pradesh scouts has been his dream and a long-felt demand of the State as well, Khandu extended his gratitude to Prime Minister  Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister AK Antony, Chief of Army Staff General VK Singh, top brass of the Army and bureaucrats for honouring the genuine demand for raising the Arunachal Scouts.  He further acknowledged the relentless efforts made by the Arunachal Pradesh Governor Gen J J Singh, his Cabinet colleagues, Members of Parliament, MLAs and officers from the State for making the dream of Arunachal Scout come true.

“Since this new battalion is born out of the Assam Regiment, you continue to be a part of the living symbol of martial strength and traditions of the Northeast. The glorious tradition of the people of the Land of the Rising Sun and the dawn-lit mountains of India and their inborn ability of surviving in all kinds of adverse conditions and treacherous terrain would be the core strength of your battalion” Khandu asserted.

“You will have the difficult task of making your own history and creating unparalleled traditions. I have no doubt that you will embark upon the arduous task of creating one of the strongest, cohesive, disciplined and operationally proficient battalions of the Indian Army,” Khandu said emphatically.

Khandu requested the recruits to give their best as the country and the State of Arunachal Pradesh would  look up to them with full confidence as the sentinels of the country.

In addition to the raising ceremony of first battalion of Arunachal Scouts, Khandu attended the Passing out ceremony of 294 batch of the Assam Regiment as the reviewing officer on the day.
Impressed by the excellent performance of the passing out contingents through march past and drills, Khandu congratulated them for being a full-fledged soldier of the motherland and successfully completing the training course.

Khandu believed that training should be made mandatory for all personnel time and again so that it could make them fit and healthy. He hinted similar type of training programmes for the State police. Khandu encouraged the personnel to show bravery and courage in safeguarding the territorial boundary and maintain the discipline and devotion which are mandatory in arm forces.

Although Arunachal Pradesh scouts will be under the aegis of the Assam Regiment, the men will be from the qualified inhabitants of Arunachal Pradesh.

Khandu also said, “By their inborn virtues, Arunachal Pradesh scouts will take the mantle of the other jawans to maintain vigilance in places that have varying altitudes from 1,500 feet to 2,400 feet of altitude from the sea level”.   

Khandu also said that taking into consideration the unmanned 1,200 km border with China, 520 km with Myanmar and 219 km with Bhutan, the local recruits of the new force will go a long way in ensuring the national integrity.

When asked on whether the Chinese factor is the reason for raising the army battalion, the senior most serving officer of the Assam Regiment Major General SN Singh told a group of newsmen on the sidelines of the ceremonial programme that the raising of the new unit was not a target to anybody. “It’s a battalion with men from the place”, he said, and added: “They are the ones who are acclimatized with the topography, the weather and the other conditions of the area.”

Adding further to what the Arunachal Chief Minister said General Singh also added that the raising of the new battalion would  give an opportunity to the people of Arunachal Pradesh to take an active part in the defense of the country. Meanwhile, the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister announced a financial package of Rs 50 lakh for the new Arunachal scouts and Rs 5 lakh for the instructors.

Among others from Arunachal Pradesh, PWD & UD  Minister Nabam Tuki, Parliamentary Secretary Labour and Employment Padi Richo, GOC 56 Division Maj General R N Singh and Commandant, Assam Regimental Centre were present on the occasion.