PTI
ITANAGAR, DECEMBER 28
While the political turmoil in Arunachal Pradesh has dominated headlines in recent weeks, several other key events and developments happened in many areas that kept the state busy. The decades-old Chakma-Hajong refugee imbroglio resurfaced after the Supreme Court in its September 17 order directed the Centre and the Arunachal Pradesh government to provide permanent settlement of the refugees in the state.
The apex court’s order sparked widespread protests led by All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU). The state government as well as the AAPSU filed two review petitions in the Supreme Court which were dismissed by the court. The government and the AAPSU also decided to file curative petitions in the apex court.
There were also allegations of financial mismanagement to the tune of Rs 581 crore during the year with Opposition BJP organising a public rally here demanding resignation of Tuki for overdrawing the amount forcing the state to plunge into acute financial crisis. The BJP demanded immediate imposition of financial emergency in the state.
Pul also alleged financial embezzlement by the state government to the tune of Rs 299.32 crore of central funds against relief and rehabilitation schemes in the past four years. A PIL was filed in the Gauhati High Court (Itanagar Permanent Bench) against the state government by social activists alleging gross misuse of central fund.
Tragedy struck the state when a helicopter of state-run Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited, with crew members Captain MS Brar and Captain Rajiv Hoskote and Tirap Deputy Commissioner Kamlesh Kumar Joshi on board crashed at a site 36 km from the district headquarters immediately after taking off from Khonsa on August 4.
The debris of the chopper along the three bodies was recovered after seven days of the crash. China’s oft-repeated claim over Arunachal’s territory again cropped up during the year with a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman statement claiming the state as a part of its territory while there was also a wrong depiction of Arunachal in its map.
The AAPSU strongly protested the statement while the ruling Congress reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India, and the act of China even while the Indian Prime Minister was in that country is an insult not only to Narendra Modi but to the whole nation and in particular to Arunachal Pradesh.
The extension of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act to nine districts of the state during the year by the union Home Ministry also sparked protests in the state which compelled the ministry to withdraw it. The governor, who was sworn-in on June 1, faced public criticism after his controversial letter to prime minister requesting him to scrap the Greenfield Airport project at Hollongi, near here and instead upgrade Lilabari airport in Assam’s North Lakhimpur district. Several organisations including Chief Minister Tuki castigated him for his letter and demanded his call back from the state.
The law and order front was also not conducive in the state during the year. Three Army personnel died while four other seriously injured when suspected NSCN militants fired at the convoy at Tupi village along Khonsa-Longding road in Tirap district on April 2. Suspected NSCN(K) militants opened fire in an Assam Rifles (AR) camp at remote Lazu in Tirap district on June 7.
A minor was allegedly raped for two consecutive days by a government employee at Seppa, in East Kameng district on October 7. Landslides and flood wrecked havoc in the state during the year with over 300 housed damaged and properties worth several crore were destroyed. The state also witnessed several developmental activities as well during the year. The Arunachal Pradesh Bamboo Resources Development Agency onOctober 9 signed an agreement with Numaligarh Refinery Limited for supplying bamboo.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on April 30announced various road projects for Arunachal Pradesh and laid the foundation stones of five important roads with total length of 542.27 km involving an estimated cost of Rs 3,286.28 crore to boost up accelerated development in the land-locked state.
The state cabinet on July 3 approved an ambitious project- infrastructure development of twin capital cities Itanagar and Naharlagun – that would adorn them with flyovers, metro cable cars, automated car parking slots, multi-utility city centres and other facilities synonymous with a model metro-city.
