Arunachal Pradesh constitutes high-powered committee to address illegal infiltration

The Arunachal Pradesh government has constituted a High-Powered Committee to examine and recommend measures to address concerns relating to illegal infiltration and illegal immigrants in the state.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced the decision on Thursday, stating that the committee is one of four panels proposed following recent consultative meetings with community-based organisations, civil society groups, student bodies, legal experts and other stakeholders.

According to an official order issued by the Home Department, the committee will be chaired by Environment and Forests Minister Wangki Lowang. 

The Commissioner (Home) will serve as the Member Secretary, while representatives from the All Arunachal Tribal Forum (AITF), All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), Arunachal ST Bachao Andolan Committee, legal experts and academics have been included as members.

The committee has been tasked with studying the prevalence of illegal infiltration and illegal immigration within Arunachal Pradesh and recommending measures to strengthen border control mechanisms.

Its terms of reference also include suggesting the adoption of biometric and digital verification systems, examining issues related to forged identity documents and undocumented settlement networks, and recommending administrative and legal measures to address the use of fake or illegal identity papers.

The government has directed that all recommendations be made within the framework of existing laws and constitutional provisions.

Announcing the development, Chief Minister Khandu said the committee would examine all aspects of the issue and propose measures necessary to safeguard the interests of the state and its indigenous communities.

The committee has been given six months from the date of its first meeting to submit its recommendations to the state government. It has also been empowered to co-opt additional experts as special invitees and seek reports, data and status updates from government departments and district administrations whenever required.

The order was issued with the approval of the Chief Minister and comes amid growing public discussions on issues relating to migration, identity verification and border management in the frontier state.