ARUNACHAL PRADESH: TENSION CONTINUES AT HIMA VILLAGE IN LOWER SIANG

Tension continues at Hime village in Lower Siang after Assam side defied status quo

Violating the Supreme Court’s ruling to maintain the status quo along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh interstate boundary, contractors from Assam reportedly attempted to construct a road inside Arunachal, at Hime village in Kangku circle of Lower Siang district.

The incident reportedly first occurred on 19 May when an Assam-based construction company illegally carried out road construction by dumping sand on wet-rice cultivation (WRC) land inside Arunachal territory.

The WRC belongs to 10 households of Hime village. The road was reportedly sanctioned under the Missing Autonomous Council (MAC). When information about the encroachment reached the villagers in Hime, they rushed to the spot and halted the machines. The intervention led to a long parley involving public leaders and gaon burahs from both sides of the boundary.

Later, the villagers managed to send back the excavators, tractor and dumpers from the site. However, the contractors returned and dumped sand at the site while taking advantage of the absence of the villagers and they also took advantage of Assam police and para military deployed at the site by Assam administration and tried to continue the road construction.

One Kojum Nake from the village said that SP and SDO Likabali are reaching the site and the villagers are waiting them.