Itanagar: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has demanded that the state government set up Refugee Affairs Department to deal with the decades-old impasse in the state.
The apex students’ body has also demanded that the government initiate measures to send the Chakma and Hajong refugees back to their designated blocks.
A joint inspection of the refugee settlement areas of Changlang and Lohit districts carried out by the AAPSU and Joint High Power Committee (JHPC) comprising members of central government, state government and representatives of refugees, concluded on Wednesday.
It took the team three days to complete the survey in Diyun area of Changlang district.
Diyun town possessed highest number of refugees amounting to more than 30,000. As per the inspection, more than 80 per cent of forest reserved areas have been occupied and maximum areas of reserved forest was destroyed by the refugees who have settled in the territory.
The AAPSU asked the refugees to vacate the forest areas ‘unconditionally’ saying “further destruction would not be tolerated.”
Deputy Principal, Chief Conservator of Forests, D Gogoi who accompanied the team said lack of manpower posed the main weakness of the department to check illegal invasion of refugees inside the reserved areas.
AAPSU wants the state government to conduct an eviction drive against illegal settlers in forest areas. (PTI)