Disturbed Area Act extended in 3 districts of Arunachal
Itanagar: The union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the Disturbed Area Act for another six months in three troubled districts of Arunachal Pradesh, the state assembly was informed on Saturday. “The Eastern districts of Tirap, Changlang and Longding have been declared as ‘Disturbed areas’ for a period of six months from April last by a notification from the MHA issued on March 31 last,” Home Minister Tanga Byaling said. Responding to a question raised in the assembly by BJP MLA Wanglam Sawin during question hour regarding inadequate police personnel in Tirap district to maintain law and order, Byaling said that besides existing state police force in the district, four companies each of CRPF and Assam Rifles and three companies of Indian Reserve Battalion (IRBn), have been deployed to maintain law and order. “At present Tirap district has six police stations with four inspectors, seven sub inspectors, one assistant sub inspector, 17 head constables and 297 constables. Moreover, three police stations at Khonsa, Lazu and Deomali have been sanctioned and an amount of Rs 45.70 lakh allocated for each station,” the minister said. Byaling, in reply to a written question from Opposition Leader Tamiyo Taga, denied any report on formation of a new outfit in the state which claimed responsibility for creating trouble in Assam-Arunachal boundary areas. (PTI)
Rich floral tributes paid to late Captain Kenguruse
Kohima: Army and Assam Rifles personnel along with family members of late Captain Neikezhakuo Kenguruse, on Saturday paid rich floral tributes at the fallen hero’s memorial at Nerhema village, on the occasion Kargil Vijay Diwas. “My son has become the son of the country,” said Neisielie Kenguruse, the aggrieved father of Capt (Late) Neikezhakuo Kenguruse, while paying rich tribute to the Heroes of Kargil War on the occasion of the 15th Viyaj Diwas. Captain Kenguruse was honoured with the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) posthumously for his bravery in the Kargil war. Neiselie with tearful eyes recalled his son’s last letter wherein the fallen hero had written to his father, “I may not be able to return home to be a part of our family again. Even if I don’t make it, do not grieve for me because I have already decided to give my best for the nation.” Nevertheless, he acknowledged that his son had sacrificed for the nation and now had become the son of the country. He also conveyed solace and peace for the families of over 500 martyrs, who had also laid their lives during the Kargil war. (PTI)
Arunachal sounds high alert after encephalitis death
Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh has sounded a high alert following the death of a 10-year-old girl and reports of 11 other persons being affected by Japanese Encephalitis in the state. Kiran Raji, a 10-year-old girl of Sippi village in Upper Subansiri district, who was admitted to Arunachal State Hospital here died on Thursday, state Epidemiologist Dr L Jampa told PTI on Saturday. The other affected persons include children in the age group of 1 to 14 years besides an 18-year-old teenager, he said in a statement. They were undergoing treatment at the Arunachal State Hospital since last week, while two cases being treated in Guwahati Medical College Hospital in Assam were reportedly improving, he said. Anticipating similar cases associated with convulsions, seizures, rigidity and also loss of consciousness, the state health department has geared up its surveillance mechanism besides initiating testing facility at the ASH. Delhi-based National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP)’s central division has been requested to provide sufficient JE-virus testing kits to the state urgently and the RMRS- ICMR at Dibrugarh has been requested to assist in the laboratory testing and confirmation of the JE-infection, Dr Jampa said. Four cases have been tested positive for the JE virus in ASH laboratory of which one had also been confirmed as positive JEV by RMRC, Dibrugarh, the statement said. (PTI)