Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu favours civilian presence at LAC

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, during his three-day tour to the Nacho constituency in remote Upper Subansiri district bordering Tibet, laid emphasis on development of the border areas, saying that the country has made a departure from the earlier policy of discouraging development near the Line of Control (LAC).

Khandu, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao, Assembly Speaker Pasang Dorjee Sona, Gujarat MP Thakor Jugal Lokhandwala and others, concluded his tour on Thursday.

During his public meeting at Taksing, Gelemo and Nacho, the Chief Minister said that the visit is part of his extensive tour across the State to reach out to people living beyond district headquarters, especially in the remote areas and those nearer to the international borders.

"The Government now is focused on speedy development of the border regions by constructing roads up to the border and building of other vital infrastructures. It is because of such aggressive stance taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the roads are reaching places like Taksing and other remote border areas in Arunachal, which was earlier not thought of," he said during public meetings at various places of the border constituency.

Later, Khandu said that the regions near the international borders in Arunachal will soon be connected with 4G mobile connectivity, a communiqué from the CMO informed here on Friday.

Highlighting the importance of the presence of the civilian population in the border areas, Khandu said that they should be able to move freely and to take up activities for sustenance near the LAC, which would help deter enemy's claim on country's territory.

He said that in Tawang, human activity like yak rearing, tourism and pilgrimage centres are being developed right at the border, which aids in maintaining vigil at the LAC.

Underlining the importance of civilian-Army bonhomie, Khandu said that the two should always team up together to defend the international borders.

For building harmony, he stressed on joint celebration of important festivals and events by the public and the Defence forces.

Speaking on development issues of the district, Khandu said that having personally inspected the conditions of the road from Taksing to Nacho and to Maza sector, he promised to take up the matter of improvement of road infrastructure with the Centre.

The Chief Minister also promised to set up a hydel project at Taksing, road connectivity in interior villages of Taksing Circle, improvement of the existing helipad at Nacho, a new general ground at Nacho and to expedite road connectivity between Limeking and Pipsorang.

During the tour, the Chief Minister and his entourage visited the Gonpa at Taksing and visited the ITBP Ghora post near the LAC on the first day. On the second day, on the way to Nacho the team held a public meeting with the villagers of Gelemo and also met Army, ITBP and BRO officials.

At Nacho, Khandu reviewed the work on Defence and PMGSY roads with the Army, BRO and the Works Department. On the way to Nacho from Taksing, the Chief Minister unveiled a bust statue of Havildar Dhere Thapa of the Indian Army at his memorial.

Thapa is said to have single-handedly stopped waves of the invading Chinese Army for about two hours during the 1962 war.

On the third day, Khandu laid the foundation for a tourist lodge and convention hall at Nacho and also dedicated to the people a Bailey bridge over the river Keo and Koduk. The three-day tour of the Nacho constituency concluded with Khandu attending the Si Donyi festival of the Tagin community and a public meeting at Nacho, the communiqué added.

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