High Resolution Image of Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh in Google Earth

In my earlier post I had wondered, when will Google upload high resolution satellite imagery of Ziro.

Well, the wait is over. Google Earth has finally uploaded the high resolution image of Ziro (see the screenshot below).

Arunachal Diary is back

Arunachal Diary is out from maintenance mode, though with a different skin, lost posts, lost comments and probably some lost photos too.

The technical snag that resulted has left me 'scavenging' the net for traces of posts and comments from Arunachal Diary left in web space available to be recovered. I was able to recover some and lost some.

Now you would find salvaged Arunachal Diary without a comment in the recent posts. I do sincerely apologize to those commenter whose valuable comments I could not recover. It was all my mistake that I did not took back up of the posts and comments before server failed. It has taught me a lesson, though. And in all probability, from now on, I'd be backing up datas; as you know now that datas are not always safe in server. And for the meantime, I'd be using the skin till I'm able to skin Arunachal Diary with customized theme.

When proper appears improper, improper appears proper

Is this some kind of a racial attack on Apatani? Three cold blooded murders in three years in Ziro, the home of Apatanis! Two outside Ziro this year itself. List is long when we talk of last three, four years. The people of Ziro have been feeling the pain for long. They have been waiting for law to take its own course and found that laws are not equal to all. They took out peaceful procession praying for justice and security of life in many occassions but their cries fell on deaf ears. Non-violence used to be a sign of strength but to them it appears to be a sign of weakness. Tolerance is virtue of brave heart but it made them appear to be chicken hearted.

Aggrieved by the murder of an unsuspecting school boy, walking on the road, for no reason, a group of concerned citizen of Ziro along with friends and well wisher of the deceased's family call on Deputy Commissioner with same old strategy of prayer and petition but they found that she was only as good as when she was absent. Her fleeing the scene in such fragile law and order situation is on every body’s lips (misplaced belief or real, whatever). Moreover, Deputy Commissioner is quoted to have made an escapist remark. “What can district administration do as long as the people of the valley brew wine in their home?”

Well, dozen of registered wine shops are doing businesses in Hapoli even as curfew has been clamped on to defuse the tension.

Having got the spark that was needed to ignite the fire, thing changed for good or for bad on the day of November 3. Unarmed and non-violent group of people turn into a mob. Stones, sticks and wooden logs lying on roadsides become their tool. DC office, Police Station and DC’s residence were ransacked. One car was burnt and some others damaged. There was no visible resistance from police and security personals. “Indeed!” The mob said “if District Administration can’t do anything for its citizen what’s the use of office buildings and police station.”

Unfortunate! Citizen took the law in their hand. A condemnable act in strongest term .

What worried me is the reaction of the people in general towards this act of misdeed. Wave of satisfaction spread across the valley on news of ransacking of DC Office Complex and Police Station.This is an eye opener, I’m told by hundreds of them. It’s horrible! This is not the Apatanis I know. It never happened in history of Ziro. I hardly see any regret shown by ordinary Apatanis for what the mob has done. What used to be a proper thing became improper and improper thing became proper. Who is to blame?

A week passed by but their anger has not died yet.There is total public distrust towards district administration. Some sort of examplery punishment to the murderers only would give some healing touch.

Amidst all these chaos there was one good news: anger was vented against district administration but no single word of communal tone was heard.

Importantly, this episode has exposed the state of policing in one of the most populous and happening town of Arunachal Pradesh. Around two hours of mayhem but police were nowhere controlling the mob. One can guage from this as to how crime can be controlled in the town.

It is a difficult time for people as well as district administration. Damages have been made to the public properties and to the psyche of the people. But a line from P.B Shelley’s poem worth a quote “If winter has come, would spring be far behind.”

Ooops......

Arunachal Diary ran into a bad weather. All the posts & comments are gone... :(  If anyone has to be blamed it's me. I know it would give me sleepless nights but I'm trying my best to restore Arunachal Diary to it's initial state. Would I be able to do that?

Update

Phew! All the posts and comments are back. But I've yet to access how much damage has been done and have to rework on the sites look. It's 4.17 am now and my body is asking for some rest. So, better I go to bed before I look into all this.

What's up LSYO?

Seldom do I go through the Circulars published in local media but when I did, this particular circular published by LSYO in 1^st April edition of the Arunachal Times made me wonder,"what's up LSYO?". The circular read:

It is information to general public of Raga & Yachuli Constituency that there will be meeting on 03-04-10 at Hotel Arun Subansiri, Itanagar, Time 10 a.m. onwards to discuss about Hapoli township. NES, ANSU, AYSU, ARASU, intellectual, senior leaders etc. with panchayat leaders also present. All are requested to attend positively.

-Signed, President L.S.Y.O

What's up? When you are calling a meeting to discuss about Hapoli Township, why invitation only for NES, ANSU, AYSU, ARASU intellectuals, senior leaders, panchayat leaders of only one community? Why have you forgotten to invite the residents of Hapoli Township?

BTW who's this LSYO? If I'm getting it right LSYO stands for Lower Subansiri Youth Organization. If yes then, when you are inviting ANSU, AYSU and ARASU why didn't you invited the students' and youth organisation of Lower Subansiri District like ALSSU or ASU or AYA? And moreover, when you are discussing about Hapoli Township, why conduct meeting at Itanagar and not Hapoli? Is Itanagar closer in distance to Hapoli Town for public of Raga & Yachuli Constituency? Or is there any ulterior motive? Only those who attended the said meeting today would be able to tell what's up?

Below is the circular as published in The Arunachal Times.



P.S. Those who attended the said meeting today, do please tell us what's up?

Where were the students' community when AU was being re-christened to RGU? - A second thought

In my earlier post I had questioned the students' community where were they when Arunachal University was being re-christened to Rajiv Gandhi University. In fact, I was  wrong when I questioned that, because it has been learnt from sources that while the Government was re-christening Arunachal University to Rajiv Gandhi University, not only did the students' community protested but the teaching fraternity of the then Arunachal University did protested too. But then, why the protest was not so strong so as to stop re-christening of the University? Was it because the legislators had assured them that this was the only way to get deemed University status? Or were there other reasons? Now, on second thought, would Arunachal University hadn't got University status had it not changed it's name?

NHPC to recruit 40 local youths from Arunachal

NHPC Limited- A PSU hydro giant working in Arunachal Pradesh has floated employment notice to recruit 40 indigenous Arunachalee youths in workmen category under their W0 and W4 grades against Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, located in Assam/Arunachal Pradesh, which I presume is in fulfilment to clause of MoU of Subansiri Lower HE Project signed with government of Arunachal Pradesh, recently.

Here are the details of that employment notice:

Employment Notice No. NH/SLP/01/2010 dated 16-03-2010

Post and Vacancy Details:

Sl.No.	Name of the Post, Grade & Scale of Pay	Prescribed qualification & experience	No. of Vacancies
1	Electrician Grade: W4 Pay Scale: 5800-3%-10790 (Pre-revised)	ITI Certificate in Electrician Trade from recognized Institute.	Unreserved-5; ST-3
2	Stenographer Gr-III Grade: W4 Pay Scale: 5800-3%-10790 (pre-revised)	Graduate (under 10+2+3) in any discipline from any recognized university with 80 wpm speed in English/Hindi shorthand and 40 wpm speed for English/Hindi typing. Experience :Two years post experience in relevant field. Computer literacy is essential	Unreserved-4; ST-3
3	Helper Grade: W0 Pay Scale: 3750-2.5%-5450 (Pre-revised)	8th Pass and above.	Unreserved-14; ST-11

The last date for submission of application form is 9^th of April, 2010.

Now I wonder, when the advertisement says the vacancy is purely for indigenous youths of Arunachal, is there any need for reserved and unreserved category in post vacancy?

For those who are interested to know the detail of advertisement, download the scanned copy of advertisement from here. And for those who are interested to apply for the same, download the application format here.

Myoko wishes

Team Arunachal Diary wishes it's reader a very Happy Myoko!

I know I've been bit late in wishing you all. Infact, I'd have forgotten that it's Myoko time had I not called Cho yesterday. When asked what's up, he said, "well, I'm preparing myself with my friends to go all out at Hong Village". I couldn't make out what he meant immediately, but then I realized, it's Myoko time and he along with his friends are preparing courtesy visit to 'Hong' friends for a bout of 'O' (rice beer). I said,"Enjoy". Did you asked, what about me? Well, I wouldn't be able to make it to Myoko this time. Poor me :(

But, don't you dare miss 'Myoko'. Wish you happy wining and dining again.

While at Arunachal Diary, you may like to read earlier posts on 'Myoko'. Follow the link below:

1. Myoko-A Perspective


2. Myoko Celebration of Apatani's-A Photo Feature


3. Construction of Lapang and Erection of Babo in Apatani Community - A Photo Feature

Almost 3 years and bank yet to recover it's overdue loan amount

One of the key thrust areas announced by the Government when Dorjee Khandu took over the reign of state from the then Chief Minister Gegong Apang was to revive the sick lone state owned bank Apex Bank and to re-instill the faith of customers'. In this direction, the state government had taken a loan of Rs. 225 Crores from Hydro Power giant NHPC Limited at an interest rate of 9% per annum to be adjusted against the 'free power' to the state from 2000 MW Subansiri Lower H.E. Project after its' commissioning. With that amount the government somehow managed to make the bank sail through the phase, when the bank was in the verge of collapsing and to retain its' license. And in order to re-instill the customers' loyalty, the government announced rigorous recovery drive from the defaulters and to hand over the inquiry to CBI for all the mess that the lone state owned bank fell into. That was during the second quarter of year 2007.

Now coming back to present, it has been around 3 years since the announcement and Dorjee Khandu has been re-instated to 2^nd term in office. So, where do our government stand on that front? Was the government or the bank able to completely recover the overdue loan amount from defaulting customers in these 3 years? I guess not. Because, through the March 18^th edition of 'The Arunachal Times', the Apex bank has announced launching of recovery drive from May, 1^st and has offered OTS (One Time Settlement) Scheme to settle the overdue loans of the defaulters.

Apex bank to launch recovery drive

ITANAGAR: Apex Bank authority has decided to launch recovery drive against defaulting borrowers from the first of May next.

The bank has launched one time settlement (OTS) scheme to settle the overdue loans of the defaulters, a release of the Bank said, and requested all the defaulters to opt for the scheme at the earliest.

The bank further appealed to the state and central govt authorities to obtain ‘no objection certificate’ from the bank before releasing any payment to their contractors/suppliers which would help the bank recover dues.

But, when government announced rigorous recovery drive almost 3 years back what took it so long for the bank to launch the recovery drive? But hey! if I remember well, didn't the bank earlier also announced one time settlement (OTS) scheme for settlement of overdue loans? If so, then how many more OTS scheme would be offered to the defaulting customers'? Is the bank and the government indeed serious about recovering the loaned out amount from the defaulting customers? Or as I put earlier, was it (announcement of rigorous recovery drive and CBI inquiry into the Apex Bank mismanagement) a gimmick just to subdue the initial outrage of people who felt cheated off their hard earned money?

Rambling on recent events of Arunachal

Government takes INR 300 crore loan to pay its' employees arrear

On March 11, Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, in a harried press conference at his official residence, announced with much fanfare that in order to keep his promise to it's employee to pay the balance 15th month arrears by March 2010; the Arunachal Pradesh Government has taken an interest free loan of Rs. 300 crore from Center payable in 20 years.

Well, may be with that move the government was able to provide a 'band-aid' solution to keep it's employees' happy but how do the government plan to pay the monthly salary of 80,000 odd employees in future when it says it does not have it's own resources? Also how do the government plan to repay the interest free loan amount of Rs. 300 Crores? Doesn't government creating liabilities for us? Should we always look upto the Centre with 'begging bowls' instead of thinking ways to create our own resources?

Anti-Dam equals Anti-Arunachal

During the same press conference, Chief Minister dubbed those protesting against dams in Arunachal as an anti-Arunachal. Oh my! with that statement Mr. Khandu stirred the 'hornet's nest'. Plethora of condemnation poured in right from ACR to those protesting against dams against his statement terming - his statement tries to curb the 'freedom of expression and freedom of right to live' and asked him to withdraw the statement. Of which the CM responded by saying that he was 'misquoted'. He assured that he is against any forceful displacement of population to materialize coming up of hydro-projects. Besides, Mr. Khandu stated that majority of the awarded hydro-power projects are RoR (Run-of the-River) scheme projects with no or negligible submergence.

There comes my question, though the same has been put forward by Bamang Tago, ACR Chairman as well. Well CM Sir, would you care to quantify how much submergence is called submergence or is negligible submergence or no submergence at all?

Considering the general layout of any hydro-electric power plant, I assume the hydropower plant requires a pondage for availability of water for generation and for creation of head. So, does RoR scheme Hydro Projects does not require pondage (in other words dams)?

While we are on the topic of dams in Arunachal, let me put some more words on it. Right from small to mega hydro projects, the state government has so far awarded about 100 projects to developers' with around 34000 MW of installed capacity. I wonder if such huge amount of hydro-potential needs to be tapped right now. The government says that it will earn revenue for state from sell of this power. But the question is, whom the state government envisage to sell this power to when it is said that owing to constraint in laying of transmission line in the 'chicken-neck corridor', there is constraint of evacuation of power to other beneficiary states out of North-East. It is said that the present capacity to evacuate power from the existing transmission line is only about 6000 MW. So, is it wise on our Governments part to award hydro-projects right and left without thinking of how to evacuate it? Why don't the government consider tapering tapping of hydro power potential of the state? Atleast it would give some time till the transmission utility company PGCIL overcome the present constraint of evacuating only about 6000 MW of power. And by the time may be people would also understand the merit and demerit of having hydro-power plants better.

AAPSU demands renaming of RGU to Arunachal University

On 18th, AAPSU staged dharna infront of Assembly demanding renaming of Rajiv Gandhi University back to Arunachal University. Though, I too agree that we should have our university named indigenously but, the question is where were the students' body when Arunachal University was re-christened Rajiv Gandhi University in the first place? Had they protested then and there, this situation would not have arrived. On the lighter note, would the government be bold enough to disgrace Gandhi dynasty by scrapping the Gandhi name from University when it has just got sanctioned loan amount of Rs. 300 Crore to pay to it's employees'?

NES demands creation of Department of Nyishi affairs in line of Department of Tirap and Changlang with annual budgetary allocation of Rs. 100 Crores.

I respect the concern of 'Elites' towards socio-economic development of their community and surely the government should look into the matter to develop the rural areas. But then wouldn't this demand sow seed for division of state on the basis of different communities of the state on the ground of development or non-development of their areas? What I feel is, it is not the quantum of amount sanctioned for particular area development but it is how the amount is utilized by the implementing agencies, which is much of siphoned off before it reaches to actual beneficiary. What do you say?

How to energize yourself at work?

Feeling tired! Bored! Or feeling low at work? Just take a swig or two..and voila you’re energized and it’s o.k. too says our Home Minister Tako Dabi.

Tako Dabi says it's ok for cops to drink while on duty.

Tako even emphasised on the fact that drinking on duty can help energise them.

"Normally an officer on duty or in office does not drink but in case they take a swig or two that is absolutely normal. Behaviour after drinking would be wrong. Look at us, how much do we drink. It is energizing," he said.

Source: NDTV

So, what if we are loitering around on the streets at night after a drink or two. Would we be questionable in front of law enforcing authorities? After all, we are just energizing ourselves, aren't we Mr. Minister?

P.S. : Arunachal Diary is back after a very long hiatus and wouldn't be far when it goes full swing again. However, for the time being frequency of post would be intermittent. Do check back for more.

Which online edition of local paper would throw you with latest content at 3 in the morning?

So you've 3 online versions of local newspaper to dig into to quench your appetite on latest happening of the state. T-H-R-E-E ? Yes, you've heard me right. For those who didn't know, Arunachal Front has finally gone live with their .org domain quite recently.

Have you ever wondered which of these sites would present you with latest content if you happen to bump into their site, say at 3.00 am in the morning? Any guesses?

Well, it could be any or all of the online edition of The Arunachal Times,  Echo of Arunachal and Arunachal Front.

But, on the first day of Year 2010, when I visited these sites at around 2.30 am in the morning, I only found Echo of Arunachal updated with its days content, beating the two. Great going EoA. Below are the screen shots.



(Click on thumbnails for larger view)

By the time I ran this post, The Arunachal Times has also updated. So cheers. :)

And yes, A Very Happy New Year to you all from team Arunachal Diary.