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Closer to people Joydeep Bhattacharjee
measures following the mudslides that ravaged capital complex and other parts of the state. Khandu directed the officials of the Public Works Department to expedite road restoration with the help of GREF and asked the commissioners and secretaries of concerned departments to closely monitor the process of restoration. So far a relief amount of Rs 82 lakh has been distributed among 828 floodaffected families of the state. The Governor, Gen (retd) J.J. Singh, blamed it on unplanned growth of township for the extent of damage triggered by this disaster. “It is not only the flashfloods that take away human lives, unplanned construction of houses that make way for taking the brunt of nature’s fury,” Singh said. He instructed all the deputy commissioners to update and execute standard operating practices to deal with such calamities. He also directed all other concerned officials to press relief and rescue operation on a war footing. A weather scientist, who did not want to be named, said, “It’s a man made disaster and not a natural catastrophe.” To buttress his claim, the weatherman said the whole of Itanagar was swamped with garbage, plastic and other municipal 32
July 08
Aerial view of the city: Congested human settlement that enhanced the magnitude of the catastrophe.
Mudslides run from all corners to the main river.
wastes that made their way to the rivers. “Non application of building bylaws, land management and rampant encroachment have compounded the problem,” he added. It’s not only Arunachal Pradesh that has seen such a haphazard and rampant
construction of buildings in the terrain. Other Northeastern states like Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and parts of Assam have been going through a similar change that can cause a major catastrophe. It’s a choice between life and death.
The first step towards establishing better relations with the neighbouring countries especially China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan that border the Northeastern region, has come in the form of the India’s External Affairs Ministry opening up its Branch Secretariat in Guwahati – a long cherished dream of the people of this region. The Branch Secretariat of the MEA is expected to go a long way in fulfilling the needs of the people of the Northeast to have better liaison and interaction with the Ministry of External Affairs on issues concerning external relations, foreign trade, foreign direct investment and cultural exchanges. The Northeastern states despite having 98 per cent of its border with foreign countries had least advantage on their sides to take forward trade and cultural exchanges with the neighbouring countries. Proud of being the man behind this development, the External Minister
stressed on building connectivity among the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the economic development of India’s Northeast. Both Mr. Mukherjee and the DoNER Minister, Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar, who attended the inaugural function in Guwahati, were unanimous that only connectivity with the ASEAN, be it road or air, could take the northeast to the road of economic prosperity. The Branch Secretariat will advise various State Governments here on the issues concerning promotion of overseas trade and investments in the region, take the work of facilitation of political clearance for any State Government delegation visiting abroad, co-ordinate with the State Protocol for the visits of foreign dignitaries to the region. Since the opening of the Indian economy in 1991, India has recorded an impressive economic growth. This has naturally generated considerable interest among overseas investors in India. Engagement of foreign business commu-
STATE ASSAM
nity in the Indian economy has also increased considerably in the recent past. The Northeast India, being a landlocked area, requires such a measure to overcome this hindrance and, and become more independent in handling its trade with the neighbouring countries. “Economic development of northeast will depend on how fast and quickly we build up the connectivity with the ASEAN countries,” Mr. Mukherjee said, adding that the Northeast has a special importance in this regard, particularly after India had started boosting its ties with the ASEAN countries since 1995. He also played down the issue of China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, and said that the boundary disputes would not stop these two countries from having healthy trade ties. “Bilateral trade with China has improved and size of trade between the two countries has gone up to $ 40 billion, while it was only a few hundred million in the 90’s,” he said. Opening of the Branch Secretariat
July 08
33
measures following the mudslides that ravaged capital complex and other parts of the state. Khandu directed the officials of the Public Works Department to expedite road restoration with the help of GREF and asked the commissioners and secretaries of concerned departments to closely monitor the process of restoration. So far a relief amount of Rs 82 lakh has been distributed among 828 floodaffected families of the state. The Governor, Gen (retd) J.J. Singh, blamed it on unplanned growth of township for the extent of damage triggered by this disaster. “It is not only the flashfloods that take away human lives, unplanned construction of houses that make way for taking the brunt of nature’s fury,” Singh said. He instructed all the deputy commissioners to update and execute standard operating practices to deal with such calamities. He also directed all other concerned officials to press relief and rescue operation on a war footing. A weather scientist, who did not want to be named, said, “It’s a man made disaster and not a natural catastrophe.” To buttress his claim, the weatherman said the whole of Itanagar was swamped with garbage, plastic and other municipal 32
July 08
Aerial view of the city: Congested human settlement that enhanced the magnitude of the catastrophe.
Mudslides run from all corners to the main river.
wastes that made their way to the rivers. “Non application of building bylaws, land management and rampant encroachment have compounded the problem,” he added. It’s not only Arunachal Pradesh that has seen such a haphazard and rampant
construction of buildings in the terrain. Other Northeastern states like Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and parts of Assam have been going through a similar change that can cause a major catastrophe. It’s a choice between life and death.
The first step towards establishing better relations with the neighbouring countries especially China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan that border the Northeastern region, has come in the form of the India’s External Affairs Ministry opening up its Branch Secretariat in Guwahati – a long cherished dream of the people of this region. The Branch Secretariat of the MEA is expected to go a long way in fulfilling the needs of the people of the Northeast to have better liaison and interaction with the Ministry of External Affairs on issues concerning external relations, foreign trade, foreign direct investment and cultural exchanges. The Northeastern states despite having 98 per cent of its border with foreign countries had least advantage on their sides to take forward trade and cultural exchanges with the neighbouring countries. Proud of being the man behind this development, the External Minister
stressed on building connectivity among the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the economic development of India’s Northeast. Both Mr. Mukherjee and the DoNER Minister, Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar, who attended the inaugural function in Guwahati, were unanimous that only connectivity with the ASEAN, be it road or air, could take the northeast to the road of economic prosperity. The Branch Secretariat will advise various State Governments here on the issues concerning promotion of overseas trade and investments in the region, take the work of facilitation of political clearance for any State Government delegation visiting abroad, co-ordinate with the State Protocol for the visits of foreign dignitaries to the region. Since the opening of the Indian economy in 1991, India has recorded an impressive economic growth. This has naturally generated considerable interest among overseas investors in India. Engagement of foreign business commu-
STATE ASSAM
nity in the Indian economy has also increased considerably in the recent past. The Northeast India, being a landlocked area, requires such a measure to overcome this hindrance and, and become more independent in handling its trade with the neighbouring countries. “Economic development of northeast will depend on how fast and quickly we build up the connectivity with the ASEAN countries,” Mr. Mukherjee said, adding that the Northeast has a special importance in this regard, particularly after India had started boosting its ties with the ASEAN countries since 1995. He also played down the issue of China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, and said that the boundary disputes would not stop these two countries from having healthy trade ties. “Bilateral trade with China has improved and size of trade between the two countries has gone up to $ 40 billion, while it was only a few hundred million in the 90’s,” he said. Opening of the Branch Secretariat
July 08
33
