Action over apathy: Youths restore hope in Arunachal's West Siang

Hindustan Times

01-08-2025

Itanagar, : In a powerful display of grassroots leadership, youths in Arunachal Pradesh's West Siang district have taken it upon themselves to revive incomplete infrastructure projects and address long-standing civic issues, without waiting for government support. Action over apathy: Youths restore hope in Arunachal's West Siang
Across the state, young people are stepping up to drive change, tackling a wide range of challenges from drug awareness and waste management to infrastructure development.
A notable instance of this spirit is unfolding in West Siang, where two youths have spearheaded the redevelopment of the long-pending Aalo Indoor Stadium, while another young entrepreneur has repaired a vital bridge connecting remote villages.
The Aalo Indoor Stadium project, sanctioned under the 2014-15 Special Plan Assistance with an estimated cost of ₹35.28 crore, was awarded to M/s TK Engineering Consortium Limited.
Construction began in June 2018 with a 36-month deadline, yet the project remains incomplete.
In contrast, other stadiums sanctioned in the same period at Chimpu, Pasighat, Yupia, and Ziro have already been completed and are regularly hosting sports events.
By 2024, the delay had tested the patience of local communities.
Multiple appeals from community-based organisations, students, and senior citizens to expedite construction or have the firm vacate the site went unheard.
Frustrated by the prolonged inaction, two men in their early 40s, Nyatum Bagra and Kento Ete, decided to act.
On June 30, the West Siang District Olympic Association, under the leadership of its president Bagra, began redeveloping the abandoned ground to make it suitable for hosting football and volleyball tournaments, without any government funding or logistical support.
"We were concerned by the lack of sports activities for almost a decade due to the construction of the stadium," said Bagra.
"Young people, due to stadium construction and lack of other facilities, were left with no option and were going astray, indulging in alcohol and drugs," he pointed out.
Bagra noted that West Siang, once a sporting powerhouse in Arunachal, had lost its edge.
The legacy of sports in the district includes the Ramakrishna Mission School, Aalo, which reached the finals of the prestigious Subroto Mukherjee Cup in 1988 and 1990, and footballer-turned-coach Gumpe Rime, who hails from the district.
Kento Ete, general secretary of the West Siang District Football Association, echoed similar sentiments.
"A generation has lost the opportunity due to government apathy," Ete remarked, adding that the state government, district administration, and the sports department had failed the community.
With a group of volunteers, they began clearing the overgrown field, removing shrubs, debris, and discarded construction materials. However, the gallery, rostrum, and equipment left by the construction firm were left untouched.
The initiative drew overwhelming public support, with contributions from the Football Players' Union, Tractors Union, senior citizens, and even manual labourers .
On July 16, the volunteers completed the ground redevelopment, drawing district-wide praise.
The team now awaits rainfall to begin planting carpet grass, a substitute for the astro-turf originally promised in the DPR.
"The planting process is likely to cost us around ₹10-12 lakh," Bagra said, expressing hope to complete it soon.
District Sports Officer Tumto Loyi acknowledged that the ground should have been ready by 2019.
"The project under SPA was delinked due to litigations. As a citizen of Aalo, I feel the boys did a good job," Loyi said, though he maintained that the work should have followed technical protocols.
While a renewed state fund had been allocated in 2022-23, construction once again slowed down due to unknown reasons.
In June 2024, the West Siang District Olympic Association staged a peaceful dharna to protest the ongoing delays.
Following mounting pressure, several organisations in November last year issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the contractor to vacate the site. The latest deadline for completion was set for December 31, 2024.
However, after months of inaction and the government's failure to blacklist the contractor, the WSDOA decided to move ahead on its own.
In another inspiring act of community service, Gotum Gangkak, a 31-year-old entrepreneur and SRCC Delhi University B.Com graduate, took it upon himself to renovate a steel bridge over Himak River, which connects Darak circle with the rest of West Siang.
"I was moved by the dangers faced by the people of Darak to cross the bridge," Gangkak said.
Despite being a vital lifeline for around 1,000 residents, the bridge had remained neglected for decades.
With no help in sight, he hired JCB machines, fabrication equipment, a generator, and labourers, funding the entire operation himself.
He spent ₹5-6 lakh to procure materials from outside the state and completed the bridge repair.
Jumba Loyi, a health department worker in Darak, praised the effort.
"Now people can use the bridge without being worried," Loyi said, noting that previously, even trucks and dumpers engaged in construction in nearby Belo village could not use the bridge safely.
As both the stadium redevelopment and the bridge repair came to fruition, the residents of West Siang have expressed gratitude to the young change makers whose actions reflect the power of initiative and community spirit.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.