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News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
LS Speaker hails Arunachal Assembly's Golden Jubilee, calls for consensus
Itanagar, Aug 18 (PTI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday congratulated the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on completing 50 glorious years of its journey. In a virtual message, Birla described Arunachal as the finest example of unity in diversity, noting that the Assembly has kept alive the aspirations of the people by enacting over 600 legislations so far through healthy debates. 'Healthy debate is one of the hallmarks of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly and being a temple of democracy, the lawmakers should continue to keep the aspirations of the people alive," Birla stressed. Urging the members to work for the state's progress, the Speaker said the Golden Jubilee must serve as a strong reminder for legislators to work with diligence for the prosperity of the state. 'There may be differences in political lines, but inside the Assembly, which is the living soul of our democracy, efforts should be made by all members, irrespective of party affiliations, to take consensus decisions in the interest of the people and the state," Birla said. He praised the House for going paperless with the e-Vidhan initiative, the third in the country, and urged members to remain the voice of the people while working for the welfare of women and youth for Arunachal's holistic development. Birla also thanked all past and present members for their contributions to the Assembly's glorious fifty-year journey. 'The region's resilience in overcoming challenges and conflicts underscores its determination to chart its own course towards progress and prosperity within the framework of the Indian Union," Pongte said. He said that the 45-day Golden Jubilee celebrations, inaugurated by Governor K T Parnaik on July 3, culminated on Monday. Pongte added that several outreach programmes were held to instil democratic values among the youth in collaboration with Rajiv Gandhi University and other institutions, which will conclude on November 26, Constitution Day, with an award ceremony for winners of essay and debate competitions. 'The Golden Jubilee celebrations will not only remind our youth of the contributions made by our great leaders in building Arunachal, of which we are proud today, but will also inspire them to dream and work for a Viksit Arunachal, thereby fulfilling the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047," the Speaker added. Arunachal Pradesh underwent a long administrative and political evolution before achieving statehood. Its distinct identity was first marked in 1914 when the British created the North-East Frontier Tract. In 1954, the frontier tracts were merged into the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA), which, though under the Governor of Assam, was directly administered by the Government of India. In 1972, NEFA was separated from Assam and granted Union Territory status as Arunachal Pradesh. To provide democratic representation, the first provisional Legislative Assembly was constituted on August 15, 1975, with 33 members — 30 directly elected and three nominated by the Centre. The Assembly strength increased to 60 seats in 1978, all directly elected, which continues to be its present composition. On February 20, 1987, Arunachal Pradesh attained full statehood, becoming the 24th state of the Indian Union with its own elected government, legislative powers, and representation in both Houses of Parliament. PTI UPL UPL RG view comments First Published: August 18, 2025, 16:45 IST News agency-feeds LS Speaker hails Arunachal Assembly's Golden Jubilee, calls for consensus Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Print
03-08-2025
- Politics
- The Print
People of Assam, we'll fight to the end until it's victory for us: Nehru during Chinese invasion
Now today I have to tell you of further set-backs which have occurred in the last two or three days and even today. Huge Chinese armies have been marching in the northern part of the North East Frontier Agency and we have suffered reverses at Walong, on the Sela Ridge and today Bomdila — a small town in NEFA — has also fallen. In the North also in Ladakh, in the Chushul area, the Chinese have been attacking fiercely, though they have been held. Nearly a month ago I spoke to you on the radio and told you of the Chinese invasion of India. They had come across our frontier in the North East Frontier Agency. At first in small numbers and then in ever increasing numbers, and suddenly on the 20th October they had made a massive attack with overwhelming numbers on our military posts and our forces stationed there. That was a severe set-back for us and it naturally grieved us. Now what has happened is very serious and very saddening to us and I can well understand what our friends in Assam must be feeling because all this is happening on their doorstep, one might say. I want to tell them that we feel very much for them and that we shall help them to the utmost of our ability. We may not be able always to succeed in what we are trying now because of various factors and of the overwhelming numbers of the Chinese forces, but I want to take a pledge to them, here and now, that we shall see this matter to the end and the end will have to be victory for India. We are not going to tolerate this kind of invasion of India by any foreign country. This is the first war of independent India to maintain her independence. And India is not going to lose this war, however long it lasts and whatever harm it may do us meanwhile. Therefore, on this day which has been a sad day for us bringing news of reverses and set-backs, I want to send my greetings to the people of Assam specially, to the people of NEFA, and to the rest of India, and to tell them that we must not get worried about this. Sad we must be necessarily, but we must train ourselves and steel ourselves to meet all these reverses and to even make our determination still firmer to do all that we can to repel and throw out the invader from India. We shall not be content till that invader goes out of India or is pushed out. We shall not accept any terms that he may offer because he may think that we are a little frightened by some set-backs. I want to make that clear to all of you and more specially to our countrymen in Assam, to whom our heart goes out at this moment. There has been a great deal of expression of determination in India, great enthusiasm, which has heartened us. People, even the very poor, have contributed to our funds, defence funds, and in many ways, people have shown their determination. I hope that this will continue in ever increasing measure and any set-backs that may come, in this war which has been thrust upon us, will not permit us to waver in our determination, because we will not waver. We shall carry out this fight which has been thrust upon us to the end, and that end is going to be victory for us, whatever in between there might be. So, with that pledge to you, I want to end; I do not wish any person to doubt what the end will be, and I do not want any Indian — man or woman or child — to get dismayed because the Chinese forces have won some successes at this beginning. This is war, and in war successes come and failures come also. What counts is the end, not the intermediary stages of that war. So, at present, I shall only say this to you, I shall not say much. I hope in future to keep in touch with you, a little more frequently to tell you what is happening and to mobilise the nation to meet this grave menace. For this menace is not of Assam or Ladakh or of India only; it is a menace for Asia and a menace for the entire world. We see the most, the grossest form of imperialism functioning here across our borders in India. China has said often enough that it is anti-imperialist. Now we see this so-called anti-imperialist country becoming itself an imperialist of the worst kind and committing aggression and invading a friendly country without rhyme or reason or excuse and justifying it by saying that they are being attacked. I must confess, that I have seldom come across such a travesty of truth and of decency in international behaviour. We must stand up for it, not only we but all decent-minded persons and decent-minded countries who value their freedom, anywhere in Asia or Africa or in Europe or America. I should like to say that we are grateful for the speedy help that came to us from our friendly countries abroad, more especially from the United States and the United Kingdom. We shall require more help and we have asked them for it and we shall certainly use all the help they can give us, because this is a matter of survival for us. It is not a game that we are playing or if you like, it is a game of life and death. The life and death of a nation and the life and death of millions in this country, and we are going ahead whatever happens, with the firm conviction of the rightness of our cause and that success and victory will be ours. I want you to join in this conviction and not to be downhearted at any time. And so, let us all say today with real meaning, repeat our old cry: Jai Hind!
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Irreplaceable 6.5-hectare forest protected for future generations of Aussies
A speck of ancient forest, feared to be at imminent risk of destruction, is on the verge of being protected for future generations of Australians. Described as 'magical', the 6.5-hectare fragment of NSW Mid North Coast bush is remarkable because it remains intact and has never been harvested for timber. Earlier this month, conservationists were becoming increasingly concerned it could be bulldozed because a company owned by the NSW Government had earmarked the wider area for harvesting this year. Located at the edge of the 1,000-hectare Viewmont State Forest, the wilderness is blessed with towering eucalypts that are home to species threatened with extinction, including koalas and yellow-bellied gliders. Dailan Pugh, a spokesperson for the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA), said it's one of the region's 'last remaining coastal stands of intact forest'. Dr Stuart Blanch, conservation scientist at World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia (WWF), explained that some of these hollows that provide shelter for gliders would have taken 200 years or more to form. 'They're like gold. Stands of giant trees are far too priceless to be logged. They can't be replaced in our lifetime or our children's lifetime,' he said. Forest could be included in Great Koala National Park Government analysis indicates NSW is on track to lose 50 per cent of its threatened species in the next century, and its wild koalas will be wiped out in 25 years. While both koalas and yellow-bellied gliders are federally protected threatened species, state governments controversially have an exemption to log their habitat. While native forest logging has largely ceased on state-owned land in Victoria and Western Australia, the Minns Labor government continues to back the industry in NSW. And the state-owned Forestry Corporation is in charge of deciding which areas should be harvested. The 6.5 hectares of old-growth forest and the surrounding Viewmont State Forest are being considered to be part of the proposed 315,000-hectare Great Koala National Park (GKNP), a project Labor committed to before its election in 2023. The scheme would see a string of fragmented national parks joined together by protecting state-owned land that's currently subject to logging. Around 176,000 hectares of state forest are being assessed for inclusion in the park, which it is hoped will help slow the extinction of koalas in NSW. But in the meantime timber continues to be harvested from these areas, angering conservationists who have called for a moratorium until its borders are finalised. Environment Minister Penny Sharpe or Premier Chris Minns are yet to advise when the GKNP will be delivered. Questions to Sharpe's office from Yahoo News were redirected to her department, which said the GKNP 'will be delivered', although it did not specify when. 'There has been a comprehensive assessment process which considers environmental, economic, social, ecological and cultural issues,' it said in an email. 'All of the inputs are being finalised so government can create the park.' Experts frustrated by 'complex' forestry rules What's proving a challenge is understanding which parts of state forest are eligible to be logged. They want to ensure high-value forests aren't destroyed before the GKNP is created, as this could lessen its ability to protect koalas. The 6.5 hectares were not earmarked for protection until 2025, but it extends out of Bowraville Nature Reserve which was protected in the 1960s. Both areas have the same value to wildlife and the ecosystem. Even experts at large environmental groups like WWF-Australia and smaller outfits like NEFA find it a challenge to understand the state's harvest plans for these parks. Looking at a map alone is often not enough, and it has taken Yahoo weeks to establish whether the 6.5-hectare old-growth forest in Viewmont State Forest was protected in perpetuity. Part of the problem was that publicly available maps aren't scheduled to be updated for the area until late in 2025, even though decisions were internally made in January and February to retain it. Its protection won't be formalised until operations resume and Forestry Corporation returns to the area, which it said is 'subject to weather and logistical considerations'. Pugh argues this highlights the "frustration" he feels around "navigating the complexities of forestry regulations". "The situation is opaque, and it's often not clear to us what Forestry is doing," he told Yahoo. Call to bring mapping 'confusion' to an end Another problem is that complicated rules have evolved over decades of discussion between the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Forestry Corporation, multiple levels of government and the courts. And this has resulted in confusing regulations and jargon that only experts understand. For instance, the 6.5-hectare old-growth forest is marked in pink on maps as a 'non-harvest area', a designation that means it won't be immediately logged. The area is set to be reclassified as a 'tree retention clump' and marked in brown, and this will protect it in perpetuity. Although this doesn't cover the entire area, and some parts are only protected because they're inaccessible. Regulations are complicated when it comes to protecting wildlife, too. Under the regulations set by the EPA, it's not necessary for Forestry Corporation to search for endangered greater gliders at night in this area, even though they're a nocturnal species and not active during the day. However, elsewhere in the state, they have to be conducted after sunset, before harvesting can begin. Worrying environmental impact of common ingredient in $2 snack Incredible phone footage leads to rediscovery of lost species Australia called out for 'failing' two rare species facing extinction WWF believes the situation is 'complex' when it should be 'simple'. Blanch argues the only way to be confident forest in the area is protected, is for the government to follow through with its promise to create the GKNP. 'Only around 10 people can probably understand the details about the different map versions, classifications and interpretations of the pre-logging survey requirements,' he told Yahoo News. 'It's up to one person to bring this confusion to an end. And that's the Premier of NSW. He needs to declare the Great Koala National Park.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Assam team conducts survey in 5 Arunachal villages
1 2 3 4 Dibrugarh: A high-level team from Assam led by Charaideo DC Neha Yadav visited five villages in Arunachal Pradesh's Longding district on Sunday to conduct a comprehensive field survey in a step towards resolving the decades-old interstate border dispute. The visit, conducted in the spirit of the Namsai Declaration that aims to amicably settle the border issues between the two northeastern states, focused on gathering detailed information about population settlements and cultural prominence in the villages of Tanglan Rusa, Kamkuh Rusa, Hasse Rusa, Langkhajan, and Rangula. The Assam delegation included additional DC and border magistrate Navadeep Changmai, Sapekhati revenue circle officer Lombit Hazarika, and officials from the administration and police department. They were welcomed and accompanied by Longding SP Dekio Gumja and other officials from Arunachal Pradesh throughout the field visit. The findings from the survey will be compiled into a report that will be submitted to the joint border committee comprising officials from both states. Further deliberations will follow as the two northeastern states work towards finalising border demarcation under the framework established by the Namsai Declaration. "Our objective is to collect ground-level data that will help both states move forward with boundary demarcation as envisioned in the Namsai Declaration. We are examining various aspects, including historical settlements, demographic patterns and cultural identities of these border villages," Yadav said. The border dispute between Assam and Arunachal dates back to colonial times when Arunachal was carved out as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) from Assam. After Arunachal achieved statehood in 1987, disagreements over the demarcation of boundaries continued to cause occasional tensions between the neighbouring states. A breakthrough came with the signing of the Namsai Declaration in July 2022, when CMs of both states agreed to reduce the number of disputed villages from 123 to 86 and work towards a permanent resolution. Sunday's survey represents a concrete step in implementing this agreement. Officials said similar surveys would be conducted in other disputed sectors along the 804-km-long interstate boundary in the coming months "This joint exercise demonstrates the commitment of both state govts to resolve long-standing issues through dialogue and cooperation. The spirit of cooperation is encouraging. Instead of viewing this as a territorial dispute, both sides are approaching it as an administrative exercise to ensure better governance for the people living in these areas," an official said.
