Mebo, East Siang, Arunachal Pradesh –
The Adi Baane Kebang (ABK), the apex council of the Adi community, has issued a fervent call for immediate intervention following devastating erosion from the Siang River’s annual floods, which have left several villages in Mebo Sub-Division on the brink of catastrophe. A joint delegation from the ABK’s East Siang District unit, Mebo Block unit, and Youth Wing conducted an on-ground assessment of the hardest-hit areas, including Namsing, Seram, Borguli, and Sigar, where hundreds of households face displacement and vital infrastructure teeters on the edge of collapse.
In Namsing, one of the most severely impacted villages, the team witnessed firsthand the erosion that has swallowed hundreds of hectares of farmland and threatened the very site of the local Circle Office building. Residents recounted years of relentless damage, exacerbated by the failure of past flood protection efforts. Similar scenes unfolded in Seram, Borguli, and Sigar, where villagers shared harrowing tales of repeated inundations and the urgent need for robust defenses. In Sigar, a botched 2020 flood control project inadvertently rerouted the river’s fury, accelerating erosion and compelling families to abandon their homes.
Local leaders, including ZPM Gumin Tayeng, Gaon Burahs, village secretaries, and panchayat officials, welcomed the ABK delegation and amplified the community’s pleas for relief and rehabilitation. The council has proposed a comprehensive solution: a road-cum-flood protection mega embankment stretching along the Siang’s left bank from Raneghat Bridge to the Assam-Arunachal border. This ambitious project, they argue, would not only stem the tide of annual erosion but also unlock potential for riverfront tourism in the region.
ABK President Tanon Tatak, leading the inspection alongside Vice President (Protocol) Olen Megu Damin, East Siang Unit President Dijhi Tamuk, GS Anit Tamuk, and other officials like Indu Yommin, Kinung Tamut, and Mongol Aje, vowed to escalate the matter directly to Chief Minister Pema Khandu. “Hundreds of hectares of land have been washed away over the years. Immediate attention is needed to prevent further loss of life and property,” Tatak emphasized.
Frustration boiled over from the ABK Youth Wing President Oki Dai, who lambasted the government’s apparent indifference. “We submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister in August 2023 requesting a personal inspection of the flood-hit areas. Despite this, no high-level visits took place. We are now planning a protest by locking down government offices in Mebo,” Dai declared, signaling escalating measures if demands go unheeded.
The council’s urgent appeals encompass emergency flood control measures, protective embankments, boulder bunds in vulnerable spots, and comprehensive support for affected families. As the Siang’s wrath continues to reshape the landscape, the ABK’s push underscores the precarious plight of these riverside communities, demanding swift action to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and cultural heritage.
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