Arunachal: Student body meets Longliang fire victims, extends relief

Itanagar: A delegation of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) led by its general secretary Tobom Dai on Thursday visited the fire-ravaged Longliang Village in Tirap district and distributed relief materials to the fire victims.

Two persons, including a 5-year-old, lost their lives while more than 110 houses were completely gutted in a devastating fire that broke out at the village on March 15.

Longliang, which falls under the Lazu circle of Tirap district, is around 345 km from here.

Also read: Breaking: Massive fire at Arunachal village kills 2, more casualties feared

The visiting team, that also included representatives from various other district students’ unions, interacted with the affected villagers and took stock of the problems being faced by them in the aftermath of the incident.

Relief materials including clothes, blankets and other items collected during the ‘3-day statewide donation drive’ was handed over to the Gaon Burah in presence of the PRI and other members of the village.

Dai, while extending the people’s support and encouragement to the affected villagers, said “the AAPSU was able to provide the relief materials and financial assistance only due to the voluntary contribution extended by the generous people of the state.”

“I sincerely extend my gratitude to the people of our state, who right from Tawang to Longding, have felt the sufferings of the people of Longliang and voluntarily contributed during the donation drive. It is this idea of Pan-Arunachal that we, as an organization have been striving to achieve and this should be imbibed by every one of us,” he said.

Expressing satisfaction with the response of the state government in mitigating the crisis faced by the affected villagers, Dai urged the village authorities to properly utilize the relief they receive.

“As many have contributed voluntarily, every single penny should be utilized for rebuilding the lives of the villagers,” he said while adding that the AAPSU has also arranged for rice to be equally distributed among the affected families through the members of the All Tirap District Students’ Union which shall reach the village once the road is clear.

The AAPSU team later called on Tirap deputy commissioner Taro Mize at his office and handed over the donations made in cash amounting to Rs 16,00,251.

Out of the total amount, Rs 9,14,321 was collected by the AAPSU and its federal units while Rs 4,57,410 was collected by the Tirap, Changlang, Longding & Namsai Students’ Union Itanagar. An amount of Rs 2,28,520 was contributed by the Tirap, Changlang, Longding & Namsai Students’ Union of Rajiv Gandhi University during the three-day drive.

Matter pertaining to shortage of subject teachers at Government Secondary School, Lazu, it’s shifting to a new site, problems of teacher’s quarters, etc including the dilapidated condition of PMGSY road to Longliang was also discussed during the meeting with the DC.

The Union also urged the DC to conduct a special medical camp for the Longliang villagers at the earliest.