ITANAGAR, Jan 16: The Department of Anthropology, Dera Natung Government College (DNGC), Itanagar, successfully completed a 14-day anthropological fieldwork at Dirang town in West Kameng district from January 3 to 16. The study was carried out by a team of 5th-semester Anthropology students under the guidance of Dr Ratna Tayeng, Assistant Professor and Head, Department of Anthropology, DNGC.
The team was warmly received by Dr Anil Chaudhuri, Principal, Dirang Polytechnic College, who provided necessary support throughout the programme.
The study covered a wide range of themes, including people and culture, hotels and markets, homestays, basic infrastructure, tourism, environmental issues, urban problems, town administration, and waste management.
As part of community engagement, the students conducted a social service programme at Dirang Polytechnic College on January 15.
Dirang Town, a sub-divisional headquarters, houses the office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC). Officially notified as a Census Town in 2011, Dirang falls under the Class VI town category and, as per the 2011 Census, has a population of 3,750 with 966 households.
Over the years, Dirang has emerged as an important centre for tourism and horticulture. The study recorded 11 hotels and 28 homestays in and around the town, with an average of about 30 tourists visiting daily, making it one of the emerging tourist destinations in the State.
Local narratives suggest that the name Dirang originated from “Di-Rang-Sa,” meaning a place where people took oaths, while another belief holds that Lamas from Lhasa named the area after settling there.
The study observed that although Dirang has relatively reliable water supply and electricity, it faces challenges such as traffic congestion, poor drainage, sewage and waste management issues, lack of well-defined boundaries, fire accidents, flooding, and land encroachment. Garbage is currently dumped near the river due to the absence of a designated site, though a new dumping facility with recycling units is under construction at Munna Camp, about 4 km away. The town also lacks a fire station due to land constraints.