Staff Reporter
Itanagar, Mar 6: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Friday said prolonged monsoon and fragile hill ecology pose major challenges in maintaining roads across the state.
Responding to a supplementary question raised by Borduria-Bogapani MLA Wanglin Lowangdong during Question Hour in the Assembly, Mein said Arunachal Pradesh experiences very high precipitation with monsoon conditions lasting six to seven months every year.
“Newly constructed hill roads are naturally susceptible to soil erosion, slope instability and localized landslides due to heavy rainfall, fragile ecology and disturbances caused during hill cutting,” he informed the House.
Responding to concerns raised by the Borduria-Bogapani MLA regarding the poor condition of the 27.516 km Hukanjuri–Khonsa stretch of NH-315A, Mein said a portion of the road at chainage 10.120 km was partially washed away due to flash floods in the Pullung river. The matter has since been taken up with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for restoration.
He clarified that apart from the affected portion and a few vulnerable locations, there has been no major washout affecting the entire stretch of the highway.
Mein further informed that the Ministry, in coordination with the State PWD (Highways), has engaged Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd (THDC) as an expert consultant to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for slope protection, landslide mitigation and restoration of damaged sections.
The consultant has already conducted field investigations along the stretch and the DPR is currently under preparation. Once approved and sanctioned by the ministry, tendering and execution of permanent restoration works will be taken up on priority to ensure safe and uninterrupted traffic movement.
Lowangdong, while highlighting the “pathetic” condition of the Hukanjuri-Khonsa stretch of NH-315A sought an explanation from the government and questioned why no action has been initiated against the “erring” officers and the contractor responsible for the project.
Meanwhile, replying to another question, Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona acknowledged the shortage of principals in higher secondary schools in the state. He said the delay in appointing regular principals is mainly due to the lack of eligible officers fulfilling the prescribed eight years of qualifying service under the Recruitment Rules, 2010.
To address the issue, the department has proposed a one-time relaxation in the recruitment rules to facilitate promotions to the post of principal.
Earlier, Longding MLA Thangwang Wangham highlighted the absence of principals in several schools in his district, including Government Higher Secondary School, Longding, and remarked that a school without a principal is “like an aeroplane without a pilot.” He also urged the government to review policies allowing teachers to move to non-teaching administrative posts like DDSE, BEO, etc.