ITANAGAR, Sept 1: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday underlined the need to pursue development while staying rooted in tradition, as he laid foundation stones for multiple infrastructure projects in Lower Dibang Valley district and later joined the Solung Festival celebrations of the Adi community at Roing, the district headquarters.
Khandu said development initiatives must go hand in hand with the preservation of cultural identity, stressing that the people of Arunachal Pradesh embrace modernity without losing sight of their heritage.
Speaking at the Solung festival of the Adis, Khandu stressed that culture and identity must go hand in hand with development.
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“If we forget our roots, our culture and our language in the race to development, we will never be truly developed,” he said.
Lauding the Adis, one of the largest tribes of the state, for preserving their rich heritage, Khandu pointed out that each tribe’s distinct culture, cuisine and dialect are its true identity.
Reiterating his appeal to use local dialects in daily life, Khandu remarked, “I firmly believe that cultural erosion starts when a member of the community does not learn his or her mother tongue.”
While admitting the importance of English and Hindi, he asserted that they should not come at the cost of mother tongues.
He urged elders to speak to children in their native languages and encouraged youth to practice their dialects to pass them on to future generations.
“As a Monpa (tribe member), I have to take ownership of my culture, my language. As an Adi, you have to do the same. No one from the other part of the world will come to preserve your culture and language. It is upon us to preserve our respective culture, language and faith through practicing these in our daily life,” he added.
Khandu said that the state government has set up the department of indigenous affairs to assist tribes in preserving their heritage, calling upon community-based organisations to brainstorm with officials for effective measures.
He also praised the improved road connectivity of Roing, recalling his 2011 visit when he had to cross rivers by ferry multiple times.
“In the coming years, Roing in particular and Lower Dibang Valley in general is all set to step into a next level of developmental stage, by courtesy the Dibang Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project,” the CM said.
The projects launched by the chief minister include 20-bedded hostel buildings with kitchens, dining halls and warden quarters at CUPS Sirang, Keba, and Middle School Kangkong, along with a 120-bedded hostel at Government Secondary School Paglam. Four-unit type quarters will also come up at GSS Paglam and the CUPS campuses, officials said.
Other works include infrastructure creation for the electrical sub-division at Dambuk, improvement of township roads in Dambuk and Paglam, and construction of a quarter for the Principal of Government Model College, Roing.
Reviewing progress of the under-construction bridge over the Sissiri River on the Bomjir Paglam road, Khandu, in a post on X, said the structure would significantly boost connectivity in the region.
Once completed, this bridge will provide all-weather connectivity to villages like Bizari, Anpum, Loklung and Paglam. It will ease travel and open up new opportunities for the area, he observed. (PTI)
