Demand for Nyishi Heritage Village at Yazali

Staff REPORTER*

ITANAGAR, May 12: PRI members of Yachuli assembly constituency led by Takampassa ASM Tao Ror said Nyishi Elite Society (NES) president Bengia Tolum has vested interest in shifting the Heritage Village site from Yazali in Lower Subansiri to Hoj in Papum Pare

Addressing reporters here on Friday, Ror demanded that the Heritage Village be built in Yazali or some other place in Yachuli constituency.

“There is no truth in Tolum’s assertion that there is no sufficient land to establish the village in Yazali or Yachuli. No one expects the NES president to ignore Yazali given the importance of the place for the Nyishi community,” Ror said.

The area, he reminded, was witness to many historical events because of which the state government and the High Court had prescribed Yazali for the Heritage Village.

“It was in 2013 that former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki named Yazali as the site and had accordingly sanctioned Rs 2-crore for the Heritage Village. A detailed project report was also prepared by the PWE executive engineer,” the ASM said.

“Tolum was somehow not satisfied and wanted to the shift the venue to Hoj for reasons best know to him. He even started earth cutting work there. When we interfered he asked us to look for free land in and around Yazali for the purpose. We did and made ample land available for the Heritage Village,” Ror said.

“Though people at Yazali were ready to donate land, the NES on September 16, 2014 wrote to the PWE executive engineer about land unavailability. We had no option to filing a PIL in the High Court,” he added.

The ASM further said that the court supported their claim and directed the government accordingly.

“It was after this that a committee to look in the matter was formed,” Ror said.  

That, the PRI members said, did not prevent Tolum from issuing a no-objection certificate for construction of the Heritage Village at Hoj again. They also accused Tolum of eyeing Rs 15 lakh as land compensation from the Hoj site.

Rubbishing Tolum’s claim that none of the PRI members were present when the inspection committee visited the proposed sites, the ASMs said they have visual proof of their presence and threatened to launch a democratic movement if their demand is not met.