LIFE BOMBARDED Villagers near IAF firing range living in dread, inhaling chemicals, going deaf

Shonaam TABRI DADA*

ITANAGAR, Apr 23: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman instilled a sense of security among the people of Arunachal Pradesh by announcing that seven more Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) will be built along the border with China. She made the announcement after air force drills in Pasighat and Dollungmukh as part of the Gagan Shakti exercise in April.

But people of Dollungmukh Circle feel she ignored a problem they face -- disturbance due to the excessive firing practices by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The people of the circle, now under the newly-created Kamle district, have been enduring the sound and air pollution caused by the firing for more than four decades. Since 1975, they have also had to weather boundary dispute, illegal eviction and demolition of structures such as tourist lodge by Assam besides the impasse over the Subansiri power project.

Dollungmukh Circle has 11 villages and 10 primary and secondary schools. Bombarding by the IAF at the firing range here has been increasing over the past few years. This has endangered the lives of the people, particularly the elderly and children, who are never intimated about the timing of the bombarding exercises.

Kamle Deputy Commissioner M Loyi said the untimely and uninformed bombing practice by IAF has caused many problems. The situation has been compounded because the firing range is on disputed land, which Assam claims is in Lakhimpur district.

"The IAF informs the Lakhimpur DC about firing practice. We are never told. This is not the way to go about things since the court has not yet declared that the land belongs to Assam. IAF should inform both DCs, so that villagers can be alerted for taking precautions," Loyi said.

The students' union and senior officials of the circle have many a time approached the IAF in Tezpur and complained against the impact of the firing. There has not been any positive response till date.

The union also submitted memorandum to Chief Minister Pema Khandu and MoS for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju for drawing the attention of the Central government to their issue.

Zilla Parishad Member (ZPM) Beirotom Tasap said that due to the bombarding, many children have lost eyesight, some have gone deaf while others have become handicapped. "People here live in fear with many suffering heart attacks due to the sound of the explosions. We want the Indian government to immediately shift the firing range and rehabilitate the people," he said.

“The bombings not only affect the eardrums but also disturb our classes," a student of Kherabari Primary School said, adding that they go through an earthquake-like situation all the time.

The proximity of the firing range to human habitations has made the land dispute between the two states secondary, villagers said.

The disturbance is not limited to the people of Arunachal Pradesh. Neighbours in Assam too are traumatised by the bombarding that has claimed the lives of many domestic and wild animals.

IAF officials at the firing range chose not to elaborate beyond the "we are concerned about the people of Kherabari village", specifically those settled 658 metres from the bomb-dropping zone.

According to Rotom Tebin, an engineer and senior citizen of Dollungmukh, bombarding releases very harmful substances that the locals invariably inhale. He reminded of the death of a child during bombing practice in 1992.

"The air here carries chemicals released by the bombs. We urge the State government and the pollution control board to study the impact of the harmful substances on the people," he said.

"The State government should confirm whether the people living near the firing range are safe or not. The people should accordingly be rehabilitated," Rotom said. 

Dollungmukh Circle Officer Koj Tacho said bombarding is affecting at least eight villages close to the firing range besides flora and fauna.

“People are scared to rear livestock, gather firewood and vegetables in the area. I have during my tenure seen many people dying untimely. I have raised the issue of the impact of bombarding but in vain," Tacho said.