A serious appeal has been raised by Rotom Tebin, the MLA of 25 Raga (ST) Assembly Constituency in Arunachal Pradesh, against continued bombing exercises by the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Dolum firing range in the Dollungmukh Sub-Division. Tebin, joined by panchayat leaders and local elders, submitted a formal memorandum to Chief Secretary Manish Gupta during the latter’s two-day visit to the region. The delegation urged immediate action to halt what they described as illegal and dangerous bombing activities that threaten the safety and wellbeing of civilians residing in villages near the firing range. Their plea comes as preparations are underway for the commissioning of the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project, which is nearing completion in the same area.
In the memorandum, Tebin accused the IAF of violating the terms of a conditional two-year lease that expired on January 31, 2025. The leaders pointed out that the lease had not been extended officially, yet bombing operations were still ongoing — posing risks to three of the six villages in Dollungmukh, which lie partially within the bombing zone. Further, the memorandum emphasized that under the MoU signed on April 20, 2023, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, all six Dollungmukh villages were confirmed to fall under Arunachal Pradesh’s jurisdiction. The delegation expressed deep dissatisfaction that the IAF continues to coordinate with Assam authorities instead of consulting Arunachal Pradesh officials on sensitive issues.
“This is not just an issue of jurisdiction. It’s a matter of safety, dignity, and rightful governance. Our people live under constant fear of military bombing. This must stop,” MLA Tebin stated after the meeting.
