Amid rising concerns over recurring floods and declining public services in Arunachal Pradesh’s remote border regions, Mebo MLA Oken Tayeng and East Siang Deputy Commissioner Sonalika Jiwani conducted an on-ground inspection of Gadum and Mer villages, two of the most flood-affected areas in the Mebo subdivision. The visit aimed to assess extensive soil erosion, deteriorating school infrastructure, and the acute shortage of teachers and health personnel in the region. Accompanied by senior officials including ADC Mebo Nancy Yirang, Namsing Circle Officer Toimi Tagi, DDSE Odhuk Tabing, DMO Dr. Komling Perme, and WRD Executive Engineer Onit Panyang, the team first visited Gadum-I and Gadum-II primary schools. To their dismay, no teacher was found present at the Gadum-I school during the visit, reflecting the systemic gap in educational service delivery in these remote flood-prone areas.
What was more alarming, however, was the scale of environmental degradation. The Taro-Tamak river, a known cause of seasonal flooding, has been steadily eroding the surrounding landmass. Villagers have responded with urgency, forming the Taro-Tamak Flood Protection Committee and voluntarily constructing porcupine spurs—a low-cost flood mitigation method—to hold back the river’s wrath. In response, DDSE Tabing assured villagers that teachers would be deployed on an urgent basis, possibly within the next two working days. The MLA and DC also promised the immediate provision of sand-filled gunny bags to fortify flood protection efforts.The delegation’s next stop was Mer village, where the Siang River has severely impacted agricultural lands, including paddy fields owned by locals such as Bapukon Perme. The river’s banks, which had been previously stabilized through local effort, have once again given way to rapid erosion. Makeshift porcupine structures have been erected, but officials observed that these measures are insufficient against the scale of the threat.
At a public meeting held in Mer’s community hall, MLA Tayeng addressed the gathered villagers and shared updates on development proposals. Most notably, he spoke of a Rs. 228-crore flood protection plan previously submitted to the Central Government. The proposal, which aimed to protect large swathes of the Mebo region, had been sent back with recommendations for a comprehensive and unified approach, covering both the left and right banks of the Siang River. The revised version, now under active review, is being conceived not just as a flood defense mechanism but also as a dual-purpose infrastructure project—a road connecting Sigar to Mer. The project, if approved, is expected to improve connectivity and foster rural tourism in the scenic Siang basin. DC Sonalika Jiwani, who has been at the forefront of administrative response efforts in East Siang, assured the public that education and healthcare concerns are being taken seriously. She revealed that the health sub-centre at Mer, which has already been constructed, will be formally handed over in the coming days. Once completed, doctors and medical staff will be posted immediately to bring essential health services within reach of local residents.
