Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Wednesday resolved the ‘land imbroglio’ between the departments of Industry and Education regarding the land transfer issue required for setting up of the first Sainik School of the State at Niglok near Pasighat in East Siang district.
Mein, who had visited the Industrial Growth Centre (IGC) at Niglok-Ngorlung on May 21 last, convened a joint meeting of the ministers and officers of the departments of Industry and Education including Deputy Commissioner, Pasighat to discuss and find out an amicable solution for the land issue that was pending for the last five years.
In the meeting, the Department of Industry agreed to transfer the much-needed 100 acres of land to the Education Department within a short time.
Mein said that Sainik School is a long pending institute of the State and it is unfortunate that due to lack of coordination between the departments, the opening of the school was in a pending state for last five years.
He opined that the issue could have been resolved long back had the Education Department asked for issuance of a ‘no objection certificate’ (NOC) and transfer of 100 acres of land for the school by routing the file through the Industry Department.
“If we take such a long time for setting up the first Sainik School in State, then how will we go about other schools which are in the pipeline,” Mein questioned and called for proper coordination and understanding between departments to avoid such recurrence in future.
The Deputy Chief Minister further asked the Industry Department to immediately issue the NOC and transfer the land to the Education Department and also to issue an official notification in this regard so that the Sainik School at Niglok starts functioning from this year itself.
He also said that proper demarcation in the form of permanent RCC wall should be constructed to segregate the compounds.
Mein also suggested the Education Department to consider the sites for setting up educational institution/schools carefully in future and to see that it does not fall near and adjacent to Industrial Estate or Industrial Growth Centre that may emit pollutants and create noise pollution, the same which may not be congenial for education.
He also assured that the State Government would compensate 100 acres of land to the Department of Industry for setting up of industrial estates in the districts where there is no industrial estate.
This, he said, would be incorporated in the next budget and asked the department to send the proposals to him.
Minister of Industry, Tamiyo Taga pressed for compensation of 100 acres of land to the industry department by the Government in lieu of the land that will be transferred to the Education Department with minimum of 10 acres in various places for setting up of industrial estates.
He also informed that the department had no objection in setting up of the proposed Sainik School in principle but cited that there had been no specific orders and formal communication regarding the land transfer from the competent authority so far.
The Industry Department also agreed to let the infrastructure within IGC to be used by the Sainik School Authorities with a condition that it would be transferred back to IGC within three years.
Minister of Education Honchun Ngandam said, “We cannot afford to neither lose an important education institution like Sainik School nor the IGC at Niglok-Ngorlung therefore an amicable solution is a welcome step.”
He also asked the officers to complete all the formalities in time so that such delay does not arise in future.
Among others, secretary, Education, Dr Madhu R Teotia, Special Secretary (Industry) N T Glow, East Siang DC Tamiyo Tatak, Industries director Rajeev Takuk, Director Elementary Education Tapi Gao, Sainik School Goalpara Principal Captain Edwin JothiRajan participated in the meeting.
The first academic session for the year 2018-19 of the Sainik School is scheduled to commence from August 27 next.