By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Panic and uncertainty have gripped labourers from Assam travelling to Arunachal Pradesh for work following the recent enforcement of stricter Inner Line Permit (ILP) regulations in the neighbouring state and the ongoing “ST Bachao Andolan” protests against the new rules.
According to reports, more than 100 labourers, mostly from the Talap and Dhola areas of Assam’s Tinsukia district, were stopped in Sadiya on Monday morning while attempting to enter Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley district.
Sources said the workers were denied entry due to the absence of valid labour permits and other required documents under the revised ILP norms.
Speaking to reporters, All Assam Tea Tribe Students’ Union leader Dhan Bhakta welcomed the Arunachal Pradesh government’s move to regulate labour entry through proper documentation, but alleged discrepancies in the enforcement process.
“We totally welcome the initiative, but labourers from Assam are often taken by residents of Arunachal Pradesh who themselves violate ILP rules. The labourers enter the state under them, yet authorities do not take action against those responsible,” Bhakta said.
He further alleged that for a long time many labourers had reportedly been entering Arunachal Pradesh by paying between Rs 50 and Rs 100 per head without proper documentation.
Concerns have also been raised over the vulnerability of undocumented labourers, who often fail to receive official assistance or compensation in the event of workplace accidents or other untoward incidents in Arunachal Pradesh.
“These labourers are compelled to work outside the state for their bread and butter. Therefore, a proper and transparent system should be maintained for their protection,” one of the labourers said.
Labourers have urged contractors and employers taking workers to Arunachal Pradesh to ensure that all required documentation is completed before transporting them to the state.
The concerns have surfaced amid growing unrest over the recently issued “Arunachal Pradesh Inner Line Permit (ILP) Guidelines, 2026”.
Earlier, a 36-hour Itanagar bandh called by the Arunachal ST Bachao Andolan Committee on May 15 disrupted normal life across the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) in protest against the new ILP guidelines.
The organisation has alleged that certain provisions of the revised rules violate the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, and could adversely affect the rights and interests of the indigenous communities of Arunachal Pradesh.