Sankaranarayanan new Arunachal Governor

Itanagar, Sep 03: Nagaland Governor Katteekal Sankaranarayanan arrived here today to take additional charge of Arunachal Pradesh, while his predecessor S K Singh left the capital to take charge as Governor of Rajasthan.

Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, accompanied with his Cabinet colleagues besides high level civil and police officials, received the new Governor.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new Governor would be held tomorrow.

Attending his farewell party here last night, Mr Singh stressed on the urgent need to link Arunachal Pradesh through railways, which he said would help development of the state manifold.

" I came here to know the people of the state and serve them. I have so much attachment and respect for the people that I cannot forget them, " he said.

Earlier in the day while laying the foundation of the Rs 5 crore multi-purpose cultural complex at Naharlagun, his last official function, Mr Singh exhorted the political leaders not to politicise and destroy traditional institution like gaon burah (village headman) for their vested interests.

Citing the example of the existence of more than one such institution in almost every village of the state, he said such increase in numbers had a political motive.

" The gaon burah knows the tribal code of conduct and ethics and the institution should be bolstered not by increasing its numbers but by strengthening it, " he advocated.

Lamenting over lack of investment in the North East, particularly Arunachal, he said investors were wary of the violence and the hostile environment in the region.

" The states of the region must prevent those forces working against the development, and the people have the choice to decide for themselves the ways to take up sustainable development, " he added.Calling for a tourist roadmap, Mr Singh said the state government should emulate the Bhutan model since the topography of Arunachal was quite similar to that country.

He also stated that the inner line permit in force in the state should not be a hindrance to development of tourism.

UNI