Centre grants relaxation on PAP for Arunachal

Itanagar, May 15 (UNI) The Centre has granted relaxation on the Protected Area Permit (PAP) guidelines for Arunachal Pradesh to allow easy inflow of foreign tourists to the state.

According to official sources here today, the Centre also stamped approval on introduction of five new tourist circuits in the state.

The circuits were Along-Mechuka, Pasighat-Jenging-Yingkiong to be extended upto Tuting, Daporijo-Nacho via Taliha and Siyum, Ziro-Palin-Nyapin-Sangram-Kaloriang and Doimukh-Sagalee-Pakke Kessang-Seppa areas.

The existing circuits are Tezpur-Bhalukpong-Bomdila-Tawang, Tinsukia-Tezu-Parsuramkund, Margherita-Miao-Namdapha, Itanagar-Ziro-Daporijo-Along-Pasighat, Boing-Mayudia-Anini and Tezpur-Seijosa-Bhalukpong-Tipi.

The Central government has also delegated powers to the state government for issuing PAP in respect of visiting foreign tourists in a group of two or more persons as against the existing requirement of four or more persons for maximum 30 days which was earlier only 10 days.

Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu had been consistently persuading the Centre to relax the protected area regime in the state for enabling easy inflow of tourists.

Mr Khandu had urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on visit to the state in April in this regard.

With this approval, Arunachal now has eleven tourist circuits, officials informed.

UNI UPB PP SS1243