Indian Air Force: Linking Arunachal to the world

VAJAI NAGAR: Since morning the flag indicating the arrival of an Indian Air Force plane has been fluttering at the tower raising the hopes in almost every aspect of life for nearly 5000 people living in this easternmost administrative circle in Arunachal Pradesh, be it a letter for a resident of Gandhi Gram village or medicines for the almost defunct hospital.
The AN-32 plane of IAF which incidentally is the only connection with the outside world, according to the villagers has come after nearly a month and today there are over 35 people (besides bags of postal mail which has piled up during the month) waiting to get airlifted to the nearest town of Dibrugarh in Assam failing which they will have to walk for five days to reach the nearest town in Arunachal Pradesh.
Residents of these 14 villages under the circle, headed by an Upper Division Clerk (UDC), are mostly settlers under Government of India''s Rehabilitation Scheme for ex-servicemen. They are today lost in this part of the world as there is hardly any one to lookafter their daily needs. One can''t expect a UDC to raise their issues with the higher authorities.
As the plane is touching down on a temporary runway the faces of nearly 100 people gathered there to either see off the people or look at the aircraft itself can be seen brightening up as they are never sure of the plane''s arrival.
A lady working in Malaria Department is trying to go to Dibrugarh to get some medicines for the hospital, which has been deserted by the doctors three months ago who had also gone to get medicines for the hospital. Now just three persons who are only paramedical staff are running the hospital.
They have no news about the doctor though a local teacher informed that the doctor has managed a posting to a "better place using his connections" and is now trying to get his luggage from this place. One of the staffs of the hospital also admitted that some patients have died without treatment in these areas.
Though the state is reported to have a potential of over 30,000 MW of hydro power, these people have been going without power for over three years now as the only generator which used to provide them power has been out of order all these days and even the government has stopped sending diesel to run it. People here are literally living in a Dark Age as they are not allowed to bring kerosene oil in the flight.
The postal staff mostly collects the letters from the villages around the area and makes a package every day with the hope that the plane will come and take these letters to other parts of the country and convey the messages of hundreds of people to their near and dear as this is the only way they can communicate in the absence of any telecom facility.
Air Force authorities who had been flying in these areas for the past so many decades admitted that they are aware of the condition of the villagers. They also add that it is the duty of the state government to uplift their condition. Till then these villagers will have to continue in this area and look towards the sky every morning if Gods answer their prayers and send a plane.