East Kameng

East Kameng district is situated in the Western part of Arunachal Pradesh surrounded by West Kameng in the west, Papumpare in the East, Part of Lower Subansiri and Macmohan (International Boundary) line in the North and Sonitpur District of Assam in the South covering an area of 4134 sq kms. The area around the Kameng river have traditionally came under the control and influence of the Mon kingdom, Tibet and the Ahom kingdom. Aka and Nishi chiefs would exert control over the area whenever no major political powers dominated the area. The Kameng Frontier Division was renamed as the Kameng District. The Political Officer was also redesignated as the Deputy Commissioner of Kameng. However, due to political reasons, the Kameng district was bifurcated between East Kameng and West Kameng on the 1st June 1980. The entire district barring a small area on the southernmost tip of Assam is mountainous. The deep gorges and narrow valleys frequently open into wide valleys. The district is an extension part of the North eastward Himalayan range. It lies between 92° 36" E to 93° 24" E longitudes and 26° 56" to 27° 59" Latitudes. The District Hqr, Seppa lies on the bank of River Kameng. Important tributaries of river Kameng which are turbulent and high speed rivers are Para, Pachi, Pachok, Pakoti, Keya Bichom, Pacha, Pakke, Papu, Passa, Narmorah and Dikalmukh. The rugged terrains of the district make transport and communication extremely difficult. There are few surface roads, which remain cutoff during summer seasons due to flood and landslide.

Climate

The climatic condition of this district varies largely with topography and altitude. The altitude of different administrative centres varies ranging from 362 m to 1906 m. The foothill zone is subtropical and has hot and humid climate. Average temperature decreases as elevations increase in the mountains. The district experiences heavy rainfall averaging 287 mm falling mostly between June and October and in winter extreme cold. As a result of heavy rainfall during monsoon season, most of the rivers and streams are highly inflated and disrupt normal transport system and communication. Although heavy monsoon helps regeneration of forests, it is also responsible for speedy soil erosion and landslides which make the maintenance of roads quite costly. Many developing activities are held up during the monsoons. The months from October to March are the most favourable time for intensive work for development.

People and Lifestyle

East Kameng is inhabited by various tribes of similar origin with distinct cultures and beliefs, practising the Donyi-Polo religion. The most populous of these, the Nishi, are scattered throughout the entire district. Other tribes, especially the Miji, Sullung and the Aka, are found in regions near the Kameng river. Since independence, much of the population has relocated to the district capital, Seppa. With the coming of modernism, festivals such as the Sarok of the Aka, Nyokum of the Nishi, Jonglam-Ponklam and Chindang of the Miji and the Gumkum-Gumpa are celebrated in full flair in Seppa. Most tribes practise shifting agriculture, locally known as Jhum. Crops like Barley and Rice were planted, and fruits are planted in orchards. Fishing activities that first started between 1965-66 and gained momenteum from November 1980, when the Department first started functioning independently. As of today, the Fishery development activities is headed by District Fishery Development Officer, who was originally the Superintendent of Fisheries. However, this department had few subordinate staffs. Funds were also given for rural agriculture and Paddy-cum-Fish Culture activities. With the advancement of modern technology, horiculture is becoming incresingly popular. Today, temperate and sub-tropical fruits are planted in orchards with chemical fertilisers.

East Siang

East Siang is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. The district headquarters are located at Pasighat. The district occupies an area of 4005 sq km and has a population of 87,430 (as of 2001). Various tribal groups of the Adi people live in various parts of the district. The local people traditionally follow Donyi-Polo, although a sizeable minority have embraced Christianity.

How to reach

East Siang District is well connected by road, rail, air and waterways. Visitors can reach Pasighat by bus, private vehicles or taxies from Guwahati (capital of Assam), Lakhimpur or Itanagar (Capital of Arunachal Pradesh); alternatively, they can cross over river Brahmaputra from Dibrugarh by ferry to Oryamghat that is situated at a distance of 32 kms. from Pasighat and then take a bus or taxi. Ruksin check-gate is the point of entry for those coming by road from Guwahati or Itanagar and Kemi check-gate for those coming by ferry from Dibrugarh.

The nearest airports are at Dibrugarh and Guwahati. Helicopter services are also available from Guwahati and Itanagar.

Changlang District

The Changlang district is located in Arunachal Pradesh, located south of the Lohit district and north of the Tirap district.