ITANAGAR, 13 Jul: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has urged the Centre to declare the prevailing situation in Arunachal Pradesh a ‘disaster of severe nature’, and sought urgent intervention for relief and restoration works.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, the AAPSU sought a special financial package, immediate release of assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund, and sanctioning of a dedicated financial package for reconstruction of damaged roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and water supply systems across the state.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, the AAPSU stated, the ongoing spell of floods and landslides has affected over 97,000 people across all 26 districts, claiming seven lives and leaving 29 injured. A search and rescue operation is also underway in Tirap district for one schoolboy swept away by the Chatjo river, with two bodies already recovered, the AAPSU said.

It further stated that the disaster has caused extensive damage to public infrastructure, with 150 roads, 19 bridges, 21 culverts, 221 water supply schemes, 58 government buildings and 156 power lines affected, along with damage to hydel projects, hospitals and schools.

Over 541 hectares of standing crops and nearly 1,010 hectares of forest land have also been hit, the union said.

AAPSU president Meje Taku, in the representation, said the scale of destruction occurring even before the peak monsoon month of August threatens to undo years of developmental gains in the state. Taku called for sustained central attention rather than one-time relief measures, citing the state’s fragile Himalayan terrain and its critical location along the international border.

The union also sought immediate restoration of strategically important routes, including National Highway 13 and the approach road to the Sela Tunnel, which were damaged in the recent rainfall.

 It further sought the constitution of a central assessment team to work with the state government and fast-track compensation for affected families, farmers and institutions.