Editor,

Time and again, we hear distressing stories of our people being cheated, mistreated, and looked down upon in other states – even in our neighbouring states. And yet, despite facing such humiliation, they have no choice but to make that same journey, over and over again. They travel far from home in search of better hospitals, better educational institutes, and simply a chance at a decent, affordable life. There is something deeply painful about that reality – that our own people must leave to find the dignity they deserve.

And what drives them away? It is not wanderlust. It is desperation. It is the quiet, crushing weight of not being able to afford a decent life right here, on their own soil. Take the simple example of medicine prices. In other states, even in neighbouring Assam, medicines are available at 18% to 20% below the maximum retail price (MRP). But back home, our pharmacists do not budge an inch from the MRP. For a family already struggling to make ends meet, that difference is not just a statistic – it is the difference between eating well and cutting corners, between peace of mind and constant anxiety.

And it does not stop at medicines. The cost of healthcare itself within our state has become a quiet crisis of its own. Medical institutes in Arunachal Pradesh charge exorbitantly high fees for treatments, tests, and diagnostic procedures – often far beyond what people would pay for the same services even in neighbouring states. A routine blood test, a simple X-ray, an ordinary consultation – all of it costs significantly more here. So our people are left with a heartbreaking choice – either bear the financial strain at home or pack their bags and travel hundreds of kilometres just to afford basic medical care. No one should ever have to make that choice.

What makes all of this even more frustrating is the irony that stares us in the face every single day. Dawa aur daru’ – medicine (public healthcare services) and alcohol – both fall under the state list. That means our own state government holds full authority over both. So why is it that alcohol flows freely and affordably across our state, while life-saving medicines remain expensive and out of reach for the ordinary person? Why are prescribed generic medicines so hard to find here? These are not rhetorical questions – they are the lived frustrations of real people, real families, who are tired of being let down.

This cannot go on. From medicines to vegetables, from daily essentials to construction materials, the cost of simply living in Arunachal has quietly spiralled out of control. Our people are not asking for luxury. They are not asking for the extraordinary. They are asking for fairness – the same basic fairness that people in other states take for granted. It is high time our authorities truly listened, acknowledged this ground reality, and came forward with meaningful, concrete action. The people of Arunachal have waited long enough – and they deserve better. Much better.

Yiri Kamcham,

Kamcham,

Lower Siang