Anini | |
---|---|
District Headquarters | |
Location of Anini in Arunachal Pradesh | |
Coordinates: 28°47′53″N95°54′13″E / 28.79806°N 95.90361°E | |
Country | India |
State | Arunachal Pradesh |
District | Dibang Valley |
Sub-district | Anini Circle |
Elevation | 1,968 m (6,457 ft) |
Population (2001) | |
• Total | 2,264 |
Demonym | Aninese |
Time zone | UTC+5:30 (Indian Standard Time) |
Postal Index Code (India) | 792101 |
Indian Telephone Prefix | 03801 |
ISO 3166 code | IN |
Climate | Cwb |
Population [1] |
Anini is the headquarters of the Dibang Valley district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. Anini was also the district headquarters of the undivided Dibang Valley district. Most of this location's population consists of the Idu Mishmi tribal people. Due to its remote location, Anini remains a small and underdeveloped town. However, it has basic road and air links to the rest of India. For most commercial needs, the town is fully dependent on the nearest major settlement, Roing, which is in the Lower Dibang Valley District.
The Anini sub-division consists of six administrative circles— Anini, Mipi, Dambeun, Etalin, Anelih, and Arzoo. [2]
While there is no definite answer, Anini's name may have come from Inini or Innini. Historical maps of Arunachal Pradesh from times before the Lower Dibang Valley district were carved out of the Dibang Valley District in 2001. [3] Before Roing was established, these maps indicate the capital of the Dibang Valley District was "Inini." [4] Inini may have come from the Idu word "inni," which is the word for the Idu Mishmi people's supreme deity or god. [5]
Like the history of Arunachal Pradesh, Anini's history is cloudy. The native Idu Mishmis and other tribes were said to have migrated from ancient Tibet in the 1st or 1st millennium BC. They have been believed to have stopped in Lhoyu. Lhoyu became under Tibetan control around the 7th century. [6] Although inhabited by Idu Mishmis in all that time, it took until the times of NEFA and the British Raj for Anini to be officially established. Anini's importance grew during World War II, when supplies and troops needed to be sent to China through the Ledo Road in Assam. In 1947, Anini became a part of India. At this point the Republic of China was free to claim most of Arunachal, making it and Aksai Chin under dispute. The People's Republic of China emerged in 1949, and once the British left in 1950, Arunachal and Aksai Chin were under dispute. Since then, they have remained disputed. In June 1980, the Dibang Valley district was finally carved out of the Lohit District, and Anini was pronounced its capital. [7] Since then, Anini has been the only district headquarters without proper road links to the rest of India.
Most of Anini is located on a miniature plateau between two tributaries of the Dibang river, the Dri river and the Mathun river. The town has a subdistrict of its own: Anini Circle. [1] As of the 2011 Census of India, there were 4,489 people living in Anini Circle. [8] [ needs update ] Its location just south of the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary makes Anini the northernmost district headquarters in Northeast India.
The small settlement of Anini is located at an elevation of 1,968 metres (6,457 ft) above sea level. [9] [7] On the Aninese Plateau, the average elevation is 1,800 meters, [10] but the average elevation of the town is 2,068 meters. According to Google Maps' terrain feature, Anini is around 1,600–1,800 meters above sea level and up north of Anini, the elevation can go up to 3,800 meters above sea level. According to the official website of the Dibang Valley District, Anini's altitude is at 1,968 meters above sea level. [11]
Anini is located on the Eurasian Plate, about 420 miles north of the junction of the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate, which makes Anini earthquake-prone. The 1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake badly affected both the Dibang and Lower Dibang Valleys. 70% of the residents of the area died in this earthquake. [7] On 2 June 2005 at 01:36 AM IST, a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit the Upper Dibang Valley district. Although there were not any casualties reported, landslides blocked communication between Anini and other villages in the district. The seismic upheaval was felt all around Arunachal Pradesh and in some areas of Tibet.
The closest mountain to Anini is relatively unnoticed. Its name, Kelingon was named by the local Midu Idus. Also there is another mountain. Kahaii Kala, which peaks at around 5,000 meters above sea level, is the highest around the region. Like Kelingon, it was named by the locals. [12]
Anini's climate varies by elevation. In the lower elevations, the climate is humid subtropical. In the climate around the plateau, it is temperate. Anini is within the monsoon zone and receives both the southwest monsoon of South Asia and the northeast monsoon of East Asia. During the May–October time, Anini receives 80% of its precipitation. Snowfall is common in the winter, and can become quite heavy (6m - 10m) in the mountains. [12]
The main language of Anini is the Midu Dialect of the Idu Mishmi Language. Midu is the northernmost dialect of the Idu Mishmi Language. [13] The Midu Dialect is only spoken in Anini. [14] Soon, government officials will start using the Idu Azobra script, [15] a script proposed by the Roing MLA, Laeta Umbrey, that aims to preserve the endangered language.
Anini has a population of 2,264 people living in 613 households as of 2001. Of those 2,264 people, 1,331 are males and 933 are females. Due to its small population, Anini is not yet a census town, needing about 3,000 more people to qualify. [1] However, Anini may become a consensus town sooner than anticipated, due to the Dibang Valley district's high population growth rate of 33.61 permille (as of 2001). [16] Idu Mishmis, also known as Yidu Lhoba in China, are the main inhabitants of the district.
Although remote, the town has basic infrastructure. There is a government hospital, [17] district library, police station, and accommodation for visitors in the Circuit House. The two schools in Anini are the Government Higher Secondary School of Anini, a school run by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) that has 450 students on roll, and Jawahar Navodaya Vidalaya, which is also a hostel for students. Dr. Saga Migri is the medical superintendent at the hospital. [18] which is used by the Arunachal Helicopter Service for transportation and by other helicopters bringing in supplies from Roing. [19]
The nearest airport from Anini is the Tezu Airport, about 300 km by road. The easiest way to get to Anini is through the Dibrugarh Airport (through Guwahati airport), though it is unlikely that Anini will get an airport closer than Itanagar anytime soon due to the sparse population.
There is a steel arch bridge under construction over the River Dri (Dibang River) near Anini. The 135-meter span bridge will have a single lane carriage-way with thrust blocks at each end. It will be sponsored by the Public Works Department of Arunachal Pradesh and by Damodar Ropeways and Construction (Calcutta). [20] [21]
The state government mentioned in the 2005-2006 Annual Plan about the: [22]
As a matter of fact, the new building of the higher secondary school greatly improved, to an extent of being considered the finest school in the state. [23] Although this is a major milestone in the improvement of amenities at Anini, the town has a long way to go in order to become reasonably developed.
There is also a dam being constructed. The Dibang Valley Dam, also known as the Dibang Dam, will not seriously affect Anini since it is in the Lower Dibang Valley. It is approximately 43 kilometers from Roing, at Munli. [24] The Dibang Dam, once completed in 2017, will be the tallest concrete gravity dam in the world. [25] The dam will also be the tallest dam in India, at 288 meters tall. It will also have the largest amount of power generation. Also, a meeting has taken place at Anini to discuss the quick start of a new highway from Roing to Anini. This project is under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP) which is run by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India. It will run through the dam site at Munli, which will shorten the existing 228-kilometer Roing-Anini Highway by 89 kilometers. The government officials and the local Panchayat leaders who were present at the meeting endorsed the plan. After the road is completed, the Dibang area would socioeconomically and constructively boost. This road will also connect with Hunli, Munli, Chidu, and Alopa. The Rs 6 billion two-lane highway will run through Roing Bazaar, from Meka, and will secure Anini with good connectivity with the rest of India.
The Arunachal Helicopter Service makes several stops to Anini, connecting Anini to the rest of Arunachal and the Dibrugarh Airport in Assam. Anini is a main stop in both the Eurocopter Dauphin and the MI-172 helicopters' schedule. The helicopter service is a branch off of Pawan Hans, which is responsible for supplying the helicopters.
Although these efforts are being made to improve the infrastructure in Anini, the Arunachal Times newspaper claims that Anini has been neglected due to "frequent communication disruption and deteriorating health conditions." The Government Higher Secondary School hasn't had either a principle or a vice-president for two years. A similar situation is present with the Jawohar Navodaya Vidalaya school in Anini. The All Idu Mishmi Students Union (AIMSU) as well as the Dibang Valley Students Union|Dibang Valley Students Union (DVSU) are protesting about the apparent miserable conditions in Anini. The AIMSU secretary Rajiv Mihu feels that, "None of the government employees want to serve in the remote district. The people of Dibang Valley aren't scaring them away. It is the pitiful living conditions that are driving them away." The government responded to the situation by assuring the protesters that the required number of teachers will be hired, and a new vice principal and principal will be deputed. "Anini is neglected politically," commented Mihu. "Similar protest action in Roing would have shaken the political corridors of Itanagar." [26]
The Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary, is located just north of Anini and was established in 1992. The region is very mountainous, and snowfall is common in this region. It is protected by the Department of Environment and Forest of Arunachal Pradesh. The altitude ranges from an absolute low of 1800 meters to the peak of Kalaii Kala at 5000 meters. Some infrastructure that you may find are the forest rest house and a hiking trail. [12]
The vegetation of Arunachal ranges from temperate to alpine. Temperate broadleaf forests and Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests are found around 1800–2800 meters above sea level and 2800–3500 meters above sea level is where the temperate coniferous forests are found. Alpine forests are found at an altitude off 3500+ meters and are mostly covered in snow year round. Some other plants that are found include Bamboo, Tsuga, and Abies.
The Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary is rich in wildlife. Rare mammals such as Mishmi takin, Red goral, Musk deer (at least two species), Red panda, Asiatic black bear, occasional Tiger and Gongshan muntjac occurs while among birds there is the rare Sclater's monal and Blyth's Tragopan. [27] A flying squirrel new to science has been recently discovered from the edge of this sanctuary. It has been named as Mishmi Hills Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista mishmiensis. [28]
The winning candidate for the position of the MLA of Anini was Shri Rajesh Tacho, winning 41.57 percent of the 3038 valid votes in 2004. There were actually 4741 voters, even though Anini's population is only 2264 people. He had a lead margin of 260 and a total number of 1263. He is a part of the Indian National Congress Party. [29] Also, he was re-elected in 2009, barely beating Eri Tayu of the Nationalist Congress Party by 81 votes. [30] Tacho also was nominated as Chairman of the Committee of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Balanced Development of CD Blocks in Arunachal Pradesh, replacing Shri Lombo Tayeng, who has resigned after his induction into the Council of Ministers, otherwise known as the Cabinet of Arunachal Pradesh. [31]
Anini sits near the McMahon Line, the disputed northern boundary of Arunachal Pradesh, previously referred to as the North-East Frontier Agency. The Chinese government has never accepted the McMahon line as a legitimate boundary and refers to the region as South Tibet. Sovereignty over the territory south of the McMahon line was the apparent cause of the 1962 Sino-Indian War. [32] [33]
Due to the competing claims by China and India, Anini has many different names.
Lhoba is any of a diverse amalgamation of Sino-Tibetan-speaking tribespeople living in and around Pemako, a region in southeastern Tibet including Mainling, Medog and Zayü counties of Nyingchi and Lhünzê County of Shannan, Tibet.
Arunachal Pradesh is a state in northeast India. It was formed from the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) region, and India declared it as a state on 20 February 1987. Itanagar is its capital and largest town. It borders the Indian states of Assam and Nagaland to the south. It shares international borders with Bhutan in the west, Myanmar in the east, and a disputed 1,129 km border with China's Tibet Autonomous Region in the north at the McMahon Line. Arunachal Pradesh is claimed in its entirety by China as South Tibet as part of the Tibet Autonomous Region; China occupied some regions of Arunachal Pradesh in 1962 but later withdrew its forces.
The Mishmi people are an ethnic group of Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh, India. The area is known as the Mishmi Hills. Only one group, called the Deng, occupy Zayu County in southern Tibet.
Dibang Valley is a district of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh named after the Dibang River or the Talon as the Mishmis call it. It is the least populated district in India and has an area of 9,129 square kilometres (3,525 sq mi).
Roing is the district headquarter of Lower Dibang Valley district in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is the last major township at the north-eastern frontier of India.
The Lower Dibang Valley district is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. It is the tenth least populous district in the country, and the least densely populated district.
Dihang-Dibang or Dehang-Debang is a biosphere reserve constituted in 1998. It is in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The Mouling National Park and the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary are located fully or partly within this biosphere reserve. The reserve spreads over three districts: Dibang Valley, Upper Siang, and West Siang. It covers high mountains of Eastern Himalaya and Mishmi Hills. The elevation in the reserve ranges up to more than 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) above sea level. An important fact relating to this Biosphere reserve is that it has natural vegetation stretching in an unbroken sequence from the tropics to mountain tundra. The type of vegetation are found in this biosphere reserve can be grouped as 1. Sub-tropical broad leafed forests, 2. Sub tropical pine forest, 3. Temperate broad leafed forests, 4. Temperate conifer, 5. Sub-alpine woody shrub, 6. Alpine meadow( mountain Tundra), 7. Bamboo brakes, 8. Grassland. The habitat in Dihang-Dibang ranges from tropical wet evergreen in the river gorges to subtropical, temperate, alpine and permanent snow.
The Idu Mishmi language is a small language spoken by the Idu Mishmi people in Dibang Valley district, Lower Dibang Valley district, Lohit district, East Siang district, Upper Siang district of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and in Zayü County of the Tibet Autonomous Region, China. There were 8569 speakers in India in 1981 and 7000 speakers in China in 1994. It is considered an endangered language.
The Dibang Dam is a planned concrete gravity dam, proposed to be located in the Lower Dibang Valley District in Arunachal Pradesh, India. If constructed, it will be India's largest dam and the world's tallest concrete gravity dam, standing 288 metres (945 ft) tall. The Dibang Dam is expected to provide up to 3,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power and will also assist with flood control in the Dibang Valley.
All Idu Mishmi Students Union (AIMSU) is a community-based student’s organization of Idu Mishmi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, India.
Digaro, also Taraon, Tawra, or Darang, is a Digarish language of northeastern Arunachal Pradesh, India and Zayü County, Tibet, China.
The Mishmi Hills are located at the northeastern tip of India, in northeastern Arunachal Pradesh. On the Chinese side, they form the southern parts of Nyingchi Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
Dibang River, also known as Talo in Idu, is an upstream tributary river of the Brahmaputra in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It originates and flows through the Mishmi Hills in the (Upper) Dibang Valley and Lower Dibang Valley districts.
Arunachal Pradesh is primarily a hilly tract nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in northeast India. It is spread over an area of 83,743 km2 (32,333 sq mi). 98% of the geographical area is land out of which 80% is forest cover; 2% is water. River systems in the region, including those from the higher Himalayas and Patkoi and Arakan Ranges, eventually drain into the Brahmaputra River.
Mayodia Pass, 56 km from Roing in Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh state in India, is a popular local tourist attraction due to the November to March winter snow fall which is heaviest in January and February.
National Highway 313 is a National Highway in North East India that connects Meka, near Roing and Anini in Arunachal Pradesh. It is a spur road of National Highway 13. NH-313 traverses the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. This highway connects remotely located town of Anini, which is the headquarter of Dibang Valley district.
The Dibang River Bridge is a beam bridge across Dibang River which connects Bomjir and Malek villages and provides all-weather connectivity between Dambuk and Roing in eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh, India. At 6.2 km long, it is the third-longest bridge above water in India and was completed in 2018 as part of NH13 Trans-Arunachal Highway. This strategically important bridge helps Indian military combat anti-national activities and Chinese military threat in the easter sector of Line of Actual Control border areas. It is known as "Sikang" in Adi Language and "Talon" in Idu Mishmi language.
Diffo Bridge is a pre-stressed concrete box girder bridge over the Diffo river in Arunachal Pradesh, India. This 426.60 metres (1,399.6 ft) long bridge was inaugurated in 2019 by the Union Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Mipi is a village and the headquarters of the Mipi Circle in the Dibang Valley district of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Mipi HQ is located near the confluence of Andra River with the Mathun or Dibang River. The main Mipi village, called Mipido, is 2 km to the south.