Lok Sabha member from Arunachal Pradesh Takam Sanjoy has expressed concern over large-scale migrations of people from villages near the border with China due to food scarcity owing to lack of terrestrial access.
"It is difficult to ascertain, but most villages bordering China are deserted with their inhabitants migrating to Itanagar, Koloriang and other towns in the state," Sanjoy informed.
According to the MP from Arunachal West constituency, incursions by PLA are less of a worry than migrations of local villagers from the border areas.
Food scarcity, lack of basic amenities and access roads are factors behind the migration, he said.
There are some 600 villages within 10km of the 1,046 km border that Arunachal Pradesh shares with China-controlled Tibet. These 600 habitations are among 3,880 in the frontier with less than 250 people.
"If the border areas are developed, these villagers can stay back and be given incentives to monitor Chinese movements since it is often difficult for the forces to reach the frontiers. They can be used as a line of defence, and Centre should seriously look into this," Sanjoy added.
Meanwhile, officials in state capital Itanagar said they had no reports of fresh intrusions by Chinese soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh who had violated the Line of Actual Control at least four times in the state in 2011.
Officials of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) too denied knowledge of fresh Chinese incursions.
"The border in Arunachal Pradesh is not demarcated, and many strategic points take three days' foot march to reach from the nearest stations. Even if Chinese soldiers entered our areas in our momentary absence on the border, they have not left any signs for confirmation," an ITBP officer said on condition of anonymity.
