West Siang District
| Total Population : 103,918 |
| Total literate : 51,216 |
| Rural : 82,806 |
Urban :21,112 |
| Male : 54,349 |
Female : 49,569 |
Collectorate
Deputy
Commissioner
Shri Tope Bam
Office : 03783 - 222221
Fax : 222571 / Home : 03783 - 222484
Brief
about District
West
Siang History
West
Siang District with its HQ at Along, bounded on the
North by China, on the East by Upper Siang & East
Siang districts, on the South by Assam and on the
West by Upper Subansiri & Lower Subansiri districts
of Arunachal Pradesh, the homeland of various tribes
like Galo, Minyong, Bori, Bokar, Pailibo, Ramos, Membas
& Khambas forms a natural abode for very many species
of orchids, diverse flora & fauna endowed with a dense
vegetation, and a wide range of climatic and geographical
variations, the district enjoys a moderate and comfortable
climate.
Brief
Outline of the District
The
West Siang District derives its name from ever-cascading
Siang river (Siang Ane) under whose fertile valleys
and plains the tribal civilization and culture flourished
from the time immemorial. The West Siang District
located in the central part of Arunachal Pradesh extends
between 93.57° to 95.23° East longitude and 27.69°
to 29.20° North longitude. It is bounded on the North
by China, on the East by East Siang and Upper Siang
districts, on the South by North Lakhimpur district
of Assam on the West by Upper Subansiri and Lower
Subansiri districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
The history of the formation of this district as separate
administrative unit dates back to the year 1914, when
undivided Siang was a part of the administrative division
called Central and Eastern Sections, North East Frontier
Track. In 1919, this was re-designated as Sadiya
Frontier Track, which was, in 1948, bifurcated into
administrative charges called Abor Hill District and
Mishmi Hill District.
In 1954, the Abor Hill District came to be known as
the Siang Frontier Division, which in turn was renamed
as the Siang District in 1965. Under the provision
of the Arunachal Pradesh (Reorganisation of the district)
Act No. 3 of 1980 coming into force from June, 1,
1980, the district of West Siang came out as a separate
administrative unit under the charge of a Deputy Commissioner.
The West Siang district was an unknown land and people
lived in isolation during the British rule. It was
difficult in the pre-independence days to have access
to the interior areas of the present West Siang district
mainly due to the lack of communication. The
people of the district lived in their scattered hilly
abodes in isolation for generations, depending primarily
on a sustenance nature of cultivation called Jhum.
They exchanged their bare necessities of life through
barter trade. The socio-economic and political development
dawned in this region only after Independence
Topography
Topography
of the district is mountainous. Northern part of it
falls within higher mountain zone consisting a mass
of tangle peaks and valleys. The foothill range which
lies in Southern part have hills of low altitude.
The district is divided into 4 regions on the basis
of physiography viz., Likabali-Gensi Region, Tirbin-Basar
Region, Lower Siyom River Basin Regionand Upper Siyom
River Basin Region. The rocky and high hills and mountains
with beautiful green valleys decked with wooded forest
and drained by innumerable rivulets and mighty rivers
flowing from upper elevations presents a splendid
view of scenic beauties and diversities.
Due to mountainous terrains, the climate vary from
place to place depending upon the elevation and no
generalization can be made on it. The year can be
divided into four seasons. The Winter season starts
from December to February, pre-monsoon season from
March to May, the South-West monsoon season from June
to September and post-monsoon on transition period
during October and November.
Land
& Its People
It
is the home-land of various tribes like Galo, Minyong,
Bori, Bokar, Pailibo, Ramos and the peaceful Buddhist
tribes of Membas and Khambas in the northern part
of the district. Donyi - Poloism is the main religion
of the tribes in the district. Of late, Christianity
has its deep influence on the people and it has made
inroads into various villages of the district.
The district at present is also primarily a rural
area with a few exceptions of urban area that have
grown up. Cultivation is the chief occupation of the
people in the villages and economy is agrarian characterized
mainly by a form of jhumming and popular wet cultivation
practised at present. Since agriculture is evidently
mainstay of the people, a high percentage of people
engage in cultivation. All the ceremonies and festivals
are also associated with fertility cult. Weaving,
fine arts and craft are indispensable part of their
pattern of life as they meet vital requirements of
clothing besides fetching income for their sustenance.
People by and large are confined to their traditional
methods of cottage industry. Various tribal groups
till now settle their local disputes through highly
organised and powerful self-governing body called
"Kebang".
After more than five decades of our Independence,
West Siang as a part of Arunachal Pradesh stands in
the threshold of tremendous socio-economic and political
development. The centrally sponsored schemes like
poverty alleviation programmes under DRDA, Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan, Community Drinking Water Mission, Border
Area Development Programme and MPLADs have quickened
up the pace of development in this region and it has
percolated to the nook and corner of the district.
It has a rich naturally endowed hydro-power potential
and if exploited fully, a vistas of transformation
in all spheres of life among people is a near dream.
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