Arunachal: Villagers offer river side prayers for normalcy of Poklek River
PASIGHAT ( By Maksang Tayeng )- Hundreds of Christian believers from various denominations within the district of East Siang hailing from Mebo, Ruksin, Sille-Oyan, Bilat, Pasighat blocks including the local villagers from Sibut village today offered and supplicated intense intercessory prayer over Poklek Korong (river) in between Sibut and Takilalung village to normalize the havoc creating river.
The all denomination prayer session of Christian believers was led by a team of East Siang Christian Forum (ESCF) under the leadership of President Taring Tabi and General Secretary, Maktil Apum.
The river Poklek has been creating havoc for the people of Bosing and Legong Banggo due to its annual flood which carries down loose boulders, mud and silt from the upstream mountain which blocks the Pasighat-Ledum-Tene road, the lifeline of Bosing and Legong Banggo connecting Pasighat township with the several villages.
The river Poklek which is also nicknamed as ‘Pagla nadi’ (mad river) dumps boulders, sand gravels, mud to the agricultural fields of the villagers thereby posing a great threat to the villages like Sibut and Takilalung.
While attending the prayer session of the Christian community, the Head Gaon Burah of Sibut village, Tagom Tamuk narrated the sad tale of the river which once happened to be a small rivulet without any trouble which could be crossed easily even during the rainy monsoon season as the river had its own proper course of flow then.
“However, now it’s course keeps on changing each year and causes devastation with flat drainage scattering large areas with various types of loose boulders, muddy & silts. Local MLA, public leaders of the area and concerned government departments had been trying their best effort to construct bridges and boulder embankment by spending huge funding of money.
Even local rituals have also been conducted quite often as per Adi traditional practices and believe for appeasement of the natural divine forces to restore the havoc creating the river. But the river has not improved and it’s instead worsened now by changing its course heading towards Sibut Village due to which the village is now on the verge of shifting,” added the HGB Tagom Tamuk.
Hence, as a part of humanitarian gesture, the team ESCF today along with its advisors, all dedicated Christians comprising of Evangelists, Reverend, Pastor etc offered the prayers to normalize the mad river, informed ESCF media and publicity cell today in a release.
Earlier, in his short exhortation, senior Christian believer -cum- one of the advisors of ESCF, Makbul Pertin (Rtd. IAS) informed that the river shall now be called ‘Shaanti Korong’ (means, the silent river) as ESCF firmly believes that the grace of God through sacrificial atonement of his Son, Jesus Christ would heal and restore the river from bad to worse.
The prayer session was led by Dr. Rev. Takeng Taggu and Rev. John St. Borang and both are advisors of ESCF. Divided into two group upper side & lower position under half constructed bridge over the river, the Christians very ardently supplicated. Firstly; sought forgiveness to the sins committed ignorantly by the bygone generations of the nearby villages and then casted out the evil spirits and then finally prayed for healing and restoration.
A small cross made of concrete which signifies Christ’s great sacrifice for the entire humanity was also erected at another side of the river as Covenant to the Lord, informed John Panyang, Secretary, Information & Publicity, ESCF.
