However, a year and a half later, a visit to the site revealed a totally opposite picture. Empty bottles of liquor, cow dung etc is spread over the entire cemetery which surprisingly does not have a care-taker.

Remains of the cemetery were found in 1997 by Assam Rifles personnel who were engaged to clear the area for some activity. The cemetery was handed over to the Water Resources Department for renovation and beautification work by the State Government but after some initial make over, the state of the cemetery is once again back to square one.

“It is very pathetic that the State Government and the Water Resources Department who have been entrusted to renovate the cemetery have shown an apathetic attitude towards the monument. It is not only a disregard to the great souls but also humanity in general,” a local resident who accompanied this correspondent to the cemetery said.

The cemetery which has more than 1000 graves and is regarded as the largest of its kind in the North East is just 6 kilometers from Jairampur town which is in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

As there is no care taker or even a sweeper, anti-social elements take advantage and carry out anti-social activities from the cemetery.

“The anti-socials have turned the cemetery into their illegal den,” the local resident said pointing towards the liquor bottles thrown all over.

When contacted, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Jairampur sub division M.Roy tired to shirk off his responsibilities by saying, “The matter is with the Water Resources Department. The cemetery has not been officially handed over to the administration by the Water Resources Department which is responsible for the renovation work. We can think of its maintenance and upkeep only after it is handed over to us.”

“This is not an acceptable view. Vandals and miscreants have already taken away the top portion of the graves which were renovated with concrete slabs and iron rods last year. The administration is not doing anything to protect the cemetery. What is the use of the so-called renovation?” another local resident questioned.

A Water Resources Department official while denying knowledge about the sorry state of affairs at the cemetery, simply concluded by saying that the matter will be looked into.

It may be mentioned here that the war memorials erected at Shillong and Jowai and Tura in Meghalaya are not faring any better. While the memorial at Jowai has been completely neglected and left to ruins, the one located at Shillong is now serving as a makeshift shop for people to sell vegetables and a makeshift place for drunks to clear the cobwebs from their intoxicated brains.

Ripunjoy Das