Snowfall brings cheers to Aruchal districts

Our Correspondent

Itagar, February 3: With the mercury plummeting below zero degree Celsius, several districts in Aruchal Pradesh witnessed season’s first snowfall since the last couple of days bringing cheer to tourists and local people.

Tawang district bordering Chi witnessed moderate snowfall since Sunday while Sela Pass situated an altitude of 13,700 feet on the Bomdila–Tawang road, the lifeline of defence personnel travelling to the frontier, was covered with more than one feet of snow in the last three days, additiol deputy commissioner (ADC) Jang Dr D K Chutia informed over phone.

Tawang town received less snow in comparison to the district.

 “After recording the season’s first snowfall, life was thrown out of gear with chilly winds lashing this Buddhist–domited hilly town dropping the mercury level drastically,” Chutia said.

People mostly remained indoors and used ‘bukhari’ lighted with firewood for relief from the pinching cold, he added.

The BRO is on alert for any blockade on the vital Tawang–Bomdila road, the only lifeline of Tawang and East and West Kameng districts, which share borders with Chi and Bhutan.

After a month–long dry spell of intense cold wave, picturesque Mechuka in West Siang district witnessed season’s first snowfall from Friday last.

The snowfall which began on Thursday evening continued and forms a white blanket in the entire valley, Mechuka ADC Rajiv Dhawan informed over telephone.

While the locals felt relief that the snow blanket shielded them from the intense cold wave, the tourists was mesmerized by the fresh spell of snowfall which displayed an art with snow clad mountains and trees that gave a visual treat.

The people who have all come out to welcome the first snowfall were reportedly seen sculpting snowman and hurling snowballs at each other while capturing the memory through lenses.

The locals here consider snowfall on the eve of Losar celebration a good omen as they believe that the white colur of the snow signifies peace and prosperity, the ADC added.

Mayudia in Lower Dibang Valley district also recorded moderate snowfall in the past couple of days.