ITANAGAR, Mar 16: Arunachal Pradesh Assembly today passed two bills for setting up a Higher Education Council and to check unplanned cutting of earth that leads to landslides.

The Arunachal Pradesh State Higher Education Council Bill 2018, is aimed at paving the way for establishment of a Higher Education Council to ensure autonomy and accountability of all institutions of higher education in the state.

Education Minister Honchun Ngandam said the bill is an essential prerequisite under the guidelines of the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) under the Union ministry of human resources development.

The House also passed the Arunachal Pradesh Land and Ecological Sites (Protection and Management) Bill 2018 which is aimed at preservation, protection, acquisition and maintenance of land and other ecological sites of the state.

“The bill has been brought to check unplanned rampant earth cutting which leads to landslides, flood and other natural calamities and disturbing the fragile ecology of the state,” Town Planning and Urban Local Bodies Minister Nabam Rebia said.