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updated : MONDAY
8
SEPTEMBER 2008 |
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| Jorhat
Medical Institute completes
3 yrs
First batch to pass
out in April, 2009
From
our Correspondent
JORHAT, Sept 7: Medical Institute,
Jorhat, is all set to offer
the services of the first batch
of its pass-outs in the rural
medical sector in April next
year. The institute, located
in the campus of Jorhat Civil
Hospital, celebrated its third
anniversary today.
The students, who are pursuing
the three-and-a-half year (including
internship) Diploma in Medicine
and Rural Health Care course
at Medical Institute, will be
qualified to monitor health
programmes and also treat minor
ailments in the rural pockets
of the State. After successfully
completing the pre-registration
compulsory training, the DMRHC
pass-outs will receive certificates
of registration and diploma
from Assam Rural Health Regulatory
Authority.
In his welcome address at the
foundation day function, principal
of Medical Institute Dr Adinath
Sarmah pointed out that these
diploma holders would guide
the rural masses in the matter
of health care in the right
way. Minor diseases, stitching
and simple activities like stool,
urine and blood tests can be
handled by them locally, saving
people’s precious money
and the trouble to make unnecessary
visits to public health centres
or district hospitals, he said.
Self-medication and quackery
will be minimized once these
trained personnel are deployed
in the rural health sector,
Sarmah added. They will also
ensure the proper implementation
of government health programmes
and impart health education
to the common, especially in
the preventive aspect. The DMRHC
holders will also be able to
refer major diseases for special
treatment.
The work of regular doctors
will be streamlined and there
will be no unnecessary crowding
in the district hospitals, Sarmah
stressed.
The DMRHC course, the only such
system of medical education
in the State, was introduced
by the State Government in September,
2005. Touted as Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi’s brainchild,
the course is intended to produce
rural medical practitioners
to make up for the shortage
of trained medical personnel.
The principal of Medical Institute
said that 75 per cent of the
doctors are based in the urban
areas. On the other hand, 70
per cent of the patients belong
to rural areas. Due to such
disparity, the healthcare delivery
system has been poorly executed
in the villages. The new group
of healthcare personnel will
be able to fill up the gap due
to non-availability of regular
physicians in all rural pockets
and take health packages to
the doorsteps of the needy in
the villages, Sarmah maintained.
Medical Institute admitted 92
students in the maiden batch
in 2005, 95 students the next
year and 97 students last year.
The first batch will take the
final examination this month
and then undergo the six-month
internship.
However, the institute is still
plagued by major infrastructural
problems. There are only two
lecture halls for teaching three
batches of students. The two
laboratories and library are
also functioning from temporary
premises. There is still no
hostel accommodation for the
students.
Jorhat Joint Director of Health
Services Dr AK Neog chaired
today’s function which
was also attended by Mariani
MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi, NEIST scientist
BG Unni, superintendent of Jorhat
civil hospital Dr Sankar Borah
and senior citizen AK Deb. The
maiden issue of the journal
of the Medical Institute was
released by Kurmi at the function. |
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Dimasa
student freshers’ meet
held at Hojai
From our Correspondent
HOJAI, Sept 7: Under the aegis
of the Hojai Dimasa Students’
Association (HDSA), a Dimasa
students’ freshers’
meet was organized here today
at the Hojai Sahityarathi
Bezbarua Bhavan with an aim
to promote a congenial educational
enviornment. The students
especially belong to Dimasa
community who have come from
different corners of the State
for higher education to Hojai
get assembled here.
The meritorious students who
performed well in the HSLC
and HSSLC and BA examinations
last were felicitated during
the meet.
It needs to be mentioned
here that all the students
both newcomers and seniors
stressed on the quality education
and unity. Besides, every
student vowed for quality
education among the Dimasa
students.
The freshers’meet was
presided over by Pankaj Maithar,
president, HDSA.
Satyacharan Kemprai, president,
ADSU, Nagaon district unit
and Divya Jyoti Bathari, president,
ADSU, Karbi Anglong district
unit were also present during
the meet.
Flood
situation grim in Sarukshetri
From a Correspondent
BARPETA, Sept 7: The incessant
rain in last few days has
created havoc in most of the
villages of the entire district
of Barpeta. Most of the rivers
in the district are flowing
above the danger level and
the river Bramhaputra is flowing
1.40 metre above the danger
level at this point of time.
The water level of the Pahumari
and Beki rivers are in a rising
state, whereas the level of
Kaldia and Bhelengi rivers
are in falling state. The
breaches in the embankments
of rivers like Mara Chowlkhowa,
Bhelengi and Kaldia are causing
a great threat to the people.
The flood waters of Tihu,
Kaldia and Buradiya have also
been causing damage to agricultural
lands and roads. As a result,
the people of interior areas
have been suffering a lot.
The district administration
of course is trying to extend
all possible help including
rescue.
On the other hand, in the
Sarukshetri constituency most
of the PWD roads are under
water. Specially Kayakuchi-Barpeta,
Sarthebari-Barpeta, Kayakuchi-Bhaktardawa,
Singara Bamundi, Sarthebari-Tihu,
Sarthebari-Pathsala, Debradi-Pithadi
roads are under the flood-waters
and the people of these areas
have been leading life in
a miserable condition.
Evening
OPD services launched in Goalpara
From a Correspondent
GOALPARA, Sept 7: The Evening
OPD Services under the National
Rural Health Mission was launched
in the Mother and Child Health
Centre at Goalpara on September
5. The service will be available
from 5 pm to 8 pm except Sunday.
An inaugural meeting was held
at MCH Centre under the chairmanship
of Dulal Ghosh, MLA, Goalpara
DC Anurag Goel also addressed
the meeting. Dr B K Baruah,
Joint Director of Health Service
also attended the meeting.
24-hour
AASU ban on national TVs in
Tinsukia
From our Reporter
TINSUKIA, Sept 7: The Tinsukia
district unit of All Assam
Students’ Union (AASU)
has expressed deep concern
over the indifferent role
played by the national electronic
media in presenting news on
flood and erosion in the State.
The students’ union
has further alleged that the
private channels of the country
are not bothered with the
burning problems like flood
and erosion in Asom, whereas
they give a large coverage
of natural calamities whenever
it breaks out in other states
of the country like the earthquake
in Gujarat, storm in Orissa
or floods in Bihar.
In protest against this indifferent
and irresponsible attitude,
the Tinsukia district unit
has decided to stop telecast
of the national news channels
from 6 am on Sunday to 6 am
on Monday in the Tinsukia
district.
Golaghat
district AAJU committee formed
From our Correspondent
BOKAKHAT, Sept 7: The Golaghat
district All Assam Journalists’
Union (AAJU) committee was
formed today.
In a general meeting of the
district unit held in Bokakhat
Natya Mandir under the presidentship
of Dwipen Dutta, a new committee
consisting of 51 members was
formed with Dwipen Dutta as
president, Jitu Sarmah Rajkhowa
as working president and Rohini
Ballav Goswami as general
secretary.
Prtap Kumar Nath, general
secretary AAJU, central committee
attended the meeting as observer.
Bapkan Das, Nagendra Sarmah,
Upen Datta, Suramay Purkayastha
and Ratul Rajkhowa were felicitated
in the meeting.
Earlier, Dwipen Dutta hoisted
the flag and Keshav Saikia
offered smirti tarpan, while
Rohini Ballav highlighted
the object of the meeting.
Rice
scandal in Bokota
From our Correspondent
BOKOTA, Sept 7: The people
of Bokota came to know about
a scandal of rice distribution
of the Bokota Cooperative,
as some news had been published
in some local dailies in this
regard. This correspondent
found that it seemed to be
a false allegation against
the secretary, president and
the suppliers.
The local people of Bokota
arranged a public meeting
to discuss the matter, in
which the local MLA Kushal
Dowari assured the gathered
that a clean departmental
inquiry will be conducted.
Mohilary
assures financial aid to BTC
venture schools
From our Correspondent
KOKRAJHAR, Sept 7: Terming
education as the key to development
of a society and the region
as a whole, the chief of the
BTC Hagrama Mohilary said
yesterday, the council authority
has given maximum priority
to academic sector since the
last financial session with
a view to improve the education
sector.
Addressing the gathering of
around 13,00 students and
teachers of the Government
HS and Multi-Purpose School
in Kokrajhar as chief guest,
Mohilary said, most of the
schools in BTC area are venture
ones and the State Government
also fails to take any concrete
step to provincialize all
the venture schools; whereas
appointment of teachers is
the greatest hurdle towards
qualitative education in Bodo
medium schools. There are
more than 3,500 educational
institutions including 35
colleges in BTC but most of
them are venture. Mohilary
assured that the BTC will
provide regular financial
grant-in-aid to all venture
schools of the region from
the current year. He also
said that the council, will
release the grants-in-aid
to venture schools from October
next, phase wise to improve
the educational scenario.
The BTC chief said that the
Government HS & MP School,
Kokrajhar was one of the oldest
educational institution in
the district having unique
distinction in various fields
in earlier days and had a
good name. He said that the
Government HS School has been
lying neglected in all spheres.
He also assured, if the Government
of Asom fails to give response
towards infrastructure and
other facilities to the teachers
and students, the BTC will
take all necessary steps for
building of boys’ and
girls’ hostels, library
building, common room, auditorium
hall, school building and
other basic infrastructure,
and said adding that the school
governing body should look
into the quality of education.
BTC EM Mono Kumar Brahma said,
the government HS & MP
School, Kokrajhar is the only
Government educational institution
in the BTC region having scope
of good education. He said
that the school was famous
for academic achievements
and sports activities in entire
lower Asom, but such an important
educational centre was yet
to improve its infrastructure
and it happened due to lack
of proper planning.
Derhasant Basumatary, EM BTC
said, the school has lost
its past glory.
The meeting which was chaired
by principal Heremba Narzary
was also addressed by principal
of Government CTC Dr Mangal
Sigh Narzary.
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NCP
wary of location of Taj Hotel
By our Staff
Reporter
GUWAHATI, Sept 7: The Asom unit
of the Nationalist Congress
Party (NCP) has expressed its
reservation over the plot of
land identified by the State
Government which is to be handed
over to the Taj Group to set
up a five-star hotel in Guwahati.
Besides, the party has demanded
that the Government makes the
contents of the memorandum of
understanding (MoU) signed in
this regard public, for the
sake of transparency.
“Though we welcome the
initiative of setting up a five-star
hotel here, the plot identified
by the Government for the proposed
hotel will create problems in
the future,” said Dhirendra
Deb Adhikari, NCP president,
while talking to The Sentinel
today.
It has been reported that the
Government has decided to hand
over a plot of land in the present
campus of the Veterinary College
and about 22 families and a
namghar situated in the land
have already received eviction
notice, he mentioned.
It has been alleged that, notices
have been served to the 22 families
by the Tourism Department asking
them to vacate the land by September
8, without promising any alternative
arrangements.
According to the NCP leader,
since the proposed hotel is
expected to be the venue of
many national and international
conferences, the movement of
VIPs and VVIPs will increase
once the hotel is established,
which, in fact will further
block the movement of traffic
in the adjoining road known
to be one of the busy entry
point to the capital city.
The State Government should
initiate steps to develop new
areas on the outskirts of the
city for construction of hotels,
he suggested. There is no dearth
of land in the greater Guwahatia
area, he said. Any place between
the river bank area between
Sunsali to Saraighat Bridge
and Guest House No 1 to Rani
can be the right spot for the
construction of a five-star
hotel, he clarified.
The NCP president said that
construction of a hotel in the
Veterinary complex will also
jeopardize the dream of converting
the existing Veterinary College
to a Veterinary University in
the future. A group of intellectuals
has already placed their demand
in this regard to the Centre,
he said.
Adhikari also demanded the immediate
setting up of a state-of-art
hotel management institute here
to meet the ever increasing
demand of skilled manpower in
the hospitality sector in Asom.
Employment opportunity created
in the hospitality sector should
be exploited by preparing the
local unemployed youths with
adequate skills in house keeping
and hotel management, he said.
The NCP is also of the view
that local entrepreneurs should
not have been ignored by the
Government in the process for
setting up luxury hotels in
the city. Big groups are always
welcome in the State, but interests
of local entrepreneurs should
not be neglected, he added. |
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Literacy
Day to be observed today
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Sept 7: The Directorate
of Non Formal & Adult
Education, Assam & State
Resource Centre will be jointly
celebrating the International
Literacy Day on September
8 with a two-day programme
at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra
in collaboration with Jan
Sikshan Sansthan and Gyan
Vighyan Samiti.
In this regard, a seminar
on National Rural Employment
Generation Act (NREGA) will
be organized on September
7 which will be conducted
by Lecturer of Political Science,
Gauhati University, Dr Nani
Gopal Mahanta. The speakers
in the seminar will be senior
professor of State Institute
of Rural Development Pabitra
Kalita, Dr Ganeswar Saharia
and BDO of Chandrapur Development
Block Prabin Dutta.
The Director of State Resource
Centre, Dr Debodutta Barkataki
said that according to the
2001 Census Asom has registered
a decrease in illiteracy rates
from 8.5 million to 7.9 million.
The literacy rate of Asom
is 64.28 per cent is close
to the national level of 65.5
per cent. Barkataki said that
a worrying factor for Asom
is the increase in the illiteracy
rates of girl students in
some districts of Asom.
Districts like Dhubri, Barpeta,
Darrang, Kokrajhar and Karbi
Anglong are witnessing a increase
in the number of uneducated
females which is contrary
to the overall situation in
the State, said Barkataki.
Male illiteracy in the districts
of Hailakandi, Dhubri and
Nagaon have also decreased,
said Barkataki. He attributes
the backwardness of sar areas
and tea gardens as the reason
for this decrease.
Puja
trains announced
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Sept 7: A total
of 29 puja special trains
will be run by Northeast Frontier
Railway during the puja holidays.
These special trains will
run during the period September
28 to November 2. Among them
5 pairs each will run between
Guwahati and Kolkata and between
New Coochbehar and Sealdah.
Bengali
bodies want NRC update in
1 year
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Sept 7: The Sadou
Asom Bengali Yuba Chatra Federation
(SABYCF) and the Sangyukta
Yuba Chatra Parishad (SYCP)
today in a press meet demanded
that the NRC is updated within
one year and till the NRC
is not updated no one is driven
out of the State.
The president of SYCP Sanjoy
Kumar Chakravorty said that
all the Indian States must
bear the burden of the foreigners
of Asom. He suggested that
if the Government fails to
drive out the Bangladeshis
from the State then they should
be distributed among the other
States. He said that a special
commission should be set up
to check up on the nationalities
of those persons who are not
in the updated NRC.
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