New Year's
expectations
Every New Year comes with a lot of new promises. The bygone 2020 calendar year will be written in the history for its tumultuous nature of corona pandemic. This pandemic has brought a great psychological change to the people all over the world. It is the expectation of the new year that the coronavirus would be brought under control with the invention and application of vaccine. The past 2020 also created a void in the field of knowledge especially for the students and it is hoped that the coming 2021 will fill up this gap. The New Year should create an engagement opportunity in various sectors for the unemployed youth so that they would not go astray. The use of drugs and narcotics is a great menace to our society. We are expecting an intoxication-free society. Pollution in environment is another problem that our people are facing. Hope all people will think it deeply to make a pollution-free world. Corruption has engulfed all the functionaries of government and non-government sectors. It is expected that this New Year will give us a corruption free society. Atrocities upon women is another devil blustering in our society and everyone hopes that the new year will sprinkle the flowers of love and respect on them. The New Year will also try to eradicate violence, jealousy and destructive power from our society. We expect a loving, caring, peaceful and prosperous society where the feeling of cooperation and brotherhood prevails on amongst us.
Harsha Mohan Sarma,
Nalbari.
A district with only one department
Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur of Assam has earned a unique distinction being a single district with only one department, DTO Office. The State BJP government immediately after coming to power declared Biswanath Chariali as a district. State government has been successful during its tenure in establishing only one department till now. Large number of people have to go to Tezpur daily for any district-level work.
The surprising fact is that the BJP government still has not stopped from declaring more districts in the State. Recently two more districts, one in Bajali another in Tamulpur, were declared. We do not know when these districts will see the light of the day. If establishing one department requires five years, Biswanath Chariali will need hundred years to become a full-fledged district.
Paramananda Bora,
Guwahati.
Climate change
The impact is being seen across many sectors, affecting health, education and livelihood where a clear link is emerging between the weather changes and social instability caused by climate induced migration. In India, climate migration is leading to growing nativism and competition for resources, also greater migration and mobility. These two developments can lead to a crisis unless handled with care.
Chandan Kumar Nath,
Sorbhog.
Rift within AJP
A particular news regarding rift within the newly formed AJP has drawn my attention. The AJP is the result of the joint efforts of the AASU and the AJYCP. Already a section of political analysts were critical of letting Lurinjyoti Gogoi assuming the post of president denying many senior and capable people. News Daily 24, a news portal reported a piece of news where ex AJYCP cadres in the AJP were shown cold shoulders. It is true that the AJP is completely dominated by former AASU cadres. In a recent meeting held at Shilpagram in Guwahati, ex AJYCP cadres raised concerns about the way they are being treated inside the party. When the reporter went to cover the event a few rowdy elements of the AJYCP were targeting the reporter. The goons tried to snatch away the camera and manhandled the reporter. Though later on AJYCP president tried to nullify the incident but his attempts were in vain as video and audio clips circulated by media were very convincing of their claim. The power hungry leaders who have nothing to write about their contributions to the society except in collecting donation are counting the chickens before being hatched.
Julie Bhuyan,
Gaurisagar.
Welcome move
The Assam government has introduced a Bill in the Assembly to shut over 600 madrassas. The aim to provide exposure towards more subjects and enable greater flexibility with more frequent formative assessment for learning, a policy decision has been taken by the Government of Assam to convert all the provincialized Madrassa educational institutions of the State into upper primary, high school and higher secondary school (general) with effect from April 1 next year. The Government claimed that most students enrolled in the madrassas want to become doctors and engineers and are not aware of the fact that these are not regular schools. This is a welcome move to offer quality education for students by educational inclusion of the marginalized groups. This is the need of the hour.
Amit Singh Kushwaha,
Satna (M.P.)
On Roman holiday
The so-called Prince of Gandhis, Rahul Gandhi is again back in news for the wrong reasons. The other day, the Wayanad MP became farmer and joined the agitating farmers in their campaign against the new farm laws. Suddenly on the next very day, Rahul Gandhi disappeared and embarked on a Roman holiday leaving his loyalists high and dry and running for cover. The message one derives from the vanishing act of Rahul Gandhi is that he cannot be a trustworthy friend. The famous saying 'Friend in need is friend indeed' doesn't apply with him and there should not be any second thought in this regard. Our APCC president Ripun Bora must be grimacing expecting a likewise Roman holiday elsewhere.
Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,
Guwahati.
Reforms needed in APSC CCE
Recently APSC has declared the final results of CCE, 2018 and there is something that needs to be highlighted properly.
The prelims of APSC CCE, 2018 was held in December, 2018. Mains exam was conducted in August, 2019 and the final results have been declared on December 24, 2020. It took APSC 2 years to declare the final results of CCE from the date of prelims.
APSC really needs to do something to address this issue of 'time consumption'. If we look at the UPSC Civil Services Exam, it takes less than 10 months to conduct the whole exam and declare the results. Why can't APSC do that?
Every time, APSC takes almost two years to declare the final results of CCE. It is depressing for many aspirants, many aspirants give up in the long process. APSC shouldn't take more than 3 months in between prelims and mains examination, just like UPSC and declare results within a year from the date of prelims. Only then it'll be able to finish the examination procedure within a suitable time-frame.
Pranoy Sarmah,
Guwahati.
Election campaigning
In Assam all parties are campaigning for their win in the election. The Government in power is campaigning by laying foundation stones of projects/schemes. But how long would take to complete the schemes/projects? It is alleged that the money for the schemes would be thrown into water for their vested interests.
Putul Sarma,
Biswanath Chariali.