Letters to the EDITOR: Saving grace

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Saving grace

The Indian civil service has often been called the iron structure of Indian democracy, and the civil service has had some amazing people running the show. But the disgraceful events unfolding with rapidity in the Puja Khedkar case would put a long-running serial like Friends to shame. The blatant misuse of the system, the lies, the skulduggery, and the ruthless exploitation of every possible loophole smack of arrogance, entitlement, and, more importantly, an attitude that nothing can happen to her. Obviously, the children are offshoots of parental behaviour, and with the news of the wealth amassed by her parents, who were civil servants, it is only natural that she did what she did. And she thought she would get away with it. But for a vigilant citizen who filed an RTI application and her parents’s misbehaviour, she might well have gotten away. The Puja episode raises several questions. 1. How deep and thorough is the vetting by the government of the candidates who apply for the Civil Services? 2. Who checks all the disability and other certificates? Is it that if a certificate is presented, it is treated as gospel? In which case, everyone will go ahead and produce false certificates. 3. When the wrongdoing was uncovered, why did the Service not act immediately and suspend her pending inquiry? Why shunt her out to another post? 4. Is Puja a one-off or is it symptomatic of our civil services? And if it indeed is the very nature of our civil services, then even God cannot help us. In a way, this is consistent with the attitude and approach of government employees towards entitlement, pay, and perks for not working.

Nikhil Akhilesh

(akhilamami@gmail.com)

Microsoft outage outrage

There is a need to learn from the worldwide disaster caused by Microsoft's server outage. When so many issues were caused by a breakdown of a software company's server, it's easy to envision how bad things may get if other companies fail at the same time or fall victim to a cyber attack. Air traffic was disrupted in many countries around the world, including India; banking operations were halted; TV channel broadcasting was disrupted; the work of government and non-government organizations was disrupted; and even emergency services in America came to a halt. It's ironic that Microsoft's server failed at the same time that cybersecurity measures were implemented. These actions themselves jeopardize cybersecurity.

Without a doubt, technology is essential in today's world. Technology has permeated every aspect of society, but the problem is that several large technological businesses dominate it. These firms frequently act arbitrarily in order to capitalize on their dominance. They sometimes impose their intended conditions on those who use their services. What's worse, they create various rules for different countries.

To fight the dominance and arbitrariness of private digital businesses, governments around the world will need to work together. It is unclear if the world's big countries will be able to band together to combat internet giants' monopolies and curb their arbitrariness, but India could take measures in that direction.

Abhijit Roy

(abhijitroytatanagar@gmail.com)

 Modi’s popularity

Recently, I went through reports published in all the leading English dailies in the state regarding PM Modi’s global popularity by having the largest number of followers on social media platform X, surpassing 100 million followers and leaving the rest far behind. But the moot question is whether it will help Modi politically in national politics. I am afraid not, as evidenced by the poll results of the last general election. Apart from his 100 million followers on social media, he has massive support from the Indian diaspora globally, which cannot be converted into votes. Modi’s claim to secure more than 400 seats fell short by a huge margin as the BJP failed to form a government at the centre on its own. A similar result is also expected in Assam in the coming Assembly election, as internal dissensions have openly surfaced in a cadre-based political party like the BJP, where Modi's 100 million followers on social platforms may not work.

Let's wait and see.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati

Laudable initiatives

The 'Lakhimpur Pukhuri, with its historical, ecological, and socio-economic values, in Lakhimpur village under Kalaigoan Development Block in Darrang district, is now one of the Water Heritage Sites in India, as declared by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, in 2023. This huge tank, with a water area covering about 120 bighas of land, was dug under the royal patronage of the then-Darrangi King Dharma Narayana in the 17th century AD. As it had been lying abandoned and unused, the people of the locality came up with the idea of renovating and preserving this royal tank without causing any damage to its original shape and size and planned to convert it into a 'Meen Mahal' (fishery), utilizing  the potential it offered. Accordingly, a community-based organization named 'Lakhimpur Anchalik Meen Mahal Sammittee (LAMMS in short) was formed on August 24, 1979, with a vision to usher in socio-economic development in the greater locality. After getting registered under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 on June 17, 1983, vide Registration No. DAR 259 of 1983–84 as a non-political and non-religious voluntary organisation, the LAMMS received an amount of Rs. 2,86,000.00 as financial assistance from the Directorate of Fisheries, Government of Assam, in 1990. With that amount in hand as capital, the members of the LAMMS, along with the people of the greater Lakhimpur area, initiated a mass cleanliness drive in the tank and started organized fish farming there.

The 'Lakhimpur Pukhuri', is now an ideal fish production tank in Darrang district, producing about 25 tonnes of fish annually. The varieties of fish bred scientifically in the tank are Rohu, Silver Carp, Kurhi, Mrigal Carp, Catla, etc. The LAMMS, which consists of 795 (618 male and 177 female) members, earns a profit of Rs. 50 to 60 lakh per annum from the sale of the produced fish. It has been utilizing the profit amount to implement community development activities in the area. Sources of livelihood for the educated unemployed youths and women, like household fisheries, livestock, poultry farming, handloom, household horticulture, etc., have been generated with financial assistance from the LAMMS. From time to time, it has been organizing legal awareness camps and training programmes for promoting Self-Help Groups, involving village womenfolk, and giving emphasis on women's empowerment. Apart from these, the LAMMS has undertaken various programmes for the uplift of sports, education, and health sectors in the locality. It is pertinent to mention here that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the LAMMS donated an amount of Rs. 50,000 to the Assam Chief Minister's Relief Fund, besides supplying different food items to 1200 households in the locality. The society's commitment to protecting and conserving forests and wildlife is also commendable. It has undertaken proper initiatives for the protection and conservation of different species of reptiles, amphibians, and migratory birds inhabiting the tank.

In recognition of the valuable contributions made towards community development in the greater Lakhimpur area of Darrang, the LAMMS received the 'CM Best Community Award' in 2008. It was also conferred with citations in 'Matshya Mahutsav' organized by the Deptt. of Fisheries, Govt. of Assam, in Guwahati in 2009 and 2010 and awarded with the 'Vocational Excellence Award' by the Rotary International in 2013–14.

Further efforts are being put in by the LAMMS under the able leadership of Upendra Deka (President) and Kulendra Sarmah (General Secretary) to turn the 'Lakhimpur Pukhuri', a Water Heritage Site in India, with its historical importance and potential as well, into a tourism spot in the district. Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I laud the initiatives undertaken by the LAMMS for community development in the locality and also call upon the Deptt. of Tourism, Govt. of Assam, to cooperate with the LAMMS in its efforts to promote this historic tank as a tourism spot.

Dheeraj Deka,

Dighirpar, Darrang