Monitor plantation: Letters to THE EDITOR

Monitor plantation

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways launched 'Harit Path', a mobile app to monitor the plantations through Geo-tagging and web-based GIS-enabled monitoring tools. The app developed by NHAI to monitor location, growth, species details, maintenance activities, targets, and achievements of each of its field units for each and every plant under all plantation projects. It seems to be a good move towards reducing carbon emissions and maintaining a healthy environment. The common peoples, NGOs, self-help groups and the Forest department should also make an effort to increase the plantations and protection of trees. This kind of collective approach will build our country green and safe for all.

Amit Singh Kushwaha,

Satna (M.P.)

Social media facing heat

Democracy and life are under increasing threat of being undermined by the reckless use of social media by vested interests. The threat includes the issue of external forces making a charade of the electoral process. Allegations ran thick and fast about how such media undermined the 2016 United States presidential elections. There are also instances of violence breaking out based on misinformation or deliberate and provocative messages, claiming lives and disrupting normal life to unsuspecting innocent people. Facebook has had its fair share of critics who have repeatedly called out the social network for failing to adequately police hateful and misleading content. The global giant has come under intense scrutiny in India after a Wall Street Journal report indicated that it had gone easy on hate speech by a BJP lawmaker to protect the company's business prospects in its biggest market. Facebook has over 340 million users and its WhatsApp chat service has 400 million users in India. If that is not foothold enough, in April, Facebook announced it was investing $5.7 billion in Reliance Jio. The insinuation of a 'broader pattern of favoritism' towards the BJP has been denied by Facebook, but it has plenty to explain than a casual acknowledgement that while we know there is more to do, we're making progress on enforcement.

The Opposition's demand for an investigation into Facebook's conduct in India is only going to get shriller, notwithstanding the BJP vociferously taking on the Congress over charges of spreading fake news and influencing the electorate. The Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology may be spilt over summoning Facebook executives to explain the alleged bias towards the ruling party, but the issue does require fact - checking and transparency. A free run is against national interest and democratic values. The issue of biased content moderation applies to all social media platforms, not just Facebook. The impact of hateful, inaccurate content flowing without check has been devastating in India. As Facebook finds itself embroiled in the political discourse, be it in India or the US where the upcoming presidential election is set to test the efficacy of its self regulations, the message for amending processes cannot be clearer. For a hugely successful company, profit cannot be the sole driving force. Striving towards being more responsible is a mark of character. That in the long run is priceless. The business model of social media is directly and instantly proportional to the reach of their contents. This will be best served by pandering to and often engaging extremist elements in society and polity who will ensure such stuff gets widest publicity. With little checks and balance in place, the social media has the power to break into smithereens the social fabric that has been woven for decades or even centuries. The allegation, though denied by Facebook, is not about partisan politics, it's about the sanctity of the country's democracy and democratic processes, which should be a matter of concern for the government as well as the Opposition. The heads of social media organizations, including Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, had been hauled up before the US congressional committee for alleged unethical business practices. India, priding itself to be a global leader, must do whatever it takes to protect the sanctity of the democratic process. Giving in to the Opposition demand would reinforce our democratic processes and enhance the national prestige.

Chandan Kumar Nath,

Sorbhog, Barpeta

Appreciation to Guwahati police

A few days back, I left my smartphone in an Uber vehicle. I was constantly trying my number. Though the phone rang, nobody was receiving it. I immediately went to the Latasil Police Station for help. Upon reaching the station, constable Ms. Sumi Yadav asked me to meet the O/C for best assistance. The O/C, Mr. Binay Kalita, listened to my situation calmly. He immediately called up Mr. Jagat Nath, retired police officer and now Chief Security Officer of Uber, and provided him with my phone number and last Uber trip details i.e. pick up and dropping points and the time of dropping. After reaching home, about half-an-hour later, Mr. Kalita called me up on my alternative number and informed that the police could trace and contact the driver who by then had reached Hajo. The O/C informed me that the driver had been asked to return the phone the next day. Accordingly, I collected my phone from the police station the following day. I wanted to pass on my thanks as the police always appear to be the punch bags. Through this letter, I thereby express, from the bottom of my heart, my appreciation towards the professional work our police force often do to help common citizens during despair. I express my salutation and gratitude towards the O/C and the entire team of Latasil Police Station for being so agile and responsive. Many thanks! Keep up the good work.

Muktikam Hazarika,

Uzanbazar, Guwahati

Will customers get back their hard-earned money from PACL?

Through your esteemed daily, I would like to draw the attention of the Chief Minister of Assam regarding public money of PACL. The investors /depositors have been totally bankrupted investing in finance banks like PULS INDIA Ltd under PACL, SAHARA and UNIPAY 2 YOU. The PACL looked after the interests of those people who had deposited or invested money in several investment schemes launched by the PACL. The investors and depositors of Morigaon district are mostly from the flood-affected areas. They invested or deposited their hard-earned money in the mentioned finance banks. They built castles in the air of getting more profits against their investments. Unfortunately, the investors and depositors broke down as the PACL, SAHARA, UNIPAY 2 YOU were involved in the chit fund scams. The investors and depositors still eagerly hope that the PACL will refund their invested or deposited hard-earned money soon.

Pranjal Kr.Sharma

Morigaon