Letters to The EDITOR: Call for improved traffic control in Guwahati

Call for improved traffic control in Guwahati

I am writing to express my concerns about the alarming state of traffic control in Guwahati city. As a resident who navigates these chaotic streets daily, I am increasingly frustrated by the lack of availability of traffic police in crucial areas at crucial times.

It has become a common sight to witness traffic jams, reckless driving, and disregard for traffic rules due to the absence of proper enforcement. Many major intersections and congested roads seem to be devoid of any police presence, leading to chaos and gridlock, especially during peak hours. This absence of traffic police not only exacerbates the inconvenience faced by commuters but also poses serious safety risks for both drivers and pedestrians. Without proper regulation, accidents are more likely to occur, putting lives at stake.

It is imperative for the authorities to take immediate action to address this issue. Deploying traffic police officers strategically, particularly during peak traffic hours and at critical intersections, is essential to ensuring smooth traffic flow and enforcing road safety regulations. Furthermore, there is a need for increased coordination between the traffic department and other relevant agencies to implement effective solutions. This may include leveraging technology such as CCTV cameras for monitoring traffic, implementing better signage, and introducing traffic management initiatives. As responsible citizens, we cannot afford to overlook the importance of efficient traffic control in our city. It not only impacts our daily lives but also reflects on the overall image and development of Guwahati.

I urge the concerned authorities to prioritize this issue and take concrete steps to improve traffic control measures promptly. The safety and well-being of the residents should be a top priority, and it is high time that decisive action is taken to address this pressing concern.

Bhaswati Borah,

Gauhati University

Agarwood’s untapped potential

Kudos to the state Chief Secretary Ravi Kota for his remarkable observation that Assam's agarwood can well emulate the success of the state's tea and oil globally, provided the government, including the different stakeholders and entrepreneurs, evolves a holistic approach to collectively emerge as a global player. Your editorial titled 'Agarwood prospects 'published in your esteemed daily on May 27 has said that the then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal's cabinet approval for growing and cutting of agar and chandan trees on non-forest lands for promotion of two precious trees in the state and for setting up an International Trade Centre for agar in Golaghat can be a game-changer in the task of promotion and commercialization of agarwood and its value-added products. What is needed is for the authorities to act as catalysts for harnessing the potential. The Middle East, in particular, has a huge demand for Assam's agarwood and its perfumes, renowned for their high-quality aroma. That the state's first licensed manufacturing-cum-retail store for perfume and agar has come up in the city is a welcome development. There is a need to create a congenial atmosphere for entrepreneurship among the youth so that they are able to take advantage of this ''precious'' wealth of the state. At present, small-scale operators are engaged in agar oil processing units. They need technological intervention, value addition, and market linkage for further development in organized sector. It may be mentioned here that the natural endowment has made Assam and the Northeast home to a bewildering variety of spices, medicinal and aromatic plants, fruits and vegetables, etc., because of their ideal geo-climatic conditions. The realization of the inherent potential of diverse sectors and their large-scale commercial production in the state is the need of the hour to ensure the farmers' rich dividends.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati

Stop felling trees

Through your esteemed daily, I would like to highlight my concern to the Government of Assam regarding the cutting and felling of trees in the name of development. This letter is not only meant for the Government of Assam but also for the Union Ministry of Environment and the public in general.

That is, the expansion of roads from VIP Road near LGBI Airport to Mirza and Chaygaon is going on in full swing. What pains me most is that on the stretch from VIP Road, LGBI Airport, to Mirza, there are a number of big trees on both sides of the road, which for almost 100 years or more have been providing shade to the commuters and public residing in that locality, thereby contributing to the environment. In the name of development, these old trees are definitely going to be cut down by the government. My question to the government of Assam is that there are several alternatives to felling the trees in the name of development. One is that the government of Assam can construct pedestrian footpaths in such a way that, without felling or cutting trees, the roads can be expanded so that development will take place while saving nature.

It is my request that the Government of Assam, under the able leadership of Sri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Assam, take the utmost care not to cut such big trees. Please, the stretch that I am highlighting is such a beautiful place with the branches spread on both sides; it should not be harmed under any circumstances. I would like to call on all the media, the public, and organizations to oppose this. It is my fervent appeal.

S Chakraborty

Adabari, Guwahati

Heatwave phenomenon

On May 26, the city breached the dreaded 40-degree Celsius mark by recording a temperature of 40.1 degrees, exposing the citizens to unbearable heat and humidity. It is said that the temperature on that day was slightly lower than the 40.3 degree registered on May 1, 1960.

While the searing heat wave of the present day can be blamed on climate changes caused by rapid deforestation, unplanned urbanization, unprecedented industrialization, greenhouse gas emissions, etc. causing imbalances in ecology, how come the 1960s could have such high temperatures when the ecology and environment were not in a decaying state as of now?

Similarly, it is also a moot point that rural areas of Assam are also said to be reeling under similar scorching heat as urban or city areas, despite having thick vegetation and several water bodies there. Unusually high heat and humidity in supposedly cooler places like Tezpur (once described as the Shillong of Assam), Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, etc. call for more intensive study of the heat wave phenomenon.

There is an urgent need for critical analysis of the rising heat wave conditions prevailing in several parts of the globe. Whether climate change alone is responsible for this sweltering heat or if other factors that were prevalent during the 1960s and caused the temperature to soar abnormally high are at play, it needs deep probing. Humanity can then devise safeguards well in advance to prevent our earth from becoming a furnace in the near future.

Rajib Sarma

Guwahati