Letters to THE EDITOR: Need for an institute of higher learning in Doomdooma

Need for an institute of higher learning in Doomdooma

At a time when many nations across the globe have been able to garner steps to deal effectively with illiteracy and also register spectacular progress in many fields of education, Assam cuts a sorry figure insofar as the spread of education to every nook and corner of the state is concerned. This happens despite the tall promises of the leaders of the ruling dispensation, be it before the election or thereafter. As far as we know some of the leaders (BJP) were committed to set up a college in the Doomdooma area, but such a possibility is yet to become a reality. However, we came to know from a newspaper report that many students after passing the Higher Secondary Examination had to run from pillar to post for admission but ultimately could not.

One has to understand the ground reality that many students in the tea-centric area of Doomdooma despite being economically poor are academically good. Simultaneously we can also assert that a good number of students from the tea tribes have been faring well in various state-level examinations. But the fact remains that most of them cannot afford to go elsewhere, say even to Guwahati, Tinsukia, Digboi and Dibrugarh to pursue higher studies. So, there is an urgent need for the establishment of a quality-delivering institute of higher learning apart from the existing Doomdooma College.

More often not, we hear ministers blowing their trumpets announcing a whole lot of packages for the uplift of the tea tribes. Nonetheless, this single instance of non-availability of a college in a tea hub equal to that of the existing one is a glaring example of the lip-service of the ministers of Assam. In addition, the students of Kakopather and Philobari areas also look forth to Doomdooma for admission into the higher secondary-level sessions. The moot point is: How long would the successive governments of Assam befool the gullible people of the area? Well that seems to remain in the realm of speculation?

Through your esteemed daily, we appeal to the Education Minister to give a serious thought on setting up a Government sponsored full-fledged college at Doomdooma.

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh.

Include Sankardeva's anniversaries in NI holiday

The Government of Assam had announced the List of Holidays for the calendar year 2018 under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instrument Act 1881.

However, it is extremely unfortunate and anguishing that the birth and death anniversaries of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva are missing in this list of holidays under NI Act. The list, though, includes the Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak on 4th November 2018.

Everyone would agree that Mahapurush Sankardeva has a mass following in this part of the Country, but the Government of Assam seem to be ignoring this.

If a holiday is declared under NI Act, 1881, financial institutions including Banks, Central PSUs, etc remain closed, and thus giving benefits to employees of such organizations, for observing the occasions.

Declaration of holiday under NI Act, 1881 is a prerogative of the State Government.

In the calendar year 2017 too, in the original list of Holidays under NI Act, this was missing, but later, 23rd August 2017 was declared a holiday, under NI Act, for Tithi of Sankardeva.

The Government of Assam is again found to be ignoring the birth and death anniversaries of the most revered person of Assam.

Concerned Citizens

A Bhuyan,Guwahati.

Kudos to Assamese Maturity

At the outset, I offer my heartfelt condolence to the bereaved families of the two talented youths, Abhijeet Nath and Nilotpal Das and pray for eternal peace of the departed souls. Despite attempts by vested interests to sow communal hatred through the social media, the larger conscience of the Assamese people must be given the due recognition for defeating such a possibility. Of course, the people of Assam have been demonstrating the supreme power of tolerance on a number of occasions earlier also.

Miscreants tried their best to convert some incidences into communal violence but the people of Assam have shown their maturity — mentally, politically and socially and thwarted the attempts to disturb peace and tranquility of the region. Severe anger can be felt in the protests and dharnas but at the same time no one wanted to give the incidences a communal colour.

Despite the misinformation passed through the social media, the greater Assamese society has shown the maturity by understanding the implications and the objectives behind the events and thus avoided the chances of communal violence.

At this juncture, if somebody puts the question whether the people of Assam are mature enough for democracy? The answer will definitely in the positive.

Now everyone is eagerly waiting for the publication of second draft of NRC. Considering the maturity of the people of Assam, we can that this will pass out peacefully. This is despite the fact that a section of people is keeping their fingers crossed.

Dayal S. Sandhu,

Parlay Residency,

Jayanagar, Guwahati-22.