Air pollution and public health crisis
Air pollution has quietly emerged as one of the gravest public health emergencies in Indian cities, including Guwahati. The rising levels of particulate matter, vehicular emissions and unchecked construction dust are no longer just environmental concerns; they are directly affecting life expectancy and increasing cases of respiratory illnesses, heart disease and other chronic conditions. Hospitals today are witnessing a steady rise in patients suffering from asthma, allergies and pollution-induced complications.
While policies exist on paper, their implementation remains weak. Poor monitoring, lax enforcement of emission norms and the slow adoption of clean energy solutions have aggravated the crisis. Urban planning often ignores green spaces, while public transport systems fail to discourage the excessive use of private vehicles.
Addressing this crisis demands urgent and coordinated action. Stricter emission enforcement, promotion of electric vehicles, expansion of reliable public transport and protection of urban green cover are no longer optional but essential. Public awareness and community participation must complement government efforts. Clean air is not a privilege but a fundamental right, and safeguarding it is crucial for the health and future of our cities.
Bhaskar Deka
Pragjyotish College, Guwahati
24 Parganas, a mini Bangladesh?
The SIR revision of the voters list duly completed in Bihar has exposed massive anomalies. Immediately after completion of SIR, the election was held with a correct voter list in Bihar, and the results are all there for everyone to see. Similarly, SIR voter list revision is at present going on in West Bengal in spite of Mamata Banerjee’s strong protests due to reasons known to all bona fide Indians. During SIR revision in the district of 24 Paraganas, 8 lakh fake voters' names were deleted from the voters list due to massive irregularities committed by the TMC government. CM Banerjee seems to be in great trouble, as she made the 24 Paraganas district a mini Bangladesh.
It is now Assam’s turn as SR is going on in Assam to delete the illegal and ghost voters from the electoral roll.
Lanu Dutt Chowdhury,
Guwahati.
PMEGP and Assam
From the editorial 'PMEGP hope for NE employment landscape' published in your esteemed daily, we have come to learn that banks are reluctant to give loans to local entrepreneurs under the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) in view of previously sanctioned loans resulting in non-performing assets (NPA). The high percentage of bad loans in the recent past under the PMEGP has prevented the banks from providing new loans. In the last five years, the targeted beneficiaries under the scheme in Assam were reduced from 24,583 to 15,190. The slow take-off of the PMEGP in the state is due to a lack of proper awareness among the youth, a load of paperwork in banks, the delaying of the disbursal of loans by banks, a dearth of skilled labour, a lack of availability of required infrastructure and the mindset among new entrepreneurs. Failure of the authorities to provide the required market for the goods produced by new entrepreneurs is the biggest setback in implementing PMEGP schemes successfully. The need now is to address these lacunae and focus more on involving as many budding entrepreneurs as possible under the PMEGP schemes in agriculture and allied sectors during the extension period to change the employment landscape in Assam and other Northeastern states.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati.