Pollution from flyover construction
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the severe pollution stemming from the ongoing flyover construction in our area. While we all want smoother traffic, the current construction practices are creating a silent, daily health crisis that we cannot ignore.
For months, an inescapable cloud of fine, grey dust has permeated our homes and, more critically, our lungs. This isn't just an inconvenience; it’s a constant source of respiratory irritation for our children and elderly neighbours. Adding to this is the relentless noise pollution that makes peaceful living impossible. Infrastructure progress should never compromise the public's right to basic health and clean air. I urge the city and the contractors to take immediate, effective action. We need continuous dust suppression via water sprinkling, better noise mitigation, and adherence to humane working hours. Let's ensure that building a better future doesn't mean sacrificing the present health of our community.
Barnika Ghosh
Guwahati, Assam
Competence in
political leadership
As a young citizen of this country, I am increasingly concerned about a growing gap between the challenges India faces and the capacity of our political leadership to understand them. We live in an age shaped by climate change, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, complex economics, and large-scale ecological uncertainty. Yet, most public decisions continue to be made without basic scientific reasoning or evidence-based thinking.
This is not a partisan problem but a structural one. India is one of the few major democracies where individuals can hold high public office with no demonstrated literacy in science, economics, or data. In a world where extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, where misinformation spreads faster than facts, and where technologies like AI can influence everything from jobs to national security, the absence of scientific competence in governance is a risk we can no longer ignore.
It is time to demand reforms that bring expertise into decision-making. Parliament must be supported by permanent scientific advisory bodies; ministries handling technical subjects should include domain experts; and all major bills that deal with climate, public health, or technology should require transparent scientific impact assessments. These are not just radical ideas; many countries already treat evidence-based policy as a democratic necessity.
India’s youth are no longer satisfied with slogans, emotional appeals, or unverified claims. We want leadership capable of understanding the world as it actually is, not as ideologies or narratives simplify it to be. Scientific literacy is the foundation of responsible governance in the 21st century. If India is to secure a safe, prosperous future, it must recognise that political power without scientific temperament is no longer acceptable. The demand for scientifically competent leadership must come from citizens, and it must begin now.
Parthiv Kashyap
Guwahati
City’s air pollution is a huge concern
Day by day, the air quality in Guwahati is fast deteriorating. One will not be surprised if the city is placed just behind Bihar and Bengaluru in terms of poor air quality. Public concerns over this serious issue are intensifying, and they are now compelled to raise questions about whether the government's agencies' pollution data truly have reflected on-ground conditions or not. This appears to be a million-dollar question. Although the city has four Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Systems (CAAQMS) at different locations, it has come to light that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is not publishing average data of all stations regularly. This month, the average AQI (air quality index) in the city stands at 167 – categorised as unhealthy. The city needs more monitoring stations at traffic junctions, especially at Jalukbari, where traffic jams occur any time of the day due to heavy four-way traffic flow. Again, pollution levels in and around the flyover construction sites do not seem to be in sync with the AQI published by the government agencies. Unless the number of monitoring stations is increased in the city, the limited numbers cannot capture the accurate data. picture of Guwahati's air pollution, which is the most urgent need of the hour. The city residents are desperately looking for a healthy environment and a comfortable Air Quality Index.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati.
Appreciation of ‘A significant move to protect the xatras’
The letter "A significant move to protect the xatras", written by Kabir Ahmed Saikia and published today in your esteemed daily, is a beautiful piece of writing. I had read his previous opinions, also published in The Sentinel. All his opinions carry a deep emotional appeal. The unique vocabulary used by the author in all his letters makes his work different from most others. The readers expect more writings from the author in your newspaper.
Nurul Hussain
Mariani Nakachari
Importance of tree plantation drives
Through your esteemed daily, I would like to highlight the growing importance of tree plantation drives in our society. At a time when pollution levels are rising and green cover is shrinking, such drives play a crucial role in restoring environmental balance. Planting trees not only improves air quality but also helps conserve biodiversity, reduce soil erosion, and mitigate climate change. I request the authorities, educational institutions, and citizens to actively participate in regular plantation programmes to ensure a greener and healthier future.
Pritirekha Borah
Gauhati University