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When roads become political statements
In Assam, road development often follows the election calendar rather than the real needs of the people. During election time, there’s a sudden rush of activities that takes place, such as potholes getting filled, half-finished roads being quickly completed, and new signboards appearing, all to win over voters. These quick fixes are more about politics than real development.
This vote-based approach leads to unfair development across different areas. Places that are politically important get better roads, while places like oil-rich Nazira still struggle with poor connectivity. People are well aware of this pattern and often say, “If you want good roads, wait for elections.” Because the work is done in a hurry, the quality of these roads is usually poor. They often break down within months. Contractors cut corners, there’s little monitoring, and the public is left to deal with damaged roads and broken promises.
Worse, when people ask for better roads, their voices are often ignored unless elections are near. In places like Upper Assam, protests are only taken seriously when they serve political interests. In my opinion, roads should connect people, not campaigns. As long as development is linked to vote banks, progress in Assam will remain stuck.
Pragyan Rajmohan,
Charaideo
Preventing & detecting kidney disorders
Kidney disorders, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), affect millions globally, often pro-gressing silently until advanced stages. Effective prevention and early detection within com-munities can significantly reduce their burden. A multifaceted approach involving education, lifestyle changes, screening, and access to healthcare is essential.
Community-wide education is critical for preventing kidney disorders. Public health campaigns should raise awareness about risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and smoking, which are leading causes of CKD. Workshops, seminars, and social media platforms can disse-minate information on maintaining kidney health through balanced diets low in sodium and processed foods, regular exercise, and adequate hydration. Encouraging communities to adopt these habits reduces the incidence of conditions that strain kidney function. For instance, promoting plant-based diets rich in fruits and vegetables supports kidney health by reducing acid load and inflammation.
Local organizations can partner with healthcare providers to offer free or low-cost fitness pro-grams and nutritional counselling. Smoking cessation programmes and stress management work-shops further mitigate risk factors. Communities should also advocate for clean water access, as contaminated water can contribute to kidney damage.
Early detection is vital for managing kidney disorders before they progress to kidney failure. Community health programs should organise regular screening events to measure blood pressure, blood glucose, and kidney function through tests like serum creatinine and urine albumin. These screenings are especially crucial for high-risk groups, including those with a family history of kidney disease or chronic conditions like diabetes.
Collaboration with local clinics ensures follow-up care for individuals with abnormal results. Mobile health units can reach underserved areas, enhancing access to screenings. Integrating kidney health checks into routine medical visits normalises early detection.
By combining education, lifestyle interventions, and accessible screenings, communities can ef-fectively prevent and detect kidney disorders, improving overall health outcomes.
Dr. Neeraj Nirala
Consultant Nephrology,
GNRC Hospitals, Dispur.
Beware of digital scams
The news article, 'Nearly Rs 15 cr siphoned in city by scamsters,' published in your esteemed daily on July 16, has drawn our sharp attention. The fast escalation in the financial cybercrimes in the city has become a serious concern for the city dwellers. The network has been scamming and cheating gullible common people who need to be on guard against such scammers and need to abide by some basic guidelines that can go a long way in checking such crimes. The modus operandi of the fraudsters is to make various false claims to create a sense of urgency or fear in the minds of the individuals. By exercising some precautions and applying common sense, one can avert many such cases of fraud and prevent himself or herself from losing hard-earned money. It is a point to be noted that a large number of educated individuals are falling prey to digital scams. What is needed for one is to remain vigilant against perpetrators and act in a responsible manner and avoid sharing personal details like ATM PIN, Aadhaar card no., and OTP with the fraudsters. It is true that the anonymity of internet users and the absence of geographical boundaries in the cyber world have made e-crimes rather complex affairs. The recovery of an amount of Rs 2.12 crore to date by the City Police is indeed praiseworthy. However, the trend is deeply worrying. Verifying the phone call is very important as well as the duty of every well-informed citizen before going to commit any major fault. The enhanced capacity building of the city police for handling offences having a digital perspective must be appreciated by all.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati.
Wimbledon is over
The 138th edition of Wimbledon, the oldest Grand Slam tennis event, played at the Mecca of Tennis, is over. This year the Wimbledon will be remembered as a graveyard of seeds from day one. Every aspiring tennis player always dreams to take part and to win the coveted trophy once in their lifetime. The century-old tradition of Wimbledon is that all the participants must wear white-coloured dresses. In the Royal Box, celebrities are issued invitational passes, which is not seen in the other three Grand Slams. The lush green courts are always a refreshing sight, with strawberry & cream vendors selling their products in the stands to the colourful spectators.
Wimbledon was and is always Wimbledon, with the Royal Family gracing the prize distribution ceremony, adding extra colour to the show.
Lastly, I congratulate the winners, and better luck to all the other participants. We still relish the memories of Krishnan, Jaideep Mukhejea, Vijay Amritraj, and the doubles combo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi.
Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,
Guwahati.
School libraries and librarians
The school libraries of government and provincialized schools in our state are surviving in very pathetic conditions. They are still as outmoded and substandard as they were decades back. The department of education and the government have so far not given due attention to developing school libraries, ignoring this basic need of the students. The school libraries are running in dilapidated rooms and are being managed by untrained teachers as librarians-in-charge. The policymakers are giving no thrust to the importance of these school libraries; instead, they are suggesting some other measures for the overall development of the academic environment in schools. No special scheme has so far been initiated by the government for the construction of library buildings in schools. Due to a lack of library buildings, the school authorities have no other means than to use classrooms as libraries, which is unscientific for the purpose. Library furniture like shelves, tables, and chairs, as well as technology like computers and scanners, is not sufficient. Some worthless or less important reference books are bought or supplied for not having permanent caretakers or librarians. Teachers, entrusted with the additional charges to maintain the library, lack proper knowledge. Keeping records of books, displaying them on the shelves, and recording transactions of books are very important aspects of library science.
Only the qualified librarians can maintain libraries and serve the students properly. The libraries can serve as a space for students to collaborate, work on projects, and engage with the wider school community. From my experience of working in a number of schools in three districts of Assam, I can see that students feel reluctant to visit the library, as they do not find the librarian-in-charge in the school library all the time. Books are kept untidily in dirt, which fails to attract the students. Many a time books are lost because of not having well-maintained records and permanent caretakers. Students, and even teachers, often do not return the books that they borrow from the library. Of course, despite all these challenges, some dedicated teachers try hard for the greater interest of the school and students in this regard. The well-equipped libraries are really the assets of the school and storehouses of knowledge. Studies have shown that schools with strong library programmes often see improvements in student achievement, particularly in reading and information literacy in their formative age. The government should allocate funds for library buildings and appoint librarians in schools as early as possible.
Kulendra Nath Deka
Dighirpar, Mangaldai
Congress leaders’ promises
On July 16, 2025, Rahul Gandhi, LOP, and Mallikarjun Kharge, President of AICC, came to Assam on a one-day visit to boost up the morale of state Congress workers before the coming assembly election. During their visit they pronounced loads of guarantees: to send the CM of the state to jail after the next assembly election; to rebuild the houses of the encroachers and rehabilitate the encroachers at the same site; and to punish those government officials involved in the eviction drive.
All these above promises will become a reality provided they come to power. It is high time for Axomiyas to think and react.
Lanu Dutt Chowdhury,
Guwahati