Letters to the Editor: High-level inquiry

Naturally after the Batadraba Police Station burning incident there will be hue and cry from the Opposition to constitute a high-level inquiry commission to probe the high-voltage incident which has sent shockwaves throughout the state.

I, as a senior secular citizen of the state, humbly suggest the names of the following to be a part of the said commission and they are Akhil Gogoi, Aminul Islam, Bhupen Bora, Ripun Bora, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Sherman Ali and Ajit Bhuyan. Their priceless reports and suggestions will no doubt ensure safe passage of the sons and daughters of the soil to elsewhere in India like the Kashmiri Pandits. In no way any person associated with pro-CAA movement and people from RSS background should be included in the above list as they are communal and anti-national. AASU and AJYCP are requested to render a helping hand in this regard. Joi Ai Asom.

Dr Ashim Chowdhury

Guwahati

Putting nation's integrity at stake

Kanhayalal Kumar, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Asaduddin Owaisi, Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and few others at present are the 'termites' who are eating and corroding the entire nation from inside. They are in fact the sleeper cells of our sworn enemies. Interestingly all of them are secular brigades who are ready to sacrifice and compromise with the security and integrity of the nation for the sake of power. Minority appeasement even by trying to distort the nation's history has become their sole aim to woo the minorities. These cancerous growths, in the meantime, have bled the nation dearly.

Lanu Dutt Chowdhury

Assam.

Floods in Assam

Assam's present flood scenario has worsened. The floods have affected around 7.18 lakh people in the past few days. Although this is not a new occurrence in Assam, the state's wide network of rivers makes it vulnerable to natural calamities such as flooding and erosion, which has a negative influence on the state's overall growth. The flood and erosion problem of Assam is unique. Almost every year, three to four waves wreak havoc on the flood-prone region. The average annual loss due to flooding is over Rs 200 crore. More actions by the government are required.

Chandan Kumar Nath

Tezpur University

India needs to show its prowess

India had already shown its determination and strength by importing oil from Russia and also making payment in Rupee-Rooble as required and this act of India was opposed by many countries but India maintained its neutrality. Quad is a diplomatic network of four countries Australia, India, Japan and USA and it will be the first summit in May 24 meeting of leaders face to face since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, Sri Lanka plunging into economic crises, Australia voting for new PM etc. The world order in the Indo-Pacific region is rapidly changing and in these circumstances, it is important for these four countries to meet and commit to support an open, inclusive and resilient region. PM Modi will get the chance to have separate one-to-one meeting with all the other three heads of states.

The two leaders Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese are likely to 'review India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership' amongst other things in their probable meeting. The two leaders will review the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest. The last bilateral meeting was held with Australian Prime Minister virtually in March this year. Countries like Japan, Australia, India and USA (Quad) share fundamental values and are committed to strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law. The four countries have been promoting practical cooperation in various fields, including vaccines, infrastructure, climate change, and critical and emerging technologies, to realize a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)'. The four countries have also concurred on the importance of making positive contribution to the region and the meetings are being held regularly since November 2017.

Last time when all these Quad member countries met on a virtual platform at the March 12 Summit in 2021, they discussed development, cooperation on the Indo-Pacific, vaccines, technology, climate change, and supply chain management. Following which, the leaders also released a joint statement that has come to be known as 'The Spirit of the Quad'. The joint statement by no means indicated that the Quad is a military coalition but then it highlighted its core agenda to make the Indo-Pacific an inclusive, free, and open region, in which the rule of law is upheld.

For India bilateral relations with 'like-minded' and 'friendly' nations with the backdrop of the Quad can be strengthened further through information sharing agreements, arms exchange agreements, defence ties, and much more. Also, economically India has an opportunity to showcase a preferred destination for investment, especially after the COVID-19 outbreak and India's surge in the pharmaceutical industry and its potential to boost its pharmaceutical prowess and to assert its leadership in the post-pandemic world.

Yash Pal Ralhan

Jalandhar

Keep an eye out for Monkeypox

The latest outbreak of Monkeypox in some areas has sent shockwaves around the world at a time when the entire world is slowly recovering to normalcy following the COVID-19 epidemic. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 80 cases of Monkeypox have been confirmed in at least 12 countries. There have been 110 confirmed and suspected cases of Monkeypox outside of the endemic zones, according to the most recent data accessible on the dashboard. Despite the fact that no instances have been reported here, India is taking all precautions and monitoring the current spike in Monkeypox cases that has spread in Europe, the US, Canada and Australia.

Monkeypox is a rare disease that is caused by infection with the Monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family as smallpox. Monkeypox is not as serious as smallpox, according to medical specialists. Currently, no treatment is available for Monkeypox, but it can be treated with a vaccination developed for smallpox, as well as many antivirals. Vaccination against smallpox has been proven to be 85% effective in preventing Monkeypox. However, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there is no known, safe treatment for the Monkeypox virus infection. The WHO clearly says swollen lymph nodes are a hallmark of Monkeypox. The Monkeypox disease is now slowly taking over different countries of the world. Scientists are keeping a close eye on the virus and its spread. It's possible that the Monkeypox virus will make its way to India, posing significant challenges to the healthcare sector. Even though there have been no confirmed cases, we must remain vigilant and educate the public about the risks and steps to take if Monkeypox is detected.

Krishna Kumar Vepakomma,

Hyderabad – 500045.