Letters to the Editor: Impact of online classes

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way of teaching and studying. COVID -19 is continuing to spread around the world, and in many locations online teaching is still continuing because daily cases are still rising rapidly. There are about 260 million students in India, and from that 260 million 50% of students belongs to the poorer class. Many students don't have smartphones or any other gadgets to attend online classes or get work on Whatsapp. And hence, children belonging to poor families, children who don't have a proper environment at home for studying, are facing disruptions in their studies whereas the privileged students who are attending those online classes amid the COVID-19 lockdown are far more ahead in their respective fields. However, today's education system does not trains students for what they want in their practical life. That is why today most of them are disqualified during the interview process. Nowadays education gives more importance to technology. Online education system has both advantages and disadvantages. We must know that education is not a privilege but it is a legal right and everyone must enjoy this. India is very new to this whole 'Online education system'. The Government must ensure some other effective ways for the students who lack gadgets and other devices to attend online classes, along with those who are living in a very remote area where there is hardly any Internet connection. Keeping all this in mind, we believe that our future education system will be better and a rapid change will occur shortly in the education system. The future of the education system is uncertain, still one can predict it. No doubt about the future education system. Government authorities are also responsible for it and they are ready to take proper action to make some useful changes in the education system. It seems that the future education system will give more importance to technical and professional education, rather than moral education. It will give more importance to the country's development, training students to build up professional qualities etc. We must know that the educated people are the main asset of a nation. For the development of personal and social life, education plays a great role. It plays a vital role in shaping tomorrow's leaders. Education is the root of a person and it can make every impossible thing possible in life.

Padmini Das,

pdminirosi@gmail.com

Scarcity of water

Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to highlight that Guwahati reels under floods almost three times a year. Yet, it battles an acute water crisis. This is the sad reality of Guwahati. Despite receiving an average rainfall of 1,722 mm per year — which is equivalent to 5,64,816 million litres of water, enough to serve 37 lakh 65 thousand 440 people, the residents of Guwahati struggle each day to access their share of water.

People of Guwahati rejoiced when the ambitious Greater Guwahati Water Supply Project was sanctioned in 2009. This was announced at a cost of Rs 389.53 crore. But officials now say that the completion date of the project has been pushed to 2022.

Over the years, several factors have acted upon for delay in the completion of the project. It was also provided an extension by JICA, the funding authority of the ambitious project, till 2022 due to the expiry of the term of fund agreement. The only suffering that has been faced is by none other than the Guwahatians, who have been deprived of the basic necessity and growing crisis that prevails and grows every day.

Despite being situated on the banks of the Brahmaputra; the people of Guwahati have not been able to use its water. The Government's lack of will has been responsible for this ongoing crisis.

Abhigyan Deka,

Guwahati.