Letters to the Editor: Job well done

The State Government on 20th September carried out a never-seen-before eviction drive at Dhalpur No. 3 areas under the Sipajhar Revenue Circle, Darrang district. This necessary eviction drive cleared approximately 8,000 bighas of government land illegally occupied by the people of East Bengal origin. The good thing is that illegal encroachers vacated the site peacefully. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, after assuming the charge visited Gorukhuti and the nearby revered Shiv temple and promised to uproot the illegal settlers, and engage the local youths in multi-layer organic farming. Immediately, after the eviction few leaders of Congress and few from civil society have started criticizing the government by terming the government as 'inhuman, tyrant and anti-Muslims'. They are saying that these illegal settlers are victims of annual floods and land erosion. If these people are real victims of land erosion at least they should have provided information to the administration in detail about their origin with Daag No., Patta No., Mouza, etc. Is it justifiable that if I become homeless due to flood or erosion that I should immediately encroach upon government land or xatra land or forest land? The fact is that there is a deliberate plan by this particular category of people whose identity is always doubtful to capture any vacant land, be it government, forest, railways, xatra, mandir, etc. Flood and erosion had not only left these categories of people homeless but also have rendered many indigenous people homeless too but we always find these Muslim people of Bangladesh origin illegally occupying grazing, xatra or government properties.

Secondly, the initiative of the government to engage local youth into organic farming in the vacated land is laudable, if that is implemented on the ground. Bhoomi (land) and Bazaar (Market) have to be with the indigenous people else we will be left with no other option but to engage ourselves in 'Andolan's.

Julie Bhuyan,

Gaurisagar.

Effects of online teaching

We, as parents, have become quite tech-savvy with the onset of online teaching or classes necessitated by the pandemic. Of late, it is often noticed that the mobiles become full with screenshots of lectures or subjects of importance.

When little time is left for the classes to end, screenshots are the most essential tool that has come in handy. But at times, the students become overloaded with assignments and noting down the screenshots in their respective subject copies have taken a toll on them. They seem to be agitated.

Whilst it might be a good idea of taking down the notes via screenshots at times, it seems students of the primary and middle wings become quite stressed.

The pressure of attending online classes via mobile or laptop for almost 4 or 5 hours daily is itself strenuous. As time is passing by, the importance of attending offline classes is becoming crystal clear.

Concentration, discipline and health are three aspects that have badly been affected by the online classes with children glued in front of machines for so long. Hope the intensity of the pandemic diminishes with the onset of the ensuing Durga Puja and our children can once again play and breathe fresh air every day.

Purabi Pathak Barua,

Guwahati

The enemy within?

I am a regular viewer and listener of primetime debates on the small screen of the leading national news channels. In those debates, representatives from all the leading national as well as regional political parties are invited to debate on current issues of the country as well as global ones. Very interestingly and sadly though after going through the debates among the panellists, I sometimes start feeling that some panellists representing their respective political parties are in support of the causes of our enemies across the border. At the same time, my heart aches for those 'BRAVE HEARTS' at the borders who are protecting us 24X7 from any external threats or aggressions. But who will protect us from those enemies which are within the state like Asaududdin Owaisi, Farrukh Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Navjot Singh Sidhu? One must always admit that the enemy within is more dangerous than the enemy outside. If we have the above-mentioned souls among us we don't need any enemy from outside to hit us. History is the witness.

Dr Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Travel advisory

After strong criticisms over the media, the British Government recently revised their travel advisory and added Covishield to it. But, still, Indians need to follow the rules set for "non-vaccinated travellers", this means that Indians have to test 3 days before their departure, have to test themselves again after immediate arrival and be quarantined, etc. After so much, still, they are treating vaccinated Indians like non-vaccinated ones. The two governments must address this issue in the upcoming interactions.

Aaditya Dutta,

Dhubri.