Letter to THE EDITOR: Unhygienic roadsides in Guwahati

Unhygienic roadsides in Guwahati

Sir, through the column of your esteemed daily, I would like to throw light on the issue of unhygienic roadsides in Guwahati. The roads are in a very unhygienic condition. There are garbage heaps along the roadside, which produce a very unpleasant smell. Overflowing dustbins and smelly drains are common sights in most areas. People spit everywhere after eating tobacco and betel nuts, and because of that, the roads are full of spitting spots. During the rainy season, the water accumulates and stagnates; the mosquitoes breed there and spread disease. The drains give off a nasty odour, and there are only a few dustbins in the street, so people used to throw their rubbish in the street. On the other hand, few people do this knowingly because of their mentality. Some people even pee on the roadside, which gives off an unpleasant odour, and sometimes it is impossible to cross particular areas without blocking your mouth and nose. Local and non-local citizens are facing a lot of problems due to an unhygienic environment, and various diseases and infections are spreading.

Thus, for the safety, better environment, and better health of the citizens, I appeal to the concerned authorities to look into the matter and take accurate measures for cleaning and maintaining the roadsides by providing dustbins and providing public awareness programmes and campaigns by making plans for city cleaning. And implementing the plans as soon as possible so people don’t face problems due to uncleanliness. So that people can stay in a hygienic environment. I hope the government will take appropriate measures to address the problems so that the plan is put into effect as soon as possible.

Heena Baglary,

Cotton University.

Cleaning of Bharalu River

Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to draw the attention of the authorities concerned regarding the cleaning of the Bharalu River. The River Bharalu is one of the distinguished tributaries of the mighty Brahmaputra. There was a time when people used it for fishing, swimming, etc. The Bharalu passes through the heart of Guwahati. Now the colour of the water in the Bharalu is completely black as it carries all pollutants from Guwahati. All the dirty elements from several industries are released into the Bharalu River. It has the worst impact on the river. The Guwahati Municipal Corporation took multiple steps to clean the river. Huge sums of money were also used to clean up the river. But after thousands of such steps by the government, the condition of this river remains pathetic. Due to this condition of the river, mosquitoes are increasing in those areas where the river passes through. The river has turned into a drain, which will lead to serious health problems for the people residing nearby in the near future. Proper cleaning steps should be taken, and throwing garbage into the river should be strictly prohibited by the authorities concerned.

Barbie Bezbaruah,

Cotton University.

Crowd control in India

India is increasingly becoming a “hot spot” for accidents as a result of massive crowds, leading to jostling and stampedes. According to an Australian study, festival times have contributed to unimaginable congregations of people and subsequent deaths. The journal Safety Science has attributed 70 percent of accident deaths between 2010 and 2019 to religious gatherings near river beds and on bridges. In fact, the world witnessed an increase in crowd-related deaths in the above period. The quality of crowd management is a far cry from expected standards in India. Many past tragedies have left telltale imprints on them, but the stakeholders are loathe to learn from examples. However, what the study fails to explain is the tendency of the authorities to take people for granted.

The New South Wales study has blamed “financial constraints” on upkeep structures as one reason for the crowd-related tragedies in India. But what the country lacks is a strong sense of disaster anticipation. Things do not start on time, and restless people are compelled to wait for a long time. Sometimes barricades, which should ideally be erected to prevent the crowd from going astray, do not exist. Even if they exist, they are hardly foolproof. Heated arguments and scuffles may lead to an inadvertent stampede. The lack of sufficient manpower to control the crowd is so palpable in religious and political assemblies. Mostly, there is no provision of water or light refreshments for the anxious and restless crowd. So, the sum result is stampede and collapse.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat,

gbhat13@gmail.com.

Outlaw energy drinks

Energy drink consumption has increased dramatically over the past two decades, especially among adolescents and young adults in the country. Energy drinks are aggressively marketed with claims that these products boost energy and improve physical and cognitive performance. However, studies supporting these claims are limited. In fact, energy drinks have been associated with several adverse health effects. This raises the question of whether these drinks are safe. Most brands on the market contain high amounts of glucose, but some offer versions with added artificial sweeteners. Other commonly used ingredients include taurine, methylxanthine, guarana, yerba mate, acai, maltodextrin, inositol, carnitine, creatine, and glucuronolactone. Serious concerns have now been raised about the safety of these products.

There are several reports showing adverse health effects from energy drinks. Beverages that typically contain large amounts of caffeine, sugar, other additives, and legal stimulants such as guarana, taurine, and carnitine. These legal stimulants not only increase blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate; they may also increase the chances of cardiac arrest, according to experts. The stimulants in these drinks can have harmful effects on the nervous system too. Until independent research confirms safety, especially in adolescents, the sales of energy drinks should be restricted or banned in the country.

Dr. Vijaykumar H K,

hkvkmech1@gmail.com.