Letters to The EDITOR: ‘Civic Sense’ should be our top New Year resolution

‘Civic Sense’ should be our top New Year resolution

Every year, we all make resolutions to improve our own lives—like eating healthy or saving money. But this year, I want to suggest a resolution that helps everyone: better civic sense. It is easy to blame the government for dirty streets or broken parks, but we often forget our own role. We keep our houses spotless, yet many of us don't think twice before throwing trash on the road or breaking traffic rules. We need to realize that public property belongs to all of us. If we don't look after it, no one else will.

Having civic sense means more than being a good neighbour. It means waiting for your turn in a queue, not spitting or littering in public places and respecting public property as if it were your own.

A city only stays beautiful when its people decide to keep it that way. Let’s make 2026 the year we stop waiting for "someone else" to clean up and start taking responsibility ourselves. If we all make this small change, our city will be a much better place to live.

Nayan Nath

Cotton University

Train fare hike without passenger welfare

The latest train fare hike reflects a troubling pattern: passengers are repeatedly asked to pay more without seeing proportional improvements in basic facilities. Overcrowded coaches, unhygienic bogies, malfunctioning toilets, delayed trains, and poor customer service remain routine realities for millions. Calling this “fare rationalisation” ignores the lived experience of ordinary commuters who depend on railways for affordable travel. Sustainability cannot come at the cost of dignity and safety. Before burdening passengers again, the Railways must first ensure clean coaches, punctual services, and humane travel conditions. Without accountability and visible upgrades, this hike appears less like reform and more like misplaced priorities.

Dr.Vijaykumar H K

(hkvkmech1@gmail.com)

Indore deaths are condemnable

The deaths of several residents of an Indore colony in MP, linked to consumption of water contaminated by sewage, have drawn criticism from not just the Opposition, but also prominent leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti Friday expressed anger over the deaths and questioned the state’s leadership over their failure to address the issue. The incident, which sickened hundreds of Bhagirathpura residents in Indore, was a matter of “shame” for the state and a crucial test of CM Mohan Yadav’s leadership. Drinking contaminated water in Indore has shamed and disgraced the state, the government, and the entire system, leading to deaths by the end of the year, 2025.  The irony lies in Indore being touted as India’s cleanest city in the central government’s Swachh Bharat rankings. Such ugliness, filth, and poisoned water have swallowed so many lives and continue to do so. BJP leaders slammed their state government for announcing Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the families of those who died due to suspected contamination. Severe atonement must be made for this sin. An apology must be sought from the affected people, and maximum punishment must be given to all the culprits from bottom to top.

The BJP government has completely mismanaged the entire issue; they should have led efforts to provide relief and support to the victims and their families. But nothing of that sort was seen.

Bhagwan Thadani

(bhagwan_thadani@yahoo.co.in)

Concordance for discordance

Bangladesh is slipping, but it is slipping into schizophrenia, which it has always been in reality. It’s forgetting history only to repeat it. It’s splitting its personality between being Bengali and being Islamic. There’s no Islamic Bengali, as one sits as a lord and master over the other. Every aspect of history which makes up the Bengali identity is a part of a heritage which will always look upon Islam as an imposition and which Islam will look upon as reprehensible.  This is coupled with the hierarchy of MLM conversion. Between the one who started early and the one who started later. When conflicted, they will then resort to the only glue that they can avail, a tribalism which is held together by a hate for India.

That is a Luddite choice, but it’s less painful than facing the inherent internal churn with criticality. But choosing that is equally denying one’s own identity. In their rush to embrace the Islamic identity, they will have to brush a lot of history under the carpet. They want to nurse grandiose dreams of claiming a realm which was woven by syncretism, which they dream will somehow submit to their synthetic chauvinism. But, in doing all this, they have placed themselves as targets for disruption, while they have targeted not a grander vision, but a path of aggravation and abrasion. Moreover, it has opened its doors to those who hold no stake and are using it as a shell to escape punitive actions in return. It has decided to eject concordance for discordance.

Jayanthy Subramaniam

(jayantck1@hotmail.com)

Mother Nature’s pause

Winter has seldom been the most cherished season among writers. The chilly air, the misty mornings, the tawny apparel of trees, the sickly pallor of Mother Nature and the reverberating silence of night help winter maintain its sinister attitude. Nature knows winter isn't her glam girl era, and hence doesn't feel the pressure of being hyper-productive. She grows quieter as the temperature drops, and her stillness might seem ghastly; however, she isn't impuissant. She gently observes the world transform as she reclines and waits.

Unfortunately, we, the mortal kids of Mother Nature, are growing too impatient, as we tend to embellish every single day with frills. In fact, the concept of boredom seems virtually impossible with all the memes and rage tweets orbiting the digital globe. With trends outpacing the trendsetters, our lives should be anything but monotonous. Yet, the rising mental health crisis reveals a different scenario. Scrolling through the dazzling pictures of people online living their best lives and comparing them to the bleak stagnancy of our own lives makes us question our reality. While drowned in this duality, we seem to lose our sanity. Accustomed to the digital noise, one finds the wait for clarity uncanny – unlike Mother Nature, who pauses without protest. She reminds us that we are unique and that we all bloom in different seasons.

Therefore, it is okay to not always be on the vibrant side of life, to be uncertain, or to lack certain brilliance once in a while. Instead, let us turn to Mother Nature – she will shape us into her finest protégés.

Bipasha Goswami

Amingaon

Threat to Kulsi River dolphins

Dolphins in the Kulsi River are facing a serious threat to their survival. The seven-hundred-metre-long channel, connecting Dorabeel wetland and the Kulsi river in Kukurmara, has dwindled, and migration of fish to the Kulsi river has stopped. Earlier, the aquatic mammals were available in and around the confluence due to abundant fish migrating from the wetland. Significantly, the spot, known as Janarmukh, witnesses high footfall of tourists throughout the year due to the presence of the playful mammal. The sorry state of the channel and the wetland is a matter of serious concern for a section of environmentally conscious people of the area. There is a need to take firm action against some unscrupulous traders who block the channel with earth during the lean season for easy movement of dumpers and earth movers, which is a main factor in the accumulation of sediments. This is, undoubtedly, in defiance of environmental laws. Ensuring the channel is unaffected for the unhindered migration of fish through sustainable practices is the need of the hour for the conservation of Gangetic river dolphins in the Kulsi River. Let us join hands and save the wetland and channel.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati

India’s AI boom and questions raised

India is witnessing an unprecedented surge in investment in artificial intelligence, with global technology giants such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon committing billions towards AI infrastructure and data centres. While this marks a significant milestone in India’s technological ascent, it also raises important questions that deserve public debate.

There is no doubt that AI can accelerate innovation, improve efficiency and place India at the centre of the global digital economy. However, unchecked expansion brings concerns regarding job displacement, data privacy and widening inequality. Automation may create new opportunities, but it also threatens traditional employment, especially for semi-skilled workers who may not easily transition into the AI-driven economy. Equally important is the environmental cost. Large data centres consume enormous amounts of electricity and water. Without clear sustainability norms, the long-term ecological impact could outweigh the immediate economic gains. What India needs is not blind adoption but thoughtful regulation. A strong policy framework must ensure ethical AI use, environmental responsibility and inclusive job creation. Investment should empower the workforce, not marginalize it. AI must serve society, not dominate it. Progress, after all, should be measured not only by speed but by balance.

Bhaskar Deka

Pragjyotish College, Guwahati.

Women’s safety not a political talking point

The recent gang rape case in Faridabad, Haryana, has once again shaken the nation’s conscience and exposed the fragile state of women’s safety in our country. Beyond political outrage and blame games, this incident forces us to confront a painful truth: that law and order mechanisms continue to fail women when they need protection the most. What is most disturbing is not only the brutality of the crime but also the recurring pattern of delayed action, weak policing, and lack of accountability. When such incidents occur repeatedly, they indicate systemic failure rather than isolated lapses. Women cannot feel secure in a society where fear outweighs faith in justice. Safety should not become a tool for political scoring between ruling and opposition parties. It must be treated as a non-negotiable responsibility of the state. Strong policing, fast-track courts, survivor support systems, and strict punishment for offenders are essential, but equally important is changing the mindset that normalizes violence against women. The Faridabad case should serve as a turning point. Justice must be swift and exemplary, and governments across states must act decisively to ensure that women can live without fear, dignity intact.

Bhaskar Deka

Pragjyotish College

Picnic turns fatal

It is truly heartbreaking that Pragyashree Phukan, a bright degree first-semester student of Jagannath Barooah College, Jorhat, drowned during a picnic at the Baghmora picnic spot on 2 January. She set out with her friends in high spirits, only to have her life cut short in a most tragic manner. It is alleged that the managing committee has repeatedly turned a blind eye to the safety of picnic-goers, even though similar drowning incidents had taken place earlier. The administration also appears to have remained passive, failing to intervene when warning signs had already been raised. Once they collect entry fees, the authorities seem to absolve themselves of responsibility. If safety measures are not put in place without further delay at the picnic spots that have sprung up along riverbanks, such heartrending incidents are bound to crop up again in the days ahead.

Dipen Gogoi,

Teok, Jorhat