Letters to the EDITOR: Demand for ILP or tribal state status for Assam

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Demand for ILP or tribal state status for Assam

With utmost humility, I appeal to our six ethnic communities in Assam to reconsider their ongoing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. For over four decades, this demand has consumed significant time and energy, yet no concrete progress has been achieved.

Rather than continuing this prolonged and unproductive pursuit, I urge these communities to shift focus toward a more effective and unifying goal: the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) across Assam or advocating for Assam to be declared a Tribal State. These measures could provide stronger constitutional safeguards for indigenous communities, helping to preserve our identity, land, and culture.

We have witnessed massive protests in Assam over the years, particularly regarding the issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh. These movements led to the Assam Accord and the formation of the Biplab Sarma Committee. However, despite these efforts, the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has enabled the settlement of illegal Hindu Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam until December 2024.

There is genuine concern that the gates may remain open indefinitely, paving the way for continued migration and demographic changes that threaten the indigenous population. We must reflect on the past and recognise where our strategies have failed.

Now is the time to unite and demand more decisive protective measures-like ILP or Tribal State status-that offer long-term security for the six ethnic communities and the broader indigenous population of Assam.

Prafulla Dowarah,

Guwahati

Every drop counts!

The 11 September editorial, 'Framework for management of forest water bodies', has rightly highlighted the fact that the traditional knowledge and wisdom of indigenous communities in the Northeast region has yielded a positive result in the conservation of forests and water bodies inside forest areas. It has been possible through their sustainable practices that have helped them to live in coexistence with nature since time immemorial. The editorial cited examples of Meghalaya's crystal-clear water of rivers like Umngot, Panimur Falls in Assam's Dima Hasao district and the refreshing water of the Saralbhnga River in the Kokrajhar district near the India-Bhutan border that demonstrate the indigenous communities' traditional wisdom in the conservation of natural water bodies. It would be a wise decision if the Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) developed a pragmatic framework through the help of indigenous communities' experimental knowledge and wisdom, which they passed on from one generation to the next, for any integrated river basin management projects along the stretches inside the forest areas without causing harm to the ecology. The importance of coordination between the forest authorities and the water resources department through a well-thought-out institutional mechanism for scientific management of forest water bodies cannot be overstated.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.

Strengthening GMCH for a reliable public healthcare system

Through your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw urgent attention to the state of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), an institution that should stand as the pride of Assam's public healthcare system. It reflects a troubling picture of negligence, inefficiency, and recurring failures.

For thousands of citizens, GMCH is the last resort in times of distress. It is where the poor and the marginalised turn when private hospitals are beyond their reach, hoping not for luxury but for dignity and dependable treatment. Yet, what people increasingly encounter is a deep erosion of trust. Families enter its premises with hope but too often leave with pain, financial hardship, or irreversible loss.

The challenge is not only one of infrastructure or overcrowding; it is equally about accountability and professional responsibility. Why do patients continue to suffer despite significant investment in this institution? Why are families left feeling abandoned at their most vulnerable moments? These are not isolated lapses but systemic shortcomings that demand more than token suspensions or short-term probes.

What GMCH needs is not temporary measures but structural reform. It requires stronger monitoring systems, transparent investigations into failures, and a culture where patient welfare is placed above bureaucratic convenience. Investment must extend beyond buildings and equipment to fostering ethics, discipline, and accountability among those entrusted with the duty of care.

The people of Assam deserve a hospital that is safe, reliable, and humane. GMCH should not be associated with fear or despair but with trust and healing. Unless meaningful reforms are implemented now, negligence will persist and public confidence will deteriorate further.

I urge the concerned authorities to initiate a thorough investigation into the functioning of GMCH and to lay out a clear roadmap for its genuine development. This institution must be restored to one that serves with dignity, competence, and compassion. Assam cannot afford further complacency in matters of public health.

Pratham Kalita

(prathamkalita855@gmail.com)