Letters to The Editor: ‘Green Election’ Initiative: A Tribute to Zubeen Garg

‘Green Election’ initiative: A tribute to Zubeen Garg

I am writing to express my appreciation for the remarkable and commendable sapling plantation drive undertaken by the Tamulpur District Administration during the recent Bodoland Territorial Council Election, calling it the 'Green Election'. The initiative, involving the planting of a sapling in the name of our revered cultural icon, Zubeen Garg, at every polling station, is indeed a truly praiseworthy gesture.

This endeavour not only serves as a tribute to Zubeen Garg, a personality deeply admired by the people of Assam for his immense contributions to music, film, and social causes, but also conveys a profound environmental message, echoing his own advocacy for environmental conservation.

At a time when environmental degradation is a pressing concern, this act of planting saplings at such a public event like an election sends a positive and powerful message regarding the importance of ecological balance and sustainability. It serves as a reminder to us all of our collective responsibility towards nature and offers a tangible way to honour a legend whose spirit resonated with environmental consciousness.

I urge all socio-cultural organisations and educational institutes across the state as well to draw inspiration from this thoughtful initiative and incorporate similar eco-friendly practices into their public events, thereby ensuring a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.

Dheeraj Deka,

Dighirpar, Darrang

India’s ‘Golden Fibre’

In the September 26 editorial, 'Overhauling jute production to tap new markets', it has been rightly mentioned that the expeditious formulation of a new national textile policy is crucial for the much-needed transformation in the country's jute sector, as the global awareness for environmental protection creates the opportunity of exploring jute. Although jute has the great advantage of being a natural, eco-friendly and biodegradable fibre, its high cost in comparison to other synthetic materials, as well as its lack of efficiency, creates a huge threat to the industry. Here, it needs to be mentioned that India produces about 70 per cent of the world's jute goods. West Bengal contributes about 73 per cent of this production, and 90 per cent of jute production is consumed locally. It employs 0.37 million workers. So, jute exports could reach Rs 4,500 crore annually. Therefore, 'Atmanirbharta' will not be possible if the government fails sectors like jute production that are already self-sufficient and capable of dominating the global market. With focused interventions in this sector, we might enhance its performance in terms of more investment, employment generation and exports. Initiatives of government, like the Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS), the Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP), etc., are timely interventions in this sense. It has been proved that jute has potential, and this "golden fibre" has a bright, sustainable future if the issues are taken care of jointly by the jute industry and the government.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.