Letters to the EDITOR: Land rights of indigenous people

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Land rights of indigenous people

Through your esteemed daily, I am writing to express my deep concern about the continuing struggles indigenous families face in securing rightful ownership and access to their ancestral lands. For generations, these communities have lived in harmony with nature, protecting forests, rivers, and wildlife. Yet today, they are often displaced, their lands exploited for commercial purposes, and their voices ignored in policy decisions that directly affect their livelihoods.

Recognizing and protecting Indigenous land rights is not only a matter of justice but also of environmental sustainability. Studies show that territories managed by Indigenous peoples often have better forest cover and biodiversity. By respecting their land rights, we not only honour their heritage but also ensure a sustainable future for all.

I urge our government and local authorities to take concrete steps—such as speeding up land title recognition, consulting Indigenous leaders in all development projects, and ensuring fair compensation where displacement is unavoidable. The land is their identity, their culture, and their survival. Protecting it is our shared moral responsibility.

Liana Arin Rahman,

Pragjyotish College 

India’s steady growth

Through your esteemed column I would like to share that India is growing despite challenges. In 2024-25, India’s economy grew by 6.5%. In early 2025, we saw even faster growth of 7.8%. This growth is all thanks to people spending more and businesses investing more. As India is growing steadily, more roads and railways are being built. Programmes like “Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana” and “Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation” have also played a significant role in citizens getting better homes and cities. Not only the economy and infrastructure but also education is improving. People now study longer than before. Many have escaped poverty in recent years. India is leading in the technology sector as well. Green energy is also growing fast. India has nearly 190 gigawatts of renewable power and plans to get half of its energy from clean sources by 2030. Though the growth is slow and steady, it is strong and balanced. India is now currently focusing on building infrastructure, education, technology and clean energy so that the economy grows well for a long time. This steady growth makes India a strong and hopeful country for the future generations.

Dikshita Choudhury, 

(dikshita396@gmail.com)

Nauseating Sight

The last rite of Zubeen Garg was performed in Sonapur as per Hindu rituals on September 22 with full state honours. Since then, Sonapur has become a site of pilgrimage for the Zubeen fans. Day in and day out, people from all over Assam are visiting Sonapur to pay their homage to their beloved singer-cum-composer.

But very shockingly, it was seen on many occasions that some overenthusiastic fans with ulterior motives (maybe) were pouring alcohol at his final resting place. It was no doubt a very nauseating sight for all the genuine Zubeen fans. This is the difference between the quality of fans of Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla, Dr Lakhinath Bezbarua, Bishnu Rabha, Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Khagen Mahanta and Zubeen. Time has come for us to debar these rogue elements from this sacred site, as they might create a law and order situation at any moment. We, in the meantime, have already started smelling a rat in this regard. Delivering justice is the prerogative of the judiciary. This message goes to AASU as well.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.