Letters to THE EDITOR: Phasing out single-use plastic

Phasing out single-use plastic

After missing out on many earlier deadlines the Centre has come up finally with a fixed phase-out plan (from September 2021 to December 2022) to see the finality of the task, that is, permanent banning of single-use plastic (SUP) in the country. In order to comply with the resolution of the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 4) held in 2019 the Government has conceived a comprehensive plan to address the plastic pollution in the country. Earlier the Government used to notify a target date to discard SUP carry bags below 50 microns; but this time it has drawn up a detailed list of plastic items which we are daily using being unaware of their hazardous effect on our health. Some of these identified items besides SUP bags are: candy/ice-cream with plastic sticks mostly used by our children, plastic plates, cup, glasses, cutleries like forks, spoons, straws, besides other plastic packing materials, plastic flags, ear buds with plastic sticks etc., which we are routinely using but from which toxic elements are infiltrating into our body. It also added that thickness-wise SUP carry bags shall be out of use in two phases viz. carry bags of thickness 75 microns to be phased out from September, 2021 and those of 120 microns with effect from December 31, 2022. A fairly long time has been earmarked for complete rejection of SUP carry bags and other rejected plastic materials that has given manufacturers, distributors and traders ample time to adopt new changes.

The central notification regarding the latest phase-out programme was issued in early August 2021 with a reasonable time gap to definitely allow the states for their advance preparation. But the required readiness of our state for this important job has not yet come to light. The state is the fulcrum to carry out this nation-wide drive as success is solely depending on the work strategy adopted by the State Government. I feel the state should launch vigorous ad campaign immediately for mass awareness and rev up its machinery to embark on the crucial job. Yours etc,

Pannalal Dey,

Guwahati

Missing 'Melange'

I have been conscientiously following your esteemed daily The Sentinel since the late 1990s, more so from the time when DN Bezboruah Sir was at the helm of affairs. Along with the main edition, I was also fascinated with the Sunday supplement 'Melange' that was not only colourful in its outlook, but also provided its readers a variegated assortment of features that included short stories, travelogues, bio sketch, poems, fashion, book reviews, music reviews, art, culture, current affairs, etc., along with the main cover story, which was like the icing on the cake. For the last few years, the responsibility of editing the Sunday Melange was handed over to the young and robust Aiyushman Dutta, who like his illustrious predecessors did a marvellous job as Features Editor of painstakingly bringing out a beautiful supplement every Sunday morning for the avid readers. But since his sudden and shocking demise in April this year due to post-COVID complications, this beautiful supplement has hitherto remained suspended, much to the disappointment of its 'loyal' readers. I, therefore, request the management and the Editor of The Sentinel to kindly restart the Melange at the earliest.

Saikh Md. Sabah Al-Ahmed

Dispur, Guwahati

Destruction of historical monuments

The past of the India has witnessed many historical moments. As prove of those historical moments many ruins can be found across India. In the context of Assam it has a golden past. Many ruins from the Gupta ages, Maurya ages, Ahom ages still exist in different places of Assam. As a resident of historical city of Tezpur, I usually visit the ruins site. But after visiting these sites my heart starts melting, because in most of the ruins or historical monuments you can find someone's name, which is written on its body with lime, charcoal or different colours legibly or illegibly spoiling the original beauty of monuments. So I urge the government and the authority concerned that they should take some steps in this regards.

Aditya Ankur Nath,

Tezpur

Section 377 oblivious

or obvious?

Nearly five years ago India took a huge decision of legalizing same-sex relationships and decriminalizing the same, but did we look at the greater consequences of the same? To what extent is this effective?

Long after Section 377 was legalized, pride followed but in the Indian law system, the marriage institution confuses us in multiple ways.

Firstly, who is declared as the male and female counterpart for dividing the rights of inheritance? Is it mutually decided? Who gets the right to demand compensation in case of divorce? Under which family law should they marry, Hindu, Sikh, Christian or Islam? With these big questions in the picture and the fear of a new law to be created which is both tedious and entirely chaotic, same-sex marriages are long before oblivious before they are legalized.

But allowing people to be who they are and legalizing live-in has given them much due respect. So is this "New India Progressive India"?

Khushi Mishra,

A 109 Jal Vayu Vihar,

Bangalore

Misuse of free

rail-travel

There are reports that certain persons entitled to free rail-pass with a companion misuse this facility. Even aged freedom fighters misuse this facility. They reserve berths for two, including themselves, and then sell free rail-pass of the companion to others at some discounted price.

The Railway Board should devise a mechanism to prevent such misuse. Compulsory submission of ID proofs of the entitled one and the accompanying companion with signatures while getting free rail passes can check this misuse of the facility. The authority should withdraw the facility of free-rail pass immediately when the person concerned is found misusing it.

Parliamentarians should get reimbursement for rail travel only on submitting proof of actual rail travel verified by the TTEs to avoid multiple reservations in different trains for a single journey. The authority should deduct the cost of un-availed reserved rail-berths or seats from the salaries or pensions of parliamentarians.

Madhu Agrawal,

Delhi-110006

Sonowal is responsible

The tragic boat mishap at Nimatighat that too on the auspicious day of Srimanta Sankardev Tithi and 95th birth anniversary of Sudhakantha Dr Bhupen Hazarika is very tragic. The video of the incident which is viral on social media is heart wrenching. The Ex-CM and present Majuli MLA Sorbananda Sonowal is very much responsible. Over the years to fulfill his political journey he has used the people of Majuli as vote bank. The bridge connecting Nimatighat and Majuli was a long demand of the Majuli's public, but Sorbananda Sonowal has always fooled the people by giving false hopes and assurances. He was Chief Minister of the state for five long years, but till now not a single piece of brick is placed in the construction site. During his tenure he laid the foundation of the bridge twice, and last time he did it just before the 2021 election. If the BJP loses the Majuli seat in the forthcoming bye-poll he would be entirely responsible, and that should be the ideal situation to teach him a hard lesson. He passed most of this tenure with bluffs, lectures and gimmicks.

Julie Bhuyan,

Gaurisagar.

Toothless UNO

United Nations Organization is the international peace keeping body formed after WW-2 to maintain peace and brotherhood in the world with its headquarters in New York. Previously, another similar organization named League of Nations existed with the same purposes with its headquarters in Geneva. Most of the nations of the world are members of the UNO, except a few like North Korea. UN Security Council also known as Big 5 which is its supreme body comprising of five permanent nations – the USA, the UK, FRANCE, RUSSIA and CHINA. India in spite of her legitimate claim is not in this elite group. Initially, the Big 5 or P5 played a crucial role in maintaining global peace and thwart off war scenarios with its special veto power. They were successful in diffusing global crisis by standing for Human Rights under the leadership of some of the Secretary Generals like Lt. Dag Hammarskjold and Lt. U. Thant, to recall a few. Sadly enough, at present the UNSC has become a divided house due to which its verdicts are not carried out in spite of veto power being possessed by its members. The deafening silence maintained by the UNSC in issues concerning Pakistan's illegal occupation of Kashmir, gross violation of democracy in Afghanistan and gross violation of Human Rights in tiny nation of Myanmar have made us to believe that the UNSC has become a toothless tiger or toothless UNO. Even, with the handling of Covid pandemic globally the UNO has failed miserably. Certainly, it is an alarming situation.

Dr Ashim Chowdhury,

Ambari, Guwahati

Dare to challenge

In a recent press byte given immediately after meeting with CM Himanta Biswa Sharma held in Kainadhara State Guest House, AASU's evergreen adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjee very categorically stated about the AASU's difference with the BJP regarding the CAA. The last anti-CAA agitation movement along with the present political and military turmoil in Afghanistan where Taliban has become a burning issue globally, any sensible Indian Axomiya must admit massive changes in the mindset of the sons of the soil have taken place regarding the CAA. Persecution of the minorities in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan in particular has forced the helpless minorities to flee these nations and seek refuge in their neighboring nations along with other European countries and the USA. Being a part and parcel of India, we feel that it is our moral duty to give refuge to those victims of religious prosecution in Assam along with the rest of the countries. The anti-CAA agitation spearheaded by the AASU ended abruptly causing enough damage to the state economically and academically. The only amusing result is the elevation of one leader to the Upper House of the Parliament and another fake farmers' rights activist to Assam Legislative Assembly. With the changes in the political scenario in the nation as well as in the state we dare the AASU's over-aged leaders to revive the anti-CAA agitation once more and feel the pulse of the sons of the soil. Much water in the meantime has flown through the mighty Brahmaputra. This time there will be no Jubin Garg, Bipin Chowdang and others to draw the crowd. AASU leaders are also requested to visit the areas in western Assam dominated by the supporters of the AIUDF to know about the urgency of the CAA. AASU's one-time firebrand leader spearheading the last anti-CAA agitation in the state must be licking his wounds after the debacle in the last Assembly polls as we the Axomiyas will never be swayed by emotion any more.

Joel Goyari,

Tangla

Dhoni as mentor for T-20 World Cup

No one disagrees with the wise decision by the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) to appoint Mahinder Singh Dhoni as a mentor for the T-20 World Cup. But the big question is how two swords can remain in one sheath? Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar rightly opined as per his experience: "I'm praying there's no clash between Dhoni and Ravi Shastri." Though one feels that Dhoni's mentorship may not be created insecurity in the mind of Shastri (or to create confusion among the players then it could affect the team's performance), because Shastri knows that he is now in his fag-end of his coaching contract. But strong backing from India's captain Virat Kohli or others like former Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association life member Sanjeev Gupta, who has sent a letter to the apex council members that Dhoni's appointment is a violation of the Conflict of Interest clause, under which one person cannot hold two posts. It's absurd! If Dhoni being mentor and CSK captain is conflict of interest, then how about Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul being captains of other franchises and currently playing for India. Or clause 38 (4) of the BCCI constitution which loosely states that one person cannot be holding two separate posts for players and non-players. To avoid this conflict can BCCI publish clear guidelines and responsibilities of a mentor and a coach?

Even if Dhoni, one of the most successful captains in the history of Indian cricket, led India to two world titles – the 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa and the 2011 ODI World Cup in India, gives his service as mentor voluntarily without charging any fee (?) then conflict of issue would not arise. Whatsoever, for the future of Indian cricket this is the right step in the right direction. In due course, Dhoni could become the head coach of the team and replace Shastri. Hope BCCI sees light and brings in Dhoni who came across the path of 'captain cool' can know the problems and loopholes of success as Team India coaches.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,

Faridabad 121005