Letters to the Editor: Public memory is not short

Public memory is not short

It is now election time in Assam and election fever has gripped the entire state from Sadiya to Dhubri. All the big guns of both ruling and opposition are making a beeline to Assam to canvass for their candidates, which include the PM too. The opposition is not at all lagging behind, as the AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge recently paid a visit to Assam to plead for their candidates. We, the Asomiya, remember Kharge in a different light, as it was the same Kharge who opposed our Bhupen Da’s nomination for Bharat Ratna sometime back. His son, an MP from Karnataka, also opposed the establishment of this semiconductor plant at Jagiroad.

By inviting AICC President Kharge to Assam to plead for their candidates, the APCC is nailing its own coffin, as they seem to believe that public memory of the electorates of Assam is poor, but they are wrong.

Joel Goyari,

Tangla

Carnival days ahead

Yet again, the BCCI has given hosting rights to the ACA to host three IPL matches in Guwahati. The matches are allotted for March 30 and April 7 and 10 as ‘home’ matches for Rajasthan Royals. All the IPL matches will be played at Dr Bhupen Hazarika Stadium at Barshapara, which no doubt will draw huge crowds. In the meantime, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the date for a single-phase state assembly election on April 9, which is expected to attract many high-profile political leaders to the state and further energise the political landscape. It will be immediately followed by our dearest RONGALI BIHU, the days of merrymaking, which will last all throughout April, giving the ASOMIYAS less time to breathe.

So, my fellow citizens, tighten your belt and enjoy yourself to the hilt, as May 4 may be yet another day for someone.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Political participation:

A requisite

Politics influences, affects and shapes the lives of every person living in a country. Its role from delivering welfare benefits to ensuring justice is indispensable. But politics does not exist in a single form. The prevalence of both good and bad politics simultaneously is an apodictic fact. If robust roads, free medical treatments and proper education facilities are ramifications of good politics, then riots and unemployment are proof of insincere and negative politics. And understanding this difference requires active participation from everyone. However, the troubling issue is that society has shown inconsistent interest in this context. Those who are unemployed or impoverished are seen participating in political rallies and campaigns fervently. They are the ones who form the majority of participants in grand party meetings. And the ones with good jobs and businesses remain reluctant to meddle in anything that does not affect them directly. A preponderance of them are complacent with the feeling of being a good citizen just by paying taxes.

But it should be noted that balance in a system is maintained only by questioning it back. Unless the affluent and the comfortable middle class, who oscillate between the office and home, actively participate in debates and political meetings, they will not be able to realize the ground realities of the situations. Reducing the meaning of conventional political participation only to watching talk shows risks them turning themselves into mere spectators in the changing political theatre, who only vote. Dynamism of politics when met and handled collectively has compelled government to frame policies according to people's preferences and impeded demagogues in creating false narratives. All-round political participation is a requisite for the proper functioning of administration and checking the excess of power.

Kabir Ahmed Saikia

Rajabari,Jorhat

City’s groundwater crisis

The city faces not just a crisis of scarcity but something much more profound, and that is a shortage of underground water. The residential areas like Six Mile, Jyotikuchi, Survey and Panjabari are among many other wards where deep borewells are found frequently running dry. Surprisingly, illegal groundwater extraction has allegedly been going on in the Barsapara area, and private operators are extracting it without any obstruction at a time when the groundwater levels have hit a dangerous low.

Many residents are today compelled to purchase water from private entities at exorbitant prices. The problem has stemmed largely from the absence of an integrated water management policy. It has promoted large-scale rainwater harvesting across institutions, offices, hospitals, commercial complexes and households. Restoration drives around Deepor Beel and other wetlands are already in place. As communities across the world begin to reclaim their role in restoration efforts, the city dwellers can learn and begin to capture and absorb rooftop runoff, which can reduce pressure on surface drains during heavy showers. Unless we adopt a sustainable, environmentally friendly, cost-effective rainwater harvesting method, there is no chance to ease our water woes in the near future.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.

Growing unemployment and skill gap

Unemployment and lack of skills among young people are serious problems in our country. Every year, many students finish their studies and hope to get good jobs. But sadly, many of them do not find work.  One main reason is that students learn mostly theory and not enough practical skills. Because of this, they are not ready for real jobs. At the same time, companies need skilled workers but cannot find the right people.

Another problem is poor career guidance. Many students choose courses without knowing job opportunities. This creates a gap between education and jobs. The government and schools should work together to improve skills. They should provide training, internships, and career advice. This will help students become job-ready and confident and support the nation’s development.

Barasha Thakuria,

Gauhati University