Letters to the Editor: Sweet and Sour Relations

Sweet and sour relations

The USA and India are two of the oldest and largest democracies in the world. Since independence, India has been having a sour and sweet relationship with the USA. If we carefully go through the past records, we will find that it is the Democrats under whose regime India had a cordial relation with the USA. It was during John F. Kennedy’s tenure that India had the best relations with the USA, and it was during Richard Nixon’s tenure that the level of relations touched the nadir. The only exception was Joe Biden, the Democrat president under whose tenure India has a sour relationship with the USA, and it is under Donald Trump, the Republican, under whose past and the current tenure India is having a cordial relationship with the USA so far. Let us hope the existing relationship flourishes.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury

Guwahati.

Assam’s solar project: Rays of hope

The Tuesday, April 29, morning news article of your esteemed daily, 'Rooftop solar system installation picking up pace in Assam', is indeed a highly inspiring piece of news for the people of the state, as it marks a significant step towards accelerating the transition to renewable energy in the state. Rooftop solar systems enhance electricity distribution in rural and urban areas, ensuring broader access to clean and reliable electricity, thus contributing to improved living standards and economic opportunities for the local communities. As reported, around 62 government offices and 13,162 households have installed rooftop solar systems, which are generating 4,509 KW and 38,000 KW of power, respectively. It needs to be mentioned here that the solar power generation potential of any geographical area is a function of two critical factors – the quality of isolation and the space available for the installation of solar plants. Assam has always been considered disadvantaged for solar power generation due to relatively lower isolation intensity and wasteland availability. Assam experiences 300 days of uninterrupted sunshine annually. The average isolation in the state is lower than in most of the states due to the prolonged rainy season. New research from iFOREST highlights Assam's vast renewable energy potential and the urgent need for policy enhancements and institutional capacity building to support its large-scale expansion. The reports reveal that the state's renewable energy generation potential exceeds previous estimates while offering a viable pathway to meet the growing electricity demand and reducing carbon emissions in the state. It is heartening to learn that Assam has been placed in the 12th place in the country in terms of installation of rooftop solar systems in households. Among the Northeast states, barring Assam, Tripura has the highest with 263, while Arunachal Pradesh has zero households with rooftop solar systems installed. Assam needs to add nearly 3,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2026-27 and 5,000 MW by 2031-32. What is needed for the policymakers is tightening existing policies and strengthening institutional frameworks, not only to leverage the state's energy generation potential fully but also to drive Assam's renewable energy transition. Stakeholders' active communication, vigorous participation and in-depth consultation, reflecting a commitment to transparency and accountability, are integral components for successful implementation of rooftop solar systems in the state.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.

IDIOT syndrome

Information available on the internet may not always be authentic. Many doctors are baffled by the "immense internet knowledge" of patients and their relatives who blurt out their understanding on the subject through the internet with regard to diagnosis, investigations, drugs and treatment. Often it is almost like the patients take a second opinion from the doctor after having consulted their primary doctor—the internet. Details on drugs and side effects can be, to an extent, accrued on the net. But when the addiction to the internet propels the users to go for a drug not recommended by a doctor, or discontinue a treatment on their own, then the issue can get complicated.

 In the process, the fine line between information and interaction, knowledge and experience, treatment and management, and use and misuse gets blurred. Unfortunately, people with Internet-Derived Information Obstruction of Treatment (IDIOT) syndrome or Cyberchondria proved very vulnerable during the Covid pandemic. Even now, thousands of people with minor or major symptoms are on a self-medicating spree. As a result of their excessive dependence on the internet-disseminated knowledge, more and more patients who could have benefitted from an early consultation with a doctor are going untreated or are being treated late in the day.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)