Letters to the Editor: Tezpur Litchi Festival

Tezpur Litchi Festival

The second edition of the Tezpur Litchi Festival was organized on June 6 and 7, 2026, at the District Library Auditorium, bringing together farmers, buyers, entrepreneurs and agricultural experts to promote the region's renowned litchi varieties. The festival was arranged to celebrate the GI-tagged Tezpur litchi, which has successfully entered the international markets. A major highlight of the festival is the export of around one tonne of Tezpur litchis to Dubai, with another consignment set to be shipped to Singapore. Additionally, nearly 100 packets of litchis will be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sonitpur District Commissioner and Organising Committee President Anand Kumar Das expressed hope that the festival would help Tezpur gain greater recognition in global markets.

It is noteworthy that in 1923, through a pond restoration scheme in Tezpur, Padmanath Gohain Baruah, the first president of Assam Sahitya Sabha and the first Assamese chairman of Tezpur Municipal Board, established delicious litchi orchards in Tezpur. The festival has attracted over 50 exhibitors, around 30 farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and more than 20 domestic and international buyers. Along with exhibitions and buyer-seller interactions, the event features discussions on food technology, litchi cultivation, value addition and the benefits of Geographical Indication (GI) tagging to strengthen opportunities for local producers. It is worth mentioning that unique varieties of Tezpur litchis, already renowned for their rich flesh and taste, have captured both national and international markets and earned special recognition across the globe.

Plavan Bhuyan,

T.H.B College, Jamugurihat

We must hear

the youth

The recent modest crowd drawn by the Cockroach Janata Party to its protest is important. It, in fact, helps to gauge the many institutional and political failures that have given rise to such a movement. India has one of the world's largest youth populations. It has an estimated 371 million people aged between 15 and 20 years. Today, this demographic is under the risk of turning into the proverbial "Damocles' sword". The government in power has failed spectacularly in harnessing the constituency's needs and potential. Today education is in shambles. Joblessness among the youth is high. One out of three young Indians does not find themselves under the employment, education or training categories. In a rapidly changing labour sector, a large number of young Indians, especially those from the margins, are found wanting when it comes to skills. Surprisingly, neither government nor policy seems receptive to the fears and anxieties confronting the young generation. Today, the powers will do well to lend a patient and empathetic ear to the aggrieved voices, which is the first act of reparation instead of describing it as 'political opposition' within the CJP.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati

India-Nepal

border issues

The recent remarks of Nepal's CM Balen Shah on India-Nepal boundary issues, while acknowledging the civilisational ties with India at the same time, signal that he does not want the territorial concerns to vitiate the historical bond between the two nations. While a bilateral relationship cannot be continued smoothly for long by leaving the border unresolved, it is also necessary to understand the cultural sharing between India and Nepal that does not allow the border diplomacy to become a matter of contention between them. Nepal's foreign minister's friendly approach to resolve the issue through dialogue and discussion during his recent visit to Delhi reveals the economic and geographic significance of India to Nepal. Moreover, a country dependent on foreign economic support cannot afford to confront its neighbours on every issue and go into isolation. Any diplomatic rigidity may gain symbolism in the domestic territory but risks decreasing the flow of foreign investment. Balen Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party has risen to power after a youth-led revolution, with a vision to provide a better life and opportunity to the beleaguered populace. And Nepal is not a self-sufficient nation that can meet the demands of its people on its own. The country runs a heavy trade deficit due to massive imports of almost all items, from industrial raw materials to cereals and petroleum. Being an immediate neighbour, India can play a vital role in meeting Nepal's developmental goals. Through infrastructural projects, power sharing, connectivity and human resource development, India can boost Nepal's economy and help it to overcome the landlocked challenges. The two countries not only share borders but also a 'roti-beti' relationship, deeply rooted in religious ties. In such circumstances, it is imperative for both Nepal and India to keep the civilizational ties alive through mutual understanding and cooperation without allowing the border management issue to become a reason for dissonance. The test ahead will be not in correcting the border line but in doing so without wrecking the historical connection.

Kabir Ahmed Saikia

Rajabari, Jorhat

Literary Award for Zubeen Garg

Zubeen Garg was a phenomenon we can never forget. It is still difficult to write "was" after Zubeen Garg's name. We all celebrate him as a singer par excellence and a virtuosic composer, but he was also a writer who could stand alongside the greats of Assamese literature. His songs "Meghor Boron" and "Osina Dexot Asila Tumi" are prime examples of his literary prowess. There have been demands for conferring a Padma award or the Bharat Ratna on Zubeen Garg, but it's my opinion that he is more deserving of a literary award. Through the columns of your respected daily, I, on behalf of the Assamese people, would like to nominate Zubeen Garg for the Sahitya Akademi Award or, for that matter, the Jnanpith Award.

Noopur Baruah,

Tezpur

Blue flag beaches are tourists’ delight

Clean and neat beaches are a tourist's delight. They are also a boon for ruling governments in terms of revenue and fame. There are eighteen "blue flag" beaches in India; Maharashtra tops the list with five "blue flags". To attain the status of "blue flag", the beaches should fulfil almost 33 strict criteria.  The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), Denmark, regulates these criteria. India joined the FEE in 2018. Cleanliness, water quality, and biodiversity management are some crucial criteria for "Blue Flag beaches".

Safety standards on beaches, their accessibility, and ability to promote environmental education to tourists and local communities are the other criteria. Boosting robust and sustainable ecotourism is the ultimate aim of "blue flag" certifications. Six beaches in Maharashtra received the honour in 2025. The state government has proposed to recommend five additional beaches this year for "blue flag" certification. If awarded, it will be another feather in the cap for the state that boasts of a massive 877.77 km coastline.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)

India deploys 12 nuclear weapons

As per the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), for the first time, India has deployed 12 nuclear bombs in anticipation of potential misadventure from Pakistan owing to the proximity it enjoys with the Trump administration. Pakistan faces a huge crisis of real issues like employment, infrastructure, development, living standards, healthcare and growth, so whenever Pakistan encounters questions from its people, the army decides either to fuel the fire by playing with people's anti-India sentiments or do something militarily against India so they forget real issues and foster hatred against India. India's nuclear arsenal has reportedly also increased from 170 to 190, while Pakistan's remains the same.

Yashi Bairagi,

(yashibairagi61800@gmail.com)