Letters to THE EDITOR: The two faces of conservation

The two faces of conservation

There is a particular kind of heartbreak in watching a wetland die while it is still being praised in government brochures.

Deepor Beel, our only Ramsar site, the living kidney of Guwahati that absorbs floods, shelters 200+ bird species, and sustains thousands of fisherfolk, is once again at the centre of a painful contradiction.

In recent weeks, local communities and environmental groups have raised alarm over tree felling and earth cutting inside the Deepor Beel ecosystem. The work, reportedly part of a state infrastructure project, has cleared patches of swamp forest that buffer the Beel and act as nesting grounds for migratory birds. For a wetland already choked by the Boragaon dumpsite and shrinking under urban pressure, each tree lost is not just timber. It is a lost line of defence against floods, heat, and biodiversity collapse.

The irony is that, at the very same time, we read of elaborate roadside plantations and city beautification drives to welcome a delegation from Japan. Saplings are being planted along VIP routes, and ceremonial green carpets are rolled out for guests. The message seems to be 'We revere nature when it is visible to the world but negotiate with it when it stands in the way of a project.' This is not about being anti-development. Guwahati needs roads, and Assam needs investment. However, development that undermines its own ecological foundations cannot be considered true development. It is debt taken from our children’s future.

Deepor Beel is not an empty plot. It is protected under the Wetlands Rules, 2017; recognized by the Ramsar Convention; and forms part of the Rani-Garbhanga elephant corridor. The irony cuts deeper because Japan, the very nation we seek to impress with roadside greenery, has some of the world’s strictest wetland conservation laws. They would understand that a Ramsar site is not a backdrop. It is a commitment. The Government of Assam has done commendable work in Kaziranga and Manas. We request the same clarity for Deepor Beel:

1. Publish a transparent environmental impact assessment for any work inside the Beel’s notified area.

2. Halt further tree felling until an independent ecological review is completed.

3. Restore the principle: Planting saplings for guests is good. Saving a 4,000-year-old wetland for our own people is better.

A city that welcomes guests with trees but bids farewell to its forests sends a confused signal. True hospitality begins at home, with the land and water that host us every day. Let us not be the generation that beautified the roads while the Beel disappeared behind them.

Kangkamita Hazarika,

Nagsankar, Biswanath

Farmer IDs for small tea growers

The aroma of Assam tea has crossed borders and earned global recognition, but behind this success story are thousands of small tea growers whose hard work often goes unnoticed. Through your esteemed newspaper, I would like to highlight the recent decision to bring small tea growers under the Farmers’ Registry Portal and issue them Farmer IDs. This initiative is a welcome step that can help growers avail themselves of government schemes, fertilisers, institutional credit and other essential services through a single platform. For generations, small tea growers have contributed immensely to Assam’s tea industry, yet many have faced challenges such as financial difficulties, lack of formal recognition and dependence on middlemen.

The Farmer ID system can help them overcome these barriers by improving transparency and ensuring direct access to government support. However, the authorities must ensure proper implementation, awareness campaigns and digital assistance, especially in rural areas. If carried forward with commitment, this initiative can turn a new leaf in the lives of Assam’s tea growers and strengthen the foundation of the state’s tea industry. Supporting them today means securing Assam’s tea legacy for tomorrow.

Dipen Gogoi,

Teok, Jorhat

Drug-free India

The most timely editorial, 'Renewed roadmap for a drug-free India', has drawn our attention. It has rightly highlighted the importance of intensifying coordinated efforts of various agencies to act tougher against drug cartels, traffickers and peddlers. The rising number of youths becoming addicted and falling into addiction is indeed a matter of serious concern for the entire country. Today's youth are the future of their families and the nation. Addiction to drugs makes the youth an unproductive burden on society. The northeast region's proximity to the infamous Golden Triangle and porous borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh makes the anti-drug tasks tougher day by day. The issue of narcotic drugs is deeply connected to the country's security, social stability and overall well-being of society. As per reports, about 60-70 percent of narcotic drugs are smuggled into India mainly via sea routes. It is heartening to learn that a high-level dedicated task force has been created in the National Security Council to analyse drug smuggling through sea routes. The substantial profits generated from the narcotic trade exacerbate issues such as terrorism in various states. The most important need is anti-drug awareness programmes, which should be organised in places that are vulnerable from the perspective of drug abuse. The use of local languages and cultural practices must shape the campaign messages in order to make formats more effective. The most worrying fact is that the awareness campaign messages have still failed to reach a vast number of educational institutions and homes across the state. Therefore, it is a wake-up call for parents, teachers and other conscious members of the society to stand up together in the fight against drugs to make India drug-free by 2029.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.

Meghalaya protecting local livelihoods

Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the people of Meghalaya for their firm and thoughtful stand in safeguarding the interests of poor farmers and local petty traders by not allowing Blinkit to operate in the state.

In an era where large corporate platforms are rapidly expanding into every corner of the market, often at the cost of small and vulnerable livelihoods, the decision taken in Meghalaya reflects both wisdom and social responsibility. Small farmers and petty traders form the backbone of the local economy, and their survival is crucial not only for economic balance but also for preserving community-based trade systems. The entry of quick-commerce platforms, while convenient for urban consumers, can severely disrupt traditional supply chains and marginalise those who lack the resources to compete with such large-scale operations. Meghalaya’s stance sends a strong and inspiring message to the rest of the country—that development should not come at the cost of the most vulnerable sections of society.

Such people-centric decisions deserve recognition and respect. I hope this example encourages other regions to carefully assess the broader social and economic implications of similar ventures before allowing them to operate.

Mowsam Hazarika

Bharalumukh, Guwahati.