Letters to The EDITOR: Why we must take care of nature

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Why we must take care of nature

Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I wish to emphasise how fragile our relationship with nature has become. The events that took place in Sivasagar this summer were indeed an awakening of tremendous fear. The flooding of the rivers Dikhow, Disang, and Dorika and the submergence of towns like Nazira and Simoluguri, where people survive without any food or drinking water, is a situation that those who have lived here for decades have not seen in almost fifty years. In Sivasagar district itself, more than 4 lakh people are affected in an area where extreme floods are uncommon. The same is evident in Guwahati through floods in low-lying areas.

Considering the fact that the number of deaths recorded in this season rises, these incidents are reminders of the difficulties faced in the past, such as those faced in the Silchar floods in 2022. Such a situation teaches us how much we need to care for the well-being of our rivers, hills, and forests for our own safety. The rest of the world provides similar scenes, like the two earthquakes that hit Venezuela in June, killing close to 200 people and destroying hundreds of houses and buildings, to landslides and floods that have wrecked areas like the Mon district in Nagaland and also areas in Indonesia and Kenya in the same year.

None of these disasters is permanent or reversible.

Nevertheless, it is time for us to rethink our attitudes toward the environment. For the future, the key lies in prevention, keeping our natural wetlands intact to draw in and hold surplus water and the planting of trees on our hills. The phenomenon of recurring seasonal distress Unified environmental management can transform the phenomenon of recurring seasonal distress into a process of ecological renewal. Unified environmental management can transform the phenomenon of recurring seasonal distress into a process of ecological renewal.

Meghna Konwar

Guwahati, Assam.

Why does Guwahati drown every monsoon?

Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw attention to the recurring issue of urban flooding in Guwahati. Problem of urban flooding in Guwahati. Each monsoon, even a few hours of heavy rain can submerge major roads, disrupt traffic, damage homes and businesses, and endanger lives.

Areas like Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Chandmari, Zoo Road, and parts of Beltola often face severe waterlogging.

This problem isn’t only due to rainfall. Blocked drains, careless plastic waste dumping, unplanned construction, encroachment on wetlands, hill cutting, and shrinking natural water channels have worsened the situation. Wetlands like Deepor Beel used to absorb excess rainwater, but encroachment, deforestation and pollution have diminished their capacity. Authorities need to take both immediate and long-term actions. They should clean drains.

Authorities need to take both immediate and long-term actions, including regularly cleaning drains before the monsoon, enforcing waste disposal rules, and stopping illegal construction on wetlands and drainage channels.

Wetlands and drainage channels. Proper town planning, rainwater harvesting, better pumping Systems and restoring natural water bodies are also crucial.

Citizens also have a responsibility to fulfil their roles in protecting the environment. They should refrain from throwing garbage into drains, cut down on single-use plastics, and report illegal dumping or encroachment. Schools, local organisations, and resident groups can help raise awareness about responsible waste management. Without timely action, this issue will worsen as climate change results in heavier rains and rapid. Urbanisation increases the pressure on Guwahati’s infrastructure.

Urban flooding is not just a temporary issue; it poses a serious threat to public health, safety, Education and the city’s economy. I hope your newspaper will highlight this time-sensitive issue and promote coordinated actions from the government, civic bodies, and citizens.

Nandini Nath,

Maligaon, Guwahati

Tiger conservation

efforts should not be lax

There could not have been a better theme than ‘Securing the future of tigers with indigenous peoples and local communities at the heart’ for ‘International Tiger Day, 2026’. The three pillars on which tiger conservation rests are engaging local communities, habitat protection and conflict reduction.  There are conflicting reports on the number of tigers in India, but it can safely be said that the country is home to 75 per cent of the global tiger population. However, 628 tigers have succumbed to poaching or natural causes over the last five years. Peer competition, diseases, electrocution and accidents add to the animal’s misery.  The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), through ‘Project Tiger', is actively engaged in the challenging task of protecting tigers.  The construction of overbridges and underpasses on highways is a top priority for the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), and this focus is justified.  The big cats traverse through ‘tiger spots’ on the highway because they need serious demarcation of territories, and crowded highways impede their movement.  Better conviction rates, increased patrolling, more camera traps, and villager-tiger coexistence — are all important.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)