Himanta boots out netas from school bodies

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, June 26: In order to insulate education from politics, the State Education department has decided not to allow politicians in School Magement Development Committees (SMDC).

Education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today all SMDCs have been dissolved and will be reconstituted within a month’s time.

“But from now on, no politician will be allowed to be president or vice president of the SMDCs. Even a person who has contested any poll in the last 20 years, even if as an Independent, cannot be a member. All members have to be at least graduates and should not have any crimil or forgery record,” Sarma said.

The fresh guidelines will be applicable to around 4,000 high schools, higher secondary schools, madrassas and junior colleges.

Sarma, who is also the minister for Guwahati Development Department, said an MoU will be signed between Guwahati Municipal Corporation, NRL and OIL for a waste-to-energy pilot project in the capital city.

“The State government will allot a 10 bigha plot for the project. We expect the project will be commissioned by July next year. The GMC will be mainly responsible for collecting the waste and delivering it in the mini-refinery,” the minister said.

The project will be part of OIL and NRL’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and the companies will invest around Rs 12 crore in it. The mini-refinery will produce furce fuel from waste. Meanwhile, Sarma said the State government on Tuesday will hand over a 500-bigha plot at Changsari for setting up AIIMS. The State government will also release Rs 45 crore to AIIMS for works relating to infrastructure, including roads, water supply and electricity.  While Raha was also in contention, the Health minister said the plot has been selected by an expert committee of the Centre out of seven plots identified by the State government.

Sarma also said the list of 7,234 TET teachers who have been regularized will be out on Monday. “I was told some teachers have alleged irregularities in the regularization. If any teacher lodges any complaint, we will certainly look into it. No deserving candidate will be deprived,” the Education minister said.

Ahead of the first cabinet meeting of the Sarbanda Sonowal government slated for tomorrow, Sarma said there would be some “good news” for TET teachers and the film fraternity. Sources said the cabinet is likely to take a number of crucial decisions, including one related to Majuli’s protection.

Meanwhile, when asked about a cabinet decision by the last government to regularize some 6,000 contractual teachers of high schools, Sarma said the issue is being examined by the Law department. “There is a Supreme Court ruling that teachers cannot be recruited without holding interviews. We are examining the issue. But the contracts of the teachers have been extended by another year,” he said.

*    AIIMS to come up at 500 bigha plot in Changsari

*   Waste-to-energy pilot project for Guwahati

*    Regularized 7,234 TET teachers list to be out today