Health campaign

‘Social well-being part of health campaign’Staff correspondent DIBRUGARH, March 29 – Good health does not merely imply fitness of body and mind but also includes ‘social well-being’. Social well-being is relatively a new observation incorporated in the health campaign for absolute well being of a human person. This lecture was delivered to the health activists of Community Health Association of Dibrugarh (CHAD) by Dr P C Hazarika, Joint Director, Health Services, Dibrugarh during its 23rd annual general body meeting held on Saturday at Teporgaon near here.

It’s industry versus farmland in Bengal campaign

Kolkata, March 25: Land acquisition and industrialisation have emerged as two of the key issues in West Bengal as campaigning for a no-holds-barred Lok Sabha contest gains momentum. While the ruling Left Front is trying to cash in on its industrial drive to attract votes mainly in urban and semi-urban areas, the Trinamool Congress is using its opposition to farmland acquisition as the main campaign mantra, particularly in the rural belt. “The opposition is trying to destroy the spirit of industrialisation in the state and people have not taken kindly to it,” Samik Lahiri, MP of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), which leads the Left Front, told IANS.

‘Indian feminists should involve younger women’

NEW DELHI, March 25: The feminist movement in India needs to involve younger women in metros and its scope could be expanded to address the skewed gender ratio in the north of the country, according to participants at a forum here. The feminist movement in India is facing two major challenges, according to Mary E John, director of the Centre for Women’s Development Studies here.
While it is yet to reach out to the younger generation of women in metros and tier II cities, it is pushing multiple agendas that have to find a common ground, she said on Tuesday at a panel discussion on “Women Today: Expectations vs Reality” at the American Center as part of its Women’s History Month celebrations. The discussion was attended by feminists, scholars and filmmakers. “Younger women across India are yet to be a part of the movement because of so many uncertainties and the struggle for survival. Feminism demands much more of them than the everyday battles. Moreover, feminism in this country has multiple agendas. We will have to bring them under one platform before enlisting youngsters,” John said.
Feminism as a movement to empower women was born in the West in the late 19th and the early 20th centuries. The history of the movement can be divided into three phases - early struggle in US for women’s franchise rights at the outset of the 19th century, the demand for equal opportunities and pay in the 1960s and 1970s and the push for freedom of choice and lifestyles, that started in the 1990s, and continues.

Business establishments gutted in devastating fire

DIBRUGARH, March 21: At least six business establishments were completely gutted in a devastating fire that broke out at New Market in the wee hours of today. More than Rupees twenty lakh worth of properties were gutted in ashes. The cause of the fire though yet to be ascertained, police is inquiring the matter in order to find out the real cause of the fire. The entire New Market area was saved from a major disaster as the fire tenders rushed to the site and doused the fire in time. The police cordoned off the area as soon as the fire broke out and helped the fire tenders in extinguishing the fire effectively.

Martyr’s birth anniversary to be observed on March 21

DIBRUGARH, March 14: The 105th birth anniversary of Swahid Kushal Knowar will be observed here on March 21 under the aegis of Swahid Kushal Knowar Smriti Raksha Samity.

Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Gyanendra Dev Tripathi will inaugurate the public meeting organized on the occasion at Xahitya Rathi Lakshminath Bezbaruah Bhavan. The meeting will be chaired by former principal of DHS Kanoi College and noted writer Dimbeswar Chaliha, while Upper Assam Commissioner Lakshmi Nath Tamuli will grace the occasion as honoured guest.
President of Assam College Teachers’ Association, Dibrugarh Unit, Prof Naren Chngmai will attend the meeting as chief speaker.

Arrangements are also made to garland the statue of Knowar at Chowkidinghee playground in the morning of the day.

International Women’s Day celebrated in BRPL

BONGAIGAON, March 10: The women’s cell of Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (BRPL) celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8 with great enthusiasm and tremendous zeal. The celebrations started with the hoisting of the flag by the Guest of Honour Archana Saran along with Alphon John. Attending the programme, General Manager (HR) BK Das, in his speech, praised the Women Cell of BRPL for their various praiseworthy deeds and hoped for further milestones to be achieved in the future. He expressed distress at the fact that despite women constituting half of the world’s population, they are still deprived of their rights and privileges in a patriarchal society that relegates them to a lower status. He also elucidated that at times women themselves are to blame for their sorrow. Addressing the gathering of women, he said, “As mothers, you must not discriminate against the girl child and must encourage her to pursue her dreams and ambitions. It is a fact that women are in no way less than men in their ability and capacity to work.” Earlier, BRPL Women Cell chairperson Mouchumi Bhuyan welcomed the gathering and explained the significance of the day. Bhuyan stressed on the plight faced by women affected by domestic violence and other insidious forms of aggression. She also urged one and all to raise awareness on social evils and to join hands to help fellow sisters in need in order to mitigate their pain.As part of the celebrations, the BRPL women cell honoured the girl toppers of the Class X and Class XII Board Examinations, 2008 of Delhi Public School, Dhaligaon and BRPL Vidyalaya. The toppers were awarded with silver medals and certificates.Moreover, as a step towards the upliftment of the downtrodden and needy section of the society, the BRPL women cell also donated essential food items, including rice, pulses, mustard oil, etc. and clothing materials to the inmates of Santipara Leprosy Centre, Santipara. The programme was attended by a large number of ladies. The programme was anchored by Tribeni Rajkhowa, while Bhanu Gogoi offered the vote of thanks.

Security measures stepped up for ‘Sainik Divas’

DIBRUGARH, March 10: Security measures has been stepped up in the entire district on the eve of ‘Sainik Divas’ (Soldier’s Day) of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). Apprehending more violence like the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the Dibrugarh police convened a meeting of hotel owners of the Dibrugarh town at the police reserve here today. More than forty hotel owners attended the meeting.The Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar) Dr GV Shiva Prasad called upon the hotel owners to register the names, addresses and telephone numbers of each boarder before letting out the rooms of the hotel. Additional Superintendent of Police (Security) Dhiru Dutta Malakar while addressing the hotel owners, urged upon them to use Close Circuit TV and metal detectors to thwart probable disruptive activities. He emphasized on the need to keep strict vigil on parked vehicles and to engage security men from registered security agencies. Referring to immoral activities going on in a section of hotel in the town, the Additional Superintendent of Police (Security) asked them to put a stop to it immediately.

Tribal bodies to fight for rights

DIBRUGARH, March 7: The state-level tribal convention held at Chowkidinghee playground here today resolved to form an united forum of all indigenous groups named Indigenous People’s Front. The resolution was taken in order to ensure that these communities could fight for their socio-economic, educational and political rights. The office bearers of several organizations attended the meeting organized by the All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students’ Union (AASKSU).

Delay in release of NREGA funds

JORHAT, March 4: The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) – 2005, a much awaited act provided by the Central Government to implement throughout the country for 100 days job guarantee of the rural unemployed peoples. The act is implemented in Asom as a scheme titled ‘National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme’ (NREGS) as well as in other states of the country.But although this scheme was implemented, there has some reports about the failure of this scheme in the rural pockets of the state particularly in the Jorhat district. People here have expressed their strong resentment about the inordinate delay of releasing of funds for which many Gaon Panchyats has been paralysed for a couple of months. It may be mentioned here that, the NREGS funds for the session 2008-09 has not been released till date. Sources said that, in the entire state only two districts namely –– Golaghat and Chirang has been able to get the funds of 2008-09 session with the estimated cost of Rs 39.5 crore and Rs 19 crore respectively till date.Meanwhile, after the announcement of dates of the general election-2009 and the rainy seasons coming, the whole process seems to makes blur which turns a serious cause for concern among the rural people.

CM lays foundation stone of two circle offices

Prithivi Majhi, laid the foundation stone of Jorhat East and West circle offices under Jorhat district here on Saturday evening.Both the buildings are to be constructed under the Asom Bikas Yojana with an estimated cost of Rs 98.47 lakh, out of which Rs 88.30 lakh has been alloted for civil works, Rs 6.98 lakh for electrical works and Rs 3.19 lakh for other works. The project is supposed to be completed within one year.A public meeting was held on the occasion at the proposed office premises near Jorhat Normal School, at the heart of the town.The meeting was moderated by Jorhat Public Relation Officer Dusmanta Madhab Sarma and Jorhat Deputy Commissioner L S Changsan explained the objectives of the meeting.

Workshop on wildlife as career held

DIBRUGARH, Feb 27: A one-day workshop on the theme “Prospects of Wildlife as Professional Career” was held at the Digboi College among the science students of Digboi College and Margherita College under the aegis of Department of Zoology, Digboi College. Resource person of the workshop WWF programme coordinator of Asiatic Elephant Dr Christy Williams delivered lecture on the Asiatic elephant under the theme “Wanted Alive! The Asiatic Elephant in the Wild”. He emphasized on how these majestic giants are in great threat due to human interference. Dr Willams also highlighted the earlier range of distribution of the pachyderms and also showed a comparative analysis on the total number of it and present range of distribution of the pachyderms.

714 villages in CM’s district yet to be illuminated

JORHAT, Feb 27: The tall claims of the State Government to provide electricity to every household in the rural areas within a short span of time is something worth questioning. Though the situation has improved to some extent, yet reaching the goal is far away.It is needless to say about the power supply in rural areas of the State, especially in the villages under Jorhat district, the home district of the Chief Minister of the State.It may be mentioned here that, as many as 714 villages of Jorhat district are yet to be electrified. But there is a good news for the people that the Jorhat Electrical Circle has adopted measures to electrify 243 villages and 36,041 Below Poverty Line (BPL) families under Baghchung, Kaliapani, Cipahikhola, North-west Titabor, Selenghat, Majuli and Ujani Majuli development blocks with the estimated cost of Rs 37.19 crore in December this year. To provide this service, a total length of 509 kilometre high power and 465 kilometre LT line with 368 new transformer will be set up in the district. Apart from it, to increase the supply of power, a new subdivision will be set up at Fulani under Ujani Majuli Block with the capacity of 33/11 KV 1x3.15 MVA with the estimated cost of Rs 3.2 crore shortly.