Assam CA analysis 5 June

1.

Today is World Environment Day. On the occasion of World Environment Day, various programs, including plantation of saplings, are being organized in government-private enterprises. On the contrary, the act of a man serving as an undeclared watchman of a hill has become a matter of discussion among the locals.

The ‘Guardian of the Hills’ has been identified as Purnakanta Roy alias ‘Manager’ of Sonakhali in Bongaigaon district. For the last nearly 30 years, Purnakanta Roy has been quietly guarding the hills, shying away from the media glare.

Roy has been quietly following the his duties towards Mother Earth with full diligence and keeping clear the green hills free of any waste material, barring intruders from entering the forest areas and stopping them cutting the trees in the Sonakhuli hills of Bongaigaon district.

Purnakanta Roy’s aka manager’s busy schedule increases during the picnic season of December, January and February of the year in the name of Sonakhuli Hills, which is green in the true love of nature. It is his responsibility to keep the picnic spot clean.

Purnakanta Roy, once an activist in the movement for the survival of Assam, continued to work every day in the interest of protecting nature.

Such people are the real warriors of nature. Purnakanta Roy alias Manager, a lifelong lover of nature who is deprived of government patronage, government awards and scholarships. 

Purnakanta has expressed his mind that he will continue the work of protecting the hill in this way.

Usage: This example can be used in environmental ethics

2.

The Tea Association of India representing tea producers in Assam and West Bengal called for collaborative action to overcome industry challenges

TAI, representing tea producers in Assam and West Bengal, is concerned about the challenges faced in the current season by the tea industry in these regions.

The adverse climate conditions, subdued international and domestic markets, and their profound impact on the industry call for collective action and collaboration from all stakeholders to ensure its resilience and growth.

the tea industry in Assam and North Bengal is grappling with the detrimental effects of climate change. Erratic weather patterns, extreme temperatures, and insufficient rainfall have severely affected both the quantity and quality of tea production.

The changing climate poses significant challenges to the sustainability and productivity of tea gardens, necessitating immediate measures to adapt and mitigate its impact.

In addition to climate challenges, the industry is facing subdued demand in both international and domestic markets.

Factors such as the oversupply of tea in the global market and shifting consumer preferences have contributed to the weakened demand for tea from Assam and North Bengal. It is imperative that we work collectively to explore new market opportunities, promote the unique qualities of our teas, and address any regulatory barriers that hinder trad

Factors responsible for reduction in export of tea from Assam :

1-Significant number of Tea producing gardens of state have gone sick over time because of lack of modernisation and inefficient management .
2-Inadequate availability of stores for premium quality tea , as tea absorbs moisture during processing and transportation which lead to reduction in the quality of tea.
3-Unfavorable atmospheric condition for tea cultivation, owing to scanty rainfall have affected the tea industry in significant manner
4-One major hurdle tea industry of Assam facing is all the water resources have dried up ,leading to insufficient amount of water for spraying over gardens.
5-Western and European country have started giving more preference China’s tea because of alarming amount of pesticides residue in Indian tea .
Countermeasures can be taken to improve the deteriorating conditions of Tea industry and of the gardeners
1-Tea industry should adopt modern means and technologies to reinforce their weak side ,
2-Water collecting dams ,shades can be constructed to use them as a substituted source of water during season of scanty rainfall.
3-Training program can be initiated under tea research association and assam technical university to educate small growers about management
4-With the help of state government, nurseries can be established to provide planting material to small vendors at cheap price .

3.

The Assam government has declared Cachar district’s Rukni Part-IV village as a “zero child-marriage village”.

Laws present to prevent Child Marriage:

• The POCSO Act, of 2012 criminalizes sex between a minor and an adult. The law does not recognize a minor’s consent as valid. Sexual assault under POCSO is a non-bailable, cognizable offence.
  • Section 19 of, the POCSO Act imposes a “mandatory reporting obligation” which requires every person who suspects or has knowledge of a sexual offence being committed against a child must report it to the police or the Special Juvenile Police Unit.
• The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006, says that child marriages are illegal but not void. Instead, they are voidable at the option of the minor party, in the scenario that the minor petitions the court to declare the marriage void. The Act stipulates 18 years as the minimum marriageable age for women, while for men it is 21 years.
  • The punishment also extends to anyone who performs, conducts, directs, or abets any child marriage.

4.

Spread across around 3,500 acres, the Narangi military station was set up in 1961. It is one of the most important bases of the Indian Army, housing several units, including the headquarters of the 51 Sub Area.

The station is located adjacent to Amchang wildlife sanctuary, a reserve forest spread across 78.64 km and situated on the eastern fringes of Guwahati. The sanctuary is home to a variety of wildlife, including elephants, who move from there to other areas in search of food and water.

The pachyderms enter the military station almost everyday, military personnel said. Since this has been happening for decades, they always ensure the safety of the elephants, whom they fondly call maharaj (king)

Amchang is home to a large herd of elephants comprising around 90 pachyderms. Sometimes the entire herd traverses through the station, while on other occasions single elephants or smaller groups can be seen foraging or swimming in the 30 plus ponds and water bodies in the area.

The forest existed much before the military station came up. Hence, wild animals, including elephants, have the right of way. They have the first right. This translates into everyday affairs

Army personnel are trained with the help of locals, scientists and foresters on how to live in close proximity to the elephants. They are instructed to stop their vehicles and allow the elephants to cross and not disturb them in any manner. At some places, portions of walls have been broken to allow the pachyderms to move around easily.

There have been instances when humans have tried to scare away the elephants, or they have damaged vehicles and shops. But most of these incidents have happened on the periphery of the military station and not within.

It’s a good example to show how Narangi military station in particular and Indian Army is particular is ensuring peaceful coexistence with the animals while discharging our duty of protecting the nation

Assam has around 5,700 wild elephants, official data show. Decreasing forest cover and the search for food, especially during the winters, leads many pachyderms to leave reserve forests, resulting in conflict with residents who use various means to scare away the animals and protect their lives, property and standing crops.

More than 70 people and 80 elephants are killed on an average annually in the state because of human-elephant conflicts

“Whenever we hear man and elephant together, the word conflict usually crops up. But we in Narangi have been able to change that and ensure peaceful coexistence,” said brigadier Sanjeev Chopra, deputy head of the military station.

Nearly two-thirds of the Narangi military station comprises of construction-free spaces where there’s an abundance of trees and ponds. The army has a state-of-the-art communication hub in the station with high-resolution cameras placed at strategic locations with the dual purpose of ensuring security of the area and keep track of elephant movement. Whenever a large herd or an individual is sighted, a message to relayed to all so that the animals are not disturbed in any way.

Army authorities keep a close touch with the state forest department to alert them about elephant movement, and if there’s any untoward incident where a pachyderm gets injured or trapped.

There are times when the elephants move out of the military station area and go to nearby residential and commercial places. When that happens, they try and ensure that there’s no conflict and both elephants and humans come to any harm

The army authorities in Narangi have demonstrated that through concerted efforts of all, there can be peaceful coexistence between the wild pachyderms and humans.

Usage: Ethics , Environment

5.

State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA) Co-Vice Chairman Dhruba Prasad Baishya on Saturday inaugurated BN College Civil Services Study Centre at Dhubri which is a funded project of SITA at a function held at the BN College campus at Dhubri.

It is worth mentioning that the project of SITA will be carried out on pilot basis where four colleges of Assam have been selected. The project will also provide proper infrastructure such as study materials.

About SITA:

 State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA) has been renamed from State Planning Board, Assam by the Cabinet in a decision taken in its meeting held on November 9, 2016.

FUNCTION: The main function of the State Innovation and Transformation Aayog is to evaluate and monitor all Govt. Schemes both Central and State within the State of Assam. It will advise and guide in the areas of coordination and division of responsibilities as well as functioning between the State Government and the next layers of Governance, viz., Panchayati Raj Institutions, Autonomous Councils, Territorial Councils and the Councils for development of different communities created within the state. It will analyze and suggest improvements in the flow of credit and management of financial resources in the financial and banking sector in the state. It will guide the State Government on development priorities as well as suggest policy guidelines on identifying these priorities and coordinating with all departments of the State Government in implementing these priorities. In this connection, the State Innovation and Transformation Aayog should be guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the vision for the State of Assam. It can appoint consultants and fund studies and reports on various issues and also ensure implementation by departments concerned on the recommendations of such studies. It will coordinate and conduct techno-feasibility and viability studies and advice the State Government on critical issues such as regeneration of sick industries in the state, Industrial and infrastructure development in line with Make in Assam and Act East Policy, Revival of the tea industry, development issues within the Assam Accord and Management and development of river water resources. One of its main fuction is to advise the Government on whatever issues are referred to the Aayog.

ROLE: The Vice Chairman of the State Innovation and Transformation Aayog can call any officer of any department and discuss issues linked with its functions. The Vice-Chairman should be associated with appropriate State Committees or Boards in suitable capacity to allow him to discharge the responsibilities. He may be associated appropriately with the NEC and NITI Aayog.

RANK: The rank of the Vice Chairman, State Innovation and Transformation Aayog is that of a Cabinet Minister.

6.

Directorate of Archaeology, Government of Assam, under the aegis of Charaideo District Administration, conducted the first day of national seminar-cum-workshop on ‘Integrated Conservation and Comprehensive Management of the Royal Ahom Maidams at Charaideo, Assam: Insights from the National and International Heritage Sites’ at the conference hall of DC’s Office, Charaideo

Why is Charaideo known as ‘Pyramids of Assam’?

• It contains sacred burial grounds of Ahom kings and queens and is also the place of the ancestral Gods of the Ahoms.
• Some 42 tombs (Maidams) of Ahom kings and queens are present at Charaideo hillocks.
• Architecture: It comprises a massive underground vault with one or more chambers having domical superstructure and covered by a heap of earthen mound and externally it appears a hemispherical mound

7.

The chairman of Sadin-Pratidin group and Editor of Asomiya Pratidin, Jayanta Baruah, has been conferred with the prestigious Shri Shri Damodardev award for the year 2023 on Sunday.

The special honor was conferred to Baruah by Auniati Satra in Majuli on the occasion of the 150^th birth anniversary of ‘Assam Bilasini’, an Assamese vernacular newspaper launched in Majuli back in 1913.

Jayanta Baruah received the prestigious award for his contribution to the Assamese language. He was also felicitated by several parties, organization among others.

The Damodardev award was constituted in 2012 to honor journalists, litterateur, and scholars for their contribution in their respective fields.

About Assam Bilasini:

Vernacular newspapers and press played a critical role in the promotion of political awakening among the masses, and thus contributed immeasurably to the freedom struggle. The Assam Bilasini newspaper, published in the Majuli district of Assam, is an illustrious example of the same.

The Assam Bilasini newspaper was established in 1871, and was the second Assamese language newspaper to be published. The journal was helmed by Sri Duttadev Goswami and Sridhar Ojha, and provided a platform for the growth of literature in the local language. Assam Bilasini was launched as an attempt to counter the growing European cultural influence in the region and published essays and poems on diverse themes. The newspaper was closed down in 1883 but was revived in 1913 by the government servant and litterateur Krishna Kanta Bhattacharya.

Though a British official, Bhattacharya had strong patriotic inclinations and eventually lost his job for writing and publishing blistering articles against the colonial administration in the newspaper. Assam Bilasini persisted for 11 years, but was eventually shut down as a result of pressure from the British regime in 1924. The critical role played by Assam Bilasini in the national movement continues to inspire the people of India to this day.

8.

Following the instructions of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Higher Education Department constituted a five-member committee on Saturday to suggest measures for strengthening the discipline, rules and regulations in hostels of educational institutions in the state.

The following are the members of the committee constituted by the department:

1. Dr. Alak Buragohain (Chancellor of Girijananda Chowdhury Institute of Management and Technology, Azara)
2. Dr. Mridul Hazarika (Former Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University)
3. Dr. Biren Das (Registrar of Tezpur University)
4. Prof. Shikhar Kumar Sarma (Department of Information Technology in Gauhati University)
5. Prof. Utpal Sarmah (Department of Instrumental and USIC in Gauhati University)

The committee has been constituted to suggest measure for strengthening the discipline, rules and regulations in hostel, particularly to enforce in and out time from hostels, complete prohibition of use of alcohol by students, prohibition of extended stay by ex-hostellers and promotion of healthy community life within the hostel.

According to a notice dated June 1, 2023, the committee has been directed to submit the detailed report within three months.

The formation of the committee comes two days after CM Sarma asked the Education department for instituting a high-level enquiry in view of the tragic road accident in Jalukbari which killed seven students of Assam Engineering College.

To prevent recurrence of any incident which is potentially life threatening to the student community, the Chief Minister asked the Education department to constitute committee to strengthen discipline, rules and regulations in hostels of education institutions. The committee will also look into strict enforcement of, in and out time of hostels, complete prohibition of alcohol etc. in hostel campuses and hostels and prohibition of extended stay of ex-boarders of hostels. The committee will also recommend ways for the promotion of healthy community life within the hostels.

9.

Today is the 535th birth anniversary of Mahapurush Shri Madhabdev Guru. Guru’s Amritsam Borgeet and other creatures are the invaluable assets of our national life.

About his works:

His Bhakti Ratnavali is a lucid Assamese rendering of Visnupuri’s celebrated work in Sanskrit. It is considered as one of the four sacred books (cari puthi) of the Assam school of pure devotion to Krsna. The book lays special emphasis on Eka Sarana or single-minded devotion to Lord Krsna.

Madhavadeva also successfully translated the first book of the Ramayana of Valmiki. The beauty of his Adi Kanda lies in its elegant verses and homely similes. The appropriate use of Assamese proverbs with a slight touch of humour gives the work the flavour of an original work.

Madhavadeva’s Rajasuya Kavya was composed with the Sisupala Vadha episode of the Sabhaparva of the Mahabharata as its basis. This book, written in a very elegant style, may be regarded as one of the finest poems of the Vaisnava age.

His Nama Malika is the metrical rendering of a Sanskrit anthology of the same name which extols the merits of the holy nama.

10.

The film “Birangana Sadhani” was launched at Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio), Kahilipara, Guwahati recently.

About Jyoti Chitraban

Govt. of Assam established the Jyoti Chitraban as a Govt. Studio in the year 1961 at Kahilipara against a scenic backdrop in the foothills of the Narakasur Hills with an area of 10 acres of land. The establishment of Jyoti Chitraban came as a result of demands from various quarters including doyens in the field of culture namely Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha, Natasurjya Phani Sharma, the queen of Bijni Late Sabita Devi, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika and Late Khiroda Kt. Bishaya among others. Paying due respect to the Father of Assamese Cinema Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla, the name of the film studio was rightfully selected as “Jyoti Chitraban”- Jyoti for Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla & Chitraban – the name of the studio established by Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla in his “Bholaguri Tea Estate” during the production of Film “Joymoti”.

The studio became functionable in the year 1968 (17-1-2016)with one shooting floor which was named after “Pramathesh Ch. Baruah” who was a towering personality of Indian Cinema and hailed from this part of the Country. “Bhadari” was the first short feature film shooted in this floor under the direction of Nip Baruah.

Jyoti Chitraban Studio was converted into a Govt. controlled registered Society in 1973 inducting various Heads of Depts. of Govt. of Assam as official members and reputed film personalities as
non-official members.

Among stalwarts who has served in Jyoti Chitraban in its fledging days mention may be made of Late Mahesh Malla Bujar Baruah who was in the first batch of Film & Television Institute of India, Pune,Late Pijush Kanti Roy another FTII, Pune, Diploma holder of Sound Engineering and also alumni of FTII,Pune, Late I.K. Hazarika, noted Cameraman all of whom joined Jyoti Chitraban and trained many Assamese youngstars in the art of film making. Anil Chanda from PRASAD LABS of Chennai was engaged for the laboratory works and Mr. Har Kumar as assistant thus making the studio a full fledge one.

With changing times and development in the field of Film and Television, production as well as digital film making. Jyoti Chitraban has also equipped itself to meet the growing demand of the film makers. The Video Department was commissioned at Studio on 29 th Dec, 1995 by then Chief Minister of Assam.