HSLC commences peacefully at Kalaigaon (Assam)

HSLC examination 2013 has commenced peacefully at Kalaigaon on February 18. Total 888 numbers of students,mostly girls, (boys-398, girls-490) have appeared in this years HSLC examination at Kalaigaon. According to In-Charge of Kalaigaon centre 642 regular candidates ( boys- 282, girls-360) and 38 private candidates (male-20,female 18) have appeared in Zone A (Kalaigaon HSS School) while in Zone B (Kalaigaon Girls HS) 208 regular students (boys-96,girls-112) have appeared.Nabin Chandra Boro,Inspector of Schools,Udalguri district had visited most of the HSLC examination centres. He disclosed to media that three HSLC centres namely- Bholabari, Dalanghat and Dimakuchi had been identified as sensitive centres in the district. He further said that necessary security arrangements had been taken up to control any types of situation. On the other hand,HSSLC final examination 2013 was also to commence at Kalaigaon College from today.According to Arabinda Das,Principal,Kalaigaon College 350 numbers of students would appear in the HSSLC examination from Kalaigaon College. AASU,AJYCP,Kalaigaon Press Club etc have offered good wishes to all the candidates.

Models of Udalguri

Models of Udalguri

Barn owl rescued at Kalaigaon

Assam Environmental NGO Forum urges Government to strengthen wildlife conservation in Assam

Assam Environmental NGO Forum organised a press meet at Guwahati Press Club on February 13 to express its concern on the unabated killing of rhinos and other wild animals in the state. Addressing the media personnel, Mubina Akhtar, noted nature lover and coordinator cum spokesperson of Assam Environmental NGO Forum mentioned that killing of 9 rhinos in first 35 days of this year is triggering serious concern and as such sincere efforts need to be given to check further poaching. Replying to the queries from the media, Mubina Akhtar, coordinator and spokesperson of the forum declared that Forum would arrange sending of 5000 posters to PM India by children of Assam to give priority in the matter of putting an end to poaching of rhino, tiger or wild elephant. The forum statement expressed its displeasure with regards to not awarding the Karbi Anglong Police team in the republic day for their excellent efforts to nab rhino poachers in past few months. The statement also skeptical about the proper use of SLR rifles given to forest protection force to strengthen protection and vigil in Kaziranga to protect rhinos and other animals as seven rhinos were poached in and around Kaziranga in past few weeks even after over 150 forest protection force personals with SLR rifles were sent to Kaziranga to fight against poachers. In the press meet, the NGOs present while endorsing the official statement of the forum also added their own view point on current rhino poaching issues. Bibhab Talukdar of Aranyak also expressed serious concern at the increasing killing of rhinos in the so called most protected National Parks of the world. He welcomed state amendment to Wildlife Protection Act but at the same time cautioned the government to ensure proper implementation of Wildlife Protection Assam Amendment 2009 also asked the state government to appoint new rangers and other frontline staffs to boost actual protection in the field. Soumyadeep Dutta of Nature's Beckon made renewed demand for CBI enquiry to rhino poaching cases. Jayanta Kumar Das of Green Society,Udalguri mentioned that government and media had been giving all attention to Kaziranga and Manas national parks there by neglecting other Wildlife Sanctuaries or Reserve Forests. He requested government to involve local people in the line of VDP services to stop poaching and illegal tree felling. Sujit Bairagi of Dolphin Foundation requested government to involve BTC and Karbi autonomous councils in the process of controlling poaching of rhino,wild elephant and tigers. The press meet was also addressed by Debananda Borah of Early Birds and Raj Phukan of Green Guard.

Udalguri Youth Festival

The three day Udalguri Youth Festival organised by Red Horns Division concluded on February 9 with fanfare and gaiety. Finals of inter school quiz and debate were held on the occasion at DC parade ground in the morning hours while musicals finals were held in the afternoon. Finals of volley ball (girls),foot-ball (boys) and arms wrestling etc were also played in the afternoon. Star attraction of the festival- “Miss Udalguri Pageant” (for girls above 15 years) and Mr.Udalguri contest (for boys above 15 years) were held in the evening. Thaneswar Malakar,Deputy Commissioner, Udalguri and Brig.Adosh Kumar,Commander of 21 Artillery Brigade,Hatigarh attended the concluding session as the distinguished guests.Prizes and certificated were also awarded to the winners by the distinguished guests. Miss Momita won the coveted Miss Udalguri Pageant while Miss Sansumwi and Miss Somia won first and second runners up respectively. Miss Priyanka,Miss Nishamoni, Miss Jesmina and Miss Anjali won Miss Photogenic, Miss Smile, Best Skin and Best Hair titles respectively. On the other hand,Bablu Pal won Mr.Udalguri title while Barudra Boro and Debashis Roy won first and second runners up titles. Rock band “North East Breeze” from Guwahati performed spectacular shows in the night to much delight of the people present.

It needs mention that the festival was inaugurated on February 7 with the opening ceremony and march paste followed by cultural dances of various ethnic groups of Assam ie, Bihu,Bodo,Naga, Santhali, Manipuri,Nepali etc. Display of martial arts,fancy dress,wrestling and drawing competitions were also arranged on the inaugural day. Science model exhibition cum competition,inter-school debate and quiz competitions were arranged for students.

Udalguri Youth Festival

Beautiful teen model of Udalguri

Beautiful Sunset near Dalgaon,Darrang

Orang

Orang,Assam

Tangla town welcomes you

Ambassadors of spring

Teen body builders of Udalguri

Teens of Udalguri posing for modelling

Beautiful girls of Udalguri

Beautiful girls of Udalguri

Ramesh Chandra Saharia memorial lecture held at Tangla

Ramesh Chandra Saharia Memorial Lecture 2013 was held recently at Tangla on February 8 on the occasion of 31st death anniversary of late Ramesh Chandra Saharia of Tangla. Ramesh Chandra Saharia had been a well known social worker,educationalist and politician from undivided Darrang district. He had founded Tangla H School as its first head master. Later he had joined politics and became Home and Education Minister of Assam. The memorial ceremony was held at RC Saharia Teachers Training College at Tangla which was presided over by noted writter Idris Ali.Ramesh Chandra Saharia Memorial Committee and Education Trust organised the programme.Distinguished guests including -Basanta Das,Minister Assam; Rihon Daimari,MLA;Prthvi Raj Rabha (son of Kalaguru) etc offered floral tribute to the image of late Saharia to mark the begining of the memorial ceremony. Noted social worker and former chairperson of Woman Commission of Assam Mridula Saharia in her welcome speech recalled the contribution of her late husband while explaining present activities of Ramesh Saharia Memorial Education Trust.She said that a Teacher's Training College,a Para-medical Institute and a Law college had been established by the trust at Tangla for vocational training. Former minister of Assam ,Rihon Daimari presently MLA,Udalgurigratefully remembered Late Saharia for his contribution in the field of education.He stressed the need for giving importance to science education in Udalguri district.

Chief guest of the occasion,Basanta Das,Minister of State (IND),Fisheries,Printing and Janasanyog in his speech remarked that people specially youths of Udalguri and Darrang districts had been legging behind other districts in the field of employment and education.According to him officials and employees of these two districts could hardly be found in various departments in Assam secretariat because of backwardness among people in the field of education and technology. Running after the jobs of teacher or clerks younger people of Assam had caused economic backwardness.He said that local boys or girls were not willing to work skilled jobs like carpenter,mason,farmers etc paving easy way for outsiders to pump out millions of rupees from the state.The Minister thanked Mridula Saharia and Dipankar Saharia for the establishment of three institutions at Tangla namely -Law college, BED college and Para Medical Training Centre suitable for independent employment. Prithvi Raj Rabha ,Joint Director,Employment and Technical Education,Assam (son of Kalaguru late Bishnu Prasad Rabha) also attended the memorial ceremony as the appointed speaker. He spoke on employment oriented education courses or trades. According to him establishment of an Agricultural Campus in Udalguri district would be much meaningful. “There had been 3,81,52,000 unemployed persons in Assam as per 2010 report”,he said, suggesting establishment of vocational training centres to train for plumber or beautician etc. The memorial ceremony was also addressed by Santias Kunjur, EM,BTC and Dipankar Saharia,Coordinator,TERI (NE) Guwahati. Several distinguished people namely-Dr.Joykanta Saharia,Dr.Harakanta Das,Madhab Sarma,journalist Bhargab Kumar Das, industrialist Rajib Deka and noted dancer Bhanu Deka Saharia attended the ceremony. Satyendra Nath Chakravorty,Principal,Ramesh Chandra Saharia Teachers' Training College offered vote of thanks at the end.

A Himalayan Eagle

Barn Owl

Thaneswar Malakar,DC,Udalguri receiving Hem Barua literary award from Imran Shah,president Assam Sahitya Sabha at Barpeta Road session

Assam Sahitya Sabha session at Barpeta Road

Assam Sahitya Sabha session at Barpeta Road

Assam Sahitya Sabha session at Barpeta Road

Hem Barua literary award of Sabha to Udalguri DC Thaneswar Malakar

People of Kalaigaon,Tangla,Udalguri and Bhergaon have thanked Asom Sahitya Sabha for presenting prestigious Hem Barua literary award to eminent writer,scholar and administrator Thaneswar Malakar for his travelogue “Yatra”. Thaneswar Malakar has also been working as the Deputy Commissioner of Udalguri district since 2010.He has been known for his development works and people friendly attitude. The award instituted in memory of veteran Parliamentarian known for his eloquence Hem Barua. Malakar who already have earned a reputation for his literary works from the readers received the award on February 4 in the second days open session of 72nd session of Asom Sahitya Sabha held at Barpeta Road.Imran Shah,President of Sabha felicitated him before presening him the prestigious literary award for the year 2012. Malakar has already written several books namely- Yatra, Bakulor Gandha, Bindute Sindhu, Tal Sora Sewali, Sahitya Samaj Jibon, Nadi Kanya Swarna Borah, Ariya etc which could draw much appreciation from people of Assam.

Meanwhile various organizations including media organizations and students’ organizations and all section of the society in Udalguri district have expressed their pleasure and congratulated Malakar on being conferred this prestigious honour on him. Green Society Udalguri, Udalguri Zila Sahitya Sabha, Darrang Zila Sahitya Sabha, Mangaldai Media Circle, Darrang Study Circle, Kalaigaon Press Club etc have congratulated Malakar . People also congratulated Joyeeta Sandilya of Kalaigaon for winning second prize in the essay competition organised by Asom Sahitya Sabha. She was awarded the prize on the second day of the open session.

Himalayan eagle rescued at Kalaigaon

An endangered Himalayan eagle was recently rescued near Kalaigaon. According to information a large unknown bird was first noticed by Mantu Deka and his friends in a paddy field at Dakhin Bokrajhar village at around 11 AM on February 3.The youths drew attention of a group of journalists on way to cover a panchayat election rally. Journalists namely -Imran Hussain,Rabindra Rabha and Girish Sarma immediately reported the matter to Hony.Wildlife Warden of Udalguri district and Officer -in-Charge of Kalaigaon Police Station.The bird was brought to Kalaigaon PS and treatment was given by vets. The large bird which was identified as a Himalayan eagle was not in a position to walk or fly. Experts said that the bird while was in the process of a long flight with others could have been dropped down to ground due to disease or starvation. Poisoning was also not ruled out.The bird bore no physical injury marks.It was later handed over to Nonai forest range office for treatment. People involved in the process of rescue of the Himalayan eagle hoped that the bird would fly again to join its family.

Late Ramesh Chandra Saharia: A tribute. -Dipankar Saharia. I was in Class V at the Scindia School, Gwalior, it was a usual routine in School getting up at 6.30 am and to get ready for a half an hour prep followed by breakfast and then school. It was morning of 8 February 1982 after my bath I did a regular prayer, when suddenly a small framed photo of Goddess Kamakhya Ma that I had kept in my cupboard fell, at that time I though why this photo fell when no one had touched the cupboard. We had developed the habit of praying in the morning and evening at our home at Tangla (now under Udalguri distrct) as was being done by elders in our joint family. Later, I went to school as usual and came back at about 12.15 pm for lunch at the School mess, I could notice my House Mistress Mrs Indu Dhir with a worried look as we sat on the same table. As soon, I had finished my lunch, my house mistress informed me that my father was seriously ill and I have to go home immediately. Meanwhile my local guardian Mr Munin Das, IRS (redt) had come to School to pick me up and drop me in the airport for a flight to Delhi. In Delhi Airport, I could see my known and tensed faces among them was Late Anil Ratan Borthakur, the same night I was taken to Calcutta (Now Kolkata). Having seen the people around, I could feel that something was seriously wrong and I may have lost my father, so in the flight I asked the person that accompanied me that if I could have non-veg food being offered by the air-hostess. He said that I could have non-veg than I thought that my father was very ill. I stayed that night at Kolkata and early morning we took the flight to Guwahati. The first thing that I did when I boarded the flight is to go through the newspaper, when I saw the headline that Ramesh Chandra Saharia had passed away, the Assam Talk schedule with ASSU in Delhi had been postponed. I knew since then that my life has changed forever with the lost my father. I was taken to our official residence from where we went to Tangla for the cremation. Later, I correlated the incident of the sudden falling of Kamakhya Ma’s photo and the time of his passing away. The journey from Dispur to Tangla was a story, which I still remember, with hundreds of cars and people on both side of the road and police man standing with their rifle upside-down with bowed head. As Shri Sarat Phukan, IPS (retd) than DSP said the administrative management was under Mr K P S Gill, IPS (Retd) and they had a difficult time controlling the crowd in Guwahati and throughout the journey to Tangla. Shri Phukan also said that there were so many vehicles that the pilot of the convoy was at the Brahmaputra bridge and last car of the covoy was at Maligaon, he further said that they had a harrowing time controlling the crowd at Tangla’s residence when the boundary wall of the compound broke down and then DC Late Ashok Saikia and SDO Jitesh Khosla had to come to control the crowd. People were everywhere on roof, vehicle tops and on trees. My father Late Ramesh Chandra Saharia passed away at the age of 52 on 8 February 1982. The homage paid by the thousands of people, political leaders, the police, officials the army led by the Brigadier M S Virk of Hatigargh cantonment and the air force showed how much people loved and respected him. I could spent only 11 years of my life with my father but during that time and also today I could realize that the amicability, generosity, the modest personality and his genuine love for the downtrodden is difficult to seen today. He had inoculated lot of these characters from Gandhiji and by reading books from his childhood, being a book lover he had a collection of over 1000 books, binded volumes of all-important magazines (of 1950s,60s) and the newspaper collection one dated 16 August 1947. My grandfather had told me that once Gandhiji came to Tangla through train during the one of his visit to Assam for garnering support and raising funds. My Grandfather took my father in his lap then a baby (one year old Ramesh) to donate to the fund raising visit of Gandhiji, when Gandhiji saw my father (Baby Ramesh) Gandhi took my father in his lap and gave him a coin and also said that he will be a great man in his life. My father had done his schooling from Mangaldoi Higher Secondary School and thereafter completed his graduation from Cotton College. My Grandfather Late Lambodhar Saharia was a great entrepreneur of Tangla, was then the CNF agent of Goodricke Tea Company, operated the first Bus service between Tangla and Guwahati, handled the post service and owned farmlands and citrus plantations. My Grandfather wanted that his son Ramesh should study further and as per his wishes my father went to Banaras Hindu University to complete his MA (Economics) and LLB. Inspite of education background, he could have taken up a lucrative job, however my father preferred to stay back at Tangla and joined Tangla High School as Headmaster. His love of the place and his aim for developing this backwards region of the state was the reason for his staying back in Tangla. As I have heard, he later felt that to develop a place you require support from the government machineries and he realized that could only be possible if he joins politics. My father resigned from the Government service and contested the general election in 1972 as a Congress Nominee, won the elections, and became an MLA from 64 Panery Legislative Assembly Constituency. During his initial tenure as an MLA, he focused on education by establishing a number of schools in the interiors areas of Darrang district (Now under Udalguri District) and a College at Tangla. He always felt that only through education that one could develop a place and he himself got associated with a number of socio-cultural organisations. His truthfulness in his service was seen again in 1978 Legislative Assembly elections, when people from Panery constituency and different places Darrang district donated money to run the election campaign, several villagers came and contributed two to five rupees. He won the elections and later became a Cabinet Minister of Forest under the Chief Ministership of Late Jogen Hazarika and later Minster of Home, Revenue and other departments. As a child I had done my initial schooling in Auxilium Convent, Tangla thereafter I have done my schooling (Clas III & IV) in Guwahati before joining Scindia School in Class V. I stayed with my father at his official residence at Dispur during my schooling in Guwahati and at that time, I could not understand much about politics but I do hear the discussions about politics during that period. During the second term of my father, the state of Assam was passing through a very challenging time of unrest due to Assam agitation. Moreover, being the Home Minister, my father had a lot of responsibility and as I have heard that, he tried to handle the situations using the least force and he even visited Gauhati University for meeting the leaders of the agitation without security. While in politics he did suffer setbacks as he was supposed to be a probable candidate for the Chief Ministership of the state, many of his colleagues in active politics today and many of his close friends knew this, however he preferred to support one of his colleague for the Chief Ministership, who eventually became the Chief Minister of the state. My father may not have told anybody that he was hurt by the treatment he received from his colleague, he was simple, straight forward and truthful and if he would have been alive today I feel he could have sustained in politics today. One of his most remarkable characters was his humbleness and love for the people, he never changed his behavior towards the people or reaching out to people being in power. I have never seen him being angry with anyone during the years when I started understanding what anger is. I visit various places of Darrang and Udalguri districts, even today after 31 years after his death there would be many people telling me how my father had helped them and how amicable and humble person he was. Today is his death anniversary, I pray to almighty to bless his soul and bless me to follow his footsteps. (NB:The article has been written by Dr.Dipankar Saharia,Coordinator of TERI (The Energy and Research Institution) India,Guwahati.Former ACS officer Dr.Dipankar Saharia is the only son of late Saharia.The article is written on the occasion of 31st death anniversary of late Ramesh Chandra Saharia on February 8,2013)