Udalguri District Journalist Union has awarded Diganta Kumar Sarma,a young journalist of Tangla the “Hem Chandra Talukdar Rural Journalist Award,2013” at a function organized at Orang on March 24. The award which contains a citation letter,a trophy and cash amount has been handed over to Sarma at the open session of 5th annual session of Udalguri District Journalists Union held at Orang HS School. Noted journalist of Assam Adip Kumar Phukan; Thaneswar Malakar,Deputy Commissioner,Udalguri; Alindra Mushari and Jitu Kishan,both MCLA,BTC;Syam Sundi,former EM,BTC;Pankaj Kumar Nath,central secretary of AAJU attended the open session which was also largely attended by media personnels from Kalaigaon,Khoirabari,Bhergaon,Tangla,Udalguri,Rowta, Orang and Mazbat.
It needs mention that Gautam Jyoti Talukdar,senior journalist of the district has been awarding this rural reporting award every year in memory of his father late Hem Chandra Talukdar. A thirty one members new district executive committee was also formed at the meeting with Dhiren Baishya as president; Jayanta Das,Dipen Deka and Joy Narayan Prasad as vice presidents;Narayan Deka as secretary; Ram Upadhaya, Jagadish Pathak and Imran Hussain as asstt.secretaries and Diganta Kumar Sarma as souvenir editor.
An open discussion was held at Tangla recently on March 25 to discuss impact of climate change on rural population and the need for creating awareness among masses on the issue. The meet also discussed problems of conservation of nature and wildlife in Udalguri district with special reference to man-elephant conflict.The discussion was organized at Ramesh Chandra Saharia Teachers' Training College,Tangla by noted social worker and former civil service officer Dr.Dipankar Saharia (son of former Assam minister late R.C Saharia) on the occasion of distribution of financial grants to eleven DNA clubs of Udalguri district.Several distinguished scholars, ,teachers, social workers and media personnels from Kalaigaon, Tangla, Bhergaon,Khoirabari etc participated in the discussion.
Speaking on climate change and its impact on rural population Dr.Saharia described role of common people. In simple words he explained how small matters like unnecessary use of plastics or polythene could cause global warming.He also suggested plantation of trees socially or individually for economic growth and in checking global warming and climate change. According to him rich natural resources of the country and its immense potential for future development were in the hands of the school children of the country. There had been increasing realization that unless school children were made aware of their own resources and present trend of its conservation and management, it would not be possible for future sustainable development. He remarked that DNA clubs had been established in the country by Department of Bio-technology to impart technical knowledge to school children. Jayanta Kumar Das,Wildlife Warden of Udalguri district spoke on conservation of nature and wildlife with special reference to man-elephant conflict. According to him destruction of age old Samrang elephant corridor and all PRFs (proposed Reserve Forests) namely Neewly and Kundarbil had caused severe man-elephant conflict in Udalguri district. He strongly criticised the revenue departments failure to update gazette notifications in time. “Had the notification been updated in time, forest lands could have been protected”,he remarked.Taking advantage of non update of PRFs ,a section of revenue officers and employees allotted forest lands to people in return of money, causing present man-elephant conflict in Udalguri which had taken lives of 12 people and 8 wild elephants in 2012 alone beside injury to 16 people.
