Assam, as we understand is the most resource-rich and most productive State in the Northeast India. As a result of which, it ought to have by now been a power-house of growth. But what has prevented the State from becoming so, is its plethora of intractable decades-old issues afflicting it and one such issue affecting the State for a prolonged spell of time is no other than the problem of illegal encroachment of all kinds of land available in the State like revenue lands, forestlands, satra lands, lands of tribal blocks and belts, by suspected immigrant from Bangladesh and non-tribal people including industrialists.
"Creative Joy" An interview with budding Printmaker Kompi Riba
Chow Bilaseng Namchoom
I had an exceedingly good fortune of chatting with the 27 year old budding printmaker Kompi Riba who is a native of Likabali, West Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh. Despite the fact that Printmaking in Arunachal Pradesh is a subject which many of the tribal people are unaware, Riba gambled to choose her carrier in Printmaking. Riba holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts (Printmaking) from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata and a master’s degree in Fine Arts (Printmaking) from Visva Bharati University, Kolkata. Riba passed her higher secondary exam in science stream with a distinction and like others she could have chosen to become a doctor, engineer or an architect. But, drawing has always fascinated her and this has played an important part in Riba’s decision to go for learning in fine arts. Today, she recreates magic of each artwork in her own unique style. She has exhibited mostly in Kolkata and New Delhi and now plans to hold similar exhibition in other parts of the country. She has carved a niche for herself in producing mixed-media paintings, original handmade prints and bookmarks. Currently she works as an Artist in SCERT (State Council Education Research and Training). Here is what she has to say about her work in an interview with Chow Bilaseng Namchoom(CBN).
It can happen only in Meghalaya, as the forest department has taken a unilateral decision, without any basis to massacre around 500 trees, considered to be a danger to human lives, the cause being that an old eucalyptus tree, because of weak roots over the years, came crashing down during the summer heavy rains, killing three persons. The eucalyptus tree is a native of Australia but somehow was grown in the premises of the Raj Bhavan Shillong. The tree has no fault of its own, as all along the years it was left unattended and uncared for. At this, the blame and responsibility should go to the attendants of Raj Bhavan, looking after the vegetation gardens which also include trees of different species.
Recent natural disaster testifies that landlocked Manipur is facing the heavy brunt of a severe ecological imbalance. Flashing floods, outbreak of diseases, massive landslides and its most scenic fresh water lake, Loktak gradually becoming unfit for fish are symptoms, that its environment is screaming for help to quick reverse the damages or otherwise, the worst is yet to come.
During the non-stop rains the entire Northeastern region witnessed in the months of May-June, Manipur experienced its worst ever floods in 20 years. What was significant is that the inundation continued for a long time, marooning localities and causing lots of hardship. Usually the flood waters recede quickly but this time it took a lot of time to do so.
When the Republic of India had its first Paliamentary elections in 1952, thirtytwo year old Rishang Keishing, a fresh graduate from the prestigious St. Paul’s Cathedral Mission College of Calcutta got elected along with Jawaharlal Nehru and others. He was one of the youngest MPs. Sixty two years later in 2014, he was still a member of the Parliament. He retired as world’s oldest MP at the age of 94. He passed away at the age of 97 on Tuesday , 22 August 2017 at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, Imphal. He is survived by his life partner of 67 long years, Mrs Khathingla. They have two daughters and four sons.
Indian leaders from across the party condoled Keishing’s demise. Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh and the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee were among the first to send condolences.
Doklam standoff in its almost three months tuzzle has finally withdrawn the troops from the disputed site. Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim.
For the past few months, The Chinese media has been accusing India in its attempt to transform the territory in Doklam. In a single month around 125 articles have been written on the Indian “trespass”, “hijacking a small neighbour”, and that Doklam actually belongs to China.
There is an existing mechanism named India-China Expert-Level mechanism which was started in 2006 to share hydrological data during the flood season for Brahmaputra and Satluj rivers. Under the MoUs (Memorandum of Understanding) signed in 2013 and 2015, the hydrological data is to be shared between May 15 to October 15 every year, but from May 15 till now no data has been received from China. The last meeting of the mechanism was held in April 2016 but held that linking the sharing of hydrological data with heavy floods in the northeast would be overdue.
They say there is only one male river (rivers are considered female in India) and that is in Tibetan highland. Of course, the name itself identifies it as the son of Lord Brahmā, the creator of the Universe according to the Hindu mythology. Brahma’s son (Putra) is known as Brahmaputra, the sacred river that emerges as a unique identity for the people of Assam. Even though Brahmaputra is an international river connecting Tibet (now under China), India and Bangladesh, it is omnipresent in the great Assamese literarycultural pieces. Often the mighty river is termed as Luit in Assamese literature, which Assam’s greatest son in recent time Dr Bhupen Hazarika described as Burha (literary meaning old) Luit also. Many of the immortal creations of Dr Hazarika are related to Brahmaputra (pronounced in Assamese as Brôhmôputrô). In different songs, the legendary singer terms the river as a symbol of greatness, harmony and assimilation. Sometime, the celebrated music composer also questioned Mohabahu Brahmaputra ‘why does it flow in spite of the endless sufferings of dwellers on both of its banks’.
The powerful river originates in Jima Yangzong glacier of the Himalayan State of Tibet (at an elevation of about 5150 meter), flows across southern Tibet and enters into Arunachal Pradesh and then flows southwest through the Assam valley to penetrate into Bangladesh. Finally the gigantic river culminates in the Bay of Bengal after merging with Padma (also known as Podda) and Meghna river. Identified as one of the major rivers of Asia (world’s fourth largest), Brahmaputra is known as Tsangpo in Tibet (Yarlung Zangbo in Chinese), Siang or Dihang in Arunachal, Jomuna (not Yamuna of north India) in northern Bangladesh. It covers nearly 2,900 kilometer and embraces the basin area of around 651,300 square km. The river, occasionally adored as a sea, discharges average 19,300 cubicmeter volume of water per second.
Minister of the State of Mizoram, for Fisheries and Sericulture, Buddha Dhan Chakma the lone legislator and minister from the Chakma community of Tuichawng (ST) constituency of Congress Government submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla. The protest was against the denial of medical college seats to a number of four qualified Chakma Students in a case of alleged racial discrimination.
Buddha Dhan Chakma an MBBS under state quota of 1994 from Gaya Bihar said “Remaining in the council of ministers might create uneasiness to maintain the glory of democracy in our state where all of us should feel at home irrespective of caste, creed and religion” and termed it to be as gross injustice. According to him it was a “systematic conspiracy” to deny various facilities to the Chakma who belong to the state for the last few years. They tried to do it even in 2016. But the selected candidates went to the High Court and got justice. This time round, it is a clear case of contempt of court and asked the candidates to go back to the High Court.
