Skip to content Skip to navigation

Aryabhatta Science Centre Kalaigaon launches campaign against witch hunting

Aryabhatta science Centre, Kalaigaon has formally launched a campaign against superstitions and blind beliefs, particularly against ‘witch hunting’ recently at a work shop cum seminar at Kalaigaon on February 17. Implemented by Assam Science Technology & Environment Council, Guwahati, supported and catalyzed by Department of Science & Technology, govt. of Assam, Aryabhatta Science Centres, (one in each development blocks in Assam) have taken up various programmes to popularize science among students and people of Assam to create awareness for the removal of all kinds of superstitions and blind beliefs. The day long workshop titled “SCIENCE FOR ALL”,was organized at Lokapriya Bordoloi Public School, Kalaigaon on Feb 17, 10 am onwards. More than 300 students under the guidance of teachers from 15 HS, HSS, and ME schools of Kalaigaon Dev.Block took part in the programme. Jayanta Das, coordinator of the Aryabhatta Science Centre, Kalaigaon welcomed all to the programme and explained about the role of the Aryabhatta Science Centre. He said that under the active supervision of ASTEC it had been making science popular in the villages by demonstrating latest technologies of the world for the removal of superstitions and blind beliefs, through work shop, seminars and other activities.

Nabin Chandra Baro, Inspector of Schools, Udalguri district inaugurated the programme at 10.30 am. He said that the real need of time was to make science popular among people so as to understand it for the welfare of the society. Child scientist Arindam Mani Das explained about the space, the universe and the earth with live multimedia demonstration. He in association with Nabajyoti Baruah of CIC Kalaigaon and Sachin Bordoloi of JNV Kalaigaon demonstrated satellite images of the earth revealing courses of rivers, erosions, forests and various places including Kalaigaon with technical help from Google Earth. Noted astronomer and secretary of Pragjyotish Amateur Astronomer’s Association (Guwahati planetarium), U.N Deka (Column writer of Science Zone: Night Sky in The Assam Tribune) in his speech narrated about the sun, solar system, solar and lunar eclipses. He also explained about the total solar eclipse to occur on July 22, 2009 which would be visible from the northern part of Brahmaputra valley. According to him, there would be darkness at 6.30 am for about six minutes in some parts. He also narrated the effects of total solar eclipse on plants and animals and advised students not to panic. He told students about precautions to be taken during the time of watching the solar eclipse. He also demonstrated the latest GPS (Global Positioning System) technologies and their working to the students. Dr. Naba Kumar Das, VAS Kalaigaon, highlighted the effects of superstitions and blind beliefs on human life. According to him witch hunting, snake bites and dog bites had been killing hundreds of innocent people for no reason. He said that although non poisonous snake bite and non rabies infected dog bites are harmless, still most people, including educated people use crude medicines which sometimes prove fatal. He also advised students not to kill snakes as they are explained how ‘witch hunting’ had been taking lives of thousands of people of the country every year. According to him the so called ‘witches were always too poor to defend themselves .He said that it was time for the students an teachers to come forward and join hands to fight against all kinds of social evils, particularly witch hunting .He also said that Earth’s environment must not be polluted at any cost to protect the only known “green planet” of the universe. Shairuddin essential for a stable ecosystem. Noted environmentalist Dr.Budhhin Hazarika Ahmed, better known as ’Plantation Crusader” also attended the workshop cum seminar. Astronomer U N Deka, environmentalist Dr.Budhhin Hazarika and Dr.Naba Kumar Das were also felicitated on the occasion.

Comments

Anoy Anit's picture

Its really nice to see people or organisations in the villages who are fighting alone against injustice and cruelty.These people or organisations,I am sure never do this for money or fame.Please give your hands to them.Thank you Assam Times for publishing such positive news.Keep it up. Anoy Anit New Delhi-1
Bikash's picture

Basically it is Pani Ram Das family at remote kalaigaon to go ahead with science and technology.

Pages

Add new comment

Random Stories

No trace of Cottonian trio

12 May 2017 - 8:23pm | AT News
Three Cotton College students have been remaining traceless for the last 24 hours striking no less sensation in the premier seat of learning in the north eastern region. Identified as Wahidur Rahman...

2 injured in army assault

19 May 2015 - 8:19am | Hantigiri Narzary
Atleast two persons of Kausi Bazar area received serious injured being assaults by Army jawans at Athiabari camp on Saturday night under Serfanguri police station of Kokrajhar district.Former Assam...

Explosion at oilfield

6 Mar 2014 - 7:20pm | AT News
A huge explosion at an oilfield in Duliajan seems to have created panic among the local residents on Thursday.The explosion took place with a huge sound in the evening at the Oil India Limited owned...

Evening OPD at GPC concluds

27 Aug 2016 - 9:30pm | Manoshi Goswami
Evening with a Doctor programme at Guwahati Press Club concluded on Saturday with the participation of over 40 media persons and their family members. Dr. Swapnav Barthakur, Medicine and Dr. Ruma...

Other Contents by Author

People of Naharbari village under Kalaigaon revenue circle have raised allegations against PWD officials and contractors for misappropriation of huge amount of money amounting several lakhs of rupees in the name of repairing of PWD road and construction of a culvert.In a written allegation addressed to Lmsraw Daimari, EM BTAD, hundreds of prominent citizens of Naharbari areas headed by retired principal Hareswar Baishya,demanded immediate action against the concerned contractor and PWD officials, including the JE,for substandard works. According to the allegation, an amount of Rs.5 lakhs were sanctioned for the repair of the Kulsipar-Tiapukhuri PWD road in the session 2006-2007. But the...
The LS election 2009 has exposed the so called alliance between congress and BPF in the 8 Mangaldai LSC. Both the parties have fielded strong candidates in the constituency creating confusion among people.Congress has fielded Madhab Rajbangshi as its candidate. Rajbangshi had been MP for two terms earlier.On the other hand BPF has fielded Dina Nath Das of Tangla as its candidate.BPF aims to attract non Bodo voters by placing Das. Interestingly BPF has been the first political party to open election offices in BTAD areas.The inauguration of the election office at Kalaigaon by BPF has enhanced the political activities in 65 Kalaigaon LAC. Inaugurating the election office at Kalaigaon on March...
Army Adventure Club, under Red Horn Division has launched a 600 km long cycle rally cum mobile medical camp on March 20 at 11 am. Commanding Officer Col. AK Borah of 65 FD Regiment flagged off the rally at Chapai Army camp. A team of 17 army cyclists headed by Lt. Shamsher K Kiran as the chief and Subedar Prem Singh as the Dy. Chief took part in the programme accompanied by a medical team,scheduled to visit Kalaigaon-Udalguri-Misamari-Harchuba-Chariduar-Thakurbari, before returning to Brigade HQ at Hatigarh on March 28. Medical Officer of the mission Capt. (Dr)Deepak Sukla of the 65 FD regiment told media persons at Kalaigaon that the aim of the adventure would be to spread the message...
On the occasion of the ‘International Women’s Day”, Agragami Mahasangha of Kalaigaon Mahila Samata Society organized a day long programme at Choudhuripara village near Kalaigaon on March 8. The lighting of holy light by veteran social worker Subarna Choudhuri marked the beginning of the day followed by hoisting of Mahila Samata flag by Bimala Deka,president of the Mahasangha.Golapi Baruah,CLRP,in her welcome speechrequested all the women living in the villages to unitedly stand against all kinds of injustice meted out to poor and helpless women living in the society. She also acknowledged the contribution of Clara Gate Clin, who had been fighting to unite all the...
As a positive step towards conservation of the deteriorating ecology, the foundation of the proposed “Eco-children Park cum botanical garden with medicinal plants and local bamboo” has been laid at Kalaigaon Sevashram on March 11. Nonagenarian freedom fighter and social worker Pani Ram Das formally laid the foundation of the proposed eco-park in presence of several dignitaries including D.N.Hazarika, Circle Officer,Harisinga Revenue Circle; Yoga Guru Hiren Sarkar of Bigyananda Yogashram, Mangaldai; social worker Kami Ram Saharia; Dr N.K.Das etc.In his welcome speech Jayanta Das, secretary of the park management committee gave details of the proposed eco-park. According to him...
Animal lovers thanked artist cum popular singer Puspa Hazarika of the village Bananguri Jakuachuba,near Kalaigaon for rescuing a Barn owl (bubo nepalensis) in his village on March 9.It has been learned from Puspa Hazarika that a village lady had seen it lying on the water  deep in a village well.Thinking it to be dead ,the woman had thrown the bird away.The owl would have been dead if not Puspa Hazarika arrived there in time.He saw that the owl was not dead and so he carried the bird to his home for nursing.All the members of his family took their turn to nurse the dying bird to regain its strength in three days and finally he handed over the 10 months old owl to D.N.Hazarika,Circle...
Situated on the remote Indo-Bhutan international border, Khalingduar RF ( Reserve Forest )under Dhansiri Forest Division, Udalguri, has always been a unique virgin beauty of nature. With an area of 7033 hectare, Khalingduar has been the abode of many rare species of flora and faunas and really deserve a berth next to none in the field of bio-diversity .Unfortunately, poor infrastructure step motherly treatment of the government the surface areas of the reserve forest have been decreasing day by day rapidly due to deforestation and human habitation to the utter displeasure of the nature lovers. The important animals which could be seen in the RF are-elephant,marble cat ( a very rare species...
People welcomed personal initiative of D.N.Hazarika, ACS, Circle Officer, Kalaigaon for launching a public library at the Kalaigaon Circle Office premise purely at his personal initiative. Showing interest for the welfare of the people and for the spread of knowledge to form good habits of book reading among people particularly among younger generation, the library was formally inaugurated on March 4 at 11 am.The library, named as the “SDC Puthibharal” (first of its kind in Darrang and Udalguri districts. At a small inaugural ceremony ,arranged on the occasion,Circle Officer said that it was a beginning to revive near forgotten reading habit among people. According to him...
The story of a widow and mother of two children, Pratima Hazarika,wife of late Haren Hazarika, who had been serving as an MR worker in the Dhansri Irrigation Office, Bhairabkunda, has revealed live examples of non utilization of public money.It has also revealed how anti social elements with direct patronage of the government officials have been cheating innocent villagers. According to the widow, an original resident of village Bagichachuba, in the district of Udalguri, she was granted an amount of Rs.10,000 as widow pension in 2008 after the death of her husband.The concerned officials did not care to inform her of the pension; rather they just wanted to eat up the amount themselves...
It is incredible but true.These people have to visit several houses daily,doing the job of carrying vaccines from PHC or state dispensaries to health sub centres,distributing medicines to infants,pregnant women,children, sick and elderly people and have to collect various datas too. It is their duty to see whether scheduled vaccination is given regularly to pregnant women and infants.They go out in the morning carrying with their familiar white medicine boxes and return home in the evening after visiting two or three villages with a population of more than a thousand. In return,believe it or not,they are paid a trival paultry lump sum salary of Rs.50 per month.They are none other than...