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

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Salute to saint Shankardev

23 Sep 2015 - 10:10am | AT News
Assam observes the 567th birth anniversary of the saint Sankardev with much traditional fervor across the state on Wednesday. Series of seminars, cultural and religious programmes are lined up on the...

Crushed the spine of NDFB-S!

19 Jul 2015 - 5:31pm | Hantigiri Narzary
BTAD police claimed to have crushed the spine of NDFB-S during the intensified operation. “NDFB-S is not in a strong position to rear its ugly head,” said Kokrajhar SP Sunil Kumar.Addressing the...

AASU -NSUI clash : several injured

12 Aug 2008 - 1:19pm | Dibya J Borthakur
Several persons were severely injured when a clash between AASU and NSUI members reached its top position on August 11 at Jaluguti in Morigaon district. According to the information, the local AASU...

Centre seeks report

6 Jun 2014 - 10:44pm | AT News
The Centre writes to the Assam government seeking a report on the killing on Nityananda Goswami in Karbi Anglong on Friday. According to information, home ministry’s joint secretary Sambhu Singh...

Other Contents by Author

Elephants on the Line, a programme organized last year to mitigate man-elephant conflict in the villages bordering India-Bhutan launched in association with Udalguri administration and Dhansiri Forest Division, Udalguri since last six months. The programme was sponsored by North Carolina State University, USA and USFWS. EOL recently organized three village level awareness and demonstration workshops in three remote villages namely- Gitibari, Ganeshghat and Santipur in Udalguri district bordering Bhutan on March 21. “Elephants on the Line” team comprising Dr.KK Sarma,HOD,College of Vety Science, Khanapara, Guwahati; Environmental journalist Mubina Akhtar (who is also the Hony. Advisor of...
Ranga Lal Sinha, ACS, Senior BDO of Kalaigaon Block and Gopi Nath Saikia Accountant of the Block was arrested by Kalaigaon police (Kalaigaon PS Case No. 31/2015/US/120 B/420/406/409/34 IPC) yesterday night on March 13 for gross annomalies in IAY (Indira Avash Yojana ) in the block.Both of the block officials had been forwarded to judicial custody at Udalguri court on March 14.As per information received last the court has remanded them to four days police custody for more investigation. SP Udalguri told Assam Times  that more arrest could be made during investigation. 
People of Assam had witnessed enough agitations since Assam movement.It's time SAKP take different action plan for implementing its long pending demands.Thus said  Nagen Das,Secretary, Sadou Asom Karmachari Parishad (SAKP ) at Kalaigaon on January 31. He was addressing the concluding day's open session of 12th annual session of Udalguri District SAKP and first bi-annual session of SAKP Kalaigaon anchalik committee. He requested all including media people to expose good works of a few honest official and employees as example to all.The two day's session was held at Kalaigaon HS School premises on January 30 and 31. Pratap Bhatta hoised SAKP flag on January 30 at 9 am followed by...
The 66th Republic Day was celebrated at Kalaigaon with gaiety. At Kalaigaon, Dina Moni Das,Circle Officer,Kalaigaon Revenue Circle hoisted the national tricolour at Gandhi Bakori field at 9 am. Kalaigaon police headed by Inspector M.Ahmed offered salute to the tricolour while students of Kalaigaon Girls High School performed singing of the national anthem to the tune of unfurling of the national flag. Speaking on the occasion Circle Officer Das proudly recalled supreme sacrifices of thousands of known and unknown great patriots of India for whom independence was achieved.He pleaded all to be united and work hard for peace among various communities. Spectacular cultural events were arranged...
It is really a happy news to find that all nine wushu players of Udalguri District Students’ Olympic Association representing India from Assam in the first South Asian Students’ Olympic Games 2014-15 held from January 15 to January 16 last at National Sports Council at Kathmandu in Nepal bagged eight gold and one bronze medal to their credit. When the jubilant wushu players with their medals and certificates arrived at Udalguri town yesterday, the Udalguri district Students’ Olympic Association and sports lovers greeted them at the Udalguri railway station. Students from seven countries of South Asia participated in the first ever Students Olympic organized at South Asia level at Kathmandu...
In a major development after the 23 December 14 carnage in the BTAD areas of Assam,massive operations were launched by Army under Red Horns Division in the Udalguri District. The consistent and grueling operations carried out by the Army has finally produced result. Based on a specific intelligence, a joint operation was launched by Army Unit of Red Horns Division stationed at Udalguri, Police and NIA, along the forested area of Assam Arunachal border which resulted in the capture of dreaded terrorist, Bikunas Narzary alias Birlangbai with another four hardcore terrorists namely Bidai Singh Narzary alias Bugdaw , Lohit Basumatry alias B Ferkw, N Araibaw alias Aijak Narzary and Dura Singh...
The birth anniversary of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was celebrated at MVM Mangaldai recently on January 12 with gaiety. The day was celebrated along with annual school day.Several distinguished people attended the ceremony including USA based scientists and son of Darrang Dr.Atul Sarma.Speaking as the guest of honour of the day, the former ISO (International Standard Organization ) chirman Dr.Sarma recalled his past days here in Assam when he had been working as a chemistry teacher in Cotton college Guwahati fifty years back. According to him scientists are not really big or different people but like a good student. He said that the present day world is full of unrest and never looked good.”...
The 40th session of All Bodo Students Union Udalguri district committee has concluded at Udalguri on January 7. Pramod Boro, president of ABSU Assam attended the session as the chief guest on the occasion. On the occasion he said,“Terrorism has no room in civilized human society. The terrorists activities cannot be termed a of the three day annual conference of Udalguri district committee of the premiere students’.The open session was held on the concluding day on January 7 at KBR playground in the heart of Udalguri. He also said “There were instances of terrorism in various parts of the globe which proved futile in the long run “. Hammering on the December 23 inhuman killing of innocent...
The third biennial conference of Kalaigaon anchalik Sarania Kachari Students' Union and second biennial conference of Kalaigaon anchalik Sarania Kachari Democratic Woman Front have concluded at Kalaigaon on January 4 with two days programme.The joint conference was formally opened by Dandi Kumar Boro, president, receiption committee at 8 am on January 3 followed by other programmes including delegates session. Hoisting of flags by Bhabani Sarania and Minati Sarania marked the beginning of concluding days programme at 8 am on January 4. A grand colourful cultural rally was inaugurated by MU Ahmed,Officer In-Charge,Kalaigaon police station at 10 am.The open session was held at 1 pm which was...
One person injured seriously yesterday when a group of NDFB(S) sprayed bullets targeting the villagers at Lambari Santhalgaon under Mazbat PS in Udalguri district at about 1 pm. According to reliable sources, one Bishnu Saura(55) sustained two bullet injuries when the ultra group opned indiscriminate fire in the village in the broad daylight. The injured was reported to have been sent to the GMCH for better treatment.Meanwhile, Adivasi villagers, tea gardeners came out in large number to protest the inhuman killings of villagers in Kokrajhar and Sonitpur district. 62 houses of Adarsha Bahadur gaon and six shops in Naharbari village, all the market sheds in Goshenpur village and a good...