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

NHRC takes up rights violation allegations

29 May 2012 - 3:39am | editor
The national human rights Commission on Monday asked the State Government to identify the child victims without any further delay and give financial assistance to them and sent compliance report...

Mass Rally at Haflong

16 Jul 2010 - 1:57am | Anup Biswas
With the demands like, bifurcation of NC Hills district under the provision of 3(C) of Art. 244 (2)...

Dibrugarh: ULFAmen killed in encounter

8 Apr 2013 - 10:23am | AT News
Two hardcore ULFA militants were killed at an encounter with security forces hours after the outfit observed its foundation day.The fierce gun battle took place at an open paddy field  in...

DC reviews Pashighat power scenario

24 Sep 2015 - 8:17pm | AT News Itanagar
East Siang Deputy Commissioner Isha Khosla reviewed power scenario in Pasighat and its adjoining areas on Wednesday. He further reviewed the status of the ongoing construction works of 132 KV tower...

Other Contents by Author

Large scale human encroachment of the age old elephant corridors of Udalguri district of Assam has posed serious threat to ecology of the district as well as the state. Unabated felling of trees and destruction of the green cover have compelled wild elephants to roam in the near by villages, once belonged to them. A visit to India-Bhutan international border would reveal this horrific truth of forest destruction. All the PRF (Proposed Reserve Forests ) namely- Neewly, Kundarbi and Bhairabkunda etc have been encroached by various people and organisations. Even 450 bighas of forest land had been allotted to one Brahmo Sewashram on Neewly hills near Bhutan ,for commercial use. (Actually the...
“Man-elephant conflict” has taken a serious turn in Udalguri district in last two months causing deaths of five wild elephants and six human beings.A high level discussion was held at Deputy Commissioner's Conference Hall at Udalguri on September 2 to find out solutions to mitigate the conflict.The meeting was organized by Bankim Sarma,DFO,Dhansiri Forest Division,in association with Udalguri district administration. Thaneswar Malakar,Deputy Commissioner ,Udalguri presided over the discussion which was attended by Mitha Ram Basumatari and Santias Kunjur, both BTC EM;Debojit Deuri,SP,Udalguri;MP Sarma,PD,DRDA,Udalguri;Pradip Kumar Daimari,MCLA, BTC; Dr.Anupam Sarma and Hitesh...
Sensation prevailed at Kahibari under Udalguri PS yesterday night on August 28 at about 2.40 am in front of the residence of Rihon Daimari, former PHE minister of Assam and presently, MLA of Udalguri LAC when unidentified miscreants shot at Bhaben Kalita, a security guard at the security box from out side.However, the security guard escaped unhurt but the incident created fear psychosis in the area. Meanwhile, an FIR has been lodged at the Udalguri Police Station but no one has been apprehended till the filing of this report. Rihon Daimari, MLA of Udalguri condemned the attempt of attack and demanded early apprehension of the culprit behind the scene.Talking to media persons...
The Udalguri police has taken up an exceptional step to counter extremist threats by boosting morale of the effected people in the district. Such a villagers meet was arranged at Bongaon Hirapara village,under Kalaigaon police station (in Bhergaon Subdivision) in the night of August 24 last.Although situated just 7 KM away from Kalaigaon police station,the people of this village had been living under constant extremist threat for several years since 1998.In another recent incident, three unknown boys had come to this village in July this year. Identifying themselves as the NDFB cadre,they ordered the villagers to pay them an amount of rupees one lakh twenty thousand within three days....
Following millions of students and youths of the country,the school students of Tangla organized a huge rally at Tangla on August 19 offering full support to Anna's fast against corruption.Students of Arunodoi Academy,Tangla took all the initiative to organise the rally where students of other schools of Tangla namely- Tangla English Medium High School; Assam Academy;Adarsha Viddyapith, Tangla; Don Bosco,Tangla;Jnyanjyoti Academy, Sankardev Sishu Vidya Niketan Tangla; Jatiya Vidhyalaya Tangla etc.took part.The rally started from Tangla HS School at 10 AM.More than thousand students along with teachers marched through various roads of Tangla town shouting various slogans and holding...
The National Democratic Front of Boroland(Progressive)in a press release issued today here at Udalguri reacted to a news item published in a news paper which stated that the outfit (pro-talk) faction has already surrendered and said that the news item was ‘false and baseless.’The press release of the pro talk faction of the NDFB issued by S. Sanjarang, information nad publicity secretary of the outfit clarified by saying that the outfit signed the suspension of operation way back on January 6 in 2009 to hold talks within the framework of the Constitution of India and the political dialogue too is going on smoothly. The outfit has not surrendered but signed the ceasefire...
The 65th I- Day was celebrated at the Parade Ground of DC’s Office, Udalguri.The Deputy Commissioner, Udalguri, Thaneswar Malakar, as the Chief Guest of the function offered floral tribute to the Father of the Nation “Mahatma Gandhi” at Gandhi Smriti and then he proceeded to the main dais to inspect the guard of honour at 9.00 AM and hoisted the Tri-colour in presence of the around 14,000 people.23rd Bn. SSB, Bhairabkunda, District Executive Force, Assam Home Guard, various Scouts...
At Bhergaon: The 65th I-Day has been celebrated at various places in Bhergaon subdivision with gaiety. At sub-divisional HQ Bhergaon, Pranjal Das,SDO,Civil,Bhergaon accompanied by TR Pegu, SDPO,Bhergaon hoisted the tricolour in presence of nearly ten thousand people,which has been a record so far. Both of them inspected a guard of honour before hoisting the national flag.18 contingents of student,police,NCC,ABSU etc took part in the march paste event. Awards were given to a few people for their outstanding performance in various fields. Spectacular cultural and sports events were also arranged to much delight of ten thousand strong public gathering. Lwmsrao Daimari,EM,BTC and a few other...
National Children's Science Congress (NCSC) Udalguri district committee has organized a unique programme for students titled “Your voice against superstition” at the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner's office,Udalguri at 10 AM on August 11. The programme was sponsored by Udalguri district administration. More than 100 students from 30 schools of different places of the district namely -Kalaigaon ,Khoirabari, Bhergaon, Suklai,Tangla, Udalguri,Rowta,Orang and Mazbat took part in the programme to discuss topics like witch hunting, dog and snake bite,destruction of forests, health and hygiene etc.Top level civil. police, forest, army,health officials of the district hold...
The recent killing of a forty years old female wild elephant and death of two people by wild elephants near Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary have been mourned in Bhergaon sub-division. According to information,the 40 years old female wild elephant was found dead at No.1 Rajagarh village near Bornadi WLS on the morning of August 8. The dead body was found just 40 meters away from the boundary line of the WLS. According to villagers they had seen a weak and slow moving wild elephant the previous night near the WLS. Satya Boro,Range Officer,Bornadi WLS; Haladhar Kalita,Range Officer,Khalingduar Reserve Forest and police officials of Dimakuchi police station visited the spot on the morning of...