President Pratibha Patil takes the salute from 4 Corps, accompanied by chief minister Tarun Gogoi and army chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor and Governor Shiv Charan Mathur. Picture by Eastern Projections

A compliment that left Gogoi blushing

Lending half an ear to compliments from eager-to-please sycophants is all in a day’s work for chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

But a warm word of praise from the army chief, Gen. Deepak Kapoor, at the Tezpur-based Gajraj Corps during a function held in honour of President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday left even the seasoned politician blushing.

Gen. Kapoor hailed Gogoi for the manner in which he has managed the Unified Command structure, a three-tier security arrangement that plans and executes counter-insurgency operations in the state.

During a photo exhibition, when an officer was explaining to the President how the untiring efforts of the GOC 4 Corps had succeeded in reining in insurgents, Gen. Kapoor interrupted him to tell Patil that credit should go to the chief minister.

Gogoi, who was till then just ambling behind the President and Governor S.C. Mathur, couldn’t help but blush.

The remark assumed significance since more often than not there are reports about the state government and army pulling in different directions vis-à-vis counter-insurgency operations.

Often the Unified Command is said to be lacking in co-ordination, not knowing what its various wings are doing. While the chief minister heads the command, GOC 4 Corps heads the operations group of the command. Lt Gen. B.S. Jaswal is the incumbent GOC.

Comics communication

The wonderful world of comics is helping create awareness about the importance of cultivating mushrooms in Assam.

A unique comic poster campaign was launched recently in Sonapur by the Mushroom Development Foundation along with the Sonapur Anchalik Kathfulla Krishi Samity.

The comic strips also carry messages on how agricultural waste and paddy straw can be used for cultivation of mushroom.

Several people turned up to take a look at the cartoons.

“This will be a powerful and affordable mouthpiece from now on for the youths of Sonapur to express their opinion with a positive mindset and a better way to communicate with the community on relevant socio-economic issues,” Pranjal Baruah, general secretary of the foundation, said.

Given the interest shown by the public in the market, the foundation, along with the samity, has decided to approach the competent authority for putting up a permanent notice board at Sonapur market for the comics to be displayed every Saturday.

Baruah said the comics would help highlight social issues and can be used by all development agencies to address the community.

Guide on crawly creatures

Footnote

Next time when forest officials are on a regular patrol deep inside forests and are bitten by a snake, a 128-page guidebook in colour may come real handy.

Amphibians and Reptiles of Northeast India — A Photographic Field Guide, a booklet brought out by Mohammad Firoz Ahmed, Abhijit Das and Sushil Kumar Dutta, brings out the less explored world of amphibians and reptiles found in the region. It also clarifies a number of facts and fallacies about these creatures. The Assamese version of the field guide has now been released while the English one will be released later. The book has been published with the help of the World Bank and the Conservation Leadership Programme.

“We will be keeping a copy of the guide at all the forest camps and offices for the benefit of those keen on knowing about reptiles and for those affected by it,” Mohd Firoz Ahmed, a young herpetologist associated with an NGO working for wildlife preservation, Aaranyak, said.

Abhijit Das is also associated with Aaranyak and both these young scientists were guided by Sushil Kumar Dutta of the North Orissa University.

The guide illustrates 92 species of herpetofauna, including 25 species of amphibians, 20 species of lizards, 25 species of snakes, 21 species (all known to occur in the Northeast) of freshwater turtles and tortoises and the single crocodile species, gharial, with one or more colour photographs.

Ahmed said the Snakebite and its Management section would be beneficial for common people and may help save lives as every year a good number of people die of snakebite.