Jorhat, Aug. 5: Assam College Teachers' Association (ACTA) will publish a book on the problem of witch-hunting and possible ways to curb the menace, which has been on the rise in the past few years.

The ACTA, affiliated to All India Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations, the largest national body of college and university teachers, has over 10,000 members working in about 300 provincialised colleges of Assam.

ACTA president Khireswar Borah told The Telegraph today that the association, apart from raising all kinds of issues related to college teachers with the government and contributing to a better academic environment, also has a moral and social responsibility to contribute to resolving social problems plaguing the state.

"We (teachers' community), are an integral part of civil society and are bound to assist in tackling problems like witch-hunting, which in certain backward areas of several districts is prevalent, leading to killings of innocent people in an age where science has made giant strides," Borah, a professor at Arya College, Guwahati, said.

The ACTA president said the constitution of the organisation too says the association, apart from taking up teachers' interests, will contribute to addressing social and cultural issues of the state.

Borah said as a first step towards contributing to the efforts of the government and other NGOs in curbing superstitious beliefs, the women cell of the ACTA has undertaken an initiative to publish a book presenting a comprehensive picture of the problem.

He said the book would also suggest possible ways to tackle the problem in a holistic manner, keeping in mind that people under the influence of falsehood commit serious crimes.

Borah said the association has also given its views on the draft bill to tackle witch-hunting being prepared by the government and is likely to be introduced in the Assembly soon.

He said ACTA women cell vice-president Minuara Begum, who is an assistant professor (botany) at D.K.D. College, Dergaon (Golaghat district), has been entrusted with the task of editing the book.

Begum told this correspondent that the book will be published in both English and Assamese and copies will be sold to libraries of educational institutes and other organisations working to curb the menace.

She said the book would have articles by people from different fields working on the ground like, police, lawyers, social activists, doctors (psychiatrists) and NGOs to root out the menace.

The prevailing situation, experiences of people who have faced such issues, hurdles faced by them in tackling it and possible ways that could prevent the happenings will be included.

Mission Birubala, a crusade against the menace by Birubala Rabha, a lady who has been spearheading the campaign in Assam, will be elaborately covered in the book. The copy of the draft bill too will be included, the ACTA women cell vice-president said.

"The book could be a material for research and reference on the subject for any person, from Assam or outside, interested in carrying out an in-depth study or research," Begum said.

She said the book would be released at a conference of the association, scheduled at Nalbari College on September 30.