It is indeed heartening to find that the much negleted river transport sector is again under focus raising hope for proper utilisation of the great potential. The war with Pakistan in 1965 snapped the major mode through which 60 per cent of the cargo between the Brahmaputra valley and Calcutta and 80 per cent between Barak valley and Calcutta were being carried by the British-owned Joint Steamer Companies. Though the liberation of Bangladesh re-opened this link —— but that too in a small way. With the changed emphasis on this mode of cheap, secure and environment-friendly transport, new horizons of hope are being opened provided the governments at the Centre and in the State expedite necessary measures in this direction. Ceremonial starting of the steamer service from Karimganj or the skeleton services of the CIWTC and Assam IWT from Guwahati may be just the beginning. But this is not enough. What is needed is prompt follow-up measures. Therefore, the imperative need is to go in a big way to avail the facilities and incentives under the surface transport development package of the Government of India.

Despite stress at the policy level on promotion of inland water transport, this sector has not received the commensurate boost at the execution level. Various schemes formulated for providing the essential navigational infrastructure in the National Waterways and the other major waterways have not been able to ensure the reaching of the take-off stages. Moreover, out of the total outlay of Rs. 500 crore for the inland water transport sector in the Ninth Plan, only Rs. 87 crore have been earmarked for the Brahmaputra (National Waterway II). The other waterway of importance in the North-East, the Barak waterway, has received very little attention in spite of the fact that IWT policy committee headed by Late Bijoy Chandra Bhagawati had recommended several concrete measures in the late sixties for developing the Barak as an important navigational avenue linked by hovercrafts with upstream tributaries for cargo movement from Silchar/Karimganj to Calcutta via Bangladesh. Unfortunately no attention to this important recommendation of the IWT policy committee set up by the Government of India has been paid in subsequent decades.

If such was the fate of the recommendations of a high power committee of the Government of India, it was not unexpected that the State Government’s efforts in this direction were far from satisfactory. Rather the Plan funds spent by the State IWT directorate failed to acquire steamers, barges and other rivercrafts capable of moving freight traffics at economical rates. The economics of most of the rivercrafts acquired by the State IWT lacked viability. It was noticed that the cost of transportation in one tonne of cargo per kilometre was far from competitive. This stark reality militated against the inland water transport from which is expected to yield comparative economic advantage to the water transport mode in relation to road and railway transports. It is recognised globally that one horse power can haul 150 kg by road, 500 kg by rail and 4,000 kg by water transport. It is tragic that the immense potential for inland water transport development in the North-Eastern and Eastern regions is being neglected. Undoubtedly, the two valleys of Assam are the main sinews of water transport with areas in adjoining States also serving as rich hinterlands. There is no reason why the proper development of inland water transport cannot contribute to prosperity through low cost transportation, generation of income and employment and promotion of trade, commerce and industrial development. Now it is for the government and the private sector to rise to the occasion to utilise the opportunities through joint efforts.

The results of the High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination this year have been marked by an unsavoury controversy over the performance of the vernacular medium schools on the one hand and the English medium schools on the other. Vernacular medium students who have been trailing their counterparts in the English medium schools in occupying the honour rolls of the first twenty places over the last few years struck with a vengeance this year. Of the 32 students who were placed in the first 20 positions, as many as 25 came from vernacular medium schools. And to add salt to the injured pride of some of the elite schools in the State, some of the toppers came from interior areas like Habidongra, Amranga, Nakachari, Dhalpur, etc. The results no doubt came as a big blow to the premier English medium school Don Bosco High School of Guwahati which has over the years carved a niche for itself by securing a good number of the first 20 positions every year. Ironically not a single student from the school was able to secure any position this year though as many as 74 students from the school secured star marks (75per cent and above). The disappointment of the school authorities was evident when the headmaster of the school expressed surprise at the result and went to the extent of alleging that there was a conspiracy to keep the students of the school out of the honour rolls. This is a serious charge against the SEBA authorities as from the subsequent rebuttal circulated by SEBA officials it has been revealed that there have been differences between the Board and the school authorities since last year. These developments have raised a number of questions relating to the integrity and impartiality of the Board which need to be cleared at the earliest. The State Education Department would do well to institute a probe to clear the controversy once for all in the greater interest of education in the State.

While supporting an independent inquiry into the allegations brought against the Board by the  Headmaster of Don Bosco School, we however would not like to belittle the achievements of the students of the vernacular medium schools who topped the honour rolls this year. The much maligned vernacular medium schools have shown that with sustained efforts on the part of the school teachers a lot can be achieved. The success of Railway High School, Maligaon in putting as many as three of their students in the honour rolls speaks volumes about the school management. And the fruit of their efforts is for all to see today. A heartening development this year has been the success of the students from the remote interior areas who have been able to win the honours in the face of inherent disadvantages. Their success should serve as an inspiration to all the vernacular medium schools in the State.......