PLEDGE TO WEED OUT SOCIAL ILLS

Students Declare War on Bandh, Drugs, Ragging & Private Tuition

Students of Guwahati's 10 leading colleges today resolved to put up a
joint fight against bandh culture, ragging, private tuition and drug abuse.

A resolution to this effect was taken at a meeting organised by the
Assam unit of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) at
Sudmerson Hall of Cotton College this afternoon.

The NSUI, the students' wing of the Congress, also felicitated the
office-bearers of the students' unions of the colleges.

"Besides felicitating the students' representatives, the NSUI
organised a discussion on the four relevant issues. The participants
exchanged views on the adverse effect of the ills plaguing society.
At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the 10 colleges
agreed to adopt a resolution," the president of the state unit of the
NSUI, Bibhuti Bhusan Borthakur, said.

"Students affected by bandhs, ragging, private tuition and addiction
to drugs must unite to fight the social malaise."

The representatives resolved to organise a series of awareness
campaigns and meetings in their colleges from next month on the
issues, particularly the bandh culture and drug addiction.

There will be interaction sessions between teachers and students to
check private tuition.

Efforts will be made to strengthen anti-ragging cells and committees
of the colleges to prevent incidents of ragging. The meeting adopted
a resolution to constitute a co-ordination committee by the NSUI to
keep in touch with the colleges for effective implementation of the
initiatives planned to solve the problems.

"It is high time the student community raises its voice against the
bandh culture. There are so many organisations which call bandhs at
the drop of a hat," the vice-president of the Cotton College Union
Society, Munin Bora, said.

"Students are the worst-affected by the bandh culture. We also have
to fight against drug addiction. Many students are ruining their
brilliant careers after taking to drugs. The NSUI deserves praise for
uniting different colleges to fight against the problems," Bora said.

Drug abuse has not only compounded the problem of AIDS but also taken
a heavy toll on the physical and mental health of the youths.

Students' representatives from Cotton College, B. Borooah College,
J.B. Law College, Handique Girls' College, Pandu College, Pragjyotish
College, Guwahati College, Dispur College, Lalit Chandra Bharali
College and College of Veterinary Science attended today's meeting.