The Dibrugarh University Tea Tribes Student Society under the guidance of the Vice Chancellor, Dibrugarh University, Professor Alak Kumar Buragohain, organized an Awareness Camp at Muttuck Tea Estate, (Lahoal) on the 2nd of October, 2016, the Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. The Assam Tea Tribes Student Association, Lahoal Branch was also associated with the organization of the progamme in the auditorium of the garden. The meeting was attended by around 300 residents comprising young students and senior of the community. The programme began with the lighting of the lamp by Dayananda Shah, Chairman S. K. S. Academy, Lahoal and Namita Nayak Assistant Teacher, Teliapatti L. P. School. About 250 person comprise of students snd local people attended the function.
Earlier, the organizers, which included around forty students and faculty members of the tea tribe studying and teaching in Dibrugarh University, participated in a Cleanliness Drive in Lahoal as part of the Swachch Bharat Mission.To commemorate the occasion various competitions like those of drawing, recitation and open quiz were also organized among school students. The Quiz was conducted by Mr. Amir Barhoi, Assistant Professor Department of Mathematics. About 50 students participated in the competitions. Mr. Barhoi also motivated the students and people by giving a short speech on education, health and hygiene. Quite a few successful candidates of the 2016 H. S. and HSLC examination were felicitated by the organizers .
The programme which was anchored by Miss. Dipawoli Kurmi, of the third semester student of the department of Anthropology, Dibrugah University included speeches by Munu Tasa of the Department of Commerce, Kumar Pan Tanti, Research assistant, Centre for Women’s Studies, Binay Munda, Assistant Professor, Moran College, Tutumoni Patnaik, Assistant Teacher, Chabua High school Girish Gowala, Member of Assam Tea Tribe Student Association and by social workers, Lakhi Prasad Karmakar and Boloram Kurmi.The speeches centered around topics related to sanitation and hygiene, education and economic self – sufficiency.
In the interaction session initiated by Haricharan Bhumij, a 3rd semester student of the department of Chemistry, Dibrugarh University various problems faced by the students of the tea community were discussed, The students and faculty from Dibrugarh University shared their personal experiences of their struggle from their homes to the highest level of education. The students and guardians were apprised of various financial schemes available for the education of tea community students. Other highlights of the programme included a street play scripted by Munu Tassa on economic self – sufficiency, performance of Jhumur by Doli Kurmi of the department of History, Dibrugarh University and Hariprasad Bhuyan from Muttuck Tea Estate. Before the conclusion of the programme a committee was formed from amongst the local residents of Muttuck Tea Estate to monitor the preparation of the candidates for the 2017 H. S. and HSLC examination and to co – ordinate on the same with the organizers.
The audience was served tea and lunch during the course of the programme, which ended with a vote of thanks proposed by Haricharan Bhumij. Mr. Bhumij in his address lauded the guidance received from the Chairperson and faculty of the Centre for Women’s Studies, Dibrugarh University towards successful organization of the programme.