GUWAHATI, March 21 � State Chief Secretary Naba Kumar Das formally�released a book titled River Brahmaputra in the Culture and Vision of Assam,�and the official website of the Directorate of Archaeology, Assam, at a meeting held at the Kanaklal Barua auditorium, today. The programme was jointly organized by the Directorate of Archaeology, Assam, and the Cultural Affairs Department.
Das, after releasing the book and launching the website, said the book would widen the knowledge of the present generation about numerous facets of the Brahmaputra and inspire them towards proper utilization and management of water resources.
The meeting was chaired by�Dr Jogendra Nath Phukan, former Head of the Department of History, Gauhati University.�In his speech Dr Phukan urged the Government to form a Heritage Authority/Commission/Committee for identifying the places of archaeological importance and for protection of those sites from encroachments or other similar threats. He also appealed to the Government to do the needful to train up tourist guides, which would not only generate employment but would also boost tourism in the State.�
Dr Hemendra Nath Dutta, Director of Archaeology, Assam, explained the objectives of the meeting. Dr Mohammad Taher, former Head of the geography department, GU, dwelt at length on the origin of the Brahmaputra, its influence on the socio-cultural, religious, linguistic and literary ethos of the�people of the region.�
The book is�a compilation of research papers on the Brahmaputra in an inter-disciplinary order, which were submitted at a national seminar organised by the Directorate of Archaeology, in�support of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manab Sangrahalaya, Bhopal. The publication�has been edited by Dr Dutta and�Dr Sujit Som, former Director-in-Charge of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manab Sangrahalaya, Bhopal.
The website, � www.assamarchaeology.com � would cover the archaeological heritage and archaeological aspects of protection of the nationally protected monuments in Assam.
