GUWAHATI, March 15 � The main pillar of an institute meant for imparting training to those, who have been rendered disabled by fluorosis in this part of the country, was installed at a function at Kampur Tetelisora in Nagaon district today.
The building of the institute is expected to be complete shortly and a management committee comprising the representatives of an NGO Jnan Bikash Society and local people will run it. The institute is aimed at imparting training to the disabled youths in setting up and running micro-industrial ventures like the agarbatti manufacturing units, wax candle stick manufacturing units and handloom and textile units.
The institute will also have its own production unit to absorb some of the trainees and also to make it self-sustaining. Initially, 20 youths would be trained up and the production unit of the institute will have an absorption capacity of fifty, said Dharani Saikia, advisor of the management committee.
The management committee is headed by Dinesh Bora as its president and Reba Prasad Sarma as its secretary. Noted educationist Sabharam Majumdar has been appointed its principal.
The function at which the main pillar of the institute was installed was addressed by noted public health engineer AB Paul, the man who initiated the drives to detect fluoride and arsenic contamination of the State�s groundwater and is engaged now in a State-wide campaign to provide safe drinking water to the people.
The function was attended by several leading social workers of Nagaon district, including Jitu Goswami, Suresh Bora, Prahlad Bhuyan and Shanta Agarwalla, among others, said Saikia.