Separate time zone for NE
The North-East is tired of asking for a separate time zone. Many politicians from northeast over the years have tabled the request for a separate time zone for northeast but to no avail. The centre is of the opinion that giving a separate time zone to northeast would brew separatist tendencies in the people. Russia has 9 time zones, US has 6 but we don’t see any such tendencies brewing in the minds of Russians or Americans. On the other hand China sticking to one time zone to enhance national unity has backfired many a times. In the winters when the sun sets by 4 pm in the northeast, offices and industries have to remain till 6 pm which means extra consumption of electricity. In the summers when the sun rises by 4:30 am almost 5 hours of daylight are lost by the time people go to their work. The tea gardens in Assam follows a time which is one hour ahead of the IST to put the daylight hours to better use. I urge the government to please try to understand that giving a separate time zone to northeast is not going to brew any separatist tendencies in us. It is for the greater good of the region.
Noopur Baruah, Tezpur