Jorhat journalist wins 2006 CNES-SETU award

New Delhi, April 1 — Sankab Kaushik Baruah, Chief Sub-Editor of the Assamese daily, Dainik Janambhoomi of Jorhat, Tinsukia and Guwahati, has been selected for the 2006 CNES-SETU National Media Award for his project on Urban Waste Management, with a specific focus on Kolkata.

The award carries a cash component of Rs. 75,000 and will need to be completed within the calendar year; the awardee is required to publish his findings in his media organization

Baruah is the first awardee from the North-east — the program began in 2005 and the awards alternate between journalists from other parts of the country and those from the North-east. Nitin Sethi of Down to Earth received the award in the inaugural year for his project on bamboo.

The Selection Committee, chaired by Sanjoy Hazarika, Managing Trustee of the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research, Pradip Phanjoubam, editor of the Imphal Free Press, and Dileep Chandan, Editor of the Asom Bani, Guwahati, came to a unanimous decision on Baruah’s application although the competition was tough among the front-runners, all of whom had excellent proposals.

The application has been given on the basis of research methodology, clarity of expression, preciseness of the project and relevance to the North-east. In this case, urban waste management failure and disorganized urban growth is one ‘of the most visible and worst areas of governance in the region, whether it in the hills or the plains.