The students of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati are all set to launch a campaign for a new time zone for the Northeast.
Several studies have endorsed the proposal of separate time zone for the region over the years.
According to these studies, separate time zones can enhance productivity and efficiency of many industrial and non –industrial processes and also help in conservation of electricity.
According to a report in TOI, Vinit Yadav, a student of IIT Guwahati was quoted as saying that during the winter months, the sun sets in the northeast by 4 pm.
He also said that every day, a common person in the northeast is losing approximately one hour of daylight and on an average, two years of his life get wasted.
He further added that an improper time zone can affect productivity of people and also lead to increase electricity usage due to late working office hours.
Yadav said that a different time zone for the northeast can save electricity and also improve efficiency of work.
The student of IIT feels that this demand is being neglected by the central government due to fear of social and political division of the northeast from the rest of the country.
The issue of a separate time zone for the northeast is one of the main issues that will be discussed during TEDx, an event of the institute on February 10.
TEDx is an event where innovative ideas are discussed among eminent people.
The organizers of TEDx have invited renowned writer and journalist Arup Kumar Dutta for discussion on the subject of the separate time zone for the northeast.
The whole country presently follows Indian Standard Time (IST).