Image: Indiatimes
Demand for separate time zone for North-eastern region of India is being raised by several politicians including Congress leader, Shashi Tharoor for years. Now, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, chemicals and fertilizer, Ananth Kumar too has realized the need and said that the demand should be taken with ‘utmost seriousness.’
Kumar has responded to Biju Janata Dal leader, Bhartruhari Mahtab’s request for a separate time zone calling it a “good recommendation.” Mahtab has racked up the matter once again saying, “need change in time zones to allow daylight savings. North East has sunrise at 4 AM. 2.7bn units electricity saved.” On this, Kumar said, it is a “good recommendation. We will take suggestion for #timezone change with utmost seriousness.”
This demand is present for years. Recently, a Change.org petition asking the Prime Minister to notify a separate time zone was doing the rounds. The petition started by Angellica Aribam, National General Secretary of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) comes after the Guwahati High Court’s dismissal of a PIL with the same demand.
Read more: Petition for a separate time zone for the North East region gains support
In the past, the demand was also put forth by a collective of MPs hailing from the region from across political parties. The petition has been supported by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who tweeted, “India is too vast land to have a single time zone”.
Click here to sign the petition.