REGIONAL

GUWAHATI, SEP 10: The first edition of the Guwahati International Marathon will be held on February 7, 2027, with around 12,000 participants from across the country and abroad expected to take part in various race categories, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday. The marathon will be organised by former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar’s Professional Management Group (PMG), while the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) will be its state sponsor, Sarma announced at a press conference here. Badminton player PV Sindhu will be the brand ambassador of the marathon to promote fitness, sporting excellence and youth engagement, he said. The event will offer a total prize money of Rs 1.25 crore, Sarma said. “The marathon will reinforce the event’s potential as a major platform for sports tourism, with the prize money expected to create considerable interest among athletes, professional runners, running clubs and fitness enthusiasts from across the country and abroad,” he said. The inaugural event will feature several race categories, including the flagship 42.195-km full marathon for professional and seasoned long-distance runners, which will carry the highest prize money. The other categories include a 10-km race for competitive runners and fitness enthusiasts, a 5-km run aimed at families, corporate groups and youth, and a 1.5-km community run to encourage participation from people of different ages and backgrounds, the chief minister said. Online registration for the event will begin on Friday on the marathon’s official website, where all event details will be available. Sarma said the marathon will be flagged off from the Judges’ Field, with the route going to Gauhati University via the Kumar Bhaskar Varman Bridge to IIT Guwahati and returning via the bridge to the starting point. ”The route is intended to combine the sporting challenges of long-distance running with the visual and cultural character of Guwahati. It will also give the runners an opportunity to experience the city’s urban character and landscape,” he said. The CM said Gavaskar had met him recently and proposed holding the first international marathon in Guwahati and ”we welcomed the idea wholeheartedly”. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI, SEP 10: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Guwahati has initiated the cardiac surgery programme with two successful open-heart operations in a single day. The institute performed open-heart surgeries on a seven-year-old child and a 47-year-old woman from Assam, both suffering from congenital heart defects involving a hole in the heart, according to an official release on Thursday. The surgeries were successfully conducted on September 8 under the leadership of Professor Colonel Dr Ashok Puranik, Executive Director of AIIMS. “This landmark initiative was made possible through the collective efforts of the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery under the leadership of Prof Vineet Mahajan,” the release said. “Both patients were provided treatment under the AIIMS initiative supporting the establishment of the Cardiac Surgery Programme. The surgeries were performed using a heart-lung machine (also known as a cardiopulmonary bypass machine) that temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs during open-heart surgery,” it said. The commencement of the Cardiac Surgery Programme marks another significant milestone in the development of AIIMS Guwahati. It will benefit the people of the Northeast and adjoining states, providing advanced cardiac surgical care closer to home and reducing the need for patients to travel to distant centres for treatment. “In the near future, the institute plans to further expand the programme to include coronary artery bypass surgery and other advanced cardiac surgical procedures, thereby strengthening its comprehensive cardiac care services,” said the release. (Source: PTI)  

NALBARI, SEP 10: Leading food and beverage maker PepsiCo India on Thursday opened its first food factory in Assam, set up with an investment of Rs 778 crore in Nalbari district. Inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the unit is spread across 44.2 acres and has created 700 direct and indirect employment opportunities. “The inauguration of PepsiCo India’s food manufacturing facility in Nalbari is another important milestone in Assam’s industrial growth story. This investment underscores the confidence that leading global companies have in Assam’s business-friendly policies, infrastructure development and skilled workforce,” Sarma said. Beyond generating employment and economic activity, the project will strengthen the state’s agricultural ecosystem and create new opportunities for farmers, women and local enterprises, he added. PepsiCo India & South Asia CEO Jagrut Kotecha said that with an investment of Rs 778 crore, the facility is the company’s first food plant in Assam and fifth such unit in India. “Through this investment, we are strengthening our manufacturing footprint while creating a positive ripple effect across the value chain, from farmers and local businesses to women, young talent and communities,” he said. Kotecha further said that the inauguration of the Nalbari facility marks a significant milestone in PepsiCo India’s growth journey and reinforces its long-term commitment to the country’s development story. “Assam’s strong agricultural foundation, evolving infrastructure and growing economic importance make it a natural choice for our next phase of expansion. We are grateful to the Government of Assam for its partnership, enabling this landmark milestone,” he added. The Nalbari facility forms part of the company’s Rs 5,700 crore investment commitment through 2030, and it focuses on strengthening manufacturing capabilities, enhancing supply chain resilience, and advancing sustainable growth in one of the company’s key markets, an official said. “The facility has created around 700 direct and indirect employment opportunities while generating prospects across MSMEs, logistics, warehousing, packaging and ancillary industries,” he added. As part of its commitment to inclusion, PepsiCo India aims to build a workforce with over 75 per cent women representation, the official stressed. The facility will manufacture ‘Lay’s’ and ‘Uncle Chipps’ while supporting the expansion of PepsiCo India’s foods manufacturing network across Northeast and West Bengal. Another official said that the Nalbari facility will help strengthen Assam’s agricultural ecosystem by enabling the sourcing of chip grade potatoes benefiting more than 5,000 farmers through sustainable farming practices and creating demand for around 60,000 tonnes of cold storage capacity. “PepsiCo India currently works with more than 600 farmers in Assam and continues to expand its collaborative farming footprint through support in seeds, agronomy, technology, training and market access,” he said. (Source: PTI)    

SHILLONG, SEP 9: NESO on Wednesday condemned the killing of 54-year-old Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh in Southeast Delhi and demanded a swift and impartial probe into the incident. Singh was beaten to death by a group of delivery workers and dhaba staff when he objected to their shouting and drinking alcohol outside his Kilokari village apartment early Monday. North Eastern Students’ Organisation (NESO) chairman Samuel B Jyrwa said the incident was deeply disturbing and demanded that all those responsible be brought to justice. “It is deeply disturbing that a person can lose his life merely for raising an objection to disturbance outside his own home. We demand a transparent and impartial investigation and exemplary punishment for every person found responsible,” Jyrwa said in a statement here. He said the killing cannot be viewed in isolation from the continuing harassment, racial discrimination, stereotyping, intimidation and violence faced by people from the Northeast in different parts of mainland India. “For years, Northeastern citizens living, studying and working outside the region have repeatedly reported being subjected to racial slurs, verbal abuse, physical attacks, social discrimination and other forms of humiliation because of their appearance, identity and place of origin,” Jyrwa alleged. Jyrwa called upon the authorities to treat the matter with the utmost seriousness and urgency and ensure that no person responsible for the crime is allowed to evade accountability. “The law must be applied firmly and equally, irrespective of the identity or background of the perpetrators,” he said. NESO also urged the government and law-enforcement agencies to address the broader problem of racial discrimination and violence against people from the Northeast by strengthening preventive measures, effective enforcement of the law, sensitisation of police and public institutions, and mechanisms to ensure their safety and dignity. “The loss of Chongtham Vikram Singh is not merely a personal tragedy for his family and loved ones, but a matter of deep concern for the entire Northeastern community,” Jyrwa said. NESO expressed solidarity with the bereaved family and the people of Manipur and demanded justice for Singh and accountability for every person responsible for his death. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI, SEP 9: The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government to pay Rs 2 lakh as interim compensation to the husband of Nagaon resident Mumtaz Begum, who was declared a non-citizen by a foreigners tribunal and pushed into Bangladesh without informing her family about her expulsion. A division bench of Justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Susmita Phukan Khaund, in its September 3 order, impleaded the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) as a respondent to a petition by the woman’s husband, Mujammel Hoque, to facilitate her repatriation. It cited a Supreme Court judgment to say that Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees protection of life and personal liberty not only to citizens but also to non-citizens. The bench observed that the woman was prevented from exhausting her right to move this court by way of a writ petition to challenge the Foreigners Tribunal’s May 30 opinion about her citizenship. Mumtaz Begum was declared a foreigner on June 6, 2019, by a foreigners tribunal in a case registered in 2015. These tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies that decide the citizenship status of people living in Assam who are suspected to be foreigners. According to protocol, after tribunals reach a decision about the citizenship status of these people, they are sent back to the country of their origin after due process by the MEA, provided they do not move the Gauhati High Court. Around 100 foreigners tribunals are functioning in Assam. Mumtaz Begum had moved the high court, which on April 20 this year set aside the tribunal’s opinion for not discussing evidence and directed her to appear before the tribunal on or before May 30. According to Mujammel Hoque’s petition, Mumtaz Begum appeared before the foreigners tribunal on May 30 along with her counsel and placed the high court order before it. The petitioner claimed that after her counsel left, personnel from the Juria police station arrested her. She was kept at Juria police station and then at the Nagaon Sadar police station, before being shifted to a transit camp at Matia in Goalpara on May 31 and subsequently to a holding centre at Eraligool in Sribhumi district, Hoque said in his plea, seeking that his wife be produced before the court to examine whether that detention is lawful. He told the court that his wife was handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) on June 13. According to the high court’s September 3 order, the BSF affidavit stated that she was “sent back to Bangladesh on June 14, 2026”, around 10 minutes past midnight in the area of Kalaincherra in Cachar. The high court bench held that the authorities failed to serve a copy of the May 30 opinion or inform the woman’s family members about her arrest and expulsion, depriving Mumtaz Begum of the right to assail it. “As the detenue has been expelled out of India without providing any information to the petitioner or any adult family member of the detention of the detenue, as an interim palliative measure, the court is inclined to direct the Government of Assam to pay an interim compensation of Rs 2,00,000 to the petitioner,” it said. This compensation, to be paid within 60 days of receipt of the order, shall be in addition to the right of the petitioner to seek compensation before the civil court, the high court said. The bench also said it was necessary to implead MEA in the case to locate the woman in Bangladesh, bring her back and “give her an opportunity to exhaust her remedy… to approach this Court to assail the impugned opinion by filing a writ petition, if so advised”. It also noted “a case of malice in law” against the member of the Foreigners Tribunal at Nagaon’s Juria for “deliberately and wilfully” delaying issuance of the certified copy of its opinion, which was applied for on June 2 and delivered only on June 5, by which time Mumtaz Begum had already been sent to Bangladesh. The high court directed the Home and Political Department of the Assam government to find out the exact date and time when the May 30 opinion was made ready in the Foreigners Tribunal. It has listed the matter on September 24 for the next hearing. As interim measures, it has directed the superintendent of police (Border) of every district to inform a declared foreign national about the foreigners tribunal opinion and provide a copy before taking him into custody, and inform adult family members before shifting him outside jurisdiction. PTI                

GUWAHATI, SEP 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the voice of eminent singer-composer Bhupen Hazarika carried the soul of Assam and the spirit of the Northeast to the entire nation. The Prime Minister, in a tribute to Hazarika on his birth centenary, said that his songs brought people closer. ”On his 100th birth anniversary, remembering the legendary Dr Bhupen Hazarika Ji. His voice carried the soul of Assam and the spirit of the Northeast to the entire nation,” Modi said in a post on X. ”Through his music, he beautifully gave expression to the thoughts and spirit of countless people. His songs brought people closer,” he said. The PM said he recalled attending the start of his birth centenary celebrations in Guwahati last year. “Bhupen Da’s life and work will continue to inspire generations,” he added. In reply to the Prime Minister’s post, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, ‘A fitting tribute to the Bard of the Brahmaputra on his birth centenary by Adarniya @narendramodi ji.” The PM launched the year-long commemorations last September, inspiring celebrations of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s extraordinary life and timeless legacy across the country, Sarma added. Sarma said that he was grateful for the PM’s personal guidance and participation, and look forward to his presence at the concluding programme in New Delhi later this year. (Source: PTI)    

SHILLONG, SEPT 8: The standoff between taxi associations of Meghalaya and Assam following the August 19 violence ended Tuesday, with both states agreeing to ensure hassle-free movement of tourist vehicles and address concerns over parking, toilet facilities and police checks, officials said. The agreement was reached at a joint meeting in Shillong attended by seven tourist taxi associations from Assam and five from Meghalaya, they said. The meeting was jointly chaired by Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar and Assam minister Atul Bora. Dhar said the meeting, initially chaired by the transport commissioners of the two states, was positive and all genuine issues raised by the associations had been accepted. “The associations from Meghalaya requested parking space at the airport and toilet facilities. The government of Assam has accepted and will do the needful,” Dhar said. He said both governments have also directed the police of the two states to work together to prevent harassment during checking. “Both associations have committed to work together from now onwards. If any minor lapses remain, they will be resolved within a few days,” he said. Dhar said a sub-committee headed by the transport Commissioners of both states would meet as and when required to address any future problems. Recalling the sequence of events, Bora said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had asked him to immediately take up the matter with Meghalaya after the August 19 violence. “On August 22, we had a meeting in Guwahati and adopted resolutions. I met the protesters, and they immediately withdrew the protest,” Bora said. He said the follow-up meeting on Tuesday was held at the request of Meghalaya associations and the situation was now normal. “The associations are more or less happy. We are working on the resolutions adopted on August 23. Now the situation is normal,” he said. (Source: PTI)    

CHUMOUKEDIMA, SEP 8: Governor Nand Kishore Yadav on Tuesday urged to turn “Made in Nagaland” into a platform for jobs, entrepreneurship and wider markets for local products. Speaking at the inauguration of the Made in Nagaland Centre in Chumoukedima, he said the initiative could help transform the state’s indigenous crafts, textiles, agricultural products, food traditions and artistic expressions into sustainable sources of livelihood. The governor said the first one-stop Made in Nagaland platform, launched in 2018 with 81 entrepreneurs, had grown to around 350 entrepreneurs and 600 products from across Nagaland. He stressed the need to support youth, women, MSMEs and rural communities with skills, finance, mentoring, technology, branding, packaging, digital marketing and market access. Young people, he said, should be encouraged not only to seek employment but also to become job creators. Yadav also called for greater focus on quality control, standardisation, packaging, branding, supply chains and digital commerce, saying the “Made in Nagaland” label should stand for authenticity, quality, innovation, sustainability and trust. He said Chumoukedima’s location as a gateway to Nagaland and its proximity to Dimapur made it well placed to showcase the state’s entrepreneurial potential. The Made in Nagaland centre, he said, should serve as a link between local producers and wider markets and between traditional skills and contemporary enterprise. The governor called for collaboration among government departments, financial institutions, educational institutions, private enterprises, civil society and YouthNet. He said the initiative’s success should be measured by sustainable enterprises and livelihoods created, women empowered, traditional skills preserved and local products reaching markets beyond Nagaland. Advisor for Industries and Commerce and YouthNet founder, MLA, Hekani Jakhalu said YouthNet was established in 2006 to encourage youth to pursue entrepreneurship and create employment rather than depend solely on government jobs. Jakhalu said the first Made in Nagaland Centre was launched in Kohima in 2018, while the Chumoukedima centre was the third. She said YouthNet was working to create the right ecosystem for local entrepreneurs, including support for infrastructure, branding, packaging and access to finance. She said financial assistance was being facilitated through the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) Scheme implemented by the Department of Industries and Commerce. Strengthening local businesses, she added, would contribute to the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Advisor to the Chief Minister and Chairman of IDAN, Abu Metha, congratulated YouthNet for creating employment opportunities and connecting local producers with markets. Metha said YouthNet had emerged as an ambassador of the aspirations of Nagaland’s people and was working with government departments on youth empowerment and employment. Established by YouthNet, the Made in Nagaland Centre provides a platform for locally made products and seeks to help entrepreneurs expand their market reach. (Source: PTI)